"Cooking and Sports and who knows what else"

Exactly one year ago today I wrote my first blog post.

I have to admit that at the time I had a very vague idea of what a blog was and I had no idea where it would lead. In the first post I wrote, "So I am starting a blog and we shall see where it goes. I plan to write about cooking and sports and who knows what else."

Well Boy Howdy! as Mama Crowder might say.

There have been 110 posts since then. I have learned so much and enjoyed every second of it. Well maybe not every second. Sometimes I have struggled with finding time to write. Sometimes I have struggled with deciding what to write. Many times I have struggled with how to write.

Usually an idea would float around in the back of my head for a while and then it would just worry me to death until I finally wrote about it.

Once when I was struggling my son Jay gave me some great advice. He said, "Mom, just remember why you started the blog in the first place and stick with that."

My son David had suggested that I write a blog when he was trying to explain the difference between sites like Facebook and Blog sites like this one. Social networking has come a long way in the past year - connecting friends, families, business, politics, charities and even playing a major role in Middle East revolutions. There are blogs by all kinds of people all over the world about every subject you can imagine.

I started this blog because I wanted to chronicle and preserve family stories and recipes for my children. I wanted to write about how our family traditions hold us together.

And I wanted to take note of a full year cycle of what happens in nature - in the yard, the garden, plants, animals, sunrises, sunsets - and to focus on how amazing the cycles of life really are.

I wanted the blog to include stories from the past and a snapshot of the present. I had attempted to do this through a word processing journal but had found it hard to keep up. I needed the pressure of declaring out loud that I was going to blog for one year and I needed you to hold my feet to the fire. You did and I thank you.

One of my earliest blog readers was Dr. John Buse, an amazing doctor and amazing person. I was blogging away but did not really understand it myself when I ran into Dr. Buse. To my surprise, he complimented me on the blog and then he said something that has stuck in my mind. It was one of those moments when time and place sort of stop and hang in the air and he said, "You have a voice."

And isn't that what we all need? To find our voice. To tell ourselves who we are.

So, while I thought I was writing as a gift to my children, it turns out that I have recieved the gift. The gift of not taking things for granted. The gift of daily observation of all that is beautiful and magical in the world. The gift of gratitude for family, friends, faith, food, fun and fellowship.

And the cycle continues. The sun rises and sets. The world keeps on turning and the balls keep on bouncing.

Yesterday I took pictures of various things peeping out of the ground. Herbs are growing in pots out by the kitchen door. Wisteria and dogwoods are blooming in the woods. My USTA tennis team is playing well this season. And Butler and VCU prove that March is still full of madness.

Feed the Good Wolf - Liz's Vegetarian Chili

Feed the Good Wolf is a phrase we have used in our house ever since someone sent an email to me years ago. I printed that email and have had it taped to one of our kitchen cabinets so we can refer to it when needed. Which is nearly every day for me. Sometimes more than once a day.

The story goes:

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all.

One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."


Everytime I read this I can just see a wise old Indian say these words wistfully to his grandson. Knowing full well what a challenge it is to always feed the good wolf.

Sometimes in our house someone might ask, "Are you feeding the good wolf?" Or someone might happily say, "That was feeding the good wolf." This can apply to all kinds of situations but we all understand what it means.

Yesterday I wanted to feed the good wolf by fixing a really healthy meal. My friend Liz owns a wonderful restaurant called Cafe at the Mall. Liz has been very gracious to help out our local Diabetes Center from time to time with healthy and delicious recipes.

This colorful Vegetable Chili is one of those recipes. It looks complicated,but once you have everything chopped it is really fast and easy.

This recipe makes a huge pot of chili so there is plenty to share. Which will help you feed your good wolf.

Cafe at the Mall Spicy Rich Vegetable Chili

3 Onions, chopped (I used one large one)
2 TBSP minced garlic
3 TBSP oil for sauteing
2 Large Zucchini, chopped
(I used 2 small zucchini and 2 small yellow squash. You know I can't follow a recipe exactly.)
2 peppers, chopped (I used one green pepper and one jalapeno)
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 med carrots, grated (I sliced them)
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed (This was wonderful!)
Fresh Cilantro
2 Cans diced tomatoes
1 12 oz can tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 TBSP cumin
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP turmeric
Water

Liz's recipe did not have salt or pepper, but I added a little bit anyway.

