The next time you are driving past Parker Memorial Funeral Home on Hwy 9 N take a look at the stalk shooting off the agave plant in the former yard of the former Bobby and Romona Wells yard.
The Century Agave was given to Ramona and Bobby 25 years ago while visiting in Texas. This year it has produced a 7 ft. stalk and is blooming.
Century Agave Plant
Agave plants blooms once every 10-30 years and adding to the uniqueness of the plant, it dies off shortly after blooming.
In some cases the stalk might get to 40 feet tall, then put out small branches with small buds on the ends. Before the plant dies, it will put off “babies” that will start growing around it, and Ramona said that had happened to her plant.
The plants are native to the Southwest and Mexico.
I love unusual plants. Addi Claire and I planted Moonflower seeds back in early spring, and we are having fun watching the vine grow. The Moonflower usually blooms in July, when the big, white flowers open late in the afternoon/early at night and give off a beautiful aroma.
During a down time over the weekend while watching it rain with the granddaughters, we started playing the “would you rather?” game.
My question was “Would you rather have a puppy or a brother?”
Six year old Addi Claire answered immediately “A puppy!”
Three year old Ellie Kathryn was not as decisive. “Both!” she said.
John Goudelock, who shared the story of the M&SV Railroad bell in The Journal a couple of weeks ago, shared another story with us.
He said that during the summer when construction of the Bruce Methodist Church was underway, his father took great interest in everything related to the project. Young John’s “contribution” to the church was to babysit his father’s dental office on the square with instructions to come down to the church to get him if a patient came in.
John said that one hot afternoon, he walked down to get his dad from the church when he was busy cutting steel plates with a torch.
While young John waited, an old bird dog staggered across the church yard. He had apparently caught his left ear in a barbed wire fence. The ear was ripped and still bleeding and the dog was covered in blood.
Some of the men caught and held the dog while Dr. Goudelock heated a large nail with the torch and cauterized the bleeding place on the dog’s ear.
Young John said only after the steel plates and the bird dog were taken care of, did they adjourn to the dental office for the man with the tooth trouble.
Goudelock said building churches and practicing dentistry in those days proceeded along different lines from today. I would certainly agree.
Calhoun native Andrew Bryant and Water Liars have received a top state honor.
The band is among recipients of a Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letter (MIAL) award. MIAL awards are for recent works by artists, writers and musicians with significant ties to the state.
The award is for Water Liars’ third album “Water Liars.”
Recipients will be honored this Saturday at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
You may email Lisa at lisamcneece@gmail.com and follow her on twitter @lisamcneece