Two pieces of good news this week—Valentine’s Day is over and the chocolate has been marked down! No offense to anyone who laboriously counts down the days until the next Valentine’s Day, but it’s not for me. I do miss seeing my kids get excited about their school parties and watching as they carefully selected which Crocodile Hunter or Hannah Montana card that they would give each classmate. They were intentional in their selections of the wordings of those cards for their classmates. They likely didn’t know the meaning of the word or that they were being intentional.
Three middle school boys in Kansas were well aware of their intentionality last week. Eighth grader Tristan Valentine (the irony!) realized that the Valentine’s Day craze often causes females to compare themselves to others and question their worth. Valentine pitched an idea to two of his friends—let’s buy a pink carnation for all the girls and female teachers and staff members at Summit Trail Middle School in Olathe. The other boys decided that Tristan had a worthy idea and the three of them (and likely their very proud mamas) made it happen. No specifics were given about how the boys paid for the flowers, but they “used their own money and arranged the funding.” I still think some very proud mamas may have contributed. The boys worked with the school administration to make sure that none of the 270 female students and 70 staff members were left out. Each flower had a note attached that read “Hope you feel special today.” The boys told few other than school administration and their parents of their plans and arrived to school early last Thursday with buckets of pink carnations. They placed themselves near the school’s entrance so that no one was left out. The images are worth the Google search. They are sweet and heartwarming, even to those of us who don’t care for Valentine’s Day. When interviewed, Tristan Valentine said that he wanted every female in the school to feel “special and accepted” on a day that can evoke sadness and comparison. The smiling faces of 340 students, teachers and staff members proved that Valentine’s idea was successful. So successful that other middle school boys tried to buy flowers from the three boys to give to their own girlfriends. Middle schoolers are usually not known for intentional, selfless acts. This is a period of life where individuals are typically self-absorbed and fickle in relationships. It’s good to be reminded that there are always exceptions to any standard and definitely to any stereotype. It’s good to know that parents somewhere are still teaching the importance of intentionality to their children. Intentionality is not innate in our nature. It requires reflection, purpose, action and practice. Tristan Valentine reflected on the February 14 holiday well before the day arrived. He knew that the day came every year and he knew that it wasn’t always a good experience for girls. Continuing to reflect, Tristan began to see a purpose. The purpose was to remind each of the females at his school that they mattered. Next, he planned. He knew who he could count on to help him and he went to those two friends. Again, I am pretty sure some moms and dads got behind this idea and helped out. Once the plan was decided, it was time to practice intentionality. This “practice” required transporting multiple buckets of carnations to the school and getting their early. I’ve taught middle schoolers—none of them want to be at school early. It required communication with school administration—again, something that no student really wants to do. The act of intentionality required interacting with girls that the boys didn’t know. It also involved the risk of offending or angering a middle school girl (not a pretty situation). The three sweethearts were determined to deliver smiles, so they did the difficult things. A mother of a student who brought home a pink carnation stated, “In a time where kids are mean and don't take time to show a caring heart or hand, these three boys arranged to have a flower for every young lady in the school. What a sweet gesture to make sure every girl felt important." A sweet gesture indeed! Be intentional! Make someone feel special today!
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Since 2014, veterans have been gathering in Washington County for several days of hunting and fellowship. Many of these men drive great distances to gather at St. Stephens Historical Park and then to be led on hunts throughout the county.
