annie blog

Design Question
I need some help, y’all. Color theory type of help.

I’ve painted two walls (not my walls) two different colors.

First color: Sort of bright almost hazard orange.
Second color: bright cornflower (?, sorry, I don’t have a crayola box handy) blue.

The question: What color should I paint the remaining walls? I was reading Martha Stewart last night and they suggested super light warm barely there sort of blue to go with any primary colors instead of a standard neutral.

What would you do? Repainting one of the remaining walls is not an option.

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Happy day, y’all.

Design Question
I need some help, y’all. Color theory type of help.

I’ve painted two walls (not my walls) two different colors.

First color: Sort of bright almost hazard orange.
Second color: bright cornflower (?, sorry, I don’t have a crayola box handy) blue.

The question: What color should I paint the remaining walls? I was reading Martha Stewart last night and they suggested super light warm barely there sort of blue to go with any primary colors instead of a standard neutral.

What would you do? Repainting one of the remaining walls is not an option.

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Happy day, y’all.

Pancakes, Mmmmmm

There is just something about a perfect pancake. It’s so simple.

You must have this recipe. I came up with it several years ago. It is only a tiny smidgeon harder than a mix and so much better. The great thing about it, too, is that it is even better if you let it age — either on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking or in the fridge overnight if you’re the plan ahead type. I’m actually going to masquerade as a plan ahead type of person the next time we have folks over for Sunday lunch after church. My plan is to make up a big batch of batter, make the bacon ahead of time, make a fruit platter and then just warm everything up and make pancakes and scrambled eggs when we get home. The only thing I don’t know is what kind of snack one puts out before a meal of breakfast and I also don’t know what kind of drinks to have besides coffee, of course. Screwdrivers? Mimosas? Bloody Marys? Suggestions?

Here’s the recipe:

P-Annie Cakes

Double or triple at will.

2 T. Butter
Milk (or buttermilk) on top of butter to make 1 Cup
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt

In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. When the butter is melted, add enough milk to make one cup. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until beaten. Add the milk and butter mixture. Whisk a few times. Then, add the dry ingredients — just sprinkle them over the butter/egg/milk mixture. After all of the dry ingredients have been sprinkled on, then whisk them in until incorporated and mostly smooth. Don’t fuss if there are small lumps here and there. It is more important not to beat the batter to death. Allow the batter to age on the countertop for 30 minutes or so or cover it and put it in the fridge to let it age overnight.

Fry them up and dig in!

Pancakes, Mmmmmm

There is just something about a perfect pancake. It’s so simple.

You must have this recipe. I came up with it several years ago. It is only a tiny smidgeon harder than a mix and so much better. The great thing about it, too, is that it is even better if you let it age — either on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking or in the fridge overnight if you’re the plan ahead type. I’m actually going to masquerade as a plan ahead type of person the next time we have folks over for Sunday lunch after church. My plan is to make up a big batch of batter, make the bacon ahead of time, make a fruit platter and then just warm everything up and make pancakes and scrambled eggs when we get home. The only thing I don’t know is what kind of snack one puts out before a meal of breakfast and I also don’t know what kind of drinks to have besides coffee, of course. Screwdrivers? Mimosas? Bloody Marys? Suggestions?

Here’s the recipe:

P-Annie Cakes

Double or triple at will.

2 T. Butter
Milk (or buttermilk) on top of butter to make 1 Cup
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt

In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. When the butter is melted, add enough milk to make one cup. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until beaten. Add the milk and butter mixture. Whisk a few times. Then, add the dry ingredients — just sprinkle them over the butter/egg/milk mixture. After all of the dry ingredients have been sprinkled on, then whisk them in until incorporated and mostly smooth. Don’t fuss if there are small lumps here and there. It is more important not to beat the batter to death. Allow the batter to age on the countertop for 30 minutes or so or cover it and put it in the fridge to let it age overnight.

Fry them up and dig in!

