Autumn's Meadow

Touching My Heart

2009-11-07T09:24:00.001-05:00

I recently found out about this annual event and I hope it touches your heart as much as it did mine.
Be sure and go to Wreaths Across America to learn more.

The Ham

2009-11-05T14:45:00.005-05:00

Sarah was sitting on the porch; shelling the last of the peas she had picked that morning. The Georgia sun was still low in the sky, but she knew by noon it would be blazing and the dew that had been on the grass that morning would melt away to the heat of summer. She was already hot and she wiped her forehead with her apron as thought about the day ahead of her. With a sigh, She looked out onto the empty dry fields remembering a time when they had been white with cotton. Now with no one to work them they had fallen to ruin. She did manage to keep the little garden going giving herself enough to eat, but times were hard with Floyd away fighting in the war. He left her behind signing up with some of the other men in the area and promising “To be home in a few weeks”. Those weeks had turned into almost a year. Their son Early Barto (Bud) had been learning to sit up when his daddy left. Now he was walking and into everything.

Sarah took the letter she had received almost a month ago out of her pocket and read it again.

“My Darling Sarah,
I hope this letter finds you and little Bud doing well. I am fair. My bowels have been bothering me and I have not been well. I have been in the hospital in Virginia for a while now but I am getting better and will return to my unit soon. They are somewhere south of here. We can hear the cannon fire and if I look out my window I can see the campfires at night. I pray that this war will end soon and I can come home to you and little Bud. Give him a kiss for me and one for yourself.
Your loving husband
Floyd”

Sarah sighed and put the letter away. Walking into the house she took the cornbread that had been baking out of the oven and dropped the peas into the water boiling on the stove. She sewed on her quilt awhile resting and thinking of Floyd and how happy they were together before the war.

Baby Bud who was waking up from his nap interrupted her thoughts and she quickly went to him. After she had changed him and fed him some of the cornbread mashed with the juice from the peas, and a cup of milk she had got from the cow that morning she sat him on the floor to play while she ate her own meal. She sliced a tomato and ate it along with the peas and cornbread. She thought about going out to the smoke house for a ham, but then remembered she only had a few left and it was a long time until fall when the pigs could be slaughtered. She hoped she could find someone to do that for her this year but with so many of the men away that chore might fall upon her.

Sarah finished her meal and almost had the table cleared when she heard the sound of hoof beats and shouting from the road. She quickly grabbed baby Bud and ran into the yard. The rider stopped in the cloud of red dust out of breath shouting. The Yankees are coming, Not more than a mile from here. Hurry Ma’am hide, they will be here soon. With that he road off leaving her standing there. At first Sarah couldn't move, she was so frighten, then she realized she had to hurry. She ran inside with Bud telling him to sit and play, that she would be right back. She prayed he wouldn’t fall onto the stove while she was gone. The wood was still hot from the meal she had just cooked. She didn’t have time to think about that now she had to hurry.

She ran for the smoke house and took her hams down. There were two big ones and she had to carry them one at a time. She ran past the well and down the lane and into the woods. Sarah remembered where a big tree had fallen last fall when the heavy rains had come. It had rotted over the winter and now had a hollowed out place in the stump. She took the first ham hid it there and ran back for the other as fast as her legs would go. She put them both in the tree and looked around for some brush to cover it. She then took the cow and hid it by the river, praying they wouldn't find it. Then she ran back to yard and into the house. Baby Bud was still happily playing on the floor. Just as Sarah scooped him into her arms she heard the sound of horses coming. She looked out her window. There were men all around her house now pulling into a circle under the big oak tree at the end of the yard. Sarah straightened her hair and opened the door.

Ma’am I am General Smith, and these are my men. We have been commandeered by Union Army to take food for our troops. Sarah stood silent afraid to speak and watched as the men killed her pigs and chickens. They brought them into the house and told Sarah that they need to be cooked. The men were hungry. One man pushed her aside dipping his fingers into the pot of peas she had left on the stove and helping himself to the rest of the cornbread. They opened all her jars of food, throwing them to the ground and breaking the glass as they poured the food into a pan. They took every thing she had left from last winter. They took everything from her garden. Knocking down the fence post. Tearing the door off the barn. Sarah was angry, but she was more scared. She had baby Bud to think about. Who would take care of him if anything happened to her? Sarah did what the men told her and she cooked for the men for three days and nights, sleeping little. When the men were finally gone she breathed a sigh of relief and she smiled to herself. At lest the hams were safe and Floyd would be coming home soon. After all the war couldn’t last much longer.

