The Skipjack (or Bateau)

When I was small, Mom frequently talked about taking her own "bateau" out on the Bay and in the Channels.  I have to admit that i always thought a "bateau" was built like a rowboat, only a bit longer and slimmer.  Boy, was I ever wrong.  In doing research about watermen on the Chesapeake Bay, and on Mom's home island of Chincoteague, I have found that what was called a "bateau" when she was a girl, is what I was taught to call a skipjack.  A boat built for oyster dredging - who'd-a thunk?  Not me....  The Skipjack is a V-bottomed boat that was developed in the 1880s, that was slightly larger than a sailing bateau.  The Skipjack was was used to harvest oysters, and, under sail was powerful enough to haul two full-sized oyster dredges.  Traditionally, the skipjack was called a "bateau" by watermen; but in 1900, the newspaper The Baltimore Sun published an article that described how the boats were fitted-out for the oyster season in Baltimore Harbor.  Because of the boats speed and power while under the sail, the writer called the boats "Skipjacks."  The city name stuck to the boats, but locally, the words bateau and skipjack were interchangeable.
   Here are some photos of skipjacks along the Chesapeake Bay:

You can take sailing tours of the Chesapeake Bay from St. Michael's

Oyster dredging in the Choptank River

Skipjack on the Chesapeake

The Rosie Parks in a sailing competition, 1982

The Rosie Parks on a test sail in 1995

The Deal Island Skipjack races

The Helen Virginia

The Pull of the Islands

The weather folks are forecasting a high of 97 today, and I can believe it - it was 80 degrees at 7 a.m. this morning.  By that time, I had cared for all the critters where I'm house-sitting, walked the dog, and watered all of the hanging baskets and potted plants.  (The baskets continue to look fine, but, as I said before, the Chinese wisteria lost about 90% of it's leaves.  And it's definitely my fault.)  Anyway, my kits are running around outside , and I've had breakfast and checked out all my usual sites for news of interest and e-mail.  I will return home tomorrow after walking Rosie, and don't have to leave my place until Tuesday morning - to walk Rosie. It will be heavenly to be in my own bed with my own cats tomorrow night...  I can't wait!
   I haven't heard otherwise, so I'm guessing that the fireworks that were postponed Friday night, to to high winds in the aftermath of Hurricane Arthur, went of without any problems last night.  And, as usual in July, my island blood is starting its siren song, calling me back to the Eastern Shore of Virginia.   You know, that's a lie...  I start feeling the pull of the islands in March, it seems to reach a peak around Pony Penning, and then settles back down in late October.  I don't believe that a single day passes without my thinking of Chincoteague and Assateague, my parents, and my husband.
  So, probably beginning tomorrow, most of my posts will relate to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, Pony Penning, our Volunteer Fire Company, the local history, birds that use the Atlantic Flyway, wildlife on the islands, and ponies.
  For today, I'll just suggest two FaceBook pages to visit - one for cruises around the islands, based out of Chincoteague; and the other for the Barrier Islands Center, which is located in the idyllic town of Machipongo, to the south of Chincoteague.  I highly endorse both enterprises.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Captain-Barrys-Back-Bay-Cruises/155032211287774
(These cruises are run by my cousin, Captain Barry Frishman - they are a super combination of sight-seeing, and learning about the marine and island ecology.  The exception is the Champagne Sunset Cruise, which is very quiet and cozy...)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barrier-Islands-Center/130871130768
This group has fantastic programs, great films, and superb children's books.  Check out the two available books about the Hog Island Sheep - they are awesome!!!

Wildfires, Zenyatta, & the Eastern Shore

Things look a little better today, regarding the wildfires in Colorado - we have more containment, cooler temperatures, and a chance of rain for the next three days.  Unfortunately, the rain also means chances for lightning - otherwise, it's great news.  What is sobering is the report that 473 homes have been destroyed by the Black Forest fire, and the fire is now about 30% contained.  Pets and livestock, mostly horses, are missing - one can view and/or post missing pets and livestock on the KUSA website at  http://www.9news.com/news/photo-gallery.aspx?storyid=340858 .  One family believes they are lucky; they lost their house, but their 27 assorted animals and their barn are safe.  Their horses, cats, dogs, birds, and pigs all survived; they plan on rebuilding the house.    The Royal Gorge wildfire is reported as being 65% contained.  A new wildfire broke out yesterday, the Ward Gulch fire, close to Rifle Mountain Park, was started by lightning, and the last I heard, had expanded to over 400 acres with no containment.  Several structures were at risk, and the Park was evacuated.  There will be a live update on the status of all of the fires at 10 a.m. MDT; I'll update as needed.
   Zenyatta, Queen Z, the Spanish-walking retired racehorse has been confirmed in foal to War Front.  Her first foal, a yearling named CoZmic One, is a colt by Bernardini; this year, she produced a chestnut colt by Tapit.  It will be interesting to see what this mating to War Front will bring...
   On the Eastern Shore, a sinkhole opened up in a lane of US 13, Lankford Highway, near Keller.  It drew a lot of attention from locals on their way in to work.  ....  Two people took a 6-foot inflatable dinghy out into the Atlantic from  the northern end of Assateague Island, near Ocean City, Maryland.  They had to be rescued by the US Coast Guard, as the current quickly took them away from the shore.  The folks had no water, no food, no flares, no radio, no life vests, and no sun block with them.  Luckily, a chartered fishing boat saw them and reported them so they could be rescued. (My opinion: Idiots. Let Darwin's Law take care of them.) ....  And, finally, for the first time since the Civil War, a State Senator from the Eastern Shore, Ralph Northam, of Onancock, is running for Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia.  I'd vote for him, were I still living there.

