Here is a recipe from old-timey Alabama for «warshing,» i.e. washing, clothes (with a nod to http://kathleenbittnerroth.com), that a new bride received from her grandmother.
«Build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water. Set tubs so smoke wont blow in eyes if wind is pert. Shave one hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.
«Sort things, make 3 piles
«1 pile white,
«1 pile colored,
«1 pile work britches and rags.
«To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then thin down with boiling water.
«Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored. Don’t boil just wrench and starch.
«Take things out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.
«Hang old rags on fence.
«Spread tea towels on grass.
«Pore wrench water in flower bed. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
«Turn tubs upside down.
«Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs. Brew cup of tea, sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.»
Note for non-southerners: Wrench means rinse.
Mothers, paste this over your washer and dryer. Next time when you think things are bleak, read it again, kiss that washing machine and dryer, and give thanks.
Hope your Mother’s Day was a happy one!
NOW: COOKSHIRE, BLOOMING HOUSES
At last, the season has come to get into the dirt and make summer bloom! And the Coeur Villageois of Cookshire-Eaton is enticing citizens to do just that, with its 2018 edition of the Houses and Balconies in Bloom Contest / Concours maisons et balcons fleuris. In 2017, more than $800 in prizes were awarded to 10 winners, and this year, more than $900-worth of prizes are up for the winning. The theme is «Marry the Beauty of Nature and Antiques,» highlighting the cultural heritage of our region. Both private homeowners and businesses are invited to participate.
To register, contact Cathy at 819-560-8585 x 2311 before July 31, 2018. But start planning and planting now.
May 16: BURY, PHARMACIST HELPS
How Your Pharmacist Can Help You is the topic of the last Health Link session before the summer. The speakers are two pharmacists from the local Desruisseaux, Laliberté, and Chouinard pharmacy (Proxim). The session is at the Armoury Community Centre at 563 Main Street, Bury, on Wednesday, May 16. The presentation starts at 1 p.m. and ends at 2 p.m. For lunch, reservations are required by Monday, May 14, but the presentation is free and open to the public. All are welcome. The presentation is in English.
May 18: BURY, COLOUR CAFÉ
Colouring and conversation at the Colour Café will be on Friday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Eaton Valley Community Learning Centre (CLC), 523 Stokes, Bury (inside the Pope Memorial Elementary School; use the door at the far-right end of the building). Participants are welcome to bring colouring supplies or to use what is available. Tea, coffee, and snacks are provided, as well as a table full of information about services offered in English in the Haut-Saint-François. Some special guests – students – may join the group.
May 19: NEWPORT, SENIORS’ CAFÉ
The Municipality of Newport invites its seniors out for a coffee on Saturday, May 19, at 1:30 p.m. at the Municipal Council Hall, 1452 Route 212, in Island Brook. If the weather cooperates, the intergenerational activity will be outside, across the road, in the park pavilion. This is an initiative of the Carrefour Action Municipale et Famille, aiming to combat isolation among older persons.
May 19: BROOKBURY, OPEN MIC
Singers and musicians and everyone else are invited to an Open Mic afternoon at the Brookbury Hall, 571 Brookbury Road (Route 255), Bury, on Saturday, May 19, at 2 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for the Bishopton United Church Benevolent Fund. Entrance is by voluntary contribution.
May 20: BISHOPTON, LABYRINTH GARDEN
A planting session for the Labyrinth Community Garden is planned for 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, for planting potatoes and other early crops. Gardeners are welcome. The spiral-shaped garden is located at 55 Main Street, Bishopton, right beside the Bishopton United Church. Info: Wendy Main, 819-884-5417.
May 24: BULWER, CARD PARTIES
May 24 and June 7 are the next dates for the Thursday 500 Card Parties at the Bulwer Community Centre, 254 Jordan Hill Road, Bulwer. The party begins at 1:30 p.m. Admission for the card games, prizes, and lunch is $6.
May 30: VIACTIVE, SUMMER BREAK
Three of the four bilingual Viactive exercise groups for persons aged 50-plus have already taken a break for the summer, but the one in Bury is to continue until May 30. Info: Diane Grenier, Volunteer Coordinator, Centre d’action bénévole du Haut-Saint-François, 819-238-8541 (option 9) or coordo@cabhsf.org.
CHURCH SERVICES
Baptist. In Sawyerville, the Sunday worship service is at 9 a.m. in French, and 11 a.m. in English. Sunday school is at 10 a.m. in English and French. Info: 819-239-8818.
Anglican. On May 20, Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and at 11 a.m. in Cookshire at St. Peter’s Church, 45 Principale W. At 4 p.m., an «Evensong» service will be at St. George’s Church in Lennoxville. On May 27, the services are at 9:30 a.m. in Bury, and at 11 a.m. in Cookshire. Info: 819-887-6802.
United. Sunday services are at the Cookshire United Church at 9:30 a.m. and the Sawyerville United at 11 a.m. Info: 819-889-2838 (listen to message).
Do you have news to share? Call 819-300-2374 or email ra.writes@gmail.com by May 21 for publication May 30 and by June 4 for June 13.