Snowmom

Glad to hear this good news. I go in for my checkup in a couple weeks. Most of the time I need new glasses, but once in a while I get by for 2 years.

MRS. S. NEWS LETTER SUMMER OF 2015 http://www.virginia-...y-Genealogy.htm I'll add more as I find them. Others feel free to add yours. ******************************** 5. MrsSurvival Chat Archive http://mrssurvival.c...showtopic=49595 Starting to harvest. The radishes turned out pretty good. Lot of different flavors. The big white ones were pretty strong. Supposedly the hotness has to do with the amount of water. I eat jalepenos like candy, but the big white ones were too hot for me to enjoy. They had a residual complex flavor mildly reminiscent of horseradish/wasabi. The red and the red/white tasted like normal salad radish. Some of the plants had a huge stalk, flowers, and the bulb was tiny. Do they use up the energy stores of the root bulb when they flower? We culled lettuce too. The book says to either pull the outer leaves or cut off the whole plant 1" above dirt and it will grow again. Also doing well are the "greens." Mustard greens, and several kinds of Kale. Mustard greens actually have a very interesting flavor but it's very strong. Best I could describe it was a buttery hot and a little bitter mustard. Too strong to add to a salad, IMO. The Kale was large red leaf, and was bitter. So I made a unilateral decision that they ain't goin' in the salad. So I go online and read a bit. It seems that they are closely related to broccoli and cauliflower, and should be cooked. Also says freezing kale makes it sweeter. So I read a bunch of recipes and decided on this amalgamation. heat olive oil. add minced garlic and minced onion when garlic browns, throw in the chopped kale and mustard greens add lemon and pepper (I used lemon-pepper, 'cause I had no lemons) simmer until they soften - about 5 minutes turn off heat, add red wine vinegar, toss and eat warm. Actually turned okay, but it's only been an hour. If I keel over dead in the next few hours - that's why. So what I get from it, is that the "greens" basically taste like **** when raw, but they are nutritious, so sauteing them and mixing with other stuff (potato, sausage, etc) is a good way to eat them without actually having to taste them. Like spinach, except I like spinach raw or wilted. My question is - of all the garden stuff, are there any greens that will make me sick? This is an experiment toward survival gardening, so I am interested in nutritional value over taste. I know that tomato plants are poisonous (nightshade family). I'm reading about the radish leaves as edible as well. http://www.washingto...75b3_story.html Any simple post-apocalypse recipes for greens? ********************************* 8 2 Bits, 4 Bits, 6 Bits a Dollar! http://thatshortgirl...l-tutorial.html Aren't these the cutest things ever? I really need to find some time to get back to sewing. ********************************** 12. Within These Pages: http://www.theverge....10-feature-loss *********************************** 14. Mrs. Survival's Survival and Preparation Manual: http://www.provident...-4070-1,00.html http://standeyo.com/News_Files/menu.food.store.html http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...ge=6#Post121392 http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...ge=6#Post120006 http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...ge=11#Post91453 http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...ge=14#Post79494 http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...ge=22#Post31085 A question often asked is "How long does food stay good" Here are a few links to help answer this question. http://www.waltonfeed.com/grain/life.html http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_fnut/HRAP/STORAGE/cupstor.htm This is how a few people do it: I only have five places where food prep items are located - and I do not spread it out any more than that or it would become impossible to keep track of. Of those locations... there is an order of rotation that ensures I keep a handle on it... pantry is current opened/usage items stocked with things moved in from the first tier storage rooms (there is two). Second tier storage areas have items that will not be used within a year's time (longer term items). Once a year, I rotate items from the second tier storage areas into the first tier storage that are ready to be rotated into use and then I replace with new products in the long term storage area. At the time that I do the rotation... I do a couple of inventory management things: First, I do a physical inventory and put in on my inventory sheets (computer spreadsheet) - this only get's done once a year and gives me a baseline to evaluate what needs ramping up and what is overstocked. Second, I clean the storage areas including the pantry shelves (vacuum up cobwebs, spilled items, and dust - wipe down surfaces) and move the first to be used items forward and put the recently moved in items at the back. While doing this I inspect the items and make sure nothing has developed problems. Finally, I date all new items coming in with the date purchased/stored(i.e. Jan 2008). This get's done once a year. Last year I started doing all my major restocking at the start of the year (prebuying to replace the current year's expected usage to lock in lower prices) and that makes this system work even better... as I just do all the inventory management and restocking all within a months time frame and then am done! It works quite well actually but requires carving out some time for the rotation/cleaning/inventory and saving your cash for the big annual restocking purchases. It's cheaper though and more efficient in my mind. Another one: I have one pantry and everything gets crammed into it except what goes under the bed, behind the couch, on top closet shelves and etc. Once we are a bit more finished with the remodeling though will be another story. I'm hoping to put in shelves that can be loaded from the back and used from the front. That way there is less moving things around other than moving them forward on the shelf. I do not keep a written inventory but do take frequent visual ones to see what needs to be tweaked. I buy certain things yearly also but not all at the same time. When I find a good sale on something we use regularly, like T-paper, I buy enough to last a year or two depending on its storage life. Those are usually non-food items and are stored separately. Because I buy this way it frees up funds to buy the next good sale. Most of my monthly buying is based on the sales ads. Most of my food items are easily inventoried at a glance but only because I've been doing it so many years that all I have to do is calculate approximately what is on a shelf and the time of year to know if I need to stock up further at the next sale. One thing I do is to mark all items with the date of purchase and use the oldest first. Canned goods and such I also mark with the name of the product inside just in case we have a problem and the cans lose their labels. I had that happen once and it's not always nice to have a surprise when preparing a meal LOL. One thing that I do keep very close tabs on is the hidden inventory of food and non-food items to make sure they are rotated. Normally I just take new items as I buy them into the area and remove the older ones for everyday use. Many of those items are for long term storage so they are not switched as often. If "someone" decided they needed my pantry of food more than I did at least there is a chance they would not find the hidden supplies. Here is what can happen if you don't have an inventory of your supplies: I thought I had more flour but I could not find it. So I chalked it up to having been used. That was until last night. I was looking of something in the hall closet and there in a big 21/2 gallon zip lock bag were 2-5lb bags of flour. Not my favorite brand but hey its 10lb of flour! And: Yes...I sometimes have to shift things around and am always pleasantly surprised to find some "lost" item. I thought I had used up all of our soap (but could not remember doing THAT, either) only to remember that I had moved it from its original storage location to a new set of storage drawers that I had simply...forgotten about! And: I keep a little coupon saver type pouch and list my preps and where I have stashed them on index cards. It is a nice system - I carry it with me where ever I go. If I spot a sale I know what to purchase. If I have extra dollars, I know what I could use, yet. It is a good system unless I forget to write down my purchases, however! We ate a lot of sauer kraut last winter because I bought, stored and didn't write down the fact that I had stashed twelve cans of Kraut!! ************************************************ Did you know?? Massachusetts Facts and Trivia Found at: http://www.50states.com/facts/massachusetts.htm#.VYrmLlIXfW4 1. 552 original documents pertaining to the Salem witch trials of 1692 have been preserved and are still stored by the Peabody Essex Museum. 2. Boston built the first subway system in the United States in 1897. 3. Although over 30 communities in the colonies eventually renamed themselves to honor Benjamin Franklin. The Massachusetts Town of Franklin was the first and changed its name in 1778. 4. Norfolk County is the birthplace of four United States presidents: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and George Herbert Walker Bush. 5. In Holyoke, William G. Morgan, created a new game called "Mintonette" in 1895. After a demonstration given at the YMCA in nearby Springfield, the name "Mintonette" was replaced with the now familiar name "Volleyball." 