Gleaning Facebook: Thanksgiving

 We had a great day of visiting and fine eating with just ten of the Shaw bunch… a tiny group by historical standards. Mama, at 91, had a 23 lb. turkey cooked to juicy perfection, and she, Sheila, Joan, Debi, and Lisette had all the necessary accompanying dishes, including luscious desserts. We sat around the den alternately napping and swapping tales. Mama admitted to the two paddlings she received from her Mama, and even fessed up to the shameful acts that elicited that drastic response from our beloved grandmother. Ruth Baird Shaw objected when I proposed reporting her sins on Facebook! I think the turkey was the only participant in our festivities who was photographed, unless you want to include two stray dogs.

Linda Beam

You have your mom....aw. miss mine

Terrell Shaw

Tim-Wanda Baird Mama's first spanking involved your granddaddy Grice Baird.

Tim-Wanda Baird

Lol why does that not surprise me

Ruth Baird Shaw

Now Tim...I need to set the record straight. Your Granddad was not misbehaving! He was 19 years older than I (he the oldest and i the youngest 0f 11) I was about 2 and asked for water. Mama got me a glass of water and i said, " NO...i want Grice to get it for me." Mama handed the glass to Grice and Grice gave me the glass, Then I said ""No, I want Mama to get it for me." Mama said she and Grice "humored me" for a few minutes and she finally had to spank me before i would drink the water.

Tim and Wanda...The interesting thing about this story is that Mama thought this spanking of the "Apparently spoiled two-year old brat" was the reason I...from that spanking on never misbehaved or was disobedient again....

Ace the Shepherd

Love my Shaw family! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gleaning Facebook: Big Fibbers is Coming!

There is much work to do before March 19. Our first job is to spread the word throughout our target audience: storytelling enthusiasts within the Atlanta/Birmingham/Chattanooga triangle, or perhaps more accurately the circle centered on Mt.Berry that includes those three cities. Please share this "Save the Date" to groups or pages that include parts of that audience.

That circle includes Cleveland, Gadsden, Anniston, Dalton, Lagrange, Gainesville, Marietta, Calhoun, Cartersville, Cedartown, Summerville, Ft. Payne, Centre, Lafayette, Douglasville, Kennesaw, Carrollton, etc.

And folks from anywhere can audition to be a part of the Big Fibbers™ Contest.

Thanksgiving Recipes and Politics

As someone who tries to contribute financially, in my meager way, to progressive candidates, I receive multiple political e-mails daily. Even from folks I greatly admire the deluge of updates, requests, and screeds is tiresome. But you can count on Al (and Franni) to occasionally surprise you with something good. I thought I'd share this.

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Dear Terrell,

It’s that time again: time for the best email you’ll get from us all year.

Sharing our Franken Family recipes is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. In our family, food is love -- and this is my special way of spreading some love to our extended campaign family.

You all did a lot of hard work for Al’s reelection this year, and we’re all grateful for it. So whip up one of these Franken specialties and know that it’s my way of saying thanks for everything you’ve done.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. And enjoy!

Franni Franken

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AUNTIE CARLA'S PUMPKIN CORNBREAD

It is impossible to just have one piece. Be sure to make it the night before so you can have some with your Thanksgiving morning coffee.

Ingredients
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups white flour
1 cup sugar
2 tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup milk

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
3. On the first speed of a hand or standing mixer, beat together the eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, and milk.
4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry in three batches with a rubber spatula. The batter will be smooth, and is more fluffy than liquidy.
5. Pour the batter into a 9 by 13 baking pan (or two loaf pans), and place in the middle rack of the oven.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick stuck in the middle of the cornbread comes out dry.
7. Let the cornbread cool for ten minutes, and then cut into pieces and serve.

THOMASIN'S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 in. cubed chunks
3 tbs. unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbs. light brown sugar

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a cookie sheet, and scatter the squash chunks on it.
3. Evenly spread out the chunks of butter among the squash, and sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar evenly on the squash.
4. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the squash is tender. You can poke the squash with a cake tester, a fork, or a small knife to test.

