Beneath My Southern Sky

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Lake Days

The air grows crisp just about dusk.....

and fish stories are told around the campfire.....

Once upon a time, there were two little boys,

and they went to the old family lake house.

One day they were out in the canoe, fishing with their dad.....

All of a sudden, something pulled HARD on the line.

They tried to reel it in....and tried and tried.....

Why, it was soo big, it broke the line

and got away.

But not before looking straight at them,

as if to say, "I'm the biggest catfish in the lake!"

Jack, the dog.....

Watch Jack swim!!!

A dog, a canoe, some fishing, story-telling and a campfire.

What more does a boy need?!.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Rainy Day in the Countryside

As I sip my coffe and gaze out the window,

I see raindrops and white blooms...

Autum is almost upon us...

I'm ready for cool, crisp days...

And the smell of sandlewood, cedar, sage, cinnamon...

Vanilla and nutmeg.

Quiet country moments.....

The smell of sandlewood incense.....

Relaxing music from the far East.....

A collection of the world traveler life scapes....

Golden Dawn

Jade Forest

Pagoda In The Mist

Lotus Moon

Eastern Horizon

I light my incense in the mornings

and I say hello to

Christ and Budda

and other admirable spirits.....

When you are one with nature

and when you go to 'silence',

you go to your source -

the invisible force from which all things flow.....

Our old country house feels cozy,

warm and colorful.....

It's full of unique furniture,

paintings, books, music.....

Rooms can dance with spirit.....

They can speak to you.

Your house can greatly affect your mood.

Fill it with things you love.

I love the exotic, enchanting, old, shabby...magical.

Rambling thoughts from the country house.....

I may not know your face or name

but I know the beauty and light of your soul.....

Let no one come to you

without leaving touched

in some way

for the better.....

BLESSINGS

*****Yaya*****

Monday, August 11, 2008

Southern Fried Peach Pie

DADDY'S FRIED PEACH PIES

Cook peaches and sweeten to taste. Cut out pastry dough with a biscuit cutter.

Roll out flat and very thin. Put a tablespoon of peaches in the middle of one side.

Wet the edge with cold water, fold over and press lightly together.

Cook in deep fat, browning on both sides.

YAYA'S EASY PEACH COBBLER

1 stick butter

1 c. milk

1 c. flour

1c. sugar

2 c. fresh sliced peaches

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in a Pyrex deep baking dish. Mix flour and sugar, then pour into center of melted butter. Add peaches; do not stir. Bake until crust is golden brown.

Rambling thoughts from the country house.....

Time spent in the countryside.....

Dogs and cats.....

A butterfly on my shoulder.....

Reading on the front porch.....

Riding bikes along country lanes or take a walk along the old field road.....

Play croquet.....

Wine in the courtyard while listening to classical music.....

Fresh fruit and flowers.....

Cornbread.....

Tomatos ripe on the vine.....

The smell of thyme and rosemary.....

Threadbare jeans, old scuffed-up boots and blackberrys.....

At home in the country.....

Blessings

*****Yaya*****

Sunday, August 10, 2008

A Southern Peach

Baskets of organic peaches, kissed only by nature's sunshine and rain.....

For as long as I can remember, the two old peach trees have been in the back yard of the country house.

And so it has been told that the peach, a member of the rose family, is a Chinese symbol for longevity.....
The wood of the tree was said to ward off evil.
Ancient warriors would craft weapons from the wood.

And Taoist magic was made from the petals of the peach blossoms.
When the peach plant of immortality would produce the magic fruit,
they would eat, assuring their immortality.

Here are a few of my mother's peach recipes.....

PEACH ICE CREAM
5 eggs
2 cans Pet milk
2 cups sugar
3 c. whole milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 c. fresh peaches (very ripe) peeled and mashed.
Beat eggs. Mix Pet milk with sugar; add whole milk and vanilla;
Mix all and add to crank or electric freezer

MOTHER'S OLD FASHIONED PEACH COBBLER
1 qt. fresh sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
Put half of peaches in deep Corning Ware baking dish.
Add 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar and dot with 1 Tbsp of butter.
Make up biscuit dough. Roll out and cover peaches with strips of dough.
Repeat same with rest of fruit, sugar and butter.
Make up pie crust dough for top crust. Cover fruit with crust.
Rub a little butter over crust and sprinkle with sugar.

A few rambling thoughts from the country house.....
Dare to be inspired.....
Knowledge and wisdom can change your life.....
Put wisdom first - everything else will fall into place.....

Blessings
Yaya