My brother's trainer was shot twice in the head, but, miraculously, is expected to make a full recovery.

I just spoke with my mother and she told me that Harold is up walking around and talking. Jacob, we are all praying for Harold and have been since we heard about what happened. He is truly a hero.


Lehi police captain shot twice, recovering
Jeremy Duda - DAILY HERALD
Lehi police officer Capt. Harold Terry is in serious but stable condition after being shot twice in the head by a suspect in a traffic stop Monday morning. The shooter, 34-year-old Kelly Wark of Gig Harbor, Washington state, was shot and killed by backup officers.

Terry, 55, was shot just above his left ear. He was conscious and talking when he was airlifted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo in critical condition. Lehi police spokesman Sgt. Darren Paul said Terry was recuperating with his wife, Karen, and children after undergoing surgery to remove a bullet and bullet fragments.


He said the department is hopeful that Terry will make a full recovery.

"Capt. Terry's condition is steadily improving," said Paul. "We are optimistic and hopeful for a full recovery."

Around 8:46 a.m., a clerk at Walker Oil, near 850 E. Main St., called police to report a possible impaired driver. The clerk told police Wark was driving erratically and had slurred speech and balance problems when she went to the store to buy gas.

Terry, a 16-year Lehi police veteran, pulled over Wark's tan Honda Accord near 1000 East and Main Street at 8:52 a.m. According to Paul, Terry and the driver talked for a few moments before some type of argument started. Wark pulled out a .38-caliber revolver and shot Terry twice from the driver's seat of her car, Paul said.

After shooting Terry, Wark got out of her car and was shot and killed by three backup officers who had arrived at the scene, Paul said. Terry was able to fire one round after being shot, hitting the suspect's vehicle. Paul said the backup officers fired five rounds at Wark, who was hit multiple times.

"They immediately returned fire," Paul said.

Paul said investigators do not know her motive.

"That's part of the ongoing investigation," he said.

A team from the Utah County Sheriff's Office is investigating, and an autopsy and toxicology test will be conducted by the state medical examiner's office. Investigators are also in the process of searching Wark's vehicle.

"He approached her, requested her driver's license and there was an altercation at that time," Paul said.

Erin Wark said her sister had suffered from mental illness since she was about 25 years old, but did not have a history of violence. Kelly Wark has no criminal history, and court records in Washington show nothing more serious than minor traffic violations.

"It was a terrible shock," Erin Wark said of the shooting.

Kelly Wark's ex-husband, Craig Hancock, told The Salt Lake Tribune that she told him she had dissociative disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. The couple was married for about six months last year and filed for divorce in January.

Hancock told the Tribune that at one point in their relationship, a couple from a Bible study class stopped by their house unannounced to return her Bible. When she saw them, he said, she started screaming that they needed to leave. He went out to explain to the couple that they needed to go, and when he turned around he saw his wife on the porch with a 12-gauge shotgun. He said she also owned a .38-caliber handgun.

Kelly Wark moved to Provo in April to attend school at the Utah College of Massage Therapy's Lindon campus, where she recently enrolled, her sister said.

Gwyn Vukich, Kelly Wark's cousin, said the family saw no indications that Wark's mental health was worsening. After living outside of Washington for the first time in her life, Wark seemed to be doing well, Vukich said.

"She was just such a sweet girl and just such a gifted artist, and we were just all completely shocked that something like this could happen, that she could do something like this," Vukich said. "She wouldn't hurt a flea, I don't think. She was very caring and a very strong Christian."

In a written statement, the Wark family offered its condolences to Terry's family.

As the captain of the Lehi police's patrol unit, one of Terry's duties is to provide training to other officers. Paul described Terry as a leader who is well respected at the department.

His duties do not generally include conducting traffic stops, but he happened to be in the area when the report of the impaired driver came in and was the first officer to spot her tan Honda, so he pulled the car over himself.

"Knowing Capt. Terry, I'm not a bit surprised. He leads by example," Paul said.

