On this First day of January 2021...my Southern Roots show as I have already been cooking a big pot of black-eyed peas with ham in them and a big pot of fresh Collard Greens is on the stove now.
The black-eyed pea tradition seems especially appropriate for this website. We ate them growing up in the Deep South to insure "health" in the New Year. The hog jowls(ham) used to season them were to bring happiness and the pot of collards (greens) were to insure wealth. This year we started early with the Peas last night and will be eating another couple of bowls in an hour or so at lunch time with a bowl of the freshly cooked collard greens (not pictured)
I'm crossing my fingers, saying prayers, lighting incense and eating bowls of these foods for ALL OF US this year in hopes of a year blessed with better health and prosperity and happinesss. Life (and traditions) are Beautiful.
gJohn
Written by
greatjohn
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Ha!! Had black eyed peas and bacon for lunch and dinner yesterday. Looked just like yours with a little red pepper, an onion, and carrot rounds in the pot. No collard greens this time of year with garden under snow but next spring spinach, beet tops and collard greens will be on the menu.
Thank-you gj! Looks delicious. If Mom was still with us we’d be having the same. She was from rural North Carolina. Thanks for the fond memories your post brings to mind!
Every time I make Black Eyed Peas...I think of my mom. The cornbread I left off this year because I am planning on making a loaf of fresh bread tomorrow and I don't want to over carb to start the new year! We did have Iced sweet tea!
Yes sir, those are "slap ya Momma" good lookin' peas right there! But the only thing missing is some good ole heavily buttered corn bread and a tall glass of iced tea! Or a frosty mug...hair of the dog, ya know! 😉
Enjoy...and a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year to you & yours! 🕊️✌️🙏
yes, as I said above...I love the cornbread and was wanting to making it...but I am planning a loaf of fresh baked bread tomorrow and I didn't want to start out 2021 with too many carbs...LOL. Peas and collards both taste so much better with it!
I apologize, I am using my phone & couldn't see your earlier reply when I typed mine, unlike on my laptop. Yes, we're trying to lower carbs (again) here, too, so good luck to all of us! I can forego most other carbs, but that home made🍞😋
Just finished 3 servings myself ... used the bone and leftovers from a honey baked ham in it. Didn’t have any cornbread tho ... wifey forgot yayahahahaya. I hope 2021 is a good year for you and your significant other there big guy ... hope the covid will finally die out after vaccinations and we can get out again.
Happy New Year greatjohn, those look delicious. I looked for some at the local store yesterday and they were sold out! So, I think even though I live in the Denver area there must be a lot of folks who eat black eyed peas on New Years Day. Was a tradition with my side of the family from southwest Virginia.
I would like to see more of those pictures. I'm a Washington State guy so I don't know what collard greens are. Oddly enough. Not. It's raining here going on a week and more coming. Happy new year guys. Mike.
John. Great way to ring in the new year, snow and ice here so a big batch of chili was the dinner we enjoyed. Wishing you and all the warriors a happy and healthy new year. Keep up the fight warrior. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
I have gotten many notes from friends and acquaintances. One of the unanticipated consequences of my battle with cancer is that friends from all periods of life have reconnected with me and each other. I think there are a couple expressing thoughts that are worth sharing.
From a good friend that I have known since high school:
“A newlywed young man was sitting on the porch on a humid day, sipping ice
tea with his Father.
As he talked about adult life, marriage, responsibilities, and obligations,
the Father thoughtfully stirred the ice cubes in his glass and cast a clear,
sober look on his Son.
"Never forget your friends," he advised, "they will become more important as
you get older." "Regardless of how much you love your family and the
children you happen to have, you will always need friends. Remember to go
out with them occasionally (if possible), but keep in contact with them somehow."
"What strange advice!" thought the young man. "I just entered the married
world, I am an adult and surely my wife and the family that we will start
will be everything I need to make sense of my life."
Yet, he obeyed his Father; kept in touch with his friends and annually
increased their number.
Over the years, he became aware that his Father knew what he was talking
about. In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on
a person, friends are the bulwarks of our life.
After 70 years of life, here is what he, I and you will have learned:
Time passes.
Life goes on.
Children grow up.
Children cease to be children and become independent. And to the parents,
it breaks their heart but the children are separated of the parents because
they begin their own families.
Jobs / careers come and go.
Illusions, desires, attraction, sex....weakens.
People can't do what they did physically when they were young.
Parents die but you move on.
Colleagues forget the favors you did.
The race to achieve slows.
But, true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles
away they are. A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need,
intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or in some way
blessing your life.
When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the
incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead.
We did not know how much we would need from each other.
Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good
friends.
Stay in touch with them but do not impose your criteria.
HAPPY NEW YEAR- and boy do we need that!!”
From another old friend who I have only seen once since the day Nixon resigned. (August 9, 1974) I stopped to visit him in Boulder, Co as I was hitchhiking home from Santa Cruz, Ca where I went to summer school.
Happy New Year All! Let's pass this kidney stone of a year safely! Tuffy
"This wise old whiskery fish swims up to three young fish and goes, “Morning boys, how’s the water?” and swims away;
and the three young fish look at each other and go. ‘what the fxxk is water?’ and swim away."
Here are my thoughts;
Many things are thrown our way in the game of life. It’s how you deal with them that shows your true character.
I wish for us all to share hope, love, and laughter for the upcoming year and the rest of my life.
Let’s all go for our dreams and try to remember to have a damn ass, fxxking good time doing it!
That is one great read Philly! I was in Philadelphia on July 20th, 1969. I remember it well. They just landed on the moon. I was in the brig. Solitary. No t.v. I didn't get to do a lot of sightseeing. I might have had mashed black-eyed peas. Not sure what it was. I have learned not to eat my own cooking. Everyone else has learned not to eat my cooking. I may try some green eggs and ham this week. What could go wrong?
Looks amazing! May the black/eyed peas bring you lots of good luck this year! Im sure the collards were equally delicious! That’s the way to ring in the New Year, Southern style!
Hi John,The closest we had to black eyed peas growing up in Massachusetts was Boston baked beans. Not the same, at all, but a fond memory of childhood. My mother-in-law always cooked something called hoppin’ John for New Years. I wasn’t a fan, but it grew on me with time. In any case, it’s great to see that you are enjoying life after what seems to have been a particularly difficult year. Wishing you the best.
Looks like hoppin-john to me.. ours had some crispy bacon and a cut up ham slice in it. And corn-bread of course (wife can't get it to not crumble.. dunno what the trick there is..) That was New Years day - the leftovers should be just about perfect for lunch today. Letting it sit a few days in the fridge really brings out the flavors.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Boring! (In a good way.) 
From a Gleason 9 to a clean CT scan in 18 mos.
3 Years After Stage IV Diagnosis
Xtandi-Lupron Side Effect Questions
