A Picture is Worth...

I took my camera with me today as I did errands in Blacksburg and Gaffney.  Gaffney is about ten miles from Blacksburg heading west and where I go to do banking and Walmarting.  There are some sights around this area that only a picture could do justice.

Sometimes, when I am in a new area, I will see something that reminds me of someone or some place I’ve been to before.  It's so cool when this happens.  It's like a surprise visit from an old friend.  So far I've had two such surprises.

There is a street I pass on my way to the Post Office that reminds me of two great people who were leaders in our Bible Study Group when we lived in Mobile, Alabama.  Chuck and Sharon Whisonant are the nicest people you could ever meet.  They immediately took Rick and me in as friends when we started going to Cottage Hill Baptist Church.  We feel blessed to know them. 

I think of Chuck and Sharon whenever I pass by WHISONANT STREET.  I don’t think it’s a very common name.  They are the only Whisonants I know.  Chuck and Sharon have come to this area of South Carolina on vacation in the past, to visit family I think, so it could be a distant relative of Chuck's that this street is named after.  You never know.



I am curious to find out if this sign has any connection to Chuck.

Another person I think about often is my best friend, Barb Bergstrand.  She lived in Pittsfield when I lived there.  I miss her dearly and haven’t seen her since May of 2008 when we passed through Pittsfield on our way to a job in Gillette, Wyoming.  However, when we talk on the phone, we pick right up from where we left off.  Friends do that. 

Lots of changes have happened to Barb this year.  She retired from teaching elementary school and she recently moved with her husband Kevin to Indiana.  They sold a great home near Pittsfield that Rick and I dubbed “The Bed and Breakfast.” We loved staying there whenever we came to visit. 

Their cabin-style house with its huge front porch was located on Ambrosia Hollow Road.  Barb would often say they lived in the “holler,” just like a hillbilly from Appalachia would say.  [No Barb, I am not calling you a hillbilly.  I would never do that!]  Now they live on Possum Trot Road in Indiana, another unusual street name. Don’t you think? 

Besides naturally thinking about Barb because she is my friend, I also think about her whenever I pass this historic landmark in Gaffney.  It’s a one room schoolhouse that was built in 1880.  It’s a double whammy reminder of Barb because it’s a schoolhouse and because of its name, Possum Trot School.  As soon as I saw it, I knew Barb would love it, so this picture is for you Barb!

This one-room schoolhouse was restored in 1969.

According to information I found on the web, the name “Possum Trot”
mostly like came from the fact that the students reached the school by following
an existing possum trail through the nearby woods.

   

There are a few other pictures I want to share with you that don’t remind me of anyone or any place I’ve been.  They are just cool pictures of things I found interesting in this area.

The first is a water tower, but it’s not your typical water tower.   It is in the shape of a giant peach. They call it the Peachoid. The peach is South Carolina's state fruit.  There are several peach farms near Gaffney and this may be why they decided to build this unique water tower.



The Peachoid looking east. 

It is listed as one of the state’s famous roadside attractions.

  

The Gaffney Peachoid was built in 1981. 
It's an awesome sight as you drive along I-85 between Exit 90 and 92.

Looking straight at the peach is not the best way to view it.  Rick

says it looks like a fat butt, crack and all!!  [Pardon my French.] 
I think the Fatz sign is very appropriate considering!!  LOL



Part of my errands today included stopping at the Work Boots Plus store to pick up some Boot Guard for Rick's work boots.  It’s in a quaint little shopping center.  Next door to Work Boots Plus is the Bargain Shoes store.  What I particularly like about the Bargain Shoes store is not necessarily their shoes, it's what they have added to their sign.  See picture.

What a blessing to see this bold statement of faith!!

After leaving here I went to Walmart to shop for groceries.  I passed by McDonald’s and I noticed their marquee sign was flashing this message: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”  I am happy to see more and more Christians taking a stand for what they believe in. 

So there you have it!  This completes our mini tour of my little corner of the globe.  I firmly believe you have to make an area your own.  You must claim it for yourself.  If you have no family or friends around, that's all you can do.  I claim Whisonant Street, Possum Trot School, the Peachoid, Bargain Shoes and Jesus.  What do you claim?

Peace and Love,

~ P

Hello In There

On Friday, I noticed that we were getting the HBO channel, which we do not subscribe to.  Yipee!!  Free movies this weekend!!  While perusing the channel guide to see what was playing, I noticed that Bette Midler had a special on from Las Vegas.  It reminded me of the last time I last saw her perform.

It was many, many years ago, sometime in the late ‘70’s, that I saw Bette Midler on another HBO special.  She was quite the performer then.  Out of all the songs she sang in that show, there was one song that has left a mark on my heart to this day.  It’s the song called “Hello In There.” 
 

Before she sings the song, Bette tells a story about a 400 lb. lady she passes in the streets of NYC.  The lady is going bald on the crown of her head and there on the crown sits a fried egg.  Bette prays asking God not to let her wake up the next morning and decide to put a fried egg on her top of her head; but if she does, she prays that nobody will notice; but if they do notice and want to talk about her having a fried egg on top of her head, she prays that she won’t hear them talk about it. 

 

She goes on to say that sooner or later everyone will get a fried egg, call it what you want, but everyone will get one; some will wear it on the outside and some on the inside.  After this moving performance, she begins to sing the song “Hello In There.”

 

The song is also very moving.  It’s a slow melody with sad lyrics.  They almost make you want to cry.  It’s about the loneliness of the elderly.

 

Imagine.  You are in the twilight years of your life.  Your children, if you had any, are grown and have moved away.  You don’t hear much from them.  You feel alone even if you are not.  Life doesn’t seem to matter like it used to.  You don’t do much anymore.  You sit and stare and think about things that were.  You think about getting in touch with old friends, but don’t because nothing has changed and you don’t have much to say.  Loneliness consumes you and you let it.  You feel invisible.  You go through the motions each day and the people around you don’t know how lonely you really are because you can’t tell them or don't want them to know.  You are satisfied to sit on your porch and stare out into the world as it passes you by. 

 

All those years ago, the “fried egg” story impressed upon me that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect no matter what is different about them.  We are all different in our own unique ways.  The song showed me I need to be gentle and kind to all, especially the elderly.

 

The last verse of the song says,

So if you're out walking down the street sometime
and you spot some hollow ancient eyes,
please don’t just pass them by and stare
as if you didn't care.

        Say, "Hello in there. Hello."

I took this to heart.  Over the years I have had several opportunities to wave to strangers sitting on their porch.  It lifts my heart as I watch them smile back and wave.  I know they are wondering who I am and how do they know me.  Even if it's just for a few minutes, I hope I have given them something different to think about, maybe even taking their mind off of some trouble they are having.  I like this.  It makes me feel good about waving to them.

Since moving to Blacksburg, Rick and I have been waving to an elderly, white haired lady who lives on Lime Street.  We see her sitting on her porch most Sunday mornings as we drive by on our way to church.  I can see the questions on her face as she waves back, uncertain of who we are.  I am always disappointed when I don't see her sitting on the porch because it lifts my soul to wave and say, "Hello in there."  I pray it does the same for her.

Hugs ♥

~ P

I was able to find Bette Midler’s performance on YouTube and it was still very moving to me.  Click on this link if you want to watch it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn0YqNvBvy4&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL043345848EE3240B