Thi
Some cool family meals images:
Thi
Image by ReSurge International
Thi is a beautiful 16-year-old who lives near Quy Nhon on the East Coast of Vietnam. I first met Thi late one evening as she was recovering from a six hour surgery on her burned neck. I was feeling tired and hot and a little sorry for myself until I heard her heart breaking story.
A year ago, Thi was cooking squid for the family using oil over a fire to deep fry the family meal. The oil was running dry so she asked a friend to add some more. Unfortunately, the oil spilled over the side of the pot and onto the fire, engulfing Thi’s dress and body in flames.
Dr. Joyce Chen took on the enormous task of trying to release Thi’s neck burn contracture by taking skin from another part of her body and grafting it onto her neck. Dr. Chen asked the local burn surgeon, Dr. Phung, to help her with the surgery.
I saw Thi in the recovery area and took her up four floors to her room where her anxious family awaited. She was very stoic and composed and thanked us as we fed her water from a syringe.
The ward was hot and humid and full of patients and families. Thi’s room was small with 10 other beds cramped into it. Thi did not seem to mind, she was just pleased that she might be able to raise her head again, like any other beautiful 16-year-old girl.
Quy Nhon, Vietnam – Michael Flynn, ReSurge volunteer anesthesiologist.
Saint Patrick’s Day at The Pointe 2014
Image by The Pointe at Kilpatrick
Given our name, The Pointe at Kilpatrick, and our location, south suburbs of Chicago, one might think that we take St. Patrick’s Day seriously. They would be right.
Residents started decorating their doors with shamrocks at the beginning of the month. There were also St. Patrick’s Day themed crafts and activities, including the most anticipated, Soda Bread Baking. Each year, Program Director, Angie Garbaczewski, sets up the small kitchen on the first floor with all the ingredients and supplies for making homemade soda bread. And a lot of them. Starting bright and early at 8:00 and working in small groups, Angie guides the residents through the process. Once one batch is finished, she brings in the next group. This year, they baked for 8 straight hours. The first floor smelled heavenly all day. Once the breads had cooled, the residents would return to claim the one they made. Many of the residents were seen sharing their soda bread with other residents while others were saving theirs to give to family and friends.
St. Patrick’s Day finally came and residents showed their true colors as many arrived for breakfast dressed in green. The hot topic at breakfast was lunch. Everyone was looking forward to the traditional meal of corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and of course, soda bread. You can never have too much soda bread!
Lunch arrived and did not disappoint. The residents were greeted with the smell of corned beef as they neared the dining room. A sea of green filled the room as residents dined at beautifully decorated tables.
The celebrating didn’t stop there, Garbaczewski booked a singer and harpist to play a St. Patrick’s Day show the day after. Scheduling conflicts made it impossible for her, Kim Vogrin, to play at The Pointe on Monday. "She really is wonderful and well worth the wait." said Garbaczewski. "I knew she would be. Her brother, Paul, performed here on Valentine’s Day, singing and playing various instruments. He was just as entertaining and talented."
2013 – Second Annual Spring Fishing – Saturday
Image by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing – Northern VA
More than 40 people attended the Second Annual PHWFF Spring Fishing Outing held at Harman’s North Fork Cottages in Cabins, W.Va., March 1-3. The event was hosted by the PHWFF Fort Belvoir and PHWFF Quantico Programs and more than 21 Warriors from seven different PHWFF programs fished 1 ¾ miles of the private access trophy trout stream during the three-day weekend trip.
In attendance at the three-day event were volunteer Guides, Warriors and family members from the two local programs in addition to members from programs in Atlanta; Martinsburg, W.Va.; Richlands, N.C.; and Salem and Richmond, Va. All four traditional military services were represented in addition to the Coast Guard.
The air temperatures never rose above the upper 20s and often included wind chills in the teens with snow flurries throughout the weekend.
Bigg Riggs Farm, owned by Calvin Riggleman, a Marine Iraq combat Veteran and small farmer from Loom, W. Va., provided all meals for the three-day event.
Evenings were filled with fly tying, knot tying instruction, and swapping fishing stories.
The stream had been recently stocked by Harman’s with rainbow and brown trout, ranging in size from 17 to 20 inches, and all Guides and Warriors caught fish during the weekend, including several new Warriors from both programs.
(photo submitted by MMackey)
Cool Family Meals images
Some cool family meals images:
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Image by USDAgov
The United States Department of Agriculture donates commodities through programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) packages and palletizes them for fast distribution from its San Antonio, TX., headquarters, on Monday, October 31, 2011. SAFB is a non-profit organization that serves as a clearinghouse by receiving and storing truckloads of donated food, produce, and other grocery products, they then distributes these items to over 500 service agencies that help people in need.
