Kentucky Chocolate Bourbon Balls
​​Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 16-ounce package confectioners' sugar
• 5 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions:
Place the nuts in a sealable jar. Pour the bourbon over the nuts. Seal and allow to soak overnight.
Mix the butter and sugar; fold in the soaked nuts. Form into 3/4" balls and refrigerate overnight.
Line a tray with waxed paper. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Roll the balls in the melted chocolate to coat; arrange on the prepared tray. Store in refrigerator until serving.

                 Stephanie Turner 
Jun 27 2016 9:15 pm
Staff File Photo by Amanda King ​

Aiken author’s new book rooted in Native American folklore

Diann Shaddox, an Aiken author and founder offor Essential For her first book, Aiken author Diann Shaddox raised awareness of a condition that she lives with – essential tremor.
For her latest book, she pulled from another aspect of her life – her Native American heritage.
Staff Photo by Stephanie Turner “Spirits of Sacred Mountain” is the latest book by Diann Shaddox.
“Spirits of Sacred Mountain” was released in May.
 
“Cody Tanner looks like a normal 11-year-old, except he can blur/disappear, use his mind to move objects, and stop time. Normal if you’re a spirit of the mountain,” says the book’s summary.
Tanner, like Shaddox, is a Native American. The author is a member of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma.
“That’s probably what triggered a lot of this because I was reading up on the tribe, Wyandotte,” Shaddox said.

​The story of “Spirits” is rooted in Native American folklore and is written so that readers as young as elementary school-aged students can enjoy it, according to Shaddox.
“I’ve already gotten people wanting a second one,” Shaddox said.
“Spirits ” is dedicated to Shaddox’s husband, to the Wyandotte Nation and to the late Chief Leaford Bearskin.
Before he passed, Bearskin asked Shaddox to write a story about the Native American culture. He was also a childhood friend of her mother.
 
Shaddox’s first book, “A Faded Cottage,” was released in 2013. Her two other books are “Whispering Fog” and “Miranda.”
All proceeds benefit the Diann Shaddox Foundation for Essential Tremor, an Aiken-based organization that Shaddox started.
Her upcoming book signings are as follows:

• July 7 from 4 to 6 p.m.: Aiken County Historical Museum, 433 Newberry St. S.W.; part of the museum’s Sweet Tea Series; will have refreshments of wine and cheese
• July 12 from 3 to 6 p.m.: Ridgecrest Coffee Bar in the Village of Woodside, 108 Coach Light Way

“Spirits of Sacred Mountain” is $5.99 as an ebook, $17.99 as a paperback and $27.99 as a hardback and can be purchased through major online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
“We think this is going to be the most popular book she’s written,” said Randy Miles, executive director of the Diann Shaddox Foundation.
Shaddox has plans to make “Spirits” the first of a series.
​http://www.aikenstandard.com/20160627/160629548/aiken-authorx2019s-new-book-rooted-in-native-american-folklore
For more information, visit www.diannshaddox.com or www.diann shaddoxfoundation.org.

Enjoy a warm delicious cheesy, creamy bowl of cheddar cheese & broccoli. Add a small salad and yeast rolls with melted butter and you have an easy meal for the entire family to enjoy. 

The old Frampton Plantation in Yemassee, SC has a fountain/wishing well and when I visit I can’t resist to throw a coin into it. While I’m there, if a child visits I always give them a coin to toss into the water. I love to see a smile and expression full of hope and anticipation grow on their faces as they make a wish.  

The tradition of the wishing well has its beginnings in European folk history. Of course in years past underground streams were important sources of clear, fresh water. The early Celts and Germanic people considered springs or streams to have healing and rejuvenating properties, guarded by spirits who may or may not be friendly.

The tradition of dropping coins in ponds and fountains began when people placed the coins as gifts for the deity to show appreciation.

According to belief, any wish spoken over the source of water would come true. A person could make a wish or ask for a blessing from the spirit(s) of the well. People threw silver or copper coins into the well or stream as thanks to the spirits, for good luck or for helpful magic.

Tossing a coin into a wishing well has added benefits. Copper and silver are biocides, meaning that they neutralize harmful bacteria in the water, including those that cause the "rotten-egg" or sulfur smell. Silver and copper metal in coins helps keep the water sweet.

Some people believe that the guardians or dwellers of the well would grant them their wish if they paid a price. After uttering the wish, one would generally drop a coin in the well. That wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller, based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well. If the coin landed heads up, the guardian of the well would grant the wish, but the wish of a tails up coin would be ignored. It was thus potentially lucky to throw coins in the well, but it depended on how they landed.

