You Never Know Who You're Gonna Run Into

That's our name!

You can imagine my surprise when I ran into my name in the cemetery. 

Live oaks dripping with Spanish Moss all of which overhangs
the markers and memorials.

I literally ran back to the truck in flats, not heels this time; camera in hand, strap still hanging around my neck, where Dan was patiently waiting with Humphrey & Missy in the shade of giant oaks which were planted from acorns fallen off the trees at the Butler Greenwood Plantation. He had decided that he really wasn't into touring cemeteries. I guess dead people don't thrill him, and I suppose it takes a different kind of person (weird, macabre maybe) to appreciate the beauty in the headstones, columns and memorials marking the various resting places of the occupants of the cemetery. We'd already visited Grace Episcopal Church as well as St. John's church which was just outside the beautiful, ornate wrought iron fenced area housing Grace and the cemetery.  

Entrance gates to the cemetery and chruch

Breathless, I ran smack into a nice older couple as they were trying to enter the cemetery gates. After apologies, and thrills to see that I hadn't knocked them over or broken my camera. I kept running to the truck to tell Dan he has potential relatives in there. When they saw me stop at the truck, nice folks that they were they came over to make sure everything was ok. 
You see there was this tour bus on the street out front and they thought I was running for it. I have had to do that before. But even running I missed the other bus in another cemetery no less. What is it about me and cemeteries! Anyway I had to run to get to the next stop on the tour just to be able to stay up with the rest of the group. That stunk! Thankfully not this time. This time Dan was driving and I knew he wouldn't leave me. After all, the talking down he would get when I did catch up to him would not have been worth the few minutes of peace and quiet. :)
After explaining what I found, Dan decided to go take a look for himself. The nice couple was still with us and again I saw upraised eyebrows for my explanation of what I had found. Do I really have that effect on so many people, just because I was running out of a cemetery? 
Surprised doesn't even cover the reaction from us in finding headstones with the same last name we share. Our regret is that the church office wasn't open since it was Saturday so we couldn't get any information on the other Kimbroughs. Plus I looked in the town phone book to see if there were any Kimbroughs listed. No luck. So maybe I'll become a super sleuth and call the church office and see what I can find out. Then again, maybe I have enough other things to do at this point. Who knows.
Now here's just a little background on the church and cemetery. The congregation formed in 1827, the founding pastor was the son-in-law of a plantation owner in the area. This brick church you see in the pictures dates from 1860 just before the civil war. The church spire was visible back then from the Mississippi, and consequently drew fire from Union boats who wanted control of the river. The church was heavily damaged due to this shelling and wasn't repaired and rebuilt till 1893. However, the organ in the church survived and also dates from 1860. Something I heard while in the cemetery was someone compared it to the Garden of Eden. Come to think of it, it does look idyllic, peaceful and tranquil. 
The small wooden structure named St. John's church was built as a memorial for the only daughter of a confederate colonel in 1873 and consecrated in 1874 at a whopping cost of $2200. It was a lovely structure with old cypress floors and lovely stained glass windows and was used for services and Sunday school till the original church could be repaired. The congregation of Grace church had been meeting in the Methodist church in town not far from their church since their church had been damaged from the war. 

The commander's marker

And of course Grace church has one more of those personal stories that I like so much. While the church was under fire in the summer of 1863, the Commander of one of the boats involved in the siege committed suicide. It is believed he was delirious due to yellow fever. He was a Mason, and had requested that his burial, should he die in the war, be a Masonic service. So in keeping with his final wishes the doctor and two officers trudged up the Tunica Hills from the Mississippi to the town of St. Francisville to see if there was anyway that they could find brother Masons to accomodate the commander's wishes. As it happened one of the Ley people left in charge at Grace church during the war was a Mason and the soldiers had run across one of the oldest Masonic temples in the state directly across from the church. So for a day, just one day the war stopped in St. Francisville while both southerners of the town and northerners of the Union boat conducted services for a fellow brother, who was laid to rest in the Masonic area of the cemetery after a Masonic service was conduted by both Confederate and Yankee Masons. 

Grace Episcopal dates from 1860

I just loved the way this looked. Someone was a big deal.
There own fence and monument inside. And only theirs.

