No One Is Complaining

It's been dark and dreary around here this week, with lots of rain, but I haven't heard anyone complaining. They don't dare! You see, we had the hottest driest summer on record in south Texas. These are just a few of the dead trees piled up in a local park where upwards of a thousand died. It is the same story all over town. People are so thankful to see the rain and are dreading the return of summer. Surely it won't be a repeat?!

The Ugly Duck Relocation Committee

Many of our housing areas (which we call subdivisions here) have retention ponds. New home builders like to refer to  them as lakes, (getting more money for a Lake Front property). We have a lake in our subdivision, but I believe it really is a natural lake. Our lake, sports a nice size population of ducks. Fun to watch and the kids get a kick out of feeding them. A number of people suggested....not saying they did it...that we round up all of the Muscovy Ducks and relocate them. Why you ask.?..Well, for no other reason than: they are ugly.

This fellow, by the way, was photographed a few miles away from here...I've thought about this long and hard...and have come to the conclusion that I need to rethink going out to the curb, to check my mail , in my tattered green robe with pink rollers in my hair...

A Waste of Money?

A neighborhood in our town used excess money, from the home owners association fees, to give this bridge a face lift. The original bridge, that spanned this drainage ditch, was old and rather plain. I think the addition of the flagstone , new gas lights and landscaping are a pleasing addition.

It's Cold in Europe

The freezing weather across Europe has been making the news this week. A favorite blog that I read is from The Netherlands: www.biebkriebels.blogspot.com. you can find a daily photo there  from that part of the world. My blog friend Marianne, published a snow picture  on Feb. 5th that reminded me very much of the scene above.

The crude painting pictured here was an attempt by me ( about a year ago) in a watercolor class, to paint a snow scene. Proof positive that I will try anything!....Hopefully Europe you will have an early Spring. .

Where's Winter

Sitting in the afternoon shadows is this pretty little flowerbed at the entrance of a nearby grocery store. Looks like Spring or Summer to me, but it's February! We just haven't had much Winter weather here in South Texas.

I think sometimes we rush around in what I like to call our pig trails and forget to stop and appreciate the beauty around us..

Who is This?

Sarah, one of the cousins on the cemetery restoration committee (see prev. posts) mailed me a batch of old family photos she found when cleaning out her grandmother's attic in Mississippi; in hopes that I could identify someone. The only one we were sure about was this one.
Meet my great grandmother Julia. Julia was the tenth child of Boley and Annie and she married at age twenty and moved to Texas.
She is pictured here, with her is her first child Tennie (1881-1966). I never knew my great grandmother, she died before I was born. But, I did know my Great Aunt Tennie. Aunt Tennie grew up to be a dedicated teacher of the blind; almost going blind herself because of the habit of reading braille with her eyes.

Let's follow her descendants:

Tennie had two children, a boy and a girl.Her daughter Elizabeth was also a teacher. Son Paul was a war correspondent for the associated press, in the south pacific, during World War II. His son Bobby played for the NFL, and has not one ,but two super bowl rings. Bobby's son was signed in 2011 with the Seattle Sea Hawks (yes he's an NFL football player too). His beautiful daughter is an anchor for a national television network, and is a weekend co-host of a national News Talk Show. (in NYC).

I will bet that those two young people, my third cousins, (or is it first cousins twice removed?) have no idea where this little cemetery  in Mississippi is, or that Boley and Annie Conner were even their ggg-grandparents. Should I contact them? Nope...you know my track record of getting a hold of celebrity relatives. Maybe one day they too will be fifty and wonder... Who came before me?...or hear that same "call" I did.

The Momento

Remember the huge tree that toppled Boley's tombstone? (see prev. posts) Well, Sonny the family member that tried to care for the cemetery,who has since passed away himself, made a paper weight for several of us out of that very tree. The tree was either there when Boley was buried back in 1898, or planted at that time to shade his grave. Etched into that polished wood, which is in the shape of the state of Mississippi, is a map to the cemetery.It really means a lot to me.

I have to tell you something funny, (those that have followed this cemetery saga). Sometime during the year and a half that we were trying so hard to accomplish the restoration. I attended a luncheon in the city I live. There was a professor from some prestigious university giving a motivational speech. I was, I must confess, more interesed in my chocolate gnash cheesecake....until I heard the word genealogy. She said " You folks  that are so absorbed in genealogy, may  think you  just became interested in your ancestors; but, let me tell you... It is actually someone calling you from the grave".. Not only did she get my attention...but a chill ran up my spine!

Come back tomorrow and I will share a picture that was found in a Mississippi attic.....