PROOF....

That WE were there.

NINE / ELEVEN....

Today I find it best to be silent myself and to direct each of you to CATHY'S BLOG. Much love to each of you today and please know how much I appreciate your visits here and your support through comments and emails. But just for today........go see Cathy.


~Liquid

COMMON COURTESY.....

Today I ran into a stranger as he passed by.

"Oh, excuse me please, sir...." was my reply.

He said, "Why 'Mam, please excuse me too....I was so caught up, I wasn't even watching for you."

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our ways as we said "Good-bye."

But at home a different story is told, how we treat our loved ones, our young and our old.

Later that day, while cooking the evening meal, my daughter stood beside me and she stood very still.

As I turned to the oven, I nearly knocked her down.

"Move out of the way..." I said with a frown.

She walked away, with her little heart broken.

I didn't even realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, I heard God's small grand voice as He came to me and said,

"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the children you love more than anything in this world are the one's you seem to abuse.

Look on the kitchen floor, you'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers she'd brought for you.

She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.

She stood quietly as not to spoil the surprise, and you didn't even notice the tears that welled in her eyes."

By this time, I felt so very small as the tears in my eyes began to fall.

I quietly went into her room and I knelt by her bed;

"Wake up, Isabella, please wake up," I said.

"Are these the flowers you picked especially for me?"

She smiled and said.... "Yes 'mam....I found 'em, out by the tree. I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."

I said to her with a knot in my throat, "Oh Bella, I'm sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.

She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I know you were busy and I love you anyway."

I said as my heart skipped a couple of beats....

"My sweet Isabella, I love you too, and I do love the flowers, especially the blue."

Are you aware that:

If we were to die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family - an unwise investment indeed.

MUD PIES....

If it's been raining in your area, but the sun is starting to come out, there's no better time for making mudpies. Just grab some old plates or pie tins, some spoons or sticks for stirring and head for the nearest puddle of mud.

Babies will enjoy squishing their toes in the mud while older children can put together pies decorated with leaves, flowers and pebbles. Just be sure not to eat 'em!

For a mudpie that you can REALLY eat, try this recipe:

You'll Need:
1 Prepared Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust
An 8 ounce container of Cool Whip
1- 4 ounce package instant chocolate pudding
1 cup milk
1 cup Chopped Oreos
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix the milk and pudding.
Add Cool Whip, cookie crumbs and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.
Pour mix into crust and refrigerate.

Especially posted for RDL

SHALL WE INITIAL IT?

Southerners have recognized rites of passage with shiny sliver items bedecked with the honoree's initials since the time of Sir Walter Scott. Monograms have graced everything from silver boxes to watches to teapots. And every bride's hope chest was filled with doilies, towels, sheets and shams sporting her soon-to-be initials.

Today we treasure these timeless talismans of a bygone era. Vintage linens sport monograms of relatives, passed. Silver teaspoons marked with a grandmother's name are handed down to namesake grandchildren. A mother's initial pen is cherished by a newly-aged daughter, who wears it with pride on her business suit lapel.

Such a Southern thing, this marking of items. And should you lack these handed down objects in your silver chest or linen press, never fear: estate sales and antiques shops abound with long-ago treasures.

A few guidelines to consider: Your own monogram belongs on stationary and new bath towels. Displaying those never used graduation gifts with your maiden-name monogram is okay too - assuming that everyone knows who you were.

Silver should be marked with a mother's or grandmother's initials. (A hint to charity shop buyers of pedigreed articles: just make sure the silver in question bears some initial belonging to a forebear.)

You have more leeway with linens. Almost any initial will do. One time-honored tradition is to search for letters that spell out your name, if it is short, or a holiday sentiment like J-O-Y, and display them together.

Whatever the item, however it is marked, whenever two or more letters are gathered (or a name), you can be sure the monogram is a Southern thing.

FIREFLIES....

The story of the Lightening Bug

Thank you, Tom

Were you aware that when catching fireflies, you should NOT poke holes in the jar's lid? It's true. When you do, and you think you are allowing it to get fresh air, it actually evaporates and dries out the jar inside. Ya' really shouldn't leave them in a jar that long anyway, after all they are only trying to find a mate while bringing a smile to your face.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOS.....

INGREDIENTS:
-4 to 6 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
-salt and pepper
-flour for dusting
-2 eggs, beaten
-cornmeal or bread crumbs
-bacon grease or vegetable oil

PREPARATION:
Salt and pepper the tomato slices; dust lightly with flour. Dip slices in beaten egg, letting excess drip off, then coat well with meal or crumbs. Fry in hot grease or oil until browned, turning gently (about 3 minutes each side). Keep warm in a low 200° to 250° oven if frying in batches.

Especially posted for RDL

A COWGIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE....

