february is national bird-feeding month · 2/4/2017 · italian sausage soup 1 (16-oz.) package...

February 2017 5

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A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. - Chinese Proverb

O n F e b . 2 3 , 1 9 9 4 , Congressman John Porter from Illinois, read a resolution into the C o n g r e s s i o n a l R e c o r d proclaiming February as National Bird Feeding Month. Since then, The National Bird-Feeding Society promotes the month-long celebration by educating the public on the important aspects of the wild bird feeding and watching hobby.

Feathered friends enchant us on a daily basis—in more ways than we probably notice: chirps, t w e e t s a n d s o n g s e n f o l d themselves into the inharmonious cityscape; soaring high above, they beckon our eyes upwards to take in the stratosphere. And it's no wonder that birds mesmerize and entrance us. In a busy metropolitan world where wild animals are few and far between, birds are the resilient survivors whose strange physical attributes—scaly legs and feet, strange beaks, brilliant markings— remark upon the interconnection between form and function. Their daily, intimate habits are on display for all to see. And to an extent, we recognize a mirrored image of ourselves in the avian world: preening one another, taking care of our young, expressing joy, tenderness and love, and even engaging in battles of the heart.

It is such a rewarding hobby to feed the birds in your backyard. It helps to get through our long cold winter months by watching the birds congregate to the bird feeder and flutter around with such enthusiasm after the feeder has been filled.

Here are a few treats to share with your winged neighbors in honor of National Bird-Feeding Month.

Nectar of Love—Birds are finicky eaters, believe it or not. Several

birds prefer nectar to almost a n y t h i n g e l s e , i n c l u d i n g hummingbirds, orioles and robins. Nectar can be store bought in a powder or liquid form, but can be easily made at home. Make extra nectar to store in the fridge for easy feeder refilling later. Nectar can be dispensed in t rad i t ional nec tar feeders , a v a i l a b l e a t a n y h o m e improvement store. Feeders should be cleaned every three to four days and then replenished with fresh nectar.

• Use a water-to-sugar ratio of 4:1. Do not add food dyes, honey, fruit juice, or any

other sweeteners, as they can harm birds. • To eliminate water impurities and chlorination and to distill it, boil water

for 2 minutes. Boil should be “rolling.”• Stir sugar into hot water and ensure it dissolves.

Sowing Seeds— Chickadees, cardinals and finches favor black-oil sunflower seeds. Buntings, doves and sparrows are sweet on millet. Woodpeckers and jays, however, are on the peanut bandwagon. Mix and match these offerings alongside other common favorites like cracked corn, safflower, striped sunflower seeds, and sunflower hearts in one-of-a-kind feeders or readymade ones such as platform or tube feeders. For a natural, biodegradable feeder try slathering pinecones, toast or bagels with peanut butter. Then cover them with seeds, nuts or dried fruit of your choice. You can hang these feeders in trees or lay them out on an appropriate surface.

museumofanimals.org/#/national-bird-feeding-month

February is National Bird-Feeding Month


Image generously provided by Wild Bird Centers of America.


ONNECTIONCPage 16 February 2017

Somethin’ Good is Always Cookin’

The

Health & Wellness Recipe

One-pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup chopped yellow onion

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1½ cups unsalted chicken broth½ teaspoon oregano

8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti or linguine½ teaspoon salt, optional

10-ounce package fresh spinach or frozen spinach, thawed1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ¼ cup)

Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When pan is hot, add onion and garlic. Sauté 3 minutes or until onion starts to brown.

Add tomatoes, chicken stock and pasta—it is important to add in that order. With a mixing spoon, push pasta down under the liquid so it can cook. Bring to a boil.

Cover pot and cook gently until pasta is done, about 7 minutes. Uncover and stir in salt.Add fresh spinach one handful at a time. After first handful has wilted, add another handful

until all is added. If using frozen spinach, thaw and squeeze out as much water as you can. Add frozen/thawed spinach the same way.

Return pot to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4, 2-cups pasta mixture and 1-tablespoon cheese.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 333 Calories; 6g Total Fat; 50mg Cholesterol; 350mg Sodium; 45g Total Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 15g Protein

Cooking Tips:

SENIORCONNECTIONNEWSPAPER.COM

Italian Sausage Soup1 (16-oz.) package sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 yellow onion, chopped1cup celery, minced1cup carrot, minced

3 (14-oz.) cans beef broth2 (14½-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

with basil oregano and garlic1 (16-oz.) can red kidney beans, drained

1 (15½-oz.) can great northern beans, drained2cups ditalini

1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

In large Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, celery and carrot over medium-high heat until sausage is browned and crumbles. Drain well.

