fire balls part 2

[bayou girl]

well, not really part 2, but same neighborhood, different family.

my great grandmother (another branch of the family) came from a wealthy family.  they were doctors and lawyers and such, back when doctors and lawyers were respected.  so much so, that one of them was challenged to a duel to defend his honor, but that's another story.

anyway, according to family legend, the family land (granted to the family for "homesteading" in 1907, was part swamp, part sand, and all wild.  since my great grandmother married a man who was a dirt poor cane farmer, her family was mortified.  but my great grandfather was a good farmer and a savvy business man.

one of the things he did well was make rum.  his own recipe, from his own sugar cane.  so much so that he kept a jug of it sitting in the middle of the kitchen table to provide "samples" to those who would come around (from miles around) to buy his rum.  particularly during prohibition.  as he would sell the rum, he would put the money in jars for safe keeping, and bury them in the "back yard"  when he took ill, he sent family to dig up the money to help pay the doctors bills, as his wife's family would have nothing to do with him due to his not being of their "class".  when the family went to dig up the money, the dug up the whole back yard.  nothing.

but just beyond the back yard, where the land went swampy, that night, there rose up a huge fire ball.  and every time someone tried to find the money after that, in the night, the fireball would appear.  there was no way to dig in the swamp.  think water over mud over quicksand.  with cypress trees and moccasins.  and this fire ball.

but no money.  my great grandfather died a penniless man, living in a house owned by one of his son in laws.  the homestead "taken" by the government to build a military base.  there was documentation that should be base ever be opened up to be sold off the way the government does sometimes, our family  (well, who ever is left and can prove lineage and knows enough to do so) can buy the land back for what the government paid for it.  at the rate we are going, i'll be the only one left who remembers. but i'm sure the rum money won't be where it can be dug.  i am also sure i'll find the fire ball instead.

[Tina]

I guess he wasn't meant to profit. I don't understand what that fireball meant, really.

[bayou girl]

i don't either.  but i remember talking to family members who saw it.  some said that it was caused by the jars not being sealed well, and sliding under the surface (as in he buried them too deep) into the swamp just past the fence. 

[Tina]

I buried baby food jars with pennies in them for buried treasure in my backyard. I never found them again. Even without a swamp things shift and move

[sunsoaker]

Sounds to me like the swamp encroached up on the land and the fireball was trying to tell them where it was.  I'm assuming it was Eglin that was built there. Or Hurlburt Field.  Do you know if they've ever developed that area, or left it wild?  If it's developed, I doubt it'll ever be sold back to the public.

[bayou girl]

it's wild.  it is part of the firing range.  you know barb, i didn't think of it that way.  but why just past the fence?  good thinking though.  if i ever get to go back, i might try my hand at it!

[Dianna]

It would be interesting to know if anything is found...

[sunsoaker]

If you ever get back this way, let me know. I can be there in an hour to help you dig through the swamp 

[Tina]

I hope they didn't leave any live bombs behind after target practice!

[sunsoaker]

Little do you know Tina, that is a real possibility. The base here is dealing with that now.  They are going to sell off a large part that is "wild", and was used for munitions practice, and they are having to clean it up first.

[Tina]

Yes I know. They have shut down or altered a lot of bases around here and there is unexploded ordinance that they have to deal with before allowing anyone else on the land involved..

[bayou girl]

are they really going to sell off part of it?  i hadn't heard.  but i will be checking into it.  i might can buy back part of our land grant!  maybe find  enough money to pay for it

i do know it is a live target area, to go to the family homestead, we had to register with the base and make sure they didn't have exercises going on.  and barb, when i make it back, i'll make sure you know i'm coming!

[sunsoaker]

No, it's the base here, Tyndall. They are going to sell a parcel of beach front they haven't used in years and have to clean up ordinances.  I don't know about Eglin.  Tyndall is a much smaller base and isn't as closed off as Eglin.  Eglin is very closed off.  Even the missle range on Okaloosa Island is closed off.  Highway 98 goes right through the middle of Tyndall and only the airfields and high security military stuff is fenced off.

[bayou girl]

oh wow.  i didn't think they'd ever sell off any of tyndall.  you are right about eglin though.

but, when i go back that way, i'll be sure to let  you know in plenty of time to meet up with you!

[sunsoaker]

I'll look forward to it!