WordPress has put me through no end of grief trying to post stuff to the blog this year. It seems that I used the wrong code to embed a video from YouTube, and this caused a feedback loop or something, so the only thing that showed up was the incorrect code and some text around it, over and over again.
The AI helper that is supposed to help you solve problems gave me some directions and I followed them, then found that I could not add anything to the blog. Finding itself out of its depth, the AI helper referred me to a real person, but since no real person was available, it promised to get back to me or send me an email. Neither happened.
Later I tried again and actually got in touch with a real person. She took some time to look over all the files, got back to me to tell me how to fix them, and disconnected. I did get a message later saying that the problem was that I did what the AI helper told me to do, but it was the wrong thing.
Well, the AI helper was able to figure stuff out a little better today, so hopefully we are up and running. But just remember that computers are animated by the souls of the damned.
It’s true! I read it on the internet!
But before AI actually figures out what it is trying to do and turns us all into its work slaves, we still have time to concentrate on more happy stuff.
Charlotte offered the morning devotion this morning and talked about gratitude. A nice topic for somebody like me, who tends toward a glass-is-happy-empty view of life. I thought I remembered a song by that title. Turns out that there are a number of them. I finally found the one I was looking for.
Back at High Cotton
I dropped on by this afternoon. When I walked in, Jay was hugging a local boy and congratulating him for completing first grade. A few more locals dropped in for lunch. High Cotton is always an interesting place. It reminds me a lot of my high school art teacher’s classroom. It gathered random artistic-type stuff over the years, and items might stay on the walls for years. It seems Stephanie is always working on something. I picked up another t-shirt.
Anyway, I am pleased to be able to announce that Stephanie is taking over as the director of the local Boys and Girls Club, which in turn is taking over programs at the Tutwiler Community Education Center.
(BTW, if you click on the link, it not only tells you all about it but offers a link where you can make a donation.)
So soon we can count on the youth of Tutwiler playing basketball, doing artsy things, and otherwise engaging in interesting and fun activities this summer.
As we leave High Cotton, it is only fair for me to mention that although it is not as lavish as the Ladies’ Room, the Men’s Room is tastefully decorated.
Moving on to House #50
That’s it. We have done all the work we can on House #49. The rest of the work consists of hooking up appliances, adding a handicapped commode, and other details that J.D. will handle on his own.
It also concludes all the houses that can be built in this section. Since I have been working here, we worked on houses all the way up the highway and then another five or six on the opposite side of the road. Now WTHFH has to branch out. so the house we are working on is across the bayou.
So here is House #50.
This one is a bit different than the ones we have worked on in recent years. The roof is not installed, so there is water everywhere because it rained last night. I do not know if it is the same layout as the others.
We are doing a lot of wiring on this one. Andy ran into town (not sure which town) to get some appropriate cable. Like I said, we have a talented crew, and several of us have experience with wires and other things electrical, so they are going at it. We were supposed to take half a day off this afternoon, but several people want to keep working.
Jacob is our rookie this year. He has been hard at it and says that he is enjoying the trip. In addition to his skills and positive attitude, he lowers the average age of our group by a considerable margin. So let us remind everyone again, we are a nice, friendly bunch, we do good work, we have a lot of fun, and we always welcome new faces. So people are always welcome to join the crew!
As I mentioned, our crew is more talented than most. Jon has done just about everything. Andy is an engineer, and Charlotte has been handling sound and lights in theaters for years, so they all dove in and got to work wiring House #50.
Jon and Andy concluded that the materials available did not meet their standards, so they took off for the nearest Lowe’s Hardware, 46 miles away.
Jon is getting into the wiring with skill and enthusiasm.
Tutwiler
Along with the substandard buildings, there are some nice ones in town, at least they look good from the outside.
There is also a lot of natural beauty.
The bayou is not a place to swim. As Lorenzo put it, “If you fell in there, you’d come out blacker than me.” But the cypress trees are pretty. (At least that is what I think they are, either bald cypress or pond cypress. Somebody can correct me if I am wrong.) There are some impressive ones in the area.
There is plenty of open space and trees. It compares nicely with the Forest Preserves in Chicago. There are definitely things to love in the delta.
Clarksdale
Just about every year, we make a trip into nearby Clarksdale, MS. Sixteen miles from Tutwiler Clarksdale is about the closest thing that passes for a city around here. We traditionally stop on the way down and have dinner at the local Mexican restaurant. It is also the only place nearby that has a grocery store.
According to AI, Clarksdale, Mississippi has an estimated population of approximately 13,400 to 14,200 residents. This makes it the 27th most populated city in the state. For only #27, Clarksdale has more than its share of history and significance. It is the home of the Delta Blues Museum, a huge number of music venues, and endless blues festivals. There is one somewhere or another about every other weekend. Many legendary blues artists moved north during the Great Migration and wound up in Chicago, where their fame spread throughout the world. The most famous music venue in town is Ground Zero Blues Club, so named because it is Ground Zero for blues music.
https://visitmississippi.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/ground-zero-blues-club/
Clarksdale had some significant role in the Civil Rights Movement, but I do not recall what exactly. I think it had something to do with beating protestors or something like that.