Local musician Daniel MaHarrey and a host of volunteers are responsible for the annual gathering. Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures is not affiliated with the Wounded Warrior Project. Rather it is a grassroots initiative that MaHarrey started after he had the opportunity to take a veteran hunting. The beginning MaHarrey’s roots as a gospel singer and musician in his family group, The MaHarreys, provide him the privilege of traveling the country and meeting a variety of people through the years. Growing up in Washington County, MaHarrey became an outdoorsman and avid hunter. Several years ago, MaHarrey hosted a hunting television show in the Pursuit Channel called Crossroad Adventures. MaHarrey took his best friend’s brother who was a wounded veteran, on a hunt. Soon, Crossroad Adventures started hunting with veterans on the show. An idea was born when MaHarrey saw the comradery that exists when veterans come together. A grassroots endeavor The annual Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures hunt began in 2014. MaHarrey and his wife, Nancy do not receive a salary for their efforts. Instead, they invest all donations back into the program. This year fifteen men from six different states took part in the hunt. Knowledge of the event is spread through social media and word of mouth. Safety screenings are required for vets who want to participate. Volunteers are also trained on how to handle possible triggers of post-traumatic stress disorder in the event that a hunter experience the symptoms. The MaHarrey family works throughout the year to plan the event and train volunteers. Much networking is required with local landowners to plan the hunts as well. There is no cost to the hunters who participate, WWAA assists with travel expenses so that veterans can have a unique hunting experience with their brothers. “Life-changing” “This is a life-changing event for the warriors and for the volunteers. The veterans get to fellowship with others who know and understand their struggles. They can’t find that just anywhere. The volunteers get to see firsthand how difficult life can be for those who have fought for our country. That changes them,” MaHarrey stated. Further expressing gratitude for the commitment of the volunteers, MaHarrey acknowledged, “Without them, this could not happen. Because of them, vets are coming together. They are sharing their experiences and some of them are finally beginning to heal emotionally from what they have endured.” The experience The St. Stephens Historical Park Commission works closely with Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures. For four nights, warriors are provided lodging in the cabins at the park. The fire pits and swings that surround them are filled with the stories of the wounded—stories that many of the vets have never shared before. Friendships are forged amidst the brotherhood of soldiers. During the day, volunteers bring their trucks and take the warriors onto their land to hunt. Many have successful hunts, but not everyone leaves with a Washington County trophy buck. The things guaranteed are a few days away from one’s daily grind, fellowship with other veterans, comfortable lodging, good Southern cuisine and an appreciation banquet to honor their service. Going home with a cooler of deer meat and/ or horns to mount is a bonus. The banquet A crowd gathered at the Chatom Community Center on Saturday, a cross-section of county residents and other patriots who believe in the cause of Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures. The Chatom Police provided a blue light escort through the town to the festivities at the community center. Wayne Blackwell, President of the St. Stephens Historical Commission welcomed guests and Chatom Mayor Harold Crouch addressed the crowd. “Everything we have is a result of God and the American soldier,” Crouch stated. “These are the two reasons we exist.” The MaHarreys band and Hailee Squires entertained the crowd. A live auction and a silent auction were conducted with proceeds going to Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures. The warriors The soldiers present were given the opportunity to address the crowd who had gathered. Army vet David Johnson praised the volunteers and the organization. “Vets are often isolated, but this event brings us together. This event and the hard work of the volunteers puts a smile on my face.” Perry Aud made the trip from Pine Bluff, Ark. on backroads. Aud and MaHarrey befriended one another years ago when The MaHarreys performed at Aud’s church. Aud suffers from severe, debilitating PTSD symptoms that have kept him isolated in his home for many years. Paul MaHarrey, founder of The MaHarreys, stated that much prayer had brought Aud from the confines of his home in Arkansas to be with his brothers in Alabama. Aud admitted that there were times during his drive to Alabama that he wanted to turn and head back home, but there was something that he wanted more—to be with other men who understood the sacrifice. “It has been worth it. I am glad I’m here…and I’ll come back next year if you’ll have me.” The crowd applauded. It’s safe to say that Aud and his brothers will be welcomed back to Alabama next year. How to be involved Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures is a nonprofit 501c3 organization. More information can be found at https://www.facebook.com/woundedwarrioroutdooradventures/. Serendipity is defined as a “happy accident” or a “fluke.” While I don’t really like the terms “happy” and “accident” together, I have to agree that sometimes unplanned, unexpected things do bring joy. Such was the case of our dinner Friday night. Thanks to serendipity, we were aboard the Perdido Queen in the Mobile River.
