The Low Country....S. Georgia

 This area of S. Georgia is spectacularly poor and wonderfully historical and beautiful. Never really considered the history of this state vis a vis the Civil War, slavery and its economic impact on the rest of the country. The flowers are in full bloom and there are outrageously scattered bushes abloom everywhere. Color is radiantly exhibited all around. Love it.

We stopped at another sugar mill ruin and here are a few of the tabby walls, made of sea shells, clay and made into the walls of this building from the 1800's..

The building looks like it was a two story ediface but I couldn't see any evidence left of how one got to the top. Stairs declined first?

 As we drove to this building near Harris Neck, we passed many signs that make me chuckle. I mentioned on Facebook, passing the "Dead people's stuff on sale here" sign in one community. Another street sign? Hell's Gate Lane. Wouldn't you like to live on that street? And Hell's Gate Lane was not near the "Slow Church" sign. Is that a church for those contemplating the Bible slowly? Is for the elderly who cannot move very quickly? Or, if you become a member of that church, will it take awhile to learn all they have to teach? A church that type A personalities should not join? Made me laugh.

I have lived in the Bible belt before but I am reminded anew of the number of small churches here. I asked a neighbor lady if the majority of the churches in McIntosh County are functional. She indicated that even the smallest of the churches serving the poorest of people are up and running...feeding, clothing, helping with kids and preaching. These aren't churches, these are families.

I have found it interesting that there appears to be a fairly large number of Jehovah's Witness churches around, which I didn't expect. She said this is newer to the Low Country but it won't take off here because, "they don't know our ways." I didn't get more specific but she made a harrumph sound that said it all!

 

***This thistle got my attention. It isn't the smallest I have seen, but about two feet tall and flowering. I would not want to run into one of these or step on them. HUGE!

 

Phyllis, a lady three houses down introduced me to her hairstylist. Annette works out of her home in a beauty shop smaller than our cottage living room but with two chair hair dryers, two seats for "company" and a hair washing/setting/waxing chair. Very efficient. Best yet...the conversation. Phyllis has a standing every Thursday at 11 a.m. appointment. Her hair is washed, put into rollers, dried, teased, sprayed and combed out. That plus a chin wax and tip...$17.00! The standing noon appointment arrived and, no surprise, she was an old neighbor of Phyllis' and the three women caught up on life since last Thursday and asked me about my life and how I get my chin and lip waxed. I don't do either...brows, yes. I came back and looked in the mirror and guess when I go back on Tuesday for my hair appointment that I may get the whole face done just to see how different I will look.

 

While with Phyllis at the beauty parlor, I got a recipe for crab pie from the 12:30 appointment lady, also an old friend of the two ladies getting beautified. Bought the crab today and now...I have to find a pie pan. None here.