Spring blooming at Garvan Woodland Gardens

 

Photo by Cheré Coen

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Garvan Woodland Gardens at the onset of spring, viewing what seemed like endless rolling hills of daffodils and other spring flowers such as crocus and hyacinths. I’m a daffodil fan but I’ve been told that tulip days at the gardens outside Hot Springs, Ark., are a sight to see as well.

That’s why Garvan Woodland Gardens offers Tulip Extravaganza through April 30, showcasing more than 150,000 Dutch tulips, in addition to other spring annuals and azaleas in bloom. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with admission, $15 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12 and tykes 5 and under admitted free.

The gardens also offer a wide variety of workshops, special events such as bridal expos and musical performances, such as the upcoming “Celtic Spring” concert by the Muses Creative Artistry Project on March 12. Be sure and visit their website for more information at http://www.garvangardens.org.

Now enjoy the following spring fashion show:

Photo by Garvan Gardens

Photo by Cheré Coen

Photo by Cheré Coen

Photo by Cheré Coen

Photo by Cheré Coen

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer living in South Louisiana who is the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire and the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Visit Arkansas for a ‘Billgrimage’

Clinton House Museum

If you watched the Democratic Convention this summer, you might remember former Pres. Bill Clinton talking about his early days in Arkansas and meeting and marrying Hillary in Fayetteville. In fact, the couple was married in the living room of that bungalow near the University of Arkansas, where both taught law. 
The former Clinton residence is now open as the Clinton House Museum and includes photos, campaign materials and other memorabilia from when the Clintons resided there. The home, which is listed on the National Historic Registry, is located at 930 W. Clinton Drive in Fayetteville.

But that’s only one of the many sites throughout Arkansas that honor the Clintons. Here are the others for what tourism folks call a “Billgrimage,” since most have to do with Bill Clinton, the 42nd U.S. president and former governor of Arkansas (except for the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock).

Hot Springs, Arkansas

The two-story white frame house at 117 S. Hervey in the small town of Hope in Southwest Arkansas was the birthplace of William Jefferson Clinton, now a National Historic Site. The house belonged to Clinton's grandparents and is where he lived the first four years of his life. Near the home is the Hope Visitor Center and Museum, located in the former Union Pacific Railroad Depot at South Main and Division streets. Exhibits and videos on the history of the town and Clinton's connection to Hope can be seen here. A hand-carved wooden sign honoring Clinton is located in a park adjacent to the visitor center.

Clinton's childhood home on Park Avenue in Hot Springs is close to schools he attended and his favorite hangouts. A hand-carved sign honoring him is located in the Hill Wheatley Plaza on Central Avenue downtown. Be sure to stop by McClard's Bar-B-Q Restaurant, a favorite of Bill’s and a host of others; the barbecue is to die for!

            After Bill and Hillary were married in Fayetteville, Bill became governor and the couple lived in various residences in Little Rock, including the Arkansas Governor's Mansion at 18th and Center streets. A bronze bust of Bill Clinton can be seen on the grounds of the mansion. Also in Little Rock, Bill Clinton announced his bid for the presidency in 1991 at the Old State House Museum at 300 W. Markham St., which once served as the first state capitol and is now a museum of Arkansas history.

Oval Office replica at William J. Clinton Presidential Library

             The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, located at 1200 E. President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock, houses the largest collection of presidential papers and artifacts in the U.S. Visitors may learn of Bill Clinton and his years in the White House, plus his family life and post-presidential work. There is a replica of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room (left) that’s a favorite among visitors (check out the goofy photo below of me enjoying the presidential moment).

The Clinton Presidential Park Bridge, which is part of the Arkansas River Trail, is a ramped pedestrian pathway located next to the presidential center. Also adjacent to the center is the Presidential Park Wetlands that contains 13 acres of wetlands along the Arkansas River that’s perfect for a stroll after a visit to the presidential library. Next door is the historic Choctaw Station, which was built in 1899 and is now the home of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

            For more information about Clinton sites in Arkansas, visit www.Arkansas.com/things-to-do/arts/clinton-library.

