"GUMBO TALES........MISSISSIPPI HOSPITALITY

The past two weeks took us to the Florida Panhandle and southern Mississippi! Cousin Eugene, our tour guide for the week, took us to Mobile Alabama to tour the battleship USS Alabama. He explained that it was the sixtieth ship built in its class - a BB60-South Dakota class battleship. She was launched in Feb. of 1942 and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters during W.W.II. She received nine battle stars and was nicknamed the "Lucky A" because she had zero casualties! We didn't have time to visit the USS Drum Submarine. It was launched May l2th, l941 and was the first Gato Class Submarine. It was the set design of all American fleet submarines.The USS Drum was the very first submarine to enter WWII arriving in Pearl Harbor April l, l942. It had earned l2 battle stars and  had sank l5 Japanese Battleships. So wished that we would have had enough time that day, but so much to learn on the USS Alabama! Thanks tour guide!!

As I boarded this magnificent battleship, I sensed that it had a life of its own! We climbed up ladder like stairs between levels. I felt the heartbeat and haunting silence of this now laid to rest ship. You could feel the presence of the sailors, officers, and Marines also who had been transported. The steel had encased the energy of its days in action......from the boiler room, engine room, war room to the officer and crew quarters, sick bay and dining/kitchen. Thank you to all who had served on this ship!!!  

The Alabama was a refuge for eighteen ship museum employees during Katrina. The hurricane caused four million dollars worth of damage to the ship!

St Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida, our location for seven days, was located near the Indian Pass Raw Bar. This oyster bar has been in the same family for four generations and the current owner plays the spoons in the band on the front porch. We have learned that repeat visits to the same coffee shops and bars embeds us into the culture a bit more.  The tables were plastic, the drinks self serve and the beer opener was on a post. The food was simply WOW!  A mix of locals and snowbirds... even from Canada... hang out on the front porch laughing, drinking, listening to music and having one darn good time! Those Canadians....what  great people to be neighbors with!! We have met several on our travels and have always come away feeling like we just communicated with people who are so kind, so humble, and so generous of spirit! They even gave us a big Canadian hug and gave us a blessing for a safe journey!!! Our blessings and well wishes to our new Canadian friends!!!

One of the special items on every menu is Gumbo. This should help to explain just exactly what it is!
Gumbo as described in Wikipedia is a stew or soup, probably originating in South Louisiana during the l8th Century; typically consists of a strongly flavored stock, meat, or shellfish, a thickener, and vegetables including celery, bell peppers, and onions. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used: the African vegetable okra, the Choctaw spice file' powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves) or roux the French base made of flour and fat. Dish likely derived its name from either the Bantu word for okra (ki ngombo) or the Choctaw word for file' (kombo). Culinary practices from the French, Spanish, German, West African, Choctaw, Alabama Indian, and Cherokee. Gumbo is the official cuisine of the state of Louisiana.  Ty had gumbo one evening and I don't touch it!!!  All I can say for it is that Ty has bad Gumbo Breath for 24 hours after having it!! But he really enjoys it and that's what counts, I guess.


People -  Ty's cousin, Eugene, and wife Yuko, were the ultimate south Mississippi tour guides and hosts!!  He picked us up almost daily where Silver was parked. We toured several historical sites including the Jefferson Davis estate, the President of the Confederate States. It was named  "Beauvoir" meaning beautiful view as it sat back from the gulf in Biloxi. We saw the mix of remaining damage and new building since Hurricane Katrina. The news seemed to constantly be on New Orleans during Katrina, however, this area was slammed and huge areas destroyed.  There are giant trees here and several were either taken down or had their tops ripped off by the winds.  An artist from Fla. volunteered his time and carved several of the tree trunks into marine life pieces of art, making something positive out of the destruction! Beautiful!!

Eugene has dealt with a muscle disease since childhood, but worked all his life and still does everything on his own, even with somewhat crippled hands. Stomach cancer was his last battle and he has moved on from that too! What an inspiring, warm, fun, do anything for ya, Southern gentleman.  I am so proud he is my cousin!  He and his wife Yuko have been a huge part of raising their grandson Corey who lost his mother several years ago. What a beautiful family!!!

Our mothers' last name was Williams so we had fun saying, "we were the Williams brothers and we are here to "tear up" Mississippi!"     We love you Eugene, Yuko, and Corey!

A side trip took us to Hank Aaron's boyhood home in Mobile, the Biloxi lighthouse, and to a harbor to see the shrimp boats, now largely operated by Vietnamese families.  There are a few shots of a couple of hikes and a small town evening- Mardi Gras parade. We also visited the Viet Nam Memorial; this memorial also highlighted special heroes from different branches of service since WWI. What stories of men who served so that we are able to cherish our freedom today in this wonderful country!

Thoughts by Janet...Battleship/One's Life

Win some, lose some
Battles, deployments, missions
Full speed ahead
Stand firm
Blood,sweat, and tears
Adapt and overcome
Hit the deck
Stay the course
Bite the bullet
Final orders, final act
Then rest at the dock!

Thoughts by Ty   Ty has hit his head so many times on the cabinet doors, he is thoughtless!

Funny: Left over from Fla.: On our canoe trip in the Everglades, we stopped mid trip for some lunch. I said, "What if the alligators smell our lunch?" Ty said, "I don't think they like granola bars!" I replied, "What if they have changed their lifestyle?" I thought it was so funny at the time, the canoe was rocking! ooh NO!!!

Silver and us will be heading to New Orleans next!!!