6. There is a house in Rockport built entirely of newspaper. 7. Hingham's Derby Academy founded in 1784 is the oldest co-educational school in the United States. Hingham's First Parish Old Ship Church is the oldest church structure in the United States in continuous use as a place of worship. 8. The Fig Newton was named after Newton, Massachusetts. 9. The visible portion of Plymouth Rock is a lumpy fragment of glacial moraine about the size of a coffee table, with the date 1620 cut into its surface. After being broken, dragged about the town of Plymouth by ox teams used to inspire Revolution-aries, and reverently gouged and scraped by 19th-century souvenir hunters, it is now at rest near the head of Plymouth Harbor. 10. The Basketball Hall Of Fame is located in Springfield. 11. James Michael Curley was the first mayor of Boston to have an automobile. The plate number was "576" - the number of letters in "James Michael Curley." The mayor of Boston's official car still uses the same number on its plate. 12. The American industrial revolution began in Lowell. Lowell was America's first planned industrial city. 13. On October 1, 1998, "Say Hello To Someone From Massachusetts" by Lenny Gomulka, was approved as the official polka of the Commonwealth. 14. 1634: Boston Common became the first public park in America. 15. 1891: The first basketball game was played in Springfield. 16. Massachusetts holds the two largest cites in New England, Boston, the largest, and Worcester. 17. The creation of the Cape Cod National Seashore, which was formerly private town and state owned land, marked the first time the federal government purchased land for a park. 18. Robert Goddard, inventor of the first liquid fueled rocket, was born and lived much of his life in Worcester and launched the first rocket fueled with liquid fuel from the neighboring town of Auburn. 19. Quincy boasts the first Dunkin Donuts on Hancock Street and the first Howard Johnson's on Newport Ave. 20. Glaciers formed the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard during the ice age. 21. The first U.S.Postal zip code in Massachusetts is 01001 at Agawam. 22. Brewster has become the de facto "Wedding Capital of Cape Cod" because of its many small and larger inns that cater to weddings. 23. The birth control pill was invented at Clark University in Worcester. 24. The signs along the Massachusetts Turnpike reading "x miles to Boston" refer to the distance from that point to the gold dome of the state house. 25. Harvard was the first college established in North America. Harvard was founded in 1636. Because of Harvard's size there is no universal mailing address that will work for every office at the University. 26. In 1838 the Boston & West Worcester Railroad was the first railroad to charge commuter fares. 27. The Boston University Bridge on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane. 28. The Mather school was founded in Dorchester in 1639. It is the first public elementary school in America. 29. On top of the commercial building on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain sits a weather vane with a whale on it. The building was once state headquarters of Greenpeace. - "Save the whales" 30. John Adams and John Quincy Adams are buried in the crypt at the United First Parish Church in Quincy. 31. The Children's Museum in Boston displays a giant milk bottle on the museum's wharf. If it were real it would hold 50,000 gallons of milk and 8,620 gallons of cream. 32. Princeton was named after the Reverend Thomas Prince, Pastor of the Old South Church in Boston, and one of the first proprietors of the town. Princeton was incorporated in 1759. 33. Barnstable County is the only Massachusetts county where resident deaths out numbered births between 1990 and 1997. 34. The Pilgrim National Wax Museum in Plymouth is the only wax museum devoted entirely to the Pilgrim's story. 35. In 1908, Miss Caroline O. Emmerton purchased The House of the Seven Gables - built in 1668 - restored it to its present state and, in 1910, opened the site to the touring public. The seven-gabled house inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his famous novel of the same name. 36. The Boston Tea Party reenactment takes place in Boston Harbor every December 16th. 37. Balance Rock in Lanesborough is named in honor of a 25' x 15' x 10 boulder that balances upon a small stone below it. 38. Massachusetts first began issuing drivers licenses and registration plates in June of 1903. 39. The 3rd Monday in April is a legal holiday in Massachusetts called Patriot's Day. 40. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621. 41. William Hill Brown published The Power of Sympathy in Worcester in 1789. An imitation of Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther it is regarded as the first American novel. 42. The fourteen counties in Massachusetts are made up of 43 cities and 308 towns. 43. Charles Goodyear in Woburn first vulcanized rubber in 1839. 44. Elias Howe of Boston invented the first sewing machine in 1845. 45. The first nuclear-powered surface vessel, USS Long Beach CG (N) 9, was launched at Quincy in 1961. 46. The USS Constitution 'Old Ironsides', the oldest fully commissioned vessel in the US Navy is permanently berthed at Charlestown Navy Yard. Since 1897 the ship has been overhauled several times in Dry Dock 1. 47. Revere Beach was the first public beach in the United States and is host to Suffolk Downs horse racing track, Wonderland dog racing track and a 14-screen cinema complex. 48. The official state dessert of Massachusetts is Boston cream pie. 49. Milford is known the world over for its unique pink granite, discovered in the 1870's and quarried for many years to grace the exteriors of museums, government buildings, monuments and railroad stations. 50. Acushnet is the hometown of the Titleist golf ball company. *** I'm adding one more. There are 29 State Parks more information can be found at: http://www.stateparks.com/massachusetts_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html Snowmom ****************** Did you know?? Michigan Facts and Trivia Found at: www.50states.com/facts/michigan.htm#.VYrl-VIXfW4 1. Detroit is known as the car capital of the world. 2. Alpena is the home of the world's largest cement plant. 3. Rogers City boasts the world's largest limestone quarry. 4. Elsie is the home of the world's largest registered Holstein dairy herd. 5. Michigan is first in the United States production of peat and magnesium compounds and second in gypsum and iron ore. 6. Colon is home to the world's largest manufacture of magic supplies. 7. The state Capitol with its majestic dome was built in Lansing in l879. 8. Although Michigan is often called the "Wolverine State" there are no longer any wolverines in Michigan. 9. Michigan ranks first in state boat registrations. 10. The Packard Motor Car Company in Detroit manufactured the first air-conditioned car in 1939. 11. The oldest county (based on date of incorporation) is Wayne in 1815. 12. Sault Ste. Marie was founded by Father Jacques Marquette in 1668. It is the third oldest remaining settlement in the United States. 13. In 1817 the University of Michigan was the first university established by any of the states. Originally named Cathelepistemian and located in Detroit the name was changed in 1821. The university moved to Ann Arbor in 1841. 14. The city of Novi was named from its designation as Stagecoach Stop # 6 or No.VI. 15. Michigan State University has the largest single campus student body of any Michigan university. It is the largest institution of higher learning in the state and one of the largest universities in the country. 16. Michigan State University was founded in 1855 as the nation's first land-grant university and served as the prototype for 69 land-grant institutions later established under the Morrill Act of 1862. It was the first institution of higher learning in the nation to teach scientific agriculture. 17. The largest village in Michigan is Caro. 18. Michigan's state stone, The Petoskey is the official state stone. It is found along the shores of Lake Michigan. 19. The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. Connecting the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, it spans 5 miles over the Straits of Mackinac, which is where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The Mighty Mac took 3 years to complete and was opened to traffic in 1957. 20. Gerald R. Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and became the 38th president of the United States He attended the University of Michigan where he was a football star. He served on a World War II aircraft carrier and afterward represented Michigan in Congress for 24 years. He was also was an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts. 21. The Kellogg Company has made Battle Creek the Cereal Capital of the World. The Kellogg brothers accidentally discovered the process for producing flaked cereal products and sparked the beginning of the dry cereal industry. 22. The painted turtle is Michigan's state reptile. 23. The western shore of Michigan has many sand dunes. The Sleeping Bear Dunes rise 460 feet above Lake Michigan. Living among the dunes is the dwarf lake iris the official state wildflower. 