Coffee Talk

PROVIDENCE NEWS: Sug and Arlene Barnes went to Tuscaloosa Friday, where Sug was undergoing tests.

They visited their daughter, Robin Ponder and Jackson in Moundville enroute home.

Collin Sheffield, son of Wade and Dawn Sheffield celebrated his eighth birthday with a bowling party at the Meridian, Miss. Bowling Alley, March 23, 3 p.m.

Hayden Barkley, Brad Collins, Landon Houlditch, Weldon Cydelotte, Cameron Peppenhorst, Chase Witherington, Austen Day, Joseph Pugh and Mary Grace Sheffield enjoyed bowling and having pizza at Ci Ci’s.

Happy Birthday Collin!

Jason and Anne Johnson, Harper and Arrsleigh and Maddie Jones went to the Atlanta, Ga. Zoo, March 23.

They spent the nights of March 23 and 24 with Anne’s brother, Jimmy and Holly Barnes in Hirom, Georgia.

Saturday, March 24 Jimmy and Holly joined the others as they toured Six Flag over Georgia.

The Johnson’s returned home Sunday.

Providence expresses sympathy to the family of Maurice Hall King in her death March 30, in the Shelby Medical Center, Alabaster.

Her funeral was held April 2 at Fairhaven Baptist Church in Demopolis with burial in Providence Cemetery.

She was formerly from this area.

Brenda Ray went to Montgomery, March 30 to visit her daughter, Marsha and Robbie Vogel, Rachael and Morgan.

They attended Rachael’s 10th birthday celebration at the Swimming Adventure Sports, March 31st at 12:30 p.m. with 30 guests attending.

Happy Birthday Rachael!

Brenda returned home Saturday afternoon.

Their niece, Suzanne Wear of Huntsville was hers and Jerry Ray’s Saturday night guest.

On Sunday they all enjoyed attending the annual Ray Luker Family Reunion at the Chickasaw State Park.

March 20, Sug and Arlene Barnes visited their daughter, Robin and Ben Ponder and Jackson in Moundville.

Melvin and Helen Kane enjoyed taking their grandchildren, Celia and Courtney Hamilton, and Austin Lee and Charles Kane camping, Thursday until Sunday at Roland Cooper State Park, near Camden.

Their daughter, Tabitha Hamilton enjoyed staying with them also.

Providence expresses sympathy to the family of Judge Lester Dunn in his death April 2.

His funeral was held April 4, 2 p.m. at Fairhaven Baptist Church, Demopolis, with burial in Memorial Gardens.

Anne Johnson and her mother, Arlene Barnes took Harper and Arrsleigh Johnson for dental appointment in Tuscaloosa March 29.

Trula Vee Quinney and her daughter, Marilyn Peters took their grandchildren, Marte and Thomas Locke, home to St. Mary’s, Ga., March 31st, after spending 2 weeks with theme.

They visited with Hunter and Jennifer Locke and the children until Monday.

Marilyn and Trula Vee visited her cousins, Paige Smith and daughter, Sealy in Eufaula and lived with her brother, Dale Quinney in Montgomery enroute home.

Marilyn returned home to Huntsville, Tuesday.

Tyler and Danielle Hale and Kim Hale took Aidan Slade Hale to Birmingham for a check up with his doctor, March 29. He got a good report.

CRUD&CRUMBS: Hey! If you ask me, we’re going about this flower garden thing from the wrong direction. That’s from my no-fret, take-the-route-of-least-resistance philosophy.

What about the fittest of the survival? Or however that goes. Now, long before that dependable ground hog has shoveled the snow bank that is blocking his door, braved the frigid artic sunrise to see his shadow, and hurriedly snuggled back into his cozy bed for six more weeks of slumber, the stalwart dandelions are already sporting sunshine yellow costumes. Before the petted, pampered, slugabed, deemed cultivated-flowers- instead-of-weeds, realize it’s spring, the dandelions have exchanged their golden frocks for snow-white, billowy orbs.

