Family - The Lexingtonienne

Family

June14th

6 Comments

Summer Celebration

Posted in: A Good Cause, Family, Friends

Do you like PBS? I sure do. Not only am I the world’s biggest Mister Rogers fan, but also, my mama has worked at Kentucky Educational Television, Kentucky’s PBS network, for 25 years. Twenty-two years ago, she was one of the founders of Summer Celebration, a fantastic party KET throws every June to help raise funds for its programming. Mama says there were about 150 people at that very first party. This year there were 1200 revelers in attendance, and the party spun around a very festive Renaissance theme. Best Wench Friend Jenny was my date, so we grabbed our lutes, cranked up the madrigals, and got our House of Tudor on.

The party was hosted at Donamire Farm, one of the most beautiful horse farms in the Bluegrass. Here’s what we were forced to look at on the drive into the party.

I know, it’s hideous. I don’t know how we managed to stare at it with our jaws hanging open for so long.

This guy greeted us as we entered the tent. I made Best Friend hop over and take a photo with him. I didn’t tell her to pose with her hand on his sword, but I like her style.

Outside the tent, there was jousting.

Things were buzzing inside the party tent too.

At the buffet table (you know where to find me), I ran into my friends Linda Breathitt and Jim Gray. Jim is running for Mayor of Lexington, and if you are a Lexingtonian (or a Lexingtonienne), you should vote for him this fall. Hey, Linda and Jim!

I also ran into The Lexingtonienne readers Meg (hey, Meg!), Kelly (hey, Kelly!) and Cheryl (hey, Cheryl!) I didn’t get their photos, but I did get photos of build-your-own cheesecake, obvi. Props to Best Friend for her excellent chocolate drizzle work. She used to work in a bakery, you know. If you’re nice, I bet she’ll give us her recipe for her banana chocolate chip muffins.

The most exciting part of Summer Celebration is the Silent Auction. Hubba Bubba donated an item that sold immediately (if you want something so bad that the back-and-forth of the auction will give you a coronary, there’s a “buy it now” option, but you have to pony up).

Uncle Josh will be going to dinner with the lucky winner of this auction item. He’ll probably cook the person an organic gourmet meal — hahahahaha! Ohhhhh, just kidding.

I really wanted this painting by a local artist whose name I failed to get, probably because it was already out of my price range on my very first go around the auction circle. If someone happens to know who painted it, please leave a comment and let us all know!

Have you seen Miss KET herself (a.k.a. my mama) yet? Here she is at the party with her friend Hilma. (Mom’s on the right, flashing the smile that says, “I have a cabinet full of Smarties, Hot Tamales, and Reese Cups at my house!”)

As you can see, not only does KET know how to put fabulous educational programming on the air, but they can also throw one rockin’ party. I’m not sure how much this year’s Summer Celebration raised in total… if anyone knows (ahem… Mama?) please let us know in the Comments.

And one last thing… I am thinking about my Seester today. It’s her first day back to work from maternity leave. Wish her lots of luck! Here she is with Cooper last Friday.

Talk to you soon,
June7th

5 Comments

Kentucky Surf & Turf

Posted in: Family, Recipes

Does your family like to eat?

Mine doesn’t. When we get together, we prefer the sustenance of fresh air and stimulating conversation.

Occasionally, we may split an appetizer salad, but only if there are at least 8 of us to share it.

If we’re absolutely starving, we might have a few carrot sticks and some ice water.

It’s just that eating is such a chore for us. It’s hardly any fun at all.

We prefer the tiniest of portions.

Dessert is the worst. Don’t even offer it to us.

We will flat-out refuse…

… because we are bastions of moderation and self-control.

We do, however, like to wear chicken outfits. Bok bok 🙂

But — if we are in the mood for punishing ourselves with a very bad time — we might do a little Kentucky surf & turf, where Hubba Bubba makes the ribs, and Sister’s husband fries up the shrimp and hush puppies.

It is NO FUN, I tell you.

In case you are in the mood for a no-good time, here’s how you can fix yourself a fun-free, light-as-air meal.

MIKE DUFFY’S BBQ BABY BACK RIBS
1 rack baby back ribs per two people
1/2 C homemade, no-salt dry rub (recipe below)
2 C apple juice OR beer
1 C of your favorite BBQ sauce
salt & pepper to taste

DRY RUB*
*all ingredients must be dry or dehydrated

1/4 C cumin
1/4 C cinnamon
1/4 C garlic powder
1/4 C onion powder
1/4 C oregano
1/4 C thyme
1/4 C sage
1/4 C basil
1/4 C red pepper flakes
1/4 C paprika

(Mike likes to make a big batch of this and keep it in a tupperware container. It works well for any type of meat. I say you can also buy some store-bought BBQ dry rub, if you’re into short cuts.)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wash and pat dry the ribs. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread liberally with dry rub. Pour beer or apple juice in deep roasting pan. Place ribs meat side up in pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 3-5 hours. Remove from oven. Brush with BBQ sauce. Grill ribs on both sides. Serve with additional sauce on the side.

DAN DICKERSON’S FAMILY RECIPE HUSH PUPPIES
2 C cornmeal
1 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 C buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 onion, finely chopped
chopped jalapeno to taste

Mix dry ingredients together, then stir in buttermilk, egg, onion, and jalapeno. Prepare deep fat fryer with peanut oil. Drop dough by spoonfuls into hot oil. Deep fry until golden brown. (These are really good with honey!)

Here’s to your health,
June5th

2 Comments

Graduation Day

Posted in: Family, Life

Do you remember your high school graduation? I don’t remember where mine was, what was said, or what I did afterwards. Mike says he’s the same way, and that it’s because you’re so excited to get out of there that you aren’t paying attention to any of the details.

I wonder if, in ten years, Little Brother will remember his high school graduation, which happened yesterday.

Surely he will at least remember his excitement…

And SURELY he will remember his graduation socks.

But I wonder if he will remember that it rained…

Or that the cake and ice cream was REALLY good…

He will definitely remember that Mimi and Papaw gave him luggage for a graduation gift, which is what they give all their grandchildren for high school graduation (I’m traveling with mine right now). But he may not remember how curious Cousin Ava was to see what was inside the BIG suitcase…

… and how unimpressed she was to learn that inside the BIG suitcase was… a little suitcase.

But that she was so excited to play with him.

I wonder if he will remember posing for this picture with his big sisters, and that my eyebrows should have gotten a quick smoothing beforehand.

I know for sure that he will remember the awesome and slightly overwhelming sense of freedom that comes when you realize you’ll never again require a note from Mom. (Although he will come to find, as we all have, that there are many times throughout life when you wish a note from Mom was all you needed to get you out of something!)

Congratulations, Ross! And good luck next year at Furman University! I’m proud of you 🙂
June3rd

3 Comments

My Old Kentucky Home

Posted in: Family, Globe Trotting, Life

Today I am on a very early flight from LAX going to Lexington for TWO WHOLE WEEKS 🙂

I photographed this dogwood when I was home in April. What’s up, tree? Say hello to your mother for me.

Major events are happening in “Lex Vegas” in the next couple of weeks. Little Brother is graduating from high school (it seems like only yesterday that he was spitting on strangers at Toys-R-Us, eating his grilled cheese into the shape of a pistol, and hitting me over the head with his Fisher Price hammer). Oh, the places you’ll go.

And my nephew Cooper — aka the owner of THESE feet — is being baptized:

Before we know it, he’ll be spitting on strangers at Toys-R-Us, eating his grilled cheese into the shape of a pistol, and hitting his MamaSissy over the head with a Fisher Price hammer.

I will be in touch from the Bluegrass!

Blog you later,