Today's Feature

MASTER GARDENER PLANT SALE.

News release.

Gardening will be jut as much fun as ever with a variety of "giftable" items added to the grand collection of perennials offered at the Ozark Gateway Master Gardener Plant Sale.

The seventh annual sale will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 12 at Powers Museum, 1617 Oak St., located across from Municipal Park in Carthage.

Hanging baskets, patio-ready plantings and blooming African violets will be available for Mother’s Day gifts. Of course, perennials will be available in abundance. Perennials are plants that return year after year.

The wide selection include old-time favorites, columbine, coral bells, salvia, daylilies, peonies, creeping phlox, hostas, veronica, chrysanthemums and the lily of the valley. Herbs are always popular too. Pots of basil, chives, catmint, catnip, parsley, thyme, oregano, origanum and white yarrow are ready for planting.

A nice variety of trees and shrubs have been started by the master gardeners. Flowering almond, crepe myrtle, viburnum, hydrangea and rose of Sharon will be available. Sassafras and pussy willow seedlings have been started.

Houseplants, groundcover, grasses, bulbs and a nice variety of annuals will be ready for planting and all are available at very reasonable prices.

Master Gardeners give back to their communities with volunteer service after receiving 30 hours of university-level training. Classes are held each year. Among the group’s volunteer projects are working with youth at Turn Around Ranch, and growing vegetables to share with participants at Joplin Crosslines.

Members are out sharing their knowledge at Joplin’s Earth Day, Joplin Recycling Center, Webb City Environmental Day, Joplin Boomtown Days and at celebrations at George Washington Carver. They also operate the hotline for gardening questions at the University of Missouri Extension office for four months each year. Gardening projects include Carthage Public Library Gardens, Brady Building Rehab Center, Vantage Point and Ozark Regional Land Trust. Proceeds from the event help fund these various projects.

I suppose catfishin’ is one of the more relaxin’ types. At least the way I was exposed to it. Parents seem ta be the real benefactors. Any adult I ever went fishin’ with seemed obsessed with the idea that catfish could hear even the slightest noise on the bank. As I’ve grown older, I think that may just be an excuse for the adult ta get a little peace and quiet. It’s not often you can get a kid ta be quiet for more than a few seconds. But stick a fishin’ pole in the kid’s hands, and they’ve gotta be silent.

Now that’s real quality time with the family.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Natural Nutrition
By Mari An Willis

Rain, Rain go away come again another day! Thank goodness for rubber boots and sump pumps.

Diet season is upon us. Some of the tried and true methods are still popular among those in the know....meaning those of us who have dieted most of our lives. Among some of the products the active ingredient may be Ma Haung or ephedra. This herb certainly has a place in herbal blends, but one MUST be aware that it "speeds up metabolism" because it stimulates the central nervous system. According to the PDR for Herbal Medicine, it is used in diseases of the respiratory tract including asthma, cardiovascular stimulation and as a stimulant. The contraindications include "states of anxiety and restlessness, high blood pressure, angle-closure glaucoma" and more. It may have an interaction with many drugs and has the potential for becoming addictive with extended or overuse. Just because an herb is naturally occurring does not automatically mean it is perfectly safe or has no potential side-effects. I feel as an herb specialist it is necessary to raise awareness of these potentialities. Growing right here is a commonly used weed for appetite depression, chickweed. Some have combined it with celery for a weight loss formula. In Louise Tenney’s Today’s Herbal Health, celery "should be cooked with milk and eaten freely to neutralize uric acid and other excess acids in the body." It also acts as a mild diuretic helping to rid the body of excess fluids. As in any new diet plan, one should consult their physician if they are on medications or have other health problems. With a little study and a good look at ones self, you will probably be able to find a way to lose unwanted pounds.

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

An exciting project is about to begin here at artCentral. Because of a very generous donation to us by a good friend of artCentral, Wendy Christensen, we will be offering to our community the opportunity to bid on and purchase two original pieces of "art history"!

You may remember reading, the 30th anniversary was observed of the commissioning and painting of the mural of Jasper County history, FORGED IN FIRE, done by artist Lowell Davis in 1975. This mural in the Jasper County Courthouse, has been featured since that time as one of the main tourist attractions in Carthage, and has been appreciated by many. Thanks went to Dallie Miessner-Howerton, head of the mural committee for the Soroptimist Club, Marvin Vangilder, local historian who gave original historical information to Davis in the planning stages, artist Lowell Davis himself, and others, by guest of honor and then Governor Christopher "Kit" Bond on dedication day, October 10, 1975.

Now, two of the three original artist’s panels, sketches and plans, of the mural, are to be made available to be purchased. These panels are light gray- coated masonite board, each measuring about 22" X 30" unframed. The Board of Directors of artCentral voted this year to have these, beautifully matted in linen, and framed, in order to present them in an elegant and very finished way to the community as a fundraiser for artCentral. They will be unveiled Friday night, June 1st at the Opening Reception of the MEMBERSHIP ART SHOW and the public is invited to attend and see the panels for the first time, as Mr. Davis drew them. The two panels will remain on display at artCentral for a time as a part of the new show, and then will begin revolving around our community. Appearing with the two panels will be the third original panel, which was "painted- in" and is in a private collection. Additionally, the original paper sketches done on Marvin Vangilder’s porch will also be shown. We will have as special guests many of the principals involved in the mural, including Lowell Davis.

Those institutions or individuals interested in bidding on the panels may contact me at artCentral. We hope that the community display will culminate at the Courthouse, where the winning bid will be announced, just before the end of the year. It is our desire to see these panels purchased as a pair and hung in a permanent public venue, for all to enjoy, so if you are in a philanthropic position, we would love to hear from you!