Take `em away

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me

Some birds’ feathers are too bright to be caged
I know I’m not that colorful but a bird just the same
Open up your gate now, let me put down my load
So I can feel at ease and go back to my home

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me

Sun beatin’ down, my legs can’t seem to stand
There’s a boss man at a turnrow with a rifle in his hand
I’ve got nine child, nothin’ in the pan
My wife she died hungry while I was plowin’ land

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me

Can’t see when I go to work, can’t see when I get off
How do you expect a man not to get lost
Every year I just keep getting deeper in debt
If there’s a happy day, Lord, I haven’t seen one yet

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me

Land that I love is the land that I’m workin’
But it’s hard to love it all the time when your back is a-hurtin’
Gettin’ too old now to push this here plow
Please let me lay down so I can look at the clouds

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me

Land that I know is where two rivers collide
The Escatawpa and the Leaf and the big blue sky
Flood plains, freight trains, watermelon vines
Of any place on God’s green earth, this is where I choose to die

Take ‘em away, take ‘em away, Lord
Take away these chains from me
My heart is broken ‘cause my spirit’s not free
Lord take away these chains from me


"Take `em away"
by Old Crow Medicine Show

Four Things

Four Things

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Assistant Project Manager - Construction Company
2. Maintenance at a ranch in Colorado
3. Estimator at Construction Company
4. Worked at a dairy milking cows

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Tombstone
2. Tommy Boy
3. Dazed and Confused
4. We Were Soldiers

Four Places I have lived:
1. Lucedale, MS
2. Starkville, MS (Home of Mississippi State)
3. Lake George, CO
4. Gulfport, MS

Four things I like to do:
1. Hang out with friends
2. Tailgate at Mississippi State
3. Travel
4. Read

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Myspace
2. Facebook
3. Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS newspaper)
4. Sun Herald (Mississippi Gulf Coast newspaper)

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Seafood (shrimp, oysters, flounder, etc)
2. Catfish
3. Sunday Dinner (roast, rice gravy, and fresh veggies)
4. Chinese

Four places I would like to be right now:
1. At a Mississippi State football game!
2. In Destin
3. Colorado
4. Fishing

Four places I have been on vacation
1. Florida Keys
2. Steamboat Springs, CO
3. Boston, MA
4. San Francisco, CA

Bonnie Blue Flag

The story of the Bonnie Blue Flag.
The Bonnie Blue Flag has an old and storied past. The flag was first raised in 1810 at the Spanish Fort in Baton Rouge as the flag of the short lived Republic of West Florida. The Republic of West Florida actually did not include Florida at all, but rather the southenmost counties of Alabama, the six coastal counties of Mississippi(Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, George, Stone, and Pearl River), and the Louisiana parishes of East Baton Rouge, East and West Feliciana, Livingston, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Washington. The people of West Florida tired of Spanish rule, lead a rebellion against the Spanish and overthrew the government. They then formed a constitution and declared themselves the Free and Independent Republic of West Florida. The Republic then applied for statehood to the United States, but President Madison decided against this and annexed this republic into the Louisiana and Mississippi Territory thus ending the Republic of West Florida. The flag lay dormant for many years then in 1835, the largest group of volunteers who came to Texas to help the Texans fight for their independence was from Louisiana. They came and fought under the Bonnie Blue Flag of the former Republic of West Florida. The Bonnie Blue in turn served as the inspiration for the original Flag of Texas, known as the "Burnet Flag". The flag then resurfaced during the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1861 when Mississippi seceded from the Union the Bonnie Blue Flag was raised over the Capital Building in Jackson. An Irish immigrant then penned the words to the famous song " The Bonnie Blue Flag"
Hurray! Hurrah!
For Southern Rights, Hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag
That bears a Single Star!
The flag is still used today to represent the south. But the flag also has other ties for example it was the inspiration for red star in the state of Californians flag, as Texas lone star flag, and led to the parish's in West Louisiana to be called the Florida parishes.

America

"America the Beautiful"
by Katherine Lee Bates




Oh beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

Oh beautiful, for pilgrims' feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

Oh beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
'Til all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!

Oh beautiful, for patriot's dream
That sees beyond the years!
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

What a place!
Have a Happy 4th!

Mississippi Magic

I came across this on my sisters blog. It was written by a teacher that we had in High School. This article says a lot about the state in which I was born, and the state which I love. Mississippi is a place of magic that only one who has a connection with it can appreciate. She has a sad, tragic history. She is so often berated, picked on, and dismissed. But she is a place with culture (yes, culture), history, love, tragegy, and most of all magic!


"Mississippi Magic"


Mississippi is a place, Mississippi is a people. But most of all, Mississippi is a spirit.
It is a land of enchantment that casts a spell over visitors and natives, both young and old.
Its' scenic bayous, sandy beaches, and untouched small towns are the stuff of which dreams
are made, as well as Hollywood movies. In this one state beats the heart of the Mighty
Mississippi River as it carries steamboats and barges to the Gulf Stream waters.
Wherever I plant my feet in this great state, I can feel the magic of our enchanted land. Standing on the battlefields of Vicksburg with my eyes closed, I can feel the tragedy and
heartbreak of a time best remembered only in history books. As I follow the Natchez trace, I can hear the drums of our American natives as they followed a trail of tears from their land
of magic... only these people know why the the Pascagoula sings, or the Nanawoyhaa reaches to
the sky.
Only in Mississippi does music float thru the air with Elvis' rock and roll, Jimmy Rodgers' yodel and the throaty blues of B.B. King. The books and poetry of Mississippi writers tell of a people and place filled with magic. Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner and
John Grisham have captured the essence of Mississippi enchantment.
The smell of cape jasmine and honeysuckle, the winds off the still waters and the creak of the old porch swing will always keep the magic in Mississippi.

