The Roney Wash Hole

I asked Susan Owens of the Wiregrass (Southeast Alabama) to collect some information about Roney Wash Hole, which is just behind her house. I recall going down there a few times for a refreshing dip on hot summer days. The writeup and info are courtesy of Susan.

Memories from my mother Sallie Roney Brannon:

This land was always thought to belong to her father, Webb Roney. Actually, he owned the land you had to cross to get to the river. The river bank land belonged to Enoch Riley. Mr. Riley lived right across the river and his family never swam in the river. My mother said that she and her sister, Martha Roney Shelley, and her brothers, John, Jack and Joe Roney, all were taught to swim in the river by my grandfather. They would work in the fields and go swimming in the middle of the day while it was so hot, then go back to field work afterwards. They always had 4th of July picnics there with a multitude of Roneys and would cook and fry fish down there at other times.

From the book The Coin : A History of Newville and the Newville Baptist Church by Roberta Whiddon "It was reported in the Newville Advertiser November 22, 1923 that Roy Roney's wife, Johnny left to go to a neighbor's house and did not return. Mr Roney began a search. The search party tracked her back and forth in the fields and branches between her house and the Chotowhatchee River, then to the river. Her body was found drifted against a log. She was the daughter of Mrs JA James and the mother of five. All children were dead except one who ws about 4 years old. The youngest child, about 2 weeks old, died two weeks earlier. It is believed grief and trouble caused her actions."

From Sidney Owens:

Sidney and his buddies....Eddie Kirkland, John Price , Hughie Kirkland and others… often went swimming in the afternoons after they became old enough to ride their motorcycles from town to the river. Sidney said he distinctly remembers on Sunday afternoons they would be swimming and then they’d hear cars coming and look up to see a group of "dress up" folks coming to the river to be baptized. He knew that Mt Pisgah Church, between Newville and Echo used the wash hole for baptisms. An ironic note: Hugh Kirkland II (Hughie) is now the pastor of Mt. Pisgah Church.

From Me:

I loved swimming in the river. I thought it was a big place when I was a little girl !! My mother would not let us go by ourselves, even when we got to be about 13 or 14...but my grandmother, Trudie Roney, would go with us ( me, Jane Shelley Pitchford, my sister Nancy and probably Phil Shelley, Jane's brother). I am not sure why Mama Trudie had to go...she did not know how to swim or drive, and she sat in a folding chair in the shade and napped !!!

The layout of the Roney wash hole completely changed when the timber was cut around it probably 25 years ago...but it is a fun and fond memory for me and most of the surrounding area!!

Victory Day

I have already highlighted some family members who served in World War II. Their stories can be found in my archives. WWII is of particular interest to me. A visit to Germany back in 1992 awakened a curiosity to read books, interview vets, tour museums, watch movies and travel to far-away destinations associated with the war. I've also sought out relationships with people of my generation who live in some of the countries (e.g. Japan, Germany, China, England) that were active participants in the war. The photos above were made by an American contact (incidentally, from Albany, GA) now working in Moscow, Russia. Just recently he attended a May 9th celebration that paid respects to Soviet veterans who served and died during WWII - or, as it's called in Russia: The Great Patriotic War. These are some of the images he took. There was a parade in Red Square, and then other festivities at the Victory Park and Museum. A couple of years ago I toured the museum. The exhibitions were mind-blowing.

Asheville, NC's SkyBar

Kade and I joined some of our friends at the SkyBar in downtown Asheville, North Carolina.  As you can tell, there were beautiful views of the city and mountains.

Red Cigars

On our trip to Russia in 2007,  I made a couple of unique purchases.  One was a Joseph Stalin ashtray. Another purchase was some Cuban cigars.  Stalin is obviously one of history's most notorious figures and recognized names.  Some call him a tyrant and a brutal dictator.  Others speak very highly of his prominence in leading the Red Army to victory against the Nazis in World War II. As with much of history, myth becomes fact and facts get altered.  In no way am I endorsing Joseph or whitewashing the very well-documented travesties he orchestrated.  I am simply wanting to point out the complexities involved in examining any historical figure.  If a guy is on our side ...well, he's grand.  If he's on the opposing side, he's a demon. What's unique about Stalin is that he was our friend during WWII and his country, whom we later claimed was an evil empire, was one of our dear allies when the world's back was against the wall.  I say, let's take a puff on a good cigar and think about that a bit.  Another thing we can do is tune into programs like this, which give us more insight into the history and how complex it is in unraveling.  As Napoleon said  (or did he?) - by the way, when counting bodies piled high, there's been no greater murderer in history than Napoleon - "What is history but a fabled agreed upon?"

Here's an e-mail I sent to my brother Mark in May 2005.  I had just completed reading the book Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore.

Mark, I think you would enjoy these descriptions of Stalin, especially the ways he cunningly used people.  It's no wonder that people who met him were unconvinced that he was a psychopathic dictator.  Of course, he had some "unworldly" admirable qualities that made his ruthlessness all the more effective.

Stalin was simple and modest.

He was aware of the absurdities of the cult (people worshiped him), intelligent enough to know that the worship of slaves was surely worthless.

Stalin was not altogether ruthless and unmerciful. In fact, his charm put people at ease. He often surprised people with his humor, graciousness and self-effacing manner. These characteristics made him very seductive.

A technical school student was goofing off and threw a dart in an administrative office that hit Stalin portrait right square in the middle. Somehow this got back to Stalin and Stalin simply wrote a personal to the student. He said, "He who hits the target should be praised."

During the early stages of the Battle for Stalingrad in WWII, a Russian General made a grave miscalculation that allowed his regiment to be encircled and slaughtered by Germen forces. He was sent to Stalin expecting the worst. Stalin told him, "You know, in WWII, after our army fell into German encirclement the general was court-martialed by the Tsar and hanged." But Stalin forgave him and sent him back to the front.

Whitewater Rafting

Sister Leslie and her family came up for a visit, and this is what we did!  It was Kade's first time whitewater rafting!  We went with the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC).

Raw Oysters

Mark Espy enjoying an oyster feast last weekend at Hunt's in Dothan, AL.

UPDATE (2012) Over the weekend I devoured eight dozen raw oysters at Hunt's Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Dothan, AL. On Friday, for lunch, I put down two dozen oysters and a delicious chili dog. That evening, I returned and ate three more dozen and another chili dog. Then, on Saturday evening, Kade and I treated my aunt and uncle to dinner at Hunt's. And, true to form, I ordered three more dozen and another chili dog. The oysters were as good as they've ever been. Friday evening, when we were sitting at the oyster bar, I told the shucker that if I got some sort of bacteria and died, he could just tell people that I went out a happy man!