10 SPIRIT OF JEFFERSON Farmer's ADVOCATE - Thursday, March 18, 1999
Karen Scott
696 Tuscawilla Hills
725-0158
Hi Neighbors! Hope you all en-
joyed winter's last two hurrahs!
We sure did. We went toboggan-
ing at my parents, built a snow
fort, built an igloo, and made loads
of snowmen! We made the most of
the snow and are now ready for
spring! Andy is particularly anx-
ious to get started with tee-ball!
It is unreal that the forecasters
are calling for the high sixties to-
day! I guess the snow will be gone
by the weekend! I know my flow-
ers will be happy to have warmer,
drier temperatures! smiles
Good Samaritans
During the first snowstorm,
several kind neighbors made life a
little easier for those who had to
be out in the mess. Kudos to all
who helped
and especially to the kind
gentleman who helped me out of
the chaos at Page Jackson El-
ementary School. I could not
make it up the hill after I had
dropped David off, and he steered
me through the nursery located in
front of the school. He guided
many of us non-snow driving
morns safely to Rt. 340.
and to Donald "Hook" Long-
erbeam for driving many nurses to
and from the hospital and for
cleaning off car windows for those
who drove themselves.
and to great teen Ben Cooper
who helped Liz out of a snow
bank! When school was closed
early last week, the roads were
supposed to have been plowed.
Liz had never driven in snow but
figured she could since the roads
were supposed to be clear. She
started out and discovered that
the roads had not been touched!
She decided now or never and cau-
tiously crept down Flowing Springs
Road. Even though she was care-
ful, she slid and overestimated.
BOOM! She ran into a snow bank!
Ben Cooper helped her out of the
bank and followed her through
town to make sure she made it ok.
(Ironically this is the same Ben
Cooper who was in my first Field
Experience Class. I got to observe
his first grade class at Ranson El-
ementary in one of my first teach-
ing classes at Shepherd. I had al-
ways wondered about him, .he re-
ally made me smile and made me
feel that I was meant to be a
all gathered for ice cream cake on
her big day.
It is just so hard to believe that
she is 18. Cheryl and I were at a
St. Patrick's dance at Charles
Town Junior High when she made
her debut. We did not get to see
her until the next day. Everyone
said what a pretty baby she was,
and we thought so, too. Who knew
that she would worm her way into
our hearts and make us compete
for brownie points!?!
Cheryl and I have always tried
to one up each other when it came
to making her smile. She was and
still is very spoiled! I guess we re-
ally did create a princess!
smiles
Now that she is an adult, I told
her she gets to spoil my kids silly
now!
Peanut Blossoms
These cookies are Matthew Ad-
ams' favorite cookies. Kids will
have fun making them!
You will need the following: 48
Hershey kisses, 1/2 cup shorten-
ing, 3/4 creamy peanut butter, 1/3
cup sugar, 1/3 cup packed light
brown sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbs. milk, 1
tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp
baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, and addi-
tional sugar.
Have the young helpers take
the wrappers off of the kisses.
Mix the shortening and peanut
butter until well blended. Add the
sugars. Beat until fluffy. Add the
egg, milk, and vanilla and beat
well. Add the flour, baking soda,
and salt. Mix well. Shape into
one-inch balls. Roll into the addi-
tional sugar and place on an un-
greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350
for 8-10 minutes.
When done, remove from the
oven. Immediately place a kiss on
the top of each one. Enjoy!
Birthdays
Please wish Bill Chicchirichi a
happy 7th birthday tomorrow.
Ryan Decker also celebrates to-
morrow. He turns three!
Erin Danner turns 10 on March
20. Wish her a special day!
Todd Lutman II turns 5 on
March 23, and Sierra Johnson
turns two on this day.
Goof-Off
March 22 is National Goof-Off
Day. Take the day and do nothing!
