J'eat Yet?

J'eat Yet?  J'eat Yet?  J'eat Yet?

When in the south talk like 'em.  I'm learning how to do that.  First time I heard "j'eat yet", I definitely didn't know what was being said.  Non-southerner here, believe me.

Then I began to catch on.  It meant "Did you eat yet".  Of course that was what was being said.  Only it was in what I call "mouth shorthand".

I knew what "y'all" meant but, when I heard "chugged full", I was baffled.  What the heck does that mean?  I had to ask the person who was talking as soon as she got done flapping her gums.  I casually said, "what the heck does "chugged full"" mean?  She told me it means full and overflowing.  Well of course it does.....when she first said it, she was filling my water glass and said "if I don't watch it, it will be "chugged full".

One day, in 98 degree weather, and while I was in the lobby of a building, a nice lady was "goin on" about this and that.  The door kept opening and closing and "leaving in" (as she said) hot air.  All at once she said I wish they would "close the newmonina hole".  What???????????  I was so shocked I know my eyes must have been about as big as silver dollars.  So she said...honey haven't you ever heard that?  NOOOOOOOOOO  I haven't.  She said it means I wish they would close the door.  OMG ....  I figured it had something to do with shutting the door, but I sure as heck wasn't going to get "Newmonia" in 98 degree weather.  But she was right.....I wish they would close the door as it was making me hot....but I didn't get "Newmonia" thank goodness.

Through the days, I also heard "well hush my mouth"; "sorry as a two dollar watch" (hey watch that .... I bought the cutest watch for not too much more than two dollars); "on me like white on rice";  awfullest"; "didja"; "crookeder"; "matoes"; "taters"; "tal" (which I think was towel); and "hankering".  One time I asked about ordering some flowers and the clerk kept saying something about the "floors"....I gave up, as I sure didn't want a bunch of floors being sent instead of the flowers I meant to send.  

Then came the very best mouth shorthand I heard on my road to discovery of southern "twang lang" (which is the term I've coined to mean the voice of the south).  I was sitting by a nice lady who said she wasn't feeling well.  I offered to call someone but she said no she would be ok.  All at once she said the heat was making her feel badly and she was a dizzy as a bessy bug.  To me that meant she must be pretty dizzy because if she's likening it to a bug, it had to be bad.  From previous experience with bugs in the south, I knew  I had heard references to a beetle that was called the Betsy Bug.   So, I knew that woman was really feeling dizzy because those Betsy Bugs are huge and ugly with a thingy on the front that looks like a horn. 

More than once, the following was said to me "you must be from the north".  Yes I am from the north came the response from me....  but I went on to clarify that I sure wished I was from the south.  So from now on I will have to claim ...... "American by birth - southern by the grace of God".  And, I will leave it at that.  Have to leave now and find some vittles as I really have a hankering for a big piece of old southern pecan (spoken with a long "e") pie and tater salad with a big slab of fried catfish with a toppin of remoulade sauce.  Yummee. 

I bet when I left the south, my new southern friends probably were talking about my northern accent and I was probably called a Redneck more than once.  And, because I kept asking questions like "Huh?",  I was probably labeled as one who doesn't have a lick of good sense or at least that I was so dumb that my brother-in-law was probably also my uncle.   And, they probably think that all of the Lite/Lower Fat Spam I've eaten over the years has caused cholesterol buildup in my brain veins and has caused me to be unable to understand "God's" language for the south.

Ya gotta love that twang lang y'all.  I'm gonna learnt that twang lang as soon as I can.


Old Time Stuff

 

Petersburg - Harris Opera House

 

 

 

Petersburg - Market Day Around the Square

 

 

 

 

 

Greenview - Marbold House with family in the yard 

 

 

 

Springfield - Champion Gas Station.

Unknown location at this time.

Quote For The Day

The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work

--Harry Golden

Greenview Fall Garage Sales
Fall town wide garage sales are October 6 from 8 am to 1 pm.

Death
Wayne Hohimer passed away on August 30.  He was born April 29, 1923.  He is survived by his wife Eloise, and daughters Karen Setzer and Shelly Cassen of Greenview; daughter-in-law Sheila Hohimer of Springfield; nine grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; and one sister, Shirley Milas of Lockport.


