The good Lord willing and the Creeks don’t rise, I’ll be in Chattanooga when the sun goes down today. Have you ever heard that expression? (Southerners, be quiet and sit on your hands for this one.) I’ve heard it most of my life, and of course I first assumed it meant, If providence allows and the roads don’t flood. I have since learned an alternative version. “Creeks” refers to the Creek Indians, a dominant eastern tribe when European settlers appeared in North America. That’s probably correct; it makes sense. Not far from where I was born in Alabama is Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River. There, in 1814, Andrew Jackson and an army of Tennesseans attacked a fortified Creek village during the climactic battle to subdue the Creeks in Alabama after years of skirmishes. The source of all this friction was, of course, a desperate attempt by the Indians to hang on to their natural-born place in this world. It didn’t work. More Native Americans died in battle on that day than on any other day during all the 19th Century Indian wars. From there, Jackson and his bunch marched to New Orleans, but that’s another history lesson. And Chattanooga? Well, we’re out of time.
207 responses to “The Sound of Music”
Good morning Villagers…..
Usually I am much earlier than this, but due to a sleepless night before (not last night) Dad and I caught up on much needed sleep. We both woke up at 7is and felt refreshed. He ate breakfast and is not asleep in recliner… Amen
Sisters and I last night ordered the headstone for Mom and Stepfathers’ resting place….complete with hummingbird. It was bittersweet after 3 years. Saw some interesting engraving on headstones completed and ready for shipment…complete with Tinkerbell on the front of one…different.
Then my sisters took me out to eat at a Mexican restaurant….it was a full feeling experience. (Oh, Ian stayed with Grandpa)
Overcast today. 60 degrees,. Already scrubbed kitchen floor, hands and knees thank you very much.
Laura, have you had a chance to check out BCN’s instagram….love the newspapers’ editions.
Jerry, I will look into the ‘trap’.
Ya’ll have a blessed day…..
….rats…Dad is asleep in the recliner….
Enroute to cardiac tests. We are hour early. I will probably be early for rest of my life.
Spell check said easier.
That is an expression that means something different today than it did when it originated. However whether it means the Creek Nation or a creek, it is immaterial today. If it is part of God’s will, then it will happen, if it is not, then it won’t. I think that it is interesting to learn about our history, as without that saying, I would have never heard of the Creek Nation. Or at least would have forgotten it from history class.
I love word and phrase origins, and I had never heard this one. I’m from California, and have both heard and used this phrase in humor. Now I can wow with Indian history. Haha
The native people in Oklahoma do not use this expression. They consider Andrew Jackson to be the devil incarnate and will not use $20 bills.
My friend just informed me Jackson is being taken from the $20 and replaced with Harriet Tubman.
Decorah North had first egg laid on Fe 19th; regular Decorah had first egg on Fe 20th. If it takes 35-36 days, we ought to be seeing eaglets in both places very soon, and for a total of 6 times if all hatch.
The climactic battle is considered a massacre by Native people’s as most killed were women and children. This is not politically correct, hence Harriet Tubman.
Without this massacre perpetrated by the Creeks first, the other by Andrew Jackson would probably not have happened: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mims_massacre
Mr. Johnston, you have probably answered this question before,but when did Gene get blonde hair? I thought that he was dark-haired (which, I grant, I preferred).
I’m from the Yankee-fied part of Delaware but I grew up knowing the phrase “If the Good Lord’s willing and the creek [pronounced ‘crick’] don’t rise”.
BTW, regarding today’s throwback comic: Bop ’til you drop!
I always heard it as “and the crik don’t rise” from my Okee family. But I like your idea.
I, from the wilds of New York City(!), had always heard the expression as referring to a rivulet flooding or not. About 10-12 years ago, I heard about the expression as referring to a given tribe. It seems to make sense either way, and I’m in no position to know which arose first.
I always heard crick too and we meant high water in a creek
c x-p: I watched the D-N nest for about an hr. before lunch. Just before adults changed places, noticed one egg had pipped [unless ad. had punctured it accidentally]. Ad. that left had a uniformly pale yellow bill. Ad. who took over and who is still on nest now has more orange on bill’s tip. No idea who is M or F. Do not know how either voted. [After all, they are our national bird.] Peace,
http://explore.org/live-cams/player/decorah-eagles-north-nest
Made thru nuclear stress test for heart. Ate at PF Chang and had great salmon, greens, spinach, chopped salad, brown rice, pepper steak and ginger fruit shortcake.
Friend says he is putting me on fruit and Vegs, no more fabulous meals. We have said that daily.
Debbe I finally took a look at the pics. Wow, there were a lot of them to peruse. I loved the ones of her cats. Her drawings are just so amazing. I enjoy BCN. It rates up there right after Arlo & Janis.
Yup live in the Appalachians and always heard it as “crick”. Not sure I can pronounce creek, but I do like the version referring the Creek Indians, although I was passing familiar with Creek history I had never heard the version.
Several decades ago, linguists discovered the little town where I live.
They found that the town is virtually on the dividing line between the metropolitan dialect and accent that is prevalent to the northwest in cities such as Columbus and the Appalachian dialect and accent that is favored to the southeast.
As a result, we have an incredible blend of speech. Listen for but a few moments, and you will hear some say, “crick, deesh, and tar,” while others say, “creek, dish, and tire.”
As a former teacher of English, I love it.
The only thing that is better is returning to my birthplace: Bowling Green, Kentucky. It’s always good to go home and hear people speaking English the way it’s meant to be spoken.
Jimmy:
I find it to be extremely difficult to accept what was done to the Native Americans. The utter barbarity of it sickens me.
Even worse is the knowledge that humankind is no better now than it was then.
Just a cursory look at the world news provides ample proof.
You got that right. I never did like Russian dressing.
I am with Rick on this.
We stole their country and killed most of the native people. I consider us wrong on how webtreated.our tribal Americans.
AND continue room do so.
Re several posts just above, didn’t someone just urge us to ‘talk about politics at other websites’? Peace,
Dear emb, I don’t see any political posts recently. They would be talking about actual candidates or elected officials, and actual votes and programs, and using peoples’ names, and political parties. The comments here are from the history books and aren’t related to current events. Selfishness and greed are at fault in those horrible events and there’s plenty to spread around.
Speaking as one who got her knuckles rapped a few times for writing of election stuff — yes, lets stay away from partisan politics here in the Village.
Jerry in FL, I feel your pain, but comments are not going to change the situation — I’ve seen lots on the Internet, but they are written on the wind and will blow away without affecting events. Jerry, maybe you should consider going on Facebook. It’s easy to do and you could post your thoughts and get interesting replies; no, I’m not being sarcastic. I’m on Facebook a lot, mostly reading what my family and friends talk about, and seeing photos of children and grandchildren. They talk freely and there are also a lot of puns and good humored remarks.