Well, I have heard the sorts of arguments made by this guy all too often, but I had heard that this video was worth watching because of the twist ending. So I watched it, and I have to admit, I was absolutely surprised. Pleasantly surprised.
-Geoff
Tag: history
Clayton
That was the name of the black tailed prairie dog that I worked with for years in my museum job. She passed away a few years ago at a good old age, but I still miss her. She was a bit pudgy even by prairie dog standards, but she was a cute little thing.
She loved to snack on nuts of different types, she was always amusing on stage when taken out for educational programs for kids and adults alike, and she loved her chin scritches. She was full of personality, quite content to tell you to bugger off when she didn’t want to be bothered, loved to make up her own comfy sleeping spaces, and was a little tyrant when she felt like it. I learned a lot about prairie dogs because of her, so when I received the following email from the HSUS I knew that I needed to talk about it, and talk about Clayton, here.
Second tour is done
This time we had a full group of about 15. Most of them seemed pretty enthusiastic although there was one guy who must have been along for the ride, because he didn’t seem to be into it while the woman with him asked me a lot of questions. Probably the most unusual thing about this tour happened when I brought the group by the Julia Ward Howe and Samuel Gridley Howe home on Chestnut Street. After describing how Julia was inspired to write new words to the tune of “John Brown’s Body”, and how the new lyrics became tremendously popular, a woman on the tour asked if I could sing it for her, and then a bunch of the other women on the tour chimed in too. So I went ahead and sang the first verse. I got a round of applause, hopefully not for comedic value and/or pity.
-Geoff
The first Civil War walking tour seemed to go well…
and the second one is coming up this weekend. There are already a bunch of people signed up for it. I am excited. Needless to say I have had the Civil War era on the brain for a while, but especially lately.
Continue reading “The first Civil War walking tour seemed to go well…”
The unstudied aspects of the Civil War
I know that to some people, the idea that there is anything left to study about the Civil War is doubtful. Estimates are that some 50,000 books have been written about the Civil War. And yet, much to my own frustration, many topics remain unstudied. The one that has frustrated me more than any other in recent years is civilian casualties of the war.
Getting down to the wire
My first Civil War walking tour for Historic New England is coming up this Saturday. I am a little nervous, but I think it is going to go well.
One of Bucky’s previous lives
We have all heard that cats have nine lives, but rarely is the evidence for one of those lives presented so starkly and so unexpectedly.
In a previous life, Bucky belonged to Mr. Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain.
My Civil War Walking Tour for Historic New England
Hello everyone. I have been meaning to put up a link to the new tour that will be led by yours truly, so here is the link to the first one, which will be on September 22nd. That day is the 150th anniversary of the issuing of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, so it is a pretty appropriate day, I think. If you have the time, come on out and learn some history with me.
-Geoff
I need to clean off my camera more often
I was working on updating our For Sale page last night and I realized that I had photos on my camera from when Geoff’s parents, sister, brother-in-law, and the kids were in town back in July. Whoops.
So, without further ado, here they are.
This just breaks my heart, for several reasons
I hate to see historical markers or monuments vandalized. It’s bad enough that my own ancestor’s monument was vandalized in recent years. I mentioned the other day that someone had vandalized the Shaw monument on Beacon Street. It happened while I was working literally down the street. Well, I had a chance to see the damage for myself.
Continue reading “This just breaks my heart, for several reasons”
The Books are Taking Over... 