Terry also conducts training for the state's Peace Officer Standards and Training Academy, Paul said, and teaches classes at a local college.

Terry's family released a statement on Tuesday, thanking people for their thoughts and prayers.

"His wife and children are very grateful for the outpouring of support we all have received. Harold is a strong man; a great and wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Harold is in serious but stable condition and he will have a very long, hard road to recovery," the statement read. "We thank you again for your thoughts and prayers and ask you to continue to pray for Harold."

Donation account


For anyone who wants to donate money to Captain Harold Terry and his family, a fund has been set up at Central Bank in Lehi, 475 E. Main St.
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Viewer Beware: This post is really gross! Some of you may not want to look.

Bryant and I went to the dermatologist yesterday. Remember that thing on Bryant's neck that 's been there for a decade? Well now it's gone. He has about 30 or so stitches in its place. (Most of them are on the inside.) Poor guy. I just got a sun spot frozen off. It blistered up like crazy, but did not hurt at all. I looked like a witch. It was really bothering the girls. They kept asking me to pop it, so I finally did before I went to bed. They were so relieved.

I got a raise!

I have sold over $1000 worth of Scentsy Products, so I now get 25% commission! I am now a Certified Consultant! WooooHoooo! I love this job!

Medical update - Hopefully the last one!

I went to the doctor this morning to go over my results and the biopsy was negative for everything. I was prepared for that, though, because Dr. Austin had e-mailed me this:

...Even if your biopsy does not show "sulfur granules" I would still treat you as actinomycosis. Since your IUD came out seven months ago actinomycosis may not be in the uterus and only on the lining of the abdomen....

So I have my new antibiotic and will start on it tomorrow! I am so pumped! Thanks again for your love, help, prayers, and support. Hopefully I will be feeling well again really soon and having another baby not too long after that. I love y'all.

Congratulations Troy!

Troy, if you are half as good at coaching Running Backs as you are at being a husband and father, then the Running Backs at Davidson will be unstoppable this year!

Davidson Football Names Troy Stubbs Running Backs Coach
Marc Gignac
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DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson coach Tripp Merritt announced today that he has named Troy Stubbs running backs coach for the Wildcat football program.

Stubbs comes to Davidson from the University of Louisville, where he served as an offensive graduate assistant last season. His responsibilities included working with the tight ends, opponent film breakdowns, opponent and self scouting reports and evaluating recruiting film.

The Cardinals ranked sixth in Division I FBS?in total offense last season and fourth in passing offense and placed first in the Big East in both categories.

“Troy is very enthusiastic and passionate about the game of football,” said Merritt. “Having been around one of the most potent offenses in recent NCAA?history, he will bring some creative and innovative ideas to the table. Based on his work and playing experience, Troy is going to make a wonderful addition to our program.”

Stubbs began his playing career as a wide receiver at the Air Force Academy in 1996-97 before serving a two-year church mission. He transferred to Alabama where he received a bachelor of science in commerce and business administration in December 2002 with a double major in international finance and Russian.

He worked four years at an investment firm in Memphis, Tenn., before getting into coaching at Louisville. He will earn his master’s degree in sports administration from Louisville this summer.

Update

This morning I had my biopsy done. It was extremely painful, but I endured it with a smile on my face, thinking this might be the last test!!! I have an appointment on Tuesday morning at 8 to discuss my biopsy results. My ob/gyn thinks there is a high possibility that I do have actinomycosis. So, I guess we'll see.

Renewal of Hope

Tomorrow morning, at 9 a.m., I am having a biopsy done to check for a specific bacteria. My father's client, the highly renowned oncologist that I told y'all about earlier, e-mailed me today and said this:

Jessica, I just finished carefully reading over your history and physical exam by Glen Bedsole....One bit of your history interests me in that you had an IUD for five years and it was removed about 7 months ago....We see at times a rare infection called "actinomycosis" that is associated with long term use of an IUD....You may want to mention this to your ID physician and if he thinks this suggestion has merit you could have an endometrial biopsy done by your Ob-Gyn and ask the pathologist to look for "sulfa granules" as a diagnostic aid...

