Today, we have yet another heat advisory and warning.  So, there are several things to be on the look for today in the Ozarks. Try to confine outdoor work to the early morning and late evening. The temps are at least coooler then. Be on the look out for heat exhaustion, in yourself and others. Drink lots of water and little alcohol. (Sorry, even the Irish/Scots cut back on this hot a day!) Also, watch pets. Make sure they have water.  We even put out an extra water dish for the animals that kind of roam our part of little Fair Grove, Missouri.

Please also, if you have older family members, check on them a lot. Many of these folks do not run air conditioning in the summer.  They can dehydrate just as quickly. Ozarks weather has been hot, but we can beat the issues by sticking together.

Watch your gardens also. They really need water this time of year. We have been lucky to get a little rain the last two days. That really helps, cause plants love the warmer water temp.  Cold water tends to shock vegetables.

Stay cool, fellow Ozarkians! 

Ray Province, the Celtic Ozarkian

We were traveling with five different families actually with an age span of almost 70 years. Finding activities that would not be to stressful for the older group, but interesting enough for the young go-getters took some planning. Waikiki allowed us to keep everyone happy. The key was not making everyone do all the same activities.

One day the teenagers took surfing lessons while the younger kids played in the ocean. The non-surfing adults supervised, enjoying the trade breezes and a cool libation.  A perfect way to spend a day in Hawaii and we found a little steak shop nearby. We finished the day by eating teriyaki steak and salad while watching a beautiful Hawaiian sunset.

Another day we all took a bus tour around the island. Easy going for the older ohana in the group, and interesting enough for everyone. There were enough stops on the tour to let the kids get out and burn off a little steam, but not so many that moving the wheelchair became a burden. The scenery was breathtaking and the guide was very informative.

One of highlights of the trip was going to Pearl Harbor. We had a WWII veteran in our group and it was very meaningful to visit Pearl with him. While we were there, a group of Pearl Harbor survivors were also there and it was very interesting to just listen to the old veterans tell stories.

The USS Ronald Reagan was in port right next to the gathering area for the Pearl tour. What an impressive sight to see. And as an added benefit a band from the Australian Navy was playing music as we waited our turn to view the film and board the memorial. It was the perfect day to visit Pearl Harbor.

We did not rent a car for this trip. We took a couple of tours and used public transportation. I was a little worried about traveling on TheBus with two wheelchair bound people. It was incredibly easy to us TheBus on Oahu. Getting on and off was very simple and the drivers were incredible. They made sure that their “uncle” was well taken care of.

On that note we also went to Hanauma Bay. If you have never been there you simply must put it on your “bucket list”. It has to be one of the most beautiful spots in the world. They also have sand wheelchairs available at no cost. What a blessing that was. Be sure to arrive early if you are going to need one. There are a very limited amount and they are available on a first come first served basis.

My advice if you are traveling with multiple families is to relax. Make a list of possible tourist destinations you want to see while you are on the trip. Let everyone decide what will fit their family needs and then match up groups from there. We split off one day and part of the crew went to the beach, some of us went to the zoo, and others went to play golf.

That was perfect, everyone got to do what they wanted and then we came together that night to watch the sun set and discuss the day. There is nothing like the smell of the ocean, the cooling trade winds on your face and watching the sun set on another fun day in paradise to bring out the best in a family. Go ahead and plan that family vacation, it will be fun. Aloha

Ray Province is a freelance writer on travel. You can reach him at celticozarksolutions@gmail.com. Or you can just visit at <a href=”http://celticozarksolutions.com”>http://celticozarksolutions.com</a>

I did take time to cover all the tender young plants in the yard.  I also took time to water everything well in the afternoon, while it was sunny.  The wet soil will help to protect the plants. So did the covers, as it keeps the frost off the plant.  Traditionally, this technique works well.  Bringing plants in from the outdoors for the night is also an option.

Tonight, we have a chance of dipping down in temperature again, to around 35-36 degrees. So, don’t forget to take care of the little plants.  Remember, we are not past the last recorded frost date for the Ozarks yet. The average is around April 15th.  Uncover the plants today, as the temperature will get up around 60 again.

We’ll talk again soon,

Ray Province, The Celtic Ozarkian

I was listening to Brandon Beck of KY3 this morning on the KGBX morning show with Woody P. Snow and Jane Lane. Brandon is saying we need to keep an eye to the sky with this one, and keep up with the latest weather.  A  lot of this storm’s impact will depend upon air tempures throughout the  atmosphere.  Of course, the ground has gotten a lot warmer now, so the roads will end up slushy.

Follow the latest on the storm form here.  WEATHER FORECAST

I have added lettuce, spinach, onions, endive, carrots, and snow peas. And of course you can’t have an Irish wife and not plant potatoes. Now is the time to get them in. In an earlier article, we mentioned we already had our corn salad planted. All of these types of crops can be sown directly into the ground. You don’t even have to plant deeply for most. I do cover my onions and peas. For the next two weeks, it ought to be a good time to plant through much of the Central United States. Southern states are ahead of us, and it is a bit early yet for the northern most states.

