Remembrance…

On 9/11, I was working for Schiebel Technology, which is an Austrian company, at the old Vint Hill Farms Army base and had my computer set to receive breaking news alerts. About the same time the breaking news alert popped up on my computer, one of the trainers (ex-Army) came rushing out of his office to say 2 planes had hit the Twin Towers in NYC. We had no TV reception, although we had at least 5 TVs that were used for presentations on the CamCopter at trade shows, but no antenna. I lived only a mile from the base and had a set of rabbit ears so I rushed home to get them.

We set up the TV just outside the back door, which was the only place we could get any reception. Updates were being given every half-hour so everyone rushed downstairs to watch the updates. Then we heard about the alleged plane that hit the Pentagon (I still believe it was a missile). Whoa!!! That was WAY too close to home and we were on an old Army Base – could we be next???? Heather called me to say, “Mom, thank God you don’t work at the Pentagon any more!!!!” The plane hit on the 1st floor, Corridor 4 and extending into Corridor 5, all the way thru to the B ring near the center of the Pentagon; I worked on the 3rd floor, D ring, 7th corridor. For your info:

It takes a lot to make me really cry – serious crying is not something I do often. On Friday of that week, I took the company Tahoe to Warrenton to get our mail. On the way back, Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA” came on the radio – I was overcome with tears, sobbing, and had to pull over on the side of the road because I couldn’t even see.

Ten days later, 8 Egyptian Naval officers arrived for training on the CamCopter system. 9/11 will always be inextricably linked to the Egyptians for me. They were all incredibly respectful and thoughtful – every time they came to my house, they brought me some gift: flowers, small statues, a papyrus, etc., etc.

We considered cancelling the training, especially since 2 of the guys who worked for us (the two Mikes) chose to quit and re-up in the Army to work on their AUV program – but the owner, Hans Schiebel, made the decision not to cancel. They had to bring Peter over from Austria for the training. We also weren’t sure about the reception the Egyptians would get in rural VA. However, all went well and each, to a man, stood with the US against this horrific action – of course, I didn’t know the truth then, nor did they, I expect. I’ve written about my experiences with the Egyptians before but one particular circumstance really sticks in my mind.

Wajdi (who really wanted to be a chef – he was in charge when they prepared the Ramadan meal at my house, which began on November 11, 2001 and lasted for a month) wanted to do some sightseeing over a week-end and was going to rent a car to go to FL. I told him he shouldn’t go to FL – the only thing to see there was beaches and a lot of retired people. I suggested he should go to New York City and he took my advice.

While he was there walking around, people kept asking him if he was Spanish, giving his complexion. He repeatedly informed them that, no, he was Egyptian, but he was getting tired of it. So the next time someone asked him, he just agreed. Unbeknownst to him, there was an undercover FBI agent nearby and he promptly stopped him to ask why he had lied.

He was in a quandary as to what to do if the agent didn’t believe him. He told me he thought, “Should I call an attorney? No, I’ll call Judy – she’ll take care of this for me!” Thankfully, since he had the laminated card we had made for all of them identifying them as students here for training at Schiebel, the agent was finally convinced and left him alone.

We bought a 15 passenger van so we could ferry all of them around at one time, if need be. I took those who were interested on a tour of Skyline Drive. We had them over for an old-fashioned American BBQ and spent Christmas Eve with them.

Aymon and my grandson on Christmas Eve – Aymon gained the nickname of “Troublemaker Aymon” after he showed Gage what fun it was to throw a Nerf ball into the ceiling fan! He was also the one who had never had brown sugar before and he asked me to make him an entire batch of my Sweet Potatoes after I served it on Thanksgiving. Of course I did, and he didn’t share even ONE bite with any of the other guys!

The picture below was taken the day they all graduated from the training. The man standing on the far right was the rep from the Egyptian company with whom Schiebel had collaborated in the sale of 4 CamCopter systems to the Egyptian Navy, Mr. Shehata. Peter, from Austria, is standing to my right.

Graduation – they flew out on Christmas Day

At one point, Mr. Shehata approached me about a problem one of the younger guys was having at the hotel where they were staying. Apparently, he made some calls to a 900 line at some point and found himself broke from having to pay for the phone charges. I agreed to work with the hotel to see what could be done so I went to the hotel manager and requested a detailed listing of the calls. As I perused the bill, I noticed that some calls were being placed during the day when I knew for a fact that he was at Vint Hill training.

Back to see the manager, who refused to do anything until I demanded to speak to their Regional Manager. She backed off right quick and ended up refunding the entire amount. After that, I was golden, pure and simple! Many of them called me their American Mom! We had sooooo much fun!

