Chickens will take care of grasshoppers and morning glories.

COUNTRYSIDE: I've made plenty of croutons by the method described by Carmen Rose (85/1:12), and I like her recipe better than the one I've been using. Another great additive is dry grated Parmesan cheese. But, there's another way to salvage your over-risen bread. I learned it from seeing my mother do it and it's worked for me plenty of times. When you see your bread has over-risen--or even if you don't see it until it has collapsed--take it out of the pan, knead it down well, reshape and put it back in the pan and let rise again. If I have a pan of rolls that over-rise, I make a loaf out of them at that point.

To the Cowlishaws (85/1:28) who had grasshoppers, morning glory and clay, I recommend chickens. Wrap some chicken wire around the whole three acres. Run in two or three dozen pullets, give them a dry place to sleep, some straw-lined laying boxes (about one box per five hens) and a bit of scratch from the feed store. They will till and fertilize and eradicate every weed and grasshopper on the place, while providing you with plenty of eggs for yourself or to sell. Once they get your place in shape, if you don't want that many eggs, you can always eat or sell the hens.

For the mosquitoes, you might try martin houses. I've read that an adult martin will eat its weight in mosquitoes every day. And they are colony dwellers, so put up a multi-unit birdhouse or two. They'll bring the whole clan!

I have plenty to say in response to Jean Dandrea's article, "Real food--only for real people?" But for now, I'll just say I agree with her. I've always said women who find homemaking boring, unstimulating and lacking in challenge and creative outlet aren't doing it right.

When I was a kid an oft-repeated quote was, "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." And to think women not only gave up all that potential power for a place in the rat race; they fought to give it up! Don't let me get started! A faithful reader ... -- Kate Patrick, 42783 Imnaha Rd., Baker City, OR 97814