SeasonedSistah

Memories: The House on Wentworth Avenue

Aunt LD and Aunt Baby Ruth

At an early age, God gifted me with two beautiful women, Aunt LD and Aunt Baby Ruth. My Aunt LD was married to my Great, Grand Uncle Buddy; and, her sister, Aunt Baby Ruth lived with them on the second floor at the House on Wentworth Avenue. I lived with Mama in the attic apartment

Because we didn’t share the same bloodline, legally, we were not related. Love, which is more powerful, made us family and kept us together from the mid-1940s until they passed in the mid-1970s.

On Saturday evenings the aunts would prepare Sunday dinner. I believe it was an enjoyable meal for them to cook because:

working as live-in domestics, what they cooked and how they cooked was controlled by the people who employed them;.
living in the House on Wentworth Avenue, they were empowered to cook what they wanted and how they wanted for their family and friends.

Aunt LD and Aunt Baby Ruth were excellent cooks. They created traditional soulful southern dishes, which were familiar to me. Occasionally, introducing us to some of the dishes they cooked at work.

I loved to watch them cook, especially the desserts. They always baked several cakes and/or pies. After patiently waiting for them to finish, they gave me the empty mixing bowl and spoon. Eating the leftover cake batter was my Saturday night snack.

On these Saturday nights, the youngest one in the room, I was introduced to family bonding, sister to sister love, and two women working together toward a common goal — placing a soulful meal on the Sunday table for loved ones to share at the House on Wentworth Avenue.

In my next post, I will share even more memories of my maternal family.

Survival of the Fittest – Natural Alternatives for Colds & Flu

Week 7: Mindful Monday – Healthy Living

Week 7: INTENTIONS

Thank you Silver Threading for hosting Mindful Monday – Healthy Living. My INTENTIONS for Week 7:

Prepare three healthy dishes from new cookbook.
Neighborhood mindfulness walk and capture nature photos x 1 day.
Fitness workout (cardio and circuit weights) x 3 days.
Indoor mall walk x 2 days
Walk through local botanical garden and capture nature photos x 1 day.
Color one page in a mindfulness coloring books

Week 6:

CHOICE

Last week, I made the CHOICE to live by the CREATION Health principles in the following ways:

REST

Sleep

I met my goal of sleeping 7-8 hours nightly. According to my Fitbit, the 7-day average was 8 hours and 50 minutes.

ENVIRONMENT

At-home access to a stress reducing and spiritual uplifting ENVIRONMENT is a blessing.. When I am unable to get out and about, my Healing Container Garden is always there.

ACTIVITY

Early Morning, at-home exercises for the:

Body – physical therapy home exercises x 2 days for 15 mins.
Mind and Spirit – three guided meditation practices.

I did get in three days of additional exercise for the Body;

30-minute LA Fitness walk on the treadmill;
60-minute mall walk; and
40-minute mindfulness walk through the neighborhood.

TRUST

When it comes to TRUST and SELF-TRUST, I admit to being a work-in-progress. Through self-education, I hope to find answers.

This week, I read the first three chapters of, “The Courage to Trust: A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships.” I completed two Self-Discovery Questionnaires:

How Much Do You Trust Yourself – Based on my responses, the answer: “Distrust of yourself is destroying your self-confidence.
How Much Do You Really Trust Others – Based on my responses, the answer: “Your distrust of others is very high, limiting the depth of intimacy.” This was quite revealing given my 0=none response to the question, “Do you believe you don’t know how to have truly intimate relationships.”

I no longer wish to live as a “a naked person” who distrusts self and others. Before my space opens up to Trust and Self-Trust, I must first learn to discover, embrace and express love of self. I am working on it.

INTERPERSONAL

To uplift the mind, body and spirit, I decided to take part in the 8-Week Palouse Mindfulness online training program. Organized and coordinated on Facebook by Sister Blogger, Elizabeth, over at My Eyes Are Up Here.”

Last week, the focus was on communication. The reading materials and videos provided a lot of helpful information to improve both our listening skills and managing anger.

Going through this training on communication was an eye-opening learning experience.

OUTLOOK

Daily, I worked at maintaining a positive OUTLOOK by:

practicing daily morning meditations; and
sharing inspiring quotes with friends and family on Facebook and Instagram.

NUTRITION

Instead of drinking diet sodas daily, my 24-year-old granddaughter challenged me to change to lemon water. I found a number of articles in support of this and was surprised to learn of the many benefits. Now, a glass of lemon water is always close by.

Dropping Some Truth

Powerful WORDS; A RANT THAT IS WORH READING!!!

LaMonte M. Fowler

I feel the need to drop a little truth on y’all. So buckle up…I’m about to be politically incorrect.

We don’t need to take America back. No one stole it. It’s right here…you’re sitting in it. Chillax.

Mexico isn’t going to pay for the wall and we’re not going to deport millions of people and break up families. If you think either one is a good idea, you’re not smart and probably not a person I want to hang out with.