24. Vernors ginger ale was created in Detroit and became the first soda pop made in the United States. In 1862, pharmacist James Vernor was trying to create a new beverage when he was called away to serve our country in the Civil War. When he returned, 4 years later, the drink he had stored in an oak case had acquired a delicious gingery flavor. 25. The Detroit Zoo was the first zoo in America to feature cageless, open-exhibits that allowed the animals more freedom to roam. 26. Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office. The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for 125 years. 27. Indian River is the home of the largest crucifix in the world. It is called the Cross in the Woods. 28. Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. 29. Michigan has more shoreline than any other state except Alaska. 30. The Ambassador Bridge was named by Joseph Bower, the person credited with making the bridge a reality, who thought the name "Detroit-Windsor International Bridge" as too long and lacked emotional appeal. Bower wanted to "symbolize the visible expression of friendship of two peoples with like ideas and ideals." 31. Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles of streams. 32. Michigan has 116 lighthouses and navigational lights. 33. Seul Choix Point Lighthouse in Gulliver has been guiding ships since 1895. The working light also functions as a museum, which houses early 1900s furnishings and maritime artifacts. 34. Forty of the state's 83 counties adjoin at least one of the Great Lakes. Michigan is the only state that touches four of the five Great Lakes. 35. Standing anywhere in the state a person is within 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes. 36. Michigan includes 56,954 square miles of land area; 1,194 square miles of inland waters; and 38,575 square miles of Great Lakes water area. 37. Sault Ste. Marie was established in 1668 making it the oldest town between the Alleghenies and the Rockies. 38. Michigan was the first state to provide in its Constitution for the establishment of public libraries. 39. Michigan was the first state to guarantee every child the right to tax-paid high school education. 40. Four flags have flown over Michigan - French, English, Spanish and United States. 41. Isle Royal Park shelters one of the largest moose herds remaining in the United States. 42. Some of the longest bulk freight carriers in the world operate on the Great Lakes. Ore carriers 1,000 feet long sail Michigan's inland seas. 43. The Upper Michigan Copper Country is the largest commercial deposit of native copper in the world. 44. The 19 chandeliers in the Capitol in Lansing are one of a kind and designed especially for the building by Tiffany's of New York. Weighing between 800-900 pounds apiece they are composed of copper, iron and pewter. 45. The first auto traffic tunnel built between two nations was the mile-long Detroit-Windsor tunnel under the Detroit River. 46. The world's first international submarine railway tunnel was opened between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada in 1891. 47. The nation's first regularly scheduled air passage service began operation between Grand Rapids and Detroit in 1926. 48. In 1879 Detroit telephone customers were first in the nation to be assigned phone numbers to facilitate handling calls. 49. In 1929, the Michigan State Police established the first state police radio system in the world. 50. Grand Rapids is home to the 24-foot Leonardo da Vinci horse, called Il Gavallo, it is the largest equestrian bronze sculpture in the Western Hemisphere. *********** I'm adding one more. There are 79 State Parks in Michigan. More information is at: http://www.stateparks.com/michigan_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html ****************** Did you know?? Minnesota Facts and Trivia Found at: http://www.50states.com/facts/minnesota.htm#.VYrk3VIXfW4 1. Minnesotan baseball commentator Halsey Hal was the first to say 'Holy Cow' during a baseball broadcast. 2. The Mall of America in Bloomington is the size of 78 football fields --- 9.5 million square feet. 3. Minnesota Inventions: Masking and Scotch tape, Wheaties cereal, Bisquick, HMOs, the bundt pan, Aveda beauty products, and Green Giant vegetables 4. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959 allowing oceangoing ships to reach Duluth. 5. Minneapolis is home to the oldest continuously running theater (Old Log Theater) and the largest dinner theater (Chanhassan Dinner Theater) in the country. 6. The original name of the settlement that became St. Paul was Pig's Eye. Named for the French-Canadian whiskey trader, Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant, who had led squatters to the settlement. 7. The world's largest pelican stands at the base of the Mill Pond dam on the Pelican River, right in downtown Pelican Rapids. The 15 1/2 feet tall concrete statue was built in 1957. 8. The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is the largest urban sculpture garden in the country. 9. The Guthrie Theater is the largest regional playhouse in the country. 10. Minneapolis' famed skyway system connecting 52 blocks (nearly five miles) of downtown makes it possible to live, eat, work and shop without going outside. 11. Minneapolis has more golfers per capita than any other city in the country. 12. The climate-controlled Metrodome is the only facility in the country to host a Super Bowl, a World Series and a NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship. 13. Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined. 14. The nation's first Better Business Bureau was founded in Minneapolis in 1912. 15. The first open heart surgery and the first bone marrow transplant in the United States were done at the University of Minnesota. 16. Bloomington and Minneapolis are the two farthest north latitude cities to ever host a World Series game. 17. Madison is the "Lutefisk capital of the United States". 18. Rochester is home of the world famous Mayo Clinic. The clinic is a major teaching and working facility. It is known world wide for its doctor's expertise and the newest methods of treatments. 19. The Bergquist cabin, built in 1870 by John Bergquist, a Swedish immigrant, is the oldest house in Moorhead still on its original site. 20. For many years, the world's largest twine ball has sat in Darwin. It weighs 17,400 pounds, is twelve feet in diameter, and was the creation of Francis A. Johnson. 21. The stapler was invented in Spring Valley. 22. In 1956, Southdale, in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, was the first enclosed climate-controlled suburban Shop50states. 23. Private Milburn Henke of Hutchinson was the first enlisted man to land with the first American Expeditionary Force in Europe in WWII on January 26, 1942. 24. The first practical water skis were invented in 1922 by Ralph W. Samuelson, who steam-bent 2 eight-foot-long pine boards into skies. He took his first ride behind a motorboat on a lake in Lake City. 25. In Olivia a single half-husked cob towers over a roadside gazebo. It is 25 feet tall, made of fiberglass, and has been up since 1973. 26. The first Children's department in a Library is said to be that of the Minneapolis Public Library, which separated children's books from the rest of the collection in Dec. 1889. 27. The first Automatic Pop-up toaster was marketed in June 1926 by McGraw Electric Co. in Minneapolis under the name Toastmaster. The retail price was $13.50. 28. On September 2, 1952, a 5 year old girl was the first patient to under go a heart operation in which the deep freezing technique was employed. Her body temperature, except for her head, was reduced to 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Dr. Floyd Lewis at the Medical School of the University of Minnesota performed the operation. 29. The first Aerial Ferry was put into Operation on April 9, 1905, over the ship canal between Duluth to Minnesota Point. It had room enough to accommodate 6 automobiles. Round trip took 10 min. 30. Rollerblades were the first commercially successful in-line Roller Skates. Minnesota students Scott and Brennan Olson invented them in 1980, when they were looking for a way to practice Hockey during the off-season. Their design was an ice hockey boot with 3 inline wheels instead of a blade. 31. The first Intercollegiate Basketball game was played in Minnesota on February 9,1895. 32. In 1919 a Minneapolis factory turned out the nations first armored cars. 33. Tonka Trucks were developed and are continued to be manufactured in Minnetonka. 34. Hormel Company of Austin marketed the first canned ham in 1926. Hormel introduced Spam in 1937. 35. Introduced in August 1963, The Control Data 6600, designed by Control Data Corp. of Chippewa Falls, was the first Super Computer. It was used by the military to simulate nuclear explosions and break Soviet codes. These computers also were used to model complex phenomena such as hurricanes and galaxies. 36. Candy maker Frank C. Mars of Minnesota introduced the Milky Way candy bar in 1923. Mars marketed the Snickers bar in 1930 and introduced the 5 cent Three Musketeers bar in 1937. The original 3 Musketeers bar contained 3 bars in one wrapper. Each with different flavor nougat. 37. A Jehovah's Witness was the first patient to receive a transfusion of artificial blood in 1979 at the University of Minnesota Hospital. He had refused a transfusion of real blood because of his religious beliefs. 38. Minnesota has one recreational boat per every six people, more than any other state. 39. There are 201 Mud Lakes, 154 Long Lakes, and 123 Rice Lakes commonly named in Minnesota. 