Memorial Day….remember

I think it’s easy to look at Memorial Day with vacation plans and cookouts – yes, it’s a Holiday!  AND it’s the start of the Summer season for many of us.  And yes, I am also looking at those fun times in my weekend plans too…..don’t get me wrong…..

BUT, it’s also a time for remembering our soldiers in all wars who have given us our freedom and that protect us on a daily basis right now.  I think of my dad and my father in law….they both were soldiers in WW2.  It meant so much to them for “people” to just say “Thank you” to them for serving.

When Noah and I visited Washington DC on his 8th grade field trip, we were particularly interested in these memorials for the many that have given the ultimate sacrifice….Noah was able to look up his grandfathers at the memorial there, too.  He was thrilled to be at the WW2 Memorial – it is very impressive.  We were there at night….

From the Air Force Memorial in Washington DC. Noah is standing in front of the soldier memorial.

The World War 2 Memorial was quite impressive at night....with the Washington Monument in the background.

We also have a lot of friends and family that have connections with their military families as well….  AND Brian, one of our sons, is serving in the Navy right now.

Memorials....

another view at this famous memorial...

from the Vietnam War Memorial...

The many veterans buried at Arlington Cemetary and a funeral procession on this particular day....

a wonderful tribute ....it really got Noah's attention at the Viet Nam Memorial

Remember….

A Bit of Royalty in My World….

Just on cue, I received a wonderful bit of the Royal couple’s frenzy in the mail….a new cookbook.  BUT wait, this isn’t just any ‘ole cookbook!  It’s a little bit of a fairy tale for the author of the cookbook  and into my hands….

Let me set the scene a bit for you.

You see, I am one of those die hard romantics that got up in the middle of the night to watch Princess Diana’s wedding.  I was a bit obsessed with the details of the wedding itself – the music, the dress, the royal family, the beautiful cathedral….all of it.  There were no DVRs in those days….  So, it was such a “fairy tale” then and now we get to be included in Prince William’s Royal Wedding!  (This time I did record it so that I can watch it again!  Nice…)

Eating Royally!

This wonderful cookbook is filled with beautiful stories of the royal family and recipes, not to mention the photography is just “to die for”.  The author, Darren McGrady, was the chef to the Royal Family.

And with the Royal Wedding this week, it’s like this “meant to be” shipment happened.  It arrives in the mail, from my friend Ruth Riddle Thompson.  You see, Ruth and I grew up together in our small communities, Montezuma and Oglethorpe, in Middle Georgia.  Now with the wonderful connections of Facebook, we have been chatting about many things. Darren (chef and author) is Ruth’s friend and is involved in her Culinary School in McKinney, TX and she asked me if I would like his cookbook, after reading several of my posts.  Are you kidding me?  YES, I would LOVE the cookbook!

Autographed..... To Cumby!

AND it’s autographed to me!  Did you see that?  Happy Cooking!  Oh yeah….I’m very excited to have this wonderful book in my collection and read the beautiful stories of the royal family.  I feel very honored….   THANK YOU Ruth and Darren!

I understand that Prince William loved chocolate cake (just like most of us!)  and his favorite, The Chocolate Biscuit Cake, is in the cookbook and was his Groom’s Cake!  Are you getting chill bumps yet?  I think this is sooooo cool!  So many wonderful and delicious recipes are featured here.  I am looking forward to trying several that jump out at me!

Chocolate surrounded by other yummy treats....

And Darren appeared on Oprah this week to talk about his career and his passion for cooking, that started in the palace as a Junior chef, peeling carrots for the horses!  He was a part of their lives for many years, as a result of starting there with those carrot duties.

My little piece of heaven with the Royal Wedding….

Fish Tales….

My guys just love to fish and Noah may have it just a little bit more in his DNA than most.  In fact, he’s thinking about finding a college and being on their “fishing team” too! Yes, they do have fishing teams – we’ve seen them on fishing tournaments on ESPN~  We have enjoyed his spirit and his passion for this sport, too (he loves and plays a lot of sports, by the way).  David loves to fish too, and he’s so glad that Noah has his fondness for the sport as well…

Last Summer, the catch. He's wearing his "lucky fishing hat".

