BonnieBlueFlag

An American Critter Legend

2006-02-01T15:22:00.000-06:00

February 2nd, "Groundhog Day"

An old Scottish couplet that predates the Roman invasion of England says:

"If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
There'll be twa (two) winters in the year."

Candles were blessed by the clergy on Candlemas day, which was mid way between the first day of Winter (the Winter Solstice) and the first day of Spring (the Spring Equinox,) and forty days after the birth of Christ.

If the sun came out on February 2, Candlemas Day, it meant there would be a second winter that year, or six more weeks of winter weather. It was also believed that the hibernating animals knew instinctively when to leave their burrows and dens.

The favorite hibernating
animal to watch in the
British Isles was the
hedgehog.

Eventually, the Romans legions would carry this tradition from Scotland and England to Germany, where the badger would be the popular animal to forecast the coming of Spring.

The early American settlers of German origin continued to celebrate Candlemas Day in their new home in the 1700s. They traveled westward to the territory known as Pennsylvania, where in time they would come to be known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

It was the native-American Delaware Indians who founded a settlement between the Allegheny and the Susquehanna Rivers that they called "ponksad-uteney," the "town of the sandflies," which is known today as Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The Delawares believed that the woodchuck or groundhog was an ancestor to be honored, and the new German settlers quickly adopted the American groundhog as their weather forecaster.

"If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again."

Visit Punxsutawney Phil

Adopt a Hedgehog in the UK

Maneki Neko "Lucky Cat"

2006-01-24T18:59:00.000-06:00

With only a few minor changes, the Chinese lunar calendar and zodiac, spread to other Asian countries like, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Only in very few instances, did another country change the year of the rabbit to the year of the cat.

In the end, however, "Rat" who caused "Cat" to be excluded from the Chinese Zodiac, only bears the name of every twelfth year, while "Cat" is known far and wide, with his likeness appearing everywhere. "Cat" is welcomed daily into homes and shops around the world, because he is also known as "Lucky Cat."

Japanese Calico Bobtail Cat

It was some time in the early part of the 17th century, in a little village to the west of Tokyo, in Japan, where there was a very humble temple that had fallen into disrepair.

The priest who resided at the temple was aging and very poor. He would have been very lonely, except for his only treasure, his pet bobtail cat, Tama. Now Tama was a very unusual cat, in that he was a tri-color, a calico. Almost every calico cat everywhere is a female, so Tama's color made him an exceptional cat.

Each day the priest would go about his temple duties with Tama following close behind, and in the evening he would share his meager portions of food with the cat.

One day when the situation seemed particularly bleak, the priest complained to Tama, saying that surely there must be something the cat could do to help out at the temple. After all, the priest said, he had taken care of the cat for quite some time now. Tama was busy washing his face while the priest talked on at some length, he only stopped his grooming for a brief moment, to look up at the worried face of his dear friend.

That night the priest prayed that somehow things would improve tomorrow, and that he and Tama would have food to sustain them. Then they went to sleep as usual, neither knowing what new difficulties another day would bring.

In the morning the priest arose early as was his habit, and he set about doing his daily chores. The sunshine faded, and it began to grow very dark. The priest looked up to see the gathering gray thunderclouds in the sky, and he began to move more quickly in the hope that he would be able to finish his work before the rains came. Mysteriously, Tama had not come with him this morning, and he wondered where the cat had gone. Hopefully, Tama had not gone far, and he would get home before the rains came.

Meanwhile, Tama had made his way to the front gate of the temple, and there he remained as if he was waiting to greet someone.

People were rushing past the temple now, eager to get home, as the sky grew darker and the cold rain drops began to fall. Tama watched with great interest, as one young gentleman sought cover from the rain. The young man had run under the leafy branches of the big tree at the edge of the temple's yard.

The gentleman was Lord Naotaka Ii from the Hikone district near Kyoto. Naotaka had been out hunting, when he noticed the rapidly approaching storm, and now he was trying to make his way back home.

When Naotaka realized that he would have to wait a few minutes before he could go on, he leaned against the tree to be more comfortable. After a moment he finally looked up to see the dilapidated temple. There in the doorway of the temple was a calico cat, and the cat was making an odd motion with its paw, the cat seemed to be beckoning him to come to the temple.

Curious, Naotaka decided to leave the cover of the tree, to see why this cat was waving for him to come to the temple.

Naotaka was only a few steps away from the temple gate and the odd little cat, when an enormous bolt of lightening flashed across the sky and struck the tree.

When Naotaka looked back, he saw the charred remains of the tree under which he had been standing, and he knew that his life had been saved by the cat who had beckoned him to the temple. Yes, little Tama had saved Lord Naotaka's life.

Naotaka went inside the temple and met with the old priest. After relating the story of how Tama had saved his life to the priest, he noticed the poverty of his surroundings. Naotaka decided that his wealthy family should become the patrons of this temple; and with that decision the priest and Tama would have much good fortune.

The temple was renamed Goutokuji Temple, and when Tama died he was buried beneath it. A clay figure of a calico cat with his left paw raised was made in honor of Tama, and it was called Maneki Neko (beckoning cat.) According to some, the Maneki Neko was considered to be the incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy. Even today, owners of lost or sick cats go to the temple to pray for their beloved pets.

Maneki Neko/Lucky Cat

In time Maneki Neko also became known as "Lucky Cat." He could be found in shops everywhere, to entice customers to please come inside.

The gold coin held by "Lucky Cat" is the Koban, an early Japanese monetary unit that was worth about $1,000. Today the coin represents ten million times that much, or a very sizable fortune.

There are numerous legends about Japan's first Lucky Cat, or Maneki Neko (beckoning cat.)

Later Maneki Neko would also become a charm to keep evil spirits away, only this "Lucky Cat" would have his right paw raised as if to protect.

Lucky Cat Paws and Colors:

The Left Paw
Invites customers or people.

The Right Paw
Invites money and good fortune.

Both Paws
Protects home or business.

The Bib and Bell
Represent Wealth and Material abundance.

The Calico Cat
Traditionally the luckiest cat of all.

The White Cat
Symbolizes Purity, and positive things to come.

The Black Cat
This cat wards off Evil and stalkers when placed facing North.

The Golden Cat
Brings Wealth and Prosperity when placed facing West.

The Red Cat
Brings Love, Marriage, Good Fortune in business and personal matters when placed facing East.

The Pink Cat
Brings Love, Happiness and Romance when placed facing Southeast.

The Green Cat
Brings strength in Academics (education/studies,) and sometimes Health when placed facing South.

Perhaps you do not remember seeing "Lucky Cat" at your favorite Japanese, Chinese, or Thai restaurant. Next time you visit, be sure to take a good look around, because he is there I assure you.

In the meantime, there is a very good chance that you will see "Hello Kitty," among your daughter's toys, or on a shelf in almost any store. She was created by a Japanese company about thirty years ago, and there are many who believe that she was inspired by "Lucky Cat."

"Hello Kitty"

Click Here To Color Your Own Lucky Cat

The Year Of The Dog 2006-07

2006-01-16T17:20:00.000-06:00

Lord Buddha

In a mythical time very long ago, in a land far away, even before the Algonquin Indians in North America named the "full" moons, the ancient Chinese people were watching the sun, the moon and the stars in the sky with great interest too.

At first they had no way to mark the seasons of the year, to know when to plant their crops, or to do other tasks important to their livelihood, because they had no calendar. But, before Lord Buddha left the earth, a calendar was created based on the phases of the "new" moons.

A month was 29 1/2 days in length, beginning with each new moon, giving 12 months to each year. Five cycles of the 12 years along with the designated elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, combined to complete a cycle of 60 years.

One day Lord Buddha summoned all of the animals to come before him, he had decided to select twelve of the most faithful animals, and to reward them with their own year. Lord Buddha did not tell the animals why he had called them.

In a little while the animals who had obeyed the summons, gathered quietly on the banks of the misty river across from the modest house where Buddha lived. They waited patiently to hear why they had been called. But, once they learned of the privilege that was to be given to 12 of them, they began to argue among themselves, as to who should be given the honor of naming the first year, and the second year, and so on.

Lord Buddha looked across the rushing waters of the river to see the squabbling animals, and he sought to calm the animals by giving them a contest. The animals were told that they must swim to the other side of the river, and the first one to arrive would be given the first year, the second animal to reach the bank would be given the second year, and so on.

The night before the morning of the contest, while everyone was asleep, Rat went to his good friend Cat, to discuss the race. They both agreed that they were at a terrible disadvantage, because they could not swim very well. They knew that they would be the slowest in the race, if they could finish at all.

So, Cat and Rat went to see Ox who was very large, but very gentle and good natured. Cat and Rat told Ox of their concerns, and asked if they could ride on his back in the river. Ox very kindly told them that he would be pleased to carry them across the raging river.

In the morning, when the first rays of pink and yellow sunshine washed over the river and its grassy banks, the animals were already awake and noisily hurrying to prepare for the race.

Ox was quite ready to go. He looked around for Cat and Rat, but did not see them, so he turned toward the river, and slowly walked to the river bank. Just as he was stepping into the water, Cat and Rat jumped out from behind some reeds and hopped up on his back.

Ox loved how he was able to float when he was in the water, and he was a powerful swimmer, so he was able to navigate the river quite well.

Then when Ox was almost half way to the other side of the river, and well ahead of the others; Rat became concerned that Cat would be the first to reach the shore, so he pushed Cat into the river. Cat never forgave Rat, and that is why to this day Cats hate Rats.

As Ox was swimming closer and closer to the shore, Rat jumped off and won the race. Rat was named the first zodiac animal.

Ox lumbered out of the water in second place, and became the second zodiac animal.

