Canning Granny: Memories

Showing posts with label Memories. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Lightning Bugs in a Jar

I found the above photo in "wallpapers" and downloaded it on my smartphone... I love looking at it and all the fond memories it brings back of childhood and summer.

We've just begun seeing a few lightning bugs (for you folks who prefer... fireflies) in our yard... and they always say "Summer" to me... warm evenings and staying out on the porch until after dark.

My brothers and I, like many children, were eager to capture the tiny lights... in jars... and did so every chance we got... catching lightning bugs in the dark, our bare feet cool in the summer grass... I can close my eyes and still feel and smell and see those summer evenings.

Mama and Daddy would sit out on the porch on summer evenings, talking about their day and enjoying a glass of sweet tea before it was time for the chaos of bathing dirty children and getting everyone ready for bed... we, of course, ran around in the yard as long as we possibly could, playing hide-n-seek in the dark and catching lightning bugs.

We'd run past Mama and Daddy into the house... Mama would call out, "What are ya'll doing?"

"Gotta get a jar!!! We're catching lightning bugs!"

"Make sure you get a mayonnaise jar! Don't use my good jars!"

We would fish out a jar, find an old mayonnaise lid, grab a knife and punch holes in the top so the bugs could breathe... and off we'd go, stalking the flickering insects til they landed in the cool damp grass and we could catch 'em... fun times!

Looking back on this simple summer fun, I've thought about those children that we were... and what we just automatically knew... about canning jars...

We knew the difference between a mayonnaise jar and Mama's "good" jars... the Mason Jars... we knew those jars were important to "putting up food" for winter...

Mama knew we could be trusted to "find" a jar... use a sharp tool (knife) to poke holes in the lid... she didn't rush in to find our "equipment" for us... my Mama was no "helicopter Mom"... she raised us to do some things ourselves... as I see so many "hovering mothers" these days, ever afraid their little darlings will get hurt and doing so much for them that they don't learn to do for themselves... I am thankful for my Mama and her sensible approach to our upbringing!

Hunting lightning bugs wouldn't have been as much fun if Mama had done all the work for us!

Here's to summer evenings and lightning bugs in jars! And Mamas who let kids be kids! I miss you Mama!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Conspiracy and Deception... at its Finest...

Friday morning I got up at the usual time, made coffee, made Mr. G's lunch and a to-go cup of coffee... he arose, dressed, drank a cup of coffee, got his things together, and headed out to work at the usual time... 6:30 a.m. I spent some time on the internet, took my shower, fed the dog, got dressed, got MY things together and headed out to work at the usual time... 8:20 a.m. Same stuff, different day.

Unbeknownst to me, Mr. G had taken the day off, had driven up the road to the service station where he parked and waited for me to leave for work, then went back home to clean house, grocery shop for the weekend, and begin preparing supper.

On Fridays I usually get off work an hour or two earlier than the rest of the week, so, as usual, I headed home Friday afternoon with plans to cook a nice dinner, and spend the rest of the weekend planting, cleaning house, the usual.

When I arrived home, Mr. G was already home... the dishes were done and the house was immaculate, he was at the sink dicing potatoes... something UN-usual was going on... but not VERY unusual... YET! I asked my dear husband just how long he had been home... "Oh, I had an early day today..."

O...K... still not VERY unusual... but I was getting a feeling things were not exactly what they seemed...

Mr. G announced that he was in the mood for barbecued chicken on the grill, would I please make up a batch of my homemade barbecue sauce... sure... so I did... he looked in the saucepan and once again announced, "I don't think that's going to be enough, do you mind making a little more?" I responded, "What are you planning on barbecuing, a whole pig?" He laughed, I made more sauce... I began to suspect all was not USUAL... but couldn't put my finger on anything substantial...

An hour or so later, my honey and I were sitting on our back deck talking... he mentioned that Smokey Dog was surprised by a substitute mail lady who had driven up our driveway earlier to bring a package (my order of seed potatoes)... WAIT a minute... I said, "Just how long have you BEEN home, our mail comes at 10 a.m.!" To which he responded, "Do you want to hear about this, or do you want to play 20 questions, I had an early day." We laughed and continued to chat... (at this point, I'm curious but I'm still pretty much oblivious to the deception that had been going on around me)

Around 6 p.m. things began to happen, much to my surprise...