The Perdido Queen paddleboat is a new tourist attraction for the Mobile Gulf Coast area. The Orange Beach based vessel was invited into the port of Mobile just three weeks ago following the permanent docking of the Gulf Coast Ducks. Social media has a way of introducing people to things and after seeing the ads and thinking about it, I sent the link to Mark. Mark and I are quite different and he is not a planner. He works shifts and we try to eat lunch together one a week when he is off. Instead of our planned lunch on Friday, he bought the tickets on Thursday for the Friday night cruise. For him, that’s planning. We didn’t mind that it was dinner instead of lunch this week. We rushed down when I got off work and loaded the Perdido Queen. The owner, captain and the captain’s wife (who served as waitress, bartender and photographer) were very friendly and personable. Each of them and another crew member did everything they could to make our voyage comfortable and memorable. The 2.5 hour cruise included live music and dinner catered from one of Mobile’s signature restaurants, Dauphin’s. The views of the cityscape were beautiful and the river was calm. Being the nerds that we are, we turned the maps on our iPhones just to see exactly where we were on the river. This helped us take note of the river islands that we knew nothing about! The husband and wife duo on the top deck provided music that covered a range of styles and decades. It was a perfect soundtrack for the evening. I am sure that later in the year when the days are longer and it’s not dark at boarding time, the cruise is perfect. I can imagine that the sunset on the river just adds to the ambience; however, our cruise was wonderful. Unless you travel the river, you may take the shipping industry for granted. As the paddleboat glided upriver, we realized the magnitude of the various shipyards in Mobile and witnessed their finest at work. Alabama has now joined a laundry list of states who offer riverboat cruises. I see it as fitting for any large port city, but especially for one with a 300-plus year history. I still mourn the loss of the Gulf Coast Ducks because it was an affordable, educational excursion and great for entertaining out of town guests, but the Perdido Queen is impressive in its own right. We definitely did not plan for our weekly lunch to turn into a dinner cruise, but I am glad that it did. We were able to support a new venture and the beauty is this—I get to share it with anyone who reads this column. Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. So is Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and likely some wedding anniversaries. I highly recommend making the reservation that will make someone’s day, even if they weren’t planning on cruising the river. I am not one for surprises or changes of plans, but I am thankful for a little serendipity when it shows itself. As the river philosopher Mark Twain wrote, “Twenty years form mow you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Make the reservations and enjoy yourselves! Marie Kondo is a 33-year-old Japanese organization consultant. She gets paid to tell people how to organize their homes and their lives. I think if we’re honest, we’ve all needed an “organization consultant” in our lives at some point. Life is busy, complicated and messy at the very same times that it is beautiful and profound. Kondo’s method of decluttering started with a little book called “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying—The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” It was published in the U.S. two years ago and is now an international phenomenon.
People all over the world are “kondo-ing” their homes. Kondo’s principal is simple enough—if an item doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it. The technique requires that a person touch every item and ask, “Does this spark joy?” It the answer is yes, you display or store the item properly. If the answer is no, you get rid of it. Simple. Well, it’s simple enough for items like clothing, Tupperware, cords, or papers, but Marie doesn’t stop there. I can do that. I throw out random cords, papers, even household appliances when I am tired of them. She hits right to the core of everything southern women hold dear—books, letters, dishes and sentimental items. This is where my initial interest in Kondo became nonexistent. I don’t know of anyone who wants a cluttered house and I am definitely impressed by the strides some of my Facebook friends have made just since starting their “Kondo New Year” on Jan. 1. I’m not going to do it. If I did, my house would be bare because it is filled with books, letters, dishes and sentimental items. When we purchased my grandparents’ home two years ago, I suddenly had two households of belongings to sort through before we moved in. I gave away a lot of things. I made multiple trips to thrift stores. By the time we moved in, I had reconciled my things with my grandmother’s things and I loved what was left. Kondo would vehemently disagree. Kondo’s principal on items of sentimental value it this: “We live in the present. No matter how wonderful things used to be, we cannot live in the past. The joy and excitement we feel here and now is more important.” Most of the women I know would disagree. We like looking back at cards and letters that we have received through the years. It’s not something that anyone does regularly, but there’s comfort and nostalgia in it. Those things “spark joy” for me and for others. Kondo would consider the handwritten recipes of my grandmothers as clutter and I would respectfully disagree. Another area where Kondo and