Hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend. We had a beautiful day here on Saturday and then rain on Easter. I took advantage of the lovely weather on Saturday to get some work done on the porch. I’ll sit out on the porch anytime I can. We always have some days in the Winter when porch sitting is comfortable, but, when Spring comes around, it is time to get serious.
A porch is very important to Southerners. Even if we don’t have a porch ourselves, we tend to gravitate to someone who does or remember a favorite porch from our childhood. I’ve talked before about sitting on my grandmother’s porch helping her snap beans. That is a favorite memory.
To me there are a few elements that a good porch must have:
- Comfortable seating. Your really need a good comfortable chair to sit and read a good book, watch the birds (or in my case, also the squirrels) at the bird feeder and other wildlife. You will need more than one chair so you can invite a friend or two (or more) to join you.
- Dallas ferns. This is a personal preference for me, but, I love the look of big fluffy ferns hanging from the porch.
- A table. Large enough to hold supper for your family or small enough to just be able to hold a cool drink, you must have a table.
- A good fan. Ceiling fans, stand alone fan, tabletop fan, whatever you have, you need a good fan on your porch. The Summers in the South are brutal but an evening breeze with a boost from a fan can work wonders.
These are the essentials for me. I think the best porches server multiple purposes. A place to entertain, a place to read, a place to watch nature, all from one place.
My porch is always a work in progress. I am always moving things and changing things around. If you don’t have a porch, you can enjoy mine. You saw a corner of it in the Tablescape Thursday a couple of weeks ago. I’ll be sharing more of it with you eventually. I would love to hear what you think a porch must have. Let me know in the comment section and we can all share our ideas. Go out and make this a great week!
Today’s Lagniappe: Cheese Hooies
These are from a 1964 edition of A Cook’s Tour of Shreveport by the Junior League of Shreveport.
1 pound butter
1 pound sharp American cheese
7 cups sifted flour
4 teaspoons salt
Cayenne – amount depending on personal taste
Grate cheese into butter and cream well together. Add salt and cayenne, then work in flour until well blended. This takes a good while, and a lot of “working.” Knead on board until smooth. Roll into a long, thin roll and put into refrigerator and chill thoroughly. When chilled, slice in thin slices and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven until slightly brown, 8 – 10 minutes. dust with powdered sugar.
These will keep indefinitely in a tightly covered container. Rolls of dough may be frozen and sliced as needed. – Mrs. Robert H. Nelson
Christi’s note: while it says they may be kept indefinitely, I wouldn’t advise it.
Photo by kdnxdr
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