It snowed on the farm…so we made snow cream.

And when it snows in eastern North Carolina, we go all to pieces.  If the weather man predicts snow, we buy all the milk and white bread in every grocery store. Well, I buy heavy cream, popcorn and artichoke hearts. Then we hunker down and wait for the beautiful snow. We close schools and take photos of everything in sight. But one thing we do that is really unique — we make snow cream.

Note: This article looks much better when you read it on the website.
Click here to read the pretty version at Chloe’s blog.

I don’t know how far south snow cream is made, but they don’t make it north of here in Virginia. Maybe it is only a North Carolina treat. When I was growing up we couldn’t wait for snow, but we had to, because it didn’t snow every year.

Snow Cream Recipe

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg (optional)
• 1 bowl of light, clean snow (6-8 cups)

Cream together the cream, sugar and vanilla. Some folks add the egg, but I don’t. Using a flexible utensil like a spatula, add the snow a little at a time to the cream mixture until it is the consistency of creamy ice cream. You will have about 3 servings and you must eat it immediately because it melts fast! Oh, what a treat. (In a pinch you can use sweetened condensed milk in place of the cream and sugar. We always kept a can around just in case it snowed).

At Big Mill Bed and Breakfast when it snows, we feed the birds, make snow cream, take photos of everything and play in the snow.

Above: a photo at Big Mill from years ago of Chloe Ann (left), that’s me and Chloe, Sr. on the right-my mother. Same yard, same outbuildings. We thought this was a big hill. Santa brought Nephew Barney and me these strange things called snowflakes. They were round, fast and steering them was impossible. But they were fun.

Above: photo taken by nephew Monk of the barns in the snow

I’m curious … have you ever eaten snow cream? Feel free to share your memories and recipes for snow cream by leaving a comment below.
We all eat well at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast when it snows.

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In a June, 2000 USA Today article Jimmy Buffett names Ten of his  Favorite Watering Holes in the world. Two of these are in the Florida Keys: Louie’s Backyard Restaurant and Lounge in Key West and Alabama Jack’s in Key Largo. Speaking of Alabama Jack’s, Buffett commented that many of the characters looked like they crawled right out of the Everglades.

It is a favorite of bikers and Joy, who knows the owner Phyllis says of Alabama Jack’s, "Most of the bikers who show up at Alabama Jack’s are attorneys from Miami who ride their Harleys on Sundays and don’t drink alcohol, but they gather and eat superbly-cooked conch fritters and Key lime pie." 

And on Sundays you might be lucky and see cloggers on the dance floor. Betty clowned for us and gave us a clogging flip (left).

They advertise "Best Conch Fritters in the Keys." The whole family can enjoy this Keys watering hole.  

The Caribbean Club in Key Largo has a long and vivid history. In 1935 Carl Graham FIsher, famed Florida developer built the club as a "poor man’s retreat;" this was his last venture. (Below: The view from the bar of the Caribbean Club includes Patrick.)

Publicity hype touts the Caribbean Club as being part of the 1947 movie "Key Largo" that starred Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Memorabilia of the film is still seen on the walls of this fun watering hole. Bogey (below) is joined by Patrick and Shane, the bartender.

A fire in 1955 changed the tenor of the club, but don’t fret-it is still up and running better than ever. (Below Chloe, Big Mill B&B Innkeeper, enjoys the views and characters at the Caribbean Club.)

Built in 1937 just after the devastaing hurricane of 1935, Papa Joe’s Bar and Marina has been around a long time. The bar seems to come and go but hopefully it can make it. This is a great place to catch a sunset.

And for real Keys characters you can’t miss the Paradise Pub in Key Largo. Great food and open late at night.

Yep, that is Chloe the Innkeeper (below) shooting a game of Eight Ball at the Paradise Pub, a real Shark in Paradise.

"Frankly, Scallop, I don’t give a clam." Great sign at the Mandalay in Key Largo. The Mandalay was once a favorite hangout of locals, who stopped by after work to grab a brew. It is totally gentrified now; nice, but you won’t see many Conchs here. 

This Keys blog story is dedicated to some of my favorite Keys characters: George and Louise Scott and old Mr. Ed, who has seen his last sunset and has moved on to a better houseboat somewhere out there.  

George and Louise clean up so well that I had to search to find a Keys character photo of them. Mr. Ed was always in his Keys persona, no matter where he was. We miss him, cantankerous character that he was.

Thanks to Florida Keys historian Jerry Wilkinson for sharing his knowledge of these historic places, characters, bars and watering holes. His information about the colorful history of the Caribbean Club would be a great Chloe’s blog entry all on its own.

