Things of Beauty Found...
I think these pictures are beautiful in themself, but if you could see where I found them you would understand the title of this post. I took Shelby for a quick walk today...over by the railroad. It is turning into more of dumping ground than usual. So you have to look past the junk to see the beauty that is there.

The remainder of my day was spent messing around at home, after running out for a couple of items this morn. I got our front porch and the chairs and swing out there all scrubbed down, as well as I planted my wisteria. I fixed chicken stir-fry for supper--supper is the souther word for the evening meal. As soon is it was done, I sat and enjoyed my clean porch for a short while.

This is the butter churn that I grew up with. It really wouldn't be worth a plug nickel if I tried to sell it--it doesn't have that ping when tapped. The bottom on the inside is very damaged. But I would not take any amount of money for it. I am somewhat sentimental. The dash is one my dad made...I like to think about that my mom's hands and my sister's hands used this dash long before I did. And I know my brother Neal sometimes had to churn. I don't think my other two brothers did, but not sure. He can probably remember that better than me.

I think we churned about once every week to two weeks. Let me tell you, it was not my favorite job. Just sitting there, up and down, up and down with the dash was a boring job. Thank God for radios. Sometimes it would take forever...others seemed to go faster.

I was never a buttermilk drinker, but others were. And my mom made two pones of corn bread almost every day of my life till I was out of elementary and then I think it dropped down to one sometime around then. Anyway,they were as big as a dinner plate. Buttermilk was used to make corn bread. So besides drinking it, it was used for that.

And sometimes there were a couple women that liked to buy any extra we had. If I remember correctly they gave a $1 per gallon....I cannot remember for sure how they transported it. I don't know if they brought their own container or if they took my mom's jugs and just returned them each time.

We used the butter that was made each time...sometimes mom used a mold and others she just shaped it by hand. I remember working it trying to get all the liquid out....that was a part that I did enjoy. And of course, I enjoyed the butter itself...loved buttered popcorn. I don't know if anyone else does this or not, but when I pop popcorn, I always pop it in at least half butter and oil...maybe more. It is a little bit different taste...and sometimes we will add butter afterwards and sometimes not.

ETA: I stand corrected--my sister-in-law, who also my childhood friend, just informed me that my oldest brother also had to churn sometimes. Now, I would like to know if my other brother ever had to...I just don't ever remember him having to and I think I would have cause he was next to me in age.