Be silly and have some fun. Turn
teacher. It is good to know that he an otherwise yucky Monday into a
is doing well and saving damsels great dayl smiles
in distress! :smiles ) Next Week.':
and to our snow crews here in
the 'Hills. Once again the men
made sure we were dug out in ra~"
timely mannerf You guys are the
greatest!
27 Days And Counting
Sis Cheryl and Stu have been
busy packing up their household!
Boxes adorn every nook and
cranny in their house. My boys
are getting more and more excited
by the minute! Why? Their be-
loved Aunt Durgie and Uncle Tu
have decided to follow us to the
'Hills, too!
I moved here six years ago.
Two years later, Mom, Dad, and
Liz decided to join us and bought
a house on Hunter Drive. Now
Cheryl and Stu are following the
leader and are building a house on
the golf course.
The boys have gotten such a
kick out of watching their house
being built. At the beginning we
had to go over every day after
school to see the progress and tell
Cheryl what the men were doing.
We found that the roofers easily
waved at us. The other workers
thought we were strange and won-
dered why we would drive by a
million times a day! smiles In
fact, one day after the foundation
had been done, and the floor was
in place, we went over in the
evening to pick through the dirt
for treasures. A gentleman
watched us and finally stopped his
car and asked us if the house was
ours. I said no, and he was horri-
fied. I quickly told him that we
were pretending that we were vis-
iting my sister who owned the
property. He gave me a very weird
look and jumped back into his car
and left! The boys thought that
was funny and started yelling for
Cheryl's dog, Max. Every time af-
ter that the boys always had to
scream Max's name when we vis-
ited!
I pity Cheryl when she really
does move in. They have decided
that a room should be theirs so
they have told her to paint it their
favorite colors - one wall red, one
wall blue, one wall yellow, and one
wall a combination of the three
colors! No doubt she will since she
spoils them so! smiles
I~ will be great to have my fam-
ily all out here. I am hoping Liz
settles down here, too, when she
marries. Then I can farm out each
of the boys when they are having a
"bad brother" day! smiles
Special Day
Sis Liz celebrated her 18th
birthday in style another snow-
storm! (I told you it would snow
for her birthday!)
The boys made her a snow pmn-
cess - tiara and all! A balloon prin-
cess surprised her at school the
day before her birthday. And we
is Sports Trivia Week. Brush
up on your facts and amaze your
friends.
is National Spring Fever
Week. Catch the bug and go for a
walk.
is also National Clutter
Awareness Week. Clean out those
closets and get ready for that tag
sale now!
Boo-Boo Bags
If there is any snow left today,
go scoop it up into sandwich bags
that zip shut. Squirt some food
coloring in each bag and place in
the freezer.
When your child needs an ice
pack, grab the snow pack. After it
stands at room temperature (or is
nuked), it will become squishy.
The kids will love using snow to
make their hurts go away!
Observe
Enjoy the spring like air this
week by observing it through a
child's eyes. Sit outside and have
him draw what he sees. At the top
of the paper, label it with where
you are and what time/day it is.
On the back write down what
the child smells, feels, and hears.
Take the time to enjoy the moment
and relish it. Do this several
times throughout the spring and
watch your child watch spring un-
fold right before his eyes.
Mini-Terrarium
Andy could not wait to get his
garden started this year so he con-
vinced us to start one now. He
took a clear pepsi bottle and
cleaned it out. He asked Steve to
cut off the top. He lined the bot-
tom with rocks and then added
dirt. He planted daisy seeds and
lightly watered them. He covered
them loosely with plastic wrap
and placed them in his window.
Everyday he checks them. Two
days ago he went screaming
through the house because several
had sprouted! He is soo very ex-
cited and cannot wait to plant
them in the garden when they are
big enough.
All For Now
Well, Neighbors, I hope every-
one enjoys this spring-like
weather we are supposed to get. I
hope to get out and about so that I
can find out what is going on
around here. No news is good
news, they say, but for me, it
makes for a boring column!
smiles
Do call with your news take
care!
