Katrina - 20 Years

 

Katrina was unlike anything we had ever seen. Everyone knows the story of New Orleans, but what’s often forgotten is how Mississippi and the rest of Louisiana were devastated too. By the time Katrina reached where I lived, she had weakened to a Category 1 hurricane—but she was still fierce. Our reservoir churned with 14-foot waves, and we were without power for two weeks. Even then, we considered ourselves lucky compared to the people to our south, who endured unimaginable loss.

We must never forget what happened in New Orleans. The people there were failed. And we must also remember the many others Katrina touched—their lives, too, were forever changed.

Below is an excerpt from my blog, written on August 28, 2005. 

Katrina is on her way

Katrina Packing Wind of Nearly 175 Mph 
AP - 1 hour, 11 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS - Mayor Ray Nagin ordered an immediate evacuation Sunday for all of New Orleans, a city sitting below sea level with 485,000 inhabitants, as Hurricane Katrina bore down with wind revved up to nearly 175 mph and a threat of a massive storm surge. Acknowledging that large numbers of people, many of them stranded tourists, would be unable to leave, the city set up 10 places of last resort including the Superdome arena. "This is a once in a lifetime event," the mayor said. "The city of New Orleans has never seen a hurricane of this magnitude hit it directly." From Yahoo

This is going to be bad, I hope all my friends in NO and the Coast are Hitailing it out!! My thoughts are with you all!!!!

I can still vividly recall standing in the middle of my street, surrounded by darkness. The sky was full of stars, and the only sound was the low, steady hum of generators.

SS Hurricane Camille

I’ve written about the SS Hurricane Camille before, but this time I decided to take a deeper look at the tug over the years. Washed ashore during Hurricane Camille in 1969, the vessel became a well-known Gulfport, Mississippi landmark, a rusting reminder of what was once thought to be a once-in-a-lifetime storm. For decades, it stood as a silent witness to the power of nature. But in 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and in the wake of that destruction, the storied tug was finally scrapped — closing the chapter on a symbol of survival and storm-battered resilience.

My grandmother, mother, aunts, uncles, and cousins stand in front of the SS Hurricane Camille in 1969.

Here is one from the Early 90's of me, my sister and parents in nearly the same location.  

Another one from the late 90s with me, my sister, mom, and a family friend.  

This one I took in the early 2000's prior to Katrina.  

One taken about 6 months after Katrina.  

Please excuse the flash — this photo of the plaque was taken before Hurricane Katrina.

This was an experimental photo series I shot in the early 2000s, with the idea of developing the film and assembling the images like a puzzle — this was the final result. 

A Journey

I do not know the type of Cactus this is.  I just know the journey that it took to get to me. 

My Uncle took a piece of this cactus home from Oklahoma.  It was planted in his yard in Terry, MS and that yard became my moms’ yard.  I had seen it bloom a handful of times and I loved it.  It took a piece to my dads and it grew there.  After I moved to Texas I visited my dad and took a piece of it back with me in my luggage on a flight.  I planted it in a pot… and when I bought my house it finally was planted in the ground.

It came to Texas in 2013… and I planted it at my home in 2018.   This was the first year it bloomed; I love it.

Spirits

I spent most of my formative years in this Pearl, Mississippi house.  It holds so many memories for me both good and bad.   I cannot believe it is being sold.

This house remains one of the most interesting places I have ever lived.   I will always remember lying in bed and listening to the sound of people walk down the halls.  It never scared me; it just was.  I also remember seeing a woman walk down the hallway and hearing voices in rooms where people were not.  It was unnerving at times; but it was always fun living in a haunted house.   I remember when I first heard my mom and grandma mention to me about the spirits.  I had never heard them speak of such things… it actually surprised me; but let me know that It was not just me that experienced it.   The weirdest thing was when things would move.  You couldn’t expect anything to stay in one place, it would inexplicably move to another part of the room or another room in general.  You just never knew what would happen. 

I can’t help but wonder if my mom is now counted among the spirits that reside at 306 Pearl Drive.  She passed away in the living room sleeping in her bed.  She slept in there because she was an amputee and getting around was easier than going into and down the hallway.  

I wonder if she made friends with the other spirits in the house too.  In life, she never met a stranger… I doubt death would stop her. 

My Hero...

On Sunday January 6, 2013 I lost my hero.   My Grandmother Lalia Louise Hawthorne Wixson passed from this world.  It is a hard thing to accept, someone that meant so much to me no longer a phone call away… There are moments where it is almost unbearable.

But then I think of the legacy that she left me.

Every time I look in the mirror, I see her work in progress.  She took me in when I needed her and she insured that I went to school and had every tool that she was able to give me to live the best life I possibly can.   

And I will. 

Every breath I take, every moment… will be in honor of her. 

