Patsy the Cocker Spaniel

Patsy with Granny Espy

Pasty with her owner, Aunt Frances

Patsy with young Watty

Patsy with Beverly Espy (Dayries)

After a long and fruitful life, Patsy was buried in the backyard of the Espy Home on Church Street in Headland, AL.

Aunt Frances' New Jersey Dwelling

I have to make a correction from a blog post I made last year. This is actually the home in Summit, New Jersey where Uncle Sid and Aunt Frances (Sarah Frances Espy) lived before coming back to Headland, AL. Thanks again to cousin Beverly (Espy) Dayries for finding the photos.  Aunt Frances also lived in t township Shorthills, NJ - prior to Summit.  She was also the president of the Woman's Club at Millburn.  Millburn was another nearby township.  Short Hills, Summit and Millburn are neighbors.

Uncle Sid and Aunt Frances did not have children. In this photo, Aunt Frances is holding a child that could be one of Uncle Sid's nephews. It could even be just a child of a friend of theirs. It's a bit of a mystery, but a great photo nonetheless.

 

Click here for more of the home today.

Click here for Aunt Frances' time at the Woman's Club at Millburn.

For the rest of the story of Uncle Sid and Aunt Frances, just click here.

Click here for a history of Short Hills and Millburn in the 1940s.

Good Boy Will

This photo is a scene from one of my favorite movies, Good Will Hunting. This fabulous movie gets played over and over on Bravo much to my satisfaction (but much to Kade's chagrin). Here are youtube videos of my top scenes. Scene 2 is actually how I came up with the name for my blog.

Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5, Scene 6, Closing Scene

History

The original photograph this collage is based on was taken on Jan. 20, 2009 by Washington Post photographer Jonathan Newton. The individual "pixels" of the collage of Barack Obama's oath of office comprised of thousands of photos taken by people who attended the Inauguration as well as The Associated Press and Washington Post staff photographers.

The Lincoln Bible. How fitting is this?

Kids humble and amuse us.

What we can't underestimate is the splash Obama's presidency has made around the world. This photo is in Peru. I would encourage folks to look at photos and articles from various countries and all continents, and then ask the question: why is bringing in this new president such a popular thing, within the US and without? Here's a link to newspapers around the world: www.refdesk.com/paper.html

While it remains very hard for me to not to be cynical or skeptical of anything coming out of Washington or in politics in general, the magnitude of yesterday exceeded my doubts. I do reiterate, though, that we Americans can only change if we change ourselves first. The notion that our problems are socialism, terrorists, Bush, higher taxes or the devil will not help us. They might give us something onto which we can project our own frustrations and shortcomings, but obsessively focusing on the "outer" want change the "inner." We all have worked to do. Yesterday, when there was a "slip up" during the "swearing in," it reminded me that no matter how much preparation we make or how much perfection we aspire to, nothing is perfect and laughing at our gaffes is good. What's really funny is that, in the early afternoon, when I was trying to get into my car, I slipped on a patch of ice in the parking lot and fell. Embarrassed at first, I then just laughed. I'm still laughing!

Bama Landmarks

Civil Rights Institute

 

When I was studying in Birmingham one of my assignments was to go to the Civil Rights Institute. This was in a business class, I might add. Walking through the museum and seeing the exhibits that depicted the horrors and heroism of the 50's and 60's - events that happened right in B'ham and in some of Alabama's most hallowed cities - really impacted me. It made me start asking lots of questions, some of which I still struggle to get answers. Today, I'm more comfortable with not having all the answers, and I can deal a bit better with the unknown. In the end, Mahatma Gandhi summed it up best, "Be the change you want to see in the world." As for the Civil Rights Institute, its exhibits are of Smithsonian caliber, and I would recommend a trip there for anyone. I think it's especially good for young kids and for the church faithful who desire to live out the words of Jesus. Next door is the 16th St. Baptist Church, the spot where four young girls were killed in a brutal racist bombing. Back in the mid-90's, a few years after I had finished school, a couple of friends (the two Dawns!) from the Pacific Northwest, came to visit me in the Deep South. Well, in B'ham, I took them to see an Alabama football game at Legion Field. Then, on a Sunday, I took them to church at the 16th St. Baptist Church. Afterward, they toured the museum. Here's what the ladies remember about it. Incidentally, the day of the service was the morning after Princess Di's tragic death. I remember the pastor praying for her and the Royal Family of Britain.

