Does the term "My Bad" irratate you?

WHAT A COP OUT THIS PHRASE IS!

I detest hearing someone saying "My bad" and especially if that person is older than a teenager.  To me it means the person knows they did or said something wrong but they sure aren't apologizing for doing/saying it.  Is this ghetto speak or what?  Or maybe another slang term like "baby daddy".   I sure would hate to hear a professional say this!

I also think it's usually said in a rather condescending tone which makes it even worse.  To me its not sincere at all.  What's wrong with saying "oops I made a mistake" or "sorry about that".  Either of those is much better and these not only states a mistake was made but apologizes about the mistake. When someone says it to me or around me,  I have upon occasion immediately asked "your bad what  --  bad attitude, bad mistake, bad day, bad language, bad what??" 

Each time I hear it I picture in my mind a naughty but haughty snotty nosed child saying the words.  Even if it actually is an adult I still picture the snot nosed child.

If they don't want to come out and say they made a mistake maybe it would be better if they spoke in Italian to say they made a mistake and say "mea culpa".  That way most people wouldn't know the person is admitting to a mistake.  But saying "me bad" just doesn't get it in my book!   Maybe I shouldn't even care but maybe I'm getting more sensitive about our American language in my old age.   Hard nosed aren't I.?!?! And, that's coming from the trailer park trash humor queen!


Random old pictures/things in Illinois

 

Union Pacific High Speed Streamliner in 1934 in Chicago.

This was a three car unit on this.

 

 

 

 

1940's Chicago La Salle Station

Streamlined Steam Engine between Chicago and New York City

 

 

 

 

 

B & O railroad.  Streamlined engine 1949 at the Rail Fair in

Chicago.

 

 

 

 

 

Original Menard county courthouse.

 

 

 

 

Lincoln Illinois Spiegel store downtown

 

 

Quote For The Day

 

Don't cry because it's over,

smile because it happened.

--Dr. Seuss

 

 

There are some best lines in movies which will never be forgotten.  Of course there were some that should have been forgotten because they were just horrible.

 

 

Some of my most favorite movie lines are:

 

***  Listen to me mister.  You're my knight in shining armour.  Don't you forget it.  You're going to get back on that horse, and I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight and away we're gonna go, go, go.     From: On Golden Pond

 

*** Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.   From:  Gone With The Wind

 

*** Love means not ever having to say I'm sorry.

From:  Love Story

 

***  Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.  From:  The Godfather Part II 

 

 

 

 

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Prom Time

It's prom time ... be home by Midnight or else

Cinderella has arrived at the prom all in her finery.  Prom time means a lot of girls get transformed into a Cinderella of sorts.  Even an ugly duckling can become a swan with a few strokes of the make-up brush.

And as your child gets ready to leave, the ultimate warning.....be home at ????  (whatever time you set).  Some parents aren't so lenient and the curfew is as soon as the dancing is over....but some do the Cinderella curfews and a few let the young people stay out all night.

I can imagine how some of the conversations go when a daughter leaves for the night:

"Since your date has no car and no driver's license, you will not, and I repeat, will not let him drive our car!  That car is valuable and will turn into a pumpkin or will entirely disappear (remember I have the other set of keys) at Midnight so you absolutely have to be home before then.  And, I don't mean 10 after midnight either, I mean at the stroke of midnight, you must be home.

And, I want to repeat again, he absolutely cannot drive our car.  Be sure to wipe your shoes when getting into the car so that you don't get dirt on the carpet.  You will go straight to the Prom site after picking him up at his house and straight home afterwards after leaving the prom site and then dropping him off.  Don't plan on stopping to kiss or make out as I've installed cameras in the car and I will know about it.

Ok Cinderella girl, have fun at the Prom, and don't let anyone, I repeat anyone kiss you.  And don't forget the car turns into a pumpkin at midnight and don't forget I have the other set of keys and don't forget, don't let your date drive the car.

As your Cinderella ponders all of this, she might wonder if it's worth it!  And might be hurt you don't trust her.....but I'm sure we've all had these type of instructions given to us and we might have even issued similar ultimatums ourselves at one point or another.  The joys of being a parent.

Old Menard County
(taken from the History of Menard and Mason Counties 1879)

Agriculture:
The soil is adapted to agricultural pursuits in a very remarkable degree. Not only in the bottom and table lands is the black loam deep and rich, but the uplands are also equally productive. Of the 310.4 square miles, or 198,675 acres of land in the county, there were in 1878, 168,282 in cultivation, against 134,173 acres in 1870. Of this, 63,286 acres were in corn, yielding 1,875,096 bushels. The same year, 1878, there were 8,987 acres in winter wheat, yielding 125,149 bushels; 891 acres in spring wheat, yielding 6,244 bushels; 8,352 acres in oats, producing 263,666 bushels; 10, 168 acres in timothy meadow, yielding 14,542 tons of hay; 303 acres in Irish potatoes, producing 15, 620 bushels; 1,469 acres in apple orchards, yielding 56,157 bushels of apples. The acreage of grain raised in 1878 was not as large as usual, from the fact of the extreme wet weather in the early part of the season, preventing the cultivation of large amount of the flat and low bottom-land. Beside this, winter wheat has been such an uncertain crop for some years past, that little attention has been paid to it: but the yield per acre of what was sowed last year being so fine that the acreage the present year is almost double that of 1878, and the quality and yield are both much better. There are a variety of crops raised beside those named above, but those given are the most important.

The county is well supplied with the various kinds of stock, and for many years great pains have been taken to improve the quality by securing the best imported breeds. For a number of years, there was great profit in feeding cattle and hogs for the Eastern markets, and many of the cattle raised on the rich pasture-lands of "Little Menard" were shipped to European ports, and proved to be as rich and savory as the boasted beeves of the Old World. For a few years past, however, farmers have found but little profit in this department of labor, and raising cattle and hogs as a business is falling into desuetude. The price of pasture and the cost of raising corn, together with the Western competition in prices, render the cattle business very uncertain and dangerous, while the prevalence of hog-cholera for several years past, renders the business of hog-raising so dangerous that but little attention is given to it. In 1878, there were 5,961 head of cattle fatted in the county, the aggregate gross weight of which was 2,104,900 pounds. There were 1,089 milk-cows kept, from which was sold, beside the home consumption, 43,890 pounds of butter, 225 pounds of cheese, 15 gallons of cream and 2,300 gallons of milk. The same year, 18,902 hogs were fatted, the gross weight of which was 4,664,546 pounds; besides these, there were 22,495 hogs, big and little, died with cholera during the same year, the aggregate weight of which was 1,514,421 pounds. The sheep of the county yielded, in 1878, 19,689 pounds of wool. Of the horses, mules and asses in the county, we have no statistics later than 1870 that are reliable. There were then 6,840 horses and 921 mules and asses. Since that time, or six years, the attention of farmers has been turned largely to the improvement of the breed of horses. For this purpose, large sums have been expended in importing, from various portions of Europe, studs of the finest horses. The most popular breeds are, perhaps, the Norman and Clydesdale. In this short time, a marked improvement is observable in the stock all over the county.

The total valuation of farmlands, at the last census, was $7,944,895. The total farm products were estimated to be worth $2,237,505, and the livestock was valued at $1,617,389.

Quote For The Day

A woman is like a tea bag.  You never know

how strong she is until she gets in hot water.

--Eleanor Roosevelt

Do you remember the Maypole dance you did as a kid.  Do kids now days do those kind of things??

