Tidbits of the Rogue Valley - Vol 1 Issue 39

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September 23, 2015

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Volume 1 Issue 39

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TIDBITS® USES

SALT

by Janet Spencer In honor of “No Salt Week” come along

with Tidbits as we appreciate salt!

SALT FACTS • No animal can survive without salt. Salt is a mineral, not a spice. It’s made of 40% sodium, which is a metal with a positive charge, and 60% chlorine, which is a poisonous gas with a negative charge.

Put them together and you have sodium chloride, a mineral the body is unable to manufacture on its own. Without salt, muscles won’t contract, blood won’t circulate, food won’t digest, wounds won’t heal, nerve impulses won’t get through, and the heart won’t beat. Salt regulates fluids, controls blood pressure, and helps the liver clear waste products. Salt is not just a seasoning; it’s a necessity.

• The amount of salt needed varies according to a person’s size, age, metabolism, and exertion level. The average human body contains about four ounces (113 grams) of salt. A typical human needs to ingest about 0.1 ounce (3 grams) per day to maintain the proper level. The typical American eats about 0.35 ounces (10 grams) of salt per day, and the excess is excreted by the kidneys. The concentration of salt in the blood generally doesn’t vary beyond one percent. One-third of the sodium we ingest comes from the salt shaker. The rest is already in our food. (cont’d next page)

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SALT FACTS cont’d • Although it is true that people who already have high blood pressure can lower it by limiting their salt intake, the fact is that people who have normal blood pressure are not much affected by salt. Salt, however, can be a deadly poison if too much is taken all at once. A mere 2.3 ounces (65 grams) will make a person seriously sick. About 6.6 ounces (187 grams) will kill an adult human. Salt saturation used to be an acceptable method of suicide in Japan.

• In an experiment, people were given massive doses of salt, not only in their food but also intravenously. The effects of too much salt were swollen feet, weight gain, an enlarged heart, and high blood pressure. Too little salt resulted in fatigue, confusion, muscle cramps, poor judgment, and an inability to correctly estimate passage of time. In another study, people with abnormally low sodium levels were shown to have a higher death rate than those with a normal level of salt in their bodies.

• Pound for pound, babies have almost twothirds more sodium and twice as much chloride as adults. In 1980, a brand of soybased baby formula jumped on the “low-salt” bandwagon and began offering a new low sodium formula. Within a few months, 34 cases of chloride deficiency in babies were reported. The babies were losing weight, sluggish, and stunted because they were not getting enough sodium chloride. They recovered after being switched to a different formula, and the baby food company put salt back in its recipes.

T’S A FACT • In Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper, the salt container next to Judas is overturned, signifying bad luck.

• Salt is colorless, like snow. It only appears to be white because it scatters light.

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Cats Shun Litter Box DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My son’s two cats will not use the litter boxes at all! They will defecate in them, but only urinate on the carpet or floor. We helped him clean the carpets, which seemed to help some, and blocked off areas they were urinating on.

But now they just go in a different spot. Our vet said to take the lids off the three boxes, but that didn’t work. What will help stop the madness? -- Tim H., via email DEAR TIM: Litter-box avoidance is one of the biggest issues cat owners can have.

Even when you rule out most of the possible causes, the problem may never be totally solved. However, you’re taking some very good steps to minimize it.

First, your son is in touch with the cats’ vet.

This is important in order to rule out any illness, such as a urinary tract infection, causing elimination outside the box. Second, you’ve thoroughly cleaned the soiled areas and tried to keep the cats away. Third, access to the boxes is unimpeded because the lids are off.

Now it’s time to try a few more things. A “keep-away” spray, available at pet supply stores, could make the marked areas much less desirable. Cleaning both the carpet and the padding underneath with an enzymatic

cleaner that neutralizes odors also can help. Scooping the boxes daily is essential, too.

Next, observe the cats’ behavior closely. Is there some conflict? Is one cat preventing the other’s access, or disturbing the other cat while it’s trying to go? Are both cats marking the carpet, or just one?

For more tips on solving this problem, go to the ASPCA website at www.aspca.org and do a search for “litter box problems.”

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ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Although practical situations continue to dominate this week, there’s time for the Lamb to indulge in the fun things in life -- like maybe taking a special someone out for a great evening.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) This week favors relationships. Take time to renew old ones, and make time to go where new friends can be found. On a more practical note, expect news about a business deal.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You should be seeing some progress on that new workplace situation. Meanwhile, family matters might demand more attention, and you’ll want to set aside time to deal with them.

