Just a Bit of Friendly Advice

  We are just about as far south as you can get in Mississippi.  There is just a bit of water and a wee strip of land between the Bayou and the Gulf of Mexico.  That said, being this far down makes things a mite muggy.  Summers in the Deep South are not kind to those from other parts.  "Its the humidity" is our standard reply to anyone complaining about the heat.  Sure, the temperatures can reach the triple digits but factor in that humidity. which on most days reaches at least 85% and, well, things are downright muggy.  The air begins to feel stifling and the skin a bit clammy.  Clothing becomes stuck to the body and shoes are horrid. Beads of moisture roll softly down the temples of even our most genteel Southern Belles who "lightly perspire" instead of sweat. 

  Here in Mississippi we have two seasons....summer and a short "not summer".  Forget those other things called winter, spring and fall...they do not exist except in our minds.  The weather in October is just an extension of July's heat.  That said, we have our own ways of dealing with such trifling nuisances as the normal heat waves that usually start in mid March and last until late November. We have found that it is best to work in the early morning hours and kick back and relax from, say, 10 am.on until the next morning.  There is just no use in inviting a heat stroke to come on!  But we do have a few other ways to help beat the heat.  The first thing to go is shoes.  Shoes are not necessary unless the sign says "No shoes...no service" then a pair of flipflops works.  As matter of fact, flipflops are not just for outings to the beach.  They are approved footwear for just about any event from formal weddings to family get-togethers. (A family get-together is like a mini family reunion only we don't wait for a year to pass.  We have these sometimes once a month, once a week or, hey, anytime someone drops by for a spell.) Most of us just go sans shoes at home which helps tremendously in the effort for keeping cool.  Then, there are front porches and back decks.  Both seem to serve as our summer living rooms.  These are both built with the weather in mind and are strategically placed to catch the optimal breeze.  A good breeze wafting across the water has the best cooling effect there is!  Add a hammock or some good old porch rockers and life is good.  Since there is a threat of becoming dehydrated, we drink a lot of water. Ice cold water from the wells cannot be beat! Of course,  sweet tea is required here in the south.  No respectful ice box is ever devoid of this staple.  Gallon jugs of the stuff are brewed and sweetened just in case "someone stops in".  Sometimes a sprig or two of fresh mint is stuck in the brew after it is cooled or sometimes a few fresh-picked blackberries make their way into the jug but never lemon!  If someone serves you tea with lemon, they are not originally from the Deep South! They are folks who hail from other parts but who now call this place home.  Lemon belongs in lemonade...not tea!  Which we also serve and which also has a myriad of fruit added.  Blackberries or peaches give our lemonade a distinctively sweeter taste than just adding sugar.  If the sweet tea or lemonade does not quench the thirst, a quick trip to the Sno-ball stands will always suffice.  For those who have never had a Sno-ball, you are missing out in one of life's great pleasures!  A Sno-ball  can be fully described as "Heaven in a Dixie Cup!"  A massive mound of shaved ice fills the cup and then a sickly sweet fruit flavored syrup is drizzled over it.  It is delightful even though (depending on the flavor) your mouth will take on a ghastly color.  Think blue lips and teeth from any of the berry flavored concoctions and a bright green smile from lime or mint.  Don't even think of the reds and purples!

  Once the above items are addressed, one can settle down with ease and enjoy life.  The only other requirement to not suffering the ever present oppressive heat is a gentle breeze laden with the sweet aroma of jasmine, gardenias and, of course, magnolias!  How much better can it get?  The Magnolia Grandiflora or Southern Magnolias are in full bloom right now.  Their sweet aroma fills the yard and takes one back to the days of grand garden parties of our great-grandparents.  The Bayou is surrounded by Magnolia Trees which actually is the source of the name by which the area goes.  "Magnolia Bend" is the part of the Biloxi Back Bay that branches off into the Bayou.  At one time the entire area was filled with these marvelous trees.  Sometimes reaching a good forty feet in height and at least that in girth, the trees held hundreds and hundreds of the twelve inch blooms.  These blooms sent their aroma wafting out on the Bay breezes to be enjoyed by anyone within a few miles.  I heard tell that at one point during Pop's early years, folks from miles around came to picnic under the Magnolias.  It was quite common for engagements to be made due to the sweet, romantic scents of the blooms.  The blooms were also quite desired as decorations for June weddings! (Imagine that!)  Pop told tales of being sent to gather dozens upon dozens of the blooms for such occasions. Each bloom had to be picked just at the optimal time so it would open just prior to the wedding ceremony.  And...the blooms had to be carefully tended so they would not be damaged.  A Magnolia bloom turns brown with the slightest abrasion so each had to be kept from being marred.  Those snow white blooms needed to stay snow white and not be tinged with coffee brown. 

  Now that I have covered all of the requirements for surviving in the Deep South during the summer, I suggest you kick off your shoes, lounge back in the hammock, sip your sweet tea, indulge in the lovely breeze laden heavily with the essence of Magnolias and wait for the end of November!  Summers are quite delightful when one knows just how to handle them!

On the Move!

