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| As The Crow Sits In His Tree Well, here we go. Went to see the Oncologist. He comes highly recommended. He sent the examples of my tumors off to see if they are a match for the treatment he wants to use. If they do match, it will take about 8 weeks of treatment to see if they are responding. It is possible that the tumors could go away altogether. Without any treatment at all, I would have 3 to 6 months to live. With treatment, I would have three years and indefinitely. I'm keeping on top of my pain meds. Getting a little tired. I'll try having something for the newsfeed soon. It all depends on strength. |
| As The Crow Flies This Old Crow Is Grounded If I have been silent for the last week, it is because I have been in the hospital. The reason for my stay in hospital has taken me a while to get my feathers wrapped around. I have been diagnosed with pancreas and liver cancer. The final prognosis will come when I see the oncologist after Christmas. He will study the biopsy results and tell me what kind of cancers are present. Since I spoke to my first Doctor, I could tell in her voice what the most likely outcome would be, that I would be dead sooner rather than later. I have no illusions about the outcome. I know that these cancers are killers and that my worst days are to come. I am taking one day at a time. Yesterday, as I took my dog out, a flock of Canadian geese honked in their formation directly over my head. I bid them farewell and said I would be joining them soon. Maybe they were letting me know that they are waiting for my arrival. I know it all sounds rather silly, but I have given myself the license to be silly if I wish. I will keep you all posted as long as I am able. Until then, think of me, as I think of the many of you who are dealing with life issues of your own. For those of you who suffer, I am very sorry for your pain. This is not a signoff note, but only an update. Speak to you all soon. Have a wonderful Christmas. |
| I'm so sorry to hear this. Keep your chin up. Please be whatever you like. There's a time for everything, including laughing and crying. I'm fond of sillyness. After all I do it often. Praying for positive results plus some strength and comfort. |
| How Is Everyone Doing? There is one thing you can say about being a part of the Wdc writing community; you can find out about the blessings, trials, and tribulations that your fellow writers are experiencing. Whether it is an upcoming Doctors appointment or the recent loss of a loved one, you are blessed to share the good, the bad, and the ugly. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that. It is a very positive thing that people feel comfortable enough to open a window into their private lives. Some may choose to keep those private things held close to the vest. That is their privilege, and it should always be respected. We are enjoying the time of year when most people like to hear about the beauty and joy of life. On the other hand, there are those of us who may be going through rough patches and having a difficult time watching the celebrations around them. At this particular time, you may not feel all that great, I know I don’t. I’ll be going to the doctor soon to find out why. I will do my best to push through, rather than bring everybody down with me. I sincerely pray that we can make it through the holidays with as much positivity as possible. I remember I used to take shots at all the butterflies and rainbows that inundated Wdc. I realize now that such things are just what we need when the body and mind are spent, and feel like giving up. Treat yourself or someone else to something special. Make this season count in the way it was meant to. |
| As The Crow Has The A.C. On Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful Well, how is that working out for you? Is your weather frightful? I can say with a certain annoyance, that our weather down in South Louisiana is anything but frightful. I think I remember Steven saying the other day that it was like summer where he was. I believe, if things continue as they are, that down here we may skip winter altogether. Can you imagine it being 79 degrees in the middle of December? I could see that if I lived in California, but I don’t. If you live in the North, you may have issues with the cold. You may wish it was just a tad warmer. I want you to bite your tongue if you even say that to yourself. Just throw another log on the fire and remember that it is December. And, send a dip of at least 20 degrees if you can spare it. |
Careful what you wish for Crow  ! By New Year's Eve you might have your own snow (or maybe it'll wait until April)! I'm in NC - last week it was in the mid 70's one day, and three days later the low was 25 degrees. The birds don't know what to do -- I saw bluebirds flitting around my bluebird house...I sure hope they didn't build a nest! It's a Wonky Weather Wonderland (and the wildlife doesn't know what to do)! |
