Finding Rick & Sandi

Frisbie - Frisbee

2012-01-23T09:05:00.003-05:00

One this day, January 23, 1957 molding machines at the Wham-O toy company began to roll out the very first batch of their aerodynamic plastics disks now known to millions as the FRISBEE. The story of the Frisbee began in Bridgeport, Connecticut where Mr. William Frisbie opened the Frisbie Pie Company in 1871. Being a supplier of pies to local universities the students would hang onto the tin pie plates and throw them at each other yelling ---"Frisbie!"
Walter Morrison and his partner Warren Franscioni invented a plastic version of the disc called the "Flying Saucer" that cold fly further and more accurately than the pie tin. After splitting with Francsioni, Morrison made an improved model i 1955 and sold it to the new toy company Wham-O as the "Pluto Platter."
IN 1958 just a year after the toy's first release, Wham-O changed the name to the Frisbee Disk, misspelling the name of the historic pie company.

Mr. Warren Franscioni

Robert E. Lee

2012-01-19T16:48:00.003-05:00

"It is well that war is so terrible - - we would grow fond of it."

On this day in 1807 Robert Edward Lee was born.

Mostly known for his role in the American Civil War Robert Lee was a life time military man. His father was a decorated veteran of the Revolutionary war and one time Governor of Virginia. Lee attended West Point and was high honors upon graduation.

When his home state of Virginia separated from the union Lee resigned from the US Army:

"With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American Citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I have therefore resigned my commission in the Army, and save in defense of my native State, with the sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed, I hope I may never be called on to draw my sword..."

It was a long war and no side really won much of anything when it was all done and said.

Heavy losses on both sides, hero's made and families lost. By April of 1865 Lee now Major General of all Southern Forces was forced to surrender at Appomattox, Virginia to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Lee and Grant both holding the highest rank of their respected armies knew slightly of each other having fought in the Mexican War together. Grant arrived in his muddy field uniform while Lee was turned out in full dress complete with sash and sword.

After the war, Lee returned south to Richmond as a paroled prisoner of war. He devoted the rest of his life to setting an example for all southerners. He refused a number of offers but instead he assumed presidency of Washington College today known as Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Lee died on October 12, 1870 of heart disease.

Robert E. Lee

2012-01-19T08:48:00.003-05:00

"It is well that war is so terrible - - we would grow too fond of it."

On this day in 1807 Robert E. Lee was born.

Dan Evins

2012-01-16T16:02:00.002-05:00

Earlier today Dan "Danny" Evins passed. He was 74 years old and left behind a legacy many of us Airstream Folks have enjoyed for a very long time. Danny was the founder of Cracker Barrel restaurant chain opening his first in 1969.

Cracker Barrel shops are a welcome sight for many Airstream travelers as they have what we call FREE overnight parking. That's right, we spend the night right there in their parking lot.Of course being polite guests we always go in for a meal and a little shopping in their trade mark shops. With over 600 restaurants in 42 states as of today, thats is a lot of free camping.

We often base our route to somewhere via a Cracker Barrel.

Hostess going....going......

2012-01-11T14:44:00.002-05:00

Say it ain't so!

Hostess Brands is once again going Chapter 11 to try and help save the faltering snack cake company. With competitors, Bimbo (yes that's correct) Bakeries, McKee Foods and Little Debbie chomping at their heels and Americans looking for a healthier snack, sales are down and profits slim. The 87 year old company is starting to feel it's age, and being a private held company with union workers (the only one by the way) there isn't much sugar left on the table afterwards.

Twinkies, one of the companies iconic snacks has been a world recognized food substance since 1930. Twinkies of course are the stuff of legends; President Bill Clinton put one in a time capsule and the American Society of Media Photographers recently held a photo exhibit featuring Twinkies. Tallahassee (Woody Harreson) in Zombieland made it his life's mission to find the last remaining Twinkie in the world fighting off Zombies risking it all! Jimmy Dewar who invented the Twinkie stated; "Twinkies was the best darn-tootin' idea I ever had." Not everyone agrees - "The iconic status of Twinkies is partly this perception that there's nothing real in it," say Ken Albala, professor of history at the University of the Pacific, CA.

Jennette's Pier

2011-12-02T08:28:00.003-05:00

All along the coasts of many seaboards, fishing piers have been built and then promptly removed by mother nature. Jennette's Pier is no exception. Warren Jennette purchased 570 feet of beach front in 1939 and soon with his sons began construction of a 750 foot long fishing pier. Starting with one of his old camp buildings serving as a shower house and snack bar. Over the years cottages and a motor lodge were added. Of course the Outer Banks offers a challenge to any buildings due to weather.

As we started walking out onto the pier, we were facing a chilly 54 F and winds of 15 to 30 knots causing wonderful waves crashing the shore.

The new pier completed this year is now under the ownership of the North Carolina Aquarium Society which built the $25 million educational pier.

Hurricane Damage

2011-11-30T17:15:00.005-05:00

On our way out for the day we stopped of at the dumpster to drop of our garbage. Sandi placed it in the dumpster even though the sign clearly said NO DUMPING.

Months after the detestation of hurricane Irene the rebuilding and cleaning up continues. There were five major sections route 12 completely destroyed. The road way is now passable all the way south.

It will be a long time before residents homes are brought back on line. These homes are totally off the grid, power, water,or driveways.

At one time this walkway connected a house to the beach. Both are gone now.

We originaly have resevations at this campground. Pretty evident why we had to find another.

Light House and Wild Horses

2011-11-28T17:47:00.003-05:00

On the northern shores of the Outer Banks construction began on the Currituck Beach Light Station in 1873 and being completed and illuminated December 1, 1875. The light was known as a First-Order light because it used the first seven of the largest Fresnel Lenses available making it extremely bright. 162 feet tall is is composed of over 1,000,000 bricks. Unlike almost every other light house, it is unpainted in order to distinguish it from the Cape Henry light to the north and Bodie to the south.

The property consists of several buildings and is all in original condition. Unfortunately the site was closed and we could not visit. We did spend time in the area and ventured out to the wetlands. Next we headed out to see the wild horses of Currituck,

As we traveled further north we ran out of road or should I say the road turned into beach.

Yes, the road is actually the beach. One of the few beaches where sun bathers are not allowed. No parking signs, speed limit signs and additional sign stating "Do not feed the horses" line the dunes. The best time to travel the "road" is low tide where the sand is smoth and packed.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T06:30:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving 2011 morning found us in a Walmart parking lot in Seaford, Delaware on our way to the Outer Banks. A good cup of coffee and a cheese danish and we are on the road heading south.

Heading South we took the Chesapeake Bridge/Tunnel which is the only way to really get to the Outer Banks without taking an addition two days along the western shore.

Coming up on the entrance to the first Tunnel of the Bay Bridge.

The roadway actually goes through two tunnels. A beautiful drive in good weather but the absolute worst in bad.

Caming on the Outer Banks is very diferent from New England and many other places we have camped over the years. Lots of sand and very few trees. The only thing than a few low sand dunes sepperating us from the Atlantic Ocean is route 12, a two lane road.

Our very own beach entrance.

As I mentioned no trees. We arrived to very strong winds for Thanksgiving but the sun was shinning and temperatures were in the upper 50's. As always we celebrating with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, home-made stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, cranberry sauce and home-made pumpkin cheese cake.

Happy Samhain

2011-10-31T16:46:00.004-04:00

Happy Samhain and Halloween!

For all of those who were hoping to go out door to door this year in lower New England, sorry to hear that Halloween is postponed. Not really sure how to do that since the 31st is the only true night when the barrier is thinnest between our world and the other.

How did orange and black become the colors of Samhain? The orange represents the colors of harvest and black, the other side.

It wasn't always a good thing to be a witch.

During the Dark Times, many were accused of being witches and suffered for it. Fortunately if you were a witch you were smart and crafty enough not to get caught.So many innocent folks were drowned, burned and stoned to death. Then in New England the times caught up with the Puritans who it turned out were far from pure.

WInter Comes Early

2011-10-30T07:40:00.002-04:00

In what experts* are calling a freak October snow storm, we received between 7 to 13 inches of snow. Not that snow is a bad thing; after all it is New England and we are heading into the winter season so mixed weather conditions should be expected.

What made this event quite serious is that the snow was a very wet heavy type. That and the fact that many, many trees still had fall foliage is the combination for a 'Perfect Storm'.

For once we were of the fortunate few that did not loose electrical power. With over 90% of Bethel without power our lights burned brightly well into the night. On the other hand we did have a tree fall. Well not exactly fall; it was more like a work in progress. Sandi had her eye on one of our cedars along the driveway for quite some time. As the heavy snow started accumulating on our trees the cedars did take on the most. While all of them did well the one of concern to Sandi did begin to lean with the weight. And then started to lean some more.Unfortunately in the wrong direction. Eventually it leaned over all the way. Or at least as far as the Airstream and truck would allow it to. Yes, as you can sort of see above, there is an Airstream and a Silverado 2500HD under all that snow and tree.

*individuals who predict local weather with the accuracy of a blind person playing horse-shoes.