Can you tell which one is Jerry?

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naYou can step right off your boat and sit at the tables with the cute umbrellas…the view of the Atlantic is breathtaking.  Once Ed and I ordered a glass of wine and it was so bad we dared not throw it overboard…that would be polluting and an environmentally serious Innkeeper couldn’t do that.  Luckily the wine list has improved. 

Chloe with one of the Keys Characters Ed at Snake Creek, now called the Island Grill (above)

(Above) Chloe in front of the No Name Pub.

The standout winner for the Big Mill B&B award for the best Keysy Bar is the No Name Pub in Big Pine Key. Decorated with thousands of old dollar bills, this is the real thing. It has been around since 1935 and it rather looks like it. Yes, that is a tree that fell on the building…don’t worry, it was still open for business.

"A nice place if you can find it."

That is very true. Heading south you turn right in Big Pine Key and wander around for quite awhile in residential neighborhoods. Then just before you head over the bridge to No Name Key up pops the No Name Pub.

The first time that Joy, Patrick and I went to No Name Pub several of the chairs only had three legs. Patrick tried to drink all of the Killian’s Red so he didn’t care about the chairs. Now he is the designated driver. Funny what age does to us, eh?

 Chloe and Joy inside the No Name Pub

The Pizza is actually quite good. I hope this place with all its history will be here for a long time. Do NOT miss The No Name Pub-it is one of a kind. I am sure Jimmy Buffett approves.

It is obvious that I will have to do this chloesblog entry in several installments-there are just too many great watering holes in the Keys.

(The Innkeeper has taken time away from eastern North Carolina to join dear friends Patrick and Joy at friends George and Louise’s house in the Florida Keys.)

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Every country inn really does need an old pickup truck. Ours is "Old Red" and she is part of the landscape…literally, because some days she won’t move.

Old Red has a 1968 Ford 390 engine in a 1979 Ford body. She has an automatic stick shift in the floor, and starts running wide open in ANY gear. Folks head for cover when they hear her rumble. She has a Holley racing carburetor and to me that just means more gasoline; not at all good for my eco image. But she is very recycled.

Old Red is not really road-ready yet. I am waiting for the day when she can be legally declared by the State of North Carolina as an antique.  Until then we are content to wander the fields and forests on the farm in search of berries and wild grapes and picnics. Lest you think she only plays, Old Red works hard — we have limbs and yard debris that we haul to the woods. Aren’t we lucky to have woods?

Of late Old Red has a new career as a photo prop. We have photographers who come to Big Mill and the farm for photo shoots, including Playboy magazine.

Even brides lean on the hood next to the Redneck Woman license tag-a joke put there by a friend of mine. It was such a hit, I left it. Mind you, nobody here is a redneck, but  folks love the idea.

Even grandmothers and country music stars show up in photos with the old Ford truck. Jamie Leigh had her portfolio taken here at Big Mill and now she is famous! Jamie just won the Kenny Chesney 96.9 the Kat Radio "Next Big Star" contest in Charlotte.

In her original song "Summer Nights" she sings of a rusty old Ford truck…I just know it’s Old Red. Jamie will open with Kenny Chesney in his August 21st concert in Charlotte. Great going, home town Martin County girl.

Along with country stars, we also have Old Red with our favorite British Barrister…Anthony makes his home part time here in Eastern North Carolina and he now has his own pickup truck with dual exhausts. What will the chaps at his club in London think?

It is good to be writing again to Chloes Blog. Business has been fabulous this summer and it has cut into my blogging time…but I love it — blogging and the Bed and Breakfast. The folks who have passed through here this summer have been the best. I have made some great new friends.

‘just had a request from a couple of upstate New York guests Nicholas and Sandi who want a ride to the creek on Old Red.

So off we go…in the rain, in the dark, knowing we might have to walk home. We love an adventure! I love my truck.

Photo Credits: Black and White photo is by Andrea Wood of Touched Photography; Photos of Jamie Leigh photo and the bride are by Peggy Rogerson of Peggy Rogerson Photography; Group photo and photo of Chloe and Old Red Truck are by Stacey Haines of Stacey Haines Photography. All other photos are by Innkeeper Chloe Tuttle of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast.

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I saw my first Brown Bag Cookie Mold in the early eighties in a tiny shop in Virginia Highlands, a small Yuppie neighborhood in Atlanta, where I was living.

This love affair has never ended. I have St. Nicholas from the 1983 collection, which was the first year they were made. The Brown Bag name comes from the philosophy that small, ordinary things can be wonderful works of arts.