FRANNI'S PAUL BUNYAN DOUBLE CRUST APPLE PIE

Ingredients
12 medium granny smith apples
1 cup sugar
3 heaping tablespoons flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Dash of salt
3 tbs butter, softened
¼ cup lemon yogurt
1 tbs milk
1 10” deep dish pie plate

Preparation
1. Core and peel apples. Slice in ½ moons about 1/8” thick.
2. Place in extra large bowl, then, using thin slices, evenly distribute the butter within the apples.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and add to apples, evenly coating all apple slices.
4. Roll out one crust and place in pie dish.
5. Combine milk and yogurt. Add to apples slices in bowl so all slices are evenly coated.
6. Spoon apple slices into pie plate in circular layers, building apples to a center mound.
7. Roll out second crust. Place on top of apples, molding crust to the mound.
8. Trim, crimp edges, and cut out vents using a knife or decorative cutter.
9. Lightly brush crust with milk or left over juice from apples.
10. Pie may boil over so place on a tin foil pizza pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, occasionally checking crust. Serves 14 to 16.

AL'S WILD RICE STUFFING

It's great alone, but Thomasin loves mixing it up with peas, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Ingredients
1 lb. Wild rice (Mahnomen)
one stick butter
ten cloves of garlic
3 medium sized yellow onions
4 stalks of celery
2 lbs. White button mushrooms
salt to taste

Preparation
1. In a colander, rinse the wild rice.
2. Put the rice in a pot, and cover with 3 inches of water. Boil in a pot, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes. If you're using Mahnomen wild rice, it will cook more quickly than the paddy variety.
3. While the rice is boiling, slice (do not mince) the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and celery.
4. Melt the butter in a skillet, and sauté the onions, garlic, and celery until they begin to bleed a little liquid into the butter. Then add the mushrooms. The celery and onions should not be totally soft.
5. Once the rice has cooked, drain it and add to the sautéed vegetables.
6. Add salt to taste, and stuff into the turkey before roasting. The rest can be eaten as a side dish at dinner.

FRANKEN FAMILY POST-THANKSGIVING TURKEY SANDWICH

This is my favorite use of left over turkey.

Ingredients
2 slices of rye bread
1 tsp unsalted whipped butter
turkey breast
2 iceberg lettuce leaves
salt to taste

Preparation
1. Spread unsalted whipped butter on the rye bread.
2. Sprinkle on salt.
3. Place turkey and lettuce on top of one piece of bread, and place the other piece of bread on top.
4. Slice in half and enjoy!

Gleaning Facebook: Souza's White House in the Snow

 Feb. 2, 2010

"Because of a predicted snowstorm, I spent the night sleeping in my office knowing how bad the roads would be the following day. Early the next morning, I walked around the White House grounds and made several photographs using a tripod so I could shoot at a slow shutter speed. Mrs. Obama liked this picture so much that she chose to use it on the official White House Christmas card."

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Gleaning Facebook: Teabration 2014

Here are our tellers. The ladies insisted we guys sit?

Back Row l-r

Sammye Hill,

Tersi Bendiburg,

Bob Harris, our emcee ( Beverly M. Harris ),

Jane Owen Cunningham,

Mary Elena Rivera Kirk, (didn't tell this time but worked tirelessly on the event, and is hosting Tersi)

Front Row l-r

Terrell Shaw (me!)

Gary Greene

Delmas Franklin

Gleaning Facebook: Living Wages

"... no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country..." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

I believe, with FDR, that part of the responsibility of every business is to pay its employees living wages. If a company cannot do that they should not be in business. In some cases, true, that means a business should fail. In some cases, true, it could continue but with fewer employees. In the case of Wal-Mart there is no shortage of means. Only the greed of Walmart's executives and owners, and Republican refusal to raise the minimum wage, prevents decent wages.

 

Gleaning Facebook: Grady's Barber Shop

The interior of my grandfather's barber shop in Milstead Georgia. Daddy Shaw stood behind the chair to the right. See the cabinetry behind him with towels and hair tonic bottles. In the two mirrors you can see the radiator, the hat rack (my mother still owns that) the shoe-shine stand (a spindle chair bolted to a two-step box with shoe rests and drawers for paste wax, brushes, cloths, and blacking for the soles.) There's a decal on the left mirror for Knapp Shoes (Daddy Shaw sold those in the shop and door-to-door). I usually sat in the chair to the left when I wasn't shining shoes, to better hear Daddy Shaw's stories.