I remember on May Day, on May 1, a celebration used to be important to us kids in town.  Me and some of my friends used to make cones from old wallpaper and put flowers we plucked from our yard as well as our neighbor's yard (she didn't care).  We then took these cones of flowers around to the old people in town.  We would put the cone of flowers on the porch and ring the doorbell and run like the wind.  I think we were supposed to use baskets but we didn't have any so that was the reason we rolled the old wallpaper into cones....this idea was from my mama who loved to help us do these kind of things.

I also remember using some kind of paper streamers that we attached to an old clothes line pole and we would each take a streamer and go around and around the pole singing at the top of our lungs.  This idea was another one from my mama who said this was a May Pole.

I think the old customs have been lost.  I remember telling my kids about these things we did but I can't remember if they did them.  I'm sure they didn't carry on with these.....they live in the city where things like this aren't done for fear of something bad happening. 

I would love to see someone leave a cone of flowers on my porch.  It would mean the old custom had not been lost!

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Cows Must Be Smarter Than I Thought

When I was a kid, my dad always told me cattle were dumb but I really didn't believe they were the most stupid animal as some think.

As a kid I had cattle that I worked with and, they would come to me on a voice command.  And, I know that cattle know that they are going to be fed when they see you approach a feed trough.

I also think that cattle can sense when a person is afraid of them and some will even provoke a person and will chase people who are afraid.  Been there, done that!!

I found this article and after reading it, I truly believe that cattle must be smarter than what most think.   It was written by a veterinarian and she is the involved in her state's humane association, but it appears to be a non-slanted story.  I feel this story is really touching...too bad the ending isn't better.  Read and enjoy and think about it when you next eat veal.

http://worldtruth.tv/cow-proves-animals-love-think-act-feel/

Old History
(taken from the History of Menard and Mason Counties - 1879)

Early Manners and Customs:

The articles used in the culinary department were as few and simple as can be imagined. A "flat-oven" or skillet, a frying-pan, an iron pot or kettle, with, occasionally, a coffee-pot, completed the outfit of the best furnished kitchen. Stoves were then entirely unknown, hence all the cooking was done on the fireplace. The oven was set on a bed of glowing coals, and the frugal housewife, taking as much stiff dough of Indian meal as she could conveniently hold in both hands, and deftly tossing from hand to h and to mold it into the desired shape, tossed it into the oven, patting it with her hand to the desired thickness. About three of these "dodgers" would fill the oven, when the ready heated lid was placed on the oven, and all was covered with burning coals. As soon as the bread was done, it was taken out upon a tin platter and set on the hearth near the fire to keep warm.

Generally, the impress of the fingers of the cook were plainly visible in each "dodger." In the oven from which the bread was taken the ham or venison was then fried, and often, in the fall and winter, the grease tried out of the meat when fried was allowed to remain and in it the "lye-hominy," made also of Indian corn, was seasoned for the meal. Tho the repast was prepared, and sweeter bread or more savory meats were never eaten than was prepared on those rude fire-places. As to sweetmeats and confections, they were things entirely unknown.

Sugar was unknown save in sections of country where sugar-maple abounded; but nearly all of the early settlers had an abundance of the finest hones in their cabins the year round; for wild honey-bees were found in great numbers whenever there was timber. Sometimes wild crabs, wild grapes, and berries of various kinds were preserved in hones; but these were only opened on the most important occasions. For many years after the settlements were commenced in this section wheat bread was entirely unknown.

Quote For The Day

I don't care what is written about me,

so long as it isn't true.

--Dorothy Parker

Do you remember the old typing drill...."now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country"???

Typing this phrase is a good way to increase your typing skills if you are a horrible typist.....me!  I make lots of errors these days....too many stiff finger mornings.....or is it a loss of brain waves, going from the brain to the fingers.  It seems that I get my pinkies on the wrong keys more often than not.....but I try to ignore those new words I'm making up.....in fact, maybe I should submit some of them to Webster from inclusion as the latest word.    The funny thing is, when I read something someone else has typed with erroneous words, I know what they mean.....is that natural??  I kind of like internet shorthand, but I don't know the standard shorthand, so I kind of make up my own. 

If I typed "let;s mewt fpr linch".....you probably know that I meant "let's meet for lunch". The Pinkies moved over keys a couple of times!  LOL

So if you want to become a better typist, practice the "come to the aid of their country" drill.....and be sure to put a period at the end.....as old Thelma E. used to say:  "if you type it right, it will completely fill in a 70 space line with the period at the end."

The drill sergeant Thelma, knew just about everything.....but she sure was nice and, wow could she teach!!

And if you get bored with the aid to the country one, do this one:  the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".  I think it's harder.....but it might keep you from getting bored.

Fingers on the keyboard, and eyes on your paper....as Thelma would say!

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Tornadogenesis.....Do We All Know Enough?

Spring Can Mean Tornadoes ....

With the heat of the spring and summer, one of the most feared weather windstorms....the tornado.  I hate the thought that one would ever hit our house or one of a family member of a friend, but it could happen.  The amount of these are on the increase.....global warming I guess.

I love knowing about these horrible things.  I am fascinated so I thought I would copy some stuff so we all are aware of what goes on.  Hopefully you will gain a bit of knowledge from this information.  I certainly hope none of us is ever faced with one of these.  Information copied from howstuffworks.com.

Tornadogenesis is the process and conditions necessary for the formation of tornadoes.  The causes of tornadoes are studied by meteorologists who study tornadogenesis.  The term refers to the formation of all types of tornadoes, including water spouts, gustnadoes and supercell tornadoes.

Not all thunderstorms create tornadoes and not all tornadoes are created by thunderstorms. But the most common method of violent tornadogenesis stems from a supercell thunderstorm -- one that contains a vortex called a mesocyclone at its core -- which indicates there's a decent chance a tornado is in the works. So, the first few factors on our list are all components needed to build a supercell and, in turn, a tornado -- and the last couple are ones that could contribute to the tornado formation itself.

1.  Raindrop Size:  New research recently published in Geophysical Research Letters suggests that a storm's spread of raindrop sizes could be an indicator of the likelihood a tornado will form. 3-D study of the microphysical conditions inside a supercell storm.
They studied a number of atmospheric variables and found that large raindrops tend to cluster together more than smaller ones, and are also less prone to evaporation. Since evaporation cools the air (as opposed to the heating that occurs with condensation) this means the air beneath a storm cloud will be warmer than if smaller drops were present -- and we know that warm moist air is just the thing to fuel a massive supercell that spawns tornadoes.

2.  Gravity Waves:   Once the stage is set for a mesocyclone supercell, another atmospheric occurrence that could up the chances of a twister is a set of incoming gravity waves. Gravity waves are like ocean waves; disturbances in the fluid atmosphere, say powerful gusts of wind or soaring mountain ranges, can cause the air to ripple and roll. Enter the GrITs theory: Gravity wave Interactions with Tornadoes.

3.  Moisture and Instability:  Another ingredient necessary for tornadogenesis is moisture.  As the air begins to rise, its dew point lowers and the moisture cools and condenses to form the storm cloud.

Water vapor releases incredible amounts of heat as it condenses into raindrops, and it's this heat that fuels the storm, revving up a convective cycle of moving air. Thunderstorms are super powerful, and all their energy and furious wind speeds create a positive feedback loop that propagates until the supercell reaches mammoth proportions.

It's also important to note that instability -- the difference between the temperature and moisture levels of air from the bottom to the top of the parcel -- works to intensify a storm.

