The Book Corner

Beach Music, by Pat Conroy

Read this. Enough said.

Recipe of the Week

   My wife has introduced me to the wonderful world of cooking over the past several years and we have a lot of fun finding new recipes, some good, some great, and some bad! I won't pass along the bad ones here, just the ones we like. That doesn't mean everyone else will, but it does mean it is worth a try!  :) Most of my favorites center around the four basic food groups: flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

   Fortunately, Anne usually steps in and introduces some sanity into my recipes! So I will begin with something other than chocolate cake or pound cakes in general. This is one of our absolute favorites and one we often serve to company if we get a hint they like seafood. And even for those who don't, we would like to say, this could change your mind about salmon! (We buy our salmon frozen at Sam's Club - for those who insist upon using only fresh stuff, if they can go out in the back yard and catch some or if they can find fresh at their grocery, so much the better!)

Bourbon Sugar Salmon

 

¼         Cup                              Brown sugar, packed

¼         Cup                              Kentucky bourbon

¼         Cup                              Apple juice or cider

1          Tsp                               Black pepper

4          Each                             Salmon fillet (s)(about 2 to 2½ lbs)

½         Cup                              Chopped pecans

1          Tbsp                             Unsalted butter, melted

½         Tsp                               Salt, divided

 

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine brown sugar, bourbon, apple juice, and pepper. Add salmon, seal and shake to distribute. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours, turning over after an hour or so.

 

Spread chopped pecans on baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until toasted. In small bowl, combine toasted nuts, 1 tbsp melted butter and ¼ tsp of the salt.

 

Preheat oven to 400º. Coat top of broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove salmon from marinade, reserving marinade. Place salmon on prepared pan, skin side down. Sprinkle remaining ¼ tsp salt on salmon. Gently press the pecan mixture over the salmon. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

 

Meanwhile, place marinade in small saucepan; boil 3 minutes. Serve salmon with cooked marinade.

 

Genealogy Bits 'n Pieces

Almost everyone reading this blog knows I have delved in genealogy for 30 years or so, after being motivated by my mother and several of her siblings. The following is a piece of fruit from all that work....

My mother is Blanche Haddix Landrum
Her mother was Maude Noble Haddix
Her mother was Margaret Campbell Noble
Her mother was Rachel Allen Campbell
Her mother was Susan Sizemore Allen
Her mother was Louanna Bolling Sizemore
Her father was William Bolling
His father was Benjamin Bolling
His father was Major John Bolling
His father was Colonel John Bolling
His mother was Jane Rolfe Bolling
Her father was Thomas Rolfe
His mother was Pocahontas
And her father was Powhatan!

So, if I count correctly, Pocahontas is my eleventh great-grandmother! Some sources say that the husband of Pocahontas, Sir John Rolfe, was the first person in America to import slaves to work his huge plantation.

October 2008 Vacation Trip

On September 25th, we left to visit Andria and Michael and granddaughter, Kathryn Rose (Katy), in Philadelphia. We usually make it a two day trip which gives us time to explore along the way. The drive was uneventful up through the Shenandoah Valley on I-81. We tried a new route by cutting across I-66 east which connected with I-95 south of Baltimore and too close to DC traffic. People who know me know I am not the world's bravest soul when it comes to bridges and tunnels and airplanes and almost anything that involves a personal variation in elevation, if you know what I mean! It quickly became obvious we would have to go through the tunnels beneath Baltimore Harbor. A tense but uneventful passage. We had a wonderful visit with Andria and Michael, and Katy. We dined well and even squeezed in one of those library sales where a bagful of books cost $6.00. Andria and Michael are in the midst of having new flooring, a new kitchen, and bath installed. Beautiful. Katy was her usual charmer and we spent hours just watching and holding her. She is expecting a sister around the middle of February! Unfortunately, Katy had a cold that Michael caught and then both of us caught. One of those occupational hazards of grandparents! We still haven't recovered but are on the mend.

