ANOTHER MONTH

HAS FLOWN BY -- JULY 31 2013 ...

The number of hours in the days, and the number of months in the year have not changed, so how can they be flying by so fast?

I am getting old quickly enough as it is, I don't need it speeded up, thank you, but I don't want it to stand still either.  Can't win.

I am not complaining, life  has been good, mostly.  I just don't like the getting old part.  I guess that is why I love the cartoon character Gertrude, or whatever her name is.  You know, the old lady one telling it as it is.  She manages to hit the nail on the head every time.

But enough rambling.  I really didn't have anything profound to say, not even intelligent.  But hated to end the month without something.  Can't believe tomorrow is August 1st.  By the way I will be away for a few days - Bossman is holding down the fort.  Between him the dogs and resident farmer the homestead is kept functioning without me.  Darn!  I like to think I am indispensable.  Whatever that means.

Since I don't have anything profound to talk about thought I would share a few of the pictures taken when Betty, Pam and I took our one day road trip.  Looking for Mail Pouch Barns (of which we found 7) and anything else interesting.

You never know what you will see around the next bend in the road.  Like barns:

Like houses, both grand and not so grand:

And outhouses:

Be kind of hard to use this one, especially if you were in a hurry!!!

And lots of stuff we didn't bother with, just looked as we went by. 

That is what makes the road trips fun.  You never know.  And it s a great excuse to eat out!  No cooking.  No clean-up.  No mess.  Just sit and be waited on.

Hope you all have a great few days.  How about them Pirates?  I don't like to watch baseball as it is too slow moving, but I keep flipping channels to catch the score and see what is happening.

So guess I had better flip this channel and get crackin'  Keep safe and God Bless.

 

WHAT ITIS ALL ABOUT --

THE BARNSTORMERS!!!JULY 29 2012 ...

I mentioned the Barnstormers picnic.  I am sure you are wondering what it is all about.

The Barnstormers are an organization, with about 200 members at the present time from all over the country, whose purpose is to try to preserve the history of the MAIL POUCH BARNS.  In case you didn't know, Mail Pouch barns was the FIRST roadside advertising done in this country along numerous roads.

This year we had a contest - who can build the best birdhouse, the winner and runner up winning a year of two with their membership dues paid in full.  Here is a pic of this years first place winner, 2 year member Judy Humphrey and her entry:

Judy then donated her piece to the auction. 

No, we do not promote, condone, or encourage anyone to smoke or chew Mail Pouch Tobacco.

In 1879 the Bloch brothers owned a dry goods store in Wheelig WV.  On the second floor of the building they rolled cigars and stogies.

The tobacco left over from the clipped ends was, originally discarded.  Then the  idea formed.  They mixed the tobacco with a licorice flavoring which was then placed in a jar for sale as chewing tobacco.

The 'chew' sold quickly, and by 1880 the brothers decided to package the 'chew' under their brand, but they needed a name.
So a contest was held to name the 'chew'.

Remember in those days mail was delivered by pony express.  The bags holding the 'chew' resembled very small pony express mail bags.  A pony express rider entered - and won - the contest.  His entry - MAIL POUCH.

It was around the turn of the century (1900) the brothers hit on the idea of advertising their product.  In the beginning several groups of painters, usually 2 in each group, began traveling the main roads, and wherever they spotted a barn quite visible, they stopped, and after explaining what they wanted to do, if the farmer agreed, a contract was signed, and the painting began.   The painters traveled in horse-drawn wagons. 

The painters would be on the road for approximately 8 months, staying over-night with the farm whose barn they were painting.  And for that reason, and the fact that horse-drawn wagons were very slow, only a radius of 600 miles of Wheeling ever had Mail Pouch painted on their barns.


World War II started, the barn painting stopped.  At the end of the War a veteran named Harley Warrick of Belmont Ohio signed on with the tobacco company to paint barns.  As  time went on, went on many of the painters went on to other jobs, and finally Harley was the only barn painter left on the payroll. 

Upon his retirement the company dis-continued the barn painting practice. 


Each farmer that had a sign on their barn received a small royalty check ($10.00 - $12.00) per year for each side painted.  Thus one side $10 - two sides $20) and I know of a family today still living on the home farm, with a MP barn and they still receive their royalty check once a year.

So you can see, it is the HISTORY the Barnstormers are trying to preserve.  So many of the barns are gone, fallen, the farm sold and developed the barn being torn down, the farm abandoned and time taking the barn.

One of the Barnstormers endeavors is to try to help someone who happens to own a barn or building with the MP painted on it, preserve said building and sign.  Another endeavor is to help folks to understand just what they are all about, learn the history and significance of the barns and their signs. 

Here are a couple of other tid-bits:  During the depression years this guaranteed income went a long way towards paying the taxes on the farm.  It saved many a farm from foreclosure for non-payment of taxes.