“We couldn’t do what we do without our partnership with USDA’” said President and CEO Eric Cooper. He continues, “We are privileged in partnering (with the USDA) to feeding kids, through the summer, with the Summer Food Service Program, and throughout the year, with the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP). Then in our approach to feeding seniors, we partner with USDA in the Commodities Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and the Senior Farmer’s Market (Nutrition) Program. And then work to bring all our (needy) parties together with our Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Outreach. You know, once families have access to food we believe it is important to educate them. Through the support of the SNAP-Education Program we are able to educate them during their time of need. With this comprehensive approach we are really able to get the right food, at the right amount, at the right time, to needy families throughout our community – which allows us to feed the fifty-eight thousand we do, each week.”
SAFB serves 16 counties in Southwest Texas and states, “Nearly one out of every four children and one out of every five adults in Southwest Texas lives in poverty and has difficulty meeting basic nutritional needs.” According to SAFB, sixty-five percent of the people requesting emergency food have children. “Additionally, the senior citizens and those living on a fixed income generally have limited funds for a consistent grocery budget.”
San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the nation with surrounding farms and ranches near its rivers and water supplies. When available they provide fresh surplus produce. Other commodities come from the food industry and manufacturers. The major food brand companies that for various reasons have surplus commodities donate it to SAFB.
Texas farmers supply fresh produce to their Fresh Produce Program.
Public donations come in the form of money, food, volunteer time, and advocacy.
Their fleet of trucks pickup and deliver food as needed.
USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
www.fns.usda.gov/snap/
www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/
26_and piping hot buttered Indian cornbread, a favorite meal of George’s.
Image by Jim Surkamp
George Washington, Jefferson County & the Thompsons (1) by Jim Surkamp
By Jim Surkamp on November 8, 2016 in Jefferson County
POST
civilwarscholars.com/2016/11/george-washington-jefferson-…
2125 words
VIDEO:
George Washington, Jefferson County And the Thompsons
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhsCxBpDWQw&t=1733s
Made possible with the generous, community-minded support of American Public University System. The content of civilwarscholars.com is intended to encourage dispassionate, fact-based discourse and in no way reflects the University’s modern-day policies. More at apus.edu
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Today is Saturday April 15th, 2016. We’re here at an exhibit, which actually is featuring some of my slave research. My name is Monique Crippen-Hopkins and I’m going to tell you some history on my father’s maternal side. They have deep roots here in Charles Town. They were actually enslaved from several generations from the Washington family.
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George Washington, his five brothers, and sister were acquiring land in the northern Shenandoah Valley ever since 1748 when George Washington as a teenager conducted a surveying expedition across the southern part of what is today Jefferson County, West Virginia.
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He wrote in his diary after crossing the Shenandoah River near Ann Lewis Road into what is today Jefferson County: “Monday 14th. We sent our Baggage to Capt. Hites (near Frederick Town) went ourselves down the River about 16 Miles to Capt. Isaac Penningtons (the Land exceeding Rich & Fertile all the way produces abundance of Grain Hemp Tobacco &c.) in order to Lay of some Lands on Cates Marsh & Long Marsh. As a result of this valuable land and early intelligence, George’s generation – half-brothers Lawrence and Augustine from his father’s first marriage, along with Charles, Samuel, John and sister Betty – ultimately owned a total of well over 8,000 acres hereabouts and in Clarke County.
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In this narrative we concentrate just on George Washington’s lands and those of John Augustine Washington and his descendants because the latter’s lands are where Monique Crippen-Hopkins’ ancestors worked, lived, and made the properties beautiful and productive. This story is only possible by the work of Galtcho Geertsema, a surveyor and plat researcher in Martinsburg, who is formally credited by the Virginia State Library for saving and organizing into understandable form the plats and records of the earliest land purchases of the Washington family in the eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, much of which would have been buried and forgotten in local deed rooms and out of the purview of internationally-accessible archives.