Tiger was not at all fond of water, but he was strong and determined, and still he managed to finish the race in third place.

Rabbit told a harrowing tale of his adventure in crossing the river, but he had received a helping hand from Dragon, and finished fourth.

Dragon, having slowed down to help Rabbit, came in fifth.

Then just as Horse was coming ashore, he reared back so as not to step on Snake, who had quickly slithered ahead of Horse. So, Snake was sixth and Horse placed seventh.

Next came Sheep, Monkey, and Rooster, placing eighth, ninth, and tenth. They had all come together on a hastily built raft.

A little time passed before Dog, who was an excellent swimmer, finally came ashore. As he shook and shook, spraying everyone with a shower of water drops from his fur, he barked to say that he had stopped to play. Dog would be the eleventh zodiac animal.

The sun was now overhead, and just when it looked as though there would be no more animals to finish the race, they heard a great splash, and a gurgling that gave way to a loud squeal. Oink, oink, oink, Pig was late, because he had overslept, but he was just in time to be the twelfth zodiac animal.

Now it is said, that each person will have the characteristics of the animal for whom his or her year of birth is named.

According to the ancient Chinese calendar, 2006 will be the year 4703-4, and January 29th, will be New Year's Day in the new "Year of the Dog."

This year's dog is ruled by the element fire. There is a Chinese tale about the celestial red fire dog who chased away evil spirits.

There are many breeds of dogs that originated in China: the Lhasa Apso, the Mastiff, the Pekinese, the Shar-pei, the Shih Tzu, and the Tibetan Terrier and Spaniel.

Most notably the Chow Chow was bred by Royalty, and by the Taoist monks, to serve as temple and palace guards.

Note: This is only one version of how the Chinese Zodiac began, there are several other myths or legends.

Most scholars believe the Chinese Zodiac originated sometime before 1100 BC, before Buddha's birth in India around 500 BC. The system grew more elaborate and complex over the centuries, but its importance in China ensured its acceptance elsewhere.

See The Animal That Hides In Your Heart below.

The Animal That Hides In Your Heart

2006-01-16T17:08:00.000-06:00

RAT

Rat was the first animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle. It is usually considered aggressive, ambitious, suspicious, power-hungry, honest, generous, quick to anger and prone to spend freely. Those born under the sign of Rat are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the one they love. However, they have a tendency to be hot-tempered and overly critical. They are usually suitable for sales work or work as a writer, critic, or publicist. Rats will get well along with Dragons and Monkeys, however should avoid Horses.

OX

Ox is a symbol of powerful individuals with unyielding and stubborn personalities. Those born under the sign are natural born leaders who typically succeed when given the chance and will also make outstanding parents. They are upright, inspiring, easy-going and conservative. The Ox would be successful as a skilled surgeon, general, or hairdresser. Ox gets along with Snakes and Roosters but not sheep.

TIGER

As the fighting animal, those born under tiger's sign are sensitive, aggressive, unpredictable, charming, emotional, courageous and capable of great love. Often risking themselves, they have a carefree life. Tigers usually will be outstanding as a boss, explorer, race car driver, or matador. A happy marriage can take place with a Horse or a Dog but never a Monkey.

RABBIT

Those born under this sign are affectionate, talented, obliging, always pleasant, valuing security and tranquility. They have a tendency to get too sentimental and superficial and to avoid conflict and emotional involvement. Being cautious and conservative, they usually take no risk and are successful in business. They would also make a good lawyer, diplomat, or actor. Their best life partners are Sheep or Pigs instead of Roosters.

DRAGON

Those born under the sign are considered intelligent, gifted, bossy, loud, garish, and unfaithful, but also popular and successful, full of vitality and enthusiasm. They usually look stubborn on the outside, but softhearted inside. They are born to be an artist, priest, politician, or leader. A dragon will be compatible with a Snake or Rooster. However, a sheep will not be a good choice.

SNAKE

Those born under this sign are usually considered clever, passionate, determined, romantic, intense, rich in wisdom and charm, but vain. Women born under Snake are often beautiful. Snakes will be strongly guided by their intuition. They certainly will win a lot of money, but have to avoid procrastination and stingy attitude towards money. The Snake would be most content as a teacher, philosopher, writer, psychiatrist, or fortune teller. Marriage with a Rooster or Ox not a Pig will be best.

HORSE

They are hardworking, intelligent and friendly, cheerful and popular, but impatient. Usually they consider themselves superior to others. They have a strong streak of selfishness and sharp cunning and should guard against being egotistical. Adventurer, scientist, poet, or politician will be suitable occupations for them. Horses get well along with Tigers and Dogs instead of Rats.

SHEEP

The sign suggests a person who is creative, artistic, passionate, elegant, warmhearted, honest, charming but pessimistic, timid, disorganized and vulnerable. Too dependent on material comforts, they are easy to complain and do not respond well to pressure, but will find their own natural solution to a problem when given space. Best occupation for a Sheep is an actor or a gardener. They are compatible with Rabbits or Pigs in marriage, but not Ox.

MONKEY

Monkeys are intelligent, inventive, clever, entertaining but also dangerous and easily discouraged. Because of their extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, they are always well liked and make close friends. However, they can't be trusted. They should guard against being an opportunist and distrusting other people. The sign suggests success in any field they try. The best matches are Dragons or Rats while the worst are Tigers.

ROOSTER

Roosters are courageous, hardworking, shrewd, arrogant, reckless, selfish and eccentric. They are thirsty for knowledge, devoted to work and definite involved in decision-making. They are skilled at what they do and attentive to details. However, they tend to seem boastful to others. Roosters will be happy as a restaurant owner, publicist, soldier or world traveler. The sign promises harmony with Snakes and Ox and trouble with Rabbits.

DOG

Those born under this sign are honest, quiet, intelligent, generous, stubborn, loyal and faithful to those they love. They are introverted listeners, dedicated but also cynical and prone to letting their external anxieties get the better of them. Constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a faultfinder will always plague them. However, they are born to be successful. Dogs will be excellent businessmen, activists, teachers, or secret agents. Tigers and Horses are deemed as best matches, and Dragons need to be handled with care.

PIG

Pigs are honest, reliable, sincere, tolerant, shy, affectionate, kind, impulsive and short tempered. They are splendid companions, intellectuals with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. In addition they are extraordinarily naive. Their unquenchable thirst for knowledge will facilitate their success whereas their quest for material comfort will frustrate it. Pigs also will sacrifice their lives for good causes. The Pig will be successful in financial affairs, or as an entertainer, or possibly a lawyer. Pigs should be aware of other Pigs and compatible with Sheep and Rabbits.

See Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal below.

Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal

2006-01-16T15:24:00.000-06:00

RAT
• Jan. 31, 1900 to Feb. 18, 1901
• Feb. 18, 1912 to Feb. 06, 1913
• Feb. 05, 1924 to Jan. 24, 1925
• Jan. 24, 1936 to Feb. 10, 1937
• Feb. 10, 1948 to Feb. 14, 1949
• Jan. 28, 1960 to Feb. 14, 1961
• Jan. 16, 1972 to Feb. 02, 1973
• Feb. 02, 1984 to Feb. 19, 1985
• Feb. 19, 1996 to Feb. 06, 1997
• Feb. 07, 2008 to Jan. 25, 2009
• Jan. 15, 2020 to Feb. 11, 2021
OX
• Feb. 19, 1901 to Feb. 07, 1902
• Feb. 06, 1913 to Jan. 25, 1914
• Jan. 25, 1925 to Feb. 12, 1926
• Feb. 11, 1937 to Jan. 30, 1938
• Jan. 29, 1949 to Feb. 16, 1950
• Feb. 15, 1961 to Feb. 04, 1962
• Feb. 03, 1973 to Jan. 22, 1974
• Feb. 20, 1985 to Feb. 08, 1986
• Feb. 07, 1997 to Jan. 27, 1998
• Jan. 26, 2009 to Feb. 13, 2010
• Feb. 12, 2021 to Jan. 31, 2022
TIGER
• Feb. 08, 1902 to Jan. 28, 1903
• Jan. 26, 1914 to Feb. 13, 1915
• Feb. 13, 1926 to Feb. 01, 1927
• Jan. 31, 1938 to Feb. 18, 1939
• Feb. 17, 1950 to Feb. 05, 1951
• Feb. 05, 1962 to Jan. 24, 1963
• Jan. 23, 1974 to Feb. 10, 1975
• Jan. 09, 1986 to Jan. 28, 1987
• Jan. 28, 1998 to Feb. 15, 1999
• Feb. 14, 2010 to Feb. 02, 2011
• Feb. 01, 2022 to Jan. 21, 2023
RABBIT
• Jan. 29, 1903 to Feb. 15, 1904
• Feb. 14, 1915 to Feb. 16, 1916
• Feb. 02, 1927 to Jan. 22, 1928
• Feb. 19, 1939 to Feb. 07, 1940
• Feb. 06, 1951 to Jan. 26, 1952
• Jan. 25, 1963 to Feb. 12, 1964
• Feb. 11, 1975 to Jan. 30, 1976
• Jan. 29, 1987 to Feb. 16, 1988
• Feb. 16, 1999 to Feb. 04, 2000
• Feb. 03, 2011 to Jan. 22, 2012
• Jan. 22, 2023 to Feb. 09, 2024
DRAGON
• Feb. 16, 1904 to Feb. 03, 1905
• Feb. 03, 1916 to Jan. 22, 1917
• Jan. 23, 1928 to Feb. 09, 1929
• Feb. 08, 1940 to Jan. 26, 1941
• Jan. 27, 1952 to Feb. 13, 1953
• Feb. 13, 1964 to Feb. 01, 1965
• Jan. 31, 1976 to Feb. 17, 1977
• Feb. 17, 1988 to Feb. 05, 1989
• Feb. 05, 2000 to Jan. 23, 2001
• Jan. 23, 2012 to Feb. 09, 2013
• Feb. 10, 2024 to Jan. 28, 2025
SNAKE
• Feb. 04, 1905 to Jan. 24, 1906
• Jan. 23, 1917 to Feb. 10, 1918
• Feb. 10, 1929 to Jan. 29, 1930
• Jan. 27, 1941 to Feb. 14, 1942
• Feb. 14, 1953 to Feb. 02, 1954
• Feb. 02, 1965 to Jan. 20, 1966
• Feb. 18, 1977 to Feb. 06, 1978
• Feb. 06, 1989 to Jan. 26, 1990
• Jan. 24, 2001 to Feb. 11, 2002
• Feb. 10, 2013 to Jan. 30, 2014
• Jan. 29, 2025 to Feb. 16, 2026
HORSE
• Jan. 25, 1906 to Feb. 12, 1907
• Feb. 11, 1918 to Jan. 31, 1919
• Jan. 30, 1930 to Feb. 16, 1931
• Jan. 15, 1942 to Feb. 04, 1943
• Feb. 03, 1954 to Jan. 23, 1955
• Jan. 21, 1966 to Feb. 08, 1967
• Feb. 07, 1978 to Jan. 27, 1979
• Jan. 27, 1990 to Feb. 14, 1991
• Feb. 12, 2002 to Jan. 31, 2003
• Jan. 31, 2014 to Feb. 18, 2015
• Feb. 17, 2026 to Feb. 05, 2027
SHEEP
• Feb. 13, 1907 to Feb. 01, 1908
• Feb. 01, 1919 to Feb. 19, 1920
• Feb. 17, 1931 to Feb. 05, 1932
• Jan. 05, 1943 to Jan. 24, 1944
• Jan. 24, 1955 to Feb. 11, 1956
• Feb. 09, 1967 to Jan. 28, 1968
• Jan. 28, 1979 to Feb. 15, 1980
• Feb. 15, 1991 to Feb. 03, 1992
• Feb. 01, 2003 to Jan. 21, 2004
• Feb. 19, 2015 to Feb. 07, 2016
• Feb. 06, 2027 to Jan. 25, 2028
MONKEY
• Feb. 02, 1908 to Jan. 21, 1909
• Feb. 20, 1920 to Feb. 07, 1921
• Feb. 06, 1932 to Jan. 25, 1933
• Jan. 25, 1944 to Feb. 12, 1945
• Feb. 12, 1956 to Jan. 30, 1957
• Jan. 30, 1968 to Feb. 16, 1969
• Feb. 16, 1980 to Feb. 04, 1981
• Feb. 04, 1992 to Jan. 22, 1993
• Jan. 22, 2004 to Feb. 08, 2005
• Feb. 08, 2016 to Jan. 27, 2017
• Jan. 26, 2028 to Feb. 12, 2029
ROOSTER
• Jan. 22, 1909 to Feb. 09, 1910
• Feb. 08, 1921 to Jan. 27, 1922
• Jan. 26, 1933 to Feb. 13, 1934
• Feb. 13, 1945 to Feb. 01, 1946
• Jan. 31, 1957 to Feb. 17, 1958
• Feb. 17, 1969 to Feb. 05, 1970
• Feb. 05, 1981 to Jan. 24, 1982
• Jan. 23, 1993 to Feb. 09, 1994
• Feb. 09, 2005 to Jan. 28, 2006
• Jan. 28, 2017 to Feb. 15, 2018
• Feb. 13, 2029 to Feb. 02, 2030
DOG
• Feb. 10, 1910 to Jan. 29, 1911
• Jan. 28, 1922 to Feb. 13, 1923
• Feb. 14, 1934 to Feb. 03, 1935
• Feb. 02, 1946 to Jan. 21, 1947
• Feb. 18, 1958 to Feb. 07, 1959
• Feb. 06, 1970 to Jan. 26, 1971
• Jan. 25, 1982 to Feb. 12, 1983
• Feb. 10, 1994 to Jan. 30, 1995
• Jan. 29, 2006 to Feb. 17, 2007
• Feb. 16, 2018 to Feb. 04, 2019
• Feb. 03, 2030 to Jan. 22, 2031
PIG
• Jan. 30, 1911 to Feb. 17, 1912
• Feb. 16, 1923 to Feb. 04, 1924
• Feb. 04, 1935 to Jan. 23, 1936
• Jan. 22, 1947 to Feb. 09, 1948
• Feb. 08, 1959 to Jan. 27, 1960
• Jan. 27, 1971 to Jan. 15, 1972
• Feb. 13, 1983 to Feb. 01, 1984
• Jan. 31, 1995 to Feb. 18, 1996
• Feb. 18, 2007 to Feb. 06, 2008
• Feb. 05, 2019 to Jan. 14, 2020
• Jan. 23, 2031 to Feb. 10, 2032

The Full Wolf Moon

2006-01-06T21:57:00.000-06:00

by: BonnieBlueFlag

As noted in November's The Full Beaver Moon, the Algonquin Indians gave names to each full moon, to help them mark the seasons of the year.

The December moon was known as the "Full Cold Moon." This full moon was the month of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, with less sunlight to warm the earth, and longer colder nights.

Now we are approaching the "Full Wolf Moon" on January 14th.

As the long dark days of winter wore on, with food becoming more and more scare, the hunger of the wolves would cause them to take more chances in nearing people, to become less fearful of man. The wolves would then be in direct competition with the Indians for whatever elk, moose, deer, or buffalo that could still be hunted.

By January it would have been many weeks since the smaller game animals, chipmunks, squirrels, beaver, fish, and even mice, would have been readily available to feed the wolves. And, since the smaller game was not sufficient nourishment for the pack for very long, they would need to find much larger quarry.

The wolf pack's prey of choice is large hoofed animals, which would have also made the Indian ponies an enticing potential meal as well. Thus occasionally the wolves would move in closer to the Indian winter encampments at night, in the hopes of separating one from the herd.

The early American settlers were able to live in harmony with the wolves, as long as the pioneers were living on the game they hunted. But, when they began to raise herds of cattle or sheep, man's conflict with the wolves began and continues to this day.

The North American gray wolf, or timber wolf, has a weight range of about 60 to 160 pounds, with coat colors from white, to gray, to brown and black. They mate for life, and live in packs that usually consist of family members. The pack is made up of approximately 7 or 8 wolves who are led by the strongest male.

Normally it is only the alpha male and female of the pack who will breed; and that can be anywhere from January to April, depending on the amount of daylight, and other weather conditions in the region in which they live.

Once the wolf pups are born, all of the members of the pack take part in their care and feeding.

The pack will not travel any great distance until late summer or early fall when the pups are able to keep up. Then they will once again be on the move through the winter months, and past the time of the next "Full Wolf Moon."

Original artwork by Randy Russell

Sing Happy Birthday To Your Favorite Horse

2006-01-01T14:25:00.000-06:00

by: BonnieBlueFlag

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Horsey,
Happy Birthday to you.

Today horses everywhere will be wearing party hats, and eating carrot cakes that say "Happy Birthday."

New Year's Day is the official birth date of all horses living in the Northern Hemisphere. Any colt or filly that was born from January to December of 2005, will turn one year old today, January 1, 2006, and all the others will add one year to their age of record.

This age arrangement was done quite some time ago for the convenience of the breeders, and for record keeping with registered horses, such as Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and Paints.

The natural breeding season for mares is from March to October, with a pregnancy that lasts for approximately 11 months.

However, with new veterinary techniques, the normal breeding season can be extended, and the ideal January birth of a potential racing colt is possible.

So when you place your bet on one of the "Three Year Olds" in the next Kentucky Derby, remember that they may not all be at the same stage of development, even though they are all considered to be three years old.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2005-12-31T14:52:00.000-06:00

From: BonnieBlueFlag

A special bubbly New Year's toast to my "auld acquaintances," who will never be forgotten, and to my new friends and neighbors on the Internet. Each of you holds a special place in my heart, and in my thoughts, and I wish you all the very best in 2006.

"We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne."

"Auld Lang Syne" was originally an ancient Scottish Folk Ballad, that may have been first noted in about the 1550s, but is perhaps even older. It had been sung for generations, however, it had only been handed down in the oral history and traditions of Scotland. Wherever Scotsmen traveled, particularly to England and America, the ballad followed.

In about 1788 the Poet of Scotland, Robert Burns, took a version of the song, polished it, added a verse or two, and wrote it down on paper for what is thought to have been the first time.

The Traditional Scottish Version

"Auld Lang Syne"
by Robert Burns

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o' auld lang syne.

Chorus:
And for auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus:

We twa hae run about the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus:

We twa hae paidl'd i' the burn,
Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus:

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right guid willy waught,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus:
And for auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

A Translation from the Scots:

auld; old
lang; long
syne; since
Auld Lang Syne; days of long ago
jo; sweetheart, dear
be: paid for
braes; hills
burn; stream
pint stowp; pint tankard
pou'd; pulled
twa; two
hae; have
gowans; daisies
mony; many
fitt; foot
paidl'd; waded
dine; dinner-time
braid; broad
fiere; friend
willie-waught; draught

A Standard English Version

"Old Long Past"
or "Times Gone By"

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And days of old long past.

Chorus:
And for old long past, my dear,
For old long past,
We will take a cup of kindness yet,
For old long past.

And surely you will pay for your pint-tankard!
And surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet,
For old long past.

Chorus:

We two have run about the hillsides
And pulled the wild daisies fine;
But we have wandered many a weary foot
Since old long past.

Chorus:

We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till noon;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since old long past.