40. The Hull-Rust mine in Hibbing became the largest open-pit mine in the world. 41. Minnesota's waters flow outward in three directions: north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. 42. At the confluence of the Big Fork and Rainy Rivers on the Canadian border near International Falls stands the largest Indian burial mound in the upper midwest. It is known as the Grand Mound historic site. 43. Author Laura Ingalls Wilder lived on Plum Creek near Walnut Grove. 44. Akeley is birthplace and home of world's largest Paul Bunyan Statue. The kneeling Paul Bunyan is 20 feet tall. He might be the claimed 33 feet tall, if he were standing. 45. Hibbing is the birthplace of the American bus industry. It sprang from the business acumen of Carl Wickman and Andrew "Bus Andy" Anderson - who opened the first bus line (with one bus) between the towns of Hibbing and Alice in 1914. The bus line grew to become Greyhound Lines, Inc. 46. The first official hit in the Metrodome in Minneapolis was made by Pete Rose playing for the Cincinnati Reds in a preseason game. 47. Polaris Industries of Roseau invented the snowmobile. 48. Twin Cities-based Northwest Airlines was the first major airline to ban smoking on international flights. 49. Alexander Anderson of Red Wing discovered the processes to puff wheat and rice giving us the indispensable rice cakes. 50. In 1898, the Kensington Rune stone was found on the farm of Olaf Ohman, near Alexandria. The Kensington Rune stone carvings allegedly tell of a journey of a band of Vikings in 1362. ******** I'm adding one more. Did you know there are 67 State Parks in Minnesota?? They are listed at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/list_alpha.html More information is at: http://www.stateparks.com/minnesota_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html Itasca State Park is the nearest one to us. Snowmom ************************ Mississippi Facts and Trivia Found at: http://www.50states.com/facts/mississippi.htm#.VYrlBFIXfW4 1. In 1963 the University of Mississippi Medical Center accomplished the world's first human lung transplant and, on January 23, 1964, Dr. James D. Hardy performed the world's first heart transplant surgery. 2. Borden's Condensed Milk was first canned in Liberty. 3. In 1902 while on a hunting expedition in Sharkey County, President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear. This act resulted in the creation of the world-famous teddy bear. 4. The world's largest shrimp is on display at the Old Spanish Fort Museum in Pascagoula. 5. The first bottle of Dr. Tichener's Antiseptic was produced in Liberty. 6. The world's largest cactus plantation is in Edwards. 7. Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, on January 8, 1935. 8. H.T. Merrill from Luka performed the world's first round trip trans-oceanic flight in 1928. 9. In 1884 the concept of selling shoes in boxes in pairs (right foot and left foot) occurred in Vicksburg at Phil Gilbert's Shoe Parlor on Washington Street. 10. The first female rural mail carrier in the United States was Mrs. Mamie Thomas. She delivered mail by buggy to the area southeast of Vicksburg in 1914. 11. Historic Jefferson College, circa 1802, was the first preparatory school established in the Mississippi Territory. Located in Washington the educational institution is also the site where tradition holds Aaron Burr was arraigned for treason in 1807, beneath what became known as Burr Oaks. 12. William Grant Still of Woodville composed the Afro-American Symphony. 13. Burnita Shelton Mathews of Hazelhurst was the first woman federal judge in the United States and served in Washington, the District of Columbia. 14. Dr. Emmette F. Izard of Hazelhurst developed the first fibers of rayon. They became known as the first real synthetics. 15. The first nuclear submarine built in the south was produced in Mississippi. 16. In 1871 Liberty became the first town in the United States to erect a Confederate monument. 17. Mississippi was the first state in the nation to have a planned system of junior colleges. 18. Leontyne Price of Laurel performed with the New York Metropolitan Opera. 19. Mississippi is the birthplace of the Order of the Eastern Star. 20. The rarest of North American cranes lives in Mississippi in the grassy savannas of Jackson County. The Mississippi Sandhill Crane stands about 44 inches tall and has an eight-foot wingspan. 21. Guy Bush of Tupelo was one of the most valuable players with the Chicago Cubs. He was on the 1929 World Series team and Babe Ruth hit his last home run off a ball pitched by Bush. 22. S.B. Sam Vick of Oakland played for the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. He was the only man ever to pinch hit for the baseball great Babe Ruth. 23. Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. in West Point is proclaimed to make the very best snow sled in the United States, which became an American tradition. It is called The Flexible Flyer. 24. Friendship Cemetery in Columbus has been called Where Flowers Healed a Nation. It was April 25, 1866, and the Civil War had been over for a year when the ladies of Columbus decided to decorate both Confederate and Union soldiers' graves with beautiful bouquets and garlands of flowers. As a direct result of this kind gesture, Americans celebrate what has come to be called Memorial Day each year, an annual observance of recognition of war dead. 25. The largest Bible-binding plant in the nation is Norris Bookbinding Company in Greenwood. 26. After the Civil War, famed hat maker John B. Stetson learned and practiced his trade at Dunn's Falls near Meridian. 27. In 1834 Captain Isaac Ross, whose plantation was in Lorman, freed his slaves and arranged for them to be sent to Africa, where they founded the country of Liberia. Recently, representatives of Liberia visited Lorman and placed a stone at the Captain's gravesite in honor of his kindness. 28. The world's largest cottonwood tree plantation is in Issaquena County. 29. David Harrison of Columbus owns the patent on the Soft Toilet Seat. Over 1,000,000 are sold every year. 30. The first football player on a Wheaties box was Walter Payton of Columbia. 31. Greenwood is the home of Cotton Row, which is the second largest cotton exchange in the nation and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 32. The oldest game in America is stickball. The Choctaw Indians of Mississippi played the game. Demonstrations can be seen every July at the Choctaw Indian Fair in Philadelphia. 33. The International Checkers Hall of Fame is in Petal. 34. Natchez was settled by the French in 1716 and is the oldest permanent settlement on the Mississippi River. Natchez once had 500 millionaires, more than any other city except New York City. 35. Natchez now has more than 500 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places. 36. The Natchez Trace Parkway, named an All American Road by the federal government, extends from Natchez to just south of Nashville, Tennessee. The Trace began as an Indian trail more than 8,000 years ago. 37. The Vicksburg National Cemetery is the second largest national cemetery in the country. Arlington National Cemetery is the largest. 38. D'Lo was featured in "Life Magazine" for sending proportionally more men to serve in World War II than any other town of its size. 38 percent of the men who lived in D'Lo served. 39. Mississippi suffered the largest percentage of people who died in the Civil War of any Confederate State. 78,000 Mississippians entered the Confederate military. By the end of the war 59,000 were either dead or wounded. 40. Pine Sol was invented in 1929 by Jackson native Harry A. Cole, Sr. 41. The world's largest pecan nursery is in Lumberton. 42. Greenwood is called the Cotton Capital of the World. 43. Belzoni is called the Catfish Capital of the World. 44. Vardaman is called the Sweet Potato Capital of the World. 45. Greenville is called the Towboat Capital of the World. 46. Root beer was invented in Biloxi in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, Sr. 47. Of Mississippi's 82 counties, Yazoo County is the largest and Alcorn County is the smallest. 48. The Mississippi River is the largest in the United States and is the nation's chief waterway. Its nickname is Old Man River. 49. At Vicksburg, the United States Army Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station is the world's largest hydraulic research laboratory. 50. At Pascagoula the Ingalls Division of Litton Industries uses leading-edge construction techniques to build the United State Navy's most sophisticated ships. At the state's eight research centers programs are under way in acoustics, polymer science, electricity, microelectronics, hydrodynamics, and oceanography. ***** I'm adding one more. There are 22 State Parks in Mississippi You can find more information at: http://www.stateparks.com/mississippi_parks_and_recreation_destinations.html *********************************** I hope you all have a great 4th of July and were careful if you have fireworks. They can be fun, but, they can also be dangerous. There are not many holidays in these next 3 months. Please be careful as school starts in August or September in your area. The small children don't think about the cars, they are thinking about getting to and from home and school. It is up to us adults to watch for the children and the buses. ENJOY YOUR SUMMER NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. ********** I want to say For reading this News Letter. Now to get ready for the county fair, I have a LOT to do. Snowmom

