Andy Andrews to Visit ATS LIVE t/row, Mon. the 22nd

Most of you know that Sunday evenings generally find me prepping for Monday evening’s radio show. By now you’re accustomed to my asking y’all to join me for another visit on ATS LIVE, but never have I felt like it was more important for y’all to engage. As the presidential election nears, and the mud-slinging gets deeper, my special guest and I are going to wade into the discussion.

But, here’s the thing. We won’t be addressing the election in the way you’ve come to expect.  While we both feel this is a crucial moment in our nation’s history, we won’t be choosing sides and hashing it out, talking over each other in efforts to score points. Nor will we gang up on one side and lay out our case against the candidate that is challenging our favorite.

Instead, NYT’s Bestselling Author, Andy Andrews, will be with me to discuss one of his powerful new releases that answers a sobering question, “How Do You Kill Eleven Million People?”  What does that have to do with the election? Tune in and find out! You’ll be glad you did.

Now, here are those details/schmetails:

ATS LIVE airs locally on KMBL Talk50 and steams live through my website but I’ll save you a click by posting that link here for you. Show time is 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central Time and YOU’RE INVITED! As always, I’ll be chatting with everyone during the show on the All Things Southern Facebook wall. Hope to see you on the air.

Hugs, Shellie

Leave your comments and questions here or on the All Things Southern Facebook wall to enter a drawing for Andy’s book. 

 

Advertisement

Weekend Warriors

OH, the fun we had this past weekend when the Houston baby czars joined the Louisiana czars! Four little ones under four creates the most wonderful chaos.

I relished the first opportunity for them to play in Keggie and Pop’s Grand Play House.  The pictures don’t do the spot justice, so here’s some FYI: It’s a walk-in closet that I cleaned out for them. I painted the bottom of the walls with chalkboard paint, put colorful vinyl stickers at the top, and loaded it up with their toys. To call it a hit would be an understatement!

Actually, you’ll notice that the majority of these pics are fuzzy. Blame it on my mistreated and limping iPhone. I hope to find time to replace it this week. Okay, I’m not going to caption all the pics. You’ll see that the czars went out to eat with us. We may have over stayed our welcome there. I fear they successfully terrorized the coffee-house that belongs to our beloved pastor and his wife.

Over the course of the weekend the older czars made fall turkeys with Grant’s mommy and Emerson’s aunt Jessica while Connor and Carlisle napped. The four of them posed hahahhahahahahhaha, excuse me, for pictures on the lake bank, enjoyed a Ranger ride with Pops, and took mini-kayak adventures with the two of us. A good time was had by all.

Hugs,
Shellie

Courtney Walsh to visit ATS LIVE, Monday the 8th

Heads up, freaders! (That’s friend/readers for any newcomers.)  I do hope you’re making plans to join me tomorrow evening for ATS LIVE, the radio talk show that is unlike anything else on air, and I don’t even think I’ll elaborate on that. You’ll just have to join us and experience the porch for yourself.

I’m excited about my special guest, Courtney Walsh. Courtney is an author, scrapbooking expert, theatre director, playwright, and contributing editor to Memory Makers Magazine and Children’s Ministry Magazine. Oh, and did I mention that she’s also written several full-length musicals?

Courtney will tell us all about her latest release, A Sweet Homecoming, and we’ll have a 3-set giveaway of the whole Sweethaven series. As always, to enter the drawing, you’ll need to comment on the show thread tomorrow. Remember, these days we’re holding the live chat on the All Things Southern wall instead of my personal wall. I won’t be checking my personal way for your entries, so make sure you “like” All Things Southern and join us there!

And here are those details/schmetails:

ATS LIVE airs locally on KMBL Talk50 and steams live through my website but I’ll save you a click by posting that link here for you. Show time is 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central Time and YOU’RE INVITED! Hope to see you on the air.

Hugs,
Shellie

Do you have any questions for me or Courtney? Leave ’em here
and we’ll get to them on air!

 

Spice tea + comfy jeans + cool weather = Bestseller? Oh, just say yes!

Awoke to an awesome Saturday. Temps have dropped and I have a free block of time to get some words down on the work in progress.

But, hey– I may be offline but that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about y’all, dear readers. And to prove it, I thought I’d post one of my favorite fall treats. I whip up this Spice Tea every year around this time. It’s next week’s “radio recipe” but seeing as I’ll be enjoying several cups today while I work, I decided to share it with y’all in case you’d like to stir some up for your weekend!

