Weird Wednesdays: Abandoned Mansions: Bannerman Castle

History 4 Minutes

Today’s entry is an abandoned castle on the Hudson River in New York.

From: allthatsinteresting.com:

Built by an eccentric arms dealer on the isolated Pollepel Island, the Scottish-influenced Bannerman Castle looks like something out of a fairytale — but it has a spooky mythology all its own.

About 60 miles north of New York City, on the supposedly haunted shores of Pollepel Island in the Hudson River, sits the ruins of a 20th-century fortress known as Bannerman Castle. Originally built in the early 1900s as an army surplus arsenal, the castle was abandoned after it was damaged in a series of fires and explosions.

Francis Bannerman, the eccentric weapons tycoon who built the castle, was not your average arms dealer. A first-generation Brooklynite of Scottish descent, he was a pacifist who regarded his vast military collection a tribute to the lost art of weapon making. However, his castle and its grounds would prove to be his greater legacy.

Originally based in Manhattan, Bannerman’s business — and vast supply of flammable black powder — grew so large that the city of New York forced him to move out. His son discovered Pollepel Island while out canoeing on the Hudson, and Bannerman purchased it in 1900 to build a huge arsenal to store his weapons stock.

From there, he brought the baronial, Scottish-inspired Bannerman Castle into existence.

The Construction Of Francis Bannerman’s Architectural Oddity

Francis Bannerman was not an architect. That’s what makes the Gaudi-esque character of the castle and its accompanying buildings so astounding. Rather than work with professional architects, Bannerman designed the castle almost entirely by himself, often drawing up plans on the backs of napkins and envelopes to create the estate in the style of a Scottish fortress.

When Bannerman Castle was nearly finished, barges ferried cannons and artillery up the river for storage. But Bannerman and his wife Helen decided to keep building. They designed an additional castle to serve as a family summer residence, complete with lovely gardens, a dock, a moat, and even an outhouse built for two.

The Bannermans landscaped the gardens themselves, importing soil, digging winding pathways around the island, and building the garden walls. Helen Bannerman enhanced the terraces with plants, flowers, and shrubs — some of which are still alive today.

With Scottish, Moorish, and Belgian design influences, the castle was alive with intricate stone and brickwork. Everything was elaborately adorned with thoughtful details. Bannerman even had the name “Bannerman’s Island Arsenal” emblazoned on its façade.

“There is no way to describe something so eccentric,” said Thom Johnson, vice-president of the Bannerman Trust, according to the non-profit Historic Hudson River Towns. “Look at the north view — there’s no right angles on these buildings! Look at all these textures, all that he did with masonry. It’s a piece of sculpture! The style is almost gaudy, but somehow, he manages to pull it off. Bannerman knew exactly what he was doing, and he did it his own way.”

The Haunted History of Pollepel Island

Before Bannerman Castle, Pollepel Island had a spooky history all its own. The portion of the river surrounding the island had a reputation for violent storms and howling winds. According to local Hudson Valley legend, Dutch sailors in the 17th and 18th centuries attributed these storms to a sinister Goblin king who resided on the island.

The sailors named this being the “Heer of Dunderberg” — “Heer” meaning King, “dunder” meaning thunder, and “berg” meaning mountain. The Heer of Dunderberg was said to rule an army of imps, and had the power to summon the violent storms that wreaked havoc on passing ships.

According to believers, during these infamous squalls, you can still hear the captain of the ghost ship The Flying Dutchman barking orders to his crew.

However, it’s possible that this “folk legend” was invented by Washington Irving, author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Irving’s literary success is due in part to his knack for writing tales of lore that sound like they could be true — and he detailed the legend of the Heer of Dunderberg in his 1822 short story “The Storm-Ship.”

Bannerman Castle Falls To Ruin

Unfortunately, Bannerman Castle has seen its share of catastrophe.

In 1918, Frank Bannerman died before the castle was 100 percent complete. Then, in 1920, the arsenal’s powder house exploded, lending credence to New York City’s decision to boot Bannerman from city limits.

“The explosion was heard from Poughkeepsie to Peekskill,” Steve Santangelo, a tour guide at the castle, said to the New York Times. And 6sqft reports that about 200 tons of shells and powder were involved in the blast.

The explosion damaged the castle, shattering the windows and jettisoning part of the tower into the river. The Bannerman family, narrowly escaping death, remained in the residence until about 1930. That’s when the castle began crumbling.

In 1967, the Bannerman family sold the island to New York State; two years later, it’s suspected that an arsonist set the mysterious fire that reduced the castle to ruins.

Eerily, seven years before the blaze, Frank’s grandson Charles had written prophetically: “No one can tell what associations and incidents will involve the island in the future. Time, the elements, and maybe even the goblins of the island will take their toll of some of the turrets and towers, and perhaps eventually the castle itself.”

For years, New York banned visitors from Pollepel Island because it was too dangerous. That didn’t stop people from illegally visiting and photographing the abandoned castle. Poison ivy ran rampant and snakes infested the grounds, but visitors still braved these hazards — and the choppy waters of the Hudson River — for a glimpse of the crumbling historic ruin.

However, this was not the end of Bannerman Castle’s story. In 1992, a Hudson Valley local named Neil Caplan founded the Bannerman Castle Trust, which has raised funds to stabilize the castle ruins, clear overgrown pathways, and revitalize the landscaping.

Today, Bannerman Castle is a haven for enjoying cultural events. Tours of the grounds run from April through October and include the boat ride over to the island. The Bannerman Castle Trust also hosts horror movie nights, theater performances, kayak tours, and farm-to-table dinner events. Last year, in an exclusive dining experience, the Trust even recreated an 11-course, first-class dinner that was served on the Titanic.

Over 100 years after Bannerman Castle was built, the historic Hudson Valley landmark is now closer to a museum than a bomb site. We can only assume that’s what Francis Bannerman would have preferred.

