Journey 3, Day 20: Meanders in Sooner Land

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 23, 2023 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Historical, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 19, 2023, Moriarty- The clerk in the spanking new service station regarded me curiously, as I was putting a lid on the soup bowl I had just filled-“You’re in the right place. If you’re ready, this way please.” She is one of the archetypal personages who show up, whenever I am starting to feel befuddled. There are the cheerful Irish girl or woman with long black hair and a crinkled smile, the concerned Black man or woman who sets me straight-often without saying a word, and the slender, no-nonsense woman or girl with an air of self-confidence. The clerk was one of the latter, her understated message being”You need not doubt yourself. Go forward with confidence”. These archetypal persons are all souls that I seem to have met before.

After checking out of Palace Motel, I crossed the state line into Oklahoma, and saw “Welcome to the Choctaw Nation”. As many are aware, the record of the Federal government, with regard to what is now Oklahoma, is rather shoddy. Native Americans were forcibly removed from their lands in the Southeast, brought to this area and given small segments of what was then viewed as marginal land. Once oil was discovered, there was a land rush and races were held, to see who would grab “newly-opened” parcels of land. The Oklahoma Territory took the western 2/3 of Indian Territory, and the two were again joined, to become the State of Oklahoma, in 1907. It was from the days of the land rush that the term “Sooners”, or claim jumpers, was bestowed upon the citizens of Oklahoma.

I entered the Sooner State fairly early, and drove through Broken Bow, Idabel, Hugo and Durant, before heading northward, towards Atoka. These towns are all in Choctaw jurisdiction, and variously show signs of prosperity and sections that could use some love. The Choctaw seem to have used their resources rather well: Oil and casino resorts draw other enterprises. Atoka, in particular, is making strides to increase its draw as a business location. Along with Durant, it has established the commercial strips common to most regional hubs in North America.

As I began to feel like I was aimlessly meandering, a check of the GPS revealed that I was not all that far from Oklahoma City. It was lunch time, and the Pilot station offered comforting hot soup, along with a chicken sandwich-plenty good enough for a road meal. The above-mentioned clerk summoned me to her station, and conveyed a message of confidence. From there, I spotted a sign directing me towards Ada, a town where Penny and I stayed with friends, while she was recuperating from an illness incurred while traveling, in 1984. I knew that from Ada, it would be an hour or so to Oklahoma City, and relaxed enough to just pull into Atoka City Park, enjoying lunch, while admiring the lake that the city has constructed.

The sky looked a bit ominous, and I would later hear from a friend elsewhere in Oklahoma, that her area had experienced severe downpours, with thunder and lightning. My drive was briefly interrupted, near Shawnee, when I drove into a speed trap-55 down to 40, in a matter of seconds. I was given an oral warning and sent on my way, no worse for the wear. The officer did not seem to even agree with the posting, but was just another soul-dispatched to make sure I was in a good frame of mind. The weather, save a few sprinkles, near Weatherford (no pun, cosmic, or otherwise), was rather tame.

By dinner time, I was in Amarillo, and so headed to the Fun Zone, Georgia Street to 6th-9th Avenues. There was my pal, Wes, in his convertible, hood down and ready to make anew friend or two. At Smokey Joe’s, we were treated like royalty by a comely young woman named Ella, who brought out a fine basket of Southern style catfish-no hush puppies, but a modest portion of fries and a generous helping of cole slaw. Wes, being shy and retiring, was more concerned with speaking of his business’s progress and sharing pictures of his surrogate grand-niece than with eating. He did make a new friend, so the stop was a success.

I promised both of them that I would drive safely-and kept that promise, arriving here to a rather crowded town, many here for a Gun Show. There was a room for me, at a friend’s establishment, so I am happily ensconced at Lariat Motel.

Journey 3, Day 19: A Mississippi Horseshoe

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 22, 2023 in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 18, 2023, De Queen, AR- “Sit wherever you want, hun. What can I get you to drink, my love?” Each person who came into Huddle House, in Corinth, this morning was greeted thus endearingly by the lead server, Ryanne- and what better way is there to start a Monday morning? She recounted to me, at table, that her morning had not exactly been a time of sweetness and light. She was not, however, about to let before-work woes ruin her day at the diner, or anyone else’s. As she worked, calls came that conveyed the message that solutions to the mishaps were in progress. I get the sense that her attitude towards life generates such positive outcomes.

