First, happy Valentines Day to everybody who reads this.
Yesterday the highlight of my day was a little grocery shopping at Food Lion in Valdese. I've written about Food Lion before, and the alternate universe qualities of the experience, but just because I've written about something before has never stopped me from writing about it again.
Food Lion is a mid-sized supermarket (meaning it's not small by any means, but I've seen larger), in a small town. It is the ONLY supermarket in town, for a couple of years now. And though it's not that far to Morganton or Cajah's Mountain or even Hickory, most of the time Food Lion is where people in town end up going for their groceries.
If the people of Valdese were water, Food Lion would be the water purification plant.
If the people of Valdese the dark matter of space, then Food Lion would be a quantum anomaly where the universe contracts and expands simultaneously.
And so on.
Eventually everybody in town is going to go in there, buy something and leave. Because of that Food Lion of Valdese is a very big fish in a small pond. It exerts enormous influence.
The influence starts when you enter the store. Although there are no signs, no requirements and no physical barriers, the physical layout strongly encourages you to go to the produce section immediately after entering. You'd have to make a conscious effort to go any other way. Then once in the produce section, the physical layout strongly encourages you to go down the aisle at the end of the store. No physical barrier keeps you from going any other way, but you would have to make an effort. So you head down that aisle, and before you know it you are in the far corner of the store - right where they want you. The more you walk around, the more you buy.
Everybody in Valdese is subject to this subtle behavior control. Food Lion - the great leveler.
And it is a great leveler. It is possible for 2 people to go into Food Lion, fill up two carts, and not have bought a single thing in common. But over time, in a large enough population, people are going to buy the same things, and Food Lion will cater to the items that people buy. The good people of Valdese have a very similar Food Lion diet.
So any rate, I did a little light shopping at Food Lion yesterday. I got some milk and some cereal (nowhere near each other, btw), some chicken (parts is parts), ground turkey, a case of water, something for Pickles the Dog to gnaw on and some other stuff. Though one item I was going to get I didn't, because there were some people who apparently decided to camp out at the section right where the item I wanted was. They were elderly, and they weren't going to budge for awhile. So I did a quick cost/benefit analysis and decided it wasn't worth it and went paid for everything and left. I can only handle so much.
Showing posts with label Valdese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valdese. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Valdese Town Council Elections
It appears that town council elections for Valdese, NC are imminent. I'm not sure who all's running, but I've seen signs. Literally.
There's Frances Hildebran, with a blue and white sign that just says vote for Frances Hildebran. There's Steve Ogle, with the same kind of sign except it's red and white. There's Jason Banner whose sign I think is red, white & blue, and asks you to vote for him "For A Better Valdese". And then I've seen Sandi Walker's sign, which asks you to vote for her for "Common Sense Government". Her sign is also yellow with black lettering, thus setting her apart from rest of the field in the graphics regard.
Frances & Steve have pretty basic signs, just getting their name out there, letting you know they're running, nothing else. Old school - they probably have the same thing printed up on those funeral home fans so that people who are grieving for their loved ones can think about who to vote for in a couple of weeks.
Jason and Sandi, however, had made campaign promises on their signs. Really general, unmeasurable, impossible to verify campaign promises, but nontheless they've stuck their neck out.
Jason has promised a better Valdese. My first thought is, better than what? Better than right now I suppose, but how much better? What does better mean? Is he going to get all the mills & factories in town churning out furniture and hosiery products and employing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people like they were 50 to 60 years ago? Or is he just talking about adding a traffic light where Faet meets Main Street so people can make a left turn without risking their lives. Or is he just going to get all the traffic lights on Main Street better synchronised? Or is he going to round up all the non-English speaking people in town and make them prove they're citizens. I have no idea what his idea of a better Valdese is, but most likely, somone else has a different idea of what a better Valdese is.
Sandi has promised common sense government. Of course I immediately wonder which common sense, because there seems to be more than one. So much of what a person considers common sense depends on the values instilled in them when they were growing up. I have common sense about some things, so imagine a large circle that represents my common sense. Now imagine another circle representing someone elses common sense. There are parts of the circles that will surely overlap. If it's cold outside, you should dress warmly. I believe that's common sense to most people & that would be in the overlapping parts of the circles. To some people, especially those with lots of money, it's common sense that if a community needs more jobs you should lower taxes on it's wealthiest citizens. To others that makes no sense at all and that may not be in the overlapping parts of the circles. I'm positive Sandi Walker has common sense, but is it the type of common sense that prays the gay away, or is it the type of common sense that says that now is perhaps not the best time to start life over as a real estate agent. I have no idea.
Jason & Sandi probably assumed they were putting some bland, safe slogan on their signs, something that sounds agreeable and people would hopefully associate with their names and not really think about. Neither considered that Pickles the Dog and I walk the mean streets of Valdese every morning, generally south of Main Street, and I see those signs. I see them, I look closely, trying to catch the nuances of a printed two dimensional piece of small town political advertising, I wonder about them, I read between the lines, I try to figure out what they're really saying, especially if there are any "code" words in them. Jason and Sandi's signs kind of scare me, I have no idea what their slogans mean to them, and I can easily see the sinister side of "A Better Valdese" and especially of "Common Sense Government". Frances and Steve have no slogans, make no promises, could be they're just really need a job, and for no particular reason I feel a little easier about them.
Doesn't matter. I've never met Frances, Steve, Jason or Sandi, and probably never will. I don't know anything about them or what they stand for, which is why I pay attention to the signs. And we don't live within the Valdese town limits, so I don't reckon I'll be a-votin' for them any how.
There's Frances Hildebran, with a blue and white sign that just says vote for Frances Hildebran. There's Steve Ogle, with the same kind of sign except it's red and white. There's Jason Banner whose sign I think is red, white & blue, and asks you to vote for him "For A Better Valdese". And then I've seen Sandi Walker's sign, which asks you to vote for her for "Common Sense Government". Her sign is also yellow with black lettering, thus setting her apart from rest of the field in the graphics regard.
Frances & Steve have pretty basic signs, just getting their name out there, letting you know they're running, nothing else. Old school - they probably have the same thing printed up on those funeral home fans so that people who are grieving for their loved ones can think about who to vote for in a couple of weeks.
Jason and Sandi, however, had made campaign promises on their signs. Really general, unmeasurable, impossible to verify campaign promises, but nontheless they've stuck their neck out.
Jason has promised a better Valdese. My first thought is, better than what? Better than right now I suppose, but how much better? What does better mean? Is he going to get all the mills & factories in town churning out furniture and hosiery products and employing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of people like they were 50 to 60 years ago? Or is he just talking about adding a traffic light where Faet meets Main Street so people can make a left turn without risking their lives. Or is he just going to get all the traffic lights on Main Street better synchronised? Or is he going to round up all the non-English speaking people in town and make them prove they're citizens. I have no idea what his idea of a better Valdese is, but most likely, somone else has a different idea of what a better Valdese is.
Sandi has promised common sense government. Of course I immediately wonder which common sense, because there seems to be more than one. So much of what a person considers common sense depends on the values instilled in them when they were growing up. I have common sense about some things, so imagine a large circle that represents my common sense. Now imagine another circle representing someone elses common sense. There are parts of the circles that will surely overlap. If it's cold outside, you should dress warmly. I believe that's common sense to most people & that would be in the overlapping parts of the circles. To some people, especially those with lots of money, it's common sense that if a community needs more jobs you should lower taxes on it's wealthiest citizens. To others that makes no sense at all and that may not be in the overlapping parts of the circles. I'm positive Sandi Walker has common sense, but is it the type of common sense that prays the gay away, or is it the type of common sense that says that now is perhaps not the best time to start life over as a real estate agent. I have no idea.
Jason & Sandi probably assumed they were putting some bland, safe slogan on their signs, something that sounds agreeable and people would hopefully associate with their names and not really think about. Neither considered that Pickles the Dog and I walk the mean streets of Valdese every morning, generally south of Main Street, and I see those signs. I see them, I look closely, trying to catch the nuances of a printed two dimensional piece of small town political advertising, I wonder about them, I read between the lines, I try to figure out what they're really saying, especially if there are any "code" words in them. Jason and Sandi's signs kind of scare me, I have no idea what their slogans mean to them, and I can easily see the sinister side of "A Better Valdese" and especially of "Common Sense Government". Frances and Steve have no slogans, make no promises, could be they're just really need a job, and for no particular reason I feel a little easier about them.