Chorus:

And there is a hand, my trusty friend!
And give me a hand of yours!
And we will take a right good-will drink,
For old long past.

Chorus:
And for old long past, my dear,
For old long past,
We will take a cup of kindness yet,
For old long past.

The Full "Beaver" Moon

2005-11-15T13:00:00.000-06:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

Long before Columbus discovered the new world, or the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower, the Algonquin Indians had given names to each full moon, to help them mark the passing of the seasons of the year.

Tonight, November 15, at 7:58 p.m. EST, the Full Beaver Moon will rise in the sky.

The Full Beaver Moon signals that it is the time for us to set our beaver traps, before the streams and creeks, the ponds and swamps, begin to freeze.

The beavers are most active now as they prepare for winter, and their furs have become long and dense, as they toil away building their dams in the colder water temperatures.

During the late 1800s and well past the Victorian era, ending circa 1901, the beavers were almost hunted to extinction by the white trappers and traders, because the beaver pelt became a very fashionable wardrobe accessory, especially for men's top hats in Europe and in New England.

Since that time they have greatly increased in numbers, and in the amount of damage that they cause in the building of their dams and dens.

A single beaver will chew down hundreds of trees every year, as he continuously builds and repairs his lodges and dams. The beavers do provide habitat for other animals such as ducks and otters, but they can also cause unexpected large-scale floods.

In 1999, in the Washington, D.C. Tidal Basin, where many of the famous Ornamental Cherry trees bloom, drawing tourists from all over the world; a family of beavers moved into the luxurious digs.

The beavers were noticed as soon as they began felling cherry trees to build their lodges.

The National Park Service Rangers quickly set live humane traps, and moved the family of pesky beavers to another area, where the trees were not as famous or rare.

A Fort McHenry "Haunting Update"

2005-11-15T11:05:00.000-06:00

I received an e-mail last week, that I thought you all would enjoy reading too. It is under the comments for my August 9th post entitled, "Fast Forward to Fort McHenry Today."

It is the second last comment, written by Kathy about her son, Nicholas', visit to Fort McHenry.

A Personal Note

2005-11-06T10:10:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note to everyone, to say that I will not be able to post here for a little while. There has been a family emergency that will require that I take some time away from writing.

November 15, 2005

A very special thank you to all, for your good wishes for me and my family. The situation is much improved, however, it does still impose on my time available for writing.

The British Monarchy in America

2005-10-31T15:16:00.000-06:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

HRH Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall

Camilla's tiara, a circle of brilliant-cut diamonds arranged as forget-me-nots and lyres, was made by Garrads in 1911 for Queen Mary. It was last worn in public by the Queen Mother in 1947, when Queen Mary lent it to her for an official tour to South Africa. It became part of the Queen Mother's private jewelry collection which was passed to her daughter after her death. It is believed that Queen Elizabeth has never worn the priceless piece of jewelry

It was announced some time ago that England's most famous newlyweds, Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, would make their first official overseas tour to the United States in November.

I had been so looking forward to their visit, and to their stay at the White House, and in particular their occupancy of the Queen's Room and the Lincoln Bedroom. However, it seems that Presidents Lincoln and Jackson will not be afforded the opportunity to personally greet our royal guests this week, at least not in the bedrooms that they seem to find most comfortable for an audience.

It has been pointedly stated repeatedly by the United Kingdom print media, that Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla will not be staying at the White House. Just who will be hosting the royal couple has been kept a secret for security reasons.

President Bush and the First Lady will welcome the couple to the White House for lunch on Tuesday, November 2, and on the evening of that same date, Charles and Camilla will be the honored guests of an official White House State Dinner.

I cannot say whether or not President Bush extended an invitation to Prince Charles, to stay at the White House while he was in Washington, but I did detect in the British press, a coolness by the Royals to accepting such an invitation if it had been offered.

Was this decision made for the convenience of the Royals and their entourage? Or, perhaps it is widely known among members of the European monarchies, and the heads of state, that accommodations at the White House can be less than restful, and even unnerving?

On the other hand, I also noted in the British press, that they who have given the world the less than charismatic Prince Charles, have gone so far as to call President Bush "a wet blanket;" because, this will be only the sixth White House State Dinner during this administration, while the Clintons hosted 30 State Dinners.

President Lincoln has not been confined to his bedroom all these years, as he often appears throughout the White House. Perhaps he will choose to attend this week's official state dinner, and be inclined to be seated at the table of The Prince and The Duchess.

And, I feel quite certain that President Jackson could spark a lively dinner conversation with the Royals, as his defeat of the British in the Battle of New Orleans, must seem like only yesterday to him.

General Jackson, the British are coming!

The "East" Wing

2005-10-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

One last note on the haunting of the White House for now, below you will find a floor plan of the second floor, showing the locations of the Lincoln bedroom and the Queen's (Rose) room, along with exterior photos. I thought you might enjoy knowing where these rooms are situated, when you see the White House in movies, or on television.

It was necessary to use older photographs, where the view of the windows was not obscured by the shrubbery that has grown up over the years.

The North Portico

The Rose bedroom, is on the second floor, the three windows to the left. The outside corner window faces the sitting room, while the two inside windows belong to the room that contains President Jackson's bed.

This is the room where the spirit of "Old Hickory" has been heard pacing about in his heavy boots, while cursing and laughing.

Pindar, one of our readers has suggested that perhaps Pol the parrot, who was known to be able to curse loudly in two languages, has joined President Jackson in the afterlife for these tirades.

As you can see in the above floor plan, the two most notably haunted rooms are directly across from one another. Is it any wonder that Queen Wilhelmina was frightened into a dead faint that night? She was sleeping in Jackson's bed while Lincoln was knocking on her bedroom door.

The South Portico
Circa 1945

The South Portico may look a little unfamiliar to you in this picture, because the second floor balcony was added later by President Truman, and since then it has been known as the Truman balcony.

The Lincoln bedroom is on the second floor, the three windows to the right in this photograph.

Upon the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, Vice-president Harry S Truman, was inaugurated president on April 12, 1945. After the inauguration, President Truman, his wife, Bess, and their daughter, Margaret, moved into the White House.

President Truman was a no nonsense kind of guy from Missouri, some of you may recall his war time dealings with General McAuthur. Even so, in letters to his wife he said the following:

"The floors pop and the drapes move back and forth. I can just imagine old Andy and Teddy having an argument over Franklin," he wrote to her in June 1945.

"The damned place is haunted, sure as shootin . . . You and Margie had better come back and protect me before some of these ghosts carry me off." Harry Truman, in a letter to his wife Bess, September 8, 1946.

By the way, President William Henry Harrison, our ninth president, has been heard making quite a ruckus up in the attic of the White House. He seems to be looking for something in all of the various boxes and cartons that are stored there. But, I will tell you more about the death of President Harrison, the first president to die in office, and the curse put on him by Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, when I pick up where I left off with the War of 1812.

A Seance In The White House

2005-10-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

The White House, Circa 1846

If ever there was a mixed team, it was the marriage of Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) and Mary Todd (1818-82), on November 4, 1842, in Springfield, Illinois. But, despite their differences, it did seem to be a love match.

Abraham stood 6' 4" tall, with piercing gray eyes, and a very magnetic personality. And yet, his demeanor was somber and serious, almost morose in his outlook on his own life in particular. He had occasionally given hints to those around him, of his own psychic visions concerning himself, especially after he had moved into the White House.

On the other hand, Mary was a petite 5' 2", lively, and outgoing, with long light brown hair and beautiful blue eyes. A true daughter of the South (all of her brothers would enlist in the Confederate Army), she was prepared for, and eager to be, a fashionable hostess in Washington. What better role could she hope to play, than that of First Lady on a world stage, in the house of the President of the United States.

Abraham was from humble beginnings, while Mary's family had been financially able to see to her desires. Unaccustomed to frugality, it would not be long before Mary was insisting that Congress give her additional funds, and she would soon be hiding the mounting debts for her gowns, and other finery from her husband.

The Lincolns would have four sons: Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926), Edward Baker Lincoln (1846-50), William "Willie" Wallace Lincoln (1850-62), and Thomas "Tad" Lincoln (1853-71). Little Eddie died very young, and well before his father became the 16th president on March 4, 1861. It would be the death of everyone's favorite, Willie, that would change the mood of the White House, and all of those who had known him.

From the left, Mary, Willie, Robert, Thomas "Tad," and President Abraham Lincoln.

Willie was described as very bright, studious, and as having a very sweet temperament. His mother also mentioned that he had been a peculiarly religious child.

Shortly after Christmas of 1861, little eleven year old Willie became very ill, with what is thought to have been typhoid fever. On February 20, 1862, Willie passed away as he lay on his mother and father's bed, both of them were at his bedside, and inconsolable in their grief. He had looked so small on that huge bed, the one that had been specially ordered by Mary, for herself and her very tall husband.

Distraught over the loss of a second son, her favorite child, Mary turned to Spiritualism for solace.

Spiritualism had initially come to the United States from Europe at the beginning of the second half of the 19th century. At first, it was the upper echelon that dabbled in Spiritualism, as it was rumored to be of interest to the European noble class.

The belief in communicating with the spirits of the dead, seemed to spread like wildfire after one cold March night in 1848; when on a small farm in Hydesville, New York, two sisters, Kate and Margaret Fox, suddenly insisted that they were in contact with the spirit world.

On that particular night, the sisters said that they were communicating with a man who had been murdered there some years earlier. They would ask questions, and receive answers from the spiritual world, by way of a series of knocks.

The Fox sisters would become nationally known, and by then a third married sister, Leah Fox Fish, had joined them. Clairvoyants and Mediums could soon be found in all of the larger cities and towns.

