A Southern LIfe

Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts oh My!

2012-05-07T18:23:00.000-04:00

These are my little soilders saved from the peet pots and put in my cultivation box to get some growth on them before putting in the garden. I love having those boxes to transition plants!

This is May 7th. Brussel Sprouts are new to me so watching them closely! Everything started out so cute and small in the box and jumped drastically when put in the ground with some water and heat! Looking forward to so many good things from them: slaw, broccoli and cheese soup, steamed broccoli, steamed brussel sprouts in butter sauce, cooked cabbage just off the top of my head. Yummm! Can't wait!

Hope, Gardening 2012

2012-05-07T14:29:00.003-04:00

Garden 1 on April 14th.

Garden 2 on April 14th

HOPE is always the word when starting a new gardening season. You have visions of abundant bounty floating around in your head. You water and watch each day for the tiny shoots to poke through the ground and when you see the first one, it's always such a thrill! This year I have German Johnson, Cherokee Black, Roma, Pink Girl and Better boy varieties of tomatoes. Crowder Peas, Limas, Pintos, Green Beans for canning in long rows. Bell peppers, Jalapeno, Sweet Banana, Cayane round out the peppers. Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts and onions coupled with squash and cucs! The deck and house borders are full of herb plants just waiting to be dried and shared! Already have quite a bit of Rosemary dried and on the pantry shelf. I have canning jars on the ready and miles of string to support those marvelous fruits of my labor!

If you are like me, every evening, I sit on the back deck with a cool beverage and listen to my babies grow! The soft breeze and chicka, chicka of the irrigation are all the music this old soul needs to be truly at peace.

Well, the journey into Gardening 2012 has begun. Happy Gardening folks!

Natures Twig and Giggle Berries

2010-07-07T20:15:00.000-04:00

The first onion and potatoes from the garden this year!

Update on the garden. July 2010. Pulled up the corn. It just didn't make and will be adding items for a fall garden according to the almanac the 11th and 12th of this month. The sign of Cancer is supposed to be the most fruitful so we shall see!

My patio container garden that got real happy!

My first German Johnson will be supper tonight! More on the vines to come and more plants staggered to keep them coming for the months ahead! Nothing like that first tomato sandwich fresh from your garden! There is just nothing to compare it to!!!

This is a little patch of brocolli plants. They were given to me at the plant nursery past their planting time in the spring. They lived in their cups with just water on my porch until last month. I put them in the ground and we will see what happens!

Happy Gardening everyone!

Cookbook Shared Through Generations

2010-06-29T16:29:00.000-04:00

This is a Well-Loved Cookbook!

I was given this cookbook by my mother when I got married. I passed this down to my oldest daughter when she got married and you can tell... it has the BEST recipes by the amount of wear. Look at all the dog eared pages, the stains, the notes, peeling binder... This is what a cook book SHOULD look like if it is good!

My Hat is off to you Betty Crocker. You have started many generations of cooks and saved a lot of marriages!!!

A Southern Use for Recycling Soda Bottles

2010-06-17T16:18:00.000-04:00

The perfect Southern Recycled Cow Fence

During my backroad travels I came across an old homeplace that had so many typically Southern beautifications that it made me feel exhilarated . The one that best stood out was the use of old soda bottles to run the electric fence. The cows were content and she didn't spend much on this fence. No connectors, insulators, t-posts, miles of fencing... here you go.

The Garden is in!

2010-05-07T14:03:00.000-04:00

The garden went in on May 1st. This is the most hopefull time of gardening. I can see the perfect garden, no weeds with perfect and bountiful harvest in the near future!

Iris

2010-05-07T14:01:00.000-04:00

Iris are so beautiful. The color is dark purple. This picture doesn't do them justice.

For the Love of Eating - Chocolate Cake

2010-05-04T08:01:00.000-04:00

There are many things we find to do with our time. Hobbies fill that creative urge and exercise fills that physical demand to feel better.

Then there is eating.

