Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
Oh, mercy, hi porchers! Y'all are either early or I'm running
late--again. You're right, it's most likely me, but I swanee
Thursday is coming around faster than it used to. ( I don't know
if I spelled "swanee" right 'cause it's not in the dictionary,
but any southerner worth his/her salt knows it's just as serious
as swearing on your mama's grave.) Now, I'm not complaining
mind you. Heavens no! You know I like to see your smiling faces
on my porch, but goodness--it seems like I just sent out the
Easter issue. ~smile~
I know one thing for sure. Y'all are paying attention. I can't
get anything by you observant porchers. After last week, Ruth
Babb Pena emailed to playfully question me about my mention
of ruffled dresses and pink sponge rollers. Why, she stopped
just short of calling me a girly-girl! For the record, those
dresses and drasted rollers were forced on us by Mama--and
enforced girly-girl episodes should not be confused with
voluntary girly-girl habits.
Just a reminder: if you have anything you'd like to see in
All Things Southern--drop me a note about it. I think this
week's spotlight is very important as well as timely, but, I
wouldn't have even thought about it without a gentle nudge from
a porcher. Your letters entertain me and encourage me, (and
occasionally correct me), but I enjoy them all.
As for now, it's that time. So, without further ado, let's
celebrate the South!
Hugs,
Shellie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~Chuckles~~
"Boudreaux Plays a Mean Joke"
One time Boudreaux went ta town and got him a fancy shock collar
so he could train hims new dog. Dat smart alecky ting come wit a
remote. Alls Boudreaux had to do was push a button and dat collar
would "shock" dat dog and teach it a lesson if'n it was doin wrong.
Well, Boudreaux wuz 'bout to learn him dog someting when Ole Pierre
drapped by and started askin a bunch of questions 'bout it, worrying
Boudreaux so much dat he decided to play a trick on his ole friend.
"Why, dis is a new fangled telephone, Pierre," Boudreaux tole him.
"If'n you put this collar on your neck and walk out yonder a piece
I'll show you how we can talk to each udder."
Poor Pierre put dat collar on and walked out ina yard a good ways and
turned around 'bout de time Boudreaux done hit the juice button.
"Whoa! Boudreaux!" Pierre hollered. "Don't say nutin' else.
Dis ting's got a short in it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~A Taste of the South~~
This is another new recipe I tried just for y'all, my beloved
Coon Creek neighbors. Oh, the sacrifices I'm making...
"Over the Top Chocolate Pie"
• 1 (18 ounce) roll refrigerator chocolate chip cookies
• 1 quart chocolate ice cream softened ( I chose vanilla here.)
• 1 (12 ounce) jar chocolate fudge sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) carton Cool Whip
Slice dough as thin as possible and line bottom and sides of
a nine inch pie pan; overlapping the edges on the sides makes
a pretty scalloped border. Bake 10 minutes at 375' and cool.
Fill with ice cream, chill another 10 minutes. Top with syrup
and frost with Cool Whip. Freeze. Cut in small wedges to serve.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Please forward ALL THINGS SOUTHERN to your friends and family!
(You can also email them the parent site by going to
http://www.allthingssouthern.com and clicking on the link that
says "email this site to a friend.")
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~~Spotlight on the South~~
SPOTLIGHT ON PROGRESSIVE FARMER'S FARM SAFETY DAY CAMPS
One of our porchers, Tammi Stutts from Louisiana, sent me the
Progressive Farmer website this week, hoping I would help spread
the word about their farm safety program. I didn't have to be
persuaded. Growing up a farmer's daughter, I've seen too often
the devastation that results when haste and bad judgement are
combined with dangerous farm equipment.
So--thanks, Tammi! I'm honored to shine All Things Southern's
spotlight on the "Progressive Farmer", America's most respected
farm publication, and their national crusade for farm safety.
Each year, Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camps reach more
than 60,000 children and adults across the country with a one-day
hands-on workshop teaching farm children and their parents
safe farm practices. The program began in the September 1990
issue of "Progressive Farmer" with a profile of nearly 100 farm
accident victims--many of whom were children. Tragically, the
article showed that many of these accidents could've been prevented.
In the months that followed, Progressive Farmer received more
letters and calls on this story than any other in its history
as hundreds sent in their own heartbreaking stories of loved ones
injured or killed on the farm.
Although the magazine began devoting space in every issue to farm
safety topics, the statistics continued to climb. So, in 1995,
Progressive Farmer took a direct hands-on approach, sponsoring
19 safety day camps across the South and Midwest. By season's end
more than 200 other communities were requesting the workshop. The
Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp program was born! The number
of camps has steadily increased each year along with the magazine's
determination to offer this life-changing program. In the words of
Editor Jack Odle, "If we save one life or limb, this program is
worth all our efforts."
The secret to the success of the Progressive Farmer Farm Safety
Day Camp program is that the camps are as fun as they are educational.
Click here to read more about the camps and see video clips
that use dummys to demonstrate the need for farm safety.
http://www.progressivefarmer.com/safety/default.asp
While there you can read the article that started it all:
http://www.progressivefarmer.com/safety/mythoughts/default.asp
"Just Say No, Please Say No By K.T. Reynolds".
~Shellie
(The Safety Camp in my area is scheduled for Thursday, April
18th, in Oak Grove, La. Because of new management, the dates and
locations of the other camps aren't updated at the web site. Tammi
tells me you can email her and she'll help you find one close
to you. Email Tammi at TStutts@ldaf.state.la.us )
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
~~It's Been Said...~~
"Even if they've moved away, most people who grew up in the
South still consider themselves Southern."
