Shellie Rushing Tomlinson
Here's a big "hello" to all my Coon Creek porchers. Y'all are a
sight for sore eyes! I appreciate everyone droppin' by. I've got
sweet tea and lemondade iced down and the ceiling fans are
going full blast. (If I didn't own a calendar, I'd swear it was mid-
summer!) But hey, this is Lousiana for heavens sakes! So,
what's new about that? I say, we might as well make ourselves
comfortable and get on with the getting on. Let's chat...~smile~
Here’s some news for the tricycle motors in your family. Sesame
Street is in talks with the country’s largest cable company about
starting a 24-hour cable channel for pre-schoolers—we’re talking
non-stop, around-the-clock Big Bird!
Slow down, folks. Do we really want the nation’s two year olds
kicking back on the couch with a sippy cup and watching Bert
and Ernie all night long? Has everyone forgotten those little reports
linking too much TV with attention deficit problems? I raised my
kids with a little tip I picked up from my parents—it was called
“bedtime”. When it wasn’t enforced, we all suffered deficits in our
attention.
Speaking of my parents, something hit me out of the blue today—
Papa and Mama don’t talk in riddles anymore. When my sisters
and I were young they said things like, “Look at me when I’m talking
to you… Don’t look at me like that!” And of course: “If you don’t
quit crying, I’m gonna give you something to cry about.”
“You want us to cry or you don’t?” we wondered silently. Wondering
silently was learned behavior. Verbalizing that sort of question
could draw the lethal threat, “I’ll knock you in the middle of next
week.” They never did that or anything close. I think they just liked
the sound of it, sorta like their fondness for rhymes—“You’re
cruising for a bruising, young lady.” (I hated that one.)
Mama might not have asked us if we wanted to stay up all night
watching TV, but she wasn’t beyond seeking our input. I can’t
count the number of times she asked, “Do you want a spanking?”
Okay, I'll let y'all get on with this week's southern celebration.
Tune in next week as we discuss the links between “Peer Pressure
and Bridge Jumping, Fact or Fiction”... ~smile~
Hugs,
Shellie
P.S. Have you gotten your new All Things Southern t-shirt yet?
Well, what in tarnation are you waiting for? :-) They're available
in the online store. Why not get one for yourself and one for
a friend and help spread the message--"All Things Southern,
you don't have to live here to call it home!"
**********************************************************
~~Chuckles~~
"Savannah and the Stork"
You asked for it, you got it! Back by popular demand is that
precocious mascot of the porch, our nine-year old, going on
nineteen southern belle Little Miss Savannah Grace.
Savannah came home from school yesterday with an assignment
to write called, “Where My Family Came From”. She undertook
the project at the kitchen table while Julia was whipping up
some supper. It took Savannah a good thirty minutes to get
ready to work. Finally, after a snack and a lot of procrastination,
she chose to begin with some research.
“Mom,” she asked. “Where did I come from?”
Y’all know Julia, she’s a bit old-fashioned and more than a little
shy about the birds and the bees. She wasn’t sure what Savannah
was driving at, so she found herself saying, “Well, the stork brought
you, dear.”
She could feel Savannah’s eyes on the back of her neck.
“Where did you come from, then?” Savannah asked.
“Uh, the stork brought me, too!”
“Fine,” Savannah said, dryly. “Then, where did Granny come from?
Let me guess, the stork.”
“Yes dear,” Julia answered. She was relieved when Savannah
seemed to let it go. The child said thanks and settled down to her
writing. A few minutes later, as Julia passed the table on her way to
the pantry for some mushroom soup, she looked over her daughter’s
shoulder. She couldn’t help but stifle a giggle. The first line of
Savannah’s paper began,
“For three generations there have been no natural births in our family.”
~Shellie
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~~A Taste of the South~~
Hey folks, and welcome back to the All Things Southern kitchen.
Here’s a recipe that could’ve been served in the formal dining room
of the fictional “Tara”. It’s called Plantation Dressing and it’ll make
your salad sing. Ready? Let’s get cooking.
Plantation Dressing
• One cup mayonnaise
• One cup buttermilk
• One clove garlic, minced or pressed
• Half a cup of sliced green onions
• Tablespoon parsley flakes
• One teaspoon tarragon
• Salt and pepper to taste
Take one cup of mayonnaise and one cup of buttermilk, blend well.
