When Daniel noticed his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Carrino, arguing with her son about her garden, he decided to step in and offer his help, not knowing that this small act of kindness would lead to an unexpected and life-changing discovery.
As Daniel rode past her charming house, he overheard a heated argument. “I can’t come here every day to water your plants! If you gave me the house, I’d do it!” a man shouted angrily. Daniel slowed down, curious, and saw Mrs. Carrino and her son, Arnold, in the middle of a disagreement.
“All you care about is the house! You just want to sell it after I’m gone!” Mrs. Carrino responded, clearly upset.
Arnold stormed off, leaving his mother frustrated and alone. That’s when she noticed Daniel standing nearby.
“Oh, you’re Caroline’s boy, right? What brings you here?” she asked.
“I heard the shouting and wanted to make sure you were alright,” Daniel replied.
With a sigh, Mrs. Carrino explained that she was moving to a nursing home and had asked Arnold to help, but all he seemed concerned about was inheriting her house. “He didn’t even want to help with the garden,” she added.
Without hesitation, Daniel offered to help. “I can water your plants for you, Mrs. Carrino,” he said with a smile.
She gave him a warm smile, clearly touched by his offer. “That’s so kind of you, but I can’t pay you, dear.”
“It’s no trouble. I live just down the street,” Daniel assured her.
Healthy pickled beets
Eight large, fresh beets
one cup vinegar
half a cup of sugar
one and a half tsp whole cloves
One and a half tsp whole allspice
Half a teaspoon of salt
* Instructions:
Beets: scrub, then cut off tops to 1 inch. Put in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Heat till boiling. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes on low heat, or until tender. Take out of the water and let cool. After peeling and slicing, put the beets in a basin and reserve.
Add the vinegar, sugar, cloves, spices, and salt to a small saucepan. Heat until boiling, about 5 minutes. Drizzle over the beets. For at least one hour, refrigerate. Before serving, drain.
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