By 1862 there were quite a few Mediums and Clairvoyants in and around Washington. Mary began to visit the home of the Laurie family in Georgetown, and to invite them to the White House, for the purpose of contacting her sons, Willie and Eddie. In time she would tell her sister that Willie had come to her on many occasions, and that he often brought Eddie, or their own dear dead brother, Alex, with him. Lt. Alex Todd had died as a Confederate soldier during the war.

The exact number of seances that were held at the White House is not known, nor is the exact number of them that were attended by Abraham. It is thought that there may have been about eight seances at the White House, plus those that were held at the Laurie home. The President did visit the Lauries, and became friendly with the oldest daughter, Mary Isabella "Belle" C. Laurie, who it is said was the most powerful Medium in the family.

It has been well documented that President Lincoln dreamed about, and foretold his own death by assassination. Something that would seem less prophetic in view of the death threats he must have received during the Civil War, or the economic chaos he caused in the South by the Emancipation Proclamation.

After the President's death on April 15, 1865, his body, and that of Willie, was moved back to Illinois for burial. A long black train, with Lincoln's coffin on display on a flat bed car, traveled slowly through the towns and countryside from Washington to Springfield.

It is said that even to this day, the train can be seen making its long sad trek home, on the anniversary of President Lincoln's assassination.

Mary was completely devastated by the loss of her beloved husband, and she would later say that when other friends had deserted her, the friends that she had made through Spiritualism remained to comfort her.

She also found a great deal of comfort in a photograph that seemed to show that her husband continued to watch over her, and to be by her side.

Sometime during President Calvin Coolidge's administration (1923-29), First Lady Grace Coolidge (a very well educated and accomplished woman), saw the spirit of President Lincoln for what may have been the first time.

Mrs. Coolidge was outside the White House, and as she walked the path towards the Oval Office, President Lincoln appeared in the window. He held his arms behind his back, and seemed to be looking across the Potomac River, as if he was watching his Union troops, something he did during the early days of the war.

After that incident, and to this day, numerous people have admitted to seeing President Lincoln in the White House: Harry Truman, and his daughter, Margaret Truman; Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt; Winston Churchill; Queen Wilhelmina; Jacqueline Kennedy; Maureen Reagan, and her father, Ronald Reagan's dog, Rex, who would not enter the Lincoln bedroom, he would only stand at the doorway and bark.

Through the years, many members of the White House staff have also reported seeing President Lincoln hand in hand with a little boy, Willie no doubt. One of the more recent sightings by a White House employee, can be viewed at The Haunted White House.

Spiritualism

Spirit Photography

By the way, did I mention that there is the spirit of a black cat in the basement of the White House. It is thought to be a spirit, because of the numbers of years it has been there, and it is only seen just before a national crisis or tragedy occurs.

The cat has been seen a numbers of times, most notably it was seen just prior to the 1929 Stock Market crash, and before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

There were some who believed that the cat had belonged to President Lincoln.

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

2005-10-19T14:14:00.000-05:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

Queen Wilhelmina

It was 1945 and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was in Washington, D.C. on an official state visit. She was happy to be with friends, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, the President and First Lady of the U.S. The war had brought about quick and lasting friendships for many of the heads of state, because, they had been through so much together, in their joint effort to stop the spread of the Nazis throughout Europe.

The German Army had invaded Holland at the onset of the war, in May of 1940. When the royal family and members of the government, realized that the Netherlands would be occupied in its entirety, they were forced to flee to London.

Upon reaching London, Queen Wilhelmina immediately declared that city the capital of the Netherlands, this action would allow the Queen and other members of the Dutch government, to legally continue to operate on behalf of the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies.

Taking a page from Winston Churchill, Queen Wilhelmina began broadcasting late night messages of encouragement to her countrymen. The Dutch would hide from the Germans, and eagerly await the news from Queen Wilhelmina, with their ears pressed against their illegal radios.

She had lived in exile for five long years, she had lived for her subjects to the exclusion of everything else in her life, and she was homesick for her native land. After this important visit to the United States, she would return to the Netherlands, to lead her country in their recovery from the war. If her plans did not go awry, she would be home for her 65th birthday in August.

Tonight's dinner had been a delight, especially since various food items that had been so sparse in England, seemed to be available here in America. It had been a lovely evening with the Roosevelts and others guests, full of lively conversations about Hitler, the war, and future plans, but now she was ready to retire to her rooms. What was it they had called her suite? Oh yes, the Rose Room, presumably because of the rose colored decor. Not very creative these Americans, she thought, perhaps they will call it the Queen's Bedroom after her visit.

Picture of the Rose Room, Circa 1947

Became known as the Queen's Room in the 1960s.

The Queen had slipped under the covers on the soft and surprisingly comfortable bed. It was a tall bed, with four carved posters and a rose colored canopy that matched other furnishings in the room. Her maid had bid her good night, as she closed the door behind her, in a moment she would be asleep.

After what seemed like only a short while, Queen Wilhelmina opened her eyes, she had suddenly awakened, but did not know exactly why. She looked around the room. There was a small bit of light illuminating the bedroom, it was coming from a lamp in the sitting room, so she was able to see that nothing seemed to be amiss. The windows were still dark, so she must try to get back to sleep.

She had just closed her eyes, when there was a tap, tap, tap, so soft that she could only barely hear it, what was that sound? There it was again . . . tap, tap, tap. It was someone knocking at her bedroom door. Who could it be? The door was locked from the inside, but her maid who was directly across the hall had a key. She would have to go to the door. Tap, tap, tap. "One moment," she called out, as she found her dressing gown and shoes. Tap, tap, tap.

The Queen began to become fully awake, as she realized it could be an urgent message for her from the Netherlands, or from someone in the Dutch government who had remained in England. Yes, yes, that must be what it was, because it was already morning in Europe. She opened her bedroom door expecting to see one of her staff, or the White House staff, with news from home.

To her surprise she did not know this person. Who was this odd looking man, wearing an old fashioned top hat in the middle of the night? He was much taller than she and very imposing; and as she began to see more detail in his gaunt and care worn face and eyes, she also began to feel a chill. Yes, yes, the room had quickly grown very cold!

All thoughts of home had been removed completely from her mind by the sudden appearance of this man. It was then, that she realized that the light from her room had spilled out into the hallway, making it possible for her to clearly see every detail of the door to the room across the hall, even though it should have been completely obscured by the presence of the man standing before her.

She gasped loudly, as she felt her blood run cold and her knees buckle, and that was the last that she would remember prior to falling to the floor in a dead faint.

When she awoke again, she was lying on the bed beneath the rose colored canopy, and she was surrounded by her maid, and other people that she did not know or wish to see at this minute. A stranger's voice said that there was a doctor on his way, he would be here in just a few minutes.

Her maid had placed a cool moist cloth upon her forehead, and was speaking to her in a soothing tone, asking her if she could say what had happened.

The Queen looked around the room searching for a particular bearded face in the crowd, the one she had seen at her doorway, but he was not there. Had she actually seen such a man, or was she hallucinating due to the many years of stress that she had endured?

The doctor arrived, he quickly examined her in a cursory manner, and announced that while her pulse seemed a little faster than normal, he could find no other indications of anything wrong with her.

By now the First Lady had arrived, and she was obviously very concerned about the Queen's well being. Eleanor, along with everyone else, was waiting for the Queen to tell them why she had fainted in the open doorway of her room.

The Queen began to relate her story of the knock on the door, and how she thought perhaps it was a message from home. She hesitated, should she mention the odd looking man? She decided that she would, but that she would not say anything about being able to "see through" the man.

Very quickly, the First Lady began to shoo everyone except her personal maid from the room. The Queen was pleased to see them all go, but she thought she detected a strange reaction in Eleanor's behavior.

Once all the doors were closed and only the three of them were alone in the room, the First Lady began to apologize profusely. She repeated over and over again how sorry she was for this to have happened to the Queen. The Queen was now more confused than ever, wondering what Eleanor was talking about.

Finally, the First Lady sat on the edge of the Queen's bed, and began to describe to her exactly what the man at her door had looked like. Yes, yes, that was him, that was the man I saw. She was feeling much better, now that she knew he was not a product of a vivid imagination. Eleanor had seen him too on occasion.

Her relief, however, was very short lived when her hostess went on to explain that the man she saw had been dead for 80 years.

His name was Abraham Lincoln, a former president, and all of his belongings had been moved to what had been his War Room during his presidency. That was the room directly across the hall from the Rose Room, and it was now known as the Lincoln Bedroom.

The Lincoln Bedroom, Circa 1947

Queen Wilhelmina abruptly left the White House as soon as possible. She was able to return home to the Netherlands, where she was warmly greeted by her people, and she never returned to the United States.

Top hat allegedly worn by Abraham Lincoln to Ford's Theater on April 15, 1865.

In 1867 this hat and other relics from Lincoln's assassination were removed from exhibition at the Patent Office and transferred to the Smithsonian.

For many years the hat was kept in storage, because museum officials believed it was in poor taste to show objects connected with the assassination of a president.

The Laughter of President Jackson

2005-10-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

By BonnieBlueFlag

And, then there is General Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the U.S. A first generation Scots-Irishman born in a log cabin on the border of North and South Carolina. Orphaned at age 14 in the land of the pioneers of that day. He grew up while fighting in the Revolutionary War. He was a man's man who would later be elected president, as a man of the people, much to the chagrin of Washington's high society.

President Jackson came to the White House angry, and in the mood for vengeance, on those he blamed for the death of his beloved wife, Rachel.

Rachel's health had been poor, but, the vicious gossip mongering of the campaign, had made her prefer death to living in the White House. She passed away at their home, "The Hermitage," near Nashville, Tennessee, in December of 1828, the month following Jackson's election to the presidency.

