Ozarks Almanac

Global warming is wonderful

2012-01-29T14:41:00.003-06:00

Fellow gardeners, when someone starts spouting about the dangers of global warming, tell them to think positively. Thanks to global warming, we're going to be able to start planting seeds earlier in the spring and harvesting later in the fall, according to this report from National Public Radio.Here's a detailed map, too.

We're looking for leaders willing to be public servants

2012-01-16T17:26:00.001-06:00

Some of you may be old enough to remember learning about the Soviet Union and Red China back when you were in grade school. Do you recall learning that the communists had regular elections, but only had one candidate? And do you recall hearing that they had near 100 percent turnout to vote for that single candidate? We tut-tutted and tsked-tsked those dictatorships for not giving their people a

Our Ozarks New Year's tradition

2011-12-31T17:13:00.004-06:00

I went over to the Courthouse this morning to pay my personal property taxes. My real estate taxes come out of an escrow account that I pay into all year with my house payment, and the bank sends that in for me, so I don't even notice it. We drive old cars, so our personal property tax doesn't amount to much. Consequently, I was in a jovial mood at the courthouse this morning, even though I was

Give your Christmas tree another life

2011-12-26T04:00:00.001-06:00

By David BurtonUniversity ExtensionWhat can be done with the 35 million Christmas trees harvested in the United States after the Christmas holiday?According to John Hobbs, agriculture and rural development specialist with University of Missouri Extension, those trees can be given a second life.WILDLIFE FEEDING STATION“A short-term solution can be as easy as taking the tree outdoors and decorating

Making a hero of Herod through music

2011-12-23T10:35:00.004-06:00

I think I was in junior high when I became acquainted with this song, "Do You Hear What I Hear?", or maybe I was younger. Maybe I was in fifth or sixth grade. I don't recall. I just remember that we learned it for the school Christmas program in Republic.I definitely remember at the time that the lyrics were screwy. See, I was a Baptist boy, and we Baptists (at least back in that day) took words,

Midnight Music: "Mary Did You Know?"

2011-12-11T00:34:00.000-06:00

The future of newspapers

2011-12-10T10:45:00.005-06:00

I used to be the "managing editor" of a community newspaper that was owned by Liberty Group Publishing. I left that paper after 20 years and started a monthly publication of my own (with my wife as partner).After three years, we shut it down; despite having lots of readership, we couldn't get advertisers to commit to it, so I went to work for a big box store.Last year, I went back to work

Midnight Music: "Mary Did You Know?"

2011-12-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

Do you have what it takes to make decisions for us?

2011-12-09T20:08:00.001-06:00

I see in the paper that filing opens Tuesday, Dec. 13, for both Rolla City Council and Rolla Board of Education.Are you interested in running for public office? Here’s your chance.Filing opens at 8 a.m. Dec. 13 and will end at 5 p.m. Jan. 17.People who run for office, even local office, interest me. On the one hand, I admire their desire to serve the public; on the other hand, I’m wary of someone

Midnight Music: "Baby It's Cold Outside"

2011-12-08T00:00:00.001-06:00

Buy products made in Missouri to help our economy

2011-12-07T04:00:00.002-06:00

Here's a fantastic website about the Missouri economy and a simple way you can do something about it: The We Blueprint.The first page of the website is frightening. Take a look at the loss of jobs Missouri has experienced in the New Millenium.You may think you are powerless, but according to TheWeBlueprint.com, you can help simply by buying more Missouri-made products. The website helps you by

Midnight Music: "Good King Wencelaus"

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight's Bible reading and prayer

2011-12-06T22:00:00.002-06:00

2 Corinthians 4:1-6Young's Literal Translation1Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint, 2but did renounce for ourselves the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor deceitfully using the word of God, but by the manifestation of the truth recommending ourselves unto every conscience of men, before God; 3and if also

