Black Bayou

Swamp Witch

Performed By: Jim Stafford

Written By: Jim Stafford

From the 1974 Album: Jim Stafford

Stafford wrote many of the songs for which he is famous, including his first chart hit, "Swamp Witch". He has brought his inimitable style to several movie soundtracks. He received a gold record for his work in the Disney movie, The Fox and The Hound, and writes for other popular artists.

Stafford is self-taught on guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, organ and harmonica. 

Black water Hattie lived back in the swamp,

Where the strange green reptiles crawl.

(Gator Farm - Tybee Island, Georgia)

Snakes hang thick from the cypress trees,

Like sausage on a smokehouse wall.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Rookery)

Where the swamp is alive with a thousand eyes,
An' all of them watching you.


(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head)

Stay off the track to Hattie's shack,

In the back of the Black Bayou.

(Fountain of Youth - St. Augustine, Florida)

Way up the road from Hattie's shack,

Lies a sleepy little Okeechobee town.

Talk of swamp witch Hattie,

Lock you in when the sun goes down.

(St. Augustine, Florida)

Rumors of what she'd done,

Rumors of what she'd do.

Kept folks off the track of Hattie's shack,

In the back of the Black Bayou.

(Shrunken Head - Lightner Museum - St. Augustine, Florida)

One day brought the rain and the rain stayed on,

(Looking out my front door - 2/29/12)

And the swamp water overflowed.

Skeeters and the fever grabbed the town like a fist,

Doctor Jackson was the first to go.

(Roadside ditch)

Some said the plague was brought by Hattie.

There was talk of a hangin' too.

(Hubby - Gallows at Old Jail - St. Augustine, Florida 2008)

But the talk got shackled by the howls and the cackles,

From the bowels of the Black Bayou.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head 2007)

Early one morn 'tween dark and dawn when shadows filled the sky.

There came an unseen caller on a town where hope'd dry.

(Fog along the Highway - Bowling Green, Kentucky)

In the square there was found a big black round vat full of gurgling brew.

(Flower Pot in My Front Yard)

Whispering sounds as the folk gathered round.

"It came from the Black Bayou".

(Beale Street - Memphis 2009)

There ain't much pride when you're trapped inside,
A slowly sinking' ship.
Scooped up the liquid deep and green,
And the whole town took a sip.

(Disgusting Kale Smoothie)

Fever went away and the very next day,
The skies again were blue.

(Palmetto Bluff - Hilton Head Island 2007)

Let's thank old Hattie for savin' our town.

We'll fetch her from the Black Bayou.

(Scummy Pond near Brownsville, Kentucky)

Party of ten of the town's best men,

Headed for Hattie's shack.

(Fair day Parade 2011 - Brownsville, Ky.)

 

Said, "Swamp Witch magic was useful and good,

And they're gonna bring Hattie back".

(International Festival 2010 - Souvenir Fruit Drink Cup)

 

Never found Hattie and they never found the shack.

And they never made the trip back in.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head 2007)

There was a parchment note they found tacked to a stump.

Said, "Don't come lookin' again"!!

(Hattie's Note - Balck Bayou)

I heard this song one day last week and it has been stuck in my head since then, so I decided to use it as my song this week. Things just fell into place with it too, like today's downpour of rain, storms and the nasty water in the roadside ditch. Plus as I scanned through pictures looking for a certain one, I happened upon several that fit this theme very well. I hope you enjoy and that you take a moment to leave me a note or two. I love reading your comments!! Don't forget to visit Hootin' Anni's Thursday Theme Song for more fun post!!

Inside Shadows

This past week has been a cloudy, rainy, miserable time. There hasn't been alot of sun to create those wonderful shadows and I have yet another sinus infection along with an ear infection too. Dr. gave me a shot and antibiotic, so I am on the mend.

I did manage to find a few shadows around the house. A shadow seeker is not discouraged by a cloudy day, we simply seek different sources of light.  

These stools are very often the spot where my daughter and I leave our purses when we arrive home. I noticed one evening the purses leaving their shadows on the floor.

 

 We have an oil heater that sits in between our kitchen and living room, it too casts a shadow on the floor when the overhead light is on.

My little dog, Peanut, had to investigate what I was doing when I was taking my pictures, but when I took his picture, he tried to hide. He's such a funny little dog.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you take the time to leave a comment or two and that you visit Straight Out of The Camera and Shadow Shot Sunday.

Take a Chance...

I Hope You Dance

Written By: Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers

Performed By: Lee Ann Womak

Her third studio album in 2000, I Hope You Dance, met with major success. The title track (which was released as the lead single), reached #1 on the Billboard Country chart for five weeks and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a major crossover Pop hit, reaching #14. It also peaked at the top spot on the adult contemporary chart and even reached the UK Singles Charts, peaking at #40. Both of Womack's daughters appeared in the song's video that year. Towards the end of 2000, "I Hope You Dance" won the Country Music Association's "Song of the Year" and "Single of the Year" awards.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder.

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger.

May you never take one single breath for granted.

(My Son & Daughter 1995)

God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed.


(My Daughter & her Boyfriend)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.

(Lindsey - Fort Walton Beach)

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.

(My Daughter - Class of 2012 - Honor Picture)

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance.


I hope you dance.

(My Son - Country Music Hall of Fame - 2006)

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance.

(Smoky Mountains - 2006)

Never settle for the path of least resistance.

Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking.

(Fountain of Youth - St. Augustine, Florida - 2008)

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making.

(My Son & his Girlfriend - Jackson's Orchard 2010)

Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter,
When you come close to selling out reconsider.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance.
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.

(My Kids - 2008)

I hope you dance

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always)

(My Daughter & her friend - playing Wii Dance)

I hope you dance

[Rolling us along]

(My Niece and Nephew - Christmas 2011)

I hope you dance

[Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder]

(My Niece - playing Just Dance X-Box Kinect 2011)

I hope you dance

[Where those years have gone]

(2009 School Formal)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.

(Daytona Beach - 1999)

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens.

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance.

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,

Dance....

(My Son - WKU Graduation - 2009)

I hope you dance

[Dance]

I hope you dance
[Time is a wheel in constant motion always]


(Disney World - Animal Kingdom - Lion King Show 2007)

I hope you dance

[Rolling us along]

(My Daughter's 8th grade Formal - 2007)

 

I hope you dance

[Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder]

(My Cousin & her Husband dancing at their wedding - 2005)

I hope you dance

[Where those years have gone]

(My Son & his friends - Senior Prom 2003)

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder

[Dance]

(Black Bear Jamboree - Smoky Mountains 2003)

Where those years have gone

[Dance]

(My Kids - Smoky Mountains 2003)

Come along and join the fun with Hootin' Anni's Thursday Theme Song.

The Search For Shadows

I walk to the Post Office at least once a week and sometimes I will have to deliver documents to other law offices or to the Court House. I took advantage of these walks this week to look for shadows. 

I saw this little tree's shadow near the Post Office.

People driving by look at me strangely as I am taking my pictures, but I don't mind.

  

Two doors down from our office is a barber shop. The sun was creating great shadows on the window.

 

City Hall is one of our neighbors, at the office, and the Eagle Statue atop the main entrance was a great shadow find, the windows too.  

 

As I returned to the office I noticed that someone had parked their bike outside the shop making nice shadows on the ground.

 

I am glad you stopped by, I hope you enjoyed the shadows and that you take the time to leave a comment or two. Be sure to follow the links, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight Out of The Camera, and Best Posts of The week, and see the wonderful shots others around the world have found this week.