Enjoy the lovely sound of Lindsey Stirling as she plays “River Flows In You”. This is the last weekend of a long, hot summer. One I feel like I sat on the sidelines of as healing continues. I cannot believe tomorrow is already Labor Day. I’ll be taking a rest from blogging, but there will be something special on the site for you to enjoy! Wishing you all a wonderful Sunday where all of your dreams can come true.
On The Radio
Anytime I get to spend time with Stacy Bass and Jay Anderson of Straton Hall Events is a good time! We got together to discuss their lives, projects and the new Southern Table Restaurant and Bar now open on Thursday and Friday evenings. These two guys are such a valuable part of our community! They are always giving back and always creating events that will never be forgotten. Make reservations to join them for dinner soon! You’ll love it!
For Miss Skylar…
I may be in a “heap” of trouble for this post…lol. But I can’t let this event go by and NOT write about it! My lovely daughter, Skylar, turns 18 tomorrow. A milestone birthday for a special young woman. I don’t know where the time has gone, but it has melted away like a stick of butter on a hot summer day. I cannot imagine my life without her lively, creative and sometimes mischievous free spirit in it. I clearly remember the day I learned that I would be able to adopt her. Having gone through several miscarriages and being told I would not be able to have children was pretty traumatic for me, but this little soul was bound and determined to find me and so she did. We’ve been together since the moment I cut her umbilical cord, at around 5:50 in the morning on August 29, 1996. Our connection began and on it goes.
Whether she’s snuggling with Emmeline……
Playing on the beach with Graham…..
Dressed in her Junior R.O.T.C. finest…..
Or posing for the camera, Skylar is a oner! Our hearts found each other and nothing will ever change that! Happy Birthday to one of the finest people I know. My friend, my pride and joy…..always and forever!
Miss Emmeline….
For as long as I can remember I have been writing. I have kept diary after diary and more journals than I can count over the years. But until recently I never really knuckled under and worked to create a career for myself as a writer. I am living proof that it is NEVER too late to be what you might have been. My dream of writing professionally is coming true at last.
Miss E and G-man at our wedding
When I remarried five years ago I became an instant grandmother. Mr. T got to raise his fifth teenager and I got to embrace the joy of having Emmeline and Graham in my life. They are both so incredibly bright and funny, it’s always a treat to spend time with them separately or together. Emmeline is probably the more outspoken of the two, although our last visit with Graham and his family in Atlanta showed me that he is developing into quite a talker himself!
Skylar and Em in the French Quarter
Emmeline’s history of outrageous one liners led her mother to begin writing things down that she would say or do. I quickly learned that you don’t want to miss anything Miss E has to say! Mr. T kept telling me I needed to write a children’s book that would feature our dear granddaughter and her one of a kind way of looking at the world. I let that sit and brew in my mind for quite some time before coming up with the idea of a trilogy of children’s books featuring Emmeline and even introducing Graham in the second book.
Since Emmeline lives in New Orleans with her parents there is plenty of writing material to be found. Having visited Commander’s Palace on several visits, where our son-in-law is a manager, an idea began to form. To combine my love for New Orleans with my passion for wonderful food, especially the food at Commander’s Palace, and put them together in a story. “Emmeline At Commander’s Palace” is the result of all of this. Everything began to fall into place once I had the text written. My dear friend, Marion Snyder, an uber talented local artist, stepped forward, eager to illustrate her first children’s book, which she did so beautifully! And when it came time, Bob Drury, put the finishing touches on each page before handing everything over to Three Dolphin Press to take the final steps in getting the book published.
I am so excited that the book is now available on Amazon.com as both a hard copy and an e-book! I enjoyed writing this little story, sharing Emmeline’s quick sense of humor and adventure and, of course, including a bit of culinary flavor to the story. At the end of the book is a small collection of easy “French” oriented recipes that are child friendly to encourage young readers to get in the kitchen, with the help of an adult, and experiment! Take a look here: www.amazon.com, enter the name of the book and search. If you happen to be in New Orleans, I’m very excited to say that the books will soon be available at Commander’s Palace and other area book stores.
