Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
Oh, hi-- you're here, welcome back. I could've swore I just
stepped out here a moment ago and the porch was slap empty.
Give me a minute. I was about to put out some extra blankets.
This cold snap shows no sign of "snapping" and that's
unusual for Louisiana.
There! That's better. So how was your week? I think I heard from
a lot of you. As a matter of fact, this week's quote is a direct
nod to everyone that wrote in carrying on about your snow after
I confessed to yearning for a little winter wonderland myself.
Consider it a big "thank you" to those of you that went the extra
mile and sent me digital pics of your transformed yards. I'm sure
none of you were rubbing it in, right? Yeah, that's what I
thought. ~smile
Speaking of writing in...several of you wanted to help John Parker
with his request in last week's exchange. I posted the first letter
I received in this week's exchange and forwarded the others to John.
It was sure nice of y'all to help him out.
Well, I better get busy. I just got back from a road trip to Grady,
Arkansas. (I combined a little business with a lot of pleasure.)
I hope you enjoy reading about it in the "Southern Spotlight".
Hugs,
Shellie
P.S. Thank you for continuing to allow "All Things Southern" a
spot in your busy week!
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"Chuckles"
There was a man who decided to write a book about
the different churches of the United States. He
flies to San Francisco and begins taking photographs
in the very large Grace Cathedral. Suddenly he spot
a golden telephone on a wall. Above it a sign reads
$10,000 a minute.
Intrigued, the writer seeks out the priest who explains
that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to
Heaven, and if he wants to use it, he can talk directly to
God. "Thank you very much," the man says and continues on
his way.
His research takes him to churches in Milwaukee, Chicago
and New York. Each time he notices the same type of phone
with exactly the same sign. Each time he seeks out the
parish priest, asks the same question, and gets the same
answer: it is a direct line to God. He thanks the priest
and continues on his way.
This continues through many other states until finally,
he arrives in Texas.
Upon entering a small rural church he is about to walk right
by the standard golden telephone when the sign above it
grabs his attention. This time the sign reads "Calls 25
cents." By now he is fascinated. He finds the Pastor and
says to him, "Sir, I have been in cities all across the
country, and in each church I found this golden telephone
and was told that it was a direct line to Heaven and that
I could talk to God. But, in all of the other churches it
was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 'Calls 25 cents.' Why?"
The Pastor smiles benignly and says, "Oh, my son,
that's easy. You're in the South now, it's a local call."
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"A Taste of the South"
With everyone being health conscious these days, I've tried to
avoid posting fried dishes. But old-fashioned Chicken Fried
Steak has got to be one of our southern dishes most worthy of
holding onto. Oh, and serve it with mashed potatoes--or it's
almost a crime. ~Shellie
Chicken Fried Steak
•2 pounds round steak cut into serving sizes and
beaten thin with kitchen mallet
•1 cup flour
•1 egg, beaten
•1/4 cup butter
•salt and pepper to taste
Gravy:
•3 tablespoons fat (pan drippings after frying steak)
•3 tablespoons flour
•2 cups cold water
•salt and pepper to taste
Steaks: Season flour with salt and pepper and flour steaks
well. Dip in beaten egg and dredge in flour again. Heat
butter, add steaks and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes
per side. Don't overcook! Move steaks to warm oven and prepare
gravy.
Gravy: Add about 3 tablespoons flour to the pan drippings.
(If you don't have quite enough drippings, add a little more
butter.) Stir flour until it browns and pour in water.
Continue to stir while bringing to a boil. Reduce heat
and cook 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste
and serve with steaks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Spotlight on the South"
SPOTLIGHT ON HARDIN FARMS
My parents "found" them for us, although they weren't exactly
hiding. ~smile~ From the turn of the last Century, the folks of
Hardin Farms have been appealing to locals and travelers alike
with their special blend of southern hospitality, neat gifts,
and delicious food.
Showcasing an annual agriculture theme park from September to
October, (think County Fair on the farm) Hardin Farms has
garnered attention in numerous magazines and newspapers in the
South. Each October fifteen to twenty thousand guests put a
stamp of approval on their efforts to create a unique agricultural
environment, many of them returning on a yearly pilgrimage. Little
ones can enjoy a hayride to the pumpkin patch, the corn maze and
the Goat Walk in the Sky--or join the hands on excitement at the
Crafts Barn and Petting Zoo. History buffs will like touring the
authentic replica of a pioneer's log cabin and the Indian village
that sets behind it.
I just got back from a little day trip to Grady myself, and I'm
happy to report that my parent's claims weren't inflated. Hardin
Farms lives up to it's billing as the "farm for all seasons".
For more information, schedule of events and online gifts, surf
to http://www.hardinfarms.com . But, please, start now to make
plans to visit in person. (Don't forget to tell Mrs. Debbie,
Tonya and the rest of the gang hello from All Things Southern!)
