Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 10, 2018

7

BEST FRIENDS & MORE 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 10, 2018 

NED & PRINCE


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

BEST FRIEND


Meet Betty DeVille models her distinctive black and white 
colored fur coat markings. It looks like she’s wearing a solid color 
designer cap with cat ears attached. She has the same name as 
a Rugrats cartoon mother, who has a nice but loud personality. 
Our Betty also was a loving mother to her two kittens named 
Phil and Lil. (Who are also currently available for adoption.) 
Betty has a calm loving nature, is friendly, and enjoys seeing new 
people coming to meet her. Melting into hands that massage her 
head and throat, Betty purrs with contentment. A lap is always 
nice to sit on when offered. If given a toy, she will show her 
sporting playful side which ranges from bat and pat to attack 
and toss, depending on what is being offered for her amusement. 
Whether it’s a still object, a flying teaser, or the laser dot, Betty 
takes the challenge. Her adoption fee is $99 and includes spay surgery, vaccinations, microchip and a 
free wellness exam at a participating veterinarian. Betty is accepting visitors at Alhambra PetSmart, 
a San Gabriel Valley Humane Society adoption partner. For more information, call (626) 284-3390.

My aunt Evelyn Swallow-Leake was born the eldest 
of three children in Worcester, Massachusetts in 
November, 1913. She, my mother and my uncle 
grew up during the Great Depression. It was a 
difficult time in American history, but to hear my 
aunt Evelyn talk about it, you‘d think those days 
were purely ethereal. She’d get pretty excited when 
she shared her childhood memories and I truly enjoyed 
hearing them. I did my best to document her stories as 
she told them, to help keep her memories alive.

 In one of my conversations with Aunt Evelyn, 
she recounted a very vivid recollection of having 
accompanied her uncle (my great uncle) on lumber 
deliveries from one part of town to the other, in a horse-
drawn cart. She was about 10-years-old at the time, and 
she remembered waiting by the road side after school 
for uncle Carl to pass by, towing a load of lumber. 
She remembered riding along 
with him as he finished his 
deliveries, then helping him 
to take the horses back to the 
barn.

 Aunt Evelyn’s face lit up 
every time she reflected on her 
memory of the two horses that 
pulled uncle Carl’s lumber cart. 
She delighted in relaying her 
memories of giving each one 
a carrot and a friendly pat on 
the nose before being hoisted 
up and assuming her position 
in the seat next to Carl, and 
off they’d go. I was surprised 
she remembered the name 
of the company Carl worked 
for; Stone & Berg Lumber 
Company in Worcester, 
Massachusetts. But even more 
amazing was the fact that she 
remembered the names of the 
horses that pulled the cart! She 
was certain they were Ned & Prince.

 Soon after aunt Evelyn told me this fascinating 
story, I decided to do a little research on Stone & Berg 
Lumber Company just to see if there was any history 
I could connect to her childhood memory, and I’m 
happy to say my Google search rendered far more than 
I’d expected to find.

 Much to my surprise, I learned that Stone & Berg 
is still in business. Of course, they no longer deliver 
lumber via horse-drawn cart, but they are still 
operating as a building supply company in Worcester. I 
called the number on their website and was directed to 
the current owner, Jennie Berg who was kind enough 
to listen as I told her about Evelyn’s memories of being 
on Stone & Berg delivery excursions with her uncle 
Carl in the 1920‘s. Jennie was pleased that someone 
remembered the early days when her family’s business 
was still in the hands of her grandfather. Then came 
the bombshell when Jennie confirmed that the horses’ 
names were, indeed, Ned & Prince!

 Soon after our phone conversation, Jennie sent 
me a package of Stone & Berg Lumber Company 
memorabilia, 
among which was a 
photograph of Ned 
& Prince. harnessed 
and hitched to a 
loaded lumber 
cart in front of the 
original Stone & 
Berg building, with 
a man standing 
beside. And for 
the final icing on 
the cake, upon 
comparing the face 
of the man in the 
picture Jennie sent, 
to a family photo of 
my great uncle Carl 
Woods, it became 
clear that they were 
one and the same!

 It did my 
heart good to bring 
my aunt Evelyn’s 
remarkable childhood memory full circle and back 
to life. All it took was a listening ear and a little 
research on my part, along with a bit of random 
kindness on the part of a friendly stranger who 
appreciated that someone remembered a moment in 
time from her family history. Teamwork - that’s what 
it took - but we couldn’t have done it without the 
help of that awesome team of two eloquent equines, 
Ned & Prince! Rest in peace, Auntie Evelyn. I miss 
you immensely.


TWO’S COMPANY!

SUPERBOY!