Some of us crave veggies, some crave meat and then there are the many of us like me that crave sweets. Not just anything sweet, but anything sweet with CHOCOLATE! We are blessed with many fine cooks, chefs and pastry chefs in the professional world but last night, in a sleepy little community in Burlington, NC, I found the best chocolate cake maker in the world! Her name is Marie. She is 80 years old and bakes the most divine chocolate multi-layer cake this palate has ever savored!

Please excuse the missing fork fulls at the time of the picture. It was just too good to resist! Just look at all those tiny layers!!! YUM!

We fixed her A/C unit last night and as an added bonus she gave me this plate of super thin, multi-layer chocolate cake. It is the most moist, wonderful chocolate cake I have ever tasted and I've had my share over the years! I wonder what she will give me this winter when we service her heat??? Can't wait to find out!

Thank you Marie.

You are a true credit to Southern Cooks!

Ready to Garden in the South!

2010-04-29T12:42:00.000-04:00

It has been beautiful and warm with suddenly chilly early evenings and early mornings. The garden is tilled and waiting for the veggies to go in. My husband wants to run the rows so I'm now waiting on him to find the time. Looks like maybe Saturday. I have corn, beans, okra, peppers, squash, cucumbers, watermelon and cantaloupe to plant. Oh yeah.... the tomatoes!!! I have German Johnson tomatoes. If you have never tried this variety, please do. They make very large, gnarly kidney shaped fruit that one slice overlaps the bread by a mile and the taste will win you over FOREVER! When I think of that juicy, fresh tomato sandwich of summer... this is the ONLY tomato I eat! My mouth is watering with anticipation even now! Try to find this variety and give it a try. You will not be sorry, I promise.

I am going to give potato sets a try in a very large, deep container on the deck. This is an experiment for you small patio gardeners to see how much it will produce. Pics to come and will keep you posted.

These are a few squash plants in waiting for the garden to be ready!

With these warm days and cool, wet nights our grass is growing at an alarming rate. I finally got my new lawnmower with the bagger attachment on the back. I can't believe how much grass I get for my compost now. The yard is so nice and finished when I look back and the compost heap is growing and growing and growing! Should be wonderful to till into the garden for the fall. Planning ahead for a bountiful garden has never been easier!

Enjoy this beautiful climate and don't forget the southern traditions it instills: sit on your front porch and just relax with a tall glass of iced tea. Watch the hummingbirds around your feeders and take in the smell of Carolina Jasmine creeping up the side rails.

Yall enjoy!

Barbie on the Beach at SOS

2010-04-26T11:23:00.001-04:00

This past week was spent at Myrtle Beach SC for the official Shaggers week known as SOS. It was a whirlwind of dancing, drinking, and botchi on the beach. My club won the parade Sat. for the 8th time in a row. They really bring it when it is show time!
The days are filled with friendship on the beach.
There are people who are comfortable in a bathing suit on the beach, no matter what their size and this trip was no exception. Maybe the older I get, the less concerned I am about that. The group we have at the beach is very comfortable with their appearance and we all just drink, play botchi and shag the days away. Then there are several that strut down the beach trolling for a man that just makes you look down at yourself and say WTF????? Then you look over at your husband, smiling like the Cheshire Cat with a Beer in his hand, slapping the backs of his buds while they score the botchi game and you just smile.

Yes Barbie is at the beach... I know this for sure because I ATE HER and she is only a few layers down!

The nights are full of laughter, dancing, drinking and fun!
There are a multitude of clubs that open their doors to us with SOS cards. We hear great DJ"s, some have free bands and you get to meet people from different clubs... all on a level playing field! But don't follow the rules of Vegas... trust me on this: What happens in Myrtle Beach WILL follow you home! There will be many pictures to show just what went on and the stories just get better and better the more times they are shared!