Preparation:

Saute onions and garlic in oil. Once the onions start turning translucent, add all the fresh vegetables and continue to cook stirring till everything is wilting.

Add spices and stir for a minute or more then add tomatoes, beans and water to make it the desired soupyness. Don't add too much water at first. You know what Mama says, "You can always add more but you can't add less."

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often and let chili cook for at least 30 minutes.

Serving Ideas from Liz:

Spicy Rich Chili, Green Salad and Whole Grain chips
Quesadilla filled with Spicy Rich Chili, cheese and guacamole
Taco Salad made with Spicy Rich Chili
Spicy Rich Chili over Brown Rice with Garlic Toast

Spring Forward - David's Whole Beef Tenderloin

Spring sprung and the clock wasn't the only thing that seemed to fast forward. I know it's not just me. Most everybody I have talked with lately says things seem to have sped up a notch.

The spring flowers are so colorful and lively that it makes everything seem brighter, louder and more active. Yellow forsythia fingers stretched up in my neighbors yard. They have not been pruned back in a couple of years and they have a wild and free look about them that I love.

In Lattimore there is a forsythia near the garden that has been pruned. Abel must have channeled Edward Scissorhands because he pruned the forsythia into the shape of a basket. It is really cute and made all of us smile.

The tulip tree in our backyard was especially pretty this year and so was Mrs. Sarazen's snowy white spirea.

But it wasn't just the flowers that seemed to wake things up. Spring breaks and birthdays broke out all over and we broke out a little bit ourselves with all kinds of gatherings to celebrate life.

Wofford held their annual football banquet and it was great to see all the Wofford players, coaches, and the tailgate crowd. We walked to the banquet with Arsenio, Preston, and David and took a picture of them as we remembered how long they have played on teams together. Actually they started out playing against each other in fourth grade. But in middle school, high school and college they were together. And they have four championship rings to prove it.

It was especially sweet when Coach Ayers noted how much he would miss the seniors on the team for their leadership and for their work ethic. They had gone from last year's season of many defeats and troubles to this year's season of SoCon championship rings. That is no small feat and it takes everybody working together to make something like that happen. We were so proud when David and several others were honored with the Unsung Hero Award. Coach Ayers wasn't the only one in the room who was emotional as he talked about what it means to have unselfish leadership and dedication on any team. And how those qualities lead to a successful life after college.

Another fun gathering was at the cabin when Uncle Frank brought several of his big band folks out on the first day of Spring for some food, fun, fellowship and frivolity. The weather was warm and so were the memories that the big band music brought to mind. "Sentimental Journey", "Fly me to the Moon", "In the Mood", "All of Me" and of course Daddy's rendition of "Shanty Town" were among my favorites. It is great music to listen to and great music to dance to. And it's interesting to watch the interaction of the musicians as they go from orchestrated music to free flowing jazz solos and back.

Everyone pitched in to make it a fun Sunday afternoon. We had homemade pimiento cheese sandwiches, cream cheese and olives, pineapple raisin sandwiches, fried squash, beautiful fruit and vegetable trays, deviled eggs, shrimp with Daddy's homemade cocktail sauce, and some good desserts. And David had pork and beef tenderloin on the charcoal grill. You know it was good.

Even the cows co-operated with the plan as they followed Gary to the fence so everyone could watch them frolic around and munch on their hay. It was a very special gathering for all of us.

So we have been really busy and have had some amazing experiences lately. But something had been in the back of my mind and this morning Tommy Tomlinson expressed it for me. I will insert a link to his column if I ever learn how. In the meantime, it is his March 24, 2011 column on www.charlotteobserver.com.

The column says better than I can what I have been thinking. With the horrible earthquake in Japan, revolution and war all over the Middle East, debt everywhere, worldwide poverty and starvation what difference does music, sports, and gatherings make? I do hope you will read the entire piece. It is worth it from start to finish.

