Porch Rocking

Let me just say, I absolutely love rocking chairs, especially those nestled on beautiful Southern porches.  I think all Southern do. Their simplicity of pure relaxation creates an atmosphere of pure Southern Joy. One thing you will notice right off, when you visit any of our Southern States, there are rocking chairs everywhere. It is symbol of hospitality, where most Southern are found sitting on their cool front porches during the summer evenings, talking to each other as neighbors stroll by, generally offer up a wave of being, just "neighborly"!

Just lean way back, stretch out the legs and sip on a pint jar of cold ice tea.  Now, that's the LIFE.

It is not known, who exactly invented the rocking chair, but most historian believe it was Benjamin Franklin. What is known, it originated in North America in the early 18th century.  While a chair is a steady perch, the rocking chair offered a sense of pleasure.  The steady back and forth of the rocker has calmed many crying and sleepy infants, and has served as a calming effect on adults.



Down South, you can hardly find a porch that does not have a swing or rocking chair. One of the best known rocker filled porches, is "The Cracker Barrel Restaurant." You can rock as you wait to eat or you can just sit and rock a spell.



I love ole' Southern houses, although abandon for many years, the ole' rocker that is left behind is a portrait of many summer days of porch rocking. I can just see in my imagination a dear grandma sitting and rocking after the long day of daily events. As she sits and rocks, her grandchildren sit on the porch near her, hearing the stories of a life of many adventures or like my Grandmother rocking with an open Bible spending time with her Lord.

The famous painting of a symbol of porch rocking is that of  Mark Twain sitting on his porch. I can only image the stories that he is dreaming up as he sits and
rocks.

Summer time is here, and many of us are enjoying lazy evenings sitting and rocking on our porches.

Rock a while...........it will do you wonders!!!!!

Blackberry Winter

I can remember my Grandma telling me as a kid, "don't put that coat away, Blackberry Winter is comin'." So you ask, what in the world is that?  Blackberry winter is what we in the South called the last cold snap in the weather before warm weather is here for good and blackberries were in bloom.  Living in Arkansas that was usually late Spring. And the creek banks and woods would be in full bloom with expectation of blackberries and I absolutely love blackberries!!

The blackberry has a deep black color and feels plump when fully riped. It will then pull free from the plant with only a slight tug.  If the berry is still red or purple, it's not ripe. Blackberries in the South will peak during June in the South. 

As a kid I would grab a bucket and spend some time walking the creek banks that ran alongside the woods across from our house. Sticking my hand carefully in the thorny bushes I would pick those delicious berries and proudly take them home for Grandma to cook my favorite dessert.  Homemade Blackberry cobbler. I can just picture it now, nice warm cobbler served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (hint: you would have to be careful though, the seeds would get caught in your teeth, and the berries would turn your mouth blue) but it would taste awesome.

Here is the recipe:  Blackberry Cobbler
2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c milk
3/4 c of butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir together blackberries and sugar.  Let stand about 20 minutes or until fruit syrup forms.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and milk.  Stir in melted butter until blended.  Spread in a 8 in square pan prepared with non-stick spray. Spoon blackberry mixture over batter.  Bake 45-55 minutes or until dough rises and is golden.  Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

I also, enjoy Blackberry tea.  It has a cool refreshing take during those warm summer evenings.  I usually use the Lipton Tea brand.

So if you think winter is over!! 
Just wait...."Blackberry winter is coming!"
to remind us to look for Blackberries!

Peaches.....peaches!!

Some of my favorite memories growing up was how much my Dad loved and enjoyed his peach orchard on the family farm.  The peach is a very popular fruit in the South. Peaches have a yellow or whitish flesh with a large stone(seed) in the middle. They have a delicate sweet aroma and taste. My Dad trees however, were free-stone peaches.This means the stone or seed is easily removed from the meat, making it a good choice for eating fresh, picking it right off the trees. They are also, excellent for canning and cooking.  

Many a days my Dad during the long summer evenings would walk through the orchard and pick a peach off the tree, break it open and bite right into it, letting the juice drip off his chin.

I would like to share my Mom's recipe for Easy Peach Cobbler, feel free to cook one up and enjoy. Best served warm with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

• 
  
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk 
• 2  1/2 cups fresh peach slices or 1 large can of sliced peaches with the juice
• 
  

Preparation.

• Combine flour, butter 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened and well blended. Pour batter a 13- x 9-inch baking dish (prepared for baking).
• Dump peaches and juice over the batter (do not stir). 
• Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.