I would not see eye to eye is dishes. I love them. Changing out the plates in my China hutch sparks joy! Yes, the multiple sets of dishes that I own, most of them sentimental in some way, do take up a large amount of storage space, but I have the room to store them. Therefore, they are not in the way. Kondo’s method flies in the face of the Southern tradition of using the “good plates” for the preacher or other important company. I’m fairly certain that the concept “wedding China” would be lost on Kondo and she would not encourage any new bride to register for such frivolous items. I say, if it makes you happy, register for the dishes. Use them. Display them! I’ll respect Marie Kondo, but I’ll revere my dishes! Fellow booklovers, the KonMarie method encourages you to get rid of unread books that are collecting dust and only keep books that “spark joy”. Kondo says that she owns only 30 books. That’s okay for her, but most bibliofiles scoff at the slight number. My recommendation is to keep your home library neat. Stacks of unused books become clutter. No one wants that, but I don’t know anyone who willingly throws out books either! I think the bottom line is this-- your home should be a safe, clean place of retreat. Fill it with the things you love, but not to the point that you are overwhelmed or overtaken by them. Organize your sentimental treasures and put them on display. Use them in your décor rather than stuffing them in a closet. For those who Kondo—Kondo on! I figure that Marie Kondo is going to be okay if I don’t participate in her challenge. She’s currently worth an estimated eight million dollars. I think she will be fine if I don’t buy her books or watch her show. My home with all of its dishes, books, photographs and sentimental items will remain as it is—happy, sweet and original. It is Monday. The sun is shining and it’s 66 degrees. It’s hard for me to fathom what the weather forecasters are saying. Snow? After a day like this? They say it’s possible. The schools have already made decisions to close. I’m almost certain that there is no milk or bread in the grocery store. Why milk and bread? Why do we do that? In the event that we lose power, the milk will spoil. I guess I understand the bread. You could always make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I guess. I think if I were going to brave the store today, I’d buy flashlight batteries and maybe a new book to read if the roads are going to be closed.
Snow in this part of the world fascinates most of us. It doesn’t matter if its flurries that never hit the ground or a light dusting that covers the windshields of our cars. We tend to lose our minds, take pictures and post them on social media. Southerners are extra in so many ways and a Southern snow storm is just another way to prove it. Here are some things that we do that set us apart from areas that don’t think twice about snow.
Sad, beautiful stories
In my opinion, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables is one of the most beautiful stories that has ever been written…and I have read a whole lot of stories. The original English translations of the title are “the miserable ones” and “those who are to be pitied”. The original novel in its 1,500-page unabridged format is not for the casual reader, but the stories intertwined within the novel are captivating and powerful. The stage adaptation that took Broadway by storm in 1987, continues to delight audiences as it tours around the world. This past weekend, the touring company was in New Orleans and it just so happens that my best friend, my daughter and I all received tickets for Christmas. If you saw the 2012 film version of the musical, you were introduced to the music, the story, and the fact that Hugh Jackman is the most versatile actor in Hollywood and you were likely shocked that Russell Crowe can sing. Like some people I know, you were probably not happy with the ending. Spoiler: The majority of the people die. No matter their age, social position or accomplishment, they don’t have a “happily ever after” ending. It’s definitely not a Disney musical. So why do people like me still spend their pretty pennies to see the “miserable ones”? Why is this show one of the top grossing Broadway shows of all time? The title even tells you that it isn’t going to end well! For one, the music is amazing. I’d pay just to go hear the score, but the vocals were impressive as well. The main reason is because of the story. The story of Jean Val Jean, released from prison after serving 5 years for stealing bread to feed his sister’s starving family and another 14 years for trying to escape, is captivating. Through many twists and turns Val Jean is shown redemption and redeems a child from a deplorable situation. Hugo wrote his novel based on events that were taking place in Paris on 1832. Hugo was an eye witness to a small insurrection in Paris, 43 years prior to the French Revolution that made world history books. A friend to the poor and downtrodden, General Jean Maximillien LeMarque died in June 1789 and crowds gathered in the streets to accompany his hearse as it traveled to its burial place. The youth accompanying the hearse had a political agenda and wanted their voices heard. They built barricades and fought for change in their country, knowing that LeMarque’s death would change their world. Hugo wrote Les Miserables to demonstrate the plight of the poor and social injustices within the world as he knew it. 157 years later, the stories still demand to be told. The stories of the poor. The stories of the law. The stories of the redeemed. The stories of the ones seeking to change their circumstances. The