My neighbor, JR Dukes, has been catching the daylights out of some big ole bass at Grenada Lake. Speaking of bass, the Tillatoba Annual Bass Tournament will be Saturday, May 3, starting at 1 p.m., at the Hartley Farm, 1813 County Road 2, Tillatoba, MS 38961.
Phil and Ginger Harrison had a good day at Pine Grove celebrating the graduates. Ginger said Hayden Eubanks from Sylva Rena delivered a great message. Jake Harrison led the music and Josh Harrison did the special music. Ginger, your mamma said it was so good, she almost stood up clapping and saying “Those are my Grandboys!” Me sitting next to their other sweet GMom, I sat on my hands and whispered to her, “Our boys!”
Deborah McCool has had a sick husband all week. She said Tommy has had a cold and was feeling terrible, but was still going to work sick.
Saturday, Deborah went to Southaven with daughter Angela Dukes and son, P.J., and Deborah’s granddaughter, Caitlyn Beavers. They did some shopping and Angela was looking for a new dining room set. They reported having a wonderful time, and Deborah said she hopes they get to go again soon.
Martha Box had a great worship service at Pine Grove Baptist Church Sunday. There was a great graduation celebration service for several of the youth: Haley Ferguson, Brantley Parker, Colby Adams, Josh Harrison, Jayden McCormick, Jacob Medders, Parker Ward and Dustin Winter. Dustin graduated from kindergarten. And what a biblical spiritual message shared per Hayden Eubanks, said Martha. She said it was so encouraging to those graduated young adults “and us oldies, too.”
Diane Dukes said she heard a good sermon Sunday by Bro. Rickey Harris. He preached from the book of Romans. It was just peaceful in church. Logan Rose, Diane’s great-grandson, got stung Sunday, at home. He said, “That’s the worst today in my life.” Logan has never been stung before. I know it hurts.
Diane said they got to visit their great-grandkids. Haven Rose was busy telling Diane how her other grandmother, Tree Tree, hurt her arm. Diane said Braxden Dukes and John Luke Rose made her feel special Sunday by sitting with her at church and “acting like young men.”
Martha Box said her world has been so tied to the foot surgery that the past four months have taken a toll. But she is now on the rise, walking about the house carefully without a cane. “If I stumble,” Martha said, “I can grab the wall and slide down!”
Martha got out a few times last week, including a great lunch at the Corner Store Wednesday and Thursday, where she had a good visit with friends and daughter, Candy. At the Truck Stop, she enjoyed time with the boys and son, Ben Box. She had a sweet visit with Sheryn Goode. Brother Jesse brought Martha a great meal he cooked Friday. She said it was “mmm good.” Sis Joyce and Martha had that wonderful fish meal from the Catfish Hut Saturday.
While sitting in the Charles Retina clinic last Wednesday, I saw Patty Rowland. We go to the same optometrist. Funny how you live around people and don’t see them until you end up in a doctor’s office.
Belated happy birthday to Louise Arnold and Bobby Epps on the 23rd; to Jennifer Bowman on the 24th; to Linda Robinson Colston on the 26th; to Mary Ann Carpenter the 27th; to Tim Little the 28th; and to Renee DeLancey on the 30th. Starting our May birthdays are Festus Hailey on the 2nd; Larry Franklin on the 3rd; Alan McMillian the 4th; and Cole Burlison and my sweet niece, Anne Hart Hames, who celebrate on the 5th. I hope you all had/have a great birthday!
Recipe for the week:
“Homemade Banana Bread”
Ingredients
4 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1.5 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add the room-temperature butter, cooking oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat the ingredients together until they become light and creamy.
Mash the bananas well, then add them to the mixing bowl with the butter and sugar, along with the eggs and vanilla extract. Use the mixer again to beat the ingredients together until smooth.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon until well combined. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients and fold them together just until combined. Do not overmix. Add the chopped walnuts to the bowl and gently fold to combine again.
Grease an 8.5”x4.5” loaf pan with butter or oil, then add the batter and smooth it out evenly into the pan.
Bake the banana bread in the preheated 350ºF oven for 50 minutes or until it’s deeply golden brown on top. Allow the loaf to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then gently remove it from the pan and allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice, serve and enjoy!
Thought for the day: Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.
