Country Cousin 6/15/22

Shirley Prudhomme

Father's Day Turns 50!

Summer will officially arrive on Tuesday, June 21, but summer heat seems to be already here. Until Tuesday, days were mostly warm enough to feel like summer and cool enough to feel like working. We had a bit of drizzle over the weekend, just enough to spoil our plans for Saturday, but Sunday was great again. Then Spring must have looked at the calendar and decided to make way for summer. Summer heat has set in, along with some pretty severe humidity. Wonder how long this will last?

FATHER'S DAY IS 50

Father's Day is coming up on Sunday, June 19. It's always on the third Sunday of June. This year marks the 50th year that Father's Day has been recognized as a national holiday.

Personally find that hard to believe. Had a husband and child of my own by then, and I guess I just thought it was always a national holiday.

According to The Old Farmers Almanac, fathers sort of resisted the idea of Father's Day. Mother's Day came first (it was officially recognized in 1914), so men in the early 1900s associated such a tribute to women and found the idea too effeminate to their liking, and to be fair, Mother's Day was couched in terms of femininity.

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson called Mother's Day a way to recognize "that tender, gentle army??the mothers of America." 

Men viewed the idea of Father's Day as similar to Mother's Day. As one historian writes, they "scoffed at the holiday's sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products??often paid for by the father himself."

In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, inspired by Anna Jarvis and the idea of Mother's Day, began promoting Father's Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, was also a single parent who raised Sonora and her five brothers by himself, after his wife Ellen died giving birth to their youngest child in 1898. While attending a Mother's Day church service in 1909, Sonora, then 27 years old, came up with the idea.

She convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA to set aside a Sunday in June to celebrate fathers. The ministers chose the third Sunday in June to allow more time after Mother's Day to prepare their sermons. On June 19, 1910, the first Father's Day, Sonora delivered presents to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA decorated their lapels with fresh-cut roses (red for living fathers, white for the deceased), and the city's ministers devoted their homilies to fatherhood.

Those events struck a chord that reached all the way to Washington, D.C., but the holiday did not catch on right away, perhaps due to the perceived parallels with Mother's Day.

However in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson and his family observed Father's Day, and eight years later, President Calvin Coolidge signed a resolution in favor of Father's Day "to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed an executive order that the holiday be celebrated on the third Sunday in June.

Then, under President Richard Nixon, in 1972, Congress passed an act officially making Father's Day a national holiday.

Over the years, our society has changed from patriarchal family to a partnership between parents, and the idea of fatherhood changed as well. Today, think we could get away with a sitcom called "Father Knows Best?" (And actually, he usually did.)

Father's Day today is not the "feminine model" with hearts and flowers, but has become more of a day that celebrates what Dad likes to do, whether it's cooking out, or going fishing or flying or go-carting. It focuses on the larger roles that dads play with their children.

The modern role of father has changed so that mothers and fathers are partners, each taking more responsibility within family life.

We know from many studies what happens when a father figure is lacking. In a sense, Father's Day helps to demonstrate the importance and value of fatherhood - and the gifts beyond material goods that a good father bestows on his children and family.

Psychologists are just starting to realize the importance of a father to the development of children into intelligent, responsible adults. They also are starting to realize that many of the problems in today's society stem from children being raised without a father figure in their lives.

Depictions of dads in popular culture too often push the stereotype of fathers as incompetent, emotionally disconnected, "secondary" parents who are not nearly as important to their children as their mothers, and not nearly as smart either.

In reality, although a mother's love is important and special, having an active father figure plays an equally important role in the healthy development of a child.

Psychological studies have identified five important gifts that fathers give their children, including:

1. Increasing Intellect. An active father can help increase your child's emotional intelligence and problem-solving capabilities, and in fact a good sense of humor helps. Studies show that children with fathers who were actively involved throughout the first year of their child's life perform better on cognitive development assessments and demonstrate an increased capacity for curiosity and exploration. Children raised with active dads tend to score higher on verbal and math tests and are less likely to drop out of school or commit juvenile crimes.

2. Boosting Confidence. The emotional support provided by a father to his child is a priceless gift. By helping kids to understand how much they are valued and loved, children with supportive fathers are more likely to have high self-esteem and are generally happier and more confident. They also demonstrate a greater tolerance for stress/frustration, less hesitation/fear in new situations and an increased ability to resist peer pressure and stand up for themselves.

