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Articles by Walter McKenzie
McKenzie: Some of us just don’t ‘get it!’
First off, a correction and an apology. My apologies for getting NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace’s name wrong in my NASCAR piece in last week’s column. I called him Bubba Watson instead of his correct name, Bubba Wallace. I knew better but I just couldn’t “see” my mistake even though I proofread the column at least twice.
McKenzie: My black history trip with NASCAR!
Life in White Springs has been wet! We had 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours, followed by two more days of steady rain. The ground was so saturated that I couldn’t mow. At least I got out of one chore for a few days, but it will just be higher and harder to mow when I get around to it. The Suwannee rose 20 feet in three days in White Springs and will be right at flood stage on the 14th when it is expected to level off. Life by the river is sometimes thrilling and tumultuous.
McKenzie: Be silent, or say something!!?
Last week in this column I said lightheartedly that “inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, It’s too hard.” Then, right after the column’s deadline for submittal, but days before publishing, all hell broke loose! It’s nice to have a nifty little saying to sum up a philosophy or a situation, but nothing can just tidily sum up the horror of what happened to George Floyd.
McKenzie: Inch by inch, life’s a cinch!
“Inch by Inch, Life’s a cinch, Yard by Yard, Life’s too hard!” Inch by inch we are starting to cautiously (I hope) re-open. A couple of months back, when we were all advised to stay home I said that I was going to use my exercise outings to explore biking and hiking trails, and that I would report back to you on them. I envisioned that I would do a different trail every day or two.
McKenzie: The weekend that wasn’t!
I was looking forward to this weekend. Merri and I had a trip planned. We were going to travel Florida, from one end to the other. First stops in Florida were to be Central and South America. Then, traveling deeper into the Sunshine State, we were going to visit Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Asia and Africa! We were part of a group of thousands of Floridians who were looking forward to this trip around the world this weekend.
McKenzie: Reading and ruminating in isolation
When this COVID-19 self-imposed isolation started we were optimistic. Optimism is something that Americans are good at but sometimes it works against us. Optimistically, we figured we could isolate for a while, but because we were optimistic, we were really thinking that it would be for a short while. Now it is becoming apparent that, for many of us, we’ll need to hibernate longer than we expected. A lot of us don’t have much experience with staying at home, sitting still, being patient.
McKenzie: All good things must come to an end!
There are good things in life. Some of them so good that we want them to never end, and it hurts, really hurts, when they do. Some other things in life are good, but we are able to let them go and move eagerly on to the next thing. Like graduation. High School or college was good, but we are eager to move on, to graduate to the next phase of our life. It’s a fine balance. If we are fortunate, we are able to find pleasure in life and in the lives of others. We make some great friendships.
McKenzie: My deal with the devil!
So, surprisingly, I’ve been getting a few compliments about my writing lately. Compliments are good for the ego but, more importantly, I hope that they will be good for the writer too. You see, egos, no matter how healthy or unhealthy, can’t write. They can have an effect, but they can’t write. Only a writer can write, but the ego thing can sometimes be helpful.
McKenzie: What should I write about?
“What should I write about?” It’s a question that occurs to me at deadline time more often than I would like to admit. Sometimes my potential choices are too mundane or boring. I owe it to the reader to do better than that.
McKenzie: Everything is changed forever
It was the first week in December in 1941. A young Army officer and his wife were sitting in their car looking out at the magnificent view from their overlook high atop Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. They were happily looking forward to the birth of their first child later that month. The fresh mountain air felt good and the radio was playing some good music. The news of the war in Europe and China seemed far away, something that would be tomorrow’s problem. Life, for the moment, was good.
McKenzie: Be a giver in 2020!
Are you a “giver” or a “getter”? Being a “getter” is not all it’s cracked up to be! Just look around you. It’s the day after Christmas and, once again, we didn’t all get everything we wanted. The evidence is clear! There are not new cars in every driveway. Boats that could be out fishing still sit on the boat dealer’s lot. Not every home has the latest, wall sized, ultra high definition home theater television.
McKenzie: 2020! It’s another, bigger birthday!
Walter McKenzie The least significant event of December? My birthday! Having a birthday, Dec. 30, which is wedged between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, taught me humility at a young age. Other kids, the ones born from February to November may have been persuaded that their birthday was the biggest deal of the month, but not us December kids! No sir! That “other” December birthday, the one on Dec. 25, is such a big deal that the whole world starts looking forward to it right after Thanksgiving.
McKenzie: My talk with Mother Nature
For social distancing I am exploring new bike trails suitable for recreational bike riders. One of my earliest explorations led me to one of the ponds on the Water Management District’s Gar Pond tract. This area has recently been logged, not clear-cut but selectively thinned as part of “good management practices.” Good in the long term, but disturbing to witness in the present. I rode through this disrupted and disturbed forest until I came upon the peaceful pond.
