“Have you ever been in New Orleans? If not you’d better go, It’s a nation of a queer place; day and night a show! Frenchmen, Spaniards, West Indians, Creoles, Mustees, Yankees, Kentuckians, Tenesseans, lawyers and trustees, Clergymen, priests, friars, nuns, women of all stains; Negroes in purple and fine linen, and slaves in rags and chains. Ships, arks, steamboats, robbers, pirates, alligators, Assassins, gamblers, drunkards, and cotton speculators; Sailors, soldiers, pretty girls, and ugly fortune-tellers; Pimps, imps, shrimps, and all sorts of dirty fellows; White men with black wives, et vice versa too. A progeny of all colors – an infernal motley crew! Yellow Fever in February – muddy streets all the year; Many things to hope for, and a dev’lish sight to fear!”
Colonel James R. Creecy, 1860
Sailing up the Mississippi to New Orleans
Two and three hundred years ago, people sailed into New Orleans and came up the muddy mouth of the Mississippi or “Father of Waters” as it is also called because it is so big. Their ship was usually caught at the mouth and towed into the harbor at New Orleans. One such traveler was Colonel James Creecy from North Carolina whose first view of the Mississippi inspired the following:
My first impression was the vast extent of marsh: so waste, so uninhabitable, so lonely, so like the Great Desert of Sahara, in monotony and dreamy stillness. A dreary home for alligators, mud-turtles, catfish, and seabirds. The view produced a melancholy sensation at my heart, which I could not easily get rid of…for miles on both sides of the channel…were piled in wild confusion, thousands of trunks, bodies and the larger limbs of trees, bereft of foliage and bark; bleached till white as human bones on the fields of Waterloo, and looking like the skeletons of departed glories, once the majestic beauty and pride of the river in higher regions, thousands of miles away north.
Scenes in the South by Col. James R. Creecy, 1860.
Mississippi River Delta
That is quite a different first impression than what we experience. The desolation is palpable.
Nowadays
Nowadays we drive by car or fly in, or we may sometimes cruise in from the Gulf of Mexico. And then we walk down to the park along the Mississippi. For a lot of us, this is what our first glimpse of the mighty Mississippi looks like. I know it was mine.
NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Houston, Texas.
NASA scientists recently sent pictures of naked humans into space. I am not too keen on enticing aliens; if they would be enticed. The scientists say they want to “start a conversation” with aliens no matter how far off into the future.
Even if the aliens are short, dour, and sexually obsessed—if they’re here, I want to know about them.
Astronomer Carl Sagan
Speak for yourself, Mr. Sagan. I, for one, would not like to be followed around by a short, dour, sexually obsessed alien.
Oh, I see. It’s not actually a photograph, it’s an illustration. Well, that’s different.
We drove up north to see the Coonhound Cemetery. It is the only one like it in the world. But before we left, I discovered that Helen Keller’s House and Muscle Shoals Music Studio are all in the same area. I won the trifecta.
Alabama Belts
As we drove the back roads, the terrain became more of a roller coaster. This was, after all, the foothills of the Appalachians. Coming from flat Florida, this was a lovely sight indeed, especially in Spring. Camellia and honeysuckle had already bloomed in our neck of the woods, but Eastern Redbud was in its full glory the farther north we went. There was a sign that read. “Entering Alabama Timber Belt”. This was evidenced by numerous flatbeds hauling big bundles of pine trees and other trucks transporting finished lumber. Alabama is a heavily wooded state. Beautiful.
At the town of Eutaw there was a sign that said, “Alabama Black Belt”. I had no idea what this meant. I said to Maureen, “Is this because Black people live here?” She said, “No, it can’t be. It must be some kind of stone or maybe coal”. It sounded strange to us. So I looked it up. The Black Belt is “a cradle of African American Heritage” and it also has a rich tradition of quilting. I was right! The official designation is something new, however.
This quilt was made by Helen Keller’s aunt. The large stitches were indicative of who made the quilt. Stitches were personal creations.