Now, he’ll fish any where and at any time, but one of his favorites is the local “fishing hole” on the property at Barrier Dunes, at our beach home property.  He’s been fishing this spot since he was old enough to hold a pole.  When we drive up, he is out there with his fishing tackle and pole in hand in less than 15 minutes.

Check it out, with a broken ankle, 3 years ago, the catch!

Over the last few years, he’s been old enough to go down the street by himself and hang out there for hours.  I take him a “bite” for lunch and some Powerade, because he can’t leave for too long, ya know?  I’m sure you are starting to get the picture – he’s consumed with fishing and I do think that it’s good for the soul.

We’ve taken many a picture of him there at the same spot over the years….and he’s been in pursuit of the “big boy”.   David and I have heard many a story about the almosts and that he just got off my hook…. Man, he wants this fish badly~

Noah and Andrew fishing on a beautiful day at the lake....

Noah brought his friend, Andrew, with him on our Spring Break trip and he has the passion for fishing as well….we’ve hardly seen them with their all day long trips to the lakes….there are 3 on the property here.

Yesterday, the door flew open and he yelled “Mama, I got him – get the camera!” and I took off with my camera down the street to chronicle this “magical moment”.  He was successful and hooked the “big boy” – a BIG large mouth bass, weighing in @ 9.5lbs and 25inches long – but the “big boy” is really a “big Mama”.  We measured and documented for his “trophy fish mount”.

Noah and Andrew enjoying the moment with the BIG catch!

Yes, there was a lot of drama and gloating, smiles and “Kodak moments” but Noah decided to let her go, to go back to her favorite spot, swim a little longer and tempt a few more fishermen with her savvy elusiveness in the lake….  Noah respects his competitor.

The BIG Fisherman!

I’m the proud Mama of a great fisherman!

You like ‘em or you just don’t…..

Well, I will admit that it took me a long time to get talked into eating oysters….I think the thought of it all turned me off.   To be perfectly honest, I have a little of my daddy in me too.  He didn’t believe in “working for his dinner” and he could be easily influenced by the “visual display” of his food.

We’ve laughed out loud a lot about the way my mom always spoiled Daddy with his food. He loved shrimp and I even made a trip 20 miles away for his request for his favorite, popcorn shrimp, for him to enjoy in his last weeks.  I have to say that the reason that he didn’t eat boiled shrimp was because he had to peel them!  Now, I don’t go that far with it, I will peel and eat me some shrimp!

David is a great cook and makes some fabulous grilled shrimp that Daddy loved, but we’d have to peel them for him to eat.  So, with the same gene pool, maybe I didn’t eat oysters for the same reason….?

BUT, I finally came to my senses almost 10 years ago with a trip to the Appalachicola area, where we have our beach home and tasted baked oysters, just shucked and fresh from the bay!

WHAT HAD I BEEN MISSING?

I couldn’t believe it took me so long to taste the delicacy and now I am hooked!  David sure is glad that he has some oyster eating buddies with Noah and me….now.  Noah loves them baked too! (yes my “picky eater” loves baked oysters – unbelievable, right?)

So, we hit town for Spring Break and one of our first stops was to buy a bushel of oysters at the local spot – 13 Mile Oysters!  Yep, it’s 13 miles out of town (easy to remember, right?) and that’s probably where they are harvested and processed and shipped to your table in any restaurant serving up Appalachicola oysters!

Mountains of oyster shells with the Appalach Bay in the background...

A bird's eye view for you....

So, my favorite oyster shucker got to work.  Of course, part of the perks of the shucker, is to eat as many oysters as possible while shucking, with the favorite hot sauce and the Saltine crackers, and of course, accompanied by your favorite beer.

David loves to shuck those oysters..

working it....

Ely is "lobbying" for a Saltine cracker....

This is a rarity because he usually eats as he goes....but I did ask for a photo moment~

I’m all about the baked oysters….butter and Parmesan Cheese in a hot oven and voila, a wonderful plate of scrumptious oysters!

