Innholdsfortegnelse for June - July 2016 i Country

If you’ve ever been to Zion National Park, chances are you’ve been to Springdale. Located near the south entrance, Springdale serves as a hub for visitors. Here you’ll find hotels, restaurants, shopping, attractions, entertainment and even free transportation to the park during tourist season. Known as the “Gateway to Zion” this small town has a population of a little more than 500 and is blessed with colorful canyons, towering red and white sandstone cliffs, and the heavenly natural surroundings of Zion. It has to be one of the prettiest and most charming places you’ll ever visit. Springdale feels like my home away from home because this is where I stay when I visit the park. I love the closeness of the motel rooms, and there are more than 500 campsites…

I’ve always held deep affection for strawberries. Thoughts of the sweet, red berries always stir up good memories. When I was young, Grandma Wright would let me snack on frozen (yes, frozen) strawberries at her house. They were the equivalent of a big bowl of chocolate ice cream. My Ackerman grandparents made preserves out of the berries, which we ate on toast, biscuits and even vanilla ice cream. I made no secret of my love for strawberries when dating my future husband. On the night he proposed, he offered a diamond ring along with strawberries. I was ecstatic about the ring, and the berries sealed the deal. And so two years ago, when my husband suggested planting a strawberry patch, I was more than enthusiastic. Unbeknownst to me, strawberries are…

I was a lucky only child. My parents took me almost every year to visit a national park. Of all the parks we visited, Yosemite stands out in my mind as one of the most pristine and beautiful. And it felt extra special because I got to spend time together with my aunts, uncles and cousins. In the 1950s, Yosemite was green and lovely, with amazing stone cliffs, waterfalls, tall trees, streams and lakes, and lots of places to camp. During one trip we arrived a little late, but just in time to see the famous firefall. In the afternoon, a bonfire was set ablaze. After sunset the hot coals were pushed over the edge of Glacier Point and cascaded down to the rocks below. It was quite a sight…

Nothing could have prepared me for the Grand Canyon. I’ve visited many national parks and hiked mile-high mountains, so I thought I knew what “big” was. It turns out I didn’t really know until I stood on the South Rim, gazing down into the vast canyon. The emotional impact of this place is so powerful I can only stare in stunned silence. Other visitors around me chatter in excitement, taking photos. I’m not the only one moved by the view. Nearby I see someone crying. Park rangers see this every day; the Grand Canyon is their office and their backyard. To me, being a ranger seems like a dream job. In honor of the National Park Service’s 100th birthday, I’m here to find out firsthand if being a park ranger…

I was born and raised in Provolt, Oregon, during World War II. At that time, ours was a small town in the Applegate Valley boasting one general store/post office, a school and a community hall that doubled as the Provolt Community Church. The hall was beyond repair and still standing thanks mainly to the vines growing through the walls. We desperately needed a new church building. At the end of the war, a nearby military base known as Camp White was due to be decommissioned, and the barracks and numerous other large structures were for sale at the low price of $200 each. The church purchased the mess hall with the intention of using the materials to build the new church. Volunteers dismantled and transported the entire structure, including every…

When I was around 10 years old, my best friend Deb, her sister Julie and I went to the creek by their house to play. First we found a huge block of foam that we used for a raft, which we enjoyed falling off and then climbing back on for hours. As we made our way down the creek, we came upon another treasure: a large triangular sign with the words “cattle crossing” and the image of a cow. I can’t remember which one of us came up with the master plan, but we all agreed it was brilliant. When a car finally came, Julie stood at the side of the road, holding up the sign. The older couple, with curious expressions, slowly came to a stop. Julie proceeded to…

Grilled Spicy Corn on the Cob TAKES: 25 min. • MAKES: 4 4 large ears sweet corn, husks removed 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules 1/4 cup chopped seeded jalapeno peppers DIRECTIONS 1. Place each ear of corn on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18x12 in.). 2. Combine melted butter, thyme, hot pepper sauce and bouillon granules. Brush over corn; sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon jalapenos. Seal corn tightly. 3. Grill, covered, over medium heat until corn is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Open carefully to allow steam to escape. EDITOR’S NOTE: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face. BERNADETTE SAYS: “During a family picnic, we added jalapenos…

“I love this computer! It is easy to read and to use! I get photo updates from my children and grandchildren all the time.” – Janet F. Have you ever said to yourself “I’d love to get a computer, if only I could figure out how to use it.” Well, you’re not alone. Computers were supposed to make our lives simpler, but they’ve gotten so complicated that they are not worth the trouble. With all of the “pointing and clicking” and “dragging and dropping” you’re lucky if you can figure out where you are. Plus, you are constantly worrying about viruses and freeze-ups. If this sounds familiar, we have great news for you. There is finally a computer that’s designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s the WOW Computer,…

