Alabama Book Festival

On April 17, Hub and I went to Montgomery to the Alabama Book Festival.

It was as close to perfect as one can get in this life.

Even the weather cooperated; a sweet breeze that blew away the humidity, leaving us with an ideal spring day.

There were several stages, and since we can't be in more than one place at once, we had to choose which speakers we wanted to hear.

First was Carolyn Haines.

A southern writer who can make you feel like you are sitting on the porch of an antebellum mansion in Mississippi, sipping iced tea and talking to ghosts of the past. She has been on my "favorites" list for many years. She's a friend on Facebook, but it was wonderful getting to meet her face to face at last!

Ms. Haines was the 2010 recipient of the Harper Lee award. Look for her Bones series.

Rick Bragg, who wrote my life, was the next speaker. Even with his 2009 Harper Lee award and his Pulitzer, he has not forgotten his roots, and takes time to tell stories and talk UNA football with Hub.

Rick Bragg's books include All Over but The Shoutin', Ava's Man, Prince of Frogtown, The Most They Ever Had, and more.

Rheta Grimsley Johnson has been a syndicated columnist for about thirty years, and makes us think about serious things, even while we are laughing.

While at the Book Festival, she was promoting her newest book, Enchanted Evening Barbie and the Second Coming: A Memoir. She came to the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library recently, and I was fortunate to hear her again. A good Southern girl, if there ever was one!

We heard lots of others, but a favorite was Kathy Louise Patrick. You can meet her here. http://www.beautyandthebook.com/

We spent the night in Montgomery. The next day, while we were in LA, we drove to Thomasville to visit another good friend, Linda Vice. Linda, The Front Porch Philosopher, made us a wonderful lunch, then gave us a tour of her 100+ year old home and the gardens that surround her house. You can meet her here. http://www.alabamasfrontporches.com/

Can't wait for next year!

Amish in Stantonville, Tennessee

Last week, my sis and her hub went with us to the Amish community near Stantonville, Tennessee. It was a beautiful day, and we love driving to new places and finding new treasures. We enjoy these mini-trips we take together, where we giggle a lot and get caught up on everything. Also, the squirrels ate all our tomatoes, so we needed to find some to buy. You know the food you are buying is fresh when they bring it from the field while you are standing there waiting for it. Here is part of what we brought home, and it was all delicious. Stantonville is located in McNairy County, Tennessee, northwest of Shiloh National Military Park.

Holy Smoke Pie

I think it was in the late seventies that I first had Holy Smoke Pie. It was at a party at Debra Morris Harville's house. After we ate, Debra had to give the recipe to everyone there. I came home and made it for my family, and it has been a favorite since then. I always make it at holiday dinners, because I believe tradition is important. It has become a favorite of our granddaughters. I've heard it called Chocolate Delight, Four-Layer Chocolate Dessert, and other odd things. We call it Holy Smoke. Here is how I make it: Chop us a cup of pecans; set aside. Add a stick of softened butter (NOT margarine) to one cup of self-rising flour. Cut the butter into the flour. Add the chopped pecans, and work it all together. Save two tablespoons of the pecans to sprinkle on top. Pour into a 9" x 12" pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Spread it over the bottom of the pan. It helps to use your hands (or hand, if you have t

Cedar Trees in Cemeteries

If you ever wander in old cemeteries, and I know many of you do, you are bound to see some cedar trees. The tradition goes back to the early days of the United States and even earlier in Europe. Cedar trees were not always used, but some type of evergreen trees were planted because they were a symbol of everlasting life. Some Cherokees believed that cedars contained powerful spirits, including the spirits of the departed buried beneath them. Perhaps because they are known as burial trees, there are many superstitions that surround cedars. My grandmother told us in no uncertain terms that if we planted a cedar tree, we would die when it was large enough to shade our graves. Some others are: Never transplant a cedar tree; it will bring bad luck. If you transplant a cedar and it dies, you will die shortly. Planting a cedar tree in your yard welcomes poverty. Some say Christ was crucified on a cedar tree, and will bring bad luck if you burn it. If a cedar tree com

Faith, Folklore, and Friends

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