Then he sent this one:

Jessica, I had a fax from Glen Bedsole re his rec's.....Do follow through with your ID physician....jma

I am so glad that I went to Alabama and Dr. Hammontree solved half of my riddle. But he thoroughly checked out my kidneys and says they are okay, all three of them. I have had a fever for 7 months straight now, as well as near constant pain in my back and sides. I am trying not to put all my eggs in one basket, but it is pretty hard not to get my hopes up. It would just be so incredibly wonderful if Dr. Austin's hunch is correct and the right antibiotic could cure all my problems. (Tears of joy and relief begin to well up just thinking about it.) Wish me luck. If it doesn't turn out to be actinomycosis, then I will be devastated. But if it's not, at least I have another test (a 12 hour one) scheduled for next Monday that might yield some answers.

Sorry for all of the bellyaching. I know I have a lot to be thankful for, and I am thankful for all of it. It has just really sucked not being able to enjoy all of the things I love. I'm ready to get my life back. I'm ready to play with my children, clean my house, cook a nice meal for my husband, go to yoga classes, have a baby, and do a million other things that I miss. It has been very cathartic for me to write in my blog over these past months. I consider the blog my journal, so I am sorry if I get a little too personal sometimes.

I read these and laughed really hard. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I
> may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the
> hell alone.
>
> 2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky
> tire.
>
> 3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your
> neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
>
> 4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
>
> 5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
>
> 6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
>
> 7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car
> payments.
>
> 8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That
> way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
>
> 9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
>
> 10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and
> he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
>
> 11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably
> a wise investment.
>
> 12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
>
> 13.Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.
>
> 14.Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
>
> 15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it
> back in your pocket.
>
> 16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
>
> 17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and
> it holds the universe together.
>
> 18.There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
>
> 19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
>
> 20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
>
> 21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
>
> 22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on
> the same night.
>
> _____
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

I guess I am homesick. Can you tell?

Mama,
I find myself watching the video of Skyler and Ila in the kitchen quite often just so that I can hear your sweet voice. I miss you. Maybe you and Daddy could serve out the remainder of your mission here in the Bryant Slade Residence Mission. We are in need of some humanitarian aid. Except for minus Daddy. He doesn't have to come. He would just stay on my computer or play golf with Bryant the whole time. Well, I guess he would cook the girls a big breakfast and make us some camp stew for supper, so I take it back. He can come. Love y'all and miss y'all more than words can say.
Jessi Lou

Ila and Cole

Ila and Cole are my brother's children. They are 23 months and 4 years, and precious. I was lucky enough to get to help my mother babysit them for a week while their parents went to New York. I thought it would be a good experiment for me - you know, to see if I really wanted four kids. (It turns out I do!) Anyway, we had lots of fun with them. Cole made me laugh so hard when he would say things like "When I was seven, I touched a 40 foot bass stingray." (He, like his father, likes to wet a line.) Seven was a great year for Cole. He did some really cool stuff when he was seven.
It was really fun for me to have a little boy for a week. We took him to see the new Narnia movie and I absolutely loved to hear his various interpretations and hypothesis about the occurrences in the movie. I tried to shield his eyes a couple of times, but he wouldn't have it. He also passed gas very loudly several times in the theater - so loudly that the people two rows in front of us turned around. He would then chuckle and say excuse me. One night he was talking to his mother on the telephone and he asked her, "Mom, when does New York close?". Too cute.
I had so much fun with Ila too. I loved being around a toddler again. She would make up cute little songs and dance around the room. She is such a girly girl, but she can be tough too, thanks to her big brother. She is a major ham. She would fuss at me for turning the camera off of her while she was singing or dancing. She definitely preferred her grandmother over me, but that's okay. I would too if I were her. I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with those two.

