Posts Tagged ‘Leslie Anne Tarabella’
Go to church or the Devil will get you
Yes, it’s a real sign in Alabama on private property. And we all pretty much have grown up seeing it every time we go to Grandma’s house or the beach. Living in a state that literally has a sign on Interstate 65 that says, “Go to church or the devil will get you,” has often…
Read More(Not) The greatest generation
T-Anna and I were making floral arrangements for our Ladies Circle luncheon when her daughter, D-Anna called in a panic. Apparently, the 25 year old college graduate was experiencing great angst because she couldn’t assemble a new bookcase. “There’s a nail with little swirls around it and a plus sign on the end, and I…
Read MoreWhich comes first, the column or the blog post?
Well, usually, the column comes first, then I share it here on the blog. But this week’s article for al.com came about a bit backwards. My column appears in the Sunday edition of The Mobile Press, The Birmingham News and The Huntsville Times and after it appears on the al.com web site, I finally…
Read MorePretty (big) ‘ole blueberry pie
What to do with all these lovely blueberries from Robertsdale? Hmmm. I think I’ll make PIE! The recipe itself isn’t important. You can find any blueberry pie recipe on the internet. (There’s a link to the version I based this on at the end). I wanted to do something really pretty for my family’s 75th…
Read MoreZucchini: the gift that keeps on giving
Southerners are the givin’est bunch of people you’ll ever meet. Anytime we visit one another, we always want to “take a little something.” And even though the “little” is often quite small, it’s truly the thought that counts. Unless of course, it’s zucchini. No one wants to look out their window and see you…
Read MoreTime to choose the gift wrap
I realize we’re celebrating Independence Day, but as a good Southern woman, I have to get my act together and decide on a wrapping paper theme for this coming Christmas. Last year, I foolishly believed my husband when he offered to take care of wrapping the gifts, and as God is my witness, I ended…
Read MoreTo be 16 in the summer
Summer in the South for a 16 year-old consists of parents who bother him more than the heat, and days filled with friends, food and future adventures waiting just around the corner. Too old to stay home with his mama, but not yet old enough to be set totally free, it’s a summer for finding…
Read MoreTrue love found in the cafeteria
My college son returned home for the summer and I could tell he’d found a new love back at Samford University. It was a shock to realize he’d actually become quite fond of not one, but several ladies on campus. It’s true. The cafeteria staff has stolen my son’s heart. It’s difficult for me…
Read MoreA Father and a (Southern) Gentleman
If your father is a gentleman, consider yourself blessed. And if he’s a Southern gentleman, you won the big prize. But more frequently, we’re seeing a new kind of Southern daddy. One who migrated here from parts unknown. I was introduced to a regular, run-of-the-mill gentleman when I was in my twenties and first…
Read MoreCounting blessings at Cracker Barrel
Years ago, I taught in the Pre-Kindergarten program in an inner-city public school, and realized the students were confused when we read stories about Santa Claus. I finally grasped that it wasn’t the Jolly Old Elf who puzzled them, but the concept of a fireplace was totally foreign to a group of children who lived…
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