Wednesday's Walk with memories of Candyland!

Another "Wednesday's Walk" day, sharing some fun memories! Please join us each week! You can click on the link on the side bar and join in the fun!











I was born in Bowling Green, KY., so I claim that as my hometown. My grandmother and some cousins lived in BG.; my parents went to Bowling Green Business University; Dad later taught at BBU, which became Western Ky. University (WKU). My sisters attended WKU; our middle daughter graduated this past December from WKU. So, my Kentucky roots go deep.

Shortly after I was born, we moved to Nashville. The bittersweet experience of watching the progression of growth of “Country Music USA”, includes the demise of several local landmarks for bigger better buildings (and that, friends, is alliteration! 3 words in a row beginning with the same letter: bigger better business) Sounds like my figure ~ from medium to a bigger (not better) building called my body (another “b” word!) OUCH!

One such treasured landmark to my sisters and me, Candyland (whose latter owners renamed it to Vandyland), opened in 1928, served diner food to everyone from neighborhood denizens to governors and country music stars until just a short few years ago.
Serving fabulous sodas and sundaes for two decades from a shop located near the Vanderbilt University campus, they made their own caramel and chocolate sauces (they called it "chocolate moonshine"). The ham biscuits were not to be missed. The doors officially opened at 8:00 a.m., but locals showed up for a private breakfast of sorts starting at 7:00. Our favorite treat of all was a “Chocolate Drift”: chocolate ice cream, smothered in heated and thinned marshmallow crème, and sprinkled heavily with chocolate sprinkles! Delectable!




Mr. Mack McGee, the famed restaurant's long-time cook from 1963 and dispenser of positive thoughts, always waited on us! He always wore a white cook’s jacket and a white paper “toque” on his head…the kind worn in old timey diners. Oh, please forgive me. You’re probably way too young to remember that…OK, so I’m antique! I just get better with age! Hehehahahohohum!

In memory of Candyland and in memory and honor of “Mac”, I give you this famous recipe of his for “Country Ham Biscuit”:


Country Ham Biscuit
Recipe Source: Vandyland
Preparation Time: 1 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 1

“Vandyland was a counter-and-booth sweet shop near Vanderbilt University in Nashville; a staff member once told us that its name came about when the owners bought what was then called Candyland and wanted to change signs with minimal expense. It was the ham biscuit that first won our hearts to this place, which finally closed its doors in 2006: classic buttermilk biscuits sandwiching sizzled pieces of quarter-inch thick country ham, each slice rimmed with amber fat.”
Ingredients:

1 piece country ham with a rim or veins of fat, sliced 1/4-inch thick and 3 to 4 inches across
1 buttermilk biscuit

Directions:
1. Place the ham in a medium hot cast iron skillet and cook until its fat is partially rendered and the surface begins to turn red-gold.
2. Pry the biscuit into two halves, top and bottom (never cut a biscuit with a knife) and insert the piece of ham.

What was your favorite place to visit for a treat as a child?



And, don’t forget to enter my contest to win a fabulous piece of Magazine Art from kenzartcreations.



I’m grateful for taste buds that can differentiate between sweet and salty, sweet and sour, hot and cold, hard and soft…so I can thoroughly enjoy the food I eat! I’m also thankful that I grew up in Nashville, TN., and had many delicious experiences with Chocolate Drifts...and Mr. Mack!

"To Thine Own Self Be True"

In cleaning my Mother’s garage to prepare for a huge garage sale, I found several little treasures that have been hidden away in boxes for years! One of those was a book given me on my birthday of 1972 by my sweet Mom, entitled To Thine Own Self be True by cory r. flint. This little jewel, though published in 1968, is chocked full of wisdom! I’ve underlined nearly every line I’ve read so far ~ I do that with every book I read ~ underline the important points I want to remember! I’ve decided to start posting periodically from this book, to bullet point some of these gems, and to hear your feedback! Perhaps you will be blessed by something I share as much as I have been blessed by this book! So, without further adieu, let’s dive right it…

“Man is a mystery to himself. This deludes him into thinking he is a mystery to everybody else. Such a feeling is the basis for his greatest desire – that of being understood. Closely related to his desire to be understood is his wanting to be accepted…It starts by discovering the real person and by being true to that self…Basically you have only one right – the right to be yourself…First, there must be good treatment from your own hands – even being kind and gentle to yourself – being willing to forgive yourself, learning to love yourself, and then looking outward and finding how to have a right attitude toward others…Whatever you think about yourself that is negative, replace it by the belief that you were born to be a winner…Such an assignment is a never ending struggle…the task is difficult but not impossible…the effort is worthwhile…There is a tiny spark in everyone that can be fanned into the flame of achievement…Knowing God, self, and the purpose of life is the only fortune worth finding, and it is not to be found in faraway places – but in the heart itself. The most outstanding quality of any person is his attitude or spirit…he has toward God, people, self, and life…

