Here's a blog post about her and her song Shake Sugaree, sung by her granddaughter:
http://ramone666.blogspot.com/2008/04/shake-sugaree.html
May 16, 2013
Elizabeth Cotton
As avid readers of this blog know (that was sarcasm), I am a big fan of Elizabeth Cotton.
Here's a blog post about her and her song Shake Sugaree, sung by her granddaughter:
http://ramone666.blogspot.com/2008/04/shake-sugaree.html
Here's a blog post about her and her song Shake Sugaree, sung by her granddaughter:
http://ramone666.blogspot.com/2008/04/shake-sugaree.html
May 15, 2013
Fun Stuff 2013
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| Boofing the Recon 83 on the Upper Misahualli. photo cred Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff |
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| Guide Craig Parks on the Upper Mis Jan 1 2013 |
Jan 2 Ecuador. Paddled the Jactunyacu river, 18 miles of big water pool drop, very scenic. I joked that it was the Endless River that ERA was named for.
Jan 3 Ecuador. Paddled the Upper Mishualli creek again, it was that good. Afterwards we returned to the Rio Quijos Lodge.
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| Boofing on the Upper Mis photo cred Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff. |
Jan 5 Ecuador. Took the Teleferico up the side of Pichincha Volcano, overlooking Quito, then once back down we went to a market near the hotel. Had dinner with Ollie and Dave then to the airport around 9:30 pm. The plane home left at 12:30 am.
Ecuador photos here and here.
Jan 12 Locust Fork. Approx. 380 cfs. In the LL Remix 69. Air temp low 70's, water warmer than usual for January. With, Joan, Rebecca, Carin, Heyward, Mark, Vander, Bubba, Angie, Larry, and many many others from the HCC. Photos HERE.
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| Vinemont Falls on East Fork of Flint Creek |
Jan 19 East Fork of Flint Creek. In the LL Remix 69. With Ryan and Ming, Larry, Andy and Lynn. Level 0 which is min. Temps low 50's and Sunny. Pics HERE.
Jan 26. Mulberry. In the WS ProjectX 56. With the BCC. Level 1 foot at the bridge, air temps mid 50's. Photos HERE.
Jan 27 Locust. In the WS ProjectX 56. With Jim T., Andy and Lynn, Larry, Phil F., Tamara, Jennifer T. Air temps low 50's and cloudy = chilly. Level minimum (2.7). I had my car at 160 but took out at Swann with some of the others. Jim's second trip back in the boat after his accident/leg amputation. Photos HERE.
Feb 1-4 Ski Sugar Mtn. With Joan, Patty and her twins, Bubba and his daughter Sam. Saw Tony Purple Hair on the slopes. Sunday it had snowed so much people couldn't get into Banner Elk so we had powder, no lines and no waiting. The trade-off was we had to stay another night there, so we got take-out pizza and watched the Superbowl (the kids watched Ace Ventura then Home Alone.) Photos HERE.
Feb 9 Locust Fork. With Team V. In the Remix 69. Level around 3.5, air temps in the 60's, sunny. Saw the Spelunkologists on the river.
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| Below Powell Falls on the Locust, Feb 9 2013. Photo cred Dave McRae. |
Feb 23-24 Guntersville Getaway. With the Birmingham Grotto. Photos here.
March 2-3 Mulberry Fork Canoe and Kayak Races. Level 1.5 ft. COLD Saturday with snow flurries, Sunny on Sunday. I was a gate judge both days, did not paddle. Photos here.
March 9 ALF 2013. Little River in the GSMNP. In the Riot Magnum 72. Weather in the upper 50s/Low 60s and sunny. Elbow to the Y section then part of the Sinks to Elbow section.
March 10 ALF 2013. Tellico River. In the Magnum 72. Weather in the 60's and sunny. Level around 1.9 ft. Watched OUT race on the ledges, paddled the Upper Tellico, and then went to the afterparty at the Tellico Outpost. Photos HERE.