Stir in broth, tomatoes and beans; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add pasta; simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

Stir in salt and pepper.Serve immediately. Serves 8.Note: Soup can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw

in refrigerator before reheating.

Food.com—This is a recipe from Paula Deen. It is one of her family’s favorite soups.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese Tips

Blending cream cheese in dessert recipes:When blending cream cheeses in dessert recipes, make sure the cream cheese and sugar are completely blended, free of lumps and smooth before adding any other ingredients. If the cream cheeses is too cold, it will not blend easily.

How to soften cream cheese:Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 seconds or just until softened. Add 15 seconds for each additional package of cream cheese.

With coupon only. Expires 2/28/17.

February 2017

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From the VineyardPAUL FRANSON

F o r t h e l a s t decade or so, wine companies have been trying to find a better stopper for their bottles. Traditionally, of course, a plug cut from the bark of a cork tree was used. M o s t w i n e l o v e r s a p p r e c i a t e t h e satisfying “plop” when a bottle is opened, even if it can be a little hassle

to find and use a cork puller. Natural corks, however, can be contaminated

with a chemical called trichroloanisole (TCA) or its cousins, which taints the wine with a smell called “corked.” At low levels, it can just make the wine taste flat and uninteresting, but at higher levels, smells like a barnyard or worse.

Cork suppliers, most based in Portugal, worked hard to develop manufacturing processes to remove and test for this problem, but high-quality corks are relatively expensive, maybe $1 each, so many wine companies have turned to composite or technical corks made from cork particles held together with neutral binder, sometimes with a slim disk of solid cork facing the wine and top. This process tends to reduce corked wines.

Others producers turned to plastics or various types and now extruded plastic stoppers (you can't really call them corks!) are widely used. They eliminate the danger of TCA, but can be hard to remove and are impossible to replace, if you want to seal a bottle.

See WINE on page 18

Of course, most beverages are just sealed with screw caps, which work very well, are cheap and recyclable and just about eliminate the possibility of TCA, though some use slim disks of c o r k f o r s e a l i n g t h a t c a n b e contaminated. Screw caps are very convenient, too, not requiring tools to open; but most people don't associate them with top wines, even though tests have proven that wines aged in screwcaps are just as good, if the winemaker does it right.

Corks allow the entry of a slight amount of oxygen over time, and this oxygen tends to eliminate sulfites and mellow tannins. Winemakers can compensate by making sure the wine is ready when sealed.

Other approaches to openers include the Zork closer, which includes a peel-off strip and a plastic stopper with an enlarged top. It works with any wine bottle.

The Vinolock is a glass closure with a plastic sealing ring. It’s also easy to remove and reseal.

Now Amorim, one of the world’s leading cork producers, and Owens-Illinois, the world’s largest glass container manufacturer, have come up with a cork product that seals and doesn’t require a tool for opening. It’s also easy to reclose.

The first wine producer to sign up to use the Helix packaging is Bronco Wine Company, which uses it for its Red Truck brand, and will now feature it for the first time in the United States. Bronco’s Red Truck has a suggested price of $10.99. Family-

owned Bronco Wine Company is the fifth largest winery and the largest vineyard owner in the United States. It is best known for its Charles Shaw wine, called Two-Buck Chuck for its original price.

The new twist-to-open concept combines a stopper made from cork particles in a binder with an enlarged top and a glass bottle with an internal thread in the neck.

Of course, you can also forget about bottles and closures and just use a plastic bag in a box; this category is the fastest-growing packaging of all.

Paul Franson lives in Napa Valley, CA.

The quest for a better stopper

February 2017

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Proud To Introduce...

Microsoft Tips & Tricks for Keyboard Shortcuts: Keys Alt + Home will bring you to your homepage

ONNECTIONCFebruary 2017 Page 19The

The Land of Lincoln Theatre Organ Society (LOLTOS) is a non-profit corporation, a society founded in 1973 to promote interest in theater pipe organs by presenting Saturday Socials free to the general public on the Grande Barton Organ in the Coronado Theatre of Rockford, IL.

LOLTOS’s role expanded into educating the public about the Coronado by hosting guided group tours. The desire to present more and exciting, informative tours led to the creation of the LOLTOS Archives at the Coronado Theatre in January 2008. This branch of the organization collects, catalogs and maintains a body of documents and artifacts relating to the history of the theater. Patrons have generously donated their collections of old Coronado playbills, posters, newspaper clippings and much more.