-Don't forget to wear pearls.
-Don't squat with your spurs on.
-Don't interfere with something that ain't botherin' you none.
-Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
-The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.

-If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
-If it don't seem like it's worth the effort, it probably ain't.
-It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
-The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you tweeze your brows in the mirror every morning.
-Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.
-If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
-Don't worry about bitin' off more'n you can chew; your mouth is probably a whole lot bigger'n you think.
-Always drink upstream from the herd.
-Generally, you ain't learnin' nothing when your mouth's a-jawin'.
-Tellin' someone to git lost and makin' em do it are two entirely different propositions.
-If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya.
-Good judgement comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgement.
-When you give a personal lesson in meanness to a critter or to a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
-When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
-Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back.
-Always take a good look at what you're about to eat. It's not so important to know what it is, but it's sure crucial to know what it was.
-The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back into your pocket.

AND.....
-Never miss a good chance to shut up.

A COCKLE....

Cockle is the common name for bivalve mollusks of the family Cardiidae. The shells are a common fixture on many beaches throughout the world. The distinct rounded shells are symmetrical, heart-shaped and feature strongly pronounced ribs.

KUDZU....

Gardening Tips from Down South
How to Grow Kudzu

All you beginning gardeners out there might want to consider growing kudzu as a fine way to launch out into the great adventure of gardenning in the south. Kudzu, for those of you not already familiar with it, is a hardy perennial that can be grown quite well by the beginner who observes these few simple rules:

Choosing a Plot:
Kudzu can be grown almost anywhere, so site selection is not the problem it is with some other finicky plants like strawberries. Although kudzu will grow quite well on cement, for best result you should select an area having at least some dirt. To avoid possible lawsuits, it is advisable to plant well away from your neighbors house, unless, of course, you don't get along well with your neighbor anyway.

Preparing the Soil:
Go out and stomp on the soil for a while just to get its attention and to prepare it for kudzu.

Deciding When to Plant:
Kudzu should always be planted at night. If kudzu is planted during daylight hours, angry neighbors might see you and begin throwing rocks at you.

Selecting the Proper Fertilizer:
The best fertilizer I have discovered for kudzu is 40 weight non-detergent motor oil. Kudzu actually doesn't need anything to help it grow, but the motor oil helps to prevent scraping the underside of the tender leaves when the kudzu starts its rapid growth. It also cuts down on the friction and lessens the danger of fire when the kudzu really starts to move. Change oil once every thousand feet or every two weeks which ever comes first.

Mulching the Plants:
Contrary to what may be told by the Extension Service, kudzu can profit from a good mulch. I have found that a heavy mulch for the young plants produces a hardier crop. For best results, as soon as the young shoots begin to appear, cover kudzu with concrete blocks. Although this causes a temporary setback, your kudzu will accept this mulch as a challenge and will reward you with redoubled determination in the long run.

Organic or Chemical Gardenning:
Kudzu is ideal for either the organic gardener or for those who prefer to use chemicals to ward off garden pests. Kudzu is oblivious to both chemicals and pests. Therefore, you can grow organically and let the pests get out of the way of the kudzu as best they can, or you can spray any commercial poison directly on your crop. Your decision depends on how much you enjoy killing bugs. The kudzu will not mind either way.

Crop Rotation:
Many gardeners are understandably concerned that growing the same crop year after year will deplete the soil. If you desire to change from kudzu to some other plant next year, now is the time to begin preparations. Right now, before the growing season has reached its peak, you should list your house and lot with a reputable real estate agent and begin making plans to move elsewhere. Your chances of selling will be better now than they will be later in the year, when it may be difficult for a prospective buyer to realize that underneath those lush green vines stands an adorable three-bedroom house.

From "The American Heritage Dictionary":
Kudzu (kood'zoo) n. A vine, Pueraria lobata, native to Japan, having compound leaves and clusters of redish purple flowers and grown for fodder and foiage.

