Being Fresh

Fresh flowers, freshly showered, rain fresh air, fresh vegetables and fruits, and freshly prepared foods--all enjoyable to me. In our world of immediate gratification, we often forget that good things comes to those who wait. We grab fast food, live fast lives, and seek fast solutions. We miss the enjoyment of picking a plump tomato off of the vine, washing it off and biting into it; its sweet juicy goodness sliding down our throats, leaving traces on our chins. Or grabbing a firm green one, slicing it and seasoning it. In minutes watching it sizzle in its puddle of hot olive oil, dusted with a little flour or cornmeal. Fried green tomatoes are so much more than a popular movie. I had a close cousin who loved the way that I prepared them. All I had to say was that I was about to fry tomatoes and he would rush over to my house. Even after many years I still get requests from friends far away as South Korea wanting to know if when they come back to Georgia, would I fry them some green tomatoes.

Early in life I learned about enjoying the fruits of the earth and my labor when helping my family in our gardens. Nothing was sweeter or tastier than going in the backyard and retrieving the selection of the day. Squash, cabbage, cucumbers, fresh spring onions, garlic, broccoli, and sometimes even sweet corn. Fresh picked was the very best. We had apple and pear trees in our yards, grape vines, mulberry bushes, and wild strawberries that we raced against the squirrels and birds to enjoy. Nowadays, you just don't see the fruit trees, grape vines, and vegetable gardens like there used to be. No one takes the time. Instead, they rush to the store or market; instant gratification, but not nearly as satisfying as home grown. There are many days that I gathered fresh vegetables and herbs to prepare like crisp and curly kale, bold garlic, radiant red and golden peppers, and fragrant rosemary. After the harvest, ripe purple eggplant, tender asparagus, baby portabellas, sweet vidalia onions, and crunchy carrots were washed and spritzed with olive oil and laid upon the grill to roast. Delightful. I suppose I just love being fresh.

Nostalgia

When my children were young I occasionally wanted to recreate memories and dishes from my childhood for them. Since several of my children were born after my parents had passed away, they missed out on the “Grandparenting love” that I had. I often told them stories about my childhood and life as a child in a house with seven siblings. As I recalled some of our favorite dishes that my parents cooked, I decided to make some for our July fourth cookout. My daddy ruled the barbecue grill. Mama would help him wash and season the meats, and then my sisters and I would help her prepare the side dishes. My brothers were outside helping daddy wherever needed. Daddy put the sizzle and smacking of lips in his ‘Q’. His sweet and spicy sauce was certain to drip down your chin, tease, then escape your tongue, and cause eye rolling of the “slap your mama” good variety. I was going to cook the meat with a replica of daddy’s sauce, mama’s potato salad, and made from scratch baked beans. The night before the cookout, I got the dried navy beans, molasses, mustard, tomato paste, dark brown sugar, bacon, and a chopped onion. We gathered around the counter and they watched me pick and sort the beans to make sure there wasn't any dirt or rocks mixed in. Of the five of my children, the oldest two drifted away to the television during that process. They had experienced this with my parents and grandparents. I rinsed the beans happily talking about how my mom and grandmother made them for a side dish whenever we had cookouts. I covered the beans with cold water and soaked them overnight. The following morning, in a large ovenproof casserole dish, I placed the rinsed and drained beans  inside with cut up pieces of bacon and the chopped onion that I had sauted in the bacon grease. My children were excited that the beans had “magically gotten bigger and drank some of the water” that was in the bowl. I added the remainder of the ingredients and let my daughter stir them while her brothers looked on and tried to pinch pieces of the bacon before we put them in the dish. I put the lid on the dish and popped them into a medium oven (300 degrees).

