View allAll Photos Tagged Procedure
KOTA BELUD, Malaysia (Oct. 2, 2019) A U.S. Marine with Lima Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a member of the Malaysian Armed Forces shake hands during a standard operating procedures class. Malaysian Armed Forces were joined by U.S. Marines and Sailors for exercise Tiger Strike 2019 where both forces participated in jungle survival, amphibious assault, aerial raids, and combat service support training and cultural exchanges. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck)
A 3D animation video showing application of cosmetic dentistry for cleaning and whitening of teeth. There are many choices available for "Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures", It completely depends upon the patients dental condition. Your dentist will be able to choose which one will work the best in transforming your smile. Types of cosmetic dentistry procedures: Teeth Whitening, Veneers, Implants, Crowns, Shaping, Bonding and Orthodontic Treatment. To know more, click on bit.ly/2gFuDrM
f. 93 Medical procedures. Sloane MS 1975: A medical and herbal collection (France or England, late 12th century)
This medical treatise concludes with a series of illustrations of medical procedures. The spots represent cautery points, showing doctors where to apply hot irons to treat patients suffering from ailments such as toothache, fever and kidney disease. On the second page shown here, not for the squeamish, are operations to excise haemorrhoids, a nasal growth and cataracts. This manuscript belonged to the Cistercian monastery of Ourscamp in the 14th century, and it later entered the collection of Sir Hans Sloane (1660–1753).
Cautery points, in a medical collection (France or England, late 12th century): Sloane MS 1975, ff. 92v–93r)
jsc2019e052882 - In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 61 crewmember Jessica Meir of NASA runs through procedures Sept. 11 aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft during an initial Soyuz vehicle fit check. Meir, spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Expedition 61 crewmember Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station. Image: NASA/Victor Zelentsov.
Without the pain killing effect of 'anaesthesia' very few medical procedures would be taking place today.
In past history physical methods like compression of blood vessels or the nerves by means of clamps applied over the limbs were used to numb the area; however, that was just short of torture.
In Ancient Cultures:
The Chinese used cannabis.
The Greek used herbs like hemp.
The Romans used the extract of the mandragora plant to alleviate pain.
And the ancient Egyptians used poppy seeds (from which opium is derived) during their simple operating procedures.
fun fact: 'refrigeration anaesthesia' meant using cold water or snow to numb the region which gave rise to hypnosis to render the patient unconscious as a means of anaesthetizing someone are all in a way similarly artificially induced today.
Copyright © 2009 - 2025 Tomitheos Photography - All Rights Reserved
jsc2019e052881 - In the Integration Building at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates runs through procedures Sept. 11 aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft during an initial Soyuz vehicle fit check. Almansoori, Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA will launch Sept. 25 on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome for a mission on the International Space Station. Image: NASA/Victor Zelentsov.
Having undertaken and completed a series of thorough checks on the UK’s A400M aircraft and how it is operated, the RAF is now satisfied that the additional processes and procedures introduced means it is now safe for the RAF to resume flying.
Ground and simulator training has continued during the flying pause, and crews will now be able to resume live training on the aircraft with immediate effect.
-------------------------------------------------------
© Crown Copyright 2015
Photographer: Steve Lympany - RAF Brize Norton Photographic Section
Image: BZN-OFFICIAL-20150616-593-007.jpg
From: www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/
Note: This file is available for reuse under the OGL (Open Government Licence), a link to which is published in the 'MOD copyright licensing information' document on the Ministry of Defence copyright licensing information page.
For more information, use the following links:
About Number LXX Squadron
About Number XXIV Squadron
About 'B' Flight Number 206(R) Squadron
About the RAF Airbus A400M Atlas
For latest news visit:
www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/
Follow us:
www.facebook.com/royalairforcebrizenorton/
Cosmetic implant dental center in brooklyn ny.
Cosmetic questionnaire sample"cosmetic implant types.
Cosmetic implant market.
Cosmetic implant dentist.
Cosmetic implant dentistry of naples.
HMCS MONTREAL July 4, 2011
Prince William in the cockpit of CH-124 Sea King
Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge sits in the cockpit of a CH-124 Sea King prior to takeoff from Dalvay by the Sea, Prince Edward Island during a Waterbird Emergency Landing Procedure training exercise on Dalvay Lake.
Canadian Forces Navy, Army and Air Force personnel from Regular and Reserve Force units are honoured to support The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their Canadian tour, 30 June – 8 July. The CF is providing logistical and ceremonial support as the Royal couple visits Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Yellowknife and Calgary. Full military honours with 21-Gun salutes, Colour Parties, Bands, and 100-Man Honour Guards, a river cruise on board HMCS Montréal, flights in CF aircraft, and a special meeting with the Canadian Rangers and Junior Rangers highlight the celebrations.
Canadian Forces Image Number HS2011-0287-056
By Corporal Rick Ayer with Formation Imaging Services, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
_____________________________Traduction
NCSM MONTRÉAL 4 juillet 2011
Le prince William, duc de Cambridge, s’assoit dans l’habitacle d’un CH124 Sea King avant le décollage à Dalvay-by-the-Sea, à l’île du Prince-Édouard, lors d’un exercice d’entraînement aux atterrissages d’urgence sur le lac Dalvay.
Des membres de la Marine, de l’Armée de terre et de la Force aérienne, de la Force régulière et de la Force de réserve des Forces canadiennes, ont l’honneur d’appuyer le duc et la duchesse de Cambridge lors de la tournée royale au Canada, du 30 juin au 8 juillet. Les FC offrent un soutien logistique et appuient les cérémonies pendant la visite du couple royal à Ottawa, à Montréal, à Québec, à l’île du Prince-Édouard, à Yellowknife et à Calgary. Leurs Altesses Royales reçoivent tous les honneurs militaires, dont des salves de 21 coups d’artillerie, des gardes du drapeau, des musiques, des gardes d’honneur de 100 militaires, une croisière à bord du NCSM MONTRÉAL, des vols à bord d’aéronefs des FC et une rencontre spéciale avec les Rangers canadiens et les Rangers juniors canadiens.
Image des Forces canadiennes numéro HS2011-0287-056
Par le Caporal Rick Ayer avec Services d’imagerie de la formation, Halifax (Nouvelle-Écosse)
Name: Kim Colasante
School: RCrossan Elementary School
Town: Philadelphia
State: Pa
The front of the cart has art rules and procedures with other sayings and quotes visable.
Chapter Business Procedure
High School Bronze medalist team from Diman RVTHS (Mass.). Front row L to R: Marissa Morrison, Meggan DeSousa and Brittany Oliveira. Back row L to R: Eiljah Moniz, William Hawkins and Collin Bugara.
