Page 4 - - THE SPECTATOR, Ozark, Ark.

, Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Our Carefree Summers

by Clydene Overbey I used to love summer because we were out of school, but I missed my school pals too. There were a few other kids around and we all had a good time. We walked all over with no fear of being abducted or bothered in any way. We did not have Playstations, Nintendos, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms, we had friends and we went outside and found them! Summer was a wonderful time to be a country kid. It meant no school for three whole months, running barefoot, sleeping in the front yard, riding our bikes to the store while collecting beer and pop bottles along the way to trade in for a few pennies worth of candy, eating strawberries, carrots, and tomatoes straight from the garden grit and all. It also meant more chores, but we got them done morning and night, then ran like wild little Indians the rest of the day. We built forts, caught pollywogs in the culvert, waded the ditches after a rain, climbed trees, dug big worms for fishing, and life was not dull, and I never heard the words spoken, Im bored. We made our own fun, and knew better than to lie around the house or Mama would give us something to do. Sometimes she sent us out to the garden to gather things that were ready for harvest. I didnt mind any of it except the sticky, itchy okra. I loved the crispy fried okra though, so Id cut it to enjoy it cooked. Let me fry you some before you say, yucky. All moms were acquainted with our mom and treated us like their own. If their kids were in trouble, so were we; if they were hungry, so were we, and so on. Everything and everyone was shared back and forth in the little area. I learned vitally important lessons too from the way others worked and played on their particular parcel of land. I even learned how to make a great pie crust, buttermilk biscuits, corn bread, and devil's food cake, from Mama when I was too young and short to reach the cabinet. Remember those cabinets with the flour bin on the side, a white work space, a place for condiments on top, and for pots and pans on the bottom? Id love to have one now. All summer we played and worked at things like the garden. I loved the garden and watching things grow. I remember planting a couple of dry pinto beans in a pound coffee can, which was shorter than now, and being completely thrilled to watch it grow. We had a big yard to play in and lots of trees to climb. We ran and jumped and got all those skinned knees from sliding down on the hot dirt in the road. Wed jump up then and run some more with blood running down all mixed up with the dirt. I dont remember ever running crying to Mama with a skinned knee because I knew she would wash it off and put that dreaded Merthiolate on that burned worse than the bloody knee. Out in the garden I remember stickers that seemed to jump out and stick to my feet. Id just sit down and rub a hand full of dirt on them until they came out then up Id get us and head out again. We were tough and our feet were tougher from running barefoot. Those summer days were carefree, fun, and happy for a bunch of ragamuffin kids that saw no danger. Im not fond of summer now because I dont like the heat, but it didnt bother me then. Id get out of bed and outside I would go to check and see if Brenda was out yet. Mama usually had to call me back in to eat breakfast and do my chores. After breakfast and chores we all congregated to decide what wed do first. Dark didnt even phase us and wed keep going until we were called in to get cleaned up for bed which was a chore in itself. Sometimes we got a second wind and Mama had to quieten us down and threaten us with a whipen if we didnt hush up right now! When we did finally get quiet we had no problem sleeping soundly because we were tired. What great memories! Ecclesiastes 4: 5-6. I made me great works; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5. I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6. I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

Revised Farm Bill passes in House

WASHINGTON The 2013 Farm Bill narrowly passed in the U.S. House of Representatives with a heated 216-208 vote; this time excluding supplemental nutritional assistance program funding, breaking a convention practiced since 1973. Some Republican leaders find this to be an encouraging development in agricultural policy with the summation that the Farm Bill will now hone its focus on the farm and not be leveraged by welfare programs, intending to address Food Stamp funding with a separate bill. Opposing Democrats however, find the new legislation as detrimental to rural and urban communities alike, stating that the House has turned a bipartisan piece of legislation into a partisan one. President Obama has remarked that he would veto any form of the bill that did not include Food Stamp funding. He has encouraged Congress to find a comprehensive approach. This is the second time the Farm Bill has made it to the House floor this year as it was killed in a vote last month that surprised many as legislators cited their concerns of out-ofcontrol, wasteful spending on both subjects of the bill. Lawmakers in Washington will have to come to an agreement to pass a bill through the Democrat controlled Senate before the end of September or agriculture policy will be reverted back to the 1949 Farm Bill which could potentially cause a significant increase in the price of staple foods like milk. Continued delay in the ratification of this bill is causing increasely difficult problems for Arkansass rural families who depend on legitimate conservation and forage programs and disaster relief provided by the Farm Bill, mounting pressure on representatives to find a solution to this issue. Have a backache from crop harvesting? Fill an old sock with uncooked plain rice (not quick-cooking) and tie it off. Warm the sock in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, then apply to your sore back while lying down. The application of heat allows the back muscles to loosen and relax.
***

Pictured: Malena Gann (L) and Jessica Selby.

OHS students compete in FCCLA STAR events

Two graduates of Ozark High School, Malena Gann and Jessica Selby, represented OHS in National FCCLA STAR events competition in Nashville, Tenn., July 7-11. There were among approximately 150 students participating from Arkansas. Over 7,000 students and advisors from every state and the Virgin Islands attended the meeting. Gann and Selby competed in the Chapter Showcase Manual division in STAR events. To advance to the national competition students must win at the district and state levels. At all three levels of competition Gann and Selby won gold medals. - - Twyla Couch, Advisor

123 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123 123 123 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 123 By Irene McKee 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123 123 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123 123 123 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890 123

Liberty News

Still no rain. Everything is suffering here while other places have too much rain. Sandra of Alma visited with me Sunday. She had to get home to do some work. The Robert Harris family also visited with me on Sunday. It was good to have them. I want to wish my granddaughter, Anglia Baxter, happy birthday and many more. The church was full Sunday. It seems everyone is feeling better. The family has my porch done and it looks real nice and keeps the dogs off. The dogs like to fight on the porch. Saturday evening we cooked out on the grill, so did Randys family. My granddaughter and her two children visited Sunday evening before going home. Our thoughts go out to the Tom Edgin family on the going home of their loved one. Our blessings to all the family. We also want to remember those who have been hurt in accidents. May you mend soon and be back doing well. It was good to visit with a neighbor for a very short time. She is back to feeling like herself after her spell of being sick. She got some blackberries for her a pie while she was here. We have been neighbors for 64 years. At last report Shirl Ann Green was doing about the same. She is holding on and is home, but not back at work yet. She works at the hospital in Texas and has been for quite a while. There was some mix-up in my last weeks news. I am sorry, it was mixed up acci-

dently. I need to get busy before it gets too hot. Everything needs to be watered. Everyone needs to ask friends and loved ones to join in our prayers for rain. He answers our prayers in due time. I hope you have a great week, stay well and call or visit the sick and elderly. I received word of a loved one passing away last week. She was Sis. Claras granddaughter and lived in North Dakota. Thanks to my niece, Linda, for letting me know. Have a great day. Treat heat rash by rubbing a slice of raw potato over the affected area. The potatos juices reduce irritation and skin inflammation.
***

NEW DAILY SPECIALS:

Sun......................... Large Specialty Pizza $1299 Mon......................... Large 1-Topping Pizza $799 Tues.................................. 2 Medium, 1-Topping Pizzas for $1199 Wed. ..........................Large Pizza At Reg. Price, Get Medium Cheese Pizza or Cheese Sticks For Only $299 more!

Let us do the cooking! Call us today!

667-5805

Home Of

Hwy. 64 E. - Ozark, AR 72949

Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce

Use your smartphone to sign up for our newsletter with the QR code above.