Aziz (left) and Magdi (right) – Magdi, whose Father was an Admiral, was engaged, arranged when they were children, and was supposed to buy his fiance a wedding gown while he was in the US. Yeah, no, that didn’t happen! He didn’t even want to return to Egypt but I convinced him that, if he was going to do that, he had to go back and do it the right way. He did end up and marry her. Aziz and I stayed in touch up until I got banned at FB.

Later in 2001, Life Magazine came out with a memorial book and another book of only pictures was produced by Magnum Photographers. I ordered both of them immediately and have scanned some pics to include here.

“One Nation: America Remembers September 11, 1001” (sorry about the glare)

Searching for the missing:

We would very much enjoy hearing about your experiences and feelings regarding 9/11.

The Nazis Sent Franceska Mann To The Gas Chamber, But She Had No Intention Of Going Quietly

Franceska Mann knew she was going to die, but she was determined to go down with a fight.

In early 1943, Franceska Mann was transferred to the Hotel Polski along with hundreds of her fellow countrymen. Moved from the Warsaw Ghetto, the hotel seemed like a reprieve; rumors of being given passports and papers to be sent to South America hung over the crowd, a beacon of hope for those who had had little in the past.

They soon realized, however, that it was a trap. There was to be no deportation to South America. Instead, the hotel guests would be transferred to concentration camps like Vittel, Bergen-Belsen, and Auschwitz.

Before she had arrived at the Hotel Polski, Franceska Mann had been a ballerina and an accomplished one at that.

She’d placed fourth out of 125 in an international competition in Brussels in 1939 and had become a performer at the Melody Palace nightclub in Warsaw shortly afterward. She was widely revered as one of the most beautiful and promising dancers of her age in Poland and was said to be as smart as she was talented, a skill that would suit her in the last hours of her life.

While allegedly transferred to Switzerland, the SS officers stopped the inmates to be “disinfected,” at Bergen, a transfer camp near Dresden. They were told the aim was to get them to Switzerland, where they would be exchanged for German POWs. But in order to get there, they had to be stripped, cleaned, and registered. However, upon arrival, the inmates were not registered and instead taken to a room adjacent to the gas chambers and told to undress.

Inmates line up in a concentration camp for food rations. Keystone/Getty Images

At this point, Franceska Mann knew that there was little chance that the inmates would be set free, let alone get out of Bergen alive. She knew she was going down, and decided that if she went, she wasn’t going without a fight.

As the women were separated into their own room to undress, Mann noticed two guards leering at them through the door. Seizing her opportunity, Mann enticed them in, undressing slowly, and encouraging the other women to do so as well.

Josef Schillinger and Wilhelm Emmerich were indeed enticed, moving into the room. As soon as they were within range, Mann ripped off her shoe, striking Schillinger over the head with it. Then, she pulled the gun from his holster and fired three shots. Two of the bullets hit Schillinger in the stomach, the third struck Emmerich’s leg.

Inspired by Mann’s actions, the other women in the room joined the revolt and attacked the two men. According to one report, one of the officers had his nose torn off in the attack while the other was scalped by the angry mob. Schillinger ultimately died from his wounds, while Emmerich’s did not prove fatal.

Before long reinforcements arrived, alerted by the noise of the revolt. The gas chamber was turned on, trapping whoever was inside it. The women who were between the gas chamber and the undressing room were all gunned down by machine guns, while the women in the chamber were taken outside to be executed.

Still determined to go down on her own terms, Mann turned Schillinger’s gun on herself, taking her own life. Though she was unable to save herself or the women in the room with her, Franceska Mann ensured that she left the Bergau camp with one less Nazi than they’d had before.

Elvis & Sullivan

Already owning a Number One hit with “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis had been on television before, but nothing compared to his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show when 60 million viewers tuned in. It was a high profile cultural moment and national event when 82% of the television viewing audience watched Elvis on The Ed Sullivan Show.

This young man, whose sound and raw, energetic performances went against everything the conservative Eisenhower era stood for, captivated the youth of America. That night on the Sullivan show, Elvis entered living rooms across the country and created a cultural revolution that changed musical tastes and entertainment forever.

An average student, Elvis found inspiration at The First Assembly of God, the church his family attended, and where he learned to love gospel music. On his eleventh birthday, Elvis was given a guitar by his mother and, inspired by southern gospel singers like Jake Hess and country artists like Hank Snow and Roy Acuff, he taught himself to sing and play the instrument by ear. As he grew older Elvis became more passionate about music and immersed himself in the sounds of his new home — Memphis, Tennessee.

