Middlefield Post 1-11-23

Middlef ield

Community News from Middlefield, Parkman,

Small Steps May Lead to Big Strides in New Year

By Rose Nemu editoR@kaR

If living through a global pan demic has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t take our health and well-being for granted as we en ter a new year.

Small, daily investments can pro duce large returns, according to area health experts.

Be SMART in Goal-Setting

Dima Hassan, a clinical nutri tion manager for University Hos pitals Geauga Medical Center, suggested people set SMART goals — specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and within a time frame — as they venture into 2023.

“For example, instead of setting a goal of ‘I will eat healthier this year,’ your goal can be ‘I will eat two servings of vegetables during dinner every day,” she said. “In stead of saying ‘I will start working out,’ set a goal of ‘I will walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes every day after dinner.’

Hassan said once a goal is achieved, set another one following

Dog License Tags On Sale

Dog owners are reminded to the deadline to purchase 2023 dog licenses is Jan. 31. Tags will be issued with an “O” ring.

Licenses purchased on or before Jan. 31 are $15 per dog. A $15 penalty is added to all licenses purchased after the deadline.

There are two other options for registration available – a three-year tag for $45 and a lifetime tag for $150.They are available at the auditor’s office and online.

Checks should be made payable to Charles E. Walder, Geauga County Auditor.

The dog registration system has been modified to include rabies vaccination information. A space is provided on the registration form.

Residents are able to purchase their dog licenses on the auditor’s se-

“Your body will thank you if you reset your gut, minimize added sugars and hydrate with plenty of water,” said Heinen’s of Chardon wellness consultant Shilah Cipriani.

“It is important to restore your

gut health to promote healthy digestion. A happy gut will positively affect your mood, energy, immune system and so much more.

“Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that make our gut happy,

leading to better absorption of nutrients from foods you already eat — naturally found in foods like raw sauerkraut, yogurt and kombucha,” she added.

Bean Scores 1,000th Point

BILL FUGATE/KMG

Jacob Bean’s eight points against Mathews Jan. 6 put him over the 1,000-point mark for his career. Bean becomes just the second Cardinal Huskies boys basketball player to score 1,000 career points. Todd Hill scored 1,117 points in his career, said Head Coach Jon Cummins. Bean, a senior, is seen above in a Jan. 3 loss to Chardon.

Town Crier

Geauga Skywatchers Club

Jan. 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Geauga Skywatchers Club for “Make a Spectroscope” at Burton Public Library. Visit www.GeaugaLibrary.libcal.com to register.

Remediation of Blackbrook Creek

Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

Blackbrook Audubon Society welcomes Bill Zawiski, of the Ohio EPA, as he presents “Mentor Marsh Salt Fill Remediation: A Story Worth Sharing” at Penitentiary Glen Reservation, 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road in Kirtland. Open to the public, program attendees are asked to bring their own mugs for coffee.

For more information, email blackbrookaud@aol.com. Programs cancelled due to weather are announced on the iAlert system.

Woodland Wednesdays

Jan. 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

The 2023 Woodland Wednesdays series kicks off with a virtual program, “Love Your Trees, Lower Your Taxes.” Featured speakers Leah Curtis, policy counsel and senior director of member engagement, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and David Thomas, Ashtabula County auditor, will review the Ohio Forestry

Tags

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cure website: www.auditor.co.geauga.oh.us. A fee per transaction will be assessed. Owners of new dogs may purchase their

Tax Law (OFTL) and the Current Agriculture Use Value (CAUV) programs available to landowners with qualifying property.

Learn the history, improvements, eligibility and requirements of these tax-saving programs to get on the path to better stewardship and more savings.

The online program is free, but registration is required by Jan. 24; call 440-8341122 or email gprunty@geauga.oh.gov. For more information, visit geaugaswcd.com.

GCRTA Meeting

Feb. 7, 11:15 a.m.

The Geauga County Retired Teachers Association will meet in the banquet room at St. Mary’s Church, 401 North St., Chardon. Gathering time will be followed by the business meeting at 11:30 a.m. and before a buffet soup and sandwich luncheon at noon.

Attorney Meg Pauken will present a program on elder law and answer questions. A 50/50 raffle and free lunch raffle will follow.

