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Storybook Wisdom…

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The most profound wisdom often comes from children’s storybooks…One of my all time favorite lessons for adults is found in The Velveteen Rabbit, written in 1958, by Margery Williams. Read along with me and find the Storybook Wisdom from the Skin Horse to the Velveteen Rabbit, who wanted to know what it meant to be Real-

‘Real isn’t how you are made’ said the Skin Horse, ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.

‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’velveteen-rabbit-and-the-skin-horse

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’

‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.’velveteen-rabbit-and-skin-horse-on-being-real

Storybook Wisdom…on being Real. It doesn’t happen if you break easily, have sharp edges or have to be carefully kept. Hair loved off, eyes falling out, loose in the joints and very shabby, now that’s Real- Shabby Chic if you ask me. Can I get a witness? Have a blessed day!

Love y’all, Camellia

*Image of Margery Williams’ Velveteen Rabbit – hardback edition from Amazon.com, other images are from http://www.commons.wikimedia.org

*As a programming note:) – Cook and Enjoy Recipes honored Camellia’s Cottage allowing us a guest post on their site for ‘Bighearted Casseroles’Bighearted Casseroles – wow what an honor!

Posted on by camellia's cottage · 15 Comments

How we talk…

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With the advent of air conditioning, the South experienced an influx of Yankees, who either couldn’t understand a word we said or made so much fun of how we talk, that in some circles, Southern folks are still trying to cover up how we talk by using big words or dropping the use of our distinctively regional language. The one thing most of us have not been able to effectively erase is our accent or the way we put words together. I’ve decided it’s the humidity- which naturally slows the speech and causes us to drop the ‘g’ at the end of our words. It would be impossible to try to de-code how we talk in one short lesson without going off on impossible tangents. Why, the average human being would be fit to be tied. So in an effort to de-tangle some of it- Y’all, must understand that while you might think- let’s ‘Go down South’ – If you live here? Nothin’ is down- it’s all up.

  • We wake up, get up, then we make up the bed
  • We load up the washing machine, wash up the dishes, then put it all up.
  • We clean up, sweep up, mop up, spruce up and even perk up the house.
  • We roll up our hair, get dolled up, made up, rigged up and dressed up, before we go Uptown
  •  We gas up the car, pick up Momma, the kids or the cleaning ( we don’t say laundry, just like we don’t say toilet, it’s  a commode, y’all- just don’t leave the lid up!)

Everything is up, even when you’re acting up. Let me give you an example:

‘I’m not making this up, ever since Bobby Joe set up that wide screen TV, he  hasn’t been worth shootin’- Tammy Faye teared up tellin’ it. She said since football season started up– Bobby Joe stays up late with his twin brothers William and Billy, they get likkered  up, revved up, hoopin’ and hollerin’ loud enough to wake up the dead. acting like a bunch of hoodlums! When the game’s over, they leave Bobby Joe sleepin’ on the sofa. Before Tammy Faye can get the house cleaned back up– those boys start up all over again the next weekend. Bobby Joe was always just precious. (Precious is another way of sayin’- At least his momma loves him!)- I tell you, Tammy Faye was wound up tighter than a tick! I like ta-died when she told it right up in Sunday School! We all said, ‘Bless your heart, Tammy Faye, you’ve laid up crowns in heaven.’ Of course we were thinkin’ she needs to get wound up and throw a full blown conniption fit- Never underestimate the value of a conniption fit di-rect from an thoroughly fed up Southern woman!

Oh law, don’t get me started up- I hope you’ve laughed a little and been enlightened about how we talk… and remember- like all good Southern stories, this one is part Truth, part Myth and part Outright Lies…

Love y’all, Camellia

 *AOL image may be subject to copyright

Posted on by camellia's cottage · 17 Comments

Alabama Porches…

aa200-april-battle-09-23103October seems like a good time for black and white photographs. I love them  all year round-but the crisp fall air makes these black and whites seem hauntingly beautiful for the month of October when little Trick or Treaters will no doubt be making the neighborhood rounds.  Of course, we have the very talented Jeremy Miniard to thank for them! From fine to humble to downright rundown– I give you- Alabama Porches!

