Perfect Pea Topping Relish
Welcome back to the kitchen. I’m excited about sharing this recipe with y’all. It’s a simply scrumptious relish to top those fresh peas you’ve been hankering for, or it can be served as a delicious low-calorie dip. Pair it with some baked chips and congratulate yourself to skipping the Rotel and cheese dip— at least today. But, remember, don’t deny yourselves forever, honey; you’ll just fall off the
And Then There are the Games People Play
I’m often asked if there are really such differences in the social customs of the north and the south, or is it that southerners just enjoy perpetuating the myth? I’ll tell you a story; you decide. My friend and his wife go to a small country church in Mississippi that recently held their annual spring revival. As is the custom, several members of the congregation took
Games Doctors Play
Hello folks, let’s chat…~smile~ I went to see my eye doctor this morning. He’s a good fellow and we always spend a little time swapping stories during my exam. However, just between you and me, he has a strange sense of humor. For instance, he loves to amuse himself at my expense with something I call the dreaded “Better or Worse” game. I get to look
Thoughts from the Backwards Jogger
Yes, literally. In an effort, I suppose, to stay true to my life's overall theme, my knees are weird. FYI, my knees have ALWAYS hurt. When I was a teenager running bleachers during basketball conditioning I thought it was normal-- that everyone's knees were aching. A trip to the ortho in my 30's when I was playing tons of team tennis and my knees were killing me revealed
Serendipity and Unanswered Prayers
Serendipity: a happy accident or pleasant surprise. Our lives are full of accidents and surprises. Being able to see the happy and find the pleasant in them-- that's the hat trick. More than a decade ago, after filling away yet another rejection letter, I squared my shoulders and took another path. I spent the next several years working feverishly to build a platform for my writing. Progress was
Bring it on, FIFTY! This belle ain’t skeered!
The other day my author friend prefaced what she was about to say to me by telling me it would make me laugh. Duly warned, I was prepared for a chuckle but her next comment gave me the kind of belly laugh that I dearly love. Author Friend said I was "the sanest person she knew." If you are a friend, family member, or long-time reader you will need
Elvis the Egret Hits the Jackpot
I was watching a flock of egret fish for shad along the lake bank when I saw him. He wasn’t unique in appearance, same white feathers, same spindly legs, and beady eyes. It’s just that I happened to glance his way right about the time he hit the jackpot, struck pay-dirt if you will. While his buddies munched on two-inch shad, Elvis the Egret was
Wayne Newton in the Southern Quote
This half-Indian son of an auto mechanic was born April 3rd, 1942 in Roanoke, Virginia. He was four when his parents took him to see the Grand Old Opry. Enthralled by the likes of such country music greats as Hank Williams and Kitty Wells, the little boy announced to his mother that "this was what he wanted to do." "What?" she asked. Carson Wayne Newton
Popeye’s Got to Have It Spinach Salad
We’re stirring up “Popeye’s Got To Have It Spinach Salad” in the All Things Southern kitchen today. It’s chock-full of nutrition and running over with flavor. Let me show you~ “Popeye’s Got To Have It Spinach Salad” Salad: 2 six-ounce bags packaged spinach, washed 1 bunch green onions, diced 5 slices bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted 1(8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts Dressing: 1/3 cup olive oil ¼ cup sugar 3
Missing Parts and Missing People
Ever since Mrs. Mamie Lee and Old Man Henry got that brand spanking new Winnebago, they’ve been on the road more than they’ve been at home. You might have seen ‘em. Mr. Henry had this professional artist paint a big map of the United States on the side. Mr. Henry’s map tends to stand out from the crowd. After every trip he paints a big