We planned to return home via the Eastern Shore of Maryland and on down through Virginia Beach and then drive the Outer Banks of NC. We began our return drive through the Maryland countryside to a little place named St. Michael's on Chesapeake Bay that Andria had recommended. It was one of those "quaint" little villages with a gazillion shops and restaurants. A place to return to some day. Just beyond St. Michael's, jutting out into Chesapeake Bay was a small island named Tilghman Island, accessible only via a drawbridge. We began our "death by seafood" quest here! A restaurant named Bay Hundred. From there we continued south to that dreaded Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel - a 17-mile bridge with two tunnels underneath the Chesapeake Bay. We were trying to cross it during daylight, but we failed. Once you get to the bridge, turning back and retracing your steps north to avoid it is just not feasible, I made every effort to remain calm until at the entrance to the bridge there was a sign that said "After 7:00 pm, expect 15 minute delays in the tunnels due to CONSTRUCTION" ! Oh shoot, said I. It was 7:30 pm. I will never forget the prayer offered up by cousin Dave's wife, Margie, one time on a return trip from Missouri when I crossed a bridge, the crosswind blew the van diagonally, and we slid across it sideways! Fortunately, we righted our "ship" and all was well. But I have never forgotten hearing Margie in the back seat repeating something about "Holy Mary and Jesus Christ...." And I repeated that as we started across. I was picturing yet another trip that cousin Sue and I made to Windsor one time in search of the site where Tecumseh was killed in The Battle of the Thames and decided to take the tunnel on our return back to Detroit. It was also under construction. The floor of the tunnel under the river there was GONE, just gravel with standing water and water dripping from the tunnel roof! Sue and I were laughing hysterically from fear as we made it across. We just knew the border guard would think we were on dope because we were laughing so hard and couldn't stop! This was what I pictured as we began this crossing. Oh shoot, said I. But a mile at a time, we made it across with no evidence of construction or delays. We were now in Virginia Beach and a quick note: The Garmin GPS was indispensible AS LONG AS WE GAVE IT THE CORRECT INFO. The next day we found our way to the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk was the first stop, followed by Kill Devil Hills and the Wright Brothers Memorial. Next, was Nag's Head which was densely populated by those 2 and 3-story beach houses on stilts. 'Lots of great beaches here and tourist things to do. An interesting place. The name comes from the practice a few hundred years ago of the residents (one of whom was Blackbeard, the pirate) lighting lanterns, hanging them around the necks of their nags, and luring nearby ships onto the coast and pillaging them.

I am ashamed to say we ate our way through the whole trip! We ate lobster, shrimp, salmon, crab meat, crab cakes, flounder, oysters, bluefish (outstanding), and vats of clam chowder! We even refused to eat breakfast for fear it would spoil our seafood lunch!

At Nag's Head there is an island with a bridge a gazillion feet high to Roanoke Island where Manteo is located. This is another interesting place that deserves a return visit. Shops, shops, shops and interesting homes.

Continuing south is the Bodie Island lighthouse and then Rodanthe of current Hollywood fame, as in "Nights in Rodanthe", with Richard Gere based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks. We haven't seen the movie yet -- depends upon how it ends.... Still further south is Cape Hatteras Lighthouse -- the one they moved a few years ago because the ocean waves were destroying the lighthouse site. Unfortunately, we just missed the hours when one could climb to the top. Oh shoot, said I again. Then just a little farther south and we came to the ferry to Ocracoke Island -- a forty-minute free ferry operated by the state of NC. Except for a few minutes of rough seas, the ride was uneventful. Ocracoke is another tourist destination that, however, is pretty authentic -- quaint (there's that word again!) -- shops and lots of charter fishermen and boating tours. A real laid back place, but they truly think highly of their food and accommodations! Ocracoke is home to the "banker ponies", as in Outer Banks. These are similar to those on Chincoteague in Virginia (Did you ever read "Misty of Chincoteague"?). These ponies really are a breed apart from the average horse due to a different spinal configuration and one fewer rib than other horses. Pelicans are numerous in the harbor area around the restaurants and one day we stood on the beach talking to a fisherman and watched a dolphin cavorting just a few yards out.

Finally, we were ready to begin working our way back home and signed up for the 2 1/2 hour big ferry ride back to the mainland across Albemarle Sound. This ferry was still only $12.00. The weather was beautiful and the trip uneventful. We ended up in Morehead City (not too exciting) and headed for New Bern on the Neuse and Trent Rivers. This was perhaps the oldest, most interesting town we saw. Beautiful old restored homes reminiscent of Charleston, SC. Lots of history here. From New Bern the next day, we seriously began the run for home! But then we decided to stop overnight in Bryson City and look up some of our dearest friends. We saw them the next day, took a short peek at our old home in the mountains (empty, unlocked, and perhaps awaiting one of those Wall Street bail outs!) and then drove on home.

It was a great trip, but we are both thrilled to be home and feel we spent just about the right amount of time away from home.

If you're interested in seeing a few pictures of our trip, go to the link at the bottom of the blog and click on "More pics than you will ever want to see" and when Picasa loads, click on the album titled "Nov 2008 vacation."

Memory Lane

After moving to Dayton and enrolling at UD and getting a job at Delco Products in March of 1965, it didn't take long to succumb to the siren's song of a hot car! And White Allen Chevrolet had just the cure. It was a red 1964 Chevy Impala Super Sport, 327ci-300hp, 4-speed, with black interior. I have several memories of this car (one we won't even discuss), but my first memory of it was driving across the Main Street bridge in Dayton on a warm summer day, windows rolled down, and the Rolling Stones blaring "I Can't Get no Satisfaction". "Course I had glass packs on it, American mags, and redline tires which made it even "hotter"! This was at a time in my life that I could have gotten into trouble, but luckily, I dodged it a couple of times and kept going to school full-time and working full-time. What a car!

