A Day at the Library

I was invited by the Maury County Children's Library to spend an afternoon talking to some of the kids who were on fall break.  A topic that we thought might be entertaining was firearms from colonial to cowboy with a stop along the way in the Civil War.  But first to borrow from every friend I have.  Yes, it took 2 weeks and about 200 miles to find all the information I wanted to share.  And yep, another two weeks and 200 miles to get it all safely back home.

A cocked hat and a Brown Bess may have accompanied the

first settlers into Maury County in the late 1790s and early 1800s.

A volunteer from the audience to approximate a Revolutionary War soldier.

 

And with every good group - a question. 

The answer - no you may not fire this gun. 



A quick coat, vest and hat change an we're now in the

mid 19th Century and talking about the Civil War.

Maury County is rich in Civil War history.

An able assistant and good friend.

A question about the Civil War, and the same answer

as before, no, you may not fire any of these guns.        

Another change and we're in the 1880's and the era of the Cowboy,

though I suspect there were many more cowboys in the 1940s and 1950s

in Maury County than there ever were in the 1880s.

  

I must be entertaining - no one is on the computer.

In addition to borrowed firearms, swords, and pistols,

I brought two of the saddles I made,

one a McClellan and the other a replica of an 1840 Hope.



I'd like to thank Brittany Wyatt for the photos,

Dan Jaynes for the assisting,

Mecca Caron for the invitation

and the Maury County library for hosting the event.

But most of all the kids for showing up and giving me

their time and attention.

I had a great time!

Manskers Station Fall Encampment and Battle 2010

Saturday, October 9th, a lovely warm fall day we ventured forth to Goodlettsville to Manskers Station for their annual fall encampment and battle.  Early morning saw the preparation of lunch over a campfire. 

Potatoes, Onions, Carrots and Cabbage.  Add ham and a tasty meal is enjoyed by all.

 Mrs. Biggs - basket maker extraordinaire.

A pot of dye from walnut shells warming in the sun turns a pale basket into work of art.  According to Mrs. Biggs, basket making was often work for children and the elderly.  Work that could be done indoors in the winter and out of doors in fair weather.  Mrs. Biggs has taught her daughters well.

In addition to preparing food for lunch, basketing making there was also music.

While Mr. Moore teaches Miss Wyatt the art of bookbinding.

Around the fort.

                                     

Cutting tobacco.  Tobacco was a major cash crop for many colonial settlers in Tenneessee.

Finally it's time for the battle.



A Dan Patch Moment to Serenity

This is Bill and Tia in the snow on Valentine's Day in 2010.  Tia is hugely pregnant with her first foal (more about that later).   Tia was purchased from an Amish friend.  She was originally used in harness racing in Ardmore, Alabama.  In this picture she is a 4 going on 5 years old.

Here is Tia and baby Victory at two days old.  She's the spitting image of her mama down to the ears.



Here she is at 4 months beginning the learning process.  Victory, Tia and Bill on a cool Sunday morning.



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