(In my personal experience, living up to Dad's expectations went a long way toward keeping me in line - not for fear of punishment, but from a desire to make him proud.)

3. Providing someone to look up to. Fathers provide a positive male role model for their children and help to promote/reinforce good behaviors. As a result, children with more involved fathers tend to have fewer behavioral and impulse control problems, longer attention spans and a higher level of sociability. These children also tend to be more compassionate and generous, with an increased awareness of the needs and rights of others.

4. Providing a different perspective. Children are naturally full of questions, and mothers and fathers approach those questions in different ways. Active parents with different approaches to parenting can be a great way to expose children to a broad range of thinking and problem-solving. Active fathers have a unique opportunity to share their perspective on life and teach their kids valuable life skills!

5. Helping them feel the love. It's the most obvious thing to say, but that doesn't make it any less important ?? having an active father makes a child feel loved! Having dad as a steady source of love and encouragement helps ensure that children grow up happy and healthy, with high self-esteem.

The conclusion of multiple studies? Being an active, involved father is one of the most important things you can do for your child. It takes two to make a child, and it takes two to raise one.

No matter what our chosen careers are, no matter how hard we work at our paying jobs, there is no more important job than being a parent.

That said, uncles, cousins, even older brothers and very special neighbors, can fill in as a father figure when the real father is not around, and they often do a very good job of it. Happy Father's Day to all of you!

DAD'S DAY RIDDLES

1. What do you call your dad when he falls through the ice?

2. How is the baby bird like its dad?

3. What"s the difference between a pack of cookies and a pack of elephants?

See answers after Cookin" Time.

ABOUT FACE

Just saw on Facebook that George Washington's head on the new 2022 quarters is facing away from the "In God We Trust" inscription, instead of toward it, as it has been since that particular design was adopted in 1932. The person who posted it on "The Narrow Gate" website was upset that Washington has turned his back on "In God We Trust," and added, "Today, More than ever, we need every head on everything to be turned toward God, not away!"

According to Google, the US Mint says the change was part of the American Women Quarters Program that features female achievers.

Incidentally, George Washington and his friends back when our nation was new declined to allow their likenesses to be put on United States coins. Reminded them too much of the doings of monarchs in Europe, and they wanted no part of it.

STOMP OUT MOLD

With all the humidity recently, mold and mildew are showing up everywhere. The spores can spoil the freshness of your home and spark allergies, and the stains can destroy fabrics. With the damp heat of summer chances for molds to grow multiply. Mold is often found lurking under windowsills and sink cabinets.

Wherever there is a leaky window or a leaky pipe, mold will eventually develop.

To get rid of mold around window sills, first open the windows. Then don safety goggles, gloves, and a dust mask and cover the floor with a tarp. Scrub the area with a nylon brush and a mixture of one part bleach and three parts warm water, and let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with clear water. Dry thoroughly with a fan before closing the window again.

For musty under-sink cabinets, open the doors, remove everything, put on the safety gear and scrub everything with the three to one bleach/water mixture. As with the window areas, let the bleach solution soak in for 15 minutes before rinsing with clear water. Or better still, let it dry on there without rinsing. Leave the doors open and set a fan to blow into the cupboard until everything is thoroughly dry. Before returning things to the cupboard, wipe them down with the bleach solution and let dry.

EVEN DISHES

Do you ever put your dishes away while they're still a little damp? Be aware that this could create the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow, especially if you're not using those dishes regularly. If you spot mildewy dishes in your cabinet, run them through your dishwasher and wipe your cabinets down with a vinegar soaked cloth.

Whether you spot mold on your dishes or not, give your dish drainer a good cleaning regularly and wipe it down with a bleach solution.

COOKIN' TIME

BREW PUB PORK CHOPS

If Dad loves showing off at the grill, make him look good by marinating the chops for him ahead of time and let him cook them to perfection. Baked potatoes, grilled asparagus packets and sliced ripe tomatoes are great go-withs. Or how about slicing some apples onto a large sheet of buttered foil, sprinkle on some sugar and cinnamon, dot with more butter, seal and grill along with the chops but slightly off the hot coals so they don't burn?