My daughter, Hannah and her intended, Nick arrived... I was so surprised and delighted (my children live about 2-1/2 hours away and visit maybe 2-3 times a year)... Mr. G, on the other hand, seemed not surprised at all... Hmmm... the plot thickens...

We visited and talked and laughed for awhile... about 8 p.m. it was decided to start the grill and cook some chicken and sausages for supper... Hannah helped mix up some potato salad with the potatoes Mr. G had diced and cooked earlier... I chopped lettuce for a green salad... Hannah peered over my shoulder an stated that she didn't think it would be enough lettuce, would I please chop some more... WHAT? It was plenty for the four of us... but I dutifully chopped more... couldn't let "company" go without plenty to eat...

About the time I got the lettuce chopped, Hannah let out a giggle, I looked up, and there in my kitchen doorway stood my son, Caleb and his sweet wife, Kaila... I squealed, hugged all over them, and declared that this was a wonderful surprise... the four of them visiting for the weekend...

Kaila announced, "Mom, this is our birthday surprise for you (my birthday was 4 days before), we have reservations in the morning at 11:15 at Laura's Tea Room for you, me, and Hannah." I was beyond excited! Ever since we moved just outside the little town of Ridgeway, S.C., I had been telling them I wanted "us girls" to have tea at Laura's!

We ate, we visited, we laughed, we talked until the wee hours... then up next morning and got ready for our tea party at Laura's... I was so overwhelmed with delight!

We arrived at Laura's a little early, the girls seemed eager to get there (it's only 5 minutes from our house!)... the guys said they might go fishing for us to enjoy our outing and not to rush back, they were good to go with plans of their own...

We spent some time browsing the wonderful little gift shop on the ground floor at the tea room... then our hostess came for us, telling us that we could wait on the mezzanine between the floors while our table was being set up... and while waiting, there were hats... of every shape, size, and color... we were welcome to try on hats while we waited and could choose one to wear to tea if we wanted...

Like three little girls playing dress-up, we tried on hats...

Hannah and I hamming it up in what we dubbed our "church
lady" hats...

Hannah and I in floppy garden hats...

Hannah looking chic in a zebra print and black number...

Hannah looking very "flapper-esque" in this little bit of
millinery delight

Kaila and Hannah sporting garden chapeaus

Kaila in her red satin, poofy, wide brim, and myself in a
purple "church lady" topper

Sweet Kaila models yet another wide-brimmed bonnet

Getting a little silly in this pink
headpiece trimmed with purple veiling.

A walk on the wacky side in a hot pink
ensemble

The three of us, garden party girl, flapper girl, and "crazy" church lady!

Soon we were called upstairs for "High Tea" so we chose our tea hats and followed our hostess up the stairs where we were led to a table covered with an eclectic assortment of antique teacups, saucers, and tiny teaspoons... we were given direction to choose our own cup in which to enjoy our tea...

My teacup was a delicate white china
cup with robins painted on the side...

We started off with an iced blueberry hibiscus tea while we perused the tea menu... we would be served the Irish Breakfast blend, hot, while we decided on two teapots full from the menu...

Kaila and Hannah discuss which teas to try...

Hannah enjoying Mango Passion tea from her
leopard print teacup.

Kaila REALLY liked the fruity iced tea

Hamming it up while enjoying a cup of Monk's Blend
(a black tea flavored with vanilla and grenadine)

As we sipped our teas... we were treated to a first course of blueberry scones served with raspberry jam or Devonshire cream.

The second course included a veggie quiche with a choice of green salad with strawberries, mandarin oranges, and pecans... or Laura's homemade tomato basil bisque... I chose salad, the girls chose soup (which was yummy! I tried some!)

The third, and final course was served on a lovely three tiered serving plate... cucumber sandwiches, tomato sandwiches, Dubliner cheese on wheat toast, and chicken salad on mini-croissants... then apples on cinnamon bread with cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese on banana nut bread, and green fluff tarts... then strawberries dipped in green chocolate (it was St. Patrick's Day) and chocolate filled cream puffs.

Such a fun time, much talking and laughter, and amazing service! We browsed the gift shops and the antique shop in town (Ridgeway is tiny, it's main claims to fame are: it is home to the Nation's Smallest Police Station, it hosts the annual Pig on the Ridge BBQ, Town Hall was once Confederate Headquarters for two weeks, Laura's Tea Room, Cotton Yard Market Antique Shop, and R.H. Lee and Company Auctioneers). We ran some errands, did a little more shopping in Columbia, then headed home late in the afternoon.

