A Yankee's Southern Exposure

What's all this Clabber about?

2012-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

(The following is a post from a guest blogger. Not just your ordinary guest blogger, but a person I would like to put into the category of a quintessential Southerner. Very proud, and a great resource for me when I want to get the Southern perspective on anything. We have talked many times on many subjects, Yankee vs. Rebel, North vs. South. The civil war, Gone with the wind, Mason & Dixon, Dukes of Hazzard and much more.

So I give you, from my Southern pal and all around good guy.....Berkeley Clayton and a blog post on)..

Glabber!

I will start at the beginning…. With the cow. When I was about 8 or 9 I would get up early in the morning like 5:00 a.m. and go with my grandfather out to milk the cow. (Yankee - when I was 8 or 9 I did not see 5:00am once!) This was way cool when you are that young. You got to drink coffee with lots of cream and sugar and help milk the cow yourself.

My grandfather would take a pan of warm water and a wash rag to wash the cow’s bag before he milked her. I would get to carry the stainless steel 10 quart water bucket that the milk went into. He had two buckets for milk, one for milking and one for pouring milk into. When he went into the shed where the cow was locked up, he would talk to her so she would not get agitated before being milked. This was a gentle old cow and you could pet her like a cat or dog. He would pull his three legged stool over and sit down and wash her bag. I pulled my stool over to and got ready to milk. He would take his hand and push on her back leg so she would back it up so he could milk while she was eating. I would grab one teat (Yankee - hold on now Berkeley, this is a family blog!) and he would grab the other. I lay my head against her belly and milked. Be sure not to let the tail hit you in the head when she swatted at the flies.

Of course I could not do it as fast as he could and it took about 15 minutes to fill the bucket. He did that every day.

After the bucket was full he carried it into the house, placing a cloth and a strainer over the other milk bucket, poured what we had just milked into the second bucket. It sat there while the first one was washed and put away. Then he would take the milk and pour it into 3 or 4 half gallon jars, two of which I had the responsibility to take to my house every day either in the morning or at night. I had to do it in the afternoon most of the time because I was in school unless it was summer time. That was my job and I hated it because it messed up my cartoon watching on TV. I had to go get the milk just when....

............Deputy Dog was on. That was a great cartoon, but I digress.

Now to the clabber. Clabber comes from raw, unpasteurized milk or what comes directly from the cow. (You can buy raw milk in Florida but you have to look for it. Of course the Yankees who run things in Washington DC feel that it is not “safe”. I drank raw milk until I was in college and it never hurt me, but again I digress.) (Yankee - Berkeley keeps on digressing, is that a southern thang?)

Granddaddy would take the blue enamel pan sometimes 2 depending on how much he wanted at that time and pour the milk into the pans, cover them with a clean dishcloth and leave them sitting on the counter. When you do this, raw milk will sour which is what it is supposed to do. Pasteurized milk on the other hand will rot which is why you can’t make clabber with pasteurized milk.

After about 4 or 5 days ( Yankee - Days!!??) depending on the temperature in the kitchen, my grandmother would check the milk and if it was firm feeling and smelled sour she would taste it. When set, clabber looks a lot like flan for any of you that have seen or know about flan. It is firm but not runny. (It can also be firmer like cheese depending on how long you let it set up.) She would put the clabber in a glass bowl, cover it put it in the refrigerator to eat.

Clabber is vilest stuff you have ever put in your mouth!! It makes me gag to this day just thinking about it. My grandparents, great grandparents and my father would take a piece or two of corn bread and break it up in a glass, and taking cold clabber from the refrigerator, spoon it on the cornbread mix it up and eat it from the glass. (A different take on this is to mix the cornbread with regular milk. My father trained my children to eat saltine crackers and cornbread like that. My half Yankee wife was appalled the first time she saw them eating that, saying what is that nasty stuff you are eating?) That was just about the worse thing in the world. You could smell that sour milk all over the house. I tasted it one time and had to run outside and spit it out. My great grandfather would eat it with some sugar or cane syrup on it right from a bowl, just nasty stinking clabber.

If you ever eat clabber you have to brush your teeth about 5 times to get the taste of sour milk out of your mouth. You should try it sometime just to say you have been there and done that.

(Yankee - The Clabber association is not very happy with you, Berkeley!)

Thank you, again Berkeley!!

Street Smarts - Avoiding the Hornswoggle

2012-01-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

street smarts

pl.n.

Shrewd awareness of how to survive in an often hostile urban environment.

Or - Street Smahts...

Being born and raised in the inner city has many perks. One of the biggest is that you grow up with a kind of sixth sense...........street smarts. In the city you are constantly aware of your surroundings; it’s not a fear but a sense that is constantly with you. Seems like there are many more people up east who are trying to take advantage of you - Who is behind me?, what does this guy really want?, who is at the door, did he just wish me a good day? You are born with a built in...............

Everybody should have one! Even my mom was really good at detecting Bull-crap..but she did it in a more motherly way...

Thanks mom!

You may ask, what is the need for this street smarts here in the rural south?.......

....au contraire, mon ami (the only French words I know) it comes in very handy.

In the rural South it's not such a life and death thing. Although I could have been a little more street smart about my first close encounter with the pit bull of birds....The Rooster. This experience came very innocently and so very unexpectedly. I was shopping at the local country mall (flea market) and came across a vendor who was selling “chicks” cute little cuddly things....

I bought two, I think I paid $20.00. Being a Yankee, I had no clue what I was doing. Maybe I wanted to start a farm? Well I took the new family members home and built a little area in the back yard to raise these chicks. The early days raising these chicks were fun, I was wondering what I would need to start a little chicken ranch.

So here I am raising these birds into what I think will be nice, plump chicken hens – How wrong I was. I was watching the growth of these birds and it seemed odd, they did not look like chickens at all, their colors were very bright and they looked a little masculine to me. Oh well I thought, maybe it’s just a stage.

I found out what I really had. I remember this day distinctly, we have had the birds for sometime now and they have grown well. It was about 3:00am when my world would never be the same.

COCK-A-DOODLE DOOOOOOOOO ..non-stop. The man at the flea market sold me roosters not hens. He must have seen me coming and said “I’ll get this damn Yankee” He sure did, what a nightmare for weeks to come.I let me guard down and see what happens?

City street smarts need to stay sharp down here in the south. If I am ever in the market for some chickens again, I will do what some political party has done recently...

ask for a birth certificate! - Smart Yankee!

No Three card monte here! ...

I use the three card monte game as a metaphor. Even as I now live in the south, I find this street smart tendency helps me along life's path down here as well. I am sure it looks odd at times to the locals as I take my exercise walks constantly looking behind me on an abandoned dirt road to see who may be creeping behind me. No one ever is, but maybe because it’s that I am ever vigilante?

Meeting people for the first time I have a knack (right or wrong) of sizing them up and putting them in a certain category……….

I have experienced the draw of the three card monte card game, I am ready for the deception! I know life shouldn't be about learning how to detect deception, but in the inner city, it is critical to know your surroundings at all times. The three card monte is a great illustration on how some people will go to extremes to take advantage of you. I have not seen a three card monte table here in Crawfordville, hummm, maybe I could start one in the park?

Three-card Monte
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

marney, Three-card trick,Three-Way, Three-card shuffle, Menage-a-card, Triplets, Follow the lady, Les Trois Perdants (French for Three Losers), le Bonneteau, Find the lady, or Follow the Bee is a confidence game in which the victim, or mark, is tricked into betting a sum of money, on the assumption that they can find the money card among three face-down playing cards.

This confidence trick was already in use by the turn of the 15th century, having a great deal in common with the shell game; they are the same except that cards are used instead of "shells".

Using the no three card monte approach....

Take this gentlemen who came to the door last month trying to sell me a security system. He made it to the second step of a 10 step back porch, I opened the door, screen door still in between us and just said “ I have a big loud dog, but thank you” end of encounter. He looked very confused....

.....I don’t think he was ever rejected without a knock on the door. I saw him coming and immediately judged by what he was wearing (Jeans and a dirty shirt) that this was probably a scam. Headlines the week following, 5 people busted trying to scam residents by selling fake alarm systems.

The above scenario isn’t really a big deal, but if you look at the tactic, you see the street come out, interrupt their flow when they least expect it, gets them off guard and puts you in command of the situation.

This works well with used car salesmen.....

If you ever are in the position to look for a used car, my best advise is to know what it is you want before stepping on the lot. Last time I was in the market for a used car, I told the salesman I wanted a certain type of car, no less that x miles, I have a budget of x per month and I don't need to be sold something I cant afford. He looked at me as if I had stolen his opening lines (I did) and told me to look around and call him if I need help. That is what I call the sledgehammer approach-you be in charge and aware of your surroundings even in a car transaction.

I call it right most of the time..

I key on eyes, facial expressions, conversation. Being street smart you need to be a very good listener, I do like discussions, but If I think I am being hornswoggled , I ease away and move on..

No matter what your geographical situation is, nobody likes to be hornswoggled!

I want Y'all to keep in mind that I don't walk around down here in fear of being taken in a three card monte kind of way. I do keep vigilant in situations but don't go overboard. I don't need to, I have my bullshit meter fully charged.

Tea for Texas

2011-12-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

I am very happy to present yet another guest blogger, Isabella ( Izzy ) Woods...Give it up for Izzy and show her some love with a comment :-) --------- Y'all!

Texas: The Good, The Bad, and the Downright Confusing

I've been living in the UK for just over a year now, and having been brought up in Dallas, it's interesting to see how things that come second nature to us are perceived as downright weird over here! When my Brit friends visit the South, they always come to me for a Texas 101.

As a unique opportunity to see things from an outsider's perspective, it's certainly been interesting to see what customs confuse and amuse everyone who isn't entrenched with them.
Lesson number one: a true Texan never pronounces, or in my experience even writes, the letter 'g' unless absolutely necessary. So here's my guide to porch sittin', sweet tea drinkin', spittin', deep fat fryin', truckin' Texas.

The good...

Porch sittin'
In Texas the porch is much, much more than just an area for keeping a few pot plants, dirty boots and other random stuff. Here the porch is truly an extension of the home, and porch sittin' is one of the most popular ways to relax. Just like the stereotype of the creepy old guy sittin' out on the porch on a rocker holdin' a shotgun, except usually with a book or a cold beer instead of a gun.

Iced tea
In Texas this is sweet and served up year round. Also bear in mind that, as with any cold drink, you may get more ice than liquid. Texans tend to fill the glass with ice first, then see how much liquid fits in around it.

Southern hospitality
Texans take pride in thinking of themselves as a hospitable bunch. They enjoy being able to wave at everyone in their area, know every face and do a good turn when the occasion arises.

The bad...

