Christiansen's Comments from April 5 2012 Hinds county Gazette

HCG April 5 2012

I do not know what the out come of us is going to be, if we do not soon get a break in this beautiful spring weather …. Most everyday has been sunny and warm with light breezes, ideal for outdoor chores…. My entire lawn has been mowed and trimmed at least twice; parts of the yard have been mowed 3 times. Many years in years past, come tax day I still had not gotten the yard mowed in its entirety for the first time. And it is still 2 weeks to tax day, I may set a record for number of times mowing in one season. Don’t get me wrong, I love working in the yard…But I am about worked right down to the ground.

My House
Photo by Noah Blakey

In fact, Saturday when I went over to the work day at the Raymond battlefield, I did not hit a lick I was so wore down. I watched lots of folks work; in fact there was quite a large group of us standing around visiting and watching Jeanie Chunn fluff up the flower bed.

Jeanie on her knees in the flower bed
pulling weeds

If you haven’t been over to the Raymond Battlefield Park lately, you need to go…. The Friends of Raymond have been working very hard getting it spiffed up for the reenactment this fall. Clearing brush and cutting trees opening views from walking trail to the cannon line. Bill Schmegal has had taken a big part in organizing that effort. And Sheriff’s department has certainly been a great help, by sending crews to help clear brush and trees.



The Raymond Garden Club was out in full force Saturday too…they were working all over town. First I saw Georgia Cox with a group at the island there at the 3 way stop at 467 and Raymond Bolton Road, then I spotted teams at the Court House, and the Post Office.



So Raymond was looking sharp Sunday for Dr. Blakey 90th birthday party. And what a fabulous party it was too. The weather was perfect; the setting was perfect, their beautiful home, porch and lawn. It felt like the clock had been turned back 60 years. The lovely event could not be recreated, not even by Hollywood…May be they could but it would cost millions.

Doctor Durward Blakey
90th Birthday Party

The Blakey’s front porch is grand! The swing is wonderful, it is wicker and has springs in the chains, so not only can you sway to and fro, you can bounce up and down, there was always a line waiting for turn in the swing. I arrived at the Blakey home at 3, was going to stay a few minutes…but I did not leave until nearly six…Much of that time was spent in the swing; I was a “swing Hog”, But the view is so pleasant from the swing. I was able to watch the comings and goings on the street, see what was happening at St. Marks and the court house from the Blakeys front porch..

Guest in wicker swing

I heard The Gaddis McLaurin is selling or fixing to sell chickens… So I will be leaving you now….I want to go see how that is going… I can envision some issues between the chicks and Jack the Hardware Cat.



Love to all

Christiansen's Comments from Hinds County Gazette March 22 2012

As you all know the first lawn cutting of the season is tough

First the fallen limbs and the sticks have to picked up, Whit and I worked on the sticks all winter, trying to stay ahead of them, but those pesky sticks and limbs never stop falling, so there is always a fire pit full of them here at 201.


But, after several days of toil, (my yard is BIG ) I finally was able to get the entire yard mowed, trimmed and sprayed, I was proud as punch, and full of a great feeling of accomplishment. It was mid-afternoon when I finished up, and parked the mower under the shed. Grinning I went in the house took a bath, and washed my hair, poured myself a cold drink and headed to the front porch to admire my lawn.



Front yard
This is just 1/2 of front yard, I also have 2 side yards and back yard

I was just a swinging and grinning and I began to notice something quite amazing happening…Those weeds that have the pretty little flowers that comprise most of the lawn under the pecan trees…The weeds I thought I had cut…those little flowers began to reappear. I know everything grows fast in the spring, but surely not that fast…I can only conclude, I have very smart weeds, and the little flowers saw me coming and ducked.



I am sure glad the primary election is over, my phone rang relentlessly…what are those candidates thinking? Calling us in the evening when we are trying, to catch our breath from the day’s activities. I finally figured out to just stop answering the phone… But the ringing…I gotta tell you, the ringing got on my last nerve…Do they not think, we see all we want of them, on the TV making promises and more promises.



The office seekers, every one of them, have a plan, they each and every one know how fix America…They have a solution for all of our problems, the economy, gas prices, unemployment, health care, education etc…to hear them tell it there is not a problem they can not fix.


So you know what has this “Bear of little brain” scratching her head? Why is it, we are not fixed, because every four years we elect the man with the fool proof plan?


I am coming to believe, the changes we do see, that effect the United States ….are not being generated in America’s white house or by congress… … looks to me, like we are only reacting to events we have no control over. The price of gas appears to be controlled by foreign countries, big oil companies, even the weather appears has more control over the price of oil then the president or congress.


Remember the mortgage catastrophe? Of course you do, none of us will forget it anytime soon. Well, way back before it crashed and took Wall Street and people’s life savings with it and sent the American economy in to a tail spin; I remember many conversations on my front porch, when we were discussing, trying to figure out “how folks are able to afford all of those big houses that are being built?” “Where are they working that pays enough to pay those high mortgages?” My point here is, why if a porch full of housewives, over an afternoon glass of wine sensed there was something was bad wrong… Why did not some of our elected officials?



So that causes me to wonder who is really running the country. The people we elect or an out of control beauracracity? It seems to me the folks we elect are not even aware there are problems until we are in a full blown crisis. Then bless their hearts, they do what they do, and maybe what they do best… they convene hearings.

Love to all

Call if you need me

Doctor John McCall

Edwards Baptist Church

Doctor John McCall

The pastor at the Edwards Baptist Church, Doctor John McCall at the age of 93 has retired, Sunday, February 19 2012 was his last Sunday.    Dr. McCall served thirty years at the Baptist Church in Vicksburg, he taught at Mississippi College and 9 years here in Edwards.

 From the time I first met Dr. McCall I felt there was something truly rare about him, and it was not just his sometimes askew bow tie.

Well, Sunday I went over to the Edwards Baptist Church, for Doctor McCall’s last sermon…As least what he intends to be his last sermon, but Dr. McCall is a God called preacher, so you never know.  But I know this…Dr. McCall will be serving his Lord until his last breath…He considers it his great honor and privilege to be one of God’s servant.

 As I sat watching and listening to this unassuming man, I saw many things that makes him truly unique among men for one thing …he has no ego…he has no” look at me!” “Listen to me!” posture…..Doctor McCall preaches from the Bible, the Bible speaks for it’s self… the Bible is God’s word, he takes no credit ….that glory goes to God.

 And in his sermon Sunday, he remarked that his success in the pulpit was the doing of the congregations that God allowed him to serve, because the people were his encouragers. Which made me stop and wonder…?   Do I try to give encouragement to those around me?

 Dr. McCall radiates Christian love, and patience, and compassion and kindness….traits I strive  to have…. and do have those traits…. for a bit every morning while my Bible is open and in conversation with God, but when I close my Bible and my feet hit the floor…That’s when the rubber meets the road. I try…. I try real hard… really really hard. But, with out fail at some point…my impatience begins to show, my Christian Love wanes and my thoughts turn to resentments and judgments.

But here I go…to try again.  I do not know what this day will bring…. but I am certain how it will end…it will end by my asking God for forgiveness….

Love to all

Call if you need me