Again, unbeknownst to me, the girls had been given orders to keep me away from the house for as long as possible... those boys had yet another surprise up their collective sleeves.

We returned home to find the guys, not fishing at all... but building a roof on our back deck! Imagine my incredible surprise!

My sweet husband, Hugh, aka Mr. Granny

My beloved son, Caleb

My son-in-law to be, Nick

Apparently, this scheme of conspiracy and deception had been in the works for at least a month... there had been clandestine phone calls making plans... The girls had devised the idea to take me to tea to get me out of the house, Mr. G had made the reservations weeks ago. Mr. G had taken photos of the existing deck, sent them via email to Caleb, who drew up a plan, composed a materials list, and emailed it back to Mr. G, who proceeded to purchase the supplies... and hid them in plain sight in our back yard... near the pile of pallets we have... with leaves blown over them to camouflage them from my view (I parked my car EVERY DAY in view of that pile of wood! and never saw it!) I have come to the conclusion that I am completely oblivious! Or, perhaps, this crew is just that sneaky!

Caleb swings from the rafters of the new covered porch

They ran into a few obstacles with shoring up the foundation and had to finish up their project on Sunday morning... I, in my gratitude, made them a "working man's breakfast" of ham, eggs, biscuits and red eye gravy, and fruit before they completed their task.

I am blessed... I have always known this, but it's such a beautiful thing to see it put into action yet again. I love this group of conspirators... my dear husband who came up with the beginnings of the wonderful plan... my son Caleb for drawing it up and seeing it through... our newest family member Nick, for his hard work and dedication... my daughter Hannah for her sneaky part in the plot, for enjoying tea with me, for shopping and laughing, and for buying me an adorable ceramic green pepper at the antique shop... and for my daughter-in-law Kaila for devising the strategy to get me out of the house, for hanging out an entire Saturday with her mother-in-law (and enjoying it!)... I love them all for SO SO many other reasons!

The deck (now porch) is yet to have it's permanent roofing installed, we plan to add metal roofing as soon as we decide what kind (and save up the money for it) so for now we have temporary roofing (two tarps pulled tightly over and fastened well)... My son calls it our Redneck Porch, Mr. G calls it our Hurricane Relief Porch... I call it a Labor of Love... and am enjoying the cool breezes that blow through as I sit in my rocking chair enjoying my coffee each morning, watching and listening to spring awaken in the Sunny South... and memories of a loving, laughing, working family who contrived through sweet trickery to put it all together.

Sweet Little Kaila, exhausted after a long day at tea and shopping.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Herbal Medicine Part 3: A Bitter Herb to Swallow

"All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison." Paracelsus 1493-1541

Yellow Root plant

My friend, Janice, made me drink yellow root tea... it was bitter and nasty tasting and no amount of honey, sugar, lemon juice or other ingredients did anything to improve the flavor... it tasted like... dirt, bitter dirt.

I had a terrible sore throat, my children were young, I kept putting off going to the doctor even though I was pretty sure I had strep... there were blisters and ulcerations all in the back of my mouth and down my throat, it hurt to swallow... it hurt to talk... it hurt to open my mouth... I was miserable.

Janice and her husband Tony had invited us over for dinner... they were wonderful friends, fellow homeschoolers, and Janice and I used to joke that we shared half a brain and usually the other one was using our half when we needed it. I called her to tell her my throat was killing me and it would be better if we didn't come over, didn't want to be spreading my germs around. She responded, "I'm sending Tony down to the creek right now to get some yellow root, come on over, I'm making you some yellow root tea."

And she did. She washed the roots, chopped them up and steeped them in boiling water... then when the tea was cool enough to drink, she made me drink it and poured a canning jar full of the vile stuff for me to take home with the instructions to drink a cup of it two or three times a day until my throat felt better. I did and within THREE days, I could swallow... and shining a flashlight down my throat... there were no more blisters...

Goldenseal (from everything I can find to read, Goldenseal
is another name for yellow root)... PLEASE if I'm wrong,
somebody correct me!