4.  Air Temperature:  A second important component needed for supercell formation and tornadogenesis is warm air, especially in relation to parcels of air higher up in the atmosphere. Many, although not all, supercell thunderstorms associated with tornadoes form at the boundary between cold, dry air and warm, moist air.

At the border between these two air masses, the rising warm air helps ignite rotation by fueling the towering updraft that pulls additional warm air up in its wake. The powerful updrafts associated with thunderstorms are aided by uneven heating of the Earth's surface -- one of the reasons they're common in the afternoon hours.

Once warm air reaches the top of the storm, it spills over the backside as a rear flank downdraft and is recycled back into the storm. If the air is too cold, the storm weakens and tornadoes don't form.

5.  Wind Shear and Updraft:  One characteristic that's generally necessary for a strong supercell -- and subsequent tornado -- is wind shear, a difference in the wind speed at varying altitudes or directions. Air currents are often more powerful at higher altitudes, for example, where jet streams can send them tumbling into a horizontal loop.

As the thunderstorm begins to form, the accompanying updraft can also encourage horizontal spin, but it's this next event that's key -- for a thunderstorm to generate a tornado-spawning mesocyclone, the supercell's powerful updraft must succeed in raising, sustaining and tightening the central vortex at a near vertical alignment.

If this step is reached, powerful forces within the whirling mesocyclone can achieve a balance between the inward and outward flow of air and create what is known as the dynamic pipe effect. The low-pressure center of the vortex (the pipe) sucks additional air up into the storm and lengthens the rotating tube that could potentially become our funnel cloud.

Menard County History of Tornadoes Since 1950.

1. 6/16/1973: Brief touchdown on the north edge of Athens. (9:35 pm....magnitude F0)
2. 5/9/1995: This tornado had touched down in far northern Sangamon County east of Salisbury. It moved northeast, and clipped a portion of Menard County south of Athens, at the Brookwood Mills subdivision. Here it destroyed 1 home and damaged 13 others. After moving back into Sangamon County, it again entered Menard County south of Fancy Prairie, before continuing into southwest Logan County. Total Menard County damage was $1 million.  (4:25pm...magnitude F3)  This is the one which destroyed Cantrall Grade School and the Methodist Church.
4. 5/12/1998: Brief touchdown in a field 2 miles east of Petersburg. (7:55 pm....magnitude F0)
5. 4/8/1999: This tornado first touched down near Sinclair, in northeast Morgan County. It traveled through Ashland, in extreme southeast Cass County, before entering Menard County 4 miles southwest of Tallula. It was on the ground for 1 mile in Menard County. (7:54 pm...magnitude F0)
6. 4/2/2006: Brief touchdown in Greenview, causing minor house damage.  (5:22 pm....magnitude F0)
7. 12/31/2010: This strong tornado touched down on New Year's Eve near Lake Petersburg.  (12:37 pm...magnitude EF3)

I'm not sure I agree with this information I found on the national weather site.  It doesn't list the one on April 16, 1982, where King Tuttle's welding shop had extensive damage and several other houses in Greenview....maybe this was not determined to be a tornado by the weather service....If they had seen the damage in Greenview, they would have classified it as one. And the tornado was actually sighted at the time.

The last one we had on June 5, 2011 through Sweetwater.  It must not have been classified as a tornado.  This one I heard and saw the dark cloud going past our house right before I raced to the basement around 7 pm. Menard County officials say it was a tornado...and it did quite a bit of damage.

This utube is of the tornado which destroyed the Cantrall Grade School:  

 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rJIckKUdOw

 

and here's the Illinois Times story on the Cantrall tornado:

 

http://illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-426-the-lingering-storm.html

 

Let's hope our area doesn't create any more tornado history anytime soon.  But if one comes at least we know how they work.

 

Thought For The Day

There is always room at the top --

after the investigation.

--Oliver Herford

 

Please watch out for motorcycles.  It's time for motorcycle riders to be out.  And, there are already reports of accidents.  The funny thing is that people try to justify that most motorcycle wrecks are because the rider in Illinois didn't have a helmet on.  Believe me the fact that the rider didn't have a helmet on didn't have a dang thing to do with the cause of the wreck.

 

Yes, most riders in Illinois don't wear helmets.  If you have ever worn a helmet in the hot summer sun, you would know why.....but there is danger and mostly because of other drivers being so discourteous to the motorcyclist.  So when you go out.....be sure to watch for a rider....their headlight will always be one so that you can more easily see them ....Watch for them .... and give them room .... and when you pass them, don't cut in front of them too quickly.  Believe me I know that drivers are discourteous .....we ride and have been cut off many many times  .... drivers cut in front of the motorcyclist quite often and pull out in front of them from  side roads.  So, what's more dangerous  .... discourteous drivers or wearing no helmet?  Anytime a motorcyclist rides a bike it's dangerous and most likely a little plastic helmet won't protect them much.....but a vehicle driver giving them room will help their chances of not having a wreck.  RANT OVER.

 

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Average Woman Would Rather Have Beauty

Do women tend to lean towards beauty not brains?

Being the woman that I am, I think I have a pretty good view on woman's wants and desires.  Not that I have the same outlook and desires, but women tend to know women pretty well.

Through my management years in the workplace, I saw a lot of women go through the workforce.  Many had beauty, few had a big pile of working brains.  And, they didn't seem to care that brains wasn't on the list of wants.  Some just seemed to exist for the sole purpose of having beauty to attract the other sex (never had one who wanted to attract the same sex).

When they got there in the morning, they were still primping.  At break time, back to the restroom to primp some more.  At lunch, they daintily sat with their small salad and their can of diet soda.  Not me, I sat with my huge sandwich, chips, can of high calorie soda and my dessert too!!!  Food was the most important to me, not beauty.  But now, and about 50 pounds later and about two hundred face wrinkles, maybe I should have been thinking of that small salad and a diet soda, and the ongoing primping in the potty room.

Of course I also sent a several home for primping on company time and not working.  I even found a somewhat brainless beauty sleeping instead of using her brains...that was the second time she wasn't using what brains she had, so she got to sleep late in the mornings at home ..... permanently.  I guess she had lots of time to primp and sleep after that.

Another show of beauty rather than brains was the person who came into my office and told me to leave my office so she could make a personal call from my office.  WHAT????   She meant it too.......unfortunately for her, I was the one who used my phone.....and this brainless beauty also went home...permanently.  Now do you see why I think there are a quite a few women who love the beauty and don't really care to increase their brain power.

Of course maybe I shouldn't lay all the blame on beauties because through the years I had some really ugly creatures who worked in my areas.  They couldn't primp because there was nothing that could be done to rectify that, and in the brain department, a three year old could accomplish more in the work place that these ugly brainless types.  To be ugly and brainless must really be hard to take.....but they do exist.  As I see it, there isn't much chance of any recovery for these type of people. 

So if you are reading this and you fit into one of these categories of either a brainless beauty or a brainless ugly, heaven help you.  I bet you can't wait for summer, hoping that your suntan will somehow cover up your flaws.  Good Luck!

