JAN 18’

My 2016 Subscription Campaign, (Beg-A-Thon) has entered its third week, and so far, it’s resulted in 48 new subscribers. The only yardstick for judging a blog like mine is the number of subscribers. I send it to over 1000 folks, but many who go to the site and read my posts are not subscribers, and I appreciate their loyalty. If you are a regular reader and like what you see, please take part in the campaign. To check it out, call up the subscription contest by clicking here.

Everyone who agrees to help with the contest will receive a full size print of a Mississippi Delta painting by Deborah Fagan Carpenter. The winner will receive the original painting. You can see the painting by clicking here, and you can check out Deborah’s website by going to www.faganart.com. I’ll make y’all a deal. When the total of new subscribers reaches 300, we’ll close the contest, and I won’t mention it again until next January.

Last week I received word that the final manuscript for my first novel, Jake’s Revenge, the first in a series of novels based on the exploits of Shiva, The Goddess of Death, will be finished by Feb. 1. The book is set in Mobile, Alabama, and the protagonist is Mary Jo Thibodeaux, an ex-army officer with special skills which earned her the nickname Shiva. I intend to seek an agent for the book, with the hope of finding a mainstream publisher, but if that fails, we’ll publish it at Front Porch Press, LLC. I’ll keep you posted.

On the sports scene, Auburn’s men’s basketball team gave us a preview of things to come when they upset Kentucky on Saturday. The Tigers are in the second season of the Bruce Pearl era, and they’ve vaulted to the top of the SEC due to outstanding recruiting and coaching. They’ll be a contender from now on.

Mississippi State’s women’s basketball team is currently ranked at 7^th in nation, with a 16–2 record. This is the best start for the Lady Bulldogs, and I hope this too is a preview of things to come.

Well, that’s enough housekeeping. I promised to find and present Mike McCain’s bacon wrapped date appetizer recipe. Here it is:

Ingredients

24 whole large dates

¼ Pound of cheese of your choice

12 slices of medium thick bacon cut in half

24 wooden tooth picks soaked in warm water for 30 minutes

Directions

Cut a slit down the center of each date to the pit\Remove the pit

Place a small wedge of cheese into the slit and press closed

Wrap a piece of the bacon around the date and secure with a damp toothpick

Line a cookie sheet with foil and broil until bacon is medium crisp. Turn the bacon wrapped dates and repeat. Don’t overcook.

Serve while warm from the broiler.

Mike and Jean are on a three week Pacific cruise, abut when they get back, I’ll get her mushroom dip recipe.