Doesn't matter. I've never met Frances, Steve, Jason or Sandi, and probably never will. I don't know anything about them or what they stand for, which is why I pay attention to the signs. And we don't live within the Valdese town limits, so I don't reckon I'll be a-votin' for them any how.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Shoveling out the Driveway
Topographically speaking, Valdese, North Carolina is not a flat place. If there is a flat place in Valdese, it was made that way with heavy equipment. Valdese is very close to some good sized mountains, and has some very nice views in spots, but it's actually located in the foothills region of North Carolina. You can tell this because 25 % of the businesses around here (80% of which are thrift stores or beauty parlors) call themselves Foothills something or other. This is not to be confused with Piedmont, which I believe is French for Foothills, but is an entirely different region, somewhat to the east of us. Anyway, Valdese is a pretty little town with an interesting history and some interesting buildings, and could almost be a tourist destination if the universe had aligned itself just a tad differently. All that aside though, it's not a flat place.
Our property is roughly rectangular, almost 3 acres, sloping almost but not quite gently from the gravel road we live on to a creek, then banks sharply up toward some houses in a relatively new development. That area is completely wooded and in the summer we can't see those houses. We have huge trees and lots of elbow room and it's nice. But it's not flat.
The gravel road we live on comes off a paved residential road, travels downhill toward our property then curves. Our paved driveway comes off of that curve, continues down hill on the west side of the house then curves around behind the house. The driveway area behind the house is about as flat as things get around here and it was made that way at some unknown time in the past, almost certainly with heavy equipment.
The problem is, it doesn't drain. So when it rains water streams from the paved residential street, down our gravel street, down our driveway, and ends up in the area of the drive way behind our house. It brings along with it a lot of dirt and other residue it picks up along the way, and in very short order that area of the driveway is caked with mud. It dries out & turns into dirt, and the driveway disappears.
Now there are drainage ditches, but they're apparently just a good intention. They've never worked, and I'm sure are only there because some permit issuing authority from the local government required them to be there so they could collect their permit issuing fee.
When we bought the place there was no indication of any kind of issue with the small part of the driveway that is behind our house. Of course I'm pretty sure there was a drought when we bought this place. I shoveled the driveway out once several months ago. I started to it out again today, but decided it doesn't really matter. Shoveling dirt from a driveway by hand is hard work, even on a low humidity day.
With the new septic system & grading done in the back yard, maybe it will drain. But I bet it won't.
Our property is roughly rectangular, almost 3 acres, sloping almost but not quite gently from the gravel road we live on to a creek, then banks sharply up toward some houses in a relatively new development. That area is completely wooded and in the summer we can't see those houses. We have huge trees and lots of elbow room and it's nice. But it's not flat.
The gravel road we live on comes off a paved residential road, travels downhill toward our property then curves. Our paved driveway comes off of that curve, continues down hill on the west side of the house then curves around behind the house. The driveway area behind the house is about as flat as things get around here and it was made that way at some unknown time in the past, almost certainly with heavy equipment.
The problem is, it doesn't drain. So when it rains water streams from the paved residential street, down our gravel street, down our driveway, and ends up in the area of the drive way behind our house. It brings along with it a lot of dirt and other residue it picks up along the way, and in very short order that area of the driveway is caked with mud. It dries out & turns into dirt, and the driveway disappears.
Now there are drainage ditches, but they're apparently just a good intention. They've never worked, and I'm sure are only there because some permit issuing authority from the local government required them to be there so they could collect their permit issuing fee.
When we bought the place there was no indication of any kind of issue with the small part of the driveway that is behind our house. Of course I'm pretty sure there was a drought when we bought this place. I shoveled the driveway out once several months ago. I started to it out again today, but decided it doesn't really matter. Shoveling dirt from a driveway by hand is hard work, even on a low humidity day.
With the new septic system & grading done in the back yard, maybe it will drain. But I bet it won't.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
This is what happened today.
Today some local police asked me to show some identification as I was getting ready to leave the post office. Interesting.
Patti, Pickles the Dog and I piled into the truck and took our daily eBay mailings down to the post office. It's a daily tradition - almost every day at some point in the afternoon you'll see us there. Typically, while the weather is warm, Patti goes into the post office mails the packages, picks up things and goes to the counter if needed. Today was stamp buying day, so that made a trip to the counter necessary, and some times that can take several minutes, depending on how many people are ahead of you who wish to chat.
Pickles and I walk across the street and sit in a shady area on a small concrete wall near the Waldensian Museum.
This happens day after day.
Today a few minutes after Pickles and I had settled in, a white Jeep approached us. As it got near I saw it was an unmarked police vehicle - there were 2 people in it, one in uniform and one in plain clothes. It passed me up then made a U-turn and parked near end of the post office parking area across the street. I saw this out of the corner of my eye, didn't think much of it and went on thinking about whatever I was randomly thinking about. Pickles was busy smelling the grass around her.
A couple of minutes later they left and drove down St. Germain, but then stopped, two or 3 houses down. That I found interesting. I did look at them, but why wouldn't I, it was odd. They were there for a minute or so, then Patti came out & Pickles an I got off the wall and walked toward our truck. The police car made a U-Turn on St. Germain, then parked across the street from me. I was actually in the truck & starting it up when they approached and asked to see some identification. Pickles started barking at that point, but wasn't as bad as she could have been. Pore ol' dog doesnt know any better. I was very polite.
So I gave them my drivers license. The one in uniform asked what I was doing in the area, so I told him. The other looked in the back of the truck (there's not anything there) then ran my name and license plates, asked me if the address was valid and all that. Everything checked out so they gave me my drivers license back, said thank you & told me to have a good day.
After that we drove over to the Family Dollar, one of Valdese's premier retail establishments, then headed home.
They never told me why they were checking me out, and I never asked. I figured as long as they didn't ask me to step out of the truck or start putting me in cuffs I wouldn't worry about it. I dont know if I fit a description, or if the truck did, or if for some reason I just looked suspicious to them. It is possible I looked a tad unkempt to the casual observer. I suppose I need a hair cut, could use a shave, and certainly was not dressed in my Sunday best. And technically I suppose I was loitering, sitting there waiting for Patti to come out of the post office. I probably looked out of place.
I suspect they searched the area where I was sitting after I left, but I can't prove it.
I've lived in enough small towns to know there is a strong undercurrent of lawlessness about, and Valdese is no different. There are a lot of people who live on the very edge, people who bend or outright break rules of society, people who mostly are never noticed by the church going white people with enough money and a comfortable place to live. There are drug abusers, thieves, alcoholics, abusers of wives, husbands & children, sex offenders, convicted felons, shop lifters, robbers, the occasional murderer, violent, unsavory, undesirable people living in Valdese and the immediate area. They don't make up the majority of the community by any means, not even close, but they are present, and most likely only the police have a good idea of just how present they are. Most people ignore it, arent affected by it, out of sight, out of mind.
I've had a lot of experiences in my life, I've lived in a lot of small towns and I am very aware of this seething undercurrent of dregs in polite society. These days I mostly sequester myself from it. I don't want anything to do with it. So I can go for a long period of time with no reminders of it's existence. But all I have to do is pay attention to realize it's right there. All anyone has to do is look.
There are a lot of people in Valdese & in Burke County North Carolina living right on the edge. It is not a wealthy place.
I don't know why these policemen decided they needed to talk to me. Maybe some tall guy with brown hair lugging around a goofy half hound half retriever robbed a convenience store. I doubt it. Most likely they were looking for someone, or perhaps I just looked out of place. Either way, I can understand.
UPDATE - Aug 2, 2011:
I found out today that someone robbed the BB&T bank on Main Street about 10 minutes before we loped into the post office. No one hurt, apparently no weapons involved (at least none anyone could see), but that explains the unusual behavoir of the local constabulary.
Patti, Pickles the Dog and I piled into the truck and took our daily eBay mailings down to the post office. It's a daily tradition - almost every day at some point in the afternoon you'll see us there. Typically, while the weather is warm, Patti goes into the post office mails the packages, picks up things and goes to the counter if needed. Today was stamp buying day, so that made a trip to the counter necessary, and some times that can take several minutes, depending on how many people are ahead of you who wish to chat.
