Garbage In, Garbage Out

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

In my children's sermon last week, I had two white sponges, plus a bowl with clear water and one with very dirty water. It was easy to see if I wanted to keep my sponge clean, I needed to let it absorb the clean water, because when I put it in the dirty water, it became soiled. In fact, the longer I left it there, the dirtier it became. This is a good lesson for us adults to remember, too.

Keep thy tongue from evil and they lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34: 13-14).

It's better for us to keep unclean things from our lives, at least as much as we can and still be the disciples we need to be. The more we read, watch, or play television, movies, electronic games, books, etc. with sexual content, extreme violence, or profanity, the more those things become acceptable to us. Little by little such choices wear away our values and standards without us realizing it. Look at American society today. Is it happening, or has it already happened?

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand,... Finally, brethern,  whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure...think on these things. (Philippians 4:5 & 8).

Now don't fall into the trap of judging others on the issue. I feel strongly, if we each take care of our own household, that will give us enough to do. Neither should we become legalistic or obsessed with the issue. But we should be directed by the Holy Spirit and make the choice that is pleasing to Christ. Let's choose to keep our values in line with God's.

For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but into holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:11).

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Fall Recipes from Yesteryear (circa 1800)
Revised for today's cooks

I pulled some of my recipes I've saved as appropriate in historical novels. These are especially good for autumn when we think of apples, pumpkins, persimmons, and spices.

Molasses Cookies 

3 ounces butter or margarine
3 ounces Crisco-style shortening
1 pint dark molasses
1/2 pound light brown sugar
1 rounded tablespoon soda
1/4 cup very hot water
2 pounds flour
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon.

Melt butter and shortening until it bubbles. Add sugar and stir in molasses. Dissolve soda in the 1/4 cup boiling hot water and add. Sift in flour. Add spices. The dough should be stiff enough to roll but cover and let set overnight. Do not refrigerate. On a floured board roll the dough as thin as possible (covering with a cloth may help), Cut with cookie cutters and place on a greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 275 degrees for exactly ten minutes. Let cool before removing them from the pan. Makes about 3 pounds of cookies.

Gingerbread 

3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups molasses
3/4 cup sugar
3 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon soda
1 cup hot water
3 beaten eggs
Cream shortening and sugar together. Add molasses and stir. Sift flour and spices together. Add dry ingredients slowly and blend. Stir in beaten eggs. Place in a greased and floured loaf pan about 12" long. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Muffins
1/3 cup soft butter or margarine
1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins (optional)
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree (canned will work)
Sift together dry ingredients and add raisins. Cream sugar, butter and molasses. Add milk, eggs, and pumpkin and blend well. Fold in dry mixture until flour disappears. Do not beat or over mix. Fill greased muffin pans or cupcake papers (spray lightly will oil). Bake at 375 degrees for about 17 minutes. Makes 12 or more large muffins.

Apple Betty

8 - 10 cups peeled apple wedges
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup regular white sugar
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
1/4 cup water
Bring all except flour to a boil. Add flour or cornstarch and stir. Simmer until thickens. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Add topping below. Bake at 450 degrees for 35 minutes or until done.
Topping
Mix together 1 cup light brown sugar, three cups finely ground bread crumbs, and 3/4 stick melted butter or margarine. Add to top of apples.
(This is also wonderful served warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream)

Philadelphia Firsts

The City of Brotherly Love played an important part in the early history of the colonies and then the nation. In October 2004, I wrote a brief article for Cobblestone, the themed history magazine, about some things Philadelphia is noted for having first. I thought I would share them with you:

The first library in America opened in Philadelphia in 1731.

The first firefighting company was organized in Philadelphia in 1736.

The first independent hospital in American was established there in 1751.

The first political cartoon in America was drawn in Philadelphia in 1754.

The first American flag was designed and sewn there in 1777.

The first public bank in America opened its doors in Philadelphia in 1780.

