Monday, March 31, 2014

Rambling to see Noah

by Violet Rebecca Jones

Well, my rambling this weekend took me first to get my oil changed, in my car that is...although my joints could probably stand a lube job after all this cold weather.  I had this $9.95 coupon, so I couldn't pass that up, and they give free Keurig coffee and apple muffins while you wait, so it seemed like a good idea.

After my car was all juiced up, cleaned out, and ready to roll, I drove by this movie theater that was PACKED. I mean people were waiting in line in the rain. Woah..there must be an awesome movie showing, so I pull in, grab my umbrella and whoosh in line. It is the new #Noah movie that everyone is waiting to see.
I buy my ticket, wait in line in the ladies room , buy my popcorn, and rush to get a seat. The theater is packed, and mostly with adults over forty. I think, "This is going to be good, no empty seats, a mature crowd...must be a seriously good movie."

Well, let me just say, the opening scenes were cool. It was nice to see the little Noah with his dad learning about creation.  Then the violence began. Not so cool, but okay. However, when a little later on a pile of rocks gets up, walks, talks, fights, and looks like a Transformer ( but is actually a fallen angel), I begin to get a little wary.  I don't remember this from the Bible. Now, had I actually read the movie reviews, I might have known that this is an interpretation of the Bible story I grew up with, but I didn't read them. I sort of thought that you shouldn't really mess with the Bible, so it never occurred to me that someone would. I know, I am naive.

Well, I am sitting here trying to find some redeeming qualities in the movie that I have spent money to see, but then a forest suddenly grows overnight from a seed that supposedly is from the Garden of Eden, and now these rock Transformer Angels begin to build the boat from all these trees. Then Noah begins to get a little crazy, probably from all that incense he keeps smoking the poor animals with, and tries to kill his family. Well, at this point, I am trying to find a way to discreetly fold my sweater into a pillow just in case I go to sleep, but this huge, elderly man decides to go to the restroom, or somewhere, and plows out the row of seats knocking my sweater onto the floor and into a pile of spilled soda, not mine either. There goes my idea of a nap. When he came back, he stepped on my toe, so now I am not only bored, but I am in need of emergency care as well.  However, my mama taught me to never give up, so I am determined to stick this thing out until the bitter end. Bitter is the operative word here.

The part where the evil stowaway eats one of the animals is almost too much for me, and I can't help but wonder which species of animals we no longer have a result of this carnivore's appetite. But hey, wait a minute, did Noah actually have an evil stowaway on board?  Duh, I don't think so. Oh well, maybe he and the rock Transformers got edited out.

To make a long story short, I think I could probably have found a better movie to watch, but on the bright side ( no pun intended), there was a pretty rainbow type of screen at the end, not really a rainbow, but close.

*Have you seen this movie? Am I the only one who is disappointed? Do you think it is good? Comment and let me know. 

Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones


Friday, March 28, 2014

Aviation on Display in Carolina

by Violet Rebecca Jones

On a sunny Saturday, I took a little excursion to Charlotte, NC to check out this plane that landed so miraculously on the Hudson River in New York a few years ago.  I felt I just had to see this marvel, and I was not disappointed when I found the huge plane sitting in a hangar at the Carolinas Aviation Museum 
http://www.carolinasaviation.org/exhibits near the Charlotte-Douglass International Airport. It was amazing that it is in as good condition as it is. The sad part is that it received more damage in its retrieval from the Hudson and its transport to Charlotte than it did in the actual emergency landing. (Click to see its voyage: http://www.carolinasaviation.org/commercial/miracle-on-the-hudson-flight-1549/travel-to-cam ) Nevertheless, it is something everyone should see simply because it gives hope, and is a testament to what one can do when one is skilled, determined, and has the hand of God to lift one's wings.