SOURCE: ALLTHATSINTERESTING.COM

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

142 thoughts on “Weird Wednesdays: Abandoned Mansions: Bannerman Castle”

  1. Morning All!
    humid out there this morning!
    the hummers were buzzing my head when i put the feeders out…lol
    There are times when they swarm (early morning when they’re really hungry) when there are so many flying and buzzing around, it’s difficult to count how many there are! I guess it’s a good time to try my annual experiment to see if I can get one to land on my hand while I hold a feeder.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good morning, Pat! Wow! I guess I was really tired after my work yesterday. I usually get up to pee 2 or 3 times during the night but last night, I only got up once! Humid here, too, and 61 again. Wheezer was back from his hook-up this morning and sleeping on the chair. He heard me open the blind, tho, and woke up immediately to chow down on tuna.

      I just don’t get this fascination of rich people with castles….yuck!

      Liked by 1 person

        1. I’d much prefer a well-structured horse barn myself! LOL – definitely feeling good about what I got done at least….but I’m still having issues with my feet/legs with the pain and swelling….I’m considering actually agreeing to go on Lasix if that will get rid of it….I had to wrap my right foot/leg in the middle of the night because of the pain. It’s amazing how the pain stops immediately after that….until I get up from the bed to go pee…..then it floods back until I lay down again. After I’m up for a few minutes, tho, it subsides somewhat.

          Liked by 1 person

    1. Wolf Moon(@wolfmoon1776)Offline
      Wolf
      Reply to Gudthots
      August 13, 2025 01:07

      This is pretty grim. Apparently a group of Indian immigrants bought up cheap flophouse hotels and while keeping them horrible, turned them into safe spaces for sex trafficking, drug trafficking, and human labor trafficking, while taking sexual advantage of the trafficked women and children, as well as labor advantage of the illegals and children.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Oh, wow…..all located in or near Omaha, which actually doesn’t surprise me, but one of the perpetrators is listed as being from Norfolk!!!! That DOES surprise me, but then again, they have imported a LOT of foreigners these days – more than once, I have asked a WM worker for assistance, only to get “no speak English!!!” Bunch of BS!!!

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Omaha didn’t shock me since it has been a cesspool for a very long time but the guy from Norfolk??? Yeah, that surprised me.

          Liked by 1 person

    1. Peter Bernegger
      @PeterBernegger
      5h
      BREAKING: DOGE documents shows CIA, USAID & Soros Open Society were in command of chicom/Venezuela election fraud control grid that stole the 2020 election. From @PatrickByrne

      Attached documents show funding: top floor of the CIA is in partnership with communist China, George Soros. Plus Venezuela is involved; money funded also through/by Iran.

      Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo involved in all this, including specifically the steal of the 2020 election.

      CIA asset who headed up all this, name is Frank Holder
      CIA has been protecting him. US Attorneys knew and wanted to prosecute him for two years.

      CEPPS (USAID and more) was funding all the entities shown in the images below. Since 2009 the top floor of the CIA flipped 26 nations using corrupt voting systems.

      All this is why George Soros was never touched!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Clandestine
      @WarClandestine
      The Smithsonian museums, and their tunnel network, are right between the White House, and the Capitol building/Supreme Court/Library of Congress.

      Trump decided to conduct a review of the Smithsonian operation, the day after he took federal control of DC and deployed the NG…

      Call me a conspiracy theorist all you want, but there is WAYYYYY too much smoke here for there to not be any fire.

      Trump is up to something.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Clandestine
      @WarClandestine
      Observe the timeline:

      YESTERDAY: Trump takes federal control of the DC police for 30 days, deploys the NG to secure DC, SecDef has unnamed “specialized military units” on standby.

      TODAY: Trump notifies Smithsonian he will be reviewing their collections.

      This means that Trump will have access to the Smithsonian tunnels beneath the National Mall, while he just so happens to have military presence and full control of DC. These tunnels could be used to mask the movement of troops, perps, equipment, etc.

      I find the timing of Trump conducting a “comprehensive internal review” of the Smithsonian museums to be a little suspicious to say the least.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Clandestine
        @WarClandestine
        Hear me out.

        The Trump admin released a series of documents, showing incontrovertible evidence that the Obama regime, the IC, the MSM, the DNC, etc., are STILL engaged in a coup to overthrow Trump.

        And now US MIL is being deployed to DC, and potentially other cities, to quell crime and violence in these democrat-run strongholds…

        All of this is happening while grand juries are being impaneled for the Russiagate conspiracy, and while Trump and his admin have been warning us that accountability is coming for this treasonous plot.

        This sounds VERY similar to how Lincoln used the Insurrection Act in the Civil War to address the secession of the South, restore federal order, quell uprisings, and the eventual suspension of Habeas Corpus and military arrests.

        Based on the documents shown by Tulsi, and us witnessing the last 10 years of the Trump witch hunt, is it wrong to suggest we are in sort of a quasi-cold civil war? Is it wrong to suggest the Dems’ coup against Trump meets the criteria of an actual “insurrection”?

        I think there is MUCH more going on than meets the eye. Trump is preparing for something very big.

        I think technically, we are at war with a domestic threat. We are at war with the “enemy from within”.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. EXCERPT: “The FBI concluded numerous legacy news media stories that crafted the false Russia collusion narrative contained illegally leaked classified intelligence but failed to definitively identify the leakers. But agents did force a stunning admission that ex-FBI Director James Comey used a special conduit to the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times in his bid to polish his image and push for a special prosecutor to take down President Donald Trump.

    Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman admitted to agents in interviews he routinely communicated on behalf of Comey, his longtime friend, with Times reporter Michael Schmidt, whose work was among the newspaper’s 2018 Pulitzer-winning stories on Russian election interference. The goal, Richman told the FBI, was “to correct stories critical of Comey, the FBI and to shape future press coverage” outside of the bureau’s official press office, according to internal FBI memos that current Director Kash Patel delivered to Congress this week.