1 cup beer

1 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

4 bone-in pork chops (1-1/2 lb.)

1/4 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)

1 tablespoon Grey Poupon or Honey Dijon Mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Mix first four ingredients until sugar is dissolved; pour over chops in shallow dish. Drink the leftover beer. Turn chops over to evenly coat both sides of each chop. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Remove chops from marinade; discard marinade. Grill chops 5 to 6 min. on each side or until done (160F), brushing occasionally with mayo mixture.

CAMPFIRE SOUP

The original recipe called this "chili", but it's not, despite the chili powder. It's its own kind of soup, a bit hot, and very good. Goes well with lemonade or other cold beverage. Serves 8-10. If you're planning this for a camping trip, make the soup at home up to adding the yogurt. It actually improves on standing. Then over the campfire heat the soup to boiling, stir in yogurt, and serve.

3 pounds bulk pork sausage

1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced

4 cups farmers market vegetables, diced (squash, zucchini, asparagus, onions, peppers)

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups plain yogurt

Sour Cream or more yogurt, or topping

In heavy 4-quart saucepan, cook sausage and jalapeños over medium high heat, stirring frequently until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add vegetables, garlic and chili powder to sausage mixture and sauté 5 minutes. Add beef broth, tomatoes and black beans; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in yogurt; cook 5 minutes. Serve with additional yogurt or sour cream for topping.

STUFFED PIZZA BURGERS

Summer just naturally means many meals on the grill. These burgers are a great variation on the ordinary. Recipe makes four very generous burgers. The baking soda is a trick I just learned for tenderizing the hamburger meat and reducing shrinkage.

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

6 ounces mozzarella cheese

4 hamburger buns or hard rolls

1/4 cup pizza sauce

lettuce, tomatoes, sliced olives, for garnish

Heat grill to perfect burger cooking temperature.

While the coals heat, lightly mix ingredients down to the the cheese. Cut two ounces of the cheese into four quarter-inch thick pieces. Shape the burger mixture into eight patties. Put a piece of cheese on four of them, top with another patty and seal the edges. Grill until the patties are done as you like them, turning just once. Cut the remaining cheese into four slices and top each of the four double burgers with a slice shortly before it's ready to be moved from grill to bun. While the burgers cook butter the buns and toast them on the grill, cut side down. Put each patty on a bun, top with the condiments you choose, and add some sauce. Have the remainder of the sauce available for dipping.

FROSTY FREEZE

For a summer treat that's inexpensive, incredibly healthy, and sure to be a hit with the kids, grand kids and their parents on a hot summer day, whip up this frozen concoction. Go ahead. Make popsicles of this and let the kids have them for breakfast!

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups mashed ripe banana (about five or six bananas)

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, with juice

1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Whirl the pineapple and bananas in a food processor or blender until smooth or nearly smooth. Stir in the water, sugar and orange juice until thoroughly mixed. Pour into popsicle molds or into freezer containers and freeze several hours or overnight or longer. Eat and enjoy. If you're going to scoop it, better take it out of the freezer 15 minutes before you plan to serve it.

RIDDLE RESPONSES

1. A POPsicle!

2. It's a chirp off the old block.

3. Wow! it's a good thing you don't do the grocery shopping!

Thought for the week: Dad, you've gone on to Heaven ahead of us, but on this Father's Day, hope you know we're thinking of you. Hope you can hear us remembering all the little things, the times you came home dead tired from working a double shift, and then stayed awake to give us rides home from high school ball games or dances; the times you rocked us to sleep and dozed off yourself, the miniature tricycle you built and proudly delivered when your first grandson was newly born, the miles you drove to help your often ungrateful children; the chores you did to make our lives easier; the jokes you told, usually on yourself; the way we always knew you loved us, no matter what. And Heavenly Father, thank You for Your loving care, and thank You giving us the Dad we had. We were truly blessed!

(This column is written by Shirley Prudhomme of Crivitz. Views expressed are her own and are in no way intended to be an official statement of the opinions of Peshtigo Times editors and publishers. She may be contacted by phone at 715-291-9002 or by e-mail to shirleyprudhommechickadee@yahoo.com.)

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