Elizabeth Woodworth: The 4C's giveaway is coming up, start sorting your clothes

The Full Moon near the Sept. 12 and 15 cold fronts creates the chance of Northern frost, Caribbean hurricanes and Southern thunderstorms. Adding manure and compost to gardens allows full incorporation with the soil, eliminates risk of imbalance and increases earthworm activity before planting. If you have a backyard hen house, and would like for your hens to lay all winter, consider providing 14 hours of light for them, the period that usually produced best production (Countryside).

The summer lunch program served 12,400 meals. The need is there and that number proves that parents are appreciative of a good meal for their children that many can't provide for themselves. This month, Val goes before the governor and grant committee to apply for next summer. Numbers don't lie, we need this program.

I hate to have to call Tech Support for any reason. I have learned how to reset the net, so don't have to call about that. Last week I had internet but no email. Called Tech Support. It took about 30 minutes, at one point was on hold so long while he was looking for something that I thought he had hung up on me. Finally, I could receive messages, or at least be told that I had none. The next day, I tried to send one, no go. The silly thing wanted me to verify my user name and password. I gave it what I thought it wanted, but no. This Tech wanted to take over my computer, have had that done before so was OK with it. It took forever, because I didn't know what I was doing. It took three long tries before I understood what box to hit, and what arrow to push. Other than put in an address, I have never done anything with all the other stuff across the top of the page. Once I got on his wave length, things went smoothly. I feel sorry for anyone who answers my call. It has to be most frustrating to talk to someone who hears all instructions in gibberish. I never had a tech yell at me, thought I am sure many ended up with bitten tongues before we are done.

I realize I sound as if I like being computer illiterate. I don't. I have cheat notes, write lists of how to do so I can do the things that I need to function in a computer world. But when something goes wrong with a program, I haven't the slightest idea what to do beyond my notes. The world of computers is like the world of math, very important, but so over my head.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9 is the 4Cs free clothing and household giveaway on the parking lot of the Harrisburg Methodist Church. (Inside if case of rain.) Clean clothing in good repair and household items in working order are needed. Donations can be brought to the church on the 9th starting at 7 a.m. Please enter the alley between the church and parking lot from Poplar street and exit onto Locust street.

I didn't remind you that school had started. I expect people to watch for kids and stop for school buses. Then the news had a story about the number of children who are killed because someone in a hurry passed a stopped bus and flew by just as a child rounded the front of the bus. There were some very scary clips of children nearly getting hit. So, if you are behind a stopped school bus with the stop arm extended, a child is going to exit the bus and in all probability will cross the street. I know when one is in a hurry, waiting for kids to exit or for a parent to exit the house to get a little one makes you fume. I can't think of anything that is worth killing a child.

Tater Tots are a "scrappy" food invention. Ore-Ida founders and brothers Golden and Francis Nephi Grigg came up with the idea for tots in 1953 as a way to use the potato pieces left over from making their french fries. They call it scrappy, maybe that sounds better than recycled.

Last winter I read about Wreaths across America, an organization that puts wreaths on the graves of veterans. Sometimes it is called Honor Wreaths for Veterans. There is a branch in Marion that is trying to cover cemeteries in the southern part of the state. So far they have arrangements with 10 or so local cemeteries. I have ordered two wreaths, and requested that they be taken to Mound City National Cemetery. This is a Civil War cemetery. There are many unknowns buried here along with men whose families have long died out, or never knew where their soldier was buried. You can donate by sending a check, $15 per wreath, to Honor Wreaths for Veterans, 1212 N. Garfield St., Marion IL 62959. If you have a preference for the placing of your wreath, please enclose that with your order.

"Starting tomorrow, all the months end with 'brr' because it's getting colder." (Bil Keane)

<i> Elizabeth Woodworth lives in Harrisburg.</i>