For most of my years I have lived less than an hour from one of America’s treasures—the Florida Everglades. As I found my life increasingly stress-filled, I sought a place of solitude and beauty to revive my spirit. One day, I remembered that Everglades National Park was close by, so I ventured out with a full tank of gas, a light lunch, water, my camera, tripod and bug spray. What I found was a timeless place I had all but forgotten. My every sense was intrigued by the wonder of it all. At first I felt the quiet, but soon realized the air was alive with sounds and devoid only of the noise of people. The constant buzz of insects was topped with the cries of tropical birds. And the…

My husband, Alan, and I loaded our yellow Lab, Teresa, into the van and drove west for a monthlong exploration of national parks. One of my favorite moments took place in Yellowstone. Alan and I were waiting for Old Faithful to erupt when some adults with developmental disabilities stopped to talk. They asked for permission to pet Teresa and took their time getting to know her. Teresa loves people and made fast friends with these travelers from Minnesota. They chatted and fussed over Teresa until the geyser erupted, then petted her one last time and said goodbye. The three of us continued east, stopping to take in the sights along the way to Upper and Lower Falls. We pulled into the parking lot at Artist Point, hooked Teresa to her…

The pancakes were on the table, and our little family of three was about to dive into breakfast. As I poured maple syrup over my pancakes, our 2-year-old daughter, Jean, leapt from her chair. “Mama, Mama … Pigs!” she yelled, making oinking noises in her little girl’s voice. She pointed out the window to our wooded backyard. Now I leapt from my chair. In anger I slammed down my fork and grabbed the truck keys. “Wait for me,” my husband, Mark, bellowed as he wrestled with his boots and jumped up to follow me out the door. “Stay on the porch,” I told Jean, as Mark and I hopped in the pickup and drove it recklessly around the yard. We honked and screamed as we chased the pigs off our…

LIKE MY NEW HAY-DO? If half your meal ends up on your head, you know you were hungry! April Grissom of Woodville, Texas, spotted these lunching longhorns along a local farm road. Random Musings Where do barn cats go to get a taste of big-city culture? The mew-seum. Lorie West Milwaukee, Wisconsin Sick Sense of Humor I dashed into the doctor’s office and told the receptionist, “I’m here for my flea shot.” She gave me a bemused look and repeated, “Flea shot?” Realizing my mistake, I decided to keep going and make a joke of it. “Yeah—flea, tick, I’ll take whatever you’ve got.” This got a few chuckles from folks in the waiting room, and that eased my embarrassment a little. When I told my doctor, who has a sense…

We Were Trying to Catch That? “Who looks more shocked—my great-grandson, Caeden, or his grandfather, my son-in-law?” asks Delores Snider of Solvang, California. Where’s The Whale? “Paul, my grandson, thought he had a real whopper on the line,” writes Dee Pratte from Rhineland, Missouri. Touch It? Eww! “My grandson Zachary liked fishing until we had to take it off the hook,” says Michael Clark of Irvine, California.…

Country is written by readers for readers, and it’s easy to share your own stories and photos with us! Just visit our website at country-magazine.com, click Submit Your Story and enter the required fields. Below is a list of story topics we’d like to publish in the future. Rural Travel America’s countryside has so much to offer, and our readers love exploring the back roads. We want to hear about your travels, whether it’s a scenic drive or a visit to a state park or a small town with charm and character. Remember to include photos! Country Life Sometimes life is just better in the country. The pace slows, the neighbors are friendly and there’s time to savor the simple pleasures. If you chose the country life, inspire other readers…

“HARLEY WAVED HIS FLAG with glee at the parade (below),” says Dad, Daniel Eady of Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Ana Fay (bottom) has a July Fourth birthday!” says Marie Laiten of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. “LAST JULY FOURTH, WE GATHERED at my daughter Katie’s cottage near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. I brought a little red checkered dress that every girl in the family has worn or will wear, including Katie, who received it from grandmother Phyllis (center), and Phyllis’ great-granddaughter, Abby (front row, second from the right).…

The stick had all but slipped from my mind until a recent family gathering. Dinner at my sister’s would include homemade ice cream for dessert. I hadn’t seen the contraption in ages, much less put it to use. But there it was, sitting on a table, ready to assemble: the outer wooden bucket, the inner metal cylinder that held the ingredients and the paddle assembly that mixed them. A metal mechanism that locked in place across the top. And, of course, the crank that turned the paddle. Nostalgia filled my brother, sister and me as we put the ingredients in the cylinder and added ice and rock salt to the outer bucket. It was time to start cranking. Funny, I didn’t remember it taking this long. Each person took 25…

