@journeywithme2 I lived half of my life in the Southeast and I will always miss it. You are where you need to be now and your presence makes a difference. I loved your description of the LowCountry. I miss the marshes and marsh birds, the beaches, shrimp and grits, barbecue, Spanish moss, live oaks and the sense of history that permeates everything. You feel history in the old houses, on the old streets, on the water. Once you know where enslaved people had to live in quarantine after getting off slave boats and you know where those people were sold on the streets, you can never forget it. There’s the light and the dark. I don’t know exactly how to explain it intuitively, but our community was built on the grounds of an old plantation as are many communities there. I felt the presences from the past and there were lots of current residents who had those experiences. It’s not all moonlight and magnolias but I loved that part of the country. I still do.
@bluebelle Yes! So many, many good memories...Hah! The Spanish moss...picked up from the ground.. once I snuck some in Grandaddy's car to take home with me back to Atlanta ,Georgia suburbs. The BUGS that crawled out and filled the car!!!! Grandaddy pulled over at a rest stop and tossed it and paddled my little behind! LOL Yes.... There were several places near the Battery that I sensed/felt/saw spirits and energies of the past commingling with the present day. It will always hold a special place in my heart too. The one place I knew l was loved and loved in return.
Well, you don't have to miss it today. We are flooded in. There have been heavy rains but not a huge storm or unusual tide yet there are flooded roads that kept me from doing what I wanted to do today. The winds still howl. A friend who is visiting and cannot get off of the island today, said, jokingly, "I have some advice for you; don't buy real estate here."
One could surmise that developers are paying off local politicians to build here. The worst intersection that I know just had two huge apartment complexes added to the exact worst spot. Pick-up trucks pass illegally and speed on dangerous roads with no shoulders. SC has poorly performing schools. The head of the school board of Charleston is heavily influenced by the Moms for Liberty and seems to have racist leanings. Sigh.
I thought Nikki Haley had a lot of chutzpah to want to export this poorly run state as a model to the rest of the country. There is much to love here but it is mostly what nature provides.
Yes, BlueBelle, I toured a house of a large slave owner. Fortunately, some of the guides give compassionate descriptions of the misery of the slaves who lived there; it makes the patina on the antiques lose its luster.
Journeywithme2, I had planned to use Spanish Moss to decorate the Xmas tree in lieu of tinsel but an alarmed friend warned me of the hundreds of tiny creatures that live in it. Trouble averted!
@raincloud About that Spanish moss, I used it in dried arrangements and around the base of living house plants. In order to sterilize the moss, you can wash the moss in soapy water, then put damp moss in a bowl and zap it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. I also baked clean moss on a cookie sheet in the oven, but can't remember the temp. (low heat) I wish I could get my hands on some again!
Tomorrow (Monday) morning we are on for Circle of Light. Whether or not you come, do join us in imagining Joe Biden being inaugurated in January 2025. If anyone needs healing, let us know. Am sending healing to my cousin Andrew and his wife who are awaiting her breast biopsy in a few weeks. Also continued healing for Karen and her family, Carol and her kids, and all the kids who are struggling with school, and my friend Lemonia who has been out of options for clinical trials for cancer treatment.
I just want some light for the preservation of our Democracy.
@jeanne-mayell May I ask for continued light and healing for my grandson, who is not doing well, mentally or physically. He had a very close brush with death (and may have even left us for awhile) This is Lucas’ fifth relapse; his parents (my daughter and husband) are gutted and heartbroken. We are all so, so sad. Thank you.
I would like to ask for healing prayers for my son, Eric, for increased strength of mind and self control in the areas he struggles with. ❤️