As I stated in my November LandLines newsletter, everyone at AlaLandCo are seeing positive signs of our market recovering. At AlaLandCo, we’ve sold over 40 Alabama properties this fall, so don’t believe all of those people that are telling you there is no market right now.  There is!  40+ sales prove it.

And the home and real estate market is improving all over Alabama. Home sales in Alabama last month experienced the first positive year-over-year increase since July 2007, according to the Alabama Center for Real Estate.The ACRE’s latest statewide home sales report, 3,589 homes sold in the state of Alabama in October. That’s nearly 3 percent higher than September and more than 13 percent higher than October of last year.

The center’s Executive Director Grayson Glaze said in an e-mail the last time the month of October saw a positive year-over-year percentage was in 2005, when it was nearly 15 percent.

Take a look at my recent listings.  And we are listing more everyday. To stay abreast of new listings and to find your perfect Alabama property investment, subscribe to my newsletter – click here.

Read the full report from the Alabama Center for Real Estate – click here to download.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/11/post_238.html

$26 billion with a B!!?? I will have to look into the math behind this claim….Bo

By Jerome Foster
VCU InSight

RICHMOND, Va. — The VCU men’s basketball season ended with a one-point loss to UCLA last season in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Larry Sanders, VCU’s junior center, says the team is using that loss a motivation as for the upcoming season.

“We’ll get back there and we won’t let it happen again,” said Sanders.

Sanders recently sat down with VCU InSight to talk about this season, the new head coach, and his views on playing basketball.

After the Rams were eliminated, former head coach Anthony Grant took the head coaching job at the University of Alabama. VCU hired former University of Florida assistant coach Shaka Smart.

Sanders said the team liked the hire.

“We were happy to have someone there,” Sanders said. “For a while there was no coaching staff.”

NBA scouts think Sanders could be a first-round pick, but Sanders isn’t letting the attention get to him.

“I never thought that my name and the NBA would be mentioned in the same sentence, to be honest,” Sanders said.

“I just play like no one knows who I am.”

Guest columnist Kyle Goeke

Non BCS conferences are here to stay.  Over the past five years, it has become apparent that these conferences want two things: to be recognized with the big boys and (more importantly) to be paid like the big boys.  A berth in a BCS bowl game is worth $18 million to each conference that gets a bid (which gets split evenly to the schools).  That’s right…in 2007, the terrible 1-11 Idaho Vandals received about $2 million because their conference brethren Hawaii got a BCS bid.  So no wonder these non-BCS conferences want their piece of the pie.

Every decision these commissioners and college presidents make is about money.  Why do you think college football hasn’t switched to a playoff format?  Because they’ll make more money pushing a “win or go home” regular season.  Think about it: a 32 team playoff would include Temple, a 16 team playoff would have three-loss Virginia Tech, and an eight team playoff has two loss LSU.  Some people out there even want a four team (Plus One) playoff.  A four team playoff makes sense…only, who are you going to leave out?  Boise State? Cincinnati?  TCU?  Those three teams can all make the case for the fourth spot.  A four team playoff would create just as much chaos as the system that’s in place now.

Anyways…I hate to ramble.  I’m new to this blog thing.  Here is my suggestion: keep the system the way it is.  It has worked thus far (with the exception of the 2004 Auburn Tigers).  Also, these non BCS schools keep complaining that their team is the best, and yet they can’t play for a title.  I asked Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel about this dilemma a few weeks ago at Tiger Talk (Buffalo Wild Wings 40 cent boneless Monday’s!!!).  He has actually experienced this situation from both perspectives.  He was the head coach at Toledo in 2000 when they failed to make a bowl appearance after a 10-1 regular season (Chester Taylor destroyed the MAC that year).  Pinkel believes that it takes a lot of emotion and preparation to beat a top ranked conference foe.  It takes even more to beat that top ranked team and then come out the next week ready for the next tough team.  Could Boise St. beat Florida?  I think so.  Could Boise St. beat Florida and then come out the next week ready to take on Alabama?  No way.  Kentucky had a two game stretch like that earlier in the season.  Boise St. beat Oregon at home in the first game of the season.  That is literally all they have to show for this season (other than nail biters with Tulsa and Louisiana Tech).  TCU has had a tougher schedule.  It’s not their fault that Clemson lost to Maryland or that Virginia is god-awful.  But Texas State?  Get that game off your schedule if you want to be taken seriously.  They have beaten BYU and Utah badly…but they have not had a two game stretch of good teams yet.