| As The Crow Flies We Do Understand This, Don’t we? Of course, this is the time of year when Christmas always seems to be part of the conversation, nearly any conversation. However, it would do everyone some good to understand what they are celebrating, a pagan celebration to be exact. Surely, we must understand that Jesus was not born on December 25th. The shepherds were not in the fields watching their flocks by night; the sheep weren't in the fields in December. And, I note this just in passing, baby Jesus was not shivering in the cold like some Christmas songs would have us believe. Now, don’t get your panties in a twist. I love the Christmas season. It can be a very festive and fun time of year. All I am saying is that we should understand we are celebrating a tradition and not a historical fact. The celebration has gone through more changes than Katie Perry’s hair color. We have finally arrived at where we are today, at least in the U.S. So, have fun and enjoy friends and family. Just keep in mind that there is a lot more to Christmas than meets the eye. |
| Here is a little historic fact about Christmas... It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. |
| As The Crow Remembers A Haunting Sound On A Cold Frosty Morn I am always reminded of a precious memory on cold and frosty mornings. Let me tell you a little story of one such morning in my young life that still means a lot to me. When we were teenagers, my compadres and I always waited with great anticipation for the beginning of the hunting season. We only hunted small game, squirrels, and rabbits. The size of the game didn’t have any effect on the degree of our excitement. I didn’t have a car at this time, so one of my companions would usually use his old family car for our hunting trips. I forget the particular month, but it was unusually cold, and the frost was heavy on the ground. Like so many youths, the cold didn’t hamper our plans in the least. Our adrenalin alone would have made us somewhat impervious to the freezing temperatures. In any case, I was waiting on my front stoop with my gear. It was still dark. I got up and began to walk around in the front yard, the frost crunching under my feet. Then I began to hear a distant sound that seemed to be coming from high in the starry sky. It was the sound of honking geese. I couldn’t see them, but I knew they were passing just beyond me. As I looked up and carefully listened, their calling to each other became very distinct. For a short moment, I could only imagine what they were seeing on their path through the freezing predawn sky. It was a distant and haunting sound that I have never forgotten. I had been raised in the city and had never even seen a Canadian goose, but I knew what they were. These days, I live just outside of the city and see the beautiful geese fly by quite often. Whenever I am blessed to see them flying in their formations, I most often shout to them, bonjour mes amis. |
| As The Crow Remembers Christmas Is It Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas? How about you? Do you think it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas? I don’t know how you’re feeling, but it doesn’t feel like those Christmases when I was a youngster. What do you think the differences are between then and now? Well, certainly the world has changed in the past fifty or sixty years. It should go without saying that people have changed, especially since those shots rent the air in Dallas. I don’t doubt that we live in a country that old-timers like myself would never have believed would come into being. In any case, I digress, as writers often say and do. I remember Christmases past as being wholly different. There was something special in the air. I couldn’t wait until they opened toy-land just around the corner from Kress five and dime. It was an annex of the main store set up just for kids. Well, Kress is a part of history. I guess I could include the aluminum Christmas tree. We had one of those, along with the rotating light that showed the tree in about 4 different colors. My mother decorated the tree with those big fat lights. I still love those. She would hang ice cycles and every strand had to be perfect. All the downtown storefronts were decorated as the bustle of shoppers followed each other like ants. It was an exciting sight to see. The shoppers and the iconic stores are gone, all victims to the changing times. My conclusion is this: Christmas hasn’t changed, we have. We can hold to the wonderful things we remember, but we can never bring them back. The only thing to do is to make new memories as best we can. They won’t be exactly the same, but they will be ours and our loved ones. I hope you have a very merry Christmas. |
| As The Crow Finds Interesting Things A Little Safety Pin While I was out on one of my weekly forest hikes, I happened to look down and saw a black safety pin. It was a large pin that I couldn’t help but be intrigued by. It started me thinking, something my wife says is always dangerous. I wondered where this little fellow came from, and, while I didn’t know his personal history, I could delve into his family tree. The safety pin was invented in 1849 by mechanic Walter Hunt. Hunt needed $15.00 to pay off a personal debt. He applied for a patent, got it, and sold it to a company for $400.00 (around 22,000 dollars in today’s money) Walter paid off his debt and kept the rest of the money for himself. The company Walter sold his patent to went on to make millions on the little pin. Many people consider a safety pin as a good luck charm. My little found pin sits on my desk. Who couldn’t use a little good fortune? |