Taco Bell

2011-10-27T11:03:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while we all visit a fast food type of food establishment. Whether it is because we are on the road traveling, in a hurry to finish errands or just short of time. On an average we visit one perhaps every six to eight weeks and Taco Bell is probably on the bottom of our list even though we love good Mexican food, which of course is not available at Taco Bell. In fact we sometimes wonder exactly what it is that they serve. When we do find ourselves visiting we now park and walk in to place our order. The reason? The drive-thru never got an order correct. Well a gentleman down in Georgia finally did what we always wanted to do but would never do; he struck back at Taco Bell for lousy food. Of course is definitely going to jail for it.

It appears this customer ordered from the Drive-Thru an XL something or other. When he arrived home he was definitely not pleased with the amount of beef in the product, called the location to complain and was informed since they were closing there was nothing they could do for him. What was the solution to bad food and service, he went back and tossed a molotov cocktail at the drive-thru after explaining he was going to redecorate the place.

Lesson to be learned? You only get what you pay for.

Keene Pumpkin Festival

2011-10-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

The Great Keene Pumpkin Festival Lives!
There was a lot of discussion last year as to whether the festival would continue.
After so many years and World Records the organizers were getting worn out, some things were getting a little out of hand and new gourds were needed.
Happy to report that this years festival was a big success and Sara was indeed a part of it.
As a freshman at Keene State College she was right in the pumpkin patch, carved a pumpkin and enjoyed the event with her friends. It was very difficult to get timely reports since was way too busy having fun, staying out late and sleeping in to text her dad.

Historial Inacuracy

2011-10-19T11:50:00.004-04:00

During a lecture on American History at the Abram's Lecture Hall the professor asked his class if anyone could put into a one paragraph description the story of Roe vs. Wade.

Miss Thompson, a sophomore stood and explained, " As General Washington approached the Delaware River, he was unsure of whether to row or wade across with his troops".

Well we all know Miss Thompson was wrong in her answer but did you also know there are many faults with the famous painting by Emanuel Leutze? He composed his painting some sixty plus years after the event. On December 25, 1776, Washington along with over 2,400 troops and artillery pieces made the crossing in the dead of night (would have made for a boring painting) from Pennsylvania to Trenton New Jersey where they defeated British troops, mostly Hessians. By killing the commanding officer, Col. Johann Rall and the taking of over 900 prisoners and their weapons, Washington brought a great victory to the cause and a boost to moral.

There are actually many flaws in the painting that not only strain the existence of historical painting vs. history but also in composition. First the river; the Delaware in the dead of winter is covered with sheet ice. The Rhine River, as shown in the painting (did I mention Leutze was German?) is known for its large chunks of ice. As for the boat, it is impossible for a boat as shown in could possibly support the weight of the occupant. In addition, history tells us that this type of boat was never used in the region and in fact the side of the vessels were much taller. No horses were ever transported across the river on this campaign either. The battle was carried out on foot. The man standing next to Washington holding the flag is Lieutenant James Monroe, future president. The flag he is holding it totally inaccurate; the design of the flag in the painting was not specified till the Second Continental Congress and was specified on June 14, 1777 and first flew on September 3, 1777. Another interesting but often over looked issue is the other occupants of the craft. Take a close look at each and you tell me if they would have been there.

Betsy was a Fake

2011-10-11T15:12:00.003-04:00

Do you know who designed the first approved American flag?

Well if you said Betsy Ross you would be wrong. In fact there is absolutely no historical evidence that she even sewed any flag at all for Washington. We do know that as a widowed upholster she had done some sewing for the army and maybe a few repairs of General Washington's uniforms when he was in town but the scene above never happened. There could be speculation that she was pressed into service to help make additional flags for the Continental Navy but that is about as far as we can trace back. So from where did the design of the "Betsy Ross" flag arrive?It is strongly believed that the flag with the stars in a circle were never before seen till the above painting when Chalres Weisgerber painted it in 1893. That sure is a lot of years after 1776. In fact the story of Betsy Ross did not become public till 94 years after the said event by one of her grandsons, William J. Canby. He was speaking at a historical society meeting and told of how his Grandmother with the help of Washington and an uncle developed the design for the first flag of these United States.

History actually supports the fact that Francis Hopkinson, a Congressman from New Jersey and a signer of the Declaration of Independence designed the first flag and it is so stated in the first journals of the Continental Congress. On November 6th, 1776 Francis was appointed by the Continental Navy Board to begin his work. By the year 1780 he had not only completed the design for the "flag of the United States", but also several ornaments, devices, checks and bills of exchange seals for the Admiralty and Treasury but also the Great Seal of The United States. The design of the first Stars and Stripes by Hopkinson had the thirteen stars arranged in a staggered pattern along with the thirteen stripes of red and white.

Starbucks

2011-09-22T14:40:00.002-04:00

Oh yea ...... StarBUCKS - that is what it is all about!

To help celebrate their 40th Birthday, your local friendly hey let's rip-off some folks

STARBUCKS

is offering designer T-shirts for $85.00 each.

They asked three winners of some Vogue Award (you know one of them) to design a shirt using the logo and be creative. Oh yea, I want to pay $85 for a shirt to help advertise their coffee. Heck, I don't even buy their stuff, too expensive. If I wanted a T-shirt with a coffee stain on it all I have to do is go to my own dresser. Plenty of them in the bottom drawer.

And guess where the money is going? Nope, not to any charity......

STARBUCKS!

Good luck with that guys.

Under Garments

2011-09-01T15:25:00.003-04:00

I need to learn more history than I have been over the past seven years of concentrated study because I have never before seen nor heard about Rust Proof ladies corsets before. It may very well be an interesting subject worth some study. Just the idea of an under garment needing to be rust proof is interesting enough. The next question would of course be why? Not to mention does one really need parts of ones underwear to contain parts that would rust? It seems as if this causes more questions than any reference to gaining answers. During this period in history, did ladies wear their corset swimming? Or perhaps there was more rain during this period and umbrellas were not yet available in the United State? Nope, the umbrella is actually over 4,000 years old and documented in artwork of Egypt, Greece and China. As for rainfall amounts, I reviewed records going back as far as 1763 for New England and it appears the rainfall amounts are fairly consistent if you use the five year model plan. Meaning, you measure the rainfall for 1763 to 1768 and create an average. Then 1764 to 1769 and create an average and so forth. This process of examination creates an very accurate curve without a bell line. The short explanation, no notable average rainfall increases. Perhaps after some more study I will be able to report back to you on the need for a rust proof corset.

Dog Days of August

2011-08-14T09:17:00.003-04:00

When they say the Dog Days of August some people take it to heart.

Along the campground flows a nice shallow river, perfect for youngsters

and dogs to play and splash.

Sometimes it doesn't take much to entertain this crowd. A few sticks, a tennis ball, a few dogs and this crowd is ready for some excitement.

Mark and his brothers had a really fun time, fishing, floating the river, frog catching and all the fun things boys used to do before the electronic age!

Charlie Brown Campground

2011-08-13T10:47:00.002-04:00

So how many guys does it take to flush an RV toilet?

Well first you have to take it out of the RV, fill it with water,

put it back in, use it - then..... ?

Four guys standing around a Blue Boy.

Not sure what to say so you're on your own with this one.

Jamestown, 1619

2011-08-01T14:00:00.002-04:00

The more time I spend studying American History, the more I find how much we didn't learn in school as youngsters. In 1619 a Dutch ship arrives in Jamestown just out of a violent storm. The ship is virtually empty save for 20 some Africans the captain stole from a Spanish ship. The captain traded the individuals with the locals for food and sailed away.

It was never recorded at the time the status of these individuals but records from 1623 & 1624 list some as servants (not slaves) and later records show a few owned land. Most likely some where eventually slaves other free. Whatever the case, Africans cam to the shores of the North American Continent before even the Pilgrims of Plymouth, MA.

Medal of Honor

2011-07-12T16:06:00.002-04:00

On this day in 1862 President Abraham Lincoln signed into law a measure calling for the awarding of a U.S. Army Medal of Honor. In the name of Congress "to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities during the present insurrection. The previous December, President Lincoln approved a provision creating a U.S. Navy Medal of Valor.

In 1863 the Medal of Honor was made a permanent military decoration made available to all members, including commissioned officers of the U.S. military. The most medals awarded was during the Civil War and at the end of the conflict the requirements for awarding the medal were standardized and governed by a board of senior military officers.

With only some minor changes the actual Medal of Honor for each branch has changed little from the original design. Since the Civil War some 3,400 men and one woman have been awarded the Medal for heroic actions in U.S. Military conflict.

Marley House

2011-06-22T15:09:00.003-04:00

The wonderful stone farm house with 16 acres and four additional out buildings used for the backdrop to "Marley & Me" is up for sale.
The current owners have decided it was time to down size now that their three daughters have grown and left the coup. Located in Burmingham, PA.

The current asking price is $1.25 Million.

Camping in NYC

2011-06-14T08:30:00.004-04:00

Now here is some very exciting news from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar; the department has committed to turning Floyd Bennett Field into a camper's paradise. The total complex of over 1,300 acres will have 90 prime camping sites within the next two years with 600 more to follow. He made this great announcement from Gracie Mansion.

