'Possum Hunting

By Maxine Reeder Strickland

I was just sitting here thinking about Carolyn Gipson Falcon, one of our classmates, and one of my best friends. Her Mother, Margie Joiner, died two weeks ago, and I knew Carolyn was busy.

I met Carolyn in 7th grade, and I felt so honored to be her friend. She was, in my opinion, very rich. Her Dad was a lawyer, and her Grandfather was a Judge. She lived in a beautiful rich looking home, and she had pretty clothes. I lived on a dirt road north of town and we were in the process of moving into our new house that would have a bathroom inside, with electric lights in every room and running water in the sink, but we had a long way to go to catch up with the Gipsons.

I saw Carolyn's room with beautiful furniture, big pretty mirrows, and a comfy bed. I was embarrassed to bring this rich girl to my home, but we were friends and she accepted me for who I was. I didn't realize I was much richer than she was, because you can't put a price tag on Love and Fun.

She preferred to spend the week-ends at my house because there was so much to do. We built treehouses, climbed trees, played country jig, camped out in the woods, and went 'possum hunting. Yes, 'POSSUM HUNTING.

We had a black neighbor that lived down the road about 1/2 mile from us. He told us "young-uns" that if we brought him a live 'possum, he would give Mama a laying hen. There was a creek that ran through the back of our property and across the road at the bottom of the hill. My brothers and I were always seeing critters in the creek, so I asked Carolyn if she would like to go 'Possum hunting real early the next morning. Of course she said YES!!!

So, Carolyn, my younger brother Jerry, and I were going to spent the night in our old empty house and get up before dawn to go hunting. Carolyn was always brave and willing to do whatever I suggested. Early the next morning, just before daybreak, we leave Jerry asleep on the pallet (you do know what a pallet is don't you?) and we creep down to the bottom of the hill. We could barely see each other, but we knew it would be getting daylight soon. Never once did we think about being scared. What was there to be scared of back then?

Then we saw movement.

God really must have had a sense of humor when he created these critters. This was a really large one and very worthy of a nice laying hen for Mama.

I told Carolyn to go pick him up by his tail. I had done that several times before with no problem, and I wanted Carolyn to experience the fun and excitement. She tried to be brave, but when he opened his mouth and made that hissing sound, Carolyn started running but her legs weren't moving her body. She was so funny.

We caught the 'possum, and Carolyn got her brave back. Now we were ready for the real fun to begin. Remember my brother back at the old house asleep on the pallet? Something made us go put that hissing critter on him, and you should have seen him wake up. We felt like Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. We found our Laughin' Place and stayed there for a long time before we finally took him to Ole Judge Potis. He cooked him up with some sweet potatoes and lots of black pepper, and collard greens.

Now that was some good eatin' (once). I have never eaten another 'possum since, but we did get a dozen laying hens that summer.

Will Rogers Quotes

Time to insert more humor into our lives. How about some old fashioned Will Rogers quotes? Send me your favorites to post. scribe564@bellsouth.net

"On account of being a democracy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a government four years, no matter what it does."

"There ought to be one day-just one-when there is open season on senators."

""The man with the best job in the country is the vice President. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, 'How's the President?'"

"The United States investigates everything-usually after it's dead."

"Elections are a good deal like marriages. There's no accounting for anyone's taste. Every time we see a bridegroom we wonder why she ever picked him, and it's the same with public officials."
"If all politicians fished instead of spoke publicly, we would be at peace with the world."

"Politics is the best show in America. I love animals and I love politicians and I love to watch both of 'em play either back home in their native state or after they have been captured and sent to the zoo or to Washington."

"If we ever pass out as a great nation we ought to put on our tombstone, 'America died from a delusion that she has moral leadership."

"We are all here for a spell; get all the good laughs you can."

"Try to live your life so that you wouldn't be afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow is too lazy to form an opinion."

We've Gone To the Dogs

I'm working today but home for lunch. I've been laughing at one of my friends all morning. His wife says he has been shouting at the television set for two weeks now when the news comes on about the health care reform. He says that our country has gone to the dogs. He sounds a litle like Will Rogers, don't you think? He says:

We have blue dogs.

We have white dogs.

And we have black dogs.

I would add, we have that darling dog in the White House. Folks, I'm talking about First Dog Bo.

Little Darling by the Original Diamonds

In 1953, Dave Somerville was working as a sound engineer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto, Canada. One of the shows produced at the CBC was "Pick The Stars", a local talent show. He noticed four gentlemen practicing in the hallway for that show, and stopped to listen. After exchanging amenities, Somerville convinced the four that, in his opinion, they were not ready for the competition and offered to be their manager. This group was composed of Stan Fisher, Ted Kowalski, Phil Levitt, and Bill Reed. They agreed and for the next several months, Somerville provided tutoring, and got practice time in un-occupied studios at the CBC.