| As The Crow Considers Enough Blood You all know this old crow. I love the study of history, disease, and people. For me, those three make up the complete package. I can take or leave politics, but it is one of those things that is practically impossible to escape these days. Let me give you a very short example. My wife loves to watch those cheesy holiday movies where all the characters are either beautiful or handsome, live in gorgeous homes, and never seem to do any work. There is a guy, a girl, and the Christmas season. With those three in play, you know everything is going to work out in the end. It always does. But that’s not all; at some point in the whole affair, the writers slip in a not so subtle mention of global warming, and we must do everything we can do to avert disaster. Better yet, they get a child to bring up the subject. After all, who can resist the great wisdom of children? I’m sorry, that wasn’t as short as I had hoped. I do want to make it clear that we are always being drawn into the not-so-pleasant side of life. There is always someone who wants to let us smell the rotting underbelly of life in this world, no matter where in history they wish to drag us. As a historian, I am often determined to take people where they do not wish to go. I believe that it is important that they see the world as it is, but I forget, that, in my great need to educate others, I have often overloaded them with a constant stream of bloody history. I must learn that it is just too much at times. The bottom line is this: we may not mind a little gore during the Halloween season, but not a steady stream throughout the rest of the year. I’m the one writing these posts, and the things I research eventually begin to affect me. So, I think I’ll watch Polar Express. There is no politics or blood. |
| As The Crow Watches People All The Friendly People The Bible is very clear when it says, “If a man will have friends, he must show himself friendly.” Well, that would seem logical. It has been shown countless times that people are drawn to friendly people. Even so, the consideration of friendliness can prove more complicated than we might think. It is multifaceted. Being an amateur historian, I have studied many people who seemed to exude a congenial nature. However, when I began to scrutinize the whole of the person, there was something dark that my initial exposure did not reveal. This dark side that escapes many in what we shall call the honeymoon of many new relationships could be recalled time and time again in true-crime events. Anyone who has studied crime between individuals knows very well that this is true. So, what am I saying here? Am I, in some way, insinuating that many of the friendly people you meet, even those on Wdc, have a dark side that you are not aware of? Well, while such is always a possibility, it is unlikely that such a sinister side could be indefinitely restrained so as not to be eventually noticed. All right, now that I have made some of our more sensitive members uncomfortable, I will begin closing by saying that I am much more concerned about the random people in the parking lot of my neighborhood supermarket than the writers I have met on Wdc. Yes, we all have our secrets, but the greater majority of us aren’t out to harm anyone. And, while writing can drive us all a little crazy at times, I have yet to see anyone flip out over a bad review. Of course, that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Oh my, I almost forgot. Have a very merry Christmas, and be self-aware in those parking lots. |
| As The Crow Does The Holidays The Beauty Of The Holidays It seems to me that nothing can compare to the holiday season. If you live in northern environs, you may well look to those first flurries of snow. I have heard that some northerners don’t care much for snow. That seems strange, but I would venture a guess that their ire arises when the beautiful powder begins to turn to a dark slush on city streets. I Live in the deep south, Louisiana to be exact. We rarely see snow in the more southerly regions of Louisiana, but it does come from time to time. I remember a goodly number of years back when we had one big blow in particular. It started to fall just before daylight and continued for the entire day. The flakes were as big as a man’s thumb and topped out at about six inches deep. You can imagine the excitement, especially for the children. Many had never seen snow except in pictures. You could stand on your porch and hear the tree branches snapping under the unexpected weight they tried to bear. That snow day for us was quite the event. Businesses closed down, and most of the work that was done involved building snowmen and snowball fights. Cars slid from curb to curb like bumper cars. Looking back now, there are many photo albums filled with the events of that special day. Well, so far it doesn’t look like snow will make it down to us this year. However, the weather has been most cooperative with chilly temps and beautiful skies. When those chilly winds do begin to blow, retailers get a warm fuzzy feeling. They know that cold fronts moving through the area get shoppers in the holiday mood. As far as they are concerned, the colder it gets the better their sales will be. Holiday shoppers up north have winter weather down to a science, and the shopping as well. Some people will indeed have a white Christmas. We don’t expect a white Christmas down south, but a cold one would be really nice. I pray that you and yours will have a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. |
