IS SKUNK CABBAGE REDUNDANT

The only time I've seen skunk cabbage is when I've been on horseback. I can say, it deserves its name.

But I love cabbage. Maybe not skunk and maybe not the smell of cabbage being cooked, but after its cooked, I'm ready to dive in.

Throw in some corned beef and I'm 100% Irish. Substitute Irish stew and I'm still a happy Mick.

It's hard to explain the craving for cabbage. It's hard to explain the taste. I'm afraid if I tried, it would dissuade anyone from trying it. So I'll just say it's healthy. It's organic. It's an antioxident. It's hard to get.

Ok, the last one is false. Ok, maybe all are false. Just try it. If you can tolerate it, I just might get you to try some Kimchi.

DRAFT TIME



It's that time of year. Fantasy Football Draft time. Though we happen to call ours Roto for Rotisserie, the original started back in 1984 or so in a New York restaurant.



Our leagues in baseball, football, and at times pro and college basketball date back to 1988 and we've fielded teams every year.



We have no Vultures, but we have Burrowing Owls--my team; Maddogs, Wild Hogs, and even Horned Puffins.



Then there are Benchpressers, Hitters, Carpetbaggers, and Rampages.



Finally we have Peach Creamers and Pietschskins (brothers with puns on their name) and the Buffet Boys. For the gambler in our league, look to the Double Down.



The Peach Creamers won the title last year. The Owls had the best regular season record, but were one and done in the playoffs.



It is so much fun. Every game means something because you may have a player from the Saints, Eagles, and Cowboys, as I do, and even if they're playing my favored Rams, I root for the individual player. But if it comes down to winning or losing and Marion Barber is 2 yards from paydirt against St. Louis, well that's when one's loyalties gets tested.



Generally, I'd root for the Rams D to stop him and hope to gain points from one pf my other players. But when he busted through that porous defense of the Rams and scored, I'd not feel quite as bad as if Romo kept the ball and scored himself. (Since he's not on the Burrowing Owls.)



If you're not sure about Fantasy Football and the fun it brings, just click on CBSsports.com and follow the directions. You can play 2 weeks for free.



Then you're hooked. As Spanky and Our Gang sang back in the 60's then your "Sunday Will Never Be the Same."

THE FLOWER POT SCARECROW

Little is known about him. The guardian of plants. He is simply as the title states The Flower Pot Scarecrow.

In the rare photograph, captured with a hidden paparazzi Kodak 898 with ultra sensitive photo lens by famed photographer Eric Goldman, the Flower Pot Scarecrow takes a break from his appointed job.

It takes a lot of effort to ensure plants of all kinds have enough water and rich soil to survive the elements. Far too often, the gardeners forget their gardens.

While they may well be attracted to fully bloomed out plants in plant shops or Home Depot, once the newness has worn off and reality has set in, the plants suffer, wilt, and die.

But on his rounds, the Flower Pot 'Crow comes to the rescue. Loam is his specialty. Hydration is secondary but essential.

Some say he doesn't exist. And that's ok. Those are the ones whose plants don't last. The believers see theirs flourish without any assistance by them. They are utterly dependent upon the Scarecrow. He watches and waits. Sometimes he even takes a break. But not often.

SWEET AND SOUR LOU

Cub manager Pinella says the Cub version of losing 2009 style is all his fault. Fine. I say fire him then.

I'm really getting tired of managers and coaches taking the blame and by implication asking for forgiveness. St. Louis Ram coach Spags did it last week after an exhibition loss. Then fire him, too.

Maybe Charlie Finley had it right way back in '72 when his second baseman Mike Andrews made an error to cost his team a win. Charlie, the A's owner, fired him on the spot. Howls, protests, union grievances caused a post season rule change that prohibited owners from firing players because of poor play.

But that doesn't apply to managers and coaches. If it's their fault, truly their fault, then fire them on the spot. Or make them stop scapegoating. Just one firing a la Andrews and the ones who direct the players will be a whole lot less likely to take the blame.

NOT SAYING THAT IT'S BEEN WET





But. The Midwest keeps getting hammered with lousy weather.



When we were back in July for a brief trip and again in August, we mostly dodged the rain. Unlike other times when rain reared its wetness nearly every day.



But still. The heavy dew stayed on the long grass until mid-afternoon. I think if given a choice of rain or dew, the grass would opt for the latter. One mow per week would not cut it. Literally. Five days at the most before the lawn would be officially shaggy. An old friend of mine told me his rain gauge had measured 36 inches of rain from March to the first of August. My first thought was, "Man, Jerry, you have a big gauge." My second thought was "That's about 10 years of rain total for us."



