Hand wash or dishwasher
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- Published: Friday, 08 March 2024 15:22
Good morning. Or is it good afternoon? I have been looking back at some of the previous On the Road articles that I have written for you. Would you believe that just about a year ago, I told you that I felt guilty for maybe wasting water as I washed dishes. At that time even the Farmers Associations were stressing that farmers should plant more crops that used less water. Sure enough, when we did our early February Farm Tour, you could see that there were more and more crops being planted that used less water.
Just recently, the local sugar cane mill has announced that they must close. There is no longer enough sugar cane being produced to pay for the expense of operating the mill. Growing sugar cane from planting to production reportedly takes more water than any other crop that is grown in the Rio Grande Valley. I am anxious to go on the next Farm Tour and see how the crops are doing.
All of us – from the housewife who washes dishes and does the family laundry, to the teenager who loves to take those long, exhilarating hot showers, and the farmer who doesn’t watch the border breaks when he irrigates – we all need to become more conscious of our over usage and waste of that precious commodity. And our climate changes, which affect us as well as those in Mexico, is not helping.
As I thought about what more I could do to conserve water, I was reminded of a housekeeper from Mexico that once worked for me. She handwashed dishes differently than I did – and I think it probably did save water. Her method was to take a soap filled wet sponge and scrub each cup, saucer, and plate with the sponge before placing those soapy dishes in the sink and proceeding to rinse them with hot running water. That method probably used less water than rinsing each individual item one by one… especially if you leave the water running as you scrub each utensil. I also wonder if any studies have ever been made over which method uses more water – using an electric dishwasher or hand washing the same number of dishes and utensils.
Some of you guys out there that have an analytical mind figure that one out, will you? And let me know. My dishwasher has been broken for months and replacement parts have not been available. Shall I just continue to wash dishes by hand? After all, that is how I grew up. We didn’t have electricity, much less an electric dishwasher.
Another fantastic park and country jam is held on Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. during the winter season at Pharr South, located at 1402 South Cage Boulevard in Pharr. I attended a February jam and was warmly received by the office manager Lefa Pendleton and the activity director/chair of the jam, Ted Yoder. The master of ceremonies was Jane Heinen who announced each musician prior to their performance. Jane was assisted by Judy O’Hair and Margie Katzmann. This was the largest jam that I attended so far this season with over 200 people in the audience.
Bonham’s Bears is an all-volunteer group with members from other parks but based at Green Bay South. We make teddy bears and donate them to first responders and children support organizations. On February 15, we gave away 375 teddy bears to eight organizations. Mama Bear is Rachel Carter. We asked the organizations about their work and how our teddy bears helped. Here are their comments.
A pool tournament was held February 12 at Pleasant Valley Ranch. Left to right are Matthew Moe and Roy Thompson, third place; Yvon Carpentier and Claude Lemay, first place; and Robert Seals and Paul Terbening, second place. Another tournament will be held at Pleasant Valley Resort March 11 at 9 a.m. It will be an 8 ball in hand tournament with a 32-player maximum, double elimination. $25 fee for each player. If 32 players are reached, the purse will be $700 divided to the six first players with $300 to the winner. If you want to participate, please call Claude Lemay at (613) 699-4185.
by Ruth Filz
Dale and Gayle have been entertaining in the RGV for 15 years. Winter Texans know them for playing music for 13 years at the different locations of Ace’s BBQ. They’re known for playing classic country music, whether for a show, a dance, or a happy hour. They also know them for Gayle’s alter-ego, Mrs. Crabapple, who always interrupts their shows and complains to park managers about all kinds of park matters.
The Museum of South Texas History hosts “Farm Life in South Texas” in partnership with Hub of Prosperity Farm and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Advancement from March 12 to March 14.
The Pharr Community Theater Company (PCT) continues to showcase local talent, in various forms of art. Next on stage will be 18-year-old Gilberto Castro Jr. with his electric guitar, singing original songs and covers in the blues and rock genre.
By Barb Zanetti
