A Happy Birthday To Aunt Callie Weekend

Dear Pamela’s Girls:

We had such a good time spending Aunt Callie’s birthday with her in her little mountain town in Virginia. I was sorry to find when we got back that the SC Pamela’s Girls had been through some pretty hair-raising weather because it was beautiful up in the Appalachian Mountains. Dogwoods and redbuds were blooming, the air was clear and freshly cool and lazy clouds flecked the sky for most of our visit. Uncle R and I sat outside on Aunt Callie’s front steps sipping coffee on Thursday evening and listened to the tree frogs, wind in the treetops and trains far in the distance.

We did make a side trip to the little town of Big Stone Gap on Friday and had a wonderful time. Aunt Callie had a hair appointment noon on Friday to get gussied up for her Saturday birthday party and a group of us (including Aunt Callie) went out to lunch in little Weber City, VA, then went by the family cemetery just off the Daniel Boone Trail between Kingsport and Gate City to check on "everyone" there, and finally took the windy, mountainous road to Big Stone Gap, VA to visit a used bookstore that I had read about on-line. The Scottish owner of the bookstore was thoroughly tickled that our 97-year-old aunt was with us and as she made her way carefully up the ramp into the old, clapboard white house that housed Tales Of The Lonesome Pine Bookstore, he ran into the kitchen and made her a cup of restorative decaf coffee to sip while we all delved into the shelves. I found a copy of the novel, Big Stone Gap, by local best-selling author, Adriana Trigiani, which I bought and YooDee nabbed several of the other books in the same series. Uncle R found some suspense thrillers by Harlan Coben and Cousin SJ found several novels to her interest also. It was really a fun place to browse with a silky black cat keeping watch over the activity and a long-haired grey that followed me to each shelf and nuzzled me when I bent down to examine the lowest level of books.

We also fulfilled a hope in walking up to the nearby train tracks and having the exciting moment of seeing train headlights coming up the mountain grade down from us and happily snapping photos as it roared past, engines at full throttle to make the steep incline. It was a moment – and I know that CiCi will know what I mean – that I am none too sure whether Pamela would have been allowed to view what was happening on earth from her happy place in Heaven. Uncle R and me standing within a few feet of a coal-filled, rattling, rocking train as it thundered past us is not a sight that I think that Pamela could watch with any semblance of peace. (:-D It was very thrilling, though, in a bizarre and intriguing mix of joy and fear.

I am posting my weekly entry a bit early this week, because the office “admin staff” is being taken to St. George Island, FLA for a work retreat from this Wednesday to Sunday! We are all very happy and excited, although the thought of emerging into the outside world in my swimsuit in front of my work cohorts is an extremely disturbing one. (The thought of a scuba wet suit has some appeal for me.) We have heard that we will have a sunset pontoon boat cruise, will kayak in the St. George Sound and hopefully have some wonderful beach time with umbrellas positioned to provide optimum reading shade.

Love to the Pamela’s Girls!
Auntie J.

One New and Improved Bathroom

Things have been a little hectic around here for the past few weeks. Our house has 2 1/2 baths but pretty much since we've moved in, we have only been able to use one since the master-bath had mold and the half-bath was carpeted and used for storage.

Our landlords have hired someone to rip out the floors and walls in the master-bath, so for the past two weeks that has been going on as they fix and replace EVERYTHING. This has led to problems in our only functioning hall bath so Daddy L and I have also been working to fix up the half-bath. Our house has been a construction zone for 2 weeks as dust and materials have made a continual mess, but the end is in sight.

These are before and after photos of the half-bath that Daddy L and I completed. I am so glad to now have a place for a painting SanFran S painted and gave to me several years ago. Hopefully soon I will also have photos of our new master-bath.

Baby B is continuing to grow and change more every day. After we read books last night before bedtime, as I was telling him that we were going to say our prayers, he already had his hands folded. It was a precious sight to see those adorable, tiny hands already capable of preparing to talk to God. Although he may not fully understand the meaning, it touched my heart in a very special way.

Love to all my Pamela's Girls!

~Mommy M

Papa's desk

I know this is my 3rd post this week, but I couldn't resist...