Pickles and I walk across the street and sit in a shady area on a small concrete wall near the Waldensian Museum.
This happens day after day.
Today a few minutes after Pickles and I had settled in, a white Jeep approached us. As it got near I saw it was an unmarked police vehicle - there were 2 people in it, one in uniform and one in plain clothes. It passed me up then made a U-turn and parked near end of the post office parking area across the street. I saw this out of the corner of my eye, didn't think much of it and went on thinking about whatever I was randomly thinking about. Pickles was busy smelling the grass around her.
A couple of minutes later they left and drove down St. Germain, but then stopped, two or 3 houses down. That I found interesting. I did look at them, but why wouldn't I, it was odd. They were there for a minute or so, then Patti came out & Pickles an I got off the wall and walked toward our truck. The police car made a U-Turn on St. Germain, then parked across the street from me. I was actually in the truck & starting it up when they approached and asked to see some identification. Pickles started barking at that point, but wasn't as bad as she could have been. Pore ol' dog doesnt know any better. I was very polite.
So I gave them my drivers license. The one in uniform asked what I was doing in the area, so I told him. The other looked in the back of the truck (there's not anything there) then ran my name and license plates, asked me if the address was valid and all that. Everything checked out so they gave me my drivers license back, said thank you & told me to have a good day.
After that we drove over to the Family Dollar, one of Valdese's premier retail establishments, then headed home.
They never told me why they were checking me out, and I never asked. I figured as long as they didn't ask me to step out of the truck or start putting me in cuffs I wouldn't worry about it. I dont know if I fit a description, or if the truck did, or if for some reason I just looked suspicious to them. It is possible I looked a tad unkempt to the casual observer. I suppose I need a hair cut, could use a shave, and certainly was not dressed in my Sunday best. And technically I suppose I was loitering, sitting there waiting for Patti to come out of the post office. I probably looked out of place.
I suspect they searched the area where I was sitting after I left, but I can't prove it.
I've lived in enough small towns to know there is a strong undercurrent of lawlessness about, and Valdese is no different. There are a lot of people who live on the very edge, people who bend or outright break rules of society, people who mostly are never noticed by the church going white people with enough money and a comfortable place to live. There are drug abusers, thieves, alcoholics, abusers of wives, husbands & children, sex offenders, convicted felons, shop lifters, robbers, the occasional murderer, violent, unsavory, undesirable people living in Valdese and the immediate area. They don't make up the majority of the community by any means, not even close, but they are present, and most likely only the police have a good idea of just how present they are. Most people ignore it, arent affected by it, out of sight, out of mind.
I've had a lot of experiences in my life, I've lived in a lot of small towns and I am very aware of this seething undercurrent of dregs in polite society. These days I mostly sequester myself from it. I don't want anything to do with it. So I can go for a long period of time with no reminders of it's existence. But all I have to do is pay attention to realize it's right there. All anyone has to do is look.
There are a lot of people in Valdese & in Burke County North Carolina living right on the edge. It is not a wealthy place.
I don't know why these policemen decided they needed to talk to me. Maybe some tall guy with brown hair lugging around a goofy half hound half retriever robbed a convenience store. I doubt it. Most likely they were looking for someone, or perhaps I just looked out of place. Either way, I can understand.
UPDATE - Aug 2, 2011:
I found out today that someone robbed the BB&T bank on Main Street about 10 minutes before we loped into the post office. No one hurt, apparently no weapons involved (at least none anyone could see), but that explains the unusual behavoir of the local constabulary.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Back from Kentucky
The heavy rains in Kentucky were nothing compared to the winds & tornadoes in North Carolina, but by the time I got back all that was over with. We live in the western part of the state, and while I understand it was very stormy here, the severe damage happened much further east. We've had a series of quite violent storms this month, so far Valdese has been lucky.
My father, brother & I (in Kentucky) were sitting around talking about an elderly and "eccentric" neighbor, when my brother said "That old woman would irritate a rock".
Friday night we were entertained by a vacuum cleaner salesmen I inadvertently let into my father's house. It would require more explanation than anybody would care to read, but for some reason I thought they knew each other. From him I picked up a little tidbit that the vacuum cleaner has "no cost, but there is a price". I decided I'd remember that.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
No Parking
Pickles and I have several dog walking routes. The most common route takes me down Praley Street (in this case down = north), across the rail road tracks and on to a long narrow stretch of grass between the tracks and a steep wooded bank leading up to Massel street. The last time I walked there I realized this narrow stretch of grass is the closest thing Valdese has to a park anywhere near walking distance to the downtown area.
There is a park just east of town off Route 70, and McGalliard Falls to the northwest. McGalliard Falls is a pretty little place, and very well used on a warm summer day, but neither of these parks are in walking distance, and neither would be safe to walk to in any case. There is also a nice path down by the waterworks, and it does have a picnic table. People use it for walking & jogging, and lots of dogs get walked there, but it's several miles outside of town. There's the elementary school, located strategically behind Butch's BBQ & the car wash, and I see people walking and jogging around the track that circles a football field, and people can certainly use it for recreation from time to time. It's certainly within walking distance of downtown, but it isn't a park. I'd feel conspicuous spreading out a blanket and digging into a picnic basket in the midst of 5th grade PE activities.
Maybe there are other places close to downtown. Back in my teenage years I'd have been all over this place & known about all sorts of out of the way areas. But these days I tend to be a tad more reclusive, so it's very possible there are places I don't know about.
Recently there was a vacant lot of land, nice big trees etc down on Main Street. It wouldn't have been much of a park, but put up some places to sit and a few things for the kids & you'd have a nice shady RE-spite on a hot summer day. But a rich person owned it and got the towns permission to turn it into a monument to himself. I have to admit it does turn heads as you're driving by, especially if you've never seen it before. You have all these normal buildings then all of a sudden there's a dug out area with statues, stadium seating (sort of) and a fancy gate keeping people out. It'll probably be open to the public occasionally for this or that, but for the most part it's an unusable space.
Just barely within walking distance of downtown there is a good large open area - looks like it was a football field for the old high school. This was purchased some years ago (before I moved here) by this same rich person who, guess what, built a monument to himself. It's actually quite elaborate and I know cost a lot of bucks. It's called the "Trail of Faith", and it documents the history of the northern Italian Waldensians, and it is interesting and educational. I took a tour once. They have fireworks there July 4th, and it's opened maybe a couple of other times during the year for a weekend or so. And that's it. It's privately owned, and though its in easy view from Church Street, it is essentially closed to the public 50 weeks plus out of the year. Perhaps it's open for scheduled tour groups, I'm not sure, but it isn't a place you can go visit on the spur of a moment or take a dog and let it run loose. Some may argue it's not in walking distance of downtown anyhow (others may argue a whole lot more than that), but if you cut a corner or two, perhaps walk thru someone's yard, it is. If you have the physical ability to take advantage of a park, you could walk to this place.
Valdese is not a big place, so there's probably nothing to be done about it. And even if there was, I'm pretty sure nothing would get done about it. Morganton, just to the west, is quite a bit bigger and does have a nice park system, complete with river walks and such. There are parks in the area, but it would be nice if there was something within walking distance, close to downtown.
There is a park just east of town off Route 70, and McGalliard Falls to the northwest. McGalliard Falls is a pretty little place, and very well used on a warm summer day, but neither of these parks are in walking distance, and neither would be safe to walk to in any case. There is also a nice path down by the waterworks, and it does have a picnic table. People use it for walking & jogging, and lots of dogs get walked there, but it's several miles outside of town. There's the elementary school, located strategically behind Butch's BBQ & the car wash, and I see people walking and jogging around the track that circles a football field, and people can certainly use it for recreation from time to time. It's certainly within walking distance of downtown, but it isn't a park. I'd feel conspicuous spreading out a blanket and digging into a picnic basket in the midst of 5th grade PE activities.
Maybe there are other places close to downtown. Back in my teenage years I'd have been all over this place & known about all sorts of out of the way areas. But these days I tend to be a tad more reclusive, so it's very possible there are places I don't know about.
