Granny's Pantry #57--The Fig Bush

The best place to eat a fig is standing at Granny's fig bush...the one just outside of the back door at High Rock.

The best way to eat a fig is to pull the ripe ones (not too green, not too mushy) from the bush when they are that purplish, pinkish, greenish color that says they are just right. 

Gently break apart the outer skin with your fingers and suck out the soft, fleshy middle. Reach for another and repeat.  

Eating figs straight from the bush is like partaking of any other of life's delicacies. One too many and you spoil the experience. Better to stop when you still want more.  

Of course you can gather figs to make make everything from fig newtons, to stuffed figs, to fig preserves, to fig salads, to figgy pudding and beyond. 

But figs are a bit like Old Testament manna. If you take too many home to eat later in their plain form, somehow they lose their appeal. 

Therefore, as stated earlier, "The best place to eat a fig is standing at Granny's fig bush."

It shall come to pass in the latter days…

they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,

and no one shall make them afraid,

for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. 

(Micah 4:1a, 4)

Granny's Pantry #56--Lick Creek

The farm at High Rock is located in Davidson County, NC, and bordered on its western side by the Yadkin River. 

Above the farm on the Yadkin is the High Rock Dam.

Several miles below it is the Tuckertown Dam.  
On the eastern side of the farm is Lick Creek Church Road. About a mile south of the farm is Lick Creek proper. 

Lick Creek is a muddy stream that is a tributary of the Yadkin, and a part of High Rock history and lore. You have to cross Lick Creek to get to Granny's church (Lick Creek Baptist), where Granny and Granddaddy Cole lie, their son, daughter in law, son in law and granddaughter. Crossing Lick Creek will take you to the site above the river where the Reid Plantation once stood 
and to the Denton Farm Park, where the Plantation buildings now stand. Crossing Lick Creek will take you to old Jackson Hill, where the old church and general store, now at the Farm Park, once stood, 

 

and where the two story house where Granddaddy's Aunt Lou used to live. Crossing the Creek will take you down to the site of the settlement of Newsom, now largely covered by the Yadkin. 

Once upon a time, a Sunday afternoon 'safari' would take adventuresome hikers south from High Rock along the Norfolk & Southern railroad tracks to the trestle high above Lick Creek. Not a place you wanted to be if you heard a train coming. That might not have been as scary as the last time in memory that Aunt Ruthie drove us across Lick Creek bridge in her old car. That! was a ride!

Often pronounced "Leek Creek," (at least to young ears), Lick Creek likely got it's name from mineral deposits along the creek bank that attracted the deer population to partake. The water may be muddy, but the fish like it as well as the cranes that call it's waters home. 

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Easter Playlist -- 2020

And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. …  And over his head they put the charge against him, which read,
“This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said,
“Truly this was the Son of God!” 

PLAYLIST 2020:

It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming   (Dr. SM Lockridge)

http://blog.ourchurch.com/2014/04/18/video-its-friday-but-sundays-a-coming/
Thief (Third Day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDw_9vvLcWg

Empty Grave (Zach Williams)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFxmPonKXkQ

Then Came the Morning (Guy Penrod)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Q2-sYAo-M&list=RDl1Q2-sYAo-M#t=98
He is Alive (Third Day)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHLPO5AbC-A

Hallelujah (Kelly Mooney)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC1Nvn4Bk0Y

And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen…”

Matthew 27:35-36, 54. 59-60; 28:1-6

Nevertheless, it's still Spring

Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

Hosea 6:3

After...and Forever

Family has come and gone, presents have been opened, food has been eaten, and Christmas 2019 only has a few more hours to last...But some things are eternally true!

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (ICB)

Granny's Pantry # 55: Persimmon Season

The most delectable of the fruits of fall...the persimmon. 

Utter delight to stand under a heavy laden persimmon tree after the first frost and suck that yummy orange fruit away from the seeds!  

If you get one that is wrinkled and soft and a bit mushy...yes!
If you get one that is almost but not quite fully ripe...you get fuzzy teeth and a fuzzy tongue...but still good.
If you get one that is not ripe...trust me, you don't want to do that!
In a box of old recipes from High Rock, I found what I am pretty sure is in Granny Cole's handwriting....her Persimmon Pudding recipe! 

Pretty sure this stuff is going to be in Heaven!
Also found this Aunt Ruthie picture. 

Another memory from Granny's Pantry.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  

(John 15:5) 

Granny's Pantry # 54: Planning a Party

The letter [a treasure] is dated May 28, 1952 and was written by Aunt Ruthie in Salisbury to Granny Cole at High Rock.

Dear Mama,
         How are the party plans coming. I have talked with Mrs. Chase [the lady from whom she rented a room as a teacher] & attended several teas & collected some ideas. I suppose really though you should follow Miss Bessie's suggestions. That "green" lime punch is used a lot.
Instead of concentrating on cake & ice cream, I think it would be nice to have little "hor d'oeuvres". One lady had chicken salad in little tiny pastry cups, another had it in sandwiches--like this with a little sprig of parsley on top [and she inserted  hand drawn diagrams for the chicken salad and for open face olive sandwiches].  

One favorite is thin slices of party rye bread spread with creamed cheese flavored with onions [and she inserted another diagram]. 
We could use nuts & mints. I will try to buy some good mints as I don't believe we could make them.
          I haven't had time yet to get any ideas for the shower but will.
          I am really very busy finishing up my school work. I'm going to stay here until Saturday and then go over to Lorene's so don't look for me until Sunday. I need some time to show around some.
[Then she inserted the following recipe]

Cheese Cookie

7/8 cup butter

1/2 lb grated cheese

pinch of salt  dash of red pepper

2 cups of flour

Mix above ingredients into a soft dough.
Roll or cut into biscuits--place dates stuffed with pecans in center of each biscuit (fold over)

Bake on a cookie sheet in a very slow oven--when done roll in granulated sugar     

          I think I could make these. They are delicious. I will bring some dates & pecans just in case we could use this.
          Lots of times they serve cheese straws but these are so much better--Mrs. Chase makes them a lot--They could be made the morning before.

[And on the back page, she listed the "Menue" and sketched diagrams of the lay out for each]

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Just FYI, Aunt Ruthie's cheese cookies became a favorite memory at High Rock.

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"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and finish his work."
John 4:34