tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55565100957722828692024-02-02T04:39:58.184-06:00Wouldn't You Know ItMysteries And Beauty Large And Small All Around Ustimle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-86976425047484411032008-04-08T17:01:00.012-05:002008-04-08T18:13:16.234-05:00Brown-Headed NuthatchThis image of a Brown-Headed Nuthatch <span style="font-style: italic;">(Sitta pusilla)</span> was captured at a feeder in May of 2006 near Russellville, Arkansas. The group of 4 of them included my first sighting of this bird and they were much smaller than I had anticipated<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjAabW5ogaHZuQdsRVA-4gIr8t_uQQSKQekmQjhcCr0fVMrLzq3-Jxx2pFtRqtQejtGdQt7ht5ZzD8TaoxtXD5pCFZ_nM8G7SWWeeUSXmpULYZdV57e_XHb0z4MBhEkBirDofRTORnNQ/s1600-h/bhnuthatch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjAabW5ogaHZuQdsRVA-4gIr8t_uQQSKQekmQjhcCr0fVMrLzq3-Jxx2pFtRqtQejtGdQt7ht5ZzD8TaoxtXD5pCFZ_nM8G7SWWeeUSXmpULYZdV57e_XHb0z4MBhEkBirDofRTORnNQ/s320/bhnuthatch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187010334850192450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The National Geographic Complete Birds of North America indicate that the year round range map of this bird just reaches this area from the south.<br /><br />As far as identification the sexes are identical, it is a small bird and maybe 4 inches in wingspan. It is known for using tools for foraging and commonly visits birdfeeders and is fairly common.<br /><br />The Brown-Headed Nuthatch has a brown crown and given the right angle of view has a white stripe on its nape.<br /><br />It is a tiny bird and easily distinguished from the other nuthatches and sparrow.<br /><br />According to the National Geographic the population declining throughout its range.<br /><br />It is a charming and beautiful bird to add to your life list and observe at the feeder.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-4507251985802826462008-04-06T16:33:00.009-05:002008-04-08T08:57:23.820-05:00Glendive, Montana<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BBWcOFg4sAhMOQthqSxTzt0YQZ_fOSqL0P4JtbOu6TV57IbX4Uc_vsSyiJCuJLDHXtYXPJEkKebtYUtyaxgGPSUcmQ7QsLxSdGsr9EwFKips79g57vjzBoT-XYSxIHuT7qoWdizvsxc/s1600-h/msp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BBWcOFg4sAhMOQthqSxTzt0YQZ_fOSqL0P4JtbOu6TV57IbX4Uc_vsSyiJCuJLDHXtYXPJEkKebtYUtyaxgGPSUcmQ7QsLxSdGsr9EwFKips79g57vjzBoT-XYSxIHuT7qoWdizvsxc/s320/msp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186250868668142610" border="0" /></a><br />This was an area I had no idea about before I got there but then again everywhere has something.<br /><br />Makoshika State Park in eastern Montana was one of those serendipitous places that one doesn't know about until one gets there.<br /><br />It reminded me somewhat of my early childhood growing up in Rangely, CO with the look of the primitive terrain and fossils around for the gathering, with the exception of the fossils.<br /><br />It also reminded me of the badlands in the dakotas. Makoshika meaning badlands in the Lakota language is certainly appropriate. In our comfortable world of vacationing today it seems to be more beautiful than bad as we do not have to base our survival on the land.<br /><br />It is a state park and when my visit occurred it was not crowded at all. One had their choice of just about any picnic spot or campground just for the taking.<br /><br />If you do not know about this park and love the look and feel of a primitive park, this is the place. There are several shops in town that offer rock and fossil specimens - and an excellent museum just north of the town.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftPmPHmyJ4GV-763WtFMTUaK2B7RH_Dsz1A8z0FQnKAgG673yEAK2dqA1BsiVFrKWa-VXfLsjQ5kNySsUXi_zhCopEPk81cZ6HL6_wWc2QQMGXBSICI_pfMMk-c9XrHL_iNmXPF0WvjY/s1600-h/msp2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftPmPHmyJ4GV-763WtFMTUaK2B7RH_Dsz1A8z0FQnKAgG673yEAK2dqA1BsiVFrKWa-VXfLsjQ5kNySsUXi_zhCopEPk81cZ6HL6_wWc2QQMGXBSICI_pfMMk-c9XrHL_iNmXPF0WvjY/s320/msp2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5186252144273429538" border="0" /></a><br />The Grand Canyon? The Badlands?<br /><br />No - it is <a href="http://www.makoshika.org/">Makoshika State Park</a> in Montana.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-42798154548264472272008-03-25T15:22:00.014-05:002008-03-25T16:11:28.105-05:00Santa Rosa, New Mexico<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb8QL4q2Eqfd0THq48tHVzy3TdJL5M6SoFyvF749YPETk8dwtT96z0U_hf7Z5rYh2-QzFBDqF4lkhlS3mnHJgLeT9E0BrQ5zDcF1IZ7VpG1S5fuktb11LjuIXiSlB5_cE2pTl5pUnxyg/s1600-h/NewMexicoRoute66Shield.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb8QL4q2Eqfd0THq48tHVzy3TdJL5M6SoFyvF749YPETk8dwtT96z0U_hf7Z5rYh2-QzFBDqF4lkhlS3mnHJgLeT9E0BrQ5zDcF1IZ7VpG1S5fuktb11LjuIXiSlB5_cE2pTl5pUnxyg/s320/NewMexicoRoute66Shield.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181783402600633058" border="0" /></a><br />Traveling and staying in Santa Rosa, New Mexico several times was a real pleasure. This trip and the following images were taken in October of 2004. Traveling on the historical Route 66 road is fun in of itself, and that combined with the New Mexico landscape, restaurants and climate is very hard to <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FiE2hxhVm5jdiQLJU9G4vc0y4T1cSvnksrkAbprX8DZxKdVZjxVwfz96AyyTiQJrqDVVjSMJVj6MncBH3IdVVgrMiUfvEKRozQnDuOrASRjLtMuL9FbTC-oKRPQMVsjCJFSh_DcQF0E/s1600-h/corvette.