For your reading enjoyment, we continue to publish Rambling Vines by the late Marylea Vines as she re-calls events and names of Corning folks from many years ago. We are currently in the year 1992

Here is a good-sounding recipe which I borrowed from another newspaper just this Winter. It is called Peanut-Butter-Oatmeal Fudge and sounds easy enough to make… even though I like raw oatmeal just the way it is without “doctoring” it up. The recipe: Two and onehalf cups sugar, two-thirds cup milk. Bring to a boil and cook for three minutes then remove from heat and add: One stick oleo, stirring until melted. Next add one cup chunky-style peanut butter, two cups quick cooking oats (uncooked) and one teaspoon vanilla. Stir all this until thick, then pour into a buttered pan to cool.

My favorite way to eat oatmeal is to fill a water glass about half full of raw oatmeal, sprinkle with sugar, then finish filling the glass with cold milk. Or, if you don’t have any milk, cold water is not all that bad.

Speaking of milk, all the time I was growing up, I craved canned milk. Why? Because we always had a cow and plenty of plain old milk. Mama would try to keep a few cans of canned milk hidden away to use in emergencies such as when old Daisy would get in the bitterweeds and we couldn’t milk her for a few days. I was famous for sneaking into the kitchen, using the ice pick to punch a couple holes in the top of a can of milk and taking off to play… knowing all the time that I was setting the stage for war in the camp sooner or later.

A number of area folks have been receiving notifications that they have won all sorts of contests… which they never entered in the first place! A friend is going to receive a whole bunch of money if he just sends in the money to pay handling and postage, and I am going to receive a name-brand camera if I just send in money to cover the cost of shipping. I hope no one on the other end is holding their breath until they receive my check for $12.75! It must be a heavy camera to cost more than $12.00 for shipping because I mail a lot of packages, and the postage and insurance never amounts to more than $3.00 to $4.00. One friend said that she received a letter congratulating her on her “big” money win, but first she had to send a small fee. Using her head, she wrote right back and told them to just subtract the fee from what she had won and to send her a check for the balance. What I am saying is watch that stuff and just use common sense, if you didn’t enter a contest, it is not likely that you are about to win.

Don’t forget to vote in the E-911 election next Tuesday. Justice of the Peace Bill Hancock has been “stumping” for E-911 for at least two years and this is the first time that it has reached the point where the voters of Clay County will be able to speak out on the measure.

No matter if you are “for” or “against” this matter, or any other matter… go vote. That is your privilege and something that should be cherished. But you can’t vote unless you are a registered voter and to become a registered voter takes about five minutes and not one penny of money.

Those persons who do not exercise their right to vote should “take their medicine” without complaining between elections. I have been a registered voter since way back in Poll Tax days and I don’t think I have ever missed an election… I’m not saying that I am always on the winning side, I’m saying that I participate.

A group of us went over to Mountain Home for the day on Saturday and upon returning home a neighbor informed that I had missed all the excitement… seems as though Dr. Stuart Rockwell and Mrs. Bob Cochran had “captured” a little longhaired dachshund that was running loose in town, dragging a piece of chain. Thinking they had captured Putter, they took him to our house only to find no one at home (Putter was with me). I think they finally called Dr. Robert Zepecki for help after they found a Corning Veterinary Clinic tag on the dog. My neighbor said that while they were trying to figure out what to do with him the little dachshund (being friendly type that they are) was having a wonderful time with all the attention from his new friends.

I understand… through the grapevine… that longtime resident F.G. Smith, celebrated his 92nd birth anniversary recently. Good for you, Mister Floyd.

Did you know that back in 1933 the State Line Fish and Steak House was known as Ralph’s Place? It was established more than 60 years ago by the late Ralph Shelton, who maintained ownership and management for many years. Ralph D. Shelton, Jr. has been in charge of the business for the past several years.

I had a nice chat with Mrs. Mabel Rush, Corning, the other morning. She wanted to reminisce about growing up in Corning when Hop Alley and the train depot were local landmarks. Mrs. Rush’s maiden name was Dollins and after she married she and her husband reared their family just East of town, in the area we used to refer to as “Cason Road” mainly because the late Charlie Cason lived on it. (He was the father of the late Mrs. Ellen Scrivner.) Mrs. Rush and her family were neighbors to the Brackens, Poynors, Vinsons and Casons when the area was covered by thick timber including a lot of huge hickory trees.

Next week is Girl Scout Week and I imagine there will be some special activities during the designated week. I used to be a Girl Scout and have nothing but complimentary things to say about the organization. Not only did we have a lot of group fun, but we also learned a lot about first aid, camping, manners, craft projects… we had a lot of Saturday morning hikes, most of them winding up at Sandy Ford which was in the extreme South end of town. Our leaders were Mrs. Pearl Bridges and Mrs. Melba Cox.