"I've Got Some Bad News and Some Worse News!" 11/14 Last chap!

[jedijill]

Thank you for sharing. That was beautifully put. I also love North and South...read the books countless times and the miniseries as well. It just did not have the impact on me until I visited the South and uncovered some of my own family history that I'm not so proud of. I hope we can all learn from the past and not continue to make the same mistakes in the future.

Jill in CO

 

[Dizneydawn]

I

She proceeded to explain to me that being proud of being a Southerner didn't mean I supported slavery. She said that it was a good thing I felt ashamed of that part of the past, but that it didn't mean I couldn't enjoy being a Southern girl, because nowadays it meant something different.

I totally agree with your Mom and I actually do not think the North did a whole lot better in many respects and worse in others. Just like I do not get how people, countries stood by so long knowing that the Holocaust was happening or on a more time relevant comparison, Darfur.

You have a true gift of words.

Thanks. I was afraid I was going down a very Non Disney road and thought people may oppose but then again, this is for me and it felt good writing it down.

Thank you for sharing. That was beautifully put. I also love North and South...read the books countless times and the miniseries as well. It just did not have the impact on me until I visited the South and uncovered some of my own family history that I'm not so proud of. I hope we can all learn from the past and not continue to make the same mistakes in the future.
Jill in CO

Baylor has a current interest in what we call the Confederate flag and we have open discussions about how it evokes so much hostility and yet the flag was also a symbol of much more and was around longer than the civil war. You had young men die for their homes and families that had no slaves and had no choice but to fight for that flag and he feels that it is as much of a part of our history as the red white and blue. He asked how he can say he loves the USA if he does not see value in all parts of it. He also is of the opinion that if it is rejected or hated simply because of it's link to racism, the KKK etc...then why is it that we do not also link a cross to the same thing since that is also used as a symbol of hate.

He actually made me sit back and think about my feelings and taught me how I was being cynical about something I did not know much about and was reacting to out of emotion not facts. So I did some research.

(In fact, there were 4 flags used by the south during the war. The one we are all the most familiar with was designed from the Scottish Cross of Saint Andrew. Which was along way before the confederacy. The other truth is that not a whole ton changed after the North "won." In fact, the facts behind how the North, handled the Reconstruction Era, is to me more appalling than the slavery itself.)

That kid really has some great points and as much as he sits in the background and mumbles through his sentences, he amazes me with his insight when I can understand them!

He got a shirt while we were in Charleston that is of the US Huntley. The first submarine that sank fighting the North. Baylor loves history, loves learning about the military and so he likes wondering about the lives of those in that sub and the stories behind them. He also got a book of the history behind the Huntley.

He cannot wear it to school because our school has a ban on anything bearing the Confederate flag. He is already approaching teachers, asking why the rule exists and when they do not really give him an answer, he asks why it is smart to follow a rule they do not understand.

He may end up in the principles office before he gives up but I will never tell him he should back down.

Ok -I need to get the rest uploaded!!!

 

[Dizneydawn]

Day 6 Cont'd

It ended up that we did have a few minutes before the tour began so we hit the cafe and gift shop and got treats to cool us down.

Soon our turn was there for the formal walk through and we headed towards the house. It was unbelievably hot.

We walked through the gate into the main front lawn and gardens of the home.

There was this bratty older teen that was in front of us. Wearing a bandanna and looking like an idiot. He was utterly amused that some bushes at the front of the house, looked phallic. In fact he was being egged on by his red neck family.

I told Kristi I might have to blow dart him in the neck. Or choke him into silence. This was not the place for stupidity and his whole family had been given a bounty of it. Overkill really.

Finally, the woman giving the tour came out and we got to walk upon the front veranda.

The tour itself was not that spectacular as far as what we got to see. The house is not old really and the people who owned this place are no longer related to the original owners and in fact at one point, it was owned by a family who was not even American.

What I adored was seeing the places the shows I had seen were filmed and they did have a neat room with displays of those films.

We then went outside and walked the slave row which had different decades and times represented in each one. From slaves to sharecroppers to the present history of American's including Michelle Obama, whose history comes from the people who lived in conditions like this. Some of the buildings were showing movies and were well done.

We also got to see a show about the Gullah culture. That was really good and although it made me smile every time the presenter said, "Gullah The people, Gullah the Nation," or "yeahhhhh," which was often, she was very informative. She spoke both in traditional English and in Gullah dialect and told a Christmas story in both languages so you could hear the difference.

