I’ll be making my home here for the next few days, gathering information for a book on house boat living. (more…)

My oven glowed romantically in the 900 degree plus temperature.

It seemed like a good idea at the time - which is usually the case when I don’t adequately think through a spur of the moment notion.

On a particularly steamy Saturday afternoon, I opted to stay inside and clean my oven. Now granted, that involves nothing more than punching the proper button and listening for the door to lock. Within minutes I know the incinerator will begin to work its magic.

I had recently roasted a pork tenderloin on my cookie sheet and it was coated with a glob of gunk in the shape of the Incredible Hulk.

Why not, I thought to myself. I’ll pop it in the oven and clean it up for free while the appliance is cleaning itself. I pressed “clean” and sauntered up front to become a couch potato. (I LOVE cleaning my oven.) (more…)

My friend Nina called me a few minutes ago to inquire about a recipe I have been serving for decades. She heard it was good and wanted to know if I would share. It is, and I will. Since the Fourth of July is quickly approaching, I thought it might be an appropriate time to give it out for those of you who have company coming and don’t want to be out sweating over a make-up melting hot fire. (more…)

I just returned from a family reunion deep in the piney woods of South Mississippi. It was held a stone’s throw from the old home place of my great, great grandfather, Needham Lee. An itinerate Baptist minister, he traveled from church to church on horseback in the 1840s. His homestead still stands today, though a bit battered by Hurricane Katrina., and he and his children and grandchildren are buried in the front lawn.

I’m fascinated by my heritage, and I surveyed the room of “Lees” - whose linage we’ve traced to the 1100s in Jolly old England when we were the “Leas.” This tidbit was reported by my “Texas cousin” who noted it was discovered in his wife’s research work in the DRA. ( I think he meant DAR.) (more…)

To those of you who are out picking buckets of tomatoes and peppers, this will seem like an insignificant feat, but I feel like Aunt Bee ready to enter the county fair. (more…)