Today's Feature

Wells Not Intending to Run.

Second ward Council member Ronnie Wells said at the Council meeting this week that due to a job opportunity he will probably not be seeking reelection to Council in the April 3, 2007 elections. Wells encouraged interested citizens in the second ward to file for the position and represent the City.

Precious Moments Gift Wrapping.

News release

With the bad weather several Christmas preparation days were lost and many are running behind in both their Christmas shopping and wrapping. Anyone who would like to save the hassle of wrapping their own gifts this Christmas season may bring them to Precious Moments from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday where the Carthage Women’s Service League will be available to wrap their gifts for donations. Those who have their gifts wrapped will receive a coupon to be used during the gift wrapping time frame for a free hot chocolate, free 7 p.m. Fountain of Angels performance, and 10% off their entire purchase in the Christmas Shop.

The last two Saturdays in December before Christmas will also be gift wrapping days at Precious Moments. Other Organizations will participating are as follows: Sat., Dec. 16 – Girl Scouts; Sat., Dec. 23 – Fairview Christian Church Youth.

Also, The Salvation Army is in need of new, unwrapped gifts for underprivileged children this Christmas. Gifts can be brought to the Precious Moments Park and may be for any age between newborn and 18. Non-perishable food items may also be given for Christmas food baskets. All items may be placed under the 20-foot Christmas tree in the main entrance of the Visitors Center by Dec. 17, 2006.

Stench Report:

Thursday,
12/14/06

No Stench Detected on Carthage Square

The birds are most likely a little confused by the recent weather patterns as much as us humans.

The squirrels have been speedin’ around like crazy too. Jumpin’ from branch to branch, up and down, ‘round and ‘round.

It’s hard ta imagine those folks livin’ in the big city, not gettin’ the advantage of watchin’ the ever’day animals we take for granted. ‘Course, they aren’t so cute when they start eatin’ from my strawberry patch.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

If sometime in your past you decided you did not like lentils or green peas, think again. We get more discriminating taste as adults and with this recipe you’ll be glad you tried rich, brown lentils again. Plus, this is a healthy recipe and great warmed over.

Lentil Soup for 6

• 1 tbsp x-vrgn olive oil

• 2 large onions diced

• 4 cloves garlic crushed

• 2 finely diced green peppers

• 10 cups vegetable stock

• 1 1/2 cups lentils

• 1/3 tsp dried thyme

• freshly ground pepper & 1/2 tsp salt

• 28 oz. can tomatoes finely chopped

• 1 lb. fresh spinach or 10 oz. frozen chopped

• 4 tbsp flax seed oil

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add next 3 ingredients simmer 10 min. Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT spinach and flax seed oil & bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 45 min. or until lentils are tender. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 5 min. until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the flax seed oil. Remember, we don’t cook with flax seed oil, it is added for rich flavor. If you plan "left overs" add a tsp. of oil to each serving before serving. ENJOY.* from the OMEGA DIET

* This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. References available by request. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

artCentral
Art Notes from Hyde House
By Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

Last call for visitors to the Barbara Courtney show! I was so glad to see several brave folks last Saturday and Sunday at the gallery as we were able to open after the "drive-way thaw." One dear visitor/ patron purchased the 7th painting from this show, so many thanks to her as well. This has been a good exhibit, elegant work of beautiful oil paintings that most of our visitors have commented favorably upon as the subjects and scenes are locally familiar. So as we are in the last week of being open with the Courtney work, Saturday and Sunday will be the last opportunity to open our doors in 2006. It has been a good year, I think.

Now, our plans for the winter of 2007 begin to firm up, and to you who are members, a newsletter will be coming out in early January containing all the details of the two workshops we have planned for February and March. February 9th will be the opening of our first show of the year, paintings in 3 media by Webb City artist John Fitzgibbon. John is well known to area artists and a long time member of artCentral. His last show with us was in 2004 and contained all watercolors. This time he will show paintings in the other 2 media as well--- variety, as he told me, being his "spice of life" right now. We are titling the show

"VARIETY: Color is the Spice!" and in addition to the 25 or so paintings that will be exhibited, the time period will also include two workshop opportunities. The first three day workshop, Beginning Watercolor, is for those adults and older students with little or no experience. For the $40.00 fee you will receive instruction from John on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00-4:00, during the weekend of February 9th, 10th and 11th. The following weekend, during the exact same time frame, will be offered instruction for Intermediate Watercolor artists, also for the $40.00 fee. Upon class enrollment and fee payment a supply list and schedule for the days will be issued to each student. Classes are limited so check your calendars now and call artCentral to reserve a place for one or both of these class opportunities.

We have had so many calls in the past year asking for adult classes, and now here are local opportunities in a winter time frame that we hope to be convenient to many. Next week I will tell you about the workshop class that we will offer in the month of March. Don’t miss these opportunities to begin your learning or to refresh the skills that you already have. You need not be a member of artCentral to enroll, but membership insures that the sign-up forms come to your home. Otherwise, forms need to be picked up after they are ready in mid-January.