Spoonfuls of Love

Does anyone else have one of these?

I don't mean that exact cookbook,

(although I know a few of you could say yes to that!)

but,

I mean a time-tested,

well-worn and well-loved

cookbook.

I

Its pages are filled with

recipes you love,

that your family loves you to make,

and brings back memories of meals

full of love?

The pages of the cookbook

I love

are torn and tattered.

Some are stained.

I can probably make the recipes

I love most

without using the cookbook.

But that particular cookbook

is much more than a book

full or recipes.

To me, it is a book full of love.

This cookbook,

going on 30 (gulp) years old

is full of recipes

from the ladies of the church

where I grew up.

I have favorite recipes I use 

from this book.

But, each time I open the book

I am reminded of much more than food.

I see names of women that shaped my life.

I remember eating their food at church potlucks,

eating at their kitchen tables for lunch,

or breakfast,

or backyard cookouts.

I remember the love they had

for their families

as they cooked these very recipes.

It is not just the food that 

fills my stomach,

but the memories that 

flood my heart.

Wonderful women 

with 

mouth-watering recipes.

So many of these women

have already 

made their journey to heaven,

but through their food

I remember them clearly.

Some of the recipes I love:

Doris's Strawberry Pie

Kezia's Cocunut Pie

Mary Sue's Mexican Casserole

(the first Mexican casserole I ever made)

Mrs. O'Kief's Poppyseed Bread

(one of the stained and torn pages in my book)

Esther Ruth's Chicken Croquettes

(which I change to salmon)

My Grandmother's Cornbread Dressing

(which I make every Thanksgiving and a few other times per year)

Ruby's Pineapple Chiffon Pie

(which I make every Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Easter..and

I always make two.  One is never enough!)

Ruby C.'s Pumpkin Rolls

(every year in Kansas I made 2 dozen of these cakes for my friends)

My Mom's Pecan Pie

(the only Pecan Pie I know of that does not use syrup...therefore scrumptious!)

Zeke's Monstrous Green Salad

There are so many others where the recipe 

or the lady behind the recipe

make me smile:

Elva, Della, Debbie, Katie, Ann and Mary.

The list 

goes on and on.

As my own children have gotten older

and began to

leave the nest,

they have asked me frequently

for recipes our family loves.

I began to put together a cookbook

for them about two years ago,

but never got it finished.

This summer, I am determined

to finish it.

You can bet the recipes

I mentioned above

will be included as well.

I hope when my children use

the cookbook I make,

it will bring back memories, 

not only of great food

but of happy times 

gathered around the table, 

the pool,

the firepit,

or the

backyard table.

I hope that 

after years of cooking,

my cookbook for them

will look just like

the spoonfuls of love

I gather from this...

         

 

Happy Father's Day...............

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." -- Clarence Budington Kelland

   One day this summer my youngest son and I turned on the TV and happened to get in on the tail end of Dr. Phil's wife giving someone an interview about him.  She was telling about what a remarkable father he was.  She said, "I have never to this day ever seen Phillip put a single drop of alcohol to his lips."  I commented about how unbelievable that was, since Dr. Phil has kind of gone "Hollywood."  My youngest son turned to me and said, "Well I've never seen my dad put a single drop of alcohol to his lips either."  I smiled and said, "You're right Luke.  And you remember that. He was teaching you by example."  That small conversation reminded me that no matter how young or old our children are, they are still watching and observing us. And in that respect I picked a perfect man to have five children with.  He is a man of infinite patience, hard-working, and loves children and all child-related activities.  When the our children were growing up, he not only went to every activity they all did, most of the time he was the coach of the team or the sponsor of what they were doing. Now that they are in their twenties he still is an active participant in their lives as he helps them with college questions or schedules, helps them move, or just spends the day playing golf with them.
  Former NFL coach Tony Dungy gives motivational talks about the importance of fathers.  His number one rule for fathers is "Father's need to love their child's mother."  At our house we have that covered. We decided early on to co-parent the large brood we had.  In that same respect we knew we would have to also show the children how much we loved each other. The number ten rule of Dungy's is "You are a father your whole life."  That too is important.  No matter how old children get, they still look up to, and need a father's love.

So to my husband I send out not only "Happy Father's Day" but  also "Thank you."  Thank you for being a wonderful husband to me and super father to our children.

And to my own dad (who would never read this) a very happy Father' Day.  You too gave your best lessons by example.  Love you both.

I am linking with Tracey today for quotes of the week.  Do you think a lot of them will be about fathers?  

Summer Afternoon

Summer afternoon,

Summer afternoon,

To me those have always been,

The two most beautiful words,

In the English language.

 ......by Henry James (and Lori Lucas agrees!)

 Hope you are enjoying your summer afternoons!

100 Things I LOVE about America!-The Third 20

100 Reason I LOVE America-- Part 3

Sounds and Smells of America

Many of the first 40 reasons (places, traditions) have 

sights and smells involved.

I tried to make sure

there were

no repeats,

but if there are,

that is just because they

are extra-special American.

On to Part Three:

1.  The sound of the American language.

The nuances and idioms,

the homophones and alliterations,

the Southern drawl, the Northern nasal,

the Prairie twang.

The power of the words, 

the softness of the sounds,

the message behind each word.

2. The smell of simmering cider at Christmas.

3. The sound of waves;

whether they are huge coastal waves,

or the waves from the lake,

there is something soothing

listening to the rhythmic waves.

4. The sounds of an acoustic guitar.

The simple vibration of strings.

No matter whether the guitar belongs to

a cowboy, a church group,

or rock and rollers,

the pure vibration of the guitar 

is wonderful.

5.The smell of popcorn.

The smell almost forces a 

person to get a bag of popcorn.

Is there anything better at

movies or ballgames?

6. The smell of sweet gardenias

in the South.

There is nothing to match it

unless it is a lilac tree

beside a bedroom window in Kansas.

7. The sound of a marching band,

at a parade

a ballgame

or a pep rally.

8. The smell of newspapers

fresh off the press.

You can still feel the warmth

of the ink 

meeting the newsprint.

It is a smell I recognize easily

and it brings a 

smile to my face.

9. The sound of 

mooing

cattle

on the farm.

10. The smells of thunderstorms.

The rain that blows in sideways,

the crackle of the lightning,

the wind bringing

in the pure, clean smell of rain.

11.  The sounds of a 

cheering crowd

as they watch

high school boys play ball.

13. The smell of

pure American oil,

as it comes fresh out 

of the ground.

14. The sounds of 

rustling sacks held by 

children

as they giggle,

and laugh

and run till they are out of breath

and suddenly

yell out

"Trick or Treat"!

as the door bell is answered.

15. The smell of 

turkey roasting

in the oven,

as part of the 

Thanksgiving feast.

16. The sounds of a crackling

 campfire

as we gather around

to roast hot dogs

and make s'mores.

17. The smell of fresh cut

wheat fields

for endless miles,

as you drive through

the Midwest.

18. The sounds as the 

engines roar and

the flags flap

in the wind

while the Patriot Guard

surround and honor,

a fallen war hero.

They hum of the engines

drown out

the sound of

the nay-sayers,

and give the family

of the fallen hero, 

peace, comfort

and protection.

19. The smell of leather.

From boots

to baseball gloves, 

from old books

to chaps, 

from new cars

to well-used chairs,

the pungent smell of

leather is 

classic American.

20. The sounds of family.

Generations.

Husbands and wives.

Grandparents.

Cousins.

Sons and daughters.

Pets.

Special friends.

The blended souls that

bring the melody of 

the American family

to life.

Next week:  Part 4

Foods and Favorites