Once upon a time I thought about writing a book of poetry.  The thought went around and around in my mind and then I threw that silly idea out the window and decided that I wasn't ready to write a book of poems which most people wouldn't understand.  My problem is that people are always trying to determine what an author means with every word written.  

I remember back to my high school years when we were given a poem and then told to write about what it meant.  My mind always went blank.  How would I know what the author meant when he himself might not have known what he meant.  An author sometimes just writes what comes to mind with no thought to what he/she actually means.

It seems that every teacher I always had knew exactly what the author meant.  This was before I became wise and found out that the interpretation was the teacher's own interpretation of what it meant.....and when I wrote what I thought it meant, it never jived with the teacher.  Then I had a college instructor who put our class wise on interpretations and how authors sometimes never think about what the passage means...they just write.  And he also told us that just because a teacher has an interpretation of what it means doesn't mean that's what it meant.  Dang it....I always wrote down my interpretation for my high school teacher and I probably could have passed those classes after all.

So now I write for fun and who the heck cares what it means.  Sometimes I write random thoughts and most of the time these make sense .... but sometimes they don't make a lick of sense and are dumb besides.   Guess that's why I haven't yet decided to write my book of poetry or even finish my unfinished novel which was started long ago and is still waiting for my next thoughts.  Perhaps one day I will get the urge to write poetry and finish the novel.  But maybe I won't.  For now, I'll just continue to bore my readers on this blog with my whimsical words of wisdom....I think that's what they are. 

Thanks for coming to my blog.

All rights reserved on all blog content and posts.

 

Hope to see you again soon ya'll!

The old Mansion in the Village

Is the purchase possible or a dream which can't be realized?

I was a little kid and my dad started farming the Miller farmland which included the old mansion.  My dad actually started farming part of the Miller land in the mid to late 1940's and then in the mid 1950's the mansion and surrounding land and stockyards was added.  My dad's hired hands lived in the mansion and my dad tried to keep up with repairs on his own but the owner didn't want to spend any money.  I remember my dad talking to the owner and telling him he needed to do this and that, but my dad's pleas to do maintenance went unheard.

The property starting falling into disrepair.  When my dad had the farm, the butcher block was still in the butcher shop and all of the buildings were intact except for the furnace building which had fallen in before my dad took over the farm.  When my dad's farm hands moved out, us kids had to go clean up the messes.  And frequently my dad had hog fries/cow fries (rocky mountain oyster) stag parties in that house.  He would furnish the food and the beer and men would come from near and far to eat, drink and play poker.  Guess who had to clean up before and after....yep you guessed right.

Now that same mansion is in a state of disrepair....the current owner wants a fortune for it....and the association which is formed from interested history loving people, want to buy it.  But......can they?  Is this project too much for this association to take on???  Can they get the owner down in price and bought before someone else buys it????

Currently there have been two offers from outsiders and a couple from the association....one offer from someone who lives about 40 miles north of here....and one from a couple from the northern part of the state.  And of course the Association has put in an offer which is an amount much less than one of these offers.  The Association now knows that the purchase and the plans to build a working farmstead might just be a pipe dream.  This dream may not ever come to full fruition.

If they could just find 100 "people groups" who would come together and give $1000 each, they would have enough money to purchase it and start with the renovation.  If they found 1000 people to give $1000 they would have a million.  But can they???  And can they in time???  I'm beginning to wonder about this dream coming true.

But look on the bright side....if they don't, they may be able to work with any new buyer....and if that isn't possible, they might be able to focus more on the betterment of the village....it needs help...it needs businesses....I think it needs a library...perhaps a library/museum combination.  Anything to pull it back together.  With those of us who have lots of history material that's valid and also with the amount of memorabilia, a museum would be so grand....and a library would perhaps re-establish the town's worth and value and continuance.  There are lots of grants possible to do such a thing....it just needs focus.

Now the mansion stands alone and waiting.  Will the new owner be someone who cares or someone who buys it for a tax write-off and really doesn't care.  The pipe dream is drifting!

