For Valentine's Day, try some love mojo

            Valentine’s Day is on the horizon, so why not do something unique for your loved one with a little mojo magic?

            Gris gris bags, mojo bags, root bags — whatever you name them, they offer conjuring magic in a small pouch. Using amulets and charms to attract love has actually been in practice for centuries and in many cultures. In the South, Africans and African-Americans collected a variety of ingredients — usually “sticks, stones, roots and bones” — and placed them inside a flannel cloth, preferably red, as a magical amulet. These “gris gris” or “mojo” bags were used for luck in gambling, attracting love, stopping gossip, warding off evil and many other charms and spells.             So being in the spirit of the Valentine season, we’re going to show you how to create a love gris gris or mojo bag, based on the popular book, “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets” by Jude Bradley and Cheré Coen, (yes, your Weird South blog author).

            The best day to create a love gris gris is a Friday on a waxing (growing) moon. A full moon works as well. When the moon is waxing, it is time to create intention for things or people that you wish to come into your life. When the moon is full, the pull of the moon’s energy is at its highest, but a waxing moon works nicely too.

            Start with a pink or red bag, the color of love and passion respectively. You can make your own bags but simply sewing together three sides and connecting the top with a string pull or purchase these bags at craft stores. The pink ones you see here were bought at Michael’s.

            Choose your ingredients. Some of the most popular ingredients for love include roses, rosemary, lavender, basil, cinnamon and rose quartz. You can also include a photo of the person you love or wish for you to love you, or write that person’s name on a piece of paper and either include in the bag or burn and place the ashes in the bag. (Burning the paper releases your intention into the universe.)

            Add the ingredients into the bag, but make sure there is an odd number. Any number of items can be included in a gris gris bag, as long as the combination of elements adds up to an odd number and there are at least three items in the bag and no more than thirteen.  

            Carry your love gris gris with you, smell its earthy scent and know that love is on the way.           

            Want to learn more? Our book contains information on the use of bags throughout the world, what natural elements such as herbs and stones mean and how to create a variety of gris gris bags.

Pocahontas in Mississippi?

            If you get weary traveling up U.S. Highway 49 through the heart of Mississippi, you can visit a rest stop that includes bathrooms, tourist information and two Native American mounds.

            Located inside the highway’s median within Hinds County, these mounds — known as Pocahontas A and Pocahontas B — date back between 800 and 1300 A.D. and are registered with the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It is believed that the Coles Creek and Plaquemine Mississippian cultures once occupied the site. Researchers at Mississippi State University suspect the mounds may be older than previously thought, perhaps dating as far back as the Middle to Late Archaic period, from 4000 to 1000 B.C.

            Pocahontas Mound A is rectangular, dating between 1000 and 1300 A.D., according to the NRHP web site, and includes the “remains of a mud-plastered log-post building” on top of the mound once used for ceremonies or as the home of a chief. A village once surrounded the mound, according to the NRHP.

            The reason for the name has nothing to do with the mound’s Native American origin, however. At least not directly. The park and mounds are located in the town of Pocahontas, which originated when the Illinois Central Railroad came through in 1884. The town was named for the famous Native American princess, who lived on the East Coast and saved pioneer John Smith during America’s colonial days. The mounds inspired the early residents to give the town such a name, but Pocahontas never set foot in Mississippi and those who lived at the mounds never associated with Pocahontas’s tribe.

            Before the mounds were preserved, residents would use the tall earthen rises as platforms for speeches, mostly political. When U.S. 49 was being built, one of the mounds was almost destroyed to make way for the highway. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History came to the mounds’ rescue and convinced the powers-that-be to curve the highway away from the ancient rises. 

            In 1968, the park was constructed.

            Visitors can view the mounds from a short distance and learn about the site from information available at the rest stop, which is open to the public daily from dawn to dusk. The town of Pocahontas is about nine miles north of Jackson, Miss., at the interchange of U.S. 49 and Interstate 220.

Ringing in the Southern New Year

             You're probably familiar with the crystal ball drop that occurs at midnight in Times Square, New York, on New Year’s Eve, the massive televised event that rings in the New Year. Not to be outdone, the South has a few of its own.
            Alabama is home to the 12-foot-tall, 350-pound MoonPie that's lowered 34 stories from the RSA BankTrust Tower in downtown Mobile. Known as MoonPie Over Mobile, the celebration attracts 40,000 visitors and has been recognized by Oprah and Good Morning America as one of the most fun-filled New Year's celebrations in the country. And because Carnival begins on Jan. 6, the New Year celebration includes a Mardi Gras-style parade, a laser light show and live performances by the Village People and Evelyn Champagne King. Watch the video here. 

           A fleur de lis falls over the crowd from the top of Jax Brewery in New Orleans, followed by a 15-minute fireworks display over the Mississippi River at the New Orleans New Year's Eve fun. There's also a ball drop for the kids at the Louisiana Children's Museum starting at noon on New Year's Eve. You can view a video of the fun here. 