CANCER ( June 21 to July 22) A relationship suddenly might present some challenges you never expected. After talking things out, you might want to consider taking some time to assess what you’ve learned.

LEO ( July 23 to August 22) A disappointing response to a request might dampen the Lion’s spirits. But you might want to ask the reasons behind it. What you learn can be of great importance in a future undertaking.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A once-volatile situation should be settled by now, giving you a chance to refocus on a project you’ve been planning for. Look for an interested party to rally to your support.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A

business matter that unexpectedly turns into a personal situation could create complications.

Best to resolve the matter now before too much harm can be done.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Emotions can run high when they involve personal matters that no one really wants to talk about. But this could be a good time to create the means to a workable outcome.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A positive response to a workplace request could lead the way to other long-sought changes. Congratulations. A personal situation also takes a welcome turn.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Patience pays off, as that once-overwhelming work situation continues to become easier to handle on a one-by-one basis. Look for positive news from a colleague.

AQUARIUS ( January 20 to February 18) It might be a good idea to take more time to reassess your next move in working out a complex situation. You could benefit from a new perspective on the matter.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might want to consider making time to discuss a change of plans with everyone concerned.

Be prepared to explain your actions. Also be prepared to listen to alternatives.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a strong sense of what is right, and you try to work from that foundation. Friends see you as reliable.

WORD WIZARD • “Wich” was the word indicating a town where salt was produced such as Greenwich, Northwich, and even Sandwich, which was a place before it was a food.

• The word “salt” probably comes from the name of the town Es-Salt, which was once a capital city close to the Dead Sea. It is also the origin of words like “salami” and “salad.” The words “war” and “peace” originate from the ancient Arabic words for salt and bread, perhaps because the first wars were fought over these two commodities.

• Much of human society has been built around salt, which has often served as the cornerstone of economy. The Roman government used to pay its soldiers in salt, and our word ‘salary’ comes from the Roman word for salt. Any worker who didn’t work hard was “not worth his salt.”

WHY IS THE SEA SALTY? • Seas are salty because water dissolves the natural salts in the soils and rocks it flows through on the way to the ocean. Over the eons as water has continually evaporated from the oceans, the salts have been left behind. The concentration builds up year after year. The oceans are 3.5 percent salt.

• The Dead Sea, which, at 1,300 feet (396 m) below sea level is the lowest place on the planet, has plenty of fresh water coming in but not a single place where water can go out. Because the rate of evaporation is so high, all the incoming minerals are left behind. In some spots the Dead Sea is 23% salt which is too salty to support any kind of life.

By comparison, the Great Salt Lake in Utah is about 20% salt-- so salty that it never completely freezes over.

• About 97% of Earth’s water is in the form of salty seawater.

• When evaporated, 150 gallons (567 l) of seawater will yield 35 lbs. (15.8 kg) of salt.

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Attic To Living Space?

Maybe. Maybe Not. support the weight of drywall, electrical and heating and cooling system components. Keep in mind that adding joists will reduce the headroom available.

Do you have electrical in your attic already? If not, can your electrical panel handle a heavier load? Is there room for more breakers? Consult a licensed electrician to know for sure.

How do you plan to heat and cool the new space? Attics tend to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer, and your current forced air blower may not circulate enough air to heat and cool the attic space. You may need to add other systems, such as electrical baseboard heating or a window air conditioner.

Depending upon the systems you choose, the contractor may have to install wiring, ductwork, thermostats and whatever else the building codes demand.

Converting an attic can provide you with more living space. Talk to a few contractors, review your budget and building codes, and consider if the investment would be worthwhile. If you plan to live in your home for a long time and you are really short on space, it might be a good idea. If you’re planning on moving, keep the possibility of extra living space with an attic conversion in mind as just another creative way to enhance your home. And if you are in the market for more space, give us a call, our experience benefits you -- we guarantee it.

Rogue Valley Real Estate When homeowners are in need of additional square footage, one of the first places that may come to mind is the attic.

Converting an attic into living space is an idea, but it is not always a feasible one. Here are some factors to consider.

What are the building codes in your area? Can you abide by them in your attic conversion without breaking the bank? Get a list of applicable codes and required inspections for your conversion and make sure you can follow them. The work will be inspected, and if it is not up to code, the entire job could be shut down.

