Friday, March 2, 2018

No Blue Feelings Here

Thought for the day: People are like stain-glassed windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed. Only if there is a light from within. [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross]

Our daughter Sunshine is definitely one of those people with a bright shiny inner light. That's her in the photo, being assisted by her cat Mrs. Flinn. It seems the kitty thought it was time to get out of bed and start the day. (i.e. Feed the cats.)

Anyhow, tomorrow is our baby girl's birthday. Somehow or another, and I have NO idea how this could've POSSIBLY happened, our youngest kiddo has the unbelievable audacity to be turning forty. I know! Crazy, right? Seems like Smarticus and I just hit that milestone a few years ago.  (sigh)

She mentioned something a couple weeks ago that I thought would make a pretty nifty blog post, so what better time to share it than in honor of her birthday?  It's about some... blue people. Yeah, really... blue. Not the kind of blue as in Billie Holiday's song Am I Blue, but blue as in the color blue. (Then again, being blue may have made them sad, too...)


In 1820, Frenchman Martin Fugate settled in a remote area of the Appalachians near Hazard, Kentucky called Troublesome Creek, and he married a local gal named Elizabeth Smith. As it turned out, both of them carried a recessive gene for a rare condition known as methemoglobinemia. (Which, understandably, is most often referred to as met-H.) Some members of a nearby clan also carried this recessive gene.

As I already mentioned, this was a verrrry remote area, so as you might imagine, the gene pool was, shall we say... extremely shallow. Familial inbreeding and crossbreeding with that other clan became the accepted norm, which meant that the shy retiring recessive gene became much more bossy and caused an inordinate number of met-H cases... the infamous Blue Fugates of Kentucky.

[image courtesy of Walt Spitzmiller]
Why were they blue, you ask?

When there's too much methemoglobin in the blood, the hemoglobin's ability to carry oxygen gets seriously screwed up, which leads to purple lips, blue skin, and chocolate-colored blood.

In the twentieth century, when transportation out of the area was more readily available, many of the Fugate descendants moved away, and thanks to their access to a more diverse gene pool, the bizarre predominance of blue-skinned people came to an end. The last known member of the family born with this condition was Benjamin Stacy, who was born in 1975 with skin so blue, his nurse feared for his life. Luckily, as he grew older, he lost the blue tint. His current whereabouts is unknown.

Although this unusual Smurf-like condition can be deadly in the extreme, the Fugate clan only had one symptom... they were blue.

While we're talking about Kentucky and the color blue, how about... bluegrass?

[image courtesy of Morguefile]




As you can see in the photo, Kentucky bluegrass looks just as green as every other kinda grass, so how'd it get that name?


[image courtesy of Morguefile]




Because when that grass isn't cut, and its seed heads are left alone to grow unhampered, their bluish-purple color will make a springtime or summer field of Kentucky bluegrass truly look blue from a distance.

Cool, huh?




[image courtesy of Morguefile]
One final thing about bluegrass... and I don't mean the grass. The music!

That wonderful music born in the Appalachians, just like the Fugate clan. With mixed roots in Irish, Scottish, and English traditional music, and later influenced by African Americans and jazz, it's hard to imagine anyone listening to this music without tapping a toe.

So, in honor of Sunshine's birthday, I'm gonna share a fabulous bit of bluegrass... a song she and I both happen to love.

Happy birthday, sweetie.












                                            Y'all keep smiling. No blue feelings allowed.

                                   Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.

62 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to your daughter. Time certainly flies. My baby will be 52 at the end of the month, heeeeeelp! I had never heard of those blue people before, but the flowering blue grass looks very pretty, and I saw it in Kentucky many moons ago when I visited my sister who used to live there. Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. You're right about time flying... and it seems to be getting more outta control faster every day.

      Well, you've got another one up on me, because I've NEVER seen the blue grass in person! :)

      You have a super weekend, too. Hugs back atcha.

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  2. Love that bluegrass music :)
    I knew about the blue people, but didn't know about the Kentucky Blue Grass, I assumed it was a type of Buffalo grass similar to one we have out here which had a blue grey tint.
    Happy Birthday to your daughter. My youngest, J, is 37 today.

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    1. Me, too!

      Happy Birthday to your youngest, too! (They sure have a lot of nerve getting that old, don't they?! Our sons are even more inconsiderate... they have gray hair! HA)

      Have a great weekend.

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  3. I feel like I’ve learned so much already today reading your post and I’m only on my first cup of coffee. Blue people and the origins of blue grass - fascinating tidbits!

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  4. Hope she has a great birthday.

    It would be kinda fun to be blue for a while at least, as long as that was the only health issue. Doing the whole inbreeding thing to get it though, blah lol

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    1. Thanks.