“Fall’s Favorite Spice Tea”

1 cup instant tea

2 cups lemonade mix

2 cups Tang instant breakfast drink

1 cup sugar (option)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. allspice

We’ll begin by measuring out a cup of instant tea, two cups of lemonade mix, and one cup of sugar. Mix this up with a teaspoon each of ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and allspice. Put it in a dry container and store it in the pantry. Now, when you want a great cup of spice tea, just heat a mug full of water and stir in 2-3 heaping teaspoons, depending on how strong you like it. Believe it or not, I used to put 2 full cups of sugar in this recipe. These days I either use half the amount of sugar or leave it out completely!  I think there’s plenty sweetness in the Tang and lemonade mix. You can always add a teaspoon to your cup if you need it sweeter.

Oh, and y’all—if you want a quick wassail flavor, just substitute orange juice for the water. This also makes a really nice gift. Just put it in a pretty container, tie a bow around the top and attach the recipe!

And now for some totally useless FYI, I’ve writing in my seriously comfy chillin’ jeans. These things are powerful!

Do you suppose that means I’m writing a best-seller??!!!

Hugs,
Shellie

 

Writing with the Stars meets The Story- A New Reality Radio Segment Premieres on ATSLIVE!

Fun! That’s what it’s going to be! I’ve been playing around with having an ATS LIVE segment that would be like a writing reality radio show, think Writing with the Stars meets The Story with different authors participating on each episode.

And because I am a spur of the moment type of belle, I’ve decided there is no time like the present! That said, this evening ATS LIVE will bring you the premiere episode of American Author.

At showtime, that’s 5:06 PM Central Time, a number of selected authors will greet the radio audience via the All Things Southern Facebook wall. I will introduce each author with a short bio and give them four writing prompts over the air. Example:

Place: Airplane

Character: An unemployed CEO

Object: An engagement ring

Time: Midnight

These prompts will be given at approximately 5:20.  The authors will be expected to write and post a short story of 250 to 350 words using those prompts ON the ATS Facebook within 10 minutes. The countdown clock will be start at 5:25 and expire at 5:35 with yours truly counting the time down on air.

Here’s the fun part!  You, the audience will vote on the best story using the “like” button. Everyone who votes will have their name entered in a drawing for an as yet to be announced prize. Interested? Excellent. Join us 🙂

Again, those listening details/schmetails:

ATS LIVE airs locally on TALK540 KMLB from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central Time. It streams in real-time through my website. Here’s that listening link for your convenience. 

Sneak peak: two of the participating authors are Lisa Wingate and Rachel Hauck!

Oh, and RSVP, please:) I’d love to know who plans to play!

Hugs,
Shellie

Photo Ops and the Big Drift

As I pulled my paddle through the water, and eased into prayer, the sun began peeking over the line of cypress trees on the lake’s edge, casting a glorious band of gold across the surface like it was marking out a path. It felt like divine timing. Yesterday I’d been writing about a scripture from Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”

Impulsively, I lined the nose of my kayak towards the light and pulled out my phone to capture the shot. I was headed towards the Son, S-O-N. Of course, by the time I got the camera app ready, the nose of my kayak was no longer lined up with the light. I tried again. I drifted again. I paddled back in line and repeated the process, again and again and again. I finally got the shot I was after, or something close to it, but not until the lesson registered.

The only sure way to navigate the golden path is to live in forward motion with our eyes trained on Jesus lest we drift off course!

Hugs,
Shellie

Are you in full pursuit?

 

Share this:

Hey y’all! I remember sharing this idea last year, but since I can’t find a picture or post to prove it, (isn’t that par?), and since it takes minimal time to yield maximum charm (who doesn’t love that combo?), I decided a redo was in order!

Last year I did several large pumpkins and gours of different colors, but this is what I had on hand, so last night I just dressed up a few smaller guys for the entrance table that sits outside my carport door.

All you’ll need to do to get a similar look is to make a trip by the sewing department of your local big box for upholstery studs, drapery trim, and pretty do-dads. Pick up whatever shiny thing grabs your fancy and plan a short sit down with your own produce! No need to bother with glue. Just dress your collection in their new finery and pin ’em on. Voila!

Happy pinning!

Hugs,
Shellie

   Feel free to share your minimum effort/maximum charm ideas~ 

“Plant the Seed” Austin Moody to visit ATS LIVE today, Monday 24th!

I’m in a full-out run today, laying tracks here at home for the taped radio segments that air daily on my affiliates in what I fondly call the “Redneck Radio Studio” (I really must document it with pics soon) — and then it’s on to Monroe for errands and this afternoon’s production of ATS LIVE the Radio Show!