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He owned this piece, this piece and this piece. Galtcho what is that document that you have in your hand? These are plats of George Washington’s tracts in the Carter 50,212 acre tract that lies mostly in Clarke County, Virginia , and he divided them up in order to rent them out. This shows some of the George Washington surveys that he made – two of these here are in Clarke County, Virginia. The boundary line between Clarke and Jefferson runs about here and two of these land grant surveys were made by George Washington in Clarke County, Virginia. And what is north of that? Do we have Jefferson County north of that? Yeh, these are all Jefferson County. In the south corner of Jefferson County he had several surveys that he made, some of them for Washingtons – Lawrence, Charles and George and some for other people. And a little farther north in Jefferson County, just west of Charles Town, he had a lot of surveys made and land granted to him and his brothers – and just of that around Charles Town – here’s Charles Town – he had several tracts there – and up here – and there’s a tract here that has a house called – by the name of Beallair – that was also a Washington house. Is it clear?
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The Washington invasion, one could jest, of this area began with George’s surveys of nine parcels between August 20, 1750 and March 25, 1751 for brother Lawrence, totaling 4899 acres. But our Founding Father didn’t hesitate to snap up some good deals for himself.
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Not yet the owner of Mt. Vernon, George made one of his first ever land purchases October 20, 1750 of 453 acres, called Dutch George’s, at a location today on both sides of Middleway Pike and between the north-south running Childs and Willingham Roads. This purchase was soon followed by two purchases of adjacent parcels between October and December 3rd, 1750 totaling 550 acres and becoming the site of George Washington’s absentee-owner farm called Bullskin or “The Mountain Quarter” and after his death, was called Rock Hall. Less than two years later in mid-March, 1752, he added 552-acres bought from one Robert Johnston, followed on March 17th, 1752 by the purchase of 760 more acres south and adjacent to the rest of Bullskin Plantation. The 1862-acre site as of 1760 stretched as far south as Withers LaRue Road in Rippon.
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Today the surviving property is located on the south side of Summit Point Road and opposite South Jefferson Elementary School. The original land includes the property of the Hillbrook Inn, and the Burns family owns, just west of that, the land with a barn, spring house, and a substantial stone house. In the earliest days there were overseers Christopher Hardwick, and later, Edward Violet and his wife, along with eleven to sixteen enslaved African-Americans – more or less the range of enslaved persons there over the next thirty years. – who plowed and seeded fields for corn, (initially tobacco, and later wheat),
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dug fence posts and planted hedgerows, dug drainage ditches, cleared lands, fed and cared for the horses, hogs, sheep and cattle, milked the cows and churned out butter, wove and spun from the harvested flax – all while keeping the human household fit and well season-long. In a sense, George was third in line, after Lawrence to ever take possession of Mt. Vernon, which, at that time was a story-and-a-half, measuring thirty-three feet wide and forty-seven feet long with two chimneys on each end. So he focused on his 1862 acres of combined adjacent tracts playing his part in the emerging Washington family fiefdom of lands in today’s Jefferson County. An absentee-landowner, George’s help came from an overseer at Bullskin, supported beginning in 1750 by eleven enslaved persons who had previously worked for George’s deceased father, Augustine: Fortune (30), George (20), Long Joe (30),
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Winna (Winney) (30); Belindar (25), Jenny (12), Adam (10); Natt (10), London (20), Milly (10) and Frank (5). The modern-day editors of George Washington’s Papers concluded: The names of a number of the slaves that GW inherited from his father appear in his diaries and correspondence in the 1750s, indicating that they were living on GW’s Bullskin plantation in Frederick County. George’s detailed instructions to Bullskin Farm would likely have been like those to others: Get the corn planted above all. Clear the acreage; drain and turn the marshy Bullskin bottom lands into meadow – then plant there too. Not until the corn is planted or it is too late to do so, should one build a dwelling – but make that dwelling sixteen-feet by eighteen-feet, the lower portion of which was to be of logs with diamond corners and covered with three-foot shingles, and lastly an outside chimney. Start a woodlot.
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And oh yes, plant an apple and peach orchard. Hogs could run free, feasting on rotten fruit, Nature’s berries and nuts. Better “little good porke, than much bad porke,” George would say to explain why all the hogs should run free, no matter how much they rooted deep into his hedgerow fence. They heedlessly discharged their valuable manure across the meadow, favoring the planting the following spring. You wait and pick the absolute best hogs to be penned and fattened up en route to the dinner table of Virginia ham, ale and piping hot buttered Indian cornbread, a favorite meal of George’s.Fences reinforced with hedgerows and maybe even parallel ditches proved enough against the onslaughts of any animal – hog, cattle, horse, goat or sheep – curious, nosy or yearning to be free beyond the property line. In a word, Bullskin thrived.