Alabama's Gulf Coast

I know I sound like I'm from the Alabama Bureau of Tourism, but Alabama has the most beautiful beaches. The sand is white and the water is blue and clear. Bryant and I will retire there one day. The water is nice and smooth, except for during the occasional hurricane, and the water is so much warmer than in the Pacific. I guess that's the reason for the hurricanes, though.

Anyway, the Gulf Coast beaches are just so much better to me than the California beaches. I hope that doesn't offend anyone. I guess everyone just prefers that to which they are accustomed. I just can't get used to pigeons and rocks on the Pacific beaches. To me, they don't belong there. And they are usually so crowded, at least the Southern California beaches are. Also, the whole cliff next to the beach thing and the humonguous, powerful waves crashing against rocks make me incredibly nervous.

Another thing is that Gulf Coast properties/vacations are definitely more affordable than California ones. And there is so much to do. Near the beach in Alabama, you can go to Fort Morgan, a historic Civil War fortress. There is also the USS Alabama, a WWII battleship. Gulf Shores has a great little zoo. You can go and see the Blue Angels. There are several places to putt-putt, golf, ride go carts, etc. They have a monstrosity of an outlet mall in Foley, where I could spend two weeks alone. Then there are always the usual beachy things to do - play in the water, fish, go on a dolphin cruise, parasail, go crabbing, etc. I'm telling y'all though, you really can't beat the fresh seafood. There are so many great restaurants from which to choose. We like to go to ones near marinas, so that we can watch the boats come in and see the catch of the day.

The Turtle and The Frog

I like to catch animals sometimes and let the girls play with them a while. We plucked this turtle off the driveway at Mama and Daddy's house and held it captive for an hour or so, then returned it to where we found it.
About the frog- Alabama has more frog species than any other state. The sound of the bullfrogs, tree frogs, etc. croaking at night can almost be deafening sometimes.It is especially loud when the crickets chime in. I really love to hear it. It is truly a lullaby to me. Anyway, when we were just there, this gorgeous tree frog lit on my parent's family room window one afternoon. Tree frogs usually get on the windows at night, so that they can catch the bugs when they fly toward the light. They are usually just one color and one size- green and tiny. They leave the cutest little tracks all over the window. Anyway, this tree frog that came up was the most beautiful and biggest I had ever seen. He was flanked on both sides by bright yellow stripes and he had just a few yellow freckles. I looked him up on this great website that identifies Alabama frog species. You can even listen to each species' sound. If anyone is interested, it is http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa/display.cfm?showstate=al

A Tale of Two Horses

I went out to see the horses yesterday morning and they were all just so content. They had each picked their own special patch on which to graze and it got me to thinking. You rarely ever see a skinny horse in the South. They have so much to eat, whether their owner feeds them or not. Sometimes in the Winter, when the grass is dead, they might need a little hay, but for the most part they always have food. They almost always have a pond or creek from which to drink too. If a horse in the South is skinny, then it is usually because it is sick, not because it is not eating. I guess that's why I always feel sorry for horses in the desert. I worry about them getting enough grass and water, and especially about them not having shade from the sun. I guess they don't know any different though, so I shouldn't worry so much.

My Grandmother, The Expert Gardener

When I am in Alabama, I always enjoy seeing what is blooming in my grandmother's yard. For all of my life, her beautiful flowers have served as the background for portraits. She is an expert at growing Ivy. She loves to mix it with flowers and her arrangments look so pretty. She gave me some Ivy once and it died within a month or so. I got many traits from her, and even share her name, but the ability to grow Ivy I did not get. She also loves to grow Hydrangeas, but she calls them Hydrangelas. And they grow in really brilliant colors in the South, not just green and white. When I was there last week she brought over a Gardenia and just that one little Gardenia had my mama's kitchen smelling so sweet. Her Magnolia tree was blooming too. The Magnolia flower is similar to the Gardenia flower, in looks and fragrance. My grandmother is great with Roses too.

Some wild things that are blooming in Alabama right now are Queen Anne's Lace, Crepe Myrtles, and Mimosas. I also saw some Brown Eyed Susans and Honeysuckle. I especially love it when the wild Wisteria and the Daffodils bloom, but that is another time of year.

