Spring 2009

These are pictures from Miss Lee's Daffodil Garden, just south of Gladewater.  Be sure to click on the first picture to see the squirrel watching us.

The daffodils were in full bloom.  It's the perfect place to take a picnic, and then go to Gladewater for antiques.....
The trees were just leafing out and were very beautiful.  There are about 30 acres of blooms.  The whole tract of land is over 800 acres.

The web site for Miss Lee's is:  www.daffodilgarden.com.


Some of Christine's Camellias.

Camellia japonica "Gigantea" from Barbara's yard.

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.  

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. 

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..