Many people feel they have had bad breaks which they cannot overcome. But past happenings that have damaged man’s emotional life can be changed through the grace of God. Time must be taken, however, to understand the power of man’s strongest drive in life – self preservation – and the four basic patterns of human behavior – sex, fear, anger, and wonder…man is rarely acquainted with himself and his emotions. Emotions control nine-tenths of man’s actions. We must be aware of our emotions and why we act as we do if we are going to understand religion, fill our place in life, and have inner happiness and peace…The principle desire of man must be to know God, then to understand self, and to properly relate himself with people…If there is no God then it does not matter what one does with his life; but if there is a God nothing matters so much as knowing Him in personal relationship, knowing His will, doing his will, and being in His will…To be true to the self that you were meant to be always begins with willingness – the willingness to believe – the willingness to be. Since man can never supply his basic needs, he must be willing for God to do for him what he cannot do for himself…true in some respects: but…man can help everyone but himself. He must depend upon his fellow man and God for insight into himself. Only through the eyes of others is he able to see his blind spots and basic needs. Also, God is the only One who can bring the inner transformation that sets life in the right directions…Most of the worries, unhealthy emotions, and sin that you permit in your life, befogging the way…are caused by the unwillingness to let self be liberated through discipline and the power of God…You are not to live in conformity to someone else or some role. Be Yourself – Conformity is a crutch of mankind…Many men see things as they are and ask “why.” I challenge you to see things that never have been in your life and ask “why not.”…God has not repeated his specific formation for any two people. There is no competition with someone taking your place. You are the only person that can be what you are to be and do.” What is your response to this?

I'm blessed and grateful to have my senses that all work!

Beauty in the eye of the beholder!

Behold the beauty our Lord created! (been trying to learn more about my camera, thanks to this blog, which you HAVE to visit...it's delightful!) Enough said!

From Mrs. Mel's home...(the 97-year old lady I help care for)...








And from my Mama's gorgeous yard...

















I am so grateful that the Master Artist loved me enough to design such a beautiful world for mr to live in1

"Going Green with Art" contest extended..and...Sheila's story

I’m so thankful that my sweet friend, Lynnette Kraft, is willing to guide me and give me some helpful pointers to promote t her suggestion, I have changed the guidelines for the contest and extended the date. Here’s the deal: In order to enter you need to tell others about the contest on a blog post with a link to my blog, and be entered once. If you become a follower of my blog you will be entered in the contest twice. If you email me contact information (gallery name and phone number with area code, and name of contact person) of art galleries in your area that may consider carrying Charla’s art, I will give you 2 additional entries. To recap:

Do a blog post about the contest with a link to my blog = 1 entry.
Become a follower of my blog= 1 additional entry.
E-mail me contact info of art galleries in your area who might consider carrying Charla’s art & receive an additional 2 entries

I have decided to extend the "Going Green wit Art" contest until Mon., May 27, when I will choose the winner of a beautiful magazine art piece (like this "Zebra"!)







Also, please take a few moments to watch this story about Sheila ("one of the least"), whom God pulled up out of the dirt pits because Ryan, our missions pastor, saw through the addictive personality to a lost heart that needed Jesus. Jesus said, "Whenever you've done it to the least of one of these, you've done it unto Me!" ~Mt. 25:40

Have a blessed day!

Lolli (aka Lisa)



I'm so grateful that Jesus loves me just as I am!

“S-N-A-I-L Mail! Do you remember it?"

It's Wednesday, so join us for "Wednesday's Walk down Memory Lane" by clicking on the link on the right sidebar! It's loads of fun!








Every once in a while I get in the mood to purge! You know, open a drawer and it gets stuck because it’s so full and something is stuck under the drawer track?! Or you go to find a specific piece of mail that you KNOW you put in a certain place, and you cannot find it, because you also decided to put hundreds of other “important” pieces of mail in that same location! Then, when you least expect it and most DON’T need to take the time to cure this problem, you yank the drawer open and decide you have “the urge to purge!” However, in order to do said task, you must read each and every piece of paper in there. I mean, who knows! Stuck in the middle of all that mess might just be some hidden money ~ you know, put away for a “rainy day”…or a little love note written on a napkin…or notification that you have some “oceanfront property in Arizona” waiting for you to claim it! So, what was going to be a quick check in a specific drawer turns out to be an all day affair!

Last time I went to that certain drawer to find a specific letter, the drawer got stuck without hardly even opening! I was in a hurry; I was frustrated and saying a few colorful words (my Mama taught me not to say anything “off color”, so I used the colorful ones…you know, like “fudge!” and “dadgumit!” and “sugarfoot!”) Oh, c’mon, you know you say them, too! OK, so I yanked and I yanked, broke a few nails, and finally yanked so hard I got the *!)@(#_! drawer open, as I fell backwards on my derriere! I’m so grateful to the Lord that no one else was there but me! See, I have this spouse and these 3 children with a very warped sense of humor, who absolutely love to see people fall! Twisted, isn’t it! I’m tellin’ ya’! Ya’ know somethin’! God is good, all the time…He was especially good that morning protecting me from the humiliation I would have experienced had any or all of them been home!