Departure of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from Segnas towards Oberalp Pass. Above the exit switch, approx. 15 m ahead of the locomotive, there is a traction current protective section without electricity. The engineer has 10 seconds to accelerate the train. Then he turns off the main switch, which can be heard as a pop. The train rolls without drive for 6 seconds, then the engineer switches on again and accelerates.
That's because the locomotive should not run under load from one traction current feed-in to the other. As a passenger on this train you do not notice this procedure. In an electrical multiple unit, you can hear the switching process if you sit in the area of the pantograph.
As far as I know, this is the only easily accessible place where you can have a closer look at this process. The station will be moved further away from this point in this year. The train in the video accelerates well, but it's almost empty. An engineer told me it had already happened, that the pantograph had to be changed when the locomotive got stuck in the de-energized part. The situation with the short start-up distance is not ideal. Switzerland, Jan 13, 2018. (1/4)
The signs for the engineer, in an earlier photo.
To my great sorrow and pain I've learned about the new (2007) Japanese immigration procedures requiring fingerprinting and photographing from all foreigners wishing to enter the country. (And for foreign residents as well.)
I am shocked!!! I have always considered myself as a friend of Japan. As my pictures here will demonstrate. Now, I'm going to be treated like a criminal.
For more information look here:
-- www.debito.org/index.php/?cat=33
-- www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/travel_and_visa/trave...
-- www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/j/download/fingerprinting_NOV20200...
外国人指紋採取復活に反対!
-------
Everybody may download this picture and use it for free.
Title: Act of July 4, 1966, Public Law 89-487, 80 STAT 250, which amended section 3 of the Administrative Procedure Act, chapter 324, of the Act of June 11, 1916, to clarify and protect the right of the public to information., 07/04/1966 (Page 1 of 3)
Creator(s): National Archives and Records Administration. Office of the Federal Register. (04/01/1985 - ) (Most Recent) Department of State. (09/1789 - ) (Predecessor)
From: Series : Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, compiled 1789 - 2008
HMS Entry Number(s): A-1 5A (1789-1823 segment) A-1 5B (1824-1956 segment) (...)
Record Group 11: General Records of the United States Government, 1778 - 2006
Production Date: 07/04/1966
Persistant URL(s): research.archives.gov/description/299930
Access Restriction(s): Unrestricted
Use Restriction(s): Unrestricted
Contact(s): Archives I Reference Section, Textual Archives Services Division (NWCT1R), National Archives Building, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408, Phone: 202-357-5385, Fax: 202-357-5936, Email: Archives1reference@nara.gov
Description: Pages 14-16 from Procedure for Writing Words, Music, and Plainsong in Dots, by Louis Braille, published in Paris in 1829. It is the book Braille proposes his system of dots. The book is printed in a raised typeface based on the Roman alphabet and distinguishable by decorative curls on the letters. These pages feature tables of series of braille characters. The first series are the letters A to J. The second series are the letters K to T. The third series are the letters U through Z plus several accented letters. The fourth series continues the necessary accented letters used in French. The fifth and sixth series are numbers and punctuation respectively.
Creator: Braille, Louis, 1809-1852, author
Date: 1829
Format: Book
Genre: Embossed book
Language/Script: French embossed text.
Subjects:
Blind--Books and reading
Braille books
Literacy
Place of Origin: Paris, Île-de-France, France
Collection: First Braille Books Collection
Series: Procedure for Writing Words, Music, and Plainsong in Dots, 1829
Extent: 2 pages
Physical Collection: AG43 Embossed Books
Location: Perkins Archives, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA
Note: Title supplied by cataloger.
Terms of Access and Use: Archives reserves the right to deny physical access to materials available in a digital format. No known copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity, and other restrictions. This image is the property of Perkins School for the Blind and use of this image requires written permission. For more information, please visit Perkins.org/image-licensing.
Digital Identifier: LB1829_3328
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, By Philip Gourevitch and Errol Morris
Raymond Bonner is a New York Times correspondent
After the abuse of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib was exposed in April 2004 by The New Yorker and “60 Minutes,” the Bush administration sought to portray the reprehensible misconduct as the work of a few bad apples. Seeming to underscore that verdict was the fact that soldiers took pictures of themselves, smiling, holding thumbs up, with the naked, dead, abused and humiliated prisoners.
Unfortunately, the truth, which emerges with painful clarity from “Standard Operating Procedure,” is that what happened at Abu Ghraib was not only tolerated but condoned and encouraged. Harsh treatment wasn’t punished; it was rewarded. When First Lt. Carolyn Wood of the Army was in charge of the interrogation center at Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan in 2003, she established a policy that allowed prisoners to be held in solitary confinement for a month, to be stripped, shackled in painful positions, kept without sleep, bombarded with sound and light. Three prisoners were beaten to death on her watch. She was awarded a Bronze Star, one of the armed forces’ highest combat medals, promoted to captain and sent to Iraq.
At Abu Ghraib, a Marine Corps lawyer and an Army lawyer witnessed prisoners being suspended from their cell doors. Occasionally they expressed mild concern, but over all they said nothing, which was taken as “implied consent.” When a prisoner interrogated by the C.I.A. died from the beatings, a “parade of senior officers” viewed the corpse. Army medics cleaned up the body, and the official reason given for the death was a heart attack.
Sometimes just for fun, Cpl. Charles Graner and other guards hauled prisoners out of their cells, stripped them, punched them, put sandbags over their heads and forced them to masturbate. Soldiers gleefully snapped photographs.
Pfc. Lynndie England, whose name along with that of Cpl. Graner became almost synonymous with Abu Ghraib, said “it was standard operating procedure.” Specialists Sabrina Harman and Megan Ambuhl later thought that perhaps the soldiers had gone too far. They reported what had gone on to a sergeant. “Nothing really happened,” said Harman, whose letters to her partner were given to the authors, and whose personal story adds to the power of this book. Graner himself showed photographs he had taken to senior officers, including a lieutenant colonel. Nothing happened.
“Standard Operating Procedure” and a documentary film of the same name are the collaborative effort of Philip Gourevitch, the author of a highly acclaimed book about the Rwandan genocide, and Errol Morris, the filmmaker whose credits include “The Fog of War,” the Academy Award-winning documentary about the former defense secretary Robert S. McNamara, and “The Thin Blue Line,” which succeeded in getting a man off death row.
For the documentary, Morris taped interviews with a score of soldiers and civilians, several of whom witnessed the abuse or participated in it. Some of the interviews are, of course, self-serving, but many of the individuals appear to be deeply troubled by what went on at Abu Ghraib. The interviews ran to about two and a half million words, and Gourevitch has woven excerpts, along with transcripts from military investigations and trials, into a tightly knit and damning narrative.
