wandering

Thunderstorms, tornado warnings and Savannah

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I was inconsiderately woken up by a thunderstorm at 4:53 this morning. I have to admit that Georgia has mild, balmy weather which at this time of year is so much better than Portland’s rain but the thunderstorms are vicious (different from the weepy, slow drip of Portland rain).

Once I got out of bed, I checked the weather for my drive to Savannah today and there were tornado warnings south of Atlanta. I know nothing about tornadoes as my world has been about earthquakes. I talked to a neighbor and he did some research and reported back to me that by the time I reached the tornado warning zone it would be over.

Savannah was a five hour drive south and east. I checked into my hotel and immediately headed to the historic district with Pete. Wow, I was blown away with the beauty. I visited Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day about 40 years ago (and if you haven’t been, trust me it’s a big deal)! But we drank and left.

This visit I sauntered through the old, historic streets. Gardens, parks, statues and historical markers are everywhere. And the architecture varied and divine and includes Victorian , Greek revival, gothic and Romanesque. Mansions galore and just beautiful Spanish moss tree-lined streets. Pete and I parked at Forsyth Park and walked to several of the squares including Pulaski, Madison, Lafayette and then down to the river. The gold-domed city hall was impressive and there were tons of restaurants, shops and cafes everywhere.

Forsyth Park

The Legacy Sites

Posted on by Seniye Groff

“Slavery is the next thing to hell.” Harriet Tubman

I visited The Legacy Sites today in Montgomery, Alabama. The sites include the Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. I started with the Legacy Museum where no pictures were allowed but the stories contained in the modern building were powerful and sobering. The museum begins with enslavement, moves to racial terrorism, segregation and finally to mass incarceration. One fact that stood out was that from the years 1783 to 1861 enslavement increased 5 times over creating extraordinary wealth for some in the U.S.

In the wing covering mass incarceration, I was able to pick up the phone and listen to an inmate’s story while watching the video of the inmate. It mimicked sitting on the opposing side of glass and it was a powerful way to bring jail to life for me. Another section, asked the visitor to take the voter questionnaire in order to register to vote. The questions were impossible to answer and the intention of not being able to register to vote was loud and clear. For example some of the questions:

  • How many seeds are in a watermelon?
  • If a person charged with treason denied their guilt, how many persons must testify against them before they can be convicted?
  • How many bubbles are in a bar of soap?
  • How may a county seat be changed under the constitution of your state?
  • Print a word that looks the same whether it is printed frontwards or backwards.

The last room in the building was a gallery with amazing art including two quilts from Gee’s Bend! The National Memorial for Peace and Justice was a six acre outdoor memorial dedicated to lynching. The grounds were pristine and the metal towers had the various locations and number of lynchings in that state or county. There were another set of metal structures that simulated coffins and a large water feature to honor the unnamed victims.

I took a boat ride down the Alabama River to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. This was the same way slaves were transported quickly to be sold or transported once sold. I landed at the 17 acre sculpture park that housed amazing sculptures, slave cabins, a railcar and holding paddocks. At the end of the loop was a memorial wall with thousands of names. Photos were limited to just the entry and the memorial. The art and sculptures were beautiful so you must visit yourself to see them!

Overall, I was impressed with Montgomery. It was clean and the old brick buildings and large, county buildings were beautiful. This museum was modern, clean and very thoughtfully mapped out. The metaphors were powerful and thought-provoking exhibits were well-done. Visitors undoubtedly walk away with a clear understanding of how institutional slavery has developed into a permanent hierarchy through our legal, political, religious and science institutions. Racism has been justified as necessary and enforced through violence and continues in our present day.

Biltmore House

Posted on by Seniye Groff

175,000 square feet and 250 rooms define the former residence of the Vanderbilt’s estate. The construction began in 1890 and required so many laborers. Art and antiques from Gilded Age fill this museum. The grounds are spectacular and house several buildings across the expansive property including an exhibit hall, winery, hotel and more.

The gardens are equally spectacular and the conservatory was packed with beautiful plants and flowers.

