October 7, 2021

 

Sallie Ann Robinson, Embracing Daufuskie Island (South Carolina)

Author Sallie Ann Robinson 
with her book on South Carolina’s Daufuskie Island’s history,
that she co-authored with Jenny Hersch.
Photo taken September 5, 2018

First impressions…
Meeting Sallie Ann in September 2018, I was struck by her infectious smile and upbeat personality.
(Please, read more about that meeting, and the interesting story of how that meeting came to be, here.)

I happily met Sallie Ann in September 2018.
Read more about our meeting, and how that meeting came to be, here!
Photo taken September 5, 2018

Sallie Ann was born, and grew up on the island of Daufuskie Island (South Carolina).  
In fact, she was one of Pat Conroy’s students, featured in his 1972 book/memoir 
The Water is Wide. The book was made into the 1974, Jon Voight film, Conrack, and later into a 2006 Hallmark movie, The Water is Wide.  In Conroy’s book, Ethel, his student, was in reality Sallie Ann, and Yamacraw Island was actually Daufuskie Island.

Graduating with my elementary education degree in May 1980

I discovered this book as a brand new, just out of college, South Carolina elementary school teacher in 1980 (See photo above.).  I was fascinated.  So, when visiting Hilton Head Island in 1981, I embarked on the boat ride over to see the island that Conroy so descriptively painted in his novel. (Even today, the only way to get to Daufuskie Island is via an hour-long ferry ride.)

A photo from Daufiskie Island, taken in April 1981.
Note the mode of transportation that took me there from Hilton Head Island. :o)

These days, after spending years of living off the island, Sallie Ann resides on Daufuskie Island with 450 other residents. Called by some “The Gullah Diva”, Sallie Ann keeps the history of Daufuskie alive by writing books and cookbooks, children’s books, by cooking, and giving tours of her beloved island.  Sallie Ann has hopes of aiding in the restoration of the handful of original Daufuskie Island historic homes into bed and breakfast accommodations, and cleaning up Daufuskie’s aging cemetery.   

A pretty Sallie Ann photo from her new updated website, here.

It was through a friend’s text a few months ago, that I learned about an informative, new, four-part program on Netflix, that had just begun to air, called High on the Hog. It explores the history of African American cuisine. How interesting!  My interest was further piqued, upon learning, that Sallie Ann Robinson appears in Season 1, Episode 2: 
The Rice Kingdom!  It was fun seeing her enjoy the exploration of Gullah cooking in the Daufiskie Island segment! And by Sallie Ann’s own admission, “it was fun”making the show!  :o)

Check out  Sallie Ann’s website, here.

Read this wonderful article about Sallie Ann by the BBC is here.

 Life is precious and for the living. 
Enjoy it, because tomorrow is not promised.
Remember, and remind yourself, that life is what you make of it. 
And most important, you have the power to reach for the sky 
because its big enough for all to have a slice and ENJOY!
…..Sallie Ann Robinson

 

Thomas Jefferson Liked Macaroni and Cheese!

The Sallie Ann portion is not the only fun in this series.  Among the other gems unearthed on High on the Hog, is the not often-told history of macaroni and cheese in America!  Spoiler Alert-Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of this dish!  I found the original Jefferson recipe, here, and here.  For a little history on this All-American dish, prepared by James Hemings, Jefferson’s enslaved cook, read here and here.

Macaroni is so All-American that it is found in many U.S. kitchen pantries,
including mine!

 

 Cooking with Gammy

 I have been enjoying Gammy time with my almost two-year old granddaughter, lately.  :o)
See some of those cooking creations below.

 If You Give a Moose a Muffin

If You Give a Moose a Muffin (by Laura Joffe Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond) was a fun to read and, of course, made us hungry for muffins!  :o)

A fun book

Moose craft

Muffin mix

Yummy muffins!

Squirrels and Acorns

Reading about squirrels, and counting them on our walk, were fun activities, 
but frosting the tops of donut holes, dipping them in mini-chocolate chips, 
and adding part of a pretzel stick for a stem, was tastier!

Donut acorn

Pumpkins
October means pumpkins!
So we baked pumpkin cookies!

Easy pumpkin sugar cookies, and the raw dough is safe to eat!

 

Made Me Smile  :o)

Tea
If you have read my blog before, you are aware that I am a BIG fan of Barry’s Tea!
Most days, I begin my day with a cup of this wonderful “no-nonsense” tea!
Read about how I discovered this tea brand, here.

Enjoying my Barry’s Tea!

Mickey Snowman
The one addition to my Christmas decor this year is this Mickey Mouse Snowman!  
All sold out last year, I was very happy to locate one this year at Lowe’s. 
My grandchildren will love seeing it lit up inside my entryway this holiday season.  :o)

How cute is this Mickey Mouse Snowman?!

Mickey Jack-O-Lanterns
Speaking of Mickey Mouse, gotta love a little Halloween Mickey, right?

Mickey Mouse is as scary as my house gets on Halloween!  :o)

Fall
Autumn brings beautiful weather on my daily walks!
The fall colors are just beginning to show!

Autumn walks mean beautiful weather and colors.

 

Enjoy These Related Blog Posts!
Just click on where it says here and enjoy.

The Flavors of Fall, September 2018, here.

Beach Love, September 2018, here.

Oktoberfest-October, October 2019, here.

October, October 2018, here.

Halloween, Not-Too-Scary Movie Watching Fun, October 2019, here.

Key Lime Pie, a New Halloween Tradition, November 2019, here.

Happy October, October 2020, here.

Trick-or-Treat, October 2018, here.

Hello, First Day of Autumn, September 2016, here.

Dracula, October 2015, here.

Autumn in October:  Young Frankenstein, A Not-Too-Scary-Halloween, and Pumpkin Cake, October 2016, here.

Happy Not-So-Very-Scary Halloween, October 2013, here.

Halloween, Not-Too-Scary Movie Watching Fun, October 2019, here.


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Wishing you a happy and safe Halloween!