Adult Book Review: These Precious Days
Author: Ann Patchett
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
These Precious Days, the latest work from author Ann Patchett, is a collection of 22 short stories, just released in paperback at the start of this month. There are a few pieces that are lengthier, but for the most part, each is well under twenty pages long. Patchett is well known for many of her other works, including the novels Bel Canto and The Dutch House and the children’s book Lambslide. Now, with These Precious Days, she is giving readers a memoir of sorts.
We read of the three fathers she’s had and the tattoo she dreamt of getting as a teenager visiting Europe. We learn how knitting helped her kick a bad habit and how her husband learned to fly a floatplane on a trip to Alaska. The most profound piece is certainly the one that shares its name with the title. In “These Precious Days,” Patchett shares this lovely account of a friendship that arose with an utterly unique woman named Sooki. Plus, if you want to know what it’s like to, say, own a bookstore in Nashville, or what an author actually thinks about judging a book by its cover, Patchett has you covered there as well.
If you’re like this reviewer, short story collections aren’t normally the first thing you reach for. But this book was a really nice change of pace. You can pick it up whenever you have time and not have to worry as much about remembering a detailed plot or a web of characters. Some of the stories seemed to fall a little flat, but the majority are quite beautiful and rich. If you want a reading experience that feels like you’re sitting around a fireplace, late in the evening, listening to an old friend tell warm, funny, moving stories of her life, These Precious Days is certainly that.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of These Precious Days today!
Children’s Book Review: The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs
Author: America’s Test Kitchen
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Whether The Great British Baking Show is a family night must-watch in your household or you just love the idea of your kiddos helping with Thanksgiving dinner this year, The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs would be a really neat addition to your cookbook collection. Created by America’s Test Kitchen in 2019, this book has over 100 recipes for all sorts of baked goodies. The target age range is 8 years and up – and don’t worry, when adult supervision is needed, it is clearly noted.
The book begins with the fundamentals of baking, like how to melt butter, how to measure dry and liquid ingredients, how to use a toothpick to check for doneness. There are then six chapters, covering a variety of muffins, breads, pizzas, cookies, cakes, and pies. Perhaps you’d like something simple, like banana and chocolate chip muffins or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? Maybe something more difficult, such as Key Lime bars or a Roman-style focaccia? How about pumpkin bread or a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving?
This book is perfectly made for kids – bright, colorful pages; plenty of pictures; clear, easy-to-follow steps; and even helpful tips and scientific tidbits. Plus, each recipe is labeled beginner, intermediate, and advanced so kids can match up with their skill level without biting off too much. Everything is presented in a fun, lively manner that will get kids interested in baking and help them build up their confidence in the kitchen. And who knows, the next time they need cupcakes for their classroom or granola bars for their sports team, they can try to do it themselves!
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs today!
French Onion Soup
Fall may be finally coming to Enid, and with cooler temperatures comes all of the soup recipes. One of my favorite soups is French Onion Soup.
The modern version of this soup originates in Paris, France in the 18th century, made from beef broth, and caramelized onions. It was introduced to the United States by the New York restaurant of Henri Mouquin in 1861, where his wife Marie Julie Grandjean Mouquin was the chef.
My recipe below is a super modern version, using modern equipment, like the Instapot, and easy ingredients such as seasoned croutons instead of the traditional baguette slice. Also, since we have still been altering our diet to accommodate the Hubby’s Alpha Gal Syndrome, I substituted the beef broth for chicken broth.
This recipe does call for red wine, and I recommend it!! However, I did learn from a good friend many years ago, ALWAYS cook with a wine that you would also drink. Don’t cheat your recipe by purchasing the cooking wines from the condiment aisle at the grocery store. Of course, if wine is not your thing, good red wine vinegar or extra stock could be used as a substitute.
And don’t be intimidated by the Instapot!!! While this is a wonderful addition to my kitchen, I understand that this invention is not for everyone. You can most definitely use a crockpot, or simply make this soup on the stovetop…just remember to cook low and slow to keep the robust flavor of the caramelized onions.