This is the gate of a fenced in area. It was just so elaborate
and pretty.

This looked so amazing, just all by itself
surrounded by gardenias.

Not only a monument but a gate to another part of the cemetery.

Another one of the elaborate family
gates. What scroll work.

This is a father and son markers. Sad.

Over a hundred years this marker has
been there.

So many children's and baby's graves. Little angels.

There were a few like these. With head
and foot markers or stones. Some had
plantings in between, some had water
features and some just grass.

Isn't it lovely! A weeping willow
captured forever on the gate of a family
plot. Just beautiful work.

No name, just initials for this poor baby.

Another lovely family plot gate.

This marked another child's resting place. A pretty bench
with squirrels. Sad that it marks the death of a child.

Almost forgotten. This is all that's left of the
enclosed area that was the family plot. Just a gate.

Look at the metal work. The medallion in
the center. 

Gardenias, all in bloom and smelling like a little piece of
heaven.

Planted near the graves; azaelas,
gardenias, irises, lillies. And the ever
present Live Oaks.

Mother and child. I wonder what
caused their deaths. Yellow fever?
Child birth?

A Water feature.

Just another amazing gate. The craftsmanship was truly
something.

This struck me as someone who was quite
impressed with himself. He's there all alone.

A family crypt.

Where are they? Under the opening?

Nine, Count 'em Nine

I am a history buff. I don't know everything about history, but I enjoy learning about history. Especially the human part of history. The part where you learn about someone who helped change history, shape the way things went, or try to make a difference for the time they lived. Juicy gossip along the lines of Peyton Place is also good, however.
Our choice for the first plantation that we visited supplied all my wants in these areas, both history and the Peyton Place part. It is a plantation that was started by Dr. Samuel Flowers who as he was leaving Pennsylvania, married his future bride. The ceremony was performed by the Wagon Master of the Wagon Train they took to get to Louisiana. The Flowers had eight children each of whom received a part of the original plantation when the doctor died in the early 1800s. One of the children and her husband received the plantation house and property immediately surrounding it and continued to occupy the house till their deaths.                        
Since then nine generations. Yep, you read right. Nine generations of the family have occupied the house. One house, that many family members who have owned and lived in this plantation home. It is one of only a handful of antebellum homes that still remains in the original family. 
Our tour of the Butler Greenwood plantation was conducted by one of the members of the eighth generation Chase, who lives in the home. As she pointed out to us, since this home has remained in the family for so many years, nothing has ever been lost or sold. Nothing has ever been discarded or taken out of the home. And it was impressive to see so much history in one place. 
We saw the original Spanish Land Grant that had been framed and was hanging on the wall, the doctor's original instruments & medical books which he brought with him, original furniture and even clothing. We even saw some old tintype photographs taken of the 3rd generation in New Orleans as babies with their Mammy. A very unusual occurrence in the south in pre-civil war times.

The music room with a grand piano
from New Orleans dating back to
the 1830s

The plantation was not the Gone with the Wind type of house you would expect. Something we came to learn as we continued our tours of the various homes in the area. Like today's homes they were all different sizes, styles and colors. Several of the antebellum homes were modest homes. Nothing elaborate, nothing too showy. Now don't get me wrong, we also saw several the of the Gone with the Wind type of mansions also. But this plantation home was in the first category, modest. It was raised up off its foundations so as to allow air flow, had a deep veranda that ran all the way around the home and almost all it's original outbuildings still exist except for the slave quarters.
We also learned that one of the owners of the home is an author with several books to her credit including a history of the area & its homes, a story of her own life, and several cookbooks. 
The book she wrote of her life details her shooting and consequent recovery.  Hence the Peyton Place analogy. The story as we were told in short is as follows. Ann Butler was married to one of the wardens of Angola prison which is about 20 miles from St. Francisville. She was at home on a Sunday morning, he was out of town or so she thought. He walked into the house armed with a gun. He shot her three times in the stomach as she sat drinking her morning coffee prior to church. She didn't die nor did she lose consciousness. He was then interrupted by a maid who attends the guest cottages and home. He told her that what was going on "was none of her business" and to just get out. After that Ann saw him raise the gun again, point it at her chest and she said she knew he was aiming for her heart. She turned and the bullet entered her arm/shoulder. Her shoulder and elbow were shattered. The first maid had left, she heard the next shot and called another maid, not 911. The other maid came over and heard what the first one had to say. She then called the head of the maids, who came over and heard the story. That person then proceeded to call 911 and Ann's son. Ann's son was on his way to church, he turned around and headed back to the plantation and arrived at the same time as the sheriff and EMS. As the sheriff and Ann's son walked in Ann's husband had raised the gun again and was pointing it at her. The sheriff convinced the warden to put his gun down and he was taken into custody. Ann's husband was tried and convicted and sent back to Angola, this time as an inmate rather than a warden. He died in prison. No other details were given regarding how he died, just that he died in prison. I can only imagine.
Just one word of caution is that the book isn't available in the S.A. public library but was available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It is titled Weep for the Living.