The End.

Floyd and Sarah

This short story is a work of fiction. However

Floyd, Sarah and baby Bud were real people.

Floyd and Sarah were my great great grandparents. Floyd did fight in the Civil war and was in the hospital in Richmond VA for most of the war with diarrhea, The Yankees did come to Floyd and Sarah’s house and Sarah was made to stay up and cook for them for the three days that they camped around an old oak tree in her front yard. She did save her cow by hiding it and her hams by hiding them in an old tree and the men did kill all her pigs and chickens. Early Barto Barker was my great grandfather, he was born in 1861 so he was a baby during this time.

What is not known is the exact time of year that the Yankee troops were camped at Sarah house, nor how long she had to hide her things. . I do not know how many men arrived, but we do know from oral history that they stayed three days. We do not have any letters from Floyd to Sarah so that part I made up. Along with what she thought and what she ate and so on. I have only been given oral history of the event itself so the rest of the story is fiction.

This is my first attempt at writing a short story and I hope you enjoyed it.

Gibberish

2009-11-02T10:35:00.000-05:00

*Update on previous post.*
Thanks for those who responded on the word GTYZBRG

I tired several forms of the word at my DMV website and the S has been taken in all forms. Also a dash between GTYZ-BRG is taken. We can only use 7 letters and I tried many variations of spelling and this is what was left. I just wanted to make sure others knew it was the word GETTYSBURG before I invested in the plate..Let me know
Thanks

what do you think

2009-11-01T23:53:00.003-05:00

If I put GTYZBRG on a license plate would you know what it said or would you think it was gibberish? Send me a reply

Halloween Fun

2009-11-01T00:17:00.001-04:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween. I certainly did. I had intended to write a post in time for the big day, but it snuck up on me and now it has come and gone. I had to work today, but did manage to find time for a little "clowning around"

When I got off work I hurried over to my daughter's house so we could take my grandson out trick or treating. He had a wonderful time with the little boy next door. They are just one day apart in age so they really enjoyed going trick or treating this year

(My grandson is the one in the green hat)

My ex husband came by and gave out candy to the trick or treat kids while my daughter and I took out Cody. When we got home we all joined in the fun of giving away the candy.

Yeah Candy!!

Cody clowning around in my wig

Maybe he will be a famous make up artist some day

So What Do You Think?

2009-10-27T22:58:00.002-04:00

Out of all the blogs I read, I haven't seen anyone mention the H1N1 flu. Are you worried about it? Do you plan on taking the vaccine?
It seems to be the hot topic in our area, and we are currently out of the vaccine. My sister who is a nurse did find a dose for my daughter who is 6 months pregnant, so she took the shot. We were really torn about it, but from all the news reports the flu is very very dangerous for pregnant woman and the majority of them who contact it have a high chance of both the baby and them-self dying. That is a lot more frightening than the shot.
The schools here were lining up kids for the shot last week, but my grandson had a fever from a cold and sinus infection and no one seemed to know if it was safe for him to take the vaccine. At his age he has to have the mist and will need it in two doses. By the time he was feeling better and my daughter had made plans to go get it for him they had ran out. It looks like it may be several weeks yet before our area has it back in.
I don't mind admitting, I'm a bit nervous. I don't want my grandbaby getting sick.

So what is the talk around your town?

Holiday Chit Chat

2009-10-25T23:35:00.001-04:00

Halloween is almost here!!
And I am ready!

Don't waste your money

2009-10-24T15:03:00.000-04:00

I went to see the movie "Paranormal Experience" today, and guess what

IT SUCKED...

Don't waste your money on this film. It was the worst thing I had seen since "The Blair Witch Project". Not only did it not have a real plot, it was down right boring at times and by the time the movie was half was finished I was wishing I had brought along a book to read.

Something Abides

2009-10-24T01:08:00.001-04:00

Gettysburg, 1889: "In great deeds something abides. On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream, and lo! The shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls."

General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Former Colonel of the 20th Maine Infantry

What a day

2009-10-23T23:35:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those days..You know the kind that you are just ready to see come to an end. It started off with my husband calling me as he was driving to work to let me know that his car was blowing smoke from under the hood...Great I thought, just what we need. He managed to make it to work and took a quick look. Water had blown and we think it might be a busted hose. I told him just call and get a tow. We will have to deal with getting it checked out over the weekend.
At the end of the day I called him to let him know I was going to come pick him up from work so as soon as the tow truck gets there we can head out to dinner. I haven't been to the grocery store since before our vacation and cooking tonight was out of the question.
He informed me that he was on the phone with the dispatcher and I thought cool, they will be there by the time I was..WRONG...TWO...Count them TWO hours later the tow truck finally arrived and we were finally on our way to dinner.

