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10A
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2004
Black-eyed peas and collard greens for the new year
Race legend Dale
Earnhardt, like most
Southerners, had strong
opinions and superstitions
to which he was deeply com
mitted.
Years ago when he found
out that I was engaged, he
cornered me in the
Darlington Raceway garage,
pointed a finger and said,
“We need to talk. You need
to go to the Dale Earnhardt
School on Marriage.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why
would I want marital advice
from you? You’ve been mar
ried three times.”
A lopsided grin slid up his
face. “That’s exactly why
you should listen to me. I’ve
learned the hard way.” With
that, he perched up on the
back of a hauler, leaned for
ward with elbows on his
knees and for what would be
Boop Oop A Doop! Antiquers have long collected Warner Brothers Betty
01’ Betty Boop is still look
ing “hot” at the fine age of
75! Born at Talkartoon
Studios in 1930, poor Betty
started out life as a pooch!
Yes, she was a real dog,
appearing with her canine
boyfriend Bimbo. Part of
Max Fleischer’s studio,
Betty was based on a real
person named Helen Kane
who was a singer and part
time actress of the era and
also sported the spit curls
and baby voice like Betty’s.
As Betty evolved in car
toon land, she lost her black
puppy nose and her dog ears
evolved into earrings.
Animation was still kind of
rough at this early stage and
sometimes Betty’s looks
changed within the same
Epiphany - the
By The Rev. EUGENE
ROSENKRANS
The Feast of the Epiphany
is celebrated by the Church
on Jan. 6 to commemorate,
in the West, the manifesta
tion of Christ to the Gentiles
and, in the East, the bap
tism of Christ. The name
derives from the Greek word
“epiphaneia,” which means
manifestation or appear
ance. The “showing forth”
of the infant Jesus was to
the Magi, the wise men from
the East, who were the first
Gentiles to worship Jesus.
The event is recorded in the
Gospel according to St.
Matthew (2:1-12).
The Magi (being the plu-
How to grow your own Indian corn to enjoy
Corn is an important and
popular crop here in the
South. Most of us grow it for
its value as a food-it is quite
tasty and nutritious-but
there are other uses of this
native American crop.
Multi-colored corn, some
times called Indian corn, is
enjoying an explosion of
interest these days.
There are five major types
of corn: sweet, supersweet,
dent, flint, and pop. Corn is
classified by the nature of its
endosperm (the starchy food
found in the kernels).
This endosperm can be
sweet or floury, wrinkled or
full and plump. The color in
corn kernels is the result of
two things: the hue of its
outer layer of endosperm
and its skin. Most of the
corns that we grow have col
orless skins (seedcoats) and
white or yellow endosperms,
making the ears appear
white or yellow. But there
several possible endosperm
colors. These can be red,
blue, black, intermediate
shades of these, as well as
yellow and white. There are
even colored seedcoats too
mostly red or tan.
Most varieties of orna
mental corn are simply list
ed in seed catalogs as
“Indian,” “Squaw,” or
“Calico.” These have large
Ronda Rich
Columnist
an uncomfortable hour for
me, spouted forth with his
views and advice on mar
riage.
It was personally experi
enced episodes like this that
would cause me to chuckle
when Dale, Jr. reported that
' Mm
Jillinda Falen
Antiques
falen@alltel.net
cartoon!
During the age of flappers
and prohibition, Miss Betty
was still considered very
racy for this era of bobbed
ral of magus) were originally
members of a hereditary
priestly class among the
ancient Persians. Their
caste later spread to other
eastern countries. They
were a highly esteemed class
of priestly scholars, devoting
themselves not only to reli
gion, but also to the study of
natural sciences, medicine,
mathematics, astronomy,
and astrology. As
astronomers, the Magi
observed the appearance of
a new star, which they took
as a sign that a very impor
tant person was born. By
following the course of this
star, they came to
Jerusalem.
Tim Lewis
Gardening
ttmlewis@addressisp.com
ears the size of a large sweet
corn-seven to ten inches
long-with a wide range of
colors from ear to ear and
from stalk to stalk. These.
standards are mostly late
maturing, requiring a frost
free season of between 100
and 120 days. There are,
however, some good earlier
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every New Year’s Day, his
dad would call him up and
say, “We’re eatin’ black-eyed
peas and collard greens at
two. Git over here.”