      Yeah, the inbreeding is a non-starter. Besides, with some of the cold weather you get, you probably DO have a blue tint from time to time... :)

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    2. haha more like very pale. I'm so white the snow gets jealous. Oh to be blue.

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  5. Happy birthday to your daughter!
    I never knew there were really blue people. Yet another reason why it's a bad idea when cousins marry.

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    1. Thanks!

      I know some first cousins who married without any noticeable repercussions, but in the Fugate clan, the inbreeding was much closer than that.

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  6. Definitely a story I've never heard before--Wow.
    Happy birthday to your daughter.

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    1. Cool! I'm glad I was the one to give you the "scoop." :)

      Thanks.

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  7. Happy Birthday to Sunshine. May she be surrounded by blue skies and many bright days ahead.

    Blue grass is one of my favorite types of music. Last week I sent away for tickets to a Blue Grass concert that is being held near me on a beautiful farm. It gives me something upbeat and fun to look forward to on this cloudy, and soon to be very, very windy day.

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    1. I love your Bluebird picture. I thought of doing the same but went with a blooming tree.

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    2. Thanks.

      Awesome on going to the bluegrass concert! That's sure to put a big smile on your face.

      Our weather has been quite warm, but it was shockingly chilly and windy when I went out for the newspaper this morning.

      Your header pictures are ALWAYS super. Have a terrific weekend.

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  8. Happy Birthday to your daughter. Hope she has a sunshiny day ..only blue sprinkles on her cake. (and no, you can't be the mother of a 40 year old. No way!!!)

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    1. Thanks.

      I KNOW! That's what I keep saying... and she's our BABY! OY!

      Have a super weekend.

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  9. I've been feeling rather blue for quite awhile now (no incest involved), so the wonderful bluegrass music helped cheer me up - I love bluegrass!

    Thanks for explaining the origin of Kentucky bluegrass - I never knew that. Nor have I ever heard of blue people affected with met-H. Gives a whole new meaning to the term "blue blood".

    Birthday greetings to your daughter. When I turned 40 I thought it was the end of the world. Now - looking back - I wish I was still that young (*smile*).

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    1. :) I'm glad you like bluegrass. It makes me wonder if you've ever done any kind of impromptu jam sessions before.

      HA! Yeah, it's all a matter of perspective. I still have some of the "over the hill" gifts from when I turned 40. Over the hill? Heck, we were just getting started then!

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  10. Love the pic at the top of the post - made me smile. :)

    Yeh for birthdays! I hope your daughter has a good one.

    As much as I love chocolate, I would not want my blood to be that color. :o

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    1. I wouldn't be too fond of chocolate-colored blood, either. (I wonder if vampires prefer it...)

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  11. A very happy birthday to your Daughter. Time does get away from us. My youngest turned 38 this year so I know what you mean. Odd story about the blue people, but I'm familiar with bluegrass of Kentucky and the the music too. Love it!

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    1. Thanks. For sure, time does fly past, so that's all the more reason for us to squeeze every last bit of juice out of each one of them. :)

      Yeah, that music is some kinda special.

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  12. Once and once only I saw a blue person live and in person....it was very hard not to stare after I realized what I was looking at.

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    1. Wow. I've never seen a live blue person. It would've been hard for me to look away, too.

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  13. Yeah, weren't we 40 just a few years ago? Love Bluegrass music, but never could get my fingers to go as fast as they need to for many of the tunes. I usually just stay with Celtic and Old Timey music. Never did see any blue people when I was in Kentucky. Never even heard of them until now. I wonder if they were always cold?

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    1. Abso-doggone-lutely! It sure feels like it was only a few years, anyway.

      My fingers can't move that fast anymore, either. Used to be, I could pick pretty quickly on the guitar, but not for long.

      Nah! I don't think they were always cold. Kentucky has plenty of hot weather. Now if they lived in your neck of the woods...

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  14. Troublesome Creek sounds like one of those places where they have a population of five thousands but only about three surnames and most people have six fingers!
    I wasn't sure exactly what Bluegrass music was so I'm listening on You Tube to Flatt & Scruggs etc I mostly like it. Banjo, guitars, fiddle and string bass - what's not to like?
    Happy Birthday to that Sunshine gal!
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s comely Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. HA! Yeah, that's exactly what it sounds like. :)

      I agree with your assessment of Bluegrass. It's hard to imagine anyone not enjoying it.

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  15. Blue people - that's awesome. I would love to see a blue person! And the grass, and I love the music. All good :-)
    And 40 cannot be old at all, it's only the very beginning of life. Sending Sunshine a big bunch of birthday wishes :-) xx

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    1. Nope forty isn't old at all. On the other hand, having children who are forty years old and up has a tendency to make a parent feel a teensy bit ancient. :)

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  16. I have read about the blue people and saw the photo you posted. I wonder if their "Brown Eyes turned Blue".