To my suggestion: the winner of the WAC and the MWC should meet during Championship weekend.  The winner of this game should get an automatic bid to a BCS bowl so they can get in on the $$$ action.  Enough of Boise St./Hawaii fans and TCU/Utah fans angry that their team doesn’t get a chance.  Let the winner of that game have a chance at the BCS title game…if they are in the top two of course.  This way they can make the claim that they’ve actually played someone.  I’m sure I went way too long with this blog.  Thanks for reading.

YouTube – Iron Bowl 2009: Believe.

For those of you who believe in fate, this is your video.

Auburn has come a long way from the depths of 2008-Alabama beware!

War Eagle!

Seen here: http://www.cw.ua.edu/where-s-the-good-tp-1.2095803

He can still remember the horror to this day.  It was a sunny Monday afternoon and his chemistry class just let out.  He had another class in an hour, but first, he needed to make a pit stop.  Fresh Food Company’s ridiculously good “chocolate hand grenade pudding” waged war inside his intestines, forcing him to upgrade his order from a No. 1 to a No. 2 combo.

John faced the dreaded on-campus deuce drop.  Veterans probably understand that John’s problem began after he finished.

Most Capstonians probably have some complaint about the University.  Angst over student tickets, parking, tuition prices, and other issues has been expressed through various forms.

One matter has slipped through the cracks — but that is where its importance ultimately lies.

Ask any self-loving student what he or she can’t possibly skimp on, and toilet paper will dominate all other answers. Sadly, the University doesn’t share the same concern and stocks campus restrooms with rudimentary rear rags that cause much irritation.

“I didn’t know you could make sandpaper so thin,” one sophomore engineering major remarked.

Besides the well-being of current students, think of the impact on visiting recruits.   Imagine a potential enrollee has to build a home for the dung beetle, and he or she discovers that soft toilet paper is stocked in the bathroom stall.  That person would have to be crazy not to sign a letter of intent right then.  When a university busts their butts for their students’, it must be a good choice for education, too.

I caught up with one visiting high school student who humored me with her opinion on the far-reaching matter.

“If Alabama were to decide on buying better toilet paper, it would sure be a Charmin recruiting tactic,” she punned.

Also, the current behind stationary can cause problems in terms of clogging.  When students have to pull at the spool for minutes to form a suitable wad, toilets end up enduring unnecessary amounts of the material.

The wiping efficiency, calculated by sheet used per deposit at the porcelain bank, affects this the most.  Obviously, better brands tend to have higher efficiency numbers and decrease the amount of waste.

In addition, time spent in the restroom is lessened, making breaks between classes quicker.

Rolls with a higher thread count can help improve the lives of students in general.

“Sometimes, when my day is in the dumps, I just want a comfortable way to clean up,” said Lou, a junior majoring in finance. “The toilet paper the University uses now just really rubs me the wrong way.”

The costs and worth of this initiative would determine the possibility of its enactment, so a study and companion surveys would be needed.

I propose stocking a few stalls around campus with quality two-ply toilet paper and recording a few key results.  Is it used more than the current brand?  Do users clog the toilet more often with it?

One survey would account for the personal effects on participants.  A complementary one would ask students about potential impact of the switch.  Did or would it alter your mood?  Did or would your view on the university change?

Hopefully, this would provide an accurate depiction of the value and financial implications of this plan, and the University could arrive at an enlightened decision.

With the average person having one to three bowel movements a day, there is a good chance you will be on campus when the time is right. Or completely wrong.

Superior stall tissue can wipe all your worries away by quickly and pleasantly ending your previously apprehensive bathroom visit.

I’m not asking for silk.  I just want an affordable upgrade for the betterment of our student body.

A Civil War reenactment of the Battle for Missionary Ridge took place in Valley Head, Ala., a few Sundays ago. This was my first Civil War reenactment. I had no idea that even the spectators went all out dressing in period clothing that either they made themselves or friends made for them.