Pancakes, Mmmmmm

There is just something about a perfect pancake. It’s so simple.

You must have this recipe. I came up with it several years ago. It is only a tiny smidgeon harder than a mix and so much better. The great thing about it, too, is that it is even better if you let it age — either on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking or in the fridge overnight if you’re the plan ahead type. I’m actually going to masquerade as a plan ahead type of person the next time we have folks over for Sunday lunch after church. My plan is to make up a big batch of batter, make the bacon ahead of time, make a fruit platter and then just warm everything up and make pancakes and scrambled eggs when we get home. The only thing I don’t know is what kind of snack one puts out before a meal of breakfast and I also don’t know what kind of drinks to have besides coffee, of course. Screwdrivers? Mimosas? Bloody Marys? Suggestions?

Here’s the recipe:

P-Annie Cakes

Double or triple at will.

2 T. Butter
Milk (or buttermilk) on top of butter to make 1 Cup
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup flour
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt

In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter in the microwave. When the butter is melted, add enough milk to make one cup. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg until beaten. Add the milk and butter mixture. Whisk a few times. Then, add the dry ingredients — just sprinkle them over the butter/egg/milk mixture. After all of the dry ingredients have been sprinkled on, then whisk them in until incorporated and mostly smooth. Don’t fuss if there are small lumps here and there. It is more important not to beat the batter to death. Allow the batter to age on the countertop for 30 minutes or so or cover it and put it in the fridge to let it age overnight.

Fry them up and dig in!

What Y’all Might Need Today

is some Grits Ain’t Groceries. You might also need some real grits and groceries, but I wouldn’t know for sure about that.

Sing it, Little Milton!

Happy Wednesday, y’all.

What Y’all Might Need Today

is some Grits Ain’t Groceries. You might also need some real grits and groceries, but I wouldn’t know for sure about that.

Sing it, Little Milton!

Happy Wednesday, y’all.

What Y’all Might Need Today

is some Grits Ain’t Groceries. You might also need some real grits and groceries, but I wouldn’t know for sure about that.

Sing it, Little Milton!

Happy Wednesday, y’all.

Down, Mama Bear

These males I live with are funny. They require a very direct approach. Most of the time, I find this really refreshing. For instance, generally, they are immune to manipulation. So, when I want them to do something, I have to first get their attention and then be super direct about the subject at hand.

But, I fear that after all of these years of shooting from the hip with my boys, that I may have lost a trait that I have many times heard nice people refer to me as. What trait? Actually, it really isn’t a trait that I possess. They say that I am sweet. I always defer — not out of false modesty, either. The reason that I defer is because I see myself from the inside and therefore know that sweet is many times not even in the same dimension as I am. But, I suppose that the little girl voice and the southern accent contribute. And yet, even with accent and little girl voice in place, I think that the perceived sweetness might be bleeding out a bit.

Why do I say this? Well, a couple of weeks ago at the pool, I went on a search for J. I couldn’t find him. Not that I was worried. It is just that he only comes up for air the whole time that we’re there, and so I have to look carefully for a while before I see his head bobbing up. I passed my youngest in my trek across the pool and asked if he had seen J. He hadn’t. So we walked along together as I continued my search. I had just decided to go and look in the large pool when I heard what sounded like J over to my left. I turned and didn’t see anyone. A few seconds later, I saw him break the surface of the water with not one, but 2 little boys clinging to him — one of them was firmly grasping J by the hair. I was over to them in what felt like a fraction of a second. J began telling me how these little boys had been messing with him. I was inclined to believe him since the one little boy still had a grip on J. I could see that his scalp was bright red underneath his hair.

So, I wondered a few things. Things like how come J didn’t give these little boys the slip. He is built like a bull ox and is twice as strong. I also wondered about the lifeguards that encircle the pool. Maybe they were not observing all that they could? You think?

