Dedicated to my grandmother, Rilla Denson.

Below on the left is my grandmother with her

famous 'red bonnett' and on the right is my mother.

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My roots go way back. My grandfather's grandmother was Cherokee Indian and is buried in an Indian mound on a bank of Hwy 9. She was born around 1830 and passed away 1862.  Her grave is the only indian burial mound in Alabama where the identity of the person buried there is known.

I was raised in rural Alabama by my grandparents. 

My grandfather and I the day I arrived home from the hospital.

 Grandmother's Bible:

In 1987, there were now five generations.

My grandparent's home, where I grew up:

Celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniverary

My Mother and Father

My Sister, Sandra

It was as natural as the sun rising, for everyone to be gathered at our house for the holidays. Since I lived with my grandmother, the food seemed like 'Sunday' food for me. Every Sunday at our house was almost a holiday where food was concerned. Grandmother was up at the crack of dawn frying chicken, baking pies and Sunday lunch, or dinner, as we called it was ready well before we left for church. Having unexpected company for Sunday dinner wasn’t all that unexpected so Grandmother cooked as if a crowd would be eating dinner with us each Sunday. There wasn’t too much difference in the way she prepared for holiday meals, other than when the holidays rolled around we were certain about the number of people who would be sitting down at the table

The big Thanksgiving turkey was not a tradition when I was growing up. Not that we didn’t have turkey served for family gatherings, it just wasn’t a Thanksgiving tradition. Our tradition was fried chicken and chicken and dressing. Food was rarely prepared in advance. Grandmother was a believer on everything been prepared the day it was to be served. Cooking began at daylight and our kitchen was busy right up until the last dish was ready to be served. Without a doubt the highlight of our Thanksgiving meal was Grandmother’s Coconut Cake and her Chicken and Dressing. I dare say though, there wasn’t one dish on her Thanksgiving table that wasn’t a favorite for us all. Simple dishes, good down home dishes, dishes we all loved. We did have one item that went straight from the can to the table and that was the cranberry sauce.  I remember once she made a pretty dish of cranberry sauce using cranberries, oranges etc. and the whispering around the table soon became a sounding 'where's the cranberry sauce?  Everyone was expecting and wanted that jellied sauce that came out of the can. Grandmother hurried off to the kitchen, opened up a couple of cans, brought it the table and instantly the mood brightens, all was well.  From that day on, the 'house' cranberry sauce came from a can.

 Certain things were never left off the table of a family gathering, such as deviled eggs and pear salad. Again, very simple little dishes but always the platters that were first emptied.

Desserts consisted more of pies than cakes. One cake was ever present and that was a fresh coconut cake. There were always three pies, chocolate, lemon and coconut. There was another little pie loved by everyone, fried pies, either peach or apple.

 This is a copy of the menu from the only restaurant in our town. It is what was being served on the day I as born.   Look at the prices back then!