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FiE2hxhVm5jdiQLJU9G4vc0y4T1cSvnksrkAbprX8DZxKdVZjxVwfz96AyyTiQJrqDVVjSMJVj6MncBH3IdVVgrMiUfvEKRozQnDuOrASRjLtMuL9FbTC-oKRPQMVsjCJFSh_DcQF0E/s320/corvette.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181780052526142082" border="0" /></a>beat.<br />One can really appreciate the Route 66 Auto Museum and all of the beautifully cared for and restored automobiles and other paraphernalia to be seen there. It seemed appropriate here to show red Chevrolet Corvettes. Note the New Mexico license plate reads 2FAST4U.<br /><br /><br />The restaurants visited in Santa Rosa were all outstanding, real southwestern Mexican food. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxoTkqmzSn1wVx5hZ1hPwgtb_Hhl39hdb5ak_ygxJaJBhyphenhyphenGjJLk_kT3K1DlhFjBXKvb885CZD15Ijbp5DzLWA_nouka9z2H7Bwy-LyoKFmJybRoeJo7dSemVdMx9VdVF9_vOD_IY04iA/s1600-h/comet.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxoTkqmzSn1wVx5hZ1hPwgtb_Hhl39hdb5ak_ygxJaJBhyphenhyphenGjJLk_kT3K1DlhFjBXKvb885CZD15Ijbp5DzLWA_nouka9z2H7Bwy-LyoKFmJybRoeJo7dSemVdMx9VdVF9_vOD_IY04iA/s320/comet.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181780056821109394" border="0" /></a>The visual flavor of most of them reflected the ambiance of old Route 66 as well. The Comet Restaurant (Serving You Since 1927) was a real treat. Even Mateo's, the Greyhound Bus Stop in 2004 was outstanding. Others to be mentioned are Sun & Sand, Route 66 Restaurant and Silver Moon.<br /><br /><br />The big screen film history was also in town during the filming of <a href="http://imdb.com/title/tt0032551/">The Grapes of Wrath</a>, a 1940 movie directed by John Ford. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1jNNQEnjiIr2Nmrmd-YSjPdJ1SkbXIL9TJ1UASGOA_8K5gzaiFRa6Kfj5iztLnkucPXM3eDFxCpfmTczXXHA9aDAdJcFhBaLj-kwzHHvWUjtXMvFI3YsdmP_udQpJC46mtSZBVGTWgc/s1600-h/bridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD1jNNQEnjiIr2Nmrmd-YSjPdJ1SkbXIL9TJ1UASGOA_8K5gzaiFRa6Kfj5iztLnkucPXM3eDFxCpfmTczXXHA9aDAdJcFhBaLj-kwzHHvWUjtXMvFI3YsdmP_udQpJC46mtSZBVGTWgc/s320/bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181780327404049074" border="0" /></a>This legendary movie was about a depression era family forced from their mid west home to try and start a new life in California. One of the scenes along the way was filmed in Santa Rosa under this railroad track bridge which still stands at least of 2004.<br /><br /><br /><br />As with every trip the stay comes to an end because one then travels further down the road. A sunset in 2004 from Santa Rosa, New Mexico.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7yAxalgjlOQK6QrvBdpn9mYQVj1xr4S4rRLg9rLrQWAjImatXVCrHqfhaYyu4jz5rg84B6SIvOFMaEEqABzjl-Vy9yU-VTAxhc2fGrFkw_POkPXMaIs-AESTE6y29TD89m1_1i5_P08/s1600-h/sunsetsr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7yAxalgjlOQK6QrvBdpn9mYQVj1xr4S4rRLg9rLrQWAjImatXVCrHqfhaYyu4jz5rg84B6SIvOFMaEEqABzjl-Vy9yU-VTAxhc2fGrFkw_POkPXMaIs-AESTE6y29TD89m1_1i5_P08/s320/sunsetsr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181789638893146866" border="0" /></a><br />I hope I see you again.<br /><br /></div>timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-39614095363110063832008-03-23T15:34:00.019-05:002008-03-25T13:30:21.451-05:00Moths, Dust, and the Spirit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjl8-GAj88hgkjhEt7rBG0CnMbGu6pMwn0Ix5YHPtG9_XX17W0Xqf_-h9mLeAJ9rE9ZMIFRZBPkIW90jXnHZbmGF9Wbyr-Y0UxniGgVXk6VtCJ9YyuOmp85wKvhvMgMQkUy-3qrmkTT8/s1600-h/200px-Henry_David_Thoreau.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjl8-GAj88hgkjhEt7rBG0CnMbGu6pMwn0Ix5YHPtG9_XX17W0Xqf_-h9mLeAJ9rE9ZMIFRZBPkIW90jXnHZbmGF9Wbyr-Y0UxniGgVXk6VtCJ9YyuOmp85wKvhvMgMQkUy-3qrmkTT8/s320/200px-Henry_David_Thoreau.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181038758350721634" border="0" /></a><br />Henry David Thoreau. <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">July 12, 1817 - May 6, 1862 age 44</span><br /><br /></span>This man had a love for his existence, the gift of a spirit that knew the near perfection of nature and the value of freedom. No doubt he was well educated by whatever means, drew wisdom from much earlier ideas and lived as best he could by those ideals.<br /><br />Whatever one thinks of the Bible I think that most would say there is some wisdom therein. This one particular thought is expressed by Henry David Thoreau.<br /><br />The Bible, <span style="font-style: italic;">Matthew 6:19 </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >King James Version</span><br /><br /><blockquote>Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and dust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and stea1:</blockquote><br />Henry David Thoreau <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Walden (Or Life In The Woods)</span><br /></span><br /><blockquote>“But men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon plowed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they are employed, as it says in an old book, laying up treasures which moth and rust will corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It is a fool’s life, as they will find when they get to the end of it, if not before."