Plains Truth Journal

I love to cook, but I have not always felt that way. I come from a family of great cooks on my mother’s side and as a child was somewhat intimidated, so I chose not to try. When I graduated from college, I had yet to even boil water. I was content to subsist on the fruits of everyone’s labor while reading Betty Crocker, the only cookbook my mother possessed. Continue reading “A Legacy of Cooking”

It’s that time of year again. The belated Christmas cards have stopped coming and now we are receiving all the documents we need to prepare our tax returns for 2017. The next step is to start our return. I don’t know which I hate most…notice I said hate, not dislike, as hate is the operative word…preparing tax returns or paying the actual tax. They are both painful and to be avoided if possible. Hating taxes is entirely American. It is after all, why our founding fathers started the revolution that would separate us from the British. This country had its beginnings in protest against taxes on tea and the protests have continued until this day. Continue reading “Tax Time”

I don’t especially like winters. The first snowfall is great, but it gets old quickly. On Monday, I was feeling grumpy and sorry for myself because of the snow and cold. Another day stuck inside. I was prepared to wallow in pity all day until I came across a YouTube video of Ethel Waters singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and the words, ‘Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come, Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home?’ The words took me back to my grandmother’s house in the little town of Spruce, Missouri. The town has all but disappeared now and my grandmother’s house has been gone for years, but I can still hear her singing that song as she went about her daily chores. Continue reading “I Sing Because I’m Happy”

Four days into the new year and for most of us our New Year’s resolutions are already teetering.  There is something about the promise of a new year that makes us try to resolve that we will do better, live better, eat better, be better, but as the saying goes, “the best laid plans…” Continue reading “Resolution”

It should be obvious to us, since it is to the rest of the world, that we Americans cannot control our appetites.  This has been borne out recently by all the sexual harassment and abuse claims that have been leveled at so called “pillars” of the media, of the arts and even of our governing bodies.  From the scandalous tales that are coming out now about Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, James Levine, Matt Lauer, Al Franken and John Conyers, one would think that we no longer have the ability to curb our desires.  Apparently, many of those in powerful positions have succumbed to the idea that they can have whatever they want with no consequences. Continue reading “You Can’t Have it All”

Last week, we had the opportunity to attend the Olpe High School Christmas program.  It was a pleasant program.  The students were not polished musicians, it was not a glitzy production, but it did hearken me back to a simpler time.  If they had worn white choir boy robes instead of their somewhat matching black and white clothing, one might have thought they were part of a Norman Rockwell magazine illustration. Continue reading “Simply Christmas!”

It’s Thanksgiving week and I have been contemplating how most Americans appear to have lost the ability to be thankful. Currently, thankfulness and gratitude play a very small part in our celebration of what the founders of this country were very aware of, that as a nation, we are truly blessed. We live in a country that has an abundance of natural resources we have yet to deplete. More importantly, we were gifted by our forefathers with a constitution that ensures us life and liberty; a promise that still appeals to those who are impoverished and persecuted throughout the world. Continue reading “Come Ye Thankful!”