--Lillian Hellman
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
~~Southern Comfort~~
One terribly hot summer day, when my sisters and I were little
girls, we decided to build ourselves a swimming pool behind
my daddy's tractor shed. We must've dug most of the afternoon
before Cyndie, my oldest sister and consequently the foreman,
deemed the hole to be large enough. The three of us pulled
the water hose over to the hole and turned on the faucet.
I still remember our disappointment with the mud hole that
developed instead of the crystal blue pool we'd envisioned.
I know what you're thinking--silly little girls...What we
needed was a clean container, not a dirty trench. But, don't
we adults do the same thing? No? Are you sure?
How many of us try to clean up on our own, thinking that God
can't use us until we're as clear and pretty as chlorinated
water? So we try, in vain, to give up our bad habits and
obsessions with this world's dirt.
Consider the alcoholic trying to resist another drink. There
he is shoveling temptation over his head as fast as he can,
while bucketfuls of desire slide down around his feet. And
how about the lady trying to exchange her cigarette habit
for a carrot stick? She's a closet smoker; her own kids don't
even know she smokes. Or do they? If she can just quit, it'll
be her secret forever. Maybe so, but she'll grow rabbit ears
before that wedge of veggie gives her the hit she craves. Of
course, you're not like them. You're addiction free. But,
what about that bitterness you feel toward your parents? You
can't go to church until you've forgiven them, right? Wrong!
God doesn't expect us to come to Him all clean and shiny. He
knows better than we that such an expectation is impossible. He
just wants us to come--asking for forgiveness. He's the only
one that can clean our containers and fill them up with Living
Water. It's never too late for God to take what we are and make
us what we were meant to be.
~Shellie
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
~~Southern Exchange~~
Your letters:
Dear Shellie,
Hi! I work at the South MS Regional Library in Columbia, MS.
I read about your new book, we ordered it and I just finished it.
I wanted to tell you how many nice memories it brought back.
We are about the same era, and although I am an OKIE, born and
bred I could really relate. Do you know how long it's been that
I even thought of a TG&Y--let alone said those 3 little letters
that were more a part of my life than Wal-Mart will ever be!
Congratulations and thanks for the memories.
Yours truly,
Lori Henry
Columbia, MS
P.S. I also had a tree that was mine and mine alone to dream in.
(Dear Okie-born Lori, I'm glad you liked the book! Right you are--
TG&Y ruled way before Wal-Mart! Hugs, Shellie)
________
Dear Shellie,
Just wanted to tell you I really enjoy reading your ezine. I can
identify with a lot of the information found here. I live in a
small SOUTHERN town in South Carolina by the name of Six Mile.
We are always asked by non-locals what we are "six miles" from or to.
Who knows? Legend has it that the Indian Princess, Isaqueena, named
us in her measurements of mileage during one of her rides.
There is also a "Twelve Mile" and a "Nine Times" within Pickens
County. Because of the legend we have a local Isaqueena Festival
each spring/summer. Since we are a small town/community this is big
doings for us. Anyway, I love your newsletter. Keep the good ole
South coming!
Linda Roach
Six Mile, SC
(Dear Linda, thanks for the note! I love the local flavor of those
names. Nine times? There's GOT to be a good story there. :-)Shellie)
________
Dear Shellie,
I really enjoy reading All Things Southern. Usually I open it up
to enjoy right away, but sometimes I save it ‘til later when I
can take the time to do more than scan it.
Your message about the Holloway family was very sweet and so
appropriate; it brought tears to my eyes. My heart aches for them.
Even though it has been a few years since we lost my nephews Wade
& Justin, I can still remember how true grief feels.
On a brighter note, I can relate to your girly-girl messages.
Since your welcome mentioned spring this week, I wondered if the
following would qualify:
"If you’ve never been stung by a honey bee as you played bare-foot
in the clover...you could have been a girly-girl."
I know I must've averaged at least two stings a year. It’s amazing
my body didn’t develop an allergic reaction to the venom.
Love,
Danna Gillett
Monroe, La.
(Danna, It's nice to hear from you. I miss Wade and Justin, too!
And yes--I think your girly-girl memory qualifies. The way I
remember it--the faster you run, the less chance you have of
being stung! ~smile~ Shellie)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Coming soon:
All Things Southern will host a booth at the Catfish Festival
in Winnsboro, Louisiana, Saturday April 13th. I'll be there
with some southern goodies and my memoir, "Lessons Learned on
Bull Run Road"! Please come out and chat if you're in the area.
Oh, and keep your eye on the All Things Southern Online
Store. http://www.allthingssouthern.com. The ATS t-shirts
have been designed and ordered and if I have to say so myself,
they're really neat! I think you'll like 'em!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~~A Southern Definition~~
"If you never once sat on the roof of the house you grew up
in...you could have been a girly girl."
--Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Check out the following ezine. I think you'll like it.
~*~ Homefires Hearth ~*~
We're the weekly zine and community for Christian homemakers!
Each Tuesday you'll receive your issue packed with creative, fun,
and useful homemaking helps, such as tips, advice, ideas, humor,
recipes, cleaning hints, web links, inspirations, and more. To
subscribe, visit http://www.homefireshearth.com or send any email to
mailto:homefireshearth-subscribe@homefireshearth.net
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
WHAT SOUTHERN MOMS TELL THEIR DAUGHTERS...
About love and marriage: "It's just as easy to fall in love
with a rich man as it is a poor one!" 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...
===========================================================
To SUBSCRIBE :-) send any email with SUBSCRIBE in the
subject box to: tomtom@allthingssouthern.com
To UNSUBSCRIBE (Please don't go, we'll miss you!) send any
email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject box
to: tomtom@allthingssouthern.com
===========================================================
Home
Advertise • Archives • Policies • Terms of Use • Email Shellie and All Things Southern • Link to All Things Southern • Eternal Help • Email Promotion and Sales