At the Herbal Medicine Workshop I attended, the instructor told the class that bitter herbs... digestive herbs... are so lacking in our society... with the quest for "sweet-tasting" or at least "good tasting" medicines, teas, etc. people have sorely neglected ingesting bitter herbs... herbs that aid our digestive systems... it's no wonder people today have so many problems with digestive issues... heartburn, indigestion, irregularity... stomach ulcers, cold sores, fever blisters, mouth ulcers... the list is endless...

There was a time when taking a "tonic" was a normal thing... no longer! We only treat symptoms, not the underlying cause...

The "Doctrine of Plant Signatures" states that "the physical form of a plant gives a clue as to its healing purposes."

In the New King James version of the Holy Bible, it states, "And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’" ~Genesis 1:29. Several European herbalists from the past believed that God Himself left us clues as to what plants are most beneficial to specific ailments and body parts. Although the science of nutrition was not known then, the application of this principle through careful observation was memorialized in early herbal texts and has been revived today in homeopathy, herbalism and the study of flower essences.

According to the Doctrine of Plants, plants with yellow blooms, roots, etc. give the "clue" that the plant is useful for liver or lymphatic function and/or cleansing... therefore aiding the digestive system. The herbalist teaching the workshop stated that yellow root was a perfect digestive bitter, antibiotic, anti-fungal... excellent for treating thrush, diaper rash (washing the diaper area with a tea), mouth ulcers, etc.

Calendula (officinalis)

Another liver/lymphatic herb is calendula... A tincture of calendula will "flush out a stagnant lymph system." Topically, calendula is a wonderful skin remedy... steep the dried flower petals in a good oil (olive oil is great) in the sun for several (2-6) weeks, shaking daily (in a canning jar!), then mix with beeswax for a healing skin salve.

Calendula tea or tincture in water can be swished and swallowed in order to help heal oral lesions, sore throat, or gastric ulcer.

Chamomile

Chamomile is considered a "warming bitter"... it calms as it cures. We all know chamomile tea is wonderful to relax and help with sleep, but it also soothes and calms the digestive system. A tincture of chamomile (tincture chamomile in brandy) is wonderful for teething babies (rub a little on their gums, it calms and soothes and takes the pain away).

Chamomile is antispasmodic to the intestinal tract and helps heal gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Dandelion

Dandelion (YES, dandelion, that "weed" that grows in your yard) is yet another liver/lympatic herb... make a salad out of the leaves... or a tea, or a tincture, or cook them like greens... dandelion greens are a potassium rich diuretic (most diuretics deplete the body of potassium, not dandelion!)... herbalists use tinctures of dandelion mixed with hawthorn tinctures to treat congestive heart failure.

Dandelion root (a digestive bitter herb) is used as a liver tonic (cleansing)... and can be dried and ground as a substitute for coffee.

The flowers of the versatile dandelion (remember yellow=liver!) are excellent for neck and shoulder pain (lymphatic!)... and dandelion wine is said to alleviate seasonal depression.

The lowly dandelion is a classic spring tonic. The herb is mildly laxative, markedly diuretic, and improves the function of the liver, promoting secretion of bile.

Fennel bulb

Fennel seeds

Fennel aids in digestion... use the seeds in a tea or tincture to alleviate gas and bloating. Our former neighbors (from India) keep candy coated fennel seeds in their pantry at all times to give to colicky children (and adults) Fennel tea is safe even for babies to help colic ... fennel freshens the breath, improves assimilation with food and decreases gas. The tincture or tea synergizes well with laxatives, acting as an anti-spasmodic.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Herbal Medicine Part 2: Bee Balm and Bee Stings

During the recent herbal medicine workshop I attended, the first herb the instructor discussed was Bee Balm. Monarda Didyma (red flowering) and Monarda Fistulosa (lavender flowering) bee balm, or wild bergamot, she said, is an invaluable addition to a medicinal herb garden. She began her talk holding her single sheet of typed notes at arm's length, she had forgotten her reading glasses... a member of the class loaned her a pair and she laughingly remarked, "Oh, I DID write this in English!"

Bee balm is excellent for treating systemic candida (yeast infections, thrush, impetigo, mouth ulcers, sore throat, diaper rash) and is also good for quickly treating burns (by adding saliva and using as a compress on the burned area).

Lavender flowering bee balm (Monarda Fistulosa)

To make a tincture of bee balm, she recommended using the top third of the plant and to tincture it in brandy rather than vodka or EverClear... why? because bee balm doesn't need a large percentage of alcohol to obtain the medicinal tincture (although if all you have is vodka, it's perfectly acceptable to use), the end product is better tasting using brandy.