I guess I should have been in here several weeks ago. Yes, there seems to be a lot of Bird Flu around, we had an officer stop in and let us know about it. They have to go around and let people know if there is Bird Flu within 6 miles of them. They did say about how many chickens had been killed because of this, but, I can't remember the number. I think this would have been a good time to have our own chickens. There aren't many hog farms in MN, or at least not in this area. Snowmom

Momo, I'm getting miles in but, I have gained weight again, I just can't seem to lose it. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of June 14 - 20, I walked 34.11 miles and again it was all on my fit bit. I keep thinking that one of these days I am going to get downstairs and riding and/or walking, but things keep getting in the way. Now the County Fair will be in less than a month and I have a lot of things to get done before then. ********* Ok, who will be ???

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of June 7 - 13, I walked 32.17 miles and again it was all on my fit bit. One of these days I am in hopes of getting downstairs and riding and/or walking. ********* Ok, who will be

********** Ann, I hope you are feeling much better by now. Momo, sometimes we just have to rest from losing. It sure seems like I have rested way to long. For some reason I drop 1 or 2 pounds and then I'm up again and it just keeps on like that. I am about 4 pounds less than I was at the first of the year. Like I said, I will drop a pound and then the next day I may be up 2 pounds, then drop another pound or two and it just goes on and on like that. Just can't drop them and keep them off. I gained 20 pounds back after I had that nasty Lymes 2 years ago. Maybe if and when I can get back down and really work out I will be able to drop a few more, at least I hope so. ************ Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile Weights jumping rope ******** You will have to be the judge of these. I'm letting you be the judge of these, as sometimes it takes more energy than other times. ************ For the week of May 17 - 23, I am saying a total of 32.41 miles and again all from the fit bit. For the week of May 24 - 30 36.18 once again it is all fit bit miles but it is miles, it is also without Saturday as we were traveling and I couldn't get my fit bit Saturday night to check them. We were going to a grandson's graduation. For the week of May 31 - June 6, I counted 30.35 and it is all fit bit again, there should be at least another 2 - 3 miles as we did do some walking, but, couldn't count Sunday the 31st. We had gone out of town for a grandson's graduation. One of these days I am in hopes of getting downstairs and riding and walking. ********* Ok, who will be *******************

I'm one of the 'old' people on here and I'm sure glad for my Dr. she is so sweet and kind and looks out for everyone. She is always concerned, she was willing to send me to get x-rays when I went to her about my neck and she listens to everything I have to say. Of course I had seen my Chiropractor first and he wanted me to get this done as well as maybe a CT. I did get both of them. I had to see my regular Dr. in order to get the x-rays and CT done. This Dr. is the one that was really shocked when she found out that I was still on Metformin and also having problems with my kidneys. She took me off right away and started me on another medication that is doing fine. I do have to take a small amount of Lantus at night, this was the dietitians idea though. Looks like you all need to come live around here so you can have my Dr. I do hope you can all find someone who is as nice as my Dr. Go for private practice Dr.s, I think they are looking out for us.

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of May 3 - 16, I am saying a total of 22.35 and 17.04 miles and again all from the fit bit. I really was in hopes to do some miles on the bike, but, I just didn't get any. My neck was real bad for the first part of last week and then appointments. It sure is something how you might have one or two things on the calendar and then it fills up. ********* Ok, who will be **************

and to you. I do hope this is the best Birthday ever. Lets Party now. Have some and Of course we need the too. I hope you have a great day and this goes for everyone who I've missed.

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. We sure aren't doing any shoveling. We have a lot of bare ground in our yard now, so if we don't get some snow, we could have most of our snow gone by the end of the week. We haven't had to be plowed out at all this winter either. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of April 26 - May 2, I am saying a total of 21.23 miles and all from the fit bit. I'm in hopes to do some miles on the bike this week. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of March 22 - April 4, I am saying a total of 31.08 for the first week and 34.35 for the second week making a total of 65.43, this was my last good weeks. As for the miles I did from April 5 - April 26, I guess for not being able to do any riding or not much walking, I really didn't do to bad, the fit bit says I walked a total those 3 week of 53.66 miles. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

I want to say for your thoughts, prayers, hugs and posts. I am much improved but, still have the brace for in the car. I do still have a small amount of pain after I've been up and moving a while, so I'm sure it will go away in time. I still am not on the computer a lot nor am I doing any research yet. I'm not sure when I will be able to do that again. Again all for being here.

I know it has been some time since I have posted and want to catch you up on the reason. I haven't done much at all on the computer as it is hard on my neck. On Easter Monday, when I got up in the morning, I could not turn my head at all without it really hurting. I called my Chiropractor and ended up going over to see him that day. I saw him 3 times that week as well as 3 times last week and on Monday of this week and will see him again on Friday. I saw my medical doctor as well the first week, and I had x-rays taken, I have had a CAT scan, and now on my way to a long recovery. The only reason for my neck locking up on me that we could come up with was, I have been doing a lot of reading old News Papers on micro film and with all the movement of my head, my neck decided I needed to stop doing it. Old pine and I have been doing research for our church as it celebrates 125 years this year and so now I have not been able to help with this. With being gone so much Old Pine hasn't gotten much done either. Also, I have been doing a lot of collating at the church as we are doing books of "John" to send out. We have done other books and such before as well, but right now it is "John". Here is a picture of my new necklace. I am doing much better now and am at the point I don't wear the brace as much. I also have been doing traction these past 3 days now. I won't be doing a lot of posting for a while and if Momo will continue to post miles that would be great. I haven't ridden the bike or walked on the treadmill since before Easter now. The only walking I have done is very low.