Recently there was a vacant lot of land, nice big trees etc down on Main Street. It wouldn't have been much of a park, but put up some places to sit and a few things for the kids & you'd have a nice shady RE-spite on a hot summer day. But a rich person owned it and got the towns permission to turn it into a monument to himself. I have to admit it does turn heads as you're driving by, especially if you've never seen it before. You have all these normal buildings then all of a sudden there's a dug out area with statues, stadium seating (sort of) and a fancy gate keeping people out. It'll probably be open to the public occasionally for this or that, but for the most part it's an unusable space.
Just barely within walking distance of downtown there is a good large open area - looks like it was a football field for the old high school. This was purchased some years ago (before I moved here) by this same rich person who, guess what, built a monument to himself. It's actually quite elaborate and I know cost a lot of bucks. It's called the "Trail of Faith", and it documents the history of the northern Italian Waldensians, and it is interesting and educational. I took a tour once. They have fireworks there July 4th, and it's opened maybe a couple of other times during the year for a weekend or so. And that's it. It's privately owned, and though its in easy view from Church Street, it is essentially closed to the public 50 weeks plus out of the year. Perhaps it's open for scheduled tour groups, I'm not sure, but it isn't a place you can go visit on the spur of a moment or take a dog and let it run loose. Some may argue it's not in walking distance of downtown anyhow (others may argue a whole lot more than that), but if you cut a corner or two, perhaps walk thru someone's yard, it is. If you have the physical ability to take advantage of a park, you could walk to this place.
Valdese is not a big place, so there's probably nothing to be done about it. And even if there was, I'm pretty sure nothing would get done about it. Morganton, just to the west, is quite a bit bigger and does have a nice park system, complete with river walks and such. There are parks in the area, but it would be nice if there was something within walking distance, close to downtown.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Florence & Felix Leger
One of my frequent dog walks is what I call the cemetery route. It's up on a hill, it has well defined walking areas, it's peaceful up there and you get beautiful views in every direction. It's a nice walk.
I pay attention to the headstones and frequently wonder about the lives of the people buried there. One that has repeatedly drawn my attention, and my wondering, has been the marker for Florence and Felix Leger, who both died young, within 7 months of each other.
First, I assumed they were married. They share the same last name and the same headstone, Felix is somewhat older than Florence so it fit nicely with preconceived notions and assumptions. But you wonder what could cause a husband to die just past his 33rd birthday, and a wife to die 7 months later a month shy of her 24th birthday? My thoughts were accident or disease, not entirely original thoughts, or even hard to think of thoughts. Anyway, I've been walking up that way for some time now, and I've frequently wondered what happened, but I just let it go.
Well, I mentioned this to Patti Anne and she did some quick research. Her research turned up some interesting things and some discrepancies, as research often does. Had we the money and inclination (we probably do have the time, now that I think about it) we could research this much further and maybe find some definitive answers to things, but I believe what Patti found is good enough.
Apparently Florence and Felix were not married - they were brother and sister. Felix died of kidney disease, and Florence died in what must have been a horrific automobile accident, so their deaths were completely unrelated, just one of those terrible random tragedies that sometimes strike families.
There are a couple of discrepancies - the headstone list's Felix's birthday as Sept 5, 1907, while other documents lists his birthday as Sept 5, 1908. Also, the first initial on the tombstone (M. Felix Leger), does not agree with a census entry which lists his name as Wilburn Felix Leger.
So...... a couple of possibilities.
First, back then all these documents, census entries, birth & death certificates etc, were hand written. And as I recently found when one of my older relatives died, there is sometimes disagreement among relatives on the actual date of birth, so a year's discrepancy on a headstone is easily explained. But the first initial I wonder about. Is it possible for someone to mistake a "W" for an "M"? Is is possible for someone to write down Wilburn in a census, when perhaps his name was really Milburn? Sure it is. Or could someone had made a mistake when carving the name into the marker? Maybe "W. Felix Leger" was written, but whoever was doing the work read the "W" as an "M". Maybe the template was turned upside down.
The second possibility is all our assumptions are wrong. Possible, but I don't think so.
Back in late 1940 & early 1941 this family went through a pretty rough time.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Things we did today
The pharmacy was actually quite busy - not because there were so many people waiting for service, but because there were so few pharmacists. I wonder about that, people dealing with medicine who are obviously professional, but at the same time VERY busy, quite overwhelmed.
At any rate, we managed to get a flu shot & it was even covered by our insurance. This year's shot included the "pig flu" shot that was so scarce last year (and which I never did get), so we should not be oinking any time soon. (I said OINKING, pay attention). And of course we spent some money on the way out, which I'm sure is one of the reasons they offer flu shots there in the first place. We were classic flu shot customers.
On the way to get flu shots, we took advantage of early voting in North Carolina, voting at the Connelly Springs Town Hall. We were approached by a couple of ladies while in the parking lot - and one gave us a sheet telling us all the conservative candidates to vote for. They may have technically broken the law by approaching us in the parking lot - you have to be a certain distance way from the polling station, and that may have been too close - but they looked like a cross between Aunt Bea and your favorite grandmother, so I doubt the Burke County police will slap them in the hoosegow any time soon, unless Barney Pfife shows up. They were very nice, and we thanked them, but I'm pretty sure I didn't vote for anyone on their list.
Today we also dealt with installing a new DVR box, which was a lot more difficult than it should have been. But basically all that had to be done was put the TV input (or is it output) cord on the correct post & pull out and re-seat the smart card. Took a few minutes to figure that out, especially the smart card. But now we are back in the 21st century. We can once again DVR programs, pause live tv and skip the commercials. Skipping commercials is important. It's how I get past all the political ads, and in a month or so, it'll keep me from going crazy because of the Christmas ads. The old box suddenly quit working yesterday, and they got the new one to us today - pretty quick. We have to send the old one back, so that'll be fun to deal with.
The day started with a dog walk, as usual. We took the long way up to the cemetery, which means I got to walk up lots of hills, but only one way. Not like in the old days when you had to walk up hills both ways, thanks of course, to modern engineering. The last few days have been very pleasant, warm days, cool nights, clear skies, and the mountains are quite visible. The leaves are changing, and things are very beautiful. I hear it's going to rain though - fine with me, let it rain. Just means Pickles and I will get wet when we go for our walks.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
By special request - Farmers Market Vegetables.
During summer & early fall Valdese has a farmers market a couple of times a week. It typically consists of a handful of people selling produce they grew. Their stalls are the back of some pickup trucks parked in shady spots in a small field behind Mrs. Powell's old buildings, and across from the current (soon to be former) town hall, near the corner of Faet & Janavel. What is available varies, but usually you can get basic vegetables and possibly some home made bread.
Last Friday, Patti Anne bought these, and a few other things.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Snake Weather
Pickles the Dog & I almost stepped on a snake this morning. It was a small thing, unwisely sunning itself on a sidewalk next to a busy street. It must have had an extreme need for warmth, because the sidewalk was pretty hot.
I saw it at a distance, but I thought it was a stick. As we approached it must have sensed us, and it's body kind of wrinkled up and it looked at us, oddly reminding me of the bible story about Moses turning a stick into a snake in front of Pharaoh. (Pronouced FAY-roe, btw). I jumped. I'm not sure Pickles noticed. Last I saw it, it was headed into some grass, away from us. Hopefully it made its way to some place a bit more hospitable for snakes.
This was a brown snake with what I think was a diamond shaped head. To me, that screams copperhead, a poisonous snake. Giftig auf Deutch, in case anyone speaks German out there. But it wasn't as big as I would expect a copperhead to be. I didn't exactly measure it, but it could not have been more than a foot long, probably less. I don't know how to reconcile that, except I'm sure copperheads are not born full grown. Maybe it was young.
I've lived around snakes all my life. Just about anywhere in the USA (except Hawaii), you will find snakes, many of them poisonous.
In Kentucky, where I grew up, they were very common. I encountered black snakes all the time, and usually they were on their way to somewhere else. Once I remember my father and I came across one in the basement, and he killed it. The snake had apparently crossed a line. When I was young there were tons of black snakes and copperheads around where we live, and a few rattle snakes, maybe some water moccasins. Now it seems the copperheads are few and the rattle snakes are many.