One of my favorite memories was her explaining how a person could be talking right in front of you and you not know they were talking disrespectfully about you if spoken in Gullah. For example if you were a thief, they would call you, "a person with hands not patient."

Meaning you can not wait to earn it yourself, you have to take what is not yours.

I loved it and the kids seemed to really like it a lot too. We also saw horses and the beautiful cotton dock that were integral in the filming of the North and the South. I would love one of my kids to get married here!

After we went back behind the house and the kids climbed on these amazing trees that ran into the creek. How much fun would it be to have grown up here, if you were allowed to climb and play. They just begged for a children's touch.

2 other things we saw here that were unique was a smokehouse that was built in 1750.

and the grave sight of one of the original members of the Boone family.

BTW - in 1811. in a will of one of the descendants, the Plantation was listed as being up to 1,452 acres! There is also some discrepancy on who indeed planted the oaks. They might be attributed to an owner in the mid 1800's.

The plantation was huge in the brick making business for a long time. A census in 1850, it was listed as making over 4 million bricks a year with the help of 85 slaves.

The current home was built in 1936.


Oh...and the reason it is called Spanish Moss, is because the moss reminded Native Americans of the beards that the Spanish Conquistadors wore.

Now I have completed my History Segment for the day!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

very cool updates Dawn! And beautiful pictures to go with your beautiful writing.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[ddstratton]

Very nice updates! Looks like an interesting place to visit. I, too, am fascinated by history and such.

Go, Baylor! Honestly, why should we follow rules that no one knows the reason for? If there's a reason, fine. If there's no reason - what's the sense?

 

[Pamlur]

Dawn, I have just discovered all your trip reports, PTRs, etc, in the last week. Now I feel like I know your entire family, and would love to be able to actually meet you. But that won't happen, I'm sure, because I doubt I'll be doing any traveling in the near future. You and your family stand out as loving each other and being (so rightfully) proud of each other.

I am full-blown Southern, but from a poor lineage so no slave owners in my past. I love the South of today, I love how everybody smiles and speaks to all they pass, and tell each other to "have a good day, now".

Please keep up your writing, it makes my day.

 

[burly]

wow all that info was great. Would love to go see that plantation...

 

[PixiePlanner]

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[PixiePlanner]

Go, Baylor! Honestly, why should we follow rules that no one knows the reason for? If there's a reason, fine. If there's no reason - what's the sense?

A big AMEN!

Well said.

 

[Dizneydawn]

very cool updates Dawn! And beautiful pictures to go with your beautiful writing.
Thanks for sharing!

Glad you liked it!

Go, Baylor! Honestly, why should we follow rules that no one knows the reason for? If there's a reason, fine. If there's no reason - what's the sense?

He is the most trying of my kids for school because if it does not make sense he will mentally argue the point and then forgets to listen. I have to tell him that even though some things that schools have you do are dumb, we don't get a choice in everything we have to do so just do it and move past it. Even in 2nd grade, he hated the busy work that they had them do and would ask why he had to do it if it did not involve actually learning something.

That being said, I agree with him most of the time.

Dawn, I have just discovered all your trip reports, PTRs, etc, in the last week. Now I feel like I know your entire family, and would love to be able to actually meet you. But that won't happen, I'm sure, because I doubt I'll be doing any traveling in the near future. You and your family stand out as loving each other and being (so rightfully) proud of each other.
I am really so honored you are here. Thank you for taking the time to post. It mean a lot to me. What made you join the TR's now if I can ask? If you have read them all...you deserve an award!
I am full-blown Southern, but from a poor lineage so no slave owners in my past. I love the South of today, I love how everybody smiles and speaks to all they pass, and tell each other to "have a good day, now".
The South has swallowed us up. Treyner says all the time how much he appreciates the kindness there and now Carsyn will be heading down next year. Then 3 more years till Baylor is done and then we can all move! Although Baylor may hit Colorado and the slopes.
Please keep up your writing, it makes my day.

You have my word I will. Thanks again for joining in and don;t become a stranger here!

 

[Dizneydawn]

wow all that info was great. Would love to go see that plantation...

You have to go. Really, although I love the dramatic views and beauty of the Biltmore, this is much better in so many ways.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

That pretty much sums it up.

Preach on SISTAH!

A big AMEN!

Well said.