That Christmas, the group was to sing for a Christmas party at a local church. That date conflicted with studies for a law exam of Stan Fisher, the lead singer and Fisher decided he needed the study time. Since Somerville knew all the songs, he took Fisher’s place. The audience reaction to the Dave Somerville led group was so tremendous, that the group that night decided to turn professional. In one fateful decision Fisher decided to stay in law school and not continue with the group. Somerville became the permanent lead, and that was the night The Diamonds were born. . . .

The Diamonds biggest hits were 1957's "Little Darlin'" (originally recorded by the The Gladiolas) and 1958's "The Stroll", which was not a cover, but actually an original song written for the group by Brook Benton, from an idea by Dick Clark. . . .

Source: Wikipedia

Born Again American

Happy Birthday Larry Tyner

Carolyn Gibson Falcon's Mother

Let's remember our classmate, Carolyn Gibson Falcon, during this time of sorrow with the loss of her mother. Joiner, Margie S.

Funeral Services for Margie S. Joiner will be held on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 3 p.m. at Webb Chapel with Rev. Michael Emerson Carlisle officiating. Burial will be at Magnolia Cemetery. James F. Webb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Joiner, 87, died Saturday, July 18, 2009 at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian. She was the matriarch of the family as well as a business woman and real estate developer. She and her husband built and owned Mar-Ray apartments and Howard Johnson motel. She lived life to the fullest and had a wonderful life. Survivors include her daughters; Carolyn Falcon and her husband, Ed of Trenton, ND; Champee Kemp and her husband, Bill of Fort Walton Beach, FL; sons: Ray Joiner, II and his wife, Debbie of Meridian; Charles Joiner and his wife, Kay of Meridian; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Ray Joiner, Sr. Pallbearers will be her grandsons. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service at the funeral home. Family and friends, may sign an online guestbook at www.jamesfwebb.com.

* * * * * * * * * * * * Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Happy Birthday Gloria Brown Bruister

Happy Birthday Gloria

What Were You Doing the Day They Walked on the Moon?

E-mail your answers for posting below. scribe564@bellsouth.net

JIMMY SATTERFIELD: I was working in NASA's Mission Control center in Houston on this day 40 years ago. I worked at NASA as an engineer for Ford (Philco-Ford) company during the Apollo program and especially remember working on the Apollo 11 and 13 missions. Feel very fortunate to have been able to work there from 1967 to 1972 and see history in the making. Have a great day, Jimmy

PEGGY EDWARDS: My Daughters were 2 and 9 and I was a stay at home mom. We lived in Bonita and I remember walking out on the porch that night and looking up at the moon, marveling that this had happened during my lifetime.

JAMES E. MINOR SMITH: Thoughts that come to mind on "Moon Walk Day". In 1969, I had completed my time in VietNam and was assigned as an instructor to the 5th Tactical Control Group at Clark AB. My family had joined me in Dec. '68. So, I watched (in awe) the moon walk on TV. My wife and my children Stephanie and Mike watched with me at our rented house in Angeles City, Republic of the Philippines. Anne was pregnant at the time and my son Douglas was born on my 30th birthday Dec. 11, 1969. Doug was born at the Clark AB Hospital. His birth certificate was recorded at the building in Angeles City which was used by General Douglas MacArthur as his headquarters during WWII. I later supported the space program during assignments to Thule, Greenland (74-75) and was more involved at Cobra Dane on Shemya Island, Alaska (77-78).

MARTHA MARKLINE HOPKINS: I was a Meridian High School English, French, and Spanish teacher who was visiting native friends in Honduras. I had left my 2 little children at home in the care of my husband, mother, and a housekeeper. I spent 6 weeks there, and believe me, by the time I left, I was quite fluent if I hadn't been before! I listened to the moon walk in Spanish on a short wave radio while lying in a hammock (hamaca), looking at the green parrots in the grapefruit trees. The experience was quite surreal from many aspects.

Happy Birthday Frances Ousley Johnson

Happy Birthday Frances!!

Men Were Up There Walking

On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 pm EDT, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon. Fifteen minutes later Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr, joined him.

What were you doing that day, eleven years after we graduated from high school? Send me your memories for posting.

I was in Oxford, MS, looking for a place to live for me and my two children. Three days before, July 17th, I had become a single mom and felt that I had made my own giant step, walking on my own moon and no longer earth bound. I was only vaguely aware that men were walking on the moon that day. The country was celebrating and hopeful. So was I but quietly and for different reasons.

