Soup Beans

A thought came to mind when a friend told me I needed more beans in my bean soup. I didn't agree with her and then wondered why she liked lots of beans and I preferred more soup than beans.

I grew up on a farm where we had very few luxuries, and food was at times rather hard to come by. There were six of us that had to be fed three meals a day. Our main foods were home made biscuits and gravy for breakfast, brown soup beans, fried potatoes and cornbread for dinner and then for a switch we had cornbread, fried potatoes and soup beans for supper. (a little humor there). Today soup beans are something I eat because of the memories. It is a comfort food for me.

With little money mother had to 'make do' with what she had to feed everyone. To make a pot of beans go further she added more water to the beans. Jowl bacon was used as flavoring and only salt and pepper were added. A large pone of hot cornbread accompanied the beans and fried potatoes at each meal. Each person would break off a piece of the bread. It was not cut in squares as one sees most of the time these days. We actually broke bread together. Everyone wanted the corner edges as they were crispy. The bread was crumbled up and put in my bowl of beans. This made the soup more filling as well as making sure everyone had a larger portion to eat.

Today I don't bother peeling the potatoes as there are nutrients in the skin of the potato that should not go to waste. It is not often I fry potatoes to go with the beans now as they go to the waist! On the farm we didn't have such problems as there was enough activity in the day to use up the stored energy of such foods. Back to the potatoes. Mother use a peeler to remove the skins. I remember the knife mother used to slice the potatoes. It was well worn. The blade was very thin from being sharpened after it was nicked with something. Mother had a big iron skillet in which she fried the potatoes to a golden brown. My favorite part of the fried potatoes was the crunch brown parts. I still have the big iron skillet for making the potatoes. I think that iron must have gained weight over the years as it is very hard for me to pick it up now.

Ah, memories. I am tempted to fry potatoes to go with that pot of beans I cooked yesterday. I have plenty of soup and a portion of cornbread left.

Point of View

I would like to clear up my feelings concerning those who are presently serving as our leaders in Washington. My number 1 issue is BIG government, not who is sitting in the Oval Office. If Tiny Tim were sitting there with his crookedy leg, I would still feel the same. I don't understand why any American citizen wants a leader to make up a set of rules for the common folk to live by. The 'rules' of our country were put into place long before any of us were born, long before socialism entered the USA. We became a free nation because people were tired of being told what to do. The Constitution was put there for a reason. Put there by men who had differing opinions but came together to do what was best for America. Of late I see the higher echelon trying to change things to favor only part of the people. It is not right. Again, let me say, Obama is not the problem. In my opinion he is a puppet being used by something much more sinister than many people want to acknowledge. This trend did not start with this administration. It has been building over many years. Years ago I heard it said of Russia - we will not have to fire a shot to destroy America, they will destroy themselves'. It is happening. There is an elite group of people who want to control everything and everyone. If you are not aware of these people you should become aware. Have you ever heard of the Builderburg Society? Did you know they are still in existence? Do you know they are still meeting with the intent on taking control of you? Some of the players have changed, but their ideals have not. Look it up, see just who some of those involved in this project have been and are now. They are all money people. Some have gotten their riches in less than honest dealings.

The present mind set of many elected officials seems to have a mother hen concept. Keep those little chicks under the wing, don't let them see the outside world. That is great for a biddy, but American voters are grown up now. I remember my kids as teenagers were a bit testy when I tried to micro-manage their lives. It was not about to happen. Rebellion was on the way. Why is it such a surprise that those of us who take the time to think would be more like a teenager than a biddy? Washington might as well get used to the idea it is not going to happen now either.

When we assert our rights we are labeled as idiots, yes that is right, I have been called an idiot, uneducated, and many other things because I choose to disagree with the fat cats in Washington. I have been called violent because I agree with a peaceful collection of people called Tea Party Patriots. I am selfish because I prefer to keep what I work to earn. IF I want to give it away, it should be MY choice to do so, not a mandate signed into law by someone who is a puppet of the bigger problem. I am a bigot because I oppose giving any rights to those who break the law. When I stated my opinion I was 'blocked' by one liberal because my opinion caused her 'stomach to knot up'. And you say liberals are open minded! That is not being open minded. What others think of me will not stop me from stating my opinion. That is like willingly giving up my right of freedom of speech. What I think is not put out there as hatred toward others. I state my opinions because someone, somewhere may just think of what I have to say and look a little deeper into what is happening to America.

Pushing your head down deeper into the sand will not stop the coming events. Either stand up and face the truth or learn to live in a socialist country. Health care run by the government is not the answer. Government is not the answer. More laws is not the answer. The change has to come from within each person. I still say if you don't like America, you should leave it, not try to change it to fit you. We are who we were, are and will be. True Americans will not change. We enjoy being a free people. I think some are trying to enslave the entire population to fit into a very controlled lifestyle. I think of a mother duck walking in front of her ducklings. How rigid she is, how straight is the line of little ones. I am not a duckling, never was and never want to be.

Now when you disagree with my point of view, you know where I stand. A couple of people have said I am an angry person. Wrong again. I am a very happy person with the freedom to say how I feel. I know how all of this ends because I have 'read the end of the book'. I know America is not a great power during the end times. She is not mentioned in the book of Revelation. It seems Russia was correct in that. I just hate to see it happening. The Bible tells us there will come a time when people are self-absorbed and far from God, each doing their own thing. It is happening. I also have a peace knowing I will not be here during the devastation to come. I belong to the Creator of all things and He will transport me to my new home before these things happen. You see, I have nothing to fear. I do, without a doubt know where I am going and how I will get there. My heart aches for those who stubbornly hang on to their own self destruction.