The next stop, on a horseshoe-shaped ramble, was Tupelo- birthplace of Elvis Presley. Though I did not make a stop at the King’s boyhood home, getting the ambiance of the place and a sense of how it affected his musical trajectory came from stops in downtown and at Ballard Park, in midtown Tupelo. There is a tolerance of individuality in Tupelo- borne out by the boutique, Main Attraction, where I purchased a latte from a flamboyant, but rather soft-spoken entrepreneur- whose main wares were women’s clothing and New Age items, such as Buddha tea mugs and incense burners. There was also this mural, honouring the spirit of the region’s indigenous Chickasaw people.

There are scattered memorials to the area’s Confederate dead, but these are tempered by acknowledgement of the contributions of African-Americans, including this marker at Tupelo National Battlefield. The battle that took place there, in 1862, set the way for both the Federal occupation of Vicksburg and Sherman’s March to the Sea, by disrupting Confederate supply lines.

Honouring the brigade of United States Colored Troops, for its efforts at the Battle of Tupelo.

The Lee County Courthouse, like others in mid-sized southern towns, has its dome. This construction feature is designed to convey the majesty of law. That majesty has come hard, only gradually overcoming the resistance of many residents to a more inclusive community ethos.

The Deep South is changing, though, and I felt only welcome and conviviality on this initial swing through the heartland of the Civil Rights struggle. Ballard Park, where a lone Hispanic woman was jogging while pushing her infant in a stroller and feeding the gaggles of Canadian geese that dominate the south shore of the lake, is a case in point.

At some point in the not-too-distant future, I will make a music-centered return visit, and the actual Elvis Presley Lake, as well as his boyhood home, will be part of that itinerary. There is resistance in the Universe to my being on the road, though, epitomized by the current financial downturn, so I have to be patient and perhaps focus more on working, to rebuild my nest egg. A lot of people have goals that face similar straits; yet on we go.

Despite having those thoughts, the road continued-to Philadelphia, MS, scene of the murders of three Civil Rights activists, in the “Freedom Summer” of 1964. At that time in my life, a revulsion towards authoritarian Communism existed side by side with an equally strong conviction that African-Americans were being grossly denied full citizenship, especially in the South, but also in my hometown, north of Boston, where few Black people were allowed to live, at the time. Debates on the subject were civil, yet I was regarded as somewhat naive in “the way life really is”. How times have changed!

I felt a rather dark energy, approaching Philadelphia. It was almost as if the ghosts of the murdered were trying to communicate. When I got to downtown, and parked my vehicle, beginning a short stroll, I was greeted warmly by a well-dressed gentleman, who somehow recognized me from who knows where. He shortly went about his business, and I made note of Neshoba County Courthouse, and the water tower that draws from a reservoir near where the three men were buried. Downtown, for the most part, was quiet.

Neshoba County Courthouse, Philadelphia, MS.

Headed out of town, towards Jackson, I found myself behind several school buses. One of them led the way, for about eight miles, and I noticed rambunctious behaviour through the opaque rear window, similar to the shenanigans of countless children and youth, the world over.

It was also quitting time in the state capital, so when I got to the seat of Mississippi state government, I had a “state business only” streetside parking space to myself-for five minutes, under the watchful eye of a Capitol Police Officer. Here, then, are the Mississippi Capitol and a nearby First Baptist Church.

South side of Mississsippi State Capitol, Jackson

First Baptist Church, Capitol Hill, Jackson

The road west and north passed a sizable back-up, across I-20, near Tallulah, LA, where I stopped for dinner and heard details of the overturned truck, from another driver who witnessed the rollover. Leaving the Interstate, just shy of Shreveport, my memory of map study when I was a teenager and young adult came in handy-and up through Springhill, into Arkansas, it was. I passed through the place called Hope, in which Bill Clinton still believed, on the night of his election to the Presidency, in 1992. Respite, though, has come, at the Palace Hotel, in this little town of De Queen, just shy of the Oklahoma border. I was the last guest checked in for the night, before the clerk decided he’d had enough, and locked the office door.

The Universe may be resistant, in some ways, but there are plenty in it, who are looking out for me.

Journey 3, Day 18: Rock City

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 21, 2023 in collaborating, Hiking and Nature, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 17, 2023, Corinth, MS- A small boy asked his father- “Daddy, which one is harder for you, Needle’s Eye or Fat Man’s Squeeze?” The man was not all that “Dad Bod”, but gamely replied “the Squeeze”. I found neither one to be problematic, while remembering that, had I visited Rock City a year ago, both would have been difficult.