Some Old Residents of The Greenview Area

From the History of Menard and Mason Counties  1879

J. B. COPPER, farmer and stock-raiser; P. 0. Sweetwater  was born in Portage
Co., Ohio, Dec. 14, 1809; third son and fifth child of Michael and Mary (Glasgow)
Copper, who were the parents of nine children; the father was a native of Kent Co.,
and the mother of Westmoreland Co., Penn.; they were married in 1797; in 1838,
the parents came to Illinois and settled on Rock River in which is now known as Car-
rull Co.; in the summer of 1851, the father died; this was the same year our subject
came to Illinois ; he had passed his youth and early manhood in Licking Co., Ohio,
assisting his father on the farm. He was married to Miss Eliza Pence, a native of Lick-
ing Co., in 1837; from this union there were three children William, David and
George; Mrs. Copper died in the fall of 1853; Mr. Copper was married March 27,
1854, to Miss Emily Goff; the Goffs were early settlers of this county and date their
history back to its first settlement; from this union there are twelve children Harvey
E., Charles B., John E., Laura J., Eliza E., Sarah M., Robert F., Thomas H., Louis
C., Ida F., Lorena and Lydia N. Mr. Copper owns 316 acres of land, 286 of which
are well improved and which he has made by his own exertion-*. He and his wife have a nice home, pleasant family and are among Menard County's most respected citizens.

GEORGE T. DEAL, dealer in live stock, Sweetwater; was born in Menard Co.,
111., Jan. 14, 1849; is a son of J. H. and Jane (Eldridge) Deal, whose sketch appears
in this work; George T. attended school until about 20 years of age, at which time he
entered the store of his father, where he remained five years; during this time, he had
entire charge of the business; at the expiration of this time, the father sold out, and
our subject then assisted in the mill, owned by his father and James Hughes, in Sweet-
water; in July, of 1870, he went to Chicago, and was, for some six months, in the
employ of Wood Bros., livestock commission merchants; since that, he has been
engaged in buying and shipping hogs and cattle. He was united in marriage with
Mary J. Pickrell, Dec. 2, 1873; she was born in Fleming Co., Ky., June 15, 1851;
they have one child Lizzie, born Sept. 4, 1 874. Mr. Deal is a stanch Republican in
politics, and one of the prominent young men of Menard County.

JOHN H. DEAL, miller, Sweetwater; was born in the city of Baltimore, Md.,
March 20, 1826; is a son of John and Sarah (Wilhelm) Deal; the father was a
native of Maryland, and a butcher by trade; he departed this life Dec. 6, 1826; the
mother remained in Maryland until 1839, when she and our subject came to Menard
Co., where they have since resided ; John H. received such an education, as the schools
of that early day afforded ; in 1852, he and Hugh D. Hughes built the Sweetwater
Mill; it cost, at the time of building, about $2,500; it has been constantly run, with
the exception of one year, since its building; it is now the property of J. H. Deal and
J. L. Hughes son of Hugh D. Hughes; it was one of the first steam-mills in Menard
Co., and has ground more than one million bushels of grain since it was built. Mr.
Deal is the present miller, and to his exertions the mill owes its success and pop-
ularity. He was united in marriage with Jane Eldridge in 1848; she was born in
England Sept. 8, 1828; from this union there were six children, two of whom are
now living; she died Sept. 4, 1861. Mr. Deal was again married Aug. 23, 1866, to
Mary E. Enslow; they have four children by this union. Mr. Deal is a Republican
in politics.


Thought For The Day

Dare to be yourself.

--Andre Gide

 

Just in case you are interested, at the time I wrote this there were 269 days, 15 hours and 4 minutes left before Christmas.  Better get your shopping done before it's too late!  With gas prices as high as they are and expected to go higher, you may want to do your shopping early because by Christmas your car may be parked for good.  And it's pretty hard to carry packages when you ride your horse to town.

Gas prices.  Gas Prices.  GAS prices.  GAS PRICES!  They are getting bigger.  My wallet is getting smaller.  Those persons who retired less than well off, are having a hard time managing their fixed incomes.  The high price of gas means increased prices in food stuff, and services of any business.

Will it go higher.? Sure it will.  The price increases by 20 to 40 cents when it goes up but, when the price goes down, it's measly pennies. 

There's not a whole lot we can do about it.  Too many people are bottom feeding from the profits and they will not let the prices fall.  So get used to it folks.

Heed my advice.  Start your Christmas shopping today, when you go to buy your Easter candy and Easter baskets.  The Easter Bunny really won't care that he is competing for your shopping dollars.  He's only interested in hopping down the bunny trail with his basket of goodies.  He has about the same list as Santa but doesn't have to go to some countries.....good thing because by the time he's done, his old hopper is about worn out.

 

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A Snake On The Make

Snake....Go Away!

Yesterday, after seeing a story about a 15 foot diamondback found in St. Augustine, I got to thinking about a couple of snakes I found in our backyard.

First of all, I'm scared to death of snakes....even when I used to find tiny little garden snakes in the kids pockets on wash day, I about went doo doo in my drawers.  So you can imagine when one day I went out back and right at the end of the deck steps was a huge black snake curled in a coil, looking at me with hungry beady eyes.  I know that black snakes like to travel in pairs so I was hesitant to take another step for fear of finding the mate of this audacious (HA HA) black snake which had adopted me as it's mother. 

I looked carefully before stepping....because I remember one other time at our cabin on the river when a big ole black snake went hunting hubby because the snake's mate had been killed.....yes that particular snake lay in wait on the top of the door casing just waiting for hubby to open the door.....hubby did and the snake fell to his feet!  Talk about scare tactics Mr. Snake!

I couldn't see any other snake in our yard,  so I ran and called a neighbor's kid who loved snakes....he removed it and all was right again.  Last I saw of that snake.  At one time we a small garden snake move in the yard.  He/she would follow us around when we were mowing.  We got to know this snake quite well, but it never did anything as it wasn't that kind of snake....but I wasn't that brave to ever meet and greet the darn thing.  I just looked at it.  When the grandkids would come to the house to play, the snake would come out to greet them and would follow the kids while they were playing.  During it's four or five year stay, the snake grew but followed the mower less and less....but we would just see it sunning itself.  Then one day, we noticed it wasn't around.  Later we found it in the yard....it must have followed the mower but, during a quick mower turn around, the snake wasn't able to avoid the blades.  Poor snake....I really had enjoyed getting to know this little fellow who had been our yard inhabitant for a long time (know it from a distance mind you).

But just a warning to other snakes out there....stay away because I still don't like snakes...and for any 15 footers which crawl up here....you will surely make me not only doo doo in my drawers,  I would probably grow wings and fly away! 


History of Menard County - From the "History of Menard and Mason County - 1879"

Among the early pioneers, everything was plain, simple and in conformity
with the strictest economy. This was not only true of their dwellings, furni-
ture and provisions, but also of their clothing. In a very early day, the men
usually wore pants and hunting-shirts of buckskin, and caps of coon or fox
skin, while both sexes clothed their feet in moccasins. Cotton goods were then
extremely hard to get, because, in the first place, of the distance such goods
were to be conveyed by private means, and, secondly, because the manufacture
in this country was very limited, the greater part being manufactured in Europe.
As a consequence, the pioneers of the West found this one of the hardest
demands to meet. Many were the expedients devised by them, especially by
the frugal and economical dames ; for, ever since the wonderful expedient of
preparing an entire wardrobe from fig-leaves, devised quite a number of years
in the past, woman has been very gifted in laying plans and adopting expedi-
ents in the matter of clothing. But, unfortunately for her skill and industry,
the country afforded nothing, the first few years of its occupancy, that could be
turned to any account in this direction. If cotton had been planted on their first
arrival, it would have amounted to but little, because neither the soil nor climate
were favorable to its growth, and the seasons were so short that it could hardly
be planted early enough to mature in quantities sufficient to justify its cultiva-
tion. It was almost useless, in an early day, to take sheep into the frontier
settlements, on account of the vast numbers of prairie and black and gray
wolves, which would destroy an entire flock in a single night. Hence the people had no choice save that between adopting expedients and appearing in
nature's light and airy garb." So, after the first year or two, the people
began to sow crops of flax or hemp, and this the women spun and wove by
hand into a coarse but substantial and pleasant linen. Of this, underwear was
made, dresses for the ladies, towels, table-cloths, etc. But. you may inquire,
what did they do till a crop of this could be raised, rotted and made into cloth.
In reply it may be stated that the clothing taken with them to the new country
was made to do an immense service.