Currently the facility is terribly under utilized with only police helicopters using the grounds. In years past this great airfield was used by the likes of Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes. This was the very first municipal airfield for New York City and was designed by Clarence D. Chamberlin. The site alone will make for a very historic part with so much more to offer than prime camping sites with Brooklyn. Thank you Secretary Salazar!

Graduation Party Prelude

2011-06-10T10:20:00.005-04:00

I have come to the conclusion that I am finally an Old Man.

In eleven days Sara will be graduating from Bethel High School

Class of 2011.

This coming Sunday we are all gathering at Bennett Park for her graduation party, family and friends alike to share in her celebration of being such an awesome student and graduating with honors and continuing her higher education at Keene State this fall.

It is very difficult to realize that she has so quickly grown up to be such a wonderful young woman heading off to college to follow her life's dream of becoming a teacher.

Les Paul

2011-06-09T11:51:00.003-04:00

On this day in 1915 Lester William Polsfuss was born and a new era in Jazz and any other type of music was on the horizon. An accomplished musician, he work for Gibson in the Epiphone guitar factory in 1940. After hours he was busy creating "The Log", one of the first solid body guitars. Not the first nor the last but one to be reckoned with. Adolph Rickenbacker had marketed one in the 1930's and Leo Fender created his own in 1946.

The original Gibson Les Paul guitar regained it's popularity when Eric Clapton added it to his line-up of Gibsons and to this day is one of the most popular guitars on the market.

Happy Birthday Les wherever you are!

Titanic II

2011-06-08T14:46:00.003-04:00

Not so long ago, Mr. Mark Wilkinson of Birmingham, England purchased a used 16 foot cabin cruiser for himself. The boat set him back about $1,600.00 USD. To me the price would have been a good indication of the ship's shape. Just to make sure things went really well off with his new boat he christened the vessel; TITANIC II. Good thinking Mr. Wilkinson!

After towing the boat from his home to West Bay in Dorest for his first fishing trip things started out pretty good. He had a successful day of fishing and started to head back into West Bay. As he made way into the harbor TITANIC II sprang a leak leaving the vessel floundering and Mr. Wilkinson clinging to the side of his new boat.

"It's all a bit embarrassing and I got pretty fed up with people asking me if I hit an iceberg".

Turns out that there had been a previous hole in the hull patched by the previous owner which just couldn't hold water.

Palin vs. Revere

2011-06-06T13:21:00.003-04:00

The web and news are all abuzz - Seems Sarah Palin had some history facts to share while visiting Boston. She was not totally correct in her facts but by mistake was actually correct. Well sort of. What I am finding really amazing is that most of the news services are also getting it wrong including Yahoo. It appears from what I can tell from the 100's of news posting, that this was what she said.... "warned the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms by ringing those bells." She continued to say after being told she got it wrong... :"I didn't mess up about Paul Revere... Part of his ride was to warn the British that were already there. That, hey, you're not going to succeed. You're not going to take American arms".

Well even after trying to fix a pot hole with water she still is far from factual in her understanding of early American history. Truth be known, Revere never announced the British are Coming, after all, everyone including Paul Revere were British! In addition, this was not his first ride nor was it really his most important of rides. Revere was constantly on the road doing Whig business making several trips to Philadelphia to the First Congress, New York City delivering documents and through out New England exchanging letters and documents. What did make this ride stand out from his other more clandestine missions are several smaller events during the long ride. His actual mission that night was to warn Hamilton and Adams that "The Regulars are Coming Out!" Both gentlemen were staying in Lexington and the Regulars were on their way to take Hancock and Adams in for questioning and possible trial in England. William Dawes who also rode that night was responsible for going door to door in the country side to warn folks of the marching troops heading their way. There was no warning ride through the streets of Boston. In fact, Paul Revere was riding a borrowed horse who he lost to the British during his capture.

Area 51

2011-06-03T09:46:00.004-04:00

I really need to write a book. Recently Annie Jacobsen who primarily writes for the Los Angeles Times Magazine published her second book titled; Area 51. Very original title if I may say so. Her primary course of writing covers business, finance and terrorism. I list terrorism because she had reported suspicious passengers on a flight in 2004 who turned out to be an ethnic musical band traveling to their next gig. Don't miss understand me, she is well recognized as a national and international journalist with by-lines in many major publications who after reading her newest book may be changing their minds.

The point of most interest in her newest book is her coverage of the Roswell UFO event where Annie really falls off the wagon. The UFO that crashed in Roswell was actually a Russian craft, or as she explains, a Soviet Spy Plane developed under Stalin and that it came down in Roswell during a storm. She then states Joseph Stalin was hoping that the news would cause widespread panic in the United States.

Jacobsen then states that the Soviet leader was inspired for the operation by the 1938 radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds". Now how about the Aliens found on board? They were actually scientific experiments created by the Nazi Doctor Josek Mengele, aka "Angel of Death" for the USSR after the war. According to Jacobsen the flight was piloted remotely and filled with a crew of "alien-like children".

Now we can all sit around and punch all sorts of holes through each chapter and highlight of this publication but I think the real thing to learn here is that with the right editor and a few bucks, anyone can right a book of fiction derived from fact and make a pretty good living. The New York Times wrote: "although this connect-the-dots U.F.O. thesis is only a hasty-sounding addendum to an otherwise straightforward investigative book about aviation and military history, it makes an indelible impression. Area 51 is liable to become best known for sci-fi provocation". What?

COSTCO

2011-06-02T11:37:00.004-04:00

I know, we have all heard it before...."Just when I thought I have seen it all...". Well here is another one to add to the books. You can now purchase your casket for burial at COSTCO. But there is a catch; you need to buy six at a time. We had discovered a long time ago that there is really no advantage to purchasing in bulk at COSTCO verses our shopping at BIG Y using our shoppers card and silver coins. Of course, there is just the two of us but in a national comparison survey, shoppers actually spent less at the neighborhood chain per item than at COSTCO. There are a few items called loss leaders that you will find cheaper, but not many. The only difference at COSTCO is you need to buy multiple units or larger packages of items but the per unit pricing is pretty much the same as at any other store. So between the cost of membership, driving further, cost to run the freezer, and all that time, the only advantage you may end up with is all the free food samples providing you with a free meal if you plan it right.

Now about those coffins............. does it come with a free embalmers kit?

Optical Yellow

2011-05-26T10:50:00.003-04:00

Back in 1480, Louis XI of France made use of his crown by forbidding the filling of tennis balls with chalk, dirt, sand or sawdust and they should be made of good leather and well filled with wool. Others of the time were made of animal furs, animal intestines, human hair and many other odd substances, but the standards were being set way back for Kings Tennis or as it is called today, "Real Tennis". Lawn tennis was introduced in the 1870's where the court size was standardized, lawns in place and a vulcanized rubber ball was used.

Eventually control of the standards for tennis were removed from the French Crown and are now governed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). There appears to be more regulations for tennis balls than for importing Panda Bears (that's another story for another day).

Anyway, what this is really all about is the color of tennis balls. For my childhood, the balls were a white cream color when new and came four to a sleeve. They eventually became pressurized and in metal cans with a pop-lid of only three. In 1972 the color of "Optic Yellow" was introduced. Why? The tennis ball received it major make-over for the sole purpose of making the balls more visible on TV!

About two years ago we started seeing this color on items other than tennis balls. First it was construction safety vests, then shirts, joggers apparel, police clothing, bike riders, bathing suits and now ladies underwear. Why ladies undergarments? I have no idea. I was doing some research but could not come up with an actual person responsible for the tennis ball color change but I am curious, is that individual responsible for the return of this color for other uses?

Farewell Spirit

2011-05-25T07:56:00.007-04:00

Back in 2003, NASA launch two separate Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity each to land on opposite sides of Mars for a 90 day mission to explore the surface for signs of water and life. Spirit landed on the surface in January 2004 in what became a historic 2,190+ day mission.

Shortly after midnight NASA sent one last message to the Mars Rover Spirit. After getting stuck in a sand pit last year, slowly Spirit was slipping into a cold Mars winter. With hope of the spring sun and warmth recharging the solar batteries NASA began to realize the inevitable.

"There's a sadness that we have to say goodbye to Spirit," says project Manager John Callas of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which runs the twin rovers. But "we have to remember the great accomplishments and the blessings that we have received of having this rover for so long.

Opportunity is still up and running and there are no plans at this time to end its mission.

We Survived!

2011-05-23T11:55:00.003-04:00

An earlier time in history right here in Connecticut there was a sudden alarm of doomsday, "The Dark Day", May 19th, 1780. As noted in the historical records; In Hartford the House of Representatives were meeting when at midday the day became so dark, members "Fell on their knees and clamored for adjournment".

"I am against adjournment. The Day of Judgement is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore, that candles may be brought".

Candles were brought forth and the House continued its business that day, and for many more days right up to today!

It's Time!

2011-05-20T10:04:00.003-04:00

According to Family Radio evangelist Harold Camping (an engineer by training), "The rapture will come upon us on May 21, 2011". This is the same man who had predicted that the World was coming to an end in September 1994. According to some 'experts' the rapture is a five month long process which I have still not been able to fully understand. Perhaps that is how long it will take for all the sorting.

