Confederate Memorial Day

Confederate Memorial Day, also known as Confederate Decoration Day (Tennessee) and Confederate Heroes Day (Texas), is an official holiday and/or observance day in parts of the U.S. south as a day to honor those who died fighting for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.

Nine states officially observe Confederate Memorial Day: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

What do people do?

A range of events are organized on and around Confederate Memorial Day. The Main Library of the University of Georgia marks the occasion by publicly displaying the original Constitution of the Confederate States of America. Other observances include:

Ceremonies to place flags and wreaths on the graves of Confederate soldiers and memorials to them.

Church services.

Re-enactments (in historical costume) of battles and events from the Civil War.

Displays of Civil War relics.

However, this type of observance is controversial, as some see it as glorifying a culture and way of life that could only exist because of the work carried out by slaves.

Menge Ave, Flea Market

Menge Ave, Flea Market It's a great place to spend a few hours and I will be posting pictures I took there on Saturday.

It was a cloudy and breezy day but the rain that was predicted never showed up. I think a number of vendors stayed home because of the weather forecast. Granddaughter bought a pocketbook, bracelets, ring and plaque. DD bought a small doll and trinket case. I got a pottery, a small metal Santa ornament and a wood snowman along with 2 stretchy bracelets.

Crawfish Music Festival

BILOXI, Mississippi -- The concert had to be moved inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum because of the threat of rain, but The Band Perry attracted a record crowd Saturday to the 20th annual Crawfish Music Festival. The festival concludes today with Willie Clayton performing at 4:30 and Lakeside at 6:15.

Although it was cloudy and windy it did not rain. It's windy and warm near the 80's and cooler at night.

Dark Shadows

I am posting this article because I was a big fan of he TV show, Dark Shadows.

Jonathan Frid, the man who famously played Barnabas Collins on the popular Gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows," died at 87 on April 14, reports MSNBC.

The report says Frid died of natural causes in Ontario, from where he hails. "Dark Shadows" was on air from 1966 until 1971, reaching enormous popularity thanks mostly to Frid's Barnabas character. The show even drew 20 million viewers at one point, according to MSNBC.

Unfortunately Frid will not get to see Johnny Depp's take on Barnabas in the upcoming summer big screen adaptation from director Tim Burton, set to release May 11.

While certainly best known for "Dark Shadows," Frid also had roles in Alfred Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder," as well as a notable Broadway revival of "Arsenic & Old Lace."

The original series was broadcast in the afternoons and was popular among the after-school crowd. Alabama fans of "Dark Shadows" will remember that Kate Jackson, a Birmingham native, was a regular on the show as Daphne Harridge, one of Barnabas' love interests.

More rain

It is another rainy day with some thunder and lightening thrown in. It will rain on and off tonight too. that's the Long Beach, MS water tower.

PUBLIC INFORMATION ANNOUNCEMENT, LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI. THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TUESDAY, APRIL 17TH AND TUESDAY MAY 1ST, AT 5:00 P.M. IN THE CITY HALL MEETING ROOM, 201 JEFF DAVIS AVENUE, TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON PROPOSED REDISTRICTING PLANS TO REDRAW THE VOTING DISTRICT LINES BASED ON THE 2010 CENSUS RESULTS.

Southern Speak

I took this off a website from someone who lives in South Mississippi. I have heard many of these myself.

Southerners say- I’m going to mash that button…instead of push.
Southerners say- I’m carrying mama to the doctor….instead of driving.
Southerners say- Chunk me that ball….instead of throw.
Southerners say- I’ll be there directly….instead of soon.
Southerners say- I’m fixing to go….instead of about to.
Southerners say- much obliged…instead of thank you.
Southerners say- I reckon….instead of I think or I guess.
Southerners say- I was waited on….instead of served.
Southerners say- Hey ya’ll….instead of hello you all.
Southerners say -You best not….instead of you should not.
Southerners say -I’m going down yonder….instead of {wherever}.
Southerners say- Kids are let out of school….instead of dismissed.
Southerners say- You’re mighty right….instead of you’re correct.
Southerners say- That sad movie left me tore up….instead of sad or distraught.
Southerners say- I used to live in Mississippi….instead of previously.
Southerners say -She pitched a fit….instead of became mad.
Southerners say- I want to know the where-bouts of my purse….not where is my.

Gecko's

This little fellow lives in the trees in front of the house. He is all over the front strutting his stuff. He runs up the tree and recently he lets me take his picture. I hope he didn't eat my tree frog, George.

TUPELO, Mississippi — The Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association hopes higher quality of entertainment will draw in bigger crowds to the 2012 Elvis Festival set for May 31-June 3. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that the Main Street board has approved a budget with proposed income of $167,418 and expenses of $247,622, for a net loss of $80,204. Jim Goodwin, the immediate past president of the board, says the figure does not include money from Fairpark gate ticket sales or from beer sales. He says last year walk-up ticket sales were about $60,000 and beer sales were $13,000 to $15,000. Goodwin says the talent budget rose from $40,000 to $80,000 this year The weather has been beautiful. It's sunny, warm and breezy but the weather cools down at night.

Beer

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant gave his signature to a bill that will raise the allowable amount of alcohol in craft beer from 5 percent ABW (alcohol by weight) to 8 percent.

Easter

SInce all the rain we had a few days ago, our weather has been beautiful. It's sunny, breezy and warm during the day but cool at night. Just great for sleeping.

These are a little patch of clover that flowered on our lawn. It is the only flowers on the lawn. What pretty, tiny flowers.

Southern Miss Gulf Coast to Host 4th Annual Jazz and Blues Festival
WHAT: Musicians, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors and the Easter Bunny are coming together once again for The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast’s 4th annual Jazz and Blues Festival.
WHERE: Gulf Park campus in Long Beach
WHEN: Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

SPECIFICS: An Easter egg hunt for children ages 12 and younger will begin promptly at 11 a.m. in front of the library. In addition to the Easter egg hunt, other children’s activities will be available. This year’s festival, headlined by the Rochelle Harper Band, will also feature the Jerry Ball Jazz and Blues Quintet, the Larry Panella Jazz Quartet and the Oak Street Boys. The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint on Highway 53, Port City Café and Ziggy’s are among a variety of food and drink vendors taking part in the festival. Arts and crafts vendors will also be on the festival grounds from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Wicked storms last night

Summer-Like Showers and Thunderstorms

As an upper level low over the Southern Plains sends a series of disturbances our way, scattered showers and possibly strong thunderstorms are expected today and tonight. By Thursday, a surface low and its cold front will move through ending our bout with showers and thunderstorms for a while. The Easter weekend looks dry with warm days and cool nights. I hope the storms today are not as strong as they were last night! Thunder was so loud it rattled my bedroom door.

Oil Spill

A new documentary titled "Payback" focuses some of its theme on the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The film is based on the book "Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth" by Margaret Atwood. Though Atwood is more well-known as a novelist, having penned such popular books as "The Handmaid's Tale" and "The Blind Assassin," this particular work is non-fiction. It is described as "an investigation into the idea of debt as an ancient and central motif in religion, literature, and the structure of human societies." "Payback," written for the screen and directed by Jennifer Baichwal, will debut in limited release April 25.