Hodgepodging From Spring to Slavery!

Thank you Joyce for again giving us food for thought and pondering.

Join others as we Hodgepodge together at
Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  Thursday marks the first day of spring...to celebrate would you rather plant a garden or go for a walk in the woods? Would either of those activities be possible on Thursday where you live?

I would love to take a walk in the woods.  Possible?  Not really as I live within the city limits and there aren't any real accessible woods suitable for walking near by.  But, it may be worth trying to find.

2. When did someone last spring something on you? (or when did you last spring something on someone?)

Daughter-in-Love, Michelle asked me a few weeks ago to help her with a presentation she had been asked to give on MIL/DIL relationships.  Her friends selected her because they find our relationship to be intriguing.  I guess you could say this was "sprung" on me, but it did give me an opportunity to reflect on and be ever so grateful for the special bond we share with each other.  She gave her talk on Tuesday, so I can't wait to hear all about it.

3.  We often think of spring as a time for new beginnings. What's something you'd like to start doing this spring?

Maybe sleeping better at night?  Or having my back feel better?  If I could accomplish either or both of those, it would be a good spring indeed.

4. Where do you like to sit in a movie theatre? When did you last sit there, and what were you watching?

Almost at the top on the end of the row.  Neither Hubby nor I can remember what we saw and it really wasn't that long ago.  Really made an impression!

5. When you meet someone for the very first time, what do you want them to think about you?

I used to do Image Seminars and one of the things I would make a point of was that we make a first impression within the first 5 secs of being seen.  Therefore, we need to make those first few secs count.  I would want someone meeting me for the first time to think that I am an attractive, interesting person that they would like to know better.
  
6. March is frozen food month (yes, really!). Besides ice cream (gotta make you think a little) what's your most often purchased frozen food item?

Frozen strawberries and blueberries.

7. What's something you avoid?

I try to heed the Biblical admonition to "Avoid the appearance of evil."

8. Insert your own random thought here

A couple weeks ago, we joined our long-time friends, Jim and Charlene Fleming to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.  They and Hubby were college friends and graciously included me into their existing friendship back in 1965.  We count our lasting friendship with them as one of God's richest blessings.

This past weekend was our Sister's Get-Together at middle Sis's house in South Louisiana.

 We had a great time together, by the way, but I want to share something else with you.

On the way home on Sunday, I took a trip off the interstate and through the rural villages of Bunkie and Cheneyville.   It was in this area that the story of Samuel Northrup unfolded.  You will recognize this name from the movie,
"12 Years a Slave."

Northup was kidnapped and brought to Louisiana where he was sold as a slave eventually ending up on the plantation in central Louisiana of Mary McCoy.  The plantation house is still situated between those two small villages and marked as part of the Northrup Trail.

 An old slave house owned by Mary McCoy still stands along Bayou Boeuf in Cheneyville.

It is said that Northrup was a talented fiddle player and entertained Mary McCoy and her slaves at his last Christmas party in Louisiana in 1852. Mary was known for her kindness to her slaves.

The Epps House is another important stop on the Northrup Trail.  Edwin Epps was Northrup's owner for 10 years.  It was at the Epps Plantation where Northrup finally made the connection that ultimately resulted in his freedom.

 Northrup wrote of his experiences which were published in 1853 after he returned to freedom in his native New York.  Decades later a copy was given to Sue Eakin, sparking a life-long desire to learn more about him and to research the people and locations described in his writing.

The Epps House has been restored and moved to the LSU campus in Alexandria from its original site on Bayou Boeuf.  It serves as a public museum.

After securing his freedom, Northrup was released at the Avoyelle's Parish Courthouse in Marksville.  (Where my youngest sis lives incidentally).

About 1845

 Sue Eakin came as an English professor at Louisiana State University at Alexandria my last year there, 1965.  In 1968 Eakin co-edited a new edition of the memoirs and it was this account that caught the attention and interest of film director, Steve McQueen.

You may enjoy reading a full account at

Louisiana Professor's Life Work Provokes Interest in " Twelve Years A Slave."

Oh if these old, old Louisiana Oaks could talk, what tales they could tell!