Leon Hinote and Daughter at the Veteran's Memorial Fall 2004.

Heritage Contribution

RE: Junction 197: Maybe one day ... I'll reprint a hard copy but more likely a new collection. I dream of doing a 'follow up' book. Whatever happened to xyZ? If i can find the files for the stories below, I’ll email them to you. Check for name spellings. I know I blew a few of them.............. And places too. You would not believe the story of publishing that book and how all the errors were corrected three days before the manuscript was to go to press. And the editor's notebook computer with all the fixes was stolen along with their brand new SUV! aarrgghh. But, hurricanes are worse! Right?

I saw Leon last fall when down on Ivan duty. He was at the memorial park with his daughter. Poor Leon, he looked in bad shape and then every 15 minutes the speakers play "TAPS". He was there for a good 20 minutes and melted to tears every time Taps played. Dad used to love to go to Leon in his final years. And Leon would come to him at the end to cut his hair. He even goes to the mortuaries to be sure veterans have their hair cut well for their funeral.

I should have taken his picture there ... formally. I did capture him and his daughter in the background of another shot before I realized it was he who was there.

Update on Heritage Book II

This from Joyce Penton Schnoor:

This old redneck country girl lost her dictionary in Hurricane Ivan -- just what is a "blog?" I know what a "bog" is but some of these new computer terms puzzle me. HA.

We are about finished with the topical section of the book and it should be ready to be picked up by the publisher within a week or two. A long time ago you wrote that it would be OK to use several of your stories in the Chumuckla Book in Volume II.

You let us use your story "Old Soldiers Never Die..They Just Go For Another Haircut," page 135 Volume I. Reading it again made me think about Leon Hinote -- he had to have open heart surgery several months ago and his sister is staying with him to help take care of him. (Rudy Hinote's wife, Joan told me that he is getting so that he can not cut hair now.)

The following stories would be easy for me to retype and list you as the author. I think they could be submitted as they are written. If you have plans to reprint your book then I will understand if you do not want the stories in Volume II of the heritage Book.

These are the stories which we would like to use if you don't mind.

1. The Veteran Comes Home (note: I was sorry to hear about Mrs. Burgess passing away)
2. "Doc" Retires
3. Skeetersonian Museum of Chumuckla
4. Santa Rosa Has the Best Oysters
5. Etiquette at the City Cafe
6. Politics in the City Cafe
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Vic permits any use Joyce wants for publication from his book or chapters.
This is the first I knew of Mrs Burgess' death, or Leon's heart surgery.

Sandy Hollow. These are Betty Lowry's grandkids. See Betty's note below.

Betty Lowry and Sandy Hollow

Betty sent this note to Vic. Good Memories eh?

Hope you havcn't forgotten this ole Faithful Bunch of Lowry's that go to breakfast every morning at the BP store in Brownsdale, the Hub of our Big settlement. I sure do miss seeing the Mayor of Chumuckla and tell me the stories of the different station or port where he and My Brother Ruthord ran into each other. Also when my brother was in in New Port, R.I.

You Know We have the bragging rights to the Largest Gully in Florida. Sandy Hollow was and still holds a special place in our hearts, Henry, Dora and LeTonya grewup in the Hollow. Sandy Hollow was their playgrounds, they could imagine, mountians to Climb. from the mouth to the ending where sand had washed the slopes down came to the foot of the hollow it was like a beach where the sand had washed over small brush and weaved around the larger trees the sand...

We adored those hill sides where the clay and sand were all different colors. The surface sand was bleached white by the Sun. when it would come light showers it would wash the smallest grains of sand away and leave small rocks. These rocks would stay in place and leaves little mound sand under them rock that would resemble small cities with streets winding around the pebbles. I am an adult and still see it when I am wondering around along the the dirt roads and observe God at work in Nature. .. Betty Lowry .. bug-betty@juno.com