A lot of the pre-WW II signs contained the painting of a mail pouch tobacco pouch, and even the name Block Bros.

That Harley, as time went by, would deliberately mis-spell or add a word not normally seen, then in his office in Wheeling would sit and wait to see how many phone calls he got re the mistake.

For more information, find them on FACEBOOK - MAIL POUCH BARNSTORMERS, or check out their web-site www.mailpouchbarnstormers.org

I hope this helps explain what we Barnstormers are all about.  The picnic is fun, there is a 'store' where you can purchase mp memorabilia, several vendors with MP pictures, there is lots and lots of great food, a guest speaker, and an auction of MP  items that have been donated by the members, and sometimes non-members who have stumbled across something.   What a great way to spend the last Saturday in July.

Come join us next year.  Everyone is welcome, member or not.  Just be careful, you in all probability will get 'hooked"  The dues are only $20.00 per year and in return you will receive a quarterly newsletter with stories and pictures.  And you will have a great day in July.

Enjoy and God Bless.

 

WHAT A FUN DAY

YESTERDAY! ... JULY 24 2013

Yes, it was a fun day,  perfect blue sky white cloud day.  Until we came home.  What a downpour, but we had had our fun and really didn't care.

Two Barnstormer friends - Belmont Betty and Toledo Pam - met up with me  - Bossman's gofer - here at my place bright and early.  And then the three of us were off on our Mail Pouch Whatever Photo Shoot.  And photos we did shoot.

We found 8 - I think that is right - Mail Pouch Barns, 1 outhouse, and several other  (I think 7) barns and buildings.
We got lost a few times, what did you expect, but no big deal.  About drove my GPS lady crazy, but we had fun.

We finished up our treasure hunt in Saxonburg Pa about 5:30 p.m. and found a neat little family restaurant where we stopped for supper.  The sun was still shining.

An hour later, when we left to start home it was beginning to sprinkle.  By the time we reached I-79 south it was raining pretty hard.  By the time we reached I-70 west it was a down pour.  We crawled for miles.  Got back to my place safely.  I am hoping betty and Pam made it home o.k.  They had just about an hour more to reach home.

Pictures down-loaded, not the editing fun begins.  I think we would like to do this again, when Toledo Pam is in our area.

I don't think our grass is going to be mowed for some time to come.  If it ever stops raining long enough for it to dry out.  I hope this crazy weather pattern is long gone before winter sets in.  It felt like fall this morning when I stepped outside downright cool. 

Everyone stay dry, stay safe, and God Bless.

IS IT TIME

TO BUILD AN ARK? ... JULY 20 2013 ...

Today makes 6 straight days we have had rain.  We have only 34 days left to finish the ark.  Somehow I don't think we will make it.  Perhaps the rain will stop???

I know I am being facetious (bet you didn't know that I actually know some big words?) but so far this summer has been a disaster.

My garden growing like crazy.  Can't get into it because of the mud.  Perhaps with hip boots?

Our township lane has washed terribly.  They can't get to it to fix it.  Our driveway has held up pretty well, but then Bossman is always working on it.

Now - for quite a switcheroo.  Don't you just love that word?

Today is dog groomer day.  For Coco.  A boy dog yet.  Going to the groomer?  Yikes!!!

Not what you think.  He has to get his toenails cut.  Why a groomer for cutting toe nails?  Because with Bossman AND me working together, we cannot hold him down to cut his nails  You would think we were going to scalp him.

But the dog groomer.  No trouble at all.  He just stands on the table, lets her - notice I said her - no Bossman - cut said nails, then use the electric sander on them to smooth them out  Piece of cake.  Takes about 5 minutes for all 4 feet.  It hasn't been decided yet who will take him.  The appointment is in two hours  -  someone had better decide what we are doing.

And then there is the problem with Sam.  She will think she has to go also - after all they are all but joined at the hip.  Sneakiing Coke out without her coming also is a real trick.  Perhaps I should say 'nightmare'.

And then you all wonder why I am nuts.

Stay dry, have a good day and God Bless.

AMD HOW WAS......

YOUR WEEKEND ... JULY 15 2013 ...

I think I need to make some changes.  Regarding scheduling of festivals.  In fact, lots of changes.  I just have to decide - do I want to continue out-of-town shows.  Or not.  If I do the or not I will not be doing shows as all of them are out of town.

This was my week-end.  Left on Thursday, doing a lot of photo-shooting on my way to Cleveland Heights.  It was a good day.  I was scheduled at Cain Park at 7 a.m. Friday morning.  It is a 3-1/2 hour drive.  No way was I loading the van, leaving at 3 a.m. arriving at 7 a.m., unloading, putting up tent, setting up display, and being ready for the festival to open at 3 p.m. going until 8 p.m. that evening. 