With these clay molds you can make gorgeous cookies, cast beeswax ornaments and hand cast paper. From what I have read it seems the originator of these clay molds now only creates one a year and she donates the proceeds of the sales to charity.  For 2007 the mold is a gingerbread house and any monies will go to Habitat for Humanity.

I have about 20 of these Brown Bag Cookie molds, some made by hand, and I cherish each one of them. Many of the molds are now collected and you can find them on EBay and other sites on the internet; they are no longer sold in stores.

If you buy beeswax directly from the beekeeper, it is cheaper, but it can be dirty, so you will have to clean it.  I used to keep bees; I even had bees in my early Innkeeping days here at Big Mill Bed and Breakfast. I had a great teacher, my cousin Bobby who was blind. I was his "eyes" when he checked the hives. I ordered my first colony of bees from Sears & Roebuck and they came by mail in a small screen box. My rural mail carrier was a wreck. En route wild errant bees had attached to the outside trying to join my bees.

Beekeeping is really a science, and without Bobby around, I couln’t protect my bees from all the dangers. But I still find them fascinating. Did you know that all the bees in a hive are women? There is even a book Beekeeping For Dummies. There are many good websites and books out there now, so if you want a fascinating hobby, you won’t be bored.

My bees knew me and could tell when I was upset or nervous; the pitch of the hum in the hive went up an octave. Bees have taken a bad rap. They are not naturally aggressive like wasps, hornets and yellow jackets. Please don’t kill them; we really need all the bees here on the farm at Big Mill. They are one of the reasons our blueberries are so prolific!

Recipe for Cast Beeswax Ornaments
(Download the Brown Bag Idea Book for more projects)

• Brown Bag Cookie Molds
• 1 pound beeswax (this will yield about 6-8 ornaments)
• Small amount of thin wire (like in a twist tie)
• 1 yard very thin ribbon
• A small amount of vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon or thereabouts
• Small paint brush to apply the vegetable oil to the molds
• Old double boiler and ladle (or 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup if using microwave*)
• Wooden spoon or paint paddle for stirring

Chill the cookie molds at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

Melt the beeswax in a double boiler over medium to low heat, checking often to make sure the water does not boil out.  Remove the mold from the refrigerator and brush or rub a wee amount of vegetable oil onto the inside of the mold. Place the mold on a flat surface covered with some protective covering of waxed paper. This allows you to reuse any spilled wax. The mold MUST be flat and level.

Using a lipped ladle, gently pour beeswax into the mold. At this time you can tell if the mold is level. If not, correct this.  

The wax will immediately pull away from the mold and dry quickly. When it is cloudy, insert a twisted piece of very thin wire into the back of the mold at the top. This will be your hanger. If you forget you can heat the wire and do this later. Or you can use ribbon. You do not have to wash the molds between pourings; but you may have to add more oil.

To remove from the mold, turn it over and rap gently on a table. Do this before the ornament is completely cold. If you have any "over pour" you can trim off the edges using a heated knife blade. If you make a bad pour, don’t fret. Just put the wax back in the pot and reheat. This is true if you break an ornament…they are very fragile.

Now for the cleanup: Call the National Guard. But DON"T let any of this wax get into your drains…or you will rue the day. Actually, a hair dryer and paper towels work well.

The Rocking Horse design is from 1984, the second year of production for Hill Design’s Brown Bag Cookie Molds. Gingerbread Man and the Cherub are from 1992. These delicate ornaments are translucent and the tree lights glow through each one. The beeswax aroma lingers and is not lost through the years.

I store these treasures flat, with sheets of waxed paper between each one. They must be kept in a cool place.

I still have my hive, my bee suit and my pith helmet!   Chloë

*You can use the microwave to make these ornaments, but I prefer the stovetop because it allows me to keep the wax at a steady temperature.

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‘Bet you never even heard of Dinner on the Ground. Sadly, it has been called a fading tradition. It seems these days I look up and things I thought would always be there are gone or leaving.  Dinner on the Ground is one of them.

But for now they are still with us.  For many years it has been the tradition of southern, country churches to have a week-long revival that ended on Sunday with a great celebration and homecoming.

Folks came from everywhere for this big feast.  Dinner on the Ground only happens in the fall and often we attended several special events throughout Eastern North Carolina:  Macedonia, Piney Grove, Maple Grove and Smithwick’s Creek Primative Baptist.