In herbal terminology "tincturing" is the process of making an herbal extract by steeping ground herb in a liquid "menstruum" (the "solvent" or "liquid" portion of a tincture, usually alcohol)... usually at a 1:5 ratio (one part dried herb to 5 parts menstruum, fresh herb tinctures are more complicated due to the differing amounts of water in different herbs)... a great book with "recipes" for herbal tinctures is Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech.

Once you get the ground herb mixed with the menstruum (a canning jar is perfect for mixing tinctures) you simply set it in a cool, dark place and give it a shake once a day for several weeks, strain it out and decant into amber glass bottles, preferably with a dropper lid on top.

Robin McGee (herbalist instructor) recommended (with a huge grin on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes) shaking the mixture daily and singing to it... she calls it PFM... (Pure Freakin' Magic)

For making salves for topical use, the herb is steeped in a good quality oil (olive is great) for several weeks, then beeswax is added to thicken.

Red flowering bee balm (Monarda Didyma)

Bee balm also has the added benefit of attracting bees to your garden, helping with pollination... and we all know that good pollination makes for bigger, better, more abundant crops!

Bee balm, of course, makes me think of bees... which takes me down another branch of my memory lanes...

When I was growing up, I was the oldest grandchild on my Mama's side (Mama was the oldest child in her family)... so I had the enviable task of watching out for all the little cousins who descended on our home in the summer when Mama and the aunts got together to can, cook, paint rooms, or just visit. My two brothers and I were older than the little cousins by several years (we taught the little ones things, like how to ride a bike, we pushed them on the big tire swing, helped them catch crawdads in the creek or lightning bugs at dusk, watched out for them, teased them)... there was always a group of toddlers around and we seemed to have cornered the market on girls... one little boy cousin (my cousin Brad) amongst that gaggle of little girls... they spent their time playing in the yard, riding Big Wheels, tricycles, bikes with training wheels... running, jumping, climbing... everybody dressed in shorts and sleeveless tops, NOBODY wearing shoes... it was a happy, barefoot world... and there was always the chance SOMEBODY would step on a honeybee and the tears would begin... the one stung would cry, then some of the others would start in sympathy for the injured toddler...

The "medicine" on hand for bee stings? Well, if chewing tobacco was to be had, a big wad of wet tobacco would be applied to take the sting away... but more often than not, the "medicine" of choice was more simple... my little cousin Brad (the only little boy in that group of girl cousins) was elected to pee on the injury... he thought it was great fun and it worked every time, took the pain away and lessened the swelling of the sting... the tears were dried, everyone was given a popsicle to cool off and "paint" their lips purple or red or orange... and the summer play continued...

Friday, February 10, 2012

Herbal Medicine Part 1: A Childhood Interest

My sweet Granny Smith not
long before she passed away
at the age of 92.

I'm gonna be straying away from my usual canning topics for the next few posts. After attending an herbal medicine workshop with Appalachian herbalist and instructor Robin McGee, I have a renewed interest (or maybe obsession?) with herbal medicine... the interest was there before, but it REALLY was awakened by this wonderful class with a fantastic, down-to-earth instructor.

I've been making soaps and lotions for many years, scenting my products ONLY with natural, essential oils and have been using the oils for their medicinal properties for quite some time. I enjoy being in my "mad scientist laboratory" mixing up my concoctions and remedies. So when this opportunity to learn more came up, I jumped at the chance.

After taking the workshop, my mind began meandering down memory lane, and I realized that I've always had an interest in herbal remedies, old wives' tales, old time medicines and remedies, and more.

Granny Smith all dressed up for my parents' wedding

My Granny Smith (my Daddy's mother) was my earliest teacher, mostly with stories she told and her natural ability to make a person feel better with the simplest things. One story she told often was about her own father, my great grandpa, Papa, his name was Andrew Jackson (not the president, but a giant of a man), with great, huge handlebar mustaches, he died when I was 5 or 6, but I have fuzzy, vague memories of him... as a toddler sitting on his lap, fascinated, and a little nervous, listening to his booming voice, his huge laughter, and that enormous mustache.