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My First Experience with Novel Editing 

I had heard horror stories from other authors of their experiences with editors, so I really didn't know what to expect when the publisher assigned my manuscript to an editor and told me I would be working with her for the the next few weeks. The first edit turned out to be easy, and I agreed with the few suggestions made. Brenda saw things that I hadn't, but she was right.

I knew from the beginning that I was just too close to the manuscript to assess how well it was written. In fact, I even had trouble proofing it, because I tended to read what I meant for it to say and missed the mistakes. This surprised me, because I review books all the time, and I'm often called on to proof and edit other people's writing. I still don't know how to rank how good Cleared for Planting is, but reader feedback will eventually help with this. 

The second rewrite was a little more extensive, but nothing too taxing. I knew Brenda, like me, wanted the book to be as strong as we could make it, and I appreciated her input and direction.

I asked for the third revision. I just wasn't satisfied with one section of Part Two, because too much of it seemed to be told rather than shown and pull the reader into the story. I rewrote it, and the section now holds more tension and seems more alive.

The fourth edit dealt with the conclusion. After putting the last pages into an epilogue, we decided to eliminate them altogether. This meant I needed to rework the ending just a little. After I got into it, this went quickly.

Finally, Brenda sent the final copy back for me to read. Even though I had been through the manuscript at least four times since it went to the editor, she had also gone through it several times, and she had run it through a few editing programs, I still caught sixteen mistakes. It's incredibly hard to catch all the errors in a 89,000 word novel.

I feel good about what we've done, however. I appreciate all the help Brenda gave me. I had worked with magazine editors before, but this was the first time for a book, and I must say I enjoyed the entire process. I think the next book will be even better from what I learned here.

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Old Dan Tucker

Do you remember the song, Old Dan Tucker? Did you know he was a real man? Although Dan Emmett is credited with writing the song in 1893 for a traveling show, some people in Randolph County, North Carolina, believe the song has been around much longer. For generations they have heard that Dan Tucker lived most of his life in their area.

Dan Tucker was born in London in 1714. When he was six years old, his parents came to the American colonies and settled in Bath, North Carolina.

A building still remaining in Bath

Old Dan Tucker began early in life
To play the banjo and the fife.
He'd play the boys and girls to sleep,
Then into his own bunk he'd creep.

At twenty-six, he met and married Margaret DeVane, an attractive lady of French descent in Bath. He and his new wife decided to move west. They settled in what would later become the Spero community, just north of today's Asheboro.

Old Dan Tucker would come to town
Swingin' the ladies all around,
First to the right and then to the left,
And then to the one he loved best.

Dan build them a log cabin in a wooded area near a clear spring. The nearest neighbor lived over three miles away, and the nearest store was about a hundred miles.

Old Dan Tucker climbed a tree,
His closest neighbor for to see.
The limb did break, and Dan did fall;
Never got to see his neighbor at all.

Dan planted a garden, hunted, fished, and trapped. About once a year he would take his furs into Johnstonville, a hundred miles away and get supplies.

I came to town the other night
To hear the noise and see the sights.
The watchman was runnin' all around
Cryin' "Old Dan Tucker's comin' to town."
Old Dan Tucker came to town
Ridin' a goat and leadin' a hound.
The hound gave a bark; the goat gave a jump.
And Old Dan Tucker was left straddlin' a stump.

Old Dan Tucker went to the mill
To get some meal to put in his swill.
The miller swore by the blade of his knife
He'd never seen such a man in his life.

Over the years others came to the area, and cabins began to dot the rolling countryside. Dan's neighbors liked him. He had the reputation of being honest, thrifty, caring, and holding a good sense of humor.

Old Dan Tucker never did fall out   

With any of his neighbors all about.
You could really call the man genteel,
Fo he always gave the fairest deal.

When Margaret died before Dan, he lived alone. Over the years, he became more eccentric. His neighbors began to joke about him and sung exaggerated songs to be funny.

Get out of the way, Old Dan Tucker.
You came too late to get your supper.
Get out of the way, Old Dan Tucker.
You came too late to get your supper.

