Dear Sun Spots: I need your help again. A friend purchased a sweater at a thrift shop. It had a mothball smell, but she was sure she could launder it away. That hasn’t happened. Do you or your readers have a solution to ridding the sweater of the smell? – G. B., Waterford.

Answer: Try mixing a cup of vinegar in with the smallest wash load and machine wash. You may have to repeat. Also, according to Heloise, to remove the odor from clothing or material like the blanket, you need lots and lots of fresh air circulation. If you can hang it outside (not in direct sunlight, which can cause fading) that will help. Or, you can put it in the dryer on fluff or air only to help remove the smell. It may take several times. Good luck!

Dear Sun Spots: I have been trying to find the words to “They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree.” My wife inquired through Google on the Internet and all she could come up with was that the song was written by Edward Eliscu, Billy Hill and Willie Raskin. Thank you for any help you can give me. – Erland Tucker, Poland.

Answer: Sun Spots hope you enjoy the lyrics below:

They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree

By Willie Raskin, George Brown, Edward Eliscu

They cut down the old pine tree

And they hauled it away to the mill

To make a coffin of pine

For that sweetheart of mine

They cut down the old pine tree

But she’s not alone in her grave tonight,

For it’s there my heart will always be;

Though we’d drifted apart,

Still they cut down my heart,

When they cut down the old pine tree.

They cut down the old pine tree

And they hauled it away to the mill

There’ll be no coffin of pine

For that sweetheart of mine

They cut down the old pine tree

But she’s not alone in her grave tonight,

For it’s there my heart will always be;

Now I always will roam,

For they cut down my home,

When they cut down the old pine tree.

They cut down the old pine tree

And they hauled it away to the mill

There’ll be no cradle of pine

For that sweetheart of mine

They cut down the old pine tree

But she’s not alone in her grave tonight,

For it’s there my heart will always be;

Now I’m lost and forlorn,

Wish I’d never been born,

Since they cut down the old pine tree.

Copyright 1929 Vincent Youmans Inc.,

Copyright assigned in 1931 to Miller Music Corp.

Dear Sun Spots: There are many recipes that call for lemon or orange zest. I have inquired in some stores but have not found it. Are there stores in the Franklin or Androscoggin county area that carry this? – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Orange zest is easy to make and doesn’t need to be purchased, except for the lemons or oranges which, of course, are available at any grocer. After the lemons or oranges are cleaned and dried, use the following steps found at Cooking.com:

To make orange zest strips: Using a paring knife held almost parallel to the skin, cut off thin strips, being careful not to remove any bitter white pith. Or use a vegetable peeler. To grate orange zest: Draw the orange across the fine holes of a hand-held grater, being careful not to remove any bitter white pith. To shred orange zest: Draw a zester across the skin to remove zest in thin shreds. Or, use a fine-holed shredder. Follow the same steps to make lemon zest.

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