By 1955, at the age of 20, Elvis Presley was emerging as a regional star in the south, touring and playing shows from Tennessee to Texas. Known for his lively performances and on stage gyrations, Elvis played a unique blend of R&B, country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll. At this early age, Elvis was taken under the wing of well-known music promoter Colonel Tom Parker who heard about Elvis and the audience reaction he was getting whenever he performed. Elvis was recording for producers Sam Phillips and his Sun label. Parker got RCA to buy Elvis’ contract for an outrageous sum at the time — $35,000. Elvis’ first single, “Heartbreak Hotel” was released on January 27, 1956 and his self-titled debut album two months later. “Heartbreak Hotel” became Elvis Presley’s first Number One single and his debut album quickly went gold.

To give his artist a national showcase Colonel Parker booked Elvis’s first televised appearance on Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey’s Stage Show. To get him on the show, The Colonel sent the show’s producer, Jackie Gleason, a glossy photo of Elvis with a note reading “JG: This is Elvis Presley. About to be Real Big…- Colonel.” The deal was for six appearances, and although Stage Show was not a major variety show it brought Elvis his first national exposure.

Soon after, Elvis’s national popularity was on the rise, and Hollywood wanted in. Elvis signed a movie contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount Pictures. The Colonel next booked two appearances for him on The Milton Berle Show. For the first show broadcast, April 3, 1956, Elvis was filmed on the flight deck of the USS Hancock in San Diego. Hundreds of sailors were in attendance. In the second show, June 5, 1956, Elvis’s playful performance of “Hound Dog” drove the teens wild, but the press and some adults were outraged. The controversy over his bumps and grinds and gyrating hips only served to fuel the fire. When Ed Sullivan was asked if he would book Elvis on his show, he said he would not. He didn’t want to be the recipient of scathing criticism from the nation’s media.

Then on July 1st, 1956, Elvis appeared on NBC’s new Steve Allen Show, which aired opposite CBS’s The Ed Sullivan Show. Due to the backlash from Presley’s second and last performance on The Milton Berle Show, Allen decided to dress Elvis in a tuxedo and have him sing “Hound Dog” to a basset hound. While many of Elvis’s teenaged fans may not have appreciated the comedic intent of the song (Elvis personally hated it), The Steve Allen Show crushed Ed Sullivan in that week’s ratings. On Monday, Ed Sullivan sent Steve Allen a telegram reading: “Steven Presley Allen, NBC TV, New York City. Stinker. Love and kisses. Ed Sullivan.”

By Monday morning Ed Sullivan caved and decided to book Elvis on his Sunday night showcase. Sullivan and Colonel Parker agreed to have Elvis appear three times for the then mind boggling sum of $50,000, the highest amount ever paid to a performer to appear on TV. Ironically, before Elvis had appeared nationally on television, Sullivan had turned down the opportunity to book Elvis on his show for $5,000. He passed on the opportunity, because he wasn’t sure that Presley would be a good fit for his show’s family audience. But after getting trounced in the ratings by Steve Allen, Ed had to concede and he paid dearly. It would be a show business marriage made in ratings heaven.

A month before Elvis’s Sullivan debut, Ed was involved in nearly fatal automobile accident that left him hospitalized for weeks. By the time September 9th, 1956 rolled around, Ed was still recovering from his injuries and was unable to host Presley’s historic appearance. British actor Charles Laughton hosted the show from Ed’s New York studio and introduced Elvis to the television audience. “…and now, away to Hollywood to meet Elvis Presley!” 60 million viewers were transported to CBS Television City in Los Angeles for Elvis Presley’s performance of “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Love Me Tender,” the latter being the title song of his first Hollywood feature film.

Later, it was again back to Hollywood where Elvis returned to perform Little Richard’s hit, “Ready Teddy” after which he thanked “Mr. Sullivan” for the opportunity and wished him a speedy recovery. Continuing his serious tone, Elvis then introduced his next number, “As a great philosopher once said…’You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog!’” Elvis held nothing back, snarling and gyrating and stirring up controversy all over again. Contrary to what many believe about CBS insisting that cameras only shoot Elvis from the hips up, the TV audience had a full view of Elvis Presley that evening.

By the time of his next appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, October 28th, 1956, Sullivan had recovered from his injuries and resumed his duties hosting the show. Following an innocent act by an Irish children’s choir called The Little Gaelic Singers, Elvis Presley took the stage and sang, “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Love Me Tender.” After Señor Wences’s ventriloquism act, Elvis returned to perform “Love Me.” During this song the camera moved in for a close-up of Elvis’ face, and then, as if on cue, he smiled and snarled his upper lip. The studio audience went wild. Elvis closed with another performance of his hit, “Hound Dog.” Again viewers were shown a head-to-toe Elvis.