. . . The Justice Department sent only four men to set up a corrections system in Iraq, in May 2003, and two left quickly in frustration, leaving Lane McCotter, who had made a career running military and civilian prisons, and Gary Deland, who had worked with McCotter in Utah. “We were going to make it into a model prison,” McCotter said. Deland established a police academy, where he fired any recruit found to be taking bribes. But the men had neither the time nor the resources to carry out their mission. A four-month assessment period was shortened to 30 days. They concluded that Iraq needed 75,000 prison beds. Fewer than 3,000 were provided, and civilian and military prisoners were held together, in violation of Army doctrine and the Geneva Conventions. Many were innocent, picked up in sweeps, guilty of nothing other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Deland said.
Later in 2003, the American military took over running the prisons. The job was given to combat units of the military police. “We had no training, we were vastly outnumbered and we were given lots of responsibilities that we didn’t have any knowledge about how to carry out,” said Specialist Ambuhl, who was one of only seven M.P.’s assigned to cell blocks housing more than 1,000 prisoners. “They couldn’t say that we broke the rules because there were no rules,” she said.
Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller had commanded the prison at Guantánamo before coming to Iraq. Breaking with Army doctrine, but following the procedure he had established at Guantánamo, he put the military police, who normally run military prisons, at the service of the interrogators, military, C.I.A. and civilian contractors. The guards must “be actively engaged in setting the conditions for successful exploitation of the internees,” Miller wrote. “You’re treating the prisoners too well,” he told the guards. “You have to treat the prisoners like dogs.”
But the military’s dogs were treated better and, as is now well known, were used to frighten the prisoners — exploit their phobias, in the Pentagon’s euphemistic jargon. Two dog handlers “had an ongoing contest to see which of them could make the most prisoners piss in fear.”
Steven Stefanowicz, a civilian interrogator known as Big Steve, ordered the dogs to be used on a prisoner nicknamed A. Q., because he was thought to be an Al Qaeda operative. One picture shows the man, his arms tied behind him, cowering against the wall, the snarling dog’s teeth inches away. “He would tell us to put A. Q. in this position or that position, then put the dogs on him,” Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick said. “Then he would tell them to pull the dogs off, then he would go in the cell, shut the door and I guess interrogate him.”
After several months of torturing A. Q. with “dogs and bondage and hooding and noise and sleeplessness and heat and cold,” the authorities realized that he had no connection to Al Qaeda or any criminal activity, and he was released.
One of the lingering questions has been the degree of complicity within the Pentagon and White House in what happened at Abu Ghraib. No “smoking gun” linking the abuses to Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney or George W. Bush has ever been found, and it is unlikely that one will be. But it isn’t needed, the authors say. “Abu Ghraib was the smoking gun.”
What occurred at Abu Ghraib is deeply disturbing, and Americans, individually and collectively, need to ask, How could this have happened? How could our sons and daughters, good kids from Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, engage in this conduct? How could so many have looked the other way? What happened at Abu Ghraib was not the work of a few bad apples — of Lynndie England or Charles Graner or Ivan Frederick or Megan Ambuhl or Sabrina Harman, all of whom were eventually court-martialed on various charges. (Only one senior officer was court-martialed, and he was found not guilty.)
“The stain is ours,” Gourevitch and Morris write. It is hard to come away from their book with any other conclusion.
www.drspiegel.com/trachea-shave-procedure | Boston area facial plastic surgeon discusses a trachea or tracheal shave cosmetic surgery procedure to reduce the size of an Adams Apple for many transgender facial feminization patients going through a transition. For more info please visit www.drspiegel.com/trachea-shave-procedure or call 617-566-3223 or email at info@drspiegel.com for more information.
Dr. Schoonover and our team specialize in breast procedures that include breast augmentations, breast reductions, breast lifts and breast reconstructions. Learn more about what the purpose of each procedure is, what to expect before, during and after the procedure and how it can help achieve your reconstructive or aesthetic needs. For more details, please visit at kansasplasticsurgery.com/procedures/breast/
Local call number: c002678
Title:Sterile procedures taught to midwives for licensing: Miami, Dade County, Florida.
Date: 1935
Physical descrip: 1 photoprint - b&w - 5 x 7 in.
Series Title: State Board of Health
Repository: State Library and Archives of Florida, 500 S. Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250 USA. Contact: 850.245.6700. Archives@dos.myflorida.com
Persistent URL: floridamemory.com/items/show/44692
Trinity Rose male to transsexual before Facial Feminization Surgery (FFS) Dr. Douglas K. Ousterhout
Facial feminization surgery procedures a step by step guide to the procedures used in facial feminization surgery FFS
www.facialfeminizationsurgery.net/ffs_procedures.html
Trinity Rose's Facial Feminization Surgery FFS experience with Dr. Douglas Ousterhout (Dr.O) and Mira Coluccio
www.facialfeminizationsurgery.net/facialfeminizationsurge...
Transsexual Hormone Therapy, Hormones, Facts Details, Types
www.facialfeminizationsurgery.net/topics2.htm
Trinity rose's Myspace profile
#AppsForMyPC #Featured : A Lot of Lives Lost after Common Heart Procedure
Visit: www.appsformypc.com/featured/a-lot-of-lives-lost-after-co...
Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales on departure from her home port of Portsmouth, Hampshire UK.
The crew are lining the deck at Procedure Alpha.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski participated in a ribbon cutting at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on January 6th, 2016, to officially open the new Robotic Operations Center (ROC) developed by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office. Within the ROC's black walls, NASA is testing technologies and operational procedures for science and exploration missions, including the Restore-L satellite servicing mission and also the Asteroid Redirect Mission.
During her tour of the ROC, Sen. Mikulski saw first-hand an early version of the NASA Servicing Arm (visible at top right), a 2-meter-class robot with the dexterity to grasp and refuel a satellite on orbit.
She also heard a description of Raven, a payload launching to the International Space Station that will demonstrate real-time, relative space navigation technology. The robotic technologies that NASA is developing within the ROC also support the Journey to Mars.
Learn more about NASA’s satellite servicing technologies at ssco.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Hrybyk
Read more: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/maryland-sen-barbara-mi...
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
I shot this while waiting for my retinal doctor earlier, my right eye numbed and dialated- 7 different drops in all- nervous of course. But progress and correction is happening. Lines are straight and I can thread needles. #retina#sapersteinmd
____________________________________
The KOM League
Flash Report
for
12/7/2021
To view this report go to: www.flickr.com/photos/60428361@N07/51733797453/
This report was shared by e-mail to those of you requested it late on the 7th of December and in the early morning hours of the 8th. Thanks to everyone who asked to receive the report by e-mail during the time the world of the Internet was having a hard time. If you got the e-mail go ahead and open this submission and look at a very pretty picture. The medical procedure mentioned in the opening of the report occurred this morning and all went well.