The late J.R.Cline recommended Lookout Mountain in general, and Rock City in particular, a few years back, when I was visiting friends in east Tennessee. He and his family loved the place. After spending a couple of hours there, I can readily see why. Rock City was opened to the public in 1932, when Garnet and Frieda Carter first wanted to share their unique property with the world. The place gives Disney World a run for its money-and at a fraction of the price.

It’s all about imagination, with the rocks-and folkloric art, fueling the whimsy for kids of all ages.

Here are seven photographs, out of the several dozen taken today, that offer a sense of what the Cline family, and thousands of others from across the globe, have come to treasure.

In Fairyland Caverns, many creatures await.

After this, I found it enjoyable to tool around, along the byways of the southern Cumberland Plateau-not stopping to photograph, as the camera needed a rest and a charge, but seeing J.R.’s “Golden Loop”, as he might have. The area between Childersburg, Alabama and Knoxville was his paradise.

Come sleepy time, I found this northeast corner of Mississippi, and the Southern Motel. For the first time in many years, all the rooms have ashtrays-but my room is not bad, scent-wise, so one night will be okay.

Journey 3, Day 17: Rainy Day People

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 20, 2023 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Hiking and Nature, impediments, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 16, 2023, Crossville, TN- The flinty-eyed man seemed to regard me warily, as I walked into the front room, where he and two other folks were socializing, with the homeowner, over beer. After our host introduced me to the three neighbours, the wariness went away, and I was asked if I would consider moving here.

Crossville, and the immediate area around this house, are certainly salubrious enough, and the people are downright friendly, after about ten minutes of sizing up a newcomer. I am happy with my present Home Base, but it surely is fun to visit here.

The Pond at Crossville. (Above and below)

The flinty-eyed man asked me about Arizona. He wanted to know if Mexicans dominated the state. I answered in the negative, saying that while there was a sizable number of people of Mexican heritage there, that they were not in the least a dominating, domineering or unpleasant, in any respect. I told the group that I found Mexicans to be a hard-working people, which is true in Arizona, and from what I’ve seen, true in the Southeast as well. The restaurant where I had breakfast this morning, in Marion, VA is called Sur 81 (south on I-81). It is owned and operated by a wonderful Mexican family, and drew a large crowd while I was there. The food was sumptuous and the server, a gracious young lady. Basically, I see no difference between them and the Appalachian Whites who work the Bucc-ee’s, down the road from here. All are working hard and are merely providing for their families, as most people everywhere are doing.

The subject changed, from the politics of immigration, and of the next election,once I simply repeated that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and of course, vote accordingly. It seems to me that the most conservative person, and the most progressive, want above all to just be heard. It is when someone feels shut out, that the shrillness kicks in. The rest of their visit focused on the local high school football team, the way that the marching band’s sound carries, over the woods and to this bucolic neighbourhood, and the skill sets that help people make ends meet around here. Our host, Chuck, is a retired firefighter, so his life is pretty much cut and dried-he can either volunteer somewhere, or just hang out, and no one is of a mind to be critical.

Those who are depressed by a rainy day, such as today, might have taken the short gathering in the room as an invitation to sow division. My company, being more optimistic, and basically seeing “no problems, only solutions”, to quote John Lennon, takes a rainy day as a sign of blessings. So long as one is in a safe, dry place, the rain only enhances life. I had no issues with bringing my bags from the car to my room, in the pouring rain. God knows, there are way too many people who have no car-and no room.

I will leave here tomorrow, but Chuck’s encouragement of his neighbours, his wife, Laureen’s food truck, the flinty-eyed man’s auto repair shop-and the Bucc-ee’s down the road, will with any luck, long continue.

Journey 3, Day 16, Part II: York The Fortunate

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 17, 2023 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 15, 2023, Marion, VA- In the small Korean market, the emphasis is on organic foods, combined with a standard American submarine sandwich shop menu. Besides that, there is a mash-up with convenience foods on the shelves. Green Foods Market is on the east end of downtown York, an area of unexpectedly broad streets, high traffic and seemingly prosperous residents.

York drew my late cousin, Linda, many years ago, during a time of uncertainty in her life. There was a farm and a sense of plenitude, a place where she could deal with matters that had inserted themselves into her previously serene life. Linda was like an angel, and was always helping others, especially us cousins. She was almost too good for this world.

I went there, on my way south, early this afternoon, stopping at the aforementioned Green Foods, for a seafood salad, which would become lunch and dinner, on my way southward along Virginia’s “spine”: I-81. I have long wanted to visit York and see what drew one of my favourite cousins. While not getting to the area where she lived, I did get a sense of the source of York’s good fortune. Here was where the United States of America came together, with the Articles of Confederation being ratified-away from the uncertainty of Philadelphia and the imminent threat of British occupation. Confederation Square remains the town’s centerpiece.