As a child, living where I did, encounters with snakes were fairly frequent. What saved me was that snakes want nothing to do with a human - we're much too big to eat, in fact we're more likely to eat them as far as they are concerned. But that being said, I've had to walk past them at times. I once encountered a curled up rattle snake half in and half out of some weeds, at the foot of an old swinging bridge while I was headed over my grandparents house just off Ball Creek in Knott County. I froze for a second - I think it was asleep, it gave no indication of caring that I was there. I gave it as wide a birth as I could, which believe me wasn't wide enough, and got past it. But it was a long and careful walk up the creek to my grandparents house. That was a big snake.
Here at our humble abode in North Carolina, I've seen black snakes & copperheads. I've not seen any rattlers or water moccasins, though I know they are here. At the bottom of our property there is a creek and a small pond, and what amounts to a small wetlands area - the perfect snake environment. I don't change it much, because I figure it gives the snakes some place to go. They can have their snake parties there, listen to their snake music and play their snake games, instead of up around the house.
Intellectually I know snakes are part of the ecosystem. And they keep down the rodent population, and I'm all for that. Emotionally though, they scare the crap out of me. Part of that is the surprise of seeing one - it's unexpected. Most likely I've walked past them without ever knowing it. They're predators, and are very good at being stealthy. They don't want to be seen, so when they are it's usually a surprise for all beings concerned. Also, the poisonous ones have potential to be dangerous. Most likely a normal human would survive a bite from a copperhead or rattle snake, but it would not be good. You'd find yourself in a hospital & in a lot of agony. And there is always the chance you wouldn't survive.
I don't like snakes. I don't mind that they exist, but I prefer they not exist in my bubble.
I saw it at a distance, but I thought it was a stick. As we approached it must have sensed us, and it's body kind of wrinkled up and it looked at us, oddly reminding me of the bible story about Moses turning a stick into a snake in front of Pharaoh. (Pronouced FAY-roe, btw). I jumped. I'm not sure Pickles noticed. Last I saw it, it was headed into some grass, away from us. Hopefully it made its way to some place a bit more hospitable for snakes.
This was a brown snake with what I think was a diamond shaped head. To me, that screams copperhead, a poisonous snake. Giftig auf Deutch, in case anyone speaks German out there. But it wasn't as big as I would expect a copperhead to be. I didn't exactly measure it, but it could not have been more than a foot long, probably less. I don't know how to reconcile that, except I'm sure copperheads are not born full grown. Maybe it was young.
I've lived around snakes all my life. Just about anywhere in the USA (except Hawaii), you will find snakes, many of them poisonous.
In Kentucky, where I grew up, they were very common. I encountered black snakes all the time, and usually they were on their way to somewhere else. Once I remember my father and I came across one in the basement, and he killed it. The snake had apparently crossed a line. When I was young there were tons of black snakes and copperheads around where we live, and a few rattle snakes, maybe some water moccasins. Now it seems the copperheads are few and the rattle snakes are many.
As a child, living where I did, encounters with snakes were fairly frequent. What saved me was that snakes want nothing to do with a human - we're much too big to eat, in fact we're more likely to eat them as far as they are concerned. But that being said, I've had to walk past them at times. I once encountered a curled up rattle snake half in and half out of some weeds, at the foot of an old swinging bridge while I was headed over my grandparents house just off Ball Creek in Knott County. I froze for a second - I think it was asleep, it gave no indication of caring that I was there. I gave it as wide a birth as I could, which believe me wasn't wide enough, and got past it. But it was a long and careful walk up the creek to my grandparents house. That was a big snake.
Here at our humble abode in North Carolina, I've seen black snakes & copperheads. I've not seen any rattlers or water moccasins, though I know they are here. At the bottom of our property there is a creek and a small pond, and what amounts to a small wetlands area - the perfect snake environment. I don't change it much, because I figure it gives the snakes some place to go. They can have their snake parties there, listen to their snake music and play their snake games, instead of up around the house.
Intellectually I know snakes are part of the ecosystem. And they keep down the rodent population, and I'm all for that. Emotionally though, they scare the crap out of me. Part of that is the surprise of seeing one - it's unexpected. Most likely I've walked past them without ever knowing it. They're predators, and are very good at being stealthy. They don't want to be seen, so when they are it's usually a surprise for all beings concerned. Also, the poisonous ones have potential to be dangerous. Most likely a normal human would survive a bite from a copperhead or rattle snake, but it would not be good. You'd find yourself in a hospital & in a lot of agony. And there is always the chance you wouldn't survive.
I don't like snakes. I don't mind that they exist, but I prefer they not exist in my bubble.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
A Stormy Day in Valdese - 2006
It's hard to believe I took this picture almost 4 years ago. I can't think of anything I want to write about these days, so I thought I'd just post this picture of Myra's down on Main Street, during a storm in Sept 2006.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
A Tombstone at the Cemetery in Valdese
This is the 2nd in my much anticipated and long awaited series of 2 tombstones. This one is at the cemetery in Valdese, the one at the corner of Praley & Carolina, at the top of the hill, in the old section. It is unique among the tombstones there.
This marks the grave of Jenny S. Ghigo, "Epouse et mere, bien-aimee". She was born in 1903 & died in 1934, at the age of 31 and some months. She would have been among the first generation of the Italian Waldensian founders of Valdese born in the USA. It's very possible her parents were part of the original Valdese settlement in 1893. The Waldensians were from Italy, but the inscription on her tombstone seems French to me. I don't think these people spoke Italian, and I'm not sure they spoke French either, even though most of their names sound much more French than Italian. They were from the Alps, mountain people, and mountain people the world over seem to not be part of the mainstream culture of their society.
This tombstone is also interesting because there is a picture of her, sitting in a chair, looking happy. She looks to be in her mid to late 20s. I walk the dog up this way frequently, and I always stop and look.
She didn't live very long. She was a wife and a mother, if I'm translating the inscription correctly. So I wonder. Accident? Illness? Complications of childbirth? Something more sinister? After almost 76 years I guess it doesn't matter, and I'm not even sure why I'm curious, but of course, I am.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Praley Street, near the cemetery.
This is a picture of Praley St, SW in Valdese, looking more or less to the north. The cemetery is to the right, with the old cemetery being at the top of the hill. The little church in the picture is the Amazing Grace Community Church, and it is on the corner of Praley and South Avenue. The mountains ( I do believe they're part of the Blue Ridge chain) in the background are quite visible, and if you click on the picture to make it full size, you can see them clearly. For some reason I have to click it twice to make it work (not double click, two single clicks. Weird.). Main Street in Valdese is a mile give or take, past the church. For the rest of the world, that's 1.6 km.
To say it is springtime in Valdese right now would be an understatement. You can't hardly get more spring than this.
Patti Anne went with Pickles & me on the dog walk this morning, and she took the picture. Patti Anne, not Pickles. Pickles mostly snapped at bees, and we're all happy she didn't catch any.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Dogs of the Greater South Avenue Area, an update
I have to do this update every year or so because nothing remains the same. The dog population in the Valdese's Greater South Avenue Metropolitan area is a moderately fluid one. So here goes.
First there's old Pickles, the Valdese Dog herself. Part bluetick & part lab, she thinks it is the most natural thing in the world for people to tell her she's a pretty dog. One little girl, commenting on Pickles' coat, noted she was "all ticked up". And I guess she is - she has the markings of a bluetick. Personality wise, she's more bluetick than lab, but I'm not sure that explains anything. She has a very good barking voice, and is one of the more routine oriented animals I've had the pleasure of knowing.
A new dog in the area is Lilly - a German Shepherd/Labrador mix, very friendly & a very pretty dog. She's all black except for a white star on her chest, but her ears and face look more German Shepherd than Lab. She and Pickles seem to get along pretty well. Lilly still has those sharp needle like puppy teeth, and huge paws that she'll grow into.
Next to Lilly is Skipper the Rottweiler, and next to Skipper is Marly the Jack Russel like dog. Next to that Marley is another Marly, this one a yellow Lab, and she is a new dog. She's been over to play with Pickles and they seem to have a good time. This Marly is still a pup, but is really quite mellow when left to her own devices.
Next to Marly is old Black - a big black dog that is old as the hills. He sometimes wonders on to our property and Pickles goes ballistic. Thing about Black is, he's old, and being old, he's in no hurry. Chances are he doesn't know - or perhaps he doesn't care that he's annoying the heck out of old Gnarls Barkley. There is a dog that lives with Black, and I believe his name is Dick, though we just call him Little Black. He's small, of indeterminate breeding, and was lost for a couple of days last week. He's back now, safe and sound.
