Way down upon the Suwannee River......

I went back "home" today.   This weekend is my 30th High School reunion, it does not seem possible.  It's the first time (other than an AWFUL weekend at a pastor wife's convention) that I have ever been away from all my family.  We tend to travel as a tribe:)   This is something I'd hoped to do for over a year. 

I'm from Perry Florida, in Taylor county.  It's a very unique small southern town.  Today has been a walk through memory lane for me.  Just the trip up to Perry was interesting.  We don't usually go up this way so I got to see some places I haven't seen for a long time.  I told my friend I feel like I'm a salmon making my return trip home LOL. 

Growing up if we were driving south, we would usually stop at the Suwannee River to eat our food.  So I stopped there for a few minutes. 

 

Way down upon the Suwannee River.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a lady sitting on the dock, a floating dock...she had her feet in the water and was feeding the fish....what is wrong with that?????    There are GATORS galore in that River!!!!  OMGosh!  I was about to say something to her but she left...thank God before she got eaten in front of me!   

 

 

 

 

This is "my grandmother's tree"  I've eaten many sandwiches  under that tree with her:)  It's in the little town of Cross City.

 

 

On Old Hwy 19 going towards the family cemetery

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mingo Cemetery

 

 

 

 

Me with all the "family" in the background

 

I thought there are 5 generations of my family buried here, lots of tears shed at this graveyard....

 

 

 

my grandmother's grave

 

My great great grand father's grave with the flag, my GGGM  next, then my great grandfather and great grand mother

 

 

 

 

 

my great grandparents

 

 

 

my dear Uncle Mack

 

Uncle Sam

 

My sweet great aunts who raised me

 

 

 

 

this is the lady who took me in as a baby in 1965....when she was 66 years old!!!!!!  

 

 

the Hines family

 

 

 

a relative who lost 2 sons in WWII

 

 

 

I'm from Taylor co and proud of it!

 

 

 

Log trucks scare me

 

 

 

the real Florida!

 

Angela and me 30 years ago at graduation!!!!!!! 1983

 

 

 

Me, Angela and Terry tonight...30 years later:)

 

It's really wonderful to be here, seeing old friends.  Love being in a small town, as we were going into the restaurant, a brother of a schoolmate stopped and talked to me:)  I miss that.  We live in a small town but it's not a "town" like Perry where everyone knows each other and are somehow related by birth, marriage or friendship.  the town we live in is very transitional, no one has real roots....Perry is totally different....there are roots here for sure:)

 

On our way to my friend's house tonight, we saw a doe and two cute little baby deers.....so cute!  The last time I'd gone to my friend's house, all the roads were dirt and now they are all paved!  WOW progress:)   I live in the country....but she REALLY lives in the country LOL.  She has lived in the same house for 25 years and it is hard for me to find it still LOL

 

My sweet husband and Steve wanted me to come, it was hard for me to leave but they were so encouraging to me. 

 

Everyone is doing fine at home.  Selah's mickey- gtube fell out but thankfully the nurses were able to take care of it.  Jon told me AFTER it was taken care of!   Both her day and night nurses have reported more purposeful movements which we are always glad to hear!