Morning Stretch

Cassi doing her morning stretches. Notice her tail doing a weird twist.

Sic Semper

An Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus).

For various goofy reasons, my husband, my sister, and I have developed our own names for many birds. This one is affectionately known as a Kingburger.

Sic semper tyrannis is the Virginia state motto, and the phrase that some witnesses claim JW Booth shouted after shooting Lincoln. It's often misspelled as tyrannus, which changes the meaning.

A little History of North American Bird Names.

While looking up tyrannus references, I ran across the Guidelines for contributors to Birding. Ruh-roh. I am so guilty of indefinite references. Oh dear. Restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses. Good thing I wasn't planning to write an article for them anyway.

(Imagine musical notes here.) It's my blog and I'll abuse grammar if I want to... overused ellipses and hyphens in place of em-dashes oh yeah! Misplaced apostrophes oh no no no... Misusing "hopefully" and blatantly writing a plural possessive adjective when referring to a singular concept, ooh wah baby...

Actually the misplaced apostrophe is one of my pet peeves.

Jumping Cat

Nebraska - Sandhill Crane migration!

As many of you know, each year for the past few years I've made a pilgrimage to Nebraska in March to photograph the large gathering of Sandhill Cranes that takes place on the Platte River. This year my friend Roger (http://www.rogernordstromphoto.com/ accompanied me on my trip to Nebraska. We had a great time photographing the birds over a period of several days. The highlight of this year's trip was staying in an overnight photography blind at the Rowe Sanctuary. The overnight blind offered up some incredible views of the birds. One thing we learned from our night in the overnight blind is that the birds make noise ALL NIGHT LONG! They did quiet down a bit between about 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. but they definitely make quite a racket throughout the entire night. I say this every year so I'm going to say it again this year... if you've never been to Nebraska in March to see this migration, you NEED to go! It is one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles a person can see! I can't wait until next year so I can experience the Cranes again :-)

On Bicycle Pricing and Its Discontents

At the moment there is an engaging dialogue going on about the cost of bicycles, which I believe many readers here will find informative: Last week Jan Heine of the Bicycle Quarterly published a post entitled Why Buy an Expensive Bicycle, in which he argues in favour of custom-built bicycles costing 5 times as much as mid-tier production bikes. In response, Kent Peterson of Kent's Bike Blog explained why he prefers inexpensive bicycles, presenting an almost diametrically opposite viewpoint. Together, I think these two posts and the reader comments that follow make for some truly thought-provoking reading, and I invite you to check them out.



Having read both posts, I find that my own opinion on this matter does not fit into the dichotomy of the debate. But I will try to explain it in my own way, without framing it as an "expensive vs inexpensive" issue.



Put simply, for me it is about the bicycle and, more importantly, about the cyclist's experience - not about the price. Bicycles are made for riding, and in order to ride them (and be inspired to ride more) the cyclist's experience must be positive. Not everyone is mechanically inclined and able to fix even minor issues when things start to go wrong. Not everyone's body can withstand poor (or even mediocre) ride quality. Finally, not everyone is inspired by a bicycle that is so crudely made and generic-looking as to be utterly without character. Now, we can criticise people for their lack of mechanical skills, their sensitivity to discomfort and their preoccupation with aesthetics. Or we can accept these traits and turn our attention to the bicycle itself - defining a "good" bicycle as one that will inspire people to ride. And by "people" I mean people as they are, with all their flaws and biased preferences and love of pretty things and mechanical ineptitudes.



Based on the huge amount of feedback I receive from readers who are either would-be cyclists or fledgling cyclists, I believe there are three characteristics a bicycle must have in order to attract those who are not already committed to cycling: (1) it has to work properly without a lot of fussing, (2) it has to feel comfy, and (3) it has to look nice. And it makes sense that a person of average financial means who desires to ride a bicycle, will naturally strive for the least expensive option that satisfies all three of these criteria.



And therein lies the first glitch. Based, again, on the feedback I get from readers, it is quite challenging to find a bicycle nowadays that both satisfies all three of the criteria listed above, and costs what most first-time buyers consider to be a reasonable amount. When I quote the $500 figure as a first-time buyer's typical budget, I am by no means making fun of this figure or disparaging persons with such a budget. On the contrary, this was my budget as well when I first began shopping around for a transportation bike. Unfortunately, $500 or thereabouts is considered "low end" by the bicycle industry today. Sad as it is, if you walk into a bicycle store right now, $500 will afford you only the lowest quality bikes available. The salesperson may even tell you, holding back a laugh, that with such a budget shopping for a new bike will be difficult. It is what they told me in .