  I am forever rescuing something.  If it is not a stray cat or injured baby bird then it falls in the category of plants.  With Mark battling the termites, I have had to dig up all of my plants around the house.  If I did not keep just ahead of the man, my daylilies, daffodils and petunias would be squished beyond recognition. Of course, in the direct path of his footsteps are any number of tree saplings that have been planted by the birds.  Most of these, I just yank out of the ground. While I get people scrambling after donations of bulbs, not many folks want hickory or oak saplings.

  One of the tiny saplings did get rescued, though.  I carefully dug and potted a young magnolia seedling.  This, someone would want.  I admit that I have a soft spot for Magnolia Grandiflora or Southern Magnolia. There is just something grandiose about the towering tree covered with huge white blooms.  And!  That aroma!  That wonderfully sweet aroma that fills the yard when the blooms open.  Yep, I do love these trees (regardless of the large leaves that have to be raked!)

  This small sapling will find a new residence either at my sister's house or a cousin's place.  I am sure one of them will take pity on a tiny tree!  Rescue complete and successful!

Sweet Southern Nights

I love living on the Bayou!  Sure, sometimes there is the unmistakable stench of low tide but mostly there is the sweet scent of the flora of the area.  Early in spring..around the beginning of March, the delightful aromas start with the wisteria. The purple and white cascading blooms fill the arbors with sweetness!  Next comes the citrus blooms then on to the roses and jasmine! The citrus have a spicy scent while the roses and jasmine compliment each other with their distinct bouquet.  Just about the time these start to wane in late May, our hillside bursts into magnolias and gardenias!  Wow!  I never know which I like the best during those sweet  southern nights!

This evening just before dark, I was out for a late stroll about the hillside.   As I neared the back of the house, a familiar scent wafted on the breeze.  I immediately knew that the two magnolia trees had to be in bloom.  Even though it was getting a little too dark to be safely tromping about the woods, I just had to go see for myself!  The blooms were all too high to pick so I just stood there and soaked in the aroma!  Ahh! I could have stayed right there but darkness was starting to settle in and I better get myself where I could at least see where I was putting my feet.  No use in stepping on a cottonmouth moccasin!

If the magnolias were blooming, then the gardenias surely were!  I headed to the front of the house to investigate!  Sure enough, there were the two small gardenia bushes that Michael had planted last year.  Both were in bloom and both were magnificently aromatic!  These I could reach so I started to pick one for inside.  Oops!  Or maybe not!  A fine group of ants had decided that the flower was for them and I was not about to bring ants into my house!  I would just have to smell the blooms from afar!  Planting these on the south side of the house was ideal!  The breeze lifts their smell and brings it in through the open windows!  The cooling night air just heightens the scent!

Both magnolias and gardenias are instant reminders of a bit the good old South.   Both have heavy white blooms with thick, leathery, dark green leaves.  Both, also, have intensely fragrant blooms and it is that fragrance that makes them so unforgettable.  Open windows, rocking chairs, magnolias and gardenias..this all with a backdrop serenade of the small tree frogs and big, ole bullfrogs lets you know that you are down south on a Bayou!  Yep..I wouldn't trade living here for any place I have been yet!  Love my Bayou!

Gathering the puppydog ears!

Many, many years ago (probably eons ago), I was under the impression that grandmothers would never tell a fib. No little white lies would ever slip between their lips. No prevarication..no untruth..no fabrications could ever come from a grandmother. What a fallacy! I loved my grandmother tremendously..don't get me wrong! And the falsehood was all in fun so as a parent..I passed it on to my kids! Life is great!

Today, Son and I went out to the massive mulch mountains behind the house. These huge piles of mulch are now covered with dewberries!! These delightful berries are often erroneously called blackberries by many confused people. They are NOT blackberries! Blackberries grow on tall, draping stems called canes whereas dewberries are more apt to be ground-runners. These are the berries that are more than likely to be found on the sides of the road or in open fields. They are incredibly sweet and make the best cobblers! That is exactly what I did with the berries we picked! The first cobbler of the year made with fresh-picked berries! Yum!

But back to Grandmother's fib. As Son and I were picking berries, he picked up a puppydog ear. "Look, Mom..another puppy lost its ear!" Oh my! A puppy had shed its ears right there near the dewberry patch! I told him to carefully look for the other one just in case the puppy had not gotten its replacement ears yet. We scanned the ground. Sure enough, there was the other one..and another..and another..several puppies had lost their ears! We gathered all of the ears we could find. We had to find the puppies now to see if they had their new ears yet. This was always the hard part..and I never recall finding the puppies. They were always long gone by the time I found their ears so I am supposing that the replacement ears were already attached. At least, I never saw any earless puppies!

Son and I giggled over the ruse. It was no surprise to me that he remembered hunting for puppydog ears when he was a child. Perhaps all children of the South do..I have no idea. My grandmother told me the tale of the lost ears and I passed it down to my children to be passed again when I have grandchildren. The hand-me-down FIB! The truth be known..the ears are actually the husks that surround the bud of the magnolia blossom. When the bloom opens these

soft, tan-colored "ears" fall to the ground and make the perfect "busy" work for young children. I remember looking and looking for these ears every Spring! The strange thing is they actually do resemble puppy ears. They are tan, soft and furry. As a matter of fact..they are exactly like Ezzy's ears!!!! Ezzy..did you lose your ears?????