Comments for The Wandering Tourist

Comment on Crabgrass, chinaberry tree and an outhouse: Memories of my past by Marsha Partlow

Marsha Partlow — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:34:57 +0000

Hi Lamar,
I don’t know if this is still an active site, but if so, I wanted to thank you for writing about your grandma. In the photo of the 3 girls and a small boy, the girl in the middle looks like me when I was about 7. I grew up in SC and often visited my grandma in Laurinburg, NC.
Last night I sketched a picture of her house with an outhouse, hydrangia bushes, the yard with no grass and a small chinaberry tree. I ran across this website while searching for photos of a chinaberry tree. I have a done a lot of writing about my childhood and love the memories of all those early years. Recently I was thinking about biscuits with sugar sprinkled on them.

Again, thank you for writing your memories. I hope you’ve continued to write more.

Comment on North Carolina — Floridians’ favorite vacation spot by Elliot Trudel

Elliot Trudel — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:56:31 +0000

Greetings!, I had a difficult time looking for this post, I am using it for my research,and I’m so lucky because this post is amazing! please don’t stop to post new amazing idea. expecting for your future posts. Thanks, Good Luck!

[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’154116890 which is not a hashcash value.

Comment on A tale of two Florida writers: Rawlings and Whitfield by Debbie Shea

Debbie Shea — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 21:05:16 +0000

@Alda W. Higdon
Dear Alda,

I am your 2nd cousin, I believe. My grandmother was Mary Estelle Hendry Whitfield. Her brother was Richard Lorenzo Whitfield. My grandmother was married to Benjamin Whitfield who died at the age of 31 of pneumonia. Their oldest daughter, Sara Nell Whitfield, is my mother. My father was William Edwin Shea (a Presbyterian minister). I am their yougest. My sister is 65 and lives in New Mexico with her husband and family and my brother, David, died in late December 2003, of lung cancer. He actually corresponded with your mom quite a bit as he was working on our geneology for years before he died.

My cousin Cara Bass Chipkevich is the daughter of Mary Helen Whitfield Bass. She was my mom’s sister (and Grandmom Whitfield’s daughter). She married Bernie Bass. Mary Helen and Bernie had 3 children; Dennis, Cara and Mark.

I’m living in Gainesville, Florida still. If you’d like to connect, I’d love to hear from you. Is there any way to get ahold of the books of your mom’s. Should we contact The Book Mart in Perry?

What fun to meet you on here.

Debbie Shea

Comment on A tale of two Florida writers: Rawlings and Whitfield by Debbie Shea

Debbie Shea — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 20:57:14 +0000

I just happened upon this article as I was looking for Aunt Mary Lou’s book. She was my great Aunt Mary Lou as she was married to my grandmother’s brother. My grandmother was Mary Estelle Hendry Whitfield. Her brother was Richard Lorenzo Whitfield. My grandmother’s oldest child was Sara Nell Whitfield Shea, who married William Edwin Shea of Philadelphia in 1944. My grandmother also was the Society Editor of the Perry News Herald for some time. Would love to connect with these cousins sometime. How fun to see all this. I’m going to see how to get a copy of this book. My cousins are also looking for more copies.

Comment on Who Am I by Kathy Mott

Kathy Mott — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:08:03 +0000

Thanks for your contributions, I enjoy reading them.

Comment on Who Am I by Kathryn Ellis Malone Rizzo

Kathryn Ellis Malone Rizzo — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:03:10 +0000

Hello, Wandering Tourist!

I appreciated your article mentioning my Aunt Mary Lou Malone Whitfield and the book of published columns from several different Florida newspapers, most notaly, The Tallahassee Democrat.

My students and I put the columns together as a project in Florida History for a creative assignment required by the school in which I teach, the International Baccalaureate at Hillsborough HS in Tampa. We did a fair job on the columns, producing a home-made copy, and that was picked up by a publisher who had it published in the form you now see. The publisher is Miss Polly from the Book Fair in Perry. Many family members contributed in different ways and had much to add to my humble attempts to collect these stories. I was fortunate to have the labor and facilities to get it started. My cousin, Mrs. Diane V. Whitfield was instrumental in taking the steps to get the final product on its way.

I am so glad that people find my aunt’s writing worth reading. She was an incredible
lady–learned, wise and generous. These columns are vignettes which represent daily life in North Florida through the past century and a little bit. They are truly works of art.

Comment on Let’s take another look at my favorite vacation spot — Aruba! by Mindy

Mindy — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:32:43 +0000

Aruba is our favorite vacation spot also. We honeymooned in Aruba and returned for our 5th anniversary. We loved Aruba so much that we purchased a time share at Divi Golf Resort and return every October. Not just because of the beautiful beaches and perfect weather but the friendly, welcoming people as well.

Save money on beer, buy Aruban. Balashi beer is better than Coors! My husband always buys a case or whatever he can fit in his suitcase to bring home with us. Think I’ll go enjoy one right now.

Comment on Let’s take another look at my favorite vacation spot — Aruba! by Mindy

Mindy — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:30:22 +0000

Save money on beer, buy Aruban. Balashi beer is better than Coors! My husband always buys a case or whatever he can fit in his suitcase to bring home with us. Think I’ll go enjoy one right know.

Comment on A tale of two Florida writers: Rawlings and Whitfield by Alda W. Higdon

Alda W. Higdon — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:25:16 +0000

Thanks for giving my mother’s book (815 West Bay) a plug! My sister-in-law, Diane Whitfield, sent me a copy of this (don’t know how she came across it), but anyway, it made me want to read the book again! (As I’ve done several times already!) (I always use too many explanation marks!) I’m trying to figure out the relationship here, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen any of my Austin cousins (and it was always a little fuzzyy) til I’m not sure where you fit in. In any event, there must be a connection there, so I’ll say, “Thanks again, cuz!” And the writing gene runs deep in this family. I’ve done a weekly column for my hometown paper (Reidsville, GA) for umpteen dozen years, and am now copyeditor for the paper. I always associate the Austin family with citrus fruit, for there was always some given in the passing anytime there was any contact. Makes my mouth water, just thinking about it. Guess I’ll go and eat a piece of watermelon instead. Thanks again for the praise on Mama’s book. Alda

Comment on A tale of two Florida writers: Rawlings and Whitfield by Diane Whitfield

Diane Whitfield — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 04:05:39 +0000

Hi-We were surprised to find your article mentioning my husband’s mother, Mary Lou Whitfield. Mrs. Whitfield was a remarkable woman and I am glad I married into her family. She died January 20, 2009, after a brief illness. My husband, Richard L. (Abe) Whitfield, Jr., thinks that your Uncle Bob might be his first cousin Bobbie Austin. He and Bobbie are the same age and shared imaginary friends as children. Let us know if you ever travel to Perry!