On Judgment Day, May 21, 2011, this five-month period of horrible torment will begin for all the inhabitants of the earth (does include all living creatures since they too are life and inhabit the earth?). God will raise up all the dead that have ever died from their graves. Earthquakes will ravage the whole world as the earth will no longer conceal its dead. People who died as saved individuals will experience the resurrection of their bodies and immediately leave this world to forever be with the Lord. Those who died unsaved will be raised up as well, but only to have their lifeless bodies scattered about the face of all the earth. Death will be everywhere. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Now all of this terrible news for some, wonderful news for others is quite confusing and leaves many more questions than options without even bringing into consideration ones own religion or beliefs. So I will leave you to your own thoughts and look forward to the morning of May 22, 2011 being a normal day with the possibility of sunshine and warm temperatures so I can get some yard work taken care of without a bunch of dead bodies to clean up first.

A Sad Day

2011-05-18T08:11:00.003-04:00

In 1916 Nathan Handwerker opened his original Coney Island hot-dog stand. Murray, his son after returning from fighting in WWII helped his parents open locations in Times Square and Long Island. Murray passed this past Saturday in Florida; he was 89 years old. This only proves that a healthy diet of Nathan's Famous leads to a long and happy life.

Murray took over as Chairman in the early 1970's and rapidly grew the company into franchise deals across the country. Soon after the brand started showing up in supermarkets. His passion was still always the original stand at Surf and Stillwell Avenues. His favorite hot-dog? A plain frank on a roll.

Exploding Melons

2011-05-17T15:34:00.004-04:00

You just can't make this stuff up!

With so many folks in the Good Ol' USA complaining about things made in China, guess what? A lot of our produce also comes from China.

According to the BBC, farmers in the Jiansu province have reported the destruction of a substantial watermelon asset. Over 20 farming families in the province have planted melons. The melons are literally exploding after being given an overdose of growth accelerator forchlorfenuron creating fields filled with land mines.

With melons being a new crop which gave big profits to farmers in China last year, many first time growers jumped on the hay wagon, planting their overdosed melon seeds looking to rake in big profits. No so, with over 45 hecters of melons having been planted in the province, families have been running for cover as the fruits began exploding in the fields.

National Eat What You Want Day

2011-05-11T08:25:00.003-04:00

After spending more time than I cared to, I can not find the origin of "National Eat What You Want Day". No one seems to be stepping forward to lay claim to starting it. No one seems to agree on when it was first celebrated or where it all started. I checked with Hallmark, but since they have yet to design a card for this event they preferred to issue a "No Comment".

So rather than dwell on who, what, when, where and how, how about putting some thought into these few facts for this day in history:

1972 - Capt. Robert Gray discovers the Columbia River

1816 - The American Bible Society is formed in NYC

1858 - Minnesota becomes the 32nd US State

1910 - Glacier National Park in Montana is established

1951 - Jay Forrester patents the computer core memory

So eat if you must, but be thoughtful of your health and I am sure that whoever is responsible for "Eat What You Want Day" is probably now a member of Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers!

Apollo 16 Returns

2011-04-27T08:57:00.003-04:00

On this day in 1972 the crew of Apollo 16 returned to earth after lainching on April 16th.

John Young, Misson Commander,

Thomas Mattingly, Command Module Pilot,

Charles Duke, Jr. Lunar Module Pilot (Charles was scheduled for Apollo 13 but was replaced by his back-up because he was exposed to measles).

Broken Screen

2011-04-19T13:04:00.003-04:00

They say (don't know who they are) that if you stare at the center of the screen image long enough the broken edges will become repaired. I think I need to bring this to my eye doctor and see (yes intended) what is wrong with my glasses.

American Civil War

2011-04-18T11:57:00.002-04:00

This being the beginning of the 150 th anniversary of the American Civil War, there are many remembrances, reenactments, dedications and other activities planned to recognize this very important period of American History. Above is a painting of note for Connecticut residents; The battle of Wyse Fork, fought in the Carolina's March 7 to 10th 1865 when the 15th Connecticut surrendered to the forces of Commander Braxton Bragg. Yes the Union did end up winning the battle but Connecticut lost the day. Most of the Northern States are not partaking in any events with Vermont and Connecticut having the most activities in the North.

If you search around, the Southern States who lost the conflict have the most events planned through the time period. I hear this is a very nice time of the year to be traveling down South!

Lexington

2011-04-09T09:27:00.002-04:00

"The Red Coats are Coming!"

"The British are coming!"

Never happened.

For one, every colonist in the America's was British. No one ever denied it.

Did the Colonists set out a conflict, no. Did the British? No.

The sole purpose of the expedition of leaving Boston in the cover of dark was for the British to secure powder and military weapons from the colonists.

Paul Revere

2011-04-09T08:45:00.003-04:00

Here we are visiting the Lexington and Concord area of Massachusetts catching up a bit on our Revolutionary War Period of American history.

After spending over three years studying the American Civil War, visiting battle fields and museums all along the East Coast, it is refreshing to find ones self in a new time of our country. As always, forget everything you ever learned in school about American History. More on that to follow. We have a busy weekend lined up with lots to do and have found ourselves having to stay in hotels. But right not, off to Fenway for Red Sox Opening Weekend.

The Future of Wines

2011-04-01T09:27:00.004-04:00

"In the French Culture, a glass bottle with a natural cork is engraved in our genes" says Pascal Fernandez, a wine grower in the Languedoc region of France. "Plastic bottles are difficult for me". And this being said because one of the top clients for the Pepiex Coopeerative, Hugh Kevin & Robert are forcing the growers and wine producers of the region to bottle 75,000 bottles of wine for Asda. And this should be no surprise, Asda is a subsidary of ....WalMart!

Pascal and the other sixteen members of the cooperative gathered at Les Celliers Jean d'Alibert and said that they must overcome cultural taboos and adapt to new consumer demands if they are to survive. "We've had a crisis for the last seven years, prices dropped every year until they hit 2004 prices. It is a little better now but I do not know how long it will last", Pascal says.

Many growers in his region have given up on growing wine grapes with over 37,000 acres of vines being torn up. It appears that throughout France long time wine grape families are encourage their children not to follow in their footsteps.

"A lot of wine trade is a one-night stand relationship" Said Robert Joseph. "We are trying to create an enduring relationship - consumer to distributor to producer to growers. We are in the most brutally capitalistic part of the wine business. We never own the wine," he says.

By the way, the cost of the plastic bottle to the producers? Exactly the same as the glass bottles, absolutely no savings to them at all.

Woodstock, New York

2011-03-31T15:34:00.003-04:00

Well, we were on our way to Woodstock........ We picked up our beloved Safari last Saturday from George who repaired the two damaged panels from the falling ice chunks. Sandi spent the week cleaning and vacuuming while I got all the systems back on line; gas lines cleaned and checked for leaks, tanks filled, water lines purged, pump set, hot water heater cleaned, furnace cleaned, shopping lists put together and so ready to go camping! Surprise! It is currently snowing in Woodstock and will continue to do so through tomorrow with up to 12" of snow on the ground before it ends. So the camping season for us is now on hold for another two weeks. Next weekend - Fenway, here we come. Unless it snows.

Obama Stimulus Plan

2011-03-25T07:46:00.002-04:00

President Obamas newest Stimulus package was the firing of 110 Tomahawk Cruise Missiles in an attempt to spread democracy in the world. I hope his plan works because I don't see where we need to be involved in every civil war in any given location on the earth. However, very good news for the employees of Raytheon Systems Company located in Arizona. Currently the state has been hit very hard in the recession (? - depression) and this will be a big boost to the company. At an average cost to the Navy FOB Dock, of $569,000.00 per unit I am sure Raytheon will be expecting a new purchase order form the Navy (you and I) for $62,590,000.00. Now that is a stimulus package to be proud of! Of course the cost per missile does not include delivery to the firing base/ship, technical support, updates, deployment nor launching costs. So the civil war in Lybia is costing the US Tax Payer how much? I am sure we will never be told. Imagine if we were able to use all that money here in the US to help upgrade our own economy?

Gas Station Rip-Off

2011-03-04T15:26:00.003-05:00

There is little question that oil prices have been unstable and today they hit their highest futures cost since September 2009, $106.64. This is for oil deliveries in April. Isn't it amazing that what will cost more to purchase then refine in April is costing you and I more today? According to the Connecticut State Attorney's Office, gas stations are allowed to charge per gallon what ever they feel the market will pay! WOW. So they blame the unrest in the Middle East, specifically Lybia. By the way, only 2% of all imported crude into the United States comes from Lybia.

According to the Oil Price Information Service the new national average for regular unleaded gasoline $3.471 per gallon. Where? Sign me up! And what about Diesel? According to the State of Connecticut OLR Research Report in a study conducted by Daniel Duffy; January 1995 gas - $1.23 vs. diesel $1.10 per gallon. July 2001 gas - $1.68 vs. diesel $1.52. July 2006 - gas $3.15 vs. diesel $2.93 per gallon. Today diesel is an avergae of 12% more per gallon, no wonder bananas are now $0.89 per pound!

Working in India

2011-03-04T12:00:00.002-05:00

With all the talk about losing jobs to India, mostly customer and technical support, I am not sure why anyone would want to be a supervisor or boss in India.

Over the past several months it has become a very common occurance

for unhappy employees, laid off workers and local work group managers

to actually physicaly attack and kill their bosses.

