To be here is a wish come true

When I began to plan for my 2007 trip to China, granddaughter Makayla Stormer asked me to be sure to send her a postcard. She had definite wishes for the card: The card had to be of a place that I had visited, something I had seen, not just a card that I purchased. I was sure to do this. Not only did the card have a picture of Hong Kong at night, but I matched the card with a photo of the scene when I returned home. This pleased her so much.

I've been writing letters to friends telling them of the beauty of the Lowcountry during this time of year. I just need to open my address book and send cards to friends and say, "I wish you were here."

I wish you were here: To hear the birds chirping when the sun is rising to say hello to another day. To hear them communicate with each other just like a blessing of good weather and fresh air. Then to see the squirrels leap from limb to limb, playing with each other and claiming a place in the yards. The butterflies land on the flowers, their wings mounting as they flutter through the air. Then just across the bank there sits a deer just amid the trees. Need I forget the cats who visit as if this is their home as we feed them along with the others -- raccoons, opossums and critters that might visit while we are asleep.

I wish you were here: To see the greenery that we fight so much to keep. I wish you were here to talk to those who grew up in the beauty and want to keep it for everyone to enjoy. Many discussions take place over trees, and many folks ask what is the big deal about a tree. Many say trees have been planted so they could be cut down for developments to happen. Many know that as man comes with a tractor and heavy equipment, habitats of creatures are moved. At one time, I could identify the birds by their calls; now, I continue to identify them by their foliage.

I wish you were here: To take time with gardeners as they show off the beauty of their yards. I am only allowed to admire the azaleas, dogwoods, cherry blossoms and amaryllis in our yard as this is where my husband plans and paints his creations of beauty using his green thumb. Many of his plants come with a story. He can chat about the gardeners with whom he has exchanged plants and of the gardens he visits during the year.

I wish you were here: This is a wonderful time to pick strawberries and enjoy the breeze. A wonderful time to sit in the park and watch the bridge open and close as the boats go sailing by. A wonderful time to see the people who love this place and spread their love. It is that love that caused me to stay and that kind of love that I invite you to visit.

I wish you were here: You and I could walk around, just sharing time. We could talk about things that are on our minds. We could share memories of things of the past. I could prepare food from my kitchen with aromas that would last.

STIR-FRIED OKRA

2 cups (1/2-inch thick) sliced okra

1 small onion, diced

1 medium-size green pepper, diced

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons hot salad oil

1 medium tomato, cut into

8 wedges

Soy sauce to taste

Stir-fry okra, onion, green pepper, celery, salt, pepper, and thyme in hot oil over high heat 6 to 10 minutes; add tomatoes, and stir-fry 2 additional minutes. Sprinkle with soy sauce to taste.

CRAB CAKES

1 cup milk

3 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash Tabasco

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley

Generous grating of nutmeg

1 pound crab meat

Make white sauce of butter, flour, milk, and salt. Just before removing from heat, stir in whole egg, cook 1 minute; add seasonings. Allow to cool

Pick over 1 pound crab meat to remove shell. Add crab meat to sauce, mix thoroughly but gently. When cold, form into large cakes, dip in bread crumbs and fry in butter. Crab cakes will be soft.

CHARLESTON RED RICE

4 strips bacon

2 onions, finely chopped

1 can (8 ounces) tomato paste

1 1/2 to 2 cans water

3 teaspoons salt

2 to 3 teaspoons sugar

Dash of pepper

2 cups raw rice

1/2 cup bacon drippings

Fry bacon, drain and crumble; set aside. Sauté onion in pan drippings.

Stir in tomato paste, water, salt, sugar and pepper. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until mixture measures 2 cups.

Combine mixture with the rice in top of a steamer pot. Add the additional bacon drippings, cover and steam for 30 minutes. Stir in crumbled bacon. Cook 30 to 45 minutes longer; or until rice is tender.

QUICK AND EASY LEMONADE PIE

1 can frozen lemonade

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 large container Cool Whip

2 graham cracker crust pie shells

Mix the lemonade, condensed milk, and Cool Whip. Pour into two graham cracker crusts and freeze.

LEMONADE POUND CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box lemon Jell-O

1 small can frozen lemonade

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

Dissolve Jell-O in 3/4 cup boiling water, stirring well. Let cool. Beat eggs and oil; mix with cake mix. Blend well and pour into well greased tube or Bundt pan.

Bake at 325 degrees until lightly browned on top. Mix thawed lemonade and 3/4 sugar. Remove cake from pan and place on large cake plate. Pour lemonade/sugar mixture slowly over hot cake.

Icing:

1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade

1/2 cup sugar

Heat lemonade and water to dissolve sugar. Pour over hot cake and cool.