Sometime earlier, Jackson had surprised Rachel with the gift of a talking Green Parrot, named Pol, to keep as a pet. Pol was an Amazon Parrot, and they were very fashionable at the time, even Dolley Madison had one as a pet. But, when Jackson left for Washington, taking with him a number of dogs and horses, he left Pol behind in Tennessee.

The next eight years were filled with rancor, as President Jackson immediately fired about 2,000 government employees, and took on the Congress at every turn. He was the first president to use the "pocket veto," and he was also the first President to leave office with the U.S. treasury in the black.

Known for using language frowned upon by the Washington aristocracy, using "damn" was a punishable offense in New England. Jackson often exclaimed, "By the Eternal God!" Which was another way of saying, "tarnation" (from eternal), or "damnation."

In 1837 Jackson retired to "The Hermitage," and he died there on June 8, 1845.

Someone thought it would be a nice gesture to bring Pol the parrot to Jackson's funeral, and to place him near the President. However, by this time Pol had learned to curse and swear in both English and Spanish, and he proceeded to berate the mourners loudly. After much screeching and cursing, Pol had to be removed from the premises.

Years later, it would be First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, who would first mention that President Jackson could often be heard stomping around the White House, alternatingly laughing, cursing and swearing.

Mrs. Lincoln had begun holding seances in the White House, after the death of her favorite son, Willie, in 1862, which may have made her more open to recognizing that President Jackson still resided at the White House.

The focal point of President Jackson's haunting seems to be in the Rose Bedroom, which is also known as the Queen's Room, since his own four poster bed was moved to that room on the second floor. The Rose Bedroom is directly across the hall from the room that would later be known as the Lincoln Bedroom.

President Andrew Jackson has also made himself known, in the
Hauntings at The Hermitage.

Dolley Madison's Roses

2005-10-16T11:43:00.000-05:00

By BonnieBlueFlag

Forgive me for being away so long. I sometimes find it difficult to have my mind in two centuries at once, the 1800s and the current events of 2005.

I have decided to seek temporarily solace in another world altogether, the "Spirit World." Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, but before I go any farther with that thought, I must say I am not into witchcraft (black or white), black masses, or animal mutilations. It is more of a belief that I have had all my life, that we are not alone as we live our daily lives, and that somehow over the centuries as we sought to live in a civilized world, we may have allowed a sixth sense to lie fallow.

In a supposedly enlightened age, those of us who talked of dreams and feelings, were thought a little odd, until more recently when it once again became fashionable to speak of such things.

Through the years there have been hushed whispers about some of the former occupants of the White House, those who have chosen to remain in spirit to complete an unfinished task, or to protect the occupants and surroundings in a proprietary way.

I introduced you to First Lady Dolley Madison earlier, when she saved the portrait of George Washington as the White House was threatened by fire. So as you can well imagine, Dolley though very lovely, and a popular Washington hostess, was also tough as nails.

She was forced to endure the sight of the burning of the White House by the British soldiers in 1814, but her spirit fought back early in the next century.

Sometime during President Woodrow Wilson's second term (1917-21), his then First Lady, Edith Wilson, decided to redesign the now famous "Rose Garden." She sent workmen to the garden to dig up all the antique roses.

The men gathered their shovels and tools and went to the rose garden. They stood about the garden joking and laughing, and deciding where they should begin their work. But, just as they were about to get down to digging up the rose bushes, Dolley Madison appeared from the past with a vengeance, to put an immediate stop to the destruction of her cherished roses.

The workmen and the gardeners dropped their shovels and tools where they were, and they ran from the garden as quickly as possible. They refused to go back for fear of encountering a very angry Dolley Madison again.

First Lady Dolley Madison had originally planned the "Rose Garden," seeing to every detail personally, and today almost 200 years later, it remains as she wished, and continues to bloom just as she had envisioned.

The Curse of Shawnee Chief Cornstalk

2005-09-11T16:21:00.000-05:00

By: BonnieBlueFlag

Click picture for a larger view

When Tecumseh was just 6 years old his beloved father, Puckeshinwau, would be killed at the Battle of Kanawha River, in 1774 Ohio. Mortally wounded by white men, he would die in the arms of his wife, Metheotashe, with Tecumseh by his side.

And, even though Tecumseh was the great-grandson of a white man named James McQueen, Puckeshinwau's grandfather, he would grow to hate the white men and their broken treaties.

In 1768, the year of Tecumseh's birth, the Ohio River was established as a permanent boundary by the Treaty of Fort Stanwix. The Shawnee would move from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri, across the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers to the Ohio and Indiana territories.

Knowing that my own Scots-Irish (Ulster-Irish) ancestors were moving down the Shenandoah Valley into Kentucky and Tennessee at about this time, along with Andrew Jackson, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Meriwether Lewis, brothers William Clark and George Rogers Clark, and Sam Houston, indicates what kind of pressure was being put on the lands of the Native Americans. Sometime prior to 1756, the majority of Native Americans that had been living in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley moved on, only occasional raiding parties were seen there after that time.

Mountain Sunset in Shenandoah National Park

My own GGG Grandfather and two of his brothers where surveyors for the U.S. government, and were in Nashville, Tennessee along with Andrew Jackson. Until recently, I thought of land surveyors as just that, not the land speculators, that evidently many of them were in that day and time in Tennessee. As was the custom then, my grandfather was paid for his work with a portion of the land that he surveyed. George Washington was also a surveyor, map maker and land speculator. His will which was executed in 1800 lists property to be sold or distributed in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Kentucky, the Ohio Valley, West Virginia, and the new City of Washington.

The deeds to wilderness lands at that time were not as well kept as they are today, and with the rush of settlers, many led by Daniel Boone through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky and Tennessee, there were numerous skirmishes over the true ownership of a parcel of land.

This would probably be a good place to mention that from my own observation, land ownership was the crux of the problem between the Native Americans and the European settlers. Chief Tecumseh would later say that owning the land was like attempting to own the air, while property ownership was a basic right as far as the settlers were concerned.

The American white men would purchase and barter for land with the Indians, and whether they meant to cheat the Indians or not, it didn't really mater; because, the Indians would walk away with their booty laughing, and feeling that they had just out foxed the white men. They still believed that no one person could own the land. The Indians would go on thinking that they had the same rights and privileges to the land, as they had before the treaty or the sale was made.

The Indians did not realize, that if a white man could find a way to corner the market on the air we breathe, he would happily do so.

With the death of his father, Tecumseh now became closer than ever to his eldest brother, Cheeseekau, meaning sting or snakebite. It would be Cheeseekau who would teach Tecumseh to be a brave and honorable Shawnee warrior.

Chief Cornstalk, a primary chief of the Shawnee

And for the next few years Tecumseh would also learn from the great Shawnee Chief Wneypuechsika, commonly known to the white men as Cornstalk.

Chief Cornstalk was a great orator and warrior, and he led the Shawnee in many raids against other tribes, as well as a confederation of tribes against the white men who were pushing ever further west.

You must also keep in mind that the Revolutionary War was just beginning, and that the British would alternately rile up the Indians against the Americans, or trick them into thinking that their war was really with the Americans. The Indians thought that by siding with the British they could force the American whites back, while the British used the Indians to cause the Americans to have to fight a war on several fronts.

Eventually, Cornstalk would try to make peace with the American white men. He had turned his back on the torture of white prisoners, something that Tecumseh would learn and forever hold to in his beliefs.

In 1777 the Indians and the American white men would again be on the verge of another bloody war. Chief Cornstalk hoped to avert the massacre of many of his people by going to Fort Randolph at the confluence of the Kanawha and the Ohio Rivers, to warn the white men of the impending trouble, and to again try to make peace. While Cornstalk, his son, Elinipsco, and several of his braves were at the fort, a party of unknown Indians attacked and killed a couple of the soldiers who were out hunting game.

Tempers flared among the white soldiers, and they killed Chief Cornstalk, his son, a Delaware chief named, Red Hawk, and the other members of his peace party.

There was outrage even among the whites who had come to admire Chief Cornstalk, and especially those who had come to trust his belief in peace. An attempt was made to punish those who had killed him, but the other soldiers would not testify against the guilty ones.

As Chief Cornstalk lay dying at the fort near the waters of the Kanawha and the Ohio, he is said to have called upon the Great Spirit to curse this land. That the land would not be fruitful, and that the people would suffer from the blood upon their hands at his death, and that of his dear son. Some say that Chief Cornstalk said the curse would last for 200 years, but others do not say if the curse will ever end.

In 1794 the town of Point Pleasant was founded very near the site of Fort Randolph.

The Silver Bridge

Perhaps the name of the town, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, might sound familiar to you. Perhaps you know the stories of the Mothman Prophecies, or of the night the Silver bridge collapsed, and 46 people died just ten days before Christmas in 1967. The Silver bridge spanned the Ohio River, joining Point Pleasant with Kanauga, Ohio. Chief Cornstalk and the Silver Bridge

Many other local calamities have been laid at the feet of Chief Cornstalk over the years, including unusual lightning strikes on monuments to the chief, and to the men who died at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774.

Deadly coal mine accidents, plane crashes, a train derailment that dumped toxic chemicals into the town's water supply, and other mishaps and accidents are described at The Cornstalk Curse.

After the murder of Chief Cornstalk, the Shawnee would remain at war with the American white men until the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. The Shawnee were required to move from their territory along the Miami River in Ohio, with many of the more hostile Indians moving just across the Mississippi River to a place that would later be known as Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Chief Tecumseh never accepted the Treaty of Greenville, and with the death of Chief Cornstalk, he grew more and more resentful of the American white men.

