Ed’s Western Decor

Wonderful food recipes are available in every monthly issue of the Southern Living magazine.  I now know why Mom’s meatloaf was so flavorful.  In the October 2008 issue of this social periodical on page 138, is an article titled, ”Meatloaf Makeover.”  This recipe helped me to figure out Mom’s secret.

Mom’s secret?  Now I know that she was using ground pork sausage with the ground beef.  I’ve added my own individuality by adding two tablespoons of Grandma’s Molassas to my meatloaf recipe.

In addition to our safety tips, any good cook taking that tasty sizzling dish right out of the hot oven, would have a Trivet on the countertop to protect the surface from burning.

My heart sings to see so many large ranches expanding their beef herds by adding Buffalo to their range lands.  Almost extinct, Buffalo are not only becoming an important part of nature’s wildlife scenery, but they are also becoming a part of North America’s food chain, once again.

Southern Living magazine, October 2008, page 6, features a panoramic view of Buffalo grazing on 29,000 acres near Pawhuska, Oklahoma.  This seems like a large area, but it’s a long way from the 142 million acres that Bison roamed before hunters and farmers killed them off.  In our travels through the Western United States, we have seen many small ranches raising Bison.

Although it became popular as an American icon, the cowboy tradition started in Spain.  Cattle ranching spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula in Spain under the hacienda system, and was later imported to America.  The Iberian Peninsula had a climate very similar to the Southwest; it was semi-arid with sparse grass.  Thus it required cattle to move throughout the land to forage for food.  The cowboys began as ranchers who rode horses and tended to vast herds of cattle, driving them to different locations to feed. 

This tradition carried over to the Southwest with the arrival of Spanish Conquistadors, and was later passed on to American settlers.  Cowboy images have become famous around the world, representing a certain rugged and rough quality. 

The idea of cowboys and western culture was formed during the westward expansion of American settlers.  Under the idea of Manifest Destiny (the right to own all of the land one inhabits) pioneers headed west, fighting against the elements and in some cases, the Native American Indians.  It was in the dust and grit of the Southwest that many people settled and began to seek their fortunes.  Here is where Western cowboys were born, as well as the staples of Western culture such as bull riding, lassoes, wide brim cowboy hats and a certain element of risk and danger at every turn. 

The Southwest has been much refined since those old days, but people all over the United States and even the world still celebrate the values on which the West was found with Western movies, western decor, and western food.

How many times have we read or heard the famous quote, “Feed a man a fish and you’ve fed him for a day; teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime”?  Here is another secret, helping fishermen get their dinner catch everytime they launch the line of their rod and reel into both still or moving waters anywhere in America:

John Alden Knight has designed a SOLUNAR TABLE that forecasts the times of day and night when both fish and game are most likely to feed and be active.  One of these TABLES can be viewed on page 52 in the June 2008 Field & Stream magazine. 

Here’s food for thought: Both a fisherman and hunter choose the day and hour in their time zones when wildlife are feeding, but who told the wild creatures to play by the same rules?

The Southern Living Magazine gives unique articles and recipes to live by.  In the July, 2008 issue, pages 66 through 71, is an article on a Heavenly Garden located in North Carolina.

My hat goes off to Marty and Fred Hirons for bringing their skills and genius together when they designed this garden.  A perfect haven for the 3 B’s: Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, including wildlife silhouettes and birdhouses.  The garden has natural foliage and limbs for structure, and wonderful colors, crushed rock paths, and plant shapes for design.

For me, just to experience the photos in this article is like a garden of worship for prayer, peace, and a place of rest for my soul.  Thanks to the Hirons for their love and hard work, to Steve Bender for his photography, and to Rose Nguyen for styling.

In the Southern Living magazine, July 2008, page 129, is an advertisement for their Homestyle Cook Book featuring 400 traditional Southern Living recipes; you get tips, tricks & shortcuts, behind-the-scenes history of beloved recipes of Southern classics, over 100 full color photos, and 20 menus for quick and easy meals.

For anyone of these great Southwestern meals, protect your countertops, table covers, and treasured furniture by using  popular trivets that fit into your presentation and table decor.

Cowboy decor and cowboy art is coming into vogue in a big way. A recent article in the San Angelo Standard Times discusses a “cowboy awareness class” being taught at Austin Community College. The class discusses the Spanish roots of the dress, weapons, art and music of the fabled-cowboy, and how it fits into American culture.

This cowboy class is just another example of the resurgence of interest in the cowboy and the southwest. Southwestern décor has long been popular in the southwest, but the pinks, turquoises and ten-gallon hats are slowly making their way out to the rest of the country.

A little miracle called a coincidence happened to me this week. 

I recently loaded beverage coasters to sell on my website.  The artist of the hunting dogs on some of the coasters is a world famous Western Wall Art  artist, Jim Killen.  The artwork on the coasters is exciting and full of nature’s fall colors. 

The coincidence occurred when only 3 days later, I opened up the magazine, Ducks Unlimited, Sept/Oct of 2008, and turned to pages 93 thru 97 and WOW!  . . . There they were, looking me right in my face . . . these awesome paintings illustrated by Jim Killen.  He was sharing his skills and talents with bird hunters and lovers of wall art just like me.  Thanks to the writer of the article, E. Donnall Thomas, Jr. and to Jim Killen for sharing.

Mark Hicks has given us six clever tips for keeping our broadhead arrows sharp.  The article is printed in the September, 2008 Field & Stream magazine, on page 45.  After reading his article, I learned that the sharpening process begins with a carbide sharpener, then color the edges with a black marker.  To develop a keen edge, we use a 600-grit stone, and then finish the sharpening with a 1200-grit stone or automotive sandpaper.   The broadhead arrow should be sharp enough to instantly cut through a 1/4 inch stretched rubber band on the blade’s edge. 

Interesting . . .  how far technology has developed since the Native Americans sharpened their arrows and spears to bring home their wildlife decor . . . for their wig-wams and lodges!