"Christiansen's Comments" Hinds County Gazette

HCG February 11 2010




Here is the recipe for the dumplings…some of you have been asking for….



My, “Mrs. Smith’s, Suzanne’s grandmother’s Dumplings” In Mrs. Smith’s own words.



“Dumplings”

Sift about 3 cups of plain flour in bowl. In the center of the flour put one large tablespoon of shortening,

and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix with spoon until it is like meal- gradually add 1 cup of sweet milk. Mix until dough is smooth and firm enough to handle. Place in refrigerator for a while and when you roll out sprinkle board with flour- roll real thin. Have broth boiling big and drop dumplings in slowly.

Suzanne also remembered her grandmother using this dumpling dough for her chicken pot pies too. Grandma Smith, lined, what Suz described, “as a tube pan without the tube.” she then Poked the crust with a fork, placed it in the oven until it had browned nicely….then Mrs. Smith filled the pan with chicken and dumplings, laid on a top crust…put it back in the oven until the top crust turned brown…..I am going to try it.



God blessed me with incredibility good health, I am almost never puny…In fact, back when I was diagnosed with cancer, John and I were in the oncologist’s office, the doctor was in the mist of explaining the chemo treatments, when abruptly, while looking down at some papers he had in his hands, made this statement, “You are remarkably healthy.” John eyes got big and he made a disbelieving sound…something between a growl and a cough, the doctor hastily added, “well, except for the cancer”.



But a miserable cold has jumped on me, it put me in the bed all day Saturday and a great deal of Sunday. You all, I have begun to question, was I really so sick that I needed to be in bed?…Or has all the rainy, cloudy, chill filled days finally gotten to me?…. Not to mention the brown grass and leafless trees. My projects were finished…The birds weren’t singing.



So did I stay in bed because of the depressing weather? Or because my projects (bookcases in the Ms. Mama room and tile off the ceiling in the Lucille Room) were completed, therefore had no pressing reason to get up? Was it just too easy to gave in and take to the bed?…. And consider this….there were warm, purring cats sleeping at the foot of the bed, that may have some bit of influence on my decision to stay in bed …. Well perhaps not, as I have cats in my bed every morning.

Well, I have a reason to get up and get going now! My sewing machine gave out months ago… Lindsey Noble is sorting and distributing some of her mother and dad’s (Bob and Betty Kemp) things…. getting the house ready to sell….Lindsey gave me Betty’s machine…I am thrilled! I have a curtain to make…then aprons will be next on the agenda . Unless the sun comes out and it warms up…then the plan will have to be hedge trimming.

Call if you need me.

Life, is what happens to.......

Community Revival in the town square...

Marianna and Jamie.....

“Life, is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” John Lennon,

We in small town America know exactly what John Lennon meant. Here in Edwards, in less then a two week period, we have had three deaths, three funerals, a wedding, two births, a Friendship club meeting, and a community revival in the town square. . And a good number of the citizens of Edwards were in some way or another were effected by all.

The morning of Sunday May 10, Jimmie Lee Fowler and Sonny Montgomery, life long friends and neighbors died within an hour of each other, both funerals were held on Tuesday, Sonny’s in the morning, Jimmie Lee’s in the afternoon. I saw many of Jimmie Lee’s family members that morning at Sonny’s visitation…they had stopped to pay there respects on their way to Jackson to the services for Jimmie Lee.

That afternoon at the graveside service, Montgomerys were there, respectfully honoring Ms. Jimmie Lee’s passing. My friend, Betty Kemp, over on Long wood Drive, last month she diagnosed with acute leukemia, even though dieing herself, mourned the passing of Sonny and Jimmie Lee. Everyday Betty asked about Jimmie Lee and Sonny.

On with the Plans that had been made.

Saturday, May 16 there was a wedding here at the Presbyterian church Marianna Harpole married Jamie Hilbun. Betty’s grandson Andrew Noble was in the wedding, he was there standing with his friends Marianna and Jamie on the biggest day of their lives. Andrew and Marianna grew up together…much of the time on the same block on Jackson street. Andrew went from the wedding reception to his grandmothers bedside…Where Betty was anxious to hear all about the wedding.

Tuesday Kay Turner entertained the Edwards Fellowship Club out to her house, it was a refreshing time, the was sun shining, the birds singing and flowers blooming. Wednesday in the square there was a community revival. Several pastors of Edwards churches, black and white, participated in the revival. I went away filled with hope for the future of Edwards.

Early Thursday morning, surrounded by a loving family, my friend Betty Kemp passed, Betty was able to stay home through out her illness, with help from Hospice her family was able to care for her in final days and hours.

Betty’s memorial service was Saturday, at same Presbyterian church, where just the week before the wedding had been held. In fact for the memorial service, the father of the bride, Dave Harpole with Betty’s son-in-law, Ronnie Noble sang “Victory in Jesus” .

After the service, the ladies of the church served the Kemp family a meal, at the home of Suzanne and Dave Harpole…Where Just a week and a day ago, had been the location of a crawfish boil…the rehearsal dinner before the wedding.

Love to all and call if you need me…

Oh, the two births, Jennifer Stuart, Sonny Montgomery’s daughter, became a grandmother the day Sonny died. Thursday, the day Betty died, Kay and Lewis Montgomery became grandparents again…Victors wife gave birth to a healthy baby girl in Memphis. Life does go on……….

It is also said, that in a small town, “Everybody gets in everybody else’s business“….I feel it my great honor and privilege to live where that is true.

Edwards is once again in mourning.

My friend Betty Kemp passed just before sunrise Thursday.