</blockquote><br /><br />A few links about Henry David Thoreau<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau">Wikipedia On Henry David Thoreau</a><br /><a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henry_David_Thoreau"><br />Wikipedia Quotes On Henry David Thoreau</a><br /><br /><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=25x7ZxVVpnMC&dq=Henry+David+Thoreau&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=henry+david+thoreau&btnG=Google+Search&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=1&cad=author-navigational">Google Book download of Walden (Or Life In The Woods)</a><br /><br /></div></div>timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-36421176429279842162008-03-20T17:37:00.012-05:002008-04-08T09:16:23.900-05:00Red Bellied Woodpecker<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmBUvE15FzJhsS46IeDJjrZDf5Z_89qPvFCpeZxkXHOFcypc7jRbzycg_85iIqmm6aSq4JjnbO-8HPpYnWSNIUaB_hTRGMlPWNF0q8j46nawsuaCVCs3DVv439p4_2oFUT3u0JYQnQUY/s1600-h/rbw.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmBUvE15FzJhsS46IeDJjrZDf5Z_89qPvFCpeZxkXHOFcypc7jRbzycg_85iIqmm6aSq4JjnbO-8HPpYnWSNIUaB_hTRGMlPWNF0q8j46nawsuaCVCs3DVv439p4_2oFUT3u0JYQnQUY/s320/rbw.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179957586233299490" border="0" /></a><br />Many people call the above bird a red headed woodpecker but it is not. This bird is a Red Bellied Woodpecker and if this photo showed the underbelly it would be more clear. The zebra-like black and white feather markings are a giveaway for this being identified other than a Red Headed Woodpecker.<br />The above image was captured near a bird feeder.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4MfKW-tw_2Sqy8vt2KLh5kxNJ_cVcEo_sBVdkIDCYSnKbJxECIrNvkq12BAEz6yhT8bmcGmVMZaSwGpb1sQQTo-K2niuucVJqE5kEVe-SyJewWVa8bcAQwElV3boyM9jtXs9AQcae68/s1600-h/rbw2.jpg"> </a>This second Red Bellied Woodpecker image shows some of the 'red belly' that this woodpecker was given the name of Red Bellied Woodpecker for.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGIr8q7pj6PgwuVJca6xHm1akgUgjHc8b0DUO5zhUs3nrU61BKyaMbP_Sj72j7Zn76H3ABvZjvCjEXKryZqb2lhMjNhkwu8pQClS60G6MPxKmo3Pwm3eaaB5KwPBF8A4VVgK9H1szQ3M/s1600-h/rbw2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGIr8q7pj6PgwuVJca6xHm1akgUgjHc8b0DUO5zhUs3nrU61BKyaMbP_Sj72j7Zn76H3ABvZjvCjEXKryZqb2lhMjNhkwu8pQClS60G6MPxKmo3Pwm3eaaB5KwPBF8A4VVgK9H1szQ3M/s320/rbw2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179961962804974162" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Again this image and bird were near the feeder during the springtime of that year.<br /><br /><br /><br />Beautiful.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-35073332456255332822008-03-19T15:17:00.004-05:002008-04-08T09:20:23.168-05:00Rose Breasted Grosbeak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ZgjujCQV67QMkdxFu64U_G2QGkGOL8Kz316Z7SzqxMiOvMpdH-OIIUbYjnfPsBYmvIsHjSpN3WvP7ld2FlFu1lgnkubDIlfQl4syA-yo5ZgzzQQZluTR11hsUAkk4_rYJrL_cGjH_c/s1600-h/rbg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8ZgjujCQV67QMkdxFu64U_G2QGkGOL8Kz316Z7SzqxMiOvMpdH-OIIUbYjnfPsBYmvIsHjSpN3WvP7ld2FlFu1lgnkubDIlfQl4syA-yo5ZgzzQQZluTR11hsUAkk4_rYJrL_cGjH_c/s320/rbg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179550015311745554" border="0" /></a><br />This beautiful migrating bird was observed in the southern US no doubt on his spring migration to the north. It is a male Rose Breasted Grosbeak in the early morning sun.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-74546865518859667252007-12-22T18:20:00.001-06:002008-04-08T09:17:28.706-05:00We Bid You GoodnightThe Grateful Dead Band, sometimes mistaken by the media of the late 20th century brought a lot of joy to lots of people and continue to do so. One of the many mysteries of life is why music makes one happy or sad, and how we remember music so well. Maybe it has something to do with <a href="http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/k/kjv/kjv-idx?type=DIV2&byte=2362459">Psalms 98</a>.<br /><br />The band known as the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Grateful Dead</span> may distance some from listening to them or at worst, all to common, causes a false judgment based only by their name.<br /><br />The name of the band has been attributed to an old legend found <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grateful_Dead_%28folktale%29">here.</a><br /><br />Here is a quite pleasant song performed by the Grateful Dead in concert in 1989.<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ROPcZ8S_nwE&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ROPcZ8S_nwE&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />The lyrics can be found <a href="http://gratefuldead.lyrics.info/andwebidyougoodnight.html">here.</a><br /><br />Music is a form of magic that can heal.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-5629204526184785122007-12-12T10:22:00.001-06:002008-04-08T08:58:47.470-05:00My 2005 Ivory-billed Woodpecker Search<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjckq3S4GeTygU5Q3lmmfTYExY5UDf8xj0irXadGcUWKYYo48qYPmPf0jnNIAAIjnE_MXmSW2YFX5gOxc9G9aqF0akh_1d4KH_6A0eTKTXQWe7Wr-0R51-znl20T9YN-2XffxJCaxeyg/s1600-h/Ivorybilledwoodpecker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitjckq3S4GeTygU5Q3lmmfTYExY5UDf8xj0irXadGcUWKYYo48qYPmPf0jnNIAAIjnE_MXmSW2YFX5gOxc9G9aqF0akh_1d4KH_6A0eTKTXQWe7Wr-0R51-znl20T9YN-2XffxJCaxeyg/s320/Ivorybilledwoodpecker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143123588161362498" border="0" /></a><br />Illustrated is an image of three Ivory-billed Woodpeckers which also shows some stripped bark on a tree trunk. The bark was stripped by the Ivory-bills in a search for food, beetles and larvae.