Country Woman June/July 2021

I think I could eat ice cream every day in the summer. That’s probably not a sound nutritional plan, but it’s a favorite way to beat the heat of the season. Those of you who agree will find ideas for ice cream desserts (or dinner, if you think the same way I do on this subject) on page 36. But if you prefer to manage a heat wave with fewer dairy products, this issue has a double-dip of other ideas for you. On hot weather days, try to keep your kitchen cool by putting your slow cooker to work—it’s not just for cozy winter meals. Recipes begin on page 42. Or take your dinner outdoors. On page 16, you’ll meet the Ostertag family and tour the gorgeous outdoor entertaining pavilion they built on…

Tell us about yourself. Hey y’all! I live on a small farm in Florida where we raise Aberdeen lowline cattle. I have a daughter and a son (and I gained a daughter-in-law recently). My husband and I have been building our new “old” farmhouse for five and a half years now—we should finish this year. What are your hobbies? I love being outdoors—hiking, walking, enjoying nature. You can also find me in my garden pretty much any day of the week. I love grinding my own flour and giving my family all the health benefits while baking and cooking from scratch. What lessons have you learned from building your own house? Patience. That is one thing I realized I didn’t have prior to this project. Taking our time really allowed me to not be in…

Garden Tour With the growing season in full swing, we want to see what you’re working on—especially on the small scale. Send us photos of any solutions you have for growing in tiny spaces, as well as a list of the plants that thrive there. Make Us Laugh In every issue, readers share their funniest stories in the Lots of Laughs column. We’ve giggled over embarrassing moments, assumptions gone awry and farm mishaps. Do you have a funny tale to tell? Send it to us, and your story could appear in an upcoming issue! Are We There Yet? With many families sticking to car travel this summer, we’re looking for your best tips for keeping the kiddos occupied when you hit the road. If you have a good game or a specific strategy, tell us!…

Buttons Get Their Due I was delighted to see Country Woman’s cover photo featuring button crafts on the February/March issue. When I opened to the article and saw the selection of five button crafts, I was over the moon! I hope your fun article will entice your readers to learn more about collecting buttons by joining the National Button Society (NBS). A main mission of NBS is to preserve the beauty and history of vintage buttons. Consequently, we encourage button crafters to use noncollectible or craft buttons in their creations or to use a “no-harm” method to attach vintage buttons to their projects. Thank you again for featuring button crafts! SYLVIA LISZKA DURELL NATIONAL BUTTON SOCIETY EDITOR’S NOTE: So many of you made your own versions of the button crafts in the February/March issue,…

It really all started with a kitten. Linda Kastiel Kozlowski, the founder of Comfort for Critters, was in her local animal shelter adopting the meowing ball of fuzz when she noticed the rest of the homeless pets in their enclosures. She was helping one, but what could she do for the other 50 she couldn’t take with her? Inspiration came when the shelter worker told her they sometimes lined the cages with old towels to make the animals more comfortable. “I’m a Christian,” Linda says, “and I felt a tap on my shoulder to do something about all these pets. I had been crocheting my whole life, so I said, ‘How about I crochet blankets and you can use that instead of old towels?’ I was really answering a calling I…

Watermelon Feta Flag Salad Our family celebrates July 4th with a watermelon salad that resembles the flag. It’s an all-American centerpiece that’s truly red, white and blue. JAN WHITWORTH ROEBUCK, SC TAKES: 25 MIN.• MAKES: 12 SERVINGS 1/4 cup red wine vinegar1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest1 tsp. sugar1/4 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. pepper1/3 cup olive oil1/4 cup finely chopped red onion SALAD 6 cups fresh arugula (about 5 oz.)1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 5 cups cubed seedless watermelon1 pkg. (8 oz.) feta cheese, cut into 1/2 -in. cubes 1. For vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk the first 6 ingredients; gradually whisk in oil until blended. Stir in onion. 2. In a large bowl, lightly toss arugula with 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Arrange evenly on a large rectangular serving dish. 3. Place blueberries over arugula at top…