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The True Citizen, Wednesday, January 6, 2010 — Page 5
Dixie Divas
TWO OLD SOULS
By Ronda Rich
Sometimes two old souls can
find each other and form a
friendship
that is an
chored in
rock solid
respect and
like think
ing.
Such is
my friend
ship with
one of the greatest Southerners
of modern time - Zell Miller.
We understand each other and,
quite simply, we speak the same
language, the language of the
Scotch-Irish who embedded
themselves deep in the South
ern mountains and hoped to
never have to mix with a soci
ety different from theirs.
But Zell Miller, a man of
courage and determination, de
fied the traditional way of loner
Scotch-Irish thinking and ven
tured down from the North
Georgia Mountains to become
a politician.
By the time his career ended
in 2005 when he pulled his hat
out of the ring he had thrown it
into almost 50 years earlier, he
was known as one of the great
est statesmen that the South had
birthed.
Americans remember him as
the renegade U.S. Senator who,
as a Democrat, would stir the
political pot by addressing the
Republican Convention in
2004.
Georgians will never forget
him as the man who gave the
state hope. Literally. A history
professor, he believes keenly in
the power of education. As
Georgia’s governor, he guided
the use of lottery funds to es
tablish the Hope Scholarship,
guaranteeing that any person
who maintains certain academic
criteria, a fully-paid education
at a state college or university.
In many ways, I not only ad
mire him, I adore him.
Recently as I lunched with
him and his wife, Shirley,
people repeatedly approached
to say their “howdys” and give
their thanks.
Time after time, he courte
ously arose, shook hands and
exchanged remarks.
“We sure do need you back
in politics,” said one admirer.
“If you go back, you’ve got my
vote.”
He laughed gently and shook
his head. “No, no. I’m through.”
When she left, he eased down
into his chair and I said quietly,
“The weary has earned a rest
from his labors, hasn’t he?”
That’s another thing that we,
the old souls we both are, share
in common. We are devout read
ers of the King James Bible, a
poetic translation that because
of its difficulty in deciphering,
loses ground each day with
young whippersnappers.
He is old enough to be my
father yet I am, in many ways,
more akin to him in spirit that
any of my contemporaries. We
have seen many similar trials
and tribulations and are always
ready to lend a word of support
and kindness to each other.
When Mama died, he under
stood the loss - his mother had
been one of his greatest loves -
and sent me a touching, hand
written note. When his dog, a
long-time companion, left this
life, I understood that pain and
sent him a sympathy note.
After writing two runaway
New York Times best-selling
books on politics, the Senator
has now written a heart-felt
book that embraces the culture
of the Appalachians called Purt
Nigh Gone. In this lovely mem
oir of the rural mountains, he
writes that the old ways of the
Southern mountains are vanish
ing and that a “way of life that
once was but is no more, a way
of life that is purt nigh gone.”
That, of course, is an old
Scotch-Irish phrase.
I feel compelled to carry on a
work that Zell Miller began long
ago, to write of the culture of
our people, to celebrate it and
uplift it for its solid values and
traditions. To remind those who
have forgotten and to tell those
who never knew.
“I’ve learned so much from
you. Thank you from the bot
tom of my heart,” I told him.
He blushed. “Aw, you embar
rass me. Stop that.”
Nonetheless, there comes a
time, always there comes a time,
when the torch must pass from
one generation to another.
In this case, it is best passed
from one old soul to another.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling
author of What Southern Women
Know About Faith. Sign up fat
her newsletter at
www. rondarich. com.
Other Voices
Letter to the Editor
WHAT’S COOKING, BABY?
By F. Leslie Jenkins Jr.
Burke Banter Boy
The cadet battalion marched
into the mess hall only to be as
sailed by an odor that was for
eign to our young nostrils. It is
doubtful if many of us had ever
encountered this uninviting
odor before.
As we stood at attention at our
tables, we soon became aware
of the source of this awful scent.
Upon each table rested a huge
bowl of boiled Chitterlings. The
order to be seated was given fol
lowed by the order to rest,
which meant we could begin
eating. Out of five hundred ca
dets not a single one rested.