<br /><br />Shown is a male with the distinctive red head and nape while the female Ivory-billed has a completely black head and nape. The third woodpecker is somewhat hidden behind the tree truck.<br />This is an excellent image courtesy of the book <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Birds of America</span> by John James Audubon The watercolor image was also painted in 1826 by John James Audubon who was very creative in his many illustrations of the avian world.<br /><br />Throughout the mid 20th century it was thought that the Ivory-bill had become extinct due to the diminishing habitat in which it survived in, and searches were made by individuals and groups in attempts to rediscover this woodpecker. Among many of these renowned Ivory-billed searchers was Arthur A. Allen who also captured black & white photos of the bird in the 1930s, and James T. Tanner.<br />In 1942 a Research Report for the Audubon Society was authored by James T. Tanner for the society. This report was eventually published by Dover in 1966 and again republished in 2003 by Dover as <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. </span> ISBN 0-486-42837-0 (pbk).<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br />Jump forward to 2004 and a reported Ivory-bill Woodpecker sighting near the White River in Arkansas. A new path of rediscovery and verification of a living bird was undertaken in Arkansas. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology lead much of this effort. Tim Gallagher published <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Grail Bird</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot on the Trail of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker</span> in 2005. ISBN 0-618-45693-7.<br /><br /><br />Jumping forward to November 2005 I undertook my own humble search for this woodpecker. My search consisted of only one day in the area near Brinkley, Arkansas - and as I had never visited the area my motive was also to see the environment and do other birdwatching. As a long time birdwatcher I knew it would be a rich area for observing winter birds.<br /><br />I studied the maps before the trip and the first stop was in Brinkley at a shop that was made popular by the current Ivory-billed craze. The shopkeeper was very friendly and told me about the areas of interest. The shop also, of course, sold lots of Ivory-bill related items. Among the items were several lovely paintings of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.<br /><br />The bridge pictured below is in the Bayou de View area. Noting that the materials looked new I had wondered if it wasn't the very bridge in Bayou de View that had been burned, one of the many stories heard during that time frame.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFL1BXoLVmJqsdYOt1auaoLucfFa09S-EEl25pPBAkS-cKhcWvlYnJEZ-115i3a7Laht9pskoJ3DQcLjTkfgYD7Ovp3BKRe6Asx5XccwAfoCdZp9_ibN9fDJhXX97I2D60cDBsiGFrR4/s1600-h/bayou_de_view.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFL1BXoLVmJqsdYOt1auaoLucfFa09S-EEl25pPBAkS-cKhcWvlYnJEZ-115i3a7Laht9pskoJ3DQcLjTkfgYD7Ovp3BKRe6Asx5XccwAfoCdZp9_ibN9fDJhXX97I2D60cDBsiGFrR4/s320/bayou_de_view.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143123077060254242" border="0" /></a><br />Well I never did see the Ivory-billed Woodpecker nor did I hear it's distinctive "kent" call but I had a great time seeing the area, and the thought that I "might" see one caused the adrenaline to be active. I observed many other winter birds, saw the White River, Cyprus Trees, other wildlife and took away many photographs.<br /><br />Should I visit the area again for birdwatching, I will think about renting a canoe with a local guide. Some of the local terrain is very swampy and to see the area at it's fullest, water travel would help a lot or downright be required for local areas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><blockquote>Does the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker exist here in Arkansas in 2007?</blockquote></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> The evidence is sparse and it would take some real faith to believe that it does. It is a wide and somewhat wild region that is hard to explore, and there are video and audio observation monitors set up which have not recorded the very best evidence.<br /><br />Yet...tree bark continues to be found that is freshly peeled back much like the Ivory-Billed is known for, unlike other birds. Local folks continue to speak of the 'Lord Bird' and maybe just as important it is accurately described both visually and audibly the local residents.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-24110089578069158282007-12-08T17:40:00.001-06:002008-04-08T09:18:16.635-05:00Hummingbirds<blockquote>Hummingbirds are unlike any other family of birds.</blockquote><br />The smallest of birds that weigh from 0.1 to 0.3 ounces. These beautiful birds are often seen at hummingbird feeders and natural plants that provide a quick energy source.<br />In the eastern US, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is by far the most common. The migration of these little creatures created by God is a testament of beauty and survival.