stories of the children. The stories of the parents who sacrifice. Of Les Miserables Hugo wrote, “So long as ignorance and misery remains on earth, books like this cannot be useless.” Hugo’s characters and their struggles are timeless. I don’t know when the musical phenomena that is Les Miserables will be within my reasonably accepted driving distance for entertainment, but I will see it again. However, I will likely never get my husband to the theatre to see the stage production. He did see the Jackman/Crowe film and does agree that the film has a strong message, but to him, it’s “so depressing” and he does not understand why I insist on seeing it every time it comes near. Years ago when I had tickets and a friend who had planned to attend fell ill, I just knew Mark would go with me. Instead, he arranged a “cultural experience” for the German exchange student who was staying with some friends. Thankfully, she had read the book and the city of New Orleans is always a cultural experience, even for me! I know it’s sad. I know the ending is never going to change. I’m still going to see it again. I’m still going to listen to the soundtrack. I’m still going to watch the movie occasionally and read the novel once a year. Why? Because I want to always be aware of those who need compassion. Before Christmas, I bought I plague at Hobby Lobby that simply said, “Cling to what is good.” Simple black lettering on a white background—I just really liked it. I like the thought of good things happening for people. Unfortunately, we would not know good if there was no evil. This fact causes me to value the good all the more.
As I stare at the screen, I need words—something good to write about. Tensions are running high in the area right now. Recent news reports have left us reeling. We all want answers. Some think they have the answers and have taken to social media to freely share these. Many are still wondering how such alleged atrocities could even be mentioned in relation to our local schools and communities. At any rate, we are opinionated and our opinions are divisive. The last thing our community needs is division. There are lessons to be learned that can make our community safer and stronger. We need to be reminded. We live in a good area, but it is not a bubble, secluded from crime or tragedy. Thankfully, we have competent law enforcement and first responders who know most of us by name and respond with empathy and compassion in times of need. Our rural hospitals are often scrutinized, but they have always risen to any challenge presented. Yes, drugs are a problem and our local and county agencies are combatting this problem by every means available. Perfect schools do not exist, but our area has a wealth of quality educational facilities. Parents have a choice from several public and independent schools as well as religious-based education and home-schooling options. Students from all area high schools receive scholarships each year for their academic achievements, athletic accomplishments and artistic attainments. Our teachers are imperfect people who want to see their imperfect students become productive members of society. Parents have both a right and a responsibility to become stakeholders in their children’s schools. Recreationally, our area offers so much! The Tombigbee River provides opportunities for boating, fishing and watersport, in addition to learning about conservation and wildlife. Hunting is extremely popular, so much that out of towners seek our area throughout the year for various hunting opportunities. Rural library programs are thriving. We have parks and pools. A day trip to Old St. Stephens and a hike along the trails or kayaking on the lake is an affordable, fun way to make good memories Admittedly, we are lacking in the arts and entertainment areas and it would be amazing to see an independent theatre open once again or maybe a bowling alley, but our local museums host events on a regular basis that are enriching and engaging. Our local economy benefits from chemical plants, farming, steel production and other manufacturing. Yes, it has taken some big hits through the years, but the resolve of the people remains strong. In recent years, a push to shop local has made a difference in tax revenue and has kept the doors to local businesses open. Keep supporting them! An individual who chooses to open a business, to teach, to be a physician or a nurse or to serve as a police officer in a rural area truly believes in that rural area. Training and education open doors to other areas with more resources, technology and opportunities for advancement, but it is love for and belief in small towns and rural communities that keeps these individuals there. It may be the fact that they grew up in the area, but that doesn’t mandate a return. No, our community is not perfect. Yes, we have problems that need to be addressed. As we move forward into this brand new year and as our students return to school, may we cling to what is good, even if finding the good takes some effort on our part. May we find positive ways to be a part of the solution to make our communities safer and stronger. Cling to what is good! I have a fifteen-year old daughter. She is extremely talented musically and can sing every single lyric in Lin Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton.” Every. Single. Word. She knows any useless trivia that no one else would. Most days, she’s pleasant to be around and she really cares about others. I should also mention that she has lived every day of her fifteen years and seven months in the Washington County community of Frankville. Every. Single. Year.