He hit the nail on the head with this, "Music and books and art and sports detach us from the daily plight of people. And they connect us even deeper with humanity. That's why monks chant and prisoners write poems and poor kids play soccer in the street. Those things too make the world better in some small way....There's no shame in diversion. It keeps us sane. It keeps us going, And it helps us believe we still have a shot at building the world we dream of."

I think it goes further than that. Gatherings and diversions create a reason for people to get together, to work together, to play together, to build relationships together. To learn how to live happily together.

That's how we build the world that I dream of.

David's Whole Beef Tenderloin

David has two methods of cooking whole beef tenderloin. One is over charcoal and the other is in the oven. Either way he prepares the meat basically the same way - a preparation that has evolved over time. I can't get a handle on the charcoal way because it varies from time to time so here is the oven method. He learned the timing of the oven method from Sister who learned it from Edith H who mostly likely learned it from someone else. It works every time. You won't have the charcoal flavor but I promise it will be delicious.

David says the most important thing about cooking whole beef tenderloin is trimming it properly. Years ago he learned from Jeanette how to trim tenderloin. You can google How to Trim Beef Tenderloin and watch how to do it. You have to trim off the 'chain', the fat and all of the silvery stuff. It's a good day for Dingo and Mr. Cat when David trims tenderloin.

After trimming the tenderloin, David rubs a thin coat of olive oil all over it. He coats it fairly heavily with Horseradish mustard, black pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder and kosher salt. He says any spices work and he varies what he does.

You can do all of the preparation ahead of time and refrigerate until time to cook, but it is important to have the meat at room temperature before cooking.

Preheat oven to Broil. Broil 8 minutes on one side. David says to keep the oven door cracked a little to keep the broiler from turning off. Flip the meat and broil 10 minutes on the other side. The times need to be closely watched. Then turn oven to bake, set at 325 degrees, close the door and cook 20-25 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to get desired doneness. David cooks to an internal temperature of 120-125.

Take out and let the meat rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. He says, "It will cook a little more and the internal juices with set a little so you don't lose all that flavor."

Slicing depends on the type of meal you are having. For a sit down dinner, larger slices. For a cocktail gathering, smaller slices. David ALWAYS uses an electric knife to slice tenderloin.

I make horse sauce to go with the beef by mixing horseradish and mayo. We like the sauce pretty darn hot, but you can mix whatever portions you want.

March 18, 1956

Birthdays, Basketball and Spring Breaks. March Madness is truly here.

Today is David's birthday. Thank heavens. For 17 days I am older than he is and I always feel better when we are the same age again.

And thank heavens for David. He amazes me everyday. Life with David is never boring. He keeps a lot of different balls in the air at any one time. He is dependable, compassionate, thoughtful and responsible.

He loves what one of the boys used to call man-things - grills, TVs, flashlights, electronics, and sports. He also loves animals. And family.

Several of my favorite pictures of David are included on this post.

I love the picture from 1988 of David with our golden retriever, Nick. That was the day our first baby was supposed to be born. David had chosen not to play golf on the beautiful Saturday in September and was chilling at home. Waiting. Nick is loving life. David is talking with a friend on the cordless phone, eating one of his mother's cheese wafers with a cold beverage, and wearing his Carolina Basketball socks. He still has those socks. I love the picture because it is so serene.

Of course, our first baby wasn't born until about two weeks later. And then before we knew it there were two sons. I love the picture of David with both of his little boys. He is and always has been a really great Dad.

The picture of David and me is from last fall during Wofford Football travels. We were with fun friends in Beaufort, SC and Linda snapped the picture on the dock as the sun went down.

Sometime around 100 BC, Publilius Syrus said, "Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm". The opposite being that it takes a special person to hold the helm when the sea is not calm. Life is full of stormy seas and we are no exception to that. But I am really happy to be navigating through life with David at the helm.

March 14, 1926

March 14th is Mama's Birthday. The picture included on this post is my favorite picture of her because I think it captures both her beauty and her spirit. It does not capture how hard she has always worked and how selfless she is. Mama stays busy all of the time whether in the kitchen, in the garden or just sweeping the acorns off the driveway. But even when she is really busy, it seems like she always finds time to listen or talk or help.