Yummy to the tummy!

I hope I made your tummy growl a little bit with a day in our life at the beach….

Things to do at the Beach~

What’s your favorite thing to do when you visit the BEACH?

Read a book? check.

Write some copy for your blog and ezine material? check

Walk on the beach? check

Walk with my favorite yellow man, Ely (my yellow lab)? check

Eat lots of seafood? check

Check out Noah’s fishing and his catch? check

Shop? check

Bake oysters and enjoy watching David shuck oysters for hours without complaining? check

You see, I’m not much for sun worship or laying around on the beach….but I do enjoy sinking my toes in the sand, and the waves on the seashore are therapeutic for me. And I have really needed the R&R with this particular trip, more than the usual fun trip to the BEACH.

So, I thought I would let you in on a few sights and sounds of my trip….   Today, my shopping trip into “town”.  Port St. Joe, Florida is loaded with many shops and restaurants……

Sangria with lunch.....

I had a beautiful glass of Sangria for lunch.  It was filled with yummy fruit that I ate after I drained my glass of the liquid refreshment, that was quite tasty, by the way.

My Georgia Girl Salad with Chicken Salad.....

Yes, this was really good!  I told the server that I’m a “Chicken Salad Snob” and readily admit it, but she promised me that it was good.  YES, it got a thumbs up from me too!  Provisions in Port St. Joe rocks with unexpected menu selections that we enjoy.

My “guys” were fishing on the sea wall and having fun on their own….so, I decided to squeeze in a little shopping for my GRANDdaughter for Easter and finding several very tempting gift giving ideas for several upcoming Birthdays, too!  I found quite a few things that really tempted me at Persnickety downtown, and just across the street~

Colorful beachy items - SURF!

Happy Everything! - what a phrase!

The signs were wonderful - I could have stood there and read these all day!

That is the TRUTH!

Fishy.....and colorful!

Delightful.....

Sea urchins on site....

Natural wildlife too - fun wind chimes!

AND this is just a snapshot of what they had to offer!  Yes, I made a few purchases…no need to worry…..and they gift wrapped.  How much fun could a girl have?

www.persnicketystyle.com

www.provisionsfl.com

China Swap!

It’s a CHINA SWAP in my Kitchen….

It’s a bit of a seasonal thing for me, maybe a change in the mood as well as the season….

And when I built my house a few years ago, I made sure that I had great cabinet space to store my “china addiction” effectively!  I didn’t want to have to get on a stool and reach in the very top shelves any more…

There's plenty of storage here....

My favorite china by far is the Villeroy and Boch pattern that I use for most of the year….Spring through Early Fall.

Villeroy and Boch, French Garden

I love the versatility of this pattern, mixing it up a little with your pieces…. It’s fun, colorful, and fruity!  I also am a big fan of FRUIT!

THEN, in the FALL, I switch over to the Johnson Brothers, Brookshire china pattern.  This one speaks to me with the fall colors, the game bird theme, and it’s also the time of the year that we married.  THIS one is my husband’s favorite, for sure.

My BIRDS pieces of china...

AND for the HOLIDAY season, we interrupt the Birds’ presence to pull out the Cuthbertson Christmas pattern from Thanksgiving to Mid January.  Then back to the Birds.

I also purchased some bright red bowls that we use with the Christmas Tree pattern and the Birds pattern….and they work beautifully!  We really use bowls a lot in our meals and we found that we missed the same shaped bowls that were in the French Garden pattern.  And I also use my bowls a lot for a small serving piece!

You know I love RED! Right?

AND on a whim several years ago, I found a cabbage plate that I can mix into any of my patterns, if I need to fill in.  Aren’t they lovely?

Very versatile plate with all of my china patterns!

And use them as a charger, too....

Oh and don’t let me forget my beautiful little berry bowls by Villeroy and Boch…

These bowls work with all of the china patterns too...and are just the perfect size many times!

I also have a beautiful FINE CHINA pattern that I almost never use, although I do use my Waterford Crystal when I want to, without thinking twice.  Hmmmm….maybe I should just add my fine china to my Marketplace and sell it on www.CumbysInteriors.com.   It’s a discontinued pattern but  it just doesn’t speak to me the way my other china does, these days.