Spittin' in public
This doesn't need much explanation. Suffice to say there's a very long tradition of spitting in Texas, but nowadays people do it without the tobacco. Or the spittoons.

The bad for your health...

Fried everything

Most people in America have probably heard about Texas' love of all things fried, thanks to the Big Tex Choice awards at the annual Texas State Fair, which have rapidly become a competition to see who can fry the weirdest thing. Think fried beer, fried coke, fried bubblegum, fried butter, fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, fried alligator. Try not to think about your waistline or cholesterol levels.
More everyday options are fried pies, fried green tomatoes and of course fried chicken. There's also the confusingly named chicken fried steak, which doesn't actually involve chicken – it's just steak coated with seasoning and then pan fried (also known as country fried steak, CFS or pan fried steak). Also corny dogs – a hotdog on a stick, coated in batter and fried.
Not all Texas food is fried (thankfully). Some of my traditional favourites are: sweet potato pie, corn bread dressing, mashed taters and my aunt's sweet potato bread rolls. Mmmmm.

The confusing...

Referring to any kind of soda as Coke
With the possible exception of Dr Pepper (incidentally, invented in Texas in the 1880s), any kind of soda drink can be referred to as a Coke. Confusing? Possibly. Maybe there's some kind of key subtle inflection to distinguish between 'Coke' (actual Coke) and 'Coke' (Mountain Dew or something else). Clearly I'm not quite tuned in yet...

And the rest...

Personalized belt buckles

We take their belt buckles pretty seriously. Take a closer look and you'll find most of those fancy buckles aren't just for show – they tell you something about the wearer. Maybe their favourite sports team, which rodeos they've been to, where they went to university or their initials. On the other hand, you might just find the lone star, a Texas shape or even just the word Texas. If there's one thing Texans are, it's proud of being Texan.

Truck love
In Texas, everyone, but everyone, drives a truck. In 2008, Texans owned 14% of all the pick-ups in the US. They also love other vehicle-related stuff, such as Nascar. And they love bumper stickers, especially bumper stickers about Texas. Look out for classics like: 'I'm from Texas, what country are you from?' and 'I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as fast as I could'.

'I'm fixin' to'

I'd say you can pretty much measure how close you are to Texas based on the frequency with which this phrase occurs. As in, 'I'm fixin' to deep fry some iced tea on the porch, y'all want any?'
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Isabella is now living just outside of London, and still struggling with the culture shock. On the plus side, she gets to enjoy of Europe's last minute ski holidays, incredible museums and stone's throw distance to so many different cultures.

Yankees know nothing about Southern Biscuits!

2011-11-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

The following is a post from a guest blogger. Not just your ordinary guest blogger, but a person I would like to put into the category of a quintessential Southerner. Very proud, and a great resource for me when I want to get the Southern perspective on anything. We have talked many times on many subjects, Yankee vs. Rebel, North vs. South. The civil war, Gone with the wind, Mason & Dixon, Dukes of Hazzard and much more. When I asked him if he would write something for the Yankee Exposure blog, he wanted to write something that was near and dear to his Southern heart......Biscuits!

So I give you, from my Southern pal and all around good guy.....Berkeley Clayton and a blog post on ...

Light Fluffy Biscuits

(I thought of changing his title to a more manly one, but somehow this one works)

Gordon approached me about writing for his blog and said I should write something from a southern point of view. I am a 5^th generation Floridian and have lived here my whole life. I told Gordon I would write about biscuits since it is well known that Yankees such as Gordon know nothing about biscuits. Yankees probably get their biscuits from a cardboard tube. They may know bagels, toast or Heaven forbid, croissants, but they know nothing about light fluffy biscuits.

I was in a well-known fast food breakfast place several weeks ago and was eating a chicken biscuit. While it was good overall, the biscuit itself tended to break apart as I was eating it. This started me thinking about the biscuits that I ate when I was a kid. No one could make biscuits like my grandmother. I can still see her standing in the kitchen taking flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, buttermilk and............

....Crisco from a can, mixing it together and making the most succulent food ever made… at least when you are 10.

She would mix all this in a blue enamel pan that served double duty to make clabber, (another story) made a ball, slapped it on the table a few times, and pulled off just the right amount to make a biscuit that would not break apart while you ate it and soak up whatever you wanted to put on it.

You can’t do that with......

.... a bagel, (they have a hole in the middle and everything falls out) or toast or anything else. A half opened biscuit made right will hold any filling you want to put in it.

When my brother, sister and I would get home from school we went to grandma’s house and got a biscuit that sat out on the stove all day on a plate covered with a dishcloth. A pat of butter from the butter dish that sat on the table all the time, along with some cane syrup or a piece of left over bacon was an after school snack that stayed with you until supper time. I was eating a bacon biscuit long before any fast food place thought of it.

She made flat biscuits, “cathead biscuits”

more of a round biscuit than flat and even half-done biscuits for my great grandfather who got his own biscuits because he did not like his “burned”, just barely warm, mostly raw dough.

Biscuits and jelly, biscuits and sausage gravy, biscuits and cane syrup which is a dessert in and of itself. All of these are fond memories of childhood.

- Berkeley Clayton

So um, biscuits don't come from a cardboard tube? And what the heck is a clabber?

I am hungry now after this post...................I might have a cardboard croissant in the fridge...

Growing up Yankee

2011-11-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the big city was fun and dangerous. I was recently in a conversation with my wife, I started to talk about all the things I did/remembered growing up in Dorchester Massachusetts. Dorchester is a gritty working class area in the shadows of Boston Massachusetts. Looking back, I had some great fun memories. I am not too proud of some of the things I did, but hey , I was a kid and I am not running for president! I didn’t kill, rape or hurt anybody with my antics so it’s all good. My conversation with my wife did make me think of the difference in growing up in the city vs. the rural south.

Snow Daze:

I miss the snow..no I don’t..yes I do…..no I don't….Yes I...........

I seem to have this argument with myself every now and then about snow. Since living in the south, the closest thing to snow is when our freezer has “over freezed” and needs to be thawed…

…..I need to get a hammer and take a few swings and the ice globs and the bits of artificial snow go flying.

Not much snow in the south.

Up North, in the winter, snow was part of your life. You worked, went shopping, played in the snow and took advantage of snow days…

As a kid the snow days off of school were the best. I remember listening to the local radio station when they would call out the closed school names in alphabetical order..it was like winning the lottery when you heard your school named.. We celebrated like all kids did and do to this day

The snow was fun. I remember having one of these as a kid...

Sharpen the rails on that bad boy and find a nice icy hill. You will get your adrenalin fix for the day!

Snow day celebrations were not only for the school kids.

Do not try the following at home. These things were done by a professional city brat.

As I got older, in my early teens, sledding became boring..so we went down town and started to grab the bumpers of salt trucks as they slowly drove through the crowded streets in the snow…

The truck would swerve in the snow and we would too.. when the driver knew we were on the back…he would halt and we would take off like the little buggers we were. It was fun, but looking back..it was also a little dangerous.

I might add that snow days were a lot more fun than what I now get down here…potential hurricane evacuation notices..

Forget about sledding and find a closet! (In the middle of the house is best).

There is such a thing as a free lunch:

So Ed Gorman and I at age 15 decided to go downtown for lunch. We picked a nice Boston restaurant and decided to sit on the stools at the counter. I had grilled cheese with fries and I think Ed ordered the hamburger platter..and a coke. We even had apple pie for desert. It was good. The only issue was that we had .............

...........no money.

That only seemed to become a problem at the end of our lunch when we were handed the bill. We knew the restaurant layout well and knew what to do. I went first to the bathroom and yes, I crawled out the little window they had leading to the back alley..Ed followed right behind…

This and other restaurants have caught up to our antics and have since made a few changes to their bathroom window decor .

I still look back and chuckle a bit about this but I also feel guilty about it as well. If I were in Boston today and this place was still open, I would walk in and pay them the $7.85 for both of our lunches…hummm..maybe I will do some research..

Taken for a ride:

So I lived near a laundromat and was with friends 10 miles away in another neighborhood,. It was time to go home but I didn’t want to walk. One of my pals suggested I call a cab…ok, but again, I had no money. ( A recurring theme in my childhood) He suggested a plan that would help him take out some trash while I received a ride home.....huh?

So he put some light trash in a garbage bag (no food stuffs or used cans of chef Boyardee) ..called the cab company and said I needed a ride to the laundromat 10 miles down the road.

The cab came, I got in with the garbage bag and told the cabbie I have to meet my mother at the laundromat with this bag of laundry and away we went. Got to the destination and I told the cabbie to wait while I go inside to get the cab fare from my mother, I will leave the laundry bag in the back until I get back “no problem kid” he says. I get out go to the front of the laundry place and run like there is no tomorrow.

down a back street to my home…What a twerp I was.

I really did some stupid things..Like go to this abandoned chocolate factory....

...and find my way to the top only to get on my knees in order to peer straight down those empty silo's. We use to drop nickles into them and waited for a looooong time to hear it hit bottom..

Or the time we went to the Quincy granite quarries...to the top of course and see how far we could go to the edge before we had to step back...

I remember looking down and seeing telephone polls in the water - they were placed there to try and discourage cliff jumping. I think about this trip often and the hair stands on the back of my neck when I think about looking over the edge.

I often wonder what growing up in my current home town of Crawfordville would be like? Many would say that I would have been brought up southern style so my antics would not work down here..The local cab company is one vehicle owned by bubba and he knows where you live and just try and stiff Myra Jeans restaurant out of a lunch! They don't even have a bathroom window!

Now take into consideration not all Yankees have a childhood like mine. It could have been worse for me, all in all I did turn out to be a good guy. So if we meet in the future, lets do lunch, it will be on me, I will need to check out the bathroom first.

Gone Gefilte Fishing

2011-10-22T14:59:00.000-07:00

I am not the fishing type, I have no patience for it. For me, it’s like golf. I played golf once and that was it for me.

I am a former hockey player and I could not get the golf club in the proper position to hit the ball..I was always holding the club like a hockey stick in slap-shot mode. My wrist shot always overshot the hole by a couple of miles.There is something definitely missing from this sport. Maybe at the start of each game the players should scrum for top tee off positions.....

I would flip it on at the start of every match!

Just like golf, fishing does look relaxing to me. I just can’t relax…I do get excited a bit when I get a nibble on the line…but whats the point? I would throw the fish back anyway as I watch it suck for air and try to unhook the line that is embedded deep into it's mouth while trying to avoid the blood and possible razor sharp teeth this thing may have. Not to mention avoiding the hook that looks like if it where to pierce your skin, you would never, ever be able to get it out without amputating a finger. Fish should come with labels so I can tell what it is that I have just hooked or trying to unhook. I could never take them home to cook. Cleaning fish for me is a horror that I can do without.

"Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting"
~ Dave Barry

I will agree that I am a wimp when it comes to these things, a proud one at that!

Speaking of fish labels……………..

How many of you have passed this jar of joy in the food isle and have said............

....... EWW! That looks like jarred crap!

I must admit, Gefilte fish would be very easy to catch (Isle 14 in the ethnic food section) and it does have a label. I guess the thrill of the hunt may be gone a little, but you could use your imagination a littler here folks and think of it as big game fishing. Pack your bags, bring a beach chair, wear your favorite fishing gear, bring a lunch no bait needed (I like that part too) and go to your local super market. Set up in Isle 14 and sit in your beach chair and watch the shelves .

Management may come out and ask, "what the %$#@ are you doing?" Just ignore all the distractions and stay in the zone. You may go home with a pretty good fish tale.

What a clever alternative to the actual sport. You call all the shots! If you really want a challenge, go to your local Jewish market...........

.........and you could spend hours

Many people have medals from such events.....

My wife says I should try Gefilte fish . My response? “Sorry hun, that looks like a jar of preserved turds!" I have tried some different things in my life (Pickled pigs feet, Haggis, snails…etc..) But I would need to be at a different culinary level to ever try Gefilte fish!

Gefilte fish for all of it’s looks, does have quite the symbolism attached to it..

From Wikipedia: Gefilte fish (/ɡəˈfɪltə fɪʃ/, from Yiddish: געפֿילטע פֿיש, "stuffed fish") is a poached fish mince stuffed into the fish skin. Among religiously observant Jews, gefilte fish has become a traditional Shabbat food to avoid borer ("selection/choosing"), which is one of the 39 activities prohibited on Shabbat outlined in the Shulchan Aruch. Borer would occur when one picks the bones out of the fish, taking "the chaff from within the food."

A less common belief is that fish are not subject to "ayin hara" ("evil eye") because they are submerged while alive, so that a dish prepared from several fish varieties brings good luck.

Fish is parve, neither milk nor meat, and according to kosher law, it may be eaten at both meat and dairy meals (although some Haredicommunities avoid eating fish and meat on the same plate).

Where the stipulated head of the sheep is unobtainable for the Rosh Hashana meal, many use the gefilte fish, with the fish head served to the head of the family, usually the husband.

Hunting stipulated head of sheep is on tap for a blog topic next week.

Even with all of its symbolism, I would find it much easier to down a few pickled pigs feet than try my luck with this jarred carp.The Gefilte fish industry needs a new packing and marketing plan. Some foods look great in jars. Gefilte fish floating in jelly does not!
Peek my appetite Gefilte fish makers, place a photo of Paul Newman or something on the jar. That may get some to the point of taking a jar home. Then your job is done. The disappointment that awaits when the jar is opened is another thing altogether.

I know my wife and her parents would be disappointed with my less than enthusiastic attitude towards this traditional delight...

It would be fun fishing for Gefilte but I don't know if I could even get to the point of turning the lid on the jar.

Have you tried it?????? Yum ??

A Yankee's trip to the Zoo - in photo's

2011-09-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

No, not this one.......

There really isn't a place down here that would make me feel home sick for my northern city roots. So, I went to the closest thing that could get me thinking about up east........the zoo :-)

Now, the Tallahassee zoo is not like a real city zoo. It's missing some major players.. elephants, zebras & monkey's ..you know, the average zoo fare. But it's a nice place to take your family on a Saturday afternoon.

Say hi to cow.............................................

..........looks more like a ham to me.....

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The thinker......................

Some people say that mules are lazy and stupid...I don't know , this one seems to be contemplating something very deep.....

If he could talk, don't you here James Earl Jones? "Move along"

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Grand-kids are a very good excuse to revisit your own childhood.......

My wife AJ and little Boo-Boo.

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Don't forget to feed the hamster............

I know, it's not a hamster, it's a stuffed something (Badger?) Boo-Boo did not like this !

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You talk-in to me?

I tried to get old baldy to turnaround for a full frontal shot, but the ranger told me to get off the top of the fence...damn Yankee!

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It's not everyday you come across a panther crossing....

How do they know to cross here?

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Wally......................

This gator looks fake, looks plastic..almost like a lawn ornament. Trust me..his legs moved. I was leaning a little to far over for this shot.....I overheard another zoo goer behind me mumbling something and saying he was clicking to youtube on his iphone..no cnn ireport on this one tho....my wife tugged my over to the bear area...

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Awe..cute cuddly bear........

....until he gets hold of you with those massive paws and tears you apart like you know he can....ssssshhhhhhh, sleep massive bear, sleep.

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I look at this photo.......

and I hear banjo's ..like this....

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Boo-Boo and Mom.........

Nice grip, Kid!

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Random Photo..........

Eggs & bacon in their natural habitat....I found this most interesting....go figure. So the zoo has an old caboose on the property complete with a set up of how things may have looked back in the day..to include a a plastic (or rubber) breakfast. Can I get a side of Goodyear's to go with this?

******

Did I say we went to the zoo with Boo-Boo?

Hey Boo-Boo..lets go watch Sponge Bob......

Mullet Chronicles

2011-08-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

It looks like a fish to me!

The following is a true story......

Roderick Donald McLeod . . . was Judge in Crawfordville Florida from 1901 to 1928.

His greatest acclaim was for his decision regarding mullet fishing. In the early 1900’s a bill established January and February as the “open” season for mullet (the fish, folks).

In Wakulla County, November and December were the best time for mullet fishermen. Some men were arrested for fishing out of season and brought before Judge McLeod.

With his reputation for being a fair man, the fishermen were sure they would get a proper judgement. He sent them on their way,however, with no real solution to their problem. He was very concerned about the livelihood of these fishermen, but had to obey the law . . . . It was pointed out to [the judge’s wife] that mullet

had gizzards, a unique feature, as other fish do not have gizzards. Upon hearing this, the judge was then assured of the course to take......

When presented with the offending fishermen, he declared.........

...........the mullet not a fish, since it had a gizzard, and released the fishermen! The entire state rejoiced over the victory brought about by Judge McLeod . . . Newspapers throughout the state ran headlines proclaiming the mullet to be a bird!

Up to this point in my life, the only Bird/Mullet combo I ever knew was this one.......

The Wakulla County Mullet/ Bird legend is inscribed on a placard in Azalea Park here in Crawfordville, Florida. The legend illustrates that sentiment against laws adversely affecting commercial fishing has an eighty year history in the Panhandle.

A Mullet weather-vane sits atop the old courthouse to this day...

I know you probably thought when you saw the blog post "Mullet Chronicles" You were thinking this.....

The mullet haircut was very popular back in the day....The mullet is a hairstyle that is short at the front and sides, and long in the back.

Often ridiculed as a lowbrow and unappealing hairstyle, the mullet began to appear in popular media in the 1960s and 1970s but did not become generally well-known until the early 1980s. It continued to be popular until the mid-1990s:

This fad may be fading..................

.........................................Although you can still see pockets of mullet resistance throughout the country... especially in Walmart stores.....

Oh, and just in case you were wondering..........................

How to Cook Mullet Gizzards

Mullet gizzards are taken from the mullet fish, a fish found in many parts of the world, particularly in temperate waters. While not as common as chicken gizzards, mullet gizzards have a similar flavor and texture.

Mullet gizzards have a tendency to become tough and somewhat rubbery if cooked for too long. For this reason, they are usually fried in very hot oil instead of using other methods like grilling or baking. If you cannot find mullet gizzards in your area, ask a local fishmonger to order them specifically for you.

Step 1

Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt in a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Crack one egg into a second mixing bowl and beat it lightly with a fork for about 15 seconds.

Step 3

Place 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large sauté pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking.

Step 4

Rinse the mullet gizzards under cold clean water. Pat them dry with paper towels.

Step 5

Dredge the mullet gizzards in the egg mixture, followed by the flour and salt mixture until evenly coated. Place the coated mullet gizzards on a plate until they are evenly coated.

Step 6

Place the mullet gizzards in the hot oil. Cook the mullet gizzards for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Step 7

Transfer the cooked mullet gizzards to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Season the mullet gizzards with freshly ground black pepper to taste and serve while hot.

Enjoy?

Yankee Paparazzi

2011-07-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

What would you do with your 15 minutes?

Being a "person of interest" is not as cool as it sounds.....They finally caught up with me................................. .

Paparazzi: Mr. Yankee, Mr. Yankee……….click, click, click

Why did you leave the North?

Me: "Well, I never did leave the North mentally, it stays with me to the dismay of some of my southern friends.....But I love it here. I came down in the early 90's and stayed - Damn Yankee !-Can you please step off of my lawn" ...(eyeing the water hose)

Paparazzi: Mr. Yankee, Mr. Yankee ………..Click

Tell me about the grits, the grits!!

Me: "I did not eat grits for the first few years I was down South. It was something I told myself I wasn't going to do. Me eat grits? Ewe! I would stick to my regional fare of cream of wheat. I eventually gave in, I eat them, but have been accused of southern blasphemy because I put Sweet N' Low on them..go figure? - No death threats tho!"

Paparazzi: Mr. Yankee, Mr. Yankee..click, click..click..click

Tell us about your “Worm Grunting Experience” ??

Me: "You have not lived until you have experienced the worm gruntin' festival held annually in Sopchoppy Florida. When I first heard about this festival I had mental images of locals on stage with a microphone grunting like a worm, (does a worm grunt?) not unlike the pig calling contests I have seen on the news. Far from it! My wife had to tell me it's worm gruntin' "honey", NOT worm grunting! I did Google search "Worm Grunting" 84 times on the computer to get a better understanding, although my wife said she did the searches, on my computer, in my room, using my password and while she was at work"

Paparazzi: Mr. Yankee, Mr. Yankee....tell us about your very first pick-up truck..

Me: "Well, I went ahead and purchased a 1977 Ford F100 pickup truck. It does qualify as an antique. This will be the first time in my life I have owned one. Every other vehicle down here is a truck of some sort, so now I feel like I truly belong. Driving a pick up truck with my northern flair for the dramatics - is not a good mix down here…. It's a different driving culture in the south.Up north we yell, swear and get all red faced. Here it's simple, it's what is not said that is important. oh, and I put my umbrella in the gun rack! I did run over 5 squirrels one day or was it 6?, the truck did smell of dead animals."

Paparazzi. Mr. Yankee, Mr.Yankee, Mr. Yankee..click..

What do you think of Casey Anthony?