Baby B climbed up onto Papa's chair in an attempt to get my phone and camera case. Helooked so cute sitting at the desk that I had to snap a few photos. The top picture is him "talking" on my phone. He thinks its supposed to go behind his head instead of to his ear:)

It makes my heart happy to watch because I know Papa would be so proud to see his little namesake enjoying his desk and chair so much!

Happy weekend Pamela's Girls!

Love,

~Mommy

Happy Earth Day!

Yesterday was an exciting day in the office. We have 2 office pet tarantulas, Rosie and Harriet. For the past month, Harriet has not been herself at all and recently has been barely moving and eating. We weren't sure if she was about to molt, because it was about that time, or dying. Well, she molted yesterday and we all got to watch! It was really gross and interesting at the same time. The process took about an hour. I hope you find it interesting too and not just gross or creepy. :)
It may be hard to tell in the picture, but here body is to the right halfway out while her shell is to the left against the glass wall.
Also, Happy Earth Day! I've encouraged our facebook and twitter fans to:
Let's help save the earth and the pollinators today!
-Plant for pollinators
-Watch for pollinators
-Reduce your impact
If your not our fan yet, but would like to be, here's the link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/San-Francisco-CA/The-Pollinator-Partnership/48680445464

Love to Pamela's Girls,
SanFran S

Visit To Duffield & Aunt Callie's Birthday!

Duffield, VA is a hidden, rough-cut gem of lovely Appalachian beauty where we enjoy going to visit Aunt Callie. We delight in its tree-clad, time-worn mountains and hills with cabins clinging to the sides of the hollars and coves reflecting sunlight from their rusted tin roofs. We love to see their chimneys sending up thin lines of trailing smoke that hover above their precariously-placed foundations high over the cold, rushing rivers below that bound over rocks that sometimes shimmer nearly hidden remnants of the tons of coal still lying beneath the ground.

Uncle R, his sweet sister, YooDee, and I will be heading there for Aunt Callie’s 97th birthday party that will take place this Saturday. I am looking forward to the ride with my sister-in-law, YooDee, as much as anything else! I can’t wait to hear her cheerful and loving sharing of family news, H’ville happenings, books she’s read, what she will be growing in her huge backyard garden this summer and other tidbits that come up along the way.

I’d like to think that besides hugging on Aunt Callie and the other relatives that will gather together on her birthday, that Uncle R., YooDee & I could sneak away for a short time and snoop around the little towns of Big Stone Gap and Appalachia, VA. These are intriguing little mountain coal towns that beg for exploration. Big Stone Gap has a “caution walker” sign at one corner that has a person reading a book. Do people frequently need to cross that intersection on foot while reading at the same time?!? Bibliophile that I am – I would LOVE to know!

Will Uncle R & I have the chance to walk up to the tracks that cut across the side of the mountain facing Aunt Callie’s house where we always hope to catch the coal train up close with our camera? This train has labored up one side with more brimming cars of coal and wheeled down on the way back with a free, unfettered rattling of iron emptiness for more years than anyone around that area can remember and that never ceases to amaze Uncle R & me.

Maybe Uncle R, YooDee & I will walk the back field past Aunt Callie’s barn, hop across the winding little creek and hike to the nearby hump of land that is home to an old family cemetery – serene and dignified with its circle of cedars and rampant wildflowers and is elegant despite leaning, broken and worn headstones. The still visible intricacy of their carved decorations forever whisper of the devotion of those left behind.

We dearly love Aunt Callie and want to see her every chance we get, but I know who I will think of most of the time that we are in Duffield and whose face Aunt Callie’s will constantly bring to my mind and that is Mama S, Uncle R’s mom. I really feel her presence in the beautiful rocky mountains of Virginia where she grew up and think about stories told about her years there as a child and later as a young woman. She dearly loved to visit there and she and her sisters would gather then and laugh and cook and ply their families with food that no one could resist.