Happy Father's Day!

On Saturday, Bryant and Skyler conquered the Coosa River in a leaky canoe. This morning the girls gave Bryant their presents. They had put a lot of thought into them. Sibley stole all of my father's paperclips and put them in a gift bag for her father. She also went around the house and gathered up loose change and put that in there too. For those of you who don't know, Sibley is obsessed with paper clips. She likes to make jewelry out of them. Needless to say, my daddy has lost lots of paper clips over the past three weeks. Skyler picked her daddy out a card that said, "Dad, for Father's Day I wanted to get you something that would improve your golf game, but the pro shop was all out of miracles." Then she wrote, "Humor. I am growing up just like you Dad." It was pretty cute.

I really enjoyed being with Bryant, my father, and even getting to see my grandfather this Father's Day. It was a very special one for me. As hard as it is for me to write, I know this will probably be my grandfather's last. Bryant spent several hours over at his house yesterday putting in a new microwave for them and really enjoyed himself. Then, as usual, when Bryant went to leave, Grandaddy insisted on paying for the work. Bryant told him he was glad to do it - that it was a Father's Day gift. Then Grandaddy raised his voice and in a threatening tone told Bryant he'd better take the money, and Bryant wised up and took the money. This same scenario has occured many times over the years but with slight variables.

At any rate, I hope everyone had as special a Father's Day as I did. We had a fish fry for dinner and Bryant and Daddy set up a little fish camp outside. Bryant loves hushpuppies and so Daddy taught him how to make them today. (I love the fashion statement Daddy is making with the shorts and boots. My brothers and sisters might recall a previous John Enslen original fashion statement - the cut off paint splattered blue jeans with the flip flops. That was a good one.) We had Bass, Brim, Catfish, and Croppy that my daddy and brothers caught a couple of weeks ago. Mama worked hard in the kitchen all afternoon and made potato salad, cole slaw, her special baked beans, and barbecue bread. For dessert we had a Cheesecake for Bryant, Key Lime Pie, and Brownies with lots of pecans for daddy. It was D-licious! Joe and the missionaries came. I wish the rest of my family could have been there too.

Along those lines, when Bryant flew in this week he went over to see my grandparents. (They live right next door.) My grandfather, and my father for that matter, are notorious for being brutally honest. The first thing my grandfather said when he saw Bryant was "Boy, you done weighted up a bit." Then Bryant proceeded to tell Grandaddy that it was all his fault, because he is the one who taught me how to cook so well. I later told Bryant that I was surprised that Grandaddy didn't say anything like that to me this trip, given the fact that I have gained weight since I have been sick over the past seven months. But, instead of saying something to me about my weight, he said lots of sweet things to me, like the other morning he made me breakfast and told me I looked like a "dish." He also told me that I looked good and that I had gotten too skinny before and needed to gain some weight. He also told me that I reminded him of Sophia Loren and that we were both beautiful. I guess he is getting sweeter in his old age, at least to the ladies anyway.

Here is the story of how my 6th great uncle, John Thrasher, founded Atlanta.

The historical markers don't say this, but John Thrasher's house was used in the Civil War as the Confederate Headquarters in Atlanta by General John Hood before Georgia fell to Sherman.


Thrasherville State Historical Marker
Located at the Federal Reserve Bank, 104 Marietta St., in Atlanta

(Text)

THRASHERVILLE
Where Atlanta Began
In 1839 "Cousin John' Thrasher built a settlement called Thrasherville at this then forested site near the peg marking the planned terminus of the Western & Atlantic RR. This railroad was later built by the State of Georgia to provide a link to the north for other Georgia railroads. When building northward near Griffin, the Monroe RR accepted John Thrasher's bid to build an embankment to enable a future junction of the Monroe RR with the W&A RR. The Monroe Embankment, a $25,000 project, required about two years to complete. To fulfill his contract John Thrasher brought in many laborers, built rough shelters to house them and opened Atlanta's first store. Atlanta's first religious service, labor trouble, social event and baby are associated with this settlement. In 1842 the terminus was changed to the place now marked by the Zero Mile Post. Thrasherville, Terminus and Marthasville were the names given to the railroad generated settlement activity which preceded Atlanta. Thrasherville and Terminus were unofficial names. Marthasville was incorporated in 1843 and was reincorporated as Atlanta in 1845 and 1847. "Cousin John's" settlement at this location is where Atlanta began.