Put this liquid in your food processor and combine with a clove of
pressed garlic and a half cup of sliced green onions. Season with a
tablespoon of parsley, a teaspoon of tarragon and salt and pepper to
taste. Once it’s blended, refrigerate overnight before using.
LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA! (You guessed it! That was my salad
singing...*grin*)
~Shellie
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~~It's Been Said...~~
She was born in Selma, Alabama in 1972. As a baby she wore
casts on her feet to correct a partial clubfoot. Her mother was a
ballet dancer, her father a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force. She
grew up all over the world. During a stay in Italy, and once the
cumbersome casts had been removed, she learned to play soccer
with her siblings. When the family moved to Texas, the five-year-old
joined her first soccer team.
A fierce competitor, the child hated losing a game of soccer. When
it even looked like it might happen, she’d quit. That tendency led
her five siblings to shut her out of their pick-up games. To be
allowed to play, she had to learn not to quit. I think she got it.
By the age of fourteen, Marial Margaret Hamm was dominating
girl’s soccer in Texas and being scouted by the US women’s
national soccer team. Today she’s known the world over as Mia,
one of the greatest woman athletes of all time and by far the
leading scorer, male or female, in the history of international
soccer. This shy dark-haired beauty who was once named by
People Magazine as one of the World’s 50 Most Beautiful People
is known as a killer offensive player and a soft-spoken, humble
icon tirelessly promoting the game.
Though blessed with natural speed, Mia never stopped working
to perfect her skills during her phenomenal eighteen year career.
A three time Olympic medalist, Mia plans to retire after the Fall
Celebration Tour of the U.S. Women’s National gold medal team
from the 2004 Summer Olympics. Mia Hamm explains her training
regime this way,
"I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just
the right moment, I light the match." --Mia Hamm
~Shellie
<*}}>< ---------- <*}}}>< ---------- <*}}}>< ---------- <*}}}><
~~Southern Comfort~~
"Last Man Standing"
Finally, after a long and heated struggle, the end is in sight. One
person will be left standing. For all of you reality TV fans on the
porch, I’m not talking about The Great Race, Fear Factor or Survivor.
I’m talking about next week’s presidential election…After all the
debates, the polls and the analysis of the spinmeisters, one man
will be elected president of these United States of America.
Lean in close, folks. I don’t want to upset anyone, but I’ve got to tell
you something straight-up. It’s possible that your man may not win.
Everyone and his or her mama is predicting a close election. Oh,
you’ve heard? That explains that nauseous look. If you’ll let me, I’d
like to offer you a little something to settle your nerves.
We’ve all heard the direst scenarios for what will happen if the wrong
man wins. I understand. I have grave concerns of my own. I stand
shoulder to shoulder with those who think this is a very important
election at a very critical time in our nation and in the world. I
understand how easy it is to fall prey to some anxiety.
That’s exactly why I am vigilant to remind myself that regardless of
the outcome, God will still be on His throne when the polls close.
It’s what I want you to remember, too.
My point is, vote—please vote! It is your great duty and privilege
as an American, a citizen of one of the greatest nations on the face
of the earth. And pray for God’s will to be done. Just don’t lose sight
of your Heavenly Father’s Omnipotence. The Lord God will always
be the Divine Incumbent and He’ll never be up for reelection.
~Shellie
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~~Shellie's Suggestions~~
I have someone living here and I won't name names for any
amount of money, (Phillip, Phillip, Phillip), who would have a
nervous breakdown if we were about to eat a meal that requires
ketchup only to discover there is none in the house! Just in case
this tends to happen at your place, I offer y'all my quick fix.
Take a small can of tomato sauce and add a couple
tablespoons of sugar and a touch of vinegar.
"It works for me, and now, I hope it works for you..."
~Shellie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~Southern Exchange~~
Hi Shellie,
I'm still here. Just been really busy painting for some shows. I am
"October Artist of the Month" at Ouachita River Art Gallery in West
Monroe. But that isn't why I'm writing.