Granny said when she was a young girl, Papa had a problem with "the sugar" (diabetes)... and at one point his big toe became infected from an injury and wouldn't heal. He had tried everything and the toe just got worse, turning black and swollen with the infection... Papa finally went to the local doctor, who promptly said, "Andrew, you're gonna lose your whole foot if I don't take that toe off." Papa asked the doctor to give him two weeks to try to get that toe healed and if he couldn't, he'd come back and let the doctor amputate his big toe.

Papa came home that evening and said to my Granny, "Sis (that's what he always called her ... her name was Annie, but Papa always called her Sis... or Tom), go out in the woods and find me a pine tree... gather some good, thick 'rosem' and bring it back here." She went... when she brought the pine resin back, Papa took it and packed it all around the infected toe, bound it up in a clean bandage, and left it for a week without removing it.

After the week had passed, he removed the bandaging, washed the area good and checked it... the infection was completely gone, the toe was "white as snow" (that's how Granny phrased it)... the black infection was no longer there and he didn't have to have that toe amputated. Granny said the "rosem" drew out the poison from the infection and healed that toe.

Papaw Smith

Granny knew so many things... she never finished school, never had a public job, had a slight speech impediment from having been "tongue-tied" when she was born... but I've never met a smarter, harder working, more capable woman in my life. Sometimes she would take us grandkids walking in the woods and she could tell us the names of every plant, tree, shrub, and weed we came across and what it was good for (I wish I'd listened better)... I remember one time she picked a small branch off a tree and said, "Young'uns this is a tooth brush, you can clean your teeth with it." She showed us how to fray the ends of the twig and scrub our teeth with it. I learned later it was a birch twig and many mountain folks did, indeed, use it for cleaning their teeth.

Granny had a brother, Howard, who, it was claimed by all the folks in the valley, could cure the "thrash" (thrush, or candida) in babies by blowing in their mouth, and he could cure warts by just rubbing them... I never had any first hand experience with this, I just heard...

Granny was the woman in the valley who everyone called on when they had a sick loved one... not to come heal... but just to come "help." She took food, she had a strong back and could help lift an invalid, she didn't mind scrubbing dirty sheets, wiping noses or hindends, or cleaning nasty chamber pots... and you always just felt better when "Miss Annie" was nearby. She was strong, and solid, and capable.

Granny was my Papaw Smith's second wife... she finished raising the 5 children from his first marriage, and raised their own 6... she was not a gentle woman, but she WAS a gentlewoman, she had a sharp tongue and a firm manner, a no-nonsense, frank, opinionated woman... she milked cows, gathered eggs, churned butter, helped slaughter and butcher, grew a vegetable garden, had beautiful flower beds, cooked, canned, cured, and stored food, kept a meticulously clean home, made most of the family's clothes, quilted with the "Ladies Aid" once a week, attended the local Free Will Baptist Church every time the doors were open, singing in the choir with her strong alto voice heard above everyone else, she put flowers on the graves in the cemetery, and was always the first to visit if anyone in the community was sick, or had a new baby, or had a death in the family... with her large, strong hands, a basket of food, a quilt she had pieced by hand, or just to talk... and laugh... Granny had inherited Papa Jackson's big booming laugh, and she used it regularly.

Papaw and Granny Smith's house... my Daddy and his brothers and sisters grew up here. I have so many fond memories of family times in that old house.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Supper From a Jar

We received some home canned foods from my brother, Jeff, for Christmas this year... it's an annual tradition that we always look forward to... he generally gives us a variety of jams, jellies, muscadine juice, some pickled peppers, pickled green tomatoes, and our favorite home canned half runner green beans. And soup... the soup mix takes me back to childhood... Mama always made it, as did her Mama and probably her Mama before her...

Mama made a soup mix of tomatoes, corn, and okra every summer... and in the winter she'd open a jar and add potatoes and onions and maybe carrots for a tummy warming meal... sometimes ground beef or chopped up chicken would make its way into the soup... sometimes rice or noodles replaced the potatoes... but whatever was added... it was so delicious on a cold winter evening... with a pone of cornbread... perfection!!!

This year Jeff gave us two quarts of his version of Mama's soup mix... he had added to the usual tomato, corn, and okra mixture... some bell peppers and some lima beans... And on a cold winter evening just after Christmas, it seemed like the perfect time to pop open a jar and give it a try... with a few additions...

Here's what I did...

I browned a pound of ground beef and added some garlic powder, salt and pepper, and a little onion powder... then I remembered the dehydrated celery so I added a handful of it...

Next I tossed in a half cup of rice and a cup of water to absorb into the rice.