<br /><br /><blockquote>The vast majority of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, however, apparently cross the Gulf of Mexico in nonstop flights each spring and fall. Such long-distance flights are possible because these birds can increase their fat reserves and double their weight in as little as seven to ten days before migrating.</blockquote><br />Just as astonishing is the estimation that on any given day during spring or fall migration an estimated 50 million birds are flying across the Gulf of Mexico.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-9CYuOuObk&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7-9CYuOuObk&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Quotes from The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior.<br />David Allen Sibley<br />First Edition 2001timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-69578538036468955302007-12-08T16:10:00.000-06:002007-12-08T17:25:41.428-06:00A Petrified Bow Tip In WyomingNear the petrified forest close to Buffalo, Wyoming, another mysterious early artifact related to human history can be found for anyone to see. Nearby, a beautiful landscape of red earth and dusky green vegetation can be visited with no crowd or people present on most days.<br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-8317753289167649";<br />//120x600, created 11/27/07<br />google_ad_slot = "0091515998";<br />google_ad_width = 120;<br />google_ad_height = 600;<br />//--></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"<br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZQJH3dZwzrnFwPBm_brfcn6n3TmG0OQ3L0qvzy1FW2rhMqZ84H8FMF281BG54WHUMtYRPRTol2svVmWs6hU9YCJCXZS-RA2E1DNfNo8mgM0VLxFfWqCbpxJ_bqIM2BeB5THRTz3jnTY/s1600-h/petforest2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZQJH3dZwzrnFwPBm_brfcn6n3TmG0OQ3L0qvzy1FW2rhMqZ84H8FMF281BG54WHUMtYRPRTol2svVmWs6hU9YCJCXZS-RA2E1DNfNo8mgM0VLxFfWqCbpxJ_bqIM2BeB5THRTz3jnTY/s320/petforest2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141737597919975938" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A mystery from Buffalo, Wyoming.<br /><br />In the Jim Gatchell Museum in Buffalo Wyoming lies another mysterious artifact, one of many to be found in the small museums of America. Photographs were not allowed in this museum so I respected that and there is no photo of this artifact to be found here.<br /><br />The museum, as most museums go, has a lot more of the recent historical artifacts and information content-wise. That makes sense though as the recorded history of the western settlement of America was well documented. One of the more fascinating stories I learned here was the story of the Johnson County War that took place in this locale. As far as our modern movies represent history, a very good movie of this incident in history is represented by the movie of the name <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280264/">Johnson County War</a>.<br /><br />The Jim Gatchell museum houses much of the story and many artifacts that have been saved and preserved from the Johnson County War. It is a very interesting story from the western settlement era. After taking in the first floor of the museum one descends the staircase to the basement. Along that path in a shadow box the leather whip made by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Horn">Tom Horn</a> is displayed.<br /><br />In the basement of the museum in a glass case amongst many other objects I spotted an object with a label that said something to the effect of "From Ripley's Believe It Or Not". As I remember it, the description detailed the object as being found some 100 or so miles west of the museum.<br />It was described and appeared to be the the tip of a bow (as in a bow and arrow) but it was petrified...<span style="font-weight: bold;">petrified</span>.<br />To my eyes it certainly looked just as it was described. It had the notch and was tapered and curved exactly as a tip of a bow would be imagined to be. I would estimate it from memory to have been 3 to 4 inches in length.<br /><br />There are theories about the Biblical flood and differing aspects of petrified wood. I won't delve into those ideas here. Were this artifact to be as represented and is not an astronomical odds shaped petrified broken branch, one has to wonder either about history in terms of the ages of man, or the accounts and accuracy of...well...what the process of petrified wood is.<br /><br />If the former is to be considered, one needs to then consider the odds of the same type of weapon, a bow and arrow, and what the odds are that it was apparently re-invented in the same fashion some millions of years later are.<br /><br />To the southeast of Buffalo there is to be found a smaller attraction by the name of The Petrified Forest. Not exactly the same as the Arizona attraction, yet the same in terms of what it actually is. It is almost a perfect western landscape where one can almost imagine the dinosaurs wandering about.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2vR9XlaIAIl8EGGOZe_4mpEVhV-ypqCvUGSxLfXe24NW1-dtzSXuMDPKpSXIMXdqiOUbOGk46-JrXf1k7HYkr5H1fAdw254FKwJDjLXp_JuxcXih-tLILtMWVuniXdj5TrlT9uVD4qM/s1600-h/petforest1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2vR9XlaIAIl8EGGOZe_4mpEVhV-ypqCvUGSxLfXe24NW1-dtzSXuMDPKpSXIMXdqiOUbOGk46-JrXf1k7HYkr5H1fAdw254FKwJDjLXp_JuxcXih-tLILtMWVuniXdj5TrlT9uVD4qM/s320/petforest1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141738336654350866" border="0" /></a><br />The red earth tips, earth, and the western vegetation mostly hide the smaller evidence of an ages old forest. It is however, a beautiful area to visit and not smothered by any commercialism, advertisements or people.