By Nancy Green
“Country in my blood, country in my heart” is Sharon James’ motto.
She could very easily add “country in our cabin,” in describing the décor of the abode she and her husband, Junior, occupy on weekends. It’s located on Attala Road 3231 in the Hesterville Community.
During the week, they reside in Weir. She teaches design for fashion and interiors at the Vo-Tech Center in Ackerman, and he is a retired agriculture teacher. “You think Weir is calm and quiet, but when you get out here, it’s really quiet,” she said.
Coming to the cabin is almost like coming home as she grew up in the area, daughter of Peggy Wilson and the late Garvis Wilson.
From the front porch of the rustic, tin roofed cabin, to the addition at the rear, one can see a collection of primitive furnishings which they have collected from attics, roadsides, yard sales and contributions by relatives and friends.
In showing the cabin she points out family pieces and gives a bit of history. Items from the seven families with which the couple has connections can be found throughout. The families are: Greer, Wilson, Evans, Austin, Jeanes, Martin, and Guess.
From the front door to the loft of the cabin, she often remarks, “this belonged to my grandparents; my great-grandfather made this; this bed came from my parents’ home; these items came from my family’s dairy barn; this is the can we used to pasteurize the milk we drank; I remember this in my aunt and uncle’s home; this is my first sewing machine; this is a school cafeteria table.” Her descriptions go on.
She not only knows history of the furnishing but also much of the timber used in renovations of the original cabin and the addition at the rear. One wall is made of various sizes of doors which she has collected from old structures.
A visit to the cabin puts one’s mind to spinning in trying to take in the décor.
The cabin becomes home on Friday afternoon and on Sunday morning they return to Weir in time for church at Weir Baptist where both are actively involved.
Next to her passion for collecting, Sharon names cooking as one of her special interests. She cooks wedding cakes and does catering on a small scale. She and her husband enjoy entertaining.
She shares several of her favorite recipes. They are listed.
Turtleback Soft-shells
1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix
2 tablespoons water
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
On medium speed of mixer, beat together all ingredients, except pecans, until well blended. (about 2 minutes) Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 12 minutes. Remove and cool on racks. Cool completely and spread the following icing on top.
Icing:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons cream or milk
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add vanilla, cream, and confectioner sugar. Blend with a wire whisk until smooth. Adjust spreading consistency by adding more confectioner sugar or cream.
Note: let icing get completely dry before storing. Store in an airtight container, with waxed paper between the layers.
Sausage and potato casserole
1 1/2 lb. pork sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
5 large baking potatoes (peeled and sliced into thin strips)
2-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
6 eggs
1 large can sliced mushrooms (drained)
3 cups shredded (sharp) cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dry Ranch dressing
Salt and black pepper to taste
Saute onions and bell pepper in a small amount of oil. Add sausage and cook until sausage is lightly browned. Add potato slices and cook until slightly tender. (reserve oil to cook eggs) Pour sausage/potato mixture into a large bowl; add cream cheese, 2 cups cheese, mushrooms, salt, pepper and ranch dressing. Lightly scramble eggs in reserved oil; fold eggs into sausage and potato mixture. Pour into a sprayed (deep) 9” x 13” casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. This makes a very large casserole.
Chocolate cobbler
1 stick butter
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
Melt butter in a 9 x 13” casserole. Mix flour, milk, and sugar together; pour evenly over melted butter. (do not stir)
Custard mixture:
2 cups sugar
4 cups milk
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon self rising flour
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 egg yolks (beaten)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter
Whisk together sugar, milk, flour, salt, and cocoa until thoroughly mixed; add beaten eggs and whisk thoroughly. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. (not as thick as a custard for a pie) add vanilla and butter; stir until smooth.
Drizzle custard mixture evenly over prepared flour, milk, and sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes.
Buttermilk fudge
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chopped pecans
Stir baking soda and buttermilk together. Add sugar, corn syrup, and butter to buttermilk mixture. Cook mixture until it makes a soft ball in cold water or is at soft ball stage on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, let cool about 2 minutes, then add vanilla and chopped pecans. Beat mixture, by hand, until cool. Mixture is beaten enough when it holds its shape when dropped, using 2 teaspoons, on wax paper.