| As The Crow Flies The Red Summer Of 1919…continued In my lasting posting, we discussed the Race Riots that burned hot across 25 states in the Union. Award-winning writer Andrew Dickens writes: “ In 1919, hundreds of people were murdered in race riots across the US and UK.” If Americans know anything at all about these riots, it is unlikely that they realize that these explosions of death and destruction were not limited solely to the United States. Our British cousins were having their brands of race wars. In any case, the violence knew no barriers. Men, women, and children were killed with a bloodlust that should defy any sane imagination. Though accounts may vary in different accounts and the fact that many white newspapers were quick to stoke the flames of fear and prejudice, it is an accepted fact of history that people were lynched, stoned, shot, and even burned at the stake. Don’t make the mistake of believing that burning lynching victims is too crazy to believe. Check for yourself, they happened. Reports reveal that most of the violence consisted of white-on-black attacks, but it is also true that many blacks determined that they would be victims no longer and struck back with force against their tormentors. Black men assembled as many guns and as much ammunition as they could, ready and willing to battle fire with fire. Statistics tell us that from 1889 to 1918, more than 3000 blacks were lynched, that number including 50 black women. Such lynchings would not be considered the sport of kings, but it was considered a sport by many whites. There are many pictures of white mobs smiling for the camera as they point to the hanging body of their ill-fated black victim. In 1919, black and white soldiers were being demobilized and sent home. The homecoming black troops might have expected was not what they received. Many black soldiers, having won the highest honors from the French Nation, would step off the boat to a nation seething with racial animosity. These were battle-hardened veterans having earned their stripes. They were not in the least prepared to cast their eyes downward when passing a white man on the street. When relations with whites began to go south, they decided they had taken all they were going to take. All hell was about to break loose. |
| As The Crow Flies The Riots And Lynchings Of 1919 Note from the writer: In my last post on the racial divide, I stated that I would turn my attention to the lynchings perpetrated in the said period. The information is voluminous and would require a minimum of 1000 words. Please bear with me as I try to shed some light in the space which I am allowed. The race riots that swept our country in 1919 were like nothing the country had ever seen. The murderous brutality on both sides of the color line was a shock to the entire nation. Having lived through the rapacious and engorged jaws of war that men had experienced in World War I, it was hard for many to believe that hatred and murderous intent would be waiting for them upon returning home. Both black and white men had no idea that yet another war was waiting just beyond the pleasant shore of the country they had risked their lives to defend. Hanging was nothing new to the American mindset. In the 19th century, entire towns would turn out in a macabre carnival atmosphere to see one or more criminals hang. Fathers hoisted children upon their shoulders to gain a better view. Eventually, however, public hangings passed away with the changing times. The last public hanging took place in 1936 in Owensboro, Kentucky. It is estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 people turned out for the gruesome event. Public executions had ended, but hanging by the rope did not lose its grip on many Americans' sense of justice. Most notable were the twenty-five race riots that exploded in Northern and Southern cities across the United States in 1919. The rope, shotgun, rifle, and pistol were well employed during these relentless melees. Note from the author: To do at least some justice to this particular period of American History and due to space constraints, there will be subsequent posts to follow. I hope to give riot details concerning several cities. For those readers who have the slightest interest in this chapter of American History, I pray you will bear with me as I attempt to shed some light on the violence of particular cities. |