A few years ago, Daddy called me from Loma Linda, California where he and Mama were staying while he recieved proton radiation for prostate cancer. He wanted to talk about the new YMCA in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. He thought the Y would be good for the area and that naming it for Mama would be a special way to honor her life of selfless devotion to her family.

Several of us collaborated on a plaque to be hung in the lobby of the Ruby C. Hunt YMCA.

On the anniversary of Mama's Birthday, here is the full text of that plaque:

Ruby Hunt has brought joy, beauty, love, laughter, faith, and hope into the lives of many people. Her hard work, determination, patience and sense of humor have enabled her to be the best she can be at whatever she does.

In 1926, Ruby Crowder was the first child born to Plato Dixon and Vada Spangler Crowder. Ruby was raised on a farm in Lattimore and graduated from Lattimore High School. She attended Appalachian State University where she was chosen by her classmates to represent them on the May Court.

Ruby married her childhood sweetheart Jack Hunt in 1946, and they began an eventful life together. After military service during WWII and the Korean War, they settled in Cliffside, where Jack practiced dentistry. Later, they returned to Cleveland County to raise their five daughters. Ruby's pleasant nature and dedicated work ethic allowed her to successfully manage several retail businesses in Western North Carolina. She balanced her work and a happy atmosphere at home with elegance, making it look effortless. Ruby has always made time for her family by reading with the children, making clothes for them, and instilling in them Christian values by showing love and patience to each child. She has contributed to her community by volunteering with local charities and preparing many home cooked meals for family and friends.

In 1972, Jack ran for political office and served in the North Carolina House of Representatives, traveling between Raleigh and Cleveland County for twenty-two years. During his tenure he served two terms as Speaker Pro Tempore. Ruby accompanied him on trips to Raleigh and served as Chaplain of the Sir Walter Cabinet where she researched and presented devotionals on living a meaningful life. Ruby has always been Jack's most faithful supporter. In fact, most people say the best thing about Jack is Ruby!

Ruby’s Cookin’ is a term that has and will forever be used to describe the many ‘spur of the moment’ dinners held in Raleigh and Lattimore. People from all walks of life are welcomed to the Hunt’s table complete with country ham, biscuits, cornbread and fresh vegetables from the garden. Ruby’s home and kitchen have become known as a place where harmony prevails.

Ruby Hunt says that children spell love T-I-M-E. As a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother her gift of love is simple and unconditional, a Corinthian example of the truest way to show love to others.

Happy Birthday Mama. I love you.

Playhouse Tea Party - Toasted Marshmallow Cheese Crackers

There's been a lot of talk of Tea Party in the news in the last year or so. But when I hear the words Tea Party I am transported back to the Lattimore Playhouse. Actually we had what Mama always called a Tea Party most every afternoon. Usually we didn't actually have Tea. Sometimes it was a Tab and a peanut butter cracker. Sometimes it was Toasted Marshmallow Cheese Crackers. But always it was a time to sit down, refuel and rest. Quite the opposite of today's Tea Partiers.

A few days ago, I took a picture of Mama standing on the Lattimore Playhouse porch. The Playhouse is in pretty good shape for being about as old as I am. Mama and Daddy were talking about how the playhouse came to be. They said that when Dr. Sarazen's Children's Clinic on Grover and Lafayette was to be expanded, there was a house on the Lafayette side that needed to be moved. Daddy bought the house and had it taken down piece by piece. He had two houses built from the materials and then Mama and Daddy planned a big playhouse for the five of us to enjoy. Mama and Daddy told Slick Henderson how high they wanted the ceilings and what the general dimensions should be. They included 2 windows and a little kitchen area. The ceilings and walls are bead board. It has a treated front porch and shingled roof that have been replaced a couple of times.

Mama made pretty gingham curtains for the windows, outfitted the kitchen and had Slick build a few shelves for books in another corner.

We played all kinds of games inside the playhouse.

