AUNT DAISY'S MAIL-BAG

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 23, 18 November 1938, Page 20

AUNT DAISY'S MAIL-BAG

RANDOM dip into Aunt Daisy’s mail-bag for this week brought to light the following letters :-- Dear Aunt. Daisy,-Could you please tell me an inexpensive way to spend a honeymoon? I want to have one; but do not wish to have an expensive one, as I would far rather use the extra money for little extravagances during the first year of married life; and for trifles in the home, which otherwise one would not bother about. I think this will give me far more happiness than spending a lot of money on an expensive honeymoon, and then not having very much, except just weekly wages, to carry on with, If you could’ teli me the very least we could spend on a honeymoon (I don’t mean skimping) I would be very much obliged. — It was good to hear that you arrived back safe and sound; and of the marvellous time you had. I would love to travel too, and one day I mean to, I trust you will find time to answer my little problem soon.Yours sincerely, "BLUE EYES" (Auckland). Well, you certainly-have the right idea, "Blue Tyes.’’ ¥ou will get plenty of fun and happiness out of a kind of "picnic honeymoon’; and it won’t seém nearly such a contrast to come back to ordinary everyday work afterwards, if you still have a small nest-egg to provide for those little "extras"? which have a knack of suggesting themselves when we first start a home of our own. Perhaps some kind friend would lend you a smal! car-one of those which are ecanomical to run; and then you could go off into the country and stay at motor camps, taking with you plenty of tinned food, and cheese and such things, and buying bread and butter on your way. One good meal a day at a hotel or accommodation house wouldn’t cost very much, and the rest is a picnic. : At some camps there are little shacks for hire; and there are always rivers and beaches for bathing in. The Chateau in National Park has very reasonable camping accommodation, with beds and hot water and stoves for drying your clothes which may get wet while climbing or roaming in the bush. At Mount Egmont, too, there are good houses for camping in. Even without a car, you could go to these places by the ordinary service bus. Waitomo-is another fine place for a holiday, with plenty of pretty bush walks, and cheap accommodation houses, as well as the lovely hotel. Roiorua, too, can be managed quite cheaply, and it has good motorcamps. What about bicycling, if you can’t get hold of a car? While at Home, I was very much interested to see the hundreds of cyclists contentedly careering along the country roads on Baturdays and Sundays and any holiays. : t was generally on a bus, myself, and these intrepid cyclists would calmly thread their way in and out among the thousands of cars and charabancs and buses, chattering cheerfully among themselves, and very often with a side-~ car attached to these ‘‘pushbikes." Bvery mile or. so there would be tea-gardens, or stalls with ice-cream and light refreshments, for sale; and the many strips of ‘‘common" and other grassy spots, and the forests, would be full of happy picnickers. Another suggestion is to go to the Government Tourist Agency in Queen Street, and ask them to map out a little tour in the North or South Island, costing just what you wish to spend. I have done this myself, and found them simply splendid. They know all kinds of out-of-the-way places, and can arrange serviccear bookings and accommodation for you, so that all you do is to hand your tickets to the drivers and hotelkeepers, and you find everything has been reserved for you-no trouble at all.. Do write again, "Blue Byes," and tell me what you decide upon. A Yellowed Shawl Dear Aunt Daisy,-Well, it is indeed good to be able to write to you again, for your most valuable advice, which I know you don’t mind giving, if it is in your power to do so. Could you please help me with what to me seems a very ‘hard problem? You see, I have a ‘beautiful . baby’s: shail, but: it ig