Some of the trees in the garden dripping
with Spanish Moss.

All of the oaks at Butler Greenwood were planted from
acorns that came from a Haitian plantation brought
over after the slave revolt there.

All of the area around St. Francisville is a designated bird
sanctuary. So bird houses are a common sight on all
properties.

The formal parlor at Butler
Greenwood plantation.
These furnishings are Victorian in
style and date to just prior to the
civil war. They were purchased in
New Orleans and are in their original
location in the home, have their
original upholstery and these are the
original draperies that were
purchased to go with them. It is a 12
piece set.

Original family baby clothes that has been used for
Christening the babies of the family for close to 150 years.

One of the original outbuildings of the plantation that is now
used as a pool house for the guests of the plantation's B & B
and is where breakfast is served to the guests.

One of the B & B's cabins that faces
the duckpond on the plantation. The
duckpond was part of the original
garden design when the house was
built.

Another of the guest cabins on the property. It also faces the
duckpond.

They were thirsty after the tour.

One of the original cast iron cooking pots that are all around
the outside of the plantations. These were used for making
sugar, boiling clothes, dying clothes, cooking large meals,
making lye soap and whatever other purpose they were
needed for.

This summer house or what we would now
call a Gazebo was built at the same time as
the house in the 1790s. It has a copper roof,
and it's original colors of paint.

The approach to the Butler Greenwood plantation. As you
would have seen it when it was first built. You would have
had to cross the Sara Bayou by bridge to get to it and
when the house was first built, the Bayou had direct access
to the Mississippi.

Lightening Bugs?!?

I'll bet if you're a baby boomer, you like me grew up catching Lightening Bugs in mayonnaise jars with holes punched in the lid. In my neighborhood, all the kids during summer would go out in the yard armed with their jars, grab a handful of grass toss it into the bottom of the jar and wait for it to get dark enough (usually around twilight) to see the Lightening Bugs start flying and blinking. We'd run after them, jars open, laughing and chasing till we caught one or more in our jars. The poor bugs would continue to flash while in the jars and we would sit mesmerized with mouths hanging open watching as they flashed inside the jars. Later after we went in, our parents usually let them go free. And we'd start all over again the next night. It was a badge of honor to see who could catch the most bugs. I never got that award, but I had fun anyway.

My kids never had that pleasure. Apparently, Lightening Bugs need clean air (no smog) to live and most large cities now have too much air pollution to allow them to live within close proximity to the cities. What a shame! I wish my kids could've had the pleasure (simple to be sure) that my husband and I had. But progress brings it's own price, so they were not able to experience that right of passage the way we did.

I've missed the Lightening Bugs. I didn't realize it till we went on our extended weekend getaway recently. For the first time in years, I saw Lightening Bugs. We arrived at our lodging, a Bed and Breakfast in the country around dusk and when I saw them, those little critters flooded me with happy memories. 

So since you're wondering where we went, let me tell you all about our trip. We made arrangements through our travel club with these instructions: we wanted to be in the heart of plantation country, near enough that we could see several of the antebellum homes over the course of a long weekend. We needed a pet friendly place, and one that was handicapped accessible also. Those were all the instructions that we gave. What the travel club gave us was St. Francisville, Louisiana. And the Rosemound (pronounced Rosemund) Bed and Breakfast. 