Cheré Dastugue Coen is a food and travel writer living in South Louisiana. She is also the author of several Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire and the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.

Hail to football season starting — and all the weird yells of the Southeastern Conference

             Football starts tomorrow — Saturday, Sept. 5 — throughout the Southeastern Conference, where thousands — and we mean thousands — pack into stadiums and double the sizes of their perspective towns. Thousands more arrive just to tailgate, with the smells of delectable Southern treats emanating everywhere.

            If that’s not weird enough, there’s those crazy collegiate traditions, cheers and superstitions. We’ll looking at a few these coming weeks, but today it’s all about the cheers.

 

http://radioblast.podbean.com/

Ole Miss

Want to incite the crowd at Ole Miss games? Simply ask one question. Here’s what you receive in crowd noise when you shout out: “Are you ready?”

Hell yes!
Damn Right!
Hotty Toddy, Gosh almighty
Who the hell are we?
Hey!
Flim Flam, Bim Bam
Ole Miss, By Damn!

Called the Hotty Toddy, its origins are unclear, but Bleachreport.com claims it may have started as the “Heighty! Tighty!, which appeared in a Nov. 19, 1926, issue of the student newspaper, The Mississippian:

Heighty! Tighty!

Gosh A Mighty!

Who in the h--l are we?

Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam!

Ole Miss, by D--m

However it came to be, it’s something to see — and instigate. Here’s James Franco egging on the crowd when he was in Mississippi shooting a film. Click here.

 

http://www.fanpop.com/

Arkansas

            I hail from South Louisiana, where the only place we want to see a hog is over an open fire. In Arkansas, however, there’s one hog who lives in hog heaven. This Russian boar’s name is Tusk and he’s the mascot for the University of Arkansas, otherwise known as the Razorbacks. Tusk III (yes, he’s one in a long line of honored pigs) lives on a farm in Dardanelle, Arkansas, a place that’s so special he gets to roam around a 9,000-square-foot arena when summer gets too hot or in an almost equally spacious outdoor area.

            Tusk does get to travel, however. On game days he’s loaded up in a red truck and brought to Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It’s here that fans love to turn into hogs by cheering what is known as the “Calling of the Hogs.” Fans wiggle their fingers and raise their hands over their heads for about six seconds as they say “Woooo.” They then bring them down as they call out “Pig, Sooie.” You do this three times and on the final cheer call out “Razorbacks.”

            To see this in action, visit here.

 

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/

Texas A&M

            Texas A&M is one of the most spirited colleges in the SEC, with many colorful traditions. Students say “Howdy” to others they meet, an act encouraged as the official A&M greeting. Many say goodbye in a unique way as well, spouting out “Gig ’em!” This tradition hails back to a 1930 football game against Texas Christian University, known as the Horned Frogs. A&M graduate Pinky Downs wanted to incite a crowd gathered for a midnight yell practice and asked, “What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?” The answer was “Gig ‘em,” referring to what Southerners do to frogs when hunting them. Downs gave them the thumbs up while holding a fist and this hand gesture became the first of its kind in the Southwest Conference. You can hear the crowds chanting this now during A&M football kickoffs.

            Texas A&M is now a part of the Southeastern Conference.

LSU

            By the time football season is over you will know where my loyalty lies — hint, it bleeds purple and gold — which may be why I’m not mentioning that Roll Tide nonsense of Alabama. (Just kidding, I’ll give them airplay too. Maybe.) But we have a lot of cheers that veer toward indecent.

            When I worked at The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge my coworker hailed from South Carolina and said he was appalled at the first LSU game he attended and heard such “obnoxious behavior,” including one such cheer against Alabama. Are we that bad? Probably, but I laughed and sang it out, adding that the one about Ole Miss wasn’t too nice either.
          I’ll leave you all to ponder those. But check back in the next few weeks as we look at more cheers, jeers and Weird South football traditions. If you know of a few, pass them along.