In a couple of hours they had the house smelling wonderfully. They had to cook about 2-3 hours and it seemed as if every 20 to 30 minutes one of the boys yelled, “Mom are they ready yet?? I’m so hungry.” Finally later that day after all of the meats were grilled, the potato salad was cooling inside of the refrigerator, and the macaroni and cheese bubbled promises of good eating, the beans were done. Proudly I placed my feast on the table and we began to eat, my husband happily sliced the sticky saucy ribs and the kids gobbled hot dogs washed down with cherry kool-aid with fresh sliced lemons floating in the pitcher. I spooned the baked beans on their plates cautioning them that they were hot, so remember to blow on them. I smiled as I watched them dive into the baked beans. One of my younger sons looked up with remnants of baked bean sauce on his face and said, “ Mommee, these taste good, just like the ones out of the can.” Needless to say that was the first, and last, time that I went through the process of making them from scratch. In the future I would save time, energy, and the heat from the oven and give them the ones “out of the can.”  So much for nostalgia.

2014 My Awesome Summer Travel Sojourns ; Bundles of Blessings

Today is a beautiful sultry southern pre-summer day. In just a few days I will embark on an amazing adventure and opportunity; I will be traveling to Spain, to totally immerse myself in the culture. I was fortunate and blessed to be selected  as a participate in  global awareness trip. I will visit Madrid for the first week, the north I will travel to Oviedo. I am so very excited! This is my first trip to Europe, I say first because I hope to explore other countries in the future. Last week I was blessed to visit my hometown of Cleveland Ohio where I visited dear friends and my two youngest brothers and their families. It was wonderful . I am so grateful that my son Kevin told me to "pack my bags and come on."  As my motto says, I continually attempt to go where there is no path and leave a trail. Sure many places that I am venturing to have been well traveled, but not by many like myself; a Grandmother, attending college, and truly experiencing the kindness of family, and friends ( I know no strangers) and the miracles and blessings of the Lord. If this is the final chapter in my book of life, I can truly say that I am blessed , and have had unwavering support from many of my advisors, professors, peers, family and friends. Despite the hiccups, challenges , and losses. I have gained so very much more than I could ever imagine.

A New Year, a fresh thought and prospective.

 

      Briefly glance over your shoulder, for auld Lang Syne, then inhale the freshness of new beginnings. Sloth off sadness, disappointment and pain and step excitedly into the light. Expect the best, we often settle for 'whatever' not accepting that we are wondrous and worthy of incredible goodness, love, happiness and abundance. Be responsibly selfish at least once a month. Walk in front of your mirror, naked as you came into the world. Look at the parts you think are amazing, and those less than. Combined each cell is unique and precious in its own right. Love and appreciate each inch, stretch, pamper, massage, free your mind.

      Collectively "Amazing" shines around and through you. Let it shine through in all that you do. Be uplifted, and uplift. We are bound to experience negative experiences, negative people but resolve to leave each situation better than you find it.  Remember that each journey begins with the first step. Move your body, smile more, love someone who seems unlovable, be good to yourself and to someone that truly deserves it.

      Expect reciprocity, the winds blow in many directions, not just one. Try something new, go somewhere that you have been, do something wonderful that you have never tried. Be fearless! Be fierce! Be fabulous! Each week do something that will improve you, read, walk, learn something new, try a new healthy recipe. Write a love letter to yourself. Write a letter to someone that you haven't reached out to for a long time. Treat yourself to a movie, to a nice dinner at a classy restaurant, just you, spoil yourself!

      Set a goal, and even if you take baby steps, celebrate each step of  your progress. Journal, record your feelings, thought and aspirations, it will make great reading in the future. Enjoy life, you don't get a sample run and time is the one thing that doesn't stop, nor can you get it back, Embrace your spirituality, revere your Creator, Higher Power, Source, God.

Namaste

Personality Bio

 

Personality Bio

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Wallace

Tailor Made Cars; A Unique Side of Reggie Bass

Photo courtesy of Reggie Bass

Born the son of a tobacco farmer in Roxboro, North Carolina, Reggie Bass learned the value of having a vision, hard word and bringing that vision into fruition. “Moonshine and cars were big where I grew up,” he jokingly said. He didn’t get into the moonshine business; however he developed a fondness for cars. At the age of 16, his father gave him an acre of land on their tobacco farm. He harvested his crop of tobacco, and used the money to purchase his first car, a 1966 Chevy Chevelle.  Throughout the years, he noticed older cars that piqued his interest.  He decided to restore a vehicle. That venture grew into a passion for cars that are tailor made.