Alabama North Country
Shortly after this I caught sight of a groundhog nibbling on something at the side of the road. This was at Bear Creek, to be precise, which is located just down the road from Murder Creek.
(Interesting name for a small body of water, I must say. I will have to research that one. Thank God the truck didn’t break down here.) It was at this point that I knew we were definitely entering the north country. Florida does not have groundhogs. But, murders at creeks, I’m sure we’ve had our fair share of those.
Florence, Alabama
Six and a half hours later we reached our destination of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. We drove over the Tennessee River to take a quick look at Florence the home of the University of North Alabama. The buildings date from 1830 when the university was founded. Also in Florence is McFarland Park, a long tract of land stretching along the river with concrete picnic tables, tall pines and a fresh breeze off the river. We happened to park right beside a little egg that had fallen out of one of the tall pines. Maureen picked it up. I think it’s a Robin’s egg. Just in time for Easter.
Coon Dog Graveyard, Tuscumbia, Alabama
The next morning we rose early to find the Coon Dog Cemetery. It was about 30 minutes from our hotel in Muscle Shoals. We drove up a winding road past blonde cows, a few fine houses and finally reached a plateau in a very remote area of the woods. The cemetery is on top of the ridge. It was morning, the forest was hushed except for the sound of a woodpecker working very hard for his breakfast. I stood still with the fallen friends looking off into heavily wooded ravines, and imagined wild chases full of dogs barking and baying, men yelling and cursing and branches breaking underfoot. Does it remind you of a fox hunt without the horses? .
What would October, November and December be without this sport? Then, if ever, come perfect nights when you fill your lungs with the vigorous air and down the breeze the chorus of your dogs like “the horns of elf-land faintly blowing!”
The Coon Hunter’s Handbook by Whitney and Underwood, p.20.
A Good Thrashing
So what is a Coonhound, anyway? There are Blue Ticks, Redbones, Black and Tans and Treeing Walkers. They are all American dogs, some dating back before the country was even formed. And, according to my trusty Coon Hunter’s Handbook written in 1952, in order to officially be one, the dog must have one witness to its actually treeing a coon and three witnesses if it is not certified.
If the dog chases deer or squirrels, it is disqualified. How do you dissuade a dog from chasing a squirrel? I’d like to know that one. Again, I turn to my handbook and it says, along with other things, “a good thrashing” will do it. That’s grim. They were tough in those days. A 21st-century Snowflake would perish on a 1930s forest floor as quickly as it had fallen.
Troop
The first man to bury his dog here was Mr. Key Underwood. (Is the Underwood author of “The Coonhunter’s Handbook” any relation, I wonder?) The dog’s name was Troop. This was in 1937. They had been together for 15 years and everyone agreed that Troop was the best. He buried him in a cotton pick sack 3 feet under at an old hunting camp. Now there are 300 more graves one as recent as 2023.
No Waltzin’ In
Don’t think you can just waltz right in and have your little Fifi or Pickles buried here. Don’t even go there. This hallowed ground will not be “contaminated by the likes of lapdogs or poodles.” These coonhounds are more than just pets, they are equal partners in an exciting adventure where nobody knows what will happen and nobody knows where or how it will end. Not only that. Raccoon pelts are valuable. America was built on the backs (on the fur from the backs) of raccoons and beavers, too.
A Partial Gallery of Fallen Alabama Coon Dogs
Cats and Monkeys
And you can make a “delectable” dinner out of this animal according to my handbook. Just as long as you cut up the roast because they tend to look like cats or monkeys. So serve it in pieces especially if there are children around. Also, don’t forget that someone is sure to bite on the BB shot and that will start the conversation back to the coon hunt and before you know it all the gory details are coming out. That’s when you’ll get a few sensitive souls leaving the table so remember:
We should try to make the occasion of eating coon meat, which is really very delectable, as pleasant as possible, remembering that we do not describe the slaughter house every time we have lamb for Sunday dinner.