Following the broadcast, which again enjoyed huge ratings, Elvis was burned in effigy by angry crowds in Nashville and St. Louis. The popular press was also critical of his style and movements. Rock and roll was increasingly attacked and there was growing opposition to its supposedly negative influence on America’s youth. The more the establishment pushed back, the more Elvis’s support grew from millions of teenagers.

Elvis’s third and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show took place on January 6th, 1957. He shared the stage with Sullivan impressionist Will Jordan, ventriloquist Arthur Worsley and a rising comedienne, Carol Burnett.

Elvis’s sexy gyrations had stirred up enough controversy across America that CBS censors demanded he be shot only from the waist up only!

Elvis performed a number of songs that night including “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Too Much,” “When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again,” and a gospel favorite, “Peace in the Valley.” At the end of the show Ed Sullivan went out of his way to compliment Presley, “I wanted to say to Elvis Presley and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy, and wherever you go, Elvis, we want to say we’ve never had a pleasanter experience on our show with a big name than we’ve had with you. So now let’s have a tremendous hand for a very nice person!” With that endorsement, Elvis Presley bowed, was clearly appreciative and exited the Sullivan stage for the last time. He went on to become one of the most famous and beloved artists in the history of entertainment.

In 2006, The History Channel selected the September 9th, 1956 Elvis Presley appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show as one of the “10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America.” Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show was a key stepping stone on The King’s path to worldwide fame. Today Presley remains a cultural icon and a global legend, the best selling solo artist in the history of popular music, and perhaps thanks in part to Elvis’ three historic appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Source: https://www.edsullivan.com/artists/elvis-presley/

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins

Nothing says Fall more than pumpkins to me. But buying a bunch of fresh pumpkins each year can be expensive. So, I learned to make fabric pumpkins, using old clothes, fabric scraps or just about anything cloth—like napkins or tablecloths. There are 3 different methods to make these and the method you choose depends on the shape pumpkin you want and how much hand sewing you want to do.

Circular Pattern Pumpkins

General Supplies

Fiberfill

Fabric

Thread

Needle

Felt, stick, or saved pumpkin stem

Felt for leaves, or berries for top of pumpkin or ribbon

Instructions

Trace a circle on a piece of paper—the size will determine your pumpkin. If you want to make small pumpkins for place cards at Thanksgiving dinner, you will want to use a circle of about 4-6 inches wide. Increase the circle size to make larger pumpkins. Using the paper pattern, trace the circle on the fabric and cut out.

With the needle and thread, sew a running stitch around the outside of the circle about ½ of an inch from the edge. Gather the edges somewhat so that you can stuff the fiberfill inside. When the pumpkin is filled to your liking, draw the thread tight. Knot the thread. Use another length of thread (or yarn) to create the pumpkin sections. Insert the needle close to the stem and go downward through the center. Loop over the pumpkin and back to the center, drawing tight enough to create an indentation in the pumpkin side, and insert the needle again, making another loop. Continue in this fashion around the pumpkin until you make 5 pumpkin ridges. Knot the thread or yarn. Place hot glue in the indention, place the stem in the glue, then hold it until it sets up. Add raffia, ribbon, tendrils, and or leaves to decorate your pumpkin.

Rectangular Pumpkin Pattern

General Supplies

1 rectangle piece of fabric – any size will do but 12” x 8” is great
1 8” x 3” piece of felt
Thread & Needle; yarn
Hot glue gun & glue
Fiberfill (pillow stuffing)

Instructions

With your fabric lying flat on a table and the long side laying horizontal, fold the fabric in half inside out. Stitch up the side opposite to the fold. You can do this by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine.

Next, taking your needle and thread do a simple gathering stich along the bottom of your fabric. Don’t cut the thread yet. Pull the thread tight so the fabric gathers in the center. Tie off the thread and cut the extra thread.

You are ready to start stuffing the pumpkin. Try to get the stuffing placed evenly throughout the pumpkin. Now at the top of the pumpkin you are going to do the same thing with a gathering stich like you did at the bottom. Gather the fabric by pulling the stich tight, tie off the thread and cut extra thread off.

Using a large needle, thread the yarn starting at the bottom of the pumpkin up through the center. Pull tight and loop back over the side of the pumpkin back through the bottom.

Repeat 4 – 5 times around the pumpkin. Tie off with a knot. Next, take your felt fabric with the long end horizontal. Place a line hot glue along the short end and start rolling the fabric on itself. You should end up with a short and thick roll of fabric.

Cut the felt to the desired length you would like for the pumpkin stem. Attach the stem to your pumpkin with a generous dollop of hot glue.

