Faith, Folklore, and Friends

Weekends are for slowing down.. for taking time to look at the gifts that surround us, gifts that get lost if we don't pay attention. As you celebrate the bounty of your life this weekend, remember to worship and praise the Giver of all gifts........

In the South, we love our okra. Most vegetable gardens have a row or two of okra. If they don't, it is probably because of space and sun restrictions, not because the gardeners didn't want it. Okra is related to cotton (compare their blossoms) and hibiscus. Because it is fibrous, the best okra pods are those that are very immature, not over a few days old. We seemingly have to wait for it forever. It is a heat loving plant, and won't grow as long as the soil is the least bit cool. But when it starts producing, it is hard to keep up with. It needs to be picked everyday during optimal growing conditions. We eat it everyday with enough left over for freezing and canning. I have made ten pints of pickled okra so far, but most of my family prefers it fried. Here's how I prepared some for the freezer today. Wash the okra and let it dry on a towel. Cut into thin rounds; no more than 1/4 inch. Today I have a little less th...

I love the LORD, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome with trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!" The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. Psalm 116:1-7

Tithonia rotundifolia , or Mexican sunflower, is one of my favorite annuals for attracting butterflies. Our local Wildflower Society has many knowledgeable and generous members. Every time they meet, members bring seeds and plants to give away as door prizes. Several years ago, I won some Tithonia seeds, and I have been hooked since. They germinate and grow easily, which is always a plus for me. I gather and save seed from tithonia every year. The plants in my garden today are descendants of plants from that first packet of seed I won several years ago. I love them. The hummingbirds and bees adore them. The butterflies are apparently devoted to them. They grow tall as they mature, sometimes too tall for their own good. This lovely row of plants taller than me two weeks ago are now spread out on the ground after last week's violent storm. They are still living and providing nectar for whatever happens by. I tell you the truth, if y...

I posted this blog about morning glories about this time last year. This morning, as I wandered in the backyard wet from yesterday's soaking rain, my Grandma Gean was heavy on my mind. Would she smile at my feeble attempts? Morning Glories may be the flower I have known and loved the longest. My maternal grandmother, Mrs. Georgia Gean, was a great lover of morning glories. She lived in a little four-room house that had been converted from an old church/school house. The front porch, with boards for the floor and tin on the roof, was built across the front of the house, which faced directly west. Grandma had dug up beds running parallel with the porch, on each side of the front door. Each spring, she would plant these beds with morning glory seed she ordered from a seed catalog. Long before the little plants were ready to send out tendrils, she built a trellis for them to climb on. Grandma knew what days in early spring would yield the highest sap, and that is w...

Almost every morning, between 5:30 and 6:30, I go for a two-mile walk. Some mornings, I had much rather stay in bed, but it gets too hot to walk later in the day. Walking does have its advantages. One of the reasons I do this is to decrease my ever expanding waistline, but up 'til now, that part has been a dismal failure, possibly because I like to celebrate all holidays, especially those that involve food. Think Cinco de Mayo, National Ice Cream Day, and days that end in 'day'. You get it. Another advantage is that walking seems to wake up various body parts, including those in the lower back that are weary after years of climbing stairs and mountains. My back kindly reminds me when I miss a few days of walking. At that early hour, the wildflowers are drinking in dew and smiling. Insects are humming and the living stirs. Last week, on a humid day when I had left my camera home because it gets too hot and heavy, I saw a family of skunks, two adults and two little ones. The ...