We soon arrived at the local Cracker Barrel, found just a few people eating (it was now after 8 pm). Got our order in, got the food in good time, and ate..but that was it..We got the food and ate. The waiter never came back by, not once. I had already run out of tea, and had to take a sip of my husbands water to wash down the corn muffin that went down the wrong way. I coughed several times trying to get the tickle out and he never came over. Finally after both of us had the forks and napkins on the plate and I was reading the book I had brought along the waiter showed up with the check..

Guess what he didn't go home with tonight....Yep you got it..NO TIP
I know I probably should have left him a couple of bucks, but I honestly did not feel like he deserved it. I have got more attention from the kids in a fast food line than we did this guy. Maybe if more people would refuse to tip for bad service those giving it would take notice.
As for the car, it is sitting outside in the parking lot where it will probably have to sit for a couple of weeks. I think I have mentioned before in this blog that we don't have credit cards, so we will have to save up now to get it worked on. After the recent trip that isn't going to be this pay day

Sigh

Walking among the dead

2009-10-18T00:47:00.006-04:00

On Sunday night Dean and I met up with fellow blogger Linda from" Are We There Yet?" and her daughter Amanda and Amanda's friend Darci for a "ghost hunt'.

We had booked it earlier in the week via the Farnsworth House Inn. I had been on a tour with this tour company before and enjoyed it so I was looking forward to the hunt. We had been told we would be using real equipment and taken out and shown how to use it to "Hunt" Ghost. The area we investigated was interesting but the guide we got was young, giggly, and more interested in sitting on a log smoking cigarettes than participating in the tour. I have a review of the tour on my Ghost Hunting Blog so please stop over there to read about the tour. I did take a tour later in the week with a different company and both my husband and I got some photo's of "interest". I have them on that blog. . Even though the Farnsworth House Inn tour could have been better, it was fun meeting the "girls" and putting face with the name.Linda and I are talking about meeting again at Gettysburg in the future. I believe Linda is planning on doing a post about the tour on her blog and she has some photos from that night that you have to check out..SPOOKY...so be sure and go by to visit her.

Sky Watch

2009-10-16T23:09:00.000-04:00

I haven't participated in Sky WatchFriday in awhile, but couldn't pass up the chance to show off these beautiful photos of the sun setting on Oct. 10, in Gettysburg PA.

Treasures Galore

2009-10-16T20:13:00.007-04:00

Sunday afternoon found me with some free time so we decided to go to one of the nearby antiques stores. I had seen this shop on my previous visits, but had not been there. I later found out it is only open on weekends so I was fortunate to find them open.

After looking around a few minutes the owner and I started chatting and the conversation lead to the history of the house and barn. Much to my surprise and embarrassment I found out that I was standing on The JacobWeikert Farm

For more information on the farm and additional photos click HERE

This home was not only used as a Civil War hospital during and after the battle, but is one of the most famous farms in the area.

I hope you will take a few minutes to read about this wonderful farm. It played an important part in the battle and I will also be telling you more about one of the young ladies from town who spend almost a week here during the battle itself in a future post.

For more information on the antique store, and photos of the inside click HERE

As I mentioned I love antiques so I did not leave empty handed. I bought an old blue medicine bottle and I also found this wonderful "treasure"

Of course you know me, so you know I had to ask if there was a ghost story. It was no surprise to me to find out that they had one.
The owner recounted one to me that involved her daughter. It seems that one day she saw an apparition of a soldier in her bedroom. Also the owner told me that on photos that she takes inside the home she always gets orbs. This again was not a surprise since the dinning room table was used for operating on the men. Arms and legs were cut off on the table and thrown outside the dinning room window
This table is now at the visitors center and I did go by to see it before I left town so I could take this photo. Sorry it is poor quality but was taken behind glass.

All in all this was one of the highlights of my week and the owners were very sweet and easy to talk to. I would recommend that if you get a chance to visit Gettysburg you drop by.
They are located on Tanneytown Road.