In the Archives rooms and theater, you will find an original band jacket, orchestra suit, Go Pony, cherub fountain, ticket grinder, conductors stand, music stands, just to name a few. The archives are constantly being expanded by a volunteer archivist.

The Coronado Theatre opened Oct. 9,1927, under the ownership of Willard Van Matre and the Rockford Building Syndicate Corporation. It took one-and-a-half years to construct at a cost of $1.5 million. The Coronado is an atmospheric theater with Spanish and Italian villages on the auditorium sides and a Venetian bridge over the proscenium arch. With the efforts of LOLTOS, the Coronado is the only theater in the Midwest to have a complete set of original atmospherics—twinkling stars, clouds, moon and sunrise effects.

The theater was originally a silent movie and vaudeville entertainment venue. The Grande Barton Organ accompanied the silent films and is one of the only organs in the country that has the original console, lift and still rotates.

For more information, contact [email protected].

Grande Barton Organ and Surround

Belvedere above historic entrance lobby. Al Westman photo

Italian Village on west side of auditorium. Al Westman photo

Theater pipe organ comes alive in Rockford at free socials

Upcoming concerts listed in On The Go.


February 2017Page 20



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registers those customers as using the Union Group as their dispensary of choice.

Dispensary Owner Dmitrey Stebley, who was a surgeon in the Ukraine and who also owns a dispensary in Saint Charles, said that based on his experiences in the industry, about 90 percent of those who try medical marijuana report benefits in terms of pain relief. Stebley knows a child whose number of seizures decreased from 300 a day to a few a month after taking marijuana drops. He added that a client at his Saint Charles facility who had been confined to a wheelchair now walks with the help of a walker after taking medical marijuana.

“We are not selling narcotics. We are selling medicine to people with chronic pain, discomfort,” said Stebley. He said that marijuana is safer than many of the prescription drugs sold at pharmacies.

A c c o r d i n g t o a R e u t e r s a r t i c l e (reuters.com/article/us-health-medicalpot-elderly-

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Stebley said that half of the states allow medical marijuana and that he believes Illinois has the toughest restrictions, serving as a deterrent to anyone who is seeking medical marijuana for the wrong purposes. It is much easier to purchase a highly addictive painkiller such as Vicodin than medical marijuana. “There’s no background check for Vicodin,” he explained.

For more information, contact Union Group at 872-304-3113.

ONNECTIONCFebruary 2017 Page 21

Puzzle answers on page 24.

Down & AcrossBy Donald Blocher

Across

1 Flower children’s hangout

4 “Gone With the Wind” estate

8 At the summit

12 A feller needs one?

13 Old math tool

15 Get-up-and-go

16 Mustache style

17 It may be airtight

19 Jump into water

20 Quantity of firewood

22 Larry Bird was one

26 Software tryouts

29 Cover a cake

30 Change one’s story?

31 Lucky number for Nero?

32 “Follow me!”

33 An inflated feeling of pride

34 To cause to lose one’s way

36 Puzzle solver’s tool

38 Drink straight up

39 Artist’s workspace

41 Public motorbus

44 Take back

48 Large constrictor

49 Disappeared gradually

50 Bar subject

51 Arctic floater

52 Sharpen a razor

53 Bugling beast

Down

1 One of Goldilocks’ bears

2 Figure skater’s jump

3 Pictorial representation

4 A close-fitting pullover jersey: hyph wd.

5 Word before carte, king, or mode

6 Cheese casing

7 An abnormally strong craving

8 Staggering

9 Decrepit boat

10 Spanish greeting

11 For each

14 Fairies that are somewhat mischievous

18 Gravy dish

21 Octopus: 2 wds.

23 Train schedule

24 A visual representation

25 Copper penny

26 Radar sound

27 Beat by a whisker

28 Bro’s counterpart

32 “I’m outta here!”

34 Calculator element

35 Decrease

37 Held fast

40 Mexican treat

42 Anthracite or bituminous

43 Opposite of dove

44 Civil war soldier

45 Apple picker

46 Good golf score

47 Perfect score

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Healthy Pets


Why do cats stop using the litter box?

As many cat owners can attest, it’s not always a sure thing feline pets will use the litter box, even if they’re trained. In fact, veterinarian Sandi Sawchuk says one in four cats will stop using their litter box at some point in their lifespan. There are many reasons why a cat may not use its litter box, Sawchuk said, including physical problems. She suggests the first thing to do is have a vet perform an exam because the litter box behavior could be a sign of something more serious. “Get your cat in and make sure there isn’t something wrong with your kitty,” she said. “Bladder irritation, bladder stones, diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism—all these things that can make a cat have problems using a litter box.” There are also a number of ways owners can help prevent litter box problems before they start. A lot of problems come down to managing the litter box, Sawchuk said.

