Stylish Aprons: Just "2-Cute"

Colorful, mixed patterns, accessories, and pizzaz!
2-Cute Aprons will launch November 23, 2013, at the Rector Crafts Fair. 
The fair will open Saturday morning before Thanksgiving.
Shoppers will be looking for gift items and treats for loved ones.
Prints with coordinating trim suggest a festive season approaches.
Couples chef aprons in Razorback pattern, chevrons, John Deere, and camo hang ready for gifting.
Frilly fashion statements with zebra print and pink hint at dessert festivities.
Lace, ribbon, flowers, and trim make these aprons "2-cute."
Finding patterns that coordinate, not match, challenges my eye and color sense.
 New fall and winter patterns and colors will be ready for you.
"2-Cute Aprons" will debut at the Rector Crafts Fair. 

Something just for you is waiting.  Custom designs may be ordered.

Lady Bug's Souvenir Fashion and Decor Tips

Motto for spending money on vacation souvenirs: “I may not pass this way again…”

Philosophy for purchasing items while on tour –one of a kind designs unlikely to appear within a 4-state radius.

                 I do wish Mother would have let me buy a “lady bug” dress.  Remember those? Everybody had one. Sometimes, 3 or 4 girls happened to wear them on the same day, perhaps by agreement. No one minded. The madras bodice with Peter-pan collar sporting the little ladybug was a must-have.  That was then. While imitation is a form of flattery, no ladybug wants to be in a duplicate outfit at the same grocery store.
                Big retailers such as Dillard’s and Macy’s carry cute outfits – but the same design in a range of sizes from 2P to 24WXL.  If you choose to splurge on a “way cute” pair of palazzo pants for your newly sculpted size 8, what could be worse than to see the same pair standing in line at the movie theatre, but in size 80XLT?  Thus, when thinking about articles of clothing as souvenirs of your trip, consider one-of-a-kind designs from that locale, something highly unlikely to appear at your neighborhood Starbucks.
                   Home décor souvenir items, such as screaming “Chevy Chase’s Vacation” tablecloths, are not used in today’s modern schemes.  Subtle in scheme, colorful, light-weight throw blankets that are useful. Look for colors and designs that blend with your living area décor or those that would accent  a guest room bed.  It would be impractical to bring home a mounted Moose head for your den, unless you actually shot it….Nah, not a good idea, regardless of circumstance.
                     Magnets, once the rage in my circle, took over my refrigerator front and both sides. My office magnetic bulletin board was covered with the cutest representations of exotic locations such as Lamberts, Home of the Throwed Roll. I may buy an especially iconic representation magnet, but one that’s small and “tasteful” like a Wyoming cowboy on a bucking steed.
                      Another temptation awaits inside the gift shop at Cracker Barrel, oft frequented by folks on the road. You could buy your wardrobe there...but wouldn't. State by State logo-designs in seasonal colors, holiday profusion, state sports team outfits…you name it. Several of our crew bought ponchos while in Nebraska. Once on the bus, they realized they could exchange them in Jonesboro, AR!!!

Like an Ole Miss T-Shirt at a Razorback Tailgate Party

Does one need special permission to wear white after Labor Day?

               The answer, of course, is “yes.” You need permission, but that permission will be granted. Exceptions exist for every rule. 

                For example, should you have the misfortune to live outside the South, and you don’t know the fashion rules, then you could be forgiven for wearing a white dress or shoes (gasp) after Labor Day.  Forgiven, but still talked about.  Should you own a yacht and host a gala onboard, your white slacks and nautical jacket could sport sailing-red, white, and navy blue. Wedding-Dress white is preferable in all seasons, especially when “off-white” once suggested something scandalous. If, let’s say, you are the Pope, the white robe and cassock combo is ok and no permissions are necessary. 

                     A white 100% cotton or linen shirt is southern-casual-classy paired with skinny-leg jeans; that is, if you’ve been blessed with skinny legs!

 

So, with all those exceptions, why is there a rule in the first place? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Society thrives on rules.  Rule-breakers would be so disappointed should there be no rules to break. But, let's qualify this particular rule: it’s not the white in the outfit that screams fashion faux-pas.  It’s the shoes. 

                    Your mama told you from the day you could choose cute shoes, “Put your white shoes and sandals in their boxes on the day after Labor Day.”  Her advice was right-on. White shoes after Labor Day, well, it’s “just not fittin.” When your fellow fashion friend gives your appearance the once-over, starting with your hair style and travelling down to your toe-nail polish, don’t cause rumbles throughout the South. Acknowledge that September weather is still hotter than the hinges of Hell, and humidity plus temperature dictates comfort.  Go so far as to give the OK to shorts and sandals. But the sandals must not be white.

                  White Shoes after Labor Day is akin to a beribboned picture-hat at a funeral or use of the wrong fork at a dinner party. White shoes in September stick out like 4" heels at a rodeo, like an Ole Miss t-shirt at a Razorback tailgate party. Plenty of reasons exist for why “Princess Margaret would never be a KKG,” but the paramount one must have been that she did not adhere to the upper/utter-most rule in fashion-conscious society:  There Shalt Be No White SHOES after Labor Day.

Front Porches and Southern Hospitality

                       What is it about the Front Porch that is so Southern iconic? Its shade is pleasing and coolly inviting. An expansive porch once wrapped around the non-air-conditioned house to preserve the cool of evening for the main house, well into the mid-day.