If I were a director or manager of an American company I would begin

implementing immediate plans to bring those jobs back to America!

This is truely not a country to be sending American jobs to.

No English You Say?

2011-02-28T15:46:00.003-05:00

No wonder no one speaks English in the United State of America any more.

Most of the country is actually owned by others and not us!

Here are the top TEN Share-holders if you wish;

those who we owe gold debt to-

1- Mainland China - $891.6 Billion

2 - Japan - $883.6 Billion

3 - United Kingdom - $541.3 Billion

4 - Oil Exporters - $218 Billion

5 - Brazil - $180.8 Billion

6 - Caribbean Banking Centers - $155.6 Billion

7 - Hong Kong - $138.2 Billion

8 - Canada - $134.6 Billion

9 - Taiwan - $131.9 Billion

10 - Russia - $106.2 Billion

Now if you or I had outstanding balances in some Caribbean bank the IRS would have us in jail. If Canada wanted to collect on it's holdings the economic value equals the states of Main, Vermont and New Hampshire. Brazil? Ouch.... how much a year do we send them in economic aid? And China holds 20% of our national debt? That is equal to the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Just to pay off that debt, every single American would have to pay $2,970.00!

Groundhog Day

2011-02-02T14:02:00.003-05:00

Groundhog Day 2011, Please. Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn to make his 125th annual weather forecast; Spring is just around the corner. Not too sure if I would base the winter season ending too soon on a rodent who is 125 years plus old! I referrer to my Farmer's Almanac for such important matters.

I would really hope that there is some better way to forecast than if there is a shadow or not. And by the way, who is it that determines if a shadow is seen? From what little I have learned of this great event, the decision is actually made buy a committee prior to the fateful morning of the rodent's prediction, or so they say.

Snow .. Snow .. Snow

2011-01-26T10:40:00.003-05:00

Looks like we are far far away from the beginning of our 2011 Camping Season. With this much snow on the ground, 3 more inches today and then another 6 to 9 inches tonight, we may never see our beloved Airstream again. But then again, it is New England.

We haven't had a good ol' NE winter in a long time.

As published in the Farmer's Almanac:

For the coming year Old Man Winter will exhibit a "split personality". The Eastern third of the country, New England down to Florida and as far West as the lower Ohio River and Mississippi River Valley, will experience colder-than-normal winter temperatures. Across New England, where relatively balmy temperatures prevailed during the winter 2009-2010, the upcoming winter will be the equivalent of a cold slap in the face, as we forecast much colder-than-normal temperatures.

So, there you have it. Now we will just have to wait and see what happens February 2nd!

Blizzard of 1888

2011-01-14T10:07:00.002-05:00

As we continue to get back to normal here in Connecticut after a few inches of snow my thoughts go back to the Blizzard of 1888 in New York City when there were no snow blowers. Yes that is a 26 foot snow bank in Brooklyn composed completely by snow placed there by shovels! And you thought you had it tough this week!

Tucson Memorial Service

2011-01-12T22:13:00.000-05:00

Along with millions of viewers across this great country and the world we sat in our comfortable homes to witness a Memorial to those who were killed and wounded in Tucson. I was prepared to listen to our President memorialize those lost and honor those who survived along with special note of individuals who stepped forward and committed acts of bravery and unselfishness in a time of danger. I was not disappointed in the very well prepared speech of Mr. Obama. He even took the extra time to prepare for this occasion by not using TelePrompTers, not too often do we ever see that. His staff did a wonderful job of preparing a non partisan conversation with his audience. The orchestration of on screen graphics of those lost was well played and it looked as if all the right people were there. Well done Mr. President. Something I very rarely say! What I found extremely disturbing was the Pep Rally atmosphere of the whole event. This was a Memorial Service or Tribute not a pregame rally for a basketball or football game. To me the only thing missing were cheerleaders running across the stage and confetti! We as a nation and a people have much to learn from these horrible events and how we react to them today will shape our future as a nation. The words and sentiments were all there and so well presented but the venue festive audience was totally out of place. Some say there is a time to celebrate the lives of those we loose and I agree, but this event was presented and planed as a memorial. Thank you Mr. Obama for a kind and caring speech.

First Robin

2011-01-12T08:40:00.003-05:00

You wouldn't think that your first Robin sighting for a new season would occur in January. Nor would you expect it to be during the worst snow storm in recent Connecticut history, but here it is. In fact we saw several Robins this day. With 23"+ of snow on the ground and most everything closed Sandi made sure there was food outside for our feathered friends. So for all of you who get excited and think Spring is on it's was when you see your first Robin of the year; sorry. Been there and done that already.

Saturday after Earl

2010-09-07T10:10:00.003-04:00

We were able to attend the annual Crafts Fair after Earl. All the exibitors were local artists showing their goods. Everything from lots of jewlery, sew and knited crafts to wood working.

A women was selling hand made yarns from wool gathered from local sheep.

A visit to Lobsterville Beach was a great morning. Lots of small rocks and shells along the beach. It is located North West of Gays Head and we spent hours walking along the beach by ourselves.

Aview from the beach looking towards Menemsha. As you can see, wide open beach in a wonderful bay. Not many waves as it is protected by the western edge of Aquinnah.

The light house at Gays Head or as some call it, Aquinnah Cliffs. We didn't venture down to the beach to save it for another day. Wonderful views all around looking down to the Atlantic Ocean.

Another wonderful view of the Atlantic. The seas were quite calm considering that a big storm had just passed the day before. The biggest concern was the rip tide which was real. We never saw anyone going in too far out, a very wise thing to do.

We were fortunate to have nothing but blue skies and no rain for the remainder of our stay on Martha's Vineyard and were very tempted to stay through the end of the week.

MV Before Earl

2010-09-05T17:23:00.004-04:00

We spent most of the day getting our feet wet, as it were, around the island and getting to know our way round a bit. One of the most obvious things you see are wonderful hanging signs above almost every business. This one looked really good but it turned out to be a simple take-out type of place with no customers. Now whether there were no customers because their food was just so, so or because of Earl we will never know.

As with any location on the ocean, you are always seeing wonderful boats of every kind. We caught the Yawl coming into Edgertown Cove as she was getting ready for a tack. A beautiful wooden boat with canvas sails and a wonderful white bottom.

Well everyone know the story of the Black Dog and how it arrived on MV becoming the trade mark of a local tavern. And what a great spot it was, or so they say. The Black Dog is now the best model of what great marketing can do for any business. There are now several taverns, bakeries, gift shops galore and even a tall ship! No more $10 T-Shirts at the bar.

South Beach- The original that is along the southern (like I needed to mention that) shore of the island is probably the most popular beach on Martha's Vineyard. Funny thing is, not only can you collect sea shells, sea glass and rocks, but actual US military bombs!

Truly a beautiful beach with a long, long stretch of natural sand and dunes.

As seen from town dock in Edgertown is the light house. Actually not the original. It was replaced after the hurricane of 1936. Prior to be torn down, the light house keepers refused to live in the old one saying the roof leaked, the floors shifted and it was unsafe. The Coast Guard removed the light house from Ipswitch and placed it here.

It's always nice to leave your mark when you visit a new place.

South Beach

Earl

2010-09-03T16:52:00.003-04:00

We were on the roof top of the Mansion House Hotel for the beginning of Earl. Not much was happening other than some wind (25 - 35 MPH) and spots of rain. We had a great view of town, Vineyard Haven.

This is the same view of town around 1:00 PM before anything really started happening.

We were able to secure the second to last room in the hotel. A very nice room but not big enough for the price we paid. Also, we were facing the wrong direction, inland rather than out to the bay. But it was much better than staying at the shelter.

All over town folks were boarding up their windows preparing for the worst. A few even had a few comments to leave for Earl.

This building was right on the bay shore expecting the worst.

Some folks were even having a bit of fun getting ready!

We found it very interesting that this marine shop boarded up their windows but left their boats chained outside.

We were informed this morning that MEMA had declared a state of emergency and that all businesses and road on the island were to be closed by 2:00 PM. That included the camp ground. We could leave the Airstream there or take it to the High School where there were no trees and the chance of flying objects was the least. From there we had to go the shelter at the elementary school. We opted for a hotel.

At the time of the announcement, we were under Hurricane Warnings and the National Hurricane Center had Earl heading directly towards the islands and expected to be a category 2 or 3. Of course we all know weathermen have the privilege of being correct 50% of the time.

The restaurant of the hotel was able to stay open past the 2:00 PM deadline because they had to offer food to their guests. We stopped in for lunch after dropping off the Airstream and that's how we were able to find a room for the night. The three young ladies and the full kitchen staff were to stay till they had to close.

Ferry to MV

2010-09-03T14:44:00.000-04:00

We originally had 9:30 AM reservations for the ferry over to Martha's Vineyard Thursday morning but when we arrive around 8:30 PM Wednesday they got us onto the next ferry going out. We knew there was a strong possibility of Huricane Earl hitting the island but we never let a little weather stop us. Once we got onto the ferry, the weather channel was showing Earl as a catogory four and heading for the islands.

Our Airstream went right on and within moments of getting on board we were on our way. The trip took about 45 minutes and went by quickly. We were able to get hold of the campground and advise them that we were a day. Our site was ready when we arrived and by 10:00 PM we were all settled in for the night.