Walking The Charge

2009-10-15T23:17:00.000-04:00

Day two dawned cold and clear

After a quick breakfast we headed off to the beautiful Sachs Covered Bridge

We hung out there awhile chatting with a couple a few years old than us. They approached us asking if we had seen any ghost. We exchanged a few stories, I gave her the URL to ghost hunting blog and we moved on. We had plans to walk the fields where Pickett's Charge took place

This is where the battle took place on the 3rd of July
While the Union lost about 1,500 killed and wounded, the Confederate casualty rate was over 50%. Pickett's division suffered 2,655 casualties (498 killed, 643 wounded, 833 wounded and captured, and 681 captured, unwounded). Pettigrew's losses are estimated to be about 2,700 (470 killed, 1,893 wounded, 337 captured). Trimble's two brigades lost 885 (155 killed, 650 wounded, and 80 captured). Wilcox's brigade reported losses of 200, Lang's about 400. Thus, total losses during the attack were 6,555, of which at least 1,123 Confederates were killed on the battlefield, 4,019 were wounded, and a good number of the injured were also captured. Confederate prisoner totals are difficult to estimate from their reports; Union reports indicated that 3,750 men were captured.

It is about one mile from the Virginia Monument side to the Pennsylvania side. We had just arrived back when we saw this group of Scouts getting ready to walk across.

We watched them awhile then headed off to do other things

Watching The Sun Go Down

2009-10-15T21:51:00.002-04:00

We arrived in Gettysburg early in the day on Saturday and when we arrived at our campground our cabin was not ready for us. This was a bit inconvenient since we had plans to go to the Apple Harvest Festival and no pets were allowed but we made the best of it by taking about an hour and driving out to the battlefield.Since we camp near the Pennsylvania Monument this was our first stop.

We had never climbed to the top, so we left Lucy (the dog) in the car and started up. It was a lot of stairs but worth it when we saw these beautiful views from the top.

After walking around awhile we headed back and soon settled in at the cabin.

We finally arrived the festival where we found lots to see.

Of course what would an apple festival be without APPLES!

And APPLE TREES

We opted not to buy our apples this day but did get some before we came home from the Round Barn

The prices were very reasonable and we got a half of a bushel for just $11.00.

(This photo was taken after we got home)

We arrived back in Gettysburg before dark and was able to get photos of this beautiful sunset

(See yeserday's post for an additional photo of the sunset)

We were tired but happy as the first day came to an end

Baby It's Cold Outside

2009-10-15T01:49:00.002-04:00

We arrived home safe and sound after spending five COLD days in Gettysburg PA. I don't think the temperature at night got out of the 40's and after being use to 70 degree weather I almost froze. I will be telling you a bit more about my trip in my next post and posting some photos. If it looks like I am wearing the same shirt in all the pictures it is because I was. I only took one sweatshirt with me and wore it the entire time. Don't worry I did have on a clean shirt underneath. Thankfully we did take a nice warm comforter for the bed, and we rented a small space heater for the cabin, so we did sleep warmly. While there we did get a chance to meet up with blogger buddy Linda and her daughter Amanda and Amanda's friend Darcy for a ghost walk. While I did enjoy meeting them, the walk itself was something less than I expected. All in all though the trip was wonderful and as usual I hated to come home.
I will tease you just a bit by posting my favorite photo from the trip...This was sunset on Saturday night.
Keep in mind that this is the raw photo and no color enhancements or any type of adjustments have been made. What you see here is exactly like my eyes saw the sun going down.

Apples, Battlefields and Ghost OH MY!

2009-10-08T19:40:00.002-04:00

I took half a day off today so that I could finish getting ready for my upcoming trip this weekend. I think I have almost everything packed and ready for the car. I've been undecided as to what to take to wear while I am in Gettysburg. The weather is going to be cooler than I am use to, but I don't want to dress to warm and be uncomfortable the entire time. I finally settled on both jeans and Capri pants, and added both long sleeve, three quarter sleeves and short sleeves along with a sweat shirt and light weight jacket. I know I have to much packed, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I still have a few little things to gather up but for the most part I am finished. We won't talk about my husband but I will tell you that he doesn't have the first thing packed and has to do his laundry yet. It's ok though he has off tomorrow. I on the other hand am working 11-8, which is one reason why I was off this afternoon. I don't want to be running around here at the last minute trying to finish up.
I have to tell you that I am excited, and if you have ever read this blog more than once you know by now that Gettysburg is probably my favorite place on earth. I love not only the history but the town itself. As I mentioned in my previous post we plan on going to the Apple Harvest Festival on Saturday. Since this also is my birthday we may find a nice out of the way place for dinner. Some time on Sunday I plan on walking the field at Picketts Charge, where the last fight of this battle took place. I tried walking all the way across on my first trip and was over come with emotion and had to turn around. I am determined this time I will make the one mile walk. (My header photo was taken in this field). If all turns out as planned we are going to try and hook up with a blogger friend of mine from Are We There Yet? for a ghost walk on Sunday night. She has a couple of things going on during the day, but if she makes it in town in time we will hook up. If not we hope to still meet the next day. I think it would be fun to put a face with the words so I hope things work out to meet her.
Anyway this is my last post for awhile but don't worry. I will be back late next week full of stories and photo's so be sure and come back by. In the mean time I am leaving you with a bit of Triva on Gettysburg. Enjoy your week everyone.