    While Richman was known to have been publicly quoted in news stories as an advocate for Comey, he admitted to agents — who were part of the FBI’s Arctic Haze classified leaks inquiry — that he was given access by Comey to what turned out to be highly classified information up to the SCI level and sometimes provided information to reporters on an anonymous basis. 

    Richman insisted he did not believe he had confirmed or provided classified intelligence to reporters but said he could not be 100 percent, the memos state, noting he could only make his leak denial “with a discount.”

    “Richman was pretty sure he did not confirm the Classified Information. However, Richman told the interviewing agents he was sure ‘with a discount’ that he did not tell Schmidt about the Classified Information,” one FBI memo recounted.

    In the end, the Justice Department decided not to pursue any criminal charges against Comey or any of his lieutenants or now-Sen. Adam Schiff despite potential evidence of leaks, saying it could not be certain of who leaked what and when. But its interrogation of Richman and his admissions of significant contact with the Times‘ Schmidt provide the most detailed account to date of how Trump critics like Comey — who was fired by the president — used the media to craft narratives that ultimately turned out to be untrue or misleadingly overstated, the memos show.

    You can read the FBI’s Arctic Haze memos here:

    FBI Memos – Arctic Haze – Classified Leaks Investigation

    Schmidt did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to him as a direct message on Twitter/X. Richman did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to him through his Columbia University email. Comey did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to him through his book website.

    Just the News also revealed this week that a career intelligence officer who worked for Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee for more than a decade repeatedly warned the FBI beginning in 2017 that then-Rep. Adam Schiff had approved leaking classified information to smear then-President Donald Trump over the now-debunked Russiagate scandal. Schiff has denied the allegation.

    Newly-declassified FBI memos also include details on classified leaks investigations dubbed Tropic Vortex, Foggy Falls, Riding Hood, Sirens Lure, Echos Fate, and Genetic Christmas.

    Comey, Richman, and “Arctic Haze”

    The FBI leak investigation code-named “Arctic Haze” revealed key details about Richman — Comey’s longtime friend, confidante, and media conduit — including what was at that time his nearly decade-long source relationship with Michael Schmidt of The New York Times.

    The leak investigation zeroed in on four news articles which contained leaked classified information……”

    https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/comey-media-mole-admitted-fbi-he-shaped-russia-narrative-needed

    Liked by 1 person

    1. i call bullshit!

      using qualifiers–not sure–with a discount–all carefully crafted by Comey with the intent to obscure HIS intent!

      just because you don’t think you leaked classified intelligence does NOT mean you didn’t.

      prosecute the friend–squeeze him and offer immunity to be able to arrest Comey!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. “Beto O’Rourke Is The Political Wart That Won’t Go Away — The sugar daddy of temper-tantrum-throwing Texas Democrats appears to be ramping up for another losing political campaign.”

    The Federalist, By: M.D. Kittle, August 13, 2025

    Former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks at a rally in Fort Worth.

    EXCERPT: “Someone my family knows well — let’s just call her an old family friend to protect the subject of this, uh, sensitive story — for years battled a nasty plantar wart on the ball of her foot. Our friend and her doctors tried just about everything shy of amputation. Salicylic acid treatments. Prescription medicines. Cryotherapy. Immunotherapy. Minor surgeries (electrodesiccation and curettage). She couldn’t get rid of it. That freeloading wart just wouldn’t take the hint. 

    The unpleasant growth hung around so long she gave it a name: Stuey. 

    She should have called it Beto. As in Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, the former congressman, three-time high-stakes political loser, and leftist hanger-on. He is the wart, the Stuey if you will, of American leftist politics. The multimillionaire — made so with a huge assist from his very wealthy daddy-in-law — has been rejected by Texas and national Democrats in races for U.S. Senate and governor and in his ill-fated bid for the White House. 

    Like a pesky plantar wart, Robbie has no intention of going away mad because he has no intention of going away. He’s an unrequited lover in need of a restraining order. A Texas judge recently slapped him with one. Powering ‘Deceptive Acts’

    Seeking a return to political relevance, O’Rourke resurfaced earlier this year alongside failed vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, at a liberal rally/political stunt near Houston. You talk about looking for love in all the wrong places — or at least with all the wrong people. It’s part of O’Rourke’s strategy to force Texans to have to think about the has-been again. 

    Since his crushing defeat to incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas’ 2022 gubernatorial election, O’Rourke has regrouped. He has poured himself into his collectivist-sounding Powered by People, a left-wing hybrid political action committee that targets “likely Texas Democrats” and registers them to vote. It’s got a bit of Zuckbucks vibe to it. O’Rourke has been using Powered by People to host town halls and push his name and face back into the minds of Americans, one of the great no-one-asked-for-this moments in modern politics. 

    He’s also been using the PAC to power Texas House Democrats’ temper tantrum over a Republican-led redistricting proposal they don’t like. He’s been told to stop. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asserts that he hasn’t. 

    On Friday, Tarrant County District Judge Megan Fahey granted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request for a temporary restraining order blocking O’Rourke and his PAC from raising funds for Democrats, particularly covering the expenses of AWOL lawmakers — including a $500-per-day fine for dereliction of duties.    

    On Aug. 3, a reported 62 Democrats fled the House to deny a quorum and stall a vote on the mid-decade redistricting plan they have blasted as a gerrymander. Interestingly, the lawmakers have absconded to blue states that include Illinois, one of the most gerrymandered states in the country. 

    On Tuesday, the Texas Senate approved the revised maps while House Democrats remained AWOL. 

    In her order, Fahey found the state would be “irreparably injured” if the court did not stop O’Rourke and his group from picking up the tab for the missing-in-action Dems. Specifically, the judge wrote, the leftists’ fundraising conduct “constitutes false, misleading, or deceptive acts” under Texas law, and that they “are raising and utilizing political contributions from Texas consumers to pay for the personal expenses of Texas legislators, in violation of Texas law.”