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On July 26, 1752 – the older Lawrence made a hasty return from Bermuda to his home, Mt. Vernon, deathly ill and soon died. Lawrence left his lands in Jefferson County mostly to siblings, two of whom – Charles and Samuel – would build and move here for the balance of their lives. Following the death of Sarah in 1754 and Lawrence’s only child,
George, as executor of his brother’s estate, arranged to lease Mount Vernon that December. Bullskin Farm was bearing fruit. It was marked on the Jefferson-Fry map of the area dated 1755. But a new military career and the demands of Mt. Vernon were pulling on George’s time and attentions. He thus needed the help of brother John or “Jack” Augustine Washington, who also had lands inherited from brother Lawrence close to Bullskin that Jack had been preparing to develop. Jack and his wife, Hannah Bushrod, had given the name “Prospect Hill” to the their four adjacent parcels, comprising 1534 acres inherited from Lawrence. John Augustine and his wife, Hannah Bushrod, inherited about 1534 acres as four adjacent parcels of land. They inherited a 311-acre parcel along the Bullskin, once part of a 1020-acre parcel of Jost Hite, and passed along from Andrew Pitts and then Lawrence Washington, getting ever smaller. Adjacent and north of this parcel, John Augustine began farming a second inherited parcel. This 12-sided, 613-acre parcel was surveyed August 23, 1750. Lawence Washington obtained a Fairfax grant to it March 20, 1752. A 175-acre parcel, included in the mentioned Aug. 20, 1750 survey by George Washington of his half-brother’s land, is a narrow, southeast-to-northwest strip of land between the previous two parcels. Lawrence received a grant for tht October 13. 1750. Sharing a long north-south border to the first Prospect Hill tract, John Augustine also inherited from Lawrence another rectangular, 435-acre parcel.
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In 1755 George turned to Jack for help in running Bullskin, the Ferry Farm and Mt. Vernon so he could volunteer to serve as an aide to British General Edward Braddock in an expedition west to fight the French-allied Shawnees. The force coming from Dick’s Farm went on to Littler’s Mill and Winchester.
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George Washington’s Virginians met them there and they joined the main portion to the westward of where now stands Martinsburg. The entire party then moved, byway of the Warm Springs (Berkeley Springs) Road, to its sad fate not long afterward.
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When George returned from the disastrous defeat at the blades and tomahawks of the Shawnees at Monongahela July 8-9 he admitted a guilty pleasure at having several bullet holes in his uniform and his love for the the action and risk of combat. But he wrote brother Jack: We have been most scandalously beaten by a trifling body of men; but for fatigue, and the want of tim⟨e⟩ . . . You may expect to see me there on Saturday or Sunday night, which is as soon as I can well be down as I shall take my Bullskin Plantations in my way. Pray give my Compliments to all my Friends. I am Dear Jack Your most Affectionate Brother.
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A wave that followed the defeat of barbarous murders of families around Winchester and the fear of the residents was plainly spelled out in a letter from George, to Governor Dinwiddie. George was promoted to colonel, more recruits were sent and he was put in charge of a vast plan to build protective forts along the frontier – and he immediately went to work building in the autumn of 1755 in Winchester Fort Loudoun. Washington marked out the site of the fort, and superintended the work; he bought a lot in Winchester, erected a smith’s shop on it, and brought from Mount Vernon his own blacksmith to make the necessary iron work for the fort. It covered an area of about half an acre; within which area, a well, one hundred and three feet deep, chiefly through a solid limestone rock, was sunk for the convenience of the garrison.
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The labor of throwing up this fort was performed by Washington’s regiment. As work proceeded on all the forts for the next three years, George used his men to build a similar blacksmith shop and dig a well – still extant on the Braddock Road portion running through brother Jack’s Prospect Hill land in Jefferson County.
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On November 6, 1935 by Susan G. “Zan” Gibson who grew up in another home called “Marquee,” wrote in the Spirit of Jefferson: the Well was a mile or more west of Charles Town – The spot where General Braddock camped in 1755 and dug his well and put up a blacksmith shop. I lived a goodly part of my life near this Well. I played about it as a child with my neighbor children. Two soldiers of the American Revolution lived across the field from this Well. They taught their children and grandchildren that it was Braddock’s Well. All our visitors were taken to see this Well. There we would meet other people with their visitors. Until of late it was a shrine.
2013 – 3rd Annual Flyfest
A few nice family meals images I found:
2013 – 3rd Annual Flyfest
Image by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing – Northern VA
More than 65 people attended the Third Annual PHWFF Flyfest held at Harman’s North Fork Cottages in Cabins, W.Va., Dec. 6-8. The event was hosted by the PHWFF Fort Belvoir and PHWFF Quantico Programs and more than 35 Warriors and several family members from seven different PHWFF programs fished 1 ¾ miles of the private access trophy trout stream during the three-day weekend trip.