Polly, who used to live close by, has moved.
Then there's the two Yorkies, Teddy and Rocky (I think), and a poodle named Ginger. Ginger is an older dog, but she's new to the area, and an addition to Teddy & Rocky's group - they seem to be a happy threesome from what I can tell.
Also new is Betsy, who seems to have never met a stranger. She's a small dog, but she's run and jumped in my lap before, while we were sitting out on the front porch. I'm not sure what kind (if any) of dog Betsy is, but Pickles seems to like her. Betsy has no fear.
Petie is still with us, and he barked at me the other day. It surprised me because it's been awhile since he's hurled one of his banshee like barks my way, I thought he'd gotten used to me. He's a small white dog, not sure what kind.
Sampson, a big ol' (and thankfully friendly) dog has moved on.
Pedrone is a white (and deaf) pit bull, who seems to be good natured. He looks strong enough to pull down an oak tree if he was a mind to, but whenever Pickles and I walk past him he just looks at us, if he bothers to pay attention to us at all.
Can't say the same about Lucky Bear though - this is a black dog that's chained to a long run - and she acts like she'll tear us apart. I've been told that she and Pickles has been nose to nose with no ill effects, but I see Lucky Bear as a good deterent to venturing onto that property. There are 3 or 4 other dogs associated with the Lucky Bear family, but I don't know their names.
There is also a Pup across the street (more or less), a brown and tan dog, large paws, but we've not been properly introduced.
Case is a dog I've met that lives just past South Ave, a Bischon Frise. Pretty little dog.
And I haven't seen 'Tino (short for Valentino) the dog in a long time, so I don't know what happened to him.
There are dozens and dozens of other dogs I'm aware of from my Valdese travels, but these are just the ones I've come in contact with that are pretty close to South Avenue. It's a lot.
First there's old Pickles, the Valdese Dog herself. Part bluetick & part lab, she thinks it is the most natural thing in the world for people to tell her she's a pretty dog. One little girl, commenting on Pickles' coat, noted she was "all ticked up". And I guess she is - she has the markings of a bluetick. Personality wise, she's more bluetick than lab, but I'm not sure that explains anything. She has a very good barking voice, and is one of the more routine oriented animals I've had the pleasure of knowing.
A new dog in the area is Lilly - a German Shepherd/Labrador mix, very friendly & a very pretty dog. She's all black except for a white star on her chest, but her ears and face look more German Shepherd than Lab. She and Pickles seem to get along pretty well. Lilly still has those sharp needle like puppy teeth, and huge paws that she'll grow into.
Next to Lilly is Skipper the Rottweiler, and next to Skipper is Marly the Jack Russel like dog. Next to that Marley is another Marly, this one a yellow Lab, and she is a new dog. She's been over to play with Pickles and they seem to have a good time. This Marly is still a pup, but is really quite mellow when left to her own devices.
Next to Marly is old Black - a big black dog that is old as the hills. He sometimes wonders on to our property and Pickles goes ballistic. Thing about Black is, he's old, and being old, he's in no hurry. Chances are he doesn't know - or perhaps he doesn't care that he's annoying the heck out of old Gnarls Barkley. There is a dog that lives with Black, and I believe his name is Dick, though we just call him Little Black. He's small, of indeterminate breeding, and was lost for a couple of days last week. He's back now, safe and sound.
Polly, who used to live close by, has moved.
Then there's the two Yorkies, Teddy and Rocky (I think), and a poodle named Ginger. Ginger is an older dog, but she's new to the area, and an addition to Teddy & Rocky's group - they seem to be a happy threesome from what I can tell.
Also new is Betsy, who seems to have never met a stranger. She's a small dog, but she's run and jumped in my lap before, while we were sitting out on the front porch. I'm not sure what kind (if any) of dog Betsy is, but Pickles seems to like her. Betsy has no fear.
Petie is still with us, and he barked at me the other day. It surprised me because it's been awhile since he's hurled one of his banshee like barks my way, I thought he'd gotten used to me. He's a small white dog, not sure what kind.
Sampson, a big ol' (and thankfully friendly) dog has moved on.
Pedrone is a white (and deaf) pit bull, who seems to be good natured. He looks strong enough to pull down an oak tree if he was a mind to, but whenever Pickles and I walk past him he just looks at us, if he bothers to pay attention to us at all.
Can't say the same about Lucky Bear though - this is a black dog that's chained to a long run - and she acts like she'll tear us apart. I've been told that she and Pickles has been nose to nose with no ill effects, but I see Lucky Bear as a good deterent to venturing onto that property. There are 3 or 4 other dogs associated with the Lucky Bear family, but I don't know their names.
There is also a Pup across the street (more or less), a brown and tan dog, large paws, but we've not been properly introduced.
Case is a dog I've met that lives just past South Ave, a Bischon Frise. Pretty little dog.
And I haven't seen 'Tino (short for Valentino) the dog in a long time, so I don't know what happened to him.
There are dozens and dozens of other dogs I'm aware of from my Valdese travels, but these are just the ones I've come in contact with that are pretty close to South Avenue. It's a lot.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Alcohol Sales in Valdese - Election Update
Well, I am surprised.
The online version of the Morganton News Herald is reporting that voters passed all the initiatives for alcohol sales in Valdese. The results are unofficial, but here are the numbers.
The vote for beer sales passed 1,054 to 514.
The vote for wine sales passed 1,051 to 512.
The vote for an ABC store passed 998 to 560.
The vote for liquor by the drink passed 1,034 to 533.
Turnout was just over 50% - not bad for a dinky little election in an established democracy.
The reason I'm surprised is based on everything I saw, I didn't think it stood a chance. It was not only the amount of signs around against the measure greatly out numbered the signs supporting the measure. We received a phone call from a group wanting to ask "survey" questions about it - they just happened to be from the East Valdese Baptist Church. And we (and I assume everybody else in town) received a flier pointing out the evils of alcohol just before election day. This did not have a return address on it, but it doesn't take much brain power to figure out where it came from. My impression, and it may have been inaccurate, was that the people opposed were much more organized, felt much more strongly about it, and had a lot more money than the people who supported it.
North Carolina went for Barack Obama in the last presidential election, and now the citizens of Valdese have voted to allow alcohol sales. If this isn't proof that the end of time is near, I don't know what is. (SARCASM - I know sarcasm doesn't always come over well in emails and blogs, so I wanted to make sure everybody understood. This is me being sarcastic. Real proof of the end of time is this cold weather we've been having).
This will probably bring new business to town, and I guess allow a couple of restaurants to serve beer or wine if they want. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. It's not going to be the apocolypse that those who were opposed predicted - after all you can take a short drive to Morganton or Hickory and buy all the alcohol you want, by the case or by the drink. But there will be some changes in town.
Meanwhile, I am surprised.
I did go and vote today - IN THE SNOW!! Then I went to Food Lion, the scariest grocery store on earth, but that's a whole other issue.
The online version of the Morganton News Herald is reporting that voters passed all the initiatives for alcohol sales in Valdese. The results are unofficial, but here are the numbers.
The vote for beer sales passed 1,054 to 514.
The vote for wine sales passed 1,051 to 512.
The vote for an ABC store passed 998 to 560.
The vote for liquor by the drink passed 1,034 to 533.
Turnout was just over 50% - not bad for a dinky little election in an established democracy.
The reason I'm surprised is based on everything I saw, I didn't think it stood a chance. It was not only the amount of signs around against the measure greatly out numbered the signs supporting the measure. We received a phone call from a group wanting to ask "survey" questions about it - they just happened to be from the East Valdese Baptist Church. And we (and I assume everybody else in town) received a flier pointing out the evils of alcohol just before election day. This did not have a return address on it, but it doesn't take much brain power to figure out where it came from. My impression, and it may have been inaccurate, was that the people opposed were much more organized, felt much more strongly about it, and had a lot more money than the people who supported it.
North Carolina went for Barack Obama in the last presidential election, and now the citizens of Valdese have voted to allow alcohol sales. If this isn't proof that the end of time is near, I don't know what is. (SARCASM - I know sarcasm doesn't always come over well in emails and blogs, so I wanted to make sure everybody understood. This is me being sarcastic. Real proof of the end of time is this cold weather we've been having).
