“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”
~Benjamin Franklin
“I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second.“
~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones’s Diary~
THE GREAT BLACKEYED PEA HOAXby C. F. Eckhardt |
“Blackeyed peas, Elmore wrote in a tract he had the Chamber publish, were a long-standing Southern culinary delight that graced the tables of high and low society all across the ante-bellum South, particularly on New Year’s Day, when no proper Southern table would be without them. Eating blackeyed peas on New Year’s Day brought good luck. Yankees, in the hated Reconstruction period, suppressed this fine old Southern tradition, and it was in danger of being lost. Even General Lee and President Davis ate blackeyed peas on New Year’s for good luck, and because of that the Yankees tried to stamp out all memory of this time-honored Southern tradition. It was time this tradition was revived all across the South. And, of course, how better to revive it than to serve conveniently-packaged canned blackeyed peas from Henderson County, Texas? Elmore had the Chamber print up several hundred of these fliers. Then he went to the cannery and had an equal number of 2-ounce cans of blackeyed peas made up. He sent the scam-and a 2-ounce can of blackeyed peas from Henderson County, Texas-to the food editors of every major daily newspaper in the South. The peas-and the story-hit the food editors’ desks right after Thanksgiving. At the time, there really wasn’t a ‘traditional’ meal for New Year’s. Thanksgiving-and sometimes Christmas-was turkey, and of course Easter was ham, the 4th of July and Labor Day were either hot dogs or burgers cooked outside, but beyond that there weren’t any really ‘traditional’ holiday foods in the South. Exactly how many food editors bit Elmore’s hook we don’t know, but he continued mailing copies of his scam and the 2-ounce cans of blackeyed peas to food editors across the south for several more years. Each year more and more food editors got on the bandwagon. Elmore started the ‘tradition,’ not of eating blackeyed peas per se, but the specific ‘tradition’ of eating blackeyed peas for good luck on New Year’s Day-a ‘tradition’ which had never existed before 1947.”
read more: http://www.texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/The-Great-Blackeyed-Pea-Hoax.htm
~ Christmas Foods/Desserts:
Growing up, it was ham. Since I have not eaten pork in about 15 years, it is now:
7 up!! 
Christmas Drinks :
C H E E R S!
And a lot of people don’t. Now that’s weird….
Games to Play on Christmas:
Christmas Music:
I no longer care too much for Beyonce’, but I love Destiny’s Child. Beyonce’, Merry Christmas, girl…I am praying for you.
Christmas Activity
ABSOLUTELY!
This photo of my daughter and my cousin (my aunt’s daughter holding the CD) when they were 3 yrs. old. Notice how much of a little lady she was with her legs crossed. There are plenty more like this, but this one is too cute.
And this is how they look today…the girl in the gray wanted to pose just like that. With her eyes closed or something (SMH).
My Parents!!!
My daughter’s AWESOME personality. She stands FIRM—no matter what.
The memory of my sweet grandmother and her beautiful smile.
My (favorite!) baby sister, Katrice. She makes me laugh until I am seriously CRYING!
Duhhhh!!!
Children and Diversity
These Photos!!!
I love the Obamas!!!
Ummm–> so, yeah….
Yes…they said “HAPPY” Christmas!!!
I actually love this picture of my sister, Tracey…that-is-what-is-UP!
A close up of the gingerbread-man-woman-child-ghost.
~Even though I was banned from the kitchen due to my being slightly ”under the weather,” (we went out for lunch at Starters and something did not agree…. that’s another post) it was fun!~
WARNING: This post may cause your teeth to hurt. It may also cause your sugar to spike up!! Read with caution.
Tonight I will be “hosting” another Cookie Baking/ Swap Party!
So I’m coming around more & more…getting back into that holiday spirit.
Teenagers may not want to be bothered with reading about Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Elves, but they sure don’t mind eating.
I never send out invitations because I never plan anything. Just come with cookies to bake…about one dozen per person. Everyone “invited” is always eager and it’s so much fun. Brings out the kid in everyone. I can plan things…but it hardly ever works out. May as well go with the flow…
The “proper” way to host a cookie baking party is to invite several people to your house and tell them that they would have to bring their favorite cookie recipe…and be prepared to make about a dozen. It is recommended that you send out invitations prior to the engagement to give them enough time to prepare themselves for the event. I believe there are some other recommendations, but who cares? Have fun!! Please.
However, these folks may as well live here so I just say, “come and bring cookies to bake.” I have a big greedy family. We ATTEMPT to bake cookies just for “Santa.” Then watch movies, play games, chat, and eat each other’s cookies…not necessarily in that order. Sometimes all at the same time.
So far, our “cookie agenda” goes as followed:
Gingerbread—men?? people?? : Tami
Chocolate Chip: Amber
Sugar Cookies: Kristen
Peanut Butter Thumbprints: Danielle 
Brownies: Erica and Mike
Hot Chocolate (yeah…okay): Katrice
I will post how all of these REALLY turned out tomorrow!
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his tombstone from beginning to the end.
He noted that first came his date of birth and spoke the following with tears. But he said what mattered most of all, was the dash in between those years.
For the dash represents, all the time he spent alive on earth.
And how only those who loved him know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash, what matters most is how we live and love and how we spend our dash… So think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough, to consider what is true and real.
And always try to understand, the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile…
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
Would you be proud of the things they say and how you spent your dash?
~Linda Ellis