Even after flax was raised in sufficient quantities, and sheep had been
introduced in considerable numbers, still it was an arduous task to spin and
weave the cloth for the entire wearing apparel of a family. Had the fashions
prevailed then that have in a later day, the women would have given up
in despair. But, instead of eight or ten widths of cloth being put in a dress
skirt in order to cover a balloon-frame of crinoline, two or three widths were
considered amply sufficient for the fullest dress. On a certain occasion, under
magis-
trate, charged with having leaped over a little brook on her way to church on
Sabbath ; and this was an offense for which she was liable to pay a severe fine.
The mother of the young lady came into court and made oath that the skirts of
the prisoner's dress were so narrow that she was obliged to leap the brook, or step
into the water. Upon this testimony she was released. Doubtless there was as
great economy practiced by our ancestors as by the staid old Puritans in godly
Connecticut ; but it was more necessity than piety that dictated the limited
amount of material in their clothing. Our modern young gentlemen, who have
dressed in the very best ever since they could remember, would be surprised at
the scanty outfit of the boys of that time. The summer wear of the boys up to
ten and twelve years of age was simple and very free from any effort at display,
as it consisted of but one article, that being a long, coarse overshirt. With this
indispensable article they explored the forests, traversed the prairies, thought
about the girls, and built as many castles in the air as the boys of more favored
times. In winter, they were supplied with buck-skin or tow pants, moccasins
or raw hide shoes, and coats of jeans after sheep began to be raised among the
settlers. In winter, when the deer-skin pantaloons had, by any accident, become
wet, and dried again, it is affirmed that they could be heard to rattle a distance
of forty yards as the wearer walked in them. This scarcity of clothing people
had no choice save that between adopting expedients and appearing in
nature's light and airy garb." So, after the first year or two, the people
began to sow crops of flax or hemp, and this the women spun and wove by
hand into a coarse but substantial and pleasant linen. Of this, underwear was
made, dresses for the ladies, towels, table-cloths, etc. But. you may inquire,
what did they do till a crop of this could be raised, rotted and made into cloth.
In reply it may be stated that the clothing taken with them to the new country
was made to do an immense service. But even wild nature was often appealed
to for aid. In an early day, vast fields of wild nettles grew here, often stand-
ing on the ground thicker than a field of wheat, and not infrequently attaining
a height of three and four feet. This produced a most excellent lint, that was
susceptible both of being woven and bleached. Thousands of yards of linen
were made from these nettles by the pioneer settlers in Illinois. The year after
James Meadows settled in Sugar Grove, his wife spun and wove no less than
thirty yards of this nettle linen. It was strong, serviceable, and bleached to
almost a snowy whiteness. 


(Note:  The James Meadows who is referenced, was the stepfather to Charles Montgomery, who was the person who owned the land where Greenview now stands.  He is my ancestor.)

Thought For The Day

We don't stop playing because we grow old;

we grow old because we stop playing.

--George Bernard Shaw

If a person places an advertisement in a paper, the wording must be carefully scrutinized before you place it so you say what you really mean.  And some might be a bit too weird to post....so carefully think it over before placing.

Examples of some ads that really appeared in newspapers.  Some of these might raise an eyebrow:

1.    Braille dictionary for sale.  Must see to appreciate.

2.    For sale, hope chest, brand new, half off, long story. 

3.    Tired of working for $9.75 per hour?  We offer profit sharing and flexible hours.  Starting pay: $7 - $9.00.

4.   Three year old teacher needed for pre-school.  Experience preferred.

5.    Joining nudist colony.  Must sell washer and dryer $300.

6.    Full sized mattress.  20 year warranty.  Slight Urine smell.

7.   Found:  Dirty White Dog.  Looks like a rat.  Better be a reward.

And on and on the ads go.  Where they stop no one knows.  I just know some of these are weird!

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More History of the County

From the book: The History of Menard County and Mason Counties - 1879

kjhJacob Boyer and James Meadows, who were brothers-in-law, came to Sugar
Grove, from the American bottom, in the spring of 1819. They had lived a year
or two on Wood River, in the American bottom, two and a half miles from Alton
meadows, brought one wagon drawn by two horses, and, in addition, one milk
cow, a yoke of yearling steers, that had been broken to work when sucking-
calves, and some thirty head of hogs. Boyer brought three horses, two milk
cows, and perhaps a yoke of oxen. About the same day that Boyer and
Meadows came, the Blane family, consisting of four brothers, one sister and
the mother, came to the same grove. This family was of Irish blood, and it
was from them that the "Irish Grove," in the east part of the county, received
its name. The Blanes brought two two-horse teams and six or seven yoke of
oxen. Boyer and Meadows erected a cabin on the south side of the grove,
which was occupied by Boyer, and Meadows put up a "three-faced camp " on
the ground now occupied by the " Sugar Grove Cemetery." Before the Blanes
settled there, they had been camped for a few days in the "Irish Grove," as
it has since been called ; it is therefore very probable that they were camped in
the county when Clary settled at Clary's Grove.
The Blanes also " took claims," erected cabins and began business in earnest.
These were the first settlers on the east side of the Sangamon River.

Before giving an account of the further settlement of Sugar Grove, it may
not be amiss to relate an incident in the early history of this settle-
ment, illustrating the fact that human nature is ever the same, and that
even in this early day men had need of civil courts. It will be necessary to
explain that although the trouble began when but few families had settled
there, it was some time before it culminated in a lawsuit, as there were no
courts of justice in reach till some time later.

As stated above, Meadows brought two horses, thirty head of hogs and two year-
ling calves with him to the grove. Not many months elapsed until both the horses
were missing, and the hogs were all strayed away and lost. Not a great while
after these misfortunes, one of the little oxen was found dead in the woods.
Diligent search was made in every direction for the missing stock, as they
could not be replaced without great trouble and expense, owing to the distance
from any older settlement. In his anxiety, Mr. M. applied to a fortune-teller,
who strolled through the new settlement, practicing his art, as the ancient
troubadour used to stroll from village to village, to rehearse the deeds of his
heroes. This seer told Mr. Meadows that the horses were in the possession of
the Indians, and that he would recover them after awhile, though but one at a
time. Sure enough, the horses were found in the hands of the Indians,
who said they had traded for them from a Frenchman. The horses were so
jaded that they were of no service, and soon after died. The hogs, he was
told, had gone down the Sangamon River, where one-half of them had been
eaten by a " squatter," and the rest he would recover. Meadows followed the
directions given, found the cabin of the suspected settler, but found none of the
hogs. He, however, traded for a frying-pan from the worthy citizen, the one,
he supposed, in which his hogs had been fried ; but the remainder of the hogs
were found as had been predicted. The fortune-teller further said that the ox
came to its death at the hands of one of Mr. M.'s neighbors, in the following
manner : The neighbor was making rails in the timber, his coat lying on a log
near by, when the poor calf came browsing along, and, spying the coat, he
determined to make a meal of it. The laborer, seeing his coat about to be
swallowed, ran and struck the brute on the loins with his maul, and the blow
proved sufficient to kill it on the spot.