For reservations, send a check made out to GCRTA for $17 to Judy Miller, Treasurer, 17130 Kinsman Road, Middlefield, OH 44062 to arrive no later than Jan. 29. Let Judy know of any dietary restrictions.

Bring paper products or canned goods for the Geauga County Hunger Task Force.

tags any time during the year at the auditor’s office, at any of its outlying agents or by mail.

Send the application and $15 fee to Geauga County Auditor, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main St., Suite 1A, Chardon, OH 44024.

For more information, call 440-279-1600.

Woman Charged Over ‘Illegal’ Vote

staff RepoRt

A former Geauga County resident is accused of casting a ballot in two states in the 2020 general election.

Ashley E. Gelman, 40, of Parkland, Fla., and formerly of Russell Township, has been indicted on one count each of illegal voting, a fourth-degree felony, and election falsification, a fifth-degree felony.

In October 2022, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose referred Gelman to Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for potential voter fraud violations. Through a joint partnership with several states, including Florida, LaRose’s office conducted a cross-match of Gelman’s voter history and subsequent investigation.

“As a result of this review at this time, my office identified one individual who appears to have voted in Geauga County, after casting a ballot in a different state in the same election,” LaRose wrote in an Oct. 17 letter to Flaiz, which included documentation from the state investigation.

According to state and local investigators, Gelman was a registered voter in Geauga County prior to the 2020 general election,

but was living in Broward County, Fla. In July 2020, she requested Geauga County mail an absentee ballot to her Parkland, Fla., address. She received, completed and returned the absentee ballot to the Geauga County Board of Elections in mid-October, weeks prior to the Nov. 3, 2020, general election.

However, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office property records, Gelman and her husband, Robert, had sold their Shire Court home in Russell Township on March 2, 2020.

In September 2020, Gelman also had registered to vote in Florida and voted early and in person in Broward County on Oct. 30.

While LaRose said cases of election fraud and suppression are “exceedingly rare,” neither is acceptable, even in rare or isolated instances.

“The only way to continue this high standard of election integrity is by committing to enforce the law whenever evidence suggests it might’ve been broken,” LaRose wrote to Flaiz. “The legitimacy of our elections depends on the consistent enforcement of the laws governing them.”

Gelman is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 27, 2023, in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.

Volunteers Needed to Deliver Meals

suBmitted

The Geauga County Department on Aging is in need of Home Delivered Meal (HDM) drivers for the Burton and Middlefield areas Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The meal routes start at the Middlefield Senior Center, 15820 Ridgewood Road in Middlefield.

The HDM program delivers warm, nutritious lunches between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, to homebound senior citizens in the community.

The department on aging is looking for area agencies, organizations, church groups and individuals 18 years old or older, with a valid driver’s license, who are interested in volunteering for the program. Training includes filing department on aging HDM volunteer paperwork and a short orientation about the program. Volunteers can deliver meals on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or as needed/substitute basis.

To sign up or for any questions, contact Nathan Gorton at 440-279-2138 or email at NGorton@co.geauga.oh.us.

Free Tax Preparation Help Available

suBmitted

Free tax preparation help is available to low-income families and individuals in Geauga and Lake counties for the 14th consecutive year. Lifeline will help families and individuals meet their filing obligations, find credits they may not know about and protect them from unnecessary costs.

Lifeline uses volunteers trained and certified by the IRS through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA volunteers provide free income tax assistance to low-income, elderly and disabled people.

Free tax preparation is available to res-

idents who meet Lifeline’s federal income guidelines. Clinics are available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, by appointment only, through April 18.

Clinics are held at Lifeline’s Painesville office at 8 North State St., Suite 300; at the Perry Senior Center in Perry; at the Wickliffe Family Resource Center; and at Lifeline’s Geauga Office at 12375 Kinsman Road Building H in Newbury Township. Call 440-6394420 to schedule an appointment.

For more information, please contact Katrina Graves at 440-354-2148, ext. 231 or at vita@lclifeline.org.

A Glimpse of Yesteryear

SUBMITTED

Rich Hermit Slain in Middlefield

By Rick SeyeR

Most people think a murder could never happen in Middlefield, but in May of 1917, two Middlefield brothers were tried and convicted of killing Myra Raymond.

Raymond, who was 77, shown in the photo on the left, was known as a rich, eccentric recluse who lived on Bundysburg Road, north of state Route 87. For years, he had been a widely known and picturesque figure. He delighted to go about looking like a tramp, his trousers held up with bits of twine, but he carried considerable money at times. It was said that he kept from $500 to $5,000 scattered about his home.