Enough rambling. Here are some scenes from downtown York.

A homeless man, sitting on a bench, pointed to this sign. It was, he said, a sign of the city’s commitment to public health. That he himself was well-groomed, wearing clean clothes, was proof of an effort being made in that regard.

Laurel Fire Station-one of the few I’ve seen with its original bell tower.

The blue-black bear image is quite common, in south central Pennsylvania.

York County Courthouse, with domes in the back.

In 1777, the seeds of a national culture were sown, from York.

For no reason, other than levity, Jack Haley’s Tin Woodman is presented as “The Tinker”.

With a favourable image of York, and satisfied that this town treated a beloved family member well, I headed southward, with relatively little trouble, save brief interludes of Washington area traffic headed out of town, briefly visited treasured Harrisonburg and arrived in Marion, on the south end of Appalachian Virginia, in time to tumble into bed.

May York long see good fortune.

Journey 3, Day 16, Part I: Pennsylvania’s Historical Core

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 16, 2023 in Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Travel

September 15, 2023, Marion, VA- Denim Coffee has a nondescript sign, and takes up a small storefront, across the street from the Pennsylvania State Capitol-and Strawberry Square. It also produces what, to me, is eastern Pennsylvania’s finest cup of coffee-and I know a thing or two about good java. The perky barista who greeted me this morning is another plus for the shop.

The coffee stop, and a walk through Strawberry Square-the delightful indoor mall that abuts the Capitol, on its southwest corner, are definite rewards for the visitor to Harrisburg, who will find a dignified, solidly-constructed complex, bordered to the north by Historic State Street, with its magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Grace Church. The Susquehanna River and its bridges add further luster to the community.

Harrisburg will see me again, but in the meantime, here are a few scenes of another part of the historical core of Keystone- which spreads from Gettysburg to Philadelphia’s Old City.

Pennyslvania State Capitol, from the north.

Majestic view of the Pennysylvania State Capitol, from the south.

View of State Street Bridge, from Capitol Mall, Harrisburg

As Pennsylvania translated in English means “Penn’s woods”, a grove on the Capitol grounds is certainly in order.

I have, in a few cases, entered a state capitol building and enjoyed its interior. I hope to do so in this Capitol, next Spring, as well as to focus on the Susquehanna, and its role in Harrisburg’s, and the state’s, growth.

The barista at Denim reminded me, strikingly, of my late cousin, Linda, who spent her final years in York, to the south of Harrisburg. It was in Linda’s memory that I went to York, the subject of the next post.

Journey 3, Day 15: Greenhouse 2.0

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 14, 2023 in animal and plant life, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, Spiritual, Travel

September 14, 2023, Oley, PA- Chrysanthemums, ornamental peppers, geraniums, 99-cent succulents, a multitude of edible vegetables and pumpkins-and one more Poinsettia-based Christmas Show-these are both the swan song and the opening act, as the greenhouse prepares to go next level. http://glicksgreenhouse.com/

I have been visiting this establishment, on a yearly basis, since 2011. Seeing the growth, the renovation and expansion of Glick’s Greenhouse has been a true marvel. The flowers soothe, as well as excite. The edibles offer comfort and nutrition. The succulents teach survival. The team teaches commitment and mutual support.

The operation will, gradually, change hands, over the next year or so. There will be the same basic philosophy, and there will be a movement to the next level. 2.0 is something that the founders and their successors anticipate, with pride and with relish. It will be quite something to see, when I next come this way, in late May, 2024.

Here is how things look right now.

Chrysanthemum tables, Glick’s Greenhouse

Journey 3, Day 14: Some Guilty, and Other, Pleasures

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 13, 2023 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 13, 2023, Exton, PA- The three of us had the theater to ourselves, this afternoon. We endured twenty minutes’ worth of promotional ads and previews of coming attractions, so that we could watch Denzel Washington dispatch two groups of villains, both of which were trying to cash in on the international drug trade. One of the bad guys shot Denzel’s character in the back, then ran away when he turned around and gave him the McCall Stare. The others, well, you’ll have to either see for yourself or read the Wikipedia cheat sheet. It’s enjoyable seeing Dakota Fanning playing grown women, having watched her from her earliest years as an actress. It’s also a guilty pleasure of mine, to see justice dispensed in clever, stealthy fashion.

