Mary's "at Home"

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 65, Issue 5, 16 November 1942, Page 311

Mary's "at Home"

rpHE days are very hot here and although spring is still here, the weather is so mild that it is hard to believe that summer is not well advanced. I started on my big garden this week-end and three dozen tomato plants i were amongst the proudly planted. Do you like animals? So far we have twenty-one “additionals” otherwise calves, and really they are little darlings, gambolling in the green fields. — M., Feilding. BOUT that problem to solve in a recent competition: I do feel that the winner, “Rainbow,” handled the subject in a most able and just way, looking at it from all angles and summing it up in a decidedly practical way, for indeed it was no frivolous matter to set a mother’s heart at rest. I was sure she would derive great help

and solace from “Rainbow’s” entry. Incidentally, what a life it would be if husbands could be turned out to order! Tis a much better test, however, to make the best of what one gets. Roundabout, King Country. ■jVTY spare time these days is taken up with Red Cross work and I don’t seem to have much time for letter writing. During the winter I had lessons in papier mache with the object of making splints, bowls and 'trays for E.P.S. and Red Cross needs. It is very interesting work but takes time to become proficient. I liked your letter about remembering birthdays, but I am afraid I must confess to not always remembering those of my friends. Years ago it was the fashion to have a birthday book and our friends were asked to write

their names in the space allotted to the day of their birthday. I haven’t seen one since I was a young girl. But one birthday I always remember is that of a dear aunt, who was kindness itself to me when I lost my mother many years ago. She is a very sick woman at present and has had rather more of life’s troubles than most of us, but she has never complained. She has two sons serving in the Middle East and I hope they will be spared to come back to her, as she was proud of them when they enlisted. G., North Canterbury.

T HAVE just read “How Green Was My Valley” after seeing the film—enjoyed both immensely and shed a few tears in the darkness of the theatre toonot that I am a tearful person as a rule! Today my mother-in-law celebrated her birthday and it has been such a jolly day. I had planned to take her to visit some very old friends, but things didn’t work out that wayinstead we had visitors. One friend arrived with flowers for the birthday lady and a plate of cream puffs for me—well, well, now you know why my curves aren’t ironed out! I enjoyed your laughter lines. Someone once sent me a clipping when I said I was a dud gardener and it read: “If we cannot strew life’s pathway with flowers, we can at least strew it with smiles.” That was a compliment to me Anyway, for spreading some joy germs!— Laurel, Feilding.

T ALSO love rummaging but owing to moving about so much, my treasures have not accumulated as much, as I would have liked. One of my pet hobbies is collecting transfers. Whenever I feel blue, or sorry for myself, I get out my box and go through them, planning just where I will use this one and what I will do with that one. By the time I have finished I feel a new woman and long for the day to come when I can sit and do fancy work. The joke is, amongst my friends, that I have not done a piece of fancy work for years, except a few things for Boy when he was a baby. I have just come back from a week at Arthur’s Pass. We had the usual weather one day and then it rained. Now, when it rains on the Coast it rains and it is just a deluge which keeps up. for hours, but it is very warm. We came home to find the sun shining, the flowers bright and gay everywhere and as all we had seen for a week was dank and dripping bush it was a welcome change.— Jan, Redcliffs.

A NOTHER month beginningdon’t they fly? Spring is here and we hardly have time to notice. From the cowshed we look down a stream bordered with willows. All winter they have been brown and dead looking, then last week, almost overnight it seemed, they have adorned themselves

in delicate green. With the sun shining through they look beautiful. I wonder how far “London Lass’ has progressed in her decision to learn to write music? Poetry I am afraid is not in my line, but I’d just love to be original enough to write music. In my youth I was fortunate enough to learn the violin which I have kept up ever since. Now that the family is old enough I have taken it upon myself to put them “through the ropes.” We bought a small-sized violin and Misses Seven, Nine and Eleven are already well on the road to becoming budding Kreislers —I hope! Coming home from the cowshed early one morning I wondered whether the children would be awake. On nearing the house I heard strains of music and was much amused to discover Miss Seven sitting up in bed practising her violin! She said she had tried it lying down, but found it wasn’t very convenient. That, to quote your editorial, was my “morning tonic.” I certainly started that day with a good laugh.— Brynmawr, Aramoho. T HAVE been meaning to write and tell you how thrilled I was to learn that I had won a prize in the competition “Wartime Substitutes.” I have bought a cookery book that I have coveted for some time and the rest of my prize money has gone into my National Savings account. I collect cookery books (chiefly old ones) and my family are amused when I take one to bed with me if I have nothing else to read. And I thoroughly enjoy reading cookery books in bed. Now and then I find a new recipe or a use-

ful hint to thrill me. Now my English parcels are all away I will start on my Christmas parcels for friends here. I always collect my gifts during the year. Do you do this? It is really very fascinating and much more satisfactory than just rushing in and buying anything for anybody. Jane, Wellington.

, ’HIS year the shops up here have 1 been buying eggs at very high prices (this is the early winter) and folks have been buying them too. And now, just as our ducks have commenced to lay, the price is going down, because the grocer said people don’t want them at this price, even though it is much lower! It’s a weird world —we buy whilst prices are high, and then drop out as the prices drop.— M., Feilding. T FIND that by using Saccharin tabL lets it makes my sugar ration spin out. Instead of putting 1 cup of sugar, I use i cup of sugar and 2 saccharin tablets. For preserving I put two tablets into' a quart size jar, and 1 in a pint size jar. When opened for use, add about i cup of sugar to juice, dissolve, and then add fruit. Saccharin tablets have no food value, but are excellent for diabetic people. They are also useful for adding to tea, coffee, or Rainbow, Waimate. THE girl we had with us has gone, and she wasn't very nice to us before going. Isn’t it queer, Mary, how people working z for you always try to pick a quarrel before they leave, instead of leaving as many friends behind them as they can. We treated our girl as one of the family, took her everywhere with us, and yet she disappointed — C.T., Hawera.