Whitney and Underwood, The Coon Hunter’s Handbook, p. 159
Razorback Red Makes a Break for It
Whenever Moe gets in the backcountry she gets a little wild. You can see the mischievous glint in her eye right before she hightailed it into the bush. She sort of reminds me of the elusive razorback up there in Arkansas. At times I saw what I thought were tusks but it was only the way the sun’s rays glanced off her blonde highlights.
It took me more than an hour to track her down, “hog” tie her, and throw her into the bed of the truck. After she lay there for maybe 20 minutes, howling to beat the band, she asked me for some water which I, as her mother, dutifully gave. Then she looked me straight in the eye and said, “Ma?” I said, “Yes, child?” “Ma, don’t nobody love me the way y’all do, Ma.” I said that was right and even offered to let her run around a bit more but she declined.
She had had enough. The family curse had run its course. The blood of the hound runs through all our veins and we run with it. Literally.
Adieu my Sweet Fellows
We bade farewell to the illustrious group gathered on the hill. It’s been a long time since I had a hankerin’ to see this place. The peaceful, isolated setting deep in the woods suited these dogs well. This is where they longed to be while alive and now they rest together in the lonely woods, their spirits happy.
As soon as Moe could walk she said, “Let’s go to Vegas, Ma.” “Vegas?” “Yeah, that’s what I said.” I said, “Have you ever read the book ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?” “No. I’m only a year old.” “Right.”
Las Vegas means ‘the meadows’ in Spanish. Yes, there were freshwater springs, marshes, and a grassy meadow here before all of this concrete covered it. In the 1800s Spanish merchants were on their way to Los Angeles and stopped for a break at this watering hole and gave it a name. This place did not become a city until 1905. It doesn’t seem that long ago. In fact, Las Vegas is the only Western city founded in the 20th century.
Our first Las Vegans. Is there an animal in that crate? Maybe a parrot?
I still hear your sea waves crashing While I watch the cannons flashing I clean my gun And dream of Galveston
Written by Jimmy Webb and sung by Glen Campbell 1969
Galveston is a Vietnam War-era song. It’s about a guy who gets sent to Vietnam and thinks about his girl back home. It’s a simple song but incredibly catchy.
When I saw the sea waves crashing in Galveston, I was confused. I thought that the whole Gulf of Mexico had beaches like we have in the Florida Panhandle, but it doesn’t.
In fact, I felt like I was standing on the Atlantic coast. The water was dark. The waves were huge and grim. This sea was uninviting, unlike the Emerald Coast with its white sandy beaches and warm, turquoise water.
When I think of Reagan, I think of someone who loved his country. He became a politician not to feather his own nest or revel in power. His motive was to lead the country down a path that was most favorable to the American citizen.
Therefore, he would agree with me when I say this: America is exceptional. Here’s why. It’s not because we have different DNA. It is exceptional because it is the only government in the world with a founding document that enshrines liberty. It is the only constitution in the world that LIMITS government. The individual gets his inalienable right to be free not from government, not from other men, but from God. This is why people keep coming here by the millions because they have opportunity. They have the opportunity to see their dreams materialize. The smaller the government the bigger the citizen.
Remember them? Whatever happened to them? How is it possible the human race still exists? Did you know that rain is naturally acidic?
The only time I “saw” Ronald Reagan there were so many protestors holding “Stop Acid Rain” signs that I didn’t actually get to see him. I heard him speak but I could not see him over the loud mob. Lunch bag let down.
Many Russian writers who emigrated from Tsarist Russia and Soviet Russia found asylum in America including some, like Vladimir Nabokov, who found kindred spirits.
Isn’t it interesting that Russia, with its consummate culture, unparalleled literature, vivid language, exquisite cuisine, and the biggest land mass of any country in the world; isn’t it interesting that people are not beating down its doors to live there?
“California,” he said, “is like a beautiful wild kid on heroin, high as a kite and thinking she’s on top of the world, not knowing she’s dying, not believing it even if you show her the marks.”
Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton p. 78
Whale Watching in California
I wanted to see the spring migration of whales off the coast of California. We are fortunate to have friends who own a place in Port Hueneme. They let us stay there for a few days while we explored the surrounding environs and went whale watching.
Galápagos Islands in California
Whale-watching tours are available from Oxnard Harbor. The boat took us around Anacapa Island, pictured above, and back to the mainland.
Everyone on board shuffled around to find a good spot from which to view the whales. I sat on top of a – well I don’t really know. It was just a flat surface large enough to hold me and I perched myself up there, where I stayed. It was my happy place for watching whales. More people started to migrate up to the front where I was.
One gentleman, in particular, stood within talking distance of me. We started to talk about the trip and if we would actually see a whale. He was pretty sure that we would. He had taken this trip many times and knew a lot about the flora and fauna of the Channel Islands. These islands are also known as California’s Galápagos. There are 150 species found nowhere else on Earth but here. And that includes the Santa Cruz Island Pygmy Fox.
Photo by Kim Sunguk on Unsplash (Please note: This is just a plain old fox. I wanted to give you an idea of what a fox looks like.)
“I Collect Skeletons”
While talking about animals, he suddenly said, “I collect skeletons”. “Excuse me?” I asked. And why is he examining my frame like that? Is he talking about animal or… “Animal, of course” he added quickly. Of course.
He has three horse skulls because that is what he’s teaching right now. He’s a veterinarian. His specialty is apes. They have exactly the same body as we do. (Some more than others if you know what I mean.) I asked him something that I have always thought about, “If they are so close to us then do they also suffer from mental illness?” He said, “That is a very good question and something we know the least about. We’ve seen Downs Syndrome, depression, and anxiety.” “What about schizophrenia?” He explained that schizophrenia is not something they can test for using blood or X-rays. Yeah, that’s true.
Sooner or Later…
Photo by Joshua Cotten on Unsplash
“They are ferocious though, aren’t they? I mean you can’t keep one for a pet.” I’ve heard gruesome stories of chimps and apes turning on people. He looked me straight in the eye and said, “Sooner or later they will kill you. It’s natural for them.”
My Pathetic Fluke Shot
That’s what they call them. When the whale tail emerges from the water. This isn’t National Geographic level but it’s all I’ve got until my next whale-watching event. There were two Humpbacked whales waiting for our boat to arrive that day. They got to show off. Maureen was disappointed with the trip. She did not see much of the whales jumping and flopping around because people were crowded in front of her and she is not one to impose.
“If you are afflicted with melancholy, go to the swamp”. – Henry David Thoreau
Yes, though you may think me perverse, if it were proposed to me to dwell in the neighborhood of the most beautiful garden that ever human art contrived, or else of a dismal swamp, I should certainly decide for the swamp…I enter a swamp as a sacred place. There is the strength, the marrow, of Nature.
The American nature lover, philosopher, and writer Henry Thoreau believed that “A town is saved, not more by the righteous men in it than by the woods and swamps that surround it.” Out of such towns grow poets and philosophers because nature is a teacher, a mother, and a guide. We are not separate from the meadows, rivers, and trees. We are nature too. And we become better beings when we spend time in nature.
The Celtic Druids spent 20 years in solitude in the woods before they could become priests. They were the educated class. These priests were revered as wise. When people sought to make sense of their lives and the world they lived in, they turned to them.
The abiding truth is that we are bound up with the life all around us. If we are not the wind, trees, rivers, and stones now, we will someday become part of them. There is more to cherish, and more questions unanswered in the mountains, woodlands, and bogs, than in the society of people.
Swamp in Osceola National Forest, North Florida
And swamps contain water which for Thoreau is “the most living part of nature. This is the blood of the earth.”
“Good moanin’, good moanin’, how are you this moanin’?”
“I’m good. How are you?”
“Good… might as well be.”
