Few will argue that the inspirational words of Francis Scott Key are stirring enough to make Vladimir Putin enlist in the American Coast Guard. But something has got to be done about the melody of our national anthem before someone hurts himself.

A prairie in pieces: part 1 - photo by Russell A. Graves

Back in the day, stores had long counters where the clerk could show the wares. If you've read some Jane Austen or Laura Ingalls Wilder, you've undoubtedly come across a scene where a clerk is showing someone bolts of cloth. That's how things worked. Almost everything was behind the counter.

In Chinese culture wontons are a very popular food. They are traditionally a small dumpling with a filling that is cooked until the dough is done either by boiling, steaming, or frying them. Each dumpling's edges are sealed with the fingers dipped in either water or beaten egg white. The filling can be anything your taste buds desire.

Have you been told the story of your birth? Were you born at home or in a hospital? Maybe this short story will prompt you to reflect back on what you know about your birth.

Every Mavericks fan should attend at least one kindergarten basketball game for a humbling and sobering experience. Elbowing and eye-poking incidents among five-year-olds are innocent residues of waving at Mom (DURING the game!) and giving a full-body view for the camera in Mom's hand.

Court bouillon is the traditional method of poaching foods that uses an acid (wine and lemon juice) and aromatics (bouquet garni and mirepoix). Wine is usually used for poaching fish and fruit, while poultry is cooked with broth, and eggs with water and vinegar.

"I'll just give this a lick and a promise," my mother said as she quickly mopped up a spill on the floor without moving any of the furniture. "What is that supposed to mean," I asked as in my literal mind I envisioned someone licking the floor with his or her tongue.

Lanny Joe (right) and his college fraternity brother Chester are the ultimate odd couple. Chester is fastidiously clean, precise, and eats only nuts and berries, while Lanny is lah-di-dah, pell-mell, and eats nuts and berries only if they're coated in chocolate. What they do have in common is that they both choke on their own spit.

Pulled pork is made from a piece of pork that would normally be tough when cooked. If it is either smoked, oven cooked on a low temperature, or cooked in a crock pot, it makes a tender piece of pork that can easily be pulled apart with the fingers. Thus, the name pulled pork. However, it can also be found served sliced, shredded or chopped. The low temperature and slow cooking makes for a very delicious piece of meat.

Lanny and I decided to take the grandkids to a 3-D movie. After all, how difficult could it be? It’s not as involved as taking them to Jakarta, Indonesia. Nearly, though.

Recently my wife and I did something that would have surprised and perhaps even shocked our grandparents: we took a weeklong Caribbean cruise. Our grandparents' concept of a vacation cruise was something that only rich people could afford. Remember the film Titanic (1997)? So how did a luxury cruise become affordable and attractive to the middle class?