Howard Smith
My dad was a barber until I went off to college. He owned his two chair shop but he worked alone. For awhile, he also sold insurance and kept his office in the back. He worked 6 days a week but like in many small Southern towns he did close Wednesday afternoons. After working till 5 pm or so he would make calls to sell insurance. On the Wednesday afternoons he'd work on our farm. He also helped found the local bank and the only times I ever knew him to close his barber shop was to attend bank board meetings just a few blocks up the street. Eventually he took a job with the Department of Revenue with the State of South Carolina and rented his barber shop to someone. Thanks for reminding me of a time long gone.
Terrell Shaw
Sounds a lot like Daddy Shaw, one of the finest men I have ever known. I lived for that week in the summer that I got to spend at Mama Shaw's house and Dddy Shaw's Barber Shop. He sold Kirby Vacuums, Knapp Shoes, and Singer Sewing Machines. He had a second barber in the shop briefly, they say, but not in my memory. So that second chair was usually mine. For a little kid it was great entertainment just figuring out all the different ways to adjust that chair - a Koken, I think.
Galen Dale Foster
Terry I like you sat in that chair many times waiting for MR. Grady to cut my hair. When he finished my hair it was time for him to shave my neck. I could hardly stand for my neck to be shave it gave me chill bumps and he knew it. He would say Galen ready to have your neck shaved and I would hesitantly yes sir. I remember the shoes and I remember the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner that mother had which was bought from MR. Grady. He was a really fine man. Great memories.
Terry I always looked forward to the week you spent with your grandparents because you and I always got to spend time together.
Laurie Craw
Wonder how many kids will grow up to tell stories about how their Daddies and Grandaddies sold stuff on Ebay?
Virginia M. McChesney
Lovely to see how you became who you are!
Terrell Shaw
I only lived in Milstead my first three years (and a week every summer for several years of my childhood) but the people there certainly have had a big influence on me. Part of my heart will always reside there.
Austin Matthews
Awesome!
Terrell Shaw
I'm not sure how well this beat up old picture (taken with a Polaroid camera after Daddy Shaw's funeral in 1965) shows how neatly the shop was kept. The hair tonic and talc jars and bottles were neatly arranged, the various towels were folded and stacked neatly. The mirrors were clean. The hair was kept swept up. I can see him in my mind's eye with a broom and that long-handled dust pan quickly tidying the floor. It felt almost like a doctor's office.
Oh, and I suppose all that is left of that place is the small "portable" shoe-shine stand that I think dates to the first shop up near the school and a small closed sign. The hat-rack was lost in one of Mother's moves since Daddy's death.
I am told that the barber chairs were Berninghaus Co. Hercules chairs. I would love to find out what happened to the chairs, the big shoeshine stand, and the Grady's Barber Shop sign! Mother saved the small shoeshine stand (with my Daddy's initials carved in the seat) from the trash pile.

Gleaning Facebook: Grady's Barber Shop

 The interior of my grandfather's barber shop in Milstead Georgia. Daddy Shaw stood behind the chair to the right. See the cabinetry behind him with towels and hair tonic bottles. In the two mirrors you can see the radiator, the hat rack (my mother still owns that) the shoe-shine stand (a spindle chair bolted to a two-step box with shoe rests and drawers for paste wax, brushes, cloths, and blacking for the soles.) There's a decal on the left mirror for Knapp Shoes (Daddy Shaw sold those in the shop and door-to-door). I usually sat in the chair to the left when I wasn't shining shoes, to better hear Daddy Shaw's stories.