No matter how you decide to make this soup, try it!!! It is definitely worth it! Happy cooking!!!
Instapot French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 5 large sweet onions
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 5 tbs butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese
- Croutons
Instructions
- Melt butter and mix with olive oil.
- Add onions.
- Cook on medium to low heat stirring often for 10-15 minutes.
- Add 1 tbsp sugar.
- Continue cooking on low for 30 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
You can also do this in the instant pot on sauté.
To make the Soup:
- Add Caramelized onions to your instant pot.
- Stir in broth and wine.
- Add bay leaf and thyme.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release.
- Turn your oven on broil.
- In oven-safe bowls add onion soup.
- Add a hand full of croutons to bowl and top with cheese.
- Place in broiler until cheese melts about 2-3 minutes
*adapted from Recipes from a Nurse
Getting a Leg Up on PAD
Charisse Ward, MD, MPH, an interventional cardiologist at St. Mary’s, discusses peripheral artery disease (PAD), and the symptoms and risk factors you need to know.
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which the arteries become narrowed due to the build-up of plaque (a fatty substance made up of cholesterol, lipids and cellular debris) on their walls. Atherosclerosis results in impaired blood flow and poor circulation to vital organs.
PAD is a form of atherosclerosis where plaque builds up and blocks blood flow to one or more limbs.
What are the risk factors and warning signs?
Risk factors include smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, family history of PAD and high blood pressure. PAD is often asymptomatic (meaning that there are no noticeable symptoms) until it’s quite advanced.
PAD may result in hair loss of the lower extremities, coolness of the limbs or claudication. Claudication refers to the pain in the legs when walking or exercising due to a lack of oxygen reaching the muscles and tissues of the lower extremities. Some people with PAD may also experience leg pain that persists when they stop exercising. PAD that is left untreated can lead to non-healing ulcers, pain, gangrene, lower limb amputation, heart attack or stroke.
How is PAD diagnosed and treated?
PAD can be diagnosed through several methods, including evaluation of the ratio of blood pressures of the upper and lower extremities, ultrasound or even CAT scan. Screening for PAD is quick, easy and painless.
If you or someone in your family has risk factors or symptoms of PAD, it’s important to get screened. There are many possible causes for this disease, and most can be treated with a combination of medical interventions like medication, stents, rehabilitation therapy and lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise.
The sooner you’re on the right track through diagnosis and treatment of PAD, the more success you’ll have at limiting its progression. Find out if you have PAD – get screened now!
Need help finding a doctor? Visit stmarysregional.com/find
Physicians are on the medical staff of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, but, with limited exceptions, are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website.
TikTok, Meta & Twitter Making Changes
Greetings! With the ever-evolving algorithms of social media platforms, it’s important to read up on big and small changes.
I aim to keep my finger on the pulse of digital marketing trends as much as possible. And as we look to wrap up the final months of 2022, there are some changes on the social media marketing horizon.
Perhaps the most significant is TikTok’s recent shake up.
TikTok Adds Photo Mode
While Instagram has copied TikTok time and again, the tables have turned with TikTok’s new photo mode announcement.
Previously, TikTok has been purely entertaining reels, and a difficult space for businesses to navigate. (Who has the time?)
Through the new release, users can post single images, or create image slides just like on Instagram, plus attach music to the slides.
Now, if the photo mode launch proves successful, TikTok becomes a true competitor to Meta in the promotional space. This makes room for unique ads and product promotions on TikTok – ones that business owners can more easily access and navigate.
Meta Changes “Send Message” CTA Ad Results
One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing a boosted post on Facebook with a “send message” call to action.
First off, because it’s the automatic boost setting, it implies that the user added some funds to a post, and didn’t choose a specific audience or action to follow.
Second, does anyone really want to receive that many inquiries on Messenger? The dream CTA is a website visit, phone call, or even better, an automated sign-up or booking!