My dear Emily Grace, don’t shed any tears for me. The tragedies of my life have been indescribable. I have had tears of joy and tears of sorrow; the loss of my family, husband, and child, but the love I’ve known will hold in my heart and never fade. Always remember, one single rose means…I love you.” With all my love forever, Miranda

I wrote Miranda in 2008 when I lived in Leander, TX. It was the second novel that I had written. The story of Miranda began one late night and was finished a few weeks later. I've wondered how each of my stories evolves in my head, but late at night, just as a movie on TV, my stories flow. 

I believe Miranda evolved after I had visited a train station that had an old, black train engine sitting on a lonely set of tracks, undisturbed, but full of memories. I was able to climb aboard the train engine and stand quite on its metal steps thinking about all the people who had traveled on that old train, their stories of happiness and sorrow.

When I was growing up in a small town of Arkansas, I spent many cool summer evenings racing around the yard carrying a fruit jar in my hands. If you have to ask why, then you have missed out on a tradition of catching lightning bugs or called by many fireflies. The world turns into an enchanted evening as if tiny stars had fallen from the sky twinkling in the darken night.

 
The fireflies seem magical and even though there is a scientific answer (a chemical reaction occurs to make their spectacular light) I’d rather believe they are small fairies living in their own glittering world.

 



 

 

Miranda

Miranda is an executive, the owner of a bank, carries a gun in her purse, kills a man, and falls in love with a gambler. What’s different about Miranda? She doesn’t live in the twenty first century she lives in the late 1800’s.

A forbidden passion prevails over a lifetime between a spirited young socialite and a known gambler in the late 1800’s. Miranda Cathleen Curry, a feisty young Irish woman and an heir to a large fortune is a survivor even after the loss of her family, husband, and baby. Miranda vows to rebuild the Old Grand Hotel, her bank, and her life after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, never letting anyone or anything get the best of her.

Miranda’s story is one of a love that transcends social norms, encompassing two love stories one with Vaughn, a known gambler and her one true love that is forbidden, and the other with Oliver a socially correct marriage. The precariousness of social class and class prejudice in the late 1800’s contributes to the loss of Vaughn, forcing him to leave a life she had planned. Miranda is unwavering as she fights loneliness, her albatross that shows no mercy as it tries to squeeze the life out of her time after time.

 

Cooking asparagus tonight. I may grill hamburgers, if the rain doesn't slow I will pan fry the hamburgers the old fashion way. lol
How to cook asparagus!
Snap off the dry ends of the asparagus. 
Okay, this took me a while to understand, since my grandmother didn't grow asparagus in Arkansas. You just grab hold of the asparagus with both hands and snap. It has an automatic snap and will break in half. It can't be any easier than that! 
Spread the asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet, (I use a flat iron skillet, sorry the southerner comes out) drizzle the asparagus lightly with olive oil and salt.
Cook at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 
It depends on the thickness of the stalks, so keep watch.
So easy, enjoy.
Have a great evening.
I will be adding this recipe to Diann's Family Favorites Cooking from Scratch.

Happy Father’s Day

I was very fortunate to have a kind, gentle man, my granddad, Creath, in my life for 10 years, a man who built buildings, courthouses, dams, and bridges all around the south.

He had patience with a little girl who liked to talk and had way too much energy. He gave me the best gift you can give a child, time.

On warm summer days, we would take long, slow walks around our yard. He would stop under the apple tree and pick an apple, wipe it off and using his pocketknife he would peel it. Then, we would continue our walk and he would hand me slices of the apple. He allowed me to talk about anything that I wanted. 

He was a strong willed man, known around town that his word was his bond. But he was also a caring man, a man who would take time to watch animals and birds play, teaching me to slow down and enjoy life.

I miss Granddad and those days we spent together, but I will always cherish the memories.

Happy Father's Day!

MIRANDA, a love story 
Get your pre-order signed copy now

Miranda is an executive, the owner of a bank, carries a gun in her purse, kills a man, and falls in love with a gambler. What’s different about Miranda? She doesn’t live in the twenty first century she lives in the late 1800’s.

MIRANDA is the story of a young woman’s journey through her life, her feelings, her emotions of happiness and sorrow.  