My third car was another case of young male car worship. I owned the '64 Chevy at the time but for some unknown reason I stopped at Tatone Buick in Fairborn and this red 1965 Buick Riviera was gleaming all alone on the showroom floor. I had to have it. I bought it after talking to my indulgent father who said he would drive the Chevy and if he didn't like it would sell it. What a partner in crime! We tend to forget all those things our parents do for us along the way.... Anyway, the sticker price was $3692.00 I picked it up the next day, stopped at the store, bought a big fat cigar, and drove to Aunt Hazel's house to show cousins Dave, Sue, and Roland! Youth can be embarrassing in retrospect. But it's done and I have the courage to share it.

A couple of years later, if I remember correctly, I sold the Riviera to my Uncle Floyd and bought a used 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado. Car number 4. This was a hunk! The only memory I have of it was with cousin Dave, and we pulled my old 25 ft Trojan cabin cruiser to Kentucky Lake on vacation. When we got there from Dayton, I checked the oil and there was nothing on the dipstick! Once again, luck averted a youthful disaster. We won't even talk about our week on the boat! It was purple as in this picture.

And then the monster of them all! A 1966 Chevy Corvette Sting Ray coupe, 4-speed. midnight blue, 427ci - 425hp, 4:11 rear end, side exhaust pipes, and Goodyear blue stripe tires. Today the car is worth about $110,000. But in conjunction with cousin Sue's husband, I sold it when I was drafted in 1969. I bought it from Frank Z Chevrolet in Dayton. They gave a 30-day warranty on it. On the 31st day, I was driving back from Lexington to Dayton on I-75 and decided to see how fast it would go. The last time I looked at the speedometer it registered 137 mph. It's a wonder I ever grew to be this old. To make a long story short, the engine threw a rod and when they asked me how fast I was going, I said, "Oh, about 70 or so...." They went halves with me, which I considered lucky, but probably ended up paying more than that. It was a great car, no A/C, but oh the sound of those side pipes! Dave and I took many trips in it to Canada, and through the South with the radio blaring and the summer breezes flowing. Lots of other things flowed, but again we were lucky. It was on one of those trips that we listened to Natalie Cole in a nightclub in Atlanta when she was just beginning her career. We misbehaved, but never so bad to get into real trouble. For those Corvette aficionados who note that my 1966 had a 1967 stinger hood on it, I did have that changed. The pic of the maroon Vette is just for a little more detail or quality. And the best picture of it here was just after I bumped into another car on an exit ramp in Winchester, Ky.

After the Army, I returned to my job at Delco and couldn't wait to get another Corvette! Bad judgement and carelessness. I bought about the first one I found from Walker Brothers -- it was a 1969 427ci-390hp, 4-speed, roadster with only the hardtop. But it had air conditioning which was unusual and an ugly blue interior. I had to keep an eye out on the weather before leaving the hardtop at home! Just ask my brother Stuart! I was hard on it and raced it on local club tracks one car at a time against the clock. Again, cousin Dave was a "partner in crime". It had a lot of nagging mechanical problems that eventually dictated I sell it. Not a smart purchase. But it did provide an interesting weekend one time. I beloged to the Greater Dayton Corvette Club and during one day of the time trials, everyone drove in convoy to Indianapolis. At the city limits, we had a police escort to the racetrack where we got to make one loop around the track! I don't mind saying that was a thrill. I believe this was the last year they allowed this -- probably about 1971 or 1972.

Years later, about 1994, I bought a black 1981 Corvette, (identical to this one) automatic, with T-tops and black leather interior from my brother-in-law. It only had about 45,000 miles and was in great shape! It was a great car, but was a constant source of irritation in familial relationships and thus was a victim of one of those highway coaches commonly referred to as a conversion van. :-)

Uncommon Encounters

About fifteen years ago, I met and visited several times with the WW II German General Rommel's driver during the North Africa campaign. He was extremely likable, a devil-may-care attitude, and very outgoing. He showed several photograph albums from the war and many with General Rommel in the picture! If I remember correctly, he was spending most of his time now on a houseboat on Lake Cumberland.

And speaking of photographs, here's a story you probably won't believe. Unfortunately, most of the details must be omitted about this encounter. The guy had a wife and two darling, cute young kids. The wife was a former model for one of the "men's magazines" and certainly looked the part -- very nice and personable. Rumor had it that he was a former bodyguard for one of the high profile publishers of that magazine. Rumor also had it that before that job, he was a "hit man" for the mob! I didn't pay too much attention to those rumors, until a few months later when another guy I knew said that it was true and he had actually seen the album of photos of the victims the guy kept. Supposedly, he had made some kind of deal with prosecutors in another case and was never prosecuted. That's about as generic as I can get without relating too many specifics....