Do you have a staircase leading up to your attic? If not, do you have the space to install one? A straight staircase is the easiest to build, but it will take up a great deal of space. A spiral staircase will take up less space, but it won’t allow for easy transport of large items like furniture. If you have no space inside for a staircase, you may be able to construct one outside. Check with the zoning laws in your area first. An outside staircase could turn your home into a multiplefamily dwelling, which may not be permitted in your area. You will also need another exit like a window. Make sure you have the space to install one if there isn’t one already.

How high is your attic ceiling?

Is it high enough to allow enough headroom after the installation of insulation and venting?

Most building codes require at least 7-1/2 feet of headroom. If you don’t have that kind of headroom, do you have the budget to alter the roof framing and expand the ceiling height?

How strong is your attic flooring? Is it strong enough to withstand an addition, or will it have to be reinforced? You will also need to make sure the rafters can

To Your Good Health

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Tuberculosis Concerns Put to Rest With Test

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 22, and I am a security guard at a local store. Just recently, I detained a suspect for shoplifting. We were in a room no bigger than a small office, and she was coughing up a storm. I was in and out of the room for a half-hour or so. When the local police department showed up, she revealed that she has active tuberculosis. I did my research, and it is contagious when it’s airborne. How much exposure is necessary to catch it? What are the symptoms of TB? Is it curable? Please, I’m in need of answers. -- E.A.M. ANSWER: Tuberculosis is an infection caused

Sponsored by:

by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The most common body location is the lungs, but tuberculosis can infect the kidneys, lining of the brain, bones and lining of the heart, among others. It is contagious by air only when in the lungs, as you said. The major symptom is cough, but weight loss also is frequent in advanced stages, giving TB its old name, consumption.

The likelihood of getting infected after exposure depends on many factors, including some things we don’t know in this case, such as whether she is being treated and whether she has cavities in her lungs.

The good news is that you would be considered a low-risk contact, having been in a room with her only for a relatively short period. The bad news is that it is possible to have acquired an infection. Your doctor or a public health official should evaluate you for evidence of prior infection with a skin test, which should be repeated in eight to 10 weeks.

Tuberculosis is almost 100 percent curable.

People with active infection usually are treated with several medications for six months. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife drinks in ex-

MORE SALTY FACTS • There is enough salt in the seas to cover all the continents to a depth of 500 feet (152 m).

• The first patent ever issued in America was for a process to recover salt from sea water.

• Where salt seas became land-locked and dried up, large strata of rock salt were left, which are good places for salt mines. One of the largest salt plants in the U.S. is located in Texas City, where there’s a salt deposit that’s 1.5 miles wide (2.4 km) and over three miles (4.8 km) thick. There’s enough salt in this one location to supply the world’s needs for some 20,000 years.

• The Erie Canal was built with funds raised from a 12% tax placed on American salt and, once built, was used to carry heavy loads of salt from the factories in New York.

DON’T DRINK SEA WATER • Your kidneys are responsible for making sure the ratio of salt to water in the bloodstream stays at the optimum level. If you drink salt water while stranded on a raft in the ocean, the level of salt in the bloodstream skyrockets. The kidneys now work overtime to add water to the blood in order to return things to normal. Sea water is three times saltier than urine, so for every cup of sea water that is drunk, the body has to make three cups of urine to flush the salt out of the body. This robs your body tissues of their natural supply of water, and you become dehydrated much faster than if you had not drunk the salt water.

FAST FACT • Some species of sea birds have a gland between their eyes that filters salt from seawater that the bird drinks and empties it out of the beak. Some birds, like the albatross, cannot drink fresh water or they suffer from salt deficiency as the salt continues to pour out of the gland. The camel is also adapted for drinking brackish salt water.

Pure water may intoxicate the animal.

cess of 3 liters of diet soda a day, sometimes even more. She has colitis, for which she takes Lialda, and on her last visit to her primary care physician, her blood work revealed borderline bad levels in her liver. The doctor seems to think she needs to stop “drinking alcohol,” but I have been married to her for more than 30 years, and I know it’s not drinking that is causing this. We both consume only moderate amounts of alcohol. Could it be the chemicals in diet soda? -- F.J.R. ANSWER: Three liters a day is a lot of diet soda, and that much caffeine probably isn’t good for her. However, I don’t think it is likely to be affecting her liver. Mesalamine (Lialda and others) rarely can cause abnormal liver tests -- specifically, high levels of the same enzymes that might lead a doctor to suspect alcohol use.