Mount Defiance

2010-07-02T18:44:00.002-04:00

After hiking up to the top of Mount Defiance this Fourth of July weekend, it was refreshing to see the American flag flying at the crest. It wasn't always that way though. Several different flags have flown from this lofty position. On July 5th of 1777, General John Burgoyne had placed two cannons and the Union Jack atop this location.

As your eye would see it, two cannons pointed in the direction of Fort Ticonderoga. I would find it hard to believe that even a well seasoned artillery team could cause too much damage, if any, upon Fort Ticonderoga seen in the far distance in the middle of the peninsula.

Sandi snagged this photo of me pretending to be the British General totally pleased with myself that after dragging only two artillery pieces up the step mount, General Arthur St. Clair, Colonial Commander of the fort, abandoned the fort to the British without a single shot being fired. Idiot!

From this vantage point you can see up Lake Champlain all the way to New France.

Putnam Pond, New York

2010-07-02T18:09:00.002-04:00

By now we would imagine that everyone is getting bored by always seeing a photo of the truck and the Airstream situated in some site of a campground. For all you would know we just move the truck around from one site to another at the same campground!

Actually we are always some where different and we decided that we would have to stay home one weekend of each month. This year for the Forth of July we decided to celebrate the holiday at Fort Ticonderoga, a location filled with history starting in 1666. The actual fort was built in 1758 by the French. Several key battles were fought between France and England and the fort eventually fell to the British. Fast forward a bit, May 10th, 1775 and the fort was taken by Colonel Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen & The Green Mountain Boys. And so the story continues. There are so many flags flying at the fort today you do need a quick history lesson to figure out who is who.

The Dump

2010-06-29T20:16:00.002-04:00

OK, so it may not be a big deal to most of my readers but check it out, 0004!
The dump is a Saturday morning ritual which since we are always camping has become only a once a month occasion. Permits are issued around the first of June but many of us get our checks into the town clerk way before that always looking for the coveted low number. As luck has it I have the same number as last year. See the early bird does get the worm, or in this case the low number. There is only one place other than the dump to meet up with friends and trade the male gossip of town and that is at Nick's Barber shop. Since I don't have much hair left, the dump is still the best spot in town.

Riverside Marina

2010-06-28T18:27:00.004-04:00

We spent the weekend on the Connecticut River with our friends from the Charter Oak Unit of WBCCI at a very cool well kept secret of a campground right on the river.

Friday night was the night before a full moon.

And what a view, camping right on the river with water and electric.

Of course there is nothing much better than an Airstream, actually seventeen of them, in the middle of a marina filled with boats. Oh, there is one very pretty Bristol sailboat for sale which I was able to go on board. It will be in the water in a few weeks. I think we will be camping here again in the very near future.

A view from the river looking up at the happy campers.

Looking up the river toward Middletown. Our host had posted that one of their members, Toni, was wondering if anyone else would be bringing their kayak's. I always have mine on the truck so we spent four hours paddling the river together. We went up river and found Madabassett river and it was incredible! Beavers, Herons, Wigeons, turtles and a whole bunch more. We are planning on going back in the fall.

I never try a new dish at a rally before testing it but this was an exception. A new Mac & Cheese, no bake with Gruyere cheese, slab bacon, leeks, and a few other ingredients.

No doubt, it was too hot to be inside cooking, but Sandi was helping with all the prep and we pulled off a wonderful new dish. Good news, I wrote this one down!

As with any Airstream rally there is always lots and lots of food for everyone.

Here are a few of our fellow campers getting the pot luck dinner ready.

Toni, my new kayaking buddy, surprised everone with a case of bubbly to celebrate her last day of being sixty-nine years old.

Not sure how it happened but it became my responsibility to make sure Toni always had an open bottle to pour!

Gardens

2010-06-21T19:39:00.004-04:00

The pepper garden is doing quite well this year. We planted the usual varieties, Hungarian, Cayenne, Cherry Hot, Habenaro and Halipino to name a few.

A whole new hybred plant this year is a Lemon Hot. Lots of buds right now so we are looking forward to see if they will be worthwhile.

New for us this year is also Brussel Sprouts and Celery.

For the first time in a few years my Hostas and ferns are doing very well. No critters eating away at them. Over twelve varieties this year all doing well.

The grasses always do well and this year is no exception.

Quechee River

2010-06-19T19:52:00.001-04:00

Andre, Ken and I decided to take a cruise down the Quechee River. There was water but not as deep as we would have liked. The weather was perfect and seemed like a good day to go down.

We had a very mixed bag of water, most of the time we have a good flow with 12 to 36 inched of water, sometimes a lot less.

The river was crystal clear and you could always see the bottom.

Some times you could see the bottom so well you were better off walking the stretch.

Sunday Storm

2010-06-08T20:30:00.003-04:00

Over the past weekend a large part of the country was devastated by a series of storms. They were fast, strong and damaging. We have 20 minutes of incredible winds and little rain. If you look at the tree in the center of the photo above, when the winds were somewhat calm, and then the photo below of the tree bending to the winds you get an idea of how strong the storm was.

We had a bit of damage but nothing like some people had. We had a large part of a maple tree come crashing down onto the barn. No damage to the barn but it did take me a few hours to cut it up and get it off the roof. The hardest part was getting so that the trunk didn't crash through the roof as I started cutting off the limbs.

The second hardest part was realizing I wasn't 28 years old any more!

Magnetic Hill

2010-05-28T20:43:00.002-04:00

Canada, Oh Canada. What a wonderful view as we crossed over the border. Actually it looks just like the view we had on the other mountain top except we needed passports to see it.

Not sure, didn't research it but it is pretty cool! Just over the line we came upon this really cool stained glass like monument in the middle of a picnic area.

OK, we have been to a lot of (well maybe more than just a lot of) tourist type spots in our travels but this is one you gotta check out. Actually there are several "Magnetic Hills" all around the world. But this is the one we were looking for. To be honest, traveling north we completely missed it!

The sign says it all if you read the left side of the sign. This is definitely a low cost attraction!

The circle and arrow show where the sign above is located and the horizontal line is where we started. We followed the instructions as posted and sure enough! 8 MPH going backwards, 9,200 pounds going backwards up hill! Very cool, we did it twice. It doesn't take much to entertain us.

Quechee Pittsburg Bound

2010-05-27T20:49:00.001-04:00

We spent most of Thursday at a trade show in Springfield and were happy to finally start our mini vacation for Memorial Day Weekend in New Hampshire. Just checking email and stuff before we become completely detached from the rest of the world.

We ended up at a KOA for the one night which gave us full hook ups for the night. We had a nice site and enjoyed watching the sun set.

Across the street from the campground was one of those places you only find in the middle of no where. A general store which had 24 flavors of soft ice cream, beer, wine, groceries and gas. Oh yes, they had maple syrup and gifts along with post cards.

Cinco de Mayo

2010-05-05T11:33:00.004-04:00

I personally don't get this whole CINCO de MAYO celebrating in the United States of America. I don't see any pubs or bars with "BASTILLE DAY" Banners flying on July 14th offering discounted wine to its patrons. In 1861 Benito Juarez decided he no longer wanted to pay the loan interest Mexico owed to France. Jerk! If I stopped making payments to my bank they would foreclose on us. Upset that Mexico stopped its payments France decided to go get what was theirs, and so it went. A year later France did occupy Mexico but later left after pressure from the USA.

If you do feel the urge to celebrate today, do me a favor, order a Guinness of a Palm! Or better yet, a nice glass of French wine.

Now a history report from Sandi: Hellmann's Mayonnaise - Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's Mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment schedules for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But, as we know, the great ship did not make it to new York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost. The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and we eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observeto this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as....

Sinko De Mayo

Spring in Salem

2010-05-02T21:05:00.000-04:00

Winter Island Park, Salem, MA before the season opens. We had the place pretty much to ourselves except for one other site. Drawback, they lock at the gate a dusk till dawn. Friday we walked into town and stumbled back much later.

Next Door to one of the potion and herb shops is a wonderful shop that custom blends all natural oils for perfume, bath oils and body soaps. Sandi found a wonder scent and I am sure we will be visiting again this year.

The beach at Winter Island is probably one of our most favorite hidden jewels. Since we are always in town before or after the beach season we have the spot to ourselves. This is the best sea glass beach we have ever found. We always collect several pounds each visit.

Oh yes, the name of the beach!

The seaport was quite busy this weekend also.

Spring in Salem

2010-05-01T20:53:00.002-04:00

One of our must stops is REDS for Sunday breakfast. There is always a line but well worth the wait. We were happy to have Kevin with us for most of the weekend. We had just a few rules for the weekend, be happy, well fed and good drink.

REDS is located in one of the many old and historic building in Salem. So many visitors focus on Witches (not that I can blame them) but there is so much great history in this town.

The Old Salem Prison has sat empty for so long, it now has a new owner and is undergoing a major restoration. When we looked at the property is was down to $600K. Very tempting but there were a lot of stipulations. The complex will be a combination of apartments, museum and restaurant with a small park.