•
Today, the flags were at half mast as I made my morning rounds. My wife asked if they were flying at 50% up the flagpole in memory of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, by the Japanese, or for the death of a man who fought in that war and died this week.
Arriving home on the advent of the first snow shower of the season a decision was made to go down stairs to the KOM League dugout and check a few things on the computer Quickly, it was learned that the flag is at half mast due to what happened at Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the recent death of Robert Dole . Also, some others things were found such as a reminder that there hasn’t been a KOM League Flash Report since October 11.
During that nearly two month lull in reporting a number of deaths have transpired of fellows who played in the league and thus have not been mentioned in these reports. What happens so often is that two former teammates will pass away within just days of each other. That happened in the case of Bill Virdon and George Francis Paul of the 1950 Independence, Kansas Yankees along with Bob McEvilly and Lloyd Koehnke of the 1951 Pittsburg, Kansas Browns.
There will be an attempt to get all the information about the deceased in this report. There is only a short window in which to get this done for tomorrow will be taken up with something that is necessary but not highly anticipated.
Most usually this forum doesn’t address personal issues. However, it was difficult to miss the irony of a set of circumstances that have led up to tomorrow’s event. This old guy has done his best to keep the medical community in Columbia, Missouri solvent this year I used to think old people were always sick, going to the hospital and complaining about their aches and pains. Now, being one of those elder citizens, my earlier beliefs have come to fruition.
In the early days of the KOM league there was an umpire by the name of Ward Elmer Mohs, born in Kansas, a later resident of Tulsa, Okla. and at one time the chief of KOM league umpires. Much has been written about him in my years of publishing books and these reports. Unfortunately, he was drowned while fishing below the spillway at Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma on 6/23/1952. All the bad things any former KOM league player ever said about him was forgotten at that point.
Upon receiving the result from a recent biopsy an attempt was made to locate the best surgeon in town to perform their specialty. After the combined assistance from my wife, daughter, grandson and his wife and the father-in-law of my grandson, contact was made with the surgeon’s office. The nurse from the surgeons office called to set up surgery and she said the procedure would be the one first attempted by a Dr. Mohs some 70 years ago.
During the time Dr. Mohs was perfecting his surgical procedure there were four pitchers in the KOM league with the same last name. There was Robert at Iola, Paul at Independence, along with Ernie and George at Ponca City. All of the aforementioned had the last name of Nichols and the surgeon tomorrow is, who else, Dr. Nichols.
If any of you look into the Mohs procedure it will let you know that this old guy is likely going to be sitting around for most of the day waiting on what is coming next. So, I will have my I-pad and will look for a message from some of you to keep me from being bored. You can read this report, come up with some comments or questions and keep me entertained. No sympathy is being sought just e-mails to keep the mind occupied.
For every obituary in this report there are a whole lot of things known about each of these guys that didn’t find their way into this much too long rant. So, if you wish to know more about my favorite memory of any of these guys let me know. Most likely the banter between the late Lloyd Koehnke and Walt Babcock during a KOM league game, in 1951, will be at the top of the list. It had to do with where Koehnke was going to be sent if he didn’t “shape up.”
The end of the whining
_____________________________________________________________________________
Passing of former KOM leaguers.
Following are the obituaries found on the Internet. The usual practice of adding personal comments about each of the deceased is limited in this report. All the fellows mentioned had been in touch over the years with the exception of Francis George Paul.
Lloyd “Bud” Koehnke—1951 Pittsburg, Kansas Browns
www.loomisfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/mr-lloyd-bud-koehnke/
Mr. Lloyd “Bud” Koehnke a resident of Orlando, Florida has passed away at the age of 89. Bud was husband to Judy for 61 years. The father of 3, grandfather of 6, and a great grandfather of 2. A great man and a great father.
Bud was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, graduating from Appleton HS in 1950.
After high school graduation, Bud pursued a professional baseball career. He signed his first professional contract with the Saint Louis Browns organization, later to become the Baltimore Orioles (as a pitcher) out of a local tryout camp. He would later go on to sign a contract with the Cincinnati Reds organization.
After suffering a dislocated shoulder while playing outfield, which would eventually end his 5-year minor league career, Bud returned to Appleton to work for the Appleton Recreation Department.
From 1956-1966 Bud was Assistant Recreation Director under Duke Groover. Upon retirement of Groover, Bud was appointed Appleton Recreation Director in 1966. Bud would go on to be Recreation Director for the City of Appleton for the next 17 years, working a total of 26 years for the city of Appleton.
With the recreational department under direction of Bud Koehnke the Appleton sports scene exploded. Through Bud’s direction and leadership Appleton would be introduced to multiple new programs and expanded activities. With adult softball as an example, when Bud became recreation director in 1966 there were 43 adult softball teams. Under Bud’s direction, by 1980 there were over 260 men’s and women’s softball teams playing in Appleton.
But softball was not the only game in town, if people wanted an athletic event to play and a place to play it Bud Koehnke would make it happen. Under Bud’s leadership, Appleton would be introduced to T-League baseball and girls’ softball, Pop Warner Football, adult and youth soccer, adult and youth hockey, tennis lessons that had waiting lines for enrollment, skating rinks in every park in town, Winter Carnival at Jones Park for hockey and skate races, city wide summer playground programs that were open to every boy and girl in town under the age of 18. It didn’t stop there, tap dancing, jazz dance, baton twirling lessons, and a yearly dance recital for all participants was one of Bud’s proudest accomplishments.
Bud’s leadership also led to the re-construction of Erb Park and Mead Park outdoor pools, plus all swimming lessons and summer swim programs. Bud was also driving the face behind the development of Badger pool at Appleton West High School.
With the explosion of all recreation programs under Bud’s direction and an eye to the future, Bud was instrumental in convincing the City of Appleton to build Memorial Park. The original design and construction of Memorial Park were in great part the vision and dedication of Bud Koehnke.
But maybe one of Bud’s proudest accomplishments was overseeing Goodland Field for the City of Appleton. Built during the Depression, Bud took great pride in developing Goodland Field into one of the best Class A professional baseball fields in the country. From the addition of new lights, superior clubhouses, and an excellent playing field, Goodland Field was recognized multiple times as the best of the Midwest League. Bud also allowed Goodland Field to be used for Appleton East and Xavier HS Football, Pop Warner Football, and men’s touch football.
The list of professional accomplishments in the City of Appleton are unmistakably long. Maybe this is no better stated then the three Red Smith awards, 1968, 1980, and 1997 for Outstanding Contributions to Local Sports. Bud Koehnke did his utmost to provide every opportunity for every man, woman, and child that was looking to participate in any athletic or recreation department activity.