Becky Shaffer
876-0600
Sigmas Serve Spaghetti
The aroma of the garlicky sauce
floated on the wintery air outside
the Shepherdstown Men's Club.
Shepherd students led the proces-
sion of customers up the stairs.
The Beta Delta's first annual spa-
ghetti dinner drew students and
town folks, alike, to savor the
saucy spaghetti and sample
homebaked sweets for a good
cause a fundraiser for the
Robbie Page Memorial, a long-
time project of the Sigma Sigma
Sigma sorority. Each chapter is
responsible for raising money for
the memorial fund which honors
the deceased son of an early na-
tional president of the group
money which is used to fund spe-
cial projects at a southern hospi-
tal. Current donations are being
used for play therapy.
Beta Delta, the Shepherd chap-
ter of the Tri-Sigma national orga-
nization, has raised monies for
this project and for some much-
needed equipment at the Winches-
ter, Virginia, hospital. According
to member, Jessica Trapp, her
chapter donated the funds for two
anatomically-correct dolls a boy
and a girl for the use of the
nearby Virginia physicians who
demonstrate to their young pa-
tients the procedures for upcom-
ing surgery. Youngsters are
shown where the surgery will take
place on the body, how bandages
will be placed, etc.
"We also donated a wagon to
the hospital," reported Trapp. "It
is used to move the youngsters
around."
Don't know if it was the spa-
ghetti or the cause, or both, which
drew partakers to the activity,
but, if numbers of people lifting
forks to mouth is an indicator,
then the evening was a fundrais-
ing success.
The Circle Unbroken
Another piece of the puzzle
the picture which will one day be
Becky Shaffer passed from this
world last Tuesday. My grand-
mother, Edith Hammond
Trussell's, niece, and my mother's
first cousin, Mable Lee Hammond,
bearing the designation "the last
of her immediate family," passed
from this world.
Her mother's namesake, tl~is
gentle lady was the daughter of
Roland and Mable Lee (Miller)
Hammond whose residence, when
I was old enough to recognize
these things, was Springdale
Farm, currently the home of Mary
Ann and Connie Hammann. The
Shaffer family would stop by for a
visit on occasional Sunday after-
noons. Having always lived in a
"traditional" house, I was some-
what in awe of this "strange place"
with its kitchen and eating area in
the basement and the living room
on the second floor of the three-
story structure. I had never heard
of going "upstairs" to the living
room after the evening meal. I
knew little of the homes of earlier
times where the kitchens were
placed on the lower level or en-
tirely away from the main house
because of summer heat and wood
stoves, etc.
Mable Lee lived at Springdale
with her father, Rowland, her sis-
ter, Edith, and her brother,
Rowland (Army). Sisters Hester
and Emma lived in Martinsburg,
and sisters Mary and Anna Ruth
were married and lived with their
spouses in Shepherdstown.
Brothers Ed, "Piney", and Tom
worked together as carpenters
and built many of the "newer"
homes in town and the surround-
ing area.
Sister Mary and her husband,
Charles "Pax" Jones lived on East
German Street, as did Ed with his
0 family. Hester and Emma worked
at Perfection Garment Factory in
Martinsburg, lived nearby their
workplace, and went home to
Springdale every weekend. Be-
cause they did not drive no, nei-
ther did they depended on Edith,
the only licensed sister, to bring
them to and fro. Edith worked in
the local grocery stores
Boswells, the A & P, and for Betty
Osbourn during her grocery busi-
ness years, I recall. Mable Lee
was a homemaker who took care of
her family. "Army" helped his dad
on the farm for many years. And
Anna Ruth, who married Mason
Watson, had a reputation far and
wide for her beautiful crocheted
creations which adorned many a
local coffee table, dresser, buffet,
and dining table.
Another of the memories is of
the Hammond/McKee reunion
which was held each year at the
War Memorial Park in Martins-
burg. The clan would gather for
an afternoon of good fellowship
and delicious food. Uncle
Rowland, his nine children, and
the offspring would gather to
honor the connection between the
two families Hammonds and
McKees. Folks came from
throughout the area to touch base.