A forbidden passion prevails over a lifetime between a spirited young socialite and a known gambler in the late 1800’s. Miranda Cathleen Curry, a feisty young Irish woman and an heir to a large fortune is a survivor even after the loss of her family, husband, and baby. Miranda vows to rebuild the Old Grand Hotel, her bank, and her life after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, never letting anyone or anything get the best of her.

Miranda’s story is one of a love that transcends social norms, encompassing two love stories one with Vaughn, a known gambler and her one true love that is forbidden, and the other with Oliver a socially correct marriage. The precariousness of social class and class prejudice in the late 1800’s contributes to the loss of Vaughn, forcing him to leave a life she had planned. Miranda is unwavering as she fights loneliness, her albatross that shows no mercy as it tries to squeeze the life out of her time after time.

Time does go by quickly but the pain and heartache never goes away..
Remembering you today and always......

Today, May 20th, a year ago I spoke to my son, Rick, for the last time. No, I didn't say goodbye because I will see him again one day, but I did say I love you.
Time has gone by, but a day doesn't go by that I don’t think of him. I hear his laughter, see his smile, and will always hear him calling Mom, in his special voice, all the time. 
Today May the 20th isn't a day of sadness; it’s a day to remember a wonderful son who loved life. I remember how it felt to wrap my arms around him when he was a grown man just as it did when he was a tiny, blued eyed baby with blonde curls. 
He left this life way too soon. This is a reminder to all of us. Live each day to the fullest and never forget to tell your loved ones and family how much you love them. 
I will always keep my son alive in my heart and one day, all my memories, I will put down on paper in Rick’s Book of Life.

Today is Mother's Day, a day of remembering your mom or someone that made a difference in your life. I was very lucky since I had a mother who gave me life and a grandmother who taught me about life. 

Mother's Day is a time to think about your love ones, the ones who are still with you and the ones that are in heaven. When I was a child my granddad would sit outside on our front porch and talk to the cardinals. The magnificent birds in the coats of red would fly down onto limbs in the old oak tree, only a few feet from him, and stay for the longest time. Yes, he would have a conversation with them and they would sing their beautiful songs. He would tell me to be quiet and listen. I did as he asked and sat quietly, which was difficult for me then & now, and listen. I have learned over the years that a cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has died. When I think back to those days so long ago sitting with my granddad on our front porch remembering the cardinal singing in the old oaks I have to believe that this folklore must be true. 

I have to say this spring Folly Beach Wine & Sign was interesting to say the least.

Saturday didn't look very good, weather wise I mean, and... 
It did turn out that we had a hell of a Saturday on the Folly Beach Pier. We began the day with clouds and a high hope that the humongous front marching our way would go north and miss us. WELL, it didn't. The group of diehard authors and artist set up tents and began to sell books & art, but the rain moved in. We believed the slow rain showers would move on but.... instead a horrific storm or I would call a hurricane came through. The tents began to dance in huge gust with a downpour and of course we were all out there on the deck, being drenched by rain, trying to save everything. Everyone was great, however we weren't giving up. Sooooo... we all decided to extend the Folly Beach Wine & Sign to Sunday. 

Sunday morning began with blue skies and bright sun. The wind was gusty but all the tents were strapped down and everyone was ready. Crowds of people began to show up and they were very interested in everyone's books and jewelry.

I was able to talk with people from all over the world about the Diann Shaddox Foundation and Essential Tremor. I meet a few people who had ET and of course many that had not heard about it. We did have fun with the drawings for the raffles, that included a one nights stay at the Waters Edge Inn on Folly Beach, lunches & dinners at Locklears, Blues, Ritas and so many fun things.


Check back we are planning on another Folly Beach Wine & Sign in September. You don't want to miss the fun.

A few facts about the amazing Hummingbird.

Hummingbirds are small, colorful birds with iridescent feathers. Their name comes from the fact that they flap their wings so fast (about 50 to 200 flaps per second depending on the direction of flight and air conditions) that they make a humming noise. Hummingbirds can fly right, left, up, down, backwards, and even upside down. They are also able to hover by flapping their wings in a figure-8 pattern.

A hummingbird must consume approximately 1/2 of its weight in sugar daily, and the average hummingbird feeds 5-8 times per hour. Hummingbirds do not suck nectar through their long bills, they lick, (10-15 times per second), it with fringed forked tongues. The hummingbird’s fast breathing rate, fast heartbeat, and high body temperature require that they eat often. Humming birds have no sense of smell but have very keen eyesight.