The brothers in their confessions are quoted as having told how they hid in Raymonds’ barn, stole into the house while he was out and waited for his return.

When he returned and saw them, he struck at them with his cane. The older brother then struck him with a heavy club, made from a handle of a cross-cut saw and the top had been bored out and filled with bullets. It was broken from the force of the beating, and lay on the floor with the bullets scattered about. At the time, it was said to be the most brutal murder in the history of Geauga County.

The crime was solved when the Middlefield Marshall Charles Wilkerson noticed the bullets at the crime scene had been made

from a bullet mold he himself had made. Wilkerson, in addition to being the town marshall, operated what today would be called a machine shop, probably very similar to the one operated by the late former Mayor Glade B. Harrison.

Wilkerson had loaned the mold to a Middlefield resident and, after talking to him, learned he had let one of the brothers borrow it. When Marshall Wilkerson searched the bedroom of the older brother, he found a quantity of similar bullets to the ones found at the scene and had been made from the same mold.

The older brother was sent to the penitentiary for life and the younger brother, who was a juvenile at the time of the murder, was sent to the Lancaster boys industrial school.

A few years after the case was closed, longtime Middlefield historian Garland Shetler, who at this time was a teenager, was at an auction at a residence on South Thompson. He noticed in a box of junk that was being sold was the very bullet mold made by Marshall Wilkerson.

Garland was the highest bidder and for over 80 years had the piece of Middlefield history that solved the Raymond murder case. Shortly before he died, in 1998, he gave the mold to Middlefield Historical Society Pres. Rick Seyer, along with the details of its history.

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Jeffrey B. Karlovec, Publisher John D. Karlovec, Editor

Myra Raymond, left, stands outside H. B. Caslow Drug & Stationary with owner Harry B. Caslow, right, and Robb Rose, center.

New Year

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Cipriani emphasized reducing adding sugars as much as possible.

“Try to choose products with no more than five grams of added sugar per serving on the nutritional panel,” she said. “Add more whole, plant-based foods into your diet by eating a serving of fruits and veggies at each meal. Fruits have fiber in them that slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and you will not get that sugar crash like, for example, if you were to eat a processed donut for breakfast.”

Proper hydration is also key to health, Cipriani said.

“Always remember to drink plenty of water. Water makes up 80% of our brain,” she said. “It flushes out all the waste from our body, prevents constipation and helps your body absorb nutrients from the food we eat. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces every day. It may vary based on activity level.”

Support & Be Supported By Nature

“Given the enormous challenges facing the natural systems of our planet posed by climate change, destruction and diminishment of wild places, loss of biological diversity, diminishing sources of clean freshwater, and so on, it will take purposeful corporate redirection and political will to meet these challenges,” said Dan Best, trustees of the Foundation for Geauga Parks. “Exercise eco-

nomic power in the marketplace as informed consumers.”

He suggested people look into which industries and commercial enterprises are genuinely produced sustainably, made from recycled resources, manufactured without pollution and are “not just corporate marketing malarkey.”

Getting out into nature will also help support health and well-being, Best added.

“Get out there and let woods, wetlands and waterways soothe your soul with serenity. Take the time to observe the drama of nature letting wild plants and animals inspire, amaze, amuse and endlessly fascinate, as with the seasonal activity of their life cycles,” he said. “Becoming attuned to nature is one of life’s greatest enrichments that aids our ability to face challenges in life, be they are own or society’s as a whole.”

Nourish the Mind

It may seem daunting to try to learn a new language, but studies show it benefits the brain.

“Learning a foreign language makes for a challenging goal for 2023,” said Burton Public Library Director Katie Ringenbach. “There are studies which demonstrate that learning a new language could lead to improved cognitive function.”

Doing a deep dive at the library is also another way to nurture the mind.

“One of the true joys of working in a library is being surrounded by volumes of books with in-depth information on seemingly everything,” Ringenbach said, suggesting patrons try Duolingo, a free educational app.

A quick internet search may get the job done when you have a passing curiosity, but books offer further information on subjects of deeper interest.