Supper, Catnip, and Memorial Day Weekend

I have 63 pages left to red to complete Inferno.  It is very good and keeps up a whirlwind pace with a lot of twists and turns; it's fascinating.  We've been very chilly here, mornings, since the beginning of the week - temperatures have dropped into the 40s every night, and it's not until noon that I really feel warm again.  But we're supposed to be in the 80s for this Memorial Day weekend - and, hopefully, the nights won't feel too chill.  I had supper at Turley's last night - and I say that tongue-in-cheek, because Bea had buttermilk pancakes and I had French toast, with us splitting the bacon and eggs.  But we sat and talked and relaxed and had quite a few good laughs.
  This morning, however, I found a late-night post from her on Facebook, stating the police had knocked on her door in the early hours because there had been a break-in in one of the apartments. So as soon as I walk Rosie, I will rush home, and try to see if I can discover anything.  Bea should be up by ten, so I can call and ask her for particulars, if nothing else...
  I gave Cloudy and Shady some of the organic catnip I purchased the other day - Cloudy has never responded strongly to catnip, but I was somewhat shocked that Shady got so high he fell off the dining room table.  He was not hurt, just embarrassed, but wanted to get back up to imbibing the catnip as soon as possible.  Nedi plays with his catnip-soaked toys very intently for about ten minutes each, while Lovey eats her catnip and then runs around like a nut.
  I hope to take a lot of scenic photos tomorrow, on Magnolia Mountain, in Nederland, along the Peak to Peak Highway, and in Big Thompson Canyon.  It should be a very fun and relaxing day trip - and, hopefully, Bea will take some photos of me, so I'll have a few different ones to share...    Enjoy the up-coming Holiday weekend!   -  And, if you're on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, visit the Native American Powwow in Eastville; in Boulder, visit the Boulder Creek Festival!

Eastern Shore Powwow at Historic Reservation

This upcoming weekend, the small town of Eastville (population 305) in Northampton County, Virginia, will be humming.  The Historic Bicentennial Homecoming Powwow, "Coming Full Circle," marks the 200th anniversary of the dissolution of the Gingaskin Reservation in Northampton County.  The former reservation is now Indiantown Park, where the grounds will be filled with drummers, dancers in colorful regalia, vendors, and visitors, May 25 and 26.
  Powwows are sacred ceremonies to Native Americans - American Indians.  From the ritual Grand Entry to the specialized dances, every element is imbued with tradition and meaning.  Accohannock Tribal Historian Michael (Fierce Arrow) Hinman says the sacred circles are set up several days in advance of the ceremonies, and the event follows prescribed practices.  A simple fallen feather can stop the dancing until a tribal elder removes it.  "Something a lot of people don't understand is, when they are dancing, they are in prayer," says Accohannock Tribal Chief Rudy (Laughing Otter) Hall.  Hall says that the Veterans Dance, along with the Grand Entry, are the most important events of the powwow.  "We count ourselves as the first people here, and we are people who protect our country and land - we honor them," said Hall.  Hinman also said that this powwow will have a special significance because it falls on Memorial Day weekend, and "Indians honor warriors."
   The historic reservation was not the only reason Eastville was selected to host the powwow.  A unique relationship has formed among the tribal leaders, the Town of Eastville, and Northampton County, that made Eastville a natural fit.  The county courthouse records in Eastville are the oldest continuous courthouse records in the United States, dating from 1632.  Begun by European settlers, the records contain accounts of interactions with indigenous people of the era.  This information, in turn, has been used by descendants to trace family lineage and verify affiliation with the Accohannock tribe.
  ******
One winning Powerball lottery ticket was sold for last night's drawing.  The total jackpot was $590.5 million, and the winning ticket was sold by a Publix Supermarket in Zephyrhills, Florida.
   And, in looking at the photo of Gary Stevens and Winning Colors from the Kentucky Derby 25 years ago, I had to look up more information on the filly who was only the third female in history to beat the boys at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.  Winning Colors was born 14 February 1985, and passed away on 17 February 2003; she was euthanized due to inoperable colic.  The big grey girl won handily in her two and three-year-old seasons, but was not the winner she could have been at age four, so she was retired to the farm.  She had ten foals, but none of them equaled her in strength, stamina, or the will to win.  During her racing days, she was a dark grey with a white blaze; before her death, her coat had turned pure white.