Tyson

By Jill Nadeau

See HEALTHY PETS on next page

Litter box best practices include:U s i n g t h e r i g h t s i z e b o x . Commercial litter boxes are usually too small, Sawchuk said. The box should be one and a half times the length of the cat – from the nose to the base of the tail. She recommends using under-the-bed-size storage boxes without the lid.

February 2017


I was looking for my keys, but they weren’t in my pockets. Suddenly, I realized I must have left them in the car. Frantically, I headed for the parking lot. My husband has scolded me many times for leaving my keys in the car's ignition. He was afraid that the car could be stolen. As I looked around the lot, I realized he was right. The parking lot was empty. I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, confessed that I had left my keys in the car, and told them that it had been stolen. Then, I made the most difficult call of all—to my husband: “I left my keys in the car, and it's been stolen.” There was a moment of silence. I thought the call had been disconnected, but then I heard his voice.

“Are you kidding me?” he barked, ”I dropped you off!” Now, it was my turn to be silent. Embarrassed, I said, “Well, come and get me.” He retorted, “I will, as soon as I convince this police officer that I didn't steal your car!”

* * *A man was sitting in a bar and noticed a group of people using sign

language. He also noticed that the bartender was using sign language to speak to them. When the bartender returned to him, the man asked how he had learned to use sign language. The bartender explained that these were regular customers and had taught him to speak in sign. The man thought that was great. A few minutes later, the man noticed that the people in the group were waving their hands around very wildly. The bartender looked over, signed something angrily, and threw the group out of the bar. The man asked why he had done that, and the bartender said, “If I told them once, I told them 100 times—NO SINGING IN THE BAR!”

MacGregor’s Musings

CYNTHIA MACGREGOR

If you ain’t fallin’, you ain’t haulin.’ ~ Epic Ski

Litter box best practices include:• Using the right size box. Commercial litter boxes are usually too small,

Sawchuk said. The box should be one and a half times the length of the cat —from the nose to the base of the tail. She recommends using under-the-bed-size storage boxes without the lid.

• Get the right litter. Sawchuk recommends soft, sandy litter you can scoop. The smaller the granules the better for the cat. The scent of the litter usually doesn’t make a difference, but some cats may be sensitive, she said.

• Have multiple boxes. As an example, Sawchuk said a two-cat household should have a minimum of three litter boxes. These should be placed in different locations in the home.

• Find the best locations. Litter boxes should be in easily accessible areas that aren’t near food. Most cats like areas with good escape potential. This is especially important if there are other pets that may bother the cat when using the litter box, Sawchuk said.

• Don’t use covered boxes. Covered boxes are for the owner, not for the cats, said Sawchuk. Most cats don’t like to be cornered, so they are more likely to go out in the open instead of the box. Also, covered boxes make it easier for owners to forget to clean the box, which leads to her last tip.

• Keep the box clean. Litter boxes should be scooped at least once a day, and litter should be completely replaced regularly. Timing on the later depends on the type of litter, Sawchuk said. When replacing litter, take the opportunity to wash the box using just soap and water, not cleaners that can leave a strong scent behind.

“My goal is to have every cat have the golden litter box,” Sawchuk said. “Make it the best litter box you can possible make for them.”

University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicinewpr.org/why-do-cats-stop-using-litter-box

Veterinarian gives tips for preventing litter box problems

February 2017Page 24

ONNECTIONC

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The

Flash back 60 years. Korea had barely recovered from half-century of domination by the Japanese, when it became ground zero for a contest between China and Russia to the north and United Nations forces to the south. The streets of Seoul were filled with oxcarts, the buildings were pockmarked with shrapnel, and starving people, dressed in tattered hanboks, foraged in the country for food. Today, the streets are filled Hyundais, the buildings have been replaced with skyscrapers, and the country has morphed from one of the poorest in the world to one of the richest. Korea’s growth has been so extraordinary that it is commonly referred to as “The Miracle on the Han,” the Han being a river that flows through the center of Seoul. To accomplish such a miracle, a country needs folks who are driven. It also needs folks who are caffeinated. Fortunately, South Korea has both. And now it plans to use that energy to brag a bit, to invite others to learn about its pre-war past and its remarkable present. It seems to be succeeding. National Geographic lists Seoul as one of the top go-to places for 2017. Thus, here we are—tourists in the Land of the Morning Calm, which actually isn’t very calm at all. The only thing that’s calm is the traffic, which is calm because it’s gridlocked to a standstill. It takes us a while to acclimate. Few signs are written in English, few people speak English, and most are too rushed to try even if they can.