The late nights end up at one of the many eating establishments:
For the ones of us that make it late... there are sparse crowds of very happily "drunk" people looking for something to eat before the stagger back to your condo. We have had our share of chicken tenders, burgers, casidillas, egg rolls, club sandwiches, hot dogs and ice cream! (Like I said earlier, I got hungry and Barbie got in the way... I ate the bitch). Just ask my condo mates if they get in the way of my eating???lol

The parade was amazing:
Our theme was 1920's Gangster. The song was the Boys are Back in Town. The float had flappers, gangsters, Moll's and swanky women. Take it to the street and my husband was a keystone cop. He is very broad chested and makes the perfect Scott O'Malley! He can arrest me any day! The skit in front of the judges couldn't have been better. The golf cart was fixed up like a patty wagon and 2 jail birds would escape. The cops would chase them down the street and put them back in. Video is the only way to really describe this so I hope to have it soon.
SOS happens two times a year. Thank goodness it isn't' more. It's one of those vacations you look forward to and dread all at the same time. It will take us a week just to recover from all the activity! But it is great fun and wonderful friendships continue and new ones are made every year.

I love my Southern Life!

A Southern Cook's Food Challenge

2010-04-13T16:56:00.000-04:00

This is a shout out to the movie "Julie/Julia". I have watched it a couple of times this week and I have so enjoyed it! I find myself comparing my life to the two women and we indeed DO have much in common. I am a foodie and one of my biggest weakness to date is a cooking section of a book store! It's funny, because I had considered writing about cooking in a similar way this movie was based on. Well, too late to claim that idea! Blogging about food for me is like breathing. My friends joke, but know it is true, that I am on a two hour feeding schedule. No matter where we go, I want to eat something every two hours. What can I say? I LOVE to EAT!

I do love to cook, and my downfall, as our expanding waistlines attest to, is southern cooking. There are many regional varieties no matter where you live, but I like the twist I have on mine. My husband loves to eat as much as I do and that makes for a wonderful paring except when we try to diet! Like now. Crimenie... how are we supposed to survive on rabbit food? We wake up with the thought of gravy biscuits, french toast, blueberry pancakes in syrup, sausage, bacon, bacon , oh and did I mention bacon?

How can you expect a southern cook with a love for butter, bread and meat to cook in a way that doesn't sustain Paul Bunyan? It's ridiculous!

I'm not trying to promote anyone or any book here but today I spent a few hours in Barnes and Noble. What? I had a gift card! So I was looking through the, you guessed it, cookbook section and found one that actually had some recipes in it that made my mouth water. Its The Perfect Recipe for losing Weight and Eating Great by Pam Anderson. I'm going to give it a try and see if we can enjoy some healthy meals along with our Southern regimen. Sausage, Cilantro, and Creamy Salsa Verde Omelet, Wine Biscuits with Cracked Black Pepper, Sear-and-Sauce Chicken Cutlets with Mushroom-Thyme Cream Sauce... must I go on???? This looks and sounds luscious and I can't wait to try them!

So this is a food challenge of my own. A Southern Life Cook is attempting to cook healthier and loose weight but not compromise taste!!!
Our weight goal is for me to loose 25lbs, and my husband to loose 50lbs in one year. There! I've officially said it so it is on! The count down begins. We will post a monthly weigh-in on the 15th of each month for one year and see if we meet or exceed our goals!

In the meantime, SOS is coming up at Myrtle Beach and as you all know, we are ... YES... Shaggers! We will be indulging in food, drinks and lots of dancing next week so it will be a great time to be serious when we return.

Plus, gardening season is approaching fast. I have small plants under their bell jars growing as we speak/read! Fresh veggies will make all the difference in the cooking and man-o-man in the eating!!!

Bon Apatite fellow foodies!

Garden Time

2010-03-24T20:08:00.003-04:00

Just Smell That Fresh Dirt!

I'm like a little kid watching the tiller breaking ground for my new garden. Think of all the possibilities. I see the perfect garden in my mind. I taste the fresh beans, corn and whoa Nellie, the watermelons and cantaloupes!

