On Being c Farm Wife (and other hazard: Joyce Bupp A battleground. That’s what it is. A battle ground. Signs of destruction, every where. Piles of residual trash. Fallen comrades. Even walking through is hazardous, requiring careful steps and a sharp eye to avoid dangerous obstacles. And that’s just the backyard. Mother Nature fired her first shots months ago, with early De cember’s preview of the winter to come. Ice storms are generally more a March phenonemon around here than a post-Thanks giving happening. It was our first introduction to the good, old fashioned winter to follow. And what a mess it’s made. Fallen trees and limbs. Raw, V 'bedroom'set' ' i t In Oak Or Cherry i Iricludes Bed Set, Nightstand Highboy | Lowboy Dresser and Mirror ] I lj§l If Reg. Ret. $3OOO 00 1 Our Price $1729 9s! jjT $ 1089 95 . J L ci t/ ' 6PC. 'bedroom set' ' | Black and Brass w/2 Nightstands i E » Reg Ret 1 E AJdnUSX $1229 95 | | [ Our Price > [ $449.95 I L CLOSEOUT *369°*/ 3 WAY LAMP 31 High [ Reg Ret. $119.95 J Our Price $59.95 ■ CLOSEOUT I $ 29 95 I \ > ' CM , * A / " 7 pcVdlniing' room ' Double Pedestal Table 6 Side Chairs ] $ 599 95 J ,/ 'yolYm/mates bed set '» Bed Box w/Drawers ■ Bookcase Headboard and 2 Nightstands \ !S39j Reg. Ret. 1 $329.95 | « Our Price i $269.95 ! [' SWIVEL ROCKER RECLINER Advertised on TV r for $599 95 t | Reg Ret $979.95 - Our Price $549 95 DEALER REFUSAL i' futon’ bUnkbed ITwm/Double ay with 8 Futon Mattress pffV* ■ R Reg Ret. $869 95 V- y, Our Price A- I $329 95 jCLOSEOUT*249^ '' COMPUTER DESK' Your Choice Maple & Oak/Black j Available in Maple without Hutches i ■■■■ _ Closeout $18995 I r Reg Ret $899 95 I ■ Our Price $499 95 CLOSLOUT $ 229.95 ) „ Under Wholesale, _ jagged-edged pieces of wood, scattered about the ground like so many pick-up sticks strewn about in a game. Multiple ice storms wounded our trees, crash ing bits and pieces of limbs, branches, and twigs of varied sizes all about the yard. Residue from the mortally slain old pussywillow still lingers, despite an early assault on it with chainsaw and clean-up crew to break down its fallen carcass into more manageable and usable pieces. Before the chunks could be moved, though, snow piled in over them in layers, which in turn were thoroughly soaked with rain, aT of which then froze into giant, funky-shaped, ice chunks. STUDENT LOFT BED k - ■ j'-J Reg. Ret $1699 95 | T. jiiS I Our Price $689 95 j SPECIAL I JK^ u s99 95 i s _ * *' OAK END TABLE SET V jv -w Reg Ret $249 95 | IN— Price $139 95 1 i’lN. CLOSEOUT ! $79 04 ; k o' ' TWIN/TWIN BUNK BED ' Black & White Reg Ret $599 95 Our Price $159.95 SPECIAL I*l49 95 »'BUNK BED ipn ' v-~>. 1 Honey Pine w 1 I Reg. Ref. $569.95 1 [Our Price $279.95Uitj - ! closeout nps4 :, *' : ! 1 l. $ 159 95 Tl r/ ' SECTIONAL SPECIAL’ ' i Tahoe Evergreen Only i $649.88 SS9BGT SAQQO3i' Refusal "W 99 t Final Closeout BEDROOM ' 5 PC, MEDIUM OAK Reg Ret $lBOO 00 ,1 Our Price $909 95 399 04 ROCKER RECLINER .... 2 Styles Reg. Ret. \( \ - $799.95 s OurPnc. $39995 (t , - CLOSEOUT y ir; »259 9 : '• - '>-1 '.p&z 3KHTSOI (/ vinyl" SWIVEL" '' RECLINER w/OTTOMAN ■ __ Black & Taupe [ ti'- Reg Ret $659 95 ■ Our Price $339 95 N«iiiSr' CLOSEOUT ■ 5209959 95 / 'SLIDING"TWO door'CURION -r —~ 48W x 16D x 80H \ 1 Two Sliding Front Doors w/Beveled Glass » 1 Cherry Finish Mirrored Back Lighted Interior J ; Reg Ret $lBB9 95 ■ Our Price $1049 95 | s429 04 UN D E R_W HOI Ej ALE FLTOri'cLoSEOIJf ' " * N Ret $639 95j « CLOSEOUT $ 139 95 /' / ' * SOFA 'DUALRECLINER' ' N | LOVESEAT DUAL RECEIVER 1 i Reg. Ret. Blue & Burgundy | ; $2300.00 ; i Our Price ■ | .waews- a AA-t. ! ! FACTORY SPECIAL • 1 - s= * ‘ ; L $899.04 ovu ncmpianu nuau, i-anuaMer f Stores in: LANCASTER • YORK •CARLISLE* LEBANON STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9-9 • Sat, 9-6; Sunday 12 to 5 PM • No Refunds W • All Sales Final For purchases with a check bring FINANCING 3E • Cash S Carry drivers license and phone numbers AVAILABLE , Not responsible for typographical errors We reserve the right to sub mute gift items Which was actually the case for most of the fallout around the yard. All of which became laden with more snow, more rain, more ice, and finally, the Big Snow. That swirled around into impres sive dunes in the backyard, re quiring pass-throughs with the big tractor and its heavy blade just to clear a space