Since she’s been raised in the country, you’d think things like possums would not cause her to come completely undone, but you’d be so wrong. I was driving to work last week when my phone rang. Her voice was frantic. “There’s a possum in the cat food on the carport. He’s huge. He’s dead and the cats are gonna starve unless D (my dad) is home.” I assured her that the possum was not dead and told her to tilt the container over until the possum ran out. We ended our call. Not too long after getting in the office, I received a text picture of an enormous possum “dead” in the cat food. The following text said, “It HISSED at me when I tilted the can and he wouldn’t budge.” I laughed and called her. “It was playing possum.” “Ma’am?” “It was playing possum.” “What? Wait? I thought this WAS a possum. Is this an armadillo?” Seriously? You can’t script conversations with this kid and if you did, she would not follow it. I honestly don’t know how she has missed the “playing possum” idiom. I do know that she has always been very literal. For example, when she was 3, my mom handed her some money and told her to “tip the table” at Cracker Barrel. She was very upset because she didn’t want to make a mess! I really want to create a Southern expressions test for her, just to see what she’d do! She’d likely fly off the handle or be as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Who knows? Her English grades are good, but she is lacking in good Southern expressions, God love her. I should have realized this before now. At Thanksgiving when someone said that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, she got the most disgusted look on her face. “Who wants to catch flies? They need to go away.” We got a dirty look from her for laughing, but her thought process was funny. She’s out of school for two weeks and I plan on limiting her Broadway playlist listening and teaching her the meanings of Southern idioms. She needs to know that when it’s flooding outside, that’s a gully washer. She needs to know that in addition to “playing,” possums grin. Mules also grin when they are eating briars through a “bob wire” fence. Thankfully to my dad, she is aware that “This ain’t my first rodeo” does not refer to cowboys. I don’t want people to think that my kid has just fallen off the turnip truck or anything, but her reaction to the possum is putting me real close to a hissy fit! I don’t suppose I should carry on about it. We have encouraged her to be herself and not give into pressure to conform to anyone else’s perceptions, but seriously, how can you grow up in rural Alabama and not know these expressions? At any rate, it made me laugh (and cringe) and gave me another vignette to add to Tatum’s memory book. Bless her heart! As a child, I was required to at least take a bite of two things that I hated on New Year’s Day—black-eyed peas and collard greens. That was the only time of year I would eat those two things and I only did it then because I wasn’t given a choice. According to my grandmother, it was something you were “supposed” to do. Arguing with her would have only gotten me in trouble. So every year, I tasted the peas and greens.
