The Way We Were

Sophomores we were!  (from the 1956 Panther)

click to enlarge

Birdarama

1. Moluccan
2. Triton
3. Severe Macaw

Snow cardinals

These female and male cardinals are out feeding on our deck this morning. They make a nice colorful contrast with the background snow.  And this ongoing snowstorm is really starting to crank up, no sign of letting up.     

Michelia fruscata

A blossom cluster.

Ice Storm in Logan County

As predicted, it did arrive at some point during the night. I woke up early to the power's coming and going. Then it went off for about thirty minutes but back on now. I had gotten ready - checked batteries, etc., - so far so good. But it is beautiful as long as I'm inside looking out, and the little brown birds are having a wonderful time at my feeders. By the looks of things, I will have to venture out to replenish at some point. I wish I were not cameraless.

L:  I added an ice photo.  K

Gym Swimming Pool

And here is the cleaned-up photo of the old Gym swimming pool.  I too remember the Clorox foot bath we had to go through to get in.   Yikes!  Lucy, glad you made one last pilgrimage down to this old swimming pool.  You may be the last one to have a clear memory of what it looked like as above, as it did when we used it, and what it does today.

Gym Basketball Court

Andy suggested posting the old photo of the basketball court in the Gym, so here 'tis.  I cleaned up the scratchy photo in photoshop.  There have already been many comments on this in the "Trip Down Memory Lane" original post from Lucy.  

Snow bunting

Here is a photo I took this afternoon of a snow bunting, a small, beautiful and fairly rare bird that shows up here during snow season. This one is in non-breeding plumage, with flashing white wings especially noticeable in flight.  Snow buntings breed near the arctic circle, and migrate to Massachusetts and northern states ("The South") during winter. Although buntings aren't feeder birds, I enjoy that too.  We get cardinals, goldfinches, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, juncos, pine siskins, occasional Carolina wrens.  If you feed the birds, who are your usual suspects? 

For more of my bird pics, check out krcarver.zenfolio.com .  Feel free to leave comments - or - you can even order a print!  

Message from Mary Ewing Hart

Keith ...  I hardly know what I am doing! This is all new to me! Sorry but I don't have the mind you do....lol..  I will keep trying!!!!

That picture you sent of the snow is beautiful!!!!

me

Andrews Drugs

Charlotte - This one's for you.

Snow scene

We've had a lot of snow over the past few weeks and got blanketed again last night.  But by morning the skies had cleared.  Here was the scene this morning looking out toward the street from our house. (Click to enlarge.)  Since moving to western Massachusetts twenty-five years ago, I've come to appreciate the beauty of frequent fresh-fallen snow.    

Trip Down Memory Lane

Just wandered through a bit of our history - probably for the last time. The demolition of the Middle School building has begun. The remaining first floor of Lander Hall (which housed the auditorium during our elementary school years and later the shop) is gone. The Superintendent tells me he is saving the old foundation stones to be used for benches. The Gym will be the last to go. There will be an auction tomorrow of tables, chairs, desks, etc., in the Gym, so just walking through was not easy. But I walked through the whole building, including the stage. Many memories. I was alone in the building at the time, so I did not venture down into the swimming pool area.

Shadows

I returned to that old house I knew so long ago

And found it empty.  I knew it would be so.

But old memories like shadows on the floor

Danced a sprightly jig as I then closed the door.

Main Street again

I'm still looking for a shot showing Andrew's Drug Store. This one doesn't quite make it, but still nice - also from the 1930's.

Another Picture

Glad I've learned how to do this. This one is dated, 1936, and thought some of you might enjoy the vehicles.

Can I Post a Picture?

This is a test. I failed the one to post a link but hoping for better luck this time. I'm trying to carefully follow the instructions, but I have been known to skip a step.

Finally joined in

Hi, All!
I'm finally recovering from an extremely busy and complicated holiday period, and I'm taking time to get started on the RHS58Blog. Now I need to go back to work for a little while.

