On the first Sunday of October at Noon every year, my family shares the time-honored tradition of attending Homecoming and Dinner on the Grounds at Historic Richland Baptist Church, known fondly to the locals as “Old Richland.” Continue reading “A Rich Tradition at Richland Baptist Church: Dinner on the Grounds”
During a natural disaster, when one is forced to sort through their belongings to decide what to take and what to leave behind, it provides perspective. Tonight I sit on my parent’s windy patio in Blythe, Georgia, a quaint little community outside of Augusta, where my husband and I, along with our 10-pound Shih Tzu, Ewok, and my in-laws have evacuated from Savannah. It’s been a long, unsettling and anxious few days, traveling, waiting and wondering if our homes will be standing when we return and what path Hurricane Irma will decide to take. Watching the weather and the news on TV is grueling, as one of the most unpredictable and historically strong hurricanes makes its way passed Puerto Rico and the Bahamas up through the west coast of Florida.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal called for a mandatory evacuation of Savannah on Thursday last week. That’s when we began packing our bags, praying for the best and preparing for the worst.
We set about bringing inside our front porch furniture and securing anything outside with the potential of blowing away during hurricane and tropical storm-force winds. We filled our bathtub with water in case the power is out when we return home.
We secured our city garbage cans and got out of town a day before the primary evacuation began to avoid heavy traffic as much as possible, joining the thousands of other Floridians already on the road.
As I sorted through my closet, I chose to bring my best work clothes, my fall boots and some other clothing items that are newly purchased and well fitting. I opened my jewelry box to gather only the most valuable and sentimental pieces – a Claire’s friendship necklace that two of my best friends and I share and gave to each other in the 6th grade. It hung on the rear-view mirror of my Z-71 Chevrolet Camaro throughout my high school years; a gold seashell necklace left to me from my late grandmother Betty; a gold palm tree necklace that my husband gave me on the day before we wed and a sterling silver six pence necklace custom made for me on a trip to London from a dear family member. I tossed in a few other pieces of value, before grabbing up some irreplaceable photographs.
From there, I made my way to pack a few things from the kitchen. Oh, my precious kitchen. How could I possibly pack up all the things I hold dear in the heart of my home? My favorite cookbooks, my treasured appliances, my cake stands and cherished dishes. I quickly realized how selfish and insignificant my dilemma seemed, as I considered what cookbooks were worth saving, when others’ homes in the Caribbean Islands had already been leveled by the devastation and catastrophic storm surge of the Category 5 Hurricane.
I found myself getting emotional as we locked up the house. Uncertainty and worry, anxiety and fear, all of these emotions whirled through my mind as I pulled out of the driveway. When would we be cleared to come home? Would we have a home to return to? Would a tree fall through the roof? Would flood waters overtake everything? Would my furniture and all the material possessions I’d worked so hard to attain be there when we got back? What would happen to my place of business? Would it too survive the storm? So many thoughts and questions…so much unpredictability.
The scriptures that are written on my heart combat these very thoughts as I pray for that peace that passes all understanding. Luke 12:25 says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” I also think of Philippians 4:6-7 which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As of the latest tracking information, Hurricane Irma has weakened to a Category 2 Hurricane and has shifted west, further away from Savannah, although strong winds and potential tornadoes are still a serious threat. No one can really know the impact this hurricane will have on our city and our Nation until it has passed. What I do know tonight though, I am so grateful for: I have the shelter and safe haven of family, a place to go and the means and resources to get there. I am not unaware that so many evacuees are without these simple comforts.
Join me in praying for a weak and quick end to Hurricane Irma. I believe in a Jesus who can still speak to the wind and calm the storm.
“Sweet tea should not be like drinking cane syrup. It is meant to be a refreshing, cold beverage that does not put you into a diabetic coma.” – Rebekah on Perfect Sweet Tea Every Time, Episode 6 of SKG-TV
Perfect Sweet Tea Every Time
Fill a medium stock pot with cold tap water and set it over high heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Add tea bags to hot water, pressing them gently into the water to soak. With the pot off the heat, put the lid on it and let the tea bags steep for at least 20 minutes. The longer it sits, the stronger it gets. Meanwhile, pour sugar into the pitcher and set aside. Once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and drain them over the side of the pitcher with a wooden spoon. While stirring, add cold water to fill the remainder of the pitcher. If serving immediately, fill a glass to the top with ice and pour. Refrigerate tea until cold. Garnish each glass with mint and a wedge of lemon, if desired.
Subscribe to SKG-TV on YouTube for more how-to recipes and inspiration from my Savannah, Georgia kitchen.
New to Some Kinda Good?
Georgia native Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a freelance writer, entertainer and food enthusiast who writes and speaks about her love of good food and the Coastal South. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC TV’s “The Taste,” she is the Statesboro Herald food columnist and host of SKG-TV on Youtube. A public relations graduate of Georgia Southern University, Rebekah also attended Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah. To learn more, connect with Some Kinda Good on social media, or visit RebekahFaulk.wix.com/RebekahFaulk.
Labor Day weekend is fast approaching, and if you’re like me, you want to eat good, but don’t want to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen. Continue reading “Follow Some Kinda Good & Receive “3 Laborless Desserts for Labor Day Weekend” FREE”
This classic Southern comfort food dish doesn’t disappoint. I use a store bought pie crust to save time, and the fresh herbs in the filling really make this chicken pot pie stand out. Enjoy! Continue reading “Episode 5 of SKG-TV: Chicken Pot Pie with Fresh Herbs”
I can hardly drive past an enticing roadside stand with fresh peaches, corn on the cob and bright red tomatoes glistening in the sunshine without stopping. Continue reading “Super Simple Streusal-Topped Blueberry Peach Pie”
If you’ve read my food column or followed my blog for any length of time, you know that one of my dreams is to host my own cooking show on a national television network. Continue reading “Subscribe to SKG-TV Now on YouTube”
Continue reading “Episode 4 of SKG-TV: Grilled Panzanella Salad”
I moved to Savannah, Georgia just before Christmas last year, and began a new full-time job in March. When you work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the lunch hour is always a bright spot during the day.
Continue reading “Let’s Do Lunch: My Top 5 Savannah Mid-Day Meal Spots”
Wildflowers
Verona, New York
These days, I have the privilege of traveling out-of-state on business about once a month. Here recently, work took me to Upstate New York where I had the opportunity to dine at my first Forbes Travel Guide 4-Star Rated Restaurant. Continue reading “Upscale Dining in Upstate New York”