    ‘Imprisonment Is Absolutely Necessary’

    Paxton alleges O’Rourke has violated the restraining order. The attorney general on Tuesday filed a motion seeking contempt charges against O’Rourke, accusing the political opportunist of “continuing to fundraise and pay for the personal expenses of runaway Democrat legislators.” Paxton is asking the court to fine and jail the liberal activist……”

    https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/13/beto-orourke-is-the-political-wart-that-wont-go-away/

    Liked by 1 person

  16. “Drunk, Belligerent Vagrants Blockade The Federalist’s Office As Leftist Journalists Insist DC Is America’s Purest City — The squalor that those living and working in the city are forced to endure is unbecoming of the nation’s capital.”

    The Federalist, By: Breccan F. Thies, Abigail Nichols, and Jacqueline Annis-Levings, August 13, 2025

    homeless man

    EXCERPT: “WASHINGTON, D.C. — Left-wing journalists and their Democrat friends have been shrieking since Monday about how gloriously safe Washington, D.C., is, and how, as one particularly low-IQ White House correspondent stated, there is a “nonexistent crime crisis” in the nation’s capital.

    Homelessness? “Not a problem,” they say. Homicide? “What homicide?” they’ll interject, despite the city having clocked its 100th homicide this year on Monday.

    The cowardice and shame in their voices are palpable. First, because they know, from their own life experience, that they are lying, and, second, because, even if they have not experienced D.C.’s crime in a while, it just means they have reached a level of pseudo-immunity unavailable to the countless normal people who have to deal with D.C.’s lawlessness on a daily basis.

    And yet, just one day after President Donald Trump took control of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department with an express purpose of handling homeless vagrants and crime rampant in the city, The Federalist’s own office door was blockaded by a belligerent, drunk homeless man screaming profanities.

    It was not just the vagrant leaning against our door. He was joined by two others crowding the sidewalk directly outside.

    The Federalist is not located at some office on U Street or another unsavory part of the city. The Federalist’s office is in the middle of D.C., within walking distance of every major government building, monument, and museum. The area sees tens of thousands of tourists and professionals each day.

    As the three of them were drinking beer in public and grumbling gibberish at one another, they would frequently (and aggressively) scream profanities at passers-by or into the ether. All the while, two of The Federalist’s summer interns remained trapped, and the D.C. Metropolitan Police would prove to be absolutely zero help.

    Abigail Nichols was trapped inside the office, unable to leave without having to confront the old, drunk homeless man who would have assuredly fallen inside the office, and onto her, upon opening the door. Ironically, she was writing a story about just how bad this homeless problem is. The screams of the vagrants pierced through her noise-canceling headphones around 12:30 p.m.

    Jacqueline Annis-Levings was on her way back from lunch when she turned the corner, only to find this vagrant blockade. When she determined the situation was too dangerous to wade through, she returned to a nearby outdoor seating area hoping they would leave and warned Abigail of the problem.

    Around 1:46 p.m., Jacqueline told Abigail, “There’s a crazy guy sitting right in front of the office door. I’m not able to get in until he leaves.” Abigail saw his silhouette through the frosted-glass front door.

    While waiting, Jacqueline was encircled by even more homeless people, less than a block from the office door, where one yelled directly at her, shouting things like “You’re going to jail, little girl! We the FBI and we done with this sh-t!” Yelling more, he pretended to shoot everyone on the street with finger guns.

    After more than two hours of shared screams of “f-ck” and other aggressive language from the first group, the first 911 call was made at 2:32 p.m.

    The dispatcher was extremely short and curt, despite being told that both interns were trapped in a potentially dangerous situation with clearly aggressive vagrants. Despite that, the dispatcher informed The Federalist that “someone will be dispatched shortly.”

    It wasn’t to be, however. For more than one and a half hours, not a single police officer showed up to help.

    At around 3:47 p.m., The Federalist’s Breccan Thies told the vagrant he needed to leave. He refused, and, angrily gesturing, he knocked over his tall boy of Budweiser, apparently his fifth or sixth outside The Federalist’s door that day, spilling it on the ground…..”

    “…..At 3:52 p.m., a second 911 call was made to the D.C. Metropolitan Police. The dispatcher was, once again, dismissive. The Federalist made very clear that the department’s ineptitude was putting people in danger, how long it had been since the last 911 call, and that still nothing had been done.

    The police were told that if they did not send someone immediately they would receive a call every 10 minutes until a police officer showed up.

    About 10 to 15 minutes later, two officers showed up — but the vagrant left in the time between the call and the police coming (only because he knew they had been called).

    The responding officer was a perfect representative of The Federalist’s experience with the D.C. Metropolitan Police throughout the day: dismissive, careless, and at one point attempting to defend the vagrant.

    First, his excuse for why it took all afternoon for an officer to be dispatched was that there was a “shift change” and that the officers on duty were unaware of the call. If that were true (which would by itself be insane), it would mean the city’s police department apparently cannot keep continuity in its emergency response apparatus when some officers clock out for the day and others clock in.

    Second, he told The Federalist that because the sidewalk was a public space, there would not have been much they could do. Except, as The Federalist reminded the officer, the office door was not public space, and there was plenty in his legal arsenal he could have done to alleviate the situation.

    He conceded that point, essentially saying, “No, yeah, that’s true.”

    After telling the officer we saw the vagrant walking back toward the office, the officer said he would make contact with him. It is unclear whether that was done, however, because minutes later, the staff of The Federalist saw the vagrant pacing up and down the street…..”

    https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/13/drunk-belligerent-vagrants-blockade-the-federalists-office-as-leftist-journalists-insist-dc-is-americas-purest-city/

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Just The News: “Mexico on Tuesday agreed to send 26 of its high-ranking cartel members, who are wanted by the United States, over to its neighbor as part of a major deal with the Trump administration amid the U.S. crackdown on drug smuggling.

