It’s so hard to believe it’s already a New Year! I’m so excited about so many things and have many events planned for this month!
Daily Journaling prompts- I’ll be sharing a journaling prompt each day for you to write about. To participate all you have to do is to Like my Facebook page – Cindy_Ann_Rogers, Author.
Best In Business Magazine – My bio for the anthology Cage Fight will be featured in this magazine set to release Jan 5, 2022.
Clubhouse – Catch a live drop-in chat where we’ll be discussing Coping Skills on Clubhouse Jan 5, 2022, at 9 P.M. E.S.T. If you don’t have Clubhouse; download the app and create your profile. Search for me @cindy.ann
Coffee Conversations with Sandy- Saturday Jan 8. 2022 4 P.M. E.S.T. This is a Facebook Live Podcast where we will be sharing about our upcoming anthology, Cage Fight.
There’s a whole lot of inspiring and encouraging stories in this book! But I will say that one of the most special things about this book is FAMILY! I was reading through some of the chapters last night and it hit me! Our Bramblett family is all over it! Thank you Shelia Sheila Farr for putting this amazing book together! Just look at the back cover of the book; Shelia Farr, Grace Johnston and myself are all decedent’s of the Bramblett Family! As you read our stories you’ll find mention of our family! I think Virgil and Jewel Bramblett would be very proud as three of their children are a part of this book! Tom Bramblett (Pepaw) and Stella Chesney are mentioned in the book and Grace Johnston is a co-author. Wow! And best of all, our book just made #1 International Best Seller in Christian Self-Help!! Thank you to all who purchased a digital copy! We expect books to be here early October!
What does Tarnation actually mean? Not sure, but I recall being asked “What in tarnation are you doing?” when I was a kid. Perhaps it was the tone of voice or the oddity of the word “tarnation”, but I knew it wasn’t good.
Now that I”m older, I’d like to ask them “Why in tarnation?” I mean, check out these outfits we wore.
Left to right: Stephanie, Ray, Dana, Cindy, Kenny and Lisa
They may not remember all the things you gave them. But they will always remember the Love you shared with them.
As I was driving to work this morning the song L.O.V.E. by Nat King Cole played on the radio. Listening to the words, I thought of my family. Hug your family tight and LOVE them for this is what they will remember. Material things only matter for a short while. LOVE will last forever.
Ethel Mae Sellers, my Granny Grunt, was born in 1896. I’m not sure where the name Granny Grunt originated from but it’s what we all called her. It was an honor to be part of her family. I thank God everyday for the precious time I shared with her. When I think of her it makes me smile.
Granny with several of her Great Grandkids
My sisters, Lisa and Dana, and my brother, Ray, loved to go visit her. She would usually cook us something special. When I was 14 years old, she lived in a single wide trailer behind our house. I recall one hot summer afternoon, we went to her house hoping she had a yummy treat prepared. When we arrived, she told us if we would pick enough blackberries that she’d make us a cobbler. She gave us two plastic bowls and sent us to the edge of the woods nearby. We spent hours picking berries. We would pick a few for the cobbler and then eat a few. Once we filled up our bowls we would take them to her and watch patiently as she made the cobbler.
I watched her make blackberry cobbler numerous times. She would rinse the berries and then pour sugar over them and then let them sit. Meanwhile, she prepared the dough for the cobbler. She’d add Crisco shortening to a scoop of flour and mix them together until they were crumbly. Then she’d add milk and blend it together with her hands forming it into ball. She’d roll out the dough in just like if she were making biscuits. Then she cut the dough into strips and layer it in the pan alternating it with the blackberry sugar mixture. Once she got it assembled with her dough strips on top she’d sprinkle some sugar over it and place a few pieces of butter on top. She would pour some water over her mixture and then put it in the oven and let it bake.
Her cobbler was the best I have ever put in my mouth. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
Below is the recipe for Granny’s Cobbler. (Of course, it’s not exactly like hers because she never measured anything)
Granny’s Cobbler
2 Tbsp Crisco
2 cups flour, self rising
3/4 cup milk
3 cups blackberries
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp butter
Rinse berries and mix in 1 1/2 cups sugar and let sit. Mix Crisco and 1 cup of flour with a fork, cutting it in until its crumbly. Add milk and mix together forming a ball. Knead ball and add more flour as needed until ball is firm. Sprinkle flour over a floured surface and on rolling pin and roll out. Cut flour into strips. Add some of blackberries to bottom of baking dish then layer with flour strips. Continue to alternate the berries and flour until dish is full ending with dough on top. Pour water over cobbler then place small pieces of butter over the top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350 degrees 90 minutes or until golden brown.
I hope that you enjoy this as much as my family does.
Raised Bridges 