Meet JOEY, age 3. 
Joey is mellow and 
mild-mannered 
on the surface, 
like “Clark Kent,” 
which is why he’s 
been passed over so many times, but get to know how 
amazing he is and you’ll know he’s a “Superboy!” Joey is 
such a handsome tabby, with white under his chin. He 
is so comfortable that you can rub him anywhere. Have 
a cuddlefest! Joey gets along well with other cats, too, 
so if you have another pal for him that would be fine 
(or we can suggest a friend for our “Twofur” discount). 
He is playful, and also loves to tell you about his day. 
Joey is highly adoptable. Call to arrange a Meet & Greet 
soon! He will come current on vaccines and health 
exam, neutered, and microchipped. See more pictures 
of Joey—and don’t miss his two, yes, two, entertaining 
videos of him, and adoption info at http://www.
lifelineforpets.org/teens--adult-cats.html. PLEASE 
adopt this sweet, deserving boy for a truly meaningful 
Thanksgiving.


THE WORLD AROUND US


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges

NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS AUTOMATIC

HOW TO DEAL WITH A SORE THROAT 
AND COUGHING USING NATURE’S 
MEDICINE CHEST

Two days in the year I don’t 
like. Somebody is thinking it 
is my wife’s birthday and our 
wedding anniversary.

 I worked that out a long time ago. My birthday is 
two days before the Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage and our anniversary is three weeks after 
our birthday. No way can I forget that.

 When my wife gives me a birthday card with 
some gift it reminds me that I have two days to 
reciprocate. And reciprocate, I do very well. I love it 
when a plan comes together.

 I remember my wife’s birthday and I remember 
our wedding anniversary, but more often than not, 
I cannot remember the years. I do not know how 
old my wife is. At least, that’s my story. And, I am 
not sure how long we’ve been married.

 I know we have been married long enough to 
work out many things.

 The two days I’m not very happy with are the 
days when we turn the clock forward an hour and 
then turn the clock backward an hour. I still do not 
know why in the world we do that. We gain an hour 
in the spring, but then we lose an hour in the fall. 
What’s the sense in all that?

 I finally figured out what the sense of all that is. It 
is to confuse me, in particular. It is not that I am 
easily confused, but rather, I confuse easily. If that 
makes sense, I have a bridge I want to sell you.

 Why would you want to gain something and 
then give it back a couple months later?

 I grew up in the non-technical age. I had to wind 
my watch every day to make sure it had the right 
time. It was not like it is today worth the time is set 
automatically.

 I look at my cell phone and the time is updated 
automatically. I look at our TV set and see that the 
time is updated automatically. I like that.

 My problem is that I like it too much. I have 
become accustomed to things being adjusted 
automatically.

 Now they have cars that part automatically and 
you can be sure I’m not going to buy one. I am 
satisfied with the automatic setting of my clock and 
TV.

 When I was in high school, I worked part-time 
for a woman. I mowed the grass and cleaned inside 
the house. One big thing she had in the house was 
about 25 clocks. I’m serious. Twenty-five clocks 
that all had to be set manually.

 The first time I did it, I did not realize that each 
clock was set differently. You go upstairs and the 
clocks were 15 minutes faster than the clocks on the 
first floor so she would not be late for an 
appointment.

 Being my employer, it would have been nice for 
her to explain that to me. But, as most employers 
do, they do not explain everything to their 
employees.

 I was the kind of employee that liked to impress 
my employer with how good I was.

 It was in the fall and we were to set the clocks 
back one hour. I thought she would appreciate the 
fact that I went around and reset all 25 of her clocks. 
After all, I was doing something on my own that 
needed done.

 The thing I did not know of course, the clocks 
were all set different on different levels of the house. 
I went around and set all 25 clocks to the same 
time. I was so happy.

 I did not tell her because I wanted her to be 
surprised.

 I was anxious to hear her commend me for a 
“job well done.” I was not prepared for what she was 
going to do.

 When I arrived on her property, she comes out 
yelling and screaming at me at the top of her lungs. 
Trust me, she had lungs. At first, I could not 
understand what she was so upset about.

 “Did you,” she said hysterically, “reset all the 
clocks in my house?”

 I smiled back at her and said quite cheerfully, 
“Yes, ma’am, I did.”

 Courtesy keeps me from quoting her right here. 
It was more than French she was yelling back at me.

 I have never been yelled at so much in my life 
and I did not really understand why.

 I stayed away from her for a couple of days and 
then I was working for her husband at his store. 
When I walked in, he looked at me and laughed 
hysterically.

 I was not sure what he was laughing at that he 
motioned me to come over. So, I did.

 “My wife,” he said between laughs, “told me what 
you did the other day.” Then he broke into some 
more hysterical laughter.