I bent over. I placed one finger lightly on the little boy’s arm. I quietly asked him, “Do you like it when someone pulls your hair?” He answered, “No.” It was almost inaudible, actually, and as he said the word I noticed both hands released J’s hair like it had turned hot and was suddenly burning his hands. I dropped my voice even further and said, “All right, then.” And then he just skedaddled, y’all. I was shocked, actually, and almost felt sorry for him — almost but not quite. I definitely scared the bejabbers out of the kid.

I make this illustration just to say that I don’t know why it happened because usually I don’t get this kind of reaction from kids. Usually, they sort of regard me for a moment, trying to figure out if I mean what I say.

Maybe it is from being around my quirky boys.

Maybe the kid realized how badly he had acted and was feeling remorseful.

Maybe he saw the shadow of Mama Bear waking up and decided to vamoose before she came roaring on the scene. (Smart. Kid, you have no idea how hard it is to shove Mama Bear back in her cave. Dude, it ain’t pretty.)

I don’t know. But, I have to tell you, I sort of liked it.

Which definitely proves how un-sweet I am.

Just trying to banish myths, y’all.

Happy Tuesday!

Down, Mama Bear

These males I live with are funny. They require a very direct approach. Most of the time, I find this really refreshing. For instance, generally, they are immune to manipulation. So, when I want them to do something, I have to first get their attention and then be super direct about the subject at hand.

But, I fear that after all of these years of shooting from the hip with my boys, that I may have lost a trait that I have many times heard nice people refer to me as. What trait? Actually, it really isn’t a trait that I possess. They say that I am sweet. I always defer — not out of false modesty, either. The reason that I defer is because I see myself from the inside and therefore know that sweet is many times not even in the same dimension as I am. But, I suppose that the little girl voice and the southern accent contribute. And yet, even with accent and little girl voice in place, I think that the perceived sweetness might be bleeding out a bit.

Why do I say this? Well, a couple of weeks ago at the pool, I went on a search for J. I couldn’t find him. Not that I was worried. It is just that he only comes up for air the whole time that we’re there, and so I have to look carefully for a while before I see his head bobbing up. I passed my youngest in my trek across the pool and asked if he had seen J. He hadn’t. So we walked along together as I continued my search. I had just decided to go and look in the large pool when I heard what sounded like J over to my left. I turned and didn’t see anyone. A few seconds later, I saw him break the surface of the water with not one, but 2 little boys clinging to him — one of them was firmly grasping J by the hair. I was over to them in what felt like a fraction of a second. J began telling me how these little boys had been messing with him. I was inclined to believe him since the one little boy still had a grip on J. I could see that his scalp was bright red underneath his hair.

So, I wondered a few things. Things like how come J didn’t give these little boys the slip. He is built like a bull ox and is twice as strong. I also wondered about the lifeguards that encircle the pool. Maybe they were not observing all that they could? You think?

I bent over. I placed one finger lightly on the little boy’s arm. I quietly asked him, “Do you like it when someone pulls your hair?” He answered, “No.” It was almost inaudible, actually, and as he said the word I noticed both hands released J’s hair like it had turned hot and was suddenly burning his hands. I dropped my voice even further and said, “All right, then.” And then he just skedaddled, y’all. I was shocked, actually, and almost felt sorry for him — almost but not quite. I definitely scared the bejabbers out of the kid.

I make this illustration just to say that I don’t know why it happened because usually I don’t get this kind of reaction from kids. Usually, they sort of regard me for a moment, trying to figure out if I mean what I say.

Maybe it is from being around my quirky boys.

Maybe the kid realized how badly he had acted and was feeling remorseful.

Maybe he saw the shadow of Mama Bear waking up and decided to vamoose before she came roaring on the scene. (Smart. Kid, you have no idea how hard it is to shove Mama Bear back in her cave. Dude, it ain’t pretty.)

I don’t know. But, I have to tell you, I sort of liked it.

Which definitely proves how un-sweet I am.

Just trying to banish myths, y’all.

Happy Tuesday!