And speaking of encounters with notable people, but certainly not related, a couple of years ago when Anne returned home from a visit to Philadelphia I picked her up at the airport in Asheville. It was a small plane on a connecting flight from Atlanta so there weren't many passengers. As Anne walked down the ramp I recognized the person walking next to her. It was Andie McDowell who lives in Asheville. Most people know her from her role in "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray and her modeling for one of the major cosmetic and shampoo companies. A beautiful woman, but I have to say Anne outshone her! Andie looked as if she had had a tiring trip so I declined asking her to star in a movie about something dear to my heart! But I have regretted it ever since!

Although not very exciting, but, to a 25-year-old, this was quite a heart-warming encounter. During my tour in Korea during the Vietnam war, I came home on leave and for some unknown reason, I was arriving in Dayton and waiting for someone to pick me up. So what does a 25-year-old G.I. do to kill time in an airport? I sat down at the bar and after ordering, noticed my stoolmate (?). It was Blair Thompson, general manager of what was then Delco Products and who was well-liked and respected by everyone; not one of those jerks that would follow (but that's another story). When drafted in 1969, I was a young, green supervisor there. 'Course he didn't know me from Adam, but seemed thrilled to meet one of his "crew" in uniform. He bought my drink, asked all kinds of questions, and kept insisting I call and come out to his home and visit while in town. The encounter was especially memorable because returning G.I.s weren't receiving heroes welcomes from the general populace at the time. Unfortunately, I never had the nerve (or good sense) to follow through. Upon my return after service, I would have done anything for that man and, to this day, I treasure that good man's conversation.

Years later, while in Purchasing, several of us were at the Tech Center in Warren one day and while having lunch, Rick Waggoner came in, went through the cafeteria line, and asked if he could join us. What do you say to the President of General Motors? :) I can tell you he did not have the "presence" you would expect, nor the interest in some of his fellow employees.

Memory Lane

When I think back about the money I've spent on cars since a young man, I'd rather not anyone knew.... But the memories they give me may have been worth it after all. This new "Memory Lane" will show a few pictures of those cars and maybe jog your memory for you own "special" cars. My first car was this 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible. Mine was a lime green metallic with matching vinyl upholstery. I paid $795 for it in 1964. When you combine a 19-year old boy with a 1957 Chevy convertible, there are memories I will share with no one!

Life in Dixie

I understand why not many people do this blogging thing. After the first few postings, one begins to think "Who is interested in these mundane, boring posts? There is nothing to write about unless you are a fervent political junkie or have some other overwhelming passion". Well folks, that, for me, just leaves my wife and I know no one wants to read about my passion for her!

So this comes down to something like a vague, sporadic diary that will win no Pulitzer Prizes. So be it....

Anne and I like to cook with red bell peppers. They are so much sweeter than the green. So we like to find a good buy at a produce stand periodically and cut or dice them and freeze for use in soups or stir fry or what have you. They won't be crisp but that is not a problem. When they are usually priced between two and three dollars each, we just don't buy them. One day last week, we went for a drive to a place called Flat Top Mountain -- about 20 minutes from home. It would appear that half the produce in this country comes from there! We found our way to Wooden's Apple House where they were selling boxes of 40 huge red bell peppers for 20 cents a piece! Now we have enough red peppers to last for 2 or 3 years!

If you are a country music fan, you probably know the history of the Loveless Cafe in Nashville. We haven't been there but I found one of their cookbooks and made a peach cobbler last week with absolutely the best fresh peaches I have ever eaten! The cobbler was great. Like everyone else we are reveling in nature's bounty this summer - fresh vegetables, strawberries, peaches, watermelon, squash, and corn. We are waiting to get back home next month to make and freeze some applesauce. In the past , we have tried to use a combination of Granny Smith, Jonagold, or Mutsu apples. I think we thought that it would be a little more interesting to use two different kinds, but now we wonder about just using Granny Smith. Anyone have a comment?

Andria and granddaughter Katy were here last month. They are having a lot of remodeling done and both needed to escape the chaos and come visit Grandma! We had a great time and you can see pictures on Andria's Picasa site (follow the link at the end of this blog). Grandpa taught Katy how to "cluck" and by all accounts, she is still clucking away! Katy is now 10 months old. We will visit them the end of this month and maybe take an extended trip through Upstate New York and Toronto.

I have abandoned all interest in the current political circus. I know for whom I will vote and the constant hysteria and rhetoric is embarrassing for our country. Unfortunately we never really "know" a candidate -- we vote as if in a beauty pageant and stridently expound upon the virtues of one because we choose to believe that person will be the one we want. Most often we are wrong or greatly disappointed. We have biases that one party's platform represents small government, or enhanced social reforms, or has a history that we think is good. Those opinions as to the differences in the parties have been eroded over the years to where there really isn't too much difference between the two. It's all in the eye of the beholder. We see what we want to.

Our prayer list seems to constantly grow longer. We hold our friends and family close to our hearts and send our love to all. I miss those younger days when we were all healthy and happy and always anxious to visit with one another.

