11 May 2007

Manic Monday - Green




The Time of Lilacs by Sophie Anderson




Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid 1800s.

Here is one version of the original song:

Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew
I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;
But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true
And change the green lilacs to the Red, White and Blue.
I once had a sweetheart, but now I have none
She's gone and she's left me, I care not for one
Since she's gone and left me, contented I'll be,
For she loves another one better than me.

Green Grow The Lilacs is also the title of the 1931 play by Lynn Riggs which became the basis of the libretto for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma!



In the 1930s, Oklahoma turned from green to brown causing a mass migration out of the destroyed heartland.





Many found greener pastures in California.



The Storms

1934 to 1936, marked three record drought years for the nation. In 1936, a more severe storm spread out of the plains and across most of the nation. The drought years were accompanied with record breaking heavy rains, blizzards, tornadoes and floods. In September 1930, it rained over five inches in a very short time in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Later that year, the regions were whipped again by a strong dirt storm from the southwest until the winds gave way to a blizzard from the north.

On Sunday April 14, 1935, the sun came up in a clear sky. The day was warm and pleasant, a gentle breeze whimpered out of the southwest. Suddenly a cloud appeared on the horizon. Birds flew swiftly ahead of it, but not swift enough for the cloud traveling at sixty miles per hour. This day, which many people of the area readily remember, was named "Black Sunday".

Just to end on a happier note, here are all six girls above born in Oklahoma who migrated to Fowler, California - A much greener place to be.




The little one to the right of the elderly lady above and second from the left with her sisters graduated from Fowler High School in 1936 and had to go out into the world to earn some green.



She's also my mother who passed away when I was only 17 and even after 46 years, the memories are still green particularly on Mother's Day.


23 comments:

vanillabirdies said...

Love history, great poem...and I had no clue! Oklahoma is just one of those musicals that seems to have existed forever. It has origins?!?!

Crazy Working Mom said...

Yeah, I never realized there was so much history either! :)

Great MM post. Have a good one.

Travis Cody said...

Your mom was a hottie!

I really enjoyed this post. I really appreciate the history you share.

Sandee said...

Another great history lesson. Your mother was beautiful. I too miss my mother. We always will.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

wonderful post, thanks...

smiles, bee

Anonymous said...

great WW post!! Have a wonderful monday!

Gattina said...

What a hard life and such a nice story !

Unknown said...

Outstanding post! Thank you for taking time to do the research and the effort to share!

peace, Villager

Stine said...

Thanks for popping by! I love your historic posts, I always learn something new when I visit here. I never knew my mother, so I try to live so that my kids remember me fondly...

Robin - Erithacus rubecula said...

Jamie

I really enjoy your blog...and your postings on others blogs...

I love that I learn something when I drop by here...

Robyne

NOLADawn said...

Wonderful post! I love learning something when I blog hop.

Lizza said...

What a lovely post about history and family, Jamie.

That's a beautiful picture of your mother; I love seeing old photos.

Thanks for sharing!

Liza on Maui said...

Mother's Memories will always be green because it's watered by love :)

Unknown said...

Great post!!

Alice (in BC Canada) said...

Great MM post... good job.

You're invited to check mine out.

Foofa said...

Your mother was a true beauty. It's nice to hear some pleasant stories about the migration from Oklahoma to California. When I think of it all I see is Grapes of Wrath and Dorothea Lange

Lisa Ryan said...

great photo of your mom! and loved the poem.

Linda said...

What a great post! Lots of memories and history.

Hope you had a terrific Mother's Day!

Amazing Gracie said...

I'm never disappointed when I visit here. Your mother's profile is so sweet! Her picture is a true treasure. I wonder how many visitors can sing along with us to "Green Grow the Lilacs..."

Danielle said...

It was such an honor to read of your family's history, what an excellent post. Your mother was breathtaking and her energy resounds within you.

Beautiful

Unknown said...

I remember my mom telling me of the dust storms during the dirty thirties. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Great post.

Later Y'all

The Rock Chick said...

Beautiful pictures and beautiful memories. Your mother was stunning. I enjoy reading about other people's trips down memory lane. I always find it interesting that decisions made by my grandparents (like moving to Chicago) have completely affected my life because I am here in Chicago instead of Alabama where they originally lived.

Thanks for sharing--
Jessica The Rock Chick

Mimi Lenox said...

Jamie - Thanks for posting this again on FB today. Lots of comments here from our previous blogging community. It is a beautiful post. Your mother! What a beauty!

I love the way you weaved that color seamlessly into the next thought and paragraph. Well done.