In response to your "flipped art show" article about the uppity
museum showing hanging art on the wall backwards, I have
seen some art that would look better facing the wall! That show
a few years ago in New York showing the Madonna with Dung
would be an example.
June Ivy
Farmerville, LA
(Hi June, Congratulations on the Artist of the Month! That's great.
And you make a very good point, here, my friend. When I read
about that type of "art" –and I use the term very loosely—I’m reminded
of the line, “art imitates life”. Makes me wonder what those artists
are saying about themselves…Hmmm? ~Hugs, Shellie)
____________________
Dear Shellie,
I was browsing your website, and noticed the article about "flat
as a flitter". It said that a flitter was a cow pie or cow chip. Not in
Southern Indiana it's not! Flitters are flat dumplings. They are
made with flour, eggs & a little milk, and rolled out into a very flat
dough. Then they are cut in diamonds or squares and left to dry.
After they're dried, they are slowly cooked in a rich chicken broth.
Best darn comfort food you ever tasted!
"Flat as a Flitter" simply means as flat as a noodle, because
that's how flat flitters are.
Mary May in Southern Indiana
(Hi Mary, Thanks for droppin’ in with your Southern Indiana take
on the subject. Your comfort food sounds delicious! But as for the
name—I think we’ll stick to our rule around here. If it’s fried, it’s a
fritter. If it’s been digested and discarded, it’s a flitter. It’s a simple
rule, but we’re comfortable with it. ~ Hugs, Shellie)
____________________
Hi Shellie,
Here’s another hurricane story for you. I got a call from a policyholder
from Alabama. During the storm, he had his generator out in the
garage, with the door open so the fumes wouldn't kill anyone. Late
that night with the generator chugging away, the lights suddenly went
out. Everything went dead. They could still hear the generator running
and for a few minutes couldn't figure out what happened. After checking
everything in the house they went to the garage and found out what the
problem was. The generator was missing and in its place was a lawn
mower. It seems lawn mowers sound a lot like generators, so someone
just put a running lawnmower in the place of the generator, unplugged
the extension cords real quick and made off with the worth it's weight
in gold generator!
Jim in Jacksonville, Florida
(Hi Jim, Stealing a generator during a hurricane? That is lower than a
snake’s belly. I wouldn’t want to be in that thief’s shoes. In my experience,
what goes around comes around and boy does he have it coming.
Thanks for sharing. ~Hugs, Shellie)
____________________
Dear Shellie,
I have a quote from a great American for you. The great diplomat
President Ronald Reagan once said, "It isn't that Liberals are ignorant;
it's just that they know so much that isn't so."
Martha in Lower Alabama
(Hi Martha, We’re probably gonna stir up the liberals on the porch, but
I rarely miss a chance to quote Ronnie and this was one of his best.
Thanks for the funny! The rest of y’all—liberals and conservatives alike,
drop by and chat sometime. It’s a big porch! ~Hugs, Shellie)
____________________
Dear Shellie,
I’m looking forward to trying some of your recipes and just talking
with the fellow porchers. Your porch reminds me of our front porch
from when I was a child. That was many moons ago when we sat
out in the evenings talking about everything and nothing in general.
I’m so glad I found you.
Margaret Button
Trussville Alabama
(Hello Margaret, I’m glad you found us too! I like the way you’ve
summed up our porch. When I go places to speak, folks are always
asking exactly what type of things will they find on the porch of All
Things Southern. Now I can tell ‘em that we talk about everything—
and nothing in general. It works for me. Y’all tell y our folks hi for me
and drop by when you can. That's it 'til next week. ~Hugs, Shellie)
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ATS NEWS AND NOTES:
If you see your letter in the exchange, that means it was also
in the radio show this week, (although sometimes condensed
to fit the time frame.) If you'd like a copy of the show, I'll
"burn" you a CD for $7.00, and that includes shipping and
handling. (Louisiana residents will have to include tax.) Just
send your check or money order to ATS at 2007 Island Point
Drive, Lake Providence, La. 71254 and let me know which show
you're interested in.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
All Things Southern Sponsors:
PLEASE do business with my sponsors. If you enjoy All Things
Southern on the radio--or by internet, let my sponsors know.
They're so important to me. ~Thanks,Shellie
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