A Sad Find

In the spirit of Look-What-I-Found-While-I-Was-Looking-Something-Else-Up, I unearthed a sad story that seems to epitomize the tragedy of young lives lost in battle. I had been searching for information about a family in Caldwell County, North Carolina during the Revolutionary War when I found it in one of my go-to books for local history. These were written by great historians of our county, WW Scott and Nancy Alexander. They caught stories, just like I do, and they published them for future generations to learn about the past, just like I do.

In his Annals of Caldwell County, author Scott didn't format it to be in chronological order, but instead chose to arrange it as if he would have collected his wits for the day and plopped down a new story he caught. Just like I do in this blog. 

So he has an article about the Confederacy early in the book, followed by visiting his neighbors in the 1930's (which is when the book was first published), followed by the colonial times, and then a few Revolutionary War stories inserted at will. Reading for what I wanted involved page by page reading (or is that an excuse since there is an index...which didn't even have the family name I was researching).

I became enthralled by these stories, but the saddest of all, probably the saddest of nonfictions I've read recently, was on page 42, the story of Captain John Thomas Jones, born in 1841. He was at the university in Chapel Hill when he left to join the Twenty-Sixth Regiment, Company I, of the Confederacy. A born leader, he soon became a second lieutenant, then captain, then major, and finally lieutenant-colonel. He fought in several battles, most famously at Gettysburg. 

Later, at the Battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864, he stepped up when his colonel was wounded and led his regiment "in a charge against overwhelming numbers." Do the math. He was twenty-three years old. And mortally wounded in this "charge against overwhelming numbers." 

The surgeon who attended to him told him there was no hope and he would die from his wound. He later reported the death scene, "With a most yearning expression he replied, 'It must not be. I was born to accomplish more good that I have done.'"

My heart melted. He didn't live long enough to accomplish his goals. His life was snuffed out, taken from him like a candle in the wind.

And that is what war does.

Catch of the day,

Gretchen

A Pot Full of Orchids

Orchids were never on my radar to look at, much less raise. 

But.

For over a year now, I've been tending this one pot of orchids. I inherited it from my Aunt Lorraine, my Salvation Army connection that lived with us the final months of her life. I watched her care for it and when she could no longer walk, or no longer cared to care, I took over. 

My joy has been in watching it bloom this year after her death. 

We're up to three blooms now with a promise of more to come. I posted pictures on my facebook account and some of you have been watching the journey with me. One friend even sent a link to caring for the plant. Check out this Phalaenopsis Care website. The pictures and circumstances of growing my orchid fit exactly with mine. I was most excited with the statement that the plants will be in bloom for months. 

It's really been quite easy following Lorraine's instructions: Water once a week, using only one cup. She made sure she measured exactly one cup, and so do I. Let it sit for one hour, and believe me, Lorraine timed it to one hour. Then pour the water out. And that's it for all the care I did. I set it in the kitchen window where it receives a little morning sun. 

Now I'm reaping the benefits of beauty while I'm remembering the beauty of family ties. Wouldn't Lorraine be happy!

Catch of the day,

Gretchen