July, 1929

                Architectural designs throughout the South often encompass a front porch, a Southern staple, as much as a tomato and cucumber summer salad.
                 For moonlight and magnolia southerners, the Front Porch served as the stage for flirting, memory making and generational stories. Many a tentative Romeo has stolen a kiss while “just swinging” on Juliet’s front porch. 
      My growing-up family home had a front porch, a back porch, and a sleeping porch. We called it “the big house.” Front porch weather summoned us outside for “porch sitting.”  A cool breeze might saunter by as family gathered to share the day’s encounters.
                             When our family moved to our first “neighborhood,” our house also had a front porch. Sitting under the ceiling fan, my parents and grandparents, neighbors, too, watched us cavort across the neighboring yards and into the streets, often calling out, “Watch that car!”
                        Sometimes we kids talked and laughed while sitting on the curb until the mosquitos became vultures.  A screened front porch extended porch sitting well into the evening so there could be conversation sans mosquitos.
                       In our neighborhood, we grew up under the watchful eye of a front porch sentinel, our own version of Mrs. Gladys Kravitz.  Keeping watch from her Front Porch perch, she saw everything. Because this neighbor would not only see all, but tell all, some of us were cautious in our behavior. 

                  Comments about “curb appeal” now come from those who drive or stroll by our homes. Living beyond the front door, porch, and sidewalk, the community senses welcome from the family who dwells within a house with a pleasing front porch area. Perhaps that is why many families today continue front porch hospitality traditions rather than the more private backyard venue.
           Back yards, patios, decks, and privacy fencing have moved our porch sitting habits to a more secluded area. Fancy outdoor living spaces include grilling kitchens, private swimming pools, landscaping and outdoor lighting located in the rear of the home. The ambiance for a marvelous experience exudes hospitality, but nothing replicates the inviting community feel of a beautiful front porch and the family that welcomes us to join them for some “porch sitting.”

The Mystery of the "E"

     Skeletons. Closets. Farmersville, TX.  This tiny farming community became home to great-great grandfather Jay Horn and wife Samuel Eliza Lansford (Rike)Horn.  Genealogy records indicate they called her "Sammie."  She was the wife of Lewis Rike, brother of GW Rike, son of Robert A. Rike.  GW Rike, RA Rike, and Jay Horn, Sr. owned the first herds of cattle brought to the Farmersville area.  Lewis died young and three years later, Sammie married Jay Horn.  My grandfather, Claude Garland Horn(e), was one of their children.

     Claude set out for Camden, Arkansas (why, I do not know), arriving there in 1906.  His brother Samuel Lansford Horn (Sam) came with him.  Claude was 21 and Sam was 17.  Both became prominent businessmen in Camden.  Claude won the prize, however, marrying the youngest of the Gordon Girls and the last to marry, my grandmother, Mildred. The mystery remains:  why did Claude add the "e" to the spelling of Horn?
      A family split makes for a good story, but that does not seem the case, as my mother tagged around with, idolized, and absolutely adored Uncle Sam's daughter, Mildred, named for her mother.  Beautiful and popular Mildred died at age 19 or 20 from measles' complications. Her brothers Sammy and Billy Horn lived, worked, and raised children in Camden, but the women and girls did not socialize much at all. The men (Daddy, my Uncle Gordon, Sammy, Billy, and their other-cousin John Ritchie) enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping trips. (According to legend, they did some hunting and fishing on their drinking trips.) I remember Susan (Mibby-Sue/ Mildred Susan) and DJ (Dorothy Jane/ Janie) slightly. Trying to form a relationship, even on Facebook, can be a challenge.  Who has ownership of all the photos of Grandaddy's side of the family? Where are the photos of Uncle Sam's family members?
     Family Mysteries are good fodder for writing, but could be solved if all the cousins could manage to join forces, share memories, and ultimately uncover the photos. Maybe we could solve the Mystery of the "E."

"Morning Rainfall" with Musical Musings

Rumble. Rumble again.
         Blink.  Blink again. 

Recognition and realization.

Rain, soft and steady, sheeting sanctuary windows.
Tug upon the covers.  Snuggle into the burrow.  Sigh. 
Sigh again. Soft and warm.
Safe. Peace. 
Symphony of rainfall. Sleep again and Smile.

Musical musings: Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head; Singing in the Rain; Rainy Night in Georgia; Rhythm of the Rain.

Birthday Pleasure: Delicious Pink Frosting

                Step back in time…way, way back to the era of a little girl’s birthday. I was transported there this morning as I visited with a Rector neighbor.  She had baked her grandchildren’s favorite cake to take to the family dinner tonight, and was busy whipping up the frosting.  As I watched and we conversed, I noted her steps and she shared that the recipe was one she’d always had within her family. When I saw the beater raised from the mixing bowl, I knew it was my family’s recipe also.  I had never made the icing myself, and I only recall one specific time when Mother, herself, made it.  For my birthday – perhaps age 3 – because I recall that we were in the kitchen of our little house on Crestwood.
                     

The cake did not matter as much as the frosting.  Our family’s basic recipe involved simple syrup and 4 egg whites plus 1 T sugar beaten into peaks by an experienced hand with a faultless rhythm.  The red handled “egg-beater” was used with skill to create stiff peaks within a Wesson Oil gray crock boasting a blue band and blue lettering.  Once the simple syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar cooked to the string stage) was added in, a stand mixer could be used to create the fluffy, stiff-peaked frosting.  Add a teeny-tiny dot of red food coloring, and voila’!  Pink Icing!  

                      Want to lick the beaters?