Well, I suppose I didn’t eat enough black-eyed peas.
The vegetable, long a staple in southern diets that superstitious folks like me believe bring good luck, was put to the ultimate test.
I served these freshly cooked peas along with more collards Monday night, hoping this menu would work again to bring good fortune to our Bulldogs and win the 2018 National Championship Football title. Just in case you don’t recall, I will refresh your memory. We ate them for New Year’s Eve dinner, the day the Dawgs won the Rose Bowl in overtime.
So why not try it again? Of course, the team and coaches had everything to do with it but I’m superstitious enough to try once more.
Well, this time the peas did not do the trick.
Sadly, to me and other Dawg supporters, Georgia lost the game to the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide in the last few seconds of overtime play at Atlanta’s state of the art Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Not a good ending to a sterling year for the Bulldogs. Of course, congratulations to U. of Ala. head football coach Nick Saban. Congratulations also to UGA head football Coach Kirby Smart, and lead quarterback Jake Fromm, UGA’s entire football team and coaching staff. They are to be recognized as the best in the nation whether or not we took home the big gold trophy.
Both teams played to win and did well — giving it their all. It just wasn’t in the stars for Georgia but there is always next year. Anyhow, enough of football until next season.
However, not before I mention that Americus and Sumter County was well represented at the big game. Three UGA students were directly participating in the National Championship football game in Atlanta.
They were former Americus Sumter High School Panther Tyler Clark of Americus, band member Tyler Richmond of Cobb, a graduate of Crisp County High School, and Caroline Carroll, a member of the Georgette’s, the elite dance team.
This was an absolutely hands-down awesome experience for these three, young people, as well as their families, friends and to our community.
So please join me and stand up to give a big cheer to them. And let them know how proud you are and their dedication to the game but most of all their families for their undivided support.
There was a coterie of locals making the trek to Atlanta – actually too many to name and besides I might leave someone out so I won’t list.
Meanwhile, the annual 12th Night Celebration Boar’s Head feast at Calvary Episcopal Church was a big success last weekend. We enjoyed not only the food prepared by Calvary’s Men’s Club lead by Ashley Goodin and his team of master chefs but the camaraderie and attended by 90 guests. Besides the delicious meal, we enjoyed authentic wassail prepared by Ross and Charlotte Chambliss and were entertained by a group of talented musicians including Ralph Cornwell, bass, Pat Spann, guitar, Patrick Owen, guitar, Brad Laird, dobro, and Wayne Arrington, banjo. Among the guests were Bill Capitan and Betty Hewitt of St. Simons Island, Brad and Mary Lefevers, Elena Albamonte and Chuck Fauborg, Dr. Gatewood and Cindy Dudley, Henry and Jerry Crisp, Tyler Ledbetter, Thomas Ledbetter, Courtney Minix and her parents, Steve and Sarah McLain, Natalie Mitcham of Macon, a guest of our grandson Beau Barrett, now of Macon, Carole Brown, Jo Jones, Lane and Daiquiri Tyson, Jean Deriso, Aggie Crump and scores of others.
Grateful thanks are extended to Rebecca McNeill and Betty Filbey who co-hosted the DAR meeting with me and to others for their big help at my house. Among them were Gay Sheppard, Beth Lane, Kay Tye, and Beth Usry for her splendid program, Vickie Justice and others.
Smile and say hello to Fr. Richard Nelson and his wife, Geri Nelson. He is the incoming priest-in-charge at Calvary Episcopal. They are from the Isle of Hope near Savannah. And welcome home to Andy and Lori Shivers who have been camping near Lake George and then vacationing at Panama City.

Leila Sisson Case lives in Americus.