But we didn't always want to stay inside and we played a lot of games outside the playhouse. Mama was laughing about how we used to throw a ball over the house and and yell AAAAuntieeee then the unseen person on the other side of the house would catch the ball and yell OOOVVERRR! I have no idea where that game originated, but I remember that it seemed like a lot of fun at the time.

We played Red Light Green Light and Red Rover Red Rover and Crack the Whip. Daddy thought crack the whip was pretty dangerous because it involved everybody, biggest to smallest, holding hands, running and then slinging the whip around. The smallest ones on the end generally took flight and then everybody fell down laughing.

Another game we played was a guessing game about work. One team were The Bums and they would think of an occupation to pantomime. When the game was ready to start, The Bums would walk up yelling "Bum Bum Bum Here We Come!" The other team would yell "What's your occupation!?" The work team would answer "Most any old thing!" and the guessing team would yell "Get to WORK!" The Bums would start acting out their occupation and keep working until the guessing team yelled out the right answer. Then the other team would become The Bums.

I think sometimes the guessing team knew the answer but just wanted to watch the The Bums keep on working. The guessing team would be lazing around on the grass chewing on wild onions and acting like they had no idea what the occupation was and the Bum team would be working up a sweat trying to get them to guess it right.

After all that activity, we needed to settle down a little so Mama would fix a Tea Party. And then some of us would take a nap. Some of us really needed a nap. As a matter of fact, we are all still champion nappers.

When I took the picture of the playhouse the other day, Mama pointed out where they had repainted the walls several years back but had left some graffiti on the wall. Seems Cousin Betsy had written on the wall in black crayon "Dickie's Not Welcome!" Nobody can remember what brought this sentiment on, but the graffiti made Mama laugh and she wouldn't let them paint over it.

The Playhouse has survived 50 years or more and has been fun for several generations of children. It was originally at the Hewitt house in Lattimore, but Daddy moved it to the current house in the 70s and settled it beside a huge tree with two big tire swings.

The playhouse continued to be a respite. Once a baby calf named Becky needed special care. She was moved into the playhouse and Carol Ann, Ruby, Philip and Gary helped take care of her there.

A picture of one of our Playhouse Tea Parties from the 50s is included on this post. Judy is serving the snack, Penny, Libby and Cindy are patiently waiting and it looks like somebody needed that nap.

When you need to rest and settle down, fix yourself a little Tea Party of Toasted Marshmallow Cheese Crackers. It is sweet, salty, crispy, and gooey with just the right amount of protein and carbs. Maybe take a nap.

Calm, relaxing, quiet - that's a real Tea Party.

Toasted Marshmallow Cheese Crackers

Saltine crackers
Thin slices of Cheddar Cheese
Miniature Marshmallows (if you use a large marshmallow you need to cut it in half)

Layer 1 cracker, 1 slice of cheese and 3 small marshmallows. Make as many as you need. Toast until the marshmallow is slightly brown and the cheese is melted.

Rainy Sunday - White Bean Chicken Chili

We woke up to a rainy Sunday morning and it seemed like the perfect day to make White Bean Chicken Chili. I had most everything on hand and improvised a little when I needed to. It's fast and easy once you get out all the ingredients. I used to use a prepackaged seasoning but I think this is better and probably healthier too. It is pretty spicy, but serving it over rice helps to tone down the heat.

I put the Chicken Chili together early Sunday morning in a soup pot, and then transferred it to a crock pot to simmer on low until we were ready for dinner.

Rhett was home from NC State and had stopped by Saturday night to watch the Carolina Duke game. It was a great game to watch, especially since Carolina won. The ACC tournament and then NCAA March Madness is upon us so we won't be without plenty of basketball to watch.

Sunday afternoon Rhett came back over to go with Jay to the Y to play basketball. It was a flashback to nearly every day for 15 years when Kathe or I would take them to the Y, then Rhett could drive them, then they could just meet there. Those two have played many an hour of basketball together and it seemed like old times when they headed off to the Y again.

We decided to put a fire in the fireplace and to use up the last of the firewood stored in the carport for the winter. We're optimistic that Spring is here to stay and that we probably won't need another fire until next fall.