The Book Corner (9/11/08)

Anyone who enjoys reading about the history of the Revolutionary War, The War Between the States, WW I, and WW II is probably familiar with Jeff Shaara and Allen Eckart. Sharra's books are historical novels that provide the events in novel form by following 3 or 4 individuals through the wars. Pardon my trite expression, but he brings history to life in a readable and enjoyable form. Allen Eckart has written a series of books about American history and the "winning" of this country from Native Americans. His books are 99% factual. History is not always "pretty" and his books give what I think is a "fair and balanced" account. The books begin in New York and gradually work their way west to the "winning" of Illinois and the Black Hawk Wars. There are about seven of these books and I reread them almost every three or four years.

A Hodgepodge of Triviality

We checked out the local museum last week -- the Hunter. I must admit I am not much of a fan of "art." And this visit certainly reinforced that opinion, but if you like art, by all means, have at it! The work of the glass sculptor, William Morris, is currently on display which Anne appreciated (boring!) and the rest are paintings.... But it was free on the first Sunday of the month. Not high on the list.

Pardon this short rant. Did I hear correctly a couple of weeks ago that Nancy Pelosi led her pack of liberal idiots in voting down any offshore drilling to eventually allow the U.S. to produce some of its own oil? And her reason was that she "was going to save the planet" instead? Now, I've voted Republican all my life EXCEPT for the last presidential election. Now what do we do when our choices are between Obama and McCain? Neither one of these men have a clue as to what the American public wants. I don't care about black, white, female, or male. I care about someone with some experience (rules out Obama) and dignity (rules out McCain via his assinine ads, and his "My friends...." ) and integrity (rules out both of them). For the first time in my life I refuse to vote for either one. I'll vote for the Independent, Bob Barr, and I'm not politickin' for him either. I am speechless that this is the best we can do. Well, I guess not quite speechless.

On a much lighter note, we finally tried the Silver King sweet corn. Excellent, but not really any better than the Silver Queen or the Peaches and Cream. Two separate purchases yielded some quite "wormy" ears and small kernels. Sweet though.

Have you ever heard of a madstone? For those who haven't, this won't be particularly interesting, but for those who have, read on.... I have a madstone that my mother, Blanche, gave me along with the following note.

Written by Blanche H. Landrum 2-27-97

This madstone was in a small tin box that O.J. Landrum received in his possession after his father, Albert Sydney Landrum, passed away. I, Blanche, remember Mr. Sydney Landrum telling me that this madstone belonged to his "Ma", being Maletha Jane Hagins Landrum, wife of Reuben Samuel Landrum.

As I remember, I think he said a pan of "sweet" milk was placed on the stove and the madstone was placed in that, and after the milk came to a boil it was removed and – I guess cooled some – then placed on the wound and left for a while to draw out the poison.

I have always heard these stones were formed in the stomach of deer and were very rare. Occasionally, one could or would be found in the forest or woods and now are very valuable. B.H.L.

And another reference....

This info is from Kentucky Explorer, Vol. II, no. 1. 5-1996 by Gordon Wilson, dated 1957, Copied by B. H. L. 2-1997….

"A hard substance often forms in the stomachs of deer and cattle. This is popularly known as a "madstone." If it is applied to the place where a person has been bitten by a snake or mad dog, it will cling until every particle of the poison is removed from the wound. The stone then is cleaned by soaking it in sweet milk. I never saw such a stone, but I have heard about several. I wish I had been present when one was in use."

And yet another article from someone on ancestry.com....

Use of the madstone was a widely practiced procedure traced back to at least the 1700's in America and Europe. The madstone is a stony concretion(as a hairball) taken from the stomach of a deer. They have been described as round or oval in shape with a porous surface texture measuring about 3 to 4 inches in size and very light weight. They have a brownish-green color with a highly polished surface. The purpose of the madstone was to cure rabies, hence the name.

The madstone is an object that has several grades of curative power. All stones are not created equal. A stone from a brown deer will work in a bind if another cannot be found. A better grade of madstone comes from a white or spotted deer. The very best madstone comes from an albino or "witch deer" that is pure white with pink eyes. It not only cures rabies, but also rattlesnake and spider bites.

There is a very strict set of rules associated with the use and care of a madstone. First, it can never be bought or sold. It must never be changed in shape. The patient must go to the person with the madstone; the madstone must never be brought to the patient. There can never be a charge for the use of a madstone. The stone was usually passed down from father to son. Anyone who owns a madstone can use the stone as long as they follow a strict set of procedures.

The procedure for curing the infected patient is as follows. When the person with the bite arrives at the place where the stone is kept, the stone is boiled in sweet milk (regular milk to the younger generations). The milk neutralizes the poison from the bite. The stone must be boiled in the milk until the milk turns green. That is how you can tell when all the rabies is out of the stone.