This is the inside of one of three units we would consider if they were to sell them. Tall ceilings, a great room with attached kitchen, two full baths and two bedrooms. It would be a major life style change for us but what a great location.

The view from the master bedroom of one of the units we liked.

Herkimer 2010

2010-04-17T18:15:00.005-04:00

We finally decided to visit Howe Caverns. We have been to many caverns along the Eastern corridor and it is definitely the most commercial cavern. It has been in operation to the public since 1928.
Here we see the very first guides who took the public down into the caverns during that time.

Here is a photo of the main entry room which is undated but very much the same as it is today.

The caverns are very large and open, something we are not used to. Here you can see Sandi along with our group.

A photo showing the ceiling of one of the sections, Winding Way.

The formations in the caverns are familar but always amazing.

Marconi Beach

2010-04-04T19:11:00.005-04:00

One of our most favorite beaches along the Cape Code National Seashore is Marconi. It was hit really hard by the two storms of recent weeks and the long stairs leading to the beach were gone causing the beach to be closed till further notice. As you can see, the erosion was quite severe.

The waves are one of the many notable natural features of the beach, that and the fact that Marconi has his wire antenna array at the top of the cliff.

Where there were once dunes all is now flat, and you can see the extreme damage done. This is where the long stairs leading down to the beach used to be.

The end of the trail! This is the last section or walkway left before the 40 foot drop from the top of the dunes to the beach.

Saturday

2010-04-03T18:11:00.002-04:00

We certainly didn't need to be out in a boat to see the whales this weekend.

Spent some time in town visiting the shops that were open and tried to help the economy a bit, but not too much.

Out at Herring Cove we did a bit more relaxing, reading and kite flying.

And of course, we had our hearty breakfast as on every trip out.

Friday in Provincetown

2010-04-03T10:28:00.002-04:00

Sort of like a set from a James Bond Movie. Sunken Skulls in the wastelands of the bog.

When they said there was flooding along the inland water, they weren't kidding. Behind me are the tent sites at Coastal Acres.

We spent a part of the afternoon out at Race Point, flying kites, reading, enjoying the ocean and...

Did some whale watching right from the beach. Sandi and I took turns with the camera and Sandi captured the first whale.

Easter Weekend Thursday

2010-04-01T18:06:00.006-04:00

Flooding in lower New Englnd has been a big problem in the last several days and Rhode Island was hit the hardest. I-95 in Warwick, RI was completely shut down and we had to detour on our way to Cape Cod.

Boys and their toys; We were very surprised when we came upon the closed I-95 section and our GPS actually showed a road closed symbol.

What a surprise! Yes, sections of the campground we are staying at are underwater, including the entrance.

Home Sweet Home for the next four days. Wonderful campground, especially since no one else is really here.

Easter 2010

2010-03-31T20:20:00.004-04:00

A new Easter Tradition: Find as many silk ties as you can, take them apart and cut them into squares. Must be 100% Silk for this to work.

You carefully wrap an uncooked egg with the silk finished side towards the egg, tie it off with a wire tie, then wrap it again with a piece of white cotton cloth and tie that one tight.

Place your wrapped eggs in a non-ferrous pan, cover eggs with water then add 1 cup of white vinegar. Bring to a boil and continue to cook at a slow boil for 20 minutes.

Cool your hard-boiled eggs and unwrap! Some patterns will work and as you can see some won't. But you get a very different type of Easter Egg. You can polish them with a bit of vegetable oil when completely cooled. Can you eat them? As long as the shell didn't crack enjoy your Easter eggs as usual. You can sew the small left over tie pieces together to make some really different designs.

Spring 2010

2010-03-19T20:08:00.003-04:00

It's easy to tell when it is Spring around our house.

We start getting the Airstream ready for the camping season.

All systems are flushed and cleaned and gotten ready for anothe

fun season of camping. We will be hitting the road for our first

trip our April 1st!

An annual event is always polishing the tanks.

It is amazing how dull they get over the winter.

And of course you can't forget Sandi's gardens.
The Primrose are blooming promising yet another great year

of blossoms.

2010 Hurircane

2010-02-01T12:27:00.003-05:00

Well we have all heard it before, more hurricanes this season than normal. Over the years Sandi and I have encountered only two hurricanes and we had been fortunate enough to be able to almost get out of their ways. But if the track record is any indication of hurricane predictions, we won't be worrying too much about rough weather this coming camping season.

Banana Mousse

2010-01-08T19:22:00.004-05:00

One of the many things I really enjoy with Sara is cooking together. We have made some really wonderful dishes together, most of them being of our own design. This week we actually made a banana mousse. I found the recipe of all places from the Kenya Safari Club cookbook.

The main attraction was the mousse for dessert but we also made a wonderful pork loin seasoned with herbs and garlic, smashed potatoes and creamed corn. Now if only we could make edible antlers!

Mr. Bill

2009-12-28T19:02:00.002-05:00

Well it had to happen sooner or later. Mr. Bill and his evil twin brother, Mr. Bill were at it again. They found my super special shirt from Rich and Sue and started a game of Tug-of-war. Yup, they ripped the shirt. Even during the winter these guys get into trouble. I was going to leave them in the Airstream for the winter but Sandi said they would get too cold.

It's going to be a long winter for sure.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T11:06:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Jonestown, PA.
This year our travels have taken us a bit South of the normal Plymouth, MA.

Sandi found this campground simply because it was open. There were a few rigs in and one gentleman, Bill who lives in his rig full time.

We have full hook-up but no cable which is a real bummer for Thanksgiving. We were hoping to catch the "Punkin Chunkin" on the Science Chanel.

We pretty much had the place to ourselves except for the five or more kittens. As seen, they would follow us around.

They were all cute.
Thanksgiving morning just the two of us. Nice and warm in our Airstream.
Starting my traditional pork stuffing. Thanksgiving would never be right without it. Passed down from my Grandmother. I hope someday Sara continues the tradition.
The one thing we have yet to do is to get some fancy table ware for Thanksgiving.

2009-09-14T19:48:00.003-04:00

Sandi and I meet up with the Cape Cod Unit of WBCCI at the Charlie Brown Campground in upstate Connecticut for the weekend and had a wonderful time with some old friends we don't get to see too often. The theme of the rally was family roots and heritage, hence all the great flags we were flying!

Of course one of the many great aspects of a rally is the food at happy hour and the gathering of friends old and new. In this case we knew most everyone and it was great to see them all.

Our friend Bob (on the right) did all the dinner food cooking and wouldn't allow anyone else to help. He out did himself as always and there was plenty of great food for all.

2009-08-29T20:24:00.003-04:00

A view from the top of the ridge line we were hiking. This is the Delaware Water Gap Valley.

One of the named falls towards the top of the water shed. Wedding Veil Falls.

We had stopped at Bushkill Falls two years ago and it was so crowded that we we didn't stay. This time around it was perfect. Very few folks there and we were able to enjoy the natural beauty of the falls. They have so many wonderful walkways around the falls, not only do they preserve the natural surroundings but fit in so well.

Yes, as proof of the fact that Sandi does travel with her husband, me. It's not too often someone catches a shot of me.

A shot taken from one of the walkways across the gorge just past the last of the falls.

The Main Fall, which is the last of a wonderful series of falls. We had taken the red trail which traveled the entire route up one side of the ridge and then down on the other side. A total of 2.5 miles which was quite steap at times.

After viewing my photos for the day I found that I had probably taken as many photos of sights surrounding the falls as the falls themselves. I find so often that people miss so much by not looking around when they are some place new. I also realize that I need a new macro lens! Hint, hint!

Up towards the head waters, the water is fast and confined into a narrow passage between the rock formations. It is amazing how much water is really traveling down stream.

A wonderful shot of the headwaters going down the ridge. This photo not only shows the volume of water heading down but also the walkways.

Fast water- Sandi brought up a very good observation; looks like Guiness Beer flowing!

Bushkill Falls

2009-08-28T19:51:00.003-04:00

I found this sign to be of extreme interest after I thought about it over a glass of wine. We actually had to go back so I could snag a photo of it. Who would buy a used tire, and most important how do they come to have "Slightly" used tires? Are they like lawyers who race to the scene of a crash and claim the "slightly" used tires?

Yes we purchased a new GPS, or as Sandi would say; I purchased a new GPS. Seeing that we are on the road almost every weekend traveling to some place new this was a unit to have. It has so many very cool features including live traffic updates, very cool icons and a very good search feature including trip information and a fuel watch.

Speaking of fuel, the new truck is breaking in very well. We arrived at the campground in the Water Gap Thursday night and headed off to the other side of PA early (5:30 AM) Friday morning. On the trip across the state we averaged a wicked 16+ MPH without the Airstream. Very good for a 3/4 ton pick-up with a DuraMax! From what we have heard from friends who also have trucks like ours the mileage will only get better as we get closer to 25K miles.

One of the the many great aspects of traveling is the people and rigs you run into. I fell in love with this custom coach. It turns out to be a 42 foot custom tour coach on a Prevost foundation custom built for Whoopi Goldberg. The crew was on a layover and would pick her up on Tuesday and head back to Hollywood, CA. The rig is 10 years old and so pristine.

