Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections

Moonlight Through The Pines

Sunday

Today is Sunday and we close at 3 p.m. Just so you know I just sampled the chicken and dumplings and they are AWESOME today! Better come early if you want any because I don’t think they will be here long today!

Other than chicken and dumplings we have the regular menu offerings. We do have tilapia (can be fried, grilled, blackened and lemon pepper) and wild caught Alaskan salmon (can be grilled or blackened) as the daily catches.

Come and see us!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Near and Far

We spent last weekend at a wonderful little B&B called The Secret in Leesburg, AL.  I took lots of pics that I think personify near and far

Wordless Wednesday

One Year Ago

This week for Mama Kat’s Almost World Famous Writer’s Workshop I chose prompt #1.) Share what you were blogging about last year at this time…what has changed?

Let’s see… last year in this week I was writing about a wedding I’d been to in the North Georgia Mountains where there was a runaway bride due to the torrential downpour right as her wedding started.  Of course they did get married with a little slight delay and change of venue and I am happy to say that Kelly ad Greg just celebrated their one year anniversary! Congrats!!

I also wrote about a trip we had taken to Nashville to see our daughter and her husband and how we had gone to McKay’s used bookstore while we were there.  Well, the McKay’s we went to has since shut down but not due to lack of business.  They built a brand new location right on my daughter’s exit and they just opened it a couple of months ago but we have yet to be able to take a couple of days to go to check it out.  We are hoping to be able to take a few days soon to do that.  This one is a two story deal and all nice and modern.  Can’t wait to see it.

Last year at this time I was also writing about having just gotten Chorizo and how he had gotten so sick and had pneumonia.  Well, Chorizo just recently turned a year old and unfortunately he’s still eating everything he shouldn’t!  He is at the vet’s office as I type this most likely due to something else he ingested.  We don’t know what it was and neither does the vet at this moment.  He’s not doing well though.

Last night he was violently shaking and wheezing so I force fed him some pedialyte since he won’t eat or drink.  They did blood work and xrays and so far can’t find out what is wrong.  He started with diarrhea and vomiting on Saturday evening and seemed to be better on Sunday and then took a turn for the worse yesterday.  Unfortunately he eats anything and everything usually before you can even catch him doing it.  One thing I didn’t know is that gum can be toxic to dogs and can kill them in 24 hours.  The vet said to be especially mindful of candies and gum that contains sorbitol because it’s very toxic to dogs.  I think Chorizo got into some gum in Erinn’s purse the other night so I’m hoping whatever it is, they can save him.

She also said his spleen is enlarged but she said that can be due to the stress of him being sick.  I just hope they find whatever is hurting him.  Please say a little prayer for him and send positive thoughts his way.  I guess some things don’t change much do they?

On a personal note…. Last year at this time I was enjoying a leisurely life of semi retirement with nothing but time to read and write and enjoy life to fill my days.  Now we have opened our own restaurant and rarely get a moment to breathe.  We are hoping to take next week off to go to Virginia and check on my parents since we haven’t had a real day off since we opened on May 1.  I, for one, am tired and can use a few days to de-stress and relax.

So, how has YOUR life changed since a year ago?

Mama’s Famous Charlie Bread

Ok, due to several people asking me for the recipe I am sharing my mama’s cornbread recipe.  Mine never turns out as good tasting as hers.  Probably because I try to be a little healthier and cut down on the oil but it’s still good!

Charlie Bread

2 cups of self rising corn meal,

1 cup creamed corn,

1 cup of sour cream,

1 cup veg oil (I always cut that in half though),

2 eggs

spoon of sugar.

Combine all ingredients. Pour in 9 inch round cast iron skillet. Bake at 450 about 25 or 30 minutes until it looks done. .  It’s better in a cast iron skillet and if you have shortening, I grease the pan with shortening and put it in the oven while it’s preheating.

Can be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 glass Pyrex dish for larger gathering

Share Your World – Week 29

1. What sound or sounds do you love?

Cats purring.  Or a baby sighing contentedly.  Or cooing. Or gurgling…. Or laughing…. Pretty much any noises made by babies!

2. If you could be a tree or plant, what would you be?  A sturdy oak just because it is so sturdy and strong or a magnolia because the flowers are beautiful and unusual and they smell pretty!

3.   What is your favorite recipe that was passed down from your mother or grandmother?  Have you mastered it as well as the original? I would say the most favorite recipe I got from my mom is her Charlie Bread (a corn bread made with cream corn and sour cream) and no, unfortunately I have not “perfected” it.  I come pretty close but I am no master at it.

4.  What is your favorite genre for novels, and why? I would say novels that are based on history or factual events or situations.  Things like Gone With The Wind or The Help or Water For Elephants.  I also like books that are sort of semi autobiographical but are told with a sense of humor.  I know it’s weird but books like Running with Scissors, Dry, Me Talk Pretty and the Glass Castle.  I like reading about people who have overcome a lot in their lives but still have their sense of humor and self intact.  I greatly admire writers like Jeannette Walls, Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Create

Necklace and bracelet I created.

Meatballs in marinara created for a wedding rehearsal dinner.

Creating a dream….

Creating meat ball heaven.

Creating the famous cream puffs.

Creative peach cobblers

Creating breakfast frittata!

Creating her masterpieces.

Creating yumminess!

Chorizo creating havoc…

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

This week for Mama Kat’s Almost World Famous Writer’s Workshop I chose prompt #1.)    Write about a time you were forced to step out of your comfort zone.

There were many times when I have been forced to step out of my comfort zone.  I know most people will probably guffaw when I saw this or drop dead from shock, but, I am innately a shy person. Yes, I do realize I am talking about myself.  Most people assume I am very outgoing. And I am because I force myself to be.  I do not feel comfortable “putting myself out there” for all the world to see.

That was why it was odd that back in high school I allowed my best friend to talk me into going out for the track team and then the speech and drama club.  The track team proved short lived, not because I wasn’t good at it but because my mother decided it was inconvenient for her for me to be transported back and forth to practices and meets.  I guess I was almost kind of relieved because I no longer had to worry about being the center of attention, which I never really felt comfortable with.

The speech and drama club and the debate clubs were a little different.  I really hated doing the debate team even though I am a natural born stubborn arguer.  I didn’t mind the debating during practice, it was when I had to get in front of a large audience that I felt like my tongue was three feet thick and that my mouth was filled with peanut butter and molasses!  It was already bad enough that I have a lisp and really slur my s’s but to be so nervous made it even more pronounced. It didn’t take too long before I decided I couldn’t do the debating in front of large audiences.  I’d kind of freeze up, not from lack of desire to debate but simply from fear of being in front of all those people.

Then I let Sylvia talk me into trying out for a play.  Sam was a natural born actor.  Very outgoing and gregarious.  I was better with her egging me on but again… once I got out on that stage I really suffered from stage fright.  I think I only was in one play and didn’t have that many lines but I was so afraid that right before I went on I almost had a panic attack.  Worrying about where to stand and if I’d remember my lines and the people… OH MY GOD….. they were all looking right at ME!  Yeah, One or two plays and I was done.  I had my fill of being out on stage and decided I was much better off behind the scenes working in wardrobe and make-up.  There I thrived!

I loved hanging out backstage. That way I was still soclose to the action but didn’t have to be the center of attention.  I could use my creative abilities to work on the costumes and hair and make-up for the actors and even worked on the programs and props.  I did just about everything BUT act and I loved it.  I didn’t have to worry about people staring at me or panic attacks.  I didn’t have to worry about forgetting lines.  I could just be me!  And that’s what I do best…just be me.