We were blessed with a 60 degree day today, and my wife Robin was off work. So, we were able to bring all our plants outside for the day (the ones we have had growing a couple of weeks now in seed planters inside. I am sure the plants have enjoyed the sun.

So, get with it! St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone. It’s time to get your Celtic Ozark Spring Garden in the ground. In our next article, we will talk about broccoli and cabbage.

We’ll talk again soon,

Ray Province

The Celtic Ozarkian

The new store is located on south Kansas Expressway, and represents a new potential market for the DAV.  The store has also changed its name to “Red Racks Thrift Store.” For us long time thrifters, it is still one of the big three (DAV, Salvation Army, and Goodwill).

You will now have 20,000 sq ft of store to roam though. The goods are lovingly cared for used items.  They are donated to the group, and the profts of the store go to help the Disabled American Veterans continue to do their work.

We’ll talk again soon,

Raymond Province

The Celtic Ozarkian

The team won 54-49 over Oakville High School.  This state championship marks the first time since 1984 that the state crown was held in Springfield. Good job to all the team, coaches, and fans of Hillcrest High School.

Woot!

Raymond C. Province

The Celtic Ozarkian

The coming of spring gets me in the gardening mood. This year I have planted a new green for us: Mache. I have never eaten it, but read about it a couple of years ago in Mother Earth News and tucked the information away in my brain. This year I decided I wanted to try some. During our early spring trip to Baker Creek seeds I found several varieties of mache seeds. I decided on the small seed variety: Mache Verte D’ Etampes.

Mache is popular in Europe and slowly becoming more available in the U.S. It is an old green commonly found growing wild in fields. It goes by several names: corn salad, lamb’s lettuce, and Rapunzel to name a few.

I planted Mache because it tolerates the cold better than other lettuce varieties. It is usually planted in the fall to grow most of the winter long. It will tolerate temps down to 5 degrees without much extra care. We do get colder than that here in the Missouri Ozarks, so I won’t have lettuce all winter long, but I will extend my season by quite a bit this fall.

When I went out to plant my mache last week, it was a wonderful warm day. I turned my garden spot over to get the soil ready and the bottom layer of the garden was still frozen. I brought the frozen bottom to the top of the garden, let it lay in the sun for a day, and then planted my little mache seeds.

God has been kind enough to give them a nice gentle rain and a few snow flakes to keep the soil moist. I can’t wait to see those little plants pop through the ground! If we like the taste of the Mache, I am going to save the seeds when it bolts this summer and plant a fall crop. Left alone, mache will self seed, but we rotate our spring, summer and fall crops in the same garden beds, so I will save the seeds for our fall crop. I might even try the large seed variety this fall too.

Nathan Boone was the youngest child of the famous Daniel Boone, who spent a good deal of his later life in Missouri. He ran a famous salt producing company with his brother, called Booneslick. It is closer to Boonville, Mo., not far from Arrow Rock. He also was a surveyor, and helped to lay out a lot of the railroads in the area.  He served in the first Constitutional Convention of Missouri, and was a capable officer with the 1st Dragoons. He had quite the eclectic life.

The home was built in 1837 by Boone, his sons, and some of his slaves. His wife Olive was also part of that group. In its day, it was a 732 acre farm.  Nathan and Olive are still buried there to this day.

Guided tours, which take about an hour, are available. They cost $4 per adult.  You can wander the property though. There are trails to hike, and some nice picnic areas. Ash Grove is about a 30 minute drive north of Springfield, MO on Hwy 160.  The address is 7850 N. State Hwy V., Ash Grove, MO 65604. (417) 751-3266. You will make a turn by Clair’s C Market, to go out to the site.  Stop and say hi to Mr. Clair, and get your goodies for the trip. It is a local landmark, and the friendliest C Store you will ever visit.

We’ll talk again soon,

Raymond C. Province

The Celtic Ozarkian

This is Irish in the Ozarks at its best. It is a well attended parade, and people love to mingle during this event. You will also find a great smattering of Ulster-Irish folks here. It’s fun to get a chance to talk about heritage with the people who come to the parade each year. The Ozarks is full of Irish pride.

Here, though, is a copy of the event schedule to date:

11:00 Food booths & vendors open on Square

2:00 Parade begins with Grand Marshal

Let’s also take a look at tentative parade route. This is not finalized yet, as there is still some considerable construction going on in downtown Springfield, Missouri. Be that as it may, the route will start on Commercial Street, and head south on Boonville Avenue, ending in the downtown Square. I have provided you a map to the event.

The IRISH IDOL contest will be held on the Square beginning at 11:30 a.m. the day of the Parade. Contestants are encouraged to perform songs with an Irish theme or origin. Contestants must provide their own backup music. A PA system and CD player will be provided. Contestants will be judged on stage presence, originality, musical talent, and how much fun they are having. The contest is for AMATUERS ONLY. There is no entry fee. A $100 prize will be awarded the winner.

Register online below OR CLICK HERE for a registration form in pdf format to print out, fill out and mail to:

304 W. McDaniel, Springfield, MO 65806

FAX 417-831-6217

it is a great event, and worthy of all truly Celtic people to attend. I hope to see you there, as we will be shooting some footage for the website from St. Patrick’s Day.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

Ray Province