In attendance during the weekend were Volunteer Guides and Warriors from the two local programs in addition to members from programs in Martinsburg, West Va.; Richmond, Va.; Atlanta, Ga.; Winchester, Va.; and Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Richmond, Va. For 14 Warriors, it was the first time they had traveled to Harman’s. Also, three professional fly fishing guides/instructors attended and donated their time to the event.
The air temperatures never rose above the upper 30s and often included wind chills in the teens with heavy rain and snow during the weekend’s festivities.
Bigg Riggs Farm, owned by Calvin Riggleman, an Iraq Marine combat Veteran and small farmer from Loom, W. Va., provided all meals for the three-day event.
Friday and Saturday evenings included Warrior raffles for prizes donated by supporters from around the country. Additionally, three small businesses donated products through the two PHWFF programs’ relationships on social media.
Evenings were filled with various fly tying instruction at different cabins to include wet flies, soft hackle flies, streamers and clouser minnows. Volunteers and professional guides provided the free instruction.
The stream had been recently stocked by Harman’s with rainbow and brown trout, ranging in size from 17 to 20 inches. However, due to extremely heavy rains on Friday, Saturday’s fishing schedule was pushed back and instruction on fly casting and fly tying were held during the morning and early afternoon. Fishing was limited to “shore only” during the afternoon. Even though fishing was limited, Warriors caught fish.
Sunday morning, attendees woke to a winter storm and many left early in the day. Those who were able to stay fished from shore. Five Warriors decided to extend their stay to wait for the storm to pass so they could safely travel home. (photo Lally Laksbergs)
2016 Warriors Day Parade at the CNE, Toronto, ON, Canada
Image by antefixus21
PFC Edward A. Ribeiro Post No. 40 Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.
www.alpost40plym.org/edward-a-ribeiro
Edward A. Ribeiro was born 1922 as the middle son of Antonio and Virginia Ribeiro. He was raised in a proud traditional family and his dad served honorably in the US Army during WWI. Following this tradition, Eddie and his two brothers, Arthur and Anthony, all enlisted in the Army and served bravely in WWII. From 1942 on, Ed served valiantly in the European Campaigns of: Normandy Beach, Northern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. Eddie was wounded twice in combat for which he received the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. He was also awarded the Bronze Star for combat against the enemy, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Stars, WWII Victory Medal and the American Campaign Medal. Eddie was honorably discharged in 1945.
Eddie was a long time resident of Plymouth having graduated from Plymouth High School. He played semi-pro football with the Plymouth Rockets. After leaving the service, he began a life long campaign of donating blood through various local socal clubs, accumulating over 25 gallons. This was a that was very rewarding and meaningful to him. Ed was also a very proud and active member of American Legion Post 40 for over 57 years. He served many years on the E-Boad and as sgt. at Arms. During this time, he volunteered over 1500 hours at the Brockton VA Medical Center, serving meals to veterans.
One of Eddie’s passions in life, was participating in the Post 40 Color Guard. Serving as a Corporal for many years, he was proud to represent the post in parades, dedications or wherever the Color Guard was needed. He greatly loved going up to Canada with his comrads marching with sister post, Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 120, in their Warriors Day Parade. Our good friend Eddie passed away in 2001 in May of 2002 at a ceremony in his honor American Legion Post 40 was re-named American legion P.F.C. Edward A. Riberiro Post 40 Plymouth,
Harpers_Ferry_loc_gov_Washington_Street
Image by Jim Surkamp
VIDEO: The Humble Harvest, Eternal Voices Part 1. Click Here. TRT: 21:14
The Humble Harvest and Eternal Voices – October, 1862, Jefferson County, WV.
After a great battle,
Annie Marmion (1851-1928) wrote: But just as she passed the window best seen by the Sharpshooters, a gust of wind blew her skirts and a curtain aside. Shots immediately announced that the light had been seen.
Mary Ames and William McCarter reflect at Harpers Ferry. The result of battle shakes William McCarter’s soul: I asked how the child had been killed. With both hands, she slowly and solemnly raised the blood stained cover off the little breast, saying in sobs as she did so, “Just look here.”
Mary Ames (1831-1884): Deeds of valor are no longer dreams gone by. We live in knightly days; our men are dauntless men. Will there ever be one to write the life of the common soldier?
