June, 2004

Vol.5. NO6 ....................................................Pages 12 and 13

 Roses are Red by Joyce DePow

June is rose month in some parts of the country. Roses, however, need water. Like it or not, we live in a desert where, in spite of the late winter snow and rain, water is scarce. How then do we raise those sweet smelling June delights called roses?

Our area is now promoting rain water catchment, a series of simple , sometimes complicated systems of saving rain and snow water, whether in an old fashioned rain barrel or the modern system of underground storage tanks with elaborate pumps to disperse the saved rain water. No matter what system you use, roses need water.

Roses are not only growing and showing, roses are edible. Rosehips, the hard kernels left after the roses drop off, are a very rich source of vitamins and minerals; especially vitamins A, C, and E. Rose hips can be collected from the rose bush, dried and kept in a lidded jar for tea making. To make rose-hip tea, boil 2 tablespoons dried hips per pint of water for about 10 minutes or until the hips split and the soft seed is exposed. The “left-over” hips from brewing the tea make a good vegetable. Rose petals are also edible. To make rose petal butter take :8 Tbs butter or margarine, 2 teaspoons minced rose petals, (cut away the bottom of each petal -they’re bitter), 1 teaspoon sugar, a drop or two of almond extract, mix well and serve with bread, muffins etc.

Roses make perfume. To make rose perfume take 1 cup water and 1 cup fresh chopped flower blossoms. Lay cheesecloth in a bowl. Let the sides hang over the bowl. Fill the cheesecloth lined bowl with 1 cup flower blossoms. Pour water over the blooms until they are completely covered. Cover and let sit overnight. The next day, use the cheesecloth edges to pull the petals out of the bowl and gently squeeze the scented water into a small pot. Simmer until only a teaspoon is left. Cool and place in a small bottle. Rose perfume made this way will last about 1 month.

The Catholic rosary was first made from rose petals. To make rose beads for a rosary, gather the roses on a dry day and chop the petals very fine. Put them in a saucepan and barely cover with water. Heat for about an hour but do not boil. Repeat this process for the three days and if necessary add more water. It is important never to let the mixture boil but each day to warm it to a moderate heat. Black beads made from rose petals are made by warming them in a rusty pan. Make the beads by working the pulp with the fingers into balls. When thoroughly kneaded and fairly dry, press on to a large needle to make the holes in the centers of the beads. Turn the beads frequently or they may break when removed. String the semi-dry beads onto beading thread. When warm, the beads give off the scent of roses.

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Osama’s Secret Agent in America
Guest Editorial by David Lederman

Osama bin Laden has a secret agent working for him in the United States and you definitely know who he is. He is able to recruit members for Osama’s fanatical Islamic cause.

He does this by invading an Islamic country that had no ties whatsoever with 9/11. He does this by promising freedom and democracy to those invaded countries but instead delivers sweetheart deals to his oil buddies and military cronies. He tops this off by delivering rampant unemployment, human rights abuses, the killing of innocent men, women, and children, and tolerating an atmosphere of lawlessness to exist. Who is this man? His name is George W. Bush.

Yes, Osama bin Laden couldn’t have asked for a better recruiter for Al Qaeda than George W. Bush. Have you seen some of the recent photos of the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners? What kind of effect do you think that has on an Arab or Islamic populace? It doesn’t take a political scientist to figure that one out.

However, what you might not know is how the Bush family and the bin Laden
family have had business ties for years. The bin Ladens were one of the major investors in W’s failed oil company, Arbusto Petroleum. Bet you didn’t know that! Also, the Bushes and the bin Ladens had business ties with the secretive military supplier the Carlyle Group. Bet you didn’t know that either! Yes, and I bet you didn’t know that the only plane to leave US airspace on September 12, 2001 had the bin Laden family aboard it — they just happened to be in Washington and W. let them leave despite the FBI wanting to question them.

Of course, all this should be common knowledge, and it would be if Disney were to release Michael Moore’s new film which explores the ties between the bin Laden family and the Bush family. However, Disney, who owns a bunch of radio stations beaming right wing Republican propaganda on a daily basis, found the film to be “too political” and didn’t want to possibly upset the American public with a contentious film during an election year.

They also didn’t want to upset the “President Select’s” brother, Jeb, who might threaten to take away their tax breaks for Disneyworld in Orland, Florida.

So, you see, Disney is censoring a story that begs to be told; that of how the Bushes and bin Ladens have been doing business for a long time, and how Bush and bin Laden, even Osama, aren’t each other’s enemies, they are partners together in one of the biggest unnecessary wars ever recorded in mankind’s history, and the switching of world opinion from being favorable towards America to being almost universally hated; they are true “partners in crime,” in my opinion.

We Are More Blessed Than We Know!

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a religious meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder,
you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in ways you may never even know.

This blessing will only keep working if it is continuously passed around. If you are a recipient of a blessing, keep the blessing working by being the source of blessing to other people.

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donette@sunbooks.com