It is a time of planning. I have my gardening books around me with the notepad at the ready. The rows are drawn out and ready to be assigned. I have my plastic bottles saved from winter to make the bell jar covers to protect young plants from the occasional frosts that can pop up and my gloves are washed and hanging by the door! My excitement builds as I pick this plant and then another. I can already taste the veggies and I am soooo ready for that home grown tomato sandwich! There is nothing better than that!

It's been a tradition in my family to garden. I remember watching my Grandfather break ground, lovingly till week after week, string lattice, hoe, weed by hand and water, water, water the garden. My husband loves it as much as I do and now our daughters are carrying out the tradition as well.

It's a miracle to watch those tiny seeds you punch in with your fingers grow into plants that produce such wonderful tasting food on your table!

It is almost a competition to see who has the best garden in the south. You want it to be perfect and weed free, organic and still pest free with the biggest and most flavorful delights you can imagine!

Keeping the deer out is a primary concern and there are as many strategies for this as there are gardens! Last year, I hung the plastic grocery bags around the perimeter of the garden. This worked until the very end and I let the bags get wet during the rains. I think if I keep them changed out with that fresh crinkle you hear in the air... it just might work!

I'll keep you posted with pics as things grow.

Happy Gardening!

Summer in the South... There's No place Like Home!

2010-02-24T13:14:00.000-05:00

Did Someone say B-B Q??????

Just looking around at the yard and dreaming of summer....

When I close my eyes, I can feel the warm breeze of summer softly caressing my face.

I hear the childrens laughter as they run and play in the yard.

I can feel my stomach growl as I smell that heavenly scent of B-B-Q in the air!

Summer in the South

There's No Place Like Home....

We Had Snow Cream for Breakfast!

2010-02-13T14:56:00.002-05:00

With the climate change we are experiencing globally, winters are very different here in the south. This year has been heavy and frequent with snow and sleet. This produces many fun things to do while the world is at a brief standstill waiting on the trucks and service workers to clean up and get life back to normal. Sledding is great fun. The snow this time is fluffy and easy to pack. The yards are full of footprints, snowball splats on the windows and miss-shapen snowmen and women dressed with winter garments. As the sun peaks over the horizon brightly, everything starts to melt... but not before we scored a really big bowl of that beautiful, white, fluffy snow.

When I asked my husband this morning what he wanted for breakfast before we go out and play in the snow, he answers without hesitation: "Snow Cream"!

Even though my husband and I have grown children, we still become kids ourselves when it snows. My husband's eyes gleam with anticipation as I pull out the ingredients to make the snow cream. Vanilla, sugar, milk. He sits on the edge of the couch watching as I pull the bowl of snow from the freezer. As he sits and eats that bowl of wonder, I see the little boy shining through! What a happy, contented smile after the second or third bowl!

We pile up in the truck and ride around to visit our daughter and son-in-law to check out the road situation. It's so beautiful and quiet. The snow gleams like diamonds across the pastures making the trees look like lace.

Just hours ago, it was a winter wonderland. Now it is almost gone in most places with just a few patches hanging around. The birds are flocking to the feeders and the wind has dried most of the roadways.

Tonight, before we curl up on the couch... we will both give each other that knowing look and it will be a race to the snow in the freezer for one more bowl!!!

Southern Comfort at It's Finest: Sweet Tea

2010-02-09T13:53:00.002-05:00

There are many things I love about the South.

It is a comfortable place to grow up in and raise your own family. I have a bountiful garden each year, beautiful flowers, lush green lawn and all the wildlife I care to see!

But today, it's Southern comfort foods on my mind.