Eventually, as the old folks
stopped attending and the young
family members found attending
"too silly" or too time consuming,
the reunions stopped. Today I
think back on the people I met
there the Foltzes from Hager-
stown, the McKees from Martins-
burg, the Hammonds from all
around and wish we could come
together again. It wouldn't be the
same missing would be Bill
Hammond, Forrest and Bernice
Hammond, the Rowland
Hammond family, Edith and
Arthur Trussell, Fred and Marga-
ret Shaffer, Fred and Macie
Hammond, Charles and Clarice
Hammond, and many more but
it would be nice to touch base with
the cousins, Mable Lee's "nieces,
nephews, great-nieces, and great
nephews."
The memories are good, dear
lady, but I have one regret that I
did not stop by for that last chat as
promised. Life is too short to pass
up such opportunities.
Flower Show
One of my favorite things to do
in late winter is the Flower and
Garden Show sponsored by the
Hagerstown Community College
Alumni Association. The 1999
version took place last Saturday
and Sunday, and, because feets of
snow were predicted for Sunday, I
stopped by on Saturday.
Wow! The number of vendors
increased this year. Last year
things were a bit sparse, but
twenty new booths were added
this time, filling the gymnasium
at HCC to a comfortable number.
The booths were filled with
blooming plants, herbs, gardening
equipment, garden crockery, pew-
ter, stained glass, and much more
with lots of printed information
about these items and lots of oth-
ers. Speakers presented "How To"
programs on a number of subjects,
and there were door prizes and
free things given by numerous
businesses.
I especially enjoyed the plants
in bloom and other potted herbs
and flowers. And one booth fea-
tured cut flowers roses, carna-
tions, daisies, and other beauties.
I couldn't resist bringing home
several stems of roses so
beautiful and some potted items.
I always come home from this ac-
tivity with a slimmer wallet.
And
After selecting my lunch from a
vendor, I asked two ladies if I
could join them at their table, for
the room was crowded and a single
table was not to be found, They
graciously agreed to allow me to
occupy the extra chair.
After a rather slow start at con-
versation, we suddenly went into
high gear, as I filled them in on
past and upcoming happenings in
Shepherdstown. We changed di-
rections a bit and spoke of news-
papers, wherewith I confessed my
affiliation with The Spirit, and
the woman to my right likewise
indicated that she wrote a weekly
column for "The Picket", the
countywide paper which we find
on our local newstands.
Vikki Nelson presents her opin-
ions on a number of subjects for
this publication, and I should have
remembered the hat the photo
attached to her column always
features her wearing a head cover-
ing of some sort.
The lady was properly modest
about her column and did not
mention that, when I opened my
Sunday "Hagerstown Herald," I
would find a two-page spread
about her and her life. My!My! I
didn't know until Sunday morning
that I was lunching with a Mary-
land notable.
Ms. Nelson is proprietor of
Jarnel Iron and Forge and a bro-
ker for Halcyon Real Estate, ac-
cording to the paper. She is in-
volved with Republican politics on
the local and state level, and has
membership in numerous organi-
zations. Last year she was a can-
didate for state senate, losing to
current Senator Donald Munson.
Little did I know, when I
headed for that table, what a col-
orful (hats included) person I was
destined to meet.
Reminders
March 18. "The Founding Vi-
sion of Public Education and Its
Current Challenges." 7:30 p.m.
Shepherdstown Presbyterian
Church. Rev. Elearnora Giddings,
Director, Presbyterian Church's
Washington Office.
March 19. "Dervish." 8 p.m.
Shepherdstown Presbyterian
Church. A program of Celtic mu-
sic by this Irish band. Sponsored
by Shepherdstown Music and
Dance. $12 adults. $6 children
under 12 years. For info: 263-
2531.