Now let's get back to this fictional person who, on the one hand, wants a nice bike, but on the other hand is discovering how tough it is to find a bicycle that satisfies their requirements on a modest budget. At this stage they have a choice between two main options: (a) compromise on one or more of their criteria, or (b) increase their budget. Many choose the former option, which, granted, seems very reasonable. However, I kid you not that I now receive perhaps half a dozen emails a week from persons who are unhappy with their bikes and are not enjoying cycling as a result of a budget-driven compromise. The biggest complaint is that of frequent failures. The cyclist is not experienced enough to deal with them, and moreover does not want to deal with them. They also do not have time to constantly take the bike to the shop. The second biggest complaint is that of severe discomfort and poor ride quality. With all these problems, the bicycle does not get ridden very often and the cyclist begins to lose faith in cycling all together.



So you see, it is not the price I have a problem with. It is this outcome.By no means do I believe expensive bicycles to be better simply by virtue of costing more; that would be absurd. When a $500 bicycle becomes available that I believe to be reasonably well made, comfortable and attractive enough to make new cyclists happy, I gladlyherald it here and post lots of sexy pictures. Unfortunately, I find few bicycles in this price range to be of good quality, and I refuse, absolutely refuse to promote manufacturers who churn out overpriced bike-shaped toys by giving them exposure here based on their "low" prices alone. If a person cannot afford a well-made new bike, I recommend buying used or vintage.



Now that I've finished that rant, the next question might be: So what ismy idea of a high-quality new bike and what would it cost? Unfortunately, I have no definitive answers for you. Unlike Jan Heine, I do not believe that a $5,000+ custom bicycle is necessarily the solution. Customers are not always experienced and informed enough to truly know what they want, and builders make mistakes all the time. Also, the custom process takes forever and by far not everyone is willing to wait a year or more for a bike. Moreover, I agree with Kent that beyond a certain price point the anxiety over potential theft and damage may diminish a bicycle's utility.



The truth is that what constitutes a quality bicycle and a good valueoften depends on the person. It depends on their needs. It depends on their standards. It depends on the kind of riding they do, on their body's sensitivity, on their terrain, even on their climate. It depends on their level of mechanical skill. It is impossible to profess "the answer" that will be applicable to everyone.



In conclusion, my view is that it's not about pricing; we are way too focused on pricing. If you are serious about cycling, determine the criteria you are looking for first: What kind of bicycle makes you want to ride? Because that is what ultimately it is all about. Then find a way to buy that kind of bicycle, without compromising on those criteria. For some this may be doable at $500, for others it could be $5000, and most of us will fall somewhere in between. It does not matter to me how much a bicycle costs, as long as the owner loves it and wants to ride it all the time.

Greetings from... Kansas

Wednesday, May 4th - - Today was a traveling day, 260 miles through southern Iowa. Leaving Fairfield, U.S. 34 took me through mostly small towns and farming country. Ottumwa, the largest town I went through, is home of Radar O'Reilly of M*A*S*H fame. Ottumwa is also known as the 'city of bridges' and it lives up to its moniker, nestled alongside the Des Moines River.



At Red Oak I turned south through Shenandoah and Sidney, spending the night at Waubonsie State Park, just a few miles from Nebraska and Missouri.



Thursday, May 5th - - Heading west from the campground at Waubonsie the terrain changed dramatically in just a few miles. From the heavily forested hill country around Waubonsie back to rolling hills and farmland. The route took me to Nebraska City, Nebraska where I picked up U.S. 75 south to Topeka.



I mentioned in a previous post that I had been doing some research for a very, very distant Joslin cousin while I was back in Indiana. I had an open invitation to visit him (JJ) if I ever got near Topeka so I took him up on his generous offer! It is so neat to actually meet the people that you correspond with and who just happen to be related! We had a wonderful visit. Thank you so much for your hospitality!



JJ and I took the short drive (about 40 miles) to Lyndon to visit the gravesite of Lysander and Lydia Joslin, my 3rd great-grandparents. I didn't get any pictures because my camera was back in Topeka in the van! But I have visited their graves several times, most recently in September .. and posted photos from my visit in November ...





JJ and me. Our common ancestor is the 1635 immigrant Thomas Joslin who is my 10th great-grandfather.