Then I opened up the jar of soup mix and poured it in (tomatoes, lima beans, corn, bell pepper, and okra)

I brought everything to a boil, then reduced the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes or so (longer would be OK too)

I made a pone of cornbread to go along with the soup (in my cast iron frying pan, of course!)... and what a meal! Mr. Granny and I ate until we were "full as a tick on a dog's ear!" (as my Daddy always says)

Took me back to my childhood and how Mama could make a heart warming, tummy warming meal out of the most humble of ingredients... It don't get no better than this!

Friday, December 9, 2011

Childhood Christmas Memories

My Mama as a teenager growing up the the Western N.C. mountains

I grew up in the Western North Carolina mountains, as perfect a childhood as any child could wish for. We didn't have a huge amount of money... but we never did without. My Daddy worked hard... he was a welder and worked construction jobs... we moved a lot in my early childhood... the Atlanta, Ga. area in my preschool years, elementary school in East Tennessee... we finally settled in the foothills of Western NC the summer before I started sixth grade... Mama stayed home and no matter if we were living in an apartment in Atlanta, on our little 5 acre "farm" in Tennessee, or the 115 acres in NC... Christmas was a big deal... Mama made sure of that...

Mama with me and my brother Jeff on Christmas morning in Georgia

My baby sister was born when I was 12... so for most of my growing up years, it was me and my two brothers... stairsteps, two years apart... I'm the oldest... and the bossiest (or so the boys say!) We always got new pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve (I used to think Santa required it! But I realize now that it was partly so we looked extra cute in the Christmas morning snapshot-fest)... and up until I was 8 or 9 years old... we hung one of Daddy's big ol' work socks on the mantle before we went to bed on Christmas Eve... we obtained "proper" stockings a few years later... but there's nothing quite as exciting as digging apples, oranges, candy, and nuts out of one of Daddy's long stretchy brown socks...

Jeff and me and our ongoing silliness (we haven't changed much)

My brother, Jeff's favorite candy was always orange slices and Mama made sure they were around at Christmas... as well as Daddy's favorite, chocolate drops... orange slices and chocolate drops, as well as the scent of oranges always said Christmas to me.

My favorite cousin Sharon and me in front of the tree (I'm the short one on the right)

I remember the first time I ever "saw" Santa... I was five years old and we were living in a remodeled apple house in Swannanoa, NC... it was an A-frame house with a big basement... my brother, Jeff and I had our bunkbeds in the big basement bedroom... Santa peeked around the door at the bottom of the steps to make sure I was asleep... but I saw him... next morning there were "socks" filled with goodies, my baby brother Kevin (who was about two) got a "ride-on" train, Jeff got one of those metal fire truck pedal cars... and I got a record player with some little yellow 78rpm records, Midge to go with my Barbie, a Barbie case and a ton of Barbie clothes.

My brother Jeff and I in our basement bedroom where I first "saw" Santa
I got that record player for Christmas that year!

Another Christmas when we lived in Tennessee, I remember coming home from Christmas Eve service at church and, since we had the grandparents and aunts and uncles there, being put to bed in a row along with my brothers and the other cousins, on a pallet made of stacks of quilts and pillows in the floor in Mama and Daddy's room... I was snuggled up to my new cloth body baby doll somebody at church had given me (I guess I was six or seven)... we awakened the next morning to the first White Christmas I had ever seen... snow had fallen overnight... it was a magical place to be a child...

Our little house in Tennessee and the ol' station wagon

We never bought a Christmas tree when I was a kid... we chose a Saturday a couple weeks before Christmas and we took a walk... the whole family, Mama holding our hands and helping us over fallen trees and around briar patches... Daddy with his ax over his shoulder as we searched the woods for that year's perfect tree... some were more perfect than others... one year the pickin's were pretty slim and we've teased Daddy ever since over our skinny, sparse cedar tree we had that year... our own "Charlie Brown Christmas Tree"... but once we got it home and in the old metal tree stand... and covered it with those big ol' bulby lights, ornaments (glass bulb ornaments as well as all those we had proudly made at school over the years) and tinsel and icicles... it was transformed into a thing of beauty and pride.