Andy

Russellville trash

Ann Piper's recent post on her rainbow-graced chore of taking out the trash got me to thinking.  Here's a photo I took at  the Russellville Recycling Center of some metal and plastic containers all compacted for reuse.  This place is just across the street from the jailhouse, and if you haven't visited, you should.   The people that work there are very helpful.  Not only that, I thought the image was kinda arty, in the Andy Warhol sense.  If you double click on this image, you can definitely see Pepsi, Listerine, Diet Liptons, Sprite and numerous other brands.  Trash has come a long way, now that we're more environmentally conscious.  Today we separate out our plastic and metal cans, newspapers, cardboard, milk containers, batteries, defunct computers, etc.  And that's a good thing.  But when I was growing up in Russellville, one of my favorite trips was to the City Dump, out on Morgantown Road.  Everything was dumped there, we just took all our trash and junk there, never thought much about the contents and had never heard of the terms toxic waste or environmental hazard.    My Dad and I would occasionally take out old TV picture tubes to the City Dump and I would use a 22 rifle to shoot them, watch them explode.  Lots of great fun! Today that place would be cordoned off as a public health hazard, and someone would probably go to jail for letting it happen.  So maybe having the Russellville Recycling Center across the street from the jailhouse is a good reminder of our environmental responsibilities.

I am on board

Hi all. I have finally made it on the blog. Thanks to Keith and his patience I have arrived.

Ann Goddard Miller

Rainbows

This week on Wednesday, NC has a topsy turvy weather day. It began with wind, rain, and cold. By lunch, it was warm, cloudy and breezy. By 4:00 p.m., we had hail and wind again and cold. As I was taking out my trash at 5:00, the most gorgeous rainbow spanned the northern sky. I wish each of you rainbows in the coming week.

Ann Piper

Seeing if I can do a post.

Hi, I am testing if I can do a post.

Reunion faces

From the October 2008 Reunion.  Click to enlarge.

Still learning and a new link

Keith had graciously provided instructions on how to include a link in a post, so "this is a test".  This is a Russellville Schools site - not the official one, but just a way to keep up with happenings if you're interested:

Barbeque

I want you to know that there are classes that you can take in barbeque judging. A friend here in Greensboro went to such a school in Douglas, GA, and is a judge at a big barbeque gathering that Douglas has each year. Folks drive in with big rigs decorated with neon lights and compete with each other. Glenn Ray told me while we were in Russellville at the reunion that he had gone to such a competition and found that they were really big time. I, personally, would like to judge barbeque because you also get lots of samples to take home and freeze. That could really cut down on cooking.

Ann Piper

Local News

For those of you who might be interested in keeping up with Logan County happenings, Jim Turner has a web site loganandbeyond.com  that contains his blog. Jim has made a couple of recent posts recapping '08, and he does welcome feedback and comments.

Happy New Year

I have been out of town and have thorougly enjoyed the postings that have been done since I last checked my email. Charlotte, like Lucy and Keith, I have no idea of the time at which I was born. There is no way to determine the time. My mother never forgave my father for taking a nap while she was in such labor and pain. She said that she held Dr. Lamb's hand so tightly that she cut his finger with his ring. But I have always been proud of being born in the Year of the Dragon. My Vietnamese students were always impressed that I was a dragon. I used to take place mats from Asian restaurants and we would use it as a reading, writing, and math opportunity. They loved that and even students from other countries could get into the game, too.

David, I, too, wish you good luck with your knee replacement. Don't be surprised at the machine that they bring to you for rehab. It looks like a torture device but it definitely will help you. My ex-husband had a knee replacement after many scopings.

I am not a horticulturalist so I cannot comment on the roses, but I do love the historical aspect of preserving them, Charlotte. You, Charlotte, must have your dad's green thumb. My green thumb is limited to house plants. Daddy and his brothers were definitely in that green thumb could grown anything category.

I had a good Christmas and New Year with my daughter, Piper, and her family. Her two boys who are 2 3/4 and 1 3/4 were amazed by the new toys. Henry, Benji and Sarah's boy, who is 1 3/4 tore into the gifts I brought him at New Year's. I was with Piper and family at Xmas and Benji and family at New Year's. All three little boys loved their Hess trucks with front loaders and their school buses and fire trucks that I gave them. Each received another gift but they weren't nearly as big a hit as the vehicles. Now, I am trying to dismantle the Xmas tree and decorations so my house looks like a disaster area.