Facts about Gettysburg Monuments

1. Which state has the most monuments on the battlefield?

New York, New York has a total of 128 and Pennsylvania is a close second with 123.

2. How many Equestrian Memorials are there dedicated to generals on the battlefield?

Seven. There are memorials to Generals Sedwick, Hancock, Howard, Slocum, Reynolds, Meade and Longstreet.

3. True or False, Gettysburg has more mounuments than any other battlefield.

True At last count there were 1,340 monuments. The reason for this is quite simple. In the days following the battle, those immediately touched by the death of fallen loved ones and the nation needed a way to express thier grief. Nothing as devastating had happened to the young nation and monuments were a way of showing honor. Also, the battle took place in the midst of the Victorian Age, a time when death was a morbid fascination.

4. What was the cost of the Virginia State Monument?

50,000. The Virginia State monument was dedicated on June 8, 1917 and unveiled by Miss Virgina Carter, a niece of General Lee.

5. In what year was the first Confederate monument placed on the battlefield?
1917. The first Confederate monument was from the state of Virginia. With the completion of the Tennessee State Memorial in 1982 each southern state was at last represented.

6. Which state has the names of all the soldiers who participated in the battle contained on bronze markers around the base of the monument?

Pennsylvania The height of the Pennsylvania monument is 110 feet. The base of the monument is 80 feet square and has a height of 9 feet. Around the base, and on the inner walls of the arches, are placed bronze tablets on which are recorded the names of 34,530 officers and enlisted men of Pennsylvania who participated in the battle. The monument cost $150,000 and was dedicated September 27, 1910."

7. Which state monument has the inscription "Your names are inscribed on fame's immortal scroll"?

Alabama Dedicated in 1933, the monument stands near the spot where Law's Alabama Brigade began its attack on Little Round Top on July 2, 1863.

8. Which state monument was added in 1929 to pay tribute to the 41 units that participated in the great campaign into Pennyslvania?

North Carolina The North Carolina state monument was designed by famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum.

9. On what anniversary of the battle was the Eternal Light Peace Memorial dedicated?

75th. The Eternal Light Peace Memorial was dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on July 3, 1938. This was the last Joint Reunion of the blue and gray; this memorial was an enduring reminder of "Peace Eternal in a Nation United". A sodum vapor lamp, which replaced the original natural gas flame, burns 24 hours a day as a sign of the commitment by the two sections to coexist as one nation.

10. The 11th Pennsylvania volunteers monument has a bronze likeness of what?
: A dog The name of the dog was Sallie. On the field during and after the battle of Gettysburg, the dog stayed with the regiment's dead and wounded. After Lee's army retreated from Gettysburg on July 4th, members of the 12th Massachusetts found her still alive. The dog was weak from lack of food and water. Sallie was unfortunately shot and killed during the fighting on Feb. 6, 1865 at Hatcher's Run VA.

11. The Virginia State Monument has a statue of General Robert E. Lee astride his favorite horse Traveller at the top. What did the sculptor use as a model for the horse?

Sculptor Frederick Sievers travelled to Washington and Lee University in Virginia to study the skeleton of Traveller on display there. A live horse, matching the shape and size of Traveller was then used as the actual model

More interesting tidbits about the battle

Several companies of black emergency volunteer militiamen were raised in Pennsylvania during the Confederate invasion. One of these saw action, when it was put into the lines with the 27th Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia at Wrightsville, on 27 June. The company, about 100 men organized at Columbia, suffered one man killed before Union forces were withdrawn across the Susquehanna, whereupon the Columbia bridge was burned.