We all have such rather vapid pleasures. I will miss the cop shows this Fall, just as others will miss the sitcoms and “reality” shows. It is more important to me, however, that the workers-actors, writers, show runners, gofers-all get the fair shake they have been due for a long time. I have plenty of stuff to read and there are always those streamed series that have been accumulating. Besides, I’ll be in the Philippines and thereabouts, for 3 weeks next month and at work for quite a few of the days that I am at Home Base, between now and trip #4.

There are plenty of innocent pleasures in this life, as well. We enjoyed a nice lunch at P.J. Whelihans’ Pub & Restaurant, in nearby Downingtown. It always helps when an engaging server is involved-as has been the case for both of our meals on this leg of the trip and in Massachusetts. As has been mentioned before, I return, time and again, to places where the server has been warm and congenial. Abbie was like that for us, this noon.

I also get comfort from fine service to my vehicle. The local Firestone shop took great care of Sportage, this morning, and I was able to replace two wearing tires, in a reasonable manner.

Finally, tomorrow, I will be “down home”, at Glick’s Greenhouse-definitely a pleasure that elicits anything but guilt. Blood family and extended family bring the same sense of well-being.

Journey 3, Day 13: The Smaller Majesties

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 12, 2023 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Striving, Travel

September 12, 2023, Exton, PA- Bushnell Park is one of New England’s best kept secrets.

The park, designed according to the style used by Frederick Law Olmsted, in his construction of New York’s Central Park, was constructed, in 1861, by a Swiss-born landscape architect, Jacob Weidenmann, who came recommended by Olmsted. It is named for Dr. Horace Bushnell, a health-conscious minister and community activist, who recognized the benefits to the public weal, of urban green space, at a time when business leaders were more concerned with making money from tax rolls than with any government involvement in the health of the citizenry.

Bushnell Park is one of the crown jewels of Hartford. Connecticut’s capital city is known for its insurance corporate headquarters and, along with so many other northeastern cities, for its struggles to renew vitality. Hartford has a magnificent core. Stopping there today, on the way from Kittery to this small, and vibrant, western suburb of Philadelphia, I found these gems:

Statue of Apollo, near State Capitol, Hartford

East side view of State Capitol, Hartford

Pond and fountains, Bushnell Park, Hartford

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, Hartford

The Pump House was built in 1947, as part of the Connecticut River Flood Control Project, after downtown Hartford suffered deluges in 1936 and 1938.

This last item hints at solutions that might be pertinent to resolving the woes of other flood-stricken communities. As I write this, two Massachusetts towns: Leominster and North Attleboro, are dealing with severe damage caused by flooding. Several Alaska towns had flood damage, earlier this year. Across the globe, fire in the Mediterranean region (Greece, Sicily, Algeria) has been followed by flooding (Libya). It is perhaps essential to more closely examine the role that wetlands might have, in mitigating both flood and fire, since one usually follows the other.,

It also helps, that the majesty of smaller cities be recognized, appreciated and celebrated.

Journey 3, Day 12: The Opaque Mirror

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 11, 2023 in Assistance, children, collaborating, Family, Inner Struggles, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

September 11, 2023, Kittery, ME- I rang the doorbell to an old friend’s home, in mid-morning, and was glad that he was home and agreeable to a visit. He looked slightly better than when I last saw him, four years ago, though he is moving slowly. We reminisced, as always on such visits, about the old neighbourhood, whose make-up has gone from mostly European ethnicities- Irish, French, Italian, Polish and English, to largely Brazilian and Cuban. He, unlike me, still lives in the house of his youth-inherited from his parents, whom I adored.

Many of the gripes he had with others are similar to behaviours he has himself exhibited on occasion, as have I. Not answering one’s phone, in times of busy-ness, or while driving (not everyone has Bluetooth), or when someone has already called three times in a span of two hours, is an understandable situation-though it probably hurts the caller on some level.

The things that rankle us about others are also the things that most bother us about ourselves. Mother gets irritated, when I am too fastidious about placement of napkins or eating utensils on a table, but guess who taught us that etiquette? I don’t like getting three Messages a day, from the same person, generally about small matters-but I have been known to Spam people about things that are so crucial to me. Life is certainly a big opaque mirror.

The rest of the day was spent with Mom, though I got in a half hour of exercise-as Saugus has a Planet Fitness. I also had dinner with my brother and sister-in-law, before heading up here, to a cozy room, in rainy Maine. In between, there were a trio of Lifetime movies, each with similar plots and dialogue to the other two. It makes Mom happy- and I recall the devotion she had to the repetitive activities of ours, as toddlers. It’s different in tone and intellectual level, of course, but letting her routine be repetitive is only fair.

The mirror remains opaque.