McKenzie: Unintended consequences and unforeseen opportunities!
On May 8, 2007, a fire was started by lightning on an island in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. It was nothing unusual; summer lightning storms do this kind of thing every year, but sometimes with unwanted and unforeseen consequences. This fire was stubborn and soon crossed over into Florida, where it expanded at an alarming rate, combining with other fires.
McKenzie: Remembering Miss Ruby!
I’m sad. The streak has come to an end. For the first time in the 68-year history of the Florida Folk Festival, Ruby Shaw will not be there in person this year. Last weekend White Springs said goodbye to “Miss Ruby.” You’ll surely want to read this if you knew her, but even if you didn’t know her, read this and you’ll learn of the passion, patience and persistence of a woman who was a legend, and who lived a way of life that is worthy of respect and remembrance.
McKenzie: A really sweet excuse!
Last week there was no “Life in White Springs.” I don’t mean that there was no actual “life,” indeed most of us were alive and well, but that certainly was not the case with me when last week’s column was due. I was sick. This is no “the dog ate my column” excuse; I was actually really sick, too miserable to write. Now most of you probably don’t want to hear about my illness. That is too bad because I’ve got a story to tell and something or somebody to blame for my illness.
McKenzie: Who is this guy?
“Who is this guy?” People ask questions like this when someone new shows up in White Springs. They asked a lot of questions when I began showing up here in the late 80’s, and, not so surprisingly, there are still some questions being asked about me. Finally, I have decided to come clean and answer the question about me, “Who is this guy?” Sadly, first and foremost I must reveal something about me that is known by some, but not all of you.
McKenzie: Why come to White Springs?
It’s a fair question. If you are reading this column online, or in the Suwannee Democrat or the Mayo Free Press, you don’t have to drive through here in your daily travels. The Towns of Live Oak, Branford, Mayo and Dowling Park probably meet your occasional shopping and culinary needs. Even folks who live in Hamilton County only pass through White Springs because it’s on their way to Lake City. Why on earth would you want to stop White Springs? Let me tempt you.
McKenzie: White Springs has a time machine!
The Town of White Springs, particularly the White Springs Historic District, is a bit of a time machine. The abundance of homes and churches and buildings that were built from 100 to 150 years ago make it easy to imagine life back then, and imagination is the key to time travel. I’ve got bad news and good news. The Bad News? The White Springs Suwannee Hardware Store old location is closed! The Good News?
McKenzie: In search of White Springs
Walter McKenzie A good Facebook friend of mine, who very recently moved from Tallahassee to Atlanta, has been sharing some of the cultural and culinary adventures that he’s had. I’m always glad to hear these tales but the last one made me feel just a little bit competitive. I mean after all, we have cultural and culinary fun in White Springs too, and I didn’t want him to get too big headed about his Atlanta adventures. Here’s what he posted on Facebook that I felt compelled to reply to.
McKenzie: In search of Gamble Rogers
Twenty eight years ago there was a “Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie” moment here in White Springs. That was the day that a very significant portion of the music died for many of us who live here. That was the day that we got the word…that we had lost Gamble Rogers. Gamble died an untimely, heroic death that day and when we heard about it, we all cried. And ever since then, something has been missing in the music and the storytelling and I thought that we would never find it again.
McKenzie: 2020! It’s another, bigger birthday!
The least significant event of December? My birthday! Having a birthday, Dec. 30, which is wedged between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, taught me humility at a young age. Other kids, the ones born from February to November may have been persuaded that their birthday was the biggest deal of the month, but not us December kids! No sir! That “other” December birthday, the one on Dec. 25, is such a big deal that the whole world starts looking forward to it right after Thanksgiving.
McKenzie: Be a giver in 2020!
Are you a “giver” or a “getter”? Being a “getter” is not all it’s cracked up to be! Just look around you. It’s the day after Christmas and, once again, we didn’t all get everything we wanted. The evidence is clear! There are not new cars in every driveway. Boats that could be out fishing still sit on the boat dealer’s lot. Not every home has the latest, wall sized, ultra high definition home theater television.
McKenzie: Christmases when I didn’t care!
My first memory of Christmas took place in Atlanta. I was only 3 years old but I remember it because of what Santa brought me. It was a bright red fire truck with an authentic fire bell mounted on the hood! My fire truck was the kind you sit in and pedal, and that morning I peddled it furiously around the courtyard of our Atlanta apartment until my little 3-year-old leg muscles went into spasms.
Thanks ‘giving’?: (Are you really thankful?)