In addition to its historical and cultural significance, Clarksdale is representative of the state. There are nice looking buildings next to burned out ones. It has a lovely library, originally built by Andrew Carnegie and since expanded. It would be a great place for a book nerd like me. One of the more notable businesses is Cathead, a combination record/clothing/art store.
Cathead would be a cool place to hang out in just about any city. It is place to get an overview of the cool stuff and places around town. I met with the manager on one of our recent trips. He moved down because he fell in love with the great music. He moved into a place on the other side of the Sunflower river that bisects the town. “I thought it was great. I lasted about a month.” Clarksdale definitely has some areas of town where you do not want to be after dark, or during daylight, for that matter.
Along the main drag of music venues is one that used to look promising. Unfortunately, if you approach it from the rear, it is entirely burned out. Mike and Jacob took a driving tour of the town yesterday. They found nice looking houses that would seem to fit into a comfortable suburban community next door to others that are boarded up or burned out.
Habachi Restaurant
At the end of the week, our crew has a potluck dinner with some of the local Habitat homeowners, board members, and volunteers. These used to be held at the community center, but they have declined in attendance over the last few years, and other events have crowded the calendar in the area. The weekend we come down is often the last week of the school year and thus the same time that many families are celebrating grade school and high school graduations. A few times we have held the dinner in the Habitat dorm or a local church. This year program manager Sheri decided to hold the event at the Hibachi Restaurant in Clarksdale. That worked out well for us because it gave us a chance to hang out in the blues clubs afterward.
I guess the best way to describe the restaurant is that it is absolutely Mississippi. As I understand it, hibachi typically refers to those Japanese places where chefs grill meat while twirling spice containers and sharp cooking instruments, often simulating or perhaps posing a threat to the safety of the diners. That was not this place.
The best way to describe the restaurant would be eclectic. There are no grills or death defying chefs. Mostly it is a Chinese buffet. There is a Japanese section, but it consists of sushi. Not being a fan of uncooked fish, I passed on that. The Chinese food was not bad, though not up to the standards I would expect back home (though I must say the green beans were excellent.) And no doubt in an effort to appeal to the local clientele, there is a section labeled Soul Food.
I am not sure what the Thanksgiving turkeys are supposed to represent, particularly just before Memorial Day
But what better represents Japanese culture and cuisine than Godzilla?
The Soul Food section had some respectable fried chicken, edible corn bread, and banana pudding which I am told was not up to J.D.’s standards. ( I can personally attest to the fact that J.D.’s banana pudding sets a standard that is difficult to meet, but the consensus of opinion is that it did not come close.) Everyone is still wondering how crab legs an oysters wound up in the desert section. Different tastes, I guess.
The restaurant also provides condiments appropriate to the area and a decidedly Baptist warning about wasting food.
Well anyway, we had an enjoyable meal. Between our crew, the Habitat board members, and various others we took up a good section of the restaurant.
Sherri insisted on a picture of Jim, as he is the oldest WTHFH volunteer to date.
While Andy enjoyed a conversation with Yketa, the soon-to-be owner of House #50.
The food at the potluck varies in quality and attractiveness. Most of them include at least two or three versions of fried chicken, but Andy discovered to his dismay that the locals do not care for his version of green curry. (We love it though. Andy is an amazing cook.)
But the potluck always provides us a chance to meet and get to know with the residents of Tutwiler. We see different people different years. Some come back year after year and others do not, but it definitely helps build a connection to the community. We do not feel like strangers.
Music
Then it was on to the entertainment. Clarksdale has a huge number of venues to listen to music. On a given night, some are open, some are closed, and some are burned down. We have passed Red’s any number of times, but this was the first time we were able to find it open with music was playing.
Red’s is apparently legendary. It fits into the classic juke joint tradition. The room is small, tightly packed, and more than a little seedy. The bar has a limited inventory. The men’s room, consisting of one toilet, one sink, and just enough room to turn around among the plywood walls is about standard for crummy bar bathrooms, though the door seems to be made of balsa wood and cannot be securely closed. The entertainer tonight walked around the room playing guitar and accompanying himself on harmonica while singing songs mostly about getting drunk. Like I said, typical of the blues tradition.
I did not get his name, but he played on the albums of some pretty significant blues artists, accompanied by other significant blues artists, so he has achieved some fame within the genre.
Then we moved on to Ground Zero.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_Zero_Blues_Club
Ground Zero is legitimately famous. Some of the greatest names in blues music have appeared there. A couple of times, we have arrived on the night when all the folks who have graduated from harmonica school get to appear on stage and show off what they learned. The form a train starting from the least experienced to the most, and everybody gets to play a solo with the band. That concludes when all the teachers take the stage together and just about blow the roof off.
More recently, patrons are prohibited from writing their names on the pool tables. Personally, I have always chosen to stand out by not putting my name on anything.
Jacob took the opportunity to shoot a couple games of pool. He won his first game against one of the teachers from the Delta Blues Museum. Then he took on somebody good and lost.
Tonight was open stage night. Sometimes that leads to some great performances by talented artists. Tonight it did not. But it is still worth a visit if you are in the area.
Hammerin' In the Delta 
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