Texas towns in danger of drying up

2011-12-06T20:00:00.000-06:00

Let's pray for these folks, and let's also pray this doesn't happen in Missouri.Texas towns in danger of drying up finding ... no long-term solutions. An excerpt:Imperiled towns around Texas are finding short-term solutions to water supply problems brought on by the drought, some just in time to avert a crisis. But finding a permanent solution is tricky, and in many cases, expensive. That

Crops rot in fields; no one there to pick them

2011-12-06T18:00:00.000-06:00

Food is rotting in the fields, because we don't have enough illegal immigrants to pick it.That's the news according to this link: Studies, surveys confirm Georgia's farm labor losses. An excerpt:Another survey conducted this past summer by the Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) revealed that 46 percent of those responding were, at the time, experiencing a labor shortage. More than 130

Rolla weather report

2011-12-06T16:00:00.001-06:00

Thanks to A.C. Spreng, weather observer for the Rolla NOAA Co-Op Weather Station, for providing this Rolla weather data for the 24-hour period ending at 7:30 a.m. today, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011.Max Tempt.: 31° F Min Tempt.: 24° Present Tempt.: 25° Precipitation: 0.01" Snow (new) 0.2” Precip. for the year: 51.84" Precip. for the

Today's quotation

2011-12-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.Mark Twain

Cranberries: Eat them or decorate with them

2011-12-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

By David BurtonUniversity ExtensionCranberries have been making the news lately – seems like they are good for more than just sauce and juice according to Dr. Pam Duitsman, a nutrition and health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “Cranberries contain about 50 calories per cup, offer a very low carbohydrate snack, lots of nutrition, fiber, and flavor. That

Today in History

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

According to this website, Today in History December 6,in 1877, "Thomas A. Edison makes the first sound recording when he recites 'Mary had a Little Lamb' into his phonograph machine."Was that on a vinyl disk? We've gone from vinyl to reel-to-reel tapes to 8-track tapes to cassette tapes to compact discs. Now young people "download" songs off the internet into their telephones. Amazing.

St. James artist won't quit

2011-12-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

Interesting story about a St. James artist on the Columbia Missourian website: Watercolor artist Mary Lou Corn, 83, never stops painting. Here's an excerpt:The beauty of the world has driven Mary Lou Corn to keep painting for more than 50 years. Corn, 83, of St. James, works every day, painting watercolors of delicate antiques, exotic fabrics, food, flowers and Ozark landscapes. She

Midnight Music: "Nuttin' For Christmas"

2011-12-06T00:00:00.002-06:00

Tonight's Bible reading and prayer

2011-12-05T22:00:00.004-06:00

2 Peter 3:17-18Young's Literal Translation (YLT) 17Ye, then, beloved, knowing before, take heed, lest, together with the error of the impious being led away, ye may fall from your own stedfastness, 18and increase ye in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to him [is] the glory both now, and to the day of the age! Amen.Tonight's prayer: Father, I pray that

Ameren's coal ash ponds reported to have problems

2011-12-05T20:09:00.004-06:00

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently reported this: Seven Ameren Missouri ash ponds rated "poor".Here's an excerpt:More than half of the 12 Ameren Missouri coal ash ponds inspected for structural integrity last year were rated "poor" by the Environmental Protection Agency, which recommended the utility take action to strengthen them. A nationwide

Bluegrass music: Bill Monroe Collection by Tony Rice due out in January

2011-12-05T18:00:00.002-06:00

Here's something I'm looking forward to hearing: Tony Rice to deliver The Bill Monroe Collection in January.If you click on that link, you'll learn that a Jan. 31, 2012, release date has been set for Rice's recordings of Mr. Monroe's music. Here's an excerpt:Over the past year's Bill Monroe Centennial there have been numerous anthologies of various artists doing their versions of his music,

Rolla weather report

2011-12-05T16:15:00.001-06:00

Rolla NOAA Co-Op Weather Station Here is the Rolla weather data from the Rolla NOAA Co-Op Weather Station for the 24-hour period ending at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 5. Max Tempt.: 45° F Min Tempt.: 30° Present Tempt. : 30° Precipitation: 0.02" Precip. for the year: 51.83" Precip. for the month: 0.34" Relative humidity: 77%