Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
Hello porchers! Here's a little tune for 'ya. "Happy, happy Thursday
baby..." Okay, in case you didn't recognize it, I was imitating
Elvis. It seemed appropriate. I know what you're thinking--it might have
been weak, but hey it was fun, and the porch is all about having
fun! ~smile~
Okay, I admit it, I'm nervous about the radio show. There--I said it.
It's out. I feel better. (I think.) Does everyone think their voice sounds
horrible when they hear it on a recording, or is just me? We've been in
the studio working and I've had more than ample opportunity to hear myself.
("We" means Jonathan and me, you can see Jonathan twisting his little
knobs and sliding all his buttons at the ATS news link. I swear that voice on
the sample CD belongs to someone else, but no, Jonathan says it's me.
On the other hand, I'm kind of excited about the show, too. I needed
musical bumpers before and after each segment and I was beginning to
despair of finding just the right sound when we hit paydirt. I found
the greatest theme song, compliments of a talented musician named
Carvel Avis. I'll be telling you more about Carvel, but right now,
you can check out one of his websites here. Before
I forget, if you, or someone you know, might be interested in
advertising with the ATS Radio Show, just drop me a line.
I hope you have fun on my cyber porch this week. I haven't updated the
farm tour, yet. The men are just about ready to start harvesting corn and
I thought I'd wait and take pictures then. Check back over the weekend.
That's about it, enjoy yourselves! There's plenty fresh lemonade under
the shade tree and the ceiling fan is going full blast! Until next week.
Hugs,
Shellie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~Chuckles~~
"Life in the Marines"
Dear Ma and Pa:
Am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marines
beats working for Old Man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick
'fore maybe all the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed 'til nearly 6 a.m.,
but I'm gettin' so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you
do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things--no hogs to
slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically
nothing. You gotta shave, but it ain't bad in warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs,
bacon, etc., but kinda weak on chops, potatoes, beef, ham steak, fried
eggplant, pie, and regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit
between the city boys that live on coffee, their food and yours can hold you
'til noon, when you get fed agin.
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route
marches," which, the drill sergeant says, are long walks to harden us. If he
thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about
as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys all get sore feet
and we ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
This next bit will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals
for shooting. I don't know why. The bull's eye is near as big as a squirrel
and don't move none. And it ain't shooting at you, like the Higsett boys at
home. All you gotta do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't
even load your own cartridges--they come in boxes.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellows get
onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving son,
Zeb
P.S. Speaking of shooting, enclosed is $200 for a new barn roof and ma's
teeth. The city boys shoot craps, but none too good.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~A Taste of the South~~
"Farmer's Omelet"
There might be six eggs in this omelet, but Phillip, my six-foot-two baby,
thinks it's a single serving. To each his own...~smile~
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cup finely diced, uncooked potatoes
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup diced ham or bacon
• 6 eggs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Melt butter in a 10 inch non-stick fry pan. Add potatoes and onion,
cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and
then to brown evenly OR until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
Add ham. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl and pour
over the potato mixture. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes OR until eggs
are almost set. Check frequently, lifting around edges with a spatula
and allowing egg mixture to run under omelet during cooking. Sprinkle
with cheese. Cover and cook until cheese melts. Fold over once and serve.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~~Spotlight on the South~~
SPOTLIGHT ON the 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSING OF THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL
If you're still dreaming about the big party in Memphis this weekend, I
hope you have hotel reservations or a third-cousin somewhere who'll let
you crash on his sofa. This is the big one, folks, and rooms have been
booked up a year in advance! August 16, 2002 marks the 25th anniversary
of the death of Elvis Presley and this is one Tennessee city that's
planning to rock around the clock. Everything Elvis will start with a
parade down Beale Street headed by Lisa Marie and Priscilla. When and
where the mania will end is anyone's guess.
While I can't tell you anything about Elvis the Entertainer that you
don't already know, I'd love to share with you two things about
Elvis, the man, that I admire the most. He loved his mother, and he
loved his country--higher tributes than all of his records and all of his
fame.
You don't have to be a fan to have heard about the relationship
between Elvis Aaron Presley and his mother--their bond has always been
as well-documented as the charisma, good looks and swiveling hips. In
1957 when fame found the boy from Tupelo, Mississippi, he moved into
his beloved Graceland with Gladys Presley at his side.
