hauntedliving

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Gustav is on its way and it looks like it will hit New Orleans.  We all remember the destruction from Hurricane Katrina. I watched the news coverage for hours at a time even though it broke my heart. I will never forget the horror of seeing people stranded on rooftops or the sad, lonely faces of pets left behind.  My family and I donated money and household items to help.  Now New Orleans and the surrounding areas are going to face devastating damage once again. Mandatory evacuations going on at this time will surely save lives. Thank goodness, for the states who are taking in those displaced by Gustav.  I hope that they allow the evacuee to bring their pets and find a safe place for them.  If I had to leave my pets behind alone in my home, I would not leave without them.  If they have to stay in a wet, dangerous house then I will stay with them.  They are my babies; end of story.

Why are so many people afraid of Halloween?  Others just believe it is an evil holiday and anyone who participates is evil.  Halloween used to be accepted and those who did not want any part of the holiday would just turn off their porch light.  Now some Christian groups hold “fall festivals” on Halloween night to draw children and teens away from trick-a-treating.  One group explains their aversion to Halloween by stating that the pumpkin is traced by to a man named Jack who was so evil he could not enter heaven by too evil for hell. This is supposed to be where the name “Jack-o-lantern comes from.  As if, anyone could be too evil for hell.  Still others claim that to trick-a-treat is to worship the devil. This same group claims that the egg hunt on Easter is a pagan event.  Santa also is a supposed pagan figure.  Many of our holidays were once pagan holidays but children should have as much happiness as possible.  They will be adults soon enough.

Each time the gentle breeze blows the scents of summer wash over me.  I can smell cut grass, flowers, fresh dirt, and the succulent scent of meat on a grill.  The sounds reach me also.  I can hear people laugh, dogs barking, and a lawn mower.  Crows are calling out the sound of “warlock, warlock” to each other in the edge of the woods.  The shrill sound of the phone knocks me out of the moment until I hear the sweet voice of my nine-year-old granddaughter.  I am once again in a happy place as she tells me a cute joke.  She is still at the age to share her life and secrets with her Gammy.  I enjoy it while I can because in the not so distant future she will turn into a teen.  I hope that she will still trust me when that time comes.  For now I am thankful for the special love and closeness we share.

What was it like one hundred years ago in America?  We did not have a national debt and we had no taxes. We had the largest middle class in the world.  We were the most prosperous nation in the world.  Most women could stay home and take care of the children while Dad worked.  One paycheck per household was plenty back then.  Below is a list of just some of the taxes we pay;

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax, Hunting and Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Gasoline Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Tax, IRS Penalties, Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State, and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax, and more.
With all these taxes it is a wonder we have any money left to spend on the good things in life.  I think we were better off one hundred years ago.

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A few years ago, my husband and I decided to see more of our home state.  We have always had a love for Native Americans and wanted to visit a place special to them.  We chose to go to New Echota near Calhoun, Georgia.

In 1825, the Cherokee established a capital and named it New Echota.  Its central location made it a great choice for the capital.  The tribal council planned a community and the Cherokee surveyed the land.  They built a two-acre town square, Council house, Supreme Court, print shop, private homes, stores, a ferry, and the Vann Tavern.

In 1832 Georgia’s sixth land Lottery gave away the Cherokee land to white settlers and

in 1838, the U.S. Army began the forced removal of the Cherokee to the west on the “Trail of Tears”.  Later archeologists search through the capital and find type used to print the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper and the remains of buildings.  The state of Georgia decided to rebuild the capital and turn it into a state park.

When we arrived at New Echota the first thing we saw was the Trail of Tears monument.  While reading the encryption on the monument we both became intensely sad.  We made our way through the Museum and out to the trails that wind through the town.  As we walked, a small bird seemed to follow us and landed close to our feet several times.  It was as if the bird was trying to tell us something.  After touring the buildings, we took the trail to the river.  Large bushes and trees grow on each side of the path.  I became upset after walking through three spider webs. We stopped to look for a stick to clear them as we walked.  We looked around but did not see anything useful. I did not want to go back but the thought of the webs on my face almost brought me to tears.  I stood there debating what to do when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find there was no one there but there on the ground was a stick about two feet long. That stick was a gift from the spirits of the Cherokee. We continued our tour and left with an even greater appreciation for the Cherokee people.  It was sad, beautiful, and wonderful.  I encourage everyone to pay a visit to New Echota.