The beauty of the Appalachians was no match for her warm, dark eyes, sweet smile and soft, curling salt & pepper hair in the years that I was blessed to call her mother-in-law. Beautiful pieces of her painted china grace Aunt Callie’s house and I love to see those reminders of her talent and generosity. Many times while at Aunt Callie’s - when all the relatives are stirring around her small, cozy house and plates of food are covering every surface in the kitchen and dining room, I thank the Lord for placing me with Uncle R and in this circle of precious family affection and respect.


Love to the Pamela’s Girls,

Auntie J.

It's been a busy week... and it's only Tuesday!

Baby B officially has his first teeth, and they are his two front teeth. This is kind of a funny picture of him, but it is the only one I could get of him showing his teeth, so I had to include it for Auntie J and SanFran S. Since he finally has teeth, I figured it is time to start brushing. We added this to our nightly routine Sunday night while Baby B was in the tub. He was not too fond of the toothpaste taste. Even though Dr. Cliff doesn't recommend it, I got him some watermelon flavored toothepaste at the store today to ease him into the process:) I've also started saying real prayers with Baby B before bedtime. It is so precious to see him fold his hands as we pray for all of our Pamela's Girls and the rest of our wonderful family.

Baby B also got his first haircut today. He handled it so well! He just sat there and played with the combs and clips. Afterward we went to show Cici at work and then Baby B had his first milkshake in celebration of his perfect behavior.

What a week!!!

Love to all my Pamela's Girls!

~Mommy M

Animals, Animals, Animals

I think Baby B is definitely going to be an animal lover like Pamela's Girls. His favorite toy

is his giraffe we call "Baby" so Cici made him some ADORABLE giraffe pattern curtains for his room. They are so cute and now his room is complete!!!

Yesterday we went to a two year old birthday party that was a farm theme with a petting zoo. This Mom went ALL out... They had cows, sheep, goats, chicks, bunnies and a horse the children could ride. Baby B's favorite animal was the cow. A lot of the children looked at the animals and then went off to play, but Baby B and the birthday boy never left the animals. Baby B stood at the gate looking at the cows for about the entire hour. It was very cute!!! Daddy L says we may have to get him a cow one day instead of a horse now:)

It is obvious in these photos that Baby B LOVES pointing at things these days. He walks around with his pointer finger out ready to point for most of the day. :)

I have included one photo especially for Auntie J and one for SanFran S... Do you know which is which???

Love to all my Pamela's Girls!!!

~Mommy M

Fun in the Sand

I don't want to step into Mommy M's area, writing about Baby B, but when you see him and all the adorable things he does, it's hard not to want to share it.
After we saw him joyously digging in sand this week, squishing his fingers in it, rubbing it all over his arms and shirt, and yes(yikes!) shoving it into his mouth,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqKwa3ORNfU
I went back to look for a picture of Mommy M's introduction to sand. There she is at almost exactly the same age - 15 months - sitting daintily on the side of the sandbox, holding her bucket and only letting the sand touch her toes. When she did get sand on her hands, she quickly brushed it off and I don't think it ever occurred to her to put it in her mouth. When her daddy and I looked at this picture, taken almost exactly 30 years ago(5/31/80), I was reminded of an excerpt from the book The Nine Rooms of Happiness, I read this week. It said:

"When we look back at events, the niggling details tend to fade away and we recall the essence of the moment. In the present, it's easy for everyday annoyances to bring down your mood. So focus on the big picture: The next time you're having a pretty good day, imagine how the scene would look in a snapshot. That simple action gives you the gift of perspective that forces minor frustrations into the background where they belong. Realize that you'll likely look back on today years from now and think: THOSE were the good times."

Words to remember, Pamela's Girls. With love from CiCi for a wonderful week filled with happy memories!

Family Recipes

These days I keep thinking about the wonderful meals that Pamela and Mommas used to make. Maybe it’s because it’s not long before the Nashville Farmer’s Market gets into full swing with it’s aisles of bright, fragrant fresh fruits and vegetables or maybe it’s just because there is always a little part of me that is homesick for those two lovely ladies and their comfort food.

Mommas’ peach cobbler in mid-summer, fresh hot buttered biscuits with clouds of fluffy creamed corn crowning the top, crisp and tasty fried chicken – it was all good! But there were also the quiet suppers with Pamela at home with her savory, cheering goulash or salmon croquets and a little dinner salad. I have eaten at some major-league restaurants in my life, but those dishes made by Mommas and Pamela win every culinary prize in my book.