Two elderly black gentlemen had entered the dining area to eat breakfast. I was just finishing mine. Might as well be good. Yeah, that’s right. I might as well be good, it’s better than feeling bad. We all have a choice. Choose to feel good. It makes a lot of sense. As Tolstoy wrote in “War and Peace”:
There’s no escapin’ fate. But we are always findin’ fault and complainin’: this ain’t right and the other don’t suit us. Happiness, friend, is like water in a drag net – pull it along, and it bulges; take it out, and it’s empty!
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, page 1150.
I needed that. I was facing 3 whole days of an anime convention in Atlanta. Moe was attending her first “con” as they’re called. So I decided to run with it and have a good time.
Biggest Con in the Southeast
Yes, it was big. It took us all day to register, and because I did not have a booster, I had to pay $35.00 for a COVID test. I have had many COVID tests, and this is the first time I have had to pay for one. The interesting thing was that they wanted so much personal information first. I wondered aloud to my neighbor in line, “What’s more important, getting the test to find out if I have it, or collecting all this information about me?” A wry smile and knowing nods from the young guys beside me confirmed my suspicions.
A guy in line bending over backward for a Covid test. It’s a good thing I didn’t have to go that far.
Halloween for Elderly Teenagers and Young Adults in Atlanta
What other way is there to describe it?
Gawd!! How disgusting. Gouged-out eyes. That’s really horrifying.
Princess Amelia (1710 – 1786), daughter of King George II of Great Britain.
She never set foot on Amelia Island, and I don’t think she even knew where it was. This was par for the course because Amelia was English royalty and her father’s favorite. James Oglethorpe, the first colonial governor of Georgia, actually named the island after the princess. And it’s amazing the name stuck because eight different flags have flown over this 13-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.
Motley Crew on Amelia Island
Soldiers, sailors, pirates, smugglers, slave traders, and British raiders have all taken refuge on or tried to claim the island. There are even old homes on Amelia Island today that still retain the false walls where slaves hid on their way north while traveling on the Underground Railroad.
As for treasure, a Spanish galleon carrying what would now be worth 2 billion in gold, the San Miguel, has never been recovered and is believed to lie just off the south coast of the island. In fact, we ran into a motley crew plotting something brazen and wicked, to be sure.
Pirate Talk
They were holed up in the Palace Saloon (1878), the oldest saloon in all of Florida, with the last cigarette machine in the world, when I heard one say:
“Arrrgh me hearties! Shiver me timbers and crush me barnacles if I ever saw such a sight as that! T’is true I seen it with my own eyes, a hole and in that hole more gold than all the fish in the sea! More pieces o’ eight than specks o’ sand on the beach, matey! I be dancin’ the hempin jig if the devil hisself, Cap’n Jack, knew I was telling ye all o’ this. But t’is so mates, t’is so. And t’is all ours for the takin’ me buckos. Cor blimey! Ye cowardly swabs, ye bilge rats-rapscallions are ye?! T’is tonight or never lads. T’is now or Davey Jones’s Locker for us all if the Cap’n finds out we be after his prize me hearties…”
Don’t Turn Your Back
Before I could walk back out of the saloon’s swinging doors, I was assailed by one of these scurrilous scallywags. “Ahoy wench!” he called out to me, “Come raise a pint or two o’ the grog, ye sweet lassies. Let’s all be merry together, me dearies,” he shouted as the others roared with approval. In a low voice, I told Maureen to be polite. “But don’t turn your back on them,” I said. Never turn your back on cutthroats such as these. We made some small talk, took a few pics, and beat a hasty retreat as soon as we got the chance.
Are these ruthless ruffians not the most vile sea dogs you’ve ever clapped eyes on?
Later that evening, we were having dinner at the restaurant in the harbor (there’s only one). As I raised my drink to take a sip, a sudden BOOM blasted out in the harbor. Everyone jumped and turned to see what was happening. It was the pirate ship, black and sleek, making its way out to sea on a sunset cruise. They fired a shot from their cannon because that’s who pirates are; loud and proud of it.