But on this rainy, chilly Sunday, the fire in the fireplace and a bowl of White Bean Chicken Chili definitely hit the spot.


White Bean Chicken Chili

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
about 1 Cup chopped Onion
about 1 Cup chopped Celery (2 stalks)
3 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts, cubed into bite size pieces
About 1 tsp Minced garlic (I didn't have fresh so I used the kind in a jar packed in olive oil)
2 jalapenos, diced (I didn't have fresh so I diced some from a jar in the fridge that was leftover from the Super Bowl Nachos)
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 tsp oregano leaves
2 tsps cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
pinch salt and dash of black pepper
1/2 can rotel tomatoes with green chilis (can't make anything spicy without rotel!)
2 cups chicken broth
1 can great northern beans (drained and rinsed in colander)
1 can (14.5 oz) Petite Cut Tomatoes

For Garnish use any or all of the following:
Fresh Cilantro
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack with Jalapeno Cheese


Saute onion and celery in oil for about 5 minutes.
Add chicken and cook until browned.
Add all spices and stir until blended.
Add chicken broth and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add beans and tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes.

At this point, I put everything in the crockpot on low heat to keep warm until we were ready to eat.

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro, cheese and sour cream.

Myrtle Beach

One of the benefits of having boys playing college sports is the opportunity to travel to watch their games. Fortunately many of the conference games for both Wofford Football (SoCon) and for GWU Basketball (Big South) are relatively close to home. We have really enjoyed getting to visit places we might not have visited for any other reason.

But last week for the Big South Tournament game at Coastal Carolina, we were going back to a place of our roots. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Grand Strand.

Most everybody in our neck of the woods grew up going to the coast somewhere near Myrtle Beach. From Ocean Drive to Garden City and all points in between, the place to be was the Myrtle Beach area. But, we hadn't been to Myrtle Beach recently because the drive to the Charleston area is so much easier from where we live.

Gameday was Tuesday March 1st which was also my birthday. Birthdays are always a time of reflection and we had plenty of things to reflect on as we pulled in to the heart of Myrtle Beach.

Like most anywhere some things at Myrtle Beach have changed, but lots of things are still the same. The Pavillion area is gone, but replaced with a really awesome 1.2 mile Boardwalk. The Boardwalk stretches along the wide beach and the dunes from the 2nd Avenue Pier to the 14th Avenue Pier. There are restaurants on both piers. One local told us that he and his wife park at one pier, walk the boardwalk to dinner at the other and then walk back to the car after dinner.

The Boardwalk is a really nice addition and they have an area for outdoor concerts there. They are adding a Sky Wheel right beside the ocean which will have a neat view of the beach.

The Gay Dolphin, Peaches Corner and Marvin's are all still there. And so is the Driftwood Motel. My family usually stayed in houses because there were so many of us and because we always needed a full kitchen for massive cooking, but David's family stayed at the Driftwood. We called Sister to tell her we were walking around the Driftwood and she remembered how much fun they had there over the years and how there was a big dining room with great food.

We moved on down Ocean Blvd checking here and there for the best room rates for the off season. All of the room rates for off season are great. There were very few people in Myrtle Beach in March and the hotels were really happy to see us. As David said, "If you drive down Ocean Blvd with your windows down they will just about throw a room key into your car."

So we checked into a great space and headed straight out for my favorite restaurant at Myrtle Beach - The Sea Captain's House. This is an old house on the ocean front with many different rooms and all kinds of seafood. We split a seafood platter and some She Crab Soup. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and we laughed about getting the Senior Citizen Early Bird Special. Well. It was my 55th birthday. And we had a basketball game to watch.

The Bulldogs did not advance in the Big South Tournament but the Sun did come up the next morning. We saw a beautiful sunrise and then went off to look around Myrtle Beach some more. Collector's Cafe had been recommended for lunch and we did stop by there. It's a really cute restaurant with a great looking menu and walls full of local artwork. There is a sign on the front door that mentions Matisse's painting "The Joy of Life". The sign says "Some say he went too far. Picasso said it's not far enough." I love artists.