Toilet Paper Pumpkins (NO SEW)

Supplies

roll of toilet paper

rectangle of fabric approximately 18″ x 22″

stick for stem

ribbon

Instructions

Unroll the toilet paper about 10 times, and then roll it loosely back up to give more of a round shape.

Lay out your fabric and place the toilet paper in the center.

Grab one corner of the fabric and tuck it inside of the toilet paper roll. Slowly work your way around gathering up the fabric and tucking each corner into the roll.

Tie a ribbon around your branch piece and stuff it into the center.

Don’t Get Antsy

Ants can be a particularly persistent problem in the house, because they leave scent trails for others to follow. Here are some “natural” home remedies you can try the next time you see these little aggravating pests.

White Vinegar

A recipe for ant-controlling success? Three parts vinegar and one part water. Spray under doorways, in the yard or even around your picnic blanket. The pungent liquid helps cover up ant scent trails, messing with their tracking abilities. Next time you mop the floor, pour a bit of vinegar into the bucket for good measure.

Borax

Borax, a mineral used in many cleaning products, is lethal to ants, interfering with their digestive system. Create a syrupy paste with borax, confectioner’s sugar and water. Put the mixture inside shallow containers with narrow, ant-sized openings and place them near ant mounds or wherever you see ants. Enticed workers carry the sweet substance back to the nest to share with their friends.

Note: Although borax has a low toxicity rate for humans, home expert and CEO of Pest Strategies Ed Spicer recommends keeping borax-laced bait away from children and pets.

Pepper

To be clear: Pepper doesn’t kill ants, but the strong odor will chase them away. Pour the ground black or cayenne version onto ant scent trails. Or mix pepper and water in a spray bottle and spritz your home’s entry points.

Cinnamon

The best spice for getting rid of ants in your kitchen? Cinnamon. Natural and non-toxic, cinnamon not only kills ants, but its strong smell makes it shine as a repellent, too. According to Spicer, Saigon cinnamon can be especially effective when sprinkled around anthills, across their paths, on kitchen countertops and along floorboards. And cinnamon essential oil can effectively repel and exterminate ants, too.

Fresh Mint

Ants don’t like the smell of fresh mint, so planting it in vegetable patches and flower beds deters ants and other insects while giving your garden a lovely aroma. Minty essential oils from peppermint, wintergreen, geranium, thyme, clove and rosemary work, too!

Cornmeal & Boric Acid

Contrary to popular belief, cornmeal does not kill ants, by exploding them or otherwise. “Ants are pretty keen on cornmeal,” Spicer says, “so spreading too much of it around might worsen your infestation.” You can, however, weaponize cornmeal in your fight against ants by mixing it with boric acid, a cousin to Borax that’s available online and at home improvement stores. Mix nine parts cornmeal with one-part boric acid, adding a generous helping of soybean oil or peanut butter to create a paste. Place the homemade bait near gaps and crevices, anywhere ants are on the march.

Like borax (above), any bait containing boric acid should be kept away from kids and animals.

Flour

Stop ants in their tracks. Scatter all-purpose flour liberally at door thresholds, on window sills and across foundations. Or use a sifter to apply a dusting of flour directly along their path to disrupt their pheromone trail.

Citrus

The natural acids in tangy citrus, such as lemon, orange, lime and grapefruit, work wonders at keeping ants at bay by masking their scent trails — at least temporarily. Squeeze lemons into a spray bottle, or rub a pureed blend of orange peel and water on window sills and doors jambs to discourage the itsy-bitsy insects from crossing over.

Bonus: Toss the leftover rinds in the garden as an organic disincentive.

Coffee Grounds

This popular ant-repelling tactic has been around for years: Sprinkle coffee grounds around the stems of indoor and outdoor plants and flowers. Some say it’s the smell that repels them; others claim ants don’t like the feeling of the grounds under their feet. Either way, it works!

Sugar

If you can’t beat ’em, divert ’em! Extend a sugar trail from your house to your outdoor compost pile. Ants can feast to their hearts’ content and needn’t darken your door again. (Pat’s note: this seems counterproductive to me, but I’m no expert.)

Ant-Repellent Myth: Baking Soda

You see it all over the internet: Baking soda kills ants by drying them up or exploding them. Not true. According to Spicer, “There’s virtually no scientific evidence that supports the theory that baking soda can kill ants.” Best to save your baking soda for baking.

Souce: familyhandyman.com

The Art of Chainsaw Carving

Chainsaw carving began in the U.S. in the 1950s. Ben Murphy and Ken Kaiser pioneered the craft and began distributing their pieces. Interest in chainsaw carving grew slowly until the 1980s. Then the craft jumped in popularity thanks to the publication of a handful of books about chainsaw carving and the creation of several chainsaw carving festivals and competitions. Men and women from all walks of life entered the contests, and the number of chainsaw carvers multiplied.

