WOW - what a ride

So in the last week I've: been part of a serious, real-life joke (if you know me personally and heard the Crazy military guy, the 'flighty' flight attendent, and the asian dude - you'll know what I mean), visited a historic cemetery, seen a movie at the famour FOX theater, attended a conference for the day job, visited a 1920's home, eaten a Bison steak, and toured the Museum of High Art...whew...

Oh, AND I updated my blog, finished "Plot and Structure" and "Hero's and Heroines", outlined three books, and started character sketches.

Man, my feet/brain hurts. All of that said, I didn't quite do some very personal things I should have taken care of, such as: call my friends Brandi and Sherry (I love you guys) and started my next BlackLace story. The first - I HATE talking on the phone, to anyone, so it's not personal. The second - well, I can't get a good idea and I've been so focused on my Mist's stories - now called "The Divine Sister Trilogy" - well, procrastination is my middle name. So back to the trip...{Portrait of me at The Fox} Sunday night, June 7th, I visited the Historic Fox Theater to see the movie "Atonement". Fabulous movie - heart-wrenching love story.

Entering the FOX

At the Fox, visitors encounter an indoor Arabian courtyard with a sky full of flickering stars and magically drifting clouds; a spectacular striped canopy overhanging the balcony; stage curtains depicting mosques and Moorish rulers in hand sewn sequins and rhinestones. Beautiful light in the theater.

The giant Möller theater organ Mighty Mo is the Fox Theatre's crown jewel. This irreplaceable relic of movie theater lore is a masterpiece of organ design. Mighty Mo was custom-made for the Fox Theatre in 1929. It's the second largest theater organ in the world. Organists consider a performance on Mighty Mo the pinnacle of their career. Bob Van Camp was the house organist for more than 25 years. When he died, his ashes were sprinkled in the attic over the organ chambers.

Next, I visited the Atlanta Historic Center and toured the fabulous Swan House. I was unable to take any interior pictures, but here are some photos of the gardens leading up to the house and the exterior of the house.

The Swan House is an example of how one prominent family lived during the 1920s and 1930s. The heir to a large cotton brokerage fortune amassed in the post-Civil War "New South” era, Edward Inman was a wealthy Atlanta businessman with interests in real estate, transportation, and banking. Philip Trammel Shutze was the architect for Swan House and its gardens.

The Inmans moved into their new home in 1928; just three years later, Edward Inman died suddenly at age 49 from a heart attack. Alone in the large house, Emily Inman asked her older son, Hugh, and his family to live with her. The elegant adult retreat became a home for children and grandchildren.

Mrs. Inman lived in Swan House until 1965 during which time she made only minor changes to its interior and exterior. The house, furnishings, and 28-acre estate were purchased by the Atlanta Historical Society in 1966 and opened to the public the following year. Most of what you see belonged to the Inman family.

Then I toured the exhibit on the history of Atlanta, from the beginning establishement, through the Civil War and the burning of Atlanta, to today. Atlanta is often symbolized by the Pheonix, a bird which erupts in fire at the end of its life and is reborn from its ashes. How very symbolic.

Atlanta is rich with history, a cornerstone of much of Americas history resides here. I had a wonderful visit, the people are full of Southern hospitality, the food is full of flavor and surprise, and you never know what you'll learn around the next corner...

Time to return to my real-life, but what an adventure!

Historic Oakland Cemetery

Once again I was sucked into the 'underground' world of a city. This little adventure proved even more exciting to find out the famous Margaret Mitchell ~ an inspiration to romance writers the world over. First, you know you are going to a place rarely visited by the living when you get in a cab and say "The Oakland Cemetery" and the cab driver says "Where?", THEN hotel concierge doesn't know either when the cab driver asks him! After a bit of an adventure with the cab following my address specifications and a GPS unit, we arrive. I began my personalized guided tour at the Oakland Street entry.

This is the Oakland Street Gated Entrance, built somwhere around the 1890's.

Welcome...to the Historic Oakland Cemetery. There are something like 19 moseleum over the 48 acre cemetery.

Interesting engraving, and kind of spooky: "She is not dead, she is just away."