My favorite of the foods was fried peach jacks, and I knew right where to find them. Fannie H.* and Miss Mintie both made wonderful jacks. Miss Mintie’s daughter-in-law Charlotte, keeps up the tradition. 

One year someone actually made homemade moon pies. You could find collard greens galore, Brunswick stew, cornbread, fried chicken, banana sandwiches (for the children), sweet potato pies, barbecue, succotash, all kinds of pickles and more cakes than have ever been in one place. Lots of sweet tea is always served. 

Every southern woman must have a deviled egg plate, and this is a time when you should use it.  

There will be much declaring and reckoning as in "I declare it is hot and I reckon it was cooler last year."  "Bless his heart" will be heard many times.  

After church is over folks rush out and spread the feast on a table made of chicken wire that is strung between tall oak trees. If the trees aren’t positioned just right, then a tractor will do just fine. There are often two or three tables made of chicken wire that are each a block long. Every family spreads a tablecloth over a spot (same spot every year) and puts the food out. Then folks graze up and down the table, visiting and eating.

I am glad to have enjoyed these wonderful events. I am also happy to live in the "country" where we love and linger with our traditions. The church of my youth still has Dinner on the Ground; and for that I am very happy.

All of the photos were taken at the same church, almost sixty years apart. Photo at right is my dad Ops, taken in 1948 or ‘49, at Macedonia’s Dinner on the Ground, after all the food was taken away.

That is my mother Chloe loading the car. Photo below is my brother John and me (with the very short skirt). Maybe some traditions will stick around.

(Photo credit: Barney Conway, Jr. for the color photos. I figure Barney’s dad took the old black and whites.)

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Chloe announced to me several days ago that I should take a bath and make myself pretty because we were going to a special event; I didn’t really think she meant it. I don’t get out much, and we cats can be "subject to violent anxiety at any uprooting."  * 

Well, today we motored in a car into Williamston and gathered on the lawn of the Episcopal Church of the Advent. Now that I am a published author I have obligations.

Chloe told me that she went to the Blessing of the Animals at Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City and they had giraffes, elephants, chickens, snakes and most of the animals that Moses had in his ark. I have never seen an elephant and was looking forward to seing one. I haven’t even seen a chicken. I am a wee bit disappointed that I could not see an elephant.

Anyway, there were some very poorly behaved critters at our blessing. I am dignified.  I am a cat of integrity.  I know how to act.  I did not say a word, I did not bite anybody, I did not growl. My new friend Izzy bit Susan.

Here I am with the Reverend Jim Horton and Chloe. We attended what appeared to be a Fur Ball Festival on the Feast of St. Francis, patron saint of animals, birds and the environment. I rather liked his prayer; we could all learn from St. Francis.

I have now been blessed and I have to admit I feel like a new Fur Person. I wonder if I have to do this eight more times?

 P.S. I just received a letter from one of my admirers telling me that it was Noah on the ark, not Moses. Forsooth, I could have sworn it was my namesake.

* The Fur Person by May Sarton

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If you have ever spent any amount of time around the sea and in waterways, you will know that the locals have their own navigational aids. In North Carolina’s Outer Banks on the island of Ocracoke you will see empty Clorox bottles bobbing in the water. You have to ask a local in order to know if the bottle marks where you should go or where not to go.

All over the Florida Keys and in the Caribbean sticks and now some PVC pipes are swaying in bodies of water, sometimes the only guide you might have.

Well, in the Upper Florida Keys there is a cut from the bay near Tavernier Creek to Cowpens** that is called Toilet Seats. It is marked with some bright-painted toilet seats and some derelict toilet seats, but all of them are clever.

My Friend Joy (from my earlier boating days in the Bahamas) and I have put several toilet seats in this cut, but they have not fared too well with the blows and hurricanes that whip through the Keys.

Our toilet seat was painted with "Chloe and Joy, Eau de Toilette", weren’t we clever?

                                                                                                                                                              I remember other catchy quips painted on the seats: Ed’s Crapper; Royal Flush; Pottying in the Keys; Baron’s Throne; Louise and Tammy’s Turd’le; Doug and Vickie’s Hook, Line and Stinker and others that the sea has claimed.  

I have to give credit to the great skipper Patrick who stopped, backed up, moved left or right for me to get just the right shot.  Thank you, Chico.

This really is folk art, and I love it! Art and the sea is thalassa therapy for this NC innkeeper.

** Years ago, natives corralled the manatees,  also known as seacows into pens for food. This area is now called Cow Pens. More local lore is that sailors long at sea looked upon the manatee as mermaids. Now do we believe that? They must have been at sea a very long time.

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