I
n 1982 Bud and his family moved to Orlando, Florida. Bud was hired by the Minnesota Twins to be the Head Groundskeeper at Tinker Field in Orlando. Tinker Field was the Spring Training Complex and Double A summer home for the Twins. After two years with the Twins, Bud was approached by Osceola County, Florida to develop and oversee the constructions of a new spring training complex in Kissimmee, Florida for the Houston Astros. In 1991 STMA would award Bud Koehnke and Osceola County Stadium with the Professional Field of the Year. Bud would be Head Groundskeeper at Osceola County Stadium until his retirement in 1994. Before his retirement, Bud would also be involved in the construction of Poinciana HS FL. Baseball field. Because of his tireless work to the project the field is named Lloyd “Bud” Koehnke Field.
In retirement, Bud enjoyed traveling all parts of the country. Bud and Judy would also make an annual trip back to Appleton to visit family and friends. Bud also enjoyed playing golf and playing senior softball. One of his biggest joys was following the progress of all his grandchildren in school and in their athletic progress. The joy on his face while watching a baseball game, a hockey game, or knowing the fun his grandkids were having in the participation was inescapable.
Besides a professional baseball career, and the Recreation Director for the City of Appleton, Bud Koehnke will be remembered as arguable the greatest handball player in the city’s history. A fierce competitor who taught himself the game in the handball court that was in Appleton West HS. Bud was assigned to the handball court because he refused to go to dance class as a student. If you ever needed to find Bud Koehnke all you had to do was be at the Lawrence College handball courts between noon and 1pm. There he would be playing a game of cut-throat with Gene Davis, Carl Stumpf, and Ken Anderson to name a few.
For over 20 straight years Bud Koehnke won the Appleton City Singles Handball Tournament. The list of Handball tournaments won by Bud is remarkable. Multiple State of Wisconsin singles and doubles titles, the doubles titles were often with partner Ken Anderson. Dozens and dozens of regional tournaments across the entire Midwest were yearly won by Bud. The Red River Classic in Fargo, ND and the St. Paul MN. Winter Carnival are just to name a few of the handball tournaments he has won.
Major Handball Tournaments are also on the Bud Koehnke resume.
In back-to-back years Bud won the US National Doubles championship with two different partners. Bud’s first title came with partner Bert Dinkin and the following year he partnered with Ray Neveau.
Bud won back-to-back Canadian National singles titles, plus a Canadian National Doubles title.
Arguably one of Buds proudest moments was winning the 1975 National Invitational singles title in Birmingham, Alabama. He accomplished this as an unseeded player.
Handball was not Bud’s only sport for enjoyment. After the professional baseball career ended Bud continued to play semi pro baseball with the Southside Athletic Club and the Menasha Macs. He also enjoyed a career in fast pitch softball with Subway Bar, Ponds Sport Shop, Bleier’s Bar, and Jack Rose Hill. With Jack Rose Hill Bud participated in three I.S.C. World Softball Championships across the country.
Bud is survived by his wife of 61 years and never-ending partner Judy. His daughter Kris (Jay) Schroeder, Appleton, WI. Son Brandon, Cleveland, OH. Son Randall (Amanda) Koehnke Longwood, FL. His Grandchildren Chris (Nikki) Hein, Seattle, WA. Cassie (Mike) Curry Appleton, WI. Brent (Annie) Schroeder, Madison, WI. Connor Koehnke, Columbus, OH. Nate and Matthew Koehnke, Longwood, FL. Great Grandchildren Oliver and Sigmund Hein, Seattle, WA.
Surviving sisters are Helen Drier and Delores Larson. Surviving brother is Lowell (Skip) Koehnke and his wife Jane Koehnke. Surviving sister in law Jill (Mike) Wildenburg.
Proceeding Bud in death are infant daughter Kari Lynn, his parents Lloyd and Mable Koehnke, Father and Mother in law Stanley and Elsie Kreuter, Brother in law Carl Larson, Brother in law Milt Drier, Sister in law and husband Janice and Neil Laflin.
A celebration of life to honor Bud Koehnke will be held in Appleton later in 2022 for friends and family. Please keep Bud in your thoughts and prayers.
“Bud, after knowing you and loving for 64 years God has called you home. Sleep peacefully my love, Judy”
______________________________________________________________________________
Robert McEvilly-1951 Pittsburg Browns—https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/23303349/robert-k-mcevilly/joliet/illinois/fred-c-dames-funeral-homes
Robert K. McEvilly "Bob", age 91, passed away peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family, on Saturday, December 4, 2021. As a faithful servant, he was prepared to meet his Lord.
Bob was born November 14, 1930, in Joliet, Illinois. He was the son of the late Lawrence and Winifred (Breen) McEvilly. He was a kind, generous, loving and patient man who was proud of his family and his Irish heritage. Bob married Beverly Loose at St. Raymond’s Cathedral in 1951. The couple resided in Joliet and raised six children. Fond family memories include driving the 10 passenger station wagon to wonderful vacation destinations in Florida and Wisconsin and celebrating Christmas with an abundance of food and gifts carefully selected for each person.
Bob was raised in the Minooka area and was a 1948 graduate of Minooka High School where he played basketball and baseball. He had a standout year in 1948 when the basketball team record was 23-4. Following graduation, Bob attended Joliet Junior College where he was a first-string guard on the 1949 state championship basketball team with Tom Williams, Jim Fagan, Bob Whyte, Rich Juricic, and Moose Broadrick. He pitched and played third base for the JJC baseball team and was the top hitter for the Will County Farm Bureau state championship team in 1949.
Bob signed a baseball contract with the St. Louis Browns minor league team. The Browns had been courting him for two years after he graduated from high school. The Boston Braves were also interested. He played three years in the minor leagues including Cubs and Cleveland Indians affiliate teams. Bob retired from Illinois Bell Telephone Company with over 30 years of service. He was a member of the Cathedral of St. Raymond’s parish for 70 years, the Irish American Club, and the Old Timer’s Baseball Association. He enjoyed coaching St. Joe's Little League baseball for 15 years. He never lost his love of baseball and followed the Cubs, displaying the "W" flag in his window as soon as the game ended. Their World Series win in 2016 was a very special event to him. He also enjoyed watching the Notre Dame Football and basketball games.