Me: "I don’t really know, is she the sister of Mark? I don't remember hearing anything about Casey. I can tell you that I had a small problem with Marks relationship with Cleopatra. While I understand the distribution of nations among Cleopatra's children was hardly a conciliatory gesture, it did not pose an immediate threat to Octavian's political position. Far more dangerous was the acknowledgment of Caesarion as legitimate and heir to Caesar's name."

Paparazzi:(Click here to hear paparazzi reaction to last answer)

Paparazzi: Mr. Yankee, Mr. Yankee..click, click..click..click

What can you say about Roosters?

Me: "Corfu Rooster
Serving size depends on the bird
1 rooster, cut into pieces
7 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon olive oil or lard
1 tablespoon tomato paste (or use some tomatoes)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
3 ½ cups water
½ cup dry white wine (or vermouth or other booze)
1 teaspoon sugar

1 Role of duct tape"

I want it to be known that I have not hidden from the paparazzi, I don't have a team of handlers that look out for my every move. A photo of me (if I was in hiding ) would net approximately $1.36 and that includes postage and handling.

I had to tell all of my paparazzi pals that I have a busy schedule and must catch my ride that is waiting for me...

Where am I going? Got to keep you guessing, I have a brand to exploit !

A little tune to leave you with.....

Talking About My Generation

2011-07-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

You may want to play the below tune (The who - My Generation) While viewing this blog post.

Some things just transcend geographical areas. One area of the US may be a little more ahead in technology, but in time everybody has an opportunity, regardless of location to follow basically the same drum beat as the rest of the country in terms of advancement…

I feel old blogging about this topic today, but it’s something that has been on my mind for awhile. I was born in the baby boomer generation.........

A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom. The United States Census Bureau considers a baby boomer to be someone born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964, including 1964.

Many things have changed drastically since my birth. I go in and out of the work ethic discussion. One day thinking that today's generation do not have the same work ethic as us baby boomers did growing up...I am a manager and I get to hire and fire people, I don't like to fire people, but have done so in the course of my career. 100% of the time it was for a bad work ethic, continually late or absent or just plain lazy and not at all interested at the job at hand.....

But then I see some glimmer of hope in this current generation of our work force and it puts me at ease for a little while.

What exactly do they call this current generation anyway??

Yup, Generation Y.

Generation Y, also known as the Millennial Generation (or Millennials),Generation Next,Net Generation, Echo Boomers, describes the demographic cohort following Generation X. As there are no precise dates for when the Millennial generation starts and ends, commentators have used birth dates ranging somewhere from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s.Members of this generation are called Echo Boomers, due to the significant increase in birth rates through the 1980s and into the 1990s, and because many of them are children of baby boomers. The 20th century trend toward smaller families in developed countries continued,however, so the relative impact of the "baby boom echo" was generally less pronounced than the original boom.

Characteristics of the generation vary by region, depending on social and economic conditions. However, it is generally marked by an increased use and familiarity with communications, media, and digital technologies. In most parts of the world its upbringing was marked by an increase in a neoliberal approach to politics and economics.The effects of this environment are disputed.

The affects of this technological environment are indeed disputed. Growing up in my generation, technology was this...

We had to be home to use them, we had no communication ability outside of the home while on the road unless we came across one of these....

Today?.........................

.............With these, you can communicate anywhere, to anyone, take a photo or video to document it, let people know exactly where you are at all times and what you are doing 24/7. They can even name that tune in 3 seconds!

Now, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with this advanced technology, Heck, I am using it now to post this blog and to tweet the post when I am done. Like anything else, in moderation these tools can be very helpful....But put these in the hands of our younger generation and you have them distracted to no end. A.D.D. gone wild......

.............. and they have to work too!!!?? Sneaking access to a social media site (s) at work becomes an art form...............

It did not take me long to figure out why Sally or Johnie wanted to put 7 file cabinets, barb wire and a moat as obstacles to overcome if I wanted to look at their computer screen.

When my company banned twitter and Facebook access on all computers, there was an upswing in younger employees bringing their handhelds to work..... Now, making the following comparison, I do not want to seem like the quintessential dad type that would say to these young-ins the following.. "Heck, when I went to school, I had to walk 56 miles, in the snow, in bare feet with a broken leg and carrying a refrigerator"..BUT...........

The only hand held I had on my first job was this...

You know, delivering papers at 4:am, barefooted, while studying for a math test, towing my dads Chevy ..all uphill.

How about the conversion that this new generation is also called the "Entitlement" Generation? I don't know about that at this writing, I will need to look for further evidence here. But what I do know, this is my number one pet peeve....in any generation...

I guess an older generation has the advantage of being on this earth a little longer and seeing many changes as we advance. It may be that we are just getting older and remember the "good old days" and reflect how much better they were. When in fact, this current generation will do the same exact thing when they get older. Who knows what is in-store for us? I sometimes think that when you take all the advancements we have made away, we are all the same regardless of generation. Well, most of us anyway.

I wanted to be fair and also post a newer "My Generation" Music Video for my Y generation readers....... Enjoy.....

A Yankee Primer

2011-07-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Anna, a blogger/writer/interviewer wanted to get into my head....

Good luck!

Interview Questions from @ruanna3 (Anna)

From Anna's blog.................

3 Question View - Gordon McCleary
Writer, Humorist and Blogger, A Yankee's Southern Exposure -yankeeexposure.blogspot.com ; Twitter: @asouthernyankee

This post is the sixth of a new series, highlighting talented people whose work I admire.

I call it '3 Question View' because it's limited to three questions (Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three) and it's a rather truncated inter-view, designed to elicit three compelling answers from each artistic mind.

Anna:
The writings on your blog, "A Yankee's Southern Exposure", focuses on the humorous side of the culture clash between North and South (Dunkin Donuts vs. Krispy Kreme, NY Jets vs. NASCAR, Philly Cheesesteak vs. Fried Green Tomatoes). What brought you to the South? What do you love best about your adopted homeland? What do you miss most about the North?
See the complete interview here:
http://yearningforwonderland.blogspot.com/2011/07/3-question-view-gordon-mccleary.html#more

Things that make you go...DUH!

2011-06-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

A few things to keep in mind...................

When commissioning a study, be sure you cover all your bases.

So I was wondering one day, if I put $15.00 in one of my pant pockets and gave it to the cleaners, would I get my money back? I took it a step further and started to wonder, if I did it here in Crawfordville and had someone at the same time do the same in NY city with the same amount of money, what would be the results? Would I see the Southern hospitality and get the money back? Would the NY cleaners keep the money, would I be surprised with the results? So I recruited someone from NY via twitter to do the NY test, sent them the $15.00 via pay pal, never heard from them again.

When buying a chicken, make sure it's a chicken.

The guy at the local flee market says they were very nice and healthy chicks. I don't know if I would be able to detect an unhealthy chick unless it was drooling and laying sideways in a death grip or something. Anyways, I bought two and thought having a couple of chickens (Hens) around the house would be different and good for the kids. Little did I know that these chicks were actually roosters....jokes on me at 4:00am in the morning,,,,,

You can read the full story here: http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2011/01/rooster-daze.html

Have it your way - But not with grits

So when I explained to my new southern Friends that I put Sweet N' Low on my grits....You would have thought I was trying to evoke Civil War 3 .. details here: http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/04/true-grits.html

Down South, They have Bugs!

It landed on my bare arm while I was mowing the lawn, a freaking prehistoric type bug with horns, long feelers, and some claw type grippy things that looked like it could rip flesh. For a moment, I was thinking alien and quickly thought to protect other parts of my body from probing type activity . But alas, one quick swipe and it was on it's way. I don't have an inch of skin exposed anymore while doing the lawn.

More bug encounters here: http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/04/jurassic-bugs.html

They should NEVER make bathing suits with back pockets!

Why do they do that anyway? People like me will put things in them, like a wallet. The little fishes had my credit cards for awhile. They could have ordered the box set of Sponge Bob Square Pants if they had more time......
Look here for the wet details: http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/06/southern-mishigas.html

If you want a lot of comments on a blog post. Talk Donuts!

This really started the Next Civil War..........people are passionate about their Donuts!

Donut War Stories: http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2010/07/donut-wars.html

Are you a Yankee or a Rebel ? ~ Take the test

2011-06-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

You can figure out just how much of Southerner you are by taking an online quiz called "Are you a Yankee or a Rebel?" It asks questions about how you pronounce certain words and phrases and then calculates the amount of Dixie in your speech. Take the quiz and report back your findings! My score?: The computer said "Wow! You are a Duke of Yankeedom!"

Online Quiz linked below:

http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/yankeetest.html

A Glossary of Quaint Southernisms

A selection of "quaint Southernisms" from Dr. Robert Beard of AlphaDictionary.com:

a- A prefix added to the present participle to make it purtier, e.g. "Abe's a-workin in backer t'day; Ma's a-talkin to you, son!"

Ahere adv. In this direction, as in, "Yall come ahere; I got sumpn a show yuh."

Backer n. A large cultivated weed you can smoke legally. (Southerners don't get all that excited about the syllables in front of the accented one.)

Bard v. Past tense of the infinitive "to borrow." Usage: "My brother bard my pickup truck in never brung it back."

Caint v. aux. Cannot.

Carry on v. Overdo your actions or make a lot of fuss, as in, "Yall young'ns stop a-carryin on so; we cain't hear each other talk."

Catty-corner(ed) adj. Diagonal.

Damyankee n. City-slickers from exotic places like New York, Chicago or Philadelphia. (Notice down South it is one word.)

Dinner n. The meal et around the middle of the day.

Err n. A colorless, odorless gas containing oxygen, as in: "He cain't breathe. . . givvim some err!"

Ever adj. Quicker form of "every."

Fixin v. aux. Getting ready to: "I'm fixin to leave."

For crying out loud! exp. Well, I'll be darned!

Gol darn (it)! exp. An expression of surprise or frustration.

Haid n. The uppermost part of a human or animal body.

His'n poss. pro. Belonging to him, as in "Are them-air boots mine, yourn or his'n." (See "her'n" for more.)

If'n conj. Variation of "if". (Southerners love their new suffix, -n, so much, they stick it everywhere. See young'n and his'n.

Kin to adj. Related to (someone) .

Like-to adv. Almost, nearly. "Hit like-to kilt d'man when he saw his boy a-wearin' a kilt."

Lord a'mercy! inter. What you say when thangs get out of control.

Mawnin n. The early part of the day.

Might could v. aux. Might be able to. Auxiliaries don't scare Southerners they way they scare Northerners; we string them together fearlessly, "I might coulda finished choppin the wood if'n hit hadn't rained."

-n Suffix for creating nouns from adjectives: young-n, little-n, big-n, that-n over yonder. However, Southerners are so proud of it, they stick it on a lot of other words: if'n, his'n, her'n, sos'n, etc.

No 'count adj. Worthless.