One of the ways, perhaps the best way, to show that you are really thankful for all that you have been given is to give some of it back! Don’t just give thanks, give back some of what you were given! Some of us are fortunate enough to receive more than just the “Give us this day our daily bread” that we hope and pray and work for.
McKenzie: Waiting for the writer!
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It’s about me. I may not be who you think I am. As a matter of fact, I’m not always who I think I am, who I want to be, or who I should be. You see, here’s the secret about me, I have a split personality. And, I’m not just split into two parts! My personality is split into so many segments that I’m never really sure who’s going to show up on any given day. Will it be the Introvert or the Extrovert? The Politician or the Poker Player?
McKenzie: Opportunities abound in White Springs!
Walter McKenzie When asked about his poverty stricken life in Appalachia in the 1930s, a dirt-poor mountain man was heard to say “I ain’t never had to feel bad about no missed opportunities. None ever come my way.” There may be some truth to that in some places, but in reality if you look hard for it, opportunity is everywhere.
McKenzie: Treasure hunting in White Springs
Some treasures are hidden, but some treasures are in plain sight, just waiting for you and me to discover them! Let’s discover some treasures in the White Springs area. Ahhh! These cooler mornings are a “treasure”, and I see more people out enjoying the great outdoors. Hunters, ever hopeful, are bringing home treasures, even when they never see whatever game they might be hunting.
McKenzie: Investing in White Springs
The word “investment” immediately conjures up an image of considerable sums of money, and money, wisely invested, is always welcome, but there are also other ways to invest in White Springs. Writers invest in White Springs. I do it every time I write my column and so does Johnny Bullard when he writes his. With words, we build, we bolster, we encourage, we sing the praises of the people and the places that we know and love.
McKenzie: Above average in White Springs
White Springs in autumn, where the ordinary is extraordinary, where the average goings on are all above average. Beauty and art and culture are busting out all over White Springs. What a great town to visit in the fall! Some things you need to plan ahead for! On Sunday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m., the Stephen Foster Citizen Support Organization (CSO) will be hosting another “Save Our Bells” benefit concert in the park auditorium. The featured act will be Florida’s Troubadours.
McKenzie: Silence on the Suwannee
Silence is a rare commodity these days. You can’t find it if you live in the city. There's traffic, construction, air-conditioning, lawnmowers and leaf-blowers and your neighbor’s dog. You can create silence with a well-insulated house, a set of noise canceling earphones or, the ultimate, a sensory deprivation tank. But we shouldn’t have to create silence; we should be able to just find it, even to just discover it by accident every now and then.
McKenzie: Pay attention White Springs!
We have just returned from an overnight stay in Palatka. Our stay was shared with people and events that have strong connections to White Springs. Not always a welcome destination, Palatka was a point of contention that arose between my wife and me years ago when we, engaged to be married in White Springs, were planning our honeymoon.
McKenzie: Overlooking excellence
In our search for excellence, whether it be the excellence that can be found when we look for entertainment, music, travel, literature, art, culture, education, recreation, or simply even food and water, we are often willing to travel considerable distances and spend a considerable amount of time and money to find that excellent experience that we crave. Often in our search for excellence we overlook more than we find because we don’t see or know what is right in our own back yard.
McKenzie: The curse of a critical mind!
I go to a lot of events and gatherings in White Springs and the surrounding counties. By and large I enjoy myself and really appreciate the events and the organizers that put them on. But I do have my critical moments, we all do, and it’s time to vent! These observations come from a multitude of gatherings that have coalesced into one story in my mind for the purposes of illustration. Any resemblance to actual people or places is mere coincidence.
McKenzie: Small towns are a big deal!
Walter McKenzie “Well I was born in a small town, And I live in a small town, Probably die in a small town, Oh, those small communities.” — John Mellencamp Browsing on the web in search of song references to a “small town,” I found 2,252 lyrics, 54 artists and 100 albums, all heralding a way of life that is apparently more revered than big city life ever will be. Why is this much attention paid to a way of life that is seemingly on the decline?
McKenzie: A tale of two places I love
I’ve been traveling and it’s good to be back home again! Sometimes my perspective on Life in White Springs is influenced by other places I have lived and visited. I recently visited my old San Marco neighborhood in Jacksonville, Florida. I always loved the insulated uniqueness of this neighborhood.
McKenzie: Front porch ruminations
Walter McKenzie Merri and I stepped off of our front porch and walked with sad hearts across the street to the old South Hamilton Elementary School auditorium to attend the funeral services being held there for Mr. Kenny Hutcherson. That sadness began to lift as we were greeted by Kenny’s friends and family, and soon the music and testimonials did away with the sharpness of the sorrow. Instead we were reminded of what a joy it was to have known Kenny.
