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a &,F. 1 WIIITBY FREE PRFSS, W[-'I)NI3SDAY, FIiBRUARY 25, 1981 , PAGE' -3 Between You and Me B', RUTH COLES Most probably our anticipation of an early spring is inten- sified by this mild weather. As I look out through the window I see patches of moss, one of my favourite things and other bits of beautiful green shoots poking through the earth. Not many mmnd you but a few. Last Friday, I heard a crow, generally the first harbinger of spring, not the robin as has always been suggested. Some weeks ago we saw a towhee and downy woodpeckers, early I think, but no signs of grossbeaks or purpie finches. There have been many ducks on the lake and overhead Canada Geese are seen returning north. Without the protective covering of snow there may be a lot of damage in the coming weeks to tender green shoots. Whatever cornes first will be the deciding factor, snow to warm and protect or law temperatures and freezing ramn which will do harmful things. Hopefully we will continue to have light snowfalls for a few weeks, just enough to melt easily and quickly when April cornes. For those of us who love our gardens, this time of year is very exciting, planning and creating in our mindsbty looking at catalogues, reading and just thinking . It's somewhat like planning a trip, haif the fun is in the anticipation. For children or shut-ins an herb garden can be a delight. Easy to cane for and what fun to eat the produce! Last week I bought some pots of herbs and wilI add them later on to the' others in the garden. For the first time I bought tiny, ever- bearing strawberries and they are in a bay window waiting for the sunshine. We have eaten a few and they are sweet but very tiny. There are so many varieties of mint, candy, Austrian, spearmint, peppermint and others with the promise of pineapple mint in the very near future. There are also lots of lemon herbs or rather lemon flavoured. Very aromatic and pungent, popular with many for various uses. Many medicines have been taken from growing things but I would think a great number of them are synthetically made now. Naturepath doctors still use these plants and often with great success. We always have plants on hand, both indoors and outside. For burns and cuts it's Ùeat. Once a stem is cut the sticky substance oozes out and is easily applied. 1 then refigerate the rest of the stem. This plant grows in vast quantities in the south and has been used by natives for many years. I understand that for every poisoness plant there is an an- tidote growing close by such as poison îvy and touch me not. To know what is what, is the trick. I think it stands to reason as nature does work in wonderous ways. You just have to have the key. Nature has balances and counter balances, the quality of which we cannot deny. A biologist told me once that he took his university class in- to the foothilîs of the Rockies for the summer ta study. They took staples with them such as flour and saIt but otherwise they lived from the land, happily and healthily. The hours spent trying to eradicate the common dandelion in North America is wasted time and flot ta aur advantage. A native of Greece, this sa called weed grows in northern climates al aven the world. It is believed ta have been brought over by the Pilgrims an the Mayflower. Tax tip Q. 1 arnrnarrned v>th a wife and Iw~o children. one 7 and the other 18.rNt ie and chli- dren did nfot carn anin rcorne last ýe.ir What ex\emtptionts aini 1entilled tb daIm>'ý Aý r% till<intl.> ûOU le ) lu /t, bas1< ic prmonal ot'nJ f' S2,890 >0 U,)I alto cli a1 ,arriule r<'nîjzîn <im(" S2.530, a st(m îîan for %t 'r I'8-%tcar-old andl a S54 ,t1et ipjphjotji Itîr or Wlîen iritknîg <>jr laltin be' suto1< ,î e allIi/e iformia- t'otie, fut retîurin l'or more' cfeîwl.t, îcheck tour 1/YAU lt Guide SMALL PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLING Qualified Teacher employed. Fees reasonable. 683-5661J 0 0 An early spring prev-iew i Give... THE HEART FUND See the 1981 Rabbit. The scame.,,butdiferent. The 1981 Rabbîtstill offers fuel injection, indepen- dent suspension on ail four wlieels and front wheel drive. It is still a Volkswagen with Volkswagen quality and reliabi lily. But the Rabbit keeps on getfing better. The interor has been given a handsome new look. The engine Fias been enlarged for more pep wîth more efficient fuel consump- tion. And the exterior styling has been refined. Corne in and see the familiar Rabbit, with changes .for the better. 0 Don't sefte for Iess. nu For some foolish reason its usefulness was forgotten. This thankfully is changing and we often see people digging up the roots and collecting the leaves. However, one has to be careful flot to pick anything for eating purposes which may have heen sprayed. Used as a medicine, a pot herb and as salad greens this highly nutnitious plant is held in high esteem in other parts of the world. A single cup of dandelion greens is a source, a very high source, of iron, potassium, calcium and vitamin A. The vita min A content rates higher than that of any comparable quantitý of any other vegetable on the food chart. Maybe one could say, certainly gardeners, that the motto of the dan- delion should be, neyer say die! A couple of years ago when writing about plants we men- tioned the many uses of garlic and onions. These plants have antibîotic qualities as well as repellent qualities. Planted in the gardien with flowers or vegetables, garlic repelîs pests, both insects and small animals such as moles or mice. Tomatoes and corn as well as fruit trees, apple, pears and peaches benefit from cloves of garlic being planted close by. Cats and dogs who are given garlic neyer have fleas or wor- ms I have been told. We wrote of planting certain things side by side to protect each plant from pests, such as nasturtium planted close to beans to keep aphids away. If ants are troublesome plant mînt and tansy by the door before the ants walk into your kit- chen. Cooking with herbs can be exciting and tasty. Herb dressings are delicious and can be stored for some time and you can use bought dressing or make your own and add the herbs. Garnishes and toppings are important too and can give food an appealing look and an appetizing taste. Herbs can be added to sait, I should think a fair quantity as sa littie saIt is used. Herb bread is delightful and again whatever flavour appeals to you can be added. Many people add lemon to bread and beer bread I arn told goes awfully well with herbed foods. Herbs can be added to butter and refrigerated for a couple of weeks or frozen for several months. To freeze them in an ice cube tray would make it easy to have small amounts always on hand at a few moments notice. They could be labelled and you could have quite an assortment of flavours. 1 think hot bread, preferably a French stick wrapped in foul, each slice cut part-way through is out of this world. Italian dressing mixed with butter makes a delicious spread and herb butter would do the same for this hot bread. Herb jellies which would include mint or lemon mint are so simple to make and so easy to keep and have on hand. My Mother used to put a geranium leaf in apple jelly and this gave the jelly a lovely flavour. Attractive bouquets can be made with herbs, flowers and weeds. In England they make cushions filled with herbs, of- ten small pillows to use when having a nap. A lovely scent which I'm told helps to relieve a headache. Some of us in the next two months will dream wonderful dreams and whether they are realized wiIl depend on us, our gardening skills and our creativity. We hope for an early spring, warm sun and cool breezes and snow in the meantime ta keep our gardens warm and protected. DTHE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY 7DD)0F DURHAM DUJRHAM Weight Restriction Regulations will be in force on roads under the jurisdiction of the Regional Municipality of Durham. Effective March lst to April 3Oth inclusive, vehicle Ioads are restricted to 5 TONNES per axie in accordance with Durham Region By-Law Number 24-80. Signs will be erected on all.regional roads to which these weight restrictions apply. W.A. Twelvetrees, P. Eng. Commissioner of Works Regional Municipality of Durham