Shrimp Salad

  This is a great meal for summertime. I like to serve it with fresh sliced cucumbers and tomatoes on the side for a complete meal.

Shrimp Salad

8 ounces pasta shells of choice (boiled & drained)
1 pound boiled shrimp peeled and deveined
1/4 cup celery finely chopped
2 T mayonnaise
2 T sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 t Cayenne Pepper
2 T green onions finely chopped
1/2 t black pepper

1) Boil pasta until tender, drain.
2) Boil shrimp for 5 minutes, drain.
3) In a large bowl mix all ingredients and add salt to preferred taste.
4) Chill for about 1 hour before serving.

Note: Choose organic or naturally grown ingredients for maximum nutrition. Enjoy.

Wine

  I don't drink wine but I like to make it.

  I like what C.S. Lewis had to say about it.

    "One great piece of mischief has been done by the modern restriction of the word Temperance to the question of drink. It helps people to forget that you can be just as intemperate about lots of other things. A man who makes his golf or his motor bicycle the centre of his life, or a woman who devotes all her thoughts to clothes or bridge or her dog, is being just as 'intemperate' as someone who gets drunk every evening. Of course, it does not show on the outside so easily: bridge-mania or golf-mania do not make you fall down in the middle of the road. But God is not deceived by externals."

Basic Wine

1 1/2 lb berries
10 c water
3 c sugar
1/4 t wine yeast

2 c sugar (added later)

1) Wash berries and and place in an enamel or stainless steel pot.

2) Add water and sugar and stir. Simmer 30 minutes on stove top.

3) Remove from heat and cool to 95 degrees F and add softened wine yeast. (Sprinkle wine yeast into a 1/2 c warm water and let stand for 15 minutes to soften).

4) Stir.

5) Cover pot loosely and wait 6 days.

6) Strain and add the 2 c. sugar and stir.

7) Pour into a clean 1 gallon jug and cap with a water lock. (This allows the wine to ferment naturally and let gases escape when water is placed into the lock.)

8) Wine is ready when the water lock stops "bobbing" up and down.

Salmon Patties

My Mama has been making these for as long as I can remember. They are a great staple item.

1 tall can salmon with liquid
1/4 c flour
1 egg, beaten
2 T chopped onion
1/4 oil

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls into heated oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and flatten out a little (reduce heat if necessary). Fry until golden on both sides.

Serve with gravy, tartar sauce or ketchup. (Our family likes ketchup.)

Yum.

Note: Choose ingredients that are grown naturally or organically produced for maximum nutrition.

Dear Folks, Do Not Send Candy, May 1957, 38th Parallel, South Korea, Love, Robert

Dear Folks,
  Well this week has been
a funny one. Monday we
went to the field. We had
to walk out (10 miles). We built up
our gun positions . That
night I had to come back
and walk guard duty. That
is what is tonight. You either
have a 12 or 24 hour post.
These Koreans will steal anything
that you have got. The nights
are very funny. You begin
to realize how mysterious
the orient is. At first I didn't
think much of Korea, but now
it is better than I thought it would
be. Of course it is nothing
like paradise but after 16
months I will probably hate
this place.
 We went into
the field and stayed a week
it wasn't to bad. We came
back Saturday (walked) and
I had to pull guard that
night, but the greatest
surprise I got was Sam
called me Sun. Morning
and came down to see
me. He couldn't stay long
I was on guard duty but
it was great. Right now
I wish you could be here.
It is something else. We walk
guard with a loaded rifle and
our orders are to shoot to
kill, which is very possible.
  I think when I come back
I will be different, but not
to much. I won't do any
hard labor, wake up at 4 o'clock
or anything like that but
I will appreciate life more.
The only thing that I regret
is that I didn't go into
the army at an earlier age, I
can't explain it to you, you
would have to be in the army.
  I know that these two years
may be wasted as far as
I am concerned but I feel
sort of proud that my
obligation to my country was
spent in the infantry in Korea
with the only division in battle
line position.
  Do not sent candy, but
please send the newspapers.

                Love
                     Robert

(C Note: Sam was Uncle Robert's 1st Cousin and he was in the Air Force.)

Most Likely To Become A Goat Farmer

Those who won't throw away a 5 gallon bucket.

Because It's What We Do

  It's still there. Ivey's. The shop on the corner in Downtown Jasper, just off the courthouse square. It's owner, Evelyn opened it 60 years ago. A time when men came to town wearing Fedora style hats and the women wore girdles and if you needed either one of those items you could find them at Ivey's.

  A friend of mine had told me that Ivey's had vintage dresses in original stock for sale and I knew that it was a stop I had to make. Sure enough, the day came when my Mama and I were in Jasper and found ourselves Downtown looking for a parking space. As we went into the store, Evelyn, with her silver hair and smart appearance, rose to greet us from her chair by the window. "Is there something I can help you with?' "What size do you wear?" and she directed me to the section containing my size. My Mama had commented that she used to buy her underwear there and there it was, the same stock she wore in the 70's that fit so well.

  When it was my time to check out, I walked away with a mint green vintage formal that had sleeves that look like Angel wings when you wave your arms around and a leather purse made in Hialeah, Florida. "It's like a museum", my Mama said. That such a place exists in this day and time is almost beyond imagination. Why does Mrs. Evelyn at the age of 83 years old still keep shop after all these years? The city filled her best parking spaces out front with shrubs and the streets to the Atlanta market had become a wearisome maze that defied access.

  It's what she does.

  "Tell your friends about us"' she says as we walk out the door.

   "I will".

   And I'll be back...

     even if I do have to park around back.


p.s.

Went back to Ivey's at a later date and found this cool shirt.

.

Dear Folks, Far Across The Sea, April 20, 1957, 38th Parallel, Korea, Love, Robert

Dear Folks,                       20 April 57

 Today is Sunday and
I thought I would write
a few lines before I go
on guard duty. We go
out into the field
tomorrow for five
days. I decided not
to go out for track
because its to hard
to get into good shape
over here. I don't
know when I am
going on R & R, but
it will be during this
month or May.
 I will try to let
you know ahead of
time. I wrote a letter
home, but I forgot
to put the state
on it so it came back
on me. So Earl is
really getting married
well I hope he is
happy about it. It's
been raining all
day so I guess I'll
get a little wet tonight.
Well, I have got
to get ready for Guard
Mount, I got the money
order and paper.
               Love Robert

Dear Folks                      27 April 57
 This month we
have only spent 12 days
out of the month in
the field. I guess we
will spend a lot more
time out there, but I
don't mind it. The
time goes by fast
enough out there. I
got the paper this Sat.
and was very much
elated to receive it.
With the coming
of May I imagine that
Earl is ready for
marriage.
 Well this time last
year I was in Fort
Lewis awaiting shipping
orders to carry me
far across the sea.
I understand that
you are going to elect
a new governor. In
one more month I
will be 24 years old
in this world damn
years sure don't
subtract. Well when
you receive this letter
the month of April will
be gone, then it will all
be old time spent over
here. Not much longer
but yet seems so
far, but I ain't
counting on a damn thing
until I hit 27th St.
 Well there ain't anything
else to write or at least
I can't think of anything
just keep sending the
paper.
              Love Robert