Remember those Campbell's Soup commercials with the "Umm, Umm good" line? That line was probably intended to either tell us the soup was good or help us recall the last time we had the soup and want to buy another can..

Last week one of our local fellows got to thinking about the last time he ate persimmons growing up as a kid. Persimmons, also referred to by some as the "apple of the Orient," can be a little tart if not fully ripe.

Around the tee box on the seventh hole at the local golf course is a persimmon tree. Donnie Burke is one of those who has an affinity for the little fruit. Rarely does Donnie pass by the tree that he doesn't stop and eat a couple of the little round juicy balls of fruit.

One of Donnie's playing partners last week was Jim Pry. Jim has eaten a few persimmons in his time. When Jim saw his friend, Donnie eating persimmons he started asking questions about that tree and the fruit Donnie was eating. They talked about persimmons for the next few holes.

Several minutes later the group made it to the 10th hole. Alongside the 10th fairway of the golf course there grows a tree with fruit which smells just awful. More specifically, the smell comes from the fruit of the tree. Right around that tree it smells like someone has been walking their dog and not cleaning up behind it.

The group ended up around that tree looking for Neal Gibbons' ball which was hiding under a leaf - the ball may still be there because it was never found. Anyway, Donnie convinced Jim this was another persimmon tree.

Now Jim is one of the most careful, meticulous and composed people around. Jim doesn't take many chances or do anything that he hasn't carefully thought through. He's pretty well put together and does things by the book.

That's why when Jim popped one of these things in his mouth - and then immediately popped it back out - Donnie erupted in a belly laugh probably heard all the way to the square.

Jim began spitting and gagging, making such a fuss Donnie could hardly stand up from laughing. It was only later Donnie said he was just getting ready to "fess up" and tell Jim those really weren't persimmons. It's safe to say these are probably not the persimmons of Jim's youth.

About 15 minutes later Donnie looked over and there was Jim gargling with Gatorade, still trying to get the taste out of his mouth. When the round was over almost two hours later, Jim was still complaining about the awful taste in his mouth. And Donnie was still laughing.

In fact, Donnie was still laughing at 10 p.m. that night. Donnie had to go to Cape Girardeau immediately after he finished playing golf. He and his wife, Sarah, were doing a little baby-sitting and for whatever reason had been away from the television and radio.

According to Neal, Donnie wanted to know two things: the score of the Cardinals-Tigers game in the World Series and whether or not Neal still thought it was funny about Jim eating that nasty tasting, nasty smelling fruit.

Neal went home and told his wife, Laurie, about the episode. She knew immediately what kind of fruit it was Jim tried to snack on.

Seems this is a ginkgo tree. And there are two kinds of ginkgo trees, a male and female tree. The female version produces the smelly fruit that most definitely does not taste like a persimmon.

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She would win

Friends and family of Bid Miles gathered Thursday evening for a little drop-in reception in honor of her birthday. In lieu of gifts, the hosts and hostesses suggested a contribution might be made to the Girls Scouts, one of Bid's many passions that has a special place in her heart.

It was a fine evening and Bid seemed to be enjoying herself.

The event was held at the home of her niece and husband, Eky and Jerry Paul Combs. That particular venue has also been the site of more than a couple of political get-togethers with politicians ranging from state representatives, to U.S. Senators and a U.S. Attorney General.

Given the full house Bid's comment about midway through the evening, "I feel like I ought to be elected," seemed totally appropriate.

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From the mailbag

I received a very nice card and letter from Carol Tinnin a few days ago. Carol Thrower Tinnin, as many of you know her, now lives in Hurricane, Utah in one of the most picturesque settings imaginable.

Carol and Pat, her husband, are enjoying retirement spending time shuttling between their children and getting a steady grandparent fix. She had just returned from one granddaughter's wedding and had big news about another grandchild.

One of her grandchildren has been chosen to pose as Baby Jesus in a painting commissioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Pretty impressive, but then again those who remember Carol as Miss Missouri, are probably not surprised the Tinnin children and grandchildren have it in their genes.

Carol sent along a bunch of newspaper articles from the Huntsman World Senior Games. Held each year in October there in southern Utah, the games are "just like the Olympics (participants) just have to be at least 50 to participate," Carol wrote. Carol said she would love to see some folks from this area come out and participate, implying that she and Pat would serve as volunteer tour guides for any of the home folk who might come out to participate.

Guess Carol's been reading the online edition and knew we had a few folks who have recently qualified to be participants.