South Korea ~ From hanboks to headsets

TravelTizers – Travel Appetizers

By Andrea Gross

But on the other hand, it’s worth the trouble. Where else can you see a miracle still in the making? We begin our exploration at Deoksugung Palace, one of five royal homes in Seoul that served as the seat of government during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). It’s here that we’re able to glimpse the city’s transition from past to present. Seen from certain vantage points, the changing of the royal guard takes place in front of the stately gate of the ancient palace. From others, the drum rolls are backed by streets of distinctly modern buildings. A short subway ride takes us to Bukchon Hanok Village, an authentic enclave of centuries-old homes (hanoks). Many of the homes have been

IRELAND WITH FR. ALAN HUNTER, TROY, ILL. The land of Saints and Scholars. Ten-day trip including Killarney, Galway Bay, Cliffs of Moher, Shrine of Our Lady of Knock and more. On this trip we use B&B’s, warm Irish homes we share with Irish families. These homes are clustered near one another, each having several guest rooms, each with private bath. Ireland is a great place to visit, this wonderful island that “the angels said looked so peaceful.” Trip includes round trip air between Chicago/St. Louis/or Indianapolis and Ireland, bed and breakfasts, all Irish breakfasts, all dinners, entrance fees, fully escorted.

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Deoksugung Palace is one of five royal palaces in Seoul. Photos by Irv Green

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Continued from back page SAINT

Fr. Scott Donahue is president of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

St. Madeleine-Sophie Borat

National Geographic lists Seoul as one of the top go-to places for 2017.

Skyscrapers line the car-filled streets of downtown Seoul. Photos by Irv Green

turned into guesthouses and cultural centers, and women stroll the streets dressed in colorful hanboks, the short-jacketed, long-skirted dresses that date back thousands of years. No matter that the women are tourists who spent $20 to rent a hanbok for four selfie-filled hours. They give the Village a certain panache, and I’m delighted to revel in a picturesque version of Korea’s past. What’s more, off in the distance, framed by wing-roofed homes, I can see the high-rises of downtown Seoul. This serves as yet another reminder of the miracle that has transformed the city. We leave the past behind when we go to Hapjeong, a former riverfront neighborhood that is now dominated by Mecenatpolis Mall, a group of three towers that punch more than 40 stories into the air. On the streets, people scurry about, a smart phone in one hand, a latte in the other. This is the home of the driven—folks who are harried as well as hurried. But as we wander a few blocks downhill from the mall, we come upon a neighborhood that has yet to be renovated. It’s filled with homes that date back to the 1970s; some still have echoes of traditional architecture. The owner of a small cafe tells us that these buildings are slated to be torn down and replaced with modern skyscrapers filled with offices for tech-savvy geeks. “But,” he says, “others are betting it’ll become part of the area’s creative renaissance, a place for filmmakers, musicians and other artists. After all, Hapjeong is part of the new Seoul.” Located across the Han River, Gangnam is the new Seoul on steroids. The people may be determined, but they’re also energized—not only by the omnipresent coffee shops but also by a palpable enthusiasm that permeates the rarefied air. A while back, Gangnam was rice fields; but then came the 1988 Olympics and the rice fields became expensive real estate. In 2012, a South Korean rapper named Psy released a song about the upscale neighborhood in which he grew up. After “Gangnam Style” was featured on a YouTube video that received a reputed billion

Namdaemon Market is the largest traditional market in Korea. Photos by Irv Green

hits, his old neighborhood became Seoul’s hippest hangout. We gaze at tall skyscrapers, visit the largest underground shopping mall in Asia and wander through a maze of upscale shops, galleries and restaurants that seems to go on forever. It’s a far cry from the war-torn and depressed city of the Fifties. Korea has indeed leapfrogged from hanboks to headsets with unprecedented speed. It’s a miracle to be sure. For more information on Korea, see the Napkin Notes section of our website: traveltizers.com.

KOR-1 DeoPalace

KOR-2 HanboksWomen enjoy wearing hanboks as they stroll the streets of Seoul's historic area.KOR-3 ModCity

KOR-4 Market

KOR-5 OldNewFrom atop a hill in the historic Bukchon Village, people can see Seoul's modern downtown, capped by the Seoul Tower atop Mt. Namsan Mountain.