now going a yellow or cream colour, and seeing that otherwise it is quite in order, I was wondering if you could advise me how it could. be whitened, It is not knitted, but one of those crepe woollen ones. My husband also has a white woollen cardigan; would the same methods whiten that? I hope sincerely that it will not be asking too much of you."ONE OF THE LINKS TO THE DAISY CHAIN" (Lower Hutt). I asked over the air for an answer to your problem, and, ‘as usual, the "Daisy Chain’’ ran true to form. Whenever I appeal for help in this way, there are always two or three answers forthcoming at once. It is wonderful to know that I can rely on such a fine body of women as we have in the "Daisy Chain,’ which has branches even in Australia and England. From ‘Iuum Jum" = at Breaker Bay, comes the following suggestion:Weigh the shawl, and for each Pound. of wool, allow 2 pounds of powdered chalk. Mix with cold water to a paste, and knead the shawl in it well. Rinse in cold water, and dry. This bleaches wool thoroughly, and does not harm it. Then from Taumarunui comes another idea. This is what "D.C." wrote to me:-‘Dear Aunt Daisy,-I heard you ask for a recipe to whiten a shawl. Well, if the garment hasn’t been washed, the best thing to do is to wrap it up in a cloth sprinkled well with powdered magnesia, leave until you want to use it. Then just unwrap and shake well, and when you have finished with it, wrap it up again with more magnesia."’ I do hope you will find one of these successful,

Preserving Asparagus Dear Aunt Daisy,-Just a note with a small request, but first of all, it is quite like old times to hear your cheery voice once again. Needless to say, you must have had a good time, and I am looking forward to hearing your talks of all your wonderful experiences. I wonder if you. could give me a recipe for preserving asparagus for winter use? Kindest regards.- — Mrs. C.G.S. (Kakanui.) Thank you very much for your . nice fittle letter. Here is a recipe for preserving asparagus, which won a. prize in a big canning competition held at the Chicago Exhibition a little while ago. Wash some choice stalks of asparagus in-cold water, thoroughly. (Dirt carries bacteria.) It is a good plan to wash them in..a wide sieve or colander, so that the tender tips are not damaged by the force of the water running over them, Then pack them firmly in your jars,- with the tips upwards. Add one teaspoon of salt, and fill the jars with boiling water, Put the lids lightly on, ‘but do not screw down, Pack the jars in the _ boiler (or, .. kerosene: . tin cut... lengthwise), being: careful that they do not touch one: Bnother,* or ' the sides or Jbottom

of the boiler. Some people place paper or cloth between the jars, to keep them apart; and a wooden or wire rack on the bottom of the boiler -or even thin slats of woud--nuything to keep them just. raised from the bottom. Have sufficient water in the boiler to come three parts up the jars. Cover the boiler, so that the steam is kept in. Bring to the boil, and keep at boiling point for three hours. Then take out one jar at a time, overflow with boiling water, adjust the NEW rubber ring and screw down tightly at once. The oven method is much easier than the boiler, really, for you can do a few jars at a time, just whenever you may have finished cooking and the oven is still warm, but not hot. See that the jars do not touch each other, or the sides of the oven; and arrange them on the baking sheet, which should be placed on the second vaeck from the bottom of the oven. The time will be the same, three heurs, counting from the time boiling point is reached. Then overfiow with boiling water, and screw down in the usual way. Nori-acid vegetables are supposed to be hard to preserve; but that is only because people do not keep them at boiling point for the necessary three hours. Very little gas, or power, or fuck is necessary to maintain the temperature, when once it has reached the 212 degrees. Verdigris Again Dear Aunt Daisy,-Can you please tell me how to take longstanding verdigris off a porcelain gue, es

bath, and also off a caliphont, £f should be most. grateful if you could do so-‘BETTY OF WEL. LINGTON." Yes, I can understand how anxious you must be for both the bath and the caliphont, I suppose you have moved into another house ‘or flat, where they have been rather neglected, Try making a paste of whiting and lemon juice; rub this all over the caliphont, and leave to dry for a while. Afterwards wash off with hot soapy water to which you have added a few drops of ammonia. This is absolutely splendid treatment for verdigris on both, but I would advise you te leave it longer on the bath-even for 24 hours-at any rate until you need to’ use the bath again. I feel fairly certain that you will find it successful, and I hope that you will soon be able to write and iet me know the result,

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