Eric McGowan

It's a winter world the first of March in Alabama.

This is yet another quick recipe to use this holiday season.

My mother picked this up working for a neighbor many years ago.

1 loaf french bread

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream (can be light)

1 small onion chopped or either 1/2 bottle of chopped dried onion

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp parsley

1 large can of meat of your choice (ham, chicken, or turkey). I prefer ham or chicken.

1 pack of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Black olives (optional)

Butter or vegetable spread

Mix mayo, onion, sour cream, and other dried ingredients, and meat in large mixing bowl. Split the french bread lengthwise into halves. Spread butter over each bread half. Pour mixture evenly over each half. Sprinkle cheese over top and olives if desired. Place on cookie or baking sheet. Place in oven and let "toast" but not burn. Take out of oven and split into strips.

• Mixture works best to mix and then seal and refrigerate overnight to "season".
• Small strips of baked ham or either grilled/baked chicken work well too (depends on your preferences)

An odd combination but well worth the wait. Green Beans rolled up in seared bacon-yum.

This has been a hit and can be quite versatile during the holidays or company gatherings.

GREEN BEAN ROLL-UPS

1 Can Green Beans

1 16 oz package bacon

1 small bottle french dressing

Open green beans and drain. Next open bacon package and split strips down the center. Take a half strip of bacon and roll up 3-5 green beans into that strip. Then take a toothpick and slide it through. Place each roll-up into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 to 375 degrees (depends on the oven) until the bacon starts to sear on the edges. Remove and drizzle french dressing over the top. Place back into the oven and let this candy a spell. Keep an eye to avoid burning.

These make great finger food.

While driving in this morning I saw "A Parents Life Is a Child's Guidebook" on the billboard for a local church. With the holiday season upon us I thought what a timely topic.

Personally, while growing up I never gave much thought to what my mother sacrificed for us.

She basically stayed at home and took care of my grandmother--her mother. My grandmother, you see, had Parkinson's Disease and although she was a strong woman in earlier years she was quite the handful in the latter as one helped her with daily life. The handling was not an issue of personality, more so an issue of the disease and its' complications.

After my grandmother passed away my mother did go into the work force. Having been technically unemployed, except as a caregiver and housewife, she found work as a paid caregiver locally and became "sought out" at times. This changed her confidence level and helped her to do many things she never would do before.

After a few years she became disabled, although never in truly good health from the time that I remember. It took quite a while for her to even acquire the penance she has since obtained.

From her, my mother, I obtained my own sense of compassion and generosity. It took me years to realize this but that is how life presents itself.

The following words below are from a fellow co-worker who, as a parent, gave me his thoughts on what he wished for his children to remember of him

"The legacy that I would leave my children is one of

generosity and love. .... And, I want them to know above all

that my love for them is unconditional."

What imprints are you leaving from your life?

**Images complements of flickr.com

We all run into them---the dreaded unique property. This is One that Only One in a Million Loves and Will Ever Buy.

I basically ask some brief questions upon getting started with potential clients and figure out what may work best for them in their situation.

Signs that realtors and loan officers should beware of:

"It was once a bus.... we just put it up on pilings and it is home."

"I pulled it off the river, drained it out, and added a room."

"Yep, you can change the oil in the motor ..."

"It was once a single wide. We moved it onto our parents' land, and have added a bedroom and ..."

Unique properties are one thing; however, utilizing the equity in them can be quite a challenge.

Parts of an old barn or the stern of a ship add character. Whereas, the "oddity" that endears a property can be the very liability as well when trying to finance it or for an appraiser to find comparables for it. Should one ever want to finance these "unique" properties then the lender, if it is approved, would likely loan on the land--not the home.

Image of bus complements of flickr.com.