We enjoyed rambling around in the Collector's Cafe, but we were drawn to the place a few doors away. Sam's Corner Grill. World Famous hot dogs.

Sam's on the Corner at Garden City Beach was a favorite hangout for both of us. This was in a different location, but they still have the best hot dog. With a cold draft beer in a frosty mug. Well. It was my birthday.

We did a little more sightseeing and then wound up in a shopping area. Susan and I had talked recently about how we didn't really want to try on spring clothes. At least not in the size we needed. Susan had laughed and said she found herself buying mostly scarves recently. And shoes.

So, not wanting to try on clothes after Sam's Hot Dog, I wandered into a shoe store at Myrtle Beach. Then I realized that even though I wear the same shoe size as years ago, I really don't have a lot of interest in those 6 inch heels. Or even 4 inch heels. But, I did buy some very flat and comfortable sandals. When I reported this to Carol, she said, "You know we can still wear the same earrings we did in college." I appreciate all of my friends' support and advice - especially on my birthday.

Both my birthday and the trip to Myrtle Beach turned out to be surprisingly fun and uplifting. If you haven't been to Myrtle Beach lately, it might be fun to go back one day soon. At this stage, I'm beginning to agree with what Picasso said, "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."

Basketball Breakfast and Season End - Daddy's Red Eye Gravy

GWU regular season play ended with two games played at home. Family members from Oklahoma, Missouri, Alaska, Texas and all over were in town for these games and for senior night.

Very spur of the moment we decided to fix Saturday morning breakfast for whoever could come to the Cabin in Lattimore.

I made 80 homemade biscuits and breakfast casserole. (recipes on previous posts) David fried bacon and sausage.

Daddy fried country ham and livermush. He decided to rename livermush to make it more palatable for the folks who aren't from around here. So for Saturday morning he renamed the livermush Pork Bread - which is pretty descriptive of what it is - cornmeal mixed with spices and all kinds of pork. The name change didn't entice most of the guests. Kind of the reverse of the saying a rose by any other name...

Anyway, we really enjoyed everybody who came for breakfast early on Saturday morning. Besides biscuits, bacon, sausage, ham, pork bread and breakfast casserole, we had plenty of other goodies. Daddy made Red Eye Gravy and Sausage Gravy. Dorothy was visiting from Oklahoma and pitched in to make a huge pot of grits and a big fruit salad. I lost count after David had scrambled 5 dozen eggs. Nobody was shy about eating and when it was all said and done there weren't many morsels leftover.

After everyone finished eating they sat for a good while to relax, talk and tell stories. It was music to my ears to hear everybody laughing and just enjoying each other's company.

Outside, the sun was shining, the cows were frolicking around and the train car was chugging along. It was the beginning of a perfect Saturday. Later on, we met up with Kay, Kim, Avery and Archer for a quick dinner before the game. And what a game it was.

The three GWU senior players with their families were recognized for their years of dedication. Then the game started and the Bulldogs came out like gangbusters. On offense and defense. The score was 22-0 before High Point finally got their first bucket of the night. The Bulldogs went on to win in front of a really charged up home crowd. It was a great way to end regular season play.

The win put the Bulldogs into the Big South Tournament and so on Tuesday we headed down to Coastal Carolina for our third match up of the year. Earlier in the year, Coastal had won the first time and then we won the next which ended Coastal's 22 game winning streak. For the Big South tournament, Coastal had home court advantage and the game was really close and intense. In the end, Coastal won it and the Bulldogs had to say goodbye to the 2010-2011 Season.

It's been an amazing basketball season with so many new experiences, so many new friends and a lot to look forward to next year. The level of play is fast and exciting and the GWU players, staff and families are a joy to get to know.

Through sports we continue to make friends for a lifetime. Like some Wofford boys who showed up recently for another spur of the moment dinner. Tenderloins went on sale and suddenly we had Wofford boys and family gathered around the table.

If you're ever hungry for food, fun and fellowship, just remember:

If you cook it they will come!

