Some Observations from the Hill
by H.H. "Hub" Brown

 This must be great growing weather, seems the lawn needs mowing every other day! Frank Michaels mentioned the other day about the time, years ago, when work in the shoe factories was real slow because EJ didn't lay people off, they divided up what work there was and so sometimes you had a job but you still weren't making a living. George F. Johnson was addressing a crowd of workers, said he was sorry that there wasn't more work. But he said there were lots of dandelions, people could eat lots of salads and dandelion greens. The next morning's paper quoted him saying that the workers could eat grass. 

 Now a days, you are supposed to have some bitter herbs in your salad. Arugula is mentioned as one and is known as yellow rocket to farmers. 

 One afternoon, years ago when I was a foremen in the tannery in Endicott, a little Italian worker came strolling into the office munching on a sandwich made with Italian bread with a thick slab of something green. 

 I asked him, "What kind of sandwich is that you're eating?"

 He said, "That is wild broccoli."

 I asked what he called wild broccoli and he told me it grew in hayfields and you picked it before the buds opened and you snapped it off with your fingers if you had to cut it, it would be too tough. He said he scalded it with hot water then drained it and fried it in olive oil. If you want to use the leaves when they are about like radish leaves. For the bitter taste in salad I like endive with olive oil and vinegar dressing.

 While I was in Florida this winter, I had intended to visit Bob and Barb Klink. Bob is Ag's nephew and he and Barb have had several sad incidents. Within a short time Bob and Barb lost their second daughter in a car accident, Barb's sister lost her husband, and then while I was in Florida, Barb's mother passed away. 

 When they lost their daughter this was a terrible blow because she had been a real buddy and horse riding pal to Barb. Then when things must have seemed real dark, Caren, their eldest daughter and her husband had a little girl they name after Bob's mother, Madeliene. This was like a ray of sunshine in that household. 

 While I was in Florida vising Virginia, my sister-in-law and her daughter, Diane, I had wanted to visit the Klinks and their daughter and her husband Jerry and see the new horse barn they had built for Barb and the new house they had just completed for Caren and Jerry. Barb's mother had been living in California and wanted to be buried in Endicott and when they tried to look me up I was in Florida. And when I got to Florida, Barb had returned to California to sell some things and settle the estate. Finally, the day before I had to come back to Owego, Bob and Caren took a day off and we all got together in St. Cloud. 

 But I didn't get to see the new buildings. Well that will give me an excuse to go back this coming winter.