However, the "Miracle of the Hudson" was the not the only interesting, or inspirational, display at this unique museum. There on display were numerous examples of military and commercial aviation since flying began with the Wright Brothers in this same southern state at a place called Kitty Hawk. Although I am not that interested in fighter jets, it was interesting to see how the US fighter jet has evolved over the years. Some of them seemed truly antiquated, and I couldn't help but wonder at the courage these early pilots must have had to fly these machines.

Another interesting plane was the DC 7 on display on the tarmac outside the museum. It took me back to an earlier time in our history when commercial flying was still a luxury of the rich and famous and had its own aura. It was a time when one "dressed" for a flight in one's Sunday best, and could expect a nice dinner in flight. Our guide explained how there was a smoking sofa in the back of the plane where the men would smoke their cigars during the flight, and how the "stewardesses" would actually cook a full course meal on the plane. It was a beautiful plane, and I wished we could have seen inside, but we weren't allowed on this particular day. Still, it took me back in time to an era when things were simpler, time moved a little slower, and our country was filled with hope and anticipation of greater things to come.

Even more historically significant was the military transport plane that was in commission for over  35, 000 hours and approximately forty years. The story of its use in the Iranian hostage rescue mission, Operation Eagle Claw, was one I knew very little about, but it was fascinating, especially the detail of this massive bird hitting a sand dune and coming out the other side to become airborne.  I thought of all the soldiers who had depended on this transport plane during so many years of battle, from Vietnam to Afghanistan.

While out on the tarmac for the outdoor part of the tour, one older, bald man kept ducking and holding his head. Everyone looked at him strangely, but were too polite to comment on his weird behavior. I suppose everyone thought he simply had "personal problems". He finally asked the tour guide where all the hawks were nesting.  The tour guide laughed, and told him there were no hawks; they simply used recorded sounds of distressed hawks to keep the birds from building nests in the planes! I guess he thought he was being attacked.

Another unique display was a cockpit demo where kids, or anyone, could actually climb into a cockpit and be a pilot . The only thing better would have been a flying simulator. Still, it was interesting. Several planes were open for children to climb aboard and explore, and one little guy spent at least an hour in a small small plane pretending to fly while his dad looked on.

I liked this little excursion, and it met my criteria of exploring places off the beaten path. The museum was a little hard to find ( I first wound up on the military base nearby, but that is a whole other story), but once found it is a gem, but then most gems are hard to find.


The "Miracle on the Hudson" Airliner


Amazing that the damage was so minimal.



  Broken Wing on "Miracle on the Hudson"



An earlier era in all its polished glory.



When airlines were different flying cross-country meant an adventure unto itself.



Simplicity at its finest.


One of the many faces of military flying.
I cannot fathom the emotions of the men who flew in this aircraft.


So much skill needed to fly these. 






Used in Operation Eagle Claw



Text and Pictures Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

We Must Sometimes Listen to Our Own Hearts and to God

by Violet Rebecca Jones


                 Sometimes when we listen to others, we make the right decision; other times heeding their advice causes us regrets and pain.  No one can ever know us as well as we know ourselves, or as well as God knows us.  When we listen to the voice of our fellow man, are we listening to those who have our best interests at heart, or are they speaking from  their own motivations, their own agendas?  Do they even have good judgment?  These are things we must ask ourselves.
                I have come to believe that there are only two sources of good advice. One stems from our own conscience, wisdom, knowledge, and common sense. The other is God.  We know ourselves, our inner desires, our hopes, our dreams, and our needs for personal happiness. God knows these things as well, but He also knows our future. We would do well to seek His will for our lives.
                Today I spoke with someone who listened to the advice of another who had ulterior motives, and it has led to pain for so many persons, not just the person who took the advice. They ended up married to someone who was another's choice for them, casting aside their one true love, and now they feel both an obligation and regret.  Their choice caused broken hearts, broken dreams, and unfulfilled promises.  The choice can never be undone, not without hurting more people in the process. So many people will have to live with the consequences of this advice.
                I  also spoke with  a young girl who listened to a father who blamed her for her mother's early death. She did not murder her mother, but her mother's health was poor following this girl's birth, and she simply never recovered. In the father's mind, it was the girl's fault. Although he provided and cared for her needs as a child, she always felt this blame, this rejection.  She craved the love she never received, and of course, sought it elsewhere.  At sixteen she found herself pregnant. Her father would not support her and her out-of-wedlock child, so she moved out on her own and began working in a fast-food restaurant.  She is now older and is working to complete her education so she can provide for herself and her child.  So much pain occurred  because of listening to the voice of others. My heart went out to her, and I wish I could have erased all the pain she suffered because it was not her fault. It is hard for a child to know whom to listen to, and without a mother, she was especially vulnerable.
                Another person I know left a good job because of a fiancĂ© who asked her to move away so they could be married.  The marriage didn't happen, and she is without income in a place without opportunity, and no money to move away and begin again.  She listened to the wrong person.



