Peaches in Georgia

In March, Judy flew Mom to Georgia and then to Biloxi for a wonderful weekend at the Beau Rivage.  The Beau Rivage is now Mom's favorite place, but I think she will still go to Shreveport whenever she can.    Mom also spent several days being wined and dined in Monroe, visiting old friends, and the Georgia family.  

International Women's Day

 International Women's Day is March 8.  Usually, Dotsy, Barbara, Lori, Peaches, and I go to Winnsboro to Lou Vinery to celebrate.  This year our favorite place is closed.    It was a very congenial place, and close by. 

The first time I heard about International Women's Day,  was from daughter Susie.  In Italy, where she has lived for a long time, it is very much a holiday, not official, but celebrated with girl friends going out for dinner, or just getting together.  Over the years, here in Scroggins, we have tried different things on March 8, such as collecting canned goods for the food pantry in Pittsburg, or money for a children's advocacy group.  

Happy Birthday, Catherine

Today is Catherine's birthday! Happy Birthday!!!  Catherine was born in 1971, at St. Mary's Hospital in Oak Park, Illinois.  She was the most beautiful baby in the nursery.  Peaches was there, and so was Catherine's other grandmother: Catherine O'Shaughnessy Herbstritt.  Peaches and Grandma Kay were both claiming that Catherine looked like their side of the family.   The nurses used Catherine as the 'demo' baby to show new mothers how to bath and dress their newborns.  

Peaches was very busy in 1971.  She had four grandchildren born that year.  OB's youngest son was born in January, Catherine in February, Tim in August, and Parrish in September.   Catherine and Tim were born in Illinois, and the rest were Georgia babies.  

February is also a month filled with other family birthdays:  Lara on the 1st,  Lea on the 12th, and, Lauren on the 18th.  Happy Birthday to all.

Recipe and Pictures

The 'girls' were over Saturday and what to serve???  Strawberries dipped in chocolate.  Mom's famous ham and cheese puffs. And, of course, Mimosa's.   Somehow,  the Hors d'oeuvres'  taste better when Peaches makes them, is it the hand that makes them?  That puts a special touch on them?                                                                                                The recipe is from one of Peaches' cookbooks, appropriately enough,  

  Hors d'oeuvres'  by the Mimosa Garden Club of Atlanta.

Deviled Ham Spread

1 can deviled ham          1 8 oz package of cream cheese      Bread

Cut crusts off bread. Cut slices with cookie cutter(use different shape cutter if desired).  Spread deviled ham on bread.  Then spread with whipped cream cheese.  Bake at 375 until brown.

 

Mom's a very talented woman

Mom has always been a very talented woman.  She learned to play the piano, and, by ear.  Whenever I came home, whether it was from school, or to bring my babies,  Mom would play the Missouri Waltz for me.  It was always my favorite tune she played.    This waltz always reminds me of home, growing up in a loving family, and all of the fun we had as children.  No one plays it quite like Peaches.  This song envelops me with the love of our family.

There is a link I've posted, to a young lady covering Johnny's Cash's version.  If you right click on the link, then, right click on "open in a new" window,  you will be able to keep reading and, also listen.  

The Iles Girls

Sunny, Peaches, Dottie.  I think this photo, above, was taken at Linnie's wedding.             
This was probably taken in 1925 or there abouts.   Dottie, Sunny, Nanny, and Peaches

Recipe and Pictures

Pictures:  Lemon Souffle Pie, Thanksgiving 1969, and Peaches about 1940.

This recipe is too good not to share.  It comes from cousin Linnie and is: 

 Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping.  

1. Casserole:  5 lbs sweet potatoes  1 stick butter, softened, 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup whole milk Bake and mash sweet potatoes, puree in food processor.  Mix in butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk.  Pour into casserole.
2. Praline Topping: 1/2 cup Heavy Cream 1 Cup light brown sugar 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup chopped pecans. Bring cream to simmer in sauce pan.  Add brown sugar and stir until it dissolves.  Cook over medium heat and stir until it reaches soft boil on candy thermometer.  Remove from heat and beat in butter and pecans. Pour over sweet potatoes and bake at 350 until hot, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Serves 8.   
   