I keep telling Baylor he will do well in college because in college there is discussion, your opinions matter. In H.S., for many teachers, they just want to lecture, not really open forum for debate.

In H.S. I had a teacher named Mr. Vega. Hand to heaven he was the only one who would get into actual conversations with him like I was his equal or at least worthy of consideration. He taught US history and when we would have a quiz or test, I would get bribed with $ to get him rolling into a tit for tat on opinions so we would not have enough time for the quiz.

If the anti was high enough, I could always resort to mentioning I read an article on David Duke or the famine in Africa and we would not see the exam paper till the following class.

Hmmmm....maybe Baylor is like me....

 

[Dizneydawn]

I am off to a FB for Baylor this afternoon - will hopefully get more out tom! Thanks guys for reading along.

 

[lovegrumpy]

Your really making me think about get stationed there if it is open in 2012. I love everything you have written about the area.

 

[Dizneydawn]

Your really making me think about get stationed there if it is open in 2012. I love everything you have written about the area.

I honestly can tell you that not one person I talked to that lived there from all over the US and had moved, said they did not like it.

Yes at times, it is hotter than Satan's ballsack as Treyner would say,(Do I get in trouble for saying ballsack? ) but you can always cool off in the ocean and the people are just amazing.

I will be there again in Oct and can let you know more.

Literally just got off the phone with Treyner who said he liked Anderson enough but he missed the mountains of Durango and if he is going to live somewhere, he wants it where there is cheap things to do in nature like hiking and swimming etc....

As a poor college student, money is tight and I think he is appreciating what he had in Durango and what he misses in Charleston.

Maybe he will end up in the mountains.....

 

[jedijill]

I honestly can tell you that not one person I talked to that lived there from all over the US and had moved, said they did not like it.

Yes at times, it is hotter than Satan's ballsack as Treyner would say,(Do I get in trouble for saying ballsack? ) but you can always cool off in the ocean and the people are just amazing.

I will be there again in Oct and can let you know more.

Literally just got off the phone with Treyner who said he liked Anderson enough but he missed the mountains of Durango and if he is going to live somewhere, he wants it where there is cheap things to do in nature like hiking and swimming etc....

As a poor college student, money is tight and I think he is appreciating what he had in Durango and what he misses in Charleston.

Maybe he will end up in the mountains.....

The mountains will always be here. I took a job back home after I got out of the military and vowed to move to Colorado someday. A couple of years ago, I got the chance and haven't regretted it for a minute (except for the darn house that won't sell in KC!)

Jill in CO

 

[Pamlur]

I am really so honored you are here. Thank you for taking the time to post. It mean a lot to me. What made you join the TR's now if I can ask? If you have read them all...you deserve an award!

I honestly don't know what drew me to your TR's originally;I don't click into the TR forum too often. But when I started reading, I decided I needed to go back as far as I could and read forward. So I did.

 

[MEK]

Great update. No time for a long comment - I have to get ready for marching band practice. Not feeling it tonight because it actually feels cool out. Loved your description of the tour and your personal feelings. Kind of reminds me of the first time I heard my grandparents and uncle say something derogatory about african americans. It really surprised me because I knew what great people they were. Just knocked me off kilter for a few moments because it was my first experience with a prejudiced comment. I was probably 6 or 7.

 

[orangecats2]

Great update! I love touring old homes and finding out about their history. In fact, I bought a century home so my house is older than the "new" Boone house.

 

[Dizneydawn]

I honestly don't know what drew me to your TR's originally;I don't click into the TR forum too often. But when I started reading, I decided I needed to go back as far as I could and read forward. So I did.

Well cheers to fate then!!!

Just knocked me off kilter for a few moments because it was my first experience with a prejudiced comment. I was probably 6 or 7.

It's funny how after years of memories...how it is so easy to forget things and hard to let go of others.

Great update! I love touring old homes and finding out about their history. In fact, I bought a century home so my house is older than the "new" Boone house.

Ohhhh...can I see a pic? That is my dream... I want an old house. Nothing new and contemporary for me and fill it with antiques.

 

[Dizneydawn]

The mountains will always be here. I took a job back home after I got out of the military and vowed to move to Colorado someday. A couple of years ago, I got the chance and haven't regretted it for a minute (except for the darn house that won't sell in KC!)

Jill in CO

It will be interesting to see what happens with the kids and where they finally settle. I do love the area around Durango but I think I need the ocean more.