| As The Crow Flies The Racial Divide You will often hear that race relations in the United States are in the worst state in the countries’ history. Looking to the 17th century, when the first slaves were brought to the new world, and then continuing to look forward after that, I puzzle how any person who gives even a cursory glance at the history of Western Civilization could believe such a thing as the first sentence of this offering. Yes, present relations are indeed volatile, but they in no way compare to the wanton violence and brutality of past decades. And, be sure to bear in mind that we have no space to cover the horrors that took place during the African Slave Trade of the 18th and 19th centuries. We cannot speak of what took place in the Congo during the height of the rubber trade. We must stay closer to home. If you were a black man living in the Southern or Northern United States at the beginning of the 20th Century, your life didn’t count for much. Black men did fight in the great war(WW1) They came from every state in the nation. They often fought with great distinction, but that hardly mattered when they returned home. In what was to be called “The Red Summer of 1919” racial violence spread throughout many states, both north and south. “The Times and Democrat” of South Carolina reported: “The recent outbreaks of racial violence in Longview, Texas; Norfolk, Virginia; Washington, D. C.; and Chicago Illinois; illustrates two very serious things. In the first place, it reveals that such things are not confined to the South, but occur in the Northern states also.” The paper went on to place most of the blame on blacks who had forgotten their place in society, especially in the case of returning black soldiers. Speaking of those soldiers, they believed they had done their bit for Uncle Sam and deserved just a bit of respect. However much respect they believed they had earned, they rarely ever got it. Do I have any space left to broach the subject of lynchings? I might do better by waiting for my next posting. By the way, I have listened to “The Red Summer of 1919” on Audible. I have also researched the 1919 newspapers from various cities. In some cases, it seemed like an all-out war between the races for the slightest incident. You won’t believe your ears. |
| ...Man...Easy to tell when folks RESEARCH instead of believing what the 'magic picture screens' tell them...Im an amateur historian my dang self- good show, Mr Crow...Good show. |
| If they served together they respected each other. Blood is still red and bleeds no matter the color of someone's skin. It's sad that some people didn't see it that way. That being said, judging all by what some did, said, or experienced isn't everyone. Isn't that why the civupil war came to be? Today there's much more freedom to for all than back then. |
| As The Crow Does Thanksgiving What’s for Thanksgiving Dinner? I hear that if you are planning to lay out a big spread for Thanksgiving, you’re going to be paying a lot more for the vittles than you did last year. One commentator said that Thanksgiving - or even Christmas dinners — will cost more than they have in ten years. Maybe it’s just me, but I believe most people had figured that out already. Many have their finger on the economic pulse of what consumers are having to dole out for needful things. Forbes says that everything will be higher, with certain standouts when speaking of food. Turkeys seem to be heading the list due to a shortage of our unfortunate feathered friends. It is estimated that the number of birds delivered to our supermarkets will be the smallest in ten years. Well, there is that ten years again. Curt Covington, senior director of Institutional Credit at Agricultural Lender AgAmerica has some hints for shoppers. I promise I didn’t make that up. They are a real institution. Covington says that you can save a little money by making certain adjustments. Buy a bigger bird than you might normally need. I can handle that. I can eat turkey for a week. Shop early. Don’t wait until it’s between you and two other shoppers eyeballing the last two turkeys in the case. Choose alternatives to your traditional fare. Instead of Mac and cheese, just serve the Mac without the cheese. That was my idea. I don’t think it would fly. Covington says that you might try purchasing some of your items from a farmer's market if you have one available. Also, keep the guest list down. Tell some that might have come to your house that you have decided to go out of town this year, and then don’t. Lastly, try serving several chickens instead of turkey. The turkeys won’t mind. Now, get to shopping. The clock is ticking. |
| I heard that Roosevelt had promised the servicemen overseas they'd have turkey for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving day came. They had no turkey dinner. When the men asked where thier turkey dinner was, TDR put his hands over the chicken, closed his eyes, and said, "I bless this chicken, turkey." I wasn't there so I don't know. |
| If we have turkey, it will not be a whole one. I buy a few turkey thighs. One for soup, one for roasting. It's just enough for us, plus I can cook it in the toaster oven. Then I make all the extra stuff to go with it stuffing with apples, onions, celery, and maybe some cranberry jelly in it. I also serve mashed potatoes and cranberry jelly. Did I say cranberry jelly? |
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HAPPY NEW YEAR.