Southern Women love to reign over their domain...

I love to be in my kitchen more than any place on Earth. I get up in the morning and can't wait to make coffee and sit at my computer and start my day. This morning I started out by breaking the glass coffee pot. Like any good southern lady...I had a replacement just waiting in the wings. I'm a newcomer to this coffee thing, when I lived in Texas I never drank warm things everyday. After moving north I started drinking more hot tea and then I found coffee. My life has never been the same since that little bean became my new friend.

I have only two other people that use my kitchen, my husband and my son when he is home from college. Evidently I have instilled a small element of fear in them from being a tiny bit neurotic about this room. Now I like it clean, but I use it alot so it's not always decorator magazine worthy. My countertops and my work island have to be free of all clutter when I am going to cook. It only took me a few years to get my family to realize ..if you want to eat don't leave junk on Mom's countertops! I also have certain places that I want things returned to and have been known to go a slight bit crazy when I am looking for an item, but as the years go by I have learned to let it go. I love those two more than my Calphalon most days...

I have been fortunate to have inherited lots of dishes..LOTS! I just can't let any of them go. I have a set of 1916 China that is just beautiful that belonged to my grandmother in law. It even has the salt dishes and placecard holders. The beautiful pink Azaleas remind me so much of the East Texas that I love. My most treasured piece is a silver Water Pitcher on a stand that tilts to pour into the cup. I think I just love the story the most, it was buried behind a plantation in Tennesse during the Civil War when the Union soldiers raided the house. Such great history and love is in each piece and I am proud to call them my treasures now.

Antiques and vintage items for the kitchen are so unique and easy to find still. I would rather have 1930's Fire King bakeware than brand new items. My grandmother had one piece of brightly colord enamel ware. I have found so many to match it and know I have some family's memories and feel proud to be the keeper of those treasures. When you go into an antique or collectible shop buy what you love. Don't look for the most expensive item or what you saw on the last decorator show,unless it's what you want. One of my favorite things from a shop was a bag of old cookie cutters with enamel painted handles...they cost less than $5.00 but they touched my heart. I use those cookie cutters along with others that I have purchased new. I hope one day someone finds mine in an antique booth somewhere when on vacation and says...."I have to have those for my kitchen". Then the love and the memories keep moving on through generations of people who love their kitchens as much as I love mine.