After boiling the stone in milk, it is applied directly to the wound. The wound must be bleeding. If it is no longer bleeding, it must be scraped until it is bleeding. The madstone will stick to the wound if there is rabies infection in the wound. It does not need to be tied. When the stone falls off the wound. it is boiled again in milk to remove the poison from the stone. The stone is then reapplied to the wound. If it sticks, there is still rabies in the wound. When the stone fails to stick to the wound, the rabies poison is all gone and the patient will not get rabies.

Have you ever wondered where the term "dog days of summer" came from? They were originally called the "mad dog days". These are the hot summer days of August and September when rabies infection among dogs and animals was at it's highest.

The author further states, "As for me, if I was bitten by an animal with rabies, the only way they would ever stick a madstone on me was if I was laying on the hospital emergency room table getting shots in the stomach. I am sure that a lot of the curative powers of the madstone had to do with the belief in the stone, if it had any at all."

And now you know the rest of the story....

If you're looking for a little adventure, take a look at this little trail in Spain built around 1901.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1438490562

Granddaughter Katy in Philadelphia is doing just great! If you want to take a peek, see the link at the bottom. Andria and Michael are expecting another precious bundle in February!

Where's my coffee?!

And load up on the cream!

All is well. We must thank God every day for life's blessings and bounties.

Hot Time, Summer in the City!

For those masochistic souls who insist on beating their brows over this belabored discourse, here is more drivel to ponder. Not very much! Just a little pondering....

Both Anne and I recently passed another milestone in our journey. She received a chair for hers and I, one of those new GPS devices. It works wonderfully well, a Garmin nuvi 250w.

Granddaughter Katy is now UP and ABOUT. She has mastered crawling to the point where she apparently reminds her mother of that cartoon figure, the Roadrunner! And she pulls herself up and will take several steps with a little help from Momma. Philadelphia is just too far away.

We continue to be enamored of Chattanooga. At my birthday dinner out, the waitress brought us an ice cream sundae with a little candle on it. I had made it clear -- none of that singing stuff! But when people nearby saw it the whole place began singing, several offering best wishes. Our grocery offers $25 gift cards for gasoline. When you collect seven coupons by spending a certain amount or buying certain things, they give you a prepaid debit card for gas. the coupon redemption date happened to be a few days after the day we did our grocerying. We were one coupon short. At the deli we wanted 1/2 pound of pastrami -- if we bought TWO pounds we could get that last coupon. But we had no need for two pounds of deli meat. We had mentioned to the clerk that we were trying to get that last coupon. Not a big deal so we forgot it. Twenty minutes later on the other side of the store, here comes that clerk to give us one of HER coupons! It seems people have, or take, the time to be warm and friendly. The folks at the marina are a close-knit family and keep an eye out for each other, even keeping us supplied in fresh frozen crappie, trout, and catfish.

Speaking of catfish, have you seen one of those TV shows about "noodling"? Whoa, not for me! You crawl along the muddy banks of a lake or river searching for big holes underneath the surface. When you find one, you go underwater and stick your hands back in the hole, hoping that a big catfish will chomp down on your hand so you can grab it by the mouth and drag it out! Once you get it out of the hole, you wrestle it to the surface, usually two people, and to the bank! Now don't that sound like fun? Often the catfish will weigh 30 to 60 pounds! Well just sign me right up!

And speaking of other "can't do without info", take a look at this. Anne and I are going to try this soon! Thanks Jimmy J for sharing.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/24/how-to-peel-hard-boiled-eggs-without-peeling.aspx?source=nl

Our recent outing to Dayton, TN, for the Scopes trial "reenactment" was quite a disappointment. It seems, after twenty years, that most of the local townfolk have tired of putting it on, so this year, it was just a 90-minute dissertation by a talented guy who goes around the country impersonating U.S. Grant, Napoleon, Churchill and, in this case, William Jennings Bryan. I'll bet his calendar is full, you think? He did do an admirable job, but it was not what we went for. One of those summer festivals that all towns feel obligated to have. But this one is slowly but surely coming to an end.

If you are reading this trivial bit of drivel, drop me a short note and let me know that someone out there gets an occasional chuckle from it. Otherwise, I am going to have to raise my rates for those who do visit often....

Hasta la vista and dos passos to all!

Chattanooga, The Crossroads of Dixie

Just in case anyone is contemplating a visit or vacation to The Scenic City, here is a list of websites of interesting things to see and do.

Battles for Chattanooga Electric Map & Museum

The Real Chattanooga Choo Choo

The Restored Tivoli Theatre

Chattanooga Tours

Chattanooga and Chickamauga National Military Park

Creative Discovery Museum

George Dickel Whiskey Distillery

Hunter Museum of American Art

Jack Daniels Whiskey Distillery

Point Park on Lookout Mountain

Ruby Falls

See Rock City

Southern Belle Dixieland Dinner Cruise

Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX theatre

Tennessee River Gorge Explorer

Tennessee Aquarium Visitor Info

Chattanooga WW II Ducks

Explore Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Farmers' Market

Chattanooga's Coolidge Park Carousel

Lookout Mountain

The Book Corner

For fans of The War Between The States, one of the best books I have read is Jay Winik's "April 1865". He makes a great case for that month being the most determining, decisive, and critical in our country's history. He does a wonderful job of bringing life, and passion, and personality to Lee, Grant, and Lincoln. It's a great book!