Marriage had taught me that the loneliest loneliness is to be married and to be lonely, but on July 20th, I was no longer lonely - only alone - putting my me back together again. I remember that joy felt strange and painful, and I reeled along through those summer days, staggering like a baby learning to walk. 't was so new!

I had been hungry all the years-
My noon had come, to dine-
I, trembling, drew the table near
And touched the curious wine.

'T was this on tables I had seen
When turning, hungry, lone,
I looked in windows, for the wealth
I could not hope to own.

I did not know the ample bread,
'T was so unlike the crumb
The birds and I had often shared
In Nature's dining-room.

The plenty hurt me, 't was so new,--
Myself felt ill and odd,
As berry of a mountain bush
Transplanted to the road.

Nor was I hungry; so I found
That hunger was a way
Of persons outside windows,
The entering takes away.

(Emily Dickinson)

Newest Addition to the Denny Powers Family

Benjamin Cole Foster

The newest addition to the Powers family - Benjamin Cole Foster!!! He is the son of my daughter, Stephanie Powers Foster.

Denny

(aka Oompa by grandchildren)

Mint Juleps on PSD

This celebration took place in the home of Linda Miller on Poplar Springs Drive. Linda and I have the honor of being Peyton Harwell's grandmothers. Linda's home is truly beautiful, and she is justified in being proud of it.

Happy Birthday Leila Keeton Martin

Happy Birthday, Leila!!!

Happy Birthday Arlene Davidson Merson

Silly Maybe But Intriguing - Smile

SEE MORE CLIPS WITH LARGER VIEW HERE
http://www.eternalmoonwalk.com/
(Better to watch on Eternal Moonwalk Site)

Belgium radio station creates Eternal Moonwalk website as tribute to Michael Jackson
July 8, 8:32 AM · David Sadof - Houston Music Examiner

Studio Brussel, a publicly funded radio station in Belgium also known at StuBru, has created a very unique website as a tribute to Michael Jackson. The site is called Eternal Moonwalk and is a video slideshow of people, animals and inanimate objects doing Michael Jackson’s signature move. Each video clip is about 6 seconds long and a counter keeps track of the number of meters traveled as you watch. A continuos music loop plays as a soundtrack and you can click on a series of buttons to add the various exclamations that Jackson was famous for.

There are currently over a thousand video clips on the site, each with a unique number. When you see one you really like, take note of the number. Then, whenever you want to see that clip again, enter the number in the search box and it will go into the queue to play among the next few videos. You can also submit your own moonwalk video to add to the collection. If you don't know how to moonwalk, this short instructional video will teach you.

In the time it took to write this, some of my favorites were #764 depicting The Beatles moonwalking across Abbey Road, #114 a Guinness beer doing the moonwalk and #1287 a guy named Roydrigo who actually does one of the better moonwalks on the site. Be warned, this is one of those websites that can be very addictive.

Source

If this doesn't take you back, nothing will!!

Bugs Bunny goes to a military base where he meets up with a mischievous gremlin who gets the better of him. Animation by Rod Scribner, music by Carl W. Stalling. Produced in 1943. Bob Clampett's 'Falling Hare' is one of the greatest Bugs Bunny cartoons ever made.

The Greatest Play in Baseball - Rick Monday Saves U.S. Flag

War Memories

I was too young to remember much about W.W.II. I do vaguely remember the newsreels at the movies. I remember the A-bomb attack on Japan. I thought as a six year old might: boy that was a lot bigger than a cherry bomb - pretty dumb huh? My brother Kenneth was three years older than me. We were attending Marion Park School during the time of the A-bomb attack. Consequently since our name was Adams the kids at school nicknamed us: Big Adam Bomb and Little Adam Bomb.

I remember when the Korean War came about - and still more vivid memories of the newsreels at the movies. The phrase I remember most about the Korean War was the 38th parallel. I was still too young to figure out why there had to be wars. I am 68 now and still haven't figured that one out. I do know that as long as there are dictatorial tyrants that are ruling nations, there will always be a war going on somewhere.

May God be with our grandchildren, their children and our many descendents to come. I give thanks to the many brave men and women who have fought to protect our freedom and the freedom of other countries as well. Many have died and many have been disabled physically and mentally. God Bless those who are serving in our armed forces today and GOD BLESS the U.S.A.

Ronnie [little adam bomb] Adams

I'M FINE!! HOW ARE YOU?

There's nothing the matter with me,
I'm just as healthy as can be,
I have arthritis in both knees,
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.
My pulse is weak, my blood is thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

All my teeth have had to come out,
And my diet I hate to think about.
I'm overweight and I can't get thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

And arch supports I need for my feet.
Or I wouldn't be able to go out in the street.
Sleep is denied me night after night,
But every morning I find I'm all right.
My memory's failing, my head's in a spin.
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

Old age is golden I've heard it said,
But sometimes I wonder, as I go to bed.
With my ears in a drawer, my teeth in a cup,
And my glasses on a shelf, until I get up.
And when sleep dims my eyes, I say to myself,
Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?

