I have gladly agreed to help out my friend Kelela (of the Conservative vs. Republican blog) in getting this word out on her "GREETINGS, AIRMAN" post, honoring a wonderful Tuskeegee Airman, whose acquaintance she recently made. She would like to collect letters of thanks and appreciation to give to this True American Hero. Please see below! Thank you, -Six 

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When I was at the doctor's last week, I had the rare opportunity to meet a true American Hero from World War II - a Tuskeegee Airman. Of all the escort groups to fly with our bombers, they are the only ones that never lost a single bomber. They were so successful that bomber pilots began requesting them - even though they were black and the Army was still segregated - and highly bigoted. (If you want to learn more, do a search on 'Tuskeegee Airmen".

The next time I go back to the doctor, I would like to take a handful of thank you notes from anyone who understands what those brave men sacrificed for us. If you would like to express your appreciation, like I did at the time, please email me at kelela1953@yahoo.com with "GREETINGS, AIRMAN" in the subject and I will print off your replies and take them in with me.

I will be going back at the end of march, so if you want to say something, you don't have much time. When I told this elderly, refined gentleman "God Bless You", HE thanked ME for stopping and speaking to him. We are the ones who need to be thanking him. These fine men are few and far between, and the way they were treated at the time was disgraceful. It's long past time we let them know exactly how much they mean to this country.

Thank you for your support.

Posted by Kelela

                                      

I have made excuses and resisted every time he's asked me to do it.  It's not that it would be a bad thing, mind you... it's just that it isn't MY thing.

My friend JD is the guitarist of a prominent blues band here, and he invited me for yet the ka-billionth time to come out to see his gig last Saturday.  I know JD has a lot of talent, and his band has to be pretty darn good... they opened for BB King last summer on his tour here, after all.  But still!

I don't know nuthin' bout no blues!  A friend dubbed me CPR (Crown Princess of Rock) for a reason, you know!  All I know is rock and metal.  And lately, more of the heavier death metal genre.  Would I even like blues?  And how close is it to--gulp--jazz, which sounds so schizophrenic to my ears that it about makes my brain bleed?  (Sorry, but in my personal hell, I'm certain jazz would be piped in on the Bose system in a continuous infernal loop.)

"Where do you think rock came from, if not rooted in the Blues?"  Ahh, JD threw down the gauntlet!  "And all those rock guitarist cats you dig so much give homage to their influences such as BB King and Muddy Waters.  Come on, I think you'll dig it.  There will be no jazz."

My eyes widened.  Well, maybe…

"Come out, and I'll bring the Strat, and throw in some Jimi Hendrix... just for you.  Do you like Voodoo Chile?"  The coup de grace... he played the Fender and Hendrix cards: kryptonite candy from the Pied Piper.

Okay, I'll be there.

I drafted my head-bangin' wing girl Paula for the mission to the Blues club.  Can we wear these ripped rocker chick jeans and black t-shirts in there?  And what music do we listen to on the long drive over to get psyched up for the gig?  Surely not Chaos Theory or Endchain...  Do we even have a blues radio station here?

When we got to the Blues club, there was JD setting up the maroon Strat and the butterscotch Les Paul.  He greeted us warmly and introduced us to a couple members of his band.  A “harp” player? What?

 Looking around the crowd, everyone seemed to be in their church best; suits and dresses, complete with hats, as though coming to a Saturday Night Revival.  And a Revival it was!  Once the music started, it was instant enchantment.  The crowd were on their feet and “testifying” to the music.  A total 180-out from the metal crowd we are used to, with all the angry, head-banging white boys from suburbia.

Jackie, with that smoky Chicago blues club voice, had the crowd eating out of her hand as she sang those sultry tunes.  Okay, so I found out a “harp” is really a harmonica (and not a harp), and Bobby played that thing with more soul than I’m sure the law allows, causing Paula and I to grin and raise an eyebrow, thinking the “wrong” thing more than once. ;)  And then there was my boy JD… he completely mesmerized us all with that sweet blues sound wailing from his six string.  And when JD took the spotlight with "Voodoo Chile (slight return)", I knew I could die a happy woman.

We had such a great time!  Why, I even felt my body unconsciously swaying to the music… amazingly, without any desire to flex and extend my cervical spine in a whiplash manner!  And what was this?  There was melody, and lyrics I could understand!  This was so incredibly cool!  What was happening to me?

Yes, now even Six “gets” the blues!

 

Top O' The Day, to ye lads and lasses! Let's roll with some St. Paddy's Day Blarney and Five Friday Facts.....

1. All my Ex's were dark haired Irish lads (yes, I finally figured out the problematic pattern there! haha;)

2. I love drinking Green Tea

3. I've been deep sea fishing on the Irish Sea. Caught lots of mackerel (which was used for bait), but never caught The Big One.