Russel C. Mitchell, who fought at the Devil's Den and the foot of Little Round Top on 2 July as first sergeant of Company I, 1st Texas Infantry, a part of Robertson's brigade of Hood's division, was the grandfather of Margaret Mitchell, who wrote Gone With the Wind.

The dubious honor of being the first Union soldier to die in the Battle of Gettysburg apparently belongs to Cpl. Cyrus W. James, CompanyG, 9thNewYorkCavalry, while the equally dubious honor of being the first Confederate soldier to fall probably beongs to Pvt. Henry Raison of the 7th Tennessee Infantry.

When his brigade surrendered on 1 July, Brig. Gen. James J. Archer --the first of Lee's generals ever captured-- was brought to see Maj. Gen. Abner Doubleday, who had been Archer's classmate at West Point. The latter greeted him in a friendly manner, saying, "Good morning, Archer. How are you? I'm glad to see you," to which the unchastened Rebel replied, "Well, I am not glad to see you by a damned sight!"

As Confederate Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell stood observing the attack of his II Corps on the afternoon of 1 July, he was struck in the leg by a musket ball and knocked down. His aides rushed to his side, fearing the worst. But the general just picked himself up, saying "I'm not hurt." Then he smiled, adding, "But suppose that ball had struck you? We would have had the trouble of carrying you off the field, sir. You see how much better fixed for a fight I am than you are. It don't hurt a bit to be shot in a wooden leg."

On 3 July Lt. Col. Johnathan Lockwood, commanding the 7th West Virginia captured his own nephew, who had been wounded leading part of the 7th Virginia at the climax of the Confederate assault on Cemetery Ridge.

During the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg an estimated 566 tons of ammunition were expended, amounting to about 24 pounds for each casualty on both sides.

On the 4th of July, as the two armies lay glaring at each other across the bloody fields between Cemetery Ridge and Seminary Ridge, Robert E. Lee's pet hen caused a minor command flap. It seems that the bird, who rode in Lee's headquarters wagon and was wont to lay an egg under his cot every morning, thereby providing his breakfast, managed to get lost. Perhaps fearful that his little pet had ended up in someone's cook pot, Lee ordered a search. After a short time, the bird was found and returned to her proper place and Lee got back to contemplating his next move.

As the Confederate troops were falling back from "Pickett's Charge" at Gettysburg, British observer Lt. Col. James Fremantle said "I wouldn't have missed this for anything," to which Lt. Gen. James Longstreet replied "The devil you wouldn't! I would like to have missed it very much . . . !"

Union cavalryman Elon Farnsworth's promotion to brigadier general came so unexpectedly that he had to borrow a suitable uniform from Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasanton, which he was wearing when killed at Gettysburg four days later on 3 July 1863.

While enduring the Confederate bombardment atop Cemetery Ridge on the third day of Gettysburg, Union Brig. Gen. John Gibbon may perhaps have received some satisfaction from knowing that the enemy was using his The Artillerist's Manual as their basic handbook.

During the Gettysburg Campaign Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, reasoned that a good deal of money could be saved if the army did not supply uniforms to the many miliatiamen and volunteers who turned out to help stem Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania, since the emergency was certain to be over before their own clothing wore out: Lincoln demurred, however, and the men got their uniforms anyway.

As a result of an argument over who's battery had precedence on the line of march, Capt. Pichegru Woolfolk, Jr., of Virginia's Ashlad Battery, was challenged to a duel with rifles at 15 paces by Capt. George W. Moody, of Louisiana's Madison Light Artillery; Alas for honor, the expected encounter never took place, for the Battle of Gettysburg interfered in the arrangements. Although both survived, the battle neither ever met the other again.

When Lee conferred with Ewell and Early on the morning of 2 July, they did so in the Adams County Prison on High Street in Gettysburg, which is now a library.

When Confederate artillery bombarded Wrightsville on 27 June, the only two structures seriously damaged were the offices of the "Sons of Temperance" and those of the "Native American Party" [i.e.,the "Know Nothings"], a matter which some took as a sign from heaven.

Apple Pies

2009-10-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

With my trip to Gettysburg coming up in just a few days my thoughts have turned to apples. Yes apples, I know I am a civil war buff, and a ghost hunting enthusiast, but today I am thinking with my stomach.
The National Apple Harvest Festival is taking place this weekend and we plan on being there.
Of course with a harvest festival for apples, guess what I plan on buying. Yep. Apples.
So that brings me to the thoughts of what I will do with them. When I was growing up I can remember going to my grandmother's house for family reunions. We always had fried apple pies. Hers where made from dried apples, but I am sure I can find a way to convert the dried mixture into fresh apples.
When I get home from the trip I will try and find some other recipes to share with you, but today I leave you with this one. It is my grandmother's recipe and is probably close to 100 years old.

