Tuesday, January 07, 2025

California Holiday 2024-2025: Day 18

Today was a very special day for Ruth Irmgard Carlin, our grandgirl, who recently earned a trip to DisneyLand by virtue of turning FIVE years old. But she wasn't the only one who had fun today. While Ruth and her Mom were off playing with those famous mice -- Mickey and Minnie --- and their friends,..



.... her sisters, Dad, Granny, and GrandShaw had a day outdoors at Dixon Lake fishing and hiking and playing on the playground. Only one fish was caught and that nice-sized rainbow trout was snagged by Clementine Georgia Carlin.

Clementine did not want to hold the fish too close, so I teasingly said "Don't kiss the fish!" That got a laugh, but I explained that Clemmie's beloved Aunt Lil once kissed a catfish! So, of course, when we arrived back air Cklem's house, I was called upon to prove it. Here's the proof:


Wednesday, January 01, 2025

A Right Good Name

January was a right good name for the first month. He was a watchful old fellow and had two faces, and could look before him and behind him at the same time. It is a good idea for a man to look back over the year that has gone and review his conduct, and then look forward and promise to do better. 

-Bill Arp

William Henry Smith is a famous son of my hometown, Rome, Georgia. He owned Oak Hill before Martha Berry's family did. I have enjoyed some of his writing for years. I have thought of using some of his stories -written under the pseudonym "Bill Arp" in my storytelling. Alas, I hesitate to do that as I have learned more about him. He went beyond the casual endemic racism that afflicted the vast majority of white folks in our area before and after the Civil War to becoming an apologist for even lynchings. 

Oak Hill, Bil Arp's home and later the home of Martha Berry.

I love much of my heritage as an eighth-generation Georgian, but the stain of racism seeps in to every part of it. Racism is a cancer on whites as well as people of color, in my opinion. So I will continue to admire and share the bits of love and creativity and imagination and honor from the only heritage I have, while also decrying the stench of cruelty and racism that pervades it.

William Henry Smith aka "Bill Arp"