Howard Smith:

My dad was a barber until I went off to college. He owned his two chair shop but he worked alone. For awhile, he also sold insurance and kept his office in the back. He worked 6 days a week but like in many small Southern towns he did close Wednesday afternoons. After working till 5 pm or so he would make calls to sell insurance. On the Wednesday afternoons he'd work on our farm. He also helped found the local bank and the only times I ever knew him to close his barber shop was to attend bank board meetings just a few blocks up the street. Eventually he took a job with the Department of Revenue with the State of South Carolina and rented his barber shop to someone. Thanks for reminding me of a time long gone.

Terrell Shaw

Sounds a lot like Daddy Shaw, one of the finest men I have ever known. I lived for that week in the summer that I got to spend at Mama Shaw's house and Dddy Shaw's Barber Shop. He sold Kirby Vacuums, Knapp Shoes, and Singer Sewing Machines. He had a second barber in the shop briefly, they say, but not in my memory. So that second chair was usually mine. For a little kid it was great entertainment just figuring out all the different ways to adjust that chair - a Koken, I think.

Galen Dale Foster

Terry I like you sat in that chair many times waiting for MR. Grady to cut my hair. When he finished my hair it was time for him to shave my neck. I could hardly stand for my neck to be shave it gave me chill bumps and he knew it. He would say Galen ready to have your neck shaved and I would hesitantly yes sir. I remember the shoes and I remember the Kirby Vacuum Cleaner that mother had which was bought from MR. Grady. He was a really fine man. Great memories. Terry I always looked forward to the week you spent with your grandparents because you and I always got to spend time together.

Laurie Craw

Wonder how many kids will grow up to tell stories about how their Daddies and Grandaddies sold stuff on Ebay?

Virginia M. McChesney

Lovely to see how you became who you are!

Terrell Shaw

I only lived in Milstead my first three years (and a week every summer for several years of my childhood) but the people there certainly have had a big influence on me. Part of my heart will always reside there.

Austin Matthews

Awesome!

Terrell Shaw

I'm not sure how well this beat up old picture (taken with a Polaroid camera after Daddy Shaw's funeral in 1965) shows how neatly the shop was kept. The hair tonic and talc jars and bottles were neatly arranged, the various towels were folded and stacked neatly. The mirrors were clean. The hair was kept swept up. I can see him in my mind's eye with a broom and that long-handled dust pan quickly tidying the floor. It felt almost like a doctor's office.

Oh, and I suppose all that is left of that place is the small "portable" shoe-shine stand that I think dates to the first shop up near the school and a small closed sign. The hat-rack was lost in one of Mother's moves since Daddy's death.

I am told that the barber chairs were Berninghaus Co. Hercules chairs. I would love to find out what happened to the chairs, the big shoeshine stand, and the Grady's Barber Shop sign! Mother saved the small shoeshine stand (with my Daddy's initials carved in the seat) from the trash pile.

Gleaning Facebook: Won't You Be My Neighbor?

 A beautiful day for a neighbor.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?...

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,

A neighborly day for a beauty.

Would you be mine?

Could you be mine?...

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.

I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

There's a great house on our street for sale!

David Dake has this house for sale:

1000 Ave A Rome Ga. 30161

Listed for $159,000

Ready to move in.

Gleaning Facebook: Eagles, Coots, and Loons

I posted a link to a beautiful picture in the Rome News-Tribune. 

Then my loony friends chimed in.

From the Rome News:

Bald eagle at Berry College snatches a coot from Lake Conasauga at Garden Lakes.

Melanie Collette Babb

Had the pleasure of watching the eagles at the lake twice this week.

George Barton

I am a coot catcher, I catch coots, how many coots can a coot catcher catch, if a coot catcher catches all day?

Howard Smith

George Barton, have your meds adjusted...

George Barton

Yes, soon Lake Conasauga will be cootless.

Terrell Shaw

The Old Coot population in Garden Lakes is endangered? That is indeed shocking. 

Howard Smith

When I lived in Rome, it was overrun with old coots. If American bald eagles have been able to reduce their population they are clearly providing a much needed community service.

George Barton

Don't forget about the loons, a loony lake is even worse.

Terrell Shaw

I'd say the events of Nov. 4 make it plain that the old coot and loony local population is safe for the near future. 

George Barton

All silliness aside, this is a great photo, extremely clear for an action shot.

