I have a few things in my house that if you walked in and started looking around, you might wonder why I keep them.  Things that didn’t come from a fancy store, cost much and weren’t given to me wrapped up with a fancy bow.

Some of the things are

a little dirty,

torn,

faded,

tarnished,

and sticky.  It would be safe to say that if our house was burning down, I would make sure the children and my man got out, and then, I would grab as many of these treasures as I could.  You see, these “things” are old. Many of them older than me.

And they belonged to my grandmothers.  

 

My Nanny: (Othelda Johnson)

She was my momma’s mom.  She was a taller woman with broad shoulders, glasses and black hair. She saw God in everything.  She had massive arms and hands. Arms that could swing two chickens over her head, by the neck, and pop their heads off.  (Yes, I always had a visual to go with the words “wring your neck”.) She had a laugh that would fill a room, food in the oven and wanted everyone to feel like they were her best friend.

She was always working,

Always singing hymns,

And always cooking something.

Yep, I’m a lot like her.

***************

My Mama: (Alene Gilliam)

She was my daddy’s mom.  She was a tall woman with brown hair and glasses.  She saw the details in everything. She could hold a paintbrush in one hand, rock a baby with the other and take a pan of cornbread out of the oven with her foot.  She loved puzzles and games. She taught us all how to play cards and dominoes and never, ever, let us win! She loved to laugh and always wanted me to tell her stories, the funnier the better.

She was always cooking,

Always painting

And always working in her yard.  

Yep, I’m a lot like her.

 

The two treasures that they left me that I love the most though are my Momma and Daddy…and Yep, I’m a lot like them.  

 

Here’s one of my favorite recipes I have from my Mama.  

Mama’s Banana Pudding

1 ½ cups of sugar

2 rounded Tablespoons of flour

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of milk

½ cube of butter

Two Bananas

‘Nilla Wafers

Grab a saucepan. (One bigger than you think because when this yummy stuff starts to boil, it grows.)  Add the sugar, flour, egg and vanilla. Whisk until the egg is mixed in well. Now, add the milk. Whisk, whisk and whisk some more.  Turn on stove to medium heat. Continue to whisk. (This is a great time to check Facebook and see how cute your friend’s daughter looked in her soccer uniform while you are whisking.)   Continue to whisk until this yummy goodness is the consistency of paint. (Mama would like that reference) Remove from heat. Add the butter. Let that sit and melt while you put the Vanilla Wafers into a bowl.  Your choice…either lay them flat and up around the bottom of the bowl or dump some in the bottom. Slice two bananas and put on top of wafers. Stir the yummy goodness until the butter is gone and pour on top of wafers and bananas.  Now be creative…if you want to add a little wafer flower to the top or your initial, do it!! Scoop it into your bowl and eat. (The Price’s like it warm but you can wait until it cools if you want, we don’t judge when it comes to eating Banana Pudding.)

Enjoy and go be amazing!!

Allyson