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Tag: Positive Aspects
QQQ — Quick Quality Quote #5
“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you: they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” — Wade Davis
Collarding Up
I love fall food.
One of my VERY favorites is, well, ANYTHING in the Leafy Greens Family.
Collards, Turnips, Mustard, even Poke Salad. (You have to be careful with Poke Salad—it can be poisonous. But it was my Granny’s favorite, and she taught me how to find it. In the wild.)
Well, yesterday, I found a beautiful bunch of local Savannah collards at our favorite little grocer near us in Habersham Village.
If you have read a bit on my blog, you know that HR (Husband Robert) is the fancy pants chef, and I’m the I-cook-what-Mama-taught-me fellow. Usually in cast iron.
So last night I pulled out our cast iron (heavy!) Dutch oven. (Okay, technically Robert pulled it out.)
And I went to work.
First, you gotta wash the greens, if you buy them fresh. And why wouldn’t you? A time-consuming task.
My Washed-Collards Bouquet.
I cut the thickest stems away from the leaves.
But don’t throw them away! I make homemade vegetable broth with them.
After cooking the ham hocks in water to provide the base for the “pot liquor,” I sauté onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil in the Dutch oven, pour the liquid from the ham hocks in, layer the ham hocks on top, and cover until the greens wilt.
Two hours of slow simmering later …
HR loves my pickled jalapeños, so he had to put some of that “sauce” and pickles on his greens.
The beautifully delicious “pot liquor” …
Oh, and what to do with the leftovers? Well, give some to ex-wife Donna, of course.
With a side of “healthy corn.”
And freeze the rest.
Fall Collard Joy
Life.
Life finds a way.
Neal’s Post from the Past: “Touring Savannah’s City Hall, Y’all”
A blog post from back in 2014. Please excuse the grainy photos.
Every First Tuesday Savannah’s City Hall opens its doors for free tours. I know, I know, touring City Hall doesn’t sound like the most exciting entertainment venue around. But hold on just a second. After a hefty helping of Gabriella’s Zesty Chicken (on mashed potatoes) at Zunzi’s, I wobbled down Bull Street, remembering just in time to look up before I reached the river, and saw this …
… Savannah’s incredibly beautiful City Hall.
Completed in 1905 …
… City Hall features two figures who adorn the front, just below the clock and gold dome. And those two pretty ladies represent Commerce and Art. If you know anything about Savannah, you will find those figures so, so timely. Because what was true in 1905 is certainly true today: Savannah is both a big business city (Savannah Port and Gulfstream, for example) as well as a cultured, artistic town (SCAD, Savannah Music Festival, festivals galore).
Come along.
The original clockwork is now in the lobby:
Looking up to the interior stained glass dome:
Here I am with the really interesting tour guide (and SCAD grad), Luciana Spracher. She knew her stuff!
Did you know Savannah has a flag?
View from a back window of city hall:
I pretended to know the mayor. But you can only stand in front of her office for so long before people start to wonder what you’re doing.
TANGENT: A couple of months ago, I attended an event at the Savannah Civic Center with our mayor, Edna Jackson.
Okay, okay, maybe I wasn’t exactly with the mayor, but you can’t tell that from the above photo with her and Savannah State’s President, Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier.
*******
Luciana led us into the Savannah City Council chambers. For some reason I just got so excited.
Here I am sitting at the mayor’s desk. (Does she know people do this?)
What a fun (and educational) tour! Thanks, Luciana.
I Love Savannah!
A Sunday Night Truth
“Just to be is a blessing; just to live is holy.” — Abraham Joshua Heschel
May you “be” tonight.
May we all “be.”
The Car’s Blessing
So HR and i were driving home from T.J. Maxx a little while ago, after shopping for a new Gratitude Journal for me …
Robert‘s attitude, when I found the little journal, indicated that he thought it was kind of too tiny for a journal and sort of sissy-ish. I took that as a great compliment and immediately purchased it.
But that’s all off the subject. So we were driving home, stopped at a red light and saw this …
Wait. Let me get a little closer.
A little bit closer.
Isn’t that gloriously cool?
A blessing from the car in front of us!
I receive it!
And pass it on to you. So look for the good!
Shhh … Silent Sunday 7/24/22
A Tuesday Wish for You
It’s a rainy night in Georgia this Tuesday evening. And HR and I are settled in for the night. I hope you have had a good, or at least acceptable, day. And I also hope that you’ve had something to ENJOY today.
If not, tomorrow’s heading our way.
NealEnJoy 