Directions: Hardin Farms is an 1 hr. south of Little Rock,
Arkansas. Follow route 65 South, around Pine Bluff to Grady,
then 2 more miles to our farm. If you're coming from Little Rock,
they suggest you take the I-530 route (the new Interstate system
that bypasses the Pine Bluff business district.) Hwy 65 has been
renamed from Little Rock to Pine Bluff as I-530. (Grady is 19
miles North of Dumas on Hwy 65 if you're coming from South of
Grady.)
~Shellie
*************************************************************
"It's Been Said..."
"Snow in the South is wonderful. It has a kind of magic and
mystery that it has nowhere else. And the reason for this is
that it comes to people in the South not as the grim, unyielding
tenant of Winter's keep, but as a strange and wild visitor
from the secret North."
--Thomas Wolfe
**************************************************************
Visit http://www.allthingssouthern.com/books.html for a FREE
chapter of my memoir, "LESSONS LEARNED ON BULL RUN ROAD".
(You can order online using your credit card--or you can snailmail,
email or fax the printable order form.) Don't forget to browse
the store!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Southern Comfort"
Mine eyes are on Thee, you are the beating of my heart,
your fellowship my life's blood.
What I once did out of obedience, I now do out of need.
Meet me in the stillness of the morning,
in the crush of the day--
and late at night as the shell of my spirit rests.
Open my heart and read it page by page.
Where it once read of lost hopes and broken dreams,
it now reads of faith and answered prayers.
Show me where my heart is dirty and wash it white as snow.
Let's spend time together, Lord,
I'm anxious for you to write another page.
~Shellie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Southern Exchange"
Hi Shellie,
I found your magazine thru looking for "things Southern" on
Google. I'm an expatriate Texan/Southerner, living now in
Pennsylvania--goin' on four years now. I'm always lookin' for
things from home, and I was tickled pink to find All Things
Southern, believe you me!
I'm glad you like my email address. It does speak, doesn't it?
Sometimes when I get compliments after playing (the piano), I
do well to remember my email address so I don't get stuffed up
with pride. The Lord gave me this talent and I'm using it for
Him to the best of my ability.
My husband and I met online in a Christian chatroom, nearly
five years ago. He's a precious man, in spite of the fact that
he IS a Northerner. I now distinguish between Yankees
and Northerners. Northerners are nice people who talk funny and
live up North. Yankees are the arrogant cretins who, were the
War Between the States to happen physically today, would be in
the thick of the battle. These people I ignore or avoid like the
plague, whichever is more expedient. :)
I do look forward to getting the issues of All Things Southern,
and thank you so kindly for your gracious note to me.
In the love of the Lord,
Bron from Pennsylvania
iplay4hisglory@earthlink.net
P.S. The people in our church love to gently poke fun at my accent
and try to imitate it. I find it's really very endearing. I say,
"Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, so thank you!"
A great icebreaker, you might say! The only one who comes close is
an ex-colonel, who once lived in Texas for three years. What's
even funnier is that our pastor is starting to say "y'all". I tell
'em that "class rubs off"!
---------
(Hi readers, this next letter comes from the winner of December's
Great Gator Give-A-Way!)
Hi Shellie,
I just wanted to write and tell you I got my Gator in the mail
today, and I must say I was so wonderfully surprised! I have to
tell you, I have never gotten such a unique prize, nor one that
made me smile as much as this precious Gator.
My life has been not so wonderful for over a year due to an
accident I had, and not too much cheers me up these days- but
this Gator really was what the doctor ordered. I love it and will
cherish it.
Again, thank you!
Wendy Madison
Marietta, Georgia
--------
Shellie,
You've got to tell John Parker, Bedford TX (who wants to know what
to do with leftover grits)---that leftover grits can become Cheese
Grits real easy---and taste real good!
Just put cold grits in microwave and warm (not hot). Separate
with fork or spoon, add chunks of favorite cheese, American,
cheddar, etc., and season well with garlic salt (I add pepper,
too). Pop back into microwave until cheese melts and stir well
to mix. I like to use the small rolls of garlic cheese and jalapeno
cheese, one each. Gives a real spicy taste. A little Southern
with a kick.
Garlic Grits are great as a side dish, especially with ham. I'm a
grits girl, so I like them from a bowl with a hot roll on side.
Love your emag!
Nancy Whitten
Vicksburg, MS
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WHAT SOUTHERN MOMS TELL THEIR DAUGHTERS...
About hygiene: "Always wear clean underclothes, you never know
when you're going to be in an accident!" Do you remember your
southern mom's advice about love,marriage, relationships and
life in general? Then join the fun; this project is exploding!
Write me at tomtom@allthingssouthern.com to have your mom's
advice memorialized in my new book: WHAT SOUTHERN MOMS TELL
THEIR DAUGHTERS...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Now here's an interesting site:
Got milk? Sure anyone can get milk. Got a cow? I didn't think
so. Have A Cow Dude allows anyone to choose a real dairy cow
and follow her progress from calving to milk production. Ask the
farmer questions and learn about life on the farm.
Check it out at http://www.10acresbackyard.com/ or subscribe at
HaveACow-Dude-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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