Where I'm From

Many of you reading this will get through scratching their heads, but some of you will recognize exactly everything I speak of.


I am from the rolling hills of the Pine Belt, from Browning shotguns, John Deere tractors, and grape soda.

I am from the big house in Agricola, riding horses, working cows, cutting grass and jumping in the pool, driving at the age of 8, crawfish boils, Delta hunting trips and working till dark.

I am from the magnolias, the crepe myrtles, the azaleas and all other fauna that made up our "little" flower beds.

I am from cemetery cleaning, MSU football games, Sunday afternoon westerns, green eyes, big hands and curly hair, from Johnny and Prissy, Pawpaw, Mimi, Granny, Pa-Pa, Na-Ma and Maw-Maw, from the O'Neals, Hattens, Davis, Greens, Lowerys, Chathams and Patricks.

I am from the stubborn, hard-headed, compassionate, hard-working, silly, determined, and opinionated.

From Ready Kilowatt, mysterious make-believe lands of my sisters, Sambo and Pa-pa's " Lion attack Scar", from Confederate and Southern pride and heritage.

I am from Buffy, Whiskers, O.J., Katie, Steve, Duchess, Trigger, Ginger, and Shelby, from cows I know by name, and rat killin cats.

I am from the Southern Baptists and their old time religion and Sunday morning Sing-A-Longs.

I'm from Mississippi, Scotland and Ireland. I'm from the Revolutionary War, the War of Northern Aggression, World Wars I & II, from rice and gravy and more gravy.

From the Sears toilet, Sinclair and Pi the Pirate, from the man who band directors fear but also mentored so many and the city girl in the house with white columns who snuck out of windows to avoid certain dates.

I am from the Other Place, the Property, the Gunter Place, the West Place, the Upper Pasture, the back 40 and way back yonder.

I am from Subway parking lot on Saturday nights, field parties, football practice, Friday night lights, mudding in the Bronco and "making the loop" .

I am from South Mississippi where every town bears a different seed and branch of me.

I am from good hard-working people with traditions old and new, from sorrow and joy, from loss and rebirth, I am from love and that's the only way I'd have it.

Getting to Know You

1. FIRST NAME? John
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes. I was named after my Dad( he is a Jr) and my grandfather who has the same name and is named after his grandfather.
3. FAVORITE "ROMANTIC" SONG? hmmm not too sure. Maybe some old Conway Twitty
4. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Don't know. It has been several years
5. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I really don't pay that much attention to it. I know it is messy, but it is uniquely mine, so I guess that I like it.
6. WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Cajun roast beef
7. KIDS? Not yet
8. WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes
9. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? No
10. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? yes
11. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
12. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I'd love to
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I don't eat cereal
14. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not usually
15. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Sure
16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Vanilla ( I know I'm plain)
17. SHOE SIZE? 10-11
18. RED OR PINK? Red
19. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? That I tend to disagree with people strongly ( I am VERY opinionated). That I can sometimes be a difficult person to get along with.
20. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Charlie
21. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? sure
22. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? Blue jeans and boots
23. LAST THING YOU ATE? A #1 from Burger King..King sized
24. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? A burnt CD with a lot of old school Widespead Panic songs on it.
25. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Bright Blue
26. FAVORITE SMELL? The outdoors.
27. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Teasley
28. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes!
29. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Well yeah she's my sister!
30. FAVORITE DRINK? non-alcoholic- Root beer; alcoholic- Old Charter and Sprite or Gin and Tonic
31. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? College Football or Nascar
32. HAIR COLOR? Dark Brown
33. EYE COLOR? Hazel
34. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope
35. FAVORITE FOOD? Rice and Gravy
36. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy ending
37. FAVORITE HYMN? "How Great Thou Art" or "Because He Lives"
38. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Yellow Polo
39. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT? I used to play the piano, and I am sort of teaching my self the guitar
40. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses
41. FAVORITE MOVIE? Tombstone
42. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don't know.
43. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don't know.
44. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Greatest Salesman in the World
45. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Mississippi State University
46. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? I watch the History Channel so much that it is sick, but I did watch Batman Begins yesterday afternoon
47. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Bacon Frying or good live music
48. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I think I am more of a Rolling Stones kind of guy, but I do like the Beatles
49. THE FURTHEST YOU BEEN FROM HOME? California
50. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Not really sure if you would call talking a talent but that would be it. I can talk to anyone about anything for any amount of time. I can also burp the alphabet (My sister Jennifer taught me that one)
51. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? July 24, 1982 in Hattiesburg, MS
52. SIBLINGS? 2 sisters
53. HEELS OR FLATS? Well I'm a guy and I always wear boots, and boots have heels, so I am going to say heels
54. SWEET OR UNSWEET TEA? Super Sweet
55. SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE? I can speak broken spanish ( just enough to know what the immigrant workers on jobsites are talking about)