Waiting for Snow & Sandy Recovery Loans on Eastern Shore

It was bright and beautiful less than an hour ago, but the clouds are rolling in and the temperature is now 27. Like an idiot, I have the patio door open about 6 inches, allowing the kits can run in and out, so it's a little chilly in here at the moment. The weather folks are now saying "a trace to two inches of snow, at most" for this evenings precipitation. We need rain!!! Or snow!!! If it would guarantee that we'd get good precip, I'd bare everything and do a rain dance in the back yard - but I think some of the neighbors and folks staying on the higher floors of the Millennium Hotel might protest.

  Not much going on here - waiting for snow and for Aiko and Yoshi's folk to return. Of course, the family won't be back until 8 Sunday night... and Joel is taking Max and Nancy to the airport later this morning, so I'll take Rosie and Remy out for a walk while he's gone. Tonight, my friend Bea and I are going out to have supper at Ted's Montana Grill - I already know I'll have the fork-tender bison pot roast, it's my favorite. I need to see what games will be covered locally tomorrow, so I can decide whether I need to be at home to use my NFL pass to see the games I want.

  And, on the Eastern Shore:

Governor McDonnell Announces Low-Interest Disaster Recovery Loans for Eastern Shore
Available to Help Residents Rebuild from Hurricane Sandy~Loan Office to Open Tuesday in Melfa~

RICHMOND–In response to a request from Governor Bob McDonnell, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has made low-interest disaster loans available to individuals, renters and businesses on Virginia’s Eastern Shore to help them recover from Hurricane Sandy.
The governor asked for a federal SBA disaster declaration following the denial by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of his request for the Individual Assistance Program. “Unfortunately, the damage we had in Virginia was not of the severity or widespread enough for us to qualify for Individual Assistance,” said Governor McDonnell. “Although we considered an appeal of the FEMA decision, it is very unlikely it would be successful, and waiting for another decision would only delay assistance that can be provided through disaster recovery loans.”
SBA loans are available to individuals, renters and businesses in Accomack and Northampton counties. An SBA office will open Tuesday, Dec. 11, and be open through Thursday, Dec. 20, except for Sunday, Dec. 16, when it will be closed. Office hours are 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily. The SBA office will be located at the Eastern Shore Fire Training Center, 28598 Beacon Road, Melfa, Va., 23410. SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the center to answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the process and help individuals complete their applications.
Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Both homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses and nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.
“We appreciate the SBA low-interest disaster recovery loan program very much, yet there is a need for additional assistance to help people rebuild,” said Governor McDonnell. “I encourage all Virginians, especially on this holiday season, to make a tax-deductible donation to the Virginia Disaster Relief Fund to help our fellow citizens get back on their feet.”
The Virginia Disaster Relief Fund is a state-managed fund to financially aid Virginia residents impacted by disasters. Proceeds of the fund are distributed as grants to Local Disaster Recovery Groups. Grants also can be made to charities and faith-based organizations associated with the Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. To donate to the fund, visit https://payments.vi.virginia.gov/donatenow.

March Arrives like a Lamb

It's 28 degrees outside; skies were overcast obscuring the sunrise, and still are. But we're supposed to achieve highs in the 60s today, 70s on Monday and Tuesday, and 60s for the rest of the week... Our average highs for this week normally are 45... Global warming? And last month was the driest February on record in our part of the state; but the snow pack (from which we derive our summer water supply) is currently "average." A few early birds have visited the feeders this morning, but the patio is now deserted, except for Lovey and Banichi. The neighbor one door down, who has the Shar Pei, has begun tying him out on the patio in good weather - with plenty of water, food, and an over-stuffed bed. What is fun to watch is my kits approaching him and trying to decide whether to be friendly or not. The dog was raised with cats and likes them - but Lovey and Banichi are not quite sure of him (yet).

I watched Ladyhawke and Blazing Saddles last night. Ladyhawke had been my husband's favorite movie until he saw the first two parts of The Lord of the Rings series, so I wallowed in sentimentality and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Then I saw that Blazing Saddles was going to show on an Encore channel, and I watched that a laughed heartily. I hadn't seen BS in its' entirety since I first saw it in the theatre in 1974. I have to admit I now understand a lot of references more fully, and laughed all the harder for it. Then the kits and I curled up in bed with a good book about the reign of Edward II....

I have found a new application (new to me, that is) on Facebook that I truly enjoy. It's called Eastern Shore Gifts, and one can send one's friends things intrinsic to the Shore: a bushel of Blue Crabs, some steamed nick clams with condiments, a helping of hot Wachapreague Carnival fries, a tub of Tammy and Johnnie's fried chicken, a sunset cruise from Onancock, Pony Tales salt water taffy, and (even) your own pony.... This application makes me smile on a daily basis, for which I am thankful. I sent a friend in CT some nick clams and she asked if I was "a from here" or "a come here" - and I told her I was a 'Teaguer from way back in the 1650s, so I was definitely "a from here", even though I now live in Colorado.