The more I grow as a person, the more I realize the importance of playing. We tend to forget this aspect of our lives as we age and become set in our ways. Having Emmeline and Graham in my life is a never ending adventure that will continue to provide me with material for stories for quite some time! I’ve already begun the second book which finds Emmeline and her cousin having an evening at City Park in NOLA at Christmastime. You won’t want to miss it! Being creative is my passion and finding my muse has changed my life…..join me on the adventure and let the good times roll!
Something Special….
The weather must be changing because I’m beginning to feel like cooking again….look out! After the huge rain storm that hit the island on Sunday the weather cooled off a bit. I invited my parents over for a very casual Sunday night supper and treated them to this delicious one dish meal. I did serve a small salad of torn butter lettuce with radicchio and a freshly made lemon garlic vinaigrette. Crusty bread to dip in the sauce and it turned into a yummy, festive, last minute meal! As I’ve mentioned, I cannot leave a recipe alone. I’m always adding a little bit of this or that. This particular recipe originated with Libby Summers, the talented, chef/author/food stylist, from Savannah. With the slight shift in the weather yesterday it became the perfect time to give this a try! It’s a keeper and will reappear on our dinner and brunch table many times with many variations!
Sunday Night Baked Eggs
8 eggs (I get free range/organic)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Pink salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Heat the oven to broil and adjust the broiler pan to sit in the bottom of the space. I used a small crockery paella pan that I’ve had for years to make this…oven to table perfection! Put the butter and heavy cream into the dish and place under the broiler to melt, four minutes. Since all broilers/ovens are different, keep a watch on this dish as it cooks quickly once you get going. Crack the eggs into individual ramekins/bowls. When the butter and cream have melted and begun to boil, carefully slide the eggs into the dish. Cover with the chopped fresh chives, top with feta cheese and return to the broiler for another 4-5 minutes. This is where you will wnat to keep a watchful eye to be sure some of the eggs are not cooking more quickly than others. You may want to rotate the dish as the eggs cook. When the eggs are cooked, sprinkle with pink and pepper. Place the dish in the middle of the table and let everyone serve themselves. The pan juices are extraordinarily delicious so make sure to save a slice of french bread for dipping!
The Songs Live On…
I have long been enchanted by the paintings of Maxfield Parrish with their fantasy quality, the iridescent shades of blue and gold he achieved on the canvas giving his work an otherworldly quality. He reigned as a master of the arts throughout the Art Nouveau period, living into his 90’s and strangely regretting not to have pursued a more musical career in place of his beloved art.
Thought to be Lydia Parrish
But this post is not about Mr. Parrish. I’m always looking through any material or book I can find about Coastal Georgia. Mr. T has a lovely older book entitled, “Recollections of Glynn”, filled with amazing photographs, sketches and drawings that fill in many historical gaps for me. On one of the pages I noticed a small picture at the bottom. In it a lovely older woman, taken in profile, is pictured. The caption reads, “While Maxfield Parrish achieved fame as an illustrator, his wife, Lydia, lived quietly on St. Simons Island and gathered almost forgotten fold songs. Her book, Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands was published in 1942 and is regarded as a significant contribution to the genre.”.
While Maxfield Parrish made his home in his beloved New England, his wife spent part of her life in Coastal Georgia. This is a bit of history you may be aware of, but I am just discovering the information. Lydia made it her life’s work when in the area to meet local people and ask to hear the songs the slaves sang as they toiled on the land, working themselves into an early grave, for the most part. These songs are a bit haunting, but uplifting at the same time.
Our famed Georgia Sea Island Singers continue performing these songs of old, passing them down as a part of history, never to be forgotten. The oppression of any people is never a good thing. But history shows, throughout time, that music has been a form of medicine that soothes the soul of those who gave so much. Many of the songs tell a story, they piece together a history we might not see in any other way.