The Mothman Legend of Point Pleasant, West Virginia

An Ill Wind Named Katrina

2005-09-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

I had planned to go on with the story of Chief Tecumseh in a very timely manner, as he is a prominent character in the War of 1812, and eventually to the Battle of New Orleans with General Andrew Jackson. However, like everyone else, I became caught up in the current New Orleans crisis, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

I have posted An Ill Wind Named Katrina at Ultima Thule, and will continue with BonnieBlueFlag this week.

Chief Tecumseh, Panther in the Sky

2005-08-27T13:30:00.000-05:00

by: BonnieBlueFlag

BBC SCIENCE & SPACE

It was late Winter in the year of 1768 when Puckenshinwa, a Shawnee Chief, was traveling with his immediate family, Metheotashe, his wife who was about to deliver his child, his 12 year old son, Cheeseekau, his 10 year old daughter, Tecumapease, along with his extended family, and the other members of his clan known as the Kispokotha.

It was time for all the clans that made up the Shawnee tribe, to gather together in Chillicothe. Chillicothe is a Shawnee word meaning town, so there were many places named Chillicothe. They would talk about what they should do, concerning the white men who were crossing over the Cumberland Mountains, and moving further and further west into Indian lands.

They had almost reached their destination when Metheotashe could go no farther, as her baby would be born this night. Chief Puckenshinwa had sent most of his clan ahead, to tell the other chiefs that they would arrive as soon as they were able to travel.

While the women busied themselves with caring for Metheotashe, Puckenshinwa was left to watch the stars until the baby would be born. He thought about tomorrow's meeting with the other chiefs, and what he would say about the treaties that had been signed and ignored by the white man. He had begun to believe that there could be no peace in the future for his people and the white men.

As he slowly looked up at the stars, deep in his own thoughts, he was surprised to see a ball of white fire streak across the sky. After the shooting star had disappeared, he thought of the stories told by the tribal elders, of the spirit that moves across the sky to the horizon, it was the spirit known as "The Panther."

In a little while he would hear the first cry of his new son. He had already been given a sign, and his son would be named Tecumseh, for The Panther that he had seen crossing the sky.

Tecumseh had been born near Mad River, in what would later be known as Clark County, Ohio. He would grow up with many siblings including another brother who was adopted into their family, Lalawethika. Lalawethika would later take the name of Tenskwatawa, and become known as the Prophet.

Now it was told that Tecumseh's mother, Metheotashe, meaning turtle laying eggs, had a special gift enabling her to see beyond the present, and this gift was passed on to several of her children. In the years to come it would seem that Tecumseh had inherited his mother's gift.

The Great Chief Tecumseh's story about his place in American history will be continued . . .

The exact date of Tecumseh's birth does not seem to be known. I found several differing estimates, but with the mention of the shooting star, or a comet as some insist, on the night of his birth, I thought I might be able to find a recorded history of a comet in the year of 1768. I had been reminded of Samuel Clemmons a.k.a. Mark Twain. On the night that Mark Twain was born, November 30, 1835, Hailey's comet had passed overhead. A special birthday indeed, but it would become especially notable 75 years later, when on the night of his death, Hailey's comet made its next appearance in the sky.

Records show that a comet was seen in August and September of 1769, and the previous recorded comet appeared in April of 1766, making it unlikely that a comet was seen the night of Tecumseh's birth. So it is much more likely that Puckenshinwa did indeed see a shooting star or meteor that night.

METEORS AND THE NATIVE AMERICANS

In the course of learning about the life of Tecumseh, I encountered various dates and spellings for the same people, places, and events, so I have tried to find multiple sources for everything, in an effort to be as accurate as possible. However, if you feel that I have stated anything incorrectly, please let me know.

The Bonnie Blue Flag

2005-08-19T11:37:00.000-05:00

When I began this page, I always intended to go back and give an explanation of the Bonnie Blue Flag, but before I knew it, the War of 1812 was underway. Today's post is about a very interesting little known fact. There was once an independent country named "West Florida" within our current U.S. borders. So if you will click here I will tell you the story of West Florida and the Bonnie Blue Flag.

Fifteen Stars and Fifteen Stripes

2005-08-15T10:17:00.000-05:00

by: BonnieBlueFlag

Before we leave Fort McHenry, here are just a few more things of interest about the American flag that became the "Star Spangled Banner."

Major George Armistead had wanted it large enough for the British to see from a great distance, and so it was at 30 by 42 feet. Four hundred yards of wool and cotton were used to cut 15 stars that measured 2 feet from point to point, 8 red stripes and 7 white stripes, that were each 2 feet wide. This was the only U.S. flag ever to have 15 stripes. The third Flag Act of April 4, 1818, would reduce the number of stripes back to the original 13, and provide one star for each state.

Today the U.S. flag flown over Army installations is a standard size of only 20 by 38 feet.

In today's vernacular, you could almost say that the Major wanted his flag to wave 90 feet high in the sky, while he would be standing below, singing, humming, or whistling, "Naner, naner, naner." Major Armistead obviously was making no effort to hide, or to be overlooked by the British.

The flag was completed in August for a cost of $405.90, and delivered just a few weeks before the Battle of Baltimore on September 13, 1814. However, even though the British could see the brand new flag very well from their ships, as they sailed into Baltimore Harbor; they were unable to get as close to Fort McHenry as they had calculated in their battle plans, because the Americans had sunk dozens of smaller boats in the bay.

At about 7 a.m. on the morning of the 13th, the British began firing on Fort McHenry. The bombardment would last for 25 hours, until well after dawn of the next morning.

During the night, the British had also tried to attack the fort on land, but that assault failed as well. Having been unsuccessful in their attempt to capture Fort McHenry either by land or sea, the officers of both the British Army and Navy, decided to cut their losses and made their retreat on the 14th.

Sometime after the end of the War of 1812, the flag was taken down for the last time. It remained in the custody of the Armistead family until 1912, when the Major's grandson donated it to the Smithsonian.

The threadbare appearance of the famous flag in a history book somewhere along the way, and then in person a few years ago, left me believing that the flag had been ravaged by the British bombs and firearms during the battle, and that it had deteriorated further with age. The ragged edges of the flag now measure 30 by 34 feet, with only 14 of the original 15 stars remaining.

However, for the one hundred years that the flag remained with the Armistead family, they received innumerable requests for pieces of the flag as relics, and momentos, and they were cut away until over two hundred square feet had been given away as gifts. The family tried to limit the gifts to veterans, government officials and other special honors.

Those who received these gifts, took great care of the small bits of cloth by framing them, and displaying their cherished pieces of history in their homes. Many of the pieces have gone to museums around the country, and 13 pieces have even been donated to the Smithsonian.

The flag will be 191 years old this month, and is in a very fragile state now. The Smithsonian is doing its very best to preserve its most prized exhibit, and its most popular American artifact.

By the way, if you are wondering as I did, what that stray mark is on the third white stripe from the bottom? It is the letter "A." Sometime before reaching the Smithsonian, the letter A had been sewn on, presumably for the name Armistead. The name of the man who gave America its most treasured symbol, the first "Star Spangled Banner."

Fast Forward to Fort McHenry Today

2005-08-09T13:24:00.000-05:00

By: BonieBlueFlag

Fort McHenry, was completed in 1805 and named for James McHenry, a Scots-Irish immigrant, who was Secretary of War under President Washington.

The Battle of Baltimore in September of 1814, would be the last time that Fort McHenry was fired upon by a foreign enemy.

In 1861 when Lincoln called for Union troops to respond to the attack on Fort Sumter, soldiers from the state of Massachusetts marched into Baltimore, Maryland. The Yankees were met by an angry mob of southern sympathizers, who intended to defend their right to secede from the Union.

Yankees on southern soil so enraged, James Randall, a Maryland native, that in defiance he penned a nine stanza poem entitled "Maryland, My Maryland." Which became a battle song for the Confederate Army, and in 1939 the state song of Maryland.

Maryland, My Maryland
by James Ryder Randall

I
The despot's heel is on thy shore,
Maryland!
His torch is at thy temple door,
Maryland!
Avenge the patriotic gore
That flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore,
Maryland! My Maryland!

II
Hark to an exiled son's appeal,
Maryland!
My mother State! to thee I kneel,
Maryland!
For life and death, for woe and weal,
Thy peerless chivalry reveal,
And gird they beauteous limbs with steel,
Maryland! My Maryland!

State Song of Maryland

Lincoln knew the importance of Fort McHenry, and in May of 1861 began imprisoning the legislators of Maryland, before they could vote to secede from the Union. The fort became a Union prisoner of war camp, where eventually 2,000 Maryland civilians were held along with the captured Confederate soldiers. The Maryland prisoners of war included many prominent citizens, the mayor of Baltimore, a former governor, state congressmen, and even the grandson of Francis Scott Key.

Fort McHenry became known in the South as the American Bastille.

Note the two story barracks buildings, especially the windows, because . . .

. . . if you look closely at the window in this picture, you may see the ghost of a former soldier there.

For a larger picture, and the story of how it was taken, please go to: Ghostly Places

Following the 1812 Battle of Baltimore, the fort remained an active military post for another 100 years. Fort McHenry became a National Park in 1925, and in 1939, it was rededicated as a U.S. National Monument and a Historic Shrine.

The Flag at Fort McHenry

2005-08-06T23:40:00.000-05:00

Old Glory Shop

by: BonnieBlueFlag

The American Revolution ended in 1783, but the English did not leave the United States, and they continued to back the Native Americans in skirmishes on the frontier.

Between 1792-1802, the French Revolution, and 1803-15, the Napoleonic Wars, Great Britain and France were in a struggle for domination. Eventually, Great Britain retained control of the seas, while France gained more and more control over Europe.