You didn’t tell me what kind of colitis your wife has, but ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, is associated with several kinds of liver problems, including fatty liver and primary sclerosing cholangitis, which is potentially severe. I don’t think either alcohol or diet soda should be blamed until she has had a more careful workup. I think a visit with her gastroenterologist would be wise.

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(not if ) the What will you be holding...

Noteworthy Inventions

JOY MORTON

• Joy Morton was born in 1855 in Nebraska City, Nebraska. After falling ill with spinal meningitis at the age of 18, he decided to get a job entailing hard physical labor in an outdoor setting in order to regain his strength. He subsequently went to work for the railroad, working throughout Illinois. He eventually found a job working for E.I. Wheeler’s salt manufacturing company in Chicago.

• He became a partner in the business in 1886 when he invested $10,000 in order to move salt westward by hauling it on barges across the Great Lakes. When Wheeler died, Morton bought the company. When his brother and son joined the company, it was renamed Morton Salt Company.

It was the only salt company in the nation at the time and it is still remains the #1 salt producer in North America.

• Morton was responsible for two innovations in salt. Iodine is essential for the thyroid gland to work properly. Without iodine, the thyroid swells, sometimes enormously, and forms a goiter. People suffering from iodine deficiency suffer from tremors, fatigue, nausea, and anemia. Iodine is usually present in the soil and the water. But in places where it’s not, goiters became common. In 1924, almost 66% of school children in the Lake Superior school districts had goiters. Meantime, goiters were almost unheard of along the Mississippi River, where the water has up to 18,000 times as much natural iodine as Lake Superior. After being approached by health officials, Morton became the first company to add iodine to its salt in minuscule amounts.

Health authorities correctly surmised that salt was the single most universally consumed food item, and it’s easy to add iodine to salt. One-fifth of a pound of iodine is enough to treat an entire ton of salt.

“Why should I pay for diagnostics on my car?” After all, doesn’t the computer tell you how to fix the car? The short answer to that question is no. Although the “computer” that your shop uses can give them codes, in most cases that is just a starting point. They may still need to test parts on the vehicle (which takes more equipment), look up the codes on another computer (which requires an expensive software program), look up wiring diagrams (more software) etc. The list can go on and on…and on. It all depends on the vehicle and the issue it came in for.

Some parts stores will “Pull Codes” for you and sell you the part they think you need. Replacing these parts, may or may not fix the actual problem.

Recently a client put in a $400.00 fuel pump because his vehicle had a lean code and lacked power. When that didn’t fix it, he brought it in. We spent time diagnosing it and found something stuck in his air flow sensor.

After a good cleaning, it ran great! Had he brought in before replacing the fuel pump, he would have saved $325.00.

Surviving Flu Season The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a timely message for seniors: The use of flu antiviral medications cuts the length of hospital stays for those who are hospitalized with the flu, and reduces the risk of needing care after discharge.

That’s important information. The last thing we seniors need this winter is to come down with the flu. It hits us harder than nearly any other age group, with 80 percent to 90 percent of flu-related deaths being in people age 65 and older.

The study cited by the CDC says that the earlier the antiviral medications are started, the better they work. The key is seeing your doctor right away if you think you have the flu, because the medications are by prescription only -- not

Crystal Ball at the VA

An interesting story played out recently in Philadelphia involving an assistant director, a manager and a psychic.

In the past year, the Department of Veterans Affairs office in Philadelphia has been looked at by the Office of the Inspector General for claims processing inaccuracy, manipulating claim dates, canceling pending claims and more.

The new story: An assistant director threw a party at her home so a subordinate’s wife could do psychic readings for employees. The subordinate was a manager. Each private reading cost $35, with a minimum of six people.

After the assistant director had another subordinate make all the arrangements, three employees agreed to attend the party. An email (that contained the assistant director’s VA position title) went out to

Just as you would expect to pay for a doctor’s visit and diagnostics, it is much the same with your automotive shop.

They have thousands of dollars invested in equipment that they use to help diagnose and repair your vehicle.

At Kelly’s Automotive Service like many other shops, our technicians have years of experience, schooling and continuing education. We also subscribe to monthly updates for diagnostic equipment, software programs and have costly replacement and repair costs. Without these, there is no way we could keep up with the ever changing and complex systems manufactures are installing in today’s vehicles.