Daddy's Red Eye Gravy

Scrape country ham on both sides and then trim off the fat. Cut the fat into small cubes. Daddy calls these crumbles or jibbles or cracklins. Fry the jibbles until they are really browned and have released grease into the frying pan. Remove the jibbles and save for later. Sometimes we add them into cornbread for Cracklin' Cornbread and sometimes people put them on their corn. Sometimes we just eat them all by themselves. One thing is for sure - there are never any jibbles left over.

Cut the country ham into biscuit sized pieces and fry in the jibble grease. There is an art to cutting up the ham and to cooking the ham done but not chewy and dry.

When all the ham is cooked, heat the grease in the cast iron pan to very hot. Make sure there are a few jibbles in there to help flavor the gravy. When the grease is sizzling, pour in water and stir quickly with a spatula. Pour enough water to deglaze the pan, but not so much it dilutes the pretty reddish brown color. Pour gravy into a bowl until ready to serve. The name comes from the Red Eye in the center of the bowl as the gravy separates a little bit.

Some people use coffee to make the gravy brown but Daddy prefers water so the real ham flavor comes through. Serve over grits, biscuits or cornbread.

March 1, 1956 - Jonquils

Today is the 55th anniversary of my birthday. How can that possibly be? 55 years?

One minute I am tap dancing, playing tennis and feeling like a kid and the next minute I am looking for the heating pad and aleve. Actually that all happened in one day last week. Some people never grow up.

I have been writing this blog since March 30th, 2010 and it has been a lot of fun for me. Writing the blog has given me a reason to think back over the years and remember many ups and downs. And it has also given me the opportunity to really observe and appreciate what is going on in the present.

Writing the blog has confirmed for me that life is way more meaningful when I focus on the positive.

One thing I always look forward to around my birthday is the appearance of the camellia blooms and the daffodils. In Lattimore, we always call daffodils jonquils. Pronounced jon-a-quils or jonquuls.

Daddy was talking about the jonquils along the road to the cabin the other day and how they had transplanted them from the old Jones farm property.

It seems that years ago the Jones farm, which was next to our farm in Lattimore, had a house on the property with jonquils in the yard. By the time Mom and Dad bought the Jones property, the house was not salvagable. The property was graded to become a soy bean and then an alfalfa field. Later on, Mom and Dad noticed that a few jonquils from the old Jones yard started peeping up from the ground. These plants must have been about 100 years old. How they had survived the grading and bulldozing and weeds and whatever else was nothing short of a miracle.

It was such an affirmation of resilience that Mom and Dad dug up the few little plants and transplanted them to Hunt Farm Road. From those few jonquils and just a few others they planted, there are now several patches of jonquils which spring up every year.

On the way to the cabin the other day, I snapped a picture of one patch and remembered a summer school class that I took at Appalachian State in 1975. That summer, I had just finished my freshman year of college and wanted to get a math requirement out of the way. I never enjoyed math and there was a class for people like me which was nicknamed Math for Poets. It sounds silly now but honestly, it was one of my most memorable college classes.

In Math for Poets, one assignment was to analyze a poem by either William Wordsworth or Alexander Pope. The class actually included a little math in that we learned about pentameter and heroic couplets. Wordsworth, the romanticist and Pope, the classicist, were two very talented poets who approached life from very different places. Pope was known as a very capable and intelligent writer but very critical and negative. He once criticized some of Shakespeares work as "excessively bad". Maybe so, but not my kind of guy. I loved Wordsworth who wrote about the beauty of nature and the importance of appreciating the everyday joys of life.

In Math for Poets, we also studied Einstein. Some theory but mostly quotes. Look them up sometime. He earned his stripes.

My favorite Einstein quote is:

"There are two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Math for Poets was a class about showing how math is in everything in our lives - poetry, physics, sports, music. But for me it was really a class about choosing how to live your life.

After learning a little bit about Einstein and Wordsworth and what they thought, I decided that if it was good enough for them, then it was good enough for me.

So, I learned Wordsworth's poem, Daffodils and think about it every time I see a jonquil.

Here's to nature and beauty. And resilience.

Daffodils - William Wordsworth
Original version published in 1807

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Daffodils;
Along the Lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Outdid the sparkling waves in glee: --
A poet could not but be gay
In such a laughing company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.