Six months later, as Elvis and his family enjoyed their first Christmas
at Graceland, he received his official draft notice. Many people with
his burgeoning fame and connections would've been tempted to find a way
around his country's call. Although he worried about the damage his
absence might do to his career, Elvis honorably stepped up to the
responsibility. He couldn't have known that the world would wait for him
and hand him his throne as the King of Rock and Roll on his return.
If you can't be there this weekend, at least treat yourself to the
official Elvis Presley site. When you go, plan
on staying a while. There are tons of things to see and do. For starters.
you can download free Elvis screensavers and send your friends a virtual
Elvis card. It's animated and you can choose his lines, his costume, props
and scenery. Take a moment to check in to the Cyber Heartbreak Hotel and
take the virtual tour. This is one web site overflowing with entertainment--
and it all comes with the legendary voice of the King singing just for
you. Happy surfing!
~Shellie
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~~It's Been Said...~~
"Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do,
to achieve what they want to achieve."
----Tom Landry
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~~Southern Comfort~~
"Riding the Wave"
Monday afternoon I was tossing around the idea of throwing myself a pity party.
Now, in order to throw a successful pity party, a person has to have a
good list of reasons and I'd managed to collect enough beauties for a
real shin-dig...
Last week Jessica had a fender-bender in her car. She's okay--Praise the
Lord. Actually, she's back at LSU. This past weekend I took her down and
helped her move in. The timing was good and I was able to pick up Phillip
and two of his buddies from Boy's State in the same trip. (I refuse to get
sidetracked and brag on Phillip being elected Commissioner of Agriculture
for the whole state of Louisiana.)
Where was I? Oh, yeah, Sunday evening Phillip had an accident in his
truck. The guy that turned in front of him didn't have working brakes or
blinkers. Uugggghh! Phillip managed to miss the truck, hitting ONLY a
concrete culvert instead, and missing a gas line by no more than five feet.
He's okay--Praise the Lord--again. (Can you say "rising Insurance rates"?)
Have I mentioned that I got some really disappointing news in between
their accidents? Yep! The kick you in the gut kind. But, back to my story.
Monday afternoon I was driving down a crowded four-lane during rush hour.
I'd just made the quality decision not to throw myself the party, although
I was sorely tempted.
"Lord," I was saying, "I refuse to worry about--". Ironically, that's the
exact moment my back rear tire blew out. Suddenly, I was too busy limping
off the road to safety to remember what it was I wasn't going to worry about.
I lost the rest of the business day, but I did get to spend an hour and a
half in a customer service lounge. Yea! I also had time to do some thinking.
I once heard it said that you're either in the middle, the end or the
beginning of a crisis. Does that sound negative? It doesn't have to. It's
a pretty fair paraphrase of John 16:33: "In the world you will have tribulations,
trials, distress and frustration..." Wait! Don't quit reading there. As Paul
Harvey would say, here's the rest of the story: "But, be of good cheer. For
I have overcome the world." A Greek word study would sound more like this, "I
have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you."
Forgive me if I've rambled around, but here's the truth I've been trying to get
to. A relationship with the Lord won't prevent trouble from coming into your
life, anyone who says it will is reading from a different book. On the other
hand, it will help you ride the wave! Learn about Him now, walk with Him and
talk with Him, sooner or later the surf will be up and you'll be glad you did!
~Shellie
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~~Southern Exchange~~
Dear Shellie,
I really do enjoy all the wonderful tales and the glimpse of southern
living I receive from you. Dad was from Oklahoma and Mom insists it is
"the south" and you're in "the deep south" where ever it seems like a
fine place to be.
Merry Hancock
Tacoma, Washington
(Dear Merry, I consider Oklahoma southern too--and I thought your Mom's
take on the deep south being anywhere in the south that is special was
a very unique idea. Give her a hug from me. ~Shellie)
_____________
Hi Shellie,
I've been on vacation with my daughter, her husband and 2 sons in a Chevy
van pulling a 21' trailer. We went from Monroe to Carlsbad Caverns to
Albuquerque/Santa Fe to Grand Canyon and everywhere in between. Last stop,
Six Flags over Texas. (I stayed in the trailer and rested!) After getting
home, I've been furiously painting to get a show ready for my "Artist of
the Month" at Ouachita River Art Gallery in West Monroe for August. Come
see it. Anyway, I had a lot of reading to do, but I've caught up on ATS.