El Rey | Mid-November 2009 Newsletter

Okay, Its Dred, and I’ve been asked to post on another hard topic… I think Foxx is gettin lazy… (Just joking, I think his next post is 8 pages long, but don’t believe the hype, its fake… GW Wrote it…). Anyway… The 2009 IRON BOWL… That’s right, its that time of year again… Alabama Vs. Auburn. Kick off is at 1330 CST on the 27th Of Nov. I’m gonna cut the crap and get right into stats…

#2 Alabama (11-0, 7-0 SEC) Coach Nick Saban
#323 Auburn (7-4, 3-4 SEC) Coach Gene Chizik

Rivalry Game Stats… Alabama – 39 Wins 33 Loses and 1 tie (1907)

2009 Top Player Stats…

Passing Yards TD’s
Greg McElroy 1993 14
Chris Todd 2196 19

Rushing Yards TD’s
Mark Ingram 1399 12
Ben Tate 1242 8

Receiving Yards TD’s
Julio Jones 462 4
Darvin Adams 717 9

Returns: Yards TD’s
Javier Arenas 426 1
P. Pierre- Louis 49 0

Ok, and those are just the top player match ups, and as you can tell, its a pretty dead heat, and in all honesty, both teams will be bringing as much heat as possible due to this being the biggest collegiate football rivalry in the country. Anyone who has ever had a conversation with a fan from the other side of the fence knows that I can’t really be funny here. Any attempt at humor would only lead to this blog being dumped on by whiny little auburn fans… because that’s what they do when things aren’t going down the path of the eagle…

I’ll Leave You With A Few Interesting Facts About The Iron Bowl….

“One of the most incredible Auburn-Alabama games was played on Dec. 2, 1972. A few days before the game, Alabama head coach Bear Bryant incited the rivalry when he told reporters that he would rather, “beat that cow college once than beat Texas 10 times.” That set the stage as second-ranked Alabama brought a 10-0 record into Legion Field to meet the ninth-ranked Tigers, who were 8-1.”

“Auburn has an all-time record of 3-8 against teams ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, but the Tigers did win their last game against a No. 2-ranked team. In 2006, No. 11 Auburn knocked off No. 2 Florida, 27-17, at Jordan-Hare Stadium, handing the Gators their only loss on their way to a national championship.”

“1967 – The Run in The Mud – On a night at Legion Field where thunderstorms were so bad that the field had to be constantly cleared of raincoats and other wet weather accessories that blew in from the stands, Alabama quarterback Kenny Stabler ran for a 53 yard touchdown to give Bama a 7–3 win.”

“1984 – On 4th and goal Auburn is down by two points. Coach Pat Dye decides to go for the touchdown instead of a field goal. The ball went to Brent Fullwood and “Wrong Way” Bo Jackson was supposed to block, but he headed in the wrong direction, leaving Tide defensive back Rory Turner free to “wax the dude” (Fullwood), preventing the score.”

“2000 – The Iron Bowl returned to Tuscaloosa for the first time in 99 years. In the first Iron Bowl ever played in Bryant-Denny Stadium, Auburn clinched the SEC West title with a 9-0 shutout in Mike DuBose’s final game as Alabama head coach.”

“2009- Dred becomes the all time leading rusher/receiver/QB in SEC History and defeats Mark Ingram for the Heisman….”

Ok, I made that last one up… dream big or go home…

On Facebook, I announced my upcoming move by posting a YouTube clip of Leadbelly singing “Alabama Bound.”  It seemed so apt.  Mr. NYer pushed for Brecht’s “Alabama Song,” but I’ve never actually seen the moon over Alabama yet. It occurs to me, though, that Alabama has inspired a lot of songs.  Not as many, perhaps as California or Texas, but a good number.  Here are one’s I can think of off the top of my head.  

Anyone have more?

Alabama Bound — Leadbelly

Sweet Home Alabama — Lynyrd Skynyrd

Alabama Song — Brecht

Stars Fell on Alabama — Billie Holliday

Alabama — Neil Young

Alabama Getaway — Grateful Dead

And one more question:  Why are the blues associated with Mississippi and not Alabama?

Karen Tipton

Moore murder trial continues in Decatur
Moore has negative hair test, does it make a difference?
Up-to-date proceedings in Daniel Wade Moore trial
Closing arguments to begin in Moore Trial
Deliberations in Moore trial to begin Thursday
Smoke & mirrors or resonable doubt: Daniel Wade Moore trial
Jury finds Daniel Wade Moore not guilty on all counts
What’s next in the Karen Tipton investigation?
Daniel Wade Moore files civil suit against city, officer

Daniel Wade Moore

Earlier this month I mentioned my sceptical thoughts on dream interpretation as part of post inspired by a dream I’d had the night before.  At the time I considered mentioning one of the most vivid, and by far the strangest dream I’ve ever had.  I refrained from doing so because it seemed a bit beside the point, but I think the time has now come for me to share the story.  It all happened in June of this year. . .