Asheville, NC

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Asheville is an easy three hour drive from Atlanta driving through north Georgia, a sliver of South Carolina and climbing to an elevation of about 2,100 feet to land in this quaint area.

We dropped our belongings at the hotel and found a cute lunch place for a small bite to eat. We then walked around and explored the downtown area including the Asheville Urban Trail and the Basilica of St. Lawrence. The Basilica is not open for tours but from pictures it looks stunning. We meandered and visited the many shops, galleries and cafes. The downtown area is larger than I expected but easy to navigate and very walkable.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today I visited an amazing national park focused on MLK Jr.’s life and teachings. The park consists of his birth home (where he lived until he was 12 years old). It was located on the east side of Boulevard, which was the dividing marker of a white vs. Black neighborhood. Auburn Avenue was a desirable area for Black citizens. In 1906 a race riot occurred and then Blacks were able to buy homes in the area, which MLK Jr.’s grandfather purchased. The home is currently closed for repairs, as was the visitor center. The visitor center is temporarily in the historic Fire Station No. 6. Blacks were not allowed in the fire house until the 60’s!

I also visited The King Center, which had a small exhibit inside and, outside, a reflection pool and the tombs of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King Jr. I attended a tour with a park ranger of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church is 140 years old this April and has had only five senior pastors in that entire time. The ranger’s presentation was interesting and informative and I learned a lot. Did you know that MLK Jr’s name was Michael until he was five years old, when it was changed to Martin?

The tour started in the fellowship hall (basement) and then moved to the sanctuary where the church is still in its original state. Even the pews are original, as is the piano that Mama King would play until she was shot and killed in 1974. This NP is a must-see and is even free, believe it or not.

Hotlanta!

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I’ve been in Atlanta less than three weeks and it feels like months. Granted, I’ve been busy cleaning, organizing and running errands. But a routine is forming, too. I joined a gym for the next three months and it offers a bevvy of activities such as open play Pickleball, Barre, Pilates, Yoga and even trivia night (which we placed third – amazingly – given my lack of erroneous knowledge).


My day starts (and ends) with walking three dogs…wowzah! Anyone watching must be waiting for a catastrophe to happen. All three dogs sleep with me nightly, too. I am wedged in the corner of the bed – the dogs sleep comfortably.

Being in one place means being able to cook again. Yesterday at the grocery store, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned, someone kindly said, “You are beautiful”. Whoa, that hasn’t happened in 30 years!

I’ve met several Turkish people. That never happens. I recognized the language immediately and one of them is helping me reinvigorate my lacking command of the language.

I survived the ice storm. We lost power for four hours and ice coated the roads. The daytime highs range from 16 to 28 degrees…not exactly the warm, Southern weather I anticipated. Snow is forecasted again for this Saturday but should not be as debilitating as the ice.

I am getting braver about driving here. Yes, I drove across the country but am timid in Atlanta due to the myriad of the spiderweb tangle of I-285, I-20, I-75 and I-85 and the smaller side roads like 140. It’s intimidating but I will figure it out since next week my car is being serviced. I will drive the farthest distance, yet, in the city.

This weekend we are renting a U-Haul to move belongings from an assisted living unit to the storage unit. Once this happens, I should have more time to explore Atlanta and beyond. My immediate exploration list includes Asheville (scheduled for February 26-March 1), Charleston, New Orleans and Montgomery (to see The Legacy Museum).

Life is not flawless (even if social media tries to convince us otherwise) and my experimental journey stretches me on a daily basis. But I know that I am lucky to have this freedom and am enjoying this unburdened time. Having a stopping point for three months is a great break from being in a different location nightly. I have a temporary address so I can complete some larger tasks. Come visit me.

Gee’s Bend

Posted on by Seniye Groff

This morning I left Camden (goodbye!) and headed to Gee’s Bend. Gee’s Bend refers to the area historically known as Gee’s Bend (but currently listed as Boykin, AL on maps). This is an extremely remote area with not even a coffee shop. I did drive by an assembly of double wide trailers with a Hunting Club sign. Private. Keep out. Clearly hunters outweigh coffee drinkers here.