    The Trump administration promised not to seek the death penalty for any of the cartel members, according to the Associated Press. It comes after the country sent 30 other highly-sought drug cartel members to the United States in February.

    The new cartel members include Abigael González Valencia, a leader of the group “Los Cuinis,” which is closely aligned with the notorious cartel, Jalisco New Generation. Another person is wanted for the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.

    Mexico confirmed to the Associated Press that the 26 defendants were transferred to the United States, but did not identify the individuals. However, a press briefing on the matter is scheduled for Wednesday.

    The deal comes after President Donald Trump allegedly signed an order directing the Department of Defense to use the military to fight Latin American drug cartels, which has been opposed by Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum. 

    Trump has made the war on the drug cartels a top priority for his administration in his second term as the U.S. witnesses a devastating opioid epidemic, primarily fueled by fentanyl.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. lots of happenings this morning in this sleepy little berg!
        when i got to the “highway” that runs thru the middle of the little town, there were 3 ambulances coming from the west. 2 went south and 1 went east. and there was a larger police vehicle with sirens and lights flashing FOLLOWING the one going east.
        then on my way back, a huge tractor trailer was backing onto our dirt road and since there was traffic coming, i had to turn onto our road as well. he finally maneuvered to where he wanted to park and motioned me forward. when i got to the cab, he got out and I rolled down my window. he thanked me for waiting–“a big help to us truckers–most just try to pass us…” then he said, this road doesn’t look so bad–they didn’t tell me where to drop this. I laughed and said back a ways. they dropped millings with some 4-5 inch stone chunks in it. it’s really rough to drive on.
        he asked if the road was straight and i said no–curvy with deep ditches on the sides–so he said better call and see if he could leave it there.
        nice young man.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. My goodness! Wonder if it’s another industrial “accident!” Any manufacturing going on in that area? Very considerate of you – he’s right – most people are so intent on their oh-so-important selves that they don’t consider the difficulties involved with a big rig.

          Whew! I’m pooped! I got the entire driveway sprayed (between the gates behind the house) as well as both culverts in the front yard – yet another thing that asshole Zeb didn’t do so the grass is really thick and long. I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them aren’t blocked near the center anyway but just in case…..once the grass gets so long, you can’t even tell where they are – I’d hate to run over them with my new mower!!!

          I’ll rest up a bit, then finish spraying the front driveway. I already got the cement slab done in front of the garage and I want to do the rest of the driveway to the road. That will about finish up the All-Kill that I have on hand so I’ll need to get more so I can spray my fence line – I don’t want to have to worry about weed eating that whole thing.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. no, there’s really NOTHING around here but small mom and pop type shops and small stores–no manufacturing that i know of except an old zipper factory…lol
            it rained briefly here but now just cloudy.

            Liked by 1 person

            1. It’s sunny and kind of windy, up to 82 now – the wind is keeping the temp down a bit – I put the sprayer on “:stream” rather than “spray” so it doesn’t blow around too much.

              Like

  22. kalbokalbs
    kalbokalbs(@kalbokalbs)Online
    Wolf
    August 13, 2025 09:05

    Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

    “Congresswoman” Jasmine Crockett is a Low (Very!!!) I.Q. Individual, much in the mold of the AOC Plus Three Gang of Country Destroying Morons – Only slightly dumber. Each of these political hacks should be forced to take a Cognitive Exam, much like the one I recently took while getting my “physical” at our GREAT Washington, D.C., Military Hospital (WR!). As the doctors said, “President Trump ACED it, something that is rarely seen!” These Radical Left Lunatics would all fail this test in a spectacular show of stupidity and incompetence. TAKE THE TEST!!!

    https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115009924991505341

    Liked by 1 person

  23. sync

    August 13, 2025 11:25 am

    Jonathan Turley

    The D.C. Circuit just handed the Trump Administration another victory in tossing aside the injunction requiring the State Department to make foreign aid payments. It is only the latest district court to be overruled on these injunctions as invasive of Article II authority.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Donna in Oregon

    August 13, 2025 10:57 am

    The Trump Admin should have Kash Patel and the DOJ investigate this. All illegal aliens that bought DL should be deported. The Governor should be put on notice as well. Filthy liberals and their illegal voters…..

    Whistleblower FIRED After Exposing HUGE SCAM: Multiple Kentucky Driver’s License Branch Employees Secretly Sold Driver’s Licenses To Potentially Thousands of Illegal Aliens For Several Years
    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/08/whistleblower-fired-after-exposing-huge-scam-multiple-kentucky/

    Liked by 1 person

  26. “Elephant poaching in Zimbabwe’s Lower Zambezi Valley has fallen by 90% thanks to the nation’s first all-women ranger unit.

    The Akashinga Rangers protect a 115-square-mile former trophy hunting reserve in one of Zimbabwe’s four key elephant strongholds.

    Beyond tackling poaching, they also work with nearby communities to prevent human-wildlife conflict, using non-lethal deterrents like chili bricks to keep elephants away from crops and settlements.

    For the women themselves, gaining employment as rangers has been life-changing, opening doors to home ownership, education, and the ability to provide for their families.”

    Liked by 1 person

  27. “Chinese Immigrants Create 21 Children Via Surrogate Before Allegedly Abusing Them — While investigating allegations of abuse, police discovered 15 children under the age of three in the Chinese couple’s L.A. mansion.”

    The Federalist, By: Helen Raleigh, August 13, 2025

    footage of house where authorities took custody of 21 children

    EXCERPT: “In a troubling case unfolding in California, police have removed 21 children from a couple with connections to China. This complicated situation highlights profound ethical, moral, and legal dilemmas that demand our attention.