March 21. "Celebration of
Tea ". 3 p.m. Historic Shepherd-
stown Museum. "The History and
Social Customs of Tea" with
speaker Beulah Summer. Bring
your special tea cup and share
with the group its history. Spon-
sored by Historic Shepherdstown.
$5 donation. For reservation:
876-0910.
March 26. WV Symphony Or-
chestra. 7:30 p.m, Apollo Civic
Theater, Martinsburg. Thomas
Conlin, conductor, and Philip
Quint, guest violinist. $50 box
seats, $35 Rows 1-4, $20 orches-
tra, $10 balcony. For reservations: parents show their offsprin~ ~=~
263-6766. ternate feeding and neglect
Father's Garden feed themselves. .~ [~ ]
You have probably already When nesting season i| ~'- -
completed that first step the se- under way, it would be hell~
lecting and ordering of flower and the parents if we would p~
vegetable seeds from several of soft foods to be taken backJ
the multitude of seed catalogs hatchlings in the nests, q
which began arriving in your good growing food for young|
mailbox before Christmas. Per- Other suggestions would b~
haps the order has already arrived low dishes of bread crur~
and you are thinking about the milk, scrambled eggs, good[
next step for at least some of ity canned cat or dog food, ~==~
them germinating them inside cheese, and finely-chopped ~]]
before transplanting them outside A Glimpse Into Histo| ~
in your gardens. Let s give some Beginning in 1883, Hir~ ]1 ~ 1
thought to the germination pro- Hardesty published a serieS]"~" 1~,'
cess. ticles'about the counties oq
A seed is an embryonic plant Virginia. Jefferson County|
waiting to get out. It's the task of
the gardener to turn the seed from
dormancy into a living thing by
providing light, air, warmth, and
moisture. Some seeds are not
fussy at all about the conditions
which trigger them into growth
weeds fall into this category and
others are so sensitive that they
require a carefully controlled envi-
ronment to germinate. Seeds
have,their own food supply in the
beginning which lasts until they
can put down roots and draw food
and water from the soil.
The actual date when you sow
your seed will vary from season-
to-season and, possibly, with the
area in which you live. The goal is
to have your seedlings ready to go
into the garden when the soil and
air temperatures are right for
them. If seedlings are ready too
soon, they will freeze if you put
them outdoors and grow spindly if
kept indoors.
To determine the right time to
plant the seeds, first determine
the transplant date. To do this,
first find the typical last frost date
in your area through an almanac,
or a local nursery or county exten-
sion office. The safe date for set-
ting out transplants depends on a
plant's frost hardiness pansies
and sweet peas can tolerate some
frost while tender annuals
impatiens and basil and
peppers should go into the
ground after all chance of frost has
passed.
To calculate a sewing date,
work backward from the date .you
want to transplant. Different
seeds sprout and reach trans-
planting size at different speeds,
and you should, over a period of
years, have a notebook which helps
you with this information. Those
which sprout fast tend to be large
and easy to handle seeds which
should be started four weeks be-
fore transplanting. Medium-sized
seeds should be started about six
weeks before transplant. Small
seeds, those that require special
handling, will be ready for trans-
plant four weeks into the future.
Starting seeds indoors is excit-
ing and infectious, and window-
sills will seon be crammed with
little pots of assorted shapes and
sizes of seedlings. You develop an
overwhelming desire to study
greenhouse designs, but a green-
house is not necessary for a pleas-
ant experience in gardening.
*** Continued next week.
For The Birds
With spring on the horizon a
rollover of seasons in just one
week we need to consider bird
food for warm weather. I know! I
know! We have twelve inches of
snow on our ground! But tem-
peratures will warm and the snow
will melt. We need to shepherd
our feathered friends through the
spring months and into summer.
Actually, late winter and early
spring are times when we need to
be conscious of bird food needs. The
seeds left standing last fall have
been devoured during the winter,
and it is important, with nesting
season approaching, to supple-
ment the diets until new growth
begins.