And here is our wonderful Airstream all tucked into our site with the big rig in the background. While Whoopi's rig has well over one million miles on it we figure we have about 35K. Probably a lot more considering we haven't really been keeping track and we have gone through two Tahoes which both had around 60K each when we traded them in. Truck four, the new one has 7K and 98% of that has been towing since March.

Gardens

2009-08-23T14:55:00.003-04:00

After loosing most of our pepper garden to wild life last year we took Belle's old kennel and used it to enclose our garden this year. Well worth the effort! We have peppers now ready to harvest with much more to come. Cayane, Cherry Hots, Hungarian, Habenaro, Sweet Banana, Bell and few we are not sure of till we taste them.

Even though I am not a tomato person Sandi loves them, especially fresh. With all the rain we have had this year we have plants well over six feet tall but all the fruit is still greeen. Green fried tomatoes anyone?

The herb garden was not so good this year and again I think the rain had a lot to do with it. Everyone knows how much I love Penze's but there is still nothing better than growing your own.

Oregano hanging to dry, one of this years better crops.

And yes, fresh peppers for tonights dinner.

More fun at Grey Fox

2009-07-19T19:54:00.003-04:00

There is much more than just the Main Stage at Grey Fox Bluegrass , the younsters

Grey Fox Saturday Morning

2009-07-18T11:38:00.005-04:00

As people start claiming their spots for the weekend the hillside slowly fill with every type of folding chair you coulf think of.

The Main Stage where all the major acts perform in addition to them playing at the Dance Tent, the Masters Tent and a few places in between.

Sue and I had both brought our guitars for the week to play together and met up at some of the offerings the have for aspiring string players. Rich took center stage and learned a few cords.

And then the rains came, and boy did they come.

Rain, rain.

Mud, mud.

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival

2009-07-16T16:40:00.002-04:00

It appears the economy has even struck the youngsters on the Bluegrass circuit. On the first full day we observed a young mandolin player set up on the Mid-way playing for festival food money!

Oour site is all set up with Rich & Sue tucked neatly in. Plenty of room for lounging and cooking and some very serious guitar playing in the evenings.

The view down our 'road' to the dance tent Thursday morning.

What a difference a day makes, same view Thursday morning.

Oak Hill New York

2009-07-15T16:31:00.000-04:00

This year we decided to arrive at the Grey Fox Bluegrass on Tuesday evening. This was the first time we had done this and we were surprised to find ourselves smack in the middle of a giant cow field all by ourselfves. I guess you could say we had the pick of any site we wanted.

Home Sweet Home for the next five days. Rich and Sue will be joining us tomorrow along with 4,000 additional campers. All the camping tickets sold out three weeks ago.
We are looking forward to a mix of weather, music everywhere and meeting up with friends and making a few more in the process.

Wild Duck 2009

2009-07-03T20:48:00.003-04:00

Last year our friends Sarah and Ernie introduced us to Wild Duck Campground up in Maine. We were lucky to once again spend the Forth of July there with our friends Rich and Sue.

The view from our site is awsome! We camped once again right on the tip of the watershed.

The wild life is amazing.

Of course we were decked out in our colors and our outdoor shelter.

Well perhaps the weather wasn't perfect everyday all the time but it was wonderful. We had several storms roll through along with some sun here and there but hey, Sandi and I are used to wet camping. Just ask anyone who has camped with us.

Yes we had a great time!

2009-06-22T19:24:00.004-04:00

It is really amazing how many ballons they get onto the field and the crews start working side by side to get them ready for flight.

Every where you looked there were balloons.

Friday night they had a balloon glow set to music.

More fun in Quechee

2009-06-19T18:32:00.003-04:00

The Thursday arrivals enjoy some of the sun we had for the weekend.

Susan, Rich, Sue, Andre' and Sandi in front of our Camp.

The "Disk Dogs" were a lot of fun. All the dogs are rescue dogs

training in the fine art of Frisbee catching. A really great

show all done to music.

We were treated to several sky jumps of four sky divers.

No need to mention our love of diners. The Farmers Diner is a classic example

of a well restored vintage diner.

The interior is completely restored to its original state with a very large addition.

Thursday in Quechee, VT

2009-06-18T09:07:00.002-04:00

We arrived at the Balloon Festival Thursday and set up camp.
Andre and Susan, Rich and Sue and us in the middle. Ken and Kathy will be joining us later.

Happy 15th Anniversary to Susan and Andre'!

Mr. Bill joined us for Happy Hour and as usual he jumped right in.

Sara's Wheel

2009-06-15T20:12:00.005-04:00

Sara's Wheel of Fortune is all done and ready to go.

She has lots of fun carnival prizes and we know

everyone coming to her Airstream Kids Karnival

are going to have lots of fun.

See you all there!

New Neighbor

2009-06-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

Gardens

2009-06-11T10:03:00.000-04:00

This year has been a tough one on our gardens with concerns to wildlife.

It appears someone place a "free buffet" sign at the edge of

our property this year. This Chantily Lace hosta should be

about three feet wide by now.

The ferns have done much better since they do not seem to be on the menu.

As new addition, Patriot. Of course we just planted this so it has yet
to be placed on the menu and eaten yet.

Our grasses always do well each year. I should have taken this photo two weeks ago

when the cinnamon fern was in full bloom.

The left side of the walkway down is completed for the season. A little feeding

and wild life monitoring and we should have a lovely mid summer

shade garden to enjoy.

Sara's Carnival

2009-06-09T06:30:00.004-04:00

Sara is hosting her first Airstream rally next month with a wonderful theme:

Kids Karnival.

The idea is that each attendee bring a carnival game to set up at their rig

with raffle tickets and prizes to be awarded.

Sara decided to have a "Wheel of Fortune" for her booth and we had started

working on the construction with pretty good results.

The wheel is almost done; needs a coat of clear and the inserts need to be done.

But the base still has work to be done.

We are looking forward to finishing this up soon. All of the "prizes" will be here next Friday.

So true

2009-06-01T06:23:00.003-04:00

Last week the sensor light on the barn stopped working. Not the end of the world, but something that did need repair. At first I tried adjusting the settings, but that didn't solve the problem of the light not coming on. I then proceeded to taking the unit apart, cleaning the pieces and then reassembled. Well that too proved to not be the answer. Later that night I explained to Sandi the details of the light failure and the rescue operations resulting in failure. It was at that moment that true intelligence prevailed; "Did you change the light bulb"?

Oswego, New York

2009-05-24T20:33:00.003-04:00

Sandi and I headed up to Oswego, New York for Memorial Day weekend and a family wedding. My cousin Fred Vigeant and Michele were getting married. We were able to find a campground right on Lake Ontario just a few miles from the church.

Their recption was help at the ELKS Club and it was a wonderful event. Great family fun and food and a wonderful way to celebrate their wedding.

And here are the lovely Bride Michele and her husband Fred, who is looking more and more like his father every year.

Mom and DAS joined the fun but they decided to stay at a local hotel rather than join us at the campground.

Every night on the lake was a light show. the sunsets were wonderful. A shame to say we never saw a sunrise since we slept in late each morning.

Sandi and I are usually drawn to the ocean rather than large lakes and this was a very large one. Here is the light house at the port entrance to Oswego outside of Fort Ontario.

We were treated to a special day at the fort. The local Civil War Militia was set up on the parade grounds in the center of the fort. It was pretty exciting and loud and we pretty much had the whole fort to ourselves.

I did say loud right? From the second floor of the officers housing we could see and hear the canons firing.

From here we are looking down from the embankments onto the parade grounds. Behind the gun crews you can see the entrance to the fort and to the left of that the enlisted mens quarters.

Herkimer Diamond Mine

2009-05-08T20:11:00.004-04:00

We ran up to the Herkimer Diamond mines for a weekend with the Colimore's in New York.

It was our first visit and we came prepared with hammers and other impliments

of destruction and had a really great time.

Yes, there I am in the middle of a bunch of rocks looking for diamonds. There more rocks you crush the more diamonds you find. Or so Sandi told me.

We had two sites side by side right on the river. Very small sights so good thing the Colimore's were our neighbors.

Need I say more? It is a wonderful river and I would look forward to going again and bring our canoe for a good run down.

Gee, the truck looks bigger than our Airstream!

Thanks to a customer of ours, Don and I were able to enjoy a very expensive bottle of beer together. Who ever knew a bottle of Belgium beer could cost so much?

I don't think Donal really believed us that there were diamonds in the rocks but he had a great time making gravel.

Stella was busy digging for diamonds but she never found any.

Sunday morning Don treated us to a wonderful Mother's Day breakfast.

First '09 Rally

2009-04-24T19:49:00.003-04:00

For the first NEU rally of the year we had a wonderful time. We took a moment to take a photo of all the units dogs, oh yea, we included their handlers too!

There is never a food shortage when we all get together.

Nor is there ever a shortage of silliness!

Easter 2009

2009-04-10T20:02:00.002-04:00

Our first weekend out was Easter again this year with the new truck.

We camped at a local CT campground, Braile for the first time.

It was a cold rainy weekend but we did get out.

Sandi and I checked out the rally field and we will most likely hold

the Lost Dutchman 2010 rally here next year.

They did have plenty for the youngsters to do over the weekend, Easter Egg hunt, horseshoes,

speed sledding, and a scavenger hunt.

Did I mention a fishing derby?