I have a story for you. My youngest grandson went to a "Fun Camp" - 1/2
day for a week - they visited museums, the zoo, etc. At one point they
made a worm box. He was so excited when he got home, he called his mother
at work to tell her. She said, "That's great son. Are you going to take
them fishing?" There was a moment or two of silence on the phone, after
which he said: "But what kind of fishing poles would they use?"
Lavelle Ivy
Farmerville, Louisiana
(Dear Lavelle, That grandson of yours has a very quick wit! Thanks for
sharing it with the porch. Congratulations on your show. I'll make every
effort to get by. ~Hugs, Shellie)
_____________
Shellie,
Just signed up with you. Haven't read it all yet cause I'm at work, but
ATS is full of love and blessed--and John Parker, I don't know the answer
to his cow question but I laughed till I cried...Thanks for the free e-book
too.
Lucinda
Mt Dora, Florida
(Hi Lucinda, Welcome to the porch! I hope you continue to enjoy it around
here. I think it's a pretty neat place, but then I'm partial. ~smile~ Thanks
for writing and you're welcome for the ebook! ~Hugs, Shellie)
____________
Hi Shellie,
My name is Val Zuniga and my wife is Sharon of Euless, Texas. We attend
church with your sister, Rhonda and her husband, John, at First Baptist
Euless. As a matter of fact, we're in the same Sunday Class and both have
kids attending Covenant Christian Academy. I spoke with them just a few
hours ago at a basketball game.
Our family spent this past Memorial Day with my wife's parent's in
Newellton, La. They pastor the Church of God of Prophecy on Highway 4. We
had a great time visiting all our old friends, but I especially enjoyed the
crawfish boil and spending time at the home of some church members on that
little lake just east of Newellton. We even saw a little gator and I got
some pics. I documented the entire process of the crawfish boil from beginning
to end. It's taken a while but I finally managed to work them up into a web
page. I'm giving you the URl address in case my fellow porchers would like to
see a crawfish boil in process.
I want you to know I really appreciate your site. Anyone who has every lived
in or visited the south for any amount of time, would know after reading your
weekly letters that it truly gives one a feel of "All Things Southern". And
that "feel" has a lot to do with the South's people, like you, who know how
to make others feel welcome with their genuine warmth, uplifting words and good
old southern hospitality. Thank you for your dedicated efforts each week to
produce this great little treasure of a web site. It's always a blessing to me,
(and I'm sure many others), even though each week it makes me a little homesick
for your part of the country.
Val Zuniga
Euless, Texas
Val's Web Page
(Dear Val, Your crawfish boil documentation is very neat! I enjoyed the page
and I'm sure the porchers will too. Thank you for all the hard work you must
have put into it for us, (and thanks for the sweet words). ~Hugs, Shellie)
___________
Dear Shellie,
Can't wait until you get the bayou screensavers up and running. I've fished
that lake many times in my lifetime, and believe it is the most beautiful
lake in the world.
I've been sampling some of your Recipes. They're very tasty.
Y'all come back,
Ruth B.
West Monroe, La.
(Hi Ruth, Thanks for your patience, I haven't forgotten about the
screensavers. It's just that the software is smarter than I am and I don't
have a lot of time to play with it right now. It's "on the list", though, I
promise. ~Hugs, Shellie)
____________
Shellie-
I have subscribed to your e-zine for some time now and thoroughly enjoy it
each week. I was born in Alabama, (Huntsville), and continue to carry a large
piece of the south deep in my heart though I now live in the mountains of
Arizona. Congratulations on your radio show and keep up the good work. I'm
attaching a joke I found very cute and very southern which I hope you will
enjoy -- a small return on the enjoyment you have given me.
In Christ,
Kathy Duffey
Arizona
(Hey Kathy, I shared your joke with the porchers earlier, did you see it?
I've never had the pleasure of visiting Arizona. You might need to send us
some pics. ~smile~ Hugs, Shellie)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~~A Southern Definition~~
"If you preferred a painted and shuttered play house on the ground rather
than a bug infested loft in the trees...you could have been a girly girl."
--Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
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ATS NEWS and NOTES:
Notes:
Many of you have written me asking what you can do for me here at ATS. And let me
say for the record, I love you for it! With that thought, this is for those
who are excited about my current project, "What Southern Moms Tell Their
Daughters". Everyone else can just skim over this part. :-) I've got a ton of
submissions for the book--but I still need more. I want it to be running
over with good southern wisdom. Click here to find out how you can help spread
the word about this book. http://www.allthingssouthern.com/spreadit.html
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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...
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