McKenzie: You don’t have to go far to find excellence!
Walter McKenzie On the rare occasion that there seems to be nothing going on in White Springs, you don’t have to travel far to have new adventures. There are plenty of them nearby if you’re willing to look. We discovered a wonderful place of the type that people normally associate with more urban/metropolitan areas. It happened when we had a friend from Washington D.C. visiting us.
Life in White Springs: Escaping White Springs!
Now, I don’t really want to escape White Springs, but this is certainly the time of year that makes people here think about escaping the heat. Most of us do so by staying indoors, preferably in a home or workplace that is air conditioned. What did folks do before AC? Many of the homes back then had high ceilings with ceiling fans, large windows to let the cooler evening air in, and for the hottest evenings, sleeping porches with large windows or screens to let the breezes in.
Life in White Springs: A small town Independence Day!
Thursday was Independence Day! It iwas celebrated all across this great nation and today I’ll share with you some past and present observations about this grand American holiday, the Fourth of July! In small towns, White Springs as well as Jasper, Jennings, Live Oak, Mayo and Dowling Park, we do it a little differently than our cousins in the big cities. Our 4th of July has a little more of a “home grown” quality, while theirs is often grander and flashier, more expansive and expensive.
Life in White Springs: Father’s Day reflections
It is Father’s Day as I begin my efforts to provide you with something meaningful to read. Yes, I do try to provide meaningful tidbits for you, not always successfully, but I always try. But today my mind wanders to fathers, particularly mine, and their “day”, Father’s Day. Today I got phone calls from both my grown children, wishing me a happy Father’s Day and telling me that I was a good dad, and I thought they were kind to say so without any qualifiers, of which there are unquestionably plenty.
Life in White Springs: It’s been hot!
Walter McKenzie Adversity and difficulties sometimes expose qualities in folks that might surprise you, usually, I’m happy to say, in a good way. That has certainly been the case in all the hot weather we’ve been having in White Springs lately, especially at the Florida Folk Festival! The weather did not deter any of the volunteers, many of them senior citizens, from showing up early and staying late to do their share of the work, and then some.
Life in White Springs: There’s no place like home!
Since 1953 the Town of White Springs, Florida, has been the host to the nation’s oldest state sponsored Folk Festival — the Florida Folk Festival. As you wander around the festival this week you will experience some amazing happenings, cultural, culinary, educational, artistic and folkloric! Some of them will, of course, be musical, because the festival abounds in musical magnificence.
Life in White Springs: How about some bad service!
It’s been widely accepted that we have transitioned from an agricultural/industrial economy to a service-based economy. We require and use a LOT of services! According to the media, the service economy in the USA and developing countries is mostly concentrated in financial services, hospitality, retail, health, human services, information technology and education.
Life in White Springs: Keep a healthy sense of humor!
Walter McKenzie A sense of humor can make good days delightful. Conversely, a sense of humor won’t make bad days delightful, but it can help, and will often make those bad days at least bearable. Humor is a lot like cooking, some people do it plain and simple, and some serve it up with spice! I’ve known folks with a raw sense of humor that made my stomach turn, just like raw food might, but every now and then a raw, humorous observation will double me up in laughter.
Life in White Springs: Keep hope alive!
We all know the importance of hope. When things seem really tough and there is no reason to be optimistic, we still hope. We have hope for our children, our communities and our future. But hope is usually only realized as the result of somebody’s hard work. Golf players and fans had proof of that this past weekend.
Life in White Springs: Champions, giants and old friends
Champions and giants and friends, some contemporary and some from another era, live right here in Hamilton County, often unseen but vital and important to our community life and our history.
Life in White Springs: Nothing lasts forever
I remember when I heard years back that the Adams Country store was re-opening. This was most welcome news, both for the public and for me personally as I have a history with the store that goes back to the late 70s. Back then my sister and brother-in-law were running a bicycle touring company, Suwannee Bicycle Tours, and they were headquartered in the Adams Country Store. When I first walked inside the old building I felt that I was taking a peek into the past.
Life in White Springs: Greeted at the gate
We’ve all experienced it. We’ve gone someplace that had a gate you had to pass through to gain access and felt that moment of hesitation. Some gates are literal, physical gates that we have to pass through and some are figurative, non-physical gates, often more difficult to open than the real ones. We have a gate to our front yard.
Life in White Springs: Sometimes we need reminding
Truth bears repeating, as does the reporting of noteworthy upcoming occasions, and I’ll perhaps remind you of some upcoming events too often rather than have you say, “I wish I’d known about this, I would have been there!” It happens all the time, and I am not without sympathy as I too often overlook occasions unless I have been reminded of them at least three times.
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