St. Clair Augustin Mulholland (1839-1910)sees it differently:
The regiment had not lost a man, to be sure, but had seen a genuine fight, heard the scream of the shells and seen a caisson blown up and men knocked over.
Thomas Francis Meagher (1823-1867) inspires: ”Well, you are from the Old Sod, ain’t you?”
My reply was simply, ”Yes, sir.”
Charles Aglionby (1807-1891) keeps his farm going amid war: I sent the wagon to Mr. Moore and 27 bushels by measure. The day was fine for seeding. No military to be seen on our side of the hill.
Anne Willis Ambler (1836-1888) sees all from her parents farm Rock Hall:
Wednesday, October 15th. Pa is becoming rather tired of our South Carolina soldier. Thinks he is sufficiently well to leave – and
Heros Von Borcke (1835-1895) keeps one eye out for an empty seat at a dinner table: It was a sparkling beautiful morning of autumn and I enjoyed the ride home the more for being fortunate enough – firing from my horses back with my revolver – to kill a grey squirrel, which, as our mess arrangements had been thrown into utter disorder by the events of the last two days, was gladly welcomed the same evening on our dinner table.
October 9, 1862 Weather: A pleasant day – Charles Aglionby.
Bolivar Heights, Harpers’ Ferry, Va.
Observations of Harpers Ferry October 10th, 1862 – William McCarter (1840-1911), a stammering Irish-born poet in the 116th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. He had worked soaking and coloring hides in Philadelphia to support his family. He wrote:
Before the war, Harper’s Ferry had a population of about 2,000. But, now like Fairfax Courthouse, Virginia, it was inhabited only by old men, black and white, women and children and a garrison of then of Union troops. The Confederate Army evacuated on the 19th of September after burning all the stores and government buildings. The Rebs left the once beautiful and comfortable town a heap of black ruins, save for a few small mean brick and log huts.
The saddest and most humiliating sight to us here, and perhaps the heaviest loss to the United States government in this section of the country, was the celebrated Harper’s Ferry Arsenal and Armory. It was now one mass of ruins, with only a small portion of the stone work standing. Our own forces had applied the fire fiend to keep it out of Confederate hands. – McCarter, p.15.
Annie P. Marmion (1851-1928), then the ten-year-old daughter of Harpers Ferry doctor, Nicholas Marmion, recalled living under martial law and even under fire that same month by the Federal authorities:
Imagine a Town filled with houses enough to accommodate over 2,000 and more than nine tenths of them empty. All metals were saleable, hence not a door in all the houses had locks or bolts of any kind. The Owls enjoyed the Open House System and joined their mournful hoots to the general slamming to emphacize the silence and loneliness. No one entered the Town except some messenger of Ill, sent always, it seems, at the night and by water from the Blockading (and sharpshooting – JS) , always the Northern Army. For weeks at a time not a wheel or tramp of a horse would be heard for everything that moved was suspected and was liable to be fired upon. . . .
The great objects in life were to procure something to eat and to keep yourself out of sight by day, and your lamps or rather candle light hidden by night, lights of every kind being regarded as signals to the Rebels were usually greeted by a volley of guns.
Groceries were luxuries not to be touched except in time of sickness but flour and meal must be had. Mills were few and far between and I wonder now where the wheat and corn came from.
Harry must go foraging and so they go. John and Queen are hitched to the farm wagon each is decorated with “the flag of Truth” as Harry calls it, as is also his hat. A flag floats from each end of the wagon, thus adorned and accompanied by one of my brothers – a lad of 12 or 13 he starts in the direction of the Southern lines in the rest of Jefferson County.
The outgoing trip is accomplished in all safety but the return late in the evening is not so fortunate. The meal, flour and some other provisions have been procured, the team has nearly reached the top of a long hill crowned with a dense woods when the Doctor on horseback joins them . . . but certain it is that a heavy and persistent fire (is) opened upon the party now in full view of the Northern Army. . . when the Doctor’s riding horse and one of his wagon horses are shot, (they) quickly get under cover of the woods and sheltering the horses, the “human element” also falls prostrate until darkness covers the earth. Then they resume and accomplish the homeward journey. The balls taking effect in the horses neck were afterwards extracted and both animals recovered. – Ibid, p. 8.
