Little Red Bear Answers Reader Questions — “Cushaw What?”

April 9, 2016August 8, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

More reader questions for Little Red Bear! Here we go with another one . . . . . .

Reader Question from Doubting Thomas in Bristly Barbs, South Dakota – “Dear Little Red Bear — I enjoyed your adventures very much and realize they are listed under fiction, but tell the truth for once . . . you’re making all of this stuff up, aren’t you? A ‘Cushaw Pie’ mentioned in “The Storm” story?!? I have never heard of a cushaw anything and I have heard of a lot. So be honest. You and that writer guy Jim are just pulling our legs on that one, right?”

Answer— That is a very good question, Thomas! And we are happy that you took notice and the time to write us about it. As you pointed out, the stories are listed under the ‘Fiction’ category, but that’s only because when Little Red Bear was having all of his adventures, people video taping everything and taking selfies had not really come into fashion yet, so having no photographic record Amazon made us list them as fiction, even though every one really, truly did happen just as they are written. Word for word. More or less.

Now, to the Cushaw Pie concern. Yes, Thomas, there really is such a thing as a Cushaw Pie made from a Cushaw Squash. Maybe it would help for you to think of it as a Pumpkin with a different name. And shape. And color. With stripes. But the rest is very similar.

Cushaw Squash

Green and Orange Striped Cushaw Squash

A Cushaw Pie is made from a Cushaw Squash, an heirloom crookneck squash, and is a Southern Appalachian tradition. The cushaw is sometimes referred to as a “Tennessee Sweet Potato.” It does very well when grown, is resistant to pesky vine borers, and because it hails from the Caribbean tends to grow well in hot, dry climates. The inner flesh is light yellowish, with a mild, sweet flavor.

Cushaw Squash, Sliced To Show Interior

Cushaw Squash Interior

Cushaw Squash and Pumpkins

You have probably seen them used in autumn decorations, along with pumpkins, hay bales, scarecrows and such, but just didn’t know the name. And while so many folks use them for Autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations, few realize that they are not only edible but make up into a fantastic pie. Just like a pumpkin.

Cushaw Pie, via Jamie Grill/Tetra/Getty Images

Cushaw Pie Slice, via blindpigandtheacorn.com

Cushaw Pie, via University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

Here is a Cushaw Pie recipe to get you started the next time you see one, along with some links to some more cushaw recipes on our Pinterest Boards — Cushaw Pie Recipe, Kentucky Proud Cushaw Pie Recipe, Best Cushaw Pie Recipe, Cushaw Squash Soup Recipe, Cranberry Cushaw Bread.

Cushaw Pie Recipe, via Kentucky Proud

Hope that answers your question about the Cushaw Pie in “The Storm” story, Thomas. As you can see, it is a real thing. Happy reading and cooking, and thanks for writing in and being such an involved fan of Little Red Bear!

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Please keep those questions and letters coming. We’ll get to them as best we can here for you. Happy reading, and thanks as always for stopping by! And remember folks, cushaws can be pretty heavy, but it don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge. – Jim (and Red!)

Cushaw Squash with Pumpkin Decoration

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.

Happiness — It’s An Inside Job!

April 2, 2016April 1, 2016 / jrmilson / 6 Comments

Most of us have goals, intended to keep us moving progressively forward in a positive way, and frequently aimed at improving our life and happiness. To-Do lists of progressive, sequentially timed steps. Frequently aimed at acquiring bigger and better “things.” But examining our lives today at this moment and looking back, how many completed goals and fulfilled ambitions produced a lasting and enduring sense of joy and happiness? Or was that fleeting feeling gone upon setting the next “Happiness Target?”

Quote- Happiness Starts With You

Constant striving and yearning for “more and better”, along with unfulfilled desires create their own anxieties, stresses, competitiveness, anger and discord. This is not a prescription for laziness, but rather a realization that happiness is an inside job. It is not to be found in the world outside, achieved with the acquisition of more and more and more bigger and better things, recognition, awards or accolades, or arrived at as a destination, because it is a constantly moving target. A very important lesson to be imparted to our children.

“Most people are searching for happiness outside of themselves. That’s a fundamental mistake. Happiness is something that you are, and it comes from the way that you think. Bring happiness to every encounter in life, instead of expecting external events to produce joy.” ~ Dr. Wayne Dyer

We must remind ourselves daily that there is no magic way to happiness. Happiness is the way. Don’t wait for happiness to happen or to arrive at a scheduled date and time. Decide to be happy today. And watch what happens.

Quote- Happy Today

Thanks as always for stopping by to visit. Best wishes for a wonderful day. Be Happy! — Jim (and Red!)

Quote- Happiness Journey

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Available on Amazon”

Short Stories About An Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends!

Happy Hoppy Easter!

