5.23.2010

Southern Living



There is nothing that makes me happier than opening my mail box and seeing the glossy cover of Southern Living staring back at me. When I flip through the pages, it just feels like home.

Maybe it is the quaint hometowns or the down home cooking that makes me want to lick the pages? Possibly the photos of beautiful gardens. Gardens that remind me of spending hours outside playing as a child, while my parents toiled in our flower beds and made our little starter house a home. It reminds me of potluck church dinners when the old ladies pulled out the tried and true recipes for homemade mac and cheese and potato salad. It brings back memories of anticipating the long wait for homemade ice cream on the back porch, of lemonade stands and catching fireflies.

It encourages me to appreciate all that is important in life. The small things.

Is it strange that I want my life to mimic a magazine? Not so much the magazine itself, but all that it illustrates and stands for. The Southern way of life.

It makes me think of my own little family and the traditions and values that I want to instill in my children. Opening doors, pulling out chairs, yes ma'am and no sir. I want Keating to be a real southern gentleman that respects his elders and is giving and kind.

I want our house to be a home. A home that isnt filled with junk that I'm tempted to buy at Hobby Lobby to fill up space, but filled with framed photos, drawings... memories and love.

I want my kids to enjoy playing outside with their friends instead of growing up in front of a TV or computer.

I think it is important to have family quality time, and what better place than around the dinner table. I want to make them the best food they have ever eaten... You know, the food that my kids will compare all other cooks to. For which they will hopefully say "this isnt as good as mama used to make it" :) Which brings me to my point. I am going to start picking recipes to post from my family stash or my beloved Southern Living Magazine. I hope that it helps me broaden my cooking horizons and that we find a few new favorites. I also want to share with y'all the recipes that I have always loved for my mom to make. So stay tuned if you like good ol' Southern cooking!

6 comments:

  1. Only the best recipes come from southern living! It's a tradition in my family to give the daughter the southern living annual recipe book each year for christmas once she moves out. I've already found so many recipes from my 3 books! :)

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  2. I haven't got my S. Living for the month yet - the hydrangeas in the crates are beautiful! It makes me want to have an outdoor party and put these everywhere!!!

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  3. Fun idea - and great post my friend!

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  4. Very well said! I don't think it's strange that you want your life to mimic the magazine, I am the same way. Way of life is different in the South and it doesn't seem to evolve as quickly as some other parts of the country, and I like it like that!

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  5. Tagged you in my blog! :] have a great day!

    www.savannahsteelmagnolia.blogspot.com

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  6. I loooove southern cooking! Def post some recipes!

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I love hearing from you! Thanks for your comments!