For something different, "Forever", by Pete Hamill, is the story of a young Irish boy growing up in the early 1700's, who fate leads to Manhattan. There, as a result of a good deed, he is given eternal life (?) by a shaman as long as he stays in Manhattan. He will die if he ever leaves. It gives us short vignettes of the history of Ireland, but especially Manhattan until 2001. One of those books you hate to see end.

And yet another catch-up

Now it's the middle of July and boy howdy is it hot here -- 90 to 95 every day. Not a complaint, just a remark.

I have to confess that my idea of maintaining a blog is running out of steam a little. I envisioned it as cutting edge repartee and lots of back and forth dialog with the editors of The New Yorker, TIme, GQ, and Vanity Fair. Well, that isn't exactly happening.... So, I am abandoning my original purpose and will simply update life in the Crossroads of Dixie! I have never been much of a fan of those Christmas letters -- one has to be very careful in how they are written. So if I descend into that sort of journalism, will someone please drop me a hint? And hopefully I can avoid this being a diary, but on the other hand, I suspect there aren't enough people reading this that it matters one way or the other!

We had our Haddix Family reunion here the weekend of June 28th. I think we all had a grand time. And I think we ate well. The weather was warm but pleasant. It was so very good to spend more than a couple of hours with family you grew up with. Uncle Joe, Tony, and Jack went to the Chickamauga Battlefield and Lookout Mountain. The next day, Tony and Phyllis, Uncle Bert and Helen and Anne and I went to Lookout Mtn and some rode the Incline Railway and we took a short tour of Rock City and some of the beautiful homes up there. Monday, Uncle Bert and Helen and Anne and I went to the aquarium -- whew, what a day! Then they drove back home that afternoon. Three days later, Erika and Prasanna and our friend and neighbor, Greg and his friend, Diane, came for the weekend. We saw more fireworks than I have ever seen in my entire life! Spent a lot of time on the boat -- even at night while watching fireworks. A great weekend also. As soon as they left Sunday morning, both of us raced back to bed for the afternoon!

The week before the Haddix Reunion Andria, Michael, and Katy were here! I know everyone says it, but what a precious little bundle -- see Andria's Picasa site link elsewhere in this blog and check regularly if you like. We toured Chattanooga. including the North Shore and Coolidge Park -- Katy even got to ride on the carousel there. We also trekked up Lookout Mountain. Katy did not like the boat ride so we cut that very short!

Tomorrow, 7/19, we are going to Dayton, TN, to see a reenactment of the Scopes Trial that occurred there in the summer of 1925. Every year, local law students and a couple of reenactors recreate a shortened version of the trial word-for-word in the courtroom of the original courthouse. William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow were the opposing attorneys. As part of the "festival" weekend, there are two musicians who were featured in the movie, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" And hopefully lots of junk food! I'm due for an infusion of junk food!

Speaking of food, I think most of us grew up on white Silver Queen corn? And now I think the new Peaches and Cream, or bi-color, is better. BUT, a local produce guy swears by the newest Silver King! 'Says we will never eat anything else! It's due in about another week. We'll see,,,,

Just a reminder to everyone -- we are twenty minutes off I-75 at Exit 4, just north of the Chattanooga exit. If you are passing through, we would be thrilled if you spent some time with us or just call and we will meet you for lunch or dinner if you're in a hurry!

The Never-Ending Catch-up

This post was written obviously in May but never "posted' so it is a little outdated.

It's the first of May already. Since the last post, we have lost our dear cousin Dave Gross. He was the best. He showed courage beyond my comprehension and fought the good fight as well as anyone I have ever known.

Other than his loss, everything has been relatively calm. I had a cold for six weeks, the flu for a month, followed by a current bout of labrinthitis. It's bad stuff and can literally knock you down in a second. 'Not too much to be done except bear it for a few more weeks.

We are currently in the midst of planning a Haddix Reunion the last week of June here in Chattanooga and hope everyone can come.

Boy, the size of the mosquitos here! Two came on the porch the other night and before I knew it dragged me down the stairs into the backyard and stole my billfold! 'Fooled them though -- I only had seven dollars!

A rant on the loose!

OK, folks, this rant is probably VERY politically incorrect, but after reading about trash in Naples, my fuse was lit. Will someone explain to me the reason(s) for the following?