Kudzu was introduced to Mississippi earlier this century in an attempt to provide improved fodder for cattle. It worked all too well. Cattle do love kudzu but not nearly as much as kudzu loves Mississippi. Mississippi provides nearly ideal climate and growing conditions for this rapid growing and hardy perenial (that's "hardy", as in calling nuclear weapons "explosive").
People have been known to leave home on vaction down here only to return a week later to find cars and other large objects buried under it's lush greener. It climbs telephone poles and crosses wires. It's eradication is a major expense to utility companies. The City of Jackson has used bulldozers to dig up the tubers in vacant lots. It's resistant to most "safe" chemicals although 2,4,D has some effect if used frequently enough. It's sometimes call "yard-a-night" down here because that's how fast it seems to grow. The only question seems to be whether the "yard" referred to is that of "3 feet" or that of "front and back". Rumor has it that some of the roads in the more rural areas don't get enough traffic and will be covered by kudzu after a long holiday weekend.
It is a very pretty vine in early spring and summer. It's broad leaves and flowers are quite attractive until you start to realize that the dead stick that it's sunning itself on used to be a huge pine tree. In the winter, the first hard frost turns kudzu into tons of ugly brown leaves and thick vines. It becomes a real eyesore and possibly a fire hazard although I haven't heard of any actual kudzu fires. The plant regrows new vines from the ground up every year, so you can see it's growth rate must be phenomenal.
I understand that the Japanese make a highly regarded form of tofu from kudzu tubers. It is supposed to be prized for it's nutty flavor (soy tofu is rather bland). The Japanese cannot produce enough to meet their own demand and think we're nuts for trying to eliminate it. I haven't been able to confirm this use for kudzu, but, if true, they may well be right. We've got plenty of hungery people and lots of kudzu!
The existance of kudzu in a neigborhood has been known to, adversely, affect property values. The threat of planting kudzu in someone's yard is generally considered an extreme case of "fight'en words", potentially followed by "justifiable homicide". Regardless, you can still obtain kudzu seeds from several major seed companies who list it as a "hardy ornamental perenial". If understatement was a crime they'd be history.

IT'S ALL GOOD 'CAUSE.....

I LOVE CAMPING....

TREE-BLING....

Afternoon sunlight reflects off cobalt blue bottles shaped like violins as cats frolic as mangles of grapes cluster on iron-rebar tree branches in my neighbors back yard.

She kneels to adjust a perfume bottle on a tiny tree and tip-toes to touch others placed near by. The nearly 20 bottle trees displayed in beds of iris, pastel pink native azaleas and a canopy of weeping cherry and Bradford pear trees are more than just decorations in this wonderous backyard.

For those who believe the folklore, they transform her backyard into an enchanted garden.

According to ancient African myth, bottles on trees could catch evil spirits and prevent them from entering a home. In the 18th century, Africans who came to the South as slaves adorned cedar trees with bottles for protection.

The color blue also signified healing powers.

Bottle trees are an important element of African-American visual culture. They will always be with us - like okra, hominy and black-eyed peas!

Even into the late 1950s, bottle trees glistened in out-of-the-way backyards in the rural South.

Stories such as Eudora Welty's "Livvie," published in 1943, have helped preserved the lore.

T-SHIRT TUESDAY....

SNAPPING TURTLE SOUP RECIPIE....

Any old soup recipe will work for (snapping) turtle soup.

The main problem with turtle soup is cleaning the turtle.

You have to be certain that every last speck of fat is removed from the meat before cooking. This is not too difficult because the fat is between the skin and the flesh. To butcher a turtle you start by chopping off the turtle's head. Be careful because the head will still bite even after it is removed from the body and the body will still crawl away after the head is removed.

Turtles don't die right away. When the body stops trying to crawl away, dip it in boiling water and scrape off the exterior layer of skin, including the shell.

The result will be a bright white carcus, compared to the muddy brown-green you started with.

Next step is to remove the shell.

Cut along grove on each side between the front and back legs. It is the narrowest part of the shell. The tail, neck and all four legs are attached to the top of the shell. Remove from shell and you have the bulk of the meat.

However, there will be some meat on the bottom shell and top shell. It is at this point that you remove the fat. Just roll back the skin and with a paring knife and your index finger scrape out the fat.

It has been told in family circles that my maternal grandfather would catch snapping turtles by hand. I never saw him do it because he was hit and killed by a truck when I was about nine years old. It was a big loss for me because he was just starting to teach me about turtles, wild mushrooms, dandelions and other natural things. He made the greatest doughnuts I ever ate. Good luck with your turtle soup.

Just cook it long with lots of vegetables and it will be good if you removed all of the fat.

MUSCADINES.......

Time to make some.............jelly!














RECIPIE FOR JELLY


INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts scuppernong or muscadine grapes, stemmed & washed
3 to 4 cups sugar, to taste
water

PREPARATION:
Squeeze the pulp out of the hulls, keeping pulp and hulls in separate containers. Chop hulls if desired, and place in a pan with about 1/2 cup water. Simmer until tender (about 15 minutes stir occasionally and add more water if needed to prevent sticking. In another saucepan, cook pulp until softened. Press pulp through a sieve or food mill to remove seeds. Combine pulp and hulls in a larger pan; add 3/4 cup sugar for each cup of fruit. Bring slowly to a boil and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. Stir as the mixture thickens to prevent sticking. You can also test for jelling by removing the pan from the heat and chilling a dab of it. Pour immediately into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Carefully wipe residue from jar mouths with a paper towel moistened with boiled water and cover with seals and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Makes about 1/2-pint jars.

THE FEEL OF BLUE....