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Creakin’, rundown, peelin’ paint, faded glory- bless her heart! Alabama’s still beautiful! We know her faults and love her still. No matter what state we find ourselves in- Our sweet home is Alabama, we know where our heart is and will always find a way back to the Porches of Alabama.

Love y’all, Camellia

Thank you Jeremy Miniard!! We love you, God loves you and Alabama loves you! http://www.jeremy-miniard.fineartamerica.com

Posted on by camellia's cottage · 23 Comments

Winter Mystery Vacation?

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There’s nothing like dreamin’ and armchair travel. It was cool this morning, the screen porch beckoned-coffee in hand, I was pondering where to go on our winter family vacation. October is not too early to plan it. I’ve been schemin’ and coming up with plans I hope will be fun, in cold climes or warm. The porch seemed like a good place to think about it; the leaves haven’t turned, some leaves have just curled up and died. That’s the South for you.We like travelling in the United States, there’s nothing like America, y’all!   Last summer was the first time I planned a Mystery Vacation, no one knew except me, where we were going! I’ve added a few destinations for the Winter Holidays. I thought I’d let you in on it; maybe you can help me plan another Mystery Vacation, this time from Santa!

  • Seattle: There’s the City Tour by bus. Seattle seems to come alive at night during the holidays with Snowflake Lane at Bellevue Square; fake snowflakes fall and crazy elves climb up platforms all around the shops. Then there is the Space Needle, the Pike Place Market where they throw fish, Dale Chihuly’s blown glass, Winterfest at Seattle Center, the house boat village where ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ was filmed, not to mention all of those lovely coffee shops! Add a day trip to Victoria or Vancouver by Ferry, perhaps go to Butchart Gardens which looks amazing even in Winter.
  • Charleston: A vastly different place-though chilly to us, it is still just jacket weather during the holidays. There are carriage rides and wonderful food, fountains, historic churches and plantations, like Middleton. Just a little over two hours away, by car, we could take a day trip to Savannah, for sure stopping by Gretsch® Guitar Shop to see our friend Fred Gretsch, then passing through Beaufort on our way back.
  • Los Angeles: There’s a Hollywood studio tour, the Walk of Stars, all those Movie Star Mansions, Venice Beach with a ride on the iconic Ferris Wheel, a Whale Watching Tour from the harbor, not to mention Santa Monica pier, beautiful Santa Barbara and more…
  • Louisville is a city I’ve been musing about- with a day trip to Lexington, taking in the gorgeous countryside of the Bourbon Trail, going out to Churchill Downs and eating a Hot Brown  at the beautiful Brown Hotel.
  • Williamsburg is always on my Christmas travel list- the historic Inn is where Queen Elizabeth and other heads of state have stayed, the Village Homes and Governor’s Palace is decked out for Christmas. Over by William and Mary there is a small French restaurant where waiters walk around with a huge terrines ladling out Chocolate Mousse. Who could pass up the Trellis restaurant where Julia Child worked with the pastry chef to come up with the famous ‘Death by Chocolate’? Then, top off the trip with a day tour of Monticello in holiday dress.

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  • Philadelphia is another great place for a family trip. It looks very interesting and fun during the holidays. There is a very large exhibit in Reading Terminal Market of model trains, the iconic Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and as I understand it, the little cobblestone street where Betsy Ross lived comes alive during the holidays; best of all, eating the famous Phillie Cheesesteaks!
  • And finally, I have looked longingly at Fort Myers, we could visit the Winter Mansion of Henry Ford and the Laboratory and Winter Estate of Thomas Edison. The warm beauty of Captiva Island and Sanibel’s shell strewn beaches,the gorgeous homes of Naples would be terrific day trips from Fort Myers which is warm and beautiful during Christmas.

