Certain Colors

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

What’s your favorite color? Mine used to be red. Since the kids’ school colors were American red, white, and blue, well I had a lot of clothes in all of those. Pink played a big part in my wardrobe, waybackwhen, before marriage and children.

Choosing paint colors for my farmhouse was daunting. I knew I didn’t want decorator beige.  Someone suggested white. I smiled and nodded; inwardly wrinkled my nose. Sure it goes with anything and everything, but boring? My, yes!

Opening up doorways and walls, made the living spaces flow into another.  The view goes from the front room all the way to the back sun porch. Choosing colors meant a scheme that would flow from room to room. But again, what color or colors to choose?

I thought of grey. Do you know how many greys there are? Hypothetical. You don’t need to try to answer. I looked at so many my eyes hurt. I decided to choose my colors by their names, words that spoke to me. Woodlawn Silverbrook/parlor/back bedroom; I graduated from Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge.

In the kitchen, dining room, living room Azure Snow graces the wall. The trim color everywhere is Snowcap White. So there- there is white- quite a bit actually.  Back in the kitchen, the granite countertops, a bargain from SandS Granite, are called Aspen. Azure Snow, Snowcap White, and Aspen all in the kitchen,  sounds cold, but it’s the warmest room in the house.

Blues have also shown up throughout my life and again in this old farmhouse. Journal Book colors the walls in the front bedroom and back sun porch. I’ve kept a journal my whole life. A legacy, I guess, for my sons when I’m gone. I should probably go through them and scratch out some entries…

Finds were unpacked back in January. They make me smile to see how well they fit into this new life.

20180929_151514

 

20171230_132101

20180121_14042620180505_163849

20180929_170713

Colorful Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

Empty

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Happy New Year

That’s it. No punctuation. 2017 was a roller coaster. We had some very good days, like Sunday, December 31. My granddaughter was baptised. That was a wonderful way to end the year.

But there were many days last year spent in the hospital with my mother. And I said final, earthly good-byes to cousins and friends. Good and bad equalled out, I guess. Felt like a roller coaster, though.

I did, finally, get to empty the storage units that I had been renting since September 2014. That was a burden lifted from my shoulders- my sons did the heavy lifting. Ha! It will also free up funds to go to something else.

At my farmhouse the empty boxes piled up on the porch, as the collections found a permanent home. Tea pots, Fire King mixing bowls, Flora Gold depression glass. Sadly, many pieces of the depression glass did not make it out of the storage unit whole. Delicate cups and saucers, an oblong butter dish, footed scalloped dishes and a big platter were shattered. Oh, well. I had fun all those years ago searching to build the collection and now I get to do it again.

20171230_133439

Three years ago when we were packing up my belongings, many cookie jars in particular, my eldest son told me: “Mama, when you eventually get settled somewhere, I know one thing; when I come to visit, there better be cookies in everyone of these cookie jars!”

I found them as I unpacked. I can tell you where they came from and/or who gave them to me. There’s a very inviting and satisfying sound to a lifted cookie jar top. Washed and dried, then lined up on the kitchen counter.

20171230_132101
Strawberry:Jeanie Antiques, Osyka, MS – Miss Pig:New Orleans – Apple:Walmart – Blue Gingerbread Boy: Ponchatoula, LA – Pressed Glass: Church Christmas Exchange -Red Painted Fruit: New Orleans – Yellow Glass w Cookie cut-outs: New Orleans. Mama  gave me most of them; she and Aunt Lina loved to go junking. I have some new-to-me new ones to add.

 

Thinking about what my son said, and seeing how cheery they all looked grouped together, cookie recipes starting coming to mind. Expect a cookie of the month recipe for 2018.  There that’s my New Year’s resolution. Let’s see if I can keep it.

I also found all of my cookbooks. Many Southern Living cookbooks, including the two that have my recipe for Granola Muffins. I had originally called the recipe Cereal Muffins, but the kitchens at Southern Living renamed it.

 

20171230_130629
I always liked the intro they wrote to my recipe.

I know I’m not suppose to write about the weather, but I just can’t help myself. It’s cold, folks! The high temperature for our part of Mississippi is 34°. You Yankees are probably telling me not to complain. Remember, I’m Southern. My blood is thin. As soon as Christmas is over, I long for warmer weather and planting flowers and vegetables. I’m excited about the prospect of homegrown food and flowers on my table again.

New Year’s Blessings from the Exiles Kitchen.