The development of the Internet also aided the growth of the craft. Chainsaw carvers posted “how-to” articles, recorded videos while they carved a piece, and sold their items in online stores.

As chainsaw carving gained popularity, it spread from America to Japan and Europe. Now, chainsaw artists participate in dozens of annual chainsaw carving festivals and competitions around the world. According to the United Chainsaw Carving Guild (UCCG), there are now chainsaw sculptors in more than 80 countries worldwide.

Like most chainsaw carvers, you will likely start with a single saw and add more as you learn the craft and increase the realism and detail of your projects. Standard chainsaw models from well-known tool manufacturers like Dewalt, Stihl, Husqvarna, Black+Decker, Worx, and Makita often make annual lists of “Best Chainsaws for Chainsaw Carvers”. Very popular models frequently feature guide bars (blades) with small noses that allow the artist to create realistic detail.

As you master the craft and increase the size, variety, and complexity of your pieces, you’ll probably add “specialty” saws with unusually long (or short) guide bars or custom noses that allow you to sculpt a piece exactly as you’d like it.

Safety gear

Obviously, chainsaw carving is dangerous. A careless mistake can result in serious injury or death. Therefore, the wise chainsaw carver “gears up” with at least goggles, ear protection, gloves, and steel-toed boots. Some carvers also wear a helmet with a face shield and Kevlar pants.

One of the benefits of chainsaw carving is that you can use wood that isn’t pristine enough for other woodcarvers to use. For example, irregular grain or knots that derail a chip carving or relief carving add character to a chainsaw carving. Some sculptors utilize fallen logs; others get scrap logs or end pieces from sawmills. (If you’re planning to use fallen logs, but don’t have any on your own property, be sure to get permission from the landowner beforehand.)

Commissioned pieces or extensive works can be the exception to this rule. In these cases, the carver may have to scour several sources before locating a log with the correct dimensions and character.

Another factor you’ll need to consider is the variety of wood you want to carve. Softwoods are easier to carve, offer less kick-back when you carve them, and are, therefore, less dangerous to carve. These reasons make softwoods much more popular for chainsaw carving than hardwoods are. Favorite woods for carving include:

Pine–It’s plentiful, inexpensive, and reliable to cut. White pine and ponderosa pine are particularly popular.
Red cedar–It’s not quite as easy to carve or as inexpensive as pine is, but the color is marvelous.
Basswood–which is a hardwood–is also popular because it’s relatively soft, fairly easy to use, and attractive. It’s also inexpensive and plentiful.

Impressive pieces

Identification of the Desert-Bred Arabian

Header pic lists the ancient Classic Egyptian bloodlines of my Saba Kharazaarouf, which was his full registered name. His sire was Zaaris (dapple gray) and his dam was Kharoufa (chestnut); there was also strong black in his bloodlines, and my ultimate dream Arab was always a black – not that I didn’t dearly love my Z, mind you! But we hoped to get a black foal from him. He shared bloodlines with Cass Ole, the horse from “The Black” movies. I have a pic of HB standing on a step stool next to Cass Ole in his paddock – we went to a Lippizzan show at the Capital Center outside DC and he was in the lobby.)

When I posted some Arabian horse pics recently, I commented briefly about the physical characteristics and was going to go into a detailed explanation of all the others, then a little voice came to mind: “That would make a great open!” Yes, Pat – I hear you! LOL

So, here it is! These are all stock pics and all of the specific descriptions I am using are for this first picture. I’m going to test you to see if you can point out the similarities in the others!😉😉😉 Open the pic in a new tab and enlarge it, if you need to.

This is the pic of the blood bay Arabian I posted – spitting image of my Z:

Let’s start with the head: Look at the top of the ears, which are a scimitar shape, moving down to the forehead – see the bulge? Note the very broad jaws, rather short head, the foreward-and-wide-set, big eyes, quickly tapering to a dish-shaped, slender face and nose, ending with the huge nostrils (which is why they are called “Wind Drinkers”), yet a small, almost dainty mouth.

OK….moving on….go back to the top of the head/neck. Note that it is a short neck with a dramatic arch, set high into the shoulders, which are broad and well-muscled, set into the short barrel of the body. The concave profile and flagging tail are not the only peculiar features of the Arabian. Many also have one less lumbar vertebrae, pair of ribs, and tail bone than other horse breeds. Also note what is called the “tabletop back,” i.e., straight and level, with the tail set high up into the spine.