BUT, with Meta’s recent announcement, Messenger CTAs might make a comeback. The platform recently announced the following:
“Typically, we show Click to Messenger ads to people who are most likely to initiate a conversation with a business on WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct. With this update, we’re introducing the ability for advertisers to run Click to Messenger ads which will reach the people who are most likely to make a purchase in a thread.”
This means potential for more leads that turn into customers from these ads. Maybe I’ll loosen up on my hard-fast rule here!
Twitter Launches Link Spotlight CTAs
After wrapping up recent testing, Twitter has officially released spotlight links for business accounts.
This means you can add a call to action to your business profile!
The current options include: book appointment, listen now, make reservation, read now, see now, stream live, view menu and watch now.
The only drawback for business owners is that Twitter is only allowing specific domains to be used in these profile calls to action. The upside is there are options like YouTube and Calendly that allow for business promotions and booking options.
It will be interesting to see if this ultimately ups the use of Twitter for business in our region.
I wish you the best in your digital marketing efforts! If you’d like to chat more about the current tips and trends, shoot me an email at elizabeth@wordygirl.com.
Until next time.
Cheers,
Elizabeth / Wordy Girl
Clellie Richards
By Emily Holland
September 30th brought OBA a new inductee to its Wall of Christian Commitment, Clellie Richards. At the commitment ceremony, former OBA Headmaster Paul MacDonald remarked of Mr. Richards, “No one deserves to be on this wall more.”
Mr. Richards began his 26-year tenure with OBA in April of 1995. First as the groundskeeper and maintenance, then as junior high science and Bible teacher. Mr. Richards reflects, “the next 26 years were exciting and blessed years, dependent upon the commitment of my wife Ginger and the partnership of my three children.” Mr. Richards cherishes the role OBA played in shaping all three of his children’s relationship with the Lord which continues to flourish into their adulthood.
Mr. Richards grew up in a Christian home developing a strong work ethic on the family farm in the Panhandle. Success in basketball and VoAg led to a scholarship at NEO A&M and OSU where met his wife Ginger. With a degree in animal science and ag education, Mr. Richards taught for 12 years in Wakita as Ag Science and FFA instructor. While in Wakita, the Richards children were born: Caleb, Kala, and Clancy. While attending Bethel Hawley Baptist Church, Mr. Richards became convinced of the value of Christian education and moved his family to Enid to attend Emmanuel Christian School and OBA.
Special OBA memories for Mr. Richards involve dedication to facility projects that served students. Projects include the baseball field construction, the 1999-2002 baseball players required 10 hours of building and maintaining the field to be on the team, oldest son Caleb’s class of 2002 logged over 100 hours to complete it before their graduation. He and his son Clancy worked one summer to position lockers and build the north hall coat and backpack hangers. In OBA’s inaugural football season Mr. Richards constructed the first set of football bleachers with school dad, Rick Roberts, in less than two weeks.
Mr. Richards began teaching high school life sciences in 2002 when the Advanced Learning wing was added. Mr. Richards took on the challenge of teaching AP Biology where 14 years of students were prepared to thrive in biological science degrees and careers. Although his students achieved impressive AP and ACT scores, he says his “biggest blessing of how God used his students’ experiences and relationships to help him mature in his own personal relationship with the Lord.” A Senior, and former student of Mr. Richards, Clara Caldwell, remembers with admiration, “We saw his dedication to the school, his love he had for his children and OBA, and how he gave everything his all.”
Mr. Richards learned to measure student success by how well they learned to serve the Lord, regardless of academic and athletic abilities. The professional teaching legacy that Mr. Richards leaves to future generations of teachers and students is not his student’s impressive academic scores or state championships but his ability to inspire his student to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ through his science classrooms, fields, and court. In his commitment ceremony speech, Mr. Richards closed by saying, “I don’t want you to remember me, I want you to remember what God has done.” Mr. Richards, OBA thanks you for your many years of commitment and dedication to the Lord and Christian education!