MY LIVING WILL....

I, _____ _____________, being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means. Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of pinhead politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it, or lawyers / doctors interested in simply running up the bills. If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to ask for at least one of the following:

-my camera
-a hug
-chocolate
-my camera
-my car keys
-chocolate
-chicken fried steak
-cream gravy
-chocolate
-mexican food
-french fries
-chocolate
-pizza
-ice cream
-chocolate
-my car keys
-chocolate

It should be presumed that I won't ever get better. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my appointed person and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.

Kindley,
Liquid

MY FAVORITE "DOWN HOME" SAYINGS....

* My Papaw White use to say:
"I'm happier than a dog with two peters."
* My Mamaw Margaret use to threaten us with:
"I'll knock you in the head and tell God you died."

And more:

* She always looks like she stepped out of a band-aid box. (rough, bad)
* Act like you got some raising. (manners)
* You're the spitting image of your mother/father. (look & act just like)
* She's madder than a wet hen in a tote sack. (really upset)

And some favorites:

* Sunday go-to-meetin' clothes (best dress)
* Fish or cut bait. (Do it or hush about it.)
* Egg-sucking dawg (person not well thought of)
* Juke joints (bars)
* Drunker than Cooter Brown (I never knew Cooter.)
* Well he/she's just down rite sorry. (person not well thought of or respected)
* Plumb fell off (lost weight)
* You sure are poor. (means skinny)
* Well, if that don't put pepper in the gumbo! (top all)
* He could tear up a railroad track with a rubber hammer. (being rough)
* You must of spit out that baby. (looks just like you)

* This one was used when someone said something (God forbid) rude or annoying:
"Well, thank you, Billy Sunday."

* Whenever I'd start 'wishing my life away,' my grandmother would always say:
"If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride."

* And here's the one a kid really hates to hear:
"GO CUT ME A SWITCH!"

THE COOKIE THEIF....

A woman was waiting at an airport one night, With several long hours before her flight.She hunted for a book in the airport shops. Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop.
She was engrossed in her book but happened to see, That the man sitting beside her, as bold as could be. Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag in between, which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene.
So she munched the cookies and watched the clock, as the gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock. She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by, thinking, "If I wasn't so nice, I would blacken his eye."
With each cookie she took, he took one too, when only one was left, she wondered what he would do.With a smile on his face, and a nervous laugh, he took the last cookie and broke it in half.
He offered her half, as he ate the other, she snatched it from him and thought... oooh, brother. This guy has some nerve and he's also rude, why he didn't even show any gratitude!
She had never known when she had been so galled, and sighed with relief when her flight was called. She gathered her belongings and headed to the gate, refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate.
She boarded the plane, and sank in her seat, then she sought her book, which was almost complete. As she reached in her baggage, she gasped with surprise, there was her bag of cookies, in front of her eyes.
If mine are here, she moaned in despair, the others were his, and he tried to share. Too late to apologize, she realized with grief, that she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.

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How many times in our lives, have we absolutely known that something was a certain way, only to discover later thatwhat we believed to be true ... was not?

BLOGGER ALERT~STOLEN BANANA PUDDING!

Anyone seen this cat? He just burst into my blog and SNATCHED the rest of WIXY'S banana pudding and wiggled away! If you see him........tell him to enjoy....I'm pulling another out of the oven, right now! HA!

MY TRIBUTE TO WIXY'S GONE BANANAS

Today is the one year anniversary of one of my favorite bloggers......Cliff over at WIXY'S GONE BANANAS blog! The following posts are my tribute to him as I join the bunch in going Banana's!

Also, visit the Washington Banana Museum to see a wonderous tribute to, yup, the BANANA!

WIXY'S GONE BANANAS

Join the Bunch!

WIXY'S GONE BANANAS ANNIVERSARY!

BANANA FOOTBALL

click to play

BANANA BARRAGE

click to play

This banana shaped cell phone cover, plays off the classic gag of pretending a banana is a phone. It was hilarious when Groucho Marx did it and the joke is still, ahem, apPEALing today! Squishy foam banana covers your phone, and more importantly, make you look silly when you're talking on your phone - instead of rude. Available for Flip Phones or Bar Phones.

There is an art to Going Bananas!

This is Cliff. Pictured above in the photo on the top (on left) and at work in the photo on the bottom. He is a wonderful friend and a super blogger whom I admire and respect on so many levels. He is informative and kind. Cliff's comments on my blog are always a delight to read. His sense of humor is also part of the perfect packaging over at WIXY'S GONE BANANAS. Today we celebrate his one year anniversary as a Blogger. Please hop over to wish him well today! The following is my tribute to "Going Bananas".......Dig in and enjoy!

Banana Pudding made especially for WIXY and friends..........yum!