Back to the front: note the wide-set front legs, very well developed chest, straight and unblemished legs, wide and substantial knees, slender, almost fragile looking cannon bones (main bottom leg bone), clean, small ankle, with a short, straight, upright pastern (between the ankles and the hooves).

The knees of young Arabians do not “close” as early as other breeds. There is a gap in the center of the knee that does not fuse until around the age of 4. This is why it is wise not to do any strenuous training that will stress the knees until then; when Arabians age, the knees are often where the damage shows up first. Nine times out of ten, it is because they started training too soon. Trained and cared for properly, Arabians can continue to thrive and perform well into their 30’s!

Even newborn’s show the basic conformation – that nose would be called an “extreme” tea cup dish face)

As to the hooves of desert-bred Arabs, in a natural setting they rarely need a farrier to trim their feet. Given a “normal” pasture/grazing area with the occasional stones/rocks/gravel, and their clean, proper conformation, they wear off naturally. Under normal life, barring stepping on something and injuring the heel or frog of the foot or being out in wet, muddy ground for an extended period (which can cause a disease called “thrush”) or being a “working” horse, they don’t require intervention.

I had my Z for 17 years and not once did I ever have to call a farrier. That entire time, a farrier looked at his feet twice – I wanted to make sure Z was good and, since they were there anyway, they agreed to check him out. First guy, said nope, doesn’t need anything. Second guy looked, shook his head, dropped Z’s hoof in disgust, and said, “These damned Arabs!!! I’d go broke with just them!!!”

Note the difference in the conformation, specifically of the hooves, between the Arab and this one. You can clearly see the dropped heels, the long toes, the slightly slanted pastern. Of course, you can also see the difference in conformation overall.

I can’t identify which breed this is but it seems to be a pony of some type.

Most people not in the horse world have never heard the phrase “showing at liberty.” That means the horses are not on leads and are running free, oftentimes without even a halter. This is a video of a woman with her Arabians working at liberty:

Another Arabian show event that I always loved is the Costume competition!!!

An Apple a Day

Crisp, sweet, and delicious, bushels of apples are a true symbol that autumn has arrived. Whether you stroll through the apple orchard and pick some yourself, or scoop a few pecks up from the store, Americans just can’t get enough. By volume, we eat more apples than any other fruit. But for all the love we show to apples, how much do you actually know about our favorite fall fruit?

Archaeologists have found evidence that people have been eating apples since 6,500B.C.

The science of growing apples is called pomology.

There are more than 7,500 apple varieties in the world — about 2,500 varieties grown in the United States. About 100 of those are sold commercially. Apples are the second-most valuable fruit grown in the U.S. (oranges being the first).

Apples are grown in all 50 states, but they’re only grown commercially in 36 states. The top producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Virginia.

Top producing counties in the world are China, United States, Turkey, Poland, and Italy.

Most apples in the world are still picked by hand.

Americans eat more apples per capita than any other fruit. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average American eats about 16 pounds of fresh apples and 28 pounds of processed apples like juice, cider, or sauce, for a total of about 44 pounds per person per year.

Apples are available in grocery stores all year long thanks to the global market, but the Northern Hemisphere typically considers as early as July and as late as November apple season. September and October are peak months.

If you’ve ever wondered why apples float it’s because they’re 25 percent air, giving us the ability to bob for apples in a barrel of water.

The common autumn party game bobbing for apples started as a Celtic New Year’s tradition for trying to determine one’s potential future mate.

Apples ripen up to 10 times faster at room temperature than if they are refrigerated.

Apple trees take at least four to five years to start producing fruit. Some take as many as 10 years.

The top ten varieties produced in the United States are Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Mcintosh, Rome, Cripps Pink, and Empire.

An average tree produces 840 pounds of fruit.

It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.

One of George Washington’s hobbies was pruning his apple trees.

Apples are a member of the rose family of plants, which also includes pears, peaches, cherries, and plums.

When John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, blasted off on his initial space flight, he carried with him pureed applesauce in squeezable tubes.

According to Guinness World Records, the largest apple peel was created by Kathy Wafler Madison in Rochester, N.Y. on October 16, 1976. The prize-winning peel was 172 feet 4 inches long.

The first American apple orchard was planted around 1625 by William Blackstone on Boston’s Beacon Hill.

Apple juice was one of the earliest prescribed antidepressants.

Only sour apple trees were native to America before the European settlers brought with them their favorites.

The pale, lime green Lady apple is one of the oldest varieties of apple still available today. It was originally documented in early Rome (approximately 700 B.C.). It was first referenced as the ‘Lady apple’ in 1628 during the French Renaissance.

An apple has about 80 calories. They are fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free and also are an excellent source of fiber.