Bob also found time to attend the sporting and school activities of his children and grandchildren. The time spent playing euchre with the McEvilly and Breen relatives in Manhattan and Minooka was always something he looked forward to doing. Bob is preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife of 65 years, Beverly (nee Loose), in 2016; his brother, James (Anne Clennon) McEvilly; and sister, Charlene Obst. He is survived by his loving and caring children: Linda Minkalis (Chet deceased), Robert (Karen deceased), Dan (Denise), Cindy Tomala (Andy), Tom (Karen), and Bill; many nieces and nephews; and his special Uncle Donald Breen. Bob was a very proud Grandpa to Scott and Todd (Amanda) McEvilly; Caitlyn (Greg Goetzke), Kyle McEvilly; Megan (Jake Barry), Matt, and Eric McEvilly; Melissa Minkalis; Andrew (Gabriela) Tomala, John, and Christina Tomala; Kirstin Hobbs McEvilly; and a great-granddaughter, Madison. The family wishes to thank Dr. Bhavesh Ghandi for his kind and compassionate care. Visitation for Robert K. McEvilly will be held Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Road (at Essington Road), Joliet from 3-8 p.m. Funeral services will be on Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 9:15 a.m. from the funeral home to the Cathedral of St. Raymond, 604 N. Raynor Ave., Joliet where a mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, Romeoville. Memorials in his name to the Cathedral of St. Raymond’s Education Fund would be appreciated. For more information, please call (815) 741-5500 or you may visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com where you can share a favorite memory or leave an online condolence.
______________________________________________________________________________
Francis George Paul—I950 Independence Yankees
Francis George Paul, 90, of St. Simons Island, Ga., was welcomed into his eternal resting place in the arms of the Lord on Nov. 21, 2021, six days prior to his 91st birthday. He was born on Nov. 27, 1930, in Wykoff, Minn., to Frank J. and Elizabeth Paul. He was a devout Catholic, a proud Marine, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.
After graduation, Frank joined the New York Yankees as a third baseman. In early 1951, Frank enlisted in the US Marine Corps and was sent to Korea. On June 15, 1951, he was critically injured in what is known as the Battle of the Punchbowl. He spent the following 10 months recuperating. He was the recipient of the Purple Heart, the Korean War Service Medal, the National Defense Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.
During his corporate career, he held many executive positions with companies including Hormel Foods, Carling Brewing, Pearl Brewing and Coors Brewing, which required many moves across the country and continued consulting internationally.
Frank was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Patricia Moen Paul; and his two older sisters, Mary Ellen Lickteig and Delores Hovland.
Surviving are his son, Steve Paul (Selma); his daughter, Terry Fields (David); and his daughter, Michelle Ako (Ron). He also leaves behind 17 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a gentle man with a huge heart and will be missed each and every day by his family, friends, and many people whose lives he touched.
Frank was served over the years by an exceptional team of doctors and the caring staff at Marsh's Edge.
A funeral Mass, with military honors, will be held at 4 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2022, at St. William Catholic Church, St. Simons Island, with a celebration of life following the Mass.
The family suggests in lieu of flowers, remembrances be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation; tunnel2towers.org., or St. Williams Catholic Church, St. Simons Island, Ga.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Bill Virdon 1950—Independence Yankees
William “Bill” Charles Virdon, (also known as the Quail, Skipper, Creep Mouse, Dad, Granddad), age 90, of Springfield, MO, passed away peacefully of natural causes on November 23, 2021, surrounded by his family. Bill was born in Hazel Park, Michigan on June 9, 1931, to his parents, Charles Virdon and Bertha Marley Virdon. After a move to West Plains, MO at age 12, Bill became quite an athlete and was involved in multiple sports at West Plains High School, where he graduated in 1949. He was recruited to play basketball at Drury College in Springfield, MO, but after the first semester he accepted an offer to play baseball and went on to become one of the most respected center fielders in baseball at that time.
“The Quail” began his professional baseball career with the Independence (Kansas) Yankees of the Class D Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri (KOM) League in 1950, where he was managed by Malcolm “Bunny” Mick. Bunny was instrumental in helping him begin his baseball career of 65 years. Bill played major league baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates for 12 years. After retiring as a player, he coached and managed the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Yankees, the Houston Astros, and the Montreal Expos and became known as “Skipper” to his players. He continued to be involved in the baseball world until 2015 when he permanently retired.
Even though, baseball was his life, Bill was a devoted husband, dad, and granddad who showed his constant love to his family. Bill’s wife and daughters supported him throughout his early career by accompanying him every year to spring training in Florida and in the summer to whatever town he was playing for at the time. Once he began managing, his grandchildren, who fondly referred to him as “Creep Mouse” enjoyed following his career, also. “Granddad” taught both his children and grandchildren how to be a friend and how to receive friendship, how to serve community and church, and how to love the game, any game, especially baseball!
This strong, unassuming, and quiet role model is known by those who knew him well as not just a baseball man, but also as the man with the firm handshake, the no-nonsense work ethic, the quick wit and unexpected sense of humor, the deer and quail hunter, the handball player, and a regular spectator at many Springfield area sporting and musical events (many times watching his own grandchildren perform).
Bill was preceded in death by his parents Charles and Bertha Virdon and his sister Corrine Andrews. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Shirley Shemwell Virdon; three daughters: Deborah Lutes (Gary), Linda Holmes (Bill), Lisa Brown (Kevin); seven grandchildren: Shannon Merced, Mandie O’Hara (Chris), Andrew Miller, Brett Holmes (Jodie), Christina Elsenraat (Jeff), Michelle Viles (Nick), Scotty Brown (Paige); thirteen great-grandchildren: Roberto Merced, Lauren O’Hara, Courtnie Miller, Chloe Merced, Austin O’Hara, Ashton Isbell, Camryn Miller, Paige Elsenraat, Ella Viles, Savannah Holmes, William Elsenraat, Harper Holmes, Ryan Elsenraat; brother- in- laws, Ron Shemwell and Jim Andrews; nieces- Cathy Andrews, Cindy Shemwell Lee (Monte), Lindsey Andrews Argo (David); nephews- David Andrews, William “Bill” Andrews, Steven Shemwell, and many other great nieces and nephews. Bill also leaves behind a host of close friends that he considered part of his family.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Turners Rock and Phoenix Home and Hospice Care for providing Bill with the best care over the past few months. A special thanks goes to the King’s Way United Methodst Church pastor, Rev. Karen Hayden , David Jerome, (Bill’s biographer and friend), special friends and memorial speakers, Ned Reynolds and Sam Hamra, Bill’s oldest granddaughter, Shannon Merced, for sharing her memories through the eyes of one of his grandchildren, vocalist -June Hamra, his youngest grandson, Scotty Brown, for leading the congregation in a favorite hymn, and the staff at Gorman- Scharpf Funeral Home for their help in planning, organizing, and implementing the celebration of life memorial service.
Bill, Quail, Skipper, Creep Mouse, Dad, Granddad, your memory will live forever in our hearts. You are and always will be a Hall of Famer in every way!
Services will be held on Tuesday, November 30, at King’s Way United Methodist Church under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at 9:30 in the King’s Way Chapel (masks required) and a memorial service at 12 noon (masks suggested) in the King’s Way Sanctuary. A private inurnment committal service will be held immediately following the memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions should be made to Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT.org), PKD Foundation (pkdcure.org), The Council of Churches of the Ozarks (ccozarks.org), or a Baseball/Softball Scholarship at Missouri State University, Drury University, Southeast Missouri State University, or Baptist Bible College.