Most shops are actually doing their best to make sure you and your vehicle are taken care of.

In most cases, spending the money for the proper diagnostics may be cheaper than throwing parts on your vehicle that it may not need.

We would be happy to help diagnose any vehicle issues you are having. Come by and see us in Grants Pass or Medford-- Kelly’s Automotive Service where we service your vehicle, but take care of you. ~ Safe Travels, Dave Kelly

something you can get over the counter. Antiviral drugs can be taken as liquid, pills, an inhaled powder or intravenously.

Seeing a doctor within two days of getting sick and starting the medication within four days substantially reduced the length of illness or hospital stay, the study indicated. Even those who started the medication more than two days later saw some benefit, although not as much.

Those who were hospitalized and released were 25 percent to 60 percent less likely to need extended care.

The CDC says even with antiviral medications, it’s still important to get our annual flu shots.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth. And stay away from those who are sick.

More tips: Carry a packet of sanitizer wipes and use them everywhere -- grocery cart handles, library book covers, door handles, etc. Eat healthy food, drink plenty of water and get enough sleep.

solicit the participation of other employees to reach the six-person minimum. Eight employees ended up going. Rule: An employee can’t use her position to endorse a service for friends.

The Inspector General got involved and did an investigation.

The assistant director claimed that the attendees were her friends, thereby breaking another rule: Bosses can’t give preferential treatment to subordinates.

However, all the subordinates in attendance for a psychic reading complained about how long it was taking, and all left immediately after their reading, not staying to socialize despite the availability of “munchies, wine/beer/vodka.” These were friends?

The VAOIG additionally made a criminal referral to the Department of Justice for the manager’s failure to report his wife’s psychic income on his Office of Government Ethics forms for two years running.

The VAOIG also discovered a number of fun facts, among them that the manager had failed to claim his psychic wife’s income on his tax returns. The VAOIG helpfully reported that failure to the Internal Revenue Service as well as to the Pennsylvania State Department of Revenue.

Sponsored by Marla Kasdorf

Here’s hoping many of you have been to a Rogue Valley Symphony concert. As a former player (16 yrs.), I still appreciate the fact that a valley with our population of less than 300,000 and an average per capita income of less than $23,000/year supportswholeheartedly-a regional symphony!

We have a full-time conductor, put on 5 concerts each year in 3 locations, inaddition to a Holiday concert and a summer series at EdenVale Winery. The budget has grown by 50% in the last 10 years. The orchestra is celebrating their 48th season. Educational outreach occurs by Classical Coaches and Chamber Players. In Grants Pass, we also have an open reception for the audience to meet soloists, musicians and the conductor.

That venue also has Student Vouchers which allow an adult and a student to attend at no cost. Board members are always neededespecially from Grants Pass. Please call 541708-6401 for more information.

This orchestra is a bit of a” miracle”, and a hard-earned showpiece of the Rogue Valley. Please look at www.rvsymphony.org and pick out a concert or two for yourself!

Belt Buckle Q: I was recently given a Wells Fargo belt buckle that is identified as being made by Tiffany and Company. What can you tell me about it? -Keith, Crescent Valley, B.C., Canada A: According to the Antique Trader Guide to Fakes & Reproductions by Mark Chervenka, your belt buckle is a knock-off and was probably made during the 1960s. In addition to Wells Fargo buckles, others also were issued, including ones featuring such highly collectible names as Winchester, Coca-Cola and Abraham Lincoln.

*** Q: I began collecting Hallmark ornaments several years ago, and I am always looking for them in shops and at garage sales. Can you recommend a good, reliable price guide that I can stick in my purse? -Union, Lynchburg, Virginia A: There are several excellent guides, but since you specified a small size, my pick would be “Warman’s Companion Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments” by Mary Sieber and published by Krause Books. Even though it is in a smaller format, it has detailed listings with more than 550 illustrations in full color.

According to a collector I consulted who collects Hallmark ornaments, the prices listed seem to reflect the current market. *** Q: I have three antique bedspreads, never used, and beautiful. I want to sell them. -- Dominic, Warren, Michigan A: There are bedspreads and there are bedspreads.