After nearly a decade with Red Delicious as the apple darling of the United States, Gala apples are now the nation’s favorite.

Kinzua Sky Walk

Located at the Kinzua Bridge State Park in northwestern Pennsylvania, the skywalk was constructed on six of the historic Kinzua Viaduct massive steel towers remaining after the tornado of 2003. The Kinzua Viaduct was once the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world. The park amenities include forestland picnic areas, a park pavilion-available for rental, hiking trails and the new Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitors Center. The access road to the park is the Kinzua Bridge Scenic Byway a shared use road for bicycling.
The Kinzua Sky Walk extends out 624 feet into the Kinzua Gorge offering panoramic views. The skywalk features a walkway with a set of railroad tracks leading to the end of the overlook which has a partial glass floor. At a stunning height of 225 feet above the valley floor, visiting the Kinzua Sky Walk is an exciting opportunity to “Walk the Tracks across the Sky.”

Kinzua Visitor’s Center

Start your journey at the Kinzua Bridge Visitors Center, located at the edge of the Kinzua Gorge. Arriving at the entrance, visitors are greeted by huge steel towers flanking the doorway. The new 11,000 sq. ft. building features two exhibit halls with displays showcasing the three E’s – Engineering, Energy and the Environment. The flagship PA Wilds Cooperative Artisan Shop features handcrafted and handmade items from the region. Modern classrooms welcome school groups and special functions.

Are you brave enough to experience this sky walk in Pennsylvania? Mother Nature simply won’t take no for an answer but, then again, neither will the Kinzua Bridge. When Mother Nature unleashed her fury with a furious tornado that ripped through Kinzua State Park in 2003, she succeeded in bringing down all but one-third of the 2,053 foot long Kinzua Bridge.

But, despite the vicious storm, part of the Kinzua Bridge refused to collapse. Today, the 600 feet of bridge that survived has become one of the state’s most spectacular sky walks, promising visitors a stunning view of the forest floor and the remains of the bridge scattered haphazardly some 300 feet below.

It’s Never Too Early to Start Christmas Shopping!

Recent events have emphasized the need to shop early! Besides beating the crowds and garnering the best selection, prices are never going to be lower!

Let’s start with a stocking stuffer idea… MASKS! No, I’m not talking about the silly cv masks…I’m talking about the ones that cover up way more than a nose! Everyone who has a RINO on their shopping list knows their current masks are slipping and it’s time for some new ones. The Bushes and Mitt Romney are sporting the new We-Trust-the FBI look this coming election season. Intending to portray strength and trust in government agencies, it’s difficult to pull off and your most discerning patriots won’t even attempt to wear this. But if have a relative who believes 9-11 was a terrorist plot or that Romney is still a Republican, then this is definitely a MUST-HAVE!

For a personal gift, how about some of the new perfumes and colognes on the market right now? Joe Biden continues to wear the classic Obsession (with getting Donald Trump) cologne, while the Intelligence Community continues to peddle their favorite smell…OPPRESSION (of the truth). Merrick Garland hopes to corner the market with his latest offering OBSTRUCTION (of justice) but it doesn’t seem to be selling among the general population. They all seem to mirror the favorite scent of the left: DESPERATION. I do hope Michelle Obama buys Barrack a new cologne for Christmas though, because that stink he’s wearing now? follows him everywhere!

Another gift to consider is a plant. Not the poinsettias or small fir trees…no, we’re talking people whose loyalty can be bought or shifted after the fact. You can prebuy them—like gift cards!! Insert them into an opponent’s campaign or administration and at the time of your choosing, they’ll turn on your opponent. You wind them up and make them say whatever you want—it’s all the rage!!

If you’re looking for something a little more personal, there’s a new storage service that might be perfect! The FBI is offering compartments to store unsightly personal mementos that you can’t quite get rid of, but certainly do not want to store at your home. The cost? A healthy donation to the Democrat Party or one of their preferred candidates (they’ll provide you with a list–simply ask Alexa: who should I donate to? And a list will appear on your laptop—how convenient is THAT?) And then that racy diary or depraved laptop of your youth can be whisked away from public scrutiny forever!

But let’s get to the hottest gift this Christmas—JUDGES!!!! Judge shopping is a difficult task for sure. You have to find one that you control somehow—so that might not be an easy task. You might have to settle for a Magistrate—a step down from a judge—but realistically you might be able to fool your friends! It all depends on what you want your judge to do—they do come with optional activist packages (see SCOTUS Sotomayer) but that can be expensive! If you’re going to need your judge over and over though, it might be well worth the investment!

I hope these shopping tips have been useful. Christmas really is a magical holiday!! HO, HO, HO!