Mary Clemmer Ames (1831-1884), later a leading journalist, was caring for the wounded and burying the dead in Harpers Ferry in late, 1862. A strong woman’s rights advocate, she wrote “Eirene: A Woman’s Right” in 1872 that included these accounts of her time at Harpers Ferry. She visited the Lutheran Church on Washington Street:
Lutheran_Church_Harpers_Ferry_today
The vestibule and closets of the little Lutheran church standing mid-way between Bolivar and Harper‘s Ferry, and now filled with wounded, are piled with the knapsacks and haversacks of dying and dead soldiers. I go to these and open them, take out every treasure they contain, and with a letter send them to the friends of the boy who owned them.
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A little drummer boy died yesterday. I have found his haversack; it contained a picture of himself, taken with his mother when he enlisted. Such a rosy boy! I thought as I looked upon him yesterday, wasted and dead, that I was glad that his mother could never know how he changed before he died. I have sent his last message and all his things to her. The eloquence of these worm-eaten, moldy bags cannot be written. Here is the piece of stony bread, uneaten, the little paper of coffee, the smoked tin cup in which it was boiled over the hasty fire on the eve of battle; here is the letter sealed, directed, never sent; here is the letter half written, never ended, beginning “Dear wife, how I want to see you,” “Dear mother, my time is almost out;” and the rusty pen just as it was laid in the half-filled sheet by the brave and loving hand which hoped so soon to finish it. Here are scraps of patriotic poetry carefully copied on sheets of paper tinted red, white, and blue; here are photographs of favorite generals, and photographs of the loved ones at home; here are letters full of heart-breaking love and of sobbing loyalty to duty and of holy faith and cheer written to them from home; and here is the Testament given him by the woman that loved him best. Mother, these are all mementos of brave, loving life gone out. The boys who owned them will never go back. To one unfamiliar with the soldier’s life these relics might mean little.
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To me they mean all love, all suffering, all heroism. Deeds of valor are no longer dreams gone by. We live in knightly days; our men are dauntless men. Will there ever be one to write the life of the common soldier? His blood buys us all that we hold dear — country, home, a free government, the endless privileges of a free people. I ask no higher privilege than to serve him living and to honor him in his grave.
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It is after I have been the rounds of ward and tent that I come into this old vestibule and sit down to this sacred task. Sometimes I make up many packages. Sometimes I take up some mother’s or sister’s letter, and it brings so much back to me that I can’t go on. This was so last night. It must have been late, but I did not know it. I looked up from the contents of the knapsack which had moved me so much, and for the first time realized the appalling loneliness of my surroundings. There were the high walls of the vestibule all torn with bomb-shells, its dark open closets; its wide floor piled high with old knapsacks and haversacks, I sitting in the midst of them on a box, with no light in the place but that given by the one tallow candle at my side, which threw its feeble and flickering rays over the open bags and their contents. My own feelings, I presume, made the place seem more weird and desolate than ever before. – Ames, pp. 176-177.
Next: The Humble Harvest, Eternal Voices Pt. 2 – The Jovial Mulholland, Charlestown Skirmishing and First Blood, Aglionbys, Willis and Amblers Farm and Feed the Passing Horde
Legoland Windsor 04-05-12
Some cool family meals images:
Legoland Windsor 04-05-12
Image by Dave Catchpole
LEGOLAND Windsor a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old and of course big kid adults.
An inspirational land where the kids are the hero and adults relive their childhood.
The fun never stops and imagination knows no bounds, a family attraction like no other.
Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND Windsor is a unique family theme park with over 55 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions.
It’s amazing what can be built with LEGO bricks – nearly 55 million of them!
From comical camels to fearsome fire-breathing dragons, world landmarks to musical pirates, young and old alike will be fascinated by the incredible LEGO models throughout the park.
Fun Facts about LEGOLAND Windsor
There are 34 LEGO pieces in an average Miniland figure.
The largest model in Miniland is the Canary Wharf Tower which is 5.2 metres tall and took 3 model makers 850 hours to complete using 200,000 LEGO Bricks!
The smallest models are the pigeons in Trafalgar Square which contain 5 LEGO bricks each
New in 2011 – Atlantis Submarine Voyage
Take a deep breath and submerge yourself in an underwater adventure.
Plunge into the depths with this world-first LEGO® submarine ride and immerse yourself in a magical underwater adventure.
So what’s New in 2012
STAR WARS MINILAND EXPERIENCE – The Force has arrived at LEGOLAND
Take a trip to a galaxy far, far away at the UK’s only indoor LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience at the LEGOLAND®Windsor Resort. Enjoy seven of the most famous scenes from the six live-action Star Wars movies, as well as a scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ all made out of 1.5 million LEGO® bricks built in 1:20 scale. Follow the chronological path through the Star Wars timeline and retrace the major events of the beloved Saga featuring 2,000 LEGO® models, authentic sounds and lighting effects in the ultimate LEGO®Star Wars experience.