Why, after thousands of years of different civilizations, i.e., China, India, Mexico, all the Latin countries for that matter, all the African countries, all the Middle East countries, Russia, and on and on, is it that it SEEMS to me that only America, England, Australia, Canada, and POSSIBLY France, Germany, Switzerland, have what I consider to be a modern civilization? Naples, Italy, just ran out of a place to put their trash so they haven't picked up any since DECEMBER?? People literally wade through garbage on the sidewalks, water supply is probably contaminated.Can you imagine 5 months of garbage piled up in our city streets? I know an older couple who grew up in Naples during WWII, moved here shortly after, and go "back home" every year. But about fifteen years ago they had to quit their yearly trips because it was too unsafe to go too NAPLES ITALY! Now, their relatives come here for visits.

With the head start other countries had on America, why has America become the most modern, NOT without its serious problems, prosperous country on earth? You think its bad here? Move to any country in Africa, live in a bamboo/cardboard hut in China or Korea, become a member of the nomadic camel herders in Africa, or be a farmer in Russia and have your life depend upon those potatoes growing in the yard. Why have English-speaking countries been so comparatively successful? I truly don't understand it. Is it because we have so many natural resources? Is it because our particular civilization is so young and hasn't had the time to collapse inward? Now, before the apologists rant at me -- there are always exceptions. Not having been there, I suspect Buenos Aires, Madrid, Rome, and a handful of others that escape me right now, are great modern cities. But leave those cities and go to the country and you will find many people living as they did a hundred years ago. Is it because of some mysterious "work ethic" imbued in English-speaking peoples. I doubt it. Is it because we are somewhat "isolated" physically from other countries? Probably not. Is it because we are a paragon of democracy? Is it because we are a Christian nation, but keep government separate? Is it because we are such an innovative country and if so, why are we the most innovative?

Anyone who has traveled will tell of all the things they missed while touring other countries and what they just take for granted. I don't mean to sound provincial; I am honestly looking for rational reasons. So, if you have an opinion, please weigh in and share with everyone.

Nooks and Crannies

Last Monday, Feb 25th, was a beautiful, warm day to ferret out some more nooks and crannies. We got an early start (yes, I was up early) and headed northwest on I-24 toward Nashville. Our destination was the University of the South, also known as Sewanee University in Sewanee, Tn., and to also pay a visit to Jack Daniels. Sewanee is an Episcopalian university established in 1857 by Gen. Leonidas K. Polk and others. For years prior to that, families in the South sent their sons north to receive an education -- there weren't any significant universities in the South. The trouble was their boys "came home filled with all sorts of Yankee ideas"! Gen. Polk and friends donated 10,000 acres (now 13,000 - mostly forest) atop the Cumberland Plateau and began to build their university out of the native sandstone and in the fashion of the old English schools such as Oxford University in England. According to a clerk we conversed with, the enrollment now is around 1,500 students. Anne and I were both simply stunned when we got there and drove around. First of all, it sits high atop a mountain in the middle of nowhere. The buildings are all in the Gothic style with spires rising everywhere. Magnificent! As we drove around between classes we noticed that probably half the boys wore sport coats and ties and about the same amount of girls wearing skirts and dresses. Tradition according to our conversation at the book store. And there were a few of both sexes wearing lightweight black gowns over their clothing. Again, according to our source, tradition, those students with outstanding grades belong to The Order of the Gownsmen and are expected to wear their gowns to class. We saw a lot of happy, smiling students. All Saints Church is undoubtedly the most architecturally significant building on campus.

We were told we could just walk in and look around. Stunning! (For more pictures of the interior, see them posted on our Picasa site.) The stained glass windows and pipe organ just rendered us speechless. Such friendly people and one took us to see the small chapel inside. The beauty here today was just overwhelming. Everyone we talked to was so friendly, kind, helpful, and proud of their school and its history. See more at http://www.sewanee.edu/.

We left about noon hoping to dine at Miss Mary Bobo's in Lynchburg at 1:00 pm, the only seating that day. Miss Mary ran a boarding house in Lynchburg for years that was a favorite of Jack Daniel. (She holds the distinction of being the oldest woman to ever appear in the pages of Playboy magazine. She was ninety-nine years old and appeared in a Jack Daniels advertisement urging people to send her birthday wishes.) It soon became apparent we would not be there in time however. We ended up eating at the only open restaurant in town -- the Bar-B-Que Caboose Cafe! Oh boy, Anne's favorite! :) But it really was good food. The switch from an Episcopalian university to a whiskey distillery was a little jarring, but we had always seen a lot of advertising about visiting "Jack" in Lynchburg. Lynchburg is a small town -- maybe a few hundred people. Having toured distilleries of Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, and Woodford Reserve last summer in Kentucky, we had an idea of what we would see. The major difference being Jack and his charcoal filtering. Anne and Jack standing in front of "THE cave" that provides all of the water for the distillery. Tours are free and we had a guide with a truly dry, but great sense of humor. (Again, there are more pictures on our Picasa site.) For lots more interesting and historical info, visit their website, http://www.jackdaniels.com/.

Along the way, in a small town named Cowan, we saw one of the last remaining houses bought from Sears and Roebuck in the early 1900's and still doing pleasant duty as a private residence.

Stay tuned for more nooks and crannies!