060-173 GEORGIA HISTORIC MARKER 1992
Founding of Atlanta
In 1839, Thrasher was hired to do work on the terminus of the Western and Atlantic Railroad. His work crew lived in the area of what is now downtown Atlanta. During the construction Thrasher built homes for his workers and a general store. Nicknamed "Thrasherville" instead of its official name (given by the railroad), "Terminus", it was the first development of the area.

Thrasher himself purchased a large amount of land in Whitehall which is now the site of West End, a neighborhood of Atlanta just southwest of the city center. This area was originally supposed to have been the zero-mile marker of the railroad and Thrasher expected enough traffic generated to bring business to the grocery store he built and to spur development on his land. In 1842, Lemuel P. Grant, a railroad employee, donated land just northeast of Whitehall to the railroad and the terminus was moved. Thrasher was so disgusted by this that he sold his land at a significant loss and moved to Griffin, Georgia.

In 1844 Thrasher married and moved back to Atlanta opening another store on Peachtree Street. He became active in local politics and became a state legislator representing Fulton County. It wasn't until after the American Civil War and the destruction of Atlanta that he became deeply involved in Atlanta politics. He was instrumental in opening Atlanta's first jail, its first school, and its streetcars.


Founding of Norcross
In 1870 Thrasher moved northeast of the city along the Richmond and Danville Railroad and founded the town of Norcross, named after Thrasher's good friend, Jonathan Norcross, the fourth mayor of Atlanta. Thrasher quickly turned Norcross into a vacation destination with a resort hotel he built. He was an active philanthropist in Norcross, donating houses to clergy and donating land for a park, now called Thrasher Park in downtown Norcross. A daily train ran between Norcross and Atlanta, perhaps the first commuter train in Georgia. Thrasher built the first public school in Norcross, attended by students who walked upwards of two miles each way.


Later life
In 1878 his wanderlust struck again and he moved to Central, South Carolina, where he built a restaurant on the train line that went from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. Sometime in the late 1880s or early 1890s, Thrasher and his wife followed his sons to Dade City, Florida, where he grew oranges. He never abandoned the railroads however, and was instrumental in bringing the railroads to that town.

Adding to Thrasher's legacy are Robert and George Woodruff, the great grandsons of his first cousin, Caroline Thrasher. Robert Woodruff was a famous Atlanta philanthropist and CEO of Coca Cola from 1923 to 1939.

