Crafting
 Well, I've been on a crafting binge lately. Maybe it's because I've become a rabid fan of Suzanne McMinn's website, Chickens In The Road. She's also a romance writer--and a couple of years ago, she packed up her kids and moved to a small farm near her family in rural West Virginia. She's been discovering the country life and exploring her own talents and I'm telling you, once you read her blogs, you'll be hooked. Well, the upshot is, reading about Suzanne's adventures reawakened my own passions for crafts. I found a pattern for a crocheted dishcloth on her site and liked the pattern so much, I expanded it! That's a picture of the final product up there. I made my dh a blanket with soft, thick yarn that turned out so cozy it makes you want to curl up for a nap. (after reading a good book, of course). Now, I'm thinking I'll pull out my candle making pots and scents and wicks and wax and make a new store of home poured candles. So is it just Winter, I wonder, that's behind all of this nesting? Clouds and cooler weather do inspire the urge to get cozy. So maybe when Summer rolls around, I won't be so eager to dive into my hobbies. Guess I'd better enjoy it while I can. How about you? Fun hobbies you feel like sharing?Labels: candle making, crocheting, Hobbies, winter
History Day.,..........
 History Day--Since I am determined to make sure that ALL history is mentioned somewhere-- In 1630, popcorn was introduced to the colonists in America by Quadequine, brother of Massasoit, brought of bag of the stuff to dinner on this date. There was no movie--unfortunately. But they did all sit around and watch a lovely sunset--sorta like a movie. Wonder if the popcorn was buttered? 1819, Spain ceded Florida and all colonies east of the Mississippi to the U.S., for five million dollars. (Now that's when money really meant something!) 1879, Frank Woolworth opened his first 5 and 10 cent store in Utica, New York 1923, The first chinchilla farm was opened in Los Angeles, CA 1956, Elvis Presley hit the music charts for the first time with HEARTBREAK HOTEL (and now we're all humming it. you know you are!) 1969, Barbara Jo Rubin became the first U.S. woman to win a thoroughbred horse race. She was riding Cohesion at Charlestown race course in West Virginia. 1980, The Miracle on the Ice! the U.S. hockey team beat Russia in a come from behind victory at the Olympics. Two days later, the U.S. team beat Finland to win the gold medal. 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi won the gold medal for the U.S. in women's figure skating. So, anybody else?? What've you got?
American History Threatened........
 Don't believe me?? Read last week's post. See the guy on the left there? That's Daniel Boone. Okay, not the prettiest man in the world, but an incredible man. And one our schoolchildren will NEVER read about if the new textbook people have their way! Lemme tell you a thing or two about Dan'l........ He was born in 1734 and is most well known for his exploration and settlement of what we now know as Kentucky. In 1778, Daniel blazed the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap and into Kentucky, despite the protests (not always peaceful) by the local Indians. (yeah, yeah, Native Americans). In Kentucky, Daniel founded Boonesbourough, one of the first English speaking settlements beyond the Appalachian mountains. Before the end of the 18th century, more than 200,000 people had entered Kentucky, following the trail first set down by Daniel Boone. He was a militia officer during the Revolutionary War. In 1756, he married Rebecca Ryan and together they had 10 children. In 1778, he was captured by the Shawnee indians and eventually adopted into the tribe. He served 3 terms in the Virginia General Assembly. He was a legend in his own lifetime, especially after a book of his adventures was published in 1784, making him famous in America and Europe. Daniel Boone was a soldier, a merchant, a hunter, an explorer. He was a husband and father and a statesmen when we actually respected the term. And if we don't remember him....how will our children EVER know him?
American History Being Rewritten
 I'm on a rant--fair warning! That picture on the left is of American patriot, Nathan Hale. He was 21 years old when he was hanged as a spy by the British army. He was young, patriotic, intelligent. An athlete much admired by his friends and teachers. And he bravely accepted his death as the price he must pay to help bring America to life. His famous last words, "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country" are not really taught to our kids anymore. And if the new textbooks have their way, he won't even be mentioned. Nor will Daniel Boone, Gen. George Patton, Columbus Day or even Christmas Day. Our history is being rewritten by the PC police and we must all stand up and protest it. American textbooks are about to be rewritten. The Texas State Board of Education is redoing the language to be used by textbook publishers. As Texas is a leader in textbooks, many other states will be purchasing the same materials. These new textbooks will be including things like "the cultural impact of hip hop music", and the Hindu holiday of Diwali. Our kids will be taught to replace the term "American citizen" with that of "Global citizen" They won't be taught about 'expansionism' and 'free enterprise', but instead it will be known as 'imperialism and capitalism'. Other nations teach their children to be proud of their heritage. Why shouldn't we? These books will be used for the next ten years. And by the time this issue is revisited then, these books will be allowed to stand and more of our history will be lost. I'm a huge American history lover. And this breaks my heart. We must stand up and make sure our children are taught who we are. And to learn that, they must know who we WERE. Rewriting history is an insult to the men and women who paid with their blood to give us the country we have today. The board's next meeting is in March and the final reading and adoption of the social studies guidelines will be in May. There are fifteen people on this board who are deciding what textbooks across this nation will be saying. That means they only need a majority of 8 people to decide whether or not to rewrite our country's history. Stand up and let them hear from you. Email them with your opinion at sboeteks@tea.state.tx.usAnd if you stayed with me through my rant, thank you!
History Day......
 Here we are again.....Now, let us all pause for a moment, glance at the gorgeous man on the left and wait for it... sigh. On this day in 1901, Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) was born in Cadiz, Ohio. As a romance writer, I've got to say, there haven't been many romance heroes as great as Rhett. (Scarlett? You'd never get away with a heroine as skanky and selfish as her these days!) But Rhett is still the Man. In other news... 1788, Isaac Briggs and William Longstreet patented the steamboat. 1793, Ralph Hodgson, of Lansingburg, NY patented a truly great invention, Oiled Silk 1862, The Battlehymn of the Republic was first published in Atlantic Monthly. Julia Ward Howe wrote the lyrics to the tune of another song called John Brown's Body. Julia's song is still being sung. 1911, the first old age home for Pioneers was opened in Prescott, Arizona (and Clark Gable was 10) 1939, Benny Goodman's orchestra recorded And the Angels Sing (and Clark Gable brought Rhett to life in Gone With the Wind) 1949, a new fangled record and the machine to play it on debuted. 45's started a revolution, especially with the latest kind of music, Rock and Roll. 1968, Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa was born (Happy Birthday Lisa!) 1971, the soundtrack of the movie Love Story went gold today. (And contrary to the movies' claim, love actually means having to say you're sorry over and over and over again) 1987, Terry Williams of Los Gatos, CA, won the largest slot machine payoff to that time. He got 4 lucky 7's and pocketed 4.9 million. (wonder how long he managed to hold onto it...) 1992, President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed an agreement that officially marked the end of the Cold War. That's it for me........let's hear it you guys. What've you got?
 |
|
 |
| 