By the time the cultivated plants realize that spring has passed and it is now early summer, so they had better be getting themselves out of bed, the natural fauna have already been up for weeks and have already taken every inch of space. So they (the petted ones) sulk and pout and refuse to grow. &8220;It’s too crowded. And that trashy low life has already eaten everything.&8221;

So they just refuse to get up and get dressed. So the natural fauna simply grows taller and hogs all the sunlight, too. &8220;Hey! If you don’t want it, just sulk; I’ll take it.&8221; So, you have daffodils, that refused to bloom, six inches high and enthusiastic weeds that have already bloomed, hip-high and are now blowing feathery seeds all over the place; it looks like a snowstorm.

But these contrary pampered aristocratic darlings, that refused to bloom, also refuse to turn golden brown, an indication that they have eaten their fill and are ready once again to hibernate until next spring. Therefore, the lawn looks like abandoned property because you can’t mow down the natural fauna. Because if you cut down the daffodils before they have stored up enough food, they won’t bloom next year. Ha! And

Ha again; they didn’t bloom this year. So, I warn in my most threatening voice, &8220;Ah’rignt. You’re living on borrowed time; if you don’t show some color instead of lush, green leaves, (are the green parts of daffodils called leaves?) you* can* be dug up.&8221; Didn’t frighten them.

People discreetly comment on my raggy, neglected yard. In truth, I’m like the sluggard daffodils; spring comes too early, long before I’m ready to start heavy duty yard work. So, I expertly and emphatically explain, &8220;I can’t cut down the, er, weeds until the yellow things die.&8221;

From now on, when they make comments on my, er, neglected yard, I’m going to expertly and emphatically explain, &8220;This is my natural wildflower preserve.&8221;

The survival of the fittest, you know.

EXTENSION NEWS: Periodically there are stories in the newspaper about someone dying from an accidental poisoning.

These deaths are truly preventable.

There are some very simple rules you can follow to help prevent poisonings in the home.

First, be careful with medicines, both prescription and over the counter.

Keep them put up and out of sight.

Use child-resistant packaging properly by closing the containers securely after use.

Never let young children out of your sight when products are in use, even if you have to take the child or product along when answering the phone or the door.

Try to avoid taking medicines in front of children and always refer to it as medicine, not candy.

This is especially true of children’s medicines.

Always leave the light on when taking medications.

Check the dosage every time and take only the prescribed dosage.

I read last week that the biggest cause of sudden liver failure is taking over the counter pain killers in too large a dose.

This is especially important for those who may need reading glasses.

Clean out your medicine cabinet periodically, and safely dispose of unneeded medicines when the illness for which they were prescribed is over.

Also dispose of medicines which are out of date.

Don’t take a medicine prescribed for someone else or some other illness.

All medicines don’t treat all illnesses, and this medicine my have an interaction with some other medication you are taking.

If the medication were prescribed for you, both your doctor and your pharmacist would have checked this.

Cleaning products and pesticides are another source of chemicals in the home.

These, too, should be properly stored in an area inaccessible to children.

Pesticides should be locked up in an outside storage area.

Household cleaning products should be placed in a cabinet with a child proof lock.

Leave the original label on all products and leave them in the original containers.

These have important information about the product.

Dispose of pesticides properly because some can be hazardous.

If you are not sure how to dispose of a product, call your local solid waste agency for proper disposal instructions.

Be careful of mixing products.

Even some cleaning products can be toxic if mixed and used in a closed space.

Don’t overlook other hazardous items around the house.

For example, lamp oil is very toxic.

Don’t leave a decorative lamp or candle that contains lamp oil where children can reach it.

Also remember that many plants are toxic.

Castor beans produce a beautiful plant for your garden, but every part of that plant is toxic from the leaves to the beans.

Oleander is also poisonous.

If you do not know if a plant is poisonous, call the Marengo County Extension office at 295-5959, and we will find out.

Be careful, also, with things such an antifreeze which can be deadly.

Handle them with caution around children and pets.

If you have a problem, call the Poison Control Center immediately at (800) 222-1222.

Don’t just assume you have to induce vomiting.

This is often the wrong thing to do.

Have the product name or bottle with you so that you can give them any information they need.

Editor’s note: Betty McCormick is out on medical leave. Her column should return next week. Clara Purse did not submit a column this week. We expect her column to return next week.