The entrance

St. Francisville is about an hour south of Natchez, Mississippi, and less than an hour north of Baton Rouge. In the heart of what is called English Louisiana. And just north of the town is Rosemound Bed and Breakfast, boasting a total of four rooms (two are suites) situated on 5 + acres with views of Lake Rosemound from every window of the rooms. This was like a dream with Live Oaks that were close to 150 feet tall and so wide at the bottom that 6 men arms outstretched would be needed to encircle them dripping with Spanish Moss, Gardenias, huge Magnolia trees, Azalea bushes, a beautiful lake, Lightening Bugs and a full delicious country breakfast served every day of your stay. The breakfasts were wonderful, and the menu changed daily with pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, juice, and coffee as examples of what you might be served.

Rosemound B & B

The rooms were comfortable with queen beds and ennsuite baths, sitting areas in the rooms, T.V. and WiFi. Each room was decorated differently. The suites slept four, had jacuzzi tubs, separate showers, and sitting areas. All of the rooms had access to the other amenities in the house. There was a ping pong table, pool table, "help yourself ice cream bar, and canoes & paddle boats were available for use on the lake. You also had access to a full commercial style kitchen, laundry facilities with supplies, grill and the beach for the lake. There were numerous picnic tables, sitting areas, a pier for fishing or swimming off of and porch swings also available to the guests. 

The pier at Rosemound

While we were there, a film was being shot in the St. Francisville area potentially to be named Beautiful Creatures, but we never saw them. We just saw their signs taped to traffic signs and were informed by our host about the signs and filming. I can understand why they were filming there. Multiple plantations in different styles, an historic town with several historic town homes settled by English, Irish and Scottish families many of whom fled from the east coast to avoid the repercussions of having chosen the wrong side in the Revolutionary war, several historic churches (including former slave churches founded on land that was once part of a plantation), scenery that could take your breath away, and the lure of walking in the same areas as John James Audubon all of which are now bird sanctuaries.

The one minus is the nightmare of old one lane wooden bridges built over a hundred years ago that scared the be jabbers out of me every time we went over one. They didn't seem to bother Dan or the other guests, just me.  So as long as you're not faint of heart or spirit and willing to cross Sara Bayou on a bridge that was so narrow Dan's truck covered its width completely, then you're good.  

In the mornings, I would go out and sit
with the poopies. I got this shot one
morning while just enjoying the peace
and quiet.

One of the views from the sitting area outside of our room.

The drive approaching the B & B

The beach area. With sand volleyball, an actual sand beach,
covered picnic tables and a grill.

One of the flowering plants on the
grounds.

I'd give it a C

Well I have to say that I never thought I would actually say the words "not worth it," but I am. Surprisingly, I am going to say it. I went once, but as for me going again I'd have to think long and hard about that.

Daytime 

What could possess me to say such a thing? I expected more and got way less. Unfortunately, that's the way it goes sometimes. You think that when you attend an event, it will be amazing, phenomenal. When it doesn't wind up being that way, you're disappointed, maybe a little frustrated.  But it was at least interesting and enjoyable. Thank goodness for that.  
Usually city-wide events hype up your expectations. There's a buzz about the event before it happens and lots of excitement and plans to attend. I saw billboards, read articles in the newspaper, and heard about it on the local morning talk shows. Only to get myself all geared up for a letdown.

Tie a yellow ribbon

So what made this particular event so uneventful that I would say to you all "NOT worth it." Well first of all the location was disappointing, some of the participants were a little too outlandish in some respects for me and finally there just wasn't enough there to keep me occupied and wanting more.
I'm talking about Luminaria, the city sponsored outdoor evening public arts festival. It was held in the Hemisphere Plaza and though it was free to the public it wasn't worth the price of admission as far as this writer was concerned. The festival is in its fifth year and boasted that this year for the first time "well known curators from prestigious art institutions were involved to select the artists who would be participating." (quoted from the city website touting Luminaria)  **Yawn**
I should've known when someone tries to focus your attention on the "experts or as it was noted "well known curators" people like me should stay home. But just saying that, you probably think I'm a bit too provincial to really know art. So the best way that I can get my point across is to give you concrete examples from my wanderings through the arts festival.