My friend told me about this area a couple of years ago and I was intrigued. The quilters of Gee’s Bend are currently residing in the area or are descendants of folks from that area. The Quilters Collective is located within Boykin. These quilts have received worldwide acclaim.

https://www.geesbend.org/history-of-gees-bend

My plan was to complete the self-guided tour and then meet up with one of the quilters. The signage isn’t great so it took me a bit to find it (and a few phone calls to my friend). Unfortunately, the person I was supposed to meet did not show up so I drove around and read the panels and looked at the beautiful photos of the quilts. I had forgotten that Sundays in the South are extremely quiet. I am sure my quilting meeting would have happened if it were not a Sunday.

My plan was to move on to Selma and I secured a short-term rental for the night. It was about a 45 minute drive and I arrived around noon in Selma. The perimeter of the city was lovely so I was really surprised when I drove down Broad Street. Buildings were empty, boarded up and some were falling down. Glass was everywhere. I couldn’t imagine leaving my rental at night (even during the day was sketchy). I decided to walk Pete over the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge. As I was walking over the bridge I realized I did not feel comfortable enough to stay the night.

My dilemma became what to do next. The three museums I wanted to see in Montgomery are closed Monday and Tuesday, which meant Sunday until Wednesday I would need to figure out how to fill the time. I looked at the map and realized a drive to Atlanta would only be about 3.5 hours. And so that is what I did.

With travel, flexibility is key and with a car I can pivot easily. Pete is thrilled to be out of the car and running around in a large backyard. I look forward to creating a routine and digging deeper into Atlanta. I can visit Montgomery during a day trip or a quick overnighter while I am here.

Shreveport, LA to Vicksburg, MS

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I arrived in Shreveport, LA around 3 p.m. yesterday and found my historic B&B called Fairfield Place. It was a large manor from the 1800’s. It was nestled in the Fairfield Historic District where old, large homes reined. I took Pete for several walks just to look at the houses (and even though they are large and historic many were priced in the $200’s which compared to Portland is insane).

Once we were settled I headed with Pete to R. W. Norton Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. Although Pete was not allowed in the gallery, we were able to walk the incredible gardens. It is important to note that the gallery and gardens are in the middle of a picturesque neighborhood of homes. We then drove to the Riverfront to see the Red River. It was pretty touristy and the main attractions are the casinos so a drive-by was all I needed.

I decided to focus on B&Bs while in the south because they are often steeped with history given they originated as a manor or plantation house. For example, Ruthie (an employee at the B&B) grew up in Shreveport on the plantation that her father was an overseer for. I have to say I had the best night of sleep last night and John (the owner) provided a large breakfast before I took off.

John highly recommended the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum so I visited. It was fascinating and one of the best museums I’ve seen. There were 22 very detailed dioramas made with wax depicting life in Louisiana, focusing on agriculture (sugar cane, fishing, farming) and business (oil, glass, textiles and clay for dishes). The building was round so visitors walked in a circle replicating the passage of time. There were displays of other artifacts, too. I did not realize that Libbey Glass was in Shreveport (closed in 2020). The executive director was a wealth of knowledge and her pride of Louisiana was evident.

I drove 190 miles to Vicksburg, MS. Vicksburg was on my radar because a good friend mentioned the Vicksburg Civil War Museum that should not be missed. It is the only Civil War museum owned by a Black man and his knowledge is unmatched. Unfortunately, when I arrived it was closed. I will try again tomorrow. I drove around town looking at all the historical buildings and grand homes instead.

I’m staying at another B&B named Inn at Cedar Grove. It’s pretty spectacular and the current owners saved it from being demolished. It is majestic and I’m told it has a ghost (hopefully it won’t visit me!). Tomorrow after breakfast I am taking a house tour and will learn even more history.

I am getting the hang of driving long distances every day. Pete still doesn’t love it. I will say the worst thing about the driving is the truckers on the road. They are dangerous and sometimes don’t see the cars on the road or swerve around (maybe from fatigue). Defensive driving is key! The other thing I am noticing on my travels is the pride displayed wherever I go. Every person I talk to believes their area is the best place to live and are very proud to be from there. I think that is pretty awesome.