We don’t live in a democracy. Technically we are a Federal Republic. But in reality we are ruled by an oligarchy. If you don’t know what that is, look it up. Reading will do you good. You probably need to do more of it.

FoxNews, CNN, and MSNBC have an agenda and are not “fair and balanced” or in any way unbiased. I’ll reiterate…read more. Read newspapers (even online…

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Maternal Family Memories – The House on Wentworth Avenue

I chose my blog as the platform to write about memories of my maternal family to preserve our African-American history after 1870.

Memories

For most of my childhood, I lived in a House on Wentworth Avenue on the Southside of Chicago. My great-great-grandparents, Gilbert and Mary Shegog’s two sons, Uncle Buddy and Uncle Robert jointly purchased the home in the mid-1940s.

I lived in this house with my mother and an extended family of great-grand uncles and aunts:

Basement – Aunt Sallie and Aunt Willie;
First Floor – Uncle Robert and Aunt Edna;
Second Floor – Uncle Buddy and Aunt L.D.;
Attic – Mama and ME.

Uncle Robert was highly regarded by everyone in our family, neighborhood and church. It might have been because of his non-domestic work status as an airport skycap who wore an official looking uniform.

Uncle Buddy and all the aunts worked as live-in domestic workers. As live-in domestics, they left home every Sunday evening and returned on Thursday night. One, or more, often returned home with barely used toys, games and clothing items for me. My mother earned a minimum wage as a factory worker. I wore clothing bearing labels from some of the most expensive stores in Chicago. They told me not to tell anyone what the “white folks.” gave me . I believed the “white folks” would harm me for wearing “white folks” clothes. It never occurred to me that I didn’t know any “white folks.” Years later, I realized they were not concerned about the “white folks.” They didn’t want the “black folks” to know someone in their family wore second-hand clothes.

I am not exactly sure when my great, grand-aunts and uncles, the first generation born after the Emancipation Proclamation, left the Mississippi plantation and migrated north in search of a better life.

What I do know is these children of Gilbert and Mary Shegog, relocated to an unknown city, pooled their resources, and remained self-sufficient until they departed this life. What they were able to achieve, as the first generation to migrate north, led to the next generation joining them to build upon what they started.

I will share further memories of the House on Wentworth Avenue in my next post.

Week 6: Mindful Monday – Healthy Living

Week 6: INTENTIONS

Thank you, Colleen, for hosting Mindful Monday – Healthy Living. I begin each week with the INTENTION to mindfully move outside of my comfort zone to explore healthy living options.

Week 5: 8 CREATION Health Principles

CHOICE

I made the CHOICE, several weeks ago, to Stop, Think, Observe and Proceed before acting. When I take time to STOP, I make healthier decisions in all areas of my life.

REST

For more than a year, I have fulfilled my INTENTION to get 7-8 hours of sleep nightly. I slept 11+hours on Sunday and Thursday night. Was this a healthy night’s sleep?

Seeking an answer, I went to WebMD, Sleep Disorders Health Center and read the “7 Myths About Sleep”

Here’s what I found out:

“MYTH: If you can get it, more sleep is always healthier.

“FACT: …Some studies have found that people who slept more than eight hours a night died younger than people who got between six and eight hours. What scientist don’t know yet: Whether sleeping longer causes poor health or is a symptom of it …. Long sleepers may suffer from problems such as sleep apnea, depression, or uncontrolled diabetes that makes them spend more time in bed.”

I believed the MYTH. Even though I am being treated with overnight oxygen for sleep apnea, I am not concerned about the FACT. If I begin to routinely sleep more than eight hours, I will check in with my pulmonologist.

ENVIRONMENT

I struggled through congestion and a cough that kept me housebound for most of the week, but I was able to connect with nature’s ENVIRONMENT. I looked at photos taken during past mindfulness walks through my neighborhood; and felt as though I was in the presence of nature.

ACTIVITY

I began the week taking care of a sick husband with a cold. Several days later, I came down with a cold. I wasn’t able to follow my normal weekly ACTIVITY routine; but, I was able to go upstairs to my relaxation room to exercise the:

body — physical therapy exercises, leg stretches, yoga belt and plank poses for 30 minutes x 3 days.; and
mind – mindfulness and meditation practices for 11-30 minutes x 7 days.

TRUST

This week, I went online looking for reading materials to address my SELF-TRUST issues. The one that drew my attention, “3 Ways to Develop Self-Trust,” written by Ms. Margaret Tartakovsky, M.S., Associate Editor, Word of Psychology who states:

“Everyone in your life has the potential of betraying you. They may leave. They may pass away. They may make a rude comment. They may cheat. They may lie. They may disappoint you in many different way. We can’t count on anybody 100%.”

To develop SELF-TRUST, Ms. Tartakovsky recommends:

Avoid people who undermine your SELF-TRUST.
Keep promises to yourself.
Speak kindly to yourself.