The reason I know my Youth has been spent,
Is my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went!
But really I don't mind, when I think with a grin,
Of all the places my get-up has been.

I get up each morning and dust off my wits,
Pick up the paper and read the obits.
If my name is missing, I'm therefore not dead,
So I eat a good breakfast and jump back into bed.

The moral of this as the tale unfolds,
Is that for you and me, who are growing old.
It is better to say?"I'm fine" with a grin,
Than to let people know the shape we are in.

I'M FINE!! HOW ARE YOU?

Happy Birthday to Pat Stewart Brand

Happy Birthday Pat!!

Mark Killam & Chorus of Men in his Church

(TO LISTEN, CLICK ARROW ABOVE AT TOP ON PLAYER [NEAR HYMN TITLE] TO START)

With the blessing of our worship pastor, and with the desire to try something that was not an option during my working years, a little over a year ago I recruited a group of men to sing as a chorus. We had 28 singing on Easter Sunday. Even with the Independence Day holiday affecting us this past Sunday, we had 18 singing. The attached mp3 is the familiar Wilhousky setting of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. While I have limitations as a director that show up in the recording, I’m sure having fun with a great group of godly men who sing periodically. While I know enough about music to be dangerous, one can get away with a lot as a volunteer.

Letters to God

United Breaks Guitars

Posted YouTube 7-6-09
Views tonight: 1,627,312

http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/

"United Breaks Guitars": Power of the source

By King Kaufman

This isn't exactly a Future of Journalism story except that the Future of Journalism -- and increasingly, the present of it -- appears to be all about the power of the source. Consider a source by the name of Dave Carroll, a Canadian musician who had his prize guitar wrecked by careless United Airlines baggage handlers.

Carroll says that he and his band, Sons of Maxwell, were on their way from their Halifax, Nova Scotia, home to Omaha for a tour last year when they and other passengers saw United employees literally throwing guitars around on the tarmac during a plane change in Chicago.

Carroll later discovered his $3,500 guitar had been badly damaged, he says, and that he spent nine months getting the runaround from United before he was finally told the airline would simply not pay to repair the instrument, even though it had been properly packed and there was no real dispute about who had broken it.

"So I promised the last person to finally say 'no' to compensation," Carroll writes on his Web site, "that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world."

The first of those songs, titled "United Breaks Guitars," went up on YouTube Monday. As of late Wednesday, the goofy video for the mildly catchy number had been viewed more than 255,000 times. That's what you call a hit. Carroll writes that all of the people involved in the recording of the song and the creation of the video volunteered their services.

CBC News and others report that the video quickly got United's attention. "This has struck a chord with us," the Canadian network quoted a United spokesperson saying Tuesday. "We're going to contact him directly." The Los Angeles Times quotes Carroll's wife, Jill, saying that United had gotten in touch, though nothing had been settled.

Picture this incident happening 20 years ago. Carroll would have gone through the same runaround, and then -- what? He might have called a few newspaper or TV reporters in Halifax or Chicago, and he would likely have been told that his broken guitar was a sad story, but hardly news. If he were really lucky a consumer-advocate reporter might have taken up his case and badgered the airline into cutting him a check for the repair cost.

In 2009, though, the CBC reports, Carroll thought to himself, "What would Michael Moore do if he was a singer-songwriter?" Carroll's answer, the first in a three-song trilogy about United's carelessness and horrendous customer service, is indeed news.

And it's not just a curiosity. Carroll might end up having a positive effect on the world around him. The L.A. Times quotes a United spokeswoman saying, "His video is excellent, and we plan to use it internally as a unique learning and training opportunity to ensure that all our customers receive better service."

Power to the source. Welcome to one little corner of the future.

SOURCE: The Future of Journalism

Happy Birthday to Jimmy Satterfield

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

The 60's

Sent to us by Patsy McDonald: A great online presentation of the sixties. Just click on the link and sit back and enjoy the memories. Great photos and facts. It has a "pause" button, for those of us that can't keep up...

Click here to view: The sixties

Happy Birthday to Pat “Trish” Rawson Dollnig

Happy Birthday, Pat

Jermaine Jackson Singing "Smile"

Happy Birthday Carey Ann Sanford Dalton

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Celebration of Independence Day - July 4th

The Declaration of Independence

Senator John F. Kennedy
Reciting Declaration of Independence, July 1957

Happy Birthday to Buddy Quinn

This is Buddy's Day!!