<br />In a smaller note of mention, the area of Gillette, Wyoming to the southeast is an area rich in oil and at least once to my knowledge was a boomtown of the same. In the west it seems that oil, oil shale and ancient life go together geographically.<br /><br />Just another mystery this petrified bow.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-47266717121502753302007-12-05T15:27:00.000-06:002007-12-05T16:55:56.726-06:00Beautiful Mimbres Pottery ArtIn Deming New Mexico is a wonderful museum that houses a large collection of Mimbres Pottery. The Luna Mimbres Museum, as all museums that I have visited, house the local flavor and history of the area. This museum has hundreds of example of absolutely beautiful Mimbres Pottery.<br />The Mimbres Indians are thought to have lived about 1,000 years ago in what is now the southwestern part of New Mexico. A large part of what has been discovered archaeological wise is the pottery which is fascinating. Images of life, insects, birds, reptiles, humans, life from every species is represented on the mostly black and white or brown and white bowl shaped pottery. A large and maybe equal part of the collection are also simple as well as complex geometric patterns which are very often found to have a symmetrical pattern.<br />The image below shows another common them of a circular image traveling the circumference of the bowl.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygGAhoutIgpc_zPeGlKvKF7GA1q2QcGG3zi66M3ZGXb9msQjBOafuZ750Mbhw9WFA7sZgdqFxhZeLQPn5BBkPOHxXo9hT7i3iF81ya1UJnRSyz0KgMLMIsORIfNRS5jFbpRig3-2vCls/s1600-h/mimbres4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygGAhoutIgpc_zPeGlKvKF7GA1q2QcGG3zi66M3ZGXb9msQjBOafuZ750Mbhw9WFA7sZgdqFxhZeLQPn5BBkPOHxXo9hT7i3iF81ya1UJnRSyz0KgMLMIsORIfNRS5jFbpRig3-2vCls/s320/mimbres4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140608871924652386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOZ4KC-foSVMKNAf9vhtLZUExRBJSJqpcSBPTmVsUzdL0IFRHEHHxz64PhMTX08V1cuyPY__TxlZXQPv4kKlyTswe37yMGokhQeKMlO8lNsYOxHbhN0k2zpuTbMwq-pcFEJa19Sse9JA/s1600-h/mimbres2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOZ4KC-foSVMKNAf9vhtLZUExRBJSJqpcSBPTmVsUzdL0IFRHEHHxz64PhMTX08V1cuyPY__TxlZXQPv4kKlyTswe37yMGokhQeKMlO8lNsYOxHbhN0k2zpuTbMwq-pcFEJa19Sse9JA/s320/mimbres2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140610611386407298" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I found that the life that is portrayed on the pottery to be most interesting. The Mimbres buried their dead in a sitting upright position with a bowl on top of their head. The bowl was made to have a hole in the top so that a swallow would be able to capture the dead ones' spirit, fly away and carry that spirit into heaven. This is the reason given that most bowls have a hole in the center.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In an image that appears to be a quail. Most likely what is now called a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Gambel's Quail</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">(Callipepla gambelii)</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Callipepla </span>meaning beautiful robe or beautifully adorned, and <span style="font-style: italic;">Gambel's</span> for William Gambel, an early southwestern explorer and birdwatcher for whom the bird is named. Again note the hole in the middle of the image.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p87sY4MmNzgxZlNfk1CT37FOAhy7QV3TXxi1B2vlG8_0rpTKJvDBQAMwCDmdvJlyx6ww06O5e9jnd203qiwWazYX-XyO5To3kyQJzQw_yyLGrvUHA1gr66SgMR8HLHklvGQ1_7nbzvA/s1600-h/mimbres1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5p87sY4MmNzgxZlNfk1CT37FOAhy7QV3TXxi1B2vlG8_0rpTKJvDBQAMwCDmdvJlyx6ww06O5e9jnd203qiwWazYX-XyO5To3kyQJzQw_yyLGrvUHA1gr66SgMR8HLHklvGQ1_7nbzvA/s320/mimbres1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140615456109517250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRy4xvqOAvAeXEk_HFC221Ul26O2IcmEknOplCWUfnmDEv2yZ809TLAKFQaS1zpzGQj5etZklc94gTgOIFoVkJPOiFVCWoRCYbyu1ywSN4af_MgTok8_5QCe_yLWjg2wGpjqzJ3ziQT0Y/s1600-h/mimbres3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRy4xvqOAvAeXEk_HFC221Ul26O2IcmEknOplCWUfnmDEv2yZ809TLAKFQaS1zpzGQj5etZklc94gTgOIFoVkJPOiFVCWoRCYbyu1ywSN4af_MgTok8_5QCe_yLWjg2wGpjqzJ3ziQT0Y/s320/mimbres3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140616753189640674" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">This final image at first glance appears to show a human and a kangaroo. A kangaroo or a kangaroo-like creature in the American Southwest? It does seem most curious.<br />Note the absence of a center hole and the somewhat rarity of an intact piece of Mimbres Pottery.<br /><script type="text/javascript"><!