Pitcher n. (1) a vessel for holding and pouring water; (2) a visual representation of something, as a photograph. The "t" is silent.

Plumb adv. Completely: "Are you plumb crazy?"

Purt near adv. Nearly, close to.

Saerdy n. The sixth day of the week.

Story (tell a) Well, sorta, you know, tell a lie. For example, "That's a story, mama! I never told his girlfriend he et snails!"

Sugar n. As in "Gimme some sugar": affection, a chance to snuggle your neck, huggin' or kissin' or both.

Supper n. The meal (supposed to be) et around 5 o'clock.

Them pro. Those. "Jimmy John, where in the world did you git them pants?"

Them-air pro. Variant of "them": "Jimmy John, where in the world did you git them-air pants?"

Uppin v. aux. To do something suddenly or unexpectedly: "I toad him we's havin liver puddin fer dinner and he uppin left."

Whup v. Inflict physical pain on someone younger and/or smaller than you using a leather strap or switch.

Yankee goes to Hollywood - Southern Style

2011-06-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

I consider myself somewhat of a movie buff. I am a TCM (Turner Classic Movie channel ) fanatic and appreciate a well done movie. The TCM android app is one of my favorite apps!

I thought I would highlight some films that I have seen and enjoyed, movies that give a glimpse of some real life southern traditions, customs and characters. These are all great movies, please feel free to comment on them and let me know the Southern themed movie (s) I may have overlooked and the movie you consider your favorite. . They are in no particular order. Kudos to Wikipedia for helping with some of the movie notes.

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
This may be the ultimate iconic movie of the South.
The title is taken from the first line of the third stanza of the poem Non Sum Qualis eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae by Ernest Dowson: "I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind." The novel's protagonist, Scarlett O'Hara, also uses the title phrase in a line in the book: when her home area is overtaken by the Yankees, she wonders to herself if her home on a plantation called "Tara," is still standing, or if it was "also gone with the wind which had swept through Georgia." More generally, the title refers to the entire way of life of the antebellum South as having "gone with the wind."

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)
Stella.....STELLA..... S T E L L A !
The film presents Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh), a fading, but nevertheless attractive Southern belle, whose pretensions to virtue and culture only thinly mask her alcoholism and delusions of grandeur. Her poise is an illusion she presents to shield others, and most of all herself, from her reality in an attempt to make herself still attractive to new male suitors. Blanche arrives from her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi (changed from Laurel in the play) at the apartment of her sister, Stella Kowalski (Kim Hunter), in the French Quarter of New Orleans, on Elysian Fields Avenue; the local transportation she takes to arrive there includes a streetcar route named "Desire." The steamy, urban ambiance is a shock to Blanche's nerves.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD(1962)
One of my all time favorites, love the plot and the feel of this movie.
The story takes place during three years of the Great Depression in the fictional "tired old town" of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator, six-year-old Scout Finch, lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. Jem and Scout befriend a boy named Dill who visits Maycomb to stay with his aunt for the summer. The three children are terrified of, and fascinated by, their neighbor, the reclusive "Boo" Radley. The adults of Maycomb are hesitant to talk about Boo and, for many years, few have seen him.The movie touches on many racial themes of the times.

DELIVERANCE(1972)

Needed to put this one on the list!

Four Atlanta businessmen, Lewis (Reynolds), Ed (Voight), Bobby (Beatty) and Drew (Cox), decide to canoe down the Cahulawassee River in the remote Georgia wilderness, expecting to have fun and see the glory of nature before the river valley is flooded by the construction of a dam. Lewis, an experienced outdoorsman, is the leader. Ed is also a veteran of several trips but lacks Lewis' machismo. Bobby and Drew are novices.

From the start, it is clear the four are aliens in this unknown location.

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES (1991)

A good Southern "Chick Flick"
Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates), a timid, unhappy housewife in her forties, meets elderly Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) in a Birmingham, Alabama, nursing home. Ninny, over several encounters with Evelyn, tells her the story of the now-abandoned town of Whistle Stop, Alabama, and the people who lived there.
If you thought us Yankees were the only ones who have driving and parking issues, watch this scene.

The soundtrack to this movie is awesome as well.

SONG OF THE SOUTH (1946)

An early Animation and live action flick

The setting is the Deep South, at some indeterminate point during the latter half of the 19th century (it is not clearly indicated when in relation to the American Civil War the story takes place: whether during the Antebellum or Reconstruction periods). Seven-year-old Johnny is excited about what he believes to be a vacation at his grandmother's Georgia plantation with his parents.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS (1989)
Another good Southern Chick Flick
On a spring day in the Chinquapin Parish, a fictional suburb of Natchitoches, Louisiana, a young woman is seen walking down a residential street. She goes into a home-basedbeauty salon owned by Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton). A recent beauty school graduate, Annelle Dupuy Desoto (Daryl Hannah) has come to answer Truvy's request to the college for a new employee.

ALL THE KINGS MEN (1949)

A chicken in every pot - Huey Long

The main story is a thinly disguised version of the rise and assassination of real-life 1930s Louisiana Governor, Huey Long. Also included is a series of complex relationships between a journalist friend who slowly sours to his ways, the journalist's girlfriend (who has an affair with Stark), her brother (a top surgeon), her uncle (a top judge who is appointed to AG then resigns).

When his son kills a female passenger in a drunk driving incident (and paralyses himself) Stark's world starts to unravel and he discovers that not everyone can be bought off.

OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? (2000)

A fun movie, love the soggy bottom boys!

In 1937, Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro), and Delmar O'Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson) escape from a chain gang at Parchman Farm and set out to retrieve the $1.2 million in treasure that Everett claims to have stolen from an armored car and buried before his incarceration. They have only four days to find it before the valley in which it is hidden will be flooded to create Arkabutla Lake as part of a new hydroelectric project. Early on in their escape, they try to jump onto a moving train with some hobos, but fall off due to Pete's inability to get on. They then encounter a blind man(Lee Weaver) traveling on a manual railroad car. They hitch a ride, and he foretells their futures.

DRIVING MISS DAISY(1989)

I drive like this all the time....

Mrs. ("Miss") Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy), a 72-year-old Jewish widow, lives inAtlanta, Georgia, alone except for an African American housemaid named Idella (Esther Rolle). In 1948, after a driving mishap where her automobile is demolished, Miss Daisy’s son, Boolie (Dan Aykroyd), tells her she will have to get a chauffeur because no insurance company will insure her. She refuses, but Boolie is determined to find her one. Meanwhile, she is stuck at home and is unable to run errands or visit friends.

THE COLOR PURPLE (1985)

Hello Oprah and Whoopi!

Taking place in the Southern United States during the early-1900s to mid-1930s, the movie tells the life of a poor black woman, Celie Harris (Whoopi Goldberg), whose abuse begins when she is young. By the time she is fourteen, she has already had two children by her father (Leonard Jackson). He takes them away from her at childbirth and forces Celie (Desreta Jackson) to marry a local widower Albert Johnson

I am sure I have missed many, can you name some not here? What is your favorite Southern themed film of all time?

Bringing up Baby – Old school

2011-06-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Is this the end.........?

Do you ever notice when you buy a car, new or used, there seems to be more people with the same make and model driving about as well. I remember when my wife was pregnant with our first born..I saw many more pregnant people during that time than any other…are ya'll copying me?

The same is true when you are toting a baby about, like when I take little Boo-Boo out and about the town. I see more babies and baby momma's and baby dadda’s, they all seem to flock to Walmart or Winn Dixie the same time we do.

This phenomenon has given me the opportunity to see what parents are buying for their little ones these days, or are they really buying them for themselves?

I have noticed a major shift in the baby industry…..and got to thinking about our future.

Are we going soft?

Is this the beginning of the end for us,

(Play while viewing this blog, it will add to your reading pleasure)

Like the great city of Rome, are we free falling into obscurity by the abundance of decadence and useless items meant to pamper our little ones?

Are we all fiddling with over pampering our wee ones while Rome (USA) is burning?

I mean, come on now!! How necessary is a Baby wipe warmer?

What’s up with that?

Heaven forbid that their little bum and bits get cold using the regular wipes. Do the little buggers at this age really know the difference? I would think that the cold, normal everyday type of wipes help to get the attention of the baby. The warmer ones put them into sleep/ mode. Sheep mode.

Are we so over the top with these items we are unaware of the impact these items will have on generations to come?

What ever happened to letting your baby cry a little before taking him out of the crib?...or does Dr. Phil tell us that that is a sign of neglect that will have the kid turn into a mass murderer someday? Or heaven forbid, something worse?

Nowadays, if you want comfort your child but are in the other room entertaining your guest..you can buy one of these handy items..(no pun intended)

He/She will grow up thinking his parents have gigantic hands…How about having the kid explain THAT in elementary school-huh?

And what is this contraption I see in the stores these days??

Nothing says I am over pampered and in my bubble more than this thing..My lord, are we so afraid that our babies will fall and we will run them over with the cart ?? Or are we afraid they may start teething on the metal? Geesh, when I was growing up, we ate dirt.............

We have come a long way...........................................Baby.

I use the cart - old school with Boo-Boo, he does get to live on the edge a bit, I think it builds character in a child.

Remember when you used to drop the baby bottle by accident? You would pick it up as fast as you could, give it a little kiss, like we use to do with gum that fell on the floor and off it went back in the babies mouth....

today?

Effective: Proven 99.9% effective against germs. Safe: Automatic shutoff. Natural: Uses dry heat, no chemicals. Great baby shower gift. The Germ Guardian Nursery Sanitizer is designed to sanitize objects using dry heat to kill 99.9% of germs. Kills germs that cause: RSV (rotavirus), flu and colds (influenza and coronaviruses), pneumonia (pneumococcus), earache (haemophilus influenzae), diarrhea (E.coli and salmonella) and more.

Mom's, did this not scare you enough to go out and buy two??

What about the toys these days? We are bringing up a bunch of softies.......

These toys are not only soft.......they are.....soft.

What about substance and the sense of adventure? Have we forgotten so much of our childhood we are softening up our kids for the Apocalypse? . If you want a toy of substance and the excitement of expectation back into your childs life...get them one of these....

Remember? This thing did scare the hell out of me.....and my kids as well. They all seem to be doing fine now, although I do have a slight physical tick every now and then.

What toy below do you think would best get your child ready for the rough and tumble world ?

This one........

Or this one.....

I'll take the Tonka any day. That one up above made out of blocks looks too happy, has a zombie feel to it..turning our kids into little sheep.

Don't you think this little item is a little over the top?

It detects if you are shaking your baby too much. If you need one of these....you need to be shaken!