Having lived for more than 73 years, I have been hurt and abandoned by people who I loved and trusted. In most cases, it was short-lived and temporary. Other times permanent — Like my mother passing away, almost 48 years ago, I am just beginning to deal with the hurt and pain of that.

Also, I am still reading the book by Tara Brach, “True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart.” It is bringing me closer to understanding that SELF-TRUST will come when I am able to unconditionally love and nurture ME.

INTERPERSONAL

While building SELF-TRUST, I do not want to compromise developing strong INTERPERSONAL relationships.

Searching for guidance, I found this book written by Cynthia Lynn Wall, “The Courage to Trust: A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships.” She writes:

“The person you need to trust first is yourself. No one can be consistently supportive of you as you can learn to be. Being kind to yourself increases self-confidence and lessens your need for approval. Loving and caring for yourself not only increases SELF-TRUST, it also deepens your connection with others.

Inspired by this quote, I purchased the Kindle version and look forward to beginning this new learning experience.

OUTLOOK

Feeling under the weather and out of sorts this week with a cold, I tried to maintain a positive OUTLOOK.

For the entire week, I connected with The Meditation Podcast to uplift the mind and spirit. I was able to let go of the negative and embrace the positive by practicing the following meditations:

Power of Kindness
Emotional Clearing
Positive Thoughts
Peace
The Healing Smile

NUTRITION

Luckily, I found all the ingredients for this Turkey Vegetable Soup in the fridge and pantry,

Chicken Broth
Dry Onion Soup
Canned Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce
Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Frozen Okra
Turkey Legs

I dumped everything into the slow-cooker and ended up with enough soup to carry Hubby and I through the week. When I have a cold, a hot cup of soup makes everything better.

Writer’s Quote Wednesday

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is one of my favorite quotes. For years, I listened to others and stifled my dreams. In this season of life, I hold on to my dreams and follow them without seeking the approval of others.

Thank you #WQW and #BeWow for hosting this platform.

Remembering Clarksville-The Hezikiah Haskell House

Thanks to, Damita over at Ujima Magazine for sharing this Black History fact.

UJIMA MAGAZINE

Austin 3 100_3008 Imagine a beautiful sunny day in Austin Texas enjoying a photo walk in the Historic Clarksville District. Have you visited this area of town lately?

As a native Austinite, I have visited Clarksville on several occasions but not to specifically become aware of, or to learn about the Black community that once thrived right here in my backyard.

The History of Clarksville

Clarksville Marker IMG_4304

During the photo walk, you are surrounded by a great story of our local history.

Charles Clark founded Clarksville in 1871. Clarksville is the oldest surviving freedom-town ‒ the original post-civil war settlement founded by former Black slaves west of the Mississippi river.

The historic district was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 in recognition of its unique and valuable history.

At least six communities of emancipated slaves existed around Austin including Wheatville (founded by celebrated Austin black leader Rev. Jacob Fontaine, Pleasant Hill, and Clarksville. In 1968 Clarksville residents unsuccessfully protested a state and local plan…

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY – FEBRUARY 16, 2016

Maternal Family Ancestry Search – The Children of Gilbert and Mary Shegog

Last year, I started a journey in search of “from whence I came.” I uncovered new information since writing the first two posts, “From Whence I Came: Gilbert and Mary” and “Family History: New Information-New Questions”.

New Information

A review of the Census Reports from 1900-1920 revealed new information about the eleven children of my great-great-grandparents, Gilbert and Mary Shegog. According to the:

1900 Census Report there were seven (7) children in the household:

Minerva (13-years-old) – My Great-Grandmother
Tommie (13-years-old) – Uncle Buddy
Abbie (9-years-old) – ????
Lily (8-years-old) – ???
Roxie – (4-years-old) – Aunt Roxie
Willie – (8-years-old) – Aunt Willie
Johnnie – Uncle Johnnie

1910 Census Report there were four (4) new children in the household.

Sallie (6-years-old) – Aunt Sallie
Walter (5-years-old) – ?????
Josie (3-years-old) – Aunt Josie
Robert (0 years old) – Uncle Robert

New Questions

I didn’t know about, Abbie, Lily and Walter. What happened to them.
What was my Great-Grandmother Minerva’s first husband’s name?
What was my Great-Great-Grandmother Mary’s maiden name?

Dead End

I reached a dead-end searching through Census Reports because:

I could not find verifiable matches for Gilbert Shegog in the Census Report for 1870, 1880 or 1890;
The name of slaves were not recorded on Census Reports until 1870. Only their age, gender, race, and the slaveholder’s name were recorded.

I hope to find more information about those who came before when I visit my cousin this summer. She is the keeper of our family Bible and photo album.

In the meantime, I plan to:

write of times spent with the children of Gilbert and Mary Shegog — Uncle Buddy, Aunt Roxie, Aunt Willie, Uncle Johnnie, Aunt Sallie, Aunt Josie, and Uncle Robert.
search for information in public records and other documents.

I began this journey to find out from “Whence I Came.” for me, my children, grandchildren, future generations as well as others who may have an interest in following me on this journey.