    Happy Happy Birthday to Daughter.
    Let there be cake !

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. It'd be kinda nice if they had blue eyes, too. With the stigma of having blue skin, at least they'd be color coordinated. :)

      Yes, let them eat cake! Have a super weekend.

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  17. Happy Birthday Sunshine, You have to love bluegrass music and this is a perfect song.

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    1. It's hard to imagine anyone not liking the music, and especially that song. Years ago, we used to sing a medley in church during the folk services that was comprised of this song, "Do Lord," and "This Little Light of Mine." Talk about upbeat! No banjo accompaniment, though. Just guitars. :)

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  18. I have often wondered where the term bluegrass came from. Now I know.

    BTW - that song reminded me of the surreal and hilarious movie "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"

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    1. Cool! I told a botanist something he didn't already know about a plant? That makes me feel like a million bucks. (All green and wrinkly... but at least, I'm not blue!)

      That's a super movie. :)

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  19. @Botanist; that's a great movie!

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  20. I've read about the blue people before--it's so wild!

    Happy birthday to your daughter. :)

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    1. The blue people really captured my imagination, but for some reason, it brought to mind a poem I used to recite to our children when they were small:

      I never saw a purple cow;
      I never hope to see one,
      But I can tell you, anyhow,
      I'd rather see than be one.

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  21. Hi Susan - I've never heard of the blue people ... so interesting to read about them - fascinating to put it mildly. While Blue Grass I'd always wondered where the term came from - so good to know that and that type of music always has one tapping one's feet - even if like me you're not that musical. So enjoyed the clip ... cheers to you and a very happy weekend to Sunshine and that passing of 40 years ...!! Enjoy - Hilary

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    1. Hi-ya, Hilary. I'm glad you found this stuff interesting, too. Curiosity keeps us young, right? (That's the plan, anyway...)

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  22. Happy birthday to your daughter, Susan. And thanks for the fun info on things bluish. You think the Fugates might've been Democrats?

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  23. Happy birthday to your daughter!

    I didn't know about the blue people of Kentucky, but I heard of Kentucky bluegrass. And I love bluegrass music (I have the CD from "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou"). Now I'm wondering where the "Blue Moon of Kentucky" fits into all of this...

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    1. I know what a blue moon is, but I've never heard specifically of the "Blue Moon of Kentucky." I'll have to check it out. :)

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  24. Wow ... I wish my instructors were as entertaining as you! (Perhaps my GPA would've have been more impressive.)
    Loving this rendition of "I'll Fly Away!"

    Wishing Sunshine a super fiscal new year!

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    1. Gee, thanks! :)

      To tell the truth, I don't think I've ever heard a version of "I'll Fly Away" that I didn't love. We used to sing a medley during folk services that included this song, "Do, Lord," and "This Little Light of Mine." I defy anyone to feel down in the dumps while singing those songs.

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  25. Wow, life with blue skin would certainly be...interesting.

    Hope your daughter had a fantastic birthday!

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    1. Yeah, for sure. It'd definitely be interesting, but I'm glad my life isn't that kinda interesting. :)

      Thanks. She did!

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  26. And I thought only Smurfs and Avatar people were blue. How interesting!

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  27. I love that song too. Happy birthday to your daughter! Fun and interesting look at people and things blue. :)

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    1. It's hard NOT to like that song, isn't it? :)

      Fun and interesting? Thanks!

      Have a super week.

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  28. Happy birthday to your daughter :) My son is two years away from the big 40 which is CRAZY cuz I know I'm not that old.

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    1. Thanks. She had a terrific birthday, and a much more sedate one than her dad and I had when WE hit forty. :)

      You'd think we'd be numbed to the idea of our kids becoming that old after our sons passed that milestone some years back, but there's something unsettling about our BABY hitting that mark. You're right. It IS crazy, doggone it, but evidently, time really DOES fly when you're having fun.

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  29. I've always loved The Blues: Billie Holiday and Janis are the only reason I am still on this wretched and wonderful earth. I hope your daughter heard lots of wonderful Blues music on her very special day :-)

    P.S. One of my all time faves is "Little Girl Blue" by Janis Joplin. It just does not get any better than that :-)



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    1. What super taste! Billie Holiday and Janis are TOPS!

      I play the guitar, and after a wee bit of wine, I imagine I sound just like Janis... or Marilyn Monroe... depending on my mood. :)

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  30. Hope your daughter had a wonderful birthday.
    Birthdays no matter what age we are should be celebrated, and if they can be celebrated with loved ones more the better I say ... although I appreciate this is not always possible.

    All the best Jan

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