“Suppose you want to be a better gardener — let your curiosity go and grow wild at the library,” Ringenbach said. “We have entire books on singular aspects of gardening including — raised bed gardening, straw bale gardening, lasagna planting, container gardening, heirloom seeds, seed saving, growing herbs to make tea, hydrangeas and growing tomatoes.

“The library is a place for in-depth lifelong learning and this upcoming year, I think a great goal would be to take your current interest a step further, perhaps by reading a book all about it,” she said.

Enjoy the Benefits of Altruism

Volunteer work can be rewarding on many levels, said Steve Turpin, of the Rotary Club of Chardon.

“For those of us who have realized the benefits of living where we do, giving of one’s time has a certain leverage that other contributions may not,” he said. “That leverage stems from working with other people and other organizations to accomplish what would not be possible otherwise. Wherever so many varied people get behind an idea to promote their community, you realize that idea must be a good one.”

Individual benefits of giving back include feeling connected, establishing new friendships, gaining new and/or different perspectives on social, political or educational issues and learning some history, said Turpin, who is also project manager of Chardon’s annual BrewFest.

“Just get involved, ask to sit in on a regular or event-based meeting, volunteer at just one event, one time, to get a feel for the associated organization, ask a friend why they volunteer,” he said.

Cultivate Gratitude and Presence

Focusing on gratitude helps people stay grounded and positive-minded, said Rev. Scott Goodfellow, administrator at St. Mary Church of Chardon.

“Regardless of our spiritual beliefs, gratitude is necessary for our human growth and development,” he said. “Those Christmas ‘thank you’ cards you should write? Those are just as much for you as they are for the person who gave you a gift. Gratitude helps us focus on the gifts and blessings of the present and eases our worry regarding the past and future.

“Gratitude reminds us that are cared for and deeply loved, that we belong to a community and a family that loves us, and it shows us how we might respond with generosity to the needs around us,” he added.

Goodfellow suggests the book, “Begin Again,” by Venerable Bruno Lanteri as a “spiritual treat” this year.

“Bruno writes that even if we should fall a thousand times a day, a thousand times a day we should say, ‘Now I will begin again,’” he said. “The key phrase that helps me the most is when you find yourself failing in an area, put it behind you and begin again. Don’t dwell on the mistake or failure, begin again doing what you know to be right.”

FGP Offers Scholarships

The Foundation for Geauga Parks (FGP) is offering scholarships to graduating high school seniors who intend to pursue their education in fields of science, natural resource management or other related studies.

The scholarship application is available on the FGP website: www.foundationforgeaugaparks.org. The deadline for application is Jan. 31. Awards will be announced by March.

The Foundation for Geauga Parks’ Conservation Scholarship Program was established by the Foundation for Geauga Parks Trustees in 2022 to support students who demonstrate interest in educational pursuits that align with the FGP mission.

For more information, call 440-5641048.

Faith Matters Ears that Really Hear

Many of us have become enamored with the sound of our own voice. That is, we have forgotten how to be good listeners. Often, when the other person is talking, we are busy determining what we want to say next. We fail to really hear and take time to understand what he or she is saying.

My wife and I have learned how to ask questions to people with whom we have conversations. One question is often followed by another question, probing the mind and heart of the person we want to know better. We seek to listen not only with our ears and mind, but with our hearts and with the Holy Spirit’s help.

It is interesting to see the other person begin to open up. When they sense we are really interested in them, they begin to feel valued and cared for. They become more open and transparent. Struggles they are facing, or unmet needs in their life, begin to surface. The relationship is strengthened, friendship deepens and ministry happens.

The questions Jesus asked were also intended to stimulate a deeper self-awareness within the person to whom He was talking. Our Lord wanted each individual to contemplate the realities of his or her own heart. His goal was for faith in Him to emerge, be strengthened and take center stage. Jesus was always looking for faith in the person He conversed with. He encouraged, even required, a response of trust and obedience to His words.

By Roger Kruse

Those who failed to have faith in Jesus, or even opposed Him, were guilty of “hearing but not understanding.” No wonder Jesus often exhorted his listeners to “have ears to hear.” In other words, we need to take what the Lord is saying and let it penetrate our hearts. The truth Jesus shares is meant to transform our lives, not merely tickle our ears.