--<br />google_ad_client = "pub-8317753289167649";<br />//120x600, created 11/27/07<br />google_ad_slot = "0091515998";<br />google_ad_width = 120;<br />google_ad_height = 600;<br />//--></script><br /><script type="text/javascript"<br />src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"><br /></script><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />An excellent reference book with many illustrations/photos of Mimbres Pottery:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Mimbres, Art and Archaeology - J.Walter Fewkes<br />ISBN 0-936755-10-5<br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-67187650383123165512007-11-29T16:49:00.001-06:002008-04-08T09:13:22.229-05:00Runestone in MinnesotaWhile traveling into Minnesota from North Dakota there was a stop at Ashby for a week. Taking in the local sites, birdwatching and museum visiting, I came across this interesting artifact known as the <span style="font-style: italic;">Victor Setterlund Runestone</span> at the Grant County Museum in Elbow Lake, MN.<br />The rest of the museum was in fact more interesting but this caught my eye as I always look for strange or unexplained artifacts, a physical piece of material more substantial than most legends.<br />Enclosed in a glass case with a note of explanation on the side of the case explained the following object of interest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm3u5z55k6aOWYehIPJiM0FxgBdRyk4aJTHtR6NWww6q4CAmrIcCGT2F4OrenbYjPGFsGPeTYqHqBWHfrArxqpyJb69b78TBRU75d3Ig6kae2zs1Sygpcn8bcu-u7uAo0ZqTkS7-x6go/s1600-h/runstone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGm3u5z55k6aOWYehIPJiM0FxgBdRyk4aJTHtR6NWww6q4CAmrIcCGT2F4OrenbYjPGFsGPeTYqHqBWHfrArxqpyJb69b78TBRU75d3Ig6kae2zs1Sygpcn8bcu-u7uAo0ZqTkS7-x6go/s320/runstone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138400113008483218" border="0" /></a>It is really a beautiful piece of work to look at and one could in some way hope to chat with Mr. Setterlund to fill in some blanks of the story.<br /><br />Although there are several unexplained runestones that exist and can be visited, and more mentioned to exist while their location is kept somewhat of a secret allegedly to preserve them, this one came with an open explanation.<br /><br />On a note on the side of the glass case this runestone is enclosed in reads:<br /><br /><blockquote>The Victor Setterlund Runestone<br /><br />caused considerable excitement when found in 1949. The runic inscription reads "1776 Four Maidens Set Camp On This Hill". A cast of this stone was sent to Dr. Holand, the Kensington Runestone Authority, who misinterpreted the date as being 1376, the same period as the Kensington Runestone which added to the confusion. Mr. Setterlund, who had little formal education, studied runic characters and by this self study was able to correctly inscribe this prank inscription. It is displayed, not only because of the exitement (sic) it caused at the time, but as evidence that such a runestone could be made by a Grant County farmer.</blockquote>I appreciate the honesty of the museum and this little chunk of history. Later on in my travels I will visit a much larger runestone that is certainly much more historical and seemingly unexplained.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-35881628496703614582007-11-27T13:16:00.001-06:002008-04-08T09:15:22.893-05:00Strange Rock ArtIn central New Mexico in the town of Truth Or Consequences there is a very nice museum by the name of The Geronimo Springs Museum. This museum houses memorabilia of the times of the American West and the Apache Nation. Also on display are even earlier instances of inhabitants of the region, the Mimbres. The Mimbres people created beautiful pottery, more to been seen later.<br />In one of the cases containing rock art examples I couldn't help but be surprised to see what looks like a delta wing fighter on one section of a rock.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVtb5cZubnUOpeCtDhGVAd-PsRV2z_VcSHkqLRuXKy7Nu8Mv4UdxbcMgveJS2aHYyzcZ3AUYqxcwljKXadXY-4oBqyO2I_petFTslleqvW9Zfo0ILwAAWlyIdz5mj6yv43_heuktuurk/s1600-h/deltawing.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVtb5cZubnUOpeCtDhGVAd-PsRV2z_VcSHkqLRuXKy7Nu8Mv4UdxbcMgveJS2aHYyzcZ3AUYqxcwljKXadXY-4oBqyO2I_petFTslleqvW9Zfo0ILwAAWlyIdz5mj6yv43_heuktuurk/s320/deltawing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137603770237229922" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The label indicates that it was found in Sierra County and donated to the museum. It appears to have insignias on the wings and barrels protruding from the front of the plane.<br /><br />Across the country in small to large museums there are fascinating objects to be seen and stories to read and hear. In many instances one cannot be sure if objects are very much real or potentially fabricated at some time in the past. They are, nevertheless, very interesting and available for all to see.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5556510095772282869.post-50467881369907405862007-11-23T18:09:00.001-06:002008-04-08T09:21:21.514-05:00Inflation Changes These Song LyricsAs I was listening to a song a while back I wondered how monetary inflation would change the lyrics. Lot's of things such as the moon, birds, women, alcohol, and love remain fairly constant throughout time, but relative monetary values change over time.<br /><br />How might the following song lyrics or sentiments be different here in 2007?<span style="font-size:85%;"><strong></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Music, Music, Music - Teresa Brewer, 1950</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Put another nickel in, in the nickelodeon</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> All I want is loving you and music, music, music!