Death in the Village
On Monday evening, January 16, 2012, the village lost another long time resident and former businessman.  George Baugher died as the result of a brain tumor.  He will be sadly missed but his spirit will remain alive in those who knew him.

Vintage Springfield Fires, Continuation

The following are old newspaper articles about fires which occurred in Springfield in the early years.  Apparently there were some spectacular fires in those days...due to lack of equipment and water sources.  But we must take our hats off to those who were fireman in those days.  I have more fire stories and pictures and will put them in a future post.  Hope you enjoy the content of these articles.


Feb, 1899
Three Burned To Death.
Fatal Fire in a Springfield (Ill.) Boarding House.
Springfield, Ill., Feb. 4.-In a boarding house fire to-day three persons were burned to-death. The dead are MRS. EVA WITHEY, proprietor of the boarding house; MISS HELEN ROSE, and J.C. HALL.
When the fire occurred the house contained eighteen boarders, nearly all of whom were asleep. MRS. WITHEY, after arousing the boarders and getting her four children out, went back into the house to assist J.C. HALL, eighty years old, who occupied a room on the second floor. She was not seen alive afterward. Her charred body was removed from the ruins. MRS. WITHEY was well-known throughout the State, having been State President of the Daughters of Rebecca. MISS HELEN ROSE was a sister of Mrs. John McCreery, wife of the proprietor of the St. Nicholas Hotel. J.C. HALL was a retired merchant.
The origin of the fire is supposed to have been a defective flue. The loss is probably $10,000; partially insured.

                                                                                   ******

November 1894
Hostler, Horses, and Buildings Burned.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 24.---Fire this morning destroyed the rear portion of Little & Sons' livery stable, the Armory Hall of Company C, Fifth Regiment; Utley's wholesale drug store, and Swift & Co.'s warehouse. Eighty-five horses in Little & Sons' barn were burned to death.
George Brewer, a hostler employed in Little & Sons' barn, was burned to death. The origin of the fire is supposed to be incendiary. The total loss will reach $125,000.

                                                                                ******

March, 1876
Burning of a Theatre.
The Springfield, Ill., Opera House Destroyed By Fire-An Accident Which Probably Prevented A Serious Calamity In The Future.

Springfield, Ill., March 17.-At an early hour this morning it was discovered that the opera house in this city was on fire. In a few moments Capt. John Freeman with his engine was on the spot, and the other steamers soon appeared, but the flames had already gained such headway that the fire department were powerless to save the building. The scene was a brilliant one, and notwithstanding the early hour, thousands of persons came from their houses to witness the work of destruction. At one time the entire block of buildings seemed in great danger, and the employees in the Journal office began moving out the more valuable portable articles in that establishment. Fortunately however the wind was from the east, and the sparks and flames were carried in another direction. But this fact placed the county jail in great danger, and it was found necessary to remove the prisoners to another place for safety. After a hard struggle the department got the fire under control, though not until the theatre was entirely destroyed. The building was erected some ten years ago by a German citizen, who soon after failed. Mr. Jacob Bunn, the rich banker, of this city, then came into possession, but it has never been considered a paying investment. For several years it has been looked upon as an unsafe building, and in any other city it would long since have been condemned as unfit for public use. Only a few years ago, at the time of a military reunion, one of the outer walls settled to a considerable extent and with such a noise as to create a decided panic in the large audience. United States Senator Oglesby, who, with his charming wife, was among the spectators, was among the first to gain the street but how he ever got there the Senator was never able to explain. Subsequently there was another scene of excitement on the occasion of a portion of the gallery giving way. It then became generally understood that the building was unsafe, and though several expert architects pronounced otherwise, the people believed the rumor and seldom ventured inside the structure. Its original cost was in the neighborhood of $150,000. It was the only decent hall in the city, and was used for holding state conventions for both parties. It was here the conventions were to be held this summer, but its destruction will doubtless compel the State Central Committee of either party to agree upon some other locality. The occupants of the stores on the ground floor lost everything, as follows: H.E. Mueller & Bros. Wholesale liquors and cigars, loss $25,000, insured for $2,500; F. Schultz Drugs, loss $3,000, no insurance; A. Spiers & Bro., Saloon, loss $1,000, no insurance; N. James Musical Instruments, loss $3,000, uninsured. The origin of the fire is unknown. There had been an exhibition in the hall last night by the children of the ward schools, for the benefit of the Centennial educational fund, and the custodian says that the gas and heat were turned off immediately after the close of the entertainment.