March 27, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

Bunnies and Baskets and Eggs, oh my.

All of it going straight to my thighs.

Coconut Cake and Biscuits to bake,

How much more can my waistline take?

Wishing everyone a wonderfully HAPPY EASTER! — Jim (and Red!)

Holiday- Easter Bunny and Basket

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Available on Amazon

Old-fashioned Storytelling About An Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends!

The Best Day of Your Life? — The Day Your Life Begins!

March 22, 2016March 21, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

This positive motivational message brought to you today by “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Story Collections, the “Margaret Monarch Plant Wildflowers for Wildlife Association”, and by the “Irresponsible Actions and Happiness Institute” — proud sponsors of independent thought and happy living everywhere.

Partial funding provided by “The Bobo and Lily Bears Foundation for Higher Nature Awareness and Appreciation”, by the “Expose Kids to Dirt and Nature Movement” located in Good Hope, and by the “‘One Day Just Ain’t Enough Recognition’ Grumpy Groundhog Group.”

Funding to support this site provided by “Old Glory Bears & Raggedy Dolls,” maker of collector teddy bears, dolls and fine quality accessories worldwide.

And by dedicated home readers like you. Thanks as always for visiting and reading along! — Jim (and Red!)

Quote- Bob Moawad

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories about an Uncommonly Special Bear and his Friends. Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

The Blessings of being an Observer

August 31, 2015 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

Sharing a wonderful Blog post by Lisa Shambrook, Writer & Dreamer. “It’s not what you look at that matters. It’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau.

The Last Krystallos

‘It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.’
Henry David Thoreau.

I’m one of life’s observers. Details are my thing, right from when I was young and experimenting with art and writing. I had a penchant for precision, clarity and aestheticbeauty – and a deep need to put what I saw into a creative context.

My love of art and detail began from a young age…’Storm’ at age eleven, hands, Dali, cliffs and self-portrait during teens, and drawing my sister and her horse, fairy and a steampunk bumblebee as an adult… © Lisa Shambrook

I see things – all the time. I see everything. I’m an HSPHighly Sensitive Person – (and I’ll write a post on that another day) – but it accounts for my ability to see so much around me. Sometimes it’s a difficult thing: that fluff on the carpet…

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Little Red Bear Answers Reader Questions – “Hummingbird Spit! What Could Be Better?”

August 20, 2015August 8, 2016 / jrmilson / 2 Comments

Little Red Bear and I have received another reader question we thought it may be good to respond to for everyone. Well, a question and a comment really, and good information to pass along.

Reader Question from S. F. on holiday at an undisclosed beach resort in the U. K. –– “Dear Little Red Bear — Holiday reading, sunshine, and fresh sea air – what could be better?Thanks for translating Red, got plenty of buzzards’ breath but all out of catfish whiskers and the hummingbirds are being most uncooperative.”

Answer— For the benefit of those who have not read “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” yet, or may have unwisely skipped over the “Introduction”, what S. F. is referring to is that to save readers the difficulty and hassles of needing to translate all the different spoken animal languages and dialects back and forth as they read, Little Red Bear and I worked tirelessly to translate everything for you. Bears speaking to birds and rabbits, turtles speaking to bears, humans speaking to bears and foxes, weasels yammering on, etc. The pig is a different matter, and you will need to read for yourself to see what that is all about.

Information on the translation process was explained in the Introduction, along with many other things, and S. K. is referring to a few of the translation ingredients in her comment. And it points to why we decided to go ahead and take care of the translations issue for readers ahead of time. We didn’t charge extra for it. Little Red Bear just felt it a nice to thing to do for folks.

In response to S. K. then — “Holiday reading, sunshine, and fresh sea air – what could be better?” We can’t think right off of any better thing than being on holiday at the beach reading Little Red Bear stories, so you have us stumped with that one. And yes, we have found the hummingbirds to be problematic and difficult to work with at times, as it seems the later it gets into summer the more of a sugar high they are on, causing some predictably spiky attitudes. We are impressed with your having gathered sufficient quantities of the buzzard’s breath though, as that is where the translation process breaks down for many folks, unwilling to approach a turkey buzzard that closely. Little Red Bear sends a big paw pat on the back for that one!

As for the other, we could mail some dried catfish whiskers over for you, but find that fresh whiskers work much better and produce a clearer translation in the end. And since we have it all translated for you ahead of time anyway, we won’t bother to send any dried whiskers over to save you the mailing expense.

So, sorry we were stumped by that question, but want to thank you for writing in to let us know all that translation time and effort is helping readers out after all.

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So, a big thanks to S. F. for the comments! Remember folks, please keep those questions and letters coming. We’ll get to them as best we can here for you. Happy reading, and thanks as always for stopping by! And remember folks, the best sermons are lived, not preached. God bless, y’all. – Jim (and Red!)