Shotgun Showdown
Welcome to November friends! Time to get the ole’ shotguns out of the safe and get them dusted and oiled up as bird season is near. If you are like me, you might even go as far as setting up the wobble trap or getting your hand-held clay pigeon thrower and get back into muscle memory mode.
While I certainly like rifles and handguns, shotguns are king. Out of all I own, my favorite is an old Remington 870 pump 16 gauge. Why, you ask, when I have several that are worth significantly more? Because my father gave it to me. It’s even more special because it’s the first gun he owned. He bought it when he was 16 years old brand new after making money selling newspapers in Greensburg, KS (my birthplace). While shells are sometimes difficult to find, I enjoy utilizing it rather than just letting it sit in a safe. It’s still in excellent shape. My folks bought my first shotgun for me (I used my dad’s others growing up) ss a high school graduation gift. A semi-automatic Remington 1187 Premier. Boy, it was a step up from the old pump actions.
While I still love Remington shotguns, I suppose it’s safe to say I’ve moved on to Brownings. I love the new A5 (and the vintage ones) and typically hunt pheasant with it. It’s light, sleek and simply beautiful. I shoot trap with an old-school Browning BT-99 from the 70s. I enjoy the real wood stock significantly more than the synthetic stock of today. I was lucky enough to find this beauty in a gun store in Duncan, OK. True to its name (trap gun) it improved my trap shooting significantly after only previously using field guns. If you struggle with trap more than skeet or sporting clays, give a trap gun a try.
I shoot a Browning Citori 725 with extended chokes for skeet and sporting clays. The over/under is suited perfectly and if you are in the market I’d absolutely suggest you check out this make/model. I have several Brownings and have never had a single issue with any of them (with proper maintenance, of course). Occasionally I’ll shoot a Winchester 101 I was also lucky to find brand new in the box (also from the 70s) which is another stellar shotgun.
Finally, my quail gun preference is a 20-gauge Browning Citori over/under I snagged from a local Chisholm celebrity (thanks Royden!) Shortly after purchasing it, he told me that selling it was one of the dumbest things he’s ever done. Knowing him, I suspect he hasn’t made too many mistakes in his life but glad he made this one.
While these are my shotguns of choice, (we’ll talk turkey, rabbit and waterfowl guns in a later article) the key is to find one suitable for you. Go to a gun shop and ask to hold several different types, barrel lengths, etc. Determine what gauge you need (will depend on what you are shooting) as there are 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauges. Figure out proper maintenance and thoroughly clean after each use and they’ll last you a lifetime. Until next time friends, keep the lead flyin’ and I’ll see ya around the bend.
Time for a Long Winter’s Nap
Gardening in Oklahoma may slow down, but never stops. Whether you are a lawn care guru, an overall wearing vegetable gardener, a bush and tree pruner or a flower aficionado, there is always something in the garden to tend to.
The first week of November is a great time to fertilize cool-season grasses one last time this season. Control those weeds before spring by using a post-emergent broadleaf weed killer. Then use those fallen leaves in the lawn by mowing with a mulching mower. The natural compost of decaying leaves will fertilize the soil in the yard throughout the winter months. It is also a good time for a soil test to correct nutrient deficiencies before winter.
If you have a vegetable garden, harvest your remaining garden herbs in early November to dry for use later. Tomatoes may still be producing right up until the first frost. Collect any green tomatoes and store them in a cool, dry location in wooden or cardboard boxes in single layers with newspaper or straw between the layers. Check them daily and use them as they ripen. You may have fresh tomatoes through January! Many root vegetables can be harvested right up until the first frost, as well. Remember the stories of the land runners who made do with turnips that whole first winter?
Once you have harvested all the vegetables and herbs, turn to the flower gardens. Plant spring-blooming bulbs such as irises, daffodils, day lilies, tulips and hyacinths. Deadhead and prune back dead tips and leaves and spindly growth on flowering bushes. Pull out any remaining weeds. Till compost into both vegetable gardens and flower beds. Protect the beds with about two inches of mulch or straw. The Oklahoma wind still dries out our red dirt lawn and gardens, so if you grow perennial garden plants such as asparagus or rhubarb, or you have flower bulbs, give those a good watering once or twice a month throughout the winter. Water 24 hours before a freeze. This will help to prevent winter freeze and plant death. Now is also a good time to make any repairs to raised beds.