Book Club

Today, book club meets at Barbara's home, which made me remember one of the first times Mom went to book club.  We were discussing Cane River,  at Barbara's, when Mom made a comment that set the ladies to  gasping and  laughing.  Now, I always sit next to her so that I can pinch and squeeze her arm when I have any indications something is getting ready to happen.   Dotsy  also helps;  or, does she encourage Peaches?  The ladies in the club love to hear Mom, hoping for a new bombshell.  Barbara always serves great pies.  

  Reading was a big part of our growing up.  Mom and Dad always had lots of books in the house; all six of us have enough of their books to fill our homes.  Mom loved Galsworthy, and Dad was partial to Dickens.  Dad had a set of Mark Twain that was autographed, by Twain.  It was addressed to Cory, only one r, not like Dad's two.  In the auction trade it is known as ANS, autograph note  signed.  For the longest time, it confused me.  How could Dad have known Mark Twain in the 1800's?  Papa spent a great deal of  time reading, and always encouraged us to read.  The only book he told me that I could not read was J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.  Which I of course I immediately read, and did not understand some of the words.  If I had only waited a few years, then, I would have understood why he did not want me to read it.

Barbara served a delicious pumpkin and caramel pie, along with many other delicacies. 

Red Letter Day

Red Letter Day!  Happy Birthday Peaches! 

Today is Peaches' Birthday!  She is 89, and looks much younger and dances like she is 20.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  Peaches was born in Oakdale, LA November 20, 1919.  She was born at home, and weighed only about 4 pounds, as she was very early.  Her grandmother stayed up all night keeping her warm, rocking her by the stove.  Some of the great memories we have of times past are the stories Mom used to make up to tell the grandchildren.  Lara remembers spending the night with Peaches and Pop, getting her bath, and Peaches would put lotion all over her little legs and arms and back and tummy!  The favorite story Lara remembers is about a fairy that lived in a pool.  Mom used to always tell about the little blue bird that fell out of a nest and how  (insert name)  picked it up and saved it.

From Mom's cooking beginnings with Spam, she became one of the best cooks I've ever known.  All of the brothers, sisters, grandchildren and friends will agree.  But, don't ask her for  a favorite recipe, it will have an ingredient left out.  Dad was always bringing home exotic groceries, and getting Mom to try something new.  He subscribed to Gourmet from the late forties until, well always, and seemed to have a new recipe for Mom every week.  Elaine, my sister-in-law, remembers Mom going to Clout's grocery store in Atlanta and bringing home all kinds of delicious things. Clout's was fabulous long before Central Market.  Carpeting and chandeliers.  Elaine also remembers how Mom would tell everyone that she couldn't give out her secret salad dressing. Mom finally confessed to her good friend, Myrtle Hanson, that it was Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.  Aunt Dottie had given Mom some of the packets, and Peaches was able to keep her secret for about a year. In the early '60's Hidden Valley was just becoming popular in our part of the world.   Elaine also remembers Sundays were  family cookouts.  Dad loved his huge Texas size Weber grill.  One  of the things Elaine remembers that Dad loved to cook, was a leg of lamb, served with mint jelly, and pilaf,  and always a delicious salad.  Dad would buy bulgar  when he was in Atlanta, and Mom would make her pilaf with it.  Saute some onions in butter, add garlic,  stir in the bulgar, add broth, cover and simmer until done.  Test for seasonings.

Baking for Bridge

Tomorrow, Wednesday, it's Mom's turn to have our bridge club to her house.  I've made for the lunch tomorrow: white bean chicken chili!! and a cheesecake.  This is the best cheesecake ever, and it comes from a cookbook that Dotsy gave me: Great Cakes by Carole Walter.  Since I'm doing the cooking, I picked the menu!  Usually I serve Peaches' Texas Cornbread with the chili, but we're having french bread instead.  Fortunately, the cheesecake is extremely light.  Mom has played bridge as long as I can remember.  She played with the same group of ladies for about 40 years.  Now, she is in two bridge clubs out here, and substitutes in more.  She is an excellent bridge player.  We also have a 'club' that meets whenever we can.  We call it the Peach Pits, or Peaches and her Pits.  We also have some sub-pits!  Mom, Dotsy, LarryAnn, Barbara, and sometimes Karen, and I'm always there!  We start about 1 at Mom's, the Club House, and finish when the wine runs out.    Mom's ladies in Monroe played every Thursday. They all took a sandwich, and played until school got out.  PS If you want the recipe, click on the right hand picture..