Baby Monitoring:

Baby monitoring these days is a large industry. What ever happened to peeking in on your child every now and then?..today we have taking monitoring and electronics to a new level......

The babies room in most American homes looks like a war room...

I am not against product development or progress, it's all good when it's good. But I do get the feeling lately that we are turning soft on many fronts. Is this the end or am I just someone with an overly active imagination that was developed when I was teething on frying pan handles and learning to walk on hardwood floors with my socks on ?

Where were you when the lights didn't go out?

2011-05-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

I will survive…..................

Rapture ready!

I was ready. Sitting in my bunker, in my backyard, hoping my supplies…….

578 cans of Spam.......

A Yanni CD..........

Weapon.............

12 cases of Bud.............

Headgear.............................

…… would last the night (I have a very aggressive appetite). I was spending my time thinking of exactly what will be taking place up above in the next few hours. Where do I fit in the queue of rapturedom? Pondering over my life, I remember that I have done some things that may have me far down the list of one who would be ruptured immediately.

* I stood up a blind date once, only after driving by at first to see how she looked

* I cheated on my 5th grade math test - The teachers couldn't see that tiny calculator in the palm of my hand?

*I told my sons there really - honestly-no kidding was a Santa Clause

*That piece of gum from the candy counter really was loose and I did think it was mine anyway..

Will the rapture be a peaceful experience? If so, why am I hiding in a bunker? Maybe because I grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood in Boston ? Those nuns were very strict! I think I quickly associated the Rapture with Armageddon…and took action!

Not too surprised – (Come on, did you not for at least a split second drift into a “what if” thought?)

The rapture did not happen….

Coming up from my bunker, I noted a distinct smell and sight of sameness. I quickly looked around to see what the destruction may be or who may be lurking. Why am I in zombie mode anyway? Why am I thinking of Zombies ?

I needed to investigate further my thought on this whole rapture = zombies thing....hello android and hello Wikipedia

Rapture------

In Christian eschatology, the Rapture is a reference to the being caught up referred to in the Biblical passage 1 Thess 4:17, when in the End Times the Christians of the world will be gathered together in the air to meet Jesus Christ.

The primary passage used to support the idea of the Rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15–7, in which Paul cites "the word of the Lord" about the return of Christ to gather his saints.

...and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord

Okay, so it's the dead in Christ rising first statement that could be a little zombie-ish.

Anyway, i guess I was looking for some sort of change anything, maybe that was really the reason for us all to get caught up in the rapture hype, subconsciously or consciously, we were looking for change in the world..in
ourselves?

My dog Max was on the patio and looking at me as if to say, " Are you coming in now?-geesh!" I hear my wife calling me for dinner..Is this my real wife or a zombie replacement ? (Place wife joke here) She made steak this evening, (where is aunt Margie?)

Under further inspection...The Satellite TV didn't lose any channels, the lawn still needed mowing, and the Red Sox blew a late inning lead to lose the game....ahhhh.....the world truly hasn't changed and it seems like everybody is still in it.

Anybody looking for a Spam/Yanni party?..I have the hats...........

Where were YOU when the lights didn't go out ?

A Yankee on The Bridge of War

2011-05-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Natural Bridge was a battle during the Civil War, fought in what is now Woodville, Florida, near Tallahassee, on March 6, 1865. A small band of Confederate troops and volunteers, mostly composed of teenagers from the nearby Florida Military and Collegiate Institute that would later become Florida State University, and the elderly, protected by breastworks, prevented Union forces (consisting of African-American soldiers) from crossing the Natural Bridge on the St. Marks River. This action prevented the Union from capturing the Florida capital and made Tallahassee the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi River not to be captured by Union forces during the war.

This civil war battleground is only 30 minutes from the house. This place is basically right in my backyard, I did not need my Smart phone navigation tool to get me here like I did in Andersonville. When arriving, My first thought was “wow, the Yankees were down this far?”

My second thought was "wow..nobody is here....."

.....maybe because it's a Sunday am? Boo-Boo and I had the run of the place...

Oh..here is Boo-Boo...

Boo-Boo is taking it all in for now, he doesn't ask many questions...........yet!

This battle of Natural Bridge is not as well known a some of the larger battles during the war..............

What struck me was how small the area was, unless I was looking in the wrong place, the actual site of the battle was very tiny. You have to hand it to the defenders though, they were mostly composed of teenagers and the elderly. To this day the cadets of the Florida State University are 1 of 4 Army ROTC programs to have a battle streamer for their actions in the civil war.

I found the place very peaceful, could have been because we were the only ones there, but peaceful nonetheless. I did take this photo of a sign I thought was interesting...

I was glad to finally be in the "Real Florida", where have I been living all this time ? How about that park rule 62d-2 FAC? I don't think I have anything to worry about here..take a look at a passage from this rule:

(15) Aircraft. No person operating or responsible for any aircraft, glider, balloon, parachute, or other aerial apparatus shall cause any such apparatus to take off from or land in any park except in an emergency when human life is endangered or where a designated landing facility may exist on park property.

Good to know..So much for my skydiving entrance at Gettysburg...

Confederate pride still runs deep here in the south in most places. I try to respect this as I understand many families lost loved ones on both sides. I really try to understand the Southern view of the war without having my preconceptions that I was taught up east get in the way. I picked up one of these pamphlets a few week ago…..

........while observing a Confederate memorial service in the center of my home town. I don't think I can be a member.

There is a monument in the middle of our town square here……

In loving memory for those in Wakulla County who served the Confederacy

(The flags are not up year round, only during ceremonies)

And if you attend any one of the many festivals here in Wakulla County, you will no doubt come across a vendor's booth manned by the Sons of Confederate Veterans...

Separating what the war meant to so many people down south and how it affected many Southern families is easy for me to separate in my head. I understand that there were reasons for the war, many up east will tell you that the abolishment of slavery was the one and only reason. I had this belief prior to living on this side of the Mason Dixon line..........

I know slavery was a major reason, but am also now considering other elements that might have spurred this war on. A perfect storm of many events, instead of a single, lone reason.

You talk to many Southerners and some would agree that slavery may have played a part in the war (although, much later and for political reasons) but most will tell you and speak on States rights and Northern aggression as being the real reason for this war. Some will also point you to the economics of the times and tell you that was a major reason as well.

I still have much "learnin" to do. The jury for me, on this topic is still out......

Many of my readers have commented on their thoughts as to the reasons for this war...read here:

http://yankeeexposure.blogspot.com/2011/04/civil-war-what-is-on-your-mind.html

On my trip to Andrsonville a few weeks ago, I picked up one of these......every Yankee should have one...

I don't wear it when I am vising these historic places, I don't feel right doing so, plus if I did.....I would be called something a little more direct than just a damn Yankee.

A Yankee Goes to Prison

2011-04-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

The trip to Andersonville Civil War Prison was three and a half hours long - one way. It was a good trip. We took in the beautiful Georgia back road scenery in all it’s glory. I started to whine about the length of the trip. It got me thinking about trips like this back in the civil war era and how they may have fared with only a horse or a long march on foot to complete the trip.

So.....here I am using my Android navigation tool........

..... and getting ticked off that the navigation lady had it wrong on a portion of the trip because of a rebuilt road. That little triangle marker denoting our location was going off the little android map in these parts and the nice English sounding lady was wanting us to make a u-turn. "No!, you are wrong", I barked at her. We prevailed and soon she ...errr...we were back on track.

I wonder how the war would have turned out if either side had one of these bad boys?

I felt better. I didn’t whine anymore.I also started to think about the topography of this area and how Andersonville seemed to be tucked in the middle of nowhere......how DID they find these places back in the day? I guess it was the right place for an open prison.

We wanted to be sure we went to Andersonville town proper, the prison site and the cemetery. We did see all three.

The Civil War Town of Andersonville was small, most places were closed because of the Easter holiday. . I did take time to act like a tourist and get a picture of me acting like a tourist,

I felt kind of bad taking this photo (My wife actually took it) , considering the location. But decided to do it anyway as I probably will never be back.

What I found most interesting in the town was a monument dedicated to Henry Wirz the prison commandant in 1864.

The Georgia Division and the United Daughters of the Confederacy proposed a resolution at its 1905 convention to erect a monument in memory of Henry Wirz. The U.D.C. prevailed in this battle and the monument was erected at the prison site in Andersonville on May 12, 1908.

The monument states:

The Front of the Monument

"In memory of Captain Henry Wirz, C.S.A. Born Zurich, Switzerland, 1822. Sentenced to death and executed at Washington, D.C., Nov. 10, 1865.

To rescue his name from the stigma attached to it by embittered prejudice, this shaft is erected by the Georgia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy."

On the Second Side

"Discharging his duty with such humanity as the harsh circumstances of the times, and the policy of the foe permitted, Captain Wirz became at last the victim of a misdirected popular clamor.

He was arrested in time of peace, while under protection of a parole, tried by a military commission of a service to which he did not belong and condemned to ignominious death on charges of excessive cruelty to Federal prisoners. He indignantly spurned a pardon, proffered on condition that he would incriminate President Davis and thus exonerate himself from charges of which both were..."

Wirz was hanged on November 10, 1865, in Washington, D.C., the only Confederate officer executed as a war criminal. Scapegoat or Murderer ?? That is still being discussed today.

The prison:

A Union soldier describing his entry into the prison camp -

"As we entered the place, a spectacle met our eyes that almost froze our blood with horror, and made our hearts fail within us. Before us were forms that had once been active and erect;—stalwart men, now nothing but mere walking skeletons, covered with filth and vermin. Many of our men, in the heat and intensity of their feeling, exclaimed with earnestness. "Can this be hell?" "God protect us!" and all thought that He alone could bring them out alive from so terrible a place. In the center of the whole was a swamp, occupying about three or four acres of the narrowed limits, and a part of this marshy place had been used by the prisoners as a sink, and excrement covered the ground, the scent arising from which was suffocating. The ground allotted to our ninety was near the edge of this plague-spot, and how we were to live through the warm summer weather in the midst of such fearful surroundings, was more than we cared to think of just then."

In all, 12,913 of the approximately 45,000 Union prisoners died here because of starvation, malnutrition, diarrhea, and disease. The prisoners were not going to see any more action in this condition- if that was the reason for the mistreatment. Was it intentional mistreatment? You have to remember that the war was coming to a close and the south could hardly feed their own troops and the prisoner exchange that was a good thing for both sides had stopped. At the beginning of the Civil War, prisoners of war were exchanged right on the battlefield.

This is the great debate today amongst some civil war scholars about the reasons behind the Andersonville mistreatment . No doubt that the prisoners were laking in many things to keep them healthy and alive. It was terrible conditions in a terrible place. I don't pretend to even go about to judge such things, Who am I? The war was complicated on many fronts.