In MTV, the City of Pole Barns, officials will tag people's yards with warnings if their grass exceeded the specified minimal height. The city is awfully good about things like that while turning its back on the really important things.



But no longer a denizen, I have no mowing worries. We almost never get rain. I doubt our fair city even has any tags for unkempy yards.

YES, IT'S BEEN AWHILE

You see, I missed my stop. So I've been riding ever since.

I'm perfectly comfortable, so I haven't moved. I've felt no needs.

But you're the first to talk to me. To ask me how I'm doing.

Thanks for that. But why the puzzled look?

Haven't you ever missed the station of your destination? Sure you have. So what's you do? Well, for me I just stayed on. I'm stubborn like that.

What started it all, you see, was bathtub ring. I got so tired of cleaning the tub with tile cleaner or 409. The smell was worse than the ring.

Then it got to be Summer. I put on short sleeve shirts that weren't short anymore. They covered my elbows and went half way down to my forearms. I was ticked.

Then I put on a new pair of shorts. They aren't short at all. They go passed my knees and nearly to mid-calf. I've had enough. If shorts aren't short and neither are short sleeves, then what am I to do?

No more shorts: no more rings. I just grew. And turned green.

A KISS THAT ONLY MEANT GOODBYE

I think it's chiffon. But it could be satin. Whatever the material is, silver and gold with a tinge of beige, it's like a big cloud.

That is, I can see lots of images in it. The Joker stands out. I also see a cartoon rabbit in the upper left corner. A side view of a head reflected also in a mirror. A woman's smiling mouth showing lipstick and white teeth. And a reclining merman.

So what does it all mean? Different people look at situations differently. How just this week, I shook my head and wondered where logic, where common sense, where morality has gone.

When Scotland released the Pam-Am bomber because he has terminal cancer. When he's welcomed home by Libyans waving flags. I guess killing 270 innocents is a thing to celebrate.

The celebration of Michael Jackson's life continues. For a man with obvious talent but also with obvious problems. Serious problems. We seem to be country who doesn't mind unborns being aborted or, at least in Jackson's case abused as children. Never mind the outright creepiness of what he did to his own body.

Finally, it hit me hard this past Sunday as I was on my way to church. People were out walking, playing tennis and golf, continuing their recreation as if Sunday were no different than any other day. I parked on the street in front of a Karate studio where teacher and students were loudly playing music and chopping the air. I hope they could hear our church bell and our organ over the din.

See what a little chiffon will do to a guy?

NOT THERE: don't start there

So just where should one start if he wanted to read God's Word? If he wanted to become closer to the Lord?

Not Genesis, though it is such an important book. Vital to much of the faith one will or will not have. And I wouldn't suggest delaying the reading of Genesis very long in the study. It's simply not perhaps the best place to start for a seeker.

And, no, certainly I'm not suggesting God shouldn't have started there. I've already made far too many mistakes thinking I was in control; that is, that I knew better than God was was right for my life. But that's for another entry or a hundred.

I've heard some religious leaders suggest beginning a person eager to become more spiritual with the first book of the new Testament, John. What a great book--a great choice.

But following the advice of a Youth Director I know, I'd say the book of Jude in the New Testament. It can be read in 5-7 minutes. Then I'd proffer 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. For a taste of the Old Testament, I'd say Ezra.

Then I'd suggest John followed by Genesis. By the time one gets to lengthy Genesis, he has read almost 1/11th of the Holy Bible, at least book-wise. With success comes more determination and more enjoyment. As well as understanding.

All kinds of books are available to read the Bible through in one year. But what's the rush? We should all be reading it daily anyhow, so savor rather than miss anything God has to say to us. For example, one doesn't have to go far to ponder. Take The Lord's Prayer--"Our Father..." Not My Father or Father, but Our Father. He's for us all.

Words are important in the Holy Bible. John tells us Jesus is the Word made flesh. That's reason enough to read the Bible and learn from it.

TAKE HIM AWAY!

I don't know what this Ronald did, but I am a supporter of law enforcement, so I side with them. Even in this instance.

As popular as Ronald McDonald is, you know I've never heard of one child being scared of him. I find that amazing.

I mean if my premise is correct, then McDonald's has created the perfect clown. No offense to Emmit Kelly.

Other clowns have brought tears to many children. I've seen children bawl at the sight or nearness of other clowns. I've seen kids recoil at Fredbird, the Cardinals' mascot. I've seen them turn from Elmo and Cookie at Sesame Street on Ice shows. (I know--they're not clowns, but they're well known characters to children.) Same with birthday party clowns, Shriner parade clowns; clowns of other kinds.

But no one doesn't like Ronald McD.