KOR-6 BukchonVillageBukchon Village is an historic neighborhood filled with traditional homes, narrow alleys and a few teashops and eateries.

KOR-7 HapjeongWhile most restaurants in Hapjeong's Mercenatpolis Mall are Asian, MicDonald's, which offers a bulgogi burger, has an imposing presence.

KOR-8 Renovation Streets as well as subways are swept often in Seoul, which, in most parts, is an astonishingly clean city.

KOR-9 Gangnam A gold staircase in Lotte World Mall seems a fitting metaphor for the chic district popularized a South Korean rapper whose video “Gangnam Style” went viral.

KOR 10: Bulgogi, a popular Korean dish made of grilled meat and usually served with an assortment of sides, literally means “fire meat.”

By Betsa Marsh

Carnival is one of life’s movable feasts. Sometimes it sprawls for weeks over the New Year, other times, a compressed calendar makes it a race right up to Lent. This year, carnival unfolds over a lavish 53 days, and the revelers in Lake Charles, LA, know how to fill every moment with a party.

Carnival, aligned with the vernal equinox and Easter Sunday, has been rolling since Jan. 6, the Christian day of Epiphany. Now, the krewes of friends and family are deep into Mardi Gras 2017, and the music and gumbo are bubbling away.Two-step to a zydeco beat After the pageantry of Twelfth Night, it’s time to loosen up a bit. As “Mardi Gras Mambo” strikes up on accordions and metal rub boards balanced on bellies, every generation breaks out a little side-back action on the dance floor. Anyone nearby will be glad to teach you. Then be sure to stay on the floor for the line dancing that’s even easier to follow. Harold Guillory, who’s hosted TV’s Louisiana Zydeco Live, travels the world to the steps of zydeco dancing. It’s zesty music with a vibrant four-four beat, built from the accordion-and-rub board foundation up through fiddles and guitars. For clubbing in Lake Charles, Guillory recommends dancers sidle over to Cowboys on Common Street for some genuine tunes and turns.

Scoop up some gumbo On the Friday before Mardi Gras, so many vats of gumbo shimmer away in the Civic Center that you can almost see steam rise off the roof. The second you open the door to the Gumbo Cook-Off, the piquant roux of oil and flour rolls over you—and you know it’s good gumbo ahead. For just $5, you can wander among dozens of gumbo styles, from seafood to boudin, the local pork-rice sausage. Each is cooked by a Mardi Gras krewe, a group of friends who party and parade together all year. I zero in on Krewe of the Marsh—can they be my long-lost Cajun relatives?—and sure enough, I discover they have the best seafood gumbo in the room. Of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that I've made them my temporary krewe. I ask Shannon Labove as he stirs the vast gumbo pot, “Do they call you chefs? Cooks?” He sums up the krewe experience in a word: “Buddies.”Year-round Mardi Gras at the museum

Sequins, rhinestones and feathers morph into their own universe at the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu in Lake Charles, LA. The carnival season glitters all year long at the South’s largest collection of Mardi Gras costumes.

“Southern Louisiana tries to share the experience of being in a Mardi Gras ball here at the museum,” said local guide Adley Cormier. “We have more than 400 costumes at any one time, and we rotate them out.”

Travelers are welcome to try on masks and robes, to imagine themselves under carnival spotlights.

It’s a tradition older than the United States themselves. Mobile, AL, celebrated the first Mardi Gras on the North American continent in 1699. The custom spread among Catholic settlers throughout the south.

th“We had Mardi Gras in the 19 century, after

the Civil War,” Cormier said, “but it was off and on. Serious Mardi Gras in Lake Charles began after the 1950s, when krewes began to organize themselves into the party machines they are now.”

Sizzling gumbo and zydeco

CThe

If presented before 11/15/16

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spark Mardi Gras

Krewe de la Famille Captain Anne. G. Monlezun sparkled in “A Salute to the USA.”Betsa Marsh photo

In Lake Charles, Anne. G. Monlezun founded the Krewe de la Famille in 1979, and spearheaded the city’s modern Mardi Gras movement. She also created the first Krewe of Krewes’ parade that year, the carnival’s grand finale that rolls through town the evening of Mardi Gras.

Today, more than 60 krewes parade and party throughout the year, with their pageantry culminating in carnival season from Jan. 6 through Mardi Gras day, the day before Lent on the Christian calendar. Lake Charles’ Mardi Gras is the second-largest in Louisiana, based on the number of krewes.

After the last float rolled in, Monlezun recalled of the first parades, the grand costumes went into closets. “It was so sad,” she said, “to see them there.”