Lalia Louise Wixson

August 4, 1939 – January 6, 2013

Louise Wixson, 73, passed from this life Sunday, January 6, 2013 at Hospice Ministries, Ridgeland.

Visitation is 5:00-8:00pm Monday, January 7, 2013 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Graveside services arer 2:30pm Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at Drakes United Methodist Church Cemetery in Flowood. 

She was born August 4, 1939 in Madison County, a daughter of the late Robert Lee Hawthorne and Catherine Lee Eley Hawthorne. She was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker and a member of Drakes United Methodist Church.

Survivors include sons, James Grant Wixson and wife Michele and Bubba Wixson and wife Becky; daughters, Sheila Williams and husband Marvin and Tina Wixson; brother, Henry Hawthorne; sisters, Sarah Haskins, Betty Dulworth, Annette Creel, Clara Reid and Margaret Hawthorne; grandchildren, Jayroe Williams and wife Rebecca, Heather Williams, Christina Shores, Grant Blakeney, John Wixson and Kirby Wixson; and great-grandchildren, Autumn Williams, Destiny Crosby, Hanna Crosby, Hayden Shores and Charles Williams.

Ancorā impāro

 I’ve gone through a lot in the past year, I ended up some place I would have never guessed would be a place for me to be.   Here are some things that I’ve learned in the past year believe me this is not all inclusive.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people and no matter how you want to help the best help is just being there.

When one door closes another one opens, it just takes you looking to see it.

Never underestimate the stupidity of people as some will let their kids swim in the surf of a tropical storm with waves that hit the bottom of a 20 ft high pier, while the red signals are flying.

Take the scenic route home, it may be longer… but the stars are prettier.

Some family is by birth… some family is forged in fire.

It is possible to idolize someone for their good traits and recognize the bad traits… and accept them for what they truly are.

Opportunity comes where and when you least expect it and can change your life. 

Soul mates do exist and you can fall madly in love with them… and have to acknowledge that the timing is wrong and you can’t be together just yet.

Sometimes things that are too good to be true really are… however not always.

The amount of time that it takes someone to etch themselves on your heart can vary from a short amount of time to an inconceivable amount of time.

Children can speak words with such truth that it can make you cry.

The ocean is a powerful living being that can humble you in your most prideful moments, and it can cleanse you of all that is troubling you… and it can take your very life away… all in an instant.

It is possible to love again when you never thought that it would be possible.

The past year has been an adventure and it is no where near over… I am still learning. 

(Images representing the three states I have lived in this year.   Florida, Mississippi, and North Carolina.) 

Randam Art

I’m not one to get caught up in jewelry, I always see it as something a bit impersonal… created en masse to be given as gifts and although beautiful no real love was put into it.   It was created for the sole purpose of being purchased and used… not much different than a TV or anything else. 

One of my dearest friends has changed this perception.  Miranda creates some of the most creative and beautiful necklaces, among other items, that I’ve ever seen.  She puts so much into it, she puts herself into the items and each one tells a story.  I like this, it makes them special and one of a kind… qualities that you can't find produced en masse.  I’ve always admired her artistic touch and I’ve showcased some of her work on here before.   She truly is one of the most talented people I know and I am privileged to have some of her work in my own home. 

Cusp

Here I am on the cusp of a great adventure, an experiment to spread my wings and leave this place behind.   I’m unsure if I will ever return to this place other than to visit, I wonder what changes will occur in my absence.  I do know that this place continues to shock me with the things that I see and “discover.”  But soon this will be a distant place an abstract point on a map… a place of memories.

This is one of those shocking things; this Hindu Temple is located in Flowood, MS right off Old Fannin Road. It is classically Indian and something unique to my normally cookie-cutter area.   A funny note: the temple is located right next to the Shady Pines RV Park… I thought this was hilarious.

Babies

These cute babies are just under my carport.  They are not at all camera shy, and as you can see… even pose for photos. 

Babies are one of nature’s miracles, they are a sign that things will continue to go forward.  Every generation is hopefully an improvement upon the last, and a combination of all that made past generations great.

Silent Shadow

Part of the Wordless Wednesday!!!!

Humble

As a rule, we tend to forget to look at things from the perspective that we are above it and we are better than most.   We tend to do this at times individually and as a people in general. Sometimes we need to individually remind ourselves that in the scheme of things, we are in reality quite small. 

Random Igloo of Memories...

Places are not just places, places hold memories dear and when we see these places the memories are given back to us, as if from a dream.

Yes Mississippi has at least one igloo, and it is a place that holds many memories for me.   This is the place that is a treat to go, the best place in the area for catfish.  While this is a statement that is opinion, it is an opinion that is shared among many.   Birthdays, Random family gatherings, and even just the occasional dinner have been had by me and my loved ones since I was little in this very igloo.  I cherish these, and I add to them every time I make my way to the Igloo down on ’49.