                In each of these cases, stepping back from the situation and listening to the voice of God would have saved so many tears and heartaches. A quiet place, time alone, reading God's word, and asking for input from many people, rather than just a few,  can give one perspective .  God is the only one who truly knows what is best for us. He is the only one who knows what lies ahead, and He is the only one who will always care about our needs. Sometimes we want things that are not right for us. Sometimes we think we understand a situation when we haven't a clue.  Other times we think we know our friends, and we think they have our best interests at heart when, in truth, they don't. They are motivated by their own needs, wants, desires; sometimes they are just selfish, or even jealous. Sometimes they simply have poor judgment.

                I am not immune to following the wrong advice. In fact, I am probably  the worst cases scenario of one who has listened to the wrong people. It has taken me a lifetime to understand that others do not always have my best interests at heart. I have honestly always been one to want others to be happy, and it is hard for me acknowledge that others are not always this way.  That is one of my greatest weaknesses, but it is hard to not always look at one's fellowman, or woman, with trust .  I want the world to be good, kind, and filled with altruism, but the sad fact is that it isn't.   

Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Rambling for Bluegrass Southern Style

by Violet Rebecca Jones

I really feel kind of stupid. Yesterday was such a pretty day that I felt I just had to do something to celebrate this astonishing glimpse of the sun after so many days of terrible weather. The question was, "What momentous thing can I come up with to celebrate that will entice a friend to go along with me?"  So, I got out my trusty little computer who ( yes, I said 'who' because it, I mean, 'she', always answers my every question), boot her up, and type in "Things to Do".Well, wouldn't you know, there popped up a Bluegrass concert in Brevard, NC.

Now, when it comes to Bluegrass, there is no stopping me.  I absolutely love Bluegrass, but it is often hard to find concerts, so I convince a friend that this is the thing we should do, and off we go. It was a very pleasant drive up to Brevard. (We actually found a town for sale.) We were in good spirits because we anticipated a nice dinner followed by a relaxing bluegrass concert. Nah-dah, it didn't quite happen that way.

First of all, I forgot to write down the exact name of the venue, or even the directions.  We drove around, looking, thinking there must be signs for something so big and fabulous, asked almost everyone we saw where this concert was taking place ( turns out there are a lot of new people in this town, and they know nothing about it or where anything is located). We even parked  where a girl and guy were singing what sounded like bluegrass in front of a brewery.  Actually they weren't too bad, and we even thought about sitting there listening to them and just pretending we had found our concert, but after an afternoon of searching, we were hungry, and the brewery only served brew and maybe a few hot dogs, so we left our concert and headed for greener pastures and  a further search for our concert ( which we never found). However, we did do some awesome window shopping, picked up fantastic miniature pine cones along the sidewalk, and found a very interesting church ( more about that in a future installment). The town also has the sound of birds recorded that play over speakers every few minutes, so it feels like you are walking in a natural setting. There seemed to be interesting things around every corner. From a little bronze fox to a Kudzu moose, from a giant toy soldier to a vintage bike, from a CitiBloc train to a K'Nex ferris wheel, from Easter Bunnies and fantasy flowers to handcrafted purses, the quest for the elusive Bluegrass concert turned out to be a nice little adventure.

