Southern Belle Simple is going to have a new regular feature….le fete de l’imagination. It roughly translates to “the imaginary party” and will be a pretend celebration of sorts for the birthday of a special southern belle or beau. I want to honor the lives of some important folks and this seemed like a good way to do that.
There is no better person to celebrate for the premiere of this feature than Ms. Harper Lee. Not only is she the author of my all-time favorite book To Kill a Mockingbird, she is a true daughter of the south and must be celebrated accordingly. She was born Nelle Harper Lee on April 28, 1926. Ms. Lee grew up in Monroeville, Alabama and has always said that she based the fictional Macomb in her novel on her own hometown. If you haven’t read To Kill a Mockingbird, you need to stop reading this blog and go get a copy!
So what kind of party should we have for Ms. Harper Lee? I think we should receive our guests on the front porch and serve them lemonade upon their arrival. We can chat for a bit before moving into the back yard…to this precious greenhouse that has been transformed into a beautiful sitting room.
We’ll make sure our guest of honor has the prime spot smack dab in the middle of this comfy couch and then we can all gather around for the celebration. She’ll probably regale us with stories of her adventures growing up in the south, moving to New York, traveling with Truman Capote and how it felt to become a published author of one of the most-loved books of all time.
We will enjoy a simple salad and cold fried chicken with linen dish towels spread over our laps for napkins. Then for the piece de resistance, assorted fruit pies freshly baked and cooled on a windowsill. Miss Harper (we’re more familiar now) can open her gifts of a new journal (the perfect gift for any writer) and a sharp new passport cover. Rosewater hand cream and an antique brooch will make her feel equally celebrated. I hope she loves her gifts!
Is there anything special you’d like to bring to the party?