My wife and I were making a trip to visit some of my family in Alabama.  As we had an extremely early flight from Gatwick we drove up the day before and stayed in a hotel.  Not only did this mean we didn’t have to leave home at something like 2am the day of our flight, but it also meant we were able to use the hotel swimming pool and just enjoy being isolated in our own little bubble together without any of our usual responsibilities.  It was nice to be able to relax before having to go deal with the lovely set of procedures that are such an integral part of air travel these days.

At any rate, we retired early in the evening and both fell quickly asleep.  A few hours later I woke up in a very dark room, feeling very confused about where I was, what I was doing and what had been happening.  As an awareness of just what had been going on in my sleeping head dawned on me I emitted a half-shouted “Oh. . . No!” which brought my wife fully awake in a state of panic.  When I told the reason for my sudden waking and speaking she laughed just about as loud and as long as I’d ever heard her laugh.  She was convulsed.

You see, I’d been dreaming that I was Susan Boyle the former X-Factor contestant.  The fact that I don’t enjoy that programme and that, as far as I can remember, I’ve never dreamed to be another publicly visible person would, one might think, combine with the fact that SuBo is a woman to make her an unlikely character for my sleeping brain to identify with.  Apparently that’s not the case.  What was even stranger about the whole thing was that in my dream I wasn’t Susan Boyle on stage performing to fans, or being interviewed by the press.   No, I was a barefoot Susan Boyle on the run from the law on a purple mobility scooter.

Apparently I was about to be sectioned as mentally ill and, I’d taken to the streets with the mobility scooter and a portable radio in the hopes of making it the station ahead of the woman-hunt being reported on.  I knew it was unlikely I’d be able to evade police capture and that I’d probably be best off turning myself in, but I thought I’d have a go.  Besides, part of me was enjoying really opening up the throttle on my purple mobility aide and tearing up the pavement at speeds in excess of 15 miles an hour.

After a couple of close shaves with officers on foot and reports that the authorities had a good idea of this Susan Boyle’s general location and were tightening their net I realised I had no shoes.  No shoes, according to First Great Western policy, meant no train ride so I was forced to return to my pebble-dashed bungalow where I donned a pair of sensible flat-soled shoes before hearing that all train stations were now under observation of the police as well as ports, bus stations and airports.  Escape was hopeless.  At that point I hopped back on my scooter, drove straight the station, turned myself in to a group of officers and woke up.

Even as I told my wife of this dream on that June night I saw the funny side of it and couldn’t help but laugh along with her.  At the same time I still cannot begin to comprehend what strange, twisted part of my psyche cooked that dream up.  In fact, though I wouldn’t call it a nightmare, it felt so unlike any other dream I can remember having I feel like there should be some third label I could apply to it with greater accuracy.  ‘Sleeping hallucination’ seems about right to me given how vivid the dream was and the fact that never once did I question my identity as a middle-aged Scottish woman with dreams of being a famous singing star.

At this point enough people have heard this bizarre story that, in turn, I’ve heard all the obvious and often crude jokes of a psychiatric and psychoanalytic bent about what it reveals about me.  I’m not worried about whether the dream had some deeper meaning but a big part of me still considers the entire experience and can only respond with a shake of the head and wonder “What the hell was that all about anyway?”

Still, at least I didn’t dream I was Louis Walsh.

Here I am at 3:00 in the AM wasting time blogging. You might be asking yourself, “why is he up at 3 am!?” I’ll tell you why. Today, in about 9 hours, I will be departing Guin, AL and heading to Nashville, TN to see Alex @ Belmont Universty!! I am so excited! I am so blessed to have met this great, godly guy this summer and become friends with him. Anywho, you’re probably still wondering why I’m awake (because I didn’t really answer your question). I have been cleaning out my car so I can have room to even put anything. Also, I haven’t even packed. So that’s what I have to do before I leave. We will be leaving on Tuesday evening to go to Alex’s house in Indiana. I will be spending Thanksgiving week with him and his family.

Anywho, moving on. I have been attending FBC in Guin, AL for the past couple of months while I have been staying with my grandmother. In all honesty, let me just say that I am so glad that I started going there. I have been blessed time after time after time by some amazing people there. FBC – Guin is unlike any other Baptist church I have been to (I say that having been to quite a few). When you think of Baptists, sometimes you think we are scared of the Holy Spirit because I will admit, the services are quite dead sometimes. Should it be that way? No! Well, out of the 2 months that I have been going to FBC-G, I have not sat in one boring or dead service. I feel the Holy Spirit at work in that place and I am very sad that I will be leaving it next month as I return back to Mississippi to BMC. That does not mean I am not going to visit. There have been many people who have really made me feel welcome, but four people have especially blessed me – three of them help with youth/college and one of them sings his heart out every single Sunday. If any of you are reading this, thank you so much. Y’all are amazing people. Don’t lose heart in doing good.