The Bible tells us we should be “quick to listen and slow to speak.” After all, God gave us only one mouth but two ears. Good listening is a skill you can develop. It takes some practice. But it also requires a certain amount of unselfishness. Putting others first is not something that comes naturally. We are primarily mindful of our own needs, desires and personal agenda. However, God’s Word instructs us to widen our scope. “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

Being a good listener is actually a form of giving. You are intentionally putting the other person ahead of yourself. Your listening posture and good eye contact are telling them you are engaged and taking seriously what they are sharing with you. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give.

Jesus, of course, was a wise and profound teacher. When He spoke, His words carried the weight of divine authority and the ring of God’s truth. Nevertheless, I am amazed at how often He asked a question of those He conversed with. Jesus used questions to gain discernment. As the Son of God, He seemed to have supernatural access to what people were really thinking.

So how will you move forward from here? Will you ask God to help you listen well to others, in addition to the Lord Himself? The goal is to make you a person responsive to Christ and the wisdom of His words. It will surprise you when you really begin to allow God’s Word to find a home in your mind and heart. It will penetrate deeply into your soul, producing a genuine faith that bears the fruit of God’s kindness and blessing.

Roger Kruse is prone to distraction. However, he desires to be a good listener, seated and learning at the feet of Jesus.

By Ruth ByleR

Ramblings from Windsor Gardening & Cooking with Catherine

Ending 2022 . . . Doing a belated happy 71st birthday shoutout to grandma next door, which was the 21st of December.

Hoping everyone’s holiday was good with lots of memories to stash away in the treasure box of life. Let’s also remember the families who had an empty chair this year when they gathered.

Happy New Year! Welcome 2023.

Jan. 1, Sunday: Uncle Levis are spending time next door at grandma. They also attended church with us today and will head back to Kentucky tomorrow.

Jan. 2, Monday: Rainy day. Linda and Rose both coughing and kind of grouchy. It’s obvious they don’t feel good. Neighbor Rebecca left for a short trip to Missouri (work related).

Jan. 3, Tuesday: Linda (3) wanted to put beads on string today and was having a fuss stringing them, so Mom told her to give her beads and she will string them for her. She handed Mom beads and a mixture of letters that didn’t spell anything. When they were done, Mom tied it together and Lily gave it to Dad, and when he asked what it said, she replied it says, “I Love You.”

Jan. 4, Wednesday: Rain, rain and rain! We cleaned quite a bit today getting ready for Friday.

Jan. 5, Thursday: Sunshine! Yay. A lil’ girl probably around the age of 4 and her parents came to work today. They ordered and when their waitress took them their food this lil’ girl looks at her pancake, which was pretty big, plus the rest of her food and goes “daddy how much will this cost?”

Won’t it be too much? He told her “It’ll be fine don’t worry about it.” Yup, it’s things like this that make us want to keep on keeping on.

Jan. 6, Friday: The Eck Andy’s gathered here today. Our roof is still attached to our house, so that is a blessing! :) We had a good day and made many memories. Remember, “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal of what you bring to the new year.” Til’ next time. Adios!

* Let’s remember Rob and Brenda, 11066 Leader Road, Chardon, OH 44024. Their son passed on Wednesday, Dec. 22 due to OD. His 27th birthday would have been on Jan. 5. This is very hard on them. He also left behind a wife (Hailey) and two kids. So, let’s show them we care. Thank you.

By catheRiNe yodeR paRkmaN towNship

Dear Readers,

Somehow my last letter got lost in the system. Well, today I hope everyone had a nice holiday. Now a new year started and we can all start anew!

Just take a day at a time, even an hour at a time. Well, here goes.

Rich ‘n’ Cheesy Macaroni Ingredients

2-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

6 tablespoons butter, divided 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 cups milk

8 oz. processed American cheese, cubed, or Velveeta

1-1/3 cups small-curd cottage cheese

2/3 cup sour cream

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional) 1-1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs

Directions

Cook macaroni according to package directions and drain. Place in a greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish or a 9x9-inch baking pan.

Celery Seed Slaw

Ingredients

3 lbs. cabbage, coarsely shredded

1/2 cup finely shredded carrots

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon celery seed

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots and peppers.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, salt and celery seed; bring to a boil.

Pour over cabbage mixture and toss. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Yields 12-16 servings.

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Ingredients

1 lb. dry navy beans

1-1/2 teaspoon salt

4 quarts cold water, divided 1 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup molasses

6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

The Middlefield Post and newspaper journalism are critically important and essential in protecting the vibrant community in which we live.