Friday, May 6th - - Greeted by blue skies and sunshine, I headed northeast to Leavenworth, Kansas. Another distant cousin, though not nearly as distant as JJ, is buried at the National Cemetery in Leavenworth. So, since I was “in the area” I figured I might as well go visit the gravesite of Charley S. Joslin, my 1st cousin 3 times removed. He is a bit of an enigma and I'll have a post about him sometime soon. But as close as we've been able to determine he is probably the son of Ida (Joslin) Dressler Lewis, daughter of Lysander and Lydia Joslin. She would have been 15 years old when he was born on March 4, 1879. However, in several of his records in the Leavenworth Old Soldiers Home (available on ancestry.com) he lists Ida Lewis as his nearest relative, giving her relationship as sister.



From online searches I knew which section Charley was buried in but I didn't know where that section was located within the cemetery. Thankfully, they have a computer kiosk in the main office building that provides that information along with a printed map. Very nice.





The grave of Charley S. Joslin is located in Section 37, Row 6, Site 6. It is the sixth stone to the left in the first row pictured above.





Charley S. / Joslin / Missouri / Pvt 17 Inf / April 25, 1934

Then I went to the Mount Muncie cemetery, which adjoins the National Cemetery on its south side and located the gravesite of JJ's ancestor George Washington Joslin (after a stop at the main office to get the location and directions). And yes, I'll be having a post, more like a small series, on the issues we had with researching George's parents, and some rather interesting connections to me (at least I thought they were interesting)!





George W. Joslin / Aug. 24, 1837 / June 16, 1921Matilda His Wife / Sept. 20, 1837 / July 30, 1920Mount Muncie Cemetery, Leavenworth/Lansing, KansasSection 9 Stone 163



After leaving Leavenworth, I headed north toward Atchison and picked up US 36 West. I hadn't planned on going that far north but missed a turn-off just south of Atchison and didn't realize it until later. Except for the wind, which was very strong and a crosswind to boot, it was a pleasant drive. It also got a little warm (85 degrees) and the air conditioning didn't seem to be working very well Will have to get that checked out soon with summer coming on!

Through the Valley of Fire

Wednesday, November 30th - - The road led me south from Zion National Park. My destination for the night was the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas.



I arrived about an hour before sunset and the sun was casting a warming glow over the landscape. The park's website (link above) tells us that “The Valley of Fire derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. Complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion, have created the present landscape.”





As you drive around the park, numerous formations jut out above the desert floor.



The formations were piles of swirling rock. It was like Mother Nature had dipped her hand into a bowl of whipped cream and mixed it up to form these incredible rocks.







Wind and rain have added their “artistic touch” to the formations to produce a dazzling display.



Thursday, December 1st - - High winds and rain came through the valley last night. The van was buffeted around quite a bit and if there had been room in the campsite I would have turned the van so that it was facing into the wind. It wouldn't have been quite so bad then. But, from what I've heard, the winds through the Valley of Fire were not nearly as bad as those in California. I've been through a few other bad storms and this compares to some of the worst. I was glad to see the sun come out in the morning, but that didn't last long either.



Rather than stay and be miserable in the wind, rain, and cold air I continued on my drive south.

Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes (600+ mile review)

Altra - Lone Peak trail running shoes after 600+ miles

In past blog posts I've touched on gear that I find extraordinary. I was surprised how many people read my write-up on the Lowa Mountain Expert ice boots. I'd like to highlight my favorite " 3-season" shoes, The Altra Lone Peak. Since purchasing these about a year ago, many of my trail runs have been done wearing the Altra Lone Peak Zero Drops. What's zero drop? Zero drop means that there is no height differential between the front and rear of the shoe. Note that most traditional shoes have a higher heel than toe. Primarily the higher heel is designed to cushion the hard impact of heel striking runners (those who's heel is the first part to impact the ground during running). Zero drops are intended to promote forefoot or mid-foot striking by not having a thick heel to get in the way, helping the runner to land mid or fore foot. Instead of me trying to get all tech-savy on you, simply check out Altra's website for a lot of information about running form, and how their shoes can help make you a stronger, healthier runner. For the record, I'm not affiliated with Altra in any way. Nor is this a paid review or did I get free shoes like some reviewers. This is simply a write-up on a pair of shoes that I think are top-notch and that fellow runners might benefit from. I've read other reviews, but most seemed like blah,blah "out of the box" reviews. I figured I'd share my thoughts after some lengthy trail use. For those who don't know me, I'm your average trail runner/climber who happens to spend a great deal of time on the trails and rocks in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. I usually run 5 or 6 days a week (not always in the Lone Peak). I'm 6' tall, weigh about 155lbs, size 12 and normally cover between 50-100 miles per week. I've primarily used these shoes for trail running on technical single track, but they've also been worn as climbing approach shoes and general hikers on many occasions. The 600+ mile estimate is most likely very low, but we'll just call it 600. I decided to take a brush to my shoes, clear away all the trail debris, and show how great they've fared thus far...