Beginning in 1807, the English demanded that all goods being shipped from neutral United States must come through Great Britain, causing the French to accuse them of imposing a blockade. Meanwhile the rights of the neutral Unites States were being violated.

Furthermore, Great Britain believed that they had the right to stop and board any American merchant ships that they encountered on the high seas, plus the right to remove any British seaman they found. In the performance of these so called rights, the English also frequently kidnapped American seamen, who were then pressed into service on the British ships.

The continued conflict between France and Great Britain was causing an economic hardship for the Americans, and when several lawful embargoes failed to solve the problems with the British, the United States Congress declared war on England on June 18, 1812.

Major George Armistead, of English and Irish descent was born in Caroline County, Virginia, in 1780. He was 33 years of age and a veteran of numerous campaigns when he took command of Fort McHenry, in Baltimore Harbor, Maryland. Almost immediately after the Major arrived at Fort McHenry in June of 1813, he placed an order with local flagmaker, Mary Pickersgill.

Major Armistead wanted a flag large enough for the British to be able to see at a good distance. It was to be 30 by 42 feet, and as of the Second Flag Act of January 1794, it would have 15 stars and 15 stripes. Kentucky and Vermont had been admitted to the Union of the original 13 colonial states.

This was the flag of the United States of America, that would inspire Francis Scott Key to write the "Star Spangled Banner," on the morning of September 14, 1814.

The Third Flag Act of April 4, 1818 would restore the number of stripes to the original 13, with a star to be added for each new state on the 4th of July following its admission to the Union. By July 4, 1818, there were 20 states altogether to be represented by 20 stars on the new flag.

George Washington Saved By A Dolley

2005-08-02T17:53:00.000-05:00

by: BonnieBlueFlag

Gilbert Stuart portrait of Dolley Madison

In my last post, I only briefly mentioned that the British had already burned Washington, DC, before moving on to Baltimore and Fort McHenry. So I must back up a moment to tell you about First Lady Dolley Madison. The guards stationed at the President's House had already fled the incoming British, but Dolley insisted on waiting for the President's return, before leaving. President Madison was the last Commander in Chief to actually command forces in the field, and he sent word for his wife to leave now, because he would not be able to get into the city.

Thus it fell to Dolley Madison, a couple of friends and one or two loyal servants, to collect and save as many of the young country's treasures as possible. Most notable was the famous full length portrait of George Washington, that we all are so familiar with. It was mounted in a huge heavy frame which was firmly attached to a wall with screws.

In the commotion and in their haste to get out of Washington, the men helping her load the wagons, were not able to get the heavy frame off the wall. In the last moments, Dolley told them to break the frame, and pull the canvas out, which they did. Only then did Dolley and friends finally exit Washington.

In a little while she would meet up with the President, and together at a safe distance they would watch Washington burn.

Dolley had just finished decorating the President's House, and she and her husband would oversee the rebuilding of the new one, but they would never again live there.

Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington

Now that would be the end of the story about saving the portrait, if I had not come across a snide remark on the Internet, about this having been such a beloved "national treasure," that it sold for $20 million in 2002. Impossible, I said to myself, why would this painting ever leave the White House? A portrait of George Washington with the history of being saved by Dolley Madison is priceless!

Well, if you are knowledgeable about American art history, you already know the answer, but, if you aren't, like me you may be confused about this.

One of the most noted and fashionable painters of the day, specializing in portraits, was Gilbert Stuart of Scottish descent, born in Rhode Island on December 3, 1755, he died in 1828.

It seems that Stuart was a little quirky, as true artists are known to be, and he seldom if ever gave the client the original. Thomas Jefferson waited 15 years for a portrait for which he sat. It finally arrived after Jefferson began to make demands. Upon its delivery it was noted that the paint was still wet.

Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington
Commissioned as a gift for the Marquis of Lansdowne

In 1796, Stuart was commissioned to paint a full length portrait of George Washington, as a gift for the Marquis of Lansdowne in England. That painting became known as the "Lansdowne" portrait, and remained in England for over 200 years. It is the Lansdowne painting that recently became available. In the fall of 2000, the British owner was asking for $20 million, or it would be put up for auction world wide.

A $30 million donation to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in Las Vegas, Nevada, guaranteed that the Lansdowne portrait would forever stay in the U.S. Six million of the donation was spent on a national tour in 8 American cities, so that the people could see this marvelous painting.

The Gilbert Stuart painting that Dolley Madison saved from the fire on the night that Washington city burned in 1814, was an original copy of the Lansdowne. That painting is still on display at the White House in the East Room. It is the only known object to have remained in the White House since 1800.

British Tall Ships

2005-07-28T18:57:00.000-05:00

When I came upon this picture, only one thing flashed into my mind, the words and melody of "The Star Spangled Banner."

". . . And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.

'O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

Frances Scott Key, the author of those haunting words, found himself detained by the British, on one of their ships in the Chesapeake Bay in September of 1814.

The British had already burned Washington, DC, and were now shelling Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland. As the darkness of night enveloped them, Mr. Key would have only been able to see the flashes of gunpowder, and firey arcs crossing the blackened sky; not knowing if the British cannons were on target, he was left to his own imagination. Surely Fort McHenry would not be able to withstand the constant barrage.

He had been opposed to this war, (later to be known as the War of 1812), and yet here he was captive on this British vessel, a victim of circumstances. He had come to negotiate the release of a friend with a prisoner exchange.

In the hour just before dawn when distant shadows should have been visible, Fort McHenry was still obscured from view by low dense clouds of fog and smoke. Finally, as the clouds of war lifted, and the flag of these United States could be seen, these words spilled from Key's heart into American history.

"Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'ver the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

Francis Scott Key was born in America, into a well established Scots-Irish (Ulter-Irish) family, on August 1, 1779, in Frederick, Maryland.

The Bonnie Blue Flag

2005-07-25T08:14:00.000-05:00

West Florida and The Bonnie Blue Flag

When someone mentions "The Lone Star" flag, you most likely think of Texas, because it has been called the lone star state. There are even a few of you, who will try to order a Lone Star long neck beer, now that I have reminded you of that famous Texas brew.

A lone star flag was used to lead the Texas Revolution in 1836, but it was chosen then, because a lone star flag had already led another revolution, that of the Republic of West Florida in 1810.

The region known as West Florida included land in Louisiana on the east side of the Mississippi River, and southern gulf portions of states that are now known as Mississippi and Alabama.

This region had been ceded back and forth between Spain, France, and England/Canada, depending on who had won the last battle, or made the last land sale, and each had given land grants in the area.

In 1763 the French lost this land to England, and the Louisiana lands west of the Mississippi to Spain. In the years prior to the American Revolution, English speaking peoples populated the area, and it was King George who named it West Florida.

During the American Revolution, Spain as an American ally had routed the British, and taken control of West Florida. The Spanish then told the people of West Florida that they could continue to live there, if they swore allegiance to Spain, and converted to Catholicism.

Most of the people of West Florida were not pleased about the assertions of the Spanish, since a good many of them had been loyal to Great Britain through the Revolutionary War years, and they had no intention of becoming Catholics.

However, the Spanish did not enact any laws or set up any courts, so the issue of loyalty to Spain and a change in religion was never enforced. But, West Florida now became a haven for all manner of men seeking to escape justice; pirates, Pierre and Jean Laffite for example, run away slaves, and army deserters, along with the usual criminal element, that would harass the planters as they tried to move their crops and goods to market.

In 1800 there was a secret treaty between Spain and France, by which the French had regained control of the entire Louisiana Territory west of the Mississippi River. Napoleon Bonaparte had designs of a French empire with the Mississippi River to be the thoroughfare for goods being shipped to and from the island of Hispaniola (Haiti).

By April of 1803, Bonaparte had lost thousands of soldiers in Haiti to Yellow Fever, he was at war again with Great Britain, and he needed funds. President Thomas Jefferson was quick to make the Louisiana Purchase which he thought included the territory known as West Florida. But, Spain said that France could not sell what it didn't own, leaving the West Floridians greatly disappointed, because they had been eager to belong to the United States, rather than to continue to live in this lawless Spanish held territory.

Spain continued to thwart every effort of the people to get out from under their control, and when the people tried to set up a system of laws and government that would have come under the auspices of Spain, the Spanish governor in Baton Rouge called in troops from Spanish East Florida.

Upon learning of the governor's actions, the people voted to take maters into their own hands. On September 23, 1810, the troops of the West Florida Rebellion imprisoned the Spanish governor, and raised the Bonnie Blue flag over Fort San Carlos of Baton Rouge. Three days later on the 26th, a Declaration of Independence from Spain was signed, and the Bonnie Blue Flag became the official flag of the Republic of West Florida.

President Madison declared the U.S. claim on West Florida, and immediately sent negotiators to the region. He had previously been contacted by a number of the citizens in that area, requesting annexation before the French or Spanish could return.

On December 7, 1810, the national flag of independent West Florida, the lone star Bonnie Blue flag was lowered, and the United States flag of that day was raised over Fort Baton Rouge, formerly Fort San Carlos, the American flag had fifteen stars and fifteen stripes.

West Florida had been an independent nation for 74 days.

The Lone Star flag of the Rebellion would next be the flag of the Texas Revolution in 1836, and then again when the Confederate States secession crisis intensified. The Bonnie Blue Flag gradually became the unofficial banner of independence and self-government for the Southern states. It waved prominently at political rallies and parades, and flew in Montgomery, Ala., while the first Confederate Congress was in session.

In 1904 The St. Louis World's Fair would celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase with "The Louisiana Purchase Exposition," the most beautiful World's Fair ever.

If you can not wait until 1904, here is a peak into the future The Louisiana Purchase Exposition