The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-30
SHORT HOUSEHOLD CHATS.
Lenten Recipes for Fish and Mullins
Breakfast Dishes.

! "A peck of March dust" says the old
adage. "is worth a kings ransom The
dry winds of this month create more an.
noyance to the average person than the
blasts Of winter. The dust drifts into
cracks and crannies of the doors and win
dow castings, and into the seams of coats
and dresses where no dust brush will
reach
Only the intelligent person understands
the blessings that are hidden in the harsh
blasts of March. The best agTiculturists
prefer to see March dry month, SO that
the sharp winds may toss about and pull
verize the SOIL fitting it for the rains of
April. "a peck of March dust" is of the
greatest value In showing the condition
of the soil and the promise of the harvest
Sunshine and moisture in this month
mean only disaster in the future.
AS the sun approaches the vernal equi-
nox all life seems to revive. The house
plants put forth fresh leaves. Those
which have not bloomed come into flow
ers The little, mild creatures Of the
woods begin to be active and the winter
birds come further north The bluebirds
are usually the first to arrive III March,
the female preceding the male, it is said,
by a number of days. Owls and other
winter birds which nest in the far North
leave this region in the early part of
March.
Some of the owls that live here all
winter, however, nest in February in
hollow trees or old deserted nests of hawks
and crows. The great snowy owl,
magnificent creature, is not often seen
here except during midwinter, when he
seems to have showed down, aTrayed in
the plumes of the Arctic lands whence
he comes. He nests in last part of win
ter in the Arctic regions. The little
screech owl and a few other owls of
more southern habitat lay their eggs in
this climate when the temperature is far
below freezing. 1t is one of the prob
lens of naturalists how they are able to
protect their eggs in the bitter weather
of February. The owl. chickadee and other
birds that lay eggs in the coolest wealth
er cunningly cover them and manage
to hatch them in spite of the frost and
snow These winter birds are about the
only ones that nest so early. The robin
and the bluebird do not begin to build
until several weeks after their arrival and
except for the winter BIRDS they are the
first to build
The birds are not the only creatures
that begin to be active in March. The
downy weedpeeker. a winter bird, which
drives his sharp beak into the bark of
the tree marks the grub which is also
awakened to the life of the new season.
The eggs of the moth and other noxious
insects which ravaged the premises year
ago are just as surely rousing themselves
to activity this season, and warn the
heusekeeper that it is time to be up and
doing if she would attack them In the very
best time of the year.
The Lenten fish season opens with had
dock, fresh Goldfish and halibut in abun-
dance There is some chicken halibut''
in the market with plenty of halibut
steaks and small supply of fresh SAL
mon from the Columbia river. The fresh
salmon from Nova Scotia will not come
for a month yet. There is an abundance
of fine shad from North Carolina also in
the market. and these fish are large in
size, as well as fine in flavor. They are
said to be equal to the best fish from
the Connecticut river. North river shad
are not expected until ST. Patrick's day.
when according to the old fishermen OF /
Fulton market, they never fail to appear.
The terrapin season closes with March 1,
the weather being considered too warm
after this for terraDin.
& To prepare shad for broiling scale it
carefully and remove the backbone. When
you do this you will discover that In the
whirl of bones connected with the spine
you have taken out the vast majority of
bones in the fish. Sprinkle it with pinch
of salt and haste it thoroughly with ta-
blespoonful of oil. Broil it in double