If you want to add trees to your landscaping, November is the month to plant them. Wait until after the first frost, but before the soil gets frozen. Roots grow when the soil temperature is above 40 degrees. Ball and burlapped plants can be planted now, too. The root systems of fall-planted trees and shrubs will have an opportunity to develop and become established now and can take advantage of a growth surge in the spring. Remember to water thoroughly to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets. Do not fertilize after planting, though, as it can burn the root system. Also, not all trees and shrubs should be planted at this time. Bare root plants should be planted in late winter when they are completely dormant. Keep mulch away from the base of trees as it promotes rot and diseases. Prune back existing trees and shrubs, except for spring-flowering shrubs. Wait until after they flower in the spring. Remember to compost all those dead heads, pulled weeds, grass clipping and chipped trimmed branches. Dampen them to help with decomposition through the winter. Be cautious to keep diseased plants, leaves and pine needles out of your compost. Lastly, as those chores begin to slow down, winterize your gardening tools. Drain fuel from power equipment before winter storage. Drain and store water hoses. Wrap hydrants and outdoor faucets. Clean and sharpen gardening tools. Coat metal surfaces with a thin film of oil or spray lubricant to prevent rust. Then sit back, peruse the seed catalogs to plan your gardens for next year and enjoy Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Posting Up
Enid High School has a new basketball coach this year with a new vision for the program, and with the new vision, he hopes a new level of success. “I’m really looking forward to this season,” Coach Jonathan Reed said, “we have started to change the culture, and hopefully that turns into more wins on the Court.”
Coach Reed has coached at several different levels of basketball from high school to the pros, and is most well-known around Enid as the Team Market Owner of the Enid Outlaws professional basketball team. “The Outlaws came out of the work I have done as the owner of “On Point Hoops” a development program for guys out of high school to get to college or the pros. I’ve also coached at Piedmont, Western Heights, Central Florida College (Jr. College) and in Ireland, so I have a good idea of what kind of system I’d like us to run here in Enid.” Coach Reed said.
Before they even hit the practice court, Coach Reed emphasized that he wanted a certain culture and attitude for his team, both on and off the court. “We, as coaches, are going to hold these young men accountable every day. I am excited that every coach of ours but one is in the building teaching, so we see these guys every day. We are visible and making sure they are taking care of their business so they stay eligible, one, and to develop them as young men EHS can be proud of. Doing things the right way off the court turns into success on the court.”
As far as his plans on the court, Coach Reed said “I got to know a lot of the players and their games over the summer. We did a team camp at Oklahoma Christian and while we didn’t win all our games we were competitive, and it gave me a good idea of what we were going to be working with. We are going to start with a tough man-to-man defense first, which leads to offense. On offense, we will push when we are able, but pull back and run our half-court offense if a good play isn’t there. Our offense is equal opportunity and free-flowing. I want them to pass the ball and take open shots. Our strength will probably be in transition and in the paint. We are still looking for some consistency and someone to really step up shooting the ball from distance so we can stretch the floor a bit.”
While the team does have some returning players, Coach Reed predicted there could be some new faces. “Right now I am really impressed with our Power Forward Tre Davis (Sophomore) and Center Evante Warren (Senior). They are kids that really like to bang around and should be really good around the rim. Junior Guard Ayden Iverson is another guy that has stood out. He’s an explosive guard that shares the ball and plays hard. He’s got a developing shot, that is just getting better. I’m also excited about Junior Brandon Sears. He’s really put in the work over the summer and had a great preseason and a great attitude. We are still figuring it out, but he will play a role for us this year.”
With the newcomers and the guys Reed has returning, this year’s basketball team has some lofty goals. They are excited to put on a show for Enid.
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