Since you provided me with no information, I really can’t help you. Are your bedspreads handmade quilt, turn-of-the-century woolen camp blankets or coverlets that feature intricate Victorian handwork? What the quilt is made of and when it was crafted determine to a great extent whether there is a demand for it. Demand equals salability. *** Q: I have a collection of about a dozen Reader’s Digest condensed books. Some have never been read and are in near-new condition. Where can I sell them? -- Freda, Rio Rancho, New Mexico A: The Reader’s Digest condensed books were popular throughout the 1950s and ‘60s. They have little commercial value. For example, I recently was at a garage sale where several dozen were priced for a buck each. Instead of trying to sell them, have you considered donating them to a charity?

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1. U.S. STATES: What is the highest capital city in the United States?

2. SLOGANS: What was Woodsy Owl’s message from the federal government?

3. RELIGION: When is Maundy Thursday in the Christian religion?

4. MUSIC: Which pop singer was called “The Man from Memphis”?

5. DISCOVERIES: Who is credited with discovering streptomycin?

6. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had a pet badger?

7. SCIENCE: What has happened to a cell that has undergone necrosis?

8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the average gestational period for a rabbit?

9. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the Lombardy region?

10. LITERATURE: What 19th-century poet wrote that “the United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem”?

1. Who holds the Colorado Rockies pitching record for most career shutouts?

2. What has been the most home runs hit by a Kansas City Royals player in any one season?

3. Name the last team before the Cleveland Browns in 2012 to select both a running back and a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft.

4. Name the last team that was a No. 4 seed when it won the NCAA Tournament in men’s basketball.

5. When was the last time before 201415 that the Montreal Canadiens made the conference semifinals of the NHL playoffs two consecutive seasons?

6. Name the last appearance in the MLS Cup final for the New England Revolution before 2014.

7. British cyclists have won three of the past four (2012-15) Tour de France events.

Who was the only non-British cyclist to win during that time?

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Page 7

Set Up a Nature Discovery Nook

JOY MORTON, (cont’d) • As a result, between 1924 and 1928, the goiters of Michigan - and everywhere else - virtually disappeared. Today, over half of all table salt sold is iodized. Sea salt has no iodine added because it contains iodine naturally.

• The other innovation Morton invented was to add an anti-caking element to salt. In the 1800s, ground-up salt tended to form clumps in humid weather. Many salt shakers were made that tried to combat this using various means. Some had agitators inside to break up lumps; some had special pockets for moisture-absorbing solutions. Morton began adding magnesium carbonate to salt which prevented it from clumping up even in the rainiest environments.

This inspired their slogan (swiped from the Bible, and suggested by Morton’s son) “When it rains, it pours” and the famous logo of the little girl with the big umbrella. In a poll, 90% of housewives recognized the slogan. After the clumping problem was solved, the salt shaker became standard issue.

• In 1903, the Morton warehouse in South Chicago contained over 200,000 tons of salt the world’s largest stock under a single roof.

No one knows what started the fire, but the entire compound was in ruins by the time it was out. Where once there were piles of pure white salt, now there were piles of blackened salt, covered with ashes and carbon. Joy Morton was undaunted. Charcoal makes a good additive in stock food, and soon farmers were buying up the new product: Morton’s special “charcoal blend.” The entire stock of salt was sold.

• In the 1930s the Morton Co. expanded into other chemical products, and in 1982 merged with the Thiokol Corp. to form Morton-Thiokol.

Morton now sells around 400 different kinds of salt-based products.

Set aside a space on your kitchen counter or a table in your family room to showcase your kids’ summer nature collectibles. Their own museum of natural wonders can be enjoyed by friends and family who come to your home. And when they do, the kids can tell them where they found the treasure, what it’s called and something interesting that captured their imagination. Best of all, this collection zone will be a constant reminder of the time you spent together discovering the mysteries and beauty of the world we live in.

Add collected finds this fall and, for fun, classify and label them with small strips of index cards (date the excursion and describe the item), just like in museums. For example: “This nest fell off the oak tree in the backyard on a windy day.

I found it behind the garbage can. I discovered yarn in the nest. I think the yarn came from the bird feeder that was hanging from our swing set last year.”

For such an item, encourage your child to find a book about nests or research them online. Find out what kind of bird made the nest and learn the likely color of the eggs that were in the nest at one time.

If your family traveled to new places this past summer or if you plan to take weekend trips this fall, the items also can be displayed in attractive ways on the table. If you have collected sand from different beaches, for example, layer it in a clean, clear recycled jar. It’s fun to see the range of colors and types of sand from beach to beach. And it’s a unique way to recall a trip to Clearwater Beach, Florida, in 2013, or Santa Monica, California, in 2015.