March 16 Mulberry. In the Project X 56. With the BCC, 18 boaters in our group. Level 5.44 on the USGS gauge, 1.1 on the bridge gauge. Low 70's, sunny, perfect day.
March 19-26 Solitude Ski trip. In Utah Powder. Pics here.
March 30 Mulberry. In the Project X 56. With Team V, Larry D. Level 1.7 on the bridge, warm air in the mid-60's but cloudy, water was cold.
April 6-7 Cartecay. In the Remix 69. With the BCC (Vander, Mark, Taylor, Ashley, Debbie, Roy, Melanie). Level 2.2-2.5 ish. Air temps upper 60's, sunny. Saturday we went all the way to Cartecay River Experiences, Sunday we went to Stegall Mill/Blackberry. Pics here.
April 13 - Calvert Prong. In the Project X 56. With Larry D. Air temps upper 60's/low 70's, sunny. Level on Locust was around 4.7. The flow page said Calvert would be low but we had plenty of water. Pics HERE.
April 13- Meccafest. I sat in with my brothers Rick and Sam in the Charlie Soul Band. So much fun!
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| Meccafest with my brother Rick on harmonica. Photo cred Daniel Day. |
April 14 - Calvert Prong. In the Project X 56. With Mark, Vander, and Ken. Air temps 60's, cloudy/rainy. Level on Locust was around 4 ft. Flow page said Calvert would be too low to run but we had pretty much the same level as Saturday, plenty of water.
April 20 - Crooked Fork Creek. In the Riot Magnum 72. Level around 4.1. My 1st D. Air temps low 60's, it was down to 30 the night before so we were all in drysuits. With Christine B., David L, Marty, others. Photos here: http://dangerjudy.smugmug.com/Other/Crooked-Fork-4-20-13/29028327_Mzbzvr and on FB. Video here: https://vimeo.com/64503725#
April 27 - Upper Nantahala. In the LiquidLogic Stomper 80, with Chip Use. Level with natural flow added maybe 550 cfs? Air temps 60's, rainy. My 1st D. Photos here: http://dangerjudy.smugmug.com/Other/Upper-Nantahala-April-27-2013/29146438_6ZDRnC
April 27 - Wavesport Open. In the WS Recon 83. Wore a winning costume thanks to a quick stop at Dollar Tree on the way. Photo below:
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| Me in the Stomper 80 below Troll Hole/Fuzzy Bunny on the Upper Nantahala. |
May 5 - photos of the Ocoee at 9000cfs. Link here.
May 5 - Calvert Prong. In the Riot Magnum 72. Level on the Locust perhaps 6 feet? Rainy, brisk. With Andy and Lynn. Photos here.
May 12 - Calvert Prong. In the WS ProjectX 56. Level on the Locust was 4 something, but Blue Springs had had a spike in the gauge, so again though not listed as running online, the Calvert Prong had enough water to paddle. Might have been the lowest level I've paddled it at though. 70's, sunny, gorgeous day. With Andy, Lynn, and Larry. Photos here.
May 12 - Jam at the Gallery. Played a set with my brother Rick's band "Charlie Soul Band" at the Daniel Day Gallery, with Rick singing and playing harmonica and my brother Sam on drums.
