Dreams of the past...

[Laurie Verge]

I would one day love to visit Shiloh as well as Franklin, Tennessee - especially the latter in order to see Carnton Plantation! One of my volunteers at Surratt House is an expert on The Battle of Franklin.

Your descriptions of Tennessee and Betty's of Richmond make me nostalgic for the good old days. Southern Maryland of my childhood is not the Southern Maryland of today. Many of our grand old homes were demolished in the 1960s before we had a Historic Preservation Commission in the county. With the war against tobacco (understandable), our beautiful farm fields are now subdivisions of cookie cutter McMansions with no charm, and our roads are seas of cars and trucks with terrible drivers behind the wheels. I guess this disgruntled attitude is yet another part of my becoming old!?

I did enjoy your story of the Catfish Hotel. I did not grow up in a family of fishermen. We got all we needed from my uncle's country store and friends who would bring us part of their catches. My first introduction to a catfish was with friends. When I saw my first one, I thought it was one of the ugliest and meanest looking sea creatures I had ever seen! Then, when my friend took a pair of pliers to it in order to skin it, I remember thinking that there was no way I was going to enjoy something that took that much work.

Of course, I changed my mind as soon as I tasted it. Those who come to the Surratt conference in March will have a Southern buffet on Saturday night. Catfish will be on the menu, along with chicken, ham, collards, cornbread, and more. It's all good "brain food" as we edumacate ourselves.