The Okie Legacy

January - 2001

Millennium Edition, 20 Jan. 2001, Vol. III, Iss. 3

OK! OK! OK! I think the week is finally catching up to me. It is coming back in flashes. Let me see... Looking back to the beginning of the week we saw some of that white, wintry, fluffy stuff they call snow. No Icy stuff this time. AND... NO! I did not make a snowman!

The snow lasted for a couple days before it melted. A reader in the western mountains reported in that they had more than 13 inches of snow around the beginning of the week, and it continues to fall. That should make the snow-skiers happy, huh? I need some firewood for these cold wintry days & nights. Anyone out there have a cord of good firewood they would sell me?

This last week I received the following info concerning the tradition of Black-eyed peas, good luck and new years. This is what someone from the south had to say about that,...

"Greetings from the South! I thought I'd take a minute to tell the story. It seems that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is mainly a Southern tradition. Here's why... During the Civil War, the Union soldiers would often raid and pillage the Southern farms. It was a common practice to burn the crops, but the Yanks would always leave the feed crops to use for their own horses. At that time, black-eyed peas were grown in the north as a feed crop for livestock. (Some Yanks still call them "cow peas".) As as result, this particular crop was left alone.

After the takeover of the farms, the soldiers would use the farm houses as headquarters for their operations. The women and children would be forced to flee into the woods. After the residences were abandoned by the soldiers, the farm folks would come out of hiding to re-inhabit the homes.

Since the soldiers would take the food from the houses, the only thing left to eat was 'cow peas'. Occasionally, some bones or undesirable cuts of meat would be left hanging in the smokehouses. Forced to survive on what was available, the women would take the peas and meat scraps and boil them into a soup. This tasty dish was often the only thing that kept them alive until their sons and husbands returned from battle.

Considering themselves lucky to be alive, they gave the credit to the lowly peas. From then on, the black-eyed pea was eaten to bring good luck at the beginning of each year, and has since been known as 'the pea that saved the South.' Hope you enjoyed the story. I'd be curious if anyone has a different version."

I'm leaving you here with an embarrassing moment that had me flustered, embarrassed and in the end... LOL (laughing out loud) at myself and my auto.

I have one of those vehicles that has a Securikey that Locks and UNlocks your doors and will not start when someone tries to mess with it or tampers with it. It seems that they are putting a little computer-type chip inside the key itself that communicates with your car.

Then there is the alarm system that continuously honks if someone bumps, tampers with it in an unfriendly way. AND... It keeps honking until.... Meanwhile, the couple sitting in their car across the way are either laughing at you under their breathe... OR... wandering if someone is breaking in to your car.

Here's the rest of the story... I think it had something to do with the securikey alarm system built into the key and vehicle. Anyway, I was out running errands this mid-morning and stopped at the neighborhood store for a few quick items. When I came out and tried to unlock my door with the little keypad unlock... It wouldn't UNLOCK. I looked around to make sure I had the right vehicle. There was my dreamcatcher hanging from the rearview mirror. It was the right auto.

Anyway, I finally used the key in the door to get in. Once in... I buckled myself in; put the key in the ignition; and turned the key to start the engine. NO SOUND! At first I thought it was the battery, but the radio worked and the other electrical things worked, BUT... the engine wouldn't make a sound when I tried to ignite it with the key.

I used my cell phone to call a 1-800 emergency service and they setup me up with a jump start w/possible tow. I was told it was going to be about a 30 to 40 minute wait, so I decided to go back into the store. I had just unlocked the door and opened it when my horn started this alarming, continuous honking.

So... Feeling a bit embarrassed and seeing the couple parked across from me staring in wonder, I quickly shut the door and fumbled with the key... punching buttons trying to quiet the horn alarm. I'm NOT sure what I finally did, but I got the honking shut down.

I decided to try starting the engine again. Guess What! It did start! I felt so embarrassed! A little bit Foolish! AND... Really Dumb-founded! I quickly got back on my cell phone and called the 1-800 emergency service to cancel the jump start.

NO telling what I had accidentally pushed when this all started. I think I need a... a... a horse and buggy! LOL.... Already have the horses. I just need the buggy. BUT... Does the buggy come with a Securikey Alarm system now a days?