When Junior would
protest, Earnhardt would
put a stop to his nonsense.
“If you don’t eat your peas
and collard greens, you
won’t have any money this
year. I’ll see you at two.”
Dutifully, Junior would
show up and eat his black
eyed peas and collard
greens. After all, wouldn’t
you if that advice came from
a man who, at the time of
his death, was making over
S2O million a year?
My mama never came
close to making the kind of
money that Earnhardt did,
but she had the same rural
upbringing that dictated by
superstition that black-eyed
hair and skirts above the
ankle. Betty went as far as
short skirts with her garter
showing and a strapless
dress.
When Betty walked in
front of a light, her curvy
Mae West silhouette could
be seen as well. Miss Boop
ran into some legal troubles
in the mid 1930 s not for her
sexy clothes but from Helen
Kane who claimed that
Betty had stolen her fans by
copying her and that she
was the original Boop Oop a
Doop girl. She sued Max
Fleischer for $250,000.
Kane lost the suit because
studio lawyers pointed out
the “Boop” phrase was used
in songs long before Kane
used it in her act and all the
End of the Christmas Season
From Jerusalem the star
led the Magi to Bethlehem
and came to rest over the
place were the Christ child
was. St. Matthew writes,
“going into the house they
saw the child with Mary his
mother, and they fell down
and worshiped him. Then,
opening their treasures,
they offered him gifts, gold
and frankincense and
myrrh.” The gospel does
not say how many Magi
came to Bethlehem. A slow
ly spreading tradition put
their number at three, prob
ably because of the three
presents they brought to
Jesus. Later the Magi were
elevated in the imagination
of early Christians to the
season varieties that are
ready for harvest in 90 to 95
days. Smaller ears are also a
feature of the newer vari
eties.
These are produced by the
use of popcorn in the
parentage. Look for
“Wampum,” a small-eared
variety that is ready in
about 95 days. What is spe
cial about “Wampum” is its
exceptionally beautiful
stalks and tassels. The tas
sels are not a normal color
but multicolored with red
and purple pollen sacs.
Growing Indian corn is a
challenge. Here’s how:
- High soil fertility is
essential. Per 100 square
feet of garden space, apply
three to four bushels of com
post or three to four pounds
of commercial fertilizer.
LIFESTYLE
peas represent coin change
and the collard greens sym
bolize greenbacks. The more
you eat of both, the more
money you’ll make. For
years on New Year’s Day,
Mama would call up - often
aided by Daddy - and say,
“Come over and eat peas
and collards so you’ll have
money this year.”
I scoffed, I laughed and for
many years, I downright
refused. I prefer Crowder
peas to black-eyed peas and
turnip greens to collard
greens. I heard it for so long
that a few years ago, I final
ly acquiesced in an effort to
quiet her and went over to
eat a big plateful of peas and
collards.
Then, an amazing thing
happened.
I had the best year finan
cially that I had ever had.
ladies that provided the
voice of Betty Boop claimed
they were not trying to imi
tate Kane whatsoever.
Betty Boop expanded into
the funny papers as well as
the big screen. She
appeared with many differ
ent characters both real and
cartoon.
Her dog Pudgy was often
by her side as well as her lit
tle brother Billy, Ko-Ko the
clown and Grampy. Real
people that provided voices
in the cartoon included
Rudy Vallee, Louis
Armstrong and Cab
Calloway. Betty retired
from the big screen and
funny papers in 1939 as the
world was changing and big
status of kings.
Because of the rich and
many-sided history and tra
dition of the feast, it has
assumed a variety of names:
the feast of the Epiphany,
the Manifestation of Christ
to the Gentiles, the
Adoration of Christ by the
Magi, the Visit of the Wise
Men to Jesus, the Feast of
the Three Kings, and the
Twelfth Day. In the popular
imagination, Epiphany is
part of the Christmas sea
son.
Hence we find so many
Christmas cards with pic
tures of the Magi in the act
of adoring the Christ child.
Historically, however, the
- Sow seed in warm soil
one to two inches deep and
six inches apart in the row.
Thin young plants to one
foot apart.
- Plant in blocks at least
four rows wide for adequate
pollination.
- Hoe weekly to control
weeds until tasseling begins,
then apply a mulch.
At tasseling, sidedress
with 1 1/2 to two pounds of
Birthday
You’re a very special
little oirl and we love
you very very much!
