My family says some wild stuff. Here's a few of my favorites.
"Really hard being this damn good lookin' everyday."---Poppa
"Ever think those cowboy boots are the reason you ain't got a man?" My Momma on my dating.
"Eat this beet and you'll grow up nice and purdy."---Great Grandmother
"HOLY MACKERAL!"--Granddaddy
"Someone's obviously voo-dooed you with some bad juju." My Momma
"Grow em' (girls) up in our country, in the dirt, next to the river, and they will grow up to be pretty as wildflowers and mean as a damn cottonmouth." Living advice from the general group.
"Well, it's Saturday night in Shawneetown. Take either a shotgun or a knife for safe keepins."---More life advice.
"Putting two drinkin' Kentuckians in the same room is like putting two wildcats in a cloth sack, just plain stupid." Granddaddy again.
Ya'll got any bits of wisdom to share from your folks?
Once again I have dedicated this post to the up and coming flood we are about to have. I live in Baton Rouge, which I have made clear, and this city rests on the Mississippi. The Mississippi has already climbed its way over its normal bed, swelling up to nearly the top of the levee. However, the worst is yet to come. The river is supposed to crest the levee on May 22nd, which will lead to some major flooding. I went to see the river yesterday and the Big Muddy is resting its self on the recreational part of the levee downtown, where I was sitting watching the sun set two weeks ago at the Earth Day Festival. The city has already started to prepare for the worst, putting down said bags at low points of the levee downtown and moving animals from the LSU vet school, located less than a hundred yards from the levee.
I went home to a Kentucky full of tornadoes and flood water. My home right now is experiencing a historic flood with waters reaching the level of the flood of 1937. Here's some pictures of Southwest Kentucky during the 1937 flood. Here's some pictures from that flood.
Paducah, KY 1937
Flood Memorial Paducah, Kentucky
Dowtown Paducah-1937 Flood.
The Ohio River and its tributaries are swollen and many people in Southwest Kentucky are having to evacuate their homes. I went home and helped sandbag houses, stake high water roads, and move cattle to safer ground. I felt like I was in a John Wayne movie. I luckily have been raised by cowboys, so my upbringing helps me know what to do when trouble is a'comin'. The Army Corps of Engineers have been considering busting a levy on the river to keep the city of Cairo, Illinois, from going completely underwater. For ya'll not from that part of the world, Cairo rests at the crux of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and is considered one of the most important ports on the Mississippi River. Many of my kinfolk are surrounded by water, with their houses looking like islands. Today, my uncle used a john boat to go get my grandfather out of his house because it was inaccessible by car. Interesting to watch how Mother Nature can put life at a standstill.
Lonnie Johnson wrote a great song called "Flood Water Blues" about the 37' flood. Here's some lyrics to it:
"When it lightin', my mind gets frightened, my nerves begin weakenin' down
And the shack where we was livin' began movin' 'round...
Women and children were screamin', sayin', 'Lord must we go?'
'The floodwater have broke the levees and we ain't safe here no more."
Very haunting song. Here's a recording of Mr. Johnson singin' it.