                                                                      *******

Early Springfield Fire Equipment .... no wonder so many houses/businesses totally burned.  Unknown date.

Thought For The Day

The following goal related quotes appropriately fit the dream

of those connected with the old mansion....the goal sometimes must adjust...and we must all realize that.

If you want to make you dreams come true,

the first thing you must do is wake up.

--J. M. Power

One half of knowing what you want is knowing

what you must give up before you get it.

--Sidney Howard

Goals are dreams with deadlines.

--Diana Scharf Hunt

Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion.

You must set yourself on fire.

--Arnold Glasow

The dream is there but is the stamina, the hope, the ability

to cope with indecision and a possible let down.

-- Me

Today is a day of mourning for the village.  As we reflect on this history of our town, all of us who have and do live here make up the composition of this little village in Central Illinois .... among the cow pastures and the pig lots and the farm land , the community has stood for a long time and we all have hopes it will remain for many more lifetimes.

Without those of who are Greenviewanites...those who do live here now and those who have lived here....without us and our ancestors and predecessors, the village would not exist nor would it have existed ever.  It has and it does and we will all remember those who made it possible.

Thank you for visiting and thank you for remembering.

This Town Is A Farrago of People

Some people are good and some are ??????
It takes all kinds to complete the confused assembly (farrago) of people in a small town.  There are smart people in a small town and there are stupid people.  There are mature people with loads of experience.  There are mouthy people.  There are reserved people.  There are people who are relatives whom you wish you weren't related to.  There are those who are good friends whom you value much more than those who you wish were "unrelated" relatives.

There are those who unequivocally and unquestionably give their time to and for the town.  There are those who claim to do this but don't really.....just flap their gums about being top dog but maybe every once in a while do something.  Some give money for the town.  Some laugh at the request for money.  There are those who doubt the reasoning any time a subject is brought up.  As one friend once told me, there are those who like the lines of communication to be open so that others can be educated on a subject.  There are others who take offense if a subject is brought up and will do all they can to overreact instead of seeing the need to act and then acting to correct a situation to assure the result is in the best interest of others.  Some listen to a problem, but the majority won't and don't.  Some support others but many times there is no support from fellow townsfolk.

Some will let you and the world know their ignorance by shouting it out to bring attention to themselves,  while others hide and cover up their ignorance.  Some are dumb by choice, while others have a birth deficiency that renders them unable to think straight.
There are rich persons.  There are poor persons.  There are middle class persons who have trouble making ends meet.  There are highly educated people.  There are some who didn't go to college but are truly smart.  There are some who took a few classes and are also smart. There are persons with class certificates who took some classes but no degree but who think they have six college degrees and are smarter than anyone else and voice it too.

There are MANY immature people with the common sense that God gave to a goose.  In fact their common sense more closely resembles uncommon nonsense.  There seems to be lots of these in small towns.....an overabundance in fact.  Those who don't mature will most likely someday find that immaturity doesn't suit oneself in this world and especially in the farrago of a small town.

Lately I have run into many of these types.  I try to ignore the small town (confused) farrago segments which don't meet my standards of being a quality person.  Sometimes I can and sometimes I can't.  If you recognize yourself in this description of the (confused) farrago, then you might live in a small town.  Perhaps here.  And if you did or do overreact, then you definitely fit!

Event/History Editorial

The Marbold mansion has been of great importance to this town for many years.  There are some who don't feel much or any effort should be set forth to save the mansion from the clutches of an outsider or from a person who wants to tear the house down to return the property to farmland in its entirety or built a modern house.  People who did not grow up here probably don't have the same attachment to the mansion as those of us who grew up in this town.  These same "outsiders" (for lack of a better word) and some of the younger generation might not be willing to exert any effort and may spurn any contact relative to help in saving the property for history sake.  They may see no reason to try to save a building, and probably want progress to modernize and go forward with everything new.  They may feel it is best to spend for the future rather than waste for the past.    But if you think about it, those who are ignorant of history may be doomed to repeat it.

