Whiteley Creek Homestead

I have returned to the classroom… not as a teacher but as a student. A load of laundry is sloshing round and round in my front-loading washer, my dishwasher is so graciously cleaning my dishes for me, and my bread machine is kneading and providing a perfectly controlled temperature for my honey whole wheat bread's first rise so that I can then place it in a bread pan for its second rise before inserting in the oven. I picked a bouquet of cosmos from my garden and prepared a steaming cup of herbal orange spice tea (rosehips, orange peel, hibiscus, blackberry leaf, cloves, and roasted chicory) in my Grandma Grace's teacup. The birds feeding just off my backporch are supplying the most lovely melodies… no need for a nature CD. This is my classroom.  

 

I am earning my Bachelor's Degree in Holistic Nutrition. I have a jump start, since my general ED credits from the first two years of my Bachelor's and Master's education degrees transferred, so I am able to begin my core classes right away. I am taking two 3-credit classes to earn 6 credits this first term. One class is Basic Herbology and the other is Fundamentals of Holistic Nutrition. Since I will soon be mixing my own teas, tinctures, and creams, Dick has begun calling me the "Voodoo Queen". You see, there is a guy from Brainerd that provides music in the evenings in one of the entertainment buildings at the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion at Rollag, Minnesota that is held every Labor Day Weekend.  He does an amazing rendition of a song named "Marie Laveau" about a voodoo lady who lived in a swamp in Louisiana. Every night, throughout the event, we request that he sing the song.

Marie Laveau Words & Music by Shel Silverstein & Baxter Taylor. 

Down in Lou´siana where the black trees grow

Lives a voodoo lady named Marie Laveaux.

She got a black cat tooth and a mojo bone,

And anyone wouldn´t leave her alone.

She go GREEEEEEEEEEEE…

Another man done gone.

She live in a swamp in a hollow log

With a one-eyed snake and a three-legged dog.

She got a bent bony body and stringy hair,

And if she ever seen you messin´ round there,

She go GREEEEEEEEEEEE…

Another man done gone.

And then one night when the moon was black,

Into the swamp came Handsome Jack.

A no-good man like you all know,

And he was lookin´ around for Marie Laveaux .

He said, "Marie Laveau, you lovely witch,

Why don´t you gimme a little charm that´ll make me rich.

Gimme million dollars, and I´ll tell you what I´ll do…

This very night I´m gonna marry you."

It´ll be UMMMMMMMM…

Another man done gone.

So Marie did some magic and she shook a little sand,

Made a million dollars, and she put it in his hand.

Then she looked and she said , "Hey hey,

I´m gettin´ ready for my wedding day."

But ol´ Handsome Jack said "Good-bye Marie.

You too damn ugly for a man like me."

So Marie started shakin´, her fangs started gnashin´,

Her body started shakin´, and her eyes started flashin´.

She went GREEEEEEEEEEEE…

Another man done gone.

So if you ever get down where the black tree grow

And meet a voodoo lady named Marie Laveaux,

And if she ever asks you to make her your wife,

Man, you better stay with her for the rest of your life

Or it´ll be GREEEEEEEEEEEE…

Another man done gone.

 

Copyright © 1972  /  Evil-Eye Music Inc , N.Y