MRS. S. NEWS LETTER FOR APRIL, MAY AND JUNE OF 2015 http://www.dailyfina...nk2&pLid=499789 Pests can keep you from enjoying the peacefulness of your backyard. Here are a few more safe and cost-effective ways to keep ants and other bugs away during the warm-weather months. If the mosquitoes are eating you alive, try rubbing a few lemon or orange peels on your skin. The citrus oil and scent act as a natural repellent, and it works great for gnats too. If you don't have any fruit handy, a little vanilla extract or baby oil can also do the trick. Another potent tool to have in your arsenal is lemon-eucalyptus spray. This natural mosquito, flea and tick repellent is government-approved for being just as effective as DEET. On top of that, you can easily make your own spray for around $2 a bottle. Here's the recipe: Simply take a small spray bottle and fill it up halfway with distilled or boiled water. Next, fill up the rest of with some witch hazel from your local pharmacy. Then top it all off with 50 drops of lemon-eucalyptus oil, commonly found at most health food stores. This solution is also safe for your skin just dab a few drops on a cotton ball and apply. For those of you who don't want to deal with sprays and topical treatments, you can help keep the bugs away by using a candle warmer. These cost an average of $10-$15 at most big-box stores, and are really easy to use. Just fill the top dish with a little water, add a few drops of essential oil, plug it in and let the heat naturally disperse the scented oil through the air. Just be sure to use insect-repelling oils like citronella, lavendar and lemon eucalptus for the best effect. Before you spend money on overpriced bug sprays, give these safe and low-cost remedies a try. You'll keep your budget tight and the bugs at bay. Edited to add: I don't know about the price of getting the oils from a health food store. Probably expensive. I get oils from a craft outlet. This one is local enough to me that I can go pick it up without shipping. You might check out your craft places before a health food store. http://www.wholesale...yptus&x=53&y=11 Edited by Jeepers, 12 July 2014 - 04:48 PM. Unfurl your big girl wings and fly **************************************** 6. Preserving the Harvest http://0.static.wix....364.wix_mp_1024 Anyway, I was making a curb for a brick walkway out of cinder blocks. I figured the 8" blocks, minus the 4" bricks, would leave me a 4" curb. Then I discovered that chipping the mortar off the used bricks was a greater cost in labor than in just buying new material. And the best bang for the buck in covering large areas is with 1" native flagstone. An that would leave 7" curbs, which were too high. So I figured, I'd raise the curb another 8" and turn them into planters. Which became 4 large planters (and also gave me a great place to "hide" several tons of crushed cement and rocks, underneath a foot of planting soil/mulch mixed with our crappy clay dirt. I have an unlimited supply of horse poop to mix, but I avoided it and bought sterile potting soil for this test, as I assume the horse poop will have a lot of grass seeds in it. With my luck, the same grass that wouldn't grow where I planted it, will thrive where I don't want it. Anyway, I tested the irrigation yesterday and am ready to bury it and plant. I found an on-line seed store with $0.99 samples, with seed quantities ranging from 20 to 300 depending on variety, and I bought 100 varieties of heirloom/non-GMO seeds to play with. The website http://www.boniva.co...0_S0261_F000302 ******************* There are several medications for osteoporosis and from the sounds of it, they all are with some side effects. When I visited our dentist a short time ago, I was informed that some of these medications, maybe all may/could possibly cause cancer of the Esophagus and or stomach, but, according to what they say, it is worth the risk. ************ http://www.emaxhealt...-esophagus.html Fosamax Now Linked to Cancer of the Esophagus The FDA has reported a link between osteoporosis drugs and cancer of the esophagus. The findings are published January 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Eight fatal cases of cancer of the esophagus occurred out of twenty-three reported incidences, associated with Fosamax. In Europe, and Japan six deaths have occurred, linked to Fosamax, out of thirty-one reported incidences. Twenty-one of those deaths are suspected to be related to Fosamax. Actonel, Boniva and Didronel, alone or in combination were linked to six cases, and in four cases, the osteoporosis drugs were used in combination with other drugs.. ***************** Makes one wonder if it is worth the risk. By the way, about 1 ½ years ago, the Kidney Dr. took me off calcium. I also took myself off the Fosamax 5 or 6 years ago too. I just didn't want to take a chance on my jaw or any of my bones shattering. ************************************* 9. Are You Really Ready http://www.backyardc...navychicks-page ************************************ 11. Pinching Pennies: http://www.creativec...solar-lamp.html ***************************************************************** DID YOU KNOW The following is from: http://www.50states.com/facts/louisiana.htm#.VRQzPo4XfW4 Louisiana Facts and Trivia 1. The world famous "Mardi Gras" is celebrated in New Orleans. Mardi Gras is an ancient custom that originated in southern Europe. It celebrates food and fun just before the 40 days of Lent: a Catholic time of prayer and sacrifice. 2. The Battle of New Orleans, which made Andrew Jackson a national hero, was fought two weeks after the War of 1812 had ended and more than a month before the news of the war's end had reached Louisiana. 3. Louisiana was named in honor of King Louis XIV. 4. Baton Rouge hosted the 1983 Special Olympics International Summer Games at LSU. 5. Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the United States; the building is 450 feet tall with 34 floors. 6. Louisiana is the only state in the union that does not have counties. Its political subdivisions are called parishes. 7. Louisiana is the only state with a large population of Cajuns, descendants of the Acadians who were driven out of Canada in the 1700s because they wouldn't pledge allegiance to the King of England. 8. The Superdome in New Orleans is the worlds largest steel-constructed room unobstructed by posts. Height: 273 feet (82.3 meters), Diameter of Dome: 680 feet (210 meters), Area of Roof: 9.7 acres, Interior Space: 125,000,000 cubic feet, Total floor footage: 269,000 sq. ft. (82,342 sq. meters), Electrical Wiring: 400 miles (640 kilometers) 9. Metairie is home to the longest bridge over water in the world, the Lake Pontchartrain causeway. The causeway connects Metairie with St. Tammany Parish on the North Shore. The causeway is 24 miles long. 10. Louisiana is the only state that still refers to the Napoleonic Code in its state law. 11. Since 1835 the New Orleans & Carrolliton Line is the oldest street railway line still in operation. 12. Saint Martin Parish is home to the world's largest freshwater river basin, the Atchafalaya Basin; the basin provides nearly every type of outdoor recreational activity imaginable. 13. Breaux Bridge is known as the "Crawfish Capital of the World". 14. The first American army to have African American officers was the confederate Louisiana Native Guards. The Corps d'Afrique at Port Hudson was sworn into service on September 27, 1862. 15. In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is considered an aggravated assault. 16. The Saint Charles streetcar line in New Orleans and the San Francisco, California cable cars are the nation's only mobile national monuments 17. Jennings is called the "Garden Spot of Louisiana" for it's rich and productive farmland. Jennings sobriquet {nickname} became a "Northern Town on Southern Soil". 18. Baton Rouge's flag is a field of crimson representing the great Indian nations that once inhabited the area. 19. Money Magazine has rated Terrebonne Parish, in the heart of Cajun Country the best place to live in Louisiana for 3 years in a row. 20. In 1718 The French found New Orleans and marked "Cannes Brulee" on maps upriver in the area known today as the City of Kenner. French for "Burnt Canes", Cannes Brulee was a name given by explorers who observed natives burning cane to drive out wild game. 21. Between April 17,1862 and May 18, 1864 20 major Civil War battles and engagements were fought on Louisiana soil. 22. In 1803 the United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory. 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. The lands acquired stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border. Thirteen states were carved from the Louisiana Territory. The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States. 23. bayou: \BUY-you\ n. a French name for slow-moving "river" 24. Louisiana's first territorial governor, William C.C. Claiborne had great admiration for the awkward bird that inhabited the Gulf Coast region. The pelican, rather than let its young starve, would tear at its own flesh to feed them. The Governor's great respect for the Pelican led him to first use the Pelican symbol on official documents. 25. The Catahoula Leopard Dog, often called the Catahoula Hound, is the official state dog. 26. The City of Sulphur is the 13th largest city in Louisiana and is named for the chemical and mining industry that helped to establish Calcasieu Parish in the late 1800's. 27. The Town of Walker became a municipality under the State's Lawrason Act (136 of 1898) on July 9, 1909 as a village. 28. Saint Joseph's Cemetery, the only known United States cemetery facing north-south is in Rayne. 29. Incorporated in 1813 under the Lawrason Act, Saint Francisville is the second oldest town in Louisiana. 30. The Union Cottonseed Oil Mill of West Monroe was in the planning stages as early as 1883. By 1887, it provided the area with many jobs for the laborers of the area. The Union Oil Mill is the oldest industry in Ouachita Parish. 31. French speaking Acadians in the mid-1700s settled the Lafayette Parish region of south Louisiana. The Acadians were joined by another group of settlers called Creoles, descendants of African, West Indian, and European pioneers. At the time of the migration, Louisiana was under Spanish rule and authorities welcomed the new settlers. 32. The city of Kaplan is referred to as "The Most Cajun place on earth". 33. The town of Jean Lafitte was once a hideaway for pirates. 34. Winnsboro, the "Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana", is one of the most patriotic cities in America. On Memorial Day, July 4th, Veteran's Day, Labor Day, and other special occasions, approximately 350 American flags fly proudly along highway 15. 35. The name "Bogalusa" is derived from the Indian named creek "Bogue Lusa", which flows through the city. 36. Frances Parkinson Keyes, one of America's best selling authors, lived in Crowley for more than ten years. 37. The golden spike, commemorating the completion of the east-west Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railroad, was driven at Bossier City on July 12, 1884, by Julia "Pansy" Rule. It was the first such spike driven by a woman. 38. Jim Bowie, the legendary adventurer and hero of the Battle of the Alamo, lived in Opelousas after moving there from Kentucky. Opelousas is the third oldest city in Louisiana. 39. The City of Ponchatoula is the oldest incorporated city in Tangipahoa Parish. Ponchatoula derives its name from the Choctaw Indian language meaning "hair to hang" because of the abundance of Spanish moss on the trees surrounding the area. 40. Le Musee de la Ville de Kaplan {The Kaplan Museum} is located in the center of downtown Kaplan. Le Musee at appropriate times has exhibits centered on the seasonal festivals. Mardi Gras, Easter, July 4, Bastille Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. 41. Rayne is known as the "The Frog Capital of the World". 42. Notations on the original plats of survey for the area that is now Ville Platte stated that surveyors had to use pirogues and flat boats to properly do their work. 43. Because Covington is in a region referred to as the Ozone Belt, it has long been known for its clean air and water. 44. Gueydan is known as the "Duck Capital of America" in recognition of its abundance of waterfowl. 45. Mamou bills itself as "The Cajun Music Capital of the World." Mamou musicians, in particular the musicians who have perform at Fred's Lounge have been a major force in expanding the audience for Cajun music far beyond Southwest Louisiana. 46. The Harvey Canal Locks near Westwego connect the Mississippi River to the Harvey Canal. Back in the 1800s the locks served as ferries to transport railroad cars from one side of the canal to the other. Workers would then reunite the railroad cars on land. This service may have sparked the name of the town. According to one local folk tale, trainmen would shout "West We Go" as the railroad cars were reconnected and pulled out of the station. 47. Church Point boasts the designation "The Buggy Capital of the World". A festival celebrates this designation annually on the first weekend in June. 48. The Creole House in French Settlement was built of cypress wood. It is typical of the dwellings built in the late 1800's because cypress was so plentiful in the surrounding swamps. 49. Fort Polk was established in 1941 and named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana. On March 12, 1993, Fort Polk officially became the home of the Joint Readiness Training Center. 50. Pineville is home to a one of a kind museum called the Old Town Hall Museum. It is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government. ********************************* Maine Facts and Trivia http://www.50states.com/facts/maine.htm#.VRQ0O44XfW4 1. Eastport is the most eastern city in the United States. The city is considered the first place in the United States to receive the rays of the morning sun. 2. In Wilton there's a cannery that imports and cans only dandelion greens. 3. Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable. 4. Maine is the only state that shares its border with only one other state. 5. Bath is known as the City of Ships. 6. Joshua L. Chamberlain born in Brewer received the only battlefield promotion to General during the Civil War. He was also the last Civil War soldier to die of wounds incurred in the War. 7. The White Mountain National Forest covers nearly 800,000 acres, the forest covers a landscape ranging from hardwood forests to the largest alpine area east of the Rocky Mountains 8. Aroostook County at 6,453 square miles covers an area greater than the combined size of Connecticut and Rhode Island. 9. Approximately 40 millions pounds (nearly 90 percent) of the nation's lobster supply is caught off the coast of Maine. 10. Maine produces 99% of all the blueberries in the country making it the single largest producer of blueberries in the United States. 11. Maine's earliest inhabitants were descendants of Ice Age hunters. 12. Portland was first temporarily selected as the state capital. In 1832 the capital was moved to the centrally located site of Augusta. 13. In 1641 America's first chartered city was York. 14. Acadia National Park is the second most visited national park in the United States. 15. West Quoddy Head is the most easterly point in the United States. 16. Augusta is the most eastern capital city in the United States. 17. Mount Katahdin is the state's highest point at 5,268 feet above sea level. 18. Togus was the first Veteran's Hospital in the United States. The facility was founded in 1866. 19. An unsuccessful attempt at establishing a permanent English settlement in the New World was at the location now known as Popham Beach. Sir George Popham led the expedition in 1607. 20. 90% of the country's toothpick supply is produced in Maine. 21. Portland is the birthplace of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 22. Senator Margaret Chase Smith stood up in the senate and gave the famous Declaration of Conscious speech, speaking out against the McCarthy era. Senator Smith was the first female presidential candidate. 23. Author Steven King is a resident of Bangor. 24. Former President George Bush has a summer home in Kennebunkport. 25. Freeport is the home to the L.L. Bean Company. 26. The skating scene in the movie "The Preacher's Wife" was filmed in Deering Oaks Park in Portland. 27. The chickadee is the official state bird. 28. Maine lies farther northeast than any other state. 29. Maine's nickname as the Pine Tree State comes from the pines that once dotted the state's forests. 30. With a total area of 33,215 square miles the state covers nearly as many square miles as the other five New England states combined. 31. The state flower is the white pine cone and tassel. 32. The coastline boasts so many deep harbors it is thought all the navies in the world could anchor in them. 33. Maine lobsters have won international fame for their flavor and contribution to the culinary world. 34. The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport houses numerous historic buildings and marine memorabilia. 35. Fort Knox erected in 1844 is a state historic site originally built to protect the Penobscot River Valley from British naval attack. The fort was constructed from granite from nearby Mount Waldo. 36. Numerous lighthouses dot the Main coast including Fort Point Lighthouse at Fort Point State Park in Stockton Springs and Grindle Point Lighthouse on Isleboro. 37. The Sailor's Memorial Museum in Isleboro features displays depicting life at sea. 38. Located in Thorndike Village, the Bryant Stove Works and Museum displays an eclectic collection of antique cast iron stoves, parlor heaters, roadsters and touring cars. In addition, the museum features antique layer pianos, pipe organs and music boxes, calliopes, nickelodeons, and hurdy-gurdys. 39. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was considered the most influential poet of his day. The writer was born in Portland, on February 2, 1807. His most popular works include "The Courtship of Miles Standish", "Evangeline" and "Hiawatha". 40. The nation's first sawmill was established near York in 1623. 41. York became the nation's first incorporated city in 1642. 42. The first ship build by English colonists in Americas was launched on the Kennebec River in 1607. 43. The first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought off Machias in 1775. 44. Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state on March 15, 1820. 45. Maine's blueberry crop is the largest in the nation. 46. The honeybee is the official state insect. 47. Maine contains 542,629 acres of state and national parks. 48. Edmund S. Muskie became the first Democratic United States senator ever elected by popular vote in Maine. He was also elected governor for two terms. He was born in Rumford. 49. Eastport is the only United States owned principality that has been under rule by a foreign government. It was held from 1814 to 1818 by British troops under King George following the conclusion of the War of 1812. 50. Maine's government entities are comprised of 16 counties with 22 cities, 435 towns, 33 plantations, 424 unorganized townships and 3 Indian reservations. *************************** Maryland Facts and Trivia http://www.50states.com/facts/maryland.htm#.VRQ03I4XfW4 1. The United States Naval Academy was founded on October 10, 1845 at Annapolis. 2. In 1830 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company built the first railroad station in Baltimore. 3. During revolutionary times Rockville was known as Hungerford's Tavern the name of its most familiar landmark. One of the first calls to freedom from British rule was heard at the tavern in 1774. 4. The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is considered a masterpiece and one of the finest 19th century buildings in the world. The basilica is the first cathedral in the United States. Baltimore represents the first Roman Catholic diocese. 5. Fort Meade near Laurel became a base because a train engineer delivering soldiers to Meade knew only one Meade, the one in Maryland. He was not aware of Fort Meade, Florida. The confusion happened so often a second base was built in Maryland in an attempt to avoid the confusion. 6. King Williams School opened in 1696 it was the first school in the United States. 7. The first dental school in the United States opened at the University of Maryland. 8. Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, was born in Baltimore and attended Saint Mary's Industrial School. 9. Other Major League Ball player besides "The Babe" born in Maryland include Cal Ripken, Jr., Billy Ripken, Lefty Grove, Frank (Home Run) Baker, Harold Baines, Al Kaline, Denny Neagle, and Jimmie Foxx. 10. Tilghman Island is home to the Skipjacks, the only commercial sailing fleet in North America. 11. America's national anthem was written by Francis Scott Key a Maryland lawyer. It is believed Key wrote the anthem on September 14, 1814 while watching the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. 12. Since May 30th, 1949 the United States flag has flown continuously over the monument marking the site of Francis Scott Key's birthplace. The flag flies at Terra Rubra Farm, Carroll County, Keymar, Maryland as mandated by a Joint Resolution of Congress. 13. The National Aquarium is located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. 14. The 1,200 foot Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is the second longest continuous truss bridge in the nation. 15. The 4.03 mile William Preston Lane Memorial (The Bay Bridge), joins the western part of Maryland to the eastern shore and crosses the Chesapeake Bay. 16. Annapolis is known as the sailing capital of the world. 17. Located in the Chesapeake Bay, Smith Island is Maryland's only inhabited off-shore island. 18. The highest point in Maryland is 3,360 feet above sea level on Backbone Mountain in Garrett County. The absolute lowest point in Maryland is a depression, often called Bloody Point Hole, 174 feet below sea level. The area is located approximately 1 mile west-southwest of the southern tip of Kent Island in Queen Anne's County. 19. The Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use. 20. Chincoteague's are famous ponies from Assateague Island. 21. Dredging and tonging are methods for harvesting oysters. 22. On June 24,1784, in Baltimore, 13-year old Edward Warren went airborne in the first successful manned balloon launch in the United States. 23. Maryland forests cover approximately 2.7 million acres, or 43% of the states land surface. Oak and hickory are the dominant hardwood or deciduous forest type, making up 60% of forested areas. Loblolly pine is the most prevalent softwood and is the predominant forest wood on the Eastern Shore. 24. Constructed circa 1850 an acorn-shaped gazebo can be found in Acorn Park in Silver Spring. The park is all that remains of Francis Preston Blair's estate. 25. On September 14, 1975, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton of Emmitsburg was canonized, becoming the first native-born American to be so honored. Saint Elizabeth Ann formed the religious community the Sisters of Charity. 26. The National Institute of Standards and Technology gave Gaithersburg the designation Science Capital of the United States when the Bureau moved to the area in 1961. 27. Samuel F.B. Morse reportedly received the first telegraph message in Bladensburg, in 1844, before his famous "What Hath God Wrought" message between Baltimore and Washington. His telegraph wire had been strung along the railroad right of way. Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University, lived in Bladensburg and is said to have invented the telegraph pole. 28. The town of Garrett Park declared the first nuclear free zone in the United States in 1982, thus affirming a tradition of peacefulness that began back in 1898 when it became illegal to harm any tree or songbird within the town limits. 29. Maryland was first to enact Workmen's compensation laws in 1902. 30. Friendship International Airport - now Baltimore/Washington International Airport - began operations on June 24. 1950. 31. Channel 67 broadcast the state's first public television programs on October 5, 1969. 32. Greenbelt was the first community in the United States built as a planned city. Greenbelt was an experiment in both the physical and social planning. 33. The Concord Point Lighthouse in Havre de Grace is the oldest continuously operated lighthouse in the State of Maryland. 34. Havre de Grace is known as the decoy capitol of the world. 35. The Methodist Church of America was formally organized in 1784 at Perry Hall. 36. Mount Airy is unique because two counties, Carroll and Frederick, divide it. 37. Oxford (founded 1683), gained its prominence in colonial days by being mandated in 1694 by Maryland legislation as the first and only port of entry on the eastern shore. 38. On the morning of August 10, 1813 residents of Saint Michaels having been forewarned of a British attack hoisted lanterns to the masts of ships and in the tops of the trees. The height of light caused cannons to overshoot the town. This first known blackout was effective and only one house was struck and is now known as the "Cannonball House." The town has been known as the town that fooled the British since this historic event. 39. New Market is known as Maryland's antique capital. 40. Swallow Falls State Park near Oakland showcases Muddy Creek Falls. At 63 feet it is the largest waterfall in Maryland. 41. Maryland gave up some of it's land to form Washington D.C. 42. The Maryland Renaissance Festival is held from August and October in Crownsville. 43. Maryland is a prominent producer and processor of seafood and a national leader in the production of blue crabs and soft clams. 44. The Thrasher Carriage Museum in Frostburg houses a collection of early 19th- and 20th-century horse drawn conveyances. Formal closed carriages, milk wagons, open sleighs, funeral wagons, dog carts, and President Roosevelt's inaugural carriage are among the approximately 50 vehicles featured. 45. Sixteen of the 23 Maryland counties border on tidal water. The combined length of tidal shoreline, including islands, is 4,431 miles. 46. The Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge in Savage is made of both cast iron and wrought iron. It is the only open railroad bridge of its type anywhere in the world 47. Clara Barton National Historic Site commemorates the life of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. The house in Glen Echo served as her home and headquarters for the American Red Cross and a warehouse for disaster relief supplies. 48. Maryland has forty-seven operational State parks, including 7 parks with waterfront areas, covering 90,239 acres; 15 State-owned lakes and ponds open to public fishing; 9 State forests and portions of 15 State parks open to public hunting; 36 wildlife management areas, covering 88,348 acres, open to public hunting; 6 natural environment areas containing 7,676 acres. 49. Annapolis was known as the Athens of America during the seventeenth century and once served as the capital of the United States. 50. The Community Bridge mural project in Frederick transformed a plain concrete bridge into the stunning illusion of an old stone bridge. The entire structure was painted by hand by an artist and his assistants, using advanced trompe l'oeil ("deceive the eye") techniques. ******************************************************************* I want to say to all who read the News Letters. Snowmom