So, she created the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, named for the surrounding parish, in 1997. Its six rooms in the Central School Arts & Humanities Center brim with rhinestones and feathers up to the ceiling.

Dozens of costumes and headdresses, many costing thousands of dollars each, trace the lineage of Lake Charles’ family-centric Mardi Gras celebrations.

“We tried to follow most of the customs of New Orleans,” Monlezun said. “We wanted big, dramatic costumes. We make about 200 costumes a year.

“We are right in the middle between Cajun Mardi Gras and New Orleans Mardi Gras,” she added. “The Cajun was horse and wagon, and horseback riders. In New Orleans, there’s lots made with papier mache. We’re a little dressier than Cajun and not as formal as New Orleans.”

“Mardi Gras is a way of escaping mundane life,” Cormier said, cocooned in feathers and rhinestones at the Mardi Gras museum. “It’s costuming, fun and fellowship.”Saying goodbye

It’s hard to leave people so friendly and a culture so embracing. No matter how Yankee my questions or my two-step, South Louisianans patiently explain their ways. They’re just glad we come South to see them.

And to take home? Mardi Gras beads and masks, of course, and a few extra pounds directly traced to gumbo and jambalaya. But better not say goodbye—in Lake Charles, it’s always “Later, Alligator.”When You Go

Carnival season in Lake Charles, La. will through Feb. 28. For information, contact Lake Charles, LA, at 800-456-7952; or visit visitlakecharles.org. Information on Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras can be found at swlamardigras.com. For information on Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, visit visitlakecharles.org/swlamardigras/mardi-gras-museum.

CUTLINES for MARDI GRAS IN LAKE CHARLES, LA. PART 2 A couple catches the zydeco beat. Betsa Marsh photo Sampling is the order of the day as dozens of pots simmer away at the Gumbo Cook-Off in Lake Charles. Betsa Marsh photoI vote the Krewe of the Marsh the best seafood gumbo at the Lake Charles Gumbo-Cook-Off. And no, I'm not prejudiced. Betsa Marsh photoEveryone comes out to the Gumbo Cook-Off. Betsa Marsh photoKrewe du Savage has sage advice for its gumbo cooks. Betsa Marsh photoCUTLINES FOR MARDI GRAS MUSEUMKrewe de la Noblesse Captain Mary Anne Holmes wore this gown 2003-4.

Krewe De La Vu Du Monde Queen Lauren de Albuquerque reigned with a “Circus Circus” theme in 2008.Krewe de la Famille Captain Anne. G. Monlezun ruled as Cleopatra in 1985. Jesters greet visitors to the Mardi Gras Museum in Lake Charles, LA.Yes, the badge says it all during Mardi Gras.Transportation was the theme for this king and queen.

February 2017

ONNECTIONCThe

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

In Lake Charles, Anne. G. Monlezun founded the Krewe de la Famille in 1979, and spearheaded the city’s modern Mardi Gras movement. She also created the first Krewe of Krewes’ parade that year, the carnival’s grand finale that rolls through town the evening of Mardi Gras.

Today, more than 60 krewes parade and party throughout the year, with their pageantry culminating in carnival season from Jan. 6 through Mardi Gras day, the day before Lent on the Christian calendar. Lake Charles’ Mardi Gras is the second-largest in Louisiana, based on the number of krewes.

After the last float rolled in, Monlezun recalled of the first parades, the grand costumes went into closets. “It was so sad,” she said, “to see them there.”

So, she created the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, named for the surrounding parish, in 1997. Its six rooms in the Central School Arts & Humanities Center brim with rhinestones and feathers up to the ceiling.

Dozens of costumes and headdresses, many costing thousands of dollars each, trace the lineage of Lake Charles’ family-centric Mardi Gras celebrations.

“We tried to follow most of the customs of New Orleans,” Monlezun said. “We wanted big, dramatic costumes. We make about 200 costumes a year.

“We are right in the middle between Cajun Mardi Gras and New Orleans Mardi Gras,” she added. “The Cajun was horse and wagon, and horseback riders. In New Orleans, there’s lots made with papier mache. We’re a little dressier than Cajun and not as formal as New Orleans.”

Travelers are welcome to try on masks and costumes at the Mardi Gras Museum in Lake Charles, LA. Betsa Marsh photo

“Mardi Gras is a way of escaping mundane life,” Cormier said, cocooned in feathers and rhinestones at the Mardi Gras museum. “It’s costuming, fun and fellowship.”Saying goodbye

It’s hard to leave people so friendly and a culture so embracing. No matter how Yankee my questions or my two-step, South Louisianans patiently explain their ways. They’re just glad we come South to see them.