Howard Smith

It is a great picture and Terrell, not only do those populations appear safe, they seem to be thriving. We will need more predators to control them or in two years the coots and loons will consider us their prey....heck they already do.

Bob Doster

Mr. Barton: loony lakes bad; loony tunes good.

Ken Gossett

Too cool.

Gleaning Facebook: Joe Cook

Joe Cook, our former Riverkeeper and Executive Director of the Coosa River Basin Initiative, is now using his time exclusively for communication and advocacy for our rivers. To honor the work he has so eloquently led for years to protect our unique watershed, a bronze plaque has been placed in the sidewalk in front of the CRBI office. This morning we gathered there to surprise Joe, and "unveil" his plaque. Joe is very deserving of this honor. Few, if any, have done more for the environment of Northwest Georgia in the last few decades. Thanks, Joe Cook!

Tagging: Barbara Lamb, Nina Lovel, Perry B Lamb, Amos Tuck, Chad Johnfroe, Alan Crawford, Coosa River Basin Initiative

While we were celebrating Joe, the winner of the Kayak raffle came by to claim her gorgeous sit-on-top craft. And wow! Was she excited!

The kayak winner embraces the kayak donor, James Lossick of Cedar Creek RV & Outdoor Center. Thank you James for all you do for our rivers!

Gleaning Facebook: A Canadian Looks at Obama

A brief reality check from our neighbors in Canada.

 

Gleaning Facebook: Tellabration

 Please share this corrected promo for our 2014 Tellabration! Only 13 days away. Please note that Tellabration is a worldwide night of storytelling with events on every continent except Antarctica. The stories are for all ages ten or so and up. Some may be traditional tales but many will be personal stories of love, humor, loss, awe, tragedy or some combination of human experience.

If you have not tasted professional storytelling come out and have a healthy portion. It's delicious and will do you good!

It's FREE!

But if you enjoy it and want to help, your donation will help finance future Ridge & Valley storytelling events.

Gleaning Facebook: Janis Ian on the Election

 

Gleaning Facebook: Stories Through The Ages

Y'all come!

Tours of the museum between each storytelling session. 
10:30 - Gary Greene - Tennessee Folk Tale/ Cherokee names
11:30 - Bob Harris - Knight tales
12:30 - Miss Jane Cunningham - Native American tales
1:30 - Terrell Shaw - Celtic tales
2:30 - Mary Elena Kirk - Puerto Rican tales
3:30 - Bob Harris - Rome tales

Gleaning Facebook: Election Day & Thanks

Thankfulness #4

On this election day, I am thankful for the right to vote -- the right that cements all the others. When I think of all the blood, all the energy, all the negotiations, compromises, political battles, all the sacrifices of our forebears, I can never skip a chance to vote my conscience. If you have not yet voted, get up now and get to your polling place. My children's futures depend in part on you getting off your tail and voting your conscience. Do it now.

And my heart cannot stop there.

The schools I love need a governor who believes in public education. Vote for Jason Carter.

The United States Congress needs members who will debate with principled but open minds. You have a stark choice between promised obstruction and promised bipartisanship. Vote bipartisanship. Vote for Michelle Nunn.

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Polls close at 7 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7 p.m., you are guaranteed your right to vote. Do not let anything or anyone block your right to vote. Stay in line.

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From John Lewis's Facebook page:

We must never forget the blood that was shed by thousands so that we could vote without threat or fear today.

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From Bil Lepp's Facebook page:

Don't be that guy (or gal) Mr. Heilman, my 9th grade history teacher, talked about. I don't remember exactly how the chart worked, but because you didn't vote, Hitler won. Also, don't vote for Hitler. It was a complicated lesson.

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I do not know how the races will come out. I'll be gloriously surprised if we manage to hold the Senate. We must defend territory that is pretty strongly "red". And if Michelle Nunn or Jason Carter should manage to prevail in Georgia it would be huge news. Unlikely, but that it is even discussed as a reasonable possibility is great news for the future. These two leaders have demonstrated great ability, good political judgment, strong thinking. We will hear from each of them again come what may.

I am very proud to have supported these two. I voted for them with great joy and optimism.