Although this was only the statement of a superstitious fortune-teller, yet
it was believed strongly enough to induce Mr. Meadows to begin a suit against
the accused party, which was in the courts for several years, cost a vast sum of
money, and created a feud between two families, which lasted to the second gen-
eration. This is spoken of as the first lawsuit of any importance in the county; and
 also as illustrating a superstitious belief in fortune-tellers that at that time was
 almost universal.


Thought For The Day

Some people are like slinkies; useless, but

entertaining as they fall down the stairs.

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My Post Is Not Spam

No Sirreeeeeeee My Posts Aren't Spam

It was so nice when Spam meant you could go to the pantry and get out this little oblong can with primarily dark blue colors.  And written across the front was SPAM.  But that word SPAM meant you had an edible product enclosed in your hand.  A nice little fake ham block of pressed meat which had loads of fat, calories and sodium.  I remember my family would slice that little SPAM block of meat, roll it in flour and fry it in grease.  And we would all eat it like it was the best thing on earth.  Maybe it was!  But in my youth, eating SPAM meant I was really a "spammer" simply because I ate SPAM!

Throughout the years I've seen contests for the bestest SPAM recipe.  Even the state fair has a SPAM cook off session.  Casseroles with SPAM
.... stand alone SPAM ..... Green eggs with SPAM probably.  All in the name of SPAM.  But, these days SPAM doesn't always mean SPAM in the can....it means that you have become the worst critter on earth.....the internet spammer.

A couple of days ago  I started getting messages about Spam....and it wasn't SPAM the meat man calling at my door.  No it was the Spam police on the internet....telling me my message had just turned into a piece of Spam.  Well........forgive me but I'm not a spammer.  I'm simply trying to send a message.  

I've been called a lot of names in my life, but I have now gotten the world's worst name affixed to me.....a misnomer of course......but folks I'm officially a spammer.  Lock me in handcuffs and drag me off to cyber jail....let them cook for me, dress me and support me......but please don't call me a spammer!  I swear I didn't mean to.....I don't know why I did it....and I don't even know what I did to become a spammer.  Please your honor, the cyber judge, you must believe me.  Oh well.....I haven't received my cyber sentence but you know it will be harsh.  At least ten years in cyber prison......maybe I'll see a couple of our former governors there.

Old Tyme Greenview
Taken from the 1879 book The History Of Menard and Mason Counties:


E. L. SWINEY, farmer and stock -raiser, Sec. 35 ; P. 0. Greenview ; was born in Bath Co., Ky., July 28, 1823. His father died when he was 2 years old. He lived in Kentucky until he was 11 years of age, when he came to Indian Point, Menard Co., with Mr. Kennedy Kincaid. They brought a flock of sheep with them, which young Swiney helped to drive. He continued to live with Mr. Kincaid until
21 years of age. He received such education as the schools of that early day afforded.

In 1845, he bought 285 acres of land in Sugar Grove Precinct, upon which he has since resided. He now owns 700 acres of land upon which are good buildings. He was united in marriage with Melinda Johnson Sept. 10, 1846. She was born in Menard Co., Aug. 25, 1824. Her parents came to the county in 1823, and her mother, who is now living, is one of the oldest living settlers. Mr. Swiney is the father of seven children, five of whom are now living Emma, Elijah, Laura, Ned and Frank. Mrs. Swiney departed this life Feb. 9, 1877. Mr. Swiney is a stanch Republican in
politics.

ADAM SHARP, boot and shoemaker, Sweetwater; was born in Baden, Germany, Sept. 18, 1850. His father was a shoemaker by trade, a business he taught his three sons. In 1853, John, the eldest son, came to the United States, and located in the
village of Sweetwater, Menard Co., 111. ; he also lived in Missouri about five years. He died in 1878. Adam came to this country in 1872, and commenced working at his trade in the village of Sweetwater the same year. He was united in marriage with Bertha Kyle Dec. 11, 1877 ; she was born in Logan Co., Feb. 16, 1857. They have had one child Augustus, born Jan. 5, 1879, died April 12, 1879. Mr. Sharp came to this country as a poor German lad, but by close attention to his trade, combined with industry and economy, he has gained quite a competency. He owns a large shop, in which he always keeps a large and well-selected stock. He also owns one of the nicest residences in the village.

Recipe
For years I have been making Caramels for the holiday season.  My kids have always fought over who gets the most caramels ....to the point they count each piece in their Christmas candy container.  It's unreal they don't realize that I know how to count out two piles with equal amounts.....and these kids aren't kids...they are adults ... at least I thought so.  I'm sharing my Caramel recipe.  It makes lots and be sure to use a huge heavy Dutch Oven type pan or it might flow over the top when cooking.

Carla's Caramels
4 cups sugar
3 cups white syrup
5 cups half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

Mix sugar, white syrup and 2 cups half and half together on medium high stove.  Cook until soft ball stage (235 F) ....it will take 30 to 45 minutes to do this stage.  When it is at 235 degrees, slowly add 3 more cups of half and half and cook to 238 degrees....constantly stirring and it will take at least another 30 minutes.  Upon reaching 238 F, take from heat and add vanilla and nuts, stir and pour into greased jelly roll pan.  Makes about 4 to 5 pounds.  When completely cooled (several hours) cut into small pieces and wrap in cut waxedpaper.  Store in an air tight container in a cool place.  IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE A HUGE HEAVY PAN TO COOK THIS AMOUNT OR IT WILL OVERFLOW!!


Thought For The Day

He who has a thousand friends

has not a friend to spare,

But he who has one enemy will

meet him everywhere.

--Ali ibn-Abi-Talib... 602 - 661 AD

Note: Me thinks this was a smart man way

back when!

Do you believe in the almighty horoscope?  Some do and some don't.  I used to grab the newspaper and the first thing I read was the daily horoscope.  I was a believer .... I just knew that tiny message was going to tell me the exact kind of day I could expect and if it said I was going to come into money....I knew that the lottery was on the way to my bank account.  After being disappointed about 2 million times I knew that Astrology and the Stars weren't fortunes....they were words in the horoscope field.  There for a reason...to build the firm believers' hopes and let them think they would surely be Queen For A Day on that particular day.

The energy of all of the planets in this world didn't make a difference in me receiving the lottery winnings I pined for each time I saw a horoscope message forecasting a fortune in my life.  Shucks!

I felt discriminated against.....the planet energy didn't like the color of my hair or my breath was bad.....or it had to be something because horoscopes don't lie.

I have grown older now and know that the words are meant to entertain....not shove some unstable person over the edge (I sure hope not!).

If you still firmly believe in those mighty horoscope words of wisdom and hope and fortune, I wish you good luck.....you probably will need it.

Unfortunately I have been experiencing DSL internet problems.

My service keeps going off and on and things don't post right.

As soon as this gets fixed, I will doing a series of posts on theaters which were popular in Springfield.

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Words We Don't Know How To Pronounce or Use

The English Language Is Hard and Funny

There are so many words which get mispronounced in our language.  Of course there are many many words I don't even know what the meanings are.  I look at words and try to think......how the heck is that pronounced.  Or, why the heck isn't a particular word or thing pronounced this way or that way. 

One particular thing that always baffles me is the number "11".  Why isn't that number pronounced "onety-one".  The number "21" is "twenty-one" so a person could assume the logical pronunciation should have been "onety-one" on the number "11".  Who the heck decided the number pronunciations????

Here are some other words that are frequently mispronounced.  Alzheimer's....how many times have you heard this pronounced "altimers" or "oldtimers".  NO NO NO!!  Another very simple word which people frequently say wrong is "aks" for the word "asks" -  the axe is not there folks!!