And to take home? Mardi Gras beads and masks, of course, and a few extra pounds directly traced to gumbo and jambalaya. But better not say goodbye—in Lake Charles, it’s always “Later, Alligator.”When You Go

Carnival season in Lake Charles, La. will run through Feb. 28. For information, contact Lake Charles, LA, at 800-456-7952; or visit visitlakecharles.org. Information on Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras can be found at swlamardigras.com. For information on Mardi Gras M u s e u m o f I m p e r i a l C a l c a s i e u , v i s i t visitlakecharles.org/swlamardigras/mardi-gras-museum.

Travel journalist Betsa Marsh has reported from more than 100 countries on seven continents. She is past president of the Society of American Travel Writers.

Anne. G. Monlezun, known as the “Mother of Mardi Gras” in Lake Charles, founded the Krewe de la Famille and Krewe of Krewes parade 1979. She spearheaded Lake Charles’ modern Mardi Gras movement. Betsa Marsh photo

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ONNECTIONCPage 28 February 2017

CYNTHIA MACGREGOR

Remember When

See SAINT on page 23

Saint Josephine Bakhita

Feast Day: February 7

Songs about foods have hit the pop charts and the airwaves over the years. In fact, there were two about bananas. One, with the lyrics somewhat changed from the pop version, became a commercial jingle. It was “Chiquita Banana”—REMEMBER? The other, older, was “Yes, We Have No Bananas.” Ed Sullivan helped launched Elvis Presley’s rise to mega-stardom, but the cameras remained trained on Presley from the waist up. The way he ground his hips was considered too indecent to show on TV. Sullivan also helped launch the American fame of the Beatles, a

decade later. In fact, Sullivan helped other entertainers rise up the ladder of popularity, too, with his widely watched Sunday TV show. But it was Johnny Carson who helped popularize Tiny Tim, he of the wild hair, the falsetto voice, and the little ukulele. When Tiny Tim married Miss Vicki, he did so on Carson’s show. Tiny Tim’s biggest hit was “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” but do you REMEMBER the song on the flip side of the 45 single? It was “Fill Your Heart.” And speaking of Johnny Carson, do you remember the TV game show that, in its two different incarnations, was known first as Do You Trust Your Wife? and then as Who Do You Trust? Carson served as host of Who Do You Trust? from 1957 to 1962, when he left to take over the Tonight Show. Who Do You Trust? continued until the following year under Woody Woodbury. Less well remembered is the original incarnation, Do You Trust Your Wife?, which was emceed by Edgar Bergen, better known as a ventriloquist. While the Carson/Woodbury show was an afternoon program, the original, Bergen, version was broadcast in prime time, from 1956 to 1957.

Cynthia MacGregor is the author of more than 100 published books. She also does public speaking. Her website is

CynthiaMacGregor.com.

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Born in Olgossa in the Darfur region of southern Sudan, Josephine was kidnapped at the age of seven, sold into slavery and given the name Bakhita, which means fortunate. She was resold several times; finally, in 1883, to Callisto L e g n a n i , I t a l i a n c o n s u l i n Khartoum, Sudan.

Two years later, Legnani took Josephine to Italy and gave her to his friend Augusto Michieli. Bakhita became babysitter to Mimmina Michieli, whom she accompanied to Venice’s Institute of the Catechumens, run by the Canossian Sisters. While Mimmina was being instructed, Josephine felt drawn to the Catholic Church. She was baptized and confirmed in 1890, taking the name Josephine.

When the Augusto returned from Africa, he wanted to take Mimmina and Josephine back with him, but the future saint refused to go. During the ensuing court case, the Canossian Sisters and the patriarch of Venice intervened on Josephine’s behalf. The judge concluded that since slavery was illegal in Italy, she actually had been free since 1885.

Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893 and made her profession three years later. In 1902, she was transferred to the city of Schio (northeast of Verona), where she assisted her religious community through cooking, sewing, embroidery and welcoming visitors at the door. She soon became well-loved by the children attending the sisters’ school and the local citizens.

Josephine once said, “Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God!”

The first steps toward her beatification began in 1959. She was beatified in 1992 and canonized eight years later.

Reprinted with permission from Franciscan Media. FranciscanMedia.org. You can sign up to receive a“Saint of the Day” delivered via email, Twitter, or the “Saint of the Day” app by visiting their website: saintoftheday.org.

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REV. SCOTT DONAHUE

Saint Josephine Bakhita in stained glass at St. John Paul II Chapel, Mundelein.

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