Grandma's Fired Apple Pies

1 pkg. dried fruit
pasty dough
1/2 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 c. Water
Oil for frying

Cook the dried fruit in the water until tender,making sure they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the sugar to taste and mash with with a potato masher. Have teh pastry dough ready. I use Bisquick, its simple and tender. Roll the dough out very thin into a circle about the size of a coffee cup saucer. Spoon about 2 T. of the fruit filling onto the center of the pastry and fold in half. Crimp the edges with your fingers to seal in the filling. Heat a large skillet and add about 1/4 inch of oil. When the oil is hot, fry the pies one at a time, until golden brown on one side then turn the pies over and fry until golden brown on the other side.
Delicious hot or cold.
Makes 6-8 large pies.

Please note. I ~~stole~~ borrowed this photo from the Internet and in no way take credit for it.

More on the grand kids

2009-10-03T11:51:00.000-04:00

My grandson called me this morning to inform me that he has TWO days off from school. (He is in pre-K)
(I on the other hand have to work). I found it a bit sad that at the tender age of four he is already leading such a busy life that he is understanding the importance of having a weekend off. When did kids stop being kids and go to being so big? I swear they come out of the womb grown up now. When mine were young I was fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom. They didn't go to school until kindergarten. No wait I lied, They both did go to play school for three hours from 9-12 each day. When they were four. Cody goes from 8:30 until 4:20 counting bus time When mine were little, I kept them little, we played house and cars and trucks and dolls and all the innocent things that kids use to play. Now with almost all mom's working kids don't get the luxury of being kids. Even the schools push them hard. Already in pre-k Cody is learning to use a computer to do his work. Of course he has know how to use a mouse since he was big enough to sit in my lap and he does already play computer games and loves the old netindo his mom has. (He is smarter than me) I know his mind is expanding. He is smart, he is happy,and healthy and will embrace much more in his life than his mom did or I did. Still he is four? What happened to my baby?
Sigh

Out of the mouth of babes

2009-09-30T11:00:00.002-04:00

I have to share with you something funny that my grandson said.

As you all know my daughter is expecting another boy. Everyone in the family was hoping for a girl (we all are excited that its a boy now that it is settling in). Anyway even my grandson wanted a baby sister, so when his mom and I told him it was a brother it took him a few minutes to be ok with it.
To help him along in his line of thinking I told him that a baby brother would be fun because when the baby got bigger we could all go to Gettysburg together (My grandson loves this place almost as much as I do).
I went on to tell him how much fun it would be to run and play in the fields and that he could show him all the big cannons and tell him about the soldiers.
He thought about this a minute and then said to me

"ok, but my brother will be little so he can't sleep on the top bunk (we had bunk beds when we took him up there last spring).
So I (meaning himself) can sleep on the top with mommy and my brother can sleep on the bottom with you(meaning me)."

Ok I told him that is fine, the baby can sleep with me on he bottom..

"ok momo (he says) but you have to hold my baby really really tight, because there might be a ghost outside the window"

DON'T YOU LOVE IT!! Can you tell who's grand-kid he is *big smile*

It Starts Tomorrow

2009-09-30T10:37:00.000-04:00

Starting Tomorrow Mrs. B is doing her 31 days of Halloween. Be sure and stop in for a visit.