4. Years ago, when I lived in the UK, I wanted to experience an "authentic" St. Patrick's Day in Ireland and party-hardy with the locals. After an all-night ferry trip, I landed in the Republic of Ireland, only to find out that St. Patrick's Day is a VERY religious holiday (at least in County Cork!), and there was NO partying going on, as people spent most of the day in church and had quiet family dinners in the evening. However, had I been there the day BEFORE.... doh!! Silly American.

5. Like St. Patrick, I'm not very fond of snakes. When ever I have a nightmare, it's guaranteed to feature a hissing snake of some sort.

-Six O'Shamrocks

"In my mind I'm goin' to Carolina
Can't you see the sunshine
Can't you just feel the moonshine
Ain't it just like a friend of mine
It hit me from behind
Yes I'm gone to Carolina in my mind..." - James Taylor

Another warm springtime day, and thoughts are drifting to you, my friend. Oh, your eyes twinkle with mischief, like mine! Let's blow off work in the morning and we'll hit the road running... due south along the beach to Highway 12. Come on and jump in the truck... the barrier islands aren't far. Grab a handful of CDs, some of yours and some of mine, and we'll laugh and sing badly all the way there.

We'll pass thru small town after small down, where life is simple and people are humbled by the gifts of the Divine Creator. Look! Over there is the best Carolina BBQ you'll ever taste, and over there is a roadside produce stand with the juiciest summertime peaches... and just up ahead you'll find the most amazing crab cakes and home made key lime pie!

Quick! Go 'head and crank this song up louder! That riff can bring a tear to my eye... What the heck? What is this CD called Mule? Okay, but wait a sec... mine is almost thru.

Kick off your shoes and let's run thru the dunes and down to the sea, where the cold ocean shimmers like sparkling azure diamonds. Winter's exit leaves varied colonies of shells strewn about on the warm sand to be discovered. Parts from old wooden ships often wash up from the Graveyard of the Atlantic for the wonderment of modern eyes to behold.

Let's continue down to Teach's Lair, said to be Blackbeard's secret cove. We can see what the fishing trawlers are bringing in, and admire their catch of the day as they unload their booty on the docks. Arrghh! A cuppa grog to the lot of ye!

When evening comes, we'll light a bonfire on the beach. Let's top off the day with a cold one, and make up our own pillaging Pirate stories by the blazing fire. A modern day Bonnie and Clyde?

Nah.... we've just gone to Carolina in my mind.

Remembering Alaska

Each time Pranky or Scratch post those wonderful pictures of their beloved mountains, I smile and remember fondly the two weeks I'd spent in Alaska a couple of summers ago. Flying 14+ hours by myself half way across the world to meet a friend in Alaska is one of the most adventurous things I've done. The splendor of the majestic Danali, and the untouched wilderness of the Kenai Peninsula left this beach girl completely awestruck for a solid fortnight. Surely, I was entering God's Country!



I took a short hop on a bush plane to a cabin on a small island where there were only four permanent residents. No stores, no roads, no cars, and NO AIRSTRIP! The pilot circled around a time or two looking for the best place to set down his four-seater for a hard landing on the narrow, semi-rocky beach. Indeed a bit of a white-knuckle experience! The cabin's electricity was generated via windmill, had solar heat, and a woodstove. Very rustic, and very charming! It brought out the latent wilderness girl in me! This is the first time in my life I have ever truly heard utter and total silence. I mean, not a single sound to be heard for hours on end at times here. Who knew silence could be so loud!



This is the beach/landing strip in front of the cabin. Behind me is a snow covered volcano across the Inlet. I spent hours hiking around the island every day. Since it is virtually never dark in the summertime, my body clock was out of kilter. I never really knew what time it was for sure. It could have just as easily been 2 a.m., or 2 p.m... it looked the same outside either way.




The marshy part of the island attracts moose, and is covered in unusually cool driftwood. Moose are very shy creatures and I did manage to see a mother and calf feeding, but from a distance. A pair of bald eagles with a nest nearby were also a spectacular sight to behold.



Well, you had to either "hoof it" or take an ATV to get anywhere. The beach became my "road" and I was covered with mud more often than not at the end of each day. It was important to pay attention to the tide charts, as it would be easy to get stranded somewhere in less than an hour, if you weren't paying attention.



Picnicking, partying, and skinnydipping were must-do's on this beach with not another soul around for a mile or two. I feasted on fresh salmon and carribou, which were dee-lish!



Here I am watching the low tide out the window. Low tide was a gold mine for mussels, anenomie, and other interesting shell creatures to discover. Just throw on the wellies and go for a walk! But DO take note of the tide chart before leaving!



Soakin' up some sunshine on a 70 degree day. Outside the cabin, you could literally notice how much the vegetation had grown "over night", and it was rather surreal! When it never gets dark, things grow twice as fast with all that sunlight.

Memories of Alaska.... indeed, the Last Frontier.