We need to make only a few
changes in our catering service
once spring has declared itself. As
our summer birds arrive from the
South, and other species migrate
through our yards on their ways to
their nesting territories farther
north, we need to keep up with
their appetites as they stop over
during their long trips.
Once migration is completed
about mid-May, you will think
that the birds have thinned out to
just a smattering of nesting pairs,
but there will actually be more
birds around than in winter.
Breeders won't be much in evi-
dence for awhile except when they
make hit-and-run raids on our
feeders to supplement the wild
foods. Once the eggs have been
hatched and tiny open beaks,
backed by high-decimaled chirps,
demand to be fed, feeder business
will pick up, not to decrease until
fall migrants leave for the winter.
One suet feeder is all that is
needed during the summer
months, and this must be checked
frequently to prevent rancid con-
tents. Sunflower feeders one for
seed and one for chopped
meats should be kept filled dur-
ing the warmer months. Gold-
finches are drawn to a filled
thistle seed feeder during the
early summer months.
When hatching begins, our feed
tables should offer soft foods for
the hatchlings.
Our best reward for summer-
feeding our birds is the sight of the
tiny fledglings as they begin to fly.
A multitude of squaking, stub-
winged youngsters will flock to the
feeders, begging for food. Here the"
part of this material. For
"several weeks, I have
the column some of the
tion which references
stown. We continue
with information which
provided about some of
"movers and shakers".
folks whe were here
formative years.
"Charles Henry Knott
san G. Reinheart were
marriage in
ferson County, in 1869,
blessed with five chil
Charles was born in 1841,
of Samuel and Margaret
Charles was a soldier in
federate service during the
1861 and served till the
the war. In 1878 Mr.
appointed notary public.
farmer and boatman in the
herdstown District."
"George S. Knott en
farming and boating in
stown district. Born in 11
Jefferson County, he wed
Doub in 1860. During
war, George was a soldier
12th Virginia Regiment,
has served in this
school commissioner.
postoffice address is She
stown, Jefferson County."
"W. J. Knott is the son
uel and Margaret Sanders
He was born in 1828.
Margaret Moler in 1853,
his wife were blessed
children, three of whom
shortly after birth. One
practicing physician. W.J.
had six brothers in the w;
tween the States, and one,
was killed; he himself sent
stitute into the service.
grandfather, William
an iron forger and from the
acquired the habit of al!
standing when talking. S~
Knott, his father, was
Maryland, and on coming
county in 1823, was
the day's work by a
economy and diligence he
wealthy, and his son, W.J.
ing some of his wealth
of his energy, is now
gaged in farming his own
and in milling and boating."
"Samuel M. Knott, a
ous farmer residing in
stown district, Jefferson C
WV, was born in this coi
March 1830. His father, a
of Pennsylvania, died in
his mother
born in and. Samuel
was joined in
ret Kepheart in 1858
(Uvilla). Nine children
to this union: John,
Virginia, Rosa Lee, William,
uel O Betty, Alice, and M~
John is in Nashville,
studying for the
Charles J. is teaching sch(
Berkeley County; the rest
children are living at
their parents. Mr.
three years in the cavalry
during the late war, partici~
in the battles of Harpers
Port Republic, and in an
ment near Georgetown;
year he had a substitute
field."
Note: I had never hea
sending a substitute into
but it seems from
a number of the men
in this practice.
would persuade another to
war in his place offer
daughter's hand in
property ? An
cept.
*** Information for this
from the "WV
dia."
ON DEAN'S
Amanda R. Zigler,
Richard and Susan Zigl~
Charles Town, has been
the Dean's List for the fall
ter at Radford University.
The Dean's List is
students with at least a 3.5
point average. Amanda
grade point average and is
ing in M~
Amanda is the
of Ward and Patsy Zigle
Charles Town, and Agnes
of Shepherdstown.
At 870 Fahrenheit
the hottest average
perature of any
system. The coldest
face surface temperature
of Pluto (-370 Fahrenheit).