LEGOLAND WINDSOR RESORT HOTEL – Now open
An exciting LEGO adventure awaits you, as the amazing 150 room, fully themed LEGOLAND Hotel opens at LEGOLAND Windsor RESORT!
Staying overnight at the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel is a must for all LEGO fans. From the spectacular dragon-guarded entrance and interactive LEGO features through to the brightly coloured pirate splash pool and fully themed bedrooms, the new hotel will inspire imaginations and create laugh-out loud memories. With dedicated indoor play areas, entertainment and a buffet-style restaurant serving child-friendly meals, it’s the perfect family treat.
Legoland Windsor 04-05-12
Image by Dave Catchpole
LEGOLAND Windsor a theme park dedicated to children aged 3-12 years old and of course big kid adults.
An inspirational land where the kids are the hero and adults relive their childhood.
The fun never stops and imagination knows no bounds, a family attraction like no other.
Set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND Windsor is a unique family theme park with over 55 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions.
It’s amazing what can be built with LEGO bricks – nearly 55 million of them!
From comical camels to fearsome fire-breathing dragons, world landmarks to musical pirates, young and old alike will be fascinated by the incredible LEGO models throughout the park.
Fun Facts about LEGOLAND Windsor
There are 34 LEGO pieces in an average Miniland figure.
The largest model in Miniland is the Canary Wharf Tower which is 5.2 metres tall and took 3 model makers 850 hours to complete using 200,000 LEGO Bricks!
The smallest models are the pigeons in Trafalgar Square which contain 5 LEGO bricks each
New in 2011 – Atlantis Submarine Voyage
Take a deep breath and submerge yourself in an underwater adventure.
Plunge into the depths with this world-first LEGO® submarine ride and immerse yourself in a magical underwater adventure.
So what’s New in 2012
STAR WARS MINILAND EXPERIENCE – The Force has arrived at LEGOLAND
Take a trip to a galaxy far, far away at the UK’s only indoor LEGO® Star Wars™ Miniland Experience at the LEGOLAND®Windsor Resort. Enjoy seven of the most famous scenes from the six live-action Star Wars movies, as well as a scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars™ all made out of 1.5 million LEGO® bricks built in 1:20 scale. Follow the chronological path through the Star Wars timeline and retrace the major events of the beloved Saga featuring 2,000 LEGO® models, authentic sounds and lighting effects in the ultimate LEGO®Star Wars experience.
LEGOLAND WINDSOR RESORT HOTEL – Now open
An exciting LEGO adventure awaits you, as the amazing 150 room, fully themed LEGOLAND Hotel opens at LEGOLAND Windsor RESORT!
Staying overnight at the new LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel is a must for all LEGO fans. From the spectacular dragon-guarded entrance and interactive LEGO features through to the brightly coloured pirate splash pool and fully themed bedrooms, the new hotel will inspire imaginations and create laugh-out loud memories. With dedicated indoor play areas, entertainment and a buffet-style restaurant serving child-friendly meals, it’s the perfect family treat.
A student in Somalia receives a nutritious cooked meal
Check out these family meals images:
A student in Somalia receives a nutritious cooked meal
Image by USAID_IMAGES
Aid workers provide a ten year old student with a hot meal as part of a school meal provided by UN World Food Program (WFP) to the Mohamed Moge Primary School in Hargeisa, Somalia on April 4, 2017. School meals are a vital safety net for vulnerable families, particularly in times of crisis. With USAID Food for Peace support, WFP provides nutritious cooked meals to school children to relieve hunger and encourage primary school attendance. In some regions, Somalia is in a severe drought – blamed partially on the El Nino weather phenomenon. It has killed off livestock and crops, leaving 6.2 million people in urgent need of help. In early 2017, the United States rapidly scaled up humanitarian response efforts. With U.S. support, the international community is now reaching more than 3 million people each month with lifesaving aid. Credit: Karel Prinsloo, WFP
DSC_8537
Image by Like us on Facebook at CAGuard
Sunburst Youth ChalleNGe Academy cadets and their families were reunited Saturday, Sept. 19, for the first time in 70 days. The cadets showed off some drill and ceremony skills then enjoyed a meal and several hours in the sun at Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos. Smiles and tears were plentiful, and proud parents said they already saw the growth in their children. Sunburst is truly a transformational experience, giving students discipline, confidence and a way forward in life. Photo by Brandon Honig