The dietician, in an effort of
show the delicious taste of this
delicacy, went from table to
table. At each table she would
reach into the bowl, select a
piece of the slimy hog gut, raise
it to her mouth and let it slide
down her throat. Even with this
remarkable display, she was
unable to sell a single taste of
Chitterlings. I rate that as the
worst dish of food ever put be
fore me. Sorry Chitterling lov
ers.
But I am not here to write
about bad or unliked foods.
Most places I have eaten in my
life have been good, great and
even excellent. During my ser
vice days in both Air Force and
Navy, I ate at a few mess halls
that didn’t serve the best meals.
Most, however, served meals
pleasing to a young GI.
So, I can’t really complain
about Army or Navy chow.
There is a place where I believe
institutional cooking is at its
worst. The Georgia State Cor
rectional System has food that
is greatly offensive to the pal
ate. The main problem is in the
preparation of the food. Prob
ably, if I had to make twenty
years in the system, I would be
come accustom to the taste.
I have written about the won
derful culinary arts of the ladies
in our Sardis Baptist Church.
The Sardis United Methodist
Church has many wonderful
cooks to brag about, as well. In
fact, Sardis is a town full of
great cooks. Going to a Church
Spread in Sardis is surely a
gourmet experience. I enjoy
sampling the dishes the ladies
bring. All are good, but one lady
will excell in a certain dish and
another lady in a different de
light. What a pleasure to taste
them all.
As a lad and on into young
adulthood, I considered my
mother the best cook around
with my grandmother a close
second. In my later years, I was
forced to award that place as
best cook to my wife. After 61
years of marriage, she still holds
fast to that title. Maybe, I have
just gotten used to her cooking.
I can truthfully say that my wife
rarely puts a dish before me that
I don’t like. Then again, she uses
that trick of all good cooks, she
serve dishes she knows I like.
In any event, I would not trade
her for a different cook and a
million dollars to boot.
During my life, I have eaten
in many restaurants, cafes, din
ers and cafetrias. Most were
good, some were better and oth
ers were the best of the best.
Cafeterias usually serve good
wholesome dishes much like
our homecooked meals.
The food is usually well pre
pared and is reasonably priced.
There is usually a good sea food
place and barbeque place close
around. When prepared prop
erly these two delicacies make
for great eating.
There is such an array of eat
ing places in our country, is
there any wonder why so many
people eat out. If it is a great
place to eat, there will be a wait
ing period. I don’t mind a wait
of 15 to 20 minutes, but beyond
that I am ready to head for an
other joint.
A succulent filet mingon, a
buttered lobster or a barbecued
pork tenderlion can alarm the
taste buds to no end, but even
these can’t compare to straight
old homecooking-the way
Mama used to fix it.
Nearly every cook is a mama
and children love to put their
feet under Mama’s table. There
is no other place one can find
the taste and flavor and love
poured into Mama’s cooking.
So. WHAT’S COOKING? Go
visit Mama and ask her to cook
your favorite dish. You can fill
your tummy while you are
blessing Mama. She loves to
cook and feed her younguns.
You can reach F. Leslie
Jenkins Jr., Burke Banter Boy,
via email: f291@bellsouth.net
Current events ... does
councilman care?
Editor:
A city councilman that ac
knowledges he doesn’t read the
Call your family often. Each
day, give something good to oth
ers. Forgive everyone for every
thing. Spend time with people
over the age of 70 and under the
age of 6. Try to make at least 3
people smile each day. What
other people think of you is none
of your business. Your job won’t
take care of you when you are
sick. Your friends will. Stay in
touch.
Life:
Do the right thing! Get rid of
anything that isn’t useful, beau
tiful or joyful. GOD heals ev
erything. However good or bad
a situation is, it will change. No
matter how you feel, get up,
dress up and show up. The best
local newspaper.
Should this be a concern for
Ward 3 residents?
Mike Bickley
Waynesboro
is yet to come. When you awake
alive in the morning, thank
GOD for it. Your innermost is
always happy. So, be happy.
Last but not least:
Share this handbook with oth
ers.