My very nice tour guide and I began at the historic bell house. The heat index for Sunday was over 100 degrees, but the heat was so worth the amazing history of this fabulous southern cemetery. In the beginning of the cemetery, the bell in the bell house would be tolled at the time the casket entered the cemetery until the casket arrived at the bell house or the plot. Just some quick history: the cemetery was established in the mid-1800's. The City of Atlanta formed at the convergence of two railroads and was originally just a small stop on the railroad. For four years, the Mayor's daughter was the original namesake of Atlanta - so Atlanta was once known as Marthasville. Within four years, the terms "Atlanta" was used to define the city because of the location of the city on the Atlantic Ocean.

The Saxon used to live in the bell house, but it has now been converted to offices and a very unique, and charming isitor center and shop. The guide began our tour here first. This is the 'basement' of the the bell house where they could store caskets until the funeral. They kept them here because it was nice and cool. Frankly - this creeped me out! Think Blair Witch Project - ...

This man built the first suburb in Atlanta. He had this statue made while he still lived. When the statue was set, he had them turn the monument so that he faced the Oakland Street entrance, because, as he said, "To see all who enter."

This cemetery probably has MANY upset spirits. The cemetery sustained quite a bit of damage from the March 2008 tornado that ripped through Atlanta. Huge, ancient trees and tall headstones lay broken and demolished all over the cemetery.

This statue was near the bell house. A woman in misery, head bowed. But the thick, black, moss covering her mouth appears to be preventing her from speaking...I kept waiting for her to turn and look me in the face...

Beautiful moseleum. One thing I noticed was the lack of glass in the moseleums as well as the doors being left open.

A beautiful headstone with interesting family name.

This squirrel was staying out of the heat...or was he protecting the shadowed headstone? Could he be the eternal guard of the grave, in the form of an animal. Or is the spirit of the dead, reincarnated in animal form?

And where is this door leading??

A little note to those who pass by:

Another moseleum. This families young children died and placed two huge, copper urns on either side of the moseleum.

This one dedicated to their daughter on her 26th birthday...

Oh, and by the way...I found him...LOL

Statue of a mortally wounded lion still clutching the flag. A momnument to the unknown Confederate dead.

This man had this statue commissioned on the death of his daughter (right) and wife (left). Notice the wife looking up with an open book - this means wisdom and knowledge. The daughter looking down, a closed book on her lap - means conceled from man. The palm leaf is for Spiritual Victory, and the wreath is for memory. The cross is a testiment to their Irish backgrond.

This early doctor practiced in an age when much was unknown about death. The time when graves were installed with bells and strings leading to the deads coffin, so if they were buried alive - they could ring the bell upon waking and the Saxon would come dig them out! This doctor asked to have his throat slit upon his death to ensure he was dead.

Another explaination for 'wakes' - around the clock watching of a corpse to make sure they did not "wake up" to prove they had not died.
This angel fell from this large Congressmans headstone. Originally it had a life-size Gabrielle on top with two smaller angels on either side of him - snuffing the fires of 'life' with their horns.

This angel was placed here by the Orphanage. She watches over the children who died from the Orphanage. Her urn was full of coins ~ offerings and gifts to the Orphanage.

This moseleum has an interesting story. In the time before Altanta was a well established City and was still mostly a 'Saloon' type town - two brothers, the Hill brother - went downtown to drink. At the Saloon, they got into an argument. The fight followed them back to their apartment that night where one brother shot and killed the other. Later that night, the surviving brother turned the gun on himself. The Uncle built this moseleum around the two brothers, sealing them togehter for eternity. The moseleum has no windows or doors. He forced them to live together into eternity...

This moseleum belonged to a foreign banker. He only lived in Atlanta a short time, but loved the City so much that he built this Gothic-style moseleum - complete with gargoyles.
Beautiful dedication to a woman admired by the Community. Apparently she was always the one to visit the sick or to lend a helping hand...

And the burial plot of Margaret Mitchell Marsh. A woman who wrote an eic novel. She never would write another book after Gone With The Wind - so turned off by the publicity the epic story earned her. Legend has it that she almost didn't go to the movie premier - but the charming Rhett Butler convinced her to allow him and Vivian Lee to escort her.

Margaret's father was one of the historical preservationists of Atlanta, so I sure she heard many first hand history accounts from her father around the dinner table.

Thanks again for reading...oh, and guess who I saw while out the next day! That's right...