Geno Delafose

            The same can be said for Lafayette, Louisiana, the heart of Cajun Country, where the Children's Museum of Acadiana hosts a "New Year's Noon" ball drop and party for the little ones. Adults may want to head over to Lafayette's Vermilionville to catch Geno Delafose party on zydeco-style into the New Year.

            The original name for Tallapoosa, Georgia, was “Possum Snout” but was later changed to the more dignified Native American name that means “Golden River.” Folks here still like their possum, however, and drop a stuffed version of one named Spencer on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the New Year’s Eve drop, there will be entertainment, food and the crowning of the Possum Drop King and Queen (who are not stuffed, just an FYI) with a conclusion of fireworks.

Tallapoosa Possum Drop

             A giant pelican drops down from a 100-foot platform at the intersection of Palafox and Government streets in Pensacola. Festivities begin at 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve with live performances, a kids’ area and more. At the stroke of midnight, the whole city celebrates as the Pelican descends amidst fireworks and confetti.
            For New Year’s Eve, Key West drops three items: A large conch shell from the top of the famous Sloppy Joe’s Bar, a pirate wench from a schooner mast in the harbor and drag queen Sushi from a balcony on a bright red six-foot high heel at the Bourbon Street Pub/New Orleans House complex, followed by fireworks on the Back Bay.

            The largest drop in the South occurs in Historic Underground Atlanta, where a giant peach falls in front of more than 100,000 people, the largest New Year’s celebration of its kind in the southeast and second to New York nationwide. 

            For something more traditional, visit Fincastle, Virginia, which dates back to the 1700s. On New Year’s Eve, about 15 minutes before midnight, the courthouse bell begins ringing. Then the town’s churches ring their bells and it all continues until the courthouse bell strikes 12. Taps are then played to signify respect for the dying year and bell-ringers in the courthouse strike the digits of the New Year. Then three shotgun blasts indicate that it is time for the bells to joyously welcome the New Year by ringing for an additional 10 minutes.

Orange you glad Stark moved to southeast Texas?

            William Henry Stark moved to Orange, Texas, in 1870 to work in the area sawmills, working his way up the ladder and marrying Miriam Melissa Lutcher, daughter of a partner in the Lutcher Moore Cypress Lumber Company of Lutcher, Louisiana. Stark managed two mills for his father-in-law and invested in other industries and real estate, leading to him become one of the most successful southeast Texas residents.

Stark Museum of Art

            So why is this weird?

            If you visit the small town — and we mean pretty small — of Orange, Texas, today, you’ll find the world-class art museum, the Stark Museum of Art, surrounded by the historic buildings of the W.H. Stark House and the Lutcher Theatre.

            The Stark Museum or Art contains one of the nation’s most significant collections of 19th and 20th century American Western art and artifacts, in addition to American Indian art, collections of glass and porcelain and rare books and manuscripts. Stark and his wife built the massive 14,000 square foot Queen Anne house in 1894 and lived there until 1936. Today, the exquisite home is open to the public and displays its stained glass windows, woodwork in cypress and long leaf pine and the family’s furnishings. The Lutcher Theater is a 1,460-seat performing arts facility that houses the largest performing arts series from Houston to New Orleans.

W.H. Stark House

            The most astounding legacy of Stark, however, can be attributed to his son, Henry Jacob Lutcher Stark — the magnificent Shangri-La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. The gardens’ 252 acres houses more than 300 plant species in five formal “rooms” as well as four sculpture rooms, a bird blind to observe nesting birds in Shangri La’s heronry and the Nature Center which includes a hands-on exhibit called the Nature Discovery Center, a laboratory, and three outdoor classrooms located in the cypress swamp. The gardens also include an Exhibit Hall, Discovery Theater, Children’s Garden, Exhibition Greenhouses, Cafe, and Garden Store.

Shangri La

            H.J. Lutcher Stark was inspired by the mystical retreat written about in “Lost Horizon” and wanted to create one of his own in southeast Texas. He established the “Shangri La” gardens along Adams Bayou in 1937, an oasis that included a cypress/tupelo swamp and lines of gorgeous azalea bushes, Stark’s favorite flower.

            In 1946, the gardens were opened to the public and thousands of visitors traveled to Orange to experience Shangri-La. A snowstorm in 1958 closed the gardens and they remained so for almost 50 years when, with the support of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation, a private foundation that was established by Stark and his wife, Nelda, in 1961 prior to his death, reopened the estate. Today, the gardens are what Stark envisioned and so much more.

            During the holidays, Shangri La offers Evening Christmas Strolls where dazzling light displays and community-decorated Christmas trees greet visitors. The strolls are held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 11-13, 18-20 and 26-27. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and children and Shangri La members are admitted free. There is also half-price admission for each visitor with a non-perishable food item for one evening. Food donations will benefit Orange Christian Services. 