SO, it’s that time of the year!  CHINA SWAP is taking place as we speak!  Do you have a swap meet at your house?

Could you or someone you know use some help in making decisions, planning meals, organizing closets, getting that home office clutter under control, even cooking dinner? It’s as simple as CALL CUMBY! Our experienced team can do all that for you and much, much more! Call Cumby today for information on pricing and learn about our stress-free, hassle-free packages to get it all done!

You can HAVE it all, but you can’t DO it all! CALL CUMBY! 404 483 4174 We can also create a custom-designed interior just for you – uniquely yours, inspired by you -created with your functions, needs and desires as part of the design plans…..right down to the last detail. Just Call Cumby @ 404 483 4174 or email Cumby@CumbysInteriors.com to schedule your initial consultation!

More of my Methods and Madness….

Crock Pot Cooking can be a sweet addition to a busy cook’s Kitchen…..

Have you had a long day and wished that you had dinner waiting on you at home? Are you a busy professional with a lot in your daily activities, but you like to feed your family well? Are you looking for a short cut that can help your time and save you money with good food offerings?

I love my crock pot~

Well, I have rediscovered my crock pot in a major way….and I have “turned on” a few other friends to this great short cut in the Kitchen! Maybe this will be a helpful addition for you too!

One of my best short cuts is to cook my sirloin tip roast or Boston butt (pork) in my crock pot on low all day. My beef roast, complimented with my spices, beef broth and Lipton onion soup mix, gets rave reviews! AND my pork roast with some chicken broth and fresh rosemary is to die for! AND they meat is so tender that you don’t even need a knife!

Now, remember when you cook your meat, save the drippings and the broth because it is a key ingredient in my soups or chili recipes. I use quart size jars to store my broths in the freezer door, with the beef and pork labeled and separated for a quick addition to my recipes, when needed! People are blown away by my recipes, and I just cook the way my mama taught me~

Browning the meat and the onions...

With a little bit of prep, you can brown your meat and onions together, toss it in the crock pot with your veggies, broth, and other contributions from your leftovers, and have a wonderful soup! I call it my “dump soup”! NOW you know my secret too~

My "dump soup" in beautiful colors, too!

Helpful hint: I save all leftovers from the meals during the week – you know, a couple of tablespoons of black eyed peas, or a ½ cup of rice or pasta – you get the idea. And I keep a jar or other container that I keep adding to the “mixture”. And it may be just a one serving of frozen lima beans in the freezer, not enough to contribute to a meal, but perfect to dump into this soup mixture. Add a few other favorites ….Use your leftover broth from that roast, and you have turned leftovers into a WOW treat for your family or friends.

One of my most notable “dump soups” was started with a jalapeño turkey bone, drippings and meat. I shared it with some friends who had given us the turkey for Christmas, and they were selling the “gourmet turkey” in their store.  They were so impressed with the tasty soup that they wanted to “market it” to sell as a gourmet soup in their retail location! It was quite the hit!

For a real surprise to me at the time, my sister made a squash casserole….yes, I said casserole….in the crock pot for Thanksgiving this year. We were all so excited to try this experiment and elated that you could use the crock pot for more than we even dreamed! The possibilities seem to be endless…. Check it out with your recipe search and save some time with your tasty methods in the Kitchen!

TRY IT – you’ll like it!

Could you or someone you know use some help in making decisions, planning meals, organizing closets, getting that home office clutter under control, even cooking dinner? It’s as simple as CALL CUMBY! Our experienced team can do all that for you and much, much more! Call Cumby today for information on pricing and learn about our stress-free, hassle-free packages to get it all done!
You can HAVE it all, but you can’t DO it all! CALL CUMBY! 404 483 4174
We can also create a custom-designed interior just for you – uniquely yours, inspired by you -created with your functions, needs and desires as part of the design plans…..right down to the last detail.
Just Call Cumby @ 404 483 4174 or email Cumby@CumbysInteriors.com to schedule your initial consultation!