Zero drop = no raised heel

My Lone Peaks are the first generation model. Designed for running many miles, over rough terrain. I originally read about them shortly before their release. I was excited by the wide toe box design, lighter weight, some rock protection and zero drop platform. I guess I liked most everything about them. Very close to what I would want if I designed my own shoe. Around that time I was happily running a lot of road miles in the first edition NB Road Minimus. Pleased with the lower heel and wide toe box on that model, I was in the market for a new pair of trail shoes of similar design. I purchased the Lone Peaks shortly after their availability. Fast forward over last season and some months off due to ski injuries. They've covered a few miles and are holding up very well. I will admit to being pessimistic about their durability since this was their first release of the Lone Peak model. So far they're holding up better than any other trail shoes I've used in the past and I expect that they'll continue. Here's a photo review with some comments on the current state of my Lone Peaks.

The toe cap material ripped or split, Barge cement holds it in place...Usually

The toe cap failure doesn't seem to impede performance, but requires maintenance every couple of runs ;)

Stitching and the upper are holding great. The Wasatch Range is cool

The heel lining doesn't look so good, but still very comfortable

Not the sticky, climbing rubber of LaSportiva's trail models, but better thanothers I've tried. The center forefoot lugs and midsole are wearing down as expected

I really like the traction of the simplistic lugs, great for the trails of Western PA

Factory insoles, still intact with no comlaints

The trail rudder is awesome for "skiing" down steep, slippery slopes. I also like the minimal heel structure. somewhat changed in the newer Lone Peak ver 1.5

Overall, these will see many more miles and I look forward to wearing them

Personal Experience:



I'm always excited to put these shoes on and hit the trails. I will admit that they took some time to get used to. There is much less cushioning than what is found in most traditional trail running shoes, but a lot more than in a model like a NB Trail Minimus, etc. This means that if you do strike your heel on rocks and other trail obstacles, you will feel it. Most runners do experience some growing pains converting to this type of shoe. Worry not... In a short time, your feet and legs will transition into the shock absorbing machines they were designed to be. In past years, I've always had some type of leg pain that slowed my training. Since switching my running form and going to flatter shoes (especially Altras) I've been able to keep training without interruption. Its great to feel sore after a run, not injured. I'll be looking to get a pair of the new Lone Peaks(when these get a little closer to death). I'm curious to see how Altra made improvements on a damn fine, trail running shoe! In a nutshell, I'd HIGHLY recommend giving the Altra Lone Peak's a try. I'd be surprised if you don't fall in love with them like so many others. If you have any questions regarding me, my shoes or whatever... feel free to drop me a message or email. Climb High, Run Far!

An Ageless Subject - Age - COG 52

Lisa has posted the Carnival of Genealogy, 52nd Edition over at 100 Years in America. The topic is "Age" and as Lisa says " This is a collection of tales and trivia, stories and statistics. Thanks to these contributions by various family historians, we have a look into the lives of others who stand out from their family tree (and society in general) because of their age." There are some new contributors as well as the "regulars" and a wide variety of tales that have been told. As always, I'm amazed at the quality and variety of the posts contributed to the COG. Check them out! Lisa has done a wonderful job of putting it all together. I for one know that it is not an easy task to come up with a good "lead" for each of the posts. Well done, Lisa!

The next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be a “carousel” edition. Just as carousels have a variety of animal figures so, too, will the next edition of the COG have a variety of topics. All subjects are welcome but please limit yourself to one submission. Submit any article you’d like (genealogy-related of course!) and if you'd like an introduction for it, please write your own. Jasia will be hosting the next edition on the Creative Gene blog but she won't be writing any introductions this time around. The deadline for submissions is August 1.Submit your blog article using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page. Want to know more about the Carnival of Genealogy? See Jasia's Frequently Asked Questions page.