We had a little snow Tuesday night, but it shouldn't last to long with the weather we are to get next week. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. We sure aren't doing any shoveling. We have a lot of bare ground in our yard now, so if we don't get some snow, we could have most of our snow gone by the end of the week. We haven't had to be plowed out at all this winter either. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of March 15 -21, I am saying a total of 16 miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit says I have walked a total of 18.69 making a total of 34.69 last week. Not as good as it could be, but, of course it could have been worse too. I've been setting at the computer to long. That and at the library checking the old news papers. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

I am so sorry for being so late with this, we have had appointments, been gone and meetings and we are working on a project for our church. The church will be celebrating 125 year this year. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. We have no snow at all right now. Who knows, we could still get some. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of March 8 - 14, I am saying a total of 19 miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit says I have walked a total of 24.67 making a total of 43.67 last week. J Not as good as it could be, but, of course it could have been worse too. I think change of time had a little to do with it. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

I'm so sorry for your loss.

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. We sure aren't doing any shoveling. We have a lot of bare ground in our yard now, so if we don't get some snow, we could have most of our snow gone by the end of the week. We haven't had to be plowed out at all this winter either. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of March 1 - 8, I am saying a total of 24 miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit says I have walked a total of 25.53 miles this week making a total of miles 49.53 last week. : Not as good as it could be, but, of course it could have been worse too. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

Momo, you are doing so good. Wish I could lose a few pounds. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of February 22 - 28, I am saying a total of 22 miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit said I walked 25.65 miles. This makes a nice total, 47.65 miles, I really need to get walking and riding more. Well, I gained again, not sure about this, think I will have to start making sure I am more careful of what I eat. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

I have really enjoyed these programs. I also like the "Road Show" ones. I just wish they would come closer to us as I still would like to know more about the 'Jones' side of my my family.

sassenach, you take care, as I know it really hurts to fall, and I too take care as I can't afford to get hurt. Glad you are getting your balance back, as that is really rough to get around when you are off balance even a tiny bit. Glad your diet is doing so well. Wish I could get my blood numbers down some. I have good days and then bad days, but, guess we all do that. I just can't seem to drop the pounds I want to either. I go down one day and am up the next day. I just can't seem to win. Momo, from the miles last week to the ones this week, I have a lot to catch up on. Just didn't get so many in this week. I've been so tired this week. Of course, I am a lot older than you two are. Now, if we could really get a lot of people in here posting miles and making the others feel the need to do more, maybe I would do better, I really am not sure. Age is catching up on me and I am not getting the sleep I really need. I should look back a few years and see just how many miles I did. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of February 15 - 21, I am saying a total of 22 ¼ miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit said I walked 23.1 miles. This makes a nice total, 45.26 miles, not as many as last week but, I didn't ride as much this past week. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of February 8 - 14, I am saying a total of 47 ¾ miles on the treadmill and bike and the fit bit said I walked 24.8 miles. This makes a nice total, 72. 55 miles, WOW that is a lot of miles. I am only 1 pound less than when I started using the fit bit in October, I lose and then gain, lose and gain, it is like a yo yo with my weight. Of course, I haven't been doing any diet, I mostly eat what I want to. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

So glad for you who are losing weight. I just can't seem to drop any pounds at all. I was sick a few weeks ago and lost, but, gained them back. ********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. But, who has snow? We sure don't. My nephew usually plows us out at least 6 or so times in the winter and so far we haven't had enough snow to hardly say we had snow. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of February 1 - 7, I am saying a total of 41 1/2 miles, 24 ½ miles on the bike and treadmill, only 17 was on the fitbit. ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

********** Here are some things that count for miles. These are as you can count them, 1 mile will = one mile. Biking, swimming, walking, and such. ********* These will be counted as 1 hour = one mile ********* will be down and up 10 times = one mile ******** These will be counted as 30 minutes = one mile weights, jumping rope. ******** You will have to be the judge of these. We have been counting 1 hour as a mile, but, sometimes it isn't so. Therefore, I'm letting you be the judge of these. ************ For the week of January 25 - 31, I am saying a total of 58 miles this last week, 38 miles on the bike and treadmill, 20 was on the fitbit. Wow, I did a lot more walking than I realized last week, with all that was going on, I'm really surprised. Glad I write it down each day. : ********* Ok, who will be ??? *****

Have some and some Hope today is the best Birthday ever.