Bookish Eclectic

    This morning, the heavens dropped seven inches of snow on top of our heads. It started out as wind and rain that woke me up around three this morning. By six in the morning, when my alarm began blaring (far too early for comfort might I add...), the ground was covered, and I knew there was no way that I was going into school. Thankfully I work in a district that understands that driving to school means I am risking sliding off a mountain. We were instructed to come in if possible but told that working from home was also an option as long as we filled out a log detailing what we accomplished for the day. Needless to say, I stayed home.     There is something so quiet and still when you first step into snow that deep. Everything seems silent and still. But if you stay out just a little longer, you notice that the silence is misleading. There is a lot of movement under the surface. Animals start moving around, you hear birds hopping in the branches and a...

     In the mountains of North Carolina, the first day of the New Year requires a particular meal if one wants a good year moving forward. Greens (mixed or collard depending on your family) represent dollars. Black-eyed peas represent coins. Cornbread represents gold, and pork represents other forms of luck and health. I typically go the easy route and get canned vegetables and pre-baked ham. The cornbread is such a staple that it doesn't feel like work.     It was my Nanny who introduced this tradition to me. I know it is common throughout my county because finding any of the ingredients on the day of New Year's is nearly impossible. In fact, I met and had great conversations with two older ladies in the store today just because I helped one find fresh collards (she has more gumption today than I do) and the other find black-eyed peas.      Where do these traditions come from, and why do we pay lip service to them? I enjoy the food tr...