o OAKIE'S MAILBAG & LINKS

"Greetings from the South! I thought I'd take a minute to tell the story. It seems that eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day is mainly a Southern tradition. Here's why....... During the Civil War, the Union soldiers would often raid and pillage the Southern farms. It was a common practice to burn the crops, but the Yanks would always leave the feed crops to use for their own horses. At that time, black-eyed peas were grown in the north as a feed crop for livestock. (Some Yanks still call them "cow peas".) As as result, this particular crop was left alone. After the takeover of the farms, the soldiers would use the farm houses as headquarters for their operations. The women and children would be forced to flee into the woods. After the residences were abandoned by the soldiers, the farm folks would come out of hiding to re-inhabit the homes. Since the soldiers would take the food from the houses, the only thing left to eat was "cow peas". Occasionally, some bones or undesirable cuts of meat would be left hanging in the smokehouses. Forced to survive on what was available, the women would take the peas and meat scraps and boil them into a soup. This tasty dish was often the only thing that kept them alive until their sons and husbands returned from battle. Considering themselves lucky to be alive, they gave the credit to the lowly peas. From then on, the black-eyed pea was eaten to bring good luck at the beginning of each year, and has since been known as "the pea that saved the South. Hope you enjoyed the story. I'd be curious if anyone has a different version." -- tully@brightok.net
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"The snow measured anywhere from 7" to 13" deep. In front of the garage door, where I haven't walked or driven, it was 11". In the drive right in front of the front door, it was 7". On the northside, towards the west, it was 13". The high today was about 26 degrees, but it's down to 18 already. We may get more snow this evening, tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday. I love the views from my rec room windows and would spend more time up there, but I love my fire and my living room, too ... and my kitchen and my bedroom and my stairs... I'm going to get serious about shopping for a camera so I can send you pictures of this beautiful snow."
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"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others. you work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision."
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"Hi, Linda! Thank you for the pictures of the white buffalo. Such an animal seems most unusual and an emblem of spirituality. We hope that efforts to restore buffalo to the plains are fruitful. They are symbolic of the growth of early America perhaps more than any other thing. Along with many others, we have enjoyed your histories of Oklahoma and the backgrounds of the people there. Although our family background is from the Boston and eastern Pennsylvania areas, and many of the traditions are quite different, the common threads are the years and federal government during which the development occurred. So many of the roots seem to be the same, especially eking out a living during difficult economic times." -- Joel & Lanie
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"This is pretty painful. Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions in this election year. Our Senators and Congressmen do not pay into Social Security, and, of course, therefore they do not collect from it.

Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society. They felt they should have a special plan for themselves. Many years ago they voted in their benefit plan. In more recent years, no Congressperson has felt the need to change it. After all, it is a great plan.

For all practical purposes their plan works like this. When they retire, they continue to draw their same pay until they die, except it may be increased from time to time by the cost of living adjustments. For example, former Senator Bradley, and his wife, may be expected to draw $7,900,000.00, with Mrs. Bradley drawing $275,000.00 during the last year of her life.

This is calculated on an average life span for each. Their cost for this excellent plan is $ "0," nada, zilch. This little perk they voted in for themselves is free to them.

You and I pick up the tab for this plan. This fine retirement plan funds come directly from the General Funds, our tax dollars at work! Social Security, which you and I pay into every payday for our own retirement, with an equal amount matched by our employer, we can expect to get an average of $1,000.00 per month from our Social Security plan. Or, we would have to collect our benefits for 681 years and 1 month to equal the Bradleys' benefits.

Imagine for a moment that you could structure a retirement plan so desirable that people would have extra amounts deducted from their pay to enhance their own personal retirement income. A retirement plan that worked so well, that Railroad Employees, Postal Workers, and others who were not in the plan would clamor to be included.

This is how good Social Security could be, if only one small change were made. That change would be to jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan out from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Then watch how fast they would fix it!!!

If enough people receive this, maybe a seed will be planted, and maybe good changes will evolve. How many people can YOU send this to?"
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Social Security Online... Halter announced that, People will now be able to apply for Social Security retirement benefits online at their convenience. So, if you are 61 years and 9... Description: This is the official web site of the Social Security Administration with information on retirement...
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"I am enjoying your tales of Oklahoma. I wish you had some of Duryea, Pennsylvania. I have been searching for my grandfather (actually his burial site) for years. Death records for 1895 burned and no one has any record of where he was buried. I am continuing my search. Have some names of people who do research, and am trying to find someone who can read tombstones by going to all the cemeteries. I cannot climb the hills, and over the old stones, in some of the real old cemeteries. Going to go back to Wilkes-Barre (where I grew up) this summer and search some more. W-B. is close to Duryea. Would be a nice closure. He died at age 21, in some type of an accident. My grandmother (maternal) was widowed at age 20, with 2 children, and another on the way." -- Lanie, eberg@pouch.com
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Marcy Cemetery Durya, Pa Partial List from work compiled by the Wyoming Historical and Genealogy Society (Historical Society of Pennsylvania Library)....
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Headstones at "Bradford Marcy Cemetery" at Woodstock, Ct., located in west part of town.
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WINDHAM CTGenExchangeCemetery-Burial Records -- The Internet's first and oldest free databased genealogy web site, The Genealogy Exchange & Surname Registry (GenExchange), simply put, is a genealogical...
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REMEMBER... The true power is.... learning, living & evolving in harmony with the Universe! Learning the Past! Living the Present! Looking to the Future!"

Linda "Oakie"
ICQ ID: 1142261 -- Yahoo! ID: paristimes

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