Bill's Memorial Slideshow can be viewed here.
This is the Guestbook for the Virdon family obituary. There is one from the editor of this newsletter included. www.gormanscharpf.com/guestbook/william-bill-virdon#guest...
_____________________________________________________________________________
Another guy who “almost” made it.
Many times a week an em-mail is received from Jack Morris who keeps up with the passing of former players. I peruse each one to see if anything looks familiar even though the fellow didn’t play in the KOM league. Here is one such obituary.
Ronald Lloyd Lenzini, 88, of Macon, MO, passed away on November 5, 2021 at the Samaritan Hospital in Macon, following a lengthy illness.
Ron was born on August 28, 1933 at Keota, MO, the son of Rolando and Lora Kitchen Lenzini. He was united in marriage to Raeann Fiedler on May 11, 1956 at the First Christian Church in Macon. He was always quick to mention their 65 years of marriage.
Ron attended Bevier High School where he was a stand-out baseball pitcher. After graduation in 1951, he attended college in Kirksville and later signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and was assigned to a farm team in Johnson City Tennessee.
Ron was drafted into the United States Army in 1953 and was stationed in Germany as an Army Artillery Fieldman. While on duty, he was injured and endured a lifelong problem because of this.
After discharge from the Army in 1955, he started work for the Macon Electric Co-Op and worked there until joining the Missouri State Highway Patrol in October of 1958, he was assigned to the Brookfield Zone of Troop B and worked there until 1966 when he was reassigned to Macon Headquarters.
He was promoted to Corporal and was one of the original 18 that were assigned this newly created rank. He served Macon and Shelby Counties until promotion to Sergeant and assumed the duties of desk officer. He retired in March 1989 after 32 years of serving and protecting the citizens of Missouri.
Ron was a member of the First Christian Church of Macon where he was a Deacon. Ron was a “people” person and enjoyed visiting and meeting people. His group of coffee drinkers heard a lot of stories. He was proud of his children and spent many hours with them and their various involvements in Scouting and school activities. He was a popular coach during the formative years of Little League. Nothing gave him more pleasure than seeing one of “his boys” grow into responsible adults.
Ron loved being outdoors hunting, fishing, playing golf and metal detecting. He and his daughter shared an interest in genealogy and spent enjoyable hours together tracing family in Keota and Italy
He is survived by his wife, Raeann of the home, and his daughter Ronda and her husband Scott.
Ed comment:
After reading that obituary the names of small towns in Central Missouri rang a bell especially, Bevier. That was the hometown of Bob Zuccarini who was a member, during the early part of the 1951 season, with the Pittsburg, Kansas Browns..
An e-mail was sent to Zuccarini in Savannah, Georgia inquiring if he knew the deceased. That sparked a number of e-mails of which some are being shared. “John--I not only knew this guy he was part of me. We were born in the same community ( about 1/2 mile apart). in Keota, Macon County, Mo. about 50 miles North of you off Highway 63. We attended grade school together, (some days in a covered wagon). (Went) to High School together and college together. We played pro baseball together as well as amateur & school. We hunted and fished together we dated together. As young boys we worked together and at times we would climb the hills of coal mines at night and chat. As far as baseball he was a FLAME THROWER and at 17 years old was throwing near 100 mph. Our youth activities were over many years ago but our friendship could never end.” Bob Zuccarini
After receiving that e-mail from Zuccarini a more in depth search was done. Lenzini was also signed by the St. Louis Browns, in 1951 and he was slated to be sent to Pittsburg, Kansas for the 1952. When that team moved its franchise to Independence, Kansas for the 1952 season Lenzini was assigned to go there. He made the trek their for spring training but was cut and he, like Zuccarini, then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. This is his Sporting News player’s card. digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll3/id/143439...
With the obituary on his computer, Zuccarini called the widow of Lenzini who in turn called the KOM League “headquarters” and that was followed up with a telephone call and a few e-mails. Here is the initial e-mail received from the widow of Lenzini just a week after his passing. “ I received a phone call today from a friend of my late husband. He was trying to explain who you are and why he had contact with you and how it relates to my husband.
Could you please explain? It sounds like something my daughter would like to know. Our friend, Bob Zuccarini, is a lifelong friend of our family. I was so taken back by the phone call--things are still like a blur to me and I wasn't really understanding what Bob was saying. My husband, Ronald Lenzini, passed away Nov 5th . I think you might have come across some reference to him in his obit??
Let me know more please, My husband was very proud of his involvement with the minor leagues, even if he wasn't a million dollar bonus baby.”
Sincerely, Raeann Lenzini (Ronald Lenzini) Macon, Mo
With the ball now rolling another question was posed to Zuccarini. “Even though this guy was a few years older than you, did you know him?
www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/pete-colombatt...
Zuccarini’s reply:
John--So kind of you to send me the Colombatto Obituary, yes I knew him very well and corresponded with him while he was in St. Charles. I was in school with his brother Donald and knew his father mother and Del very well. I hope you and yours are well and I still enjoy your KOM news.
With the words of the last sentence I hope some other readers still enjoy the KOM news. If so, let me know. If not, keep it to yourself and just delete any further e-mails before opening.
Hello,
It is four in the afternoon of Wednesday the 23rd of January 2013, an overcast day punctuated by intermittent showers. Thunder storms are predicted for tomorrow. Looks like I will be sticking close to home.
I suspect I may have found the cause of the super sluggish sending and receiving of these reports I have been encountering. It was not all that old mail I waded my way through while deleting. There was no discernible difference between the before and after of that little project. I think it is the result of an inner email program conflict as a result of composing these daily reports right there on a regular email form.
Silly me, why did I not consider that. What was wrong with the old cut and paste procedure anyway. When I took note of the struggle taking place today I finally realized. Things had gotten pretty crazy. I was getting pop up noticed from my own computer saying things about actions I had taken while offline and saving drafts to a rescued file. Sure enough there were numerous partial drafts of the last couple of reports written. That was kind of odd as I had not even tried to send the one that went out today and the other was long gone. I thought it would be smart to start with a short one to myself. It said nothing more that ‘a test’. As I watched the utter confusion and read those pop up warnings it finally clicked.
As a point of fact and just so you know. Lately, once I finally got that first big daily report out of the machine I was able to send and receive normally. Why I thought it was the size of the given email is beyond me but that was the best I could come up with.
Now of course I think it was a result of working offline in my mail program. So, I am writing this in a new file I have opened in my word processor program. I will cut and past to an email when the time comes and see how it goes. If successful that will be swell. I can copy them from that file to the Hello file and then start a new one. Easy peasey, perhaps.