I’ve said it before but CiCi’s cooking gives me the same contentment, whether it’s one of Pamela or Mommas’ recipes that she prepares for me or one of her own signature dishes. I hope that it won’t be too long before I’m sitting at her table again.

Someone gave me a photo album about a year ago and I decided to use it to store my most treasured recipes – the ones that you want to make SURE you don’t lose! It has been wonderful to just thumb through at times and think about how good some of those dishes were!

As a little girl I remember really disliking having to eat and recall excruciating moments when I was told “I would have to sit there until I finished everything on my plate”! Arg. These are some of the recipes that began to change little girl Auntie J’s mind about food:

Mommas’ Peach Cobbler
3 cups peaches
1 cup water
½ cup sugar (Mommas added a comment: “or more if you like” – hee-hee!)

Peel peaches and slice them. Put in pot with sugar and water and cook until done. Put in deep pan so the juices won’t come over the side. Get pie crust mix and roll out just for the top. Put butter over and sugar on top. Put in oven and brown well at about 350 degrees.

Pamela's Hamburger Goulash
½ lb hamburger meat
1 can tomatoes (1 lb)
1 medium onion chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked macaroni

Brown hamburger meat, sauté onion in oil, add tomatoes, seasonings and macaroni and heat all together. (This should serve three or four people. Double amounts for five or six people.)

Mommas’ Biscuits
Flour - 1 & ½ cups
Crisco - “heaping large spoon”
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Sugar - half “a spoonful”
Milk - ½ cup (or a little more)
Salt - 1 teaspoon

Mix together until just a little stiff.
Knead on floured board
Roll out to about ½” thick
“Poke” with fork
Cut out with small glass
Put in greased round cake pan (with sides touching)
Rub grease on both sides
Put in 350 degree oven and cook until brown

Mommas’ Chocolate Pound Cake
2 sticks oleo
½ cup Crisco
3 cups sugar
3 cups flour (plain)
1 cup sweet milk
1 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
5 eggs

Cream butter and Crisco.
Add dry ingredients then add all together.
Add milk a little at a time with eggs.
Beat well.
Cook in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or a little longer.

Love to the Pamela's Girls,

Auntie J.

Giants vs Braves

San Francisco vs Atlanta

I went to the Giants vs Braves game on Saturday, so fun! I was faced with the dilemma of picking a team to pull for. This is my second time at one of these games since being a San Franciscan. This time I wore my SF cap, mainly bc the Atl one is in a storage container somewhere. So, I did pull for the Giants in the end. Afterall, I was on the Giants home turf so it's much easier pulling for the home team than not and getting yelled out by fans (not really because San Francisco is so nice and laid back that they don't get angry at the opposing fans). :)
Btw, it was cooooold and windy that night on the water if you can't tell.
This last one I obviously didn't take, but thought you'd like to see how awesome that ballpark is on the water. Boats hang out waiting to catch a ball hit out of the park.

It Must Run in the Family...

Tonight while we were in the backyard playing with Baby B, he discovered the riding lawn mower. He tried to pull up on it so we put him up on the seat. At first he was a little scared, but when I pretended to beep a horn on the steering wheel, he thought that was hilarious. He kept trying to push it so I would make the "beep beep" sound. I had to run inside and get my camera because the moment was so priceless! Papa always let us sit on his riding lawn mower, so SanFran S and I had many photos taken sitting on theirs.

I wish all of the great grandparents were here to enjoy some of these wonderful moments with Baby B.

Love to all of my Pamela's Girls!

~Mommy M

Masters Weekend 2010

I have had the privilege of attending three Master's Tournaments. Two with my daddy in 1967 and 1968 and one with SS in 1973. Although I am not a golf fan, there is nothing to compare with attending this tournament. The landscaped golf course is beautiful with the lush green grass, azaleas, dogwoods and other flowering plants. There are thousands of people in attendance, yet they are the most polite, respectful fans you have ever seen. The crowds can be completely silent when a golfer is concentrating or trying to hit a shot. There are cheers for them when they make a shot or moans of disappointment commiserating with them when they miss one - never a boo or a jeer.