For those of you that remember - it was the day after this very same festival that I had my mini-stroke.  Remember lightning is not supposed to hit twice in the same place.  Right.  Says who.

I arrived home about 10 p.m. last night, walked into the family room and spotted water in front of our up-right freezer.  Upon closer inspection the water looked strange.  Upon opening the freezer found the food had been thawing out, probably for most of the weekend, the water was mixed with food  drainage. 

Just what I wanted to come home to.  But not complaining too much.  Could have been a repeat of last year.

I salvaged as much of the frozen food as I could.  Re-arranging the freezers in both refrigerators.  The rest had to wait until today

For some strange reason when I went down this morning to cope with the mess, the freezer had started working again, but there was so much frost and ice inside that the outside was hot to the touch.   First thing was to pull the plug  Then started the clean-up.  Filing garbage bags with discarded food, leaking all over the place.

Also having to wait until all the ice and frost melts.  Going thru towels like there is no tomorrow.   Once I get it cleaned out - major operation - I will plug it back in and see if it starts, or not, if it cools, or not, or if I should just walk off and leave it, or not.

The walking off sounds pretty good right about now.

I have come to the conclusion that next year I AM NOT applying for the Cain Park Arts Festival!!!  I don't want to take the chance on what this particular festival will throw at me third time around.  Better leave well enough alone.

And so HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND????????

BEEN BUSY - BUSY -

AND BUSIER ... JULY 08 2013 ....

Crazy summer.  Crazy year.  I don't know what happened to the first half, but here we are in the second half.

Between rain, rain, and more rain, have been trying to whip the flower beds into shape.  Bossman trains very well. 

Since he got a bigger lawn tractor, I can no longer get on it with my trusty little red cart behind.  So since I can't do that there is no way for me to haul the 'trash' that comes off the flower beds,  (weeds, trimmings from the  shrubs,bushes etc.) and so I just make a nice pile.  In an obvious spot.  One you can't miss.

That way I am pretty sure he will remove this eye-sore.  He does.  He can do it in a snap, just loads the front loader on his big tractor and off goes the trash.  The ONE BIG MISTAKE I have made thru the years is doing what I used to do.  I should have been playing the part of the 'helpless female' all that time.

Guess they are right.  You're never too old to learn.

So I am making progress with the clearing off, and he is removing what has been cleared off.  Guess what I'll be doing when I finish here.  Right.  Clearing off the next section.

Yesterday was a fun evening.  Had friends in for supper, then we sat aroundWell and talked and laughed, and enjoyed.  What a perfect way to close out Sunday.  Now it is back to business.

When I can't be outside am working on pictures for my next festival  - The Cain Park Arts Festival - in Cleveland Heights Ohio.  

I only have the one festival in July, one in August, two in September, three in October and two in November.  That should keep me busy for a while.

Well, the flower beds are calling.  It is becoming over-cast so probably more rain moving in.   At least our corn in the garden WAS knee high the 4th of July.  

Have a good day, stay dry, and God Bless. 

ODDS and ENDS --

or A LITTLE BIT OF NOTHIN' ... JULY 03 2013 ....

Going to share some of my Ireland pics - which have nothing what-so-ever to do with what I am talking about, but then when did I ever do anything that makes sense?

That about sums it up.  Haven't blogged for a few days - haven't had anything to say.  Quite a change isn't it?

Weather still up and down.  Have been able to get some work done in the flower beds.  Next week, hopefully, will dig up my iris bed, give most of them away, I already have a recipient, and re-locate the remainder.

Once that is done, will re-vamp said bed, replace the irises with a rhododendron bush, and another hibiscus.  At least that is the game plan.

In addition getting ready for the Cain Park arts festival in Cleveland Heights beginning July 12th.  Have several new pictures for this festival.

Also planning at least one 1day trip in Pa for Mail Pouch barn pictures with a couple of friends.  Maybe 2 days.  Only time will tell. 

Then the barnstormers picnic the last Saturday in July.   Always a fun day.  And July will come to a close. 

Back to my flower beds - am replacing the two beds containing annuals with perennials.  Getting too darned old to be planting flowers every spring.  Or may am just getting lazy, or lazier, whichever.  I look at it this way.  I have paid my dues for more years than I can count, and now it is time I sit back and reap my benefits, whatever they may be.  And do what I want to do, not what is expected of me.  It is called "being retired".

I use that excuse, and my other good excuse "I am old" to keep from doing things I don't want to do.  Other wise I have lots of get-up-and-go left for what I want to do, not what others want me to do.  Now, that's what I call living!!!

So guess I had better get busy doing some of the 'what I want to do" things.  Have a good day, stay cool, and God Bless.