Last night was the Community Thanksgiving service at FBC-G. It was an amazing service! Churches from all around the community showed up to worship together under one roof. That’s what you call breaking down the denominational barriers! It was so amazing hearing all these people from different denominations singing to GOD – the one thing that pulls us all together. So many amazing testimonies were given – and I sat there and laughed. The joy of the Lord is so amazing!

Lately, I have been laughing a lot. I don’t mean laughing at a funny joke or at a comedy movie. I have been laughing at how God has been work in my life and in the life of others. Why is that funny, you ask? I can’t really explain it. God is just so amazing in the way that He works and the things that He does that I just get filled with so much joy from hearing the testimonies of God working – and all I can do is laugh. It’s amazing.

It’s almost 4 am and I have been going on about the most random stuff. I think I’m going to quit right here and continue doing what I should be doing. I will update again soon. Thanks for reading!

-Rod
[Romans 12:9-13]

YouTube – PUNT BAMA PUNT.

Another fitting Video for Iron Bowl week!

War Eagle!

So encouraged each time we head out to Linn Park at the increased involvement, contributions and the crescendo of passion exhibited toward the need. We were able to provide flats of fresh bread to Brother Bryan and countless warm coats for distribution to those who need it most this winter.

Thank you once again for the partnership in providing blankets, gloves, coats, toiletries, water, books, crackers, candy and other items. These little things will likely not change the world but so often we aim for the big things and their left to struggle for the day to day.

I’m so pleased to work with each of you to touch the lives of people in ways that may seem to some as insignificant.

Sometimes these are the things that make the greatest impact.

Randall

Here’s a look at the BCS rankings for November 22, 2009:

Florida remains No. 1, followed by Alabama, Texas, TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State and Georgia Tech. Oregon jumped up three spots, to No. 8, with their dramatic victory over Arizona. Pittsburgh and Ohio State remained ninth and 10th.

Only one non-Big Six team is guaranteed a spot in the BCS if it meets the criteria. Any others would be at-large candidates. At-large candidates must have at least nine victories and finish in the top 14 in the final BCS standings.

From Rivals.com:

The three components of the BCS standings are the coaches’ poll; the Harris poll, voted on by media members and by former players, coaches and administrators; and six computers. Each of the components counts one-third. The best and worst computer rankings are thrown out, and the sum total of the remaining four is divided by 100 (the maximum possible points) to come up with the BCS’ computer rankings percentage.

While strength of schedule isn’t a BCS component, all six computers have a strength-of-schedule factor in their rankings.

The fourth-place team in the BCS is important because Alabama and Florida play each other in the SEC championship game, meaning the fourth-place team has a chance to jump to second should Texas lose either its regular-season finale to Texas A&M or to Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game.

I am training for the marathon here in Mobile and this is the end of my first 60 mile week. Although I don’t define myself as a runner, I guess running 60 miles in a week would be dumb for a non-runner. Here in Mobile,we  runners can pursue our avocation outside almost every day of the year. I am further blessed by living just north of a large, antebellum cemetary (Magnolia Cemetary) where a circuit is about 1.8 miles or, put another way, it takes 2 1/2 laps over 45 minutes to run 5 miles

Running for several hours gives one a lot of reflecting time. While running today I reflected on being called a socialist by our medical students for pointing out that the Democrats had won the election and would probably dictate changes in health care policy (being right doesn’t make one especially popular) and the results of the cloture vote which proved my point. After that my thoughts turned to the cemetary and the monuments contained within. Many of the private graves have clustered dates which coincide with outbreaks of yellow fever or influenza but my attention today was drawn to the monuments  with labels such as Woodmen of the World, Watermen’s Association, and Fire Department Association among others .These were put up by benevolent societies.