Still In Love

2009-09-29T02:58:00.002-04:00

On Oct. 9th, my husband Dean and I will celebrate 11 years from the day we first met. Or I should say met in person. We actually had "met" a little over a year or so before that, just briefly in a chat room on the Internet. I was going through a lot at the time, and was chatting with a lot of different people. He was just a name on the chat list. Months went by, my ex and I were fighting more and more. We made one final attempt to save that marriage by moving from Knoxville TN. back home to Virginia. Some time passed and one day while on the computer I once again noticed a familiar nickname. I honestly don't remember who messaged who first, but what I do remember is how he was always there for me. Listening at first to me whine and complain about how unhappy I was. He tired to encourage me to make a go of my quickly failing marriage. Trying to keep me smiling, sending me jokes, being there when I needed a friend. As time went on the marriage to the ex reached the point of no return and along that way my heart had started to beat for Dean and Dean alone. I did one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I sat my husband and kids down and told them that I planned on going to met a stranger off the computer.
No one was happy, Dean and I were both scared. Should we take the chance?
What would happen if it didn't work. A million questions raced through my head. My heart somehow won and I bought tickets to fly out to Salt Lake City. I flew straight into the arms of a wonderful loving man, with a big smile on his face and a dozen red roses in his hand. The next day was my birthday, and we shared a wonderful weekend getting to know each other.
All to soon I had to fly home. The next week I was living in a motel where I remained for six weeks until I once again flew out to Dean. This time he had everything he owned packed and we traveled together back here to Virginia. We moved in together in Dec. 1998 and I have tried not to look back. I wont sugar coat it and say that it has always been easy, because it hasn't. I have learned over the years that I should have done things different. Let more time pass before I jumped from one relationship to another. But Dean and my love has never wavered. It has remained strong and true.
So this year on my birthday, I will once again spend time with him. We will travel not to Utah or to VA. but to Gettysburg PA. We have a cabin booked, just the two of us..
*Wink*

25 Random Things

2009-09-27T00:07:00.000-04:00

This has been floating around the Internet for awhile, and I am sure I have posted something similar, but these types of things are always fun to do and someone learns something new about me. Let me know if you do this list so I can stop in.

25 Random Things

1. I have a very bad habit of leaving cabinet doors open.

2. I have always wanted to be a lawyer, or a social worker

3. I am a sales clerk and have worked retail on and off since I was 16.

4. I have a collection of old moonshine jugs

5. I believe in ghost and have been know to frequent haunted places

6. I like the mountains better than the beach

7. My favorite vacation was to Gettysburg PA.

8. I once had a job as a delivery driver for an auto company delivering parts.

9. I once spent the night in a cave with a group of teenagers and 100 boy scouts

10. I met my husband in a chat room on the Internet

11. After meeting him in person and spending 36 hours together we moved in together 6 weeks later. That was 11 years ago

12. I have two children, four step-children and two grandkids one more on the way and a step grand child on the way.

13. I have 23 first cousins on my mother’s side and 2 on my dad’s side.

14. I have been researching my family history for about 40 years

15. Chinese is my favorite food

16. Popcorn is my favorite snack

17. I drink Diet Dr. Pepper

18. I have lived in five states. Georgia, California, Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia

19. I am the oldest of three kids, I have a brother and a sister

20. I secretly want to live on a farm

21. I like Halloween better than Christmas

22. I have two cats and a dog

23. The dog thinks she can read and insist on sitting on my lap when I am at the computer

24. I never make my bed, I think it is a waste of time

25. I found this survey to be harder than I thought

Pumpkin Picking

2009-09-26T11:38:00.008-04:00

Rebecca and I took Cody in search of the perfect pumpkin today. We both came home with two each and some small ones for decorating. Look out Halloween, here we come!

Snips and Snails

2009-09-25T08:37:00.000-04:00

Do you think it would be really really wrong of me to put a pink dress on my new grandson when he is born? (can you tell I want a girl)
Sigh!

On the serious side, I do have to admit I am disappointed. I know when all is said and done and Noah gets here it really won't matter. I am going to love and spoil this child, and think of him as my own, but I would have really loved to have a little girl to dress up and play with. I feel like I have always been cheated out of the chance to be a girly girl. My granddaughter is so far away. Girls just have more to choose from when it comes to clothes and accessories than a boy does.
Also Rebecca had her heart set on a girl this time. It really hurt me to see the look on her face when they told us it was a boy. She had not planned this baby, and really did not want it. She has had one emotional up and down after another in the last 4 1/2 months, and had really just started to accept the idea of a baby and started to get a bit excited at the thought it might be a girl and then boom. The air was just let out of her balloon. I tired to cheer her up and took her shopping, but the both of us were walked around going..DUH...
She has three big totes of baby clothes left over from Cody so she really doesn't need a thing. Let's face it, a blue sleeper is still just a blue sleeper. We left the store empty handed. Sigh.

Oh well at lest she won't have to spend much money, and the boys can share a room. That part will be good for my husband and I since I will probably never live in anything bigger than a two bedroom apt. I can fix up the extra room in a boys theme for them, where as if I had a girl I would have had to paint and decorate with a neutral color and curtains. Also I like the way Cody and Noah sound together, it slips off the tongue easy..
But maybe I can dress them both up as a princess, just once..At Halloween..Ok..Just once!