Bass,  former Chief of Juvenile Probation for DeKalb County, and current Student Affairs counselor at Georgia Perimeter College’s Clarkston campus  not only has desire to bring out the best in people, he also brings out the best in the vehicles that he restores.                                                             

His passion for cars evolved into a hobby of restoring older cars, and leaving them looking better than they did originally. Bass says “When I see a car that I would like to restore, I already know exactly how I want it to look.” It seems as if he begins each project with an end in mind. Each vehicle is truly a labor of love, taking up to four years to complete. “This is not something that you do all at once, little by little, you work on a certain part, and then come back later and do a little more.” he said.

According to Ralph Sikes of American Resto Mods, restorations are all about conscientious research and meticulous craftsmanship, the work on your car may take  anywhere from a few months to over a year.  A restomod means that they restore the old body of your classic car to better-than-original condition and use the latest technology to enhance performance, beauty, comfort and safety.

Bass’s tailor made vehicles are unique and beautiful, inside and out. He has received numerous accolades and trophies for his cars.  To date he has restored a 1963 Corvette Stingray, 1967 Corvette Stingray, 1965 Mustang, and a 1972 Chevy Nova.  He has albums that depict the step by step process of the restoration of his vehicles

  Bass says his next project, which is still in the ‘vision’ stage is restoring a 1948 Chevy truck. “It’s going to be my final project. “ Not because he has lost interest, but he will have completed the projects that he chosen to undertake.  The Chevy truck will be his first venture with trucks. Bass says “I have never done a truck before but I already know how I want to do it; blacked out, with no chrome.”

Keith Maney of YEARONE Muscle Car Parts in Braselton, Ga. says that the car restoration business is big business everywhere.  It is especially popular with baby boomers “Baby Boomers want to own the cars that they grew up with.” Maney states.  YEARONE has been in business for 32 years. They have catalogs for car and truck parts dating from 1955 to present day. He also says that General Motors still offers a number of mechanical parts for their vehicles. For more information visit YEARONE.COM.

          Reggie Bass is also the president of the South DeKalb Street Rodders, a social club for classic car enthusiasts. Founded in 1988, he has presided over the club for the past eight years saying that some of the people in the car club don’t even own a classic car, but are just very interested in talking cars.

Bass explains that “Street Rodders is a non-profit organization with a twofold purpose; it allows all car, truck, and bike enthusiasts the opportunity to participate, fellowship and show off their prized collectibles in a structured family oriented environment. And equally as important we have the opportunity to help the less fortunate. We give back to the community, the proceeds of the cars shows are donated to needy families in the metro Atlanta area.”  They have cruise- ins where the members cruise to various destinations showing off their beautiful collectables, most recently in Helen Georgia this past October. The organization also gives back to the community by participating in civic activities, such as the Village of Stone Mountain Annual Christmas Parade held November 23, 2012 .

 

Bass has been with GPC for 24 years, 19 as a part time academic counselor while working full time at the DeKalb County Juvenile Court and five years as a full time academic counselor after retiring as the Chief Probation Officer for the Juvenile Court.  Bass worked there for over 30 years and impacted many kids and their families  

He is a husband and proud father of three girls, whom support his hobby. In addition to counseling and restoring cars, Bass is also an active player in a  35 years and older men's church basketball league.



Photo courtesy of Reggie Bass
 

 

“This is my ministry, I used to say that I should be paying them for letting me do this job.” Bass has always found working at GPC rewarding. “After working primarily with young people on the wrong side of the law, it is wonderful to make a difference in students’ lives that are trying to do the right thing.” He calls it his therapy.
As diligently as Bass restores cars, he helps refocus, and direct the academic lives of the
students at GPC .

Bass drives a 1991 Nissan Sentra, which has 475 thousand miles on it. He says that the
key to the longevity of his cars is “having regularly scheduled maintenance, and frequent oil
changes.”

Out of all of his re-creations, the only one that he has sold is the Chevy Nova. His mention of the 1948 Chevy truck being his last project didn’t sound very convincing given his passion and success with such remarkable projects.