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| Sam, myself, and Rick |
May 11, 2013
Yet More Family History
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| Ellis Island records of my ancestors' arrival in the United States
My Giardina Family came over on this ship which you can find at ellisisland.org
Date: October 22, 1898 Ship of Travel: Victoria Port of Departure: Naples Manifest Line Numbers: 0007 – 16 As on manifest 7. - Teresa M. Varca – 49 yrs. widow Teresa's Children - Mama's great Aunts and Uncles 8. Rosalia Giardina - 18 – called Aunt Lily “Zia Salia” 9. Damiano – 16 yrs. [my mom does not remember him, maybe stayed in new Orleans?] 10. Croce Giardina - 13 yrs. -called Aunt Ruth in America – “Zia Cruchee” 11. Paolo Giardina - 11 yrs.- Zio Paul - Uncle Paul 12. Michele - 9 yrs. Zio Mike – Uncle Mike 13. Andrea Butera 34yrs married to daughter Rosalia - called Sara 14. Rosalia Butera - 6 yrs. – Andrea Butera's daughter from a previous marriage - Called Lily in America -she married step-uncle Paul (Paolo- and had one child – Vincent “Big Charlie” Giardina – (Rosalind Giardina Ranelli’s father) 15 Giuseppe Butera 1 yr. - Andrea and Sara's first Son Joe 16.Rosalia Giardina Butera - 22yrs - called Sara (We think her name was Rosaria and so called Sara) On that ship manifest - the Victoria, arriving on October 22, 1898 were My Great-great Grandmother Teresa Varca (Giardina) but they misspelled her name when transferring it to text - the text document spells her maiden name "Karea" but it is really Varca (Giardina.) My mother says that Teresa's husband - I am not sure of his first name, but possibly Vincent had a grain Mill in Sicily on a river. One night there was a storm and he knew that he should go out and grind some wheat into flour while the river was moving so fast. When he got there, he slipped and hit his head on a rock and died.
So his widow, Teresa Varca Giardina, my formidable great-great-grandmother, gathered up all of her children, including her oldest daughter Sara (Rosaria) and Sara's husband Andrea Butera and their 2 children, and came over on the Victoria in 1898 sailing from Naples.
Imagine being a widowed woman in Sicily, gathering up a big extended family and organizing and funding the trip for them all to come to America.
On the ship manifest, they wrote that that their destination was New Orleans so they did go to New Orleans for a while, but eventually ended up here, in Birmingham, Alabama. There were a lot of immigrants here from her town of Bisaquino and she probably had friends here. Teresa opened a pasta factory (!!!) and opened a general store for her daughter "SARA BUTERA GROCERY" where she sold all kinds of food and Italian products which were probably brought in from New Orleans.
Teresa was a strong woman!
Her daughter Sara and husband Andrea also bought property in Ensley and rented the small houses that they bought - and were quite wealthy. Their children were Toney, Vincent but called Charlie -Charlie was (all the Giardina "Charlie's" were really named Vincent - my theory is that the Vincenzo nickname is Cenzo (chinzo) and that sounded a little like charlie??) But Sara and Andrea had a son (Vincent) and our mama called him her Uncle Charlie and he was her favorite uncle because he would give her a penny if she ran into him outside - he is the uncle that gave her the penny for the red sucker in the story "The Easter Prize") and that is why Rick's (my brother) second name is Charles. Uncle Charlie used to drink and one time the police thought he was "very drunk" and picked him up and put him in jail - he may have been drinking, but he was also sick with an aneurysm and he died in the jail. My mama remembered her grandmother Sara mourning for him very loudly and I guess typical Italian woman wailing - God bless her. He was very handsome too.
(My sister Kathy writes:)I know there was a Joe Butera but I get confused too. I think there was a Joe Giardina that married Rosina?? And then Joe Butera that married Pauline Schillaci - they may have only been cousins by marriage as after Papa Andrea died Grandma Sara Giardina Butera married Mr. Schillaci - He was the one that grew all of the food and vegetables and had all kinds of fruit trees and had the animals too for food. (Regina (our cousin) and I were talking about trying to go find where Papa Schillaci's big garden was in Ensley and see if there are any of his plants and trees still growing there wild.) -
Their son Toney (my grandfather) married Kathryn Williamson (my grandmother) and had eight children - Andrew, Thomas, Joseph, Vincent, Sara (my mother), Mary Elizabeth, Catherine, and Rose Lee. They did quite well until the depression of 1930, the year my mother Sara was born.
