Duchess Mountain Domain

Bayfield, Colorado - While Oklahomans are experiencing the "Dog Days" of Summer, we have been experiencing some beautiful cool rocky mountain weather anywhere from the 60s to the 80s. I shall try not to rub it in so bad, though.

Notice the photo above, left of the ground squirrel who steps up to the log stepping stool to figure out how to eat the kernels on the corn cob. The chipmunks even got into the hang of it before this ground squirrel took his turn.

One ground squirrel had even climbed up on the corn cob, swinging while trying to eat the the kernels. Some even got the cob swinging so hard that they fell off the edge of the stepping log. It gets hilarious watching the wildlife around here.

Good Night and Good Luck! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Ramblings

Bayfield, Colorado - We hear it is reached the "Dog Days" of Summer in and around Oklahoma. How Hot is it in Oklahoma?

It is Hot enough that -- The birds have to use potholders to pull the worms out of the ground; -- The best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance; -- Hot water comes from both taps; -- You can make sun tea instantly. How Hot is it?

This NW Okie is the proud owner of a new little paint colt back in Northwest Oklahoma. I have not seen it yet.

Did anyone out there get to the Waynoka Stampede & Rodeo this last weekend? Do not forget about Freedom's Biggest Open Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion coming up this next weekend. Get us some photos to share with everyone next week.

Keep cool and hydrated during August in the heated Heartland! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Claud McCrory Disappearace

Oklahoma - Jim McCrory (Email: mccroryjames@bellsouth.net) says, "I don't know where Claud went after January 1911, but I do know where he died. Claud McCrory died in Granite, Greer County, Oklahoma.

According to Jim the following information from county death book (book 1, page 68) online at USGENWEB:

"Claud McCrory, white male married; born 30 Mar 1868; Age 46 years 6 month 12 days. Father: Franklin McCrory, Ohio. Mother: Walters, Indiana.

Informant: Mrs. Claud McCrory, Granite, Okla; Death: 12 Oct 1913; attended deceased from 28 May 1913 to 12 Oct 1913; saw him alive 12 Oct 1913; death occurred about 7 am. Cause of death: cancer of bowels. Geo. W. Wiley, M. D. Burial Granite Cemetery. Burial, 13 Oct 1913. Undertaker, W. J. Shave, Granite. Row 5 in Cemetery according to Greer County USGENWEB.

"His widow and children moved back to Alva and are found there on the 1920 and 1930 Census." View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Waynoka School Reunion

Waynoka, Oklahoma - Did you go to Waynoka (OKlahoma) Schools? If so, this reunion message is for you!

Sandie Olson says, "The Waynoka School Reunion will be Friday evening and all day Saturday on Labor Day Week-end. It is held every 5 years, and is always fantastic.

"There are mixers, breakfast, and a Saturday evening catered dinner. The Alumni Association publishes a directory, and will have a special T-shirt for the event. For more information, email Marinda Zook at EMAIL: litzenberger@pldi.net.

"If you attended Waynoka Schools and did not get an invitation, be sure to email your current address to Mindy for future reunions, even if you can not come this year." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gas Prices Going Down In Oklahoma

Perry, Oklahoma - Roy says, "Here in Perry, Oklahoma the prices of gasoline have dropped three times in the past week! From Conoco's price of $2.72 earlier in the week, there has been a drop every other day and the last time I checked, the sign said $2.62.9 for regular unleaded.

"Not only that we finally got some summertime heat (up to 104 degrees), but still it was considerably cooler than those 110 degrees and up just a few years ago.

"And then early Sunday morning (August 15th) we had a short summertime storm that put 4/10th of an inch of moisture in my rain gauge here at home. It's considerably cooler since then but I don't know the present temp.

August 16th -- Now the Conoco price is at $2.53.9 and an independent has posted $2.47.9 for regular. I hope this is a trend and that prices will continue downward a bit, but doubt that we can be so lucky." View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

United States Constitution - Amendments 1 & 14

America - We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and --

The most important, First Amendment was ratified December 15, 1791, with the first ten amendments (Bill of Rights).

Amendment 1 - dealt with Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. It states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The First Amendment is the single most important part of the Constitution. It protects some of the most basic human rights and reflects a view of the dangerous places government might tread.

Some of the first colonists of the nation for which the Constitution was written had been seeking to escape religious persecution. The constitutions of several of the states prohibited public support of religion. Above all, the many varying sects of Christianity in America required that to be fair to all, there could be preference to none.

It would have been disgraceful for anyone to wish to leave the United States because of religious persecution. So the authors decided it best to keep the government out of religion. What the authors were striving for is tolerance. Something that contemporary Americans are lacking.

Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

As to the history behind the 14th Amendment, the ratification of the 13th Amendment was a major victory for the North, and it was hoped that with the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, the effects of slavery in the United States would quickly diminish.

The original plan to readmit states after acceptance of the 13th was supported by President Andrew Johnson, but the Radical Republicans, as they became known, wanted more than just a return to normalcy. They wanted to keep the power they had attained during the war years.

The South did not make it easy for Presidet Andrew Johnson. The so-called Black Codes started to be passed in Southern states. Congressional inquiries into the Black Codes found them to be a new way of controlling ex-slaves, fraught with violence and cruelty.

The ensuing Reconstruction Acts placed the former CSA states under military rule, and prohibited their congressmen's readmittance to Congress until after several steps had been taken, including the approval of the 14th Amendment.

The 14th was designed to ensure that all former slaves were granted automatic United States citizenship, and that they would have all the rights and privileges as any other citizen. The amendment passed Congress on June 13, 1866, and was ratified on July 9, 1868 (757 days). View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Three Days of Peace & Music - August 1969

Bethel, New York - It was on this day in 1969, August 17, forty-one years ago, that the grooviest so-called event in music history took place and drew to a close after three days of peace, love and rock-n-roll in upstate New York.

Do you remember the Woodstock Music festival? Were you a part of it? Where were you August 17, 1969? David and I had been newly married for eighteen days, living in Alva, Woods county, Oklahoma.

It was conceived as "Three Days of Peace and Music." Woodstock was a product of a partnership between John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield and Michael Lang. Their idea was to make enough money from the event to build a recording studio near the arty New York town of Woodstock. When they couldn't find an appropriate venue in the town itself, the promoters decided to hold the festival on a 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York--some 50 miles from Woodstock -- owned by Max Yasgur.

By the time the weekend of the festival arrived, the group had sold a total of 186,000 tickets and expected no more than 200,000 people to show up. By Friday night, however, thousands of eager early arrivals were pushing against the entrance gates. Fearing they could not control the crowds, the promoters made the decision to open the concert to everyone, free of charge. Close to half a million people attended Woodstock, jamming the roads around Bethel with eight miles of traffic. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

While salmon fishing near the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon Territory on this day in 1896, George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed. His lucky discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West.

Hoping to cash in on reported gold strikes in Alaska, Carmack had traveled there from California in 1881. After running into a dead end, he headed north into the isolated Yukon Territory, just across the Canadian border. In 1896, another prospector, Robert Henderson, told Carmack of finding gold in a tributary of the Klondike River.

Carmack headed to the region with two Native American companions, known as Skookum Jim and Tagish Charlie. On August 16, while camping near Rabbit Creek, Carmack reportedly spotted a nugget of gold jutting out from the creek bank. His two companions later agreed that Skookum Jim--Carmack's brother-in-law actually made the discovery.

Also, August 16 - 1948, Babe Ruth dies; 1977, Elvis Presley dies; 1945, Senior U.S. POW is released. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe