The Home Front
“Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue…”
“Alabama the beautiful.”
Our state has many terms of endearment from those who adore her. And, if an Alabamian has to be away from their state for very long, this is what we are singing on our way back home- “Sweet Home Alabama, where the skies are so blue. Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.” Of course, no one sings it better than the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band or with more gusto than a homesick Alabamian.
From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the Gulf of America, Alabamians enjoy a vast variety of terrains and a large diversity of flora and fauna. From enjoying an old country road to the lights of our big cities, Alabama has it all. However, Alabama has a sinister side…tornadoes! When those beautiful blue skies turn dark and turbulent all Alabamians pay close attention. Around here, bad weather spawns tornadoes, and tornadoes spawn prayers…many prayers for protection and safety from the God-fearing souls who know the fury of an Alabama tornado.
In April 2020, on an Easter Sunday, that fury came home to roost for our family. At the beginning of the national lockdown for Covid-19, a big mean tornado hit Blount County and plowed through Standridge Farm. Thankfully none of our loved ones were hurt, and we didn’t lose a single cow although some had to be rescued from a destroyed barn. However, the farm did suffer losses. Three barns went down, and two concrete silos smashed on top of a barn. The silos also smashed a car and a truck as well as all the farm tools. A tractor barn was sucked out of the ground, poles and all, and blown away by the tornado, but, thank the Lord, left the tractors still sitting all in a line just like we parked them. It was a true nightmare with scattered tin and debris strewn for acres and acres with so many downed trees and mangled fences we stopped counting.
What makes Covid-19 go away? Being hit by a tornado. Even though we were supposed to be staying away from each other, it was “all hands on deck” to set to right our lovely farm. All the men of the family gathered to formulate a plan and start rebuilding, repairing, and repurposing the devastation. We ladies stayed home, trying not to pass any germs to the grandparents, and we cooked and did what we could from afar. My hardworking family – my husband, son, son-in-law, and grandsons – all became part of the crew that worked diligently to help my father-in-law clean up the debris and rebuild. With three barns down, you can only imagine the amount of twisted tin strewn across the many acres. Picking up twisted tin took a large amount of time. Our grandson told my husband one day that he had carried so much twisted tin to, “Just call me the Tin Man.”
Due to Covid-19, we women of the family all stayed home and cooked for our hardworking crew. This is the recipe that I sent often for the mid-morning snack to give the men energy for the task so they could keep on working. I’m happy to report that the farm is in tip-top shape. And now…we call these Tornado Cookies.
-Danna Standridge
Author of Happiness is Homemade Y’all!
Read her faith story at www.birminghamchristian.com.
Join her in the kitchen on Facebook and YouTube.
Tornado Cookies
No bake, easy, delicious!
Ingredients:
For a Snack: 2 cookies
- ½ cup quick oats
- 1 Tablespoon of each of the following:
- Peanut butter (I use crunchy),
- Honey, cocoa, dried fruit (I use cherries, blueberries, or raisins)
Instructions:
Mix together. Add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time to desired consistency. Form into two balls and flatten into cookies. Freeze.
To Share: 1 Dozen Cookies
- 3 cups quick oats
- ½ cup of each of the following:
- Peanut butter, crunchy
- Cocoa
- Honey
- Dried fruit: cherries, blueberries, raisins, etc
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together. Add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time till desired consistency Form into balls and flatten into cookies. Freeze.
