the gift of hospitality

i really, really, hope this blog becomes a great success. not only for me but for all of the other girls out there who are like me in one way or another. unlike the generations before mine, i did not spend much time in the kitchen with my mother learning to make biscuits and bake cakes. i didn't exactly help prepare thanksgiving or christmas dinners, nor did i help my mother decorate her beautiful home. i never learned to garden-- despite the fact that my grandmother laura was a county and state fair winner nearly every year. in fact, the only thing i ever really developed in my mother and grandmother's kitchen's was a healthy appetite for divine southern cooking and a skill for effectively loading the dishwasher.

it wasn't until recently that i was able to really realize what i missed. as a young lady, i was too busy playing basketball, softball, and volleyball. my summers were filled with summer camps, sleep overs, and trips to the beach. even in college, the Lord blessed me with lots of friends who could cook well, and when all else failed, restaurants within walking distance from every dorm and apartment i ever had.

despite the fact that i never did learn to make a biscuit, the Lord blessed me with a man willing to marry me anyway. and, ironically enough, i finally have a true desire to learn the illustrious art of home making and all things domesticated. because i don't live very near my mother, and because i do work full time (as many of you do), i thought this blog might be a wonderful way for me (and others like me) to learn and share new recipes, tips, and tricks, and most importantly extend the lessons of southern hospitality.