For indoor rainy-day fun, use some of the sticks and stones for crafting. Here are two ideas: * Flat rocks aren’t just for skipping across the surface of a lake. Make a turtle! Choose a flat oval stone for the body, and glue small ones underneath, stretching out to the sides for four feet and a tail, with a larger one for a head. Add two pebbles for eyes. * Make a twig vase with a recycled tin can. Use shears to cut similar-width branches an inch or so longer than the height of the can. Place two large rubber bands around the outside of the can, one near the top and one near the bottom. Insert branches side by side, as if building a twig fence around the can. Wind twine or raffia over the rubber bands to cover them, then knot.

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Published by Velocity Ventures Trust

QUICK QUIZ: SAUCE #1

• Off the coast of Louisiana there’s a place called Avery Island. A family named McIlhenny owned the island and ran the nation’s first successful salt mine there.

• In 1862, in the midst of the Civil War, Union troops invaded the area. They needed salt to preserve their meat, so they took over the island.

Mr. McIlhenny and his family fled to Texas.

• When they returned after the war, they found the salt factory and the plantation ruined. All that was left was a crop of hot peppers, which the soldiers had no taste for. The peppers were particularly hot because the soil was so salty. McIlhenny was determined to make a profit from the peppers so he began experimenting. He devised a new sauce using his peppers combined with the island’s salt, along with vinegar and spices. He named it after a river in Mexico simply because he liked the word.

• After pouring it into empty cologne bottles, he sent samples to wholesalers. The typical cuisine of the Southern U.S. tended to be bland, but people found that just a few drops of McIlhenny’s sauce spiced things up. In 1868 he sold 350 bottles of the sauce. In 1870 he sold over 1,000.

Two years later demand was so great he had to open a London branch.

• Today McIhenny’s factories on Avery Island produce 200,000 to 300,000 bottles of this sauce each day, and it’s sold worldwide. What sauce is it?

QUICK QUIZ: SAUCE #2 • According to the legend, Lord Sandys of England spent several years living in India. Around 1835 he returned home to England, bringing with him the recipe for a sauce that he liked which was popular in India. He gave the recipe to two druggists named John Lea and William Perrins.

ANSWER: Tabasco • John Lea and William Perrins were so impressed

by Sandys’ ravings about how good it was going to taste that they mixed up a few barrels of it, hoping to make a big profit by selling the excess to their customers. But when they tasted it, they found it so awful that they stored the barrels in the basement and forgot about them.

• A few years later, the barrels were re-discovered while the basement was being cleaned out.

Before throwing it out, they tasted it again. After aging for two years, the sauce had fermented, developing a new flavor that was an instant hit. They went into business, releasing the new product in 1838.

• When salesmen employed by Lea and Perrins

1. Jason Jennings and Ubaldo Jimenez, with three each.

2. Steve Balboni hit 36 homers in 1985.

3. The Cincinnati Bengals, in 1979 (Jack Thompson and Charles Alexander).

4. Arizona, in 1997.

5. It was 1992-93.

6. It was 2007.

7. Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali, in 2014.

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convinced British passenger ships to put bottles of the sauce on their dining room tables, its popularity spread worldwide.

• Today the recipe includes anchovies, soybeans, vinegar, garlic, shallots, and molasses, which are blended and then aged two years. The sauce was named after the town where the druggists lived, and is still one of the world’s most popular sauces, used in everything from meats to mixed drinks. What is it?

TABASCO FACTS • Tabasco should be stored in a cool dark place but does not need to be refrigerated.

• Tabasco sauce may change color over time, growing darker with exposure to heat and light, but that doesn’t affect the taste.

• Tabasco has a shelf life of about five years.

• A teaspoon full of Tabasco has zero calories.

• A maximum of about 700,000 bottles of Tabasco can be turned out every single day.

Answer: Lea & Perrins created Worcestershire Sauce, often called Worcester Sauce. (The town was Worcester and ‘shire’ means ‘county.’)

Answers 1. Santa Fe, New Mexico (7,000 feet above sea level) 2. “Give a hoot, don’t pollute!”

3. Thursday before Easter, marking the Last Supper 4. Elvis 5. Selman Waksman 6. Theodore Roosevelt (“Josiah”) 7. It has died.

8. 28-31 days 9. Northern Italy 10. Walt Whitman