When I went with daddy my senior year in high school, we followed the famous golfer Arnold Palmer's "Arnie's Army", following and cheering for him as he advanced from hole to hole. Being the completely unathletic, unexercised teenager I was, that was pretty tiring. So the next year I coaxed Daddy into letting me stake out a good spot at the 18th hole several hours before the first player come through, so I could watch everyone finish. Much less tiring, more enjoyable for me, but I got a major sunburn. Daddy would always stay with these people who were supposedly Arnie's aunt and uncle, but I don't think it ever resulted in an introduction to their famous nephew.

This weekend I had the fun of keeping Baby B while his parents went to Santee. We put on a Master's type outfit and practiced a few shots with thoughts of his great-grandfather and how he would have loved to see him.

Wishes for a wonderful week with love to all the Pamela's Girls!

CiCi

A Visit With Lovely Isa

I love the Michael W. Smith lyrics:

“And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them…”

That thought has been wonderfully true of our dear friends Dr. J. & Lovely S!

Their friendship has been a God-given treasure ever since the Bible study years ago when I first met the fun-loving Lovely S and then later had the chance to get to know her gifted & remarkable husband Dr. J. Since Dr. J. was a Vanderbilt resident doctor at the time, it took awhile for me to find that he was not merely a pleasant figment of Lovely S.’s imagination.

When Uncle R and I first became engaged, Dr. J & Lovely S were the first to take us out for a celebration dinner and we have always treasured that happy memory. Then lovely S was one of my bridesmaids and there followed many an entertaining evening, a shared meal, and a weekend afternoon that Uncle R. & I were blessed to spend in their always interesting and ever creative company.

When they were called to move away from Nashville for Dr. J’s work, Uncle R and I greatly missed them. Over the many years that have gone by, it seems like no time has passed when we get together and start chatting again. Now Dr. J’s work has taken them to San Diego and they are even farther away from us in body, but remain ever close in our hearts.

In the last couple of years something else very precious happened in our friendship – Uncle R and I were given the (we believe) God ordained opportunity to know Dr. J. & Lovely S’s son, The Daring Json & Sweet & Also Lovely Isa. In the abundant way that the Lord gives to us, Uncle R and I have savored the times that we have had to get to know these two young people better and this week we were able to focus just on the Sweet Isa.

Sweet Isa flew into town on Monday after a visit with friends back in Birmingham and stayed with us until Wednesday afternoon – a far too short a time! We took her to some of our favorite eateries: outdoor dining at Jackson’s in Hillsboro Village on Monday night with dessert following at ChaChah’s. On Tuesday we wielded spatulas at The Pfunky Griddle for breakfast, nibbled a light lunch at Savannah Tea Company while sipping aromatic tea, sneaked in an impulse Mayo’s peach fried pie, found some tiny spot of space still left in our stomachs for a cool nibble of paletas (one of Sweet Isa's favorite Nashville treats) and somehow managed to finish off the day with the southern food at Monell’s that Sweet Isa had been missing out in “culturally-deprived” San Diego where people don’t seem to know what sweet iced tea is!

Fortunately all the eating was surrounded by a great deal of walking in and around various Nashville bookstores, the Green Hills Mall and the Apple Store and some Hillsboro Village shops.(I think that as much as Uncle R. shares our love of books – when we walked out of the mega used bookstore, McKays, he had the beaten look of a man who has walked his last book aisle for the day!)

Wednesday morning we brunched at Marche and then sadly took Lovely Isa to the airport.

Uncle R & I truly love this remarkable young woman. She is beautiful both inside and out, incredibly smart, wonderfully kind, interesting AND interested in everything and everyone around her. It warmed our hearts that she wanted to come for a visit and we fervently hope that she will use our humble little guest room as a retreat whenever it is needed. (That offer absolutely includes The Daring Json or either parent!)


We are personally going to be doing some serious praying that Lovely Isa might choose Vandy as a college choice!

Love to Pamela’s Girls!
Auntie J.