Making pizza dough

Today, I'm going to make my second batch of pizza dough and freeze it for Peaches' and Troy's birthday party next Saturday.  Dotsy and Peaches are coming over to help.  We all love to cook, and I know that is because our parents loved to cook.   Mom always, it seemed, served liver cooked with onions and bacon once a week, and fish once a week.  We actually loved the liver!  Fish would be a whole red snapper baked in the oven with bacon, or maybe a whole flounder.  We also had to have at least two vegetables.  When we had bread, it was always cornbread or rolls.  Mom did not learn to cook at home because they had someone who cooked for them, Stella.  Aunt Dottie gave Mom her first recipe as she was on the train leaving for Atlanta.

  We loved visiting our grandparents, Stella, Nannie's cook, always was cooking something good, and, the telephone was a mystery because when you picked up the receiver, the operator came on and placed the call.  I believe that if you said "I want to talk to Betty"  she would know exactly who you meant. When we lived in Atlanta, our phone number was EVergreen 9-3901, I think! This of course was before area codes and zip codes.  We lived at 1360 Fairview Road, NE.  My dog tag has name, address, birth date, and a P for Protestant.  This was at a time when we practiced 'duck and cover' in case of an atomic bomb attack.  When we lived here in the '50's, the house had a beautiful Italian tile roof.  There was a garage in the back, and a small two room house also. The porte-cochere led to a beautiful back yard with a rose garden and large spaces for all of our playground equipment.  We had monkey bars,  jungle gym, slide, swings, a climbing pole, and of course a sand box.  Dad was able to get the same equipment that schools had, so all of it was very sturdy.  I wonder if it is still there.

Family Pictures

This is a picture of Dad taken in Oklahoma about 1944.  The next one was taken 1951 when we lived in Atlanta.  Peaches and Pop about 1941, Atlanta.

Peaches and Pop  Monroe, GA

Is this not the most beautiful picture you have ever seen?

Election Day!

• Election Day!!  Cliff and I voted this morning at the South Franklin precinct.  Usually, we don't have a wait, but today it was about 15 minutes.  There was no grumbling about the wait.  We are very fortunate.   Peaches, Dotsy, and Troy will go to vote later this morning.  I was thinking about  Mom and Dad always  insisting we vote. From the time I was 18, I don't think I've missed any election.  My first Federal election was an absentee ballot.  I was in school in Gainesville, GA.  In order to vote, I had to take my ballot to a county office, post office? county clerk?, and vote while in the room with someone.  I do remember that he was reading  his newspaper while I sat across from him and voted.  1964.   I'm pretty sure all five of my brothers and sisters always vote, and all 10 grandchildren.  We'll see about the next generation, the 9 great-grandchildren.  Peaches and Papa believed in being good citizens.
  

Limoncello

Today Peaches, Dotsy and I zested lemons for the limoncello we are making. It was a beautiful fall day, so we sat on the screen porch with Buddy. When Mom was growing up, she says she learned to drive a Model T Ford when she was 12, and went to LSU when she was 15. There she pledged KD. In Louisiana, there were only 3 years of high school at the time. After her first year, she transferred to Lafayette to attend Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now known as University of Louisiana at Lafayette. That is where she met my Dad. At the time he was known as Curry Comb, because of his thick curly hair. Dad was on a football scholarship, when they met.

Sunday Evening

Peaches came over for a glass of wine and we talked about Huey Long. She remembered hearing about the Kingfish having dinner with a family in Oakdale and drinking his soup from his bowl instead of using his spoon.
Mom was the middle of three daughters, and, apparently always hiding under the crawl space of her home as she was quite the little trouble maker! Mom was born November 20, 1919. Her little sister was called Sunny because she was always happy, and happy to let Mom get her in trouble. One time Mom and Sunny cut off Aunt Dottie's doll's curly, beautiful hair  Dottie lives in Alexandria, near her daughter Linnie.  My other cousin Janie, lives in New Orleans.

Peaches

Mother has been called Peaches since her first grandchild was born in 1966.  This year, she, my sister Dottie, and I went to visit my oldest daughter, Catherine, who lives in Maui.   Everywhere we went, people were amazed that Peaches will be 89 in November.  We especially love to tell everyone that Mom went snorkeling.