Kudos to footnoteMaven for the Carnival of Genealogy posters.

For numerous reasons, I neglected to post something when the last two "issues" of the COG were published. So, in case you haven't read them yet:

• The 50th Carnival of Genealogy : Family Pets was posted by Bill West at West in New England.
• Carnival of Genealogy, 51st Edition on the topic of Independent Spirit was posted by Thomas MacEntee at Destination Austin Family.

Tombstone Tuesday :: Phend Family at South Park

The Phend plot at South Park Cemetery, Whitley County, Indiana.

Henry and Susie Phend, my great grandparents, with their infant son Richard Lincoln.

Virgil Gilbert Phend, son of Henry and Susie.

Rolland Victor Phend, my grandfather, son of Henry and Susie.
My grandfather was 22 years old when his brother Richard was born. He once told me that he was holding little Richard at the time of his death.

Virgil was married to Heneretta Nelson on November 5, 1930. They were divorced six months later. Heneretta then married Virgil's brother, Don Phend, on September 5, 1931. Virgil graduated with the 1922 class of Columbia City High School. Like so many boys and young men, he worked for a while on the Aker onion and potato farm that was then located west of Columbia City. Later he attended an electrical engineering school at the University of Chicago. For a number of years he was associated with his father and brother, Gerald (Dufty) Phend in the building contracting business. Many of the downtown store fronts were renovated while he was an associate of the firm. In 1963 he began working as an architect with Roy McNett Designs, Inc. with whom he was employed at the time of his death.

All photographs taken May 4, .. by Becky Wiseman

The Sun Sinks into the Ocean

Beverly Beach State Park north of Newport, OregonSeptember 28, ..

Gone to Texas...

Monday morning I left Columbia City. With daytime temperatures in the low teens for the 3 days I was there, I was looking forward to some warmer weather!

While I was home in October, my best friend from my college days (Indiana State University 1979-1982) found me on Facebook! (And through her I "friended" our Photography Professor and another classmate.) I hadn't seen Connie since 1985 (or thereabouts). I've driven through Terre Haute several times in the last 20 years and each time would think of her but never took the time to stop.

Monday afternoon I paid Connie a long-overdue visit. I took a chance that she would be home and not busy and stopped without calling ahead. Not good form, I know, but I didn't know I was going to stop until I got to the Third Street exit!

As luck would have it, she was home! We had a wonderful visit, though only about 90 minutes long. It was great to see her again and hopefully it won't be quite so long until the next visit!

Connie and Me. Photo taken by her daughter. December 13, ...
Connie's grandson, Declan, was doing his best to stuff his hand in my mouth!He is such a cutie! Blonde hair, blue eyes, chubby cheeks. And so sweet.
Snow was on the ground, but the Interstates in Indiana were mostly clear. They had just enough moisture on them so that trucks and cars sent up a fine salty mist. My black van is mostly white right now. Driving through Illinois on I-70 there were an awful lot of cars and semi-trucks in the median and along both sides of the highway. Many were “right side up” but several were on their sides and a couple had completely rolled over. Not a pleasant sight and I was thankful that I had missed the really bad weather.

Turning south on I-57 and I-55, the temperature started slowly rising, from 16 to a high of 24! Once into northern Arkansas the snow had disappeared and the roads were dry. Yesterday afternoon I smiled as the sun came out and the temp kept going up. It was a blustery 55 degrees when I stopped for the night a little ways west of Texarkana, and 55 degrees never felt so good before!

It's a Parade!

Saturday, August 20th - - There were numerous activities in Mellette County, South Dakota this week for their Centennial Celebration and annual Pioneer Days but today was the “big parade” in White River, the county seat, population 580 or thereabouts.





The Parade began with the American Legion Color Guard and the Community Band (on the float behind them) playing the National Anthem.





Of course, Horses were a big part of the parade. A little “artistic license” taken here with selective focus and sepia toning...





This four-horse team was quite impressive.



The “Centennial Christmas Tree” was decorated with sunflowers, amongst other things. The fields of Sunflowers in the area were so pretty and colorful.





Of course, there was some clowning around.



This gal was having way too much fun! I tried hard to get a full face photo of her but she was just moving around too quickly.





Quite the colorful character!

The parade was enjoyed by all. The threat of rain in the morning did not dampen spirits - the voice over the loudspeaker announced that we were part of the largest crowd ever in White River!