So, which would you choose? I’m open for suggestions, there may other places better to explore. Where would you want to go? But shh…this is a Secret Santa Surprise! October is not too early to plan a Winter Mystery Vacation! As soon as the destination is decided, I’ll just give them hints bit by bit and see if they can guess…I know we’ll have fun wherever we go!

Love y’all, Camellia

*Images used were marked- Public Domain from AOL images

 

Posted on by camellia's cottage · 22 Comments

A Southern Spitfire…

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What you’re looking at in the picture above- is a gen-u-ine Southern Spitfire. You would have to know one to understand exactly what we mean by that in the South. Under a thin veneer of Southern charm, my grandmother Betty Jo Sparks Holmes was a Southern Spitfire. I’ve been told her mother was a beauty who rode fast horses sidesaddle! It’s her birthday, if she was alive she would be well over 100. We can’t know her true age  for sure, because-well, a Southern lady generally shaves a few years off. Even tombstones of Southern females may not reflect the actual age. Here’s what I know for sure-She came from a long line of warriors:

  • a Daughter of the American Revolution
  • a Daughter of the Confederacy
  •  and with the papers to prove it, a bonafide descendent of Davy Crockett!

Her husband served in World War I, guarding Woodrow Wilson’s White House, living in tents on the grounds- he was a very handsome man. My grandmother tickled him to death with the things she said- particularly when her green eyes were flashing! Her son, served as one of the youngest pilots in the Navy during World War II, flying off of aircraft carriers in the Pacific. She adored him, caring for him most of his adult life as a disabled veteran. He had a lot of problems, but Mimi never allowed any criticism of him, at all. She was a fiercely patriotic American who loved FDR and his First Lady Eleanor, admired John Kennedy and Jimmy Carter, probably because they served in the US Navy, like her son. I’ve inherited her favorite novel, Gone With the Wind, purchased when it was considered a very racy book! Scarlett O’Hara is the best representation of a Southern Spitfire in literature. My grandmother looked nothing like Vivian Leigh except for the flashing green eyes! However, some of the things Scarlett said could easily apply to Mimi-

  • ‘War, war, war. This war talk’s spoiling all the fun at every party…I get so bored I could scream.’
  • ‘Don’t be a goose, Melly!’
  • ‘Great balls of fire! Don’t bother me anymore, and don’t call me sugar.’scarlett-ohara-black-and-white

Betty Jo Sparks Holmes raised her family, including her younger sister Mary Sue, her younger brother Charles, my Uncle Chig and my mother, Betty Gene- during the Great Depression. She was one of the finest cooks I have ever known. She learned to cook, not because she had to, but because she loved to be in the kitchen with the household cooks. They humored the feisty Betty Jo, by letting her make biscuits, which she would load into a small wagon, take across the tracks and sell to laborers for pennies, knowing when she got home she would be in a mess of trouble! Only to do it again, the next time she got close to the kitchen!

She became a florist at age 55, when most women were homemakers, her income was necessary. She had a great sense of style and good taste, but wasn’t uppity. Her life could be described as ‘grit with grace’. I loved that about her. I can still hear her now- the impression of her strength, wisdom and strong sense of humor inform me all these years since we lost her. She was a Spitfire but she was one of the most generous people I have ever known. ‘As God is my witness’…No one ever came to her door and left hungry, empty handed or without comfort. Like most Southerners, she engaged in a bit of ancestor worship. Mimi didn’t tolerate weakness in me. My older sister was probably her favorite- however, she gave me large chunks of her time and the best advice I have ever received- ‘Stop crying, hold your head up and don’t ever forget whose child you are!’ Now, if that is not advice from a Southern Spitfire? I don’t know what it would be. Happy Birthday Mimi, I’m a better person because of you.

Love y’all, Camellia

Photographs are mine. The top photograph was taken in the 1920s with Mimi’s bob and scandalous short dress holding her son and baby brother J.T.. The photograph on the right was for my sister’s high school graduation, the photograph on the left- Mimi is holding me at Christmas on her lap. The photograph of Vivian Leigh- the indomitable Southern Spitfire- Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind by that great southern author, Margaret Mitchell, is public domain.