</span><br /><br />Now, would it be called a dollarodeon today? What music would a nickel buy in 2007? Not even a one song download purchase I suspect.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams Sr., 1951<br /></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I got a hot rod ford, and a two dollar bill;<br />And I know a spot right over the hill.<br />There's soda pop and the dancings free<br />So if you wanna have fun, come along with me.</span><br /><br />A two dollar bill !! It's a good thing that the dancing is free. A 1940's or 1950's hot rod ford is a good thing but anyone up for a two dollar date?<br />How about changing it to "and two hundred dollar bills"?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. I've Got Five Dollars And It's Saturday Night - Faron Young<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Well I've been working hard the whole week and now<br />I'm a gonna have some wine women and song<br />I gotta workin' each week but that's alright<br />I've got five dollars and it's Saturday night</span><br /><br />Ok, we are headed from a two dollar date to a five dollar date in just several years. Here in 2007 though, should we just add the word "hundred" after the word "five"?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan, 1965<br /></span> <!-- cell for lyrics --><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:Courier,Courier New;" > <!-- lyrics --> Once upon a time you dressed so fine<br />You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?</span><span style="font-family:Courier,Courier New;"><br /><br />Well only a dime for the bums. I didn't do the research to see if a dime would buy a beer in 1965 but I know it won't in 2007. Although I've been called a bum during my lifetime I'd figure it would take at least a five dollar bill to get a real bums attention today. Except I don't know how one throws paper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. King Of The Road - Roger Miller, 1965<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Trailer for sale or rent<br />Rooms to let...fifty cents.<br />No phone, no pool, no pets<br />I ain't got no cigarettes<br />Ah, but..two hours of pushin' broom<br />Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room<br />I'm a man of means by no means<br />King of the road.</span><br /><br />Where can you stay for 50 cents today? Nowhere. If it only took two hours to earn 4 bits (50 cents) for a room in 1965 for let's say just one night, how many broom pushin' hours would a room take today?<br />Room's to Let $50.00?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Sister Fatima - Don McLean, 1971<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">I'm a servant of fate in this garden of truth</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> A humble recruit of the taffeta booth</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Where all things are known but few are revealed</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Sins are forgotten and sickness is healed</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> For five dollars the flower is free</span><br /><br />A free flower? It might be a good deal even today & maybe one shouldn't look a free flower as hype.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Operator - Jim Croce, 1972<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Operator, well let's forget about this call<br />There's no one there I really wanted to talk to.<br />Thank you for your time, you've been so much more than kind.<br />And you can keep the dime</span><br /><br />There were are are still nice people on the phones that certainly deserve a dime. The question is were they worth more than a bum was since 1965? It's all a question of perspective. The sentiment is good and it's a very neat song but I doubt the operator saw a penny of that dime.<br />To the phone company..."You can keep the contract." [Editor note...(YES)!]<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Midnight Moonlight - Old & In The Way, 1973<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> If you ever feel lonesome<br />And You're down in San Antone<br />Beg, steal, or borrow<br />Two nickels or a dime to call me on the phone<br />I'll meet you at Alamo Mission<br />Where we can say our prayers</span><br /><br />Another phone call for only a dime, (which is two nickels for the math impaired). That's how folks made calls then, with a public telephone. Today it may very well be to beg, steal, or borrow a cell phone or get a contract for one.<br />See number 7.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. This Ol' Cowboy - Marshall Tucker Band, 1974<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> I gotta get back to Dallas<br />And tie up a few loose ends<br />I'm gonna work a week make a hundred dollars<br />Aw and hit the road again</span><br /><br />Getting closer to home now. No, not Dallas, but now we are talking $100.00 a week! That would buy lot's of earlier song-related dates and many nights at a 4-bit room as well (see earlier entries). Lot's of 10 cent pay phone calls or dimes to bums too!<br />...Aw and hit the road again [to the next gas station]...<br /><br />Wouldn't get that late 1940's Hot Rod Ford though.timle53http://www.blogger.com/profile/17028511712707731032noreply@blogger.com0