Faith, Folklore, and Friends

                                                                 Images from Wikipedia. It is the birthday of Michael Landon, the first man who captured my heart.   It was when he became Little Joe Cartwright on Bonanza (1959-1973) that I became attracted to him, and in my youthful mind, I plotted ways to get out to the Ponderosa and claim him for my own. We would all gather around the television on Sunday nights to see what trouble our heroes would get into that week.  All the girls in our group loved him, some secretly, some who declared their love openly.  A few of them pretended to like Adam, but deep down, it was Little Joe all the way.  Poor Hoss!  No one loved Hoss, but we were always glad to see him when he rode up with Pa to rescue Little Joe.  When I started to high school, ...

The best thing about getting to work early at UNA is you can have your choice of parking places. The second best thing is the light is perfect for capturing fall color when there are just a few people on campus. These images were taken on October 28 using an Iphone 4. It does not, of course, come close to the beauty of the real thing.  I hope you can visit the campus in the next few days while these colors are showing off.

Last night, we attended a performance by humorist Jeanne Robertson at the University of North Alabama. We had never seen her in person, but had seen her on YouTube clips and DVDs.  We were there thirty minutes before the doors opened.  There was already a long line when we got there. It was worth the wait. Ms. Robertson had the crowd laughing with her stories about things we deal with every day, like panty hose that won't stay up and taking casseroles to the sick. Listen to one of her stories  here  and another one  here. Many thanks to the UNA Distinguished Events  Program for sponsoring this show for the community at no charge. 

On random wires the rows of summer swallows Wait for their liftoff. They will soon be gone Before All Saints’ and before All Hallows’, The changing time when we are most alone. –May Sarton (1912–1995)

With everything going on last Saturday, we decided to go to the Nashville Flea Market .  There are lots of things we like about it, including it is a great excuse to stay outside all day. There is such a wonderful and varied assortment of items for sale. These huge balls of mums were only $15.  Unfortunately, they were too big to bring home in the car. There was flipped furniture everywhere; again, we can't buy anything that won't fit in the car.  I can't think of a single thing I need a piece of cow hide for.  If the need arises, I'll know where to get it. I loved these antique baby shoes, but not enough to part with $45.  I got the picture instead for free. One of the most unique booths was Rusty Rats Antiques & Vintage, owned by Jim Gray and Charlie Accavallo.  They make furniture and accessories from old car parts, like this table below. This item below with the car hood is a bar/cabinet with lots ...

Violet Beatrice Gean Stricklin October 26, 1917-November 11, 2007 It's my mama's birthday. The Earth raced around the Sun and the seasons changed ninety times while she was here. She was uneducated, but wise. Beautiful, work-roughened hands that were never still. Her life was taking care of her family, and that she did well, even when the road was hard. She did massive amounts of laundry on a wringer washer; her clothes lines full every sunny day expect Sunday. She could coax nutritious vegetables out of tired clay soil, rising with the sun to do battle with weeds. Her quilts still warm our beds and our hearts. Known for her incomparable biscuits, she made enough in her lifetime to completely fill a Cracker Barrel. More familiar with pain than joy, she endured. She lived to see adult children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. We are educated, talented, well-traveled, scattered. She lives in all of us. Beadie Haynes, Marie Thompson, Mama, Geneva...

The fourth weekend in October is a very popular one around here.  Looking for something to do? Try one of these:   The Nashville Flea Market :  A fun way to spend a beautiful fall day, rambling around this huge flea market at the fairgrounds.  We always enjoy it when we get to go, but the October market is the biggest and best one all year.  We usually buy a big bag of kettle corn when we get there and munch on it all day! Jack Daniels Barbecue Championship  in Lynchburg, Tennessee.  We have gone a few times and it is something to behold.  Almost all the competitors give out samples and sell their barbecue plates for lunch.  There are many other activities, and Lynchburg has several quaint little shops. Of course, you can tour the distillery while you are there.  Don't plan to eating at Miss Mary Bobo's Restaurant  unless you have booked reservations months ago. The Athens Storytelling Festival  in Athens, Alabam...

One of our traditional holiday dishes is Sweet Potato casserole.  I try to make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on special occasions throughout the year.  There are dozens of recipes for it; here is how I make mine. Wash three pounds of sweet potatoes and put them on to boil until they are soft.  It usually takes about 45 minutes. Drain them in a colander and let them cool. Remove the peelings.  It is really easy after the sweet potatoes are cooked.  Put in a large bowl and whip them until they are smooth. Add one cup of sugar.  I know that is a lot of sugar, but it makes a big casserole. Add three beaten eggs. Add 1/2 cup milk.  I usually use half-and-half, but I was out so I used evaporated milk. It works just as well. You can also use pure cream if you are trying to gain some weight.  Mix it all together. Add 1/2 stick soft butter and two teaspoons of vanilla. Mix it all together one more time...