            Now orange you glad you read the whole blog?
            For information on attractions by the Stark Foundation, visit http://starkculturalvenues.org.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is also 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.

Southern baby superstitions

            In the old days, out in the countryside, it might be a day's ride or more to get to the nearest doctor. That's why many Southerners took to doctoring themselves, using herbs to cure sickness. Or maybe something else.

            A 1980 article in the Baton Rouge State Times lists some area folklore used on babies to cure illnesses. Have you heard of any of these?

            To stop hiccups, cross two broom straws in the crown of a baby’s head.

            To cure whopping cough, ride a stud horse until he gets real hot, then let him breathe in a baby’s face.

            Mullin leaves soaked in water and wrapped around a limb will ease joint pains and strains.

            Babies born with veils over their faces will see ghosts.

            Boiled and steeped bitter weed used to bathe a child with malaria will cure he of it.

            Ivory soap cut into a small suppository will cure constipation.

            To cure chest colds, mix and heat tallow and camphorated oil, rub on chest and bottom of feet.

            Also good for chest colds is to brown a piece of flannel and put on chest.

            To cure colic, blow smoke from a pile in baby’s diapers and on soft spot of baby’s head.

            Strange sights seen by a pregnant mother will mark a baby. So will the mother’s strong cravings during pregnancy.

           If you cut a baby's fingernails with scissors, it will steal.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is also 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.

Are you ready to ‘Bayou Some Stuff?’

            The name alone will draw you inside but there’s so much more to Bayou Some Stuff thrift shop in Sunset, Louisiana.

Marvel Guidry

Drive-by Poetry

            The shop is a throwback to the 60s, with peace signs everywhere and bumper stickers, signs and blankets proclaiming things such as “The hippies were right.” LPs and 45s line the walls, Bob Marley has a presence and every inch is covered with something old for sale. Out front is the heavily decorated hippie truck that’s a reason to visit all in itself.

            Marvel Guidry runs the place, an unapologetic hippie with a love of dogs who also run the shop so be sure and peek behind the counter. In addition to the rare albums, paperback novels, old kitchen items, quart crystals, jewelry and clothes, among so much more, Guidry sells original peace sign sun catchers and other glass art (she's one of several sisters who work in glass art). Again, hailing back to those free-thinking days, Guidry proudly offers a sign proclaiming, “Never apologize for your art.”

            Guidry participates in area festivities, such as the town’s Christmas celebrations and the autumnal Festival of Words, where “drive-by poets” pop in and recite poetry for customers. Poetry readings in a thrift store decorated with peace signs really works, y’all. Word!

            Bayou Some Stuff is located on the main street in Sunset and is surrounded by more antique and thrift shops, so you can make a day out of shopping just within a few blocks of the store. Next door is Café Josephine, a great place to eat, and we heard that a new tea shop has opened across the street next door to Jeralyn Lavergne’s Fused Glass Art Studio, Guidry's sister.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is also 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.

Ziplining over gators, are we crazy?

When I told people I would be ziplining across alligators, they felt my forehead for fever.

The truth was I was going to zipline over 100 alligators not to mention camels and other exotic creatures at Gators and Friends Alligator Park and Exotic Zoo in Greenwood, Louisiana, about 10 miles outside Shreveport!

The first thing you consider is how this has to be a novelty and that there can’t possibly be 100 gators lying beneath you waiting for a snack to fall. But the first thing one sees upon entering the park is several five- to six-foot alligators basking in the sun. Definitely cause for pause. One of my partners in insanity doubted they were real. They were real all right. So were the dozens of gators in the pond stretching beneath the zip lines.


Our guides went to great length to assure us that the cables and all related contraptions attached to our bodies, the poles at the top of the stairs we would climb and the double cables on which we would swing were all completely safe. Once I spotted what was involved, I have to admit I couldn’t imagine anything going wrong.

 
The real scare, it turned out, was climbing up a spiral staircase that rattled as you ascended and stepping off the first platform and letting yourself fly through the air. We did this several times, through woods and pastures, each one a little more advanced than the previous flight but never less scary in my eyes. Flying across a stretch of land on one of Louisiana’s finest autumn days was a thrill but I found myself gearing up so much to step off those platforms that I was exhausted by the last run.

And what a run that was. The longest stretch and one in which you fly the fastest is also the run over a large pond filled with gators. By this time you’d think you wouldn’t even consider the ancient reptiles below but still I did a double take. Now I would be stepping off that frightful platform and flying over creatures that might not kill me, but would definitely take off a limb or two.

I did it. I ziplined over gators!

“Don’t worry,” our guide informed us. “They are hibernating and don’t eat this time of year.”

Well, that was a relief.

Gators and Friends is great fun and now that I conquered my ziplining trek over unhungry gators I would confidently encourage anyone else to try the experience. The park’s also a great spot for walking among exotic animals and letting the kids pet tamer beasts such as miniature horses and deer. And when the gators are actual hungry, they even let the tourists feed them.

Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is also 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.