Love Always.
Mama. Daddy, Dalton, Dakota.
Michelle, Noni, Grandpa,
David & family.
The next year, she didn’t
have to call me. I called her
and asked, “When will the
peas and collards be ready?”
For the past several years,
I have not missed a tradi
tional New Year’s meal,
either at Mama’s or at my
friend, Pinky’s. And every
year, the respectful homage
I have paid to this Southern
tradition has paid very nice
dividends.
I know that we
Southerners are a supersti
tious lot. We follow the signs
of the moon, plant summer
gardens on Good Friday and
believe that church missed
on Sunday spells for a bad
week to follow.
But, personally, I believe
there’s something to this
New Year’s tradition. What I
don’t know is if it’s the
"Pookv Poo”
|f| -» Jm
w Y
Haley Brianna
Crofutt
13467
ger and higher quality car
toon studios such as Disney
and Looney-Tunes became
popular.
Rebel Betty became popu
lar again in the tumultuous
’6os and her cartoons began
to appear on television. in
the 19705. Her merchandise
that was produced in the
1930 s became highly col
lectible and the Precious
Kids Company reproduced a
line of Betty Boop dolls and
figurines to commemorate
her 60th birthday in 1991.
You can now purchase an
eight video set of Betty Boop
cartoons on Amazon.
Here are some current
prices for “Boop” col
lectibles according to
visit of the wise men from
the east to Bethlehem would
have occurred long after the
birth of Jesus, when the
holy family would no longer
have been found in a stable.
The name Twelfth Day for
Epiphany also indicates its
connection to Christmas,
since Jan. 6 is the twelfth
day after Christmas Day and
marks the end of the
Christmastide.
Together with Easter and
Christmas, Epiphany is one
of the three oldest festivals
of the Christian Church.
Whether Epiphany is dedi
cated to the commemoration
of the Manifestation of
Christ to the Gentiles, or the
fertilizer per 100 square
feet. Apply one inch of water
per week until the silks have
dried down and the ears are
fully formed.
- To prevent bird and
Providing 24 HourN
Street
Home yßen VKe
—Medic at,
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SALES
RENTAL AND SERVICE
1544 Watson Boulevard 478-922-2889 5
AVarner Robins, GA 31093 1 -800-269-9335/
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•M a p P to
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
black-eyed peas and collard
greens that work the magic
or our belief in it that draws
the desired results to us.
Does it work because we
believe that it will work or
does it just plain work?
I don’t know. But I do
know that for the rest of my
days on earth, I will eagerly
participate in this supersti
tion and will eat double
helpings of both.
In fact, I’m thinking that
next year, I’ll just have
Mama make me my own lit
tle pot of both. It doesn’t
hurt to cover the bases real
ly well.
Ronda Rich is the best
selling author of “What
Southern Women Know
(That Every Woman
Should)“ and “My Life in
The Pits."
Kovel’s 2005 price guide:
Cookie Jar/Betty and Pudgy,
7.5 x 4, $35; Chalkware fig
ure of Betty Boop, $45; Salt
and Pepper, Bimbo, 19305,
$95; Toy, Happy House,
Celluloid, white tower pen
attached; Japan; $950.
Happy collecting and Boop
Oop a Doop!
Jillinda Falen is the
owner of Carrie Lynn’s
Antiques in Perry. She has
been collecting and selling
antiques for over 21 years.
She is also an experienced
estate liquidation specialist.
You may contact her via
email at falen@alltel.net,
www.antiquesingeorgia.com
or through the Houston
Home Journal.
Adoration of Christ by the
Magi, or the baptism of
Christ by John the Baptist
in the River Jordan, it is a
feast of the Lord Jesus
Christ. As such it should be
observed by all Christians
who are interested in all
phases of our Lord’s earthly
life, from the Annunciation
to the Virgin Mary of Jesus’
conception to his departure
from this world on
Ascension Day.
The Rev. Eugene E.
Rosenkranz, Ph.D., serves as
priest at Christ Anglican
Church, 301 W. Church
Street, Fort Valley, Georgia.
Inquiries may be made by
calling 405-9163.
insect damage, place a small
paper bag over the ears once
the silk has dried down.
Try growing some Indian
corn this year. What have
you got to lose?
LASTDAY 4
BEFORE FEE
INCREASE!
wm
Houston