    The couple at the center of this case is Silvia Zhang, 38, and Guojun Xuan, 65. Originally from China, they became naturalized U.S. citizens and now reside in a sprawling multimillion-dollar mansion in a suburb of Los Angeles. Zhang has a daughter from a previous marriage. She and Xuan have been having children through surrogacy since 2021.

    Zhang operated a surrogacy agency called Mark Surrogacy from their mansion. The agency purportedly marketed itself as an institution assisting American and international couples struggling to conceive through surrogacy. However, investigations revealed a startling truth: The only couple the agency served was Zhang and Xuan themselves. They are the biological parents of 21 children born through surrogacy. Of these children, fifteen lived with them in the mansion under the care of a few nannies, while friends and family supposedly looked after the other six in different locations.

    Mark Surrogacy’s sham operation would have continued if not for one of the children, a two-month-old infant, who had to be rushed to the hospital in May. After hospital staff determined the infant exhibited signs of child abuse, they contacted social services and the police. Police searched Zhang and Xuan’s mansion and found 15 children, none of whom is more than three years old. The police also uncovered home surveillance videos showing that some children were “subjected to physical and emotional abuse” by their nannies. Therefore, the police removed all children and put them under foster care.

    The revelations surrounding Mark Surrogacy have left many of the surrogate mothers in a state of disbelief and anger. “It was kind of like they preyed on my vulnerability, being a first-time surrogate,” Kayla Elliott told CBS News. “We were lied to about so much, that I mean it’s disgusting.”

    Compounding this injustice is the fact that two surrogate mothers are currently pregnant with the couple’s children, unsure if their babies will be placed into the foster care system. Some of these mothers are contemplating legal action against Zhang and Xuan. Additionally, the couple is entangled in two lawsuits from former employees of their real estate business, raising further questions about their integrity.

    In May, Zhang and Xuan were arrested on allegations of felony child endangerment and neglect. Despite this, they were not charged and were subsequently released on bond. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Zhang defended their actions, arguing that having “as many children as possible” is not illegal. Zhang strongly refuted claims of any human trafficking motives, instead highlighting her lifestyle as proof of her capability to support a big family.

    In addition to child welfare concerns, the situation of Zhang and Xuan raises many questions from immigration to the ethics of surrogacy.Handing Out Citizenship to CCP Members

    Philip Lenczycki, an investigative reporter at the Daily Caller, reported that Xuan has held multiple Chinese government positions in Xinjiang, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been systemically persecuting Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities, including putting over a million of them in internment camps and forcing Uyghur women to undergo birth control to suppress the population growth in the region. The U.S. government deemed the CCP’s repression in Xinjiang a “genocide,” and has sanctioned several organizations and officials associated with Xinjiang.

    Xuan reportedly served as a representative to the Urumqi Municipal People’s Congress and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) People’s Congress between 1997 and 2012. Since both legislative bodies were responsible for passing some repressive legislation against Uyghurs, a Uyghur activist told Lenczowski that “anyone who served in the so-called Urumqi or Xinjiang People’s Congresses between 1997 and 2012 was fully complicit in genocide.”

    It is crucial to highlight that Xuan must be a member of the CCP to serve on the People’s Congress. U.S. immigration law prohibits immigrants with “membership in or affiliation with the Communist or any other totalitarian party” from becoming naturalized citizens. Thus, it is curious how Xuan, a high-ranking CCP member linked to genocide in Xinjiang, was able to obtain U.S. citizenship. This situation highlights serious enforcement issues in our immigration laws and warrants investigation.

    Bodies for Sale

    In addition to concerns about immigration, Xuan and Zhang’s case highlights the ethical, legal, and moral dilemmas surrounding the commercial surrogacy industry, which has turned a deeply human experience into a commodity. As one research paper concludes, “Surrogacy degrades a pregnancy to a service and a baby to a product.” This process often faces accusations of abuse and exploitation, especially when financially disadvantaged women are hired to carry babies for wealthy couples…..”

    https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/13/chinese-immigrants-create-21-surrogate-children-before-allegedly-abusing-them/

    Liked by 1 person

  28. so this gang member in jail and ratting out his fellow gang members says he’s now transgender and wants to be recognized as a female and put in a female prison–because gang members are trying to murder him in the male prison. sorry buttercup–suck it up.
    FTA
    Contreras Aguilar was a known member of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) — a transnational criminal gang known for ruthlessness and brutality — under the alias “Atrevido.” He was arrested in 2017 in connection with the 2016 murders of 17-year-old Edvin Mendez — who was believed to be a member of a rival gang — and 14-year-old Sergio Triminio, who Contreras Aguilar and other members of MS-13 believed was cooperating with law enforcement.

    It was not until 2024 — after filing a number of complaints alleging attempts on his life and other issues — that Contreras Aguilar took on the name Fendi G. Skyy and claimed to identify as female. He then began filing complaints stating that trans-identifying prisoners were mistreated in comparison to other prisoners.

    “Transgender women prisoners in men’s prisons,” he claimed, are often met with “harsher, more degrading treatment than their cisgender counterparts.”

    Prior to changing his identity, Contreras Aguilar claimed that fellow MS-13 members had attempted to kill him on several occasions after discovering that he had been acting as an informant. He also filed a legal complaint against then Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022, claiming that he had been working as an informant in 2016 and 2017, and that his 21-year sentence had been issued as a result of a plea agreement.

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/ms-13-member-serving-time-for-murder-sues-trump-to-be-recognized-as-a-woman

    Like

  29. “No, Trump Hasn’t Gone Soft On Silicon Valley Monopolies — President Trump’s antitrust team isn’t pro-monopolies. It’s pro-consumer, pro-competition, and pro-America.”

    The Federalist, By: Matt Gaetz, August 13, 2025

    Trump speaks at podium

    EXCERPT: “President Trump’s Department of Justice recently intervened in a case accusing tech giants and media outlets of colluding to silence conservatives, including a nonprofit founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. These companies weren’t protecting us from “misinformation.” They were protecting their own power. 