Jerry’s Catfish House

Hwy 49 South

Florence, Mississippi  39073

http://www.jerryscatfishhouse.com/

601-845-8860

West Florida

There isn’t too much that can be said about this photo, since the photo itself says a lot about Old West Florida.   Pearl, Mississippi is a few miles within the historical boundary of West Florida, and I have been a resident of what was once West Florida my entire life.    This will not change, as in less than a month, I will be a resident of current west Florida and what was considered the eastern boundary of Old West Florida.   I have accepted a new opportunity with my company, with my friends and families blessing… I will soon be relocating. 

UMMC

I don’t like hospitals; in fact I detest them with every fiber of my being.   However, I do feel the need to write about this one in particular, this is the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.   I was born here and so were my mother, and many other members of my family.   I have seen too much of this place recently and I feel the need to write about it in hopes that it will appease the powers that be so that the universe rights itself and no one in my life has to enter  through it’s doors for a reason other than employment.   

 So let the appeasement begin.  

UMMC is one of the best hospitals in the state of Mississippi, and it is probably the only hospital that I trust.   While it isn’t perfect as most hospitals aren’t, but it is a bit different than most others in the area in that it is a teaching hospital.  This means that it is not run solely for profit, so it is one of the few hospitals that will work with you and offer reasonably attainable financial aid if you can not afford normal care.   (You see the fact that the American Healthcare system is a for-profit industry is something I find morbid and frightening… but that is a rant I’m not going to get into.) This hospital is the only level-1 trauma center in the state of Mississippi and has been the hospital of choice in my family for generations.  

I have seen a lot of this hospital recently, as my mother has been in and out of it since March.   It has been a long ordeal and we still have a long way to go, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  

Wards

I have many traditions that I adhere to; most for no reason other than it is just something that I like to do.   One of these traditions is that on my way to the coast, I always stop and eat at the Wards in Hattiesburg.  Wards is a small chain of restaurants located in Mississippi.  It is an enigma to me, because there isn’t one here in Jackson, the largest city in Mississippi.  Wards is famous for its “Big One” a burger with secret sauce and chili, it also is known for its homemade root beer.   I think the reason I am so fond of this restaurant, is that it is a Mississippi chain, something we can call ours.

http://www.wardsrestaurants.com

We are all but Castles of Sand

Life can be like a castle of sand; built tall and sturdy and all it takes is one wave and it is over.   Yes it can be rebuilt, but not the same.   I was walking on Biloxi beach yesterday on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, and occasionally I would come across a bed of barnacle incrusted bricks.   It took me a moment to realize that these were what remains of the businesses that once lined Beach Boulevard in Gulfport and Biloxi… all hat remains six years after Hurricane Katrina completely washed them away like they were a tiny sand castle on the beach.  

Alligator mississippiensis

These creatures haunt our swimming holes and our dreams they are frightening, fascinating, and interesting.  The American Alligator is one of the biggest predators in the area, and they are common in my neck of the woods, thank goodness this one was behind the glass at the Mississippi Natural Science Museum.  

In Honor

Sherman, TX

Monday is Memorial Day, a day to remember those that gave their lives in honor of this country of ours.   We must honor them and never forget the sacrifice that they gave us, and we must not forget the men and women currently sacrificing everyday for our country.   We do however tend to forget the foreigners that gave their lives for our values, let us also honor the men and women who gave their lives for our country, though it was not their country to serve

These memorials are from different places… though they are all similar they all share a common status, they honor men and women who gave their lives in the armed forces of various different wars and battles.

Meridian, MS

Brandon, MS

Natchez, MS

Weeping Dixie

Clouds are harbingers of rain and storms and much to often recently in the area I call my home, the southern USA otherwise known as “Dixie,” clouds have been the bringer of Death.   Cities like Joplin, MO all the Way to Alabama and many places in between.   Even Jackson, MS has been hit by a Tornado this year.  It is a very horrific situation that such beautiful clouds can cause so much pain and destruction to so many.   My thoughts are with those who have lost homes and loved ones in the Tornados and the current Flooding that is still devastating so many.   

If you would like to help, please donate to your local RedCross or in the US text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.

This beautiful sky was photographed yesterday at Jackson-Evers International Airport (JAN.)

True Wealth

I am lucky to have people in my life that have been there since the very early days.   People say friends come and go, but I have learned that more often than not friends just grow into family.   I am very blessed to be able to say this about the people in my life, as  I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world to have so many people that were not born into my family but are just as much my family as those that were.   That is true wealth.  

The photo is one of these friends that I speak of, this is Sharissa Sakcriska, I have known her my entire life.