I did not have black eyed peas on New Year's but I had a Bloody Mary and chili. I hope that counts and that 2009 will be a good year. I wish the best for each of you.

Ann Piper

Best BBQ

When visiting in Russellville I always eat at Roy's Barbeque, at least once and usually several times.   Quite apart from Roy's being a good place to run into old friends, I like their BBQ served on cornbread with their mild sauce.  The barbeque we get here in western Massachusetts is nowhere nearly so good.  A disclaimer:  I have absolutely no expertise whatever in the finer points nor regional customs of BBQ, as Glenn Ray would be quick to point out.  And Andy Mac would probably argue that in Russellville Ed's Barbeque (Clarksville Road) is better than Roy's.  If we can agree that barbeque generally refers to slow-cooked pig and served in some shape or size that generally fits on a plate, I would solicit your views on (1) Who serves the best BBQ in Russellville? (Roy's or Ed's), (2) Who serves the best BBQ in Kentucky?, and (3) Does the best BBQ in North Carolina come from the eastern or western part of that state?  I pick NC for this survey as several amongst us have somehow wound up spending their lives in the Tarheel State and presumably have some opinions about it.  Maybe the survey should also include Tennessee, as it connects these two states and also is home to several of us.  Anyway, what is the best, why is it the best, and where do you go get some?

As you might imagine, there are a wide variety of strongly held opinions on these questions.  For example, here is a Chowhound post on the best barbeque in Kentucky  which includes both Roy's and Ed's in Russellville.   And here's another brave post on the finer points of and best barbeque in North Carolina.  (Glenn Ray, you must surely respond to this one...)   And yet another one for various barbeque places in Tennessee.   I googled this and found no such survey for my adopted state of Massachusetts.  I think there's only one BBQ place in the Bay State and it's Bub's,  about five miles from where I live.  It's edible but just not in a league with Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina BBQ.   John Edward, where do you get really good BBQ in Lafollette, TN?

So, what's  your favorite BBQ and where do you get it?   I have to say Glenn Ray's ranks right up there with the very best.  Even including Roy's and Ed's.   Someone needs to get Glenn Ray and Diana to sign onto this blog and weigh in on this important subject.  

Comments?

A New Blogger

I see that John Bond has joined the list of bloggers for RHS58Blog. Good to have you with us John. It was good to read the information on your profile. I look forward to your comments on some of the items posted as well as your personal post.

Keeping current on John H. McLean

Some of you may know that John H. McLean, oldest son of Betty (Hicks) McLean and Jack McLean was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer almost a year ago.  John is a retired officer USN, and lives with his wife Claire and three children in Chattanooga.  He and Claire have a website that describes his courageous and continuing journey of treatment:   http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnmclean .   You can read the latest posts, and leave a comment in the guest log book if you wish.   

photo:  John, Claire with children Madison, Mallory and Max, October 2008.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM KENTUCKY

I'm still trying to get used to all this. I read a lot of blogs and comments (sometimes they are much more interesting and informative than the original article), but actually doing it is a first. I just posted a comment about the Year of the Dragon - that's interesting.

I do wish a great 2009 for all. I gave up making resolutions a number of years ago, but I do try to make a list of what I'm doing in the upcoming year. Of course, prominent on last year's was our reunion and the school birthday party, Rhea Stadium, and our Historic Russellville Lincoln Exhibit (which will continue through this year). It seems I have nothing comparable this year. I do intend to make one more stab at saving our old gym, but I'm truly afraid that's a lost cause - sad. As always, money is the great roadblock. I also hope that we can all stay in close touch. This blog is a help, and us locals really should make an effort to get together on some sort of regular basis. Anytime an out-of-towner is in the area, let somebody know. Charlotte, let me know when you're going to be in Nashville - we can at least "do" lunch, among my favorite activities.

Keith, I have been listening to news that Jean Richey is donating her collection to the Library of Congress. I assume that it will eventually be on-line. I thought of you when I heard.