It makes me a little nervous to think of Queen Elizabeth coming to Winnipeg on Saturday. In the first place, she hasn't called. She never writes. And I am not sure she wants to see me. She hasn't suggested we meet for tea in Pembina, N.D.
That may be all right, though. She has all those matching hats for her outfits. I do not have any hats to match my summer wardrobe from J.C. Penney. And I am still in recovery mode from my breast cancer surgery a week ago. I am sort of a mess. If I did meet up with the Queen, I would keep my hands to myself. I know from watching the news that you aren't supposed to touch her and faun all over her.
The Queen and I were both born in 1926. So was Marilyn Monroe! It was a vintage year when wine was flowing, but I am not sure if the Queen likes dandelion wine. The column I wrote about wine last week brought responses from some readers. Linda Iverson of Hallock, Minn., was born and raised in western Pennsylvania. She remembers going out to the grassy areas to pick the greens of dandelions. Then, her mother would wash the greens and add a warm salad dressing.
Readers interested in the recipe may just send me an email at the address at the bottom of this column. Linda remembers her mother fixing a picnic ham and boiled potatoes as the main course along with dandelion salad.
Strike up the band
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The weekend is at hand with the City Band tuning up for a Fourth of July concert in Town Square Sunday before the Kidee Parade. ... And there's a Fourth of July Firecracker 10K Run and 5K Run and Walk. ... Sounds of Friday night racing will be heard all over the Forks this evening from River Cities Speedway. ... And there will be pioneer games at the visitor center and pioneer songs later on in the amphitheater Saturday at Turtle River State Park. ... At dusk on the Fourth, there will be fireworks over the Red downtown.in Grand Forks. ... And the Pierce County Fair is on at Rugby, N.D., with the Pembina County Fair through Sunday at Hamilton, N.D. ... The display on the Chippewa Indians continues at the Myra Museum on Belmont Road.
Ask Marilyn
Q. What are your thoughts while picking dandelions?
A. I was just thinking they probably are eating hot dogs over at Aneta, N.D., this weekend. They roasted 3,000 turkeys down there last week, and that is a town of only 300 including the nursing home. ... Anybody who enjoys a fair will find them all over this weekend. ... People don't take time to go visiting as in the old days. ... Some people say bacon and sausage are just fat posing as meat. ... Teenage girls are wearing shorts as short as shorts can get this summer. ... But boys tend to like long, loose shorts that hang to their knees.
Q. What vanity license plates are people seeing?
A. TO LOVE is the plate on a cute, little yellow car running around Grand Forks. And I saw 1GR8ST (One Great State) on a North Dakota license plate. A recent visitor to Grand Forks said she spotted her favorite plate on a freeway in Los Angeles. She saw WAS HIS on a red Jaguar.
Paul and Steve
Cheerful person of the week: Paul Waind. Runner-up: Steve Crandall.
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Reach Hagerty at mhaqerty@gra.midco.net or at (701) 772-1055.