Now that looked like fun

Let's start with the location: Hemisphere Plaza. Hemisphere is a 90 acre tract in the middle of downtown. Great! No, not really. A lot of what was Hemisphere has become boarded up buildings that are run down, unkempt and in need of renovation. Take for example the "Women's Pavilion" which housed several artists. The building itself had plywood over what used to be large plate glass which has been broken out and never replaced. There is no overhead lighting in the building, and for the cherry on top no ventilation in the building. In May in San Antonio, that means the building is sweltering! I came out of it sweating and feeling lightheaded from stifling air and soaring temps even at night. I call that Pathetic, with a capital P. 
The city has managed to keep the landscaping looking decent in some respects and places in others again my impression was one of a complete letdown. Some venues for the artists were well kept and had a/c. So honestly it was a hodgepodge. Not exactly how I would want to showcase S.A. If we're going to use Hemisphere Plaza, then let's work on making it presentable in total. Spruce the ole gal up a bit, and figure out some way to use it more often.
The media buzz about Luminaria was that this year the focus would be on larger scale art projects, as well as lots of video work. I can attest to both of those being the case. The entire plaza was utilized in some way with the artists showcasing their work in ways that were specific to their location in the Plaza. Here's an example of how that worked out in reality versus in theory. I saw video work on the side of a city building. Four large projectors throwing their light on the side of the building. Folks from the crowd, especially kids were thoroughly enjoying themselves making shadow puppets, like bunnies. I saw another video projected against what was obviously an old Spanish colonial structure. It was a video of a woman in a catsuit like outfit playing with a light up hula-hoop, while the same woman in a similar catsuit like outfit played with the light up hula-hoop in front of the video. Her playtime was mildly interesting, but nothing to write home about. Wait, I am writing home about it! Egad!!!!
Over by the fountains there were more videos shown against the backdrop of the limestone walls and half walls in the area. One of a woman dancing. Most of the crowd glanced over, then kept walking. Virtually ignoring the video. The men looked a little longer than the women or children. Other than that it was simply, let's move on folks this isn't great.
I actually saw someone take a picture of a blue Dell screen saver thinking that was the art. It wasn't. The "art" didn't begin until dark and the artist used media player to project a silent movie of two children playing. Same lady walks back by and says "oh I thought that blue screen was the art. That's why I took the picture of it." (rolling my eyes here) No sweetie, as bad as some of these exhibits are they aren't that bad yet. 
There was another projection that left me flat as well. It as a projection of shadows playing with a jump rope projected from one floor of the Women's Pavilion to another. I watched for about 30 seconds and then having seen it all (it was on a loop) it was time to move on and not look back.
Now there were several stages set up around the Plaza and they were getting lots of attention from the crowds. There were many different types of music going, all you had to do as wander till you found something you wanted to listen to. An enjoyable part of the evening to be sure. There were clowns performing in another area, they too drew big crowds. There were also other performing arts going on all of which were good to great. Especially the acrobats. And the Hare Krishnas chanted most of the night away to reasonable numbers as well. 
Food and drink were plentiful and standard festival fare. And there was one unique part of Hemisphere which added to the evening. It was Hemislounge. A new addition to the Plaza. Acrylic boxes of various sizes that could be used as couches, chairs, tables and stools. All lit from inside with various colors showing through the acrylic. So there were blue coffee tables, red stools, green boxes positioned together for chairs. And even some actual soft furniture like real sofas and chairs.
I'm glad I got to see it once. Great for people watching as the crowds were not huge, some of the artists were really good to great. The acrobats, the mariachis, and I liked the Pacman exhibit. But others left me just shaking my head. All in all the artists I spoke to were nice, friendly and engaging to talk with. The food left me wanting something with taste and the drinks were typically expensive. $2 for a can of coke is in my humble opinion expensive. As for the event in general, thanks but no thanks for next year.

Member of the Youth Orchestra

Part of the Pacman display

Lighting for a stage

Whoop De Do

Whoop De Do

Gemini Ink and their free books

Hemislounge

The end of the Pacman display

Playing with a hula hoop

crowds at the Luminaria

The Tower was lit beautifully

At the beginning of the Pacman exhibit

Where the clowns were, this was a cool display with the
lights attached to a semi-circle and the clowns were
performing inside of it.