There are many "venues" of the war throughout these United States that hold gruesome tales on both sides. I don't have enough knowledge on the subject to make up my own mind as to what happened and why. Maybe someday when I do, I will let my thoughts be known.

My wife may have said it best when she stated that she thought that the prison administration had no clue what to do with this many prisoners.

The first thing that struck me where the monuments that were erected by the states of the captive union soldiers, here is one from Massachusetts.......

........Many states were represented. The area today is marked by white poles signifying the boundaries of the prison

Water or lack of water was the major problem. A branch of Sweetwater Creek, called Stockade Branch, flowed through the prison yard and was the only source of water for most of the prison. It was used for everything, so you can only imagine. Dysentery, scurvy, malaria, and exposure were rampant.

It is said that a deafening noise like thunder or an earthquake shook the earth around the prison one day, and a stream of water burst forth from the torn ground. They considered this phenomenon a providential act of God and so the stream of water was called Providence Spring.

There is a stone house that was erected at the site in 1901,

Inscription is on the wall states: "The Prisoners' cry of thirst rang up to Heaven; God heard, and with His thunder cleft the earth and poured his sweet water came rushing here." On another side of this house is the inscription: "God smote the hillside and gave them drink, August 16, 1864.

The Cemetery:

Nothing I say can add anything to what the rows and rows of headstones are telling us..........

I did what most do on hallowed grounds such as these. I was quiet and respectful and reflected on their lives and their respect for country. May they all rest in peace.

I often wonder what these Civil war combatants and POW's would think if they could see the

USA

today. Would they be pleased with the current status and growth of our country? Would they feel that their suffering was in vain or they died for a deeper good purpose. I happen to think that everything happens for the greater good, Spending time at a palace like Andersonville can rock your foundations and beliefs.

If only these men could talk.

More photos from the trip:

Civil War - What is on your mind?

2011-04-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

Hi all: I am in the midst of putting together an honest piece on the civil war. I thought it would be a great idea to get your perspective as well. I have been educated on the war up east and now being down south "for a time" I am re-learning some things. What are your personal views of the war? I may use some comments in my blog...

Was the war only about states rights? slavery? Northern aggression? Southern Aggression? All of the above? Do you care at all?? Say whats on your mind about the topic.

I am going to write it from my perspective and wanted to hear what you have to say as well.

All comments will be posted.

You can tell me who you are, or post a comment below anonymously.

My writer's zone is a happy place. Getting there can be a trip.

2011-04-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

zone

1390, from L. zona "geographical belt, celestial zone," from Gk.zone "a belt," related to zonnynai "to gird," from PIE base *yes- "to gird, girdle" (cf. Avestan yasta- "girt," Lith. juosiu "to gird,"O.C.S. po-jasu "girdle"). Originally one of the five great divisions ofthe earth's surface (torrid, temperate, frigid; separated by tropicsof Cancer and Capricorn and Arctic and Antarctic circles); meaning"any discrete region" is first recorded 1822. Zone defense in teamsports is recorded from 1927. Zoning "land-use planning" isrecorded from 1912. Zoned (adj.) in drug-use sense is attested1960s, from ozone, which is found high in the atmosphere; therelated verb to zone is from 1980s.

A mental sate relating to competitive performance that depends on the mood or state of mind

Getting to my writer's zone, is a trip!

Some people would define me as always being in a mental state. .This is a good thing, although it really depends on who is saying this to me, friend or foe. I don't have many foe's, I just like using that word.

My new experiences in the South keeps me in prose. My writing problem isn’t so much writers block, it’s more of the many, many ideas floating in my head at the same time and me trying to decide which one (s) I should write about.

This, you think would be a nice problem for a writer, but it keeps me many a time from putting words to paper and out of my zone. It is probably because I am constantly searching for the best thing to write about. Never really satisfied with any potential topic. I am the type of guy that if you give me a menu with hundreds of choices, I will spend a very long time coming up with my choice for dinner. I will starve. Simple works better for me. Give me a menu with 5 choices and I am in my zone. You can also relate it to what I call the "clicker principle" I can be watching a good show on TV, but with the clicker............

...... I am sure there is always a better one on one of the other 2,654 channels. And I click to find it. My sessions with the clicker can be somewhat overstimulating and overwhelming.

I count on a variety of stimulations to get my zone of imagination going. Music, movies, biographies, trips to the store, etc…..I find that I am really In my writing zone if I am out meeting new people and places. Sometimes I can just wake up and be in a good mood and be in the zone without any stimulation. I take that back, I do really need some coffee in the morning to kick start my brain waves and motor skills.

I don’t pretend to be a good writer, as a matter of fact, I have no clue what kind of writer I am. I enjoy when I am in the zone and basically write for me, it is very soothing. That being said, If I can share some advice from someone who is constanly thinking and sometimes over thinking his ideas.

When you are in any kind of writing rut, Write! Just get a blank piece of paper or Microsoft word page and start writing something, anything. Doesn’t even have to make sense in the beginning. (Heck, look at me, I make no sense throughout!) Your true spirit will show in the writings as you keep writing. Many thoughts are unlocked only when you are writing. Let it flow, let it go, no pressure.

Or you may want to just step away from the keyboard altogether for a little while.

You can't force creativity. Creativity, like shit, just happens.

If you try and force your creativity, you will quickly find that your writing zone will more resemble.....

I have been in the writer's twighlight zone before and tried to force something out. Did I really just write about the lint in my pocket? Although I suppose a great writer can go on for hours about the size, shape and origin of the lint. Pontificate about the lints humble beginnings to gaining size and being a force to be reckoned with among the few quarters and credit card receipts that also share space in your pocket. Explaining in detail what the lint may be thinking, if lint could think at all and how the best laid plans of this lint can go bad with just a simple wash cycle. Did the lint have any fami.................. *SNAP* queue Rod Serling.

Forcing creativity is unnatural and in my humble opinion, leads to the greater problem of writers block.

Let it flow, Let it go.I think just wanting to put thoughts to paper is a great start. No pressure

Music plays a big part in my creative life. I have posted below some music that I listen to and that will stimulate my neurons and have me in the good zone quickly. As you can tell , my music tastes are just like my writing ability - all over the place.

The music is such a rush and so compliments my need for adrenalin. I need to write with adrenalin.

If you are like me, when I am out of my writing zone I am out, and if I am not careful I can spend much time trying to get back in. So what to do? convince yourself to take a break from writing, Call your brains bluff and shut down. When your brain sees that you want to take a break, It will begin to flood you with many ideas..I seem to get my best ideas when I really try to shut down for awhile. …

The mind truly works in mysterious ways!

Iced tea, a beat up pick-up truck , max the dog and a pen.

A change in your geographical area can set off many “zone alerts” It did for me, No comparision to my writing ability when I was up North vs. living down South now. The setting these days is an easy one to get me in my writing zone. On my Porch with a tall glass of iced tea and a pick-up truck in the driveway with my dog max at my feet. Depending on my mood, I can have music playing in the background. Doesn’t take much for my mind to wander to strange and pleasant places I have been or yet to be. Things that I have seen or want to see.

Being away from the hustle and bustle of a large Northern city has helped me relax and be a little more introspective. You know how multiple choices can make me weak at the knees. You can only imagine how adding the city noise and attitude to my though process would interfere with me thinking about anything...Plus, where I lived..it was all about being aware of your surroundings at all times, not to take in the scenery but to be sure you were going to stay safe and healthy.

Don't get me wrong, I am a city boy at heart, a true Yankee. I miss the daily grind at times. But I also have a new found appreciation on how a little space and less noise can bring out parts unknown to oneself and discover a writers zone that has been hidden and dormant for many years.

Let it flow, let it go, no pressure.

Nine elements of flow

Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi identified nine elements of flow that he saw repeatedly in his research:

1. There are clear goals every step of the way. In many everyday situations, there are contradictory demands and it’s sometimes quite unclear what should occupy our attention. But in a flow experience, you have a clear purpose and a good grasp of what to do next.

2. There is immediate feedback to one’s actions. When you’re in flow, you know how well you’re doing.

3. There is a balance between challenges and skills. If a challenge is too demanding compared to your skill level, you get frustrated. If it’s too easy, you get bored. In a flow experience, there is a pretty good match between your abilities and the demands of the situation. You feel engaged by the challenge, but not overwhelmed.

4. Action and awareness are merged. People are often thinking about something that happened – or might happen – in another time or place. But in flow, you’re concentrated on what you’re doing.

5. Distractions are excluded from consciousness. Because you’re absorbed in the activity, you’re only aware of what’s relevant to the task at hand, and you don’t think about unrelated things. By being focused on the activity, unease that can cause anxiety and depression is set aside.

6. There is no worry of failure. In a state of flow, you’re too involved to be concerned about failing. You just don’t think about failure. You know what has to be done and you just do it.

7. Self-consciousness disappears. People often spend a lot of mental energy monitoring how they appear to others. In a flow state, you’re too involved in the activity to care about protecting your ego. You might even feel connected to something larger than yourself. Paradoxically, the experience of letting go of the self can strengthen it.

8. The sense of time becomes distorted. Time flies when you’re really engaged. On the other hand, time may seem to slow down at the moment of executing some action for which you’ve trained and developed a high degree of skill.

9. The activity becomes “autotelic” (an end in itself, done for it’s own sake).Some activities are done for their own sake, for the enjoyment an experience provides, like most art, music, or sports. Other activities, which are done for some future purpose or goal – like things you have to do as part of your job – may only be a means to an end. But some of these goal-oriented activities can also become ends in themselves, and enjoyed for their own sake. Csikszentmihalyi concludes by saying that “in many ways, the secret to a happy life is to learn to get flow from as many of the things we have to do as possible.”

A Yankees Low Country Boil

2011-04-02T15:34:00.000-07:00

I saw this sign while out and about today:

Now, being a good Yankee, the first thoughts that came to mind wasn’t anything to do with food. I immediately started to think about how my angry tendencies have mellowed since being down South. My anger is like a low country boil these days. Most of the time.

Anybody who has lived in a big city up east knows that it doesn’t take much to go from happy to angry…I think the average is about 3.5 seconds..

I am not saying that Northerners stay angry all the time, it’s that it doesn’t take much to get us riled up. Cut in front of us in line or make us wait too long for service or tell a Northerner you are out of an item on the menu and……....

.........It’s on.

I do stay level headed most of the time these days, but a recent chain of events had me out of my low country boil and put me in a high state of pissed off. You see, this past Friday it all started wrong. My fancy alarm clock decided to set itself one hour back in time and the alarm went off at 5:00am instead of 6:00am. So now I am up early for work and not a happy camper. I can't go back to sleep. Then I go to Starbucks and decide to wait in this crazy line for coffee. The line was literally out the door. still composed, I wait in line and use my phone to check my bank account and I see that I have a charge on my account for $49.57 for Avon products. Still in line, I speed dial my wife, "Did you buy Avon, dear?"