 Why he was so cheerful about the incident was 
beyond me at the time.

 Then he sat me down and explained the whole 
situation to me. I must confess when he finished 
telling me the whole story, I joined him in some 
hysterical laughter. We kept this to ourselves for as 
long as I worked there.

 I thought of what Paul said, “Let’s not get tired of 
doing what is good, for at the right time we will 
reap a harvest—if we do not give up” (Galatians 
6:9).

 Not everything is automatic, some things you 
have to work for.

 Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God 
Fellowship. He lives with the Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-
552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. His web 
site is www.jamessnyderministries.com.

Nyerges is the author of Guide to Wild Foods , How 
to Survive Anywhere , and other books. For more 
information about Nyerges’ books, or the classes he 
teaches, contact him at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 
90041, or www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.

 It seems that sore throats and coughs have 
afflicted people everywhere, even here in Sierra 
Madre, from the proximate causes of pollen, dust, 
woodsmoke, yelling, or “catching” something 
from another person. 

 Fortunately, there are quite a few natural 
remedies which help relieve the pain and 
discomfort of coughs and sore throats, and many 
of these have been used for at least centuries. 
The herbal remedies are sugar-free, and contain 
nothing that might overwhelm your immune 
system.

 Each of the plants described are commonly 
available in the wild, and typically can be 
purchased in the dried form in herb shops. 

 MALLOW

 The various mallows have been used to soothe 
a sore throat for centuries. In fact, even the 
ancient Egyptians used one of the mallows for 
this purpose.

 In the United States, the common mallow 
(Malva parviflora) is a widespread “weed” of 
vacant lots and fields. It is sometimes referred 
to as poverty weed or cheeseweed. In fact, the 
tender leaves of mallow are tasty in salads, added 
to soup, and can be cooked with other vegetables 
or like spinach. They are high in vitamin C.

 In Mexico, mallow leaves (known as malva) 
have long been chewed so that the slightly 
mucilaginous quality can soothe a sore throat. 
Herbalists consider the mallow leaves an 
emollient and a demulcent. Whether the leaves 
are eaten, or made into a tea, this plant helps to 
relieve inflammation, especially to the throat.

 HOREHOUND

 The horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a 
bitter mint, native to Europe, which has now 
naturalized throughout the entire United States. 
It is called marrubio in Mexico, where it also 
grows in the wild. When you see it in the wild, it 
is an obvious mint, yet it lacks any strong aroma 
so typical of most mints. However, you’ll see 
the square stem, the opposite leaves, and the 
wrinkled leaves on horehound which makes it 
easy to recognize.

 Do any of you remember horehound candy? 
This was a popular “old-fashioned” cough drop, 
made by boiling the horehound leaves, straining 
out the leaves, and adding sugar or honey to the 
liquid. It is then cooked until it is thick enough 
to harden. (Recipes for horehound candy can be 
found in most candy-making books).

 Horehound is made into a tea, which is very 
bitter and unpleasant. No one would ever drink 
it if it weren’t so effective. Besides soothing a sore 
throat and a cough, horehound is an expectorant, 
which means it can help clear your throat when it 
is congested. 

 To make horehound tea, I collect the young 
leaves in the spring. They can be used fresh or 
dried. I place about one teaspoon of the herb 
into my cup, pour boiling water over it, cover 
it, and let it sit until it is cool enough to drink. 
The flavor? Terrible! Its bitterness must be 
experienced to understand. So add honey and 
lemon juice to your horehound tea to make it 
more palatable. The honey and lemon are also 
good for your sore throat. 

MULLEIN

 Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is another 
European native that has now naturalized 
throughout the entire United States. It is 
particularly common in dry waste areas 
throughout the Southwest. I can recall driving 
to the Grand Canyon once, and the dominant 
roadside plant was mullein.

 Mullein leaves feel like flannel or chamois cloth. 
The plant produces large basal leaves the first 
year, and then in the second year it sends up a 
seed spike that can reach up to four and five feet. 

 To make a tea, use the first year leaves of mullein, 
and infuse them. There is not much flavor, so I 
typically add mint to mullein tea. Mullein acts 
like a mild sedative on the lungs, and it helps to 
relieve the roughness in the throat common with 
coughs and some fevers. 

 No doubt there are many, many other remedies 
for coughs and sore throats. Included here were 
just a few of the common wild plants which are 
safe and easy to use. 

 [Note: None of the above should be construed 
to take the place of competent medical advise in a 
face-to-face setting. Chronic coughing or chronic 
sore throat may be an indication of a more serious 
disorder. Use your common sense, and consult a 
medical authority if you are experiencing any sort 
of chronic disorder.]

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