through which to walk to scatter birdseed for our hungry regulars. In the process, the blade gouged out chunks of ground and the wheel carved deep tracks in the glacial pack. Somewhat un even to start with, the lawn now mostly resembles the pothole strewn interstate betweed the state line. Cascades of snowmelt runoff, detoured from their usual engineered flow around the yard by frozen flotsam and jetsam, took a meandering path instead through the lawn, adding ice slicks to the rough and tumble ef fect. You don’t want to go there. Es pecially in the dark, when you chance tripping on a frozen-fast branch and falling on your face onto a sharply-jagged stick pro truding out of the glacial residue. While most of the region was buried beneath the wintry snow pack, the mess could be ignored as an out-of-sight, out-of-mind In Black Comes w/8 Mattress SOFA air LOVESEAT , H-r 4( A " Velvet ! Wood Trim | Reg. Ret. | CLOSEOUT *1,889 95 j $ 569 95 M 69.95 6 issue. Goodness knows, just keep ing up with the outside chores most of the last three months has kept us plenty occupied. And, the stuff was all frozen fast to the ground, anyway. So when the lawn-care publi cation turned up on the kitchen table a few days ago, I just looked at it and sighed. The picture of plush, perfect green grass on the cover is a shocking contrast to the reality of our backyard. To use a popular, politically-conrect description, the yard is a “chal lenge.” Still, as I scattered a bucketful of dirt and debris under the old pine tree, sweepings from around our diminishing woodpile, a tiny finger of hope and optimism waved at me. It was the slender shoot of a small bulb, yellow green and healthy, poking up through the rough, ragged resi due. That and the flock of robins cavorting in the grass on a sunny road bank earlier this week have finally convinced me that spring is truly on the way. The snow shovel can just stay parked by the back door a bit longer. But I might prop a lawn rake there beside it. Maybe I can scuff loose some worms from under the leaves for those hungry robins. Juice Abuse Fruit juice tastes good, children love it, and parents are happy be cause their children are drinking something healthy. So, what is the problem? Children may be drinking too much of a good thing. The American Academy of Pediatrics says adults need to cut back on the amount of fruit juice infants, toddlers, and young children are consuming. Adults must also distinguish between 100 percent fruit juice and juice drinks that can contain as little as 10 percent fruit juice. Even though many fruit juices contain potassium, as well as Vi tamins A and C that are beneficial, the Academy believes that drink ing excessive amounts of fruit juice is associated with diarrhea, stom ach problems, malnutrition, and tooth decay. Before six months of age, infants should not drink juice. When a child is between one and six years of age. the amount of fruit juice consumed should be limited daily to four to six ounces. Once a child is over seven, juice intakes should be limited to eight to 12 ounces a day. This is because many fruit juices contain carbohy drates in the form of sugars. Juice contains no fiber unless pulp is in cluded and contains only a small amount of protein and minerals. It is healthier for children to eat whole fruits as part of the recommend ed daily fruit intake. As an alternative to juice, don’t forget water. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 15, 2003-B3 Brochure For Slow Cooker Meals Available It’s convenient and easy, and a favorite change among time stressed cooks. It’s also a tasty way to prepare less tender beef cuts. What is “it”? A slow cook er! The slow cooker is more popu lar than ever. An enticing bro chure. Slow Cooker Beef Meals, showcases six delicious beef reci pes. Soup, stew, chili, pot roast, beef wraps, and a sandwich star in the yummy line-up. In addi tion, helpful hints ensure success, even for the novice. Each recipe is simple to assem ble, and results are guaranteed to please the palate. Plus, you’ll be greeted by irresistible aromas as you walk in the door. But the best part is dinner is ready and waiting. For a free copy, send a self-ad dressed, stamped number 10 business-size envelope to New York Beef Industry Council, P.O. Box 250, Westmoreland, N.Y. 13490. One brochure per enve lope.