She tells me no. I was losing my low boil.

So now I can only think about the web of calls I will need to make to get to the bottom of this. I finally get my coffee and cranberry scone and head to my truck. I had placed the coffee on the floor of my truck as I fastened my seatbelt and of course forgot about it and drove off and made a right turn and felt the heat of the hot coffee all over my socks and pant legs.

FUC% !!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ??

I yell louder than any other time I can remember in my life. Geographical location had no impact on my angriness, I was in a pissy mood all day from these events. My low boil quickly turned in to a rolling, water over the top boil. The good news is that I did find out about the bank charge and it was a keying mistake not a stolen account. Although, the bank did cut my debit card off in the middle of all of this, " for my protection" I wish they told me this BEFORE I went food shopping.

I can remember while living up east, anger was an art form and it was always, like an app, running in the background of your soul. It was in the DNA of many of us, ready to break out at anytime. Now again, not all Northerners had anger issues, but I bet more northerners get angry at what may seem small issues more times than our southern counterparts do.

I know for a fact that while down here my friends and co-workers like to tweak this anger Achilles heel of mine, for fun and sport. "Watch what I can do to this Yankee" I am sure they would say before I get the . "Hey, Dunkin' Donuts suck and Ice Hockey is nothing but men on figure skates" or just plane ole "Yankee go home"

In the past, while hearing this, my mind would to go here:

But I have gotten much better. In the past, I might have come back with "Oh yea, I bet William Tecumseh Sherman wasn't a figure skater!" Yankees have to go for the jugular , an argument stopper and we don't stop until we feel we have scorched earth. This cannot be healthy at all.

{From a Buddha Page on the web}

One of the most harmful effects of anger is that it robs us of our reason and good sense. Wishing to retaliate against those whom we think have harmed us, we expose ourself to great personal danger merely to exact petty revenge. To get our own back for perceived injustices or slights, we are prepared to jeopardize our job, our relationships, and even the well-being of our family and children. When we are angry we lose all freedom of choice, driven here and there by an uncontrollable rage:

Southerners get angry in a much kinder and gentler way, you really don’t know they are angry till sometime later when you reflect on the conversation. They use words that don’t sting as much:

Up east we might call someone F&@k&%@ Crazy, here, they say – Bless your heart.

Up east we may say to someone, you are a fu%#@&! Sh%@ Head ! Here they say, you are a hot mess. You see, the edge is off but it all means the same thing.

The culture of anger. Heck you can’t get away from it anyhow, anywhere these days…..

Although, playing this game is sort of a stress reliever. I do find after a round of angry birds, my blood pressure seems to drop. Well, except for those harder levels.

Wow, I really went there, all from this sign on side of the road, my mind does wander a bit, huh ?

So yea, Slow Country Boil is what I am all about today, a constant search for peace within. Until I spill hot coffee on my pants and socks.......

.....Speaking Of Slow country Boil - The real meaning of the sign I saw at the side of the road:

Now that is the real deal!!

There are two kinds of social gatherings in coastal

Georgia

and South Carolina that revolve around shellfish. One is very much like a Louisiana boil, usually involving shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, and red potatoes and is considered part of Lowcountry cuisine. Known variously as Frogmore Stew, Beaufort Stew, a Beaufort boil, a Lowcountry boil, or a tidewater boil, they tend be a bit milder than their Louisiana Cajun and Creole cousins.

For example, it is not unusual for a Lowcountry recipe to call for a mixture of hot and mild crab boil seasonings, e.g., Zatarain's and Old Bay, whereas a Cajun recipe may start with crab boil packets and add large amounts of cayenne pepper and hot sauce. While shrimp are most often used, crabs and or crawfish may be included if available. This is also a bit different from a Louisiana boil, which usually involves just one kind of shrimp.

Yum!

Now, doesn't that just put a smile on your face?

Oh, in case you are in the market to anger a Yankee, I did get the following from the web:(From a Southerner BTW)

1. Take your own sweet time when doing ANYTHING.
2. Pronounce all one-syllable words as if they had two syllables.
3. When giving directions, finish with "it's right down yonder on the left." Confuses them no end!
4. Talk REAL slow, and (even when you hear them the first time) always ask them to speak more slowly so you can understand what they're saying.
5. When they talk nostalgically about the North, tell 'em "Delta's ready when you are!"
6. Talk loudly and often about SEC football or ACC basketball.
7. Refer to every soft drink as a "Coke."
8. Always order sweet tea and/or grits. When they don't have it, raise a ruckus.
9. Offer to send 'em a bottle of fresh air.
10. Insist on being addressed by your first AND middle names. (e.g. Lisa Marie, John Michael, Jim Bob, etc. . . .)
11. Frequently bring up "The War of Northern Aggression" in conversation. If anyone ever says the words "Civil War", always interject that "there was nothing civil about it."
12. Address all males as "son" and females as "little lady".
13. Correct their pronunciation of certain words. For example: It's "Pah-kahn" not "Pee-can".
14. Put Tabasco on everything.
15. For New York Yankees: Act as if the whole state of New York is New York City. In other words, if they say "Yo, I'm from upstate New Yoik!", say "Well I'll be, my wife has always wanted to see a Broadway show!"
16. When invited to dinner, offer to bring dessert. Show up with a box of Moon Pies . . . preferably the banana ones.
17. Name all of your children "Bubba".
18. Use the word "reckon" in a sentence and watch their reaction.
19. "Mash" buttons. "Cut off" lights. "Carry" the kids to school. Always remember (especially in Texas) it's not a "pond", it's a "tank."
20. Never simply "do" something. Always be "fixin' to do" something.
21. Tell them you don't have an accent, they do.
22. Be sure to include "yes/no ma'am/sir" in all conversations . . . Offends the devil out of 'em.
23. Only use landmarks and ramble on when giving directions. "Now go down Jeff Davis Highway and turn left at where the Chevron station used to be. I think they turned it into a Amoco. Or maybe a BP.
Anyway, turn right there . . . " "You said left." "Did I? Well, turn left there and follow it until you see a big fish on your left. I remember when that fish used to be on the other side of town . . . "
24. Ask them if it's still snowing up North. Then tell 'em you went driving around in your convertible this weekend. 25. Call 'em a yankee. Works every time! (Just a joke, folks! Some of my best friends are - - - - - - - ) (Edited from one sent to us on the internet. - Author Unknown) [/SIZE]

A Yankees New Southern Toy - Updated

2011-03-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Update:

I thought I would show the progress of my restoration of a 1976 Ford F100. I have posted the new pics below, after my original photos of the truck that I took when I first bought it. It's coming along, thinking of the final color ...cherry red??

When in Rome….Buy a pickup truck!

Well, I went ahead and purchased a 1977 Ford F100 pickup truck. It does qualify as an antique. This will be the first time in my life I have owned one. Every other vehicle down here is a truck of some sort, so now I feel like I truly belong.:-)

**New Updated Photo's**

I am now in the market for proper down south pickup truck attire……..

I don’t think I can pull that off, but it would sure give me the “right of way” in many roadway situations!

I think I will just go traditional………….

I may decide to wear a flannel shirt, jeans, overalls, and ball cap,(Red Sox logo) Perfecting the classic pick up driver look with a bit of a Boston touch.

I took Max (our dog) out for his first ride in it , (in the cab) I let him out to run around in the park and when it was time to go, he would not get back in! ….

I think it’s going to take a few more trips for him.

Driving a pick up truck with my northern flair for the dramatics while driving- is not a good mix down here…. It's a different driving culture in the south.Up north we yell, swear and get all red faced. Here it's simple, it's what is not said that is important

Q: Who has the right of way when 3 cars and a pick up truck approach a four-way stop

at the same time?

A: The pick up truck with the gun rack and the bumper sticker saying

"Guns don't kill people. I do."

That guy gets to go first ......

I just may be a little passive myself at first and try these on for size..

Pickup truck tips are welcomed :-)

It's hard to hide a Yankee....we don't blend very well.

2011-03-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

From Wikipedia

"Camouflage is a method of crypsis (hiding). It allows an otherwise visible organism or object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a tiger's stripes, the battledress of a modern soldier and a butterfly camouflaging itself as a leaf. The theory of camouflage covers the various strategies which are used to achieve this effect.There are several different types of hunting camouflage. The use of each one is dependent upon the area in which the hunter is going to hunt. It can range in appearance from a mossy oak pattern to a sage brush pattern for hunters of large mammals. Waterfowl hunters can have camouflage that resembles swamp reeds."

One of my dad's favorite quotes was: "Kids should be seen and not heard" It may be safe to say that down here, it is best to be heard and not seen. I am not good at this. It's hard to hide a Yankee, we don't blend very well.

Camouflage attire is all the rage though. Down here, you will see a whole family dressed in camouflage in the meat section at Walmart. Are they hiding from the ground hamburger, waiting for the right moment to surprise it and place it in the shopping cart?

The pattern is on everything! and worn everywhere! It is worn in places that actually make you stick out in the crowd. I can see that guy in aisle 15 at the local super market dressed in Camo wear head to toe. He does not blend in very well with the potato chips.

I think if you want to go shopping and not be seen, this is probably the better way to go..

Not all camouflage is worn…if you want to take a Sunday drive and not be seen, try this…

If you are skeptical about camouflage actually working on vehicles...

Although, I think If I am going to camouflage my car, it would probably be more realistic and look a little like this...

How about going to play golf in one of these….

A real good way to sneak up on the 13^th hole or…..if you having a bad round, just slip into this and you will avoid the harassments from your buddies.

While in the bathtub and you are a little embarrassed to show who you share your bath with, you can get one of these.

Easy fix, nobody will ever know! Or you can do like I do err, um, I mean a good friend of mine does and bathes with something a little more manly..

Sport a chair like this…

And you will entertain your friends and family for hours having them wonder on what the heck is holding you up ?

Self conscious about your big feet? We have something just for you…..

Hide them, in style!!

Expensive tastes ? try a pair of these...

Want to have a stealth dinner?

Even in your most personal times, you can experience that feeling that you are hiding something…

Not to be out done, some Yankees have tried their hand at the art of camouflage:

I really have not caught the camouflage fever, but I am really thinking about trying it...I may try it one of these days at work during a casual Friday...something like this...

I can attend the staff meeting without being noticed and hear if they talk about my management style behind my back, wont they be surprised.

Can you see me in the photo below? Take a good look. Pretty good camouflage, huh?

Well, maybe a Yankee can hide after all, behind the camera :-)