    Trump’s DOJ is not cozying up to these media giants like plenty of other past Republican administrations would have. It’s fighting back.

    This single case undercuts the lazy narrative that the Trump administration is soft on monopolies or in the pocket of Big Tech. It also shows a deeper shift underway — one where Republicans have stopped reflexively defending corporate power and started taking aim at the kinds of concentrated private empires that censor speech, crush competition, and tilt the playing field against ordinary Americans.

    Yet Democrats are still clinging to a lazy caricature of the Trump administration as a bunch of corporate errand boys cozying up to monopolies. That might have been an easy talking point to make about Republicans for a high school civics debate years ago, but it has nothing to do with the Trump administration today.

    The loudest attacks have been aimed at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, fueled by the false claim that Trump is handing out political favors to monopolies. It might sound good in a left-wing X post, but it’s wholly divorced from reality.

    How many Trump staffers do you see pushing free trade for big business? How many are cozying up to Big Tech? By my count: zero. I know the people running antitrust at the Trump DOJ and FTC. I know how they think. And I can tell you this: They’re tougher on corporate power than any other administration in living memory.

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater proved it in her first major speech this spring at Notre Dame when she said, “[W]e are experiencing the emergence of new durable forms of monopoly power.” She made clear that under President Trump, the GOP has shifted its focus away from protecting “big business” and toward defending the working class from concentrated power, whether it’s in Silicon Valley or Washington…..”

    https://thefederalist.com/2025/08/13/no-trump-hasnt-gone-soft-on-silicon-valley-monopolies/

    Liked by 1 person

  30. “North Carolina Elections Board Agrees To Prohibit Digital Voter IDs”

    The Federalist, By: Shawn Fleetwood, August 12, 2025

    North Carolina welcome sign.

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “North Carolina’s elections board confirmed it will not accept digital IDs as a valid form of voter identification in elections on Friday.

    During a video conference, the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) read through details of its court settlement with the Republican National Committee and the state GOP over a lawsuit the latter parties filed against the then-Democrat-run board last year, the Carolina Journal reported Friday. Last year, the RNC and North Carolina Republican Party alleged that the NCSBE’s guidance permitting University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students and employees to use “digital” ID to vote in elections violated state law.

    According to The Carolina Journal, as part of the settlement reached by the parties last month, the now-Republican-run state board has “agreed not to accept any ‘electronic identification’ as a voter ID unless the General Assembly approves a new law permitting that type of ID.” NC Election Board General Counsel Paul Cox “said that under the Open Meetings law, it is required that once a public body makes a settlement in a closed session, that settlement, once executed, has to be reported out at the next public meeting.”

    According to the outlet, Republican NCSBE member Bob Rucho — who was appointed this year and months after the board’s initial vote to authorize the use of such IDs — “said that the board should be required to follow the law, and when the General Assembly allows for change or makes the change, they should institute it then.”

    In their original lawsuit, the RNC and NC GOP argued that existing state law “does not allow the NCSBE to expand the circumstances of what is an acceptable student identification card, beyond a tangible, physical item, to something only found on a computer system.” While a trial judge initially sided with the board, a three-judge panel on the state’s appellate court subsequently blocked that order, prohibiting the use of digital IDs in the 2024 election.

    During Friday’s meeting, the NCSBE’s Democrat members reportedly defended their 2024 votes authorizing digital IDs for UNC students and employees.

    According to the left-wing North Carolina Newsline, Democrat Siobhan Millen claimed the prior board “made the correct decision to allow that ID,” but acknowledged that “the Court of Appeals order disagrees and we are bound to obey that.”

    “I think with the way technology is changing with digital IDs that this will not be the last word on this subject,” Millen added. Democrat board member Jeff Carmon echoed her remarks, according to North Carolina Newsline and the Carolina Journal.”

    Liked by 1 person

  31. NF: Clearly, I’m not your average Baby Boomer since I don’t even have a smart phone! ROFL

    “On average, Baby Boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 – are on smart phones five hours a day. That’s almost the same amount of time on a phone as millennials – those born between 1981 and 1995 – who clock in over five-and-a-half hours per day. But what’s really interesting, is how that time on devices is being spent, and more importantly, what it means for our mental health. In a period when the more we are “connected” means more time alone on devices, the perception of connectivity and actually engaging others can be starkly different.

    Do you check your phone during dinner? That’s just crazy…”

    “My waiter at Dublin airport – here come the Jetsons…”

    Liked by 1 person

  32. NF: Reminds me of an episode of Castle, where they find the remains of a long-dead Mafioso whose lover was a guy but they had to hide it.

    “Even the Italian mob has started flying the rainbow flag. This story isn’t new, but it is worth mentioning. A star prosecutor in Italy has revealed the mafia is now open to gay men – and even has a drag queen in their midst.

    “The mafia have evolved along with society,” Nicola Gratteri, an anti-mafia investigator in Calabria, told the Times of London. “Gays can be accepted now, even as foot soldiers, so long as they don’t parade it in public.”

    The inspector claims to have intercepted “passionate” letters between a crime boss and a young lieutenant, and has eavesdropped on phone conversations revealing many mafia foot soldiers enjoy transvestite bars. The scion of one crime family is living as a drag queen under the name “Lady Godiva,” the prosecutor found. Previously, mobsters risked being murdered if they were even suspected of being gay.

    In 1992, New Jersey mob boss John “Johnny Boy” D’Amato, head of the DeCavalcante family, was shot dead by one of his own soldiers after it emerged he was homosexual.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. they must have a clever way of sidestepping the term “illegal ballot” …what does that even mean? is it defined in the law? because that’s a sufficiently vague enough description to avoid prosecution.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hmmmm….if it is defined in the law, it’s probably defined differently in various states, unless it’s a federal law.