West Point Excursion

Many of y'all know this already, but my brother, Josh, is about to embark on a new career as the Professor of Portuguese at West Point. We are so proud of him and so happy and excited for his little family. We are also elated to have such a beautiful and historically rich place for the rest of the family to visit. We just will have to steer clear of there in the wintertime. At any rate, my father accompanied Josh and Alaina on a trip to New York this past week to help them in an attempt to secure suitable housing. They were successful! My father was able to stop in at one museum for about an hour. He also went into a couple of other historic buildings on campus. He showed me some pictures of the trip, one of which was a huge monument to Union soldiers. I asked him if they had any monuments to Confederate soldiers and his reply was very thought provoking. He said that West Point has no memorials to Confederate soldiers because they were considered traitors. I found that peculiar considering all of the excellent Confederate Generals that graduated from West Point - Lee, Stonewall Jackson, just to name a couple. Then Daddy noted that Lee was the only exception and they only have a memorial to Lee because prior to the Civil War, Lee had served as President of West Point and, of course, West Point pays tribute to all of their past presidents. He also noted that the tribute to Lee was completely void of any mention of the Civil War.
Another picture from Daddy's trip was one of the first female graduate of West Point to ever be killed in battle. Note that at West Point they put rocks on the graves of the soldiers instead of flowers. I will have to look into that tradition and inquire about its origins when I go and visit Josh and Alaina. The river in the pictures is the Hudson. I told them it was a good thing they would be upstream from New York. Another interesting tidbit about West Point is that Edgar Allen Poe was a student there, but did not graduate from there as he was kicked out early. Maybe he was a rap-tap-tapping on some off limits windows or something. I don't know. That was my attempt at a joke. How did I do? Pretty corny, huh? Also, one of the monuments is to General Custer.
Also, if you are wondering about my Dad and the tree, here is the story. It is a Dogwood tree. They grow wild in the South. They are Daddy's favorite and they bloom in early Spring here. Daddy thought it was pretty cool that they could grow in New York too, and he got an encore of the blossoms, since they are just now blooming in the North. Besides that, he just likes to take pictures of flora and fauna. He always has.

Warning: This post contains a decapitated snake and is not for the squeamish!

About the snake - It is always exciting around here for the kids, and the adults for that matter, when we run upon various wildlife. After all, we are but Southern country folk and country folk spend a lot of time telling fish stories, snake stories, bobcat stories, wild boar stories, etc. (I guess one reason we have so many stories is that we have so much dadgum wildlife.) For example, today I saw a huge turtle in the front yard and was going to take a picture of it, but my camera was out of batteries. I like to find the occasional big turtle or giant crawdad and bring it home, put it in a container, let the girls play with it for a few hours, and release it back into the wild (Mama and Daddy's swamp). Also, our family as well as most Southern families, has several stories about snakes getting into various houses in which we have lived. Many of you may have heard one such story I like to tell in which my father, afraid to shoot a gun in the house for obvious reasons, decapitated a snake in our playroom with a Confederate sword - the same sword that my now detective/swat team sniper brother, Jacob, used to chase me around and threaten me with. I know I just ended that sentence with a preposition and this post is getting way longer than I had planned for it to be.

Anyway, back to this particular snake. My brother-in-law saw it in the backyard headed toward the house and killed it, or so he thought, with a canoe paddle. Turns out the snake fared better than the canoe paddle. The paddle was broken in half, but the snake only suffered a broken neck. So the snake just below the head was just a windin' and trying to get away, but wasn't making any "headway" since it couldn't move its head. So then my brother-in-law finished it off with an ax. This one was not poisonous, which means here in the South we refer to it as a "chicken snake." Around here poisonous snakes are allotted individual species names, but all measly nonpoisonous snakes are referred to as chicken snakes, especially since they don't require as much bravery, since one's life isn't technically in danger when battling a mere "chicken snake". They are simply named after their favorite food - chickens. And they do love to slither into a chicken pen and steal some eggs, take it from someone who grew up on a farm with chickens. We have so many poisonous snakes around here that one always has to be careful. We have copperheads, cottonmouths, water moccasins, and rattlesnakes, so we prefer to kill the snake and check it to see if it is poisonous after it is already dead. (My cousin was in the hospital for a week or two last year after she was bitten in her backyard by a water moccasin. She has a salt water pool and a lot of pine trees, and water moccasins love both of those things and they are the most aggressive snakes. We have a section of the Coosa River, that runs through Wetumpka, aptly named Moccasin Gap. Bryant had one chase him when he was in a boat once. Anyway, enough about the snakes. I do apologize if one is offended by the violent snake pictures or my incessant rambling! style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKacIMLyG_rMFIcvNiLwRxQ8IGsIvQf9PHZuqpVk2q3Oc5J5vahnWwnNsKca46tKn19J2wzh0ie8Zjkf-m6vtSLZDYZGiHYZaYhaW_k94-6TWqqrpsMwfGCtctJwMbH78DCdTPqbolqg/s200/DSC03984.JPG" border=0>