At rest, a hummingbird takes an average of 250 breaths per minute. The Ruby-Throated hummingbird flies 500 miles nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico during both its spring and fall migrations. Depending on the species, habitat conditions, predators and other factors, the average lifespan of a wild hummingbird is 3-12 years.

Hummingbirds radiate like hot coals in the sun. The color that reaches your eye is created by pigment, which absorbs some colors and rejects others. Like soap bubbles, hummingbird’s color comes from iridescence, not pigment.

Join me #Booksigning #fundraiser for #DiannShaddoxFoundation ‪#‎Saturday‬ ‪#‎April11‬ on ‪#‎FollyBeach‬ #SC at the 25th ‪#‎AnnualSeaSandFestival‬. @Discover_SC @VisitFolly @WatersEdgeInn @LowcountryLive @FollyBeachFesty @charlestonmag @LocklearsFB
Stop by and ‪#‎visit‬ and get your ‪#‎signedcopy‬ of ‪#‎AFadedCottage‬ & ‪#‎WhisperingFog‬ I'm at spot #71.

Living in Hill Country had its advantages and one was going to the Mandola Estates and Trattoria Lisina in Driftwood near Austin, TX. Visiting Trattoria Lisina makes you believe you are in Tuscany in the heart of Italy. On cool winter days you are able to unwind and enjoy a glass of wine sitting in front of a fire in the large rock fireplace or take a walk around the grounds.

Not only is the ambiance amazing but the food is always outstanding. The selection of meals that Chef/Owner Damian Mandola creates varies from pizza to traditional Italian classics like Osso Buco. Depending on your mood you can have a homemade pasta meal like Fettuccine con Prosciutto e funghi or enjoy a crunchy perfectly cooked pizza baked in a wood burning oven, which is my favorite.

The wines varied from boutique wineries and of course they have their own Mandola wines that are available.

If you are in the Austin, TX area you must visit Trattoria Lisina. Cheers. 

Diann Shaddox is Founder of the Diann Shaddox Foundation to find a cure for Essential Tremor. She is a Native American Indian and a member of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma and she has Essential Tremors. She’s the author of “A Faded Cottage” and “Whispering Fog.”

Diann was born on December 18th in a small southern town of Nashville, Arkansas, the youngest and only daughter of William and Mary Ann Shaddox. But, fate stepped in and William, a crop-duster, at the age of 25, died in a plane crash on November 20th, a month before she was born, therefore, Diann was never able to meet her father. Mary Ann, who grew up in Miami, Oklahoma, moved back to Miami after William’s death, where Diann lived until her mother died when she was only 3 years old. Diann then moved to Nashville, Arkansas to live with her grandparents. At the age of 10, Diann’s Granddad Holt died of a stroke, leaving her grandmother alone to see to her.

Diann learned from an early age about death and how life should not be squandered. Her Mamow Holt, who had lost her right hand in an accident at a factory in Nashville, Arkansas, taught her, you never give up. Her grandmother never let anything stand in her way. She taught herself to write, cook, and even how to sew and make quilts with her left hand, without any prosthetics. Being handicapped was a word she never used.

Growing up in a small town was wonderful, learning to fish, growing a garden and the most important thing, patience of a grandmother. Stories from the past evolved of family bringing many stories to life. Sitting out late at night on cool summer evenings, swinging on an old swing staring up at the stars helped Diann’s vivid imagination grow.

She has an enthusiasm for travel and living life to its fullest. You have only one life and shouldn’t waste it. The zest for meeting and getting to know people is a very important component in her life. She is a believer of herbs, natural and organic foods, and a big supporter of Bio-identical Hormones and keeping our planet green. 

A FADED COTTAGE, a South Carolina love story about a artist with Essential Tremors is a Mom’s Choice Awards Honoree

A Faded Cottage is a powerful story blending fact and fiction about a famous artist whose life is turned upside down when he learns he has Essential Tremors and begins to shake uncontrollably. He leaves his life in New York and buys a faded cottage on the beach of South Carolina discovering his teenage love after thirty years. This is his journal of only two weeks, a story of endless love, and his tale of living with Essential Tremors.

Whispering Fog  is a Time Travel, One fall night a mystifying fog captures a young girl from the 20th century and a captain of an old sailing ship from the 18th century bringing them together.
On an unusual foggy night in 1959, Belinda sees an image out in the sea, a ship of years ago, begins her descent into the misty vapor climbing down the steep, rocky cliff to help the ship’s crew, and falls literally into the whispering fog.