Here is a recording, if you’d like to give a listen, it’s a 1959 recording of Bessie Jones singing “Sink em Low”. You’ll hear the pathos and the soul in this music that was originally sung by chain gangs as they worked in the hot sun.
As you begin this new week look around and see the history that surrounds you. Listen to the music and imagine the spirit that brought these tunes and lyrics into being. We live in an area so full of interesting history…what will you discover this week? I’d love to hear from you!
Simple Sundays
Enjoy the beautiful music of Marcus Viana on this quiet Sunday morning. Sit, relax and renew. What will you do to make this day special. How will you nurture yourself? Make it a special day, spent with special people…..seize the day!
On The Radio
I enjoyed a great conversation with John Bauser, new director of Glynn Visual Arts. We discussed all of the exciting events upcoming as well as the move and reorganization of what was GAA to GVA. We are blessed in Glynn County to have so many talented artists who work in so many different mediums as well as the support of a great organization like Glynn Visual Arts!
Finally Friday!
Easy can be good in my book! As the hot weather continues and our appetites wane I’m hot on the trail of delicious dinners that are quick to prepare and delicious! It’s sometimes a challenge. Those of you who have followed this blog over the past couple of years know that a “make it from scratch” person and rarely buy anything other than tomato products in a can. There is an exception to every rule, however, especially when it’s too hot to cook! I stumbled over a box H.T. Trader’s brand Pad Thai at Harris Teeter the other day. What resulted was so yummy and easy, dinner was on the table within minutes. Looking over the product information on the box affirmed that as far as “fast food” is concerned, this fares pretty well. Of course, I added to it with my own fresh vegetables, crushed peanuts and fresh cilantro….it was a hit!
Chicken Pad Thai
1 box H.T. Trader’s Pad Thai noodles
1 large boneless skinless chicken breast roasted and shredded (I did this early in the day so as not to heat up the kitchen later)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 egg
1/2 baby carrots, cut in thin strips on the diagonal
3-4 scallions, cleaned and cut on the diagonal green ends included
1/2 cup fresh snow peas, cleaned and cut on the diagonal
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Cook the noodles according to the instructions and set the sauce packet to the side. Shred the chicken breast and set aside. Heat the coconut oil in a wok and scramble the egg, set aside. Toss the raw veggies in the hot oil for about five minutes, you want them to be crunchy. Add the chicken and cooked noodles back to the wok then add the sauce packet, soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss well. Place a serving of the Pad Thai on four plates and garnish with crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro.
This is great served with an ice cold Asian beer like Tsing Tao. Hope you enjoy! There are many different combinations you can experiment with. I’m trying fresh Georgia shrimp and adding cold cucumber to the mix as well…I think it will be delicious!
An August Garden
It’s way to hot to work in your garden this time of year. They don’t call these the “Dog Days of Summer” for nothing! But a walk through your garden, early in the day can lead to more blooms and food for coming months when Autumn plants will begin to show their color.
If you have flowering plants you’ll want to dead head them now to bring more blooms. Love Zinnias? NOW is the perfect time to plant more seeds and water, water, water to get beautiful, colorful blooms for both inside and out. When I plant flowers I always want some that can make casual arrangements for indoors.
Feeding your plants can be both a benefit and a detriment at this time of year. You want to feed your vegetable garden and any Autumn plants that may be flowering soon. Chrysanthemums, dahlias and canna lillies love to be fed this time of year as well. You do not want to fertilize azaleas, camelias or any flowering shrubs as this will interfere with bud formation.
This is a great time to order some gardening catalogs and select bulbs you’ll want to plant over the next couple of months. Daffodil, hyacinth and any kind of lily always make a beautiful spring showing.
I’m dreaming of cooler weather and the day Mr. T and I will walk around the circle of our neighborhood with autumn leaves under foot! It won’t be long and now that I’m semi-recovered from knee replacement surgery, I’ll be out weeding my overgrown garden that has been fairly neglected this year and plant all sorts of new things for next spring!
