Most of my childhood memories involve a table of some sort. The first table that comes to mind is the picnic table I crawled under at my 6th birthday. The sky had opened up one hell of a storm, the cake was wet, but damn it, I'd protect my pretty pink dress. I remember the dash out of the forest holding a thin vinyl table cloth over my head trying not to trip, splashing mud up my legs with each stomp.
Then there are the memories of making mud pies with great-grandma Ruby on that round yellow table. The table that would get so hot it could melt your skin off. Maybe that's an exaggeration but summers in Texas are basically like standing on the surface of the sun in a steam shower. Us kids would spend hours and hours gathering dirt to make our famous 'mud pies'.
First great-grandma would set us up with shovels (the hand held ones she used for gardening) and empty planter containers to fill with dirt. She'd tell us to "make sure we found a variety of colors". So we'd set off with our mission searching uphill and down hill for different colors of dirt. We would get the red clay from down the hill and the white sand that lined the creek bed. Maybe a little brown sand from the oil road.
Then there are the memories of making mud pies with great-grandma Ruby on that round yellow table. The table that would get so hot it could melt your skin off. Maybe that's an exaggeration but summers in Texas are basically like standing on the surface of the sun in a steam shower. Us kids would spend hours and hours gathering dirt to make our famous 'mud pies'.
First great-grandma would set us up with shovels (the hand held ones she used for gardening) and empty planter containers to fill with dirt. She'd tell us to "make sure we found a variety of colors". So we'd set off with our mission searching uphill and down hill for different colors of dirt. We would get the red clay from down the hill and the white sand that lined the creek bed. Maybe a little brown sand from the oil road.
After we were satisfied with our "dirt harvest" we would head back up to the house ready to assemble a master piece of a pie. Great-grandma would have an assortment of tin trays for us to 'bake our cakes' set up around the yellow table.
Mixing our cakes involved mixing dirt in water, then other dirts in water to make layers. Baking them was simple as allowing them to dry in the hot Texas sun. In the meantime we'd have sweet tea in our fancy cups and make up poems about birds.
Mixing our cakes involved mixing dirt in water, then other dirts in water to make layers. Baking them was simple as allowing them to dry in the hot Texas sun. In the meantime we'd have sweet tea in our fancy cups and make up poems about birds.
Great Grandma Ruby and I circa 1987
Still to this day I wonder why on earth I thought mud pies were as awesome as I did or why I loved it so damn much. Either way I'll be passing down the tradition with our little one (s) one day soon. I've already gathered a few small pans, extra aprons and a rolling pin, all tucked away in the imagination chest, ready to go at a moments notice.
Now days setting the table is simply setting our the 'nicer' set of cloth napkins and mason jars of ice water. Our day to day napkins are quite faded so the rich colors of new ones always seem to add the touch I'm looking for (Some day's I'm pretty simple). If I'm feeling really fancy (say it's stuffed salmon night) then I'll whip out a table cloth.
Now for a shameless plug:
Seeing the ones at Banarsi last week made me want to do it much more often. Just look at the above table cloths and tell me it doesn't make you want to sit down and pour a little red wine?
Now for a shameless plug:
Seeing the ones at Banarsi last week made me want to do it much more often. Just look at the above table cloths and tell me it doesn't make you want to sit down and pour a little red wine?
Speaking of which, we are about to bottle another batch of that delicious homemade red. Maybe when you finally come visit for dinner we'll pour you a glass.
But I'm getting side tracked, The folks at Banarsi Designs would love to help add that special touch to every dinner. So head over and visit them, they'd appreciate it. So much in fact that they might just continue to support my wine and cheese habit.
But I'm getting side tracked, The folks at Banarsi Designs would love to help add that special touch to every dinner. So head over and visit them, they'd appreciate it. So much in fact that they might just continue to support my wine and cheese habit.
You have a way with words, so much in fact that I'll always read your sponsored posts. I might just have to try this mud pie thing with the kids this summer. Seems like a good way to get them out of the house at little cost or effort on my part.
ReplyDeleteIndeed maybe Great Grandma Ruby was the Yoda of getting kids out of the house. Or creative anyway :o)
DeleteI really like their bohemian style I'll have to check them out. And your shameless plug made me crack up my coworkers looked at me funny lol.
ReplyDelete