When Dan was a hundred, he stepped on a sharp rock while plowing his field barefooted. It embedded in the flesh, so he sat down and cut it out with his pocketknife and continued plowing. His foot became infected, and he died from lockjaw.

Old Dan Tucker was a fine old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan,
Combed his hair with a wagon wheel,
And died with a toothache in his heel.

At the wake, his neighbors remembered Dan with food, stories, and songs. He would have enjoyed it immensely. 

History is still not clear on what is fact and what is fiction about Old Dan Tucker. But people in the community, which took in the land that used to be Dan's, say that on crisp winter days and on moonlight summer nights they can hear someone whistling through the forests. Could it be the legend, Old Dan Tucker?

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Main Families in Part One  of 
Cleared for Planting

The Cagle Family - mother, father, and three daughters. They were tenant farmers in Piedmont North Carolina but were unable to stay in one place for long and decided to move to the North Carolina mountains at Roy Cagle's invitation.

Lester Cagle - the father, who has a drinking problem and can't read 

Kathleen Cagle - the mother, who has the strongest faith of anyone in the family, but is retiring and easily led by her husband

Francine (Francie) - the oldest daughter is sixteen when the novel opens

Emmaline (Emma) - the main character is fourteen at the first of the book. She's imaginative, outspoken, and loves learning.

Christine (Christie) - the youngest at ten

Uncle Roy - Lester's brother whose wife and son have died, and he invited his brother and family to come live with him in his mountain cabin east of the Linville River

The Moretz Family - mother, father, three sons, and a daughter. Of German descent, Fred's father moved from Pennsylvania to the mountains of North Carolina. Some of the family run a grist mill at Meat Camp to the northeast, but this branch of the family farms.

Frederick Moretz (Fred) - Likes his mountain farm and hope his sons will also want to remain close

Eleanor Moretz - Feels isolated sometimes and enjoys female company

Luther - the oldest son at twenty-one is easy-going and begins to like Francie

Martin - is only a year younger than Luther, and they act more like twins. However, Martin is moodier and doesn't handle hard situations well

Edgar - loves to tease but also has a serious, responsible side. He's eighteen when the book begins.

Hilda - is eleven and often feels left out, since her brothers are older

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Black Sheep and Scandals

After Inglish shot and killed Pelham Humphries in an argument (see Saturday's blog of 9-7-14), the information gets sketchy and contradictory. Apparently in 1859, Inglish acquired the 4,000 acres of property in a transfer. However, instead of Pelham being the transferring party, the name of William, his brother had been inserted. Yet, according to the family and records back in North Carolina, William never went to Texas. This has caused speculation that Inglish may have forged the land transfer, as well as killed Pelham.

Martha Hamby Greene, Marie, & baby Geneva (my mother)

Some descendant of Pelham Humphries in the North Carolina mountains came across this story, and, in the 1980's, a group got together, called a family meeting, and proposed hiring a lawyer to tap into the funds owed to them from the oil companies spinning off from Spindletop. Rumor had it that some of the oil companies had a trust fund set up for just such a purpose.The possible list of claimants was huge by this time. Since Pelham had no direct descendants, those coming from the branches of cousins, etc. had a claim. Several meetings were held over the next few years. Diligent people worked hard to put together genealogies that would prove their connections.

Clinard Greene's house & family in the early 1900's

My mother's family, the Greenes, were included. From a hard-working relative, I gained a written genealogy, which proved I was related to Pelham Humphries. It also gave me what I considered to be a more interesting bit of information. I am a direct descendant of Israel Boone, Daniel Boone's brother. Can I blame my love of travel and wanderlust on Uncle Daniel? Oh, but that's a story for another day.

Wedding picture of Chilo Greene and Martha Hamby

Nothing ever came of the court case of the current descendants. The crucial events had taken place too long ago. I always thought this would be the case, but I found the family trees, genealogy, and information I found out about my family history much more important.

As a funny footnote, my dad had always pretended to be serious when he joked that he, I, and the Coles were related to Daniel Boone. Well, I was indeed related to the explorer, but it came from Mom's side of my family and not his.