"What stands out in my memory is the living history aspect of our time there. I noticed that the church continues to offer spiritual guidance and challenge people to be who God created us to be and to live with courage and compassion. And there was a warm welcome." Dawn Todd

"This church could be stuck in its moment of violent fame in American Civil Rights history. But I found it very much alive inside. The sermon was a poignant reminder of the need for us all to have a fixed identity in Christ. The minister recited a poetic version of the ABC's of our identity in Christ. The joke that he told is the only joke I can ever remember, "Who Boo be, Baby?" and is a great lead-in for asking people about their true identity. He ordered us to ask the person standing next to us, "Who you be?" I remember giggling as Dawn Todd and I exchanged the question. Well, I still know the answer and who I be. I am a child of God!" Dawn Herzog

http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/civilrights/al11.htm (the story of the bombing)

My friends, "the Dawns," in Dothan, Alabama with Uncle Watty and me.

About a year later, I took a couple of ladies to Montgomery for some sightseeing.  We visited the Shakespeare Festival, and we toured the downtown.  One of our visits was to this memorial.  The girl with the red hair was an exchange student from Armenia who had been living and studying in Headland.  These days, she lives in Washington, D.C.  We remain in touch via Facebook.

Ways Samford University Remembers King
Update:  09/02/03


And today the Alabama Tourism Department incorporates Civil Rights history into its marketing.  Check it out here.  And they've even launched a smartphone app that makes visiting the sights easier.  Here it is.

America's Best

I had to think long and hard about this: What facets of American life do I treasure the most? In my humble opinion, after spending a bit of time overseas, these four aspects of our country are standouts.

 

source

 

National Parks

Although I personally am not an outdoors person, I have come to appreciate the vast array of parks and scenic places in the country. Asheville, NC is really a gem for outdoor activities, but you can find all kinds of natural settings all over this land. Movies like Into the Wild and An Unfinished Life are a couple of my favorites simply for the scenery. Now, if I can only set aside my TV viewing and partake in some outdoor fun!

source

Places of Learning

We have no excuses not to know things or not to better ourselves through education. I love the fact that public universities open up their facilities for all the public. In fact, right now, I am in a university library using the Internet for free. And, when I am finished updating my blog, I might even check out a book or two. Checking out books is super when you consider the economy these days! In addition, American university campuses are sprawling and well-manicured. There's no better spot to exercise or relax than on a campus quad. Lastly, for middle-aged folks like me or for the very elderly, universities offer lectures, host concerts, bring in political figures, etc. Again, many of these activities are free to the public.

source

 

Amusement

I mentioned Hollywood as a great escape. I enjoy movies while I'm traveling and when I'm home. However, another form of entertainment that reigns supreme in the U.S. is amusement parks. Disney World is the standard-bearer, but there is a plethora of options for young and old alike. If you desire smaller parks, you can hit Hershey Park or Six Flags. If you want water, water parks are all over. And, for those who enjoy a more high-end form of entertainment, there's Broadway.

source

Comfortable Homes and Big Yards

Live in a small apartment in a vast, overcrowded metropolis like Bangkok and you begin thinking about your younger years, when playing in the backyard was something you enjoyed. Also, there's something to say about being able to stretch out on the sofa and run around the house.

Storms

One helluva storm hit Birmingham: Winter Storm 1993. I'm standing with one of my friends, Vince Noblitt, on the Samford campus. Since we're only getting mild flurries in Asheville this year, I had to go to my archives. =)

Headland, Alabama Snow

1973

See the grill?  Wish I had it today!

I'm guessing this was around 1975.  I do remember the green coat and I do remember frolicking in the snow.  I am just wondering where the rest of the gang was?!?  Perhaps they were smart enough to hang out by the fireplace.

1989

circa 2010

Movies & Wars

I went to see the movie Valkyrie and would recommend it to anyone, especially World War II and 20th Century history buffs. Also, it's great for those who desire a bit of inspiration. The movie underscores a rarely talked about facet of that time: Many Germans did not blindly follow Hitler. In fact, some even thought it prudent to kill him.

The rotund man next to Hitler and in the courtroom at Nuremberg (post WWII) is Hermann Goering, the flamboyant head of the Nazi Air Force and second or third in line after Hitler. Ultimately, Goering outwitted the hangman by swallowing cyanide the eve of his execution. Ironically, it was an American guard who became Goering's last con victim, bringing Goering a package (the one that contained the cyanide) from a store room. Before Goering left this earth, he did leave us with one sobering reminder of how war works. It is a very insightful quote, and it could do us Americans good to study it. In the end, we must all be vigilant to ensure we don't go down this path, and acknowledge times that we possibly have. As evil as the Nazis were, let's not be arrogant enough to think it can't be us.

Hitler facing Goering

"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, IT IS THE LEADERS of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY."

                                                                --Goering, at the Nuremberg Trials