The Middlefield Post stitches the communities we serve together. From news to in-depth coverage on topics that deeply affect the community, the Middlefield Post strives to bring you complete coverage.

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To help us continue to invest in the community, we invite readers to show their support through a voluntary newspaper

subscription. If you value strong community journalism, please consider helping us with a voluntary subscription. The amount is entirely up to you. Simply complete the subscription form in this edition or call 440729-7667 ext. 500.

For any donation of $40 or more, we’ll even toss in a free gift in appreciation:

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2. Six FREE 20-word classified ads over the next year.

As always, we greatly appreciate the support you give us, whether it’s financially or simply by continuing to be a loyal reader of the Middlefield Post.

Jeff and John Karlovec

In a saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, salt and sugar until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat and stir in American cheese until melted. Stir in sour cream and cottage cheese.

Pour mixture over macaroni. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Melt remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs; sprinkle on top.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields 6-8 servings.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring beans, salt and 2 quarts water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and discard liquids. Return beans to pan, cover with remaining water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving liquid.

In a greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish, combine beans, 1 cup liquid, onion, molasses, bacon, brown sugar, mustard and pepper. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until beans have reached desired thickness. Stir occasionally.

Yields 12-16 servings.

Coffee Break with Sue

By susaN yodeR middlefield towNship

A friendly hello to all readers. We’ve had a beautiful day of sunshine after all the dreariness we had since our cold-snap Christmas weekend.

A mistake I need to correct in my last letter. I erroneously stated Aunt Betty was the only one of the Sam’s Johns not yet 70. I completely overlooked Uncle David and his dear wife, Mary Ann, who will both turn 68 this year. Time goes fast enough, right?

We enjoyed having our church family here for an evening of fun and fellowship. We snacked, sang and played games. Our widowed, singles and elderly even got to take home a little maid to help with the dishes! Smile “made” by Owen Mary Ellen.

Now, there’s a “ladies night” planned at

Cooking

(Donnie) Shirley Miller’s on the 9th. That’s always enjoyable!

David and Laura Kauffman were here for our annual Christmas dinner. They had a few anxious moments a few weeks ago when visiting her parents on Shedd Road. While hitching up to go home, their horse bolted and ran east on Shedd Road, and about half a mile south to their home on 528. Their son-in-law was there and put him in the barn. Davids had notified him and he was watching for him.

Granddaughter Maribeth Yoder will have her 11th birthday on Jan. 21. Her address is 17025 Old State Road, Middlefield, OH 44062. Her dad is not at home at this time . . . her second birthday without him!

‘Til next time . . . Faith is never so beautiful as when it has its work clothes on…

from page

Now, about African violets . . . when watering, always give water without touching the plant and leaves. The ideal way is putting it in a sink filled with water so they water bottom up.

They like humidity and they like bright light.

Cold water touching foliage causes yellow rings on leaf surfaces. The can get mites. Remove all dead leaves and flowers promptly.

Did you know you can start another plant by breaking off a leaf and sticking it right into potting soil in a pot? Keep watering and before long you’ll have another plant. I did that and it’s starting to bloom.

6 Geauga Public Library

MIDDLEFIELD BRANCH

16167 East High St., Middlefield, 440632-1961. Programs require registration unless otherwise noted. Visit www.geaugalibrary. net.

Beginner Beekeeping Series

Jan. 11, 18 and 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Come learn how to remove the stress associated with beekeeping at the library’s three-week comprehensive course on anything and everything related to beekeeping.

Book Groups

No registration required.

• Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m., “The Woman in

I also like the snake plant. They are very hardy. They like low to bright light, low to average light. They can take lots of heat and months without much care, and at night they give a heavenly scent.

You can also cut a leaf in half and put that into potting soil; it will root and grow into another plant. These are for people who don’t have a green thumb.

‘Til next time.

Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware.

• Jan. 31, 7 p.m., “Fen, Bog Swamp” by Annie Proulx.

Book Tasting

Jan. 19, 4-5 p.m.

Youth in grades 3-4 will “taste” a few different books and enjoy snacks.

Medicare 101

Jan. 21, 10-11:30 a.m.

Join Marcy Rosenthal, a licensed Medicare insurance advisor, for an educational program to learn the basics about out how Medicare works and what coverage options may be best.