Recently there has been a lot of usage of the word "candidate" because of next year's election.  If you listen carefully, people aren't saying "candidate", they are saying "cannidate"....they are dropping the first "d" which isn't cool.  One of the worst words for mispronunciation is "probably".  It typically comes out as "probly".
So many times we abuse the English language.  It became apparent to me when we had a German exchange student, living in our house, who was taught "proper English" rather than the Americanized slang version.  The student questioned me a lot.....it was like I had to defend our sloppy English against the proper English.....then I really started noticing how sloppy we actually are in our pronunciation of words.

I can describe our language as "awfully good"..... but see I just messed it up.  The word awful describes something bad.....but I just made it into an adjective to describe "good".  Wow.....think about it!  Our language is abused everyday .....and, if you don't believe me, listen to the media slaughter our language.  It's actually funny sometimes......

Now I don't claim to be "word perfect" and sometimes I use slang for fun or on purpose to see if you're awake!   So ....  if you see me using a word incorrectly.....call me on it.  It's fun to have someone catch it.

History of Menard
Taken from the book The History of Menard and Mason Counties 1879.  This is a continuation from the last post done on the description of early Menard County.

"Although this county covers but a small area of territory, yet there is no county in the State possessing finer natural advantages. As before intimated, pure, fresh, living water for man and beast, and for purposes of irrigation, is distributed in every part of the county; while the Sangamon River and Salt Creek afford abundance of water for driving manufacturing machinery, either by steam or by water power.

Inexhaustible deposits of bituminous coal of the best quality, underlie the entire area, and at such a depth that it can be mined at a trifling cost. This coal ss deposited in three layers, or strata, that have been worked, and Prof. Worthen, the State Geologist, says that the strata in this part of Illinois will all together make at least twenty-five feet in thickness. A tolerably correct idea of our wealth in this direction may be gained when we remember that miners estimate
that in every foot of the vein in thickness, there are twenty million bushels, or one million tons to the square mile. Now, to say nothing of the twenty-five feet of strata of which Prof. Worthen speaks, let the reader contemplate the wealth that is hidden in the vein that is now being worked. This layer averages over six feet in thickness; but, for safety, we will estimate it at six feet. This gives us 120,000,000 bushels, or 480,000 tons to each square mile of area.

This, of itself, is a source of inexhaustible wealth. A writer in the London Quarterly Review said, not long since, that no people can succeed in the arts of Christian civilization without a supply of coal; and as it is essential to many classes of manufacture, and to the navigation of the ocean, and consequently to the commerce of the world, the statement does not appear to be extravagant. The same writer says that the paddle-wheels of European enterprise are constantly stirring up the dark waters of superstition in the East, and
every Christian steamer that navigates those waters goes as a herald of Christian civilization and advancement ; and that coal is thus becoming a grand and essential agent in the enlightenment of the world. Such were the stores of coal deposited in the bowels of England, and her supply so inexhaustible as supposed that the expression, " carrying coals to Newcastle " has long been the manner of expressing the inexhaustibleness of the deposit. But present indications bid fair for it to become literally true, and also that the " coals carried to Newcastle " shall be from America. Thus we see that in respect to this source of wealth, this little county is behind none of her neighbors. Some seven or eight coal mines are being operated successfully in the county; the most of them, in fact, nearly all, are in the immediate vicinity of the town of Petersburg. In addition to the fact that we thus keep the price of this article
at home, it also affords employment for a large number of laborers, and in the same proportion, it furnishes market of our produce. The coal interests are just beginning to be developed here ; but the time is not far in the future when this will be an important branch of industry here. The first regular coal-shaft was
that time, the several shafts near town, and that of Tallula have been opened.

Stone is not as plentiful in the county as could be desired, yet there are some quarries that, when fully opened, will be of great value. A large field on Rock Creek is underlaid with a fine strata of limestone, lying near the surface in many places, and is finely adapted to building purposes. These quarries have never been properly opened, though great quantities of stone have been
taken out along the hillsides where the ledge crops out ; but the time is not far in the future when they will be properly opened. Limestone is also found on the Sangamon River at Old Salem, and also at Petersburg. Near the east end of the highway bridge over the river at Petersburg, is a stratum of sandstone, though it is not yet known whether it is of a good quality, or of sufficient quantity to pay for working. Some have used this sandstone for foundations
and cellar-walls, but some have fears that it will not resist the weight of the walls and the influence of the frost. There is rock in small quantities in other localities, but these named are the most important and promising. "

Blog Author Note:  After reading the segment on the stone locations, the Indian Point area wasn't mentioned and to this day remains a major source of stone in the area.  I'm not aware of other quarries which existed in the past by Petersburg, Rock Creek or Tallula (which were mentioned as having quantities of stone). 

Recipe
I love pork and love to season ribs and pork tenderloins which I will be cooking on the grill.  I use a dry rub for the entire piece of meat.  The recipe for today has a lot of spices in it but is just perfect for pork.  You may want to cut the amount of black pepper and chili powder if you prefer a less spicy version.

Pork Dry Rub

1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp mustard powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tbsp ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dry parsley
Mix and rub over the entire piece of pork.


Quote For The Day

I am mentally bifocal.

--Pearl Buck

Don't you just love to read something or do something which is stimulating or invigorating or just restores the soul??  When this happens to me, what a boost this becomes to my entire body.  I seem to perk up....dance around....shout out loud or sometimes jump up and down.  Of course, I don't often do this for fear I might break a leg.

Of course, I find myself analyzing everything about the story or gizmo that did the stimulating or invigoration or restoration of my soul.  I always wonder why I am so inquisitive about things.  I just have tear everything apart to analyze, but I really like to know the reasoning, the inner workings of things and just simply all I can about a subject.  That's how us humanoids learn.   Since I especially like to analyze stimulating things, I guess I could maybe call myself an analytic analeptic  ... what a mouth full! 

If I can't find out what something is all about, I might not even want to be associated with that.  I sometimes cast the gizmo or whatever off and don't even want to look at it again.  Perhaps that's throwing away the chance to dig further, but oh well. 

It never hurts to analyze things.....and learn.....and find out what it's all about.  Try it sometime.  You might learn something you didn't know before.

Only 41 more days until Christmas.  Better start shopping!

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Smile and Say Cheese

Always say cheese when taking pictures.

If someone is going to take your picture, they always say "Say Cheese".  I really don't know why they tell you to say that, other than it maybe keeps your lips from forming the most ungodly snarl or frown imaginable.  And, maybe by saying it, some people think "this is so stupid" so they smile or laugh.  I guess some word has to be used,  after all we don't want pictures showing people with a blank stare like someone who is going into a seizure.  And, I suppose the picture doesn't want to show a half wit smile like the Mona Lisa.

But .... why couldn't it have been "cherry pie" or "bubbles" or "chocolate" .... these are things which make us happy or think of happy things.  Cheese sometimes leaves an icky taste in the mouth when you eat it and especially certain kinds of cheeses....kind of like the taste you get in your mouth when smart aleck persons make smart aleck comments when people post things ..... so cheese is not the best word to use in my opinion.

But, I suppose they have been using this "say cheese" since photographs began to be taken. So who am I to think I could change a century old picture taking instruction.  I only have one really mind boggling question for the person who takes pictures.....if you stand before a block of cheese to take a picture of this block of cheese....what word is the the cheese instructed to say???  Or, does it just give a "cheesy grin"? 