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John (who died as a child - had mastoid in his ear he was the sweetest thing - my mom remembers when he died),
Vincent called Charlie (Little Charlie) died at about 21 years of age, - had motorcycle - doctor removed tonsils and he bled to death. (From our cousin, also named Mike Giardina - Little Charlie was a dare devil on the motorcycle and apparently everyone figured he would eventually get killed on that bike. My dad said Little Charlie would ride the bike down Ensley Avenue wide open and standing on the seat with no hands. He did in fact die from bleeding after his tonsils were removed.)
Called Little Charlie I guess to distinguish him from his cousin, uncle Paul's son Big Charlie.
Teresa - oldest and she was dark complexion like Kitty - beautiful hair - married first cousin from NY and left. (Her son had disease where you can't rebuild bones if broken - bones fractured too easily & Teresa cared for him almost all her life.) (Second son okay.)
Nancy - Never married - seamstress - could make anything - suits that looked like from Blacks Tailor- perfect tailoring.
Mike (my father), - moved to Houston (dance studio - his wife was a great dancer) Marie Lanza beautiful and petite.Sang in choir at St, Anthony's absolutely beautiful voice sang solos.
Joseph - was quiet married Rosina Triola - daughter drapery business and rents space from Regina Butera's shop in Homewood
Mary - Pumilia - later married a cousin of Marie -
Uncle Paul Giardina's son Vincent called "Big Charlie" married Lena Ciccio had Rosalind, Marie.& Paul
Sara Giardina Butera (my great-grandmother) had
Andrew (my grandfather), who married Katie Williamson (my grandmother). Their children - Andrew (Rose Macanally)- Thomas (Matilda Rosato)- Joseph (Betty Woodall )- Vincent (Martha Woody?)- Sara (my mother) (Sam Ranelli) - Mary Elizabeth called Mae (Sammy Cantevespre) - Kathryn called Kitty (Dale Carra), Rosalie (Gerald Turner). Andrew Butera died around 1941, my mother Sara was 11. He was in a tuberculosis ward. All of my mother's brothers served in WWII. For that matter, my father and all his brothers served in WWII as well.
Homemade tortillas
I made homemade tortillas last night, in a flurry of wax paper, flour, rolling pin, dough hands, and hot iron skillet. In other words, this process is messy. But they came out delicious, staggeringly delicious. My mom would have appreciated these tortillas. Giving it a go making them at home is the sort of thing she would do.
I used the recipe listed here: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/06/soft-homemade-tortillas.html
The author uses milk but I didn't have any, so I used water. Didn't matter. I think it's the coconut oil that made them so yummy. Mine also didn't come out as lovely as those in the picture the author posted:
I didn't take a picture of my creations to share with you today, they are just not pretty enough for the interwebs.
I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for fajita meat. I cooked some of the chicken sliced with bell pepper and onion in a skillet. Then I served this on a tortilla with some fresh guacamole and fresh salsa, a dollop of sour cream and some fresh tomatoes. And laughed because it was *so good*.
Coconut oil - if you use expeller-pressed, it has no coconut flavor. I use both kinds available for different things, expeller-pressed for things like the tortillas, and cold-pressed for stir fry recipes.
I used the recipe listed here: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/06/soft-homemade-tortillas.html
The author uses milk but I didn't have any, so I used water. Didn't matter. I think it's the coconut oil that made them so yummy. Mine also didn't come out as lovely as those in the picture the author posted:
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| one day my tortillas will be as pretty as these! |
I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for fajita meat. I cooked some of the chicken sliced with bell pepper and onion in a skillet. Then I served this on a tortilla with some fresh guacamole and fresh salsa, a dollop of sour cream and some fresh tomatoes. And laughed because it was *so good*.
Coconut oil - if you use expeller-pressed, it has no coconut flavor. I use both kinds available for different things, expeller-pressed for things like the tortillas, and cold-pressed for stir fry recipes.
May 10, 2013
2 years today
Since mom passed. Miss you Sara.
http://obits.al.com/obituaries/birmingham/obituary.aspx?pid=150965003
http://obits.al.com/obituaries/birmingham/obituary.aspx?pid=150965003
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