I am not sure how my friend felt about the afternoon, but I don't think it was a total "bust". We met  a lot of interesting people, explored a town, eventually ate a good meal, and even had fun doing it.  We ate a late dinner at a local steakhouse where they served the best cheese biscuits I have EVER tasted, so the day ended well.  That is just  how we sometimes ramble in the South.

Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones
Little Bronze Fox: He was so cute.

Who doesn't love a giant toy soldier?


Fantasy Flowers and Easter Bunnies....Spring is here!
Every woman's delight...pretty purses.

More fantasy flowers , an Easter Bunny, and an Easter Chick wearing her Easter Bonnet.


w
Model Ferris Wheel




Construction blocks train.

Vintage style bicycles 





Moose made from what appeared to be either Kudzu Vines or bark. 

My miniature cones. 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Day I Found Thomas Wolfe's Angel

by Violet Rebecca Jones

As an English teacher who grew up within an hour's drive of Thomas Wolfe's home in Asheville, NC, I am ashamed to say that I never thought of where his angel of Look Homeward Angel fame might be, or even if it ever truly existed. Then I happened upon Oakdale Cemetery in the nearby town of Hendersonville that made me question why I had never sought this mystery.


There, in all its beautiful glory, stands the angel. She is beautiful, standing tall and majestic, reaching heavenward. Wings outstretched with power and grace, she seems to be reaching for something beyond this world.


It is not often that I ramble through cemeteries, but when I do, I often find things that sadden me, as I'm sure they do for many people. There is the time that I visited the grave of a friend's father, and on my way out noticed a line of graves from the early 1860's of which all the family members had died within a few months of one another. One was of a son that died in the Civil War, and another of his father, a doctor who served in the same war, who died a few weeks later. I couldn't help but think it was of a broken heart. In the same line of graves was that of the mother, who died a few days following the death of her young child from typhoid. Again, I thought of a broken heart. It is hard to think of the tragedies this family faced. I wondered if there were other children, and if so, what happened to them with both parents gone and, most likely their oldest brother, dead as well. Those questions were never answered. I didn't pursue an investigation, didn't trek over to the courthouse and peruse old records, although perhaps I should have, but the memory of this sad family has stayed with me for over ten years now. Perhaps one day I will go back and look up records for these people, but it would not ease their pain, and it probably would not ease the thoughts from my memory. Sometimes it is truly better to let them rest in peace.


Somehow, I did not feel this sense of tragedy in Oakdale Cemetery this day. Perhaps it was my joy in seeing this beloved angel of literary fame, or perhaps it was the angel herself who truly is looking homeward to a better, heavenly home. Either way, I am glad I found this beautiful lady.



Text and Photographs: Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones

Monday, March 17, 2014

What Does the Southern Woman Think About on a Rainy Day?

by Violet Rebecca Jones


Well, everyone, today was St. Paddy's Day, and my Irish blood has been running green...with envy that is. I am envious of the beautiful sunshine that is in the Florida Keys, Miami, and ...dare I say...California! Spring is due to arrive in a few days, but right now a fire is burning in the fireplace, and my logs have run out. Today's high was in the thirties with a cold rain. Tomorrow is not supposed to be any better.

What is going on? This is supposed to be  glorious, warm South Carolina, but it feels so much colder. March winds still blow,  and even the daffodils are looking a little droopy. We did have a few days of warmth that tricked them into trying to bloom, but it was a devilish trick, and the poor things are barely alive. The Bradford Pear trees are in full bloom, but with the cold rain, they only make me think of snow.

Normally, I would love the cold weather, but as I said, my logs have run out, and I hate to buy another load of firewood in mid-March. I am afraid I have not found my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, so using money on wood seems like I am "literally" burning it. Oh well, the fire  has kept me warm. What more can I ask for?

A warm fire, a good book, some corned beef  with cabbage, and I am good for the night. My Irish ancestors would be proud.

Copyright 2014 Violet Rebecca Jones