        Liked by 1 person

  39. “This tank’s leak triggered the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, claiming more than 15,000 lives…

    On the night of December 2-3, 1984, a catastrophic gas leak at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released 40 tons of toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas. Over 500,000 people were exposed, leading to an estimated 3,000-10,000 immediate deaths and over 20,000 long-term fatalities. Poor safety standards, neglected maintenance, and inadequate emergency measures amplified the tragedy. The disaster left a lasting impact, with survivors suffering chronic health issues and environmental contamination persisting for decades. Union Carbide’s settlement of $470 million in 1989 was widely criticized as insufficient. This remains one of the worst industrial disasters in history.

    What about the East Palestine, Ohio tragedy again? A new report alleges that soil samples following the 2023 fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio were manipulated by the EPA and Norfolk Southern.

    They are getting away with it:

    Liked by 1 person

  41. Ewww,,,,beyond creepy!!!

    “The Telescope Fish, found in tropical and subtropical waters, and in a nightmare near you…

    The Telescopefish (Gigantura) is a deep-sea fish known for its distinctive, tubular eyes and elongated body. Belonging to the family Giganturidae, Telescopefish have unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in the dark depths of the ocean.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I used to eat Tilapia filets with a garlic seasoning a lot but haven’t for a number of years now. It is a mild white fish. When we went blue fishing in the Chesapeake Bay, we would always eat filets from what we caught after removing the dark stripe down the side – it gave it a wild flavor that was overwhelming. We cooked it on the grill with garlic butter. Not something I was especially fond of but it was ok once in a while and it’s only right to eat what you catch! Except bass – those were always catch & release!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. my brother and the neighbor kid would go fishing and they would grill what they brought back on our grill–Mom used to get so mad, cuz they didn’t put foil or anything on the grill–and they wouldn’t clean it afterward either!
          drew all the neighborhood stray cats! which would drive our dogs crazy.
          little brothers…sigh

          Liked by 1 person

              3. SMH – my Grandma – my birth Dad’s Mom – was that way with my brother, Charlie – he could do NO wrong in her eyes!!! SMH – used to really piss off my sister and I! She was also a big fan of Hitler so that should tell you something about her – she was born in Germany! 😉😠🙄😒😫

                Liked by 1 person

  43. “UK Government urges citizens to delete old emails and pictures as data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems…

    UK is currently experiencing an unprecedented drought…

    It’s not storage of existing files that’s the problem; it’s the processing, specifically AI and crypto mining. Don’t delete your archives; it won’t solve anything…”

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-drought-group-meets-to-address-nationally-significant-water-shortfall

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Well, I’ve run out of weed/grass killer so I’m done for the day. I got about half of my front driveway done but I’ll wait until tomorrow to go to the hardware store for more juice. Not a bad score for today: all of the back driveway (inside the gates – still have the east/west side sections to do yet), the culverts, the cement pad in front of the garage, and a good portion of the front driveway – and it’s not even 3 pm here yet!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. gees…you’ve been busy!!!!

      I just looked at my hummer feeder. I refilled the front 2 this morning. they are near empty again! the side 2 are good, but they are really sucking these front 2 dry!

      Liked by 1 person

  45. they just delivered the second load of firewood. i was out playing with Jackson–their little beagle. I bought Pupperoni sticks the last time I was at walmart and gave him a couple the first time they were here. when he jumped out of the truck, he ran right over to me and sat down…like well…where are they? LOL
    I gave him 2 and then he barked–like…Dad said I can have 3! LOL I gave him the third and then he trotted under the front steps and laid in the soft clover in the shade.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Smart, well-behaved pup! The only beagle I ever had was dumb as a stump! No matter how hard I tried, I could not get that dog house-trained. We gave him to someone on a farm!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I always liked younger men – most men my age couldn’t keep up with me! LOL – now, I’m not in the least bit interested in any of them!!!

        Liked by 1 person

  49. “The first Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) was founded in the areas of Fontana and San Bernardino, California in 1948. From there, the club grew exponentially, becoming one of the largest in the world. The club has since earned a reputation in media and popular culture, thanks to a number of high-profile raids and wars on its various national charters, and in no small part to Gimme Shelter, a 1970 documentary about a riot during a Rolling Stones concert. The Stones’ management allegedly paid the Hell’s Angels to provide security at the concert and paid them in beer, which was a terrible idea. As a banner once read on the club’s website:

    What the motorcycle club never forgets is its own heritage. While mainstream media gave the club a creation myth involving drunken, misfit airmen who flew bomber missions in World War II and struggled to adapt to life after the war, the real story is much simpler.

    The fake story starts with a WWII Army Air Forces unit in Europe during WWII, the 303rd Bombardment Group. The 303rd was not a misfit group, as popular lore has implied, but rather one of the highest performers in the entire air war. In its official history, the motorcycle club tells the story of the B-17 the 303rd named “Hell’s Angels,” and its commander, the capable (and not drunken) Capt. Irl E. Baldwin.

    Why? To make sure the world knows this aircrew wasn’t a band of drunken misfits, but instead were heroes of the war in Europe. The aircrew has nothing to do with the motorcycle club. The Angels just care that the memory of the crew isn’t dragged through the mud. (They care too much, right? That’s always been a fault of the Hell’s Angels.)”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. we haven’t toured in quite a while, in fact we were discussing selling the bike. (and thanks to you, hubby’s thinking a classic car would be better for us…LOL)

      anyway, what i remember most was the feeling of brothership with the other bikers we met. If you were on the side of the road–another biker would stop and ask if we were okay. (mainly is was rest our backs or butts…lol) but they were always quick to lend a hand. i liked that.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yeah, these days, it might be a little scary as to who exactly is stopping and for what reason! Truckers were always like that, too, but these days? Who knows who or what is going to get out of that truck?!? It’s just not as safe as it used to be, sadly. And the older we get, the more we appreciate comfort, eh?

        Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.