Duckwalking on our wooden snowshoes, with our essentials crammed into backpacks, we trudged through blowing snow like humped turtles. It was March 1973, and my husband, Larry, and I had embarked on a winter camping trip in the Tetons, destination Jenny Lake. At the entrance to the park, an employee warned us we’d be all alone. “No one will be coming to check on you.” That sounded perfect. This was my first winter expedition, although we backpacked at every opportunity, and Larry had extensive snow camping experience before meeting me. I quickly learned there’s more to it than summer backpacking. For example, there’s little sign of the trail during whiteout conditions. Ski poles help with balance, but the wide-based gait of walking in snowshoes does not. At our campsite, a…

The best of land and water meet at Acadia National Park in Maine. Mountains, forests, coastal villages, gulls, crabs, sea urchins, lobsters, starfish, tide pools and trails all fall within the view from Cadillac Mountain. Swimming, biking, hiking, fishing and boating in the summer are replaced with cross-country skiing, ice fishing and snowmobiling in the winter. My personal preference requires neither stamina nor equipment. I simply watch the surf along the rocky coastline. Thunder Hole, where incoming surf hits the rocks like a clap of thunder, displays the power and ever-changing nature of water and land colliding. The relentless pounding of waves against the shoreline reminds me over and over of God’s awesome power. It also reminds me that we must maintain a healthy respect for all of nature—its danger…

Our son Leo loved the outdoors. In 2009, he came with us on a three-week road trip out west and showed us the national parks he loved. We breezed our way across North Dakota and made our first stop at Glacier National Park in Montana. The hikes were adventures, and there are more than 700 miles of trails in Glacier. We were fortunate enough to drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road through Glacier. It was absolutely breathtaking. Leo said, “It was a view no camera could capture.” At Mount Rainier we hiked up to the glaciers and got so close we could see the beautiful blue tint. It was an unbelievable sight. The landscape was a hiker’s paradise. At Olympic we inhaled the aroma of the rain forest. Along the way…

“The place is decorated with all of Dad’s fishing gear and pictures of him with his catch throughout the years.” As he was growing up, my dad, Kenneth Davenport, fished a lot to provide food for his parents, brother and five sisters. Fishing was in his blood, and he passed his enthusiasm on to his children. We all listened to his advice on how to bait, cast and be patient. Over the years, Dad handed down the same lessons to his grandchildren. Oh, how Dad, whose nickname was Pete, enjoyed eating his catch! Sometimes my mom, Vivian, came along on fishing trips with us, but her main duty was having the skillet hot and ready for the bass, catfish, goggle-eye or crappie we brought home. After 32 years in Bucyrus,…

Below the home I grew up in, a series of sloping fields surrounded three sides of our neighbor’s active farm. Dairy cows grazed in the pasture directly across the road from us, while the other farm fields produced hay. During the summer when I was 14, my sister, Sabrina, then 11, and I worked haying those fields. Perfect weather meant Mr. Webster could not wait for his regular seasonal help, and so he approached my parents, asking if we might work for him. What began as a favor to our neighbor rapidly became one of the most memorable and satisfying experiences of my life. We were responsible for following the baler, moving the bales into groups for easy pickup and then helping to load them onto the trailer that would…

Sully (right) has something to tell Whiz (left) that’s worth making a face, according to this snapshot shared by Kelly Noble Bennett of Deep Run, North Carolina. Kelly caught this horseplay at her sister-in-law’s horse ranch, the Double Deuce Arena, in Seven Springs. Country readers, what do you think Sully would say, if only a horse could talk? Share your clever captions online at country-magazine.com, or send a postcard to “If Only They Could Talk” at the address that’s in the Submission Guidelines on page 78. If we choose it as our favorite, you’ll win a 1-year subscription to Country ! CONGRATULATIONS TO LAST ISSUE’S WINNER “Be a good nanny and watch my chicks.” Jean Andrews Keezletown, Virginia…

It all started when my younger brother, Ryan, wanted to get a duck for his sixth birthday. He had duck stuffed animals, duck pictures, duck blankets and more. My family called all the farm stores in town. They were either sold out of ducklings or said the ones they had were too old to be tamed as a pet. Finally one Saturday we called another farm store, which confirmed that it had just received a batch of baby ducks. We quickly rushed over there before the ducks sold out again. At the store, Ryan peered into the big metal tub and picked up the perfect duckling. I also picked one up, but I quickly put it back because it didn’t seem happy to be held. I lifted up a different…