Rambling with Ann

By ANN WORTHINGTON

There they stand, all green and tall with leaves spreading clear across the row. Frost has hit these yummy green things and that makes them ready for my cook pots. Yes, I’m talking about good-tasting collards.

I well remember how my parents prepared the collards when I was a little girl. I always looked forward to the days my mom cooked a huge pot of these things.

I remember my dad making a trip to our garden. Most of the time I was trudging along with him, and he would have a big, old knife that he used to whack down two or three hills of collards. Together we would carry them in our arms to the house where Mom was waiting to do her magic.

Mom would strip the leaves from the collard stalks, cut them in smaller pieces and wash the cut-up leaves in several sinks of water after checking each leaf for any kind of insect.

My dad would make a trip out to our smokehouse, again with yours truly tagging along, because I loved the smoke scent the old house seemed to have an abundance of. He would retrieve a ham or shoulder and take it to my mom.

She would slice several pieces of the good-smelling meat, wash and place it in a large pot and add the collards and water. I knew that these green leaves, along without home-cured meat, corn cakes, relishes, and other goodies, would soon be on our table.

The ringing of the large dinner bell on our porch reminded my dad, my brothers, and the other chore workers my dad hired that they would soon feast on the finger-licking delicious meal my mom had prepared.

I really miss my parents and all the nice things they did for my family and me. I really miss the many Sundays I made a trip to Mom’s house and enjoyed the delicious food, love and fellowship I felt there.

The thing I really appreciate the most as I look back on my childhood is that I can always remember that I was raised by Christian parents who taught me as many of life’s values as they possibly could.

I wish I could thank them once more for their leadership and guidance, which helped me so much when I started raising my own family.

My taste buds can almost taste the collard greens, and I haven’t even started cooking them yet. But wouldn’t you know, collards are the one things I don’t need to eat too heartily because of a medication I take. Still, I just have to eat collards every so often.

I know lots of people who can hardly stand to smell the green things cooking, but I’m glad they only make me hungry.

My friends, I hope each of you had a blessed Thanksgiving, complete with family and friends. I hope you will join with me to be thankful for all our many blessings, and as always, until next time, remember that God loves you, and so do I.