OAK FIREWOOD
For Sale
Split, Cut to Order
Call
Mack Mobley
706-871-1951
Real Estate Transactions
Cards of Thanks, In Memory and Birthday Ads
... Deadline is Monday at 5 p.m.
From Page 4
RFD
Burke County property trans
fers for Feb. 23-July 27, 2009.
The date indicates when the
transfer was recorded in the
Burke County Clerk’s office.
21 st Mortgage Corp. to Eddie
J. Taylor, 1.76 acres in 67 th GM
district, July 3, tax $22
Eddie J. Taylor to GWR Part
nership, LLP, 1.76 acres in 67 th
GM district, July 3, tax $12.80
GWR Partnership, LLP to
Eddie J. Taylor, 1.96 acres, map
and parcel 080A-068, July 3,
$12.80
Estate of Elizabeth A. Carter
to Wilbur Lewis, map and par
cel #G02-124, July 3, tax $12
Walter Mortgage Company,
LLC to Donald K. Frankenberry
Jr., 1.03 acres in 66 th GM dis
trict, Feb. 23, tax $36.50
American Farm Properties,
Inc. to Dwight Wallace, 4.88
acres in Keysville Farm, March
5, 2009, $21.40
Deutsche Bank National Trust
Company to Eddie J. Taylor,
699 Hometrac Road, June 22,
2009, $20
GWR Partnership, LLP to
Donald R. Mattson, 1.76 acres,
map and parcel # 063B-143,
July 10, 2009, $38
Olen Lewis Waters to Ralph
W. Lynn Jr., .5 acre in 67 th GM
District, June 30, 2009, $3
James E. Spires to Joseph
David Frazier, 1 acre in 63 rd
GMD, July 10, 2009, $1.50
Evan D. Mobley to Ronald H.
Jenkins Jr., 7.31 acres in 68 th
GMD, July 10, 2009, $36.60
Rachel L. Orsini to Dianna G.
Jones, 82 Ga. Highway 56
North, July 6, 2009, $72.50
Donald E. Crawford to
Raymond W. Waters, 8 acres in
72 nd GMD, July 2,2009, $33.60
Brandon Mobley to Peter R.
Cates, 2 acres in 60 th GMD, July
15, 2009,$330
Leonard Hogan Properties,
Inc. to Ian Donald Innes, 233
Shady Oak Lane, July 16,2009,
$30
Gwendolyn Ready Florence
to Thomas Dale Lemacks, 2.24
acres at 160 Nancy lane, June
29, 2009, $17.50
Bessie L. Clayton to Michael
R. Ratliff, .34 acre in 63 rd GMD,
July 17, 2009, $38
Tommy Rowell to Joseph
David Frazier, 5.4 acres in 63 rd
GMD, July 17, 2009, $5
Freddy L. Hill Jr. to Bobby
L. Mathis, map and parcel #
091-059, July 17, 2009, $17
Janice H. Reeves to Terry L.
Hill Jr., 3.2 acres in 67 th GMD,
July 21, 2009, $35
Jeremy W. Brown to Timothy
B. Crosby, 4.93 acres on 159
Lakewood Drive, July 21,2009,
$294
Robert L. Mapp to Russell
Thies, 27.44 acres, map and
parcel # 028 031, July 23,2009,
$118
Need Signs or Banners?
Address Signs?
Magnetic Signs?
Call Bonnie,
706-554-2111.
Hawkins Property Invest
ments, LLC to Steven R.
Brown, map and parcel # 072
025 & 072 026, July 24, 2009,
$50
Beulah Frances Bradley to
Gregory Hawkins, map and par
cel # 018A 002/0081A 003/
0081A 00, July 23, 2009,
$88.80
Frederick L. Gilliam to
Jonathan Lavoie, 17 acres at
5466 Herndon Road, July 24,
2009, $63
C.E. Johnson III et al to
Wendi M. Johnson, 604 Hadden
Road, July 15, 2009, $230
Bishop Steve Scott to
Danielle Sandra Marion, map
and parcel # 062-013 and 013A,
July 24, 2009, $75
Larry Farmer to Ralph H.
Sandeford, 266.63 acres in 73 rd
GMD, July 30, 2009, $413
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