OK, yes, I really am going somewhere with this novel! So, I find that I have saved every single card and letter ever written to me by anyone in my life I have ever been acquainted with, dated, been friends with, am related to, am not related to, don’t ever WANT to be related to, and then some! Some of those stinkin’ things went back some 25 years! Can you believe it? What kind of sick person would do that? A sentimental one like me, thank-you very much, that’s who! Don’t you even lie! I’ll bet you do the same thing! Fess up! Remember, Jesus is watching and listening!

As I began to purge those cards, I had myself some good laughs…and a few tears…I’m not even sure who some of the people are who wrote them! Isn’t that sad? Scary, really! Then I had a thought: why throw these away. Why not “go green” and recycle them! See, I can tear them apart, write the verse from the right hand inside of the card on the back of the left side part I just tore off (are you able to follow this?), then add my own little personal note, address it right there on the back of the front (oh my goodness, who is this crazy lady writing this! I’m even confused!), stick a postcard stamp on it and send that sucker to someone else! Whatcha think?! So, I’m working on goin’ green! Hey, I have a question! What does it mean to “go” green? Do you have to leave home to do it? Does it mean you get a vacation to “go green”? Where does the “go” come in? Just askin’…..

Also, while cleaning my mother’s basement (which, FYI, has not been cleaned in some 15 years or more) I found a Rubbermaid container with about a hundred letters written by my Dad to his mother, stepfather and stepsister while he was in the Air Force! Can you just smell the aroma in that box? They dated back to 1949! It was in a time when one could actually READ my father’s handwriting, which is a miracle in itself! For me, it has been a fun glimpse into my Dad’s life pre-my Mom! He was a hunk, I’ll tell ya’! WOW! No matter where he went, he was BMOC (that’s “Big Man On Campus” for those of you way younger than me, which, I dare say, is most of you!)

Daddy & our eldest, now almost 27







Mom and Dad in Panama City Beach, FL.





I’m actually an antique, did you know that? Yep! I’m more than 50 years old, so I’m classified as an “antique”.

So, you may ask, what in the world does this have to do with snail mail?

One of may letters Dad wrote home to his Mom Well, had it not been for snail mail, I would not have gotten this glimpse into my Dad as a serviceman! I would not have all these glorious cards that I can recycle, and save money, all at the same time. Don’t get me wrong! I love the convenience of email! What I DON’T love about email is that, often, emotions and intents can be easily misinterpreted in an email. And…it’s just not nearly as personal as a “letter” is! Who doesn’t like receiving mail, right?! Well, all except all the catalogs, junk mail and piles of bills! (Hey, here’s a little tip: If you have a business to promote…or if you want to just encourage someone and make their day…send them a note or your business card back in the “Postage paid” envelope included with the bill! Do you know how cool it would be to be at work, open what you think is a bill payment, and find a little note in there that says, “Have a blessed day! Jesus loves you, this I know…for the Bible tells me so! Thank-you for serving the public!” Now, that’s Jesus with skin on!

Email vs. snail mail! They both are good; they both have down sides! People need both! I like snails, personally, so if they deliver my mail, and it gets to me s-l-o-w-l-y but surely, that’s just fine!





Another photo with our eldest

Blessings on your day today and in the days ahead.

Lolli (aka Lisa)

I’m grateful that God had a sense of humor when He created the world! I mean, seriously! What was up with Him creating a tick? Someone puleaz tell me! And the rhinoceros! Have you ever watched a rhino or hippo try to walk on those short, stubby, fat legs? And how would you like to have the big ole ugly horn sticking out the front of your face? Another thing…can anyone please give me a good reason for God to have created those blood-sucking, noisy, nuisances called “mosquitoes”? Oh, yeah, I know…food for frogs! Well, they can eat leaves, or ants, or worms, or something! If you ever smack one of those little “skeeters” and mush him flat, you’ll see little spots of blood on you! GAG! Sometimes I just don’t understand God’s thoughts, you know! I mean, a tick?!?!?!?!?! Course, then there’s some of us He created, and, well….just sayin’!

A message for all believers!

I invite you...encourage you...beg you...plead with you...to take about 25 minutes of your time and listen to this message from my pastor, Pete Wilson. That's all!








Blessings,

Lisa


I'm so grateful and blessed to be a part of a church that gets it!

I'm a blessed "Lolli" this Mothers Day!

Precious Macie looks good in everything she eats!










Silly girl Carleigh~ beautiful face
Enough said!!


I am grateful and so very blessed to have the honor and privelege of being a Mother and a grandmother! Thank-you, Lord!