This will probably bring new business to town, and I guess allow a couple of restaurants to serve beer or wine if they want. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. It's not going to be the apocolypse that those who were opposed predicted - after all you can take a short drive to Morganton or Hickory and buy all the alcohol you want, by the case or by the drink. But there will be some changes in town.
Meanwhile, I am surprised.
I did go and vote today - IN THE SNOW!! Then I went to Food Lion, the scariest grocery store on earth, but that's a whole other issue.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Alcohol Sales in Valdese
Valdese, North Carolina is holding a special election on March 2, to decide if will be legal to sell alcoholic beverages within the town limits. Currently, it is not.
Last year some people got together and decided it would be a good idea, that it would bring new businesses to town, which would either directly or indirectly help current businesses. It also would bring increased tax revenues, which would help the town, so the theorey goes. They gathered enough signatures, followed all the laws and got the measure on a ballot, to be voted on.
I actually know a few of the people instrumental in getting this going. It is possible some of them may benefit financially from local alcohol sales but I doubt any of them would get rich from it.
When I first heard of it, I remember thinking, this is really going to be an uphill battle - and so far nothing has changed my mind. The pro-alcohol sales people got their signs out first, but the anti-alcohol sales people have struck back with a vengeance, sign wise. If singage is any indication, this measure will not come close to passing.
Valdese is a small town in the south, and it is no different than thousands upon thousands of other small towns in the south. There are a boat load of churches in town, all protestant, all conservative, all (except perhaps one), White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (I'm sorry, but the Waldensians, who's heritage is Italian, have become as WASPy as the rest of us - its a state of mind more than actual heritage), they equate drinking a beer with immorality, are adamantly opposed and are the driving force behind the opposition to this.
They don't put that on their signs though. On their signs they identify themselves as citizens for a drug free Valsese, or something like that. Well the good ship SS Drug Free Valdese left port over 40 years ago, and it has yet to return.
No, they think it is immoral. And how do I know this? It was how I was brought up, that's how I know. Kentucky, where I grew up, has 120 counties. When I was a child, 109 were dry - it was illegal to sell alcoholic beverages in them. It just so happened though, that in Perry County, right next to Knott county, alcohol sales were legal. When we drove from Hindman to my Granny's house, we left Knott County, went into Perry County, then back into Knott County (this was before they built the new road) - it was the only way to get around the mountain, I guess. The first thing that greeted us in Perry County was a liquor store. It had a big sign - Beer Wine Liquor. I was six years old, I remember pressing my face against the car window looking at it in disbelief, everytime I passed it. I remember thinking, these were bad, evil people, and not only that, they didn't care if everybody knew they were bad and evil. I was positive they were going to go to hell, and burn for eternity. Now, I was six years old - where did I learn that? Why did I think that way? I knew nothing of alcohol. My parents did not drink, I didn't know anybody who used it, it was not any part of my culture. I don't remember my parents ever talking about it. But yet I had very strong six year old views on the subject, how did I get them? They came from church - the Montgomery Baptist Church, Sunday School classes, Vacation Bible School, tent revivals, the Mennonite church I sometimes attended and some of the various other fundamentalist churches that were a part of my life back then.
So, that's how I know. Even though they don't put it on their signs, the opposition is church driven, and they are opposed because they feel it is immoral.
I think they are also better organized, and have more money, and certainly have a lot more people willing to donate their time to supporting their beliefs.
So, my prediction is that Valdese will stay safely dry. I'll let you know on March 3rd.
Last year some people got together and decided it would be a good idea, that it would bring new businesses to town, which would either directly or indirectly help current businesses. It also would bring increased tax revenues, which would help the town, so the theorey goes. They gathered enough signatures, followed all the laws and got the measure on a ballot, to be voted on.
I actually know a few of the people instrumental in getting this going. It is possible some of them may benefit financially from local alcohol sales but I doubt any of them would get rich from it.
When I first heard of it, I remember thinking, this is really going to be an uphill battle - and so far nothing has changed my mind. The pro-alcohol sales people got their signs out first, but the anti-alcohol sales people have struck back with a vengeance, sign wise. If singage is any indication, this measure will not come close to passing.
Valdese is a small town in the south, and it is no different than thousands upon thousands of other small towns in the south. There are a boat load of churches in town, all protestant, all conservative, all (except perhaps one), White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (I'm sorry, but the Waldensians, who's heritage is Italian, have become as WASPy as the rest of us - its a state of mind more than actual heritage), they equate drinking a beer with immorality, are adamantly opposed and are the driving force behind the opposition to this.
They don't put that on their signs though. On their signs they identify themselves as citizens for a drug free Valsese, or something like that. Well the good ship SS Drug Free Valdese left port over 40 years ago, and it has yet to return.
No, they think it is immoral. And how do I know this? It was how I was brought up, that's how I know. Kentucky, where I grew up, has 120 counties. When I was a child, 109 were dry - it was illegal to sell alcoholic beverages in them. It just so happened though, that in Perry County, right next to Knott county, alcohol sales were legal. When we drove from Hindman to my Granny's house, we left Knott County, went into Perry County, then back into Knott County (this was before they built the new road) - it was the only way to get around the mountain, I guess. The first thing that greeted us in Perry County was a liquor store. It had a big sign - Beer Wine Liquor. I was six years old, I remember pressing my face against the car window looking at it in disbelief, everytime I passed it. I remember thinking, these were bad, evil people, and not only that, they didn't care if everybody knew they were bad and evil. I was positive they were going to go to hell, and burn for eternity. Now, I was six years old - where did I learn that? Why did I think that way? I knew nothing of alcohol. My parents did not drink, I didn't know anybody who used it, it was not any part of my culture. I don't remember my parents ever talking about it. But yet I had very strong six year old views on the subject, how did I get them? They came from church - the Montgomery Baptist Church, Sunday School classes, Vacation Bible School, tent revivals, the Mennonite church I sometimes attended and some of the various other fundamentalist churches that were a part of my life back then.
So, that's how I know. Even though they don't put it on their signs, the opposition is church driven, and they are opposed because they feel it is immoral.
I think they are also better organized, and have more money, and certainly have a lot more people willing to donate their time to supporting their beliefs.
So, my prediction is that Valdese will stay safely dry. I'll let you know on March 3rd.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Frozen Fountain, Main Street, Valdese, NC
This picture, taken by our own Patti Anne (nice picture Patti Anne - that's 4), is just off the corner of Main & Roderet in Valdese. It shows ice spilling over the sides of the fountain located in the courtyard of the Waldensian church. It's just not natural, and not because there is an erie blue color about the ice. It shouldn't be this cold here.
This morning Pickles the dog and I went for a longish walk in a nice soft rain. If it were summer time, that might be pleasant. But since it was barely above freezing, it was pure dedication to walking the dog. Pickles didn't seem to mind, but the human in the group was quite uncomfortable. I suppose I need to get in touch with my inner dog.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Watching People Work
Today we loaded up as usual to go to the post office - well a little earlier than usual because we didn't do any eBay listing because I had to take care of a little screw up I caused on Tuesday. But, to quote my previous post, that's not what this post is about. Just a little word of advice - when you go to a doctor & they write some prescriptions, make sure you've got them all before you leave.
Anyway.
We loaded up EARLIER than usual to head to the post office. Patti Anne volunteered to take the mail in this time and it involved a trip to the counter so I figured we had a few minutes. So I took Gnarls Barkley and walked around some. Valdese is building a new town hall just south of the post office, so Pickles and I watched them work for a minute or two.
Watching other people work is a time-honored tradition in American society. I highly recommend it, especially when heavy equipment and ditches are involved. Its a lot more fun to watch it than to actually do it. I speak from experience, based on my short tenure as a landscape laborer many, many years ago. Pickles did seem more interested in dirt clods though. She's a dog, what can you do?
After that we walked across St. Germain, Pickles jumped up on a wall next to the Waldensian museum and we sat there watching traffic go by until Patti Anne returned. It was great fun. Tails were wagged.
Anyway.
We loaded up EARLIER than usual to head to the post office. Patti Anne volunteered to take the mail in this time and it involved a trip to the counter so I figured we had a few minutes. So I took Gnarls Barkley and walked around some. Valdese is building a new town hall just south of the post office, so Pickles and I watched them work for a minute or two.