Did the story end that night for Belinda when she fell down the cliff, or was it a dream of a young girl? On foggy nights, fishermen have heard an old ship’s bell tolling and voices from the fog whispering Belinda’s name. 


To learn more about Diann go to:
website http://www.diannshaddox.com

DS Author https://www.facebook.com/Diannshaddoxauthor

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/pub/diann-shaddox/58/622/750

Ello https://ello.co/diannshaddox

About.me http://about.me/diannshaddox

Twitter https://twitter.com/yahtasay

Instagram http://instagram.com/diannshaddox

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/diannshaddox

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6967204.Diann_Shaddox

Google + https://plus.google.com/+DiannShaddox/about 

Tumblr http://diannshaddox.tumblr.com/

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVnIaHkyt6dDS4LpBdS249g

Is Friday the 13th an old wives’ tale, just superstition, or reality?

So how unlucky is Friday the 13th?
Friday the 13th is known by many as the unluckiest day of the year.

This may all have originated from the word or phobia triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number thirteen.

Numerologists consider 12 a "complete" and divine number. There are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 hours on the clock, 12 months of the year and 12 apostles of Jesus. Anywhere outside a bakery, then 13 is considered a transgression of this rule, which I love. You can never go wrong with one  extra donut.

This fear of 13 can be seen even in how societies are built. For example, more than 80 percent of high-rise buildings lack a 13th floor. And many airports skip the 13th gate. Hospitals and hotels regularly have no room with the number 13.

On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 1/2. There is a longstanding myth that if 13 people dine together, one will die within a year. In France socialites known as the quatorziens (fourteeners) once made themselves available as 14th guests to keep a dinner party from an unlucky fate.

While many will laugh off the superstitious day, others will remain in bed paralyzed by fear and avoid daily tasks, conducting business or traveling. In the U.S., an estimated 17 to 21 million people suffer from a fear of Friday the 13th, according to a study by the North Carolina Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute.

The phobia, a fear of Friday the 13th, known as friggatriskaidekaphobia, is not uncommon. The word comes from Frigga, the name of the Norse goddess for whom Friday is named.

Accurate data is impossible to collect since many people around the world avoid certain activities, including travel and surgery on that day. Past Black Fridays notwithstanding, Friday the 13th may actually be a boon for finance. According to CNBC, the market has been up 80 times out of the past 140 Friday the 13ths.

According to research completed at the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) in 2008, there were fewer accidents and reports of theft or fire on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays.

Whatever you believe; Friday the 13th is a lucky or unlucky day, may good fortune be with you and the one extra donut. 

February 2 is Groundhog Day, a weather lore that has its origins in ancient Europe, but Groundhog Day has a different meaning for me. I think of Woody each Groundhog day. 
Well, you ask who is Woody?

Woody isn’t as famous as Punxsutawney Phil, or Birmingham Bill or Shubenacadie Sam, but he was just as important to a small group of people in VA. 

When we lived in Burke, VA, many years ago, we had a groundhog who we named Woody that burrowed under our carport. At first we would catch a glimpse of a furry brown, round creature in the back yard scampering around and wondered what it was. That little groundhog became brave and eventually would sit at the end of the carport and stare at us just as we would stare at him. We did some research and learned he was a woodchuck, so he became known as Woody. We also learned that Woody loved lettuce. Even though Woody was supposed to be hibernating, he would pop out of his burrow to get his snack of salad that we would leave for him throughout the winter. The only sound Woody made was a low bark and we all knew to stay our distance, since he was a wild animal.

All the kids in the neighborhood would stop by to get a glimpse at Woody and Woody didn’t seem to mind the stares. I believe he enjoy his fame. On February 2 that one year we had our own Groundhog Day celebration, but it really didn’t count since Woody would emerge from his burrow every day for his snack, and he was in the shade, however we did have fun watching and waiting for him to appear.

The tradition of Groundhog Day began in Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, PA. The first documented American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, dated February 4, 1841, of Morgantown, PA storekeeper James Morris.
 
The tradition of Groundhog Day says if a groundhog comes out of its hole on February 2 and sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas Day, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal like the groundhog as a means of predicating weather. After the German settlers came to PA, they continued the tradition, which is now known as Groundhog Day.

In Scotland there was a  poem:

If Candle-mas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be two winters in the year.
If Candle mas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

I wish everyone a Happy Groundhog Day.