Nik & Sam

Heat Wave - Time to Jump, Jive and Boogie!

We are sweltering under the hot and humid July sun here in Arkansas. Too hot to swim in the pool unless you drive up Mt. Nebo where the air is cooler and the water is actually cold!!!

It's a great time, however, to catch up on your southern literature. I just finished Erskine Caldwell's classic Tobacco Road which is a fast and easy read. Reminds me of something my elderly father-in-law used to say, "Poor is as poor does." Hmmm... Read the book!

Other totally awesome selections are Sue Monk Kidd's The Mermaid Chair and The Secret Life of Bees and John Grisham's The Painted House.

Grisham's tale is set in the Arkansas delta, that part of the land which hugs the Mississippi River and is only across the bridge from Memphis. The delta is the birthplace of the blues, Elvis and Johnny Cash.

Check on this link for some down home sounds, and drink a glass of sweet tea for me...

http://feeds.revver.com/2.0/mrss/flash/collection/227789?affiliate=hairylarry

Capture Arkansas Photography Contest

http://www.capturearkansas.com/search/photos/jeannie+stone

Our state newspaper is hosting an online photography contest inviting everyone to submit their best photographs depicting life in Arkansas. Anyone can sign up to submit photos or to cast votes. The top runners in each of the designated "chapters" will be featured in a coffetable book, and at least one photo from each participating photographer will be included in a DVD. So, even if you haven't any ties to Arkansas, go and view what we are all about. But, be prepared! You will see a double decker outhouse, plenty of tractors, and lots of shots of our beautiful woods, lakes, deltas and mountains.

May your day be filled with the wonders of nature wherever you are!

The Homecoming

Summertime is the time for the annual homecomings around here. Those of you from the south know what I mean. This isn't even remotely related to cheerleaders and football. This is that sacred time of year when families, young and old, gather in a designated pavilion, park, community center or cemetery to decorate the graves of family members.

It is a time-honored ritual commemorating the lives of those loved ones who went on before us. The main draw, after the massive potluck and the visiting, is decorating the graves.

Our homecoming is always scheduled for the 4th of July, so that we decorate the graves in the Duckett Cemetery with little flags and red, white and blue ribbon-tied floral sprays.

We have a couple of aunts who scrub the headstones to erase the effects of crusty bird poo. Their children accompany them, training for the time when they will bear the sole responsibility of keeping the concrete slabs clean.

As the cleansing and beautifying conclude, a group picture is taken underneath the wrought iron arch bearing the name of the little cemetery.

May you be welcomed home this summer by your loved ones!

My Gift To You

Here is a recipe that sounds an awful lot like my great aunt's (we called her "LaLa"). If anybody makes a request, I will include my World Famous Baked Beans... Enjoy!

Twins are a Little Bit Country

We have a set of teenage twins in the next town over from me. They are the cutest things, and they are on their way to stardom because of their musical talents and charisma. Their stage name is Nik & Sam, so be looking for them. We do love our fiddlers, musicians of all kinds, and our cloggers here.

Sometime, ya'll stop in on your way across the country!

Check out blog dated 7/31/08 to listen to the girls!

Wiggle Your toes

Our Buttons Are Poppin'

Our very own former governor Mike Huckabee is the guest host of the Paul Harvey radio show the week beginning July 15th. I suggest you check him out. He is a natural performer. We always knew that in Arkansas! Course there is that preacher side of him! http://www.paulharvey.com/.

Huckabee is a good ole' boy, so we are proud for him. He did a lot for education in our state and I have a picture of my daughter (who was born deaf) standing next to him as he signed the Universal Hearing Screening bill into law dictating that all hospitals birthing 50 babies or more a year provide a hearing screening.

My daughter was only three years old, and it was a banner day. Today, she is almost fourteen, has a cochlear implant, teaches dance to pre-schoolers and sings in her school choir.

For more reading on her, check out my other blog... http://childrenofalessergod.blogspot.com/.

WWII Vet

Went to a fourth of July event in town and found Benny volunteering at the watermelon stand. I bet you have folks like him where you live. He is a WWII vet, so that must put him at, what, 90 year old?

He is always ready to step up and help in whatever little way anyone needs.When they call it the greatest generation, I agree. Although, it is the way, in these small mountian hamlets and river valley towns to lend a hand, the most generous folks seem to be Benny's generation.

Hope you have a bounty of watermelon wherever you be!

"Just plant a watermelon on my grave, let the juice sip through..."

Sharing the Bounty

If you don't have a neighbor like mine, I'm sorry. Faye is the sweetest lady. By sweet, I mean she always brings me more than she borrows :) She and her husband, Braxton, are retired, and they keep a pretty impressive garden.

She has brought over tomatoes twice, God bless her. Now, she is in zucchini heaven and has brought over enough to fill my car! Those of you who have grown zucchini know what I'm talkin' about.

For those of you who have never been so close to the earth, you are missing out. For those of you who are missplaced, can you smell the zucchini bread baking in my oven? Will be making zucchini and chocolate chip cookies next. Hey, they're good!

We get pretty creative with recipes from our abundance but, for those of you who don't know, shredded zucchini keeps well in the freezer!

Eat up!

Sweet Tea with Splenda

Oh my gosh, I can't believe I am writing this, but I actually drank sweet tea with Splenda and lived to tell about it! I was visiting my lovely friend, and her husband offered me a glass. I asked if it was sweet out of habit, not dreaming it might actually be unsweet tea (I mean, what's the point of that?!).

"Oh no, we put sweetner in it."

Now, I know because of health reasons a lot of people practice this, but it's still a new concept to me as i would just opt for water when I was stuck with making a choice between diet drinks alone.

Ya'll, it wasn't half bad. In fact, I don't know if I would have known it wasn't sugar had they not told me about it.

Think I'll go half sugar and half Splenda for awhile and see if I can thrive before chucking the cannister of sugar altogther.

Come on over for a glass or two! I'll get mint from the garden...

"Excuse Me, Darlin'"

Just overheard, when I was eating at a local restaurant, "Excuse me, darlin'." Naturally, I looked up to see who that nice gentleman could be. Isn't that something when having good manners draws attention like that!

That's certainly something I like living in a small town in the south. We do teach out children to say, "ma'am" and "sir". Now, I know some folks might take offense at the "darling" or "sweetheart" reference, but it always makes me smile when somebody addresses me that way. Maybe, we need to loosen up. It's not like they are addressing you as "babe".

Here's hoping you have a pleasant day, sweetheart!

Thankful for Slower Pace

so many times over the years friends (and far flung family) have teased me for taking life so slow. I was raised only an hour away from here, but it was in the city. I tell them I choose to be here, to walk slow, to talk slow, to live with purpose. I am the same multi-tasker so typical to our times, but my element catches up with me, and I don't stay in hyperdrive for long. It is an effort. I am continually extricating myself from commitments which rob me of my time. Noble causes undo me, but I am my own worthy cause too. Why don't you sit a spell and drink some sweet tea, and tell me about your troubles.... you'll be glad you did!