Watching other people work is a time-honored tradition in American society. I highly recommend it, especially when heavy equipment and ditches are involved. Its a lot more fun to watch it than to actually do it. I speak from experience, based on my short tenure as a landscape laborer many, many years ago. Pickles did seem more interested in dirt clods though. She's a dog, what can you do?
After that we walked across St. Germain, Pickles jumped up on a wall next to the Waldensian museum and we sat there watching traffic go by until Patti Anne returned. It was great fun. Tails were wagged.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Snow removal efforts in Valdese
Valdese is generally a warm weather type of place. Even the winters are mild. Even today, though the place is still blanketed in several inches of snow it made it to the low 40s. That's the problem. It should be making it to the 50s with 60s not out of the question, and the lows should be above freezing.
This is what should have happened. It snowed - it always snows at least once a year - then the next day it warms up and the snow is gone. That's the way it should be, and until this year, that's the way it was.
The first snowfall of the year was the biggest snowfall I've seen in my time in NC. And it's not going away.
We don't have a snow shovel. We have a shovel with a flat edge that can do a passable job, but it's not a real snow shovel. Its very good that we have 4 wheel drive, or we would not be able to get out to South Avenue.
Ahhhh, beautiful South Avenue - its like Alfred Hitchcock's concept of an Art Nouveau postcard. Everything looks benign, but there's just a tinge of creepiness about the place and you can't quite put your finger on it. You wonder, what's really happening in all those houses?
Anyway Valdese's snow removal efforts would cost the mayor of a large northern city an election. They have not invested heavily in snow removal equipment, which I suppose is a responsible non-investment around here, most times.
This is what should have happened. It snowed - it always snows at least once a year - then the next day it warms up and the snow is gone. That's the way it should be, and until this year, that's the way it was.
The first snowfall of the year was the biggest snowfall I've seen in my time in NC. And it's not going away.
We don't have a snow shovel. We have a shovel with a flat edge that can do a passable job, but it's not a real snow shovel. Its very good that we have 4 wheel drive, or we would not be able to get out to South Avenue.
Ahhhh, beautiful South Avenue - its like Alfred Hitchcock's concept of an Art Nouveau postcard. Everything looks benign, but there's just a tinge of creepiness about the place and you can't quite put your finger on it. You wonder, what's really happening in all those houses?
Anyway Valdese's snow removal efforts would cost the mayor of a large northern city an election. They have not invested heavily in snow removal equipment, which I suppose is a responsible non-investment around here, most times.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I Wonder What They Were Thinking
I frequently walk my dog up to the cemetery - and in the back at the top of the hill is the old section. It gets me thinking, and not just about my physical mortality.
A little history: Valdese, NC was founded by a group of Waldensians from the Italian Alps in 1893. The Waldensians were a religious group founded in the 12th century (I think), by a man named Peter Waldo. Actually people werent too strict about names back then, so his last name changed from time to time. The Latinized version of his name was Valdese. This movement existed in central Europe, and had very radical ideas for the time - namely that the Bible should be written in the spoken language of the people, and they did not recognize the authority of the Pope. In other words, they were protestants, tho they didn't know it. For centuries they were persecuted.
Skip to 1870 or so, when the King of Italy decides he's going to stop hunting these people down and killing them. They're mountain people (and you know how they are) and they've managed to survive for centuries - but after the active persecutions stops, the population explodes. There's not enough land. So some way, some how, some leaders began to organize groups to settle in different countries. Some went to South America, but in 1893 a group came to Burke County, North Carolina, a few miles east of Morganton, and established a community.
In the cemetery, you see a lot of graves of people born in the 1860s - that makes them the right age to start out on an adventure like this, late 20s, early 30s, when they'd be at their strongest. There are lots of gaves with people born in the late 1890s - the first generation born in America. The oldest grave I've seen was of a woman born in 1832 - she would have been in her 60s by the time she came over. The original settlers each have a small plaque by their headstone.
They came from the Italian Alps, up near France, but I don't think they spoke Italian, or French either for that matter. There's lots of languages floating around Europe that most people in the USA aren't aware of. They certainly didn't speak English.
They had names like Guigou, Martinat, Tron, Pascal, Grill, Bounous, Ribet, Parise, Pons, Roderet, Jacumin, Garrou, Micol, Meytre, Bigotto, Refour, Vinay and many others. They built a big church on what is now Main Street, and affiliated themselves with the Presbyterians. It's not easy starting a colony of sorts, but they managed and the town still exists.
But I wonder what they thought was going to happen to them, or if they cared. Did they think they were going to keep their culture & their language? Did they think they were going to raise their children the way they were raised back in the old country? They did not immigrate a family at a time, they came over as a group, and built a community as a group. Did they think they would not be assimilated, that the surrounding culture would not overrun it? Did they not realize that they'd just jumped in to the great "melting pot" of late 19th century America?
Well, the Waldensian culture no longer exists here. It's not forgotten - there are reminders all over town. There are signs, there is a museum, the large church, a "Trail of Faith" exhibition consisting of several buildings and structures that represent important events in Waldensian history. There are lots of people around with the names, direct descendants of the founders. There are a couple of festivals during the year. There's a play that's performed every year by the community theater. There's a mural on a wall. Some of their original buildings & houses still exist. There's the street names in town. But the culture that the original settlers brought with them in 1893 and lived with on a daily basis is long gone. It's not forgotten, but it's gone. No one speaks the language anymore.
I just wonder if the original people who came over realized that was going to happen.
A little history: Valdese, NC was founded by a group of Waldensians from the Italian Alps in 1893. The Waldensians were a religious group founded in the 12th century (I think), by a man named Peter Waldo. Actually people werent too strict about names back then, so his last name changed from time to time. The Latinized version of his name was Valdese. This movement existed in central Europe, and had very radical ideas for the time - namely that the Bible should be written in the spoken language of the people, and they did not recognize the authority of the Pope. In other words, they were protestants, tho they didn't know it. For centuries they were persecuted.
Skip to 1870 or so, when the King of Italy decides he's going to stop hunting these people down and killing them. They're mountain people (and you know how they are) and they've managed to survive for centuries - but after the active persecutions stops, the population explodes. There's not enough land. So some way, some how, some leaders began to organize groups to settle in different countries. Some went to South America, but in 1893 a group came to Burke County, North Carolina, a few miles east of Morganton, and established a community.
In the cemetery, you see a lot of graves of people born in the 1860s - that makes them the right age to start out on an adventure like this, late 20s, early 30s, when they'd be at their strongest. There are lots of gaves with people born in the late 1890s - the first generation born in America. The oldest grave I've seen was of a woman born in 1832 - she would have been in her 60s by the time she came over. The original settlers each have a small plaque by their headstone.
They came from the Italian Alps, up near France, but I don't think they spoke Italian, or French either for that matter. There's lots of languages floating around Europe that most people in the USA aren't aware of. They certainly didn't speak English.
They had names like Guigou, Martinat, Tron, Pascal, Grill, Bounous, Ribet, Parise, Pons, Roderet, Jacumin, Garrou, Micol, Meytre, Bigotto, Refour, Vinay and many others. They built a big church on what is now Main Street, and affiliated themselves with the Presbyterians. It's not easy starting a colony of sorts, but they managed and the town still exists.
But I wonder what they thought was going to happen to them, or if they cared. Did they think they were going to keep their culture & their language? Did they think they were going to raise their children the way they were raised back in the old country? They did not immigrate a family at a time, they came over as a group, and built a community as a group. Did they think they would not be assimilated, that the surrounding culture would not overrun it? Did they not realize that they'd just jumped in to the great "melting pot" of late 19th century America?
Well, the Waldensian culture no longer exists here. It's not forgotten - there are reminders all over town. There are signs, there is a museum, the large church, a "Trail of Faith" exhibition consisting of several buildings and structures that represent important events in Waldensian history. There are lots of people around with the names, direct descendants of the founders. There are a couple of festivals during the year. There's a play that's performed every year by the community theater. There's a mural on a wall. Some of their original buildings & houses still exist. There's the street names in town. But the culture that the original settlers brought with them in 1893 and lived with on a daily basis is long gone. It's not forgotten, but it's gone. No one speaks the language anymore.
I just wonder if the original people who came over realized that was going to happen.
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