The three of us with our "best" cousins

The Christmas after we had moved to our land (Mama and Daddy had sacrificed and scraped to purchase 115 acres with a house, barn, and outbuildings... an adventure in our lives, but money was tight)... we had sold our van and bought a VW Beetle to save money... Daddy drove it to work... he had purchased an old International one ton truck for hauling pulpwood (there were LOTS of scrub pine trees on our land, great for pulpwood)... not long before Christmas, Daddy was hit by a semi-truck as he returned home from work... totaled the Bug... Daddy walked away with one bruise on his knee... but that year our Christmas shopping (we went together, the entire family... by then we had my baby sister, she was less than a year old)... was done in the big truck... all six of us riding in the cab (this was before mandatory seat belts and car seats)... Daddy drove... Mama beside him with Beth in her lap, I was next and my brother Jeff was squeezed against the door... my little brother Kevin (about 8 years old at the time) was relegated to sitting in the massive, uncarpeted floorboard of the truck... and on the way home he was joined by all the bags, boxes and packages we had acquired... Daddy helped us shop for Mama, then he went away and Mama helped us shop for Daddy and each other... we tried very hard to be secretive... on the way home after this family shopping trip, with Kevin in the floor amongst the packages... he starts saying over and over... "I'm getting lotion all over me... somethings leaking... there's lotion everywhere down here..." Jeff began kicking him over and over... to which he replies "What? What did I do?" Jeff says... "Shhhhh.... be quiet..." and continues to kick... (Jeff had purchased Mama two big beautiful glass bottles of lotion)... to which Kevin says after realizing his faux pas..."Well what did you want me to say... Lah-Shan!!!" Mama and Daddy and I were in stitches, tears rolling... the boys were not so amused... they laugh NOW when we bring it up! Mama received ONE big beautiful glass bottle of lotion from Jeff that year.

Lots of extended family celebrating

That same year we woke up Christmas morning (we had been warned ahead of time that Santa didn't have a lot of extra money that year so to not expect as much as usual)... each of us three older kids had a pair of boots under the tree (I was 12... mine were black lace up boots... so cool!)... Beth, the baby had several baby toys, a walker... the stockings (proper ones by this time) were filled with candy, fruit and nuts...

I must interrupt this thought with ANOTHER unusual tradition my family celebrates every Christmas morning... my uncle Robert and his wife Linda went in with my parents to purchase the land... they lived next door... My Daddy and my Uncle Robert sort of competed each Christmas morning to see who was awakened by excited children the earliest... Daddy usually won... we were older than my uncle's kids and more excitable... so to announce to the other one that he was awake... Daddy (or Robert) would shoot the shotgun loaded with fine shot up in the air... the shot would fall down on the roof of the other, awakening them to the magic of Christmas morning and excited children!

Mama on the famed Christmas Mini-Bike

On the Christmas morning of the boots under the tree... Daddy insisted that we ALL accompany him in the shotgun shooting tradition... outside... in the cold... in our new pajamas and boots... and lo and behold... parked just at the bottom of the steps to the back porch, Santa had left a little orange mini-bike with the three Smith Kids names on it!!! Talk about some excited kids!!!! Me, being the oldest, and the bossiest... announced that I got the first ride... I cranked 'er up and took off, forgetting about the rock wall around the yard... yep... my glory was over in 20 seconds... no one was injured (only my pride)... and the riding continued, with us taking turns and being more careful, until the aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents arrived for our traditional Southern Christmas Breakfast.

My Mama's gift to the extended family and really to the world, was her gift of hospitality... that woman knew how to make everyone feel welcome and warm and special when they visited... on Christmas morning she cooked... for everybody in the family (with most everyone contributing a little something to the meal)... every year we had country ham, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, coffee, milk, orange juice, bacon, sausage, grits, hash browns... and more... then the grownups usually settled down for Christmas naps... while we kids played (outside!!!) with our new toys... we rode bikes, (and mini-bikes), tromped the woods in our new boots... pulled each other in our new wagons, or coasted down the hills in the same wagons loaded as full as we could get them with cousins... crashing and getting back up again to climb the hill and do it all over again... you see, we rarely had snow at Christmas (only three times in my life that I can remember)... and much of the time it was warm...

I have so many Christmas memories of my childhood... some good, a few not so good (my Nanny passed away the day after Christmas when I was 14... THAT was a sad one)... but as I look back and remember... the most memorable moments that stand out in my mind had little to do with the gifts I had received... we did a lot of home made gifts and decorations, we ate well... and had a LOT of family together time... that's the stuff I remember!

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