I recently read that volunteers removed 26,000 tons of trash from Minnesota highways at a savings of $6 million annually. Thank you, thank you.

Not only does it make our roadsides green and is great to see, but it saves us a lot of money! The sad part is these efforts shouldn't have to be. I always wonder why people are so busy cleaning out their vehicles and think the public should have to take care of their own trash. 

Someone had just cleaned the roadside, the trash bags had been picked up and everything was clean and green. But then, there on the corner, where someone had stopped for a stop sign, was a mess of paper containers, cans and other trash. It stuck out like a sore thumb. I could have cried, especially for those who had just volunteered their time and labor.

Everybody has access to a bag from purchases or a garbage sack where trash can be kept until they get to a proper disposal place. In my day and age, we were taught that you do not throw anything out the window.

As a teenager, my mom wrote an article for the paper concerning clean environments. At the time, she was surprised to receive a very nice letter from the Department of Transportation, thanking her for her comments. 

Mom always pushed the rule: If one was old enough to drink anything from a can, bottle or paper cup, they were old enough to know the proper place to deposit the empty container.

I always wonder about trash throwers. Do they live in spotless homes so they are inclined to throw the trash or do they live with trash so it doesn't bother them to throw it out in the environment? Yes, it is one of my pet peeves. What irks you about bad habits?

Another is food fights. To me, a pie in the face is disgusting!

Throwing edibles at each other or wolfing down food for fun to see how much one can eat is not far behind in my mind. Food should be just that, food to nourish the body, not to be exploited in any way. 

Okay, call me a prude, but that is how I feel. There are plenty of fun things to do without misusing food.

A "long" time ago, the affluent were inclined to recline when they were eating because they were able to eat more. Of course at that time, "large and heavy" was supposedly a sign of wealth. 

My, how times have changed. Now they wisely tell us to eat slowly because it gives your stomach time to tell you enough is enough.

If one went by the recommended individual suggested portion, we would be apt to find most of us over eat, except kids. If kids do, it is seldom and something they like and leave the other food alone.

Left to their own "food feeling," kids generally do well on their own. If good food is available, kids won't starve. By good food I mean, many raw fruits and vegetables, plus other good foods like natural peanut butter.

My cousin Jim just sent me his personal recipe for chicken soup. Yes, chicken soup.

Chicken soup is a favorite prescription for almost anything. Even doctors agree that there is more to it than mom's hearsay passed down through the generations.

If it works, why change it?

Pressure Cooker Chicken - Fresh

• 3 pounds chicken

• 10 ounces frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, cauliflower, broccoli)

• Small package frozen corn kernels

• 1 red or green sweet pepper, finely chopped

• 1 cup chopped green onions

• 3/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 3/4 teaspoon Cumin

• 3 bay leaves

• Cayenne pepper or coarse ground black pepper

• 1 quart chicken broth (you can use bouillon - there will be fat from the chicken)

• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 cups cooked rice

• 1 pound bow tie pasta

In the bottom of a pressure cooker, sauté onion in butter until it is translucent. Add half of celery.  Add garlic and "sweat" for only two minutes (any longer and it gets bitter). Add chicken broth and bay leaves.

Put chicken on top rack. If frozen, cook for 20 minutes. Then release steam and separate wings and thighs. If thawed, separate wings and thighs and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken, separate from bones and discard skin. Chop dark meat fine and leave white meat shredded. Remove rack from cooker, return chicken to pot, add remaining ingredients, and cook for ten minutes. The vegetables and the pasta will not be overcooked.

For a completely different taste, serve a can of diced cooked tomatoes separately with corn chips and Mexican blend cheese.

I hope that you will try it and enjoy!

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, June 27th: Eugene & Phyllis Hagen, Carlyle & Judy Hagen, Jamie & Kim (Weckwerth) Farr, Stormi Hagen, Mary Groth, Karrie (Newgard) Moen, Marge Trandem, Michelle Vangen, Milton Nelson and Sandi Serdahl.

• Friday, June 28th: Warren & Bonnie Nelson, Jenny (Broskoff) & Chris Dutton, Danielle (Wagner) & LuVerne Zacharis, Amanda (Reese) Beavens, Shane Reese, Margaret Dobberstein, Zack Kromminga, Sara Hoyt, Sara Jensen and Noah Peterson.

• Saturday, June 29th: Donald Hope, Nate VerHey, Courtney Haugen, Jacob Peterson, Brenda (Janka) Tschann, Jane (Jensen) Bratten, Berniece Whelan, Barb & Dale Mrotz, Brent & Valerie Christensen, Brent & Michelle Meiners, Wally & Marge Wobschall.

• Sunday, June 30th: Tammy & Jeff Busho, Susan (Schmidt) & Jon Anderson, Ann & Brent Wiersma, Nate & Kristine VerHey, Julie Vanden Heuvel, Robin Eder, Nathan Robertson, Donna Reichl, Steve Jensen, Barb Wright, Lorrie Kelly and Roger Shaunce.

• Monday, July 1st: Keralyn (Paulsen) Powers, Eugene Hagen, Mary Edwardson, Linda O'Neil, Joanna Ruth Vermedahl, Jill Hanson, Chris Ihrke, Jason Churchill, Marjorie Otterson, Deb Schimek, Rachel (Eaker) Lee, Gary Carlson, Tristan Bangert, Robert Christensen, Roger & Joyce Wayne, Heather (Krause) & Dion Quiram and Frank & Marilyn Cuden.

• Tuesday, July 2nd: John & Wendy Schultz, Delbert & Judy Karsjens, Leslie (Gatton) & David Hecker, David & Sidney Skroch, Christopher Matthew Wacek, Mary Ann Ewing, Stacy Shaunce, David Beck, Chad Ritz, Wilma Arbogast, Melissa Quaintance and Tony H. Seykora.

• Wednesday, July 3rd: Danika Marie Jensen, Lorry Pelzl, Amy Storlie, Amy Walterman, Cynthia Nelson, Sara & Chris Ihrke, Rachel & Michael Schmidt, Phillip & Karen Briggs.

With each passing year, grow stronger, grow wiser, and grow richer in spirit.  May the year be filled with new discoveries and God Bless America!