In an article about benevolent societies at the turn of the last century, C. A. Spencer identifies these as “any local voluntary or incorporated non-profit association organized with or without capital stock providing mutual assistance for its members in the form of services or payments.” These organizations were designed to offer protection to their members at cost with the organizations constitution specifying the benefits to be provided such as sickness, disability, burial, and occasionally survivor. The as many (if not all of the members) belonged to the labor class, services usually provided by family members and servants to upper class folks were provided by the society which was an incentive for membership. These services included “watching” the sick and providing a physician who was kept on retainer. The members when not sick got to (and still get to) wear some great costumes and have a lot of fun. For example, the Mobile (Alabama) Turner’s Association celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its founding in 1868, according to the Mobile Daily Register, with a parade, an address, and a song and dance exercise followed by fireworks.  As white workers became more prosperous, their societies tended to become less important to the provision of services (they were able to pay cash or their workplace provided doctors) but because of the economic precariousness of blacks in the early 20th century (most men were laborers), their societies were more likely to have survived. Interestingly, some of these societies have evolved into insurance companies.

Benevolent Societies were an important way to aggregate resources among African-Americans, recent immigrants, and members of common crafts (particularly if there was an element of physical risk). They became less important to the provision of healthcare in the 1950’s with the rise of employer based insurance and government-funded coverage to the poor and the elderly in the 1960’s. Perhaps if we all still had a vested interest in our own health as well as that of our immediate neighbor-in-the-funnny-hat then the debate over paying for health care reform would be a little more civil.

This is Charles Wright and his wife Mariman Gaither Wright.  They are my great great maternal grandparents.  My mother sent me this photograph not too long ago and it is one of my most cherished possessions.  To me it is a very romantic photograph, probably the only one they ever sat for in their lives.  It’s the essence of “American Gothic” and the epitome of rustic chic.

This photograph was taken on their Alabama farm with that magnificent cornfield as the backdrop.  Why would a photographer pose them there?  Better light?  Porch on the house too shady?  Cornfield more interesting than the house?  Was this shoot planned well in advance?   Or did they get word from a neighbor that morning that a ”photo-grapher” was nearby and he could take your picture today on his way through town?  After all, it would only take a couple of hours for him to capture your image.  Maybe this was on a Sunday after church. . . goodness no, not on Sunday!!

I have spent hours studying their wizened faces, their poses and their dress, trying to figure them out.  How I would love to journey back there to that day and take it all in.  Were they happy?  Content?  Hardworking?  Scrappy?  What were their day to day lives really like? 

I have been told that Charles was a farmer and a preacher.  He was born January 29, 1844 and died March 14, 1924.  Doing the math he would have been 17 when the Civil War broke out so you know what that meant for him.  He was a private in Co. D 12 of the Alabama Infantry.  His tombstone in the quiet country cemetery in which he rests is inscribed with the simple epitaph:  ”Died as he lived  – a Christian”. 

Look at his beard – it’s so fluffy and clean.  It’s also so large it has its own zip code.  His cutaway jacket is very smart and his trousers have a straight and pressed crease as sharp as a tack.  In my photo his shoes have a nice shine on them.  I like to think he’s got a grin on his face, that maybe he’s highly amused with the whole thing.  But then it’s a bit difficult to confirm under all that shrubbery.

And Mariman (isn’t that the greatest name?).  She looks a little more stern than her husband and her face reminds me so much of my grandmother.  I wonder what’s on her mind?  Maybe she’s thinking she wishes this nonsense would move along a bit quicker because there’s still supper to fix or the chickens to feed or those dishes won’t wash themselves.    I understand Mariman had some Indian blood in her but I cannot remember which tribe. 

Was her hair really as short as seen in the photo?  Or would it have been pulled back and plaited in a braid as thick as a horse’s tail and actually cascaded far past her waist?

And her dress – so modern in its graphic plaid.  Was it her best dress?  Was it her only formal one?  What were the colors?  Did she make it herself?  Where did she get the fabric?  How long did it take her to sew together?  Did she have a dress pattern? I can’t imagine a woman wearing something floor-length like that for every day, even way back then.  Look at the myriad of buttons that run down the front.  A farmer’s wife would surely need something more easily donned and removed.  Examine her brooch – probably her best piece of jewelry.  Perhaps it’s her only piece as there’s no wedding ring that I can see.

Mariman (Mary) Gaither was born February 6, 1847 and died March 1, 1926.  She lies alongside Charles in that quiet Alabama country cemetery.  Whenever I go home (Southerners always call where they came from “home”, even if it’s not really home anymore), I try to go visit them and the other side of the family too. 

Charles and Mariman are the unofficial keepers of my antiques and design shop and they keep watch over my right shoulder.  I look at them several times each day and wonder what their lives were really like.  Was it hard?  Harder than a lot of us have it now?  Was it simpler?  Undoubtedly in many ways it was.