History is important.  There are those who definitely don't think so.  To them it's just a bunch of old dates, old people, old buildings, old papers, old everything.  But, it isn't  simply a litany of dates, dead people and places.   History tells the story of what once was and what life was like long ago.  Even though we weren't there long ago, our mind can picture what it must have been like.  And, by looking at the documentation, or the structures, or the buildings we can see the value of history.  I once read that "we are the past".  If we study history, we know why we are here, and where we came from and why.  You can't know where you're going unless you know where you came from. And, it's a true fact that history repeats itself.

History reveals intrigue, twists of fate, love and love triangles, coincidences and repetitive situations.  These can be exciting, funny, sad, or just plain stupid, but it all is history.  For every day you live on earth, you are creating your own history.  We are history itself.  Everyone should document their own history for your future generations of your family, but few do.  It seems people shy away from history and it's not the most favorite subject.



I personally am not for those who desire to make a profit by using others to research and document history.   There is usually something lost in the translation and wrong things are published.   History can better be documented by the personal experience of researching and talking and digging for exact facts rather than from using others to realize their own personal gain from local history.  Yes, document history but, do your own work.

The Marbold mansion is for sale.  Over the years, the Marbold Association has diligently held meetings and events in an attempt to keep the spirit of the Marbold Mansion and the family history alive.  But now a threat exists.  The Marbold mansion could be sold to a person who doesn't care about the history and one which will not allow those with a valid interest to proceed in the preservation of the past for the future generations of our town.

A meeting relative to the Marbold Mansion is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at the Baptist Church on Route 29, 7:00 pm.  If you are from the older generation, this preservation is most likely important to you.  Perhaps this generation of persons who care about saving the Marbold history is a dying group of persons and eventually the Mansion will fall into the hands of an uncaring person, but don't let this happen while a generation of caring souls still exists.  Do what you can to help the Marbold Mansion purchase become a reality.  Attend the Marbold Mansion meeting and help save it. 

Recipe
I love fried apples and especially from the Cracker Barrel.  I found a copy cat recipe which I use.

Fried Apples
2 cups apple cider
4 large Golden Delicious apples 1/2" wedges (some I peel)  or,  can use Granny Smith Apples
1/2 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
4 tablespoons sugar
Combine first measure of apple juice and apples in a medium skillet. Simmer gently and turn apples often with spatula until fork tender but not mushy. Remove with a slotted spoon to oven dish. In blender puree 1/2 c apple juice, cornstarch, spice and sugar. Blend a few seconds until smooth. Stir into hot juice in skillet and cook, stirring constantly on med-high until it bubbles and becomes thickened and smooth. Turn heat off. Pour over apples.
Serve warm as side dish or dessert. Refrigerate to use in a few days or freeze.

Thought For The Day

The only source of knowledge

is experience.

--Albert Einstein

As I grew up and even during my older years I've always wondered if there is life on other planets.  When I was young I always thought that  spaceships were always landing and snatching people and then returning them to earth with things implanted in their body.  I think I watched too much Twilight Zone back then.  But maybe they did.  In my life I've seen many people who acted as if they were from another planet. 

Since we are on Earth, it seems the chances of life elsewhere would be pretty high.  Maybe not like us, and maybe more intelligent than us and maybe not.  Since there have always been sightings of UFO's there seems there would be a reason for this.  Is this proof of life elsewhere??

Perhaps thinking there is life elsewhere is dream play for the mind of earthlings.  And maybe not.  If other life exists, most likely the life wouldn't be the same shape or form as us.  Thus far we know the moon doesn't have green men nor is the moon made from green cheese because earthlings went there.  We also know that the samples taken from Mars were interesting but no pictures were taken of walking and talking Marslings.

Perhaps one of these days we might find life exists on another planet.  Then, maybe this would be a good place for the politicians to be sent which have outlived their place in politics.  Just sayin.....

Rating indicator is at the bottom of the post.

This blog is protected under copyright laws.