Granny Lessons

Monday, November 15, 2010

Family memories and pictures Nov. 15, 2010

I am so blessed to have a big loving family. When my daughter Tricia went away to college she came home and told me that she was so surprised when she learned that most of her classmates didn't know their Grandmothers. She grew up close to her grandmothers, and her great grandmothers. Granny, daddy's mother and Momma Peacock, my mom's mother were at the center of my life growing up. We lived within walking distance of Momma Peacock and about 7 miles from Granny. I spent as much time as I could with both of them.

Momma Peacock and Butch in the background

My mother was next to the oldest of 6 children. When I was growing up her 3 youngest siblings were still living at home. Ricky was Momma's youngest brother and only 3 1/2 years older than me. We spent alot of time together playing and working. I loved it when we could play with my two cousins, Butch 2 years older and Becky 4 months older than me. They lived close by and we played together at Momma Peacocks as hard as we could when we were together. We were all over the woods climbing trees, and building forts. Becky and I had to play boy games with Butch and Ricky and then they would play hopscotch with us or we played marbles sometimes.

Butch sitting on top of car. Becky standing and me sitting behind the wheel.

We built great forts. Some out of wild finnel that we wove into baracades and stacked to form a teepee. When we were older we all worked on a tree house made out of scrap wood left from the new barn Daddy Peacock built. One day in the fall Butch and Becky came over and with Ricky we went for a hike and took a picnic. Becky and I were about 7 or 8 at the time. Ricky had some matches and built a fire. He was very responsible and made sure we didn't get hurt and he smothered the fire out with dirt when it was time to go home. Later that night I was in the car with Momma and Daddy and the boys, going over to Granny's and we saw a tree on fire in the pasture. It was our tree where we had the picnic earlier that day. Daddy and my uncle Hugh put the fire out. We were in big trouble for playing with fire. Ricky was in the most trouble since he was the oldest and had the matches.

Becky on the left and me on the right. Christmas 1965.
We were in the 3rd grade and we asked for the same thing for Christmas, a doll and record player. We had lots of fun! I had the Lennon Sisters Album, Elvis Christmas, and Hank Williams,.... Sr. of course!

Momma and Daddy Peacock 1970's

Daddy Peacock built houses for a living. He built our house in 1963. Momma and Daddy worked nights and weekends for months doing the finish work on the inside. While our house was being built we were living with Momma and Daddy Peacock. My brother Greg was 3 then and I was 5. He decided to ride his tricycle from Momma Peacock's house over to our house where Daddy Peacock was working. It's about 1/2 mile down a sandy dirt road. A long way for a little guy on a tricycle. Daddy Peacock asked Greg what he was doing over there. Greg told him that he had a phone call and he needed to come home. Daddy Peacock stopped what he was doing and took Greg and the tricycle back home!

Greg 2 yrs old.

Greg and his tricyle were trouble for me before the phone incident. We rented a house nearby for a while before we moved in with Momma Peacock. There is a porch that runs across the front of the house and it is about 3 feet off the ground. There were big boxwoods around the porch, there was no rail on the porch. Greg was learning to ride his tricycle and he wanted me to push him. So we went round and round and he kept saying go faster, faster. I went really fast and pushed as hard as I could and let go. Greg and the tricyle went flying off the porch and landed in the top of the boxwood. I didn't think about he didn't know how to stop. Woops I was in trouble again!

Me 4 and Greg 3

Ricky passed away from heart failure in 1990. Becky passed away a year ago yesterday Nov. 14, 2009. I miss them both very much.

Christmas 1984. Momma and Daddy Peacock, Ricky and me holding Lee Ann.

Aunt Shirley, Tim, Butch, Becky and Uncle David
Aunt Shirley and Uncle David's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 2005

Becky was a really good cook and made beautiful cakes. She made the cake in this picture for Aunt Shirley's 50th anniversary.

I will try to get some of her recipes and post them for you. Her recipe for a basic butter cake is the best I have ever eaten and everybody loved her candy "Rum Balls" she made every Christmas. Everything she cooked was good! :)

Calee, Brandi and Brenda at Brandi's wedding

Aunt Brenda is Momma's youngest sister. She is 5 years older than me. Calee is her daughter and Brandi is Ricky's daughter. We lost Calee in Nov. 2008. Very suddenly she was gone and we miss her very very much. She was a sweet angel that blessed all of our lives.

Brenda and Me

Left Rona, Brenda's oldest daughter and right Tricia my oldest daughter and Brooke my niece in the corner!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Now with all things I am blessed

You are the poem I dreamed of writing, the masterpiece I longed to paint.

You are the shining star I reached for in my ever-hopeful quest for life fulfilled.

You are my child. Now with all things I am blessed.

Basic White cake, Bertha's Coconut Cake, and Divinity Fudge

This recipe was in Granny's recipe box. Looks like a basic cake recipe she used often. She loved Swans Down cake flour.

This was a common frosting for a special cake.

This is the frosting that everyone loves! Aunt Bertha always sprinkled coconut on top of the frosting between 3 layers, top and sides.... Don't try to make this frosting on a humid day or in a humid hot kitchen. The humidity will not let it become fluffy!

This is the candy everybody loves. Best results are going to come in dry non humid conditions. Also it's a good idea to have all of your ingredients ready to add. It is delicious with chopped pecans. Maraschino cherries chopped are good also. If you add cherries just be sure to drain them for about 30 min. before you make the candy.

Spinning a thread refers to the hardball stage. If you are using a candy themometer, let the mixture cook until it gets to hardball stage which is 260 degrees. Another way to test if you don't have a themometer is to drop the hot syrup into a glass of water and if it sinks to the bottom of the glass it's hardball stage.

My Niece Brooke is 12 Today!!!!

Happy Birthday Brooke! I can't believe you are 12:) I hope you have fun with your friends tonight. Watch out for payback from Colton!

I am posting some pictures of your happy little face that are some of my favorites!

This was taken when you were born in Flower's Hospital.

Your Dad with your Granny and Great Grandmother Momma Peacock. We were all so happy when you finally came! You were a beautiful baby.

This is a picture of Brooke and her Poo Blanket. Poo was her constant companion. He had to be with her at all times. I think he still is!

Sharing Poo with Colton:)
We like to watch movies. One day we were watching Babe. I thought Brooke would like it because she has always loved animals. All of a sudden Brooke started sobbing really hard. She said she was crying because Babe was lost. I turned the movie off! :)

Brooke, Poo and....... Is that Donald Duck?

In Grandpa's Lap eating Cheez Its with Gracie.

Playing and Singing Jesus Loves Me!.....

Presenting.......THE FACES OF BROOKE

BIG APPLES!

Having punch with Gracie during Baby Shower for Cicely.

During the shower....in background are Brooke's Granny, Aunt Kim's back, cousin Whitney, cousin Calee, great grandmother Momma Peacock, Aunt Mary, Cicely opening presents, Brooke and Colton.