Weekly Chat, Sunday, January 24 2010

Alan    Love the boar picture. Shows the wonder of the internet!

HeatherB: You said, "The history of your house is mindblowing. I am so ignorant about 'homesteading' - is that a wee bit like laura ingalls wilder's stories? Sorry if I am completely wrong here."

Good to "see" you, Heather. I'll try to answer your question. In 1800s Indiana, cities grew along the major rivers and railroads, and the prairie grasslands were taken for agriculture. But much of the state was heavily forested and remained unsettled.  If a family cleared a patch of land, built a house, and raised some food, they could claim the land and the government would recognize their ownership -- this was homesteading. Like the Ingalls-Wilder stories, life here in the late 1800s was rugged -- no running water, no electricity, extreme weather, very small towns with little to offer in the way of culture or employment. But, unlike the Ingalls-Wilder stories, my ancesters were not farmers. I live where the farmland meets deep forest, and my property remains dense old-growth woods. My great-grandfathers worked in the coal mines here, 12+ hours per day. They were people of warrior strength but gentle dispositions, little money but great dignity and humor. My grandfather was a forest ranger at a big state park-forest near here. From the time I was a wee child, he taught me about nature/wildlife, and I think that's where I get my appreciation for all things wild.

I know what you mean about trying to keep your old washing machine going. Sometimes I think everything here is held together by hope and duct tape. LOL Take care, Heather.

Yes I agree with all you all who consider Sunday as the first day of the month.

I have a big interest in America as my dad was in the USA from 1923 to 1931. He is recorded in the Ellis Island records as arriving in New York  with $150 in his pocket. He would probably never have come back if it had not been the crash of '29  leading the slump of '31. On the other hand if he had not returned to this side of the Atlantic I would not be writing this just now. So maybe crashes are not all bad! :)

Morning all. A bit "warmer" here, temp about -12C slightly snowing very "thin overcast" so the pale sun can be seen through the clouds. Sunrise 8.59 sunset 16.10

I´m wondering if Annette can send storms up to Diane, then why, oh why Can`t I send these freezes (even a tiny bit) to Aquilareen and Wattle :) Aquilareen, the Beachcomber Cottage was shown here a little time ago, enjoyed it really, absolutely beautiful scenery and that dog of his is so adorable

Have a good Monday everyone, the first or the second day of week;)

Still looking very cold at Nauvo.

So they have solved that computer connection problem, great! Temp in Nauvo is about -5C

Oh dear. Wide awake at 1:30 a.m. and sneezing. I never get colds (I say that every time I get one!). Hope I haven't caught it from Heron or Caerann's friend John - computer bugs, you know. 

Heather! Nice to see you back on the blog; must have had my eyes crossed when I read your post and didn't realize it was you until Diane responded to you.

Diane: Very interesting re the homesteading bit - you'd probably love Half Broke Horses, which I mentioned before, but it won't be out in paperback until this September I think. I got it from the library.

Tiger: Have you ever been to Ellis Island? Wonderful exhibits; very evocative place, "alive" with the "ghosts" of the people who passed through there. Your Dad must've had some interesting tales.

Auntie: I send storms to Diane, Caerann,and Gary courtesy of the Jet Stream - very efficient at transmitting weather! 

Think I will go get a bowl of cereal and hit the sack again.  Take care all.

Morning here in UK!  Hello, All.

Grey skies & very damp feeling, but not actually raining. Husband has gone to inspect his crops at the allotment, & probably have a good gossip with other men there, about the weekend football scores etc.

Found this interesting link about swans, this morning: 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8477351.stm

Must dash off now, will write more later,   'Bye......

Annette  No I have never been to Ellis Island but you have kindled my enthusiasism for visiting. I was hoping to go to New York to see Pale Male while he is still alive and a visit to Ellis Island seems just the ticket.

Yes my father had many great stories but they were not popular with my mum. You see my father had travelled and my mother had not. Thus talking about the times in the USA was not a totally popular subject in our house. Result was that my father only really talked openly about his travels when he was out of the house!