As I got older, I started wondering about the origins of Southern New Year’s food. We have our own menu for that day. The menu must include black-eyed peas, collard greens, ham and cornbread. People all over the world and throughout the U.S. celebrate the beginning of a new year with a variety of traditions, but the ones I have grew up with are the ones that fascinate me most. The tradition of black-eyed peas began after Sherman’s troops raided the Confederate Army leaving only the black-eyed peas and salted pork, believing them to be animal foods. The Confederates considered these foods to be a sign of good fortune. There are some who toss a coin into the peas as they cook and the one who ends up with the coin on their plate is considered lucky, unless they swallow it. Definitely not the most sanitary of practices and I don’t want to risk anyone choking on a coin. Collard greens are a simple of good health and wealth. These are two things that we’d each like to embrace as a new year begins. Another reason that both collard greens and cabbage are eaten on January 1is pretty simple—these crops are still in season in the South. You can’t go wrong with something fresh from the garden. The green color represents cash, or the wealth that each individual should hope to earn in the new year. Cornbread is a southern staple that originated with Native Americans. It is a staple of Southern suppers. The reason it is a go-to on New Year’s Day is because of its golden color. Old wives’ tales say that the color represents that “golden opportunities” that a new year will bring. Besides the golden color, what would a proper traditional Southern meal really be without cornbread? One traditional Southern New Year’s food that I have never tried and have no plans to is hog jowls. I am a fan of bacon and ham, but I won’t venture too far from those. Pork symbolizes wealth and gluttony and according to tradition, the more of it you eat on New Year’s Day, the luckier you will be the coming year. I suppose that could be true in a world where problems with blood pressure don’t exist! The popularity of hog jowls in the south dates back to the days when families would raise and butcher their own meet. A single pig could feed a family for months and the salt-cured jowls were considered treats at one time. Southerners are steeped in their traditions, but they will branch out. A tradition that Southerners have embraced that did not originate in the South is fireworks. The Chinese have incorporated fireworks in their celebrations for centuries. Fireworks provide a bright beginning for the new year. The sounds are also said to frighten away any lingering evil spirits from the previous year. They also frighten my dogs and because where I live is not in the city limits, they are extremely popular! I won’t be using fireworks to bring in the New Year, but I will plan for the food as tradition mandates. Thoughts of good fortune, health, wealth and golden opportunities are welcomed thoughts any day of the year! Happy New Year! “I do this for my own entertainment,” she says as she skillfully fine tunes a pencil sketch of one of her great-grandchildren. I watch as she glances at a snapshot, comparing what she has created to the camera’s image. Ruth Blount has spent a large part of the past several weeks working on Christmas gifts for her four grandchildren. I have no doubt that Stephanie, Andrew, Molly and Megan will be delighted with the pencil sketches lovingly created by their 90-year-old grandmother.
Blount, a former secretary retired from Ciba Geigy, says that she has always enjoyed drawing. She didn’t have much extra time in her younger years as she was raising her sons Mark and Mike, but since her retirement, Blount has enjoyed creating with pencils, oils and acrylics. She acknowledged that drawing and painting had come naturally to her, but she did take several classes as an adult at the urging of her co-worker and friend, Bea Cartee. The two would leave the plant in McIntosh after work to attend art classes in Saraland. Ruth Blount consults photographs of her great-grandchildren and sketches what she sees. The sketches are Christmas gifts for her grandchildren. (SA photo by Shannon Courington) Painting and sketching are not her only talents. Blount credits Bea Cartee with teaching her how to knit and crochet. She actively participates in Jackson Health Care’s crocheting and knitting group that meets weekly. Her room at Jackson Health Care Facility is adorned with her work in a variety of mediums. It’s a miniature gallery of Blount’s creations in a variety of mediums with a variety of subjects. Sketches and paintings of flowers, landscapes, children and historical buildings cover her walls. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing. When I realized I was pretty good at what I did draw, I wanted to do more of it.” Bonnie Pope, administrator of Jackson Health Care Facility, calls Blount “amazingly talented” and says that she is very thoughtful and creative in her gifting. Pope recalled several Christmases that Blount painted various gifts to surprise her family. One Christmas, the maintenance department even got involved in Blount’s Christmas planning. They measured and cut pallets to her specifications so that she could personalize them for her family members. Blount says that the idea to surprise her grandchildren with portrait sketches of their children just came to her one day as she started thinking about Christmas. “I know they will enjoy these,” she said as she flipped through her sketchbook. “I am just not sure what the kids will think when they see their pictures,” she laughed. I can’t predict how the children will react this Christmas, but I have no doubt that as the years pass, they will realize the time and love that their great-grandmother put into creating these very unique treasures. Tom Krause, a uniquely talented opera singer is credited with the following: “Your purpose in life is to use your gifts and talents to help other people. Your journey in life teaches you how to do that.” Ruth Blount continues to learn from her journey and to use her talents and gifts to bring joy to her family and friends. |
Shannon CouringtonWeekly columnist. Feature Writer. Archives
September 2019
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