I am getting a little edgy. I am down to two tylenol and you know I did not go to Chedraui, nor will I until the weather clears. I will hold off on a San Francisco or Soriana run. They are close enough even if I have to go in a driving rain. I am going to see if I can manage without.
You are probably wondering if I bought that new iPod Touch. Yes I did. I got a red one like my little iPod shuffle. I ordered it to be engraved identical to my little shuffle too. PATTI. Nothing more. I feel I have done a little something for the world today. You may or may not be aware of the fact that a part of your Apple purchase when you choose the color red goes toward fighting aides in Africa. Yes indeed, I made a humanitarian gesture. I was on the brink of ordering the blue. I would have if the red had been unavailable as it sometimes is.
I picked up an email from Randy and Cheryl while I was down at the coffee place. Cheryl suggests I might like Isla de Mujeres as a possible next place to live. That thought had occurred to me too. It is much smaller that this island and still just a ferry ride to Cancun on the mainland. The research has begun.
Be advised. I did send off scads of pictures so my emissary will be posting those for me.
I did splurge at the bakery ladies little window. I brought a double brownie that is just short of heavenly. I have consumed one little strip so far. I will make it last. Some today, some tomorrow, and so on. A little at a time should not throw me into a sugar frenzy. Lets hope not anyway. In general the sweet things down here tend to contain a great deal less sugar than the ones up and over there.
Spaghetti is on the menu for the evening meal. I am reading a book set in County Kerry, Ireland. I believe I am in for yet another fun and action packed night at home. My favorite way to pass the time. No complaints here. I am just a little concerned about this neck problem. I wish I had a heating pad and some of that spray on pain aid stuff my mother gave me. Never mind, I am bucking up as I write this. I will be just fine.
It is only five but I think I am going to start the pasta water. Do not worry I have the colander with handle all laid out. I am going to give it a try right inside the other. It might work and it might not. On that note, I will be in the west of Ireland if anyone needs me.
I will leave you with this Irish proverb. If you hit my dog, you hit myself.
Good Thursday morning this 24th day of January in the year 2013 at nine o’clock in the morning. There was a patch of blue when I lifted the curtain to look out the window, craned my neck and caught a glimpse of that square of sky way up there above the planter between this apartment and the one next door. That is more blue sky than I saw all day yesterday. Looks like we will have to wait and see about those thunder storms.
My spaghetti turned out great. It was simple as could be. I kept it down to a bare minimum of ingredients. I cooked the pasta until almost done and then set the pan aside. I heated a bit of olive oil in the big sauté pan and then tossed in the thinly sliced mushrooms. I gave those a quick blast and then squirted in part of the container of the spaghetti sauce. While heating that through I drained the pasta and I am pleased to report my double colander idea worked like a charm. I dumped the drained pasta in the pan on top of the sauce, topped it with a little olive oil coating the spaghetti as best I could, then mixed it all together. It was just like the package promised. A quick wholesome meal that was not only different (by Mexican standards), delicious, and nutritious but loaded with antioxidants and so forth. Brought to me by those fine folks at Hunt’s and their more than 100 years of experience in the development and manufacture of tomato products. How could I have gone wrong? I shook some parmesan cheese on top and it was a toothsome treat.
I managed to save some spaghetti for my lunch today. I put some of those nice Peruvian beans to soak so they will be the backbone of the evening meal. Perhaps another minestrone sort of soup. I have a piece of cabbage, onion, garlic, a tomato, and some macaroni. Top that with some more of the parmesan and I will be in business. If the weather holds and I happen to make it to Chedraui I could get some of that fabulous veg bread to eat with it. Oh yes! If not I have a couple of different kinds of local crackers should the mood strike. Oh wow! I can almost taste a little sandwich with the veg bread and sharp cheddar cheese. Let me stick my head out and check that sky again. Um hum, still some blue out there. I would be blowing the budget with tylenol and cheese both but what the heck I only spent 45 pesos/$3.56 yesterday and cheese is an excellent source of protein along with its other attributes. Now watch, I will hike over there and they will have sold out of all the sharp cheddar. No, I refuse to even joke about such a serious matter. Think positive, that is my motto.
Last night I finished my visit to the west of Ireland not turning out the light until I had read the last page. Then I switched over to and reclined in my sleeping hammock and waited for sleep to overtake me. It took its own sweet time. I began to wonder if it was another waning gibbous moon. Minus a handy dandy gadget I was unable to quickly ascertain the exact stage in order to further my research.
It is half past ten now or half ten as they would say in Ireland. I have been poking around and am just now heating the water for my second cup. I will get the shower water going next. Then we will see what the day holds in store for me.
Vale is running almost as late as my exercise buddies. I lost track of what day she was due here at ten o’clock in the morning but it must be coming up on a week ago. Let me take a peak just for fun. Very interesting. The boys are two weeks late today and Vale is one week late. And that is just the way it is here in the land of mañana but maybe I should stop scheduling meetings for Thursdays. Those do not seem to be working out so well. I guess I will eventually go check on Vale if she does not come looking for me first.
Boy was I spaced or what. I have been standing right here at the counter typing away while my coffee water boiled. I could smell it and thought, oh good the shower water will be ready soon. Shortly before eleven I reached for my cup and was surprised to find it empty. I looked up at the stove and only then did it dawn on me that it was not the shower water heating up over there. Looks like I will be a little later in leaving the house than I had anticipated.
There is no way in the world I am putting on a backpack until I have dosed up good with some tylenol. That means if I hit some wifi today it will not be until later. First things first. Then too I have yet to determine if this ten dollar backpack is waterproof or not. For safeties sake I have been enclosing this marvelous but rapidly becoming antiquated machine in one of my kayak dry bags. I have a plastic bag in there too just in case. If I do make an afternoon run today and one of those predicted thunderstorms materializes I will ideally, be just fine. I am not interested in conducting any tests with my live laptop though. Some kind of test dummy would preferable. I will hold off on that until my neck and shoulders are back to normal. Best to leave this baby right here in the house than run the risk of ruin.
Well I guess the water is ready and if I do not make a move I will still be standing right here.
It is shortly past noon now. I am having a plan B lunch. It seemed like a good idea to pressure cook the beans while my hair dries. Then it seemed like an impossibility to heat the spaghetti at the same time. Rather than delay my departure any further I flipped from Italian to Spanish lunch. I made a plate of crackers and cream cheese with little bite sized pieces of Spanish chorizo with pickled cucumbers and onions on the side. Um um, good!
I was thinking that if I ever find any chili powder I can make those chili beans I have been craving. You are probably thinking, what is she talking about find some chili powder I thought she was in Mexico. Well yes, and no. Yes I am , and no it is not that part of Mexico. They do sell pinto beans here but the bean of choice is the black. The usual dried legume selection consists of black, pinto, peruvian, an occasional small white one bean, garbanzo