They say everyone has a twin out there somewhere.  It seems that I have more than one.  Strangers come up to me all the time and ask me if I am someone else.  This happens in the grocery store, the mall, the post office etc…  This has even happened when I was on vacation in a different state.  I wonder about these mystery twins of mine.  I would like to know more about them other than a name and the fact they look like me.  Do they have hobbies and interest similar to mine?  Do they have pets?  Are they married or have children?  I like to think we have more in common than just a face.  The next time someone asks me if I am someone else, I am going to find out all about that person. I may even go visit that person and get to know them.  Just think how much fun it will be shopping with my twin and the looks we will get.

For a couple of days we have felt the affects of Tropical Storm Fay.  We live in West Central Georgia between Atlanta and Columbus.  We have had constant rain and gusty wind for two days now.  I am not complaining though it could be a lot worse.  Florida and South Georgia have suffered much more than we have.

Yesterday I could not shake the feeling a tree was about to fall.  I had reason to be nervous about the trees, as several have fallen before during storms.  Right after dinner, I took Coca, one of our dogs out.  I tried to take her to a second driveway at the edge of the woods.  She absolutely refused to go that way and instead pulled me in the opposite direction.  A few seconds later, a huge pine fell in the area where we would have been standing.  I think my heart stopped when I heard that tree fall.  I am so thankful that Coca did not listen to me, that she took us to a safe place.  She got a treat and lots of hugs and kisses for being smarter than her owner is.

When we first moved to this area, we lived two houses down the street.  That house has a large covered front porch that looks out over the road.  The lot next to the house is empty and has a stream that runs across and back into the woods.  Some parts of the stream are about two feet deep or more where beavers have made dams.  Deer and other animals live in the woods and drink from the stream.

One day my daughter and her two girls were over at our house for a visit.  The girls were playing on the swing set in the front yard and my daughter was watching them from the porch. While keeping an eye on the girls my daughter noticed a large, black cat watching them from the edge of the woods.  Afraid that the cat would pounce she told the girls not to run but to go to the porch.  Once the girls were on the porch, the cat turned and ran into the woods.

My sons and some of their friends saw two of the cats in our back yard more than once. My oldest daughter saw one on her job about three miles from here and our neighbor shot at one in his yard.  The neighbor called the State Wildlife Division who said we do not have black panthers in Georgia.  They did send a man to check for tracks but he only made a half-hearted attempt to find anything. 

We have not seen them for a while now.  They may be gone or they may be out there.  So far, they have not hurt anyone and I hope no one hurts them.  After all, they have to live somewhere too. 

From the time, I was six until I was nine my family and I lived at the base of Black Jack Mountain. This was a very rural area with just a few houses near by. We would see all manner of wildlife in and around our yard.

One night we heard a scream from the field behind our house. My Dad thought someone needed help and rushed out the back door. Mom was about to follow Dad when he yelled for her to stop. Dad began to walk backwards toward the porch where Mom and I stood. In almost a whisper, Dad told us to go into the house and to move slowly. We were confused but did as Dad told us. It was not until Dad reached the steps that we saw what had scared him so. A huge black cat was keeping pace with Dad. The cat was the size of a large dog and had jet-black fur. Mom reached over and gripped my arm. About that time, my Dad turned and ran the last few feet to the door. Once he was inside, we slammed the back door shut. That was my first encounter with one of the big cats but it was not to be the last. Georgia Wildlife Division has stated there are no panthers in our state. We do have pumas and bobcats though bobcats are much smaller and pumas are brown. I cannot explain what we saw that night. I do know it was real and my Dad is lucky to be alive.

Today I decided to take a walk in the woods behind our house.  It was much cooler there in the shade.  I walked for a while watching the squirrels scamper up the trees and play chase with each other.  When I got to the stream I sat down on a fallen log and watched the shallow water flow past.  There were butterflies and bees on the wild flowers and some lizards moving among the rocks at the edge of the stream.  I sat there for a while and then I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye.  I cut my eyes to the side and there stood a deer.  A doe was slowly walking closer to where I sat.  Every few feet she would stop, look around and take a few bites of grass. After about five minutes, she noticed me and ran deeper into the woods.  I slowly let out my breath and headed back to my house.  My step was lighter and a smile played around my lips.  I was thankful for the gift in the woods.