My special guest today is Austin Moody, son of Kingsport, Tennessee and rising country music star. If you haven’t been turned on to Austin’s music yet, scoot over to his website and listen to a clip of his new single, “Plant the Seed.”  You’ll be charmed by his smooth, deep vocals (and ladies, I promise he won’t hurt your eyeballs, either!)

Afterwards, make plans to join us this evening. ATS LIVE is aired locally on KMBL Talk50 and streams LIVE through this listening link on my site. We’ll chat with Austin, enjoy his music, and have some giveaways. Leave your name here or on the All Things Southern Facebook wall for a chance to win one of the CD packages that include 2 Moody Koozies and a pack of guitar picks. Showtime is 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Central Time. See you on the air~

Hugs,
Shellie

 

My Happy First Day of Autumn Present to Y’all!

The Lucy Cookbook is a labor of pure love. It’s all of my mother-in-law’s recipes bound into one keepsake, pulled together by my sister-in-law, Sandy. Mawmaw Lucy had lost her battle with Alzheimer’s by the time the project was finished, making the handwritten recipes that much more of a treasure to all of us.

The other night I pulled it out and began browsing the familiar pages again. It felt like Lucy was right here with me, especially since the recipes, well– some of them are hard to decipher. As I joked that evening, “The woman never could pass on a recipe.” The best cooks can’t, you know.

Take for instance the Cheese Krispies here. I’ve had a hankering for them for two days now. I was in the middle of making them this afternoon when I realized that MawMaw mentions garlic in the instructions, but doesn’t list it in the ingredients. We get to decide how much and in what form– garlic salt, garlic powder, minced? I went with minced. 🙂 Many of you may know that I share a new recipe each week at All Things Southern, along with the fresh jokes, quotes, chats, and inspirational pieces, (feel free to subscribe there and you won’t miss anything!), but I thought I’d bring these to y’all on the blog tonight, kind of a Happy First Day of Autumn present to my reader friends! They turned out delicious– just like I remember. Thanks, MawMaw Lucy! We miss you.

“Lucy’s Cheese Krispies”

1 cup butter

½ pound sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups self-rising flour

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Dash of red pepper

Dash of Tabasco sauce

2 cups Rice Krisipies

Directions:

Mix one cup softened butter with one half pound of grated sharp Cheddar cheese. Add a dash of red pepper, a dash of Tabasco sauce, and a teaspoon of minced garlic. (FYI, I interpreted the dash as about a teaspoon.)

Cut in two cups of flour. I like to do this using a large fork, before stirring in two cups of Rice Krisipies cereal. Once well mixed, form into small balls. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten them by pressing down twice with a fork, making a criss-cross pattern. Yes, the edges will be jagged– no worries. It just adds to the charm.

Bake at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes and try to keep them in a covered tin. I say try because they do keep well but if the gang finds out they’re around, they won’t keep well. KnowwhatImean?

Hugs, Shellie

 

Do you like to read cookbooks? I remember when I thought it was strange!

When Buildings Fell

We all know where we were.  My family and friends were far from any of the ghastly scenes but every year I find myself needing to try and process it all over again.

We remember as a nation. We remember as individuals.

I’ve had my grand girls today. We’ve been down to mama’s to check on her, where I expressed heartfelt appreciation to my Cousin Michelle for being willing to fill in gaps with the grace of a servant’s heart and Friend Paula for friendship thicker than blood.

We’ve done naps, and doll houses, snacks and potty training, Cat in the Hat and George the Curious Monkey. Through it all I’ve remembered.

I remember the strength and beauty of the human spirit,  nurses and doctors working throughout the day and into the night trying to save the lives of their fellow Americans; though many were married to NYC firemen and policemen and unable to get word of their own loved ones.

I’ve remembered watching the faces of relief workers and seeing the compassion and love sending them in and out of those burning, unstable buildings–each fully aware they were risking their own lives, a risk many didn’t survive.

We saw the best and the worst of mankind that Tuesday. We saw an evil that is immortal, that resides in human souls, but comes from another realm.

And we saw in each compassionate touch, in each act of love and sacrifice, the characteristics of another immortal power, the Omnipotent One who will one day end all evil.

I believe His heart ached with us then and aches with us now, as the consequences of free will plays out on this planet, His beloved free to choose between Great Love and Unimaginable Hate.

My prayers today have been for those who lost so much and continue to grieve, that many more would lean into the love of Christ Jesus and rest from their pain.

With sincere thoughts and prayers.

If you want to leave your own record of where you were, what you felt and what you feel, I never tire of hearing your personal stories.