Town Crier Articles

Front Porch Chat
Posted on August 1, 2023 6:45 AM by Patti Vaticano
 
Well, we’re in the final stretch of summer, now.  For those “Summer People” out there, sadness has already set in.  Picnic baskets, pool noodles, flip-flops, and Hibachis will soon be mothballed for another year and many a constitution steeled against the cooler days ahead.  For those who are less charmed by summer months in the Tidewater, mosquito welts, sticky clothing, weeding woes, and the dreaded failure to hear the AC “click,” will be, blessedly, things of the past.  You can hear them all cheering, now.
 
But whatever your sentiments about the season, be safe and enjoy the days ahead.  Take those opportunities to see friends and family that will soon be engulfed in work and school, once more. Visit those places—seaside park and mountain trail—that will quickly offer less accommodating vistas and opportunities.  Most importantly, glory in the ever-changing Joys of the Seasons. Your favorite is never far away, and those seasons you can do without, make those favored seasons even more precious.
 
Riddle for the Month:  Where do you go to find a hot date?   
 
 
The Months by Sara Coleridge
 
  
January brings the snow,
makes our feet and fingers glow.
 
February brings the rain,
Thaws the frozen lake again.
 
March brings breezes loud and shrill,
stirs the dancing daffodil.
 
April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daises at our feet.
 
May brings flocks of pretty lambs,
Skipping by their fleecy damns.
 
June brings tulips, lilies, roses,
Fills the children's hand with posies.
 
Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.
 
August brings the sheaves of corn,
Then the harvest home is borne.
 
Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
 
Fresh October brings the pheasants,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
 
Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves are whirling fast.
 
Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire, and Christmas treat
 
August Fun Fact:   August is National Sandwich Month!  Why, exactly?  Who knows!  Perhaps because sandwiches are a quick and easy cold meal to prepare in the sweltering August heat.  But the love of sandwiches goes back a long way.  It is believed that the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, John Montague (1718-1793), who, too involved to stop his game of cards, ordered meat between two pieces of bread be prepared for him at table.  His gaming addiction benefited us all.
 
Since August is National Sandwich Month, here is a quick and easy recipe for those hot weeks ahead:    
 
Italian-style Veggie Wrap                                                                                                          
 
Ingredients
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup cubed provolone cheese (1/2-inch)
1 cup cubed hard salami (1/2-inch)
1 cup chopped fresh broccoli/1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
12 pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped/12 pitted ripe olives, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup prepared zesty Italian salad dressing
3 tablespoons hot pepper sandwich relish or chopped pickled hot cherry peppers
1 tablespoon prepared Catalina salad dressing
6 romaine leaves/6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
 
Directions:  In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. To serve, place a romaine leaf on each tortilla; top with filling. Fold up bottom and sides of tortilla, securing with a toothpick, if desired.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/italian-style-veggie-wraps/
 
 
Fun Craft:  Paper & Button Watermelon Slices      Perfect for kids!
SUPPLIES: glue stick (“heavy duty craft glue” is best); green and red craft buttons; small, black craft buttons; and white card stock paper 
  • First print out a colored picture of a slice of watermelon (“watermelon slice clipart” on Google Images) on a single sheet of white cardstock paper.
  • Next, have children trace the red and green colors of their watermelon slice, gluing each area with the color-coordinating buttons.
  • Finally, have the children glue on the “seeds” for their watermelon slice—the small, black craft buttons.
  • Once done, set it aside to let it dry completely before displaying proudly!
 
 
Pet Care:   Parked cars can be deathtraps for dogs. On a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 100 degrees in just minutes. Here’s what to do if you see a dog left alone in a hot car:
  • Gather information. Note the car’s color, make, and model, and write down the license plate number or take a picture of it.
  • Notify others. If there’s time, go into the nearest building and politely ask a manager to page the owner of the car immediately.
  • BE PERSISTENT! Remember: It takes just minutes for a dog to sustain brain damage when the weather is hot. Time is of the essence.
  • Monitor the dog. Go back outside and wait by the car. Don’t leave until the dog is safe!
  • Call for help. If the owner doesn’t show up or doesn’t unlock the car, call animal control.  If animal control can’t come immediately, call 911.  And remember: If all else fails, do whatever it takes to save the animal’s life.
 
As of 2016, it is permissible in Virginia for any law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical personnel or animal control officer to remove an unattended animal “at risk of serious bodily injury.”  There is not, however, a law that protects citizens from breaking into cars to rescue a dog. 
 
 
Riddle Answer:  Pick any date in August. They don’t get much hotter than that!
 
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