 History of Menard and Mason Counties - 1879
The following is a continuation of the early settlement of Menard County from an earlier post during the last week or so.  I copied this from the History of Menard and Mason Counties - 1879.   

********

The Sangamon River flows through the county from south to north, dividing it into almost equal parts. A number of small streams flowing into the Sangamon River and Salt Creek afford an abundance of pure, fresh water for every purpose. The surface of the county is gently undulating, in the main, though for a mile or two back from the river it is somewhat broken. The greater portion of the land, in its native state, was prairie, covered with a rank and
luxuriant coat of grass, and interspersed with a countless variety of wild flowers.

Groves and bodies of timber are interspersed all over its entire area, in ample abundance for all purposes of manufacture and agriculture. Along the Sangamon River, for a distance of a mile and a half, on either side, there is heavy timber ; while on Rock Creek and Indian Creek, are considerable bodies also. In the eastern part of the county are Irish Grove, Bee Grove and Sugar Grove, each large bodies of good timber. On the west side of the river are Little Grove and Clary's Grove, which are also good timber. The principal kinds of timber are black, spotted, burr, white and pin oaks ; elm. ash, walnut, (white and black), hard and soft maple, sycamore, linden or basswood, hickory (white and shell-bark), cottonwood, black and honey locust, pecan, cherry and mulberry.

 The soil is adapted to agricultural pursuits in a very remarkable degree. Not only in the bottom and table lands is the black loam deep and rich, but the uplands are also equally productive. Of the 310.4 square miles, or 198,675 acres of land in the county, there were, in 1878, 168,282 acres in cultivation, against 134,173 acres in 1870. Of this, 63,286 acres were in corn, yielding 1,875,096 bushels. The same year, 1878, there were 8,987 acres in winter
wheat, yielding 125,149 bushels; 891 acres in spring wheat, yielding 6,244 bushels ; 8,352 acres in oats, producing 263,666 bushels ; 10,168 acres in timothy meadow, yielding 14,542 tons of hay ; 303 acres in Irish potatoes, producing 15,620 bushels ; 1.469 acres in apple orchards, yielding 56,157 bushels of apples. The acreage of grain raised in 1878 was not as large as usual, from the fact of the extreme wet weather in the early part of the season, preventing
the cultivation of large amount of the flat and low bottom-land. Beside this, winter wheat has been such an uncertain crop for some years past, that little attention has been paid to it ; but the yield per acre of what was sowed last year being so fine that the acreage the present year is almost double that of 1878, and the quality and yield are both much better. There are a variety of crops raised beside

those named above, but those given are the most important. 

The county is well supplied with the various kinds of stock, and for many years great pains have been taken to improve the quality by securing the best imported breeds, for a number of years, there was great profit in feeding cattle and hogs for the Eastern markets, and many of the cattle raised on the rich pasture-lands of "Little Menard" were shipped to European ports, and proved to be as rich and savory as the boasted beeves of the Old World. For a few years past, however, farmers have found but little profit in this department
of labor, and raising cattle and hogs as a business is falling into desuetude. The price of pasture and the cost of raising corn, together with the Western competition in prices, render the cattle business very uncertain and dangerous, while the prevalence of hog-cholera for several years past, renders the business of hog-raising so dangerous that but little attention is given to it.  In 1878,

consumption, 43,890 pounds of butter, 225 pounds of cheese, 15 gallons of cream and 2,300 gallons of milk. The same year, 18,902
hogs were fatted, the gross weight of which was 4,664,546 pounds ; besides these, there were 22,495 hogs, big and little, died with cholera during the same year, the aggregate weight of which was 1,5>14,421 pounds. The sheep of the county yielded, in 1878, 19,689 pounds of wool. Of the horses, mules and asses in the county, we have no statistics later than 1870 that are reliable.
There were then 6,840 horses and 921 mules and asses. Since that time, there has been, doubtless, an increase of 15 or 20 per cent. For the last five or six years, the attention of farmers has been turned largely to the improvement of the breed of horses. For this purpose, large sums have been expended in importing, from various portions of Europe, studs of the finest horses. The most popular breeds are, perhaps, the Norman and Clydesdale. In this short time, a marked improvement is observable in the stock all over the county.

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Recipe

Pie Pie Pie.....I love pies.  My grammy used to make a butter pie crust which was wonderful.  I liked it better than the crusts she made with lard....and even those were really good back in my kid days.  I looked up her recipe for the Butter Pie Crust.  Perhaps the holidays will be a time when you need just one more pie crust recipe.

Butter Pie Crust

2 cups flour
1 cup butter
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water
2 tsp. baking powder

Cut the fat into the flour and baking powder with two knives or a pastry cutter.   When it is in small particles, carefully mix in the sugar and then the water in small amounts, tossing with a fork until it forms a ball.....being careful to not mash down the flour/fat mixture.  Divide in three parts.  Roll it out. Can roll it between wax paper if you want. Will make three 9-inch pie shells.

Thought For The Day

Cherish Your Health: 

If it's good, preserve it.  If it's unstable,

improve it.  If it's beyond what you can improve,

get help!

Unknown Author

Have you ever been on an airplane sitting next to a person who had to use the barf bag?  It ain't a pretty sight my friend.

The last time I flew, I was on one of those huge wide body airliners with multiple seats across.  Of course I asked for an aisle seat but my last connection had gotten in late so the darn airliner was getting full so I got a seat in the middle of the row.  Oh goody!  I had to crawl across a 400 pound man who smelled like he hadn't had a bath in 6 years, then the circus fat lady whose legs were as big around as the tree in my front yard and I had no room to crawl over her without just about sitting on her tree stump legs.  Then came the spindly little lady who said "don't move my legs as I have to pee" and smelled like she already had.

By this time, I'm about ready to pass out from the exertion of crawling over three strange people as well as the smell.  Now ....  I know when I travel, people might not smell the best, including me.   During that flight I might not have smelled the best in the world after the 6 stops, 4 plane changes and the taco with refried beans I ate at the airport diner 3 stops back.  But, when I smelled my armpits, they seemed half way presentable.  My breath was another story believe me....all that belching I think.  But the smell coming from this area was awful.

I finally made it to my seat and sat down.  The person on the other side from where I came was asleep.  Oh Goody!!  Don't have to talk to that person.  The plane took off.....up came my other seatmate ...... and started rummaging in the seat pocket on the seat in front of him.  He grabbed the airsickness bag and started barfing into it.  OH MY GOD!  It smelled worse than anything I ever smelled before.  His insides had to be rotten. 

I looked over and he was green and I was getting there just from hearing him barf.  I see him close the bag and reach for another.  By this time, I am pushing the call button.  GET ME OUT OF HERE!!  I can't stand the barfing, the smell and the general  malaise which was engulfing my body.  I was getting paranoid and schizo sitting in a middle seat.

The stewardess came... wrinkled her nose as if smelling the air and not liking it, and then asked what I needed.  I explained I was feeling badly and needed another seat and then I pointed to the barf bags resting on the person's lap.  She reached for the bags, and then  her hand flew upward and grabbed her mouth when her hand touched wet something or other.  I think she was going to barf!   She took off without getting me out of there so I pushed the call button again.  Her companion came this time.....and said "Yes, we can get you another seat"....follow me.  I went to first class.....YAY.  They must have felt sorry for me to get this seat!!   No one was sick there.....including me.  I finished the flight with no more barf bag seatmates.  

The moral of this airplane story is ..... never sit next to a barfer in flight and never allow the airline to put you in a middle seat on one of those huge wide body airliners.  If they do, ask for directions to the restroom and just stay there during the entire flight. 

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Goodbye!