Growing up in the South, food is steeped in tradition and goodness. When you are sick, tired, happy, or just plain old hungry there is a list of foods that go through your mind that you just have to have. A few of mine consist of a hot biscuit from the oven with homemade butter, maybe that biscuit crumbled and smothered in delicious sausage gravy (from the fresh sausage we just made). Warm cornbread straight from the skillet with a bowl of pinto beans and diced onions.. Pork shoulder slow cooked in the oven overnight, stringy and juicy..., creamed potatoes and gravy, green beans and crowder peas fresh from the garden. Rib-eye steak seared on the grill just until medium rare with a grilled sweet corn. A tomato sandwich with that big, beautiful German Johnson at it's peak on fresh bread with Duke's mayo! Slow cooked pork BBQ with slaw and hush puppies. Sometimes you just want to sit down to a big bowl of greens. My dessert menu is vast and delicious: homemade ice cream, pecan pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate chess, chocolate or lemon pie with meringue piled miles high, ice cold watermelon and home made wine!

But always, always, my favorite drink of all times... there is nothing finer than:

a Southern tradition, total comfort,

Sweet Tea!

Garden pics compliments of Elizabeth Dunlap photography.

Winter in The South

2010-02-05T08:07:00.000-05:00

I remember as a kid, snow that was 2 feet deep, white roads for weeks, and lots of sledding fun. You could always count on 2 weeks out of school and Grandmother making snow cream. Ahhhh, the fond memories this snow brings back for me.

Now it is my turn to provide the snow cream. Thank goodness Nana taught me well. My husband can't eat it fast enough! I've passed the secret down to our kids and it feels good to know they carry on the tradition.

Let us not forget our wild friends.

The birds need extra help during these times so plenty of seed keeps them happy. We get to enjoy the antics of watching them flock in and enjoy the meal!

Be careful if you have to go out and drive. The roads can be very treacherous!

I hope everyone can just stay inside, enjoy warm cocoa and plenty of snow cream!

It's Winter Time Yall!

For All Mothers

2010-01-23T21:06:00.000-05:00

The morning started early: 4:15 am. Fed the cats, brushed my teeth, dressed and got out the door by 5:00 am.

Today was surgery on my mother. As if her surviving breast cancer this last year wasn't torture enough, now an operation to determine if two tumors are Whartons or related to the cancer.

I pull into her drive at 5:15 am. She tugs on her sweater and hands me her carry bag. She hasn't slept a wink. She looks tired. We are both scared but smile and face the day anyway.

My heart hurts as she passes through the door for prep. It seems like hours before we can see her. Finally the little beeper goes off and it's our turn. She is in the gown, hat and hooked to the IV. You can see the fear in her eyes but also the fierce determination that it just HAS to be OK. After a barrage of doctors, nurses and aides - it's time. I choak back the lump in my throat. Tears drip from the corner of her eyes. We hug and say - It's going to be alright. I love you. They wheel her away.

I sit in the waiting room with my younest daughter and she makes me feel so good inside. Her laughter, conversation, love and attention lets me know that being a Mom comes full circle with this kind of love. How lucky I am to have so much in my life.

Hours pass but I feel peaceful inside. I know my Mom is ok. We finally get the call to see the doctor.

Those liberating words - It was not cancer and she will be ok.

God smiled on us today. We all should pay it forward.

Love brings joy, faith and hope to our lives

- A mother embodies all three -

Winterize Your Pets

2010-01-05T16:43:00.001-05:00

We built a tent frame over the dog house, covered it with a wind proof tarp and inserted a light for warmth.

It looks like the boy scouts are camping in my back yard at night!

Remember to furnish fresh water EVERY day when it is freezing. Pets can not get the amount of hydration needed to survive by licking ice in a frozen bucket. More protein in their diet will help stabilize their metabolism and improve circulation to keep warmer. Wind chill hurts them as much as it would us so protection from bone chilling wind gusts is a must! Extra bedding in their sleeping quarters help to insulate their body heat. Beef up the shavings, blankets or what ever you use to keep your pets toasty warm against old man winter!

Remember, our pets love us unconditionally so take extra steps when caring for them when the weather is especially challenging.

Their Survival Depends on YOU!

Winter Weather is Here so Bundle Up and Be Smart!

Snow in the East

2009-12-30T08:20:00.000-05:00

We were much luckier than a lot of the country. We had just enough to be beautiful!

2009-12-11T08:36:00.000-05:00

"After the Storm"

This past week has proven brutal to most of the country in the form of severe weather. Here in the Southeast we experienced heavy rains. This is a few shots taken by photographer Elizabeth Dunlap of the Haw River as it travels through Sweppsonville, NC on Dec. 9th. Such awesome, raw power in water.

It's swirling rapids and engulfment of the banks show how powerful nature can be. It's a humbling silent force when you are standing on the banks watching the debris flowing swiftly by. Hugh trees do a bob and weave dance as they float through the rapids and continue on their way to an unknown destination of a far away bank.

I look down and see a large pole holding on to the bank as if it is a rest break. It could let go and continue on it's travels at any given moment.

The fire siren blares in the near distance and it sends chills down my spine. This is an awesome piece of nature.

This is our world and we affect change one thought, one action, one reaction at a time so make yours driven by HOPE and lives WILL be changed by you!

2009-12-09T09:59:00.000-05:00

My Message for the world is HOPE

I keep this ornament on my keyboard to remind me every single day there is HOPE.

HOPE is the key to our dreams.

When we feel in our hearts there is HOPE we can accomplish anything!

It is Hope that changes the world, spreads love, reaches out to those in need.

This season, and every day for the next year, remember to keep HOPE in your heart.

Each day is a new beginning and with it a chance to change the world, help someone in need, or just provide for yourself and family.

We make life worth living by keeping HOPE alive in our hearts

and keeping our arms outstretched to meet and greet opportunity, change and love.

This is our world and we affect change one thought, one action, one reaction at a time so make yours driven by HOPE and lives WILL be changed by you!

Live authentically and love your fellow man!

2009-12-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

This was one of those embarrassing moments that will provide humor for a future "Roast".

Dating Food in the Fridge!

2009-11-30T14:46:00.001-05:00

How many times have you looked at food in the fridge and wondered when you opened it? Sauces, cottage cheese, sour cream, LUNCH MEAT, etc...

My solution: Keep a permanent marker handy in a drawer and as soon as you pop the seal, write on top and you will never have to wonder again! This is a simple way to have peace of mind when it comes to freshness with your lesser used foods.

If you transfer food to containers, use a piece of white surgical tape and write with the permanent marker on that. The tape is easily removed without all that goo left to wash away when the container is empty and ready for it's next fill.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday and please be safe with your left-over foods. Keep them cold and dated so you and your family will remain safe and healthy into the following week.

Freeze, in vacuum sealed bags, any left overs that you know will not be consumed immediately.
TIP for Vacuum sealing juicy foods: Put them briefly in the freezer, just until firm and there will be no juice to interfere with the sealing process.

Enjoy Your Food and Live Responsibly!

Enjoy The Holiday, even if it takes Jack, Jimmy or Johnny!

2009-11-26T13:55:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to personally thank everyone who reads my blogs and takes the time to send me comments and suggestions. Sharing is how we learn and grow and I'm very thankful for all the friends and family who support this blog idea.

Thanksgiving is just one day a year that we bring our focus to recognize what is truly wonderful in our lives. But every day is Thanksgiving when we look hard enough. Our needs are met, not always in the way we think they should be, but they are met. We have friends that make our lives richer. We have pets that humble us and make our hearts bigger.

I look at so much of the world and realize I'm just one tiny little spec. But remember this:

'To the World You May Be One Person, But to One Person You May Be The World.'

I can't take credit for that line, I read it somewhere, but it touched my heart and it is my gift to you today. Look around you at the friends, family, food, love and joy and understand the full meaning of that statement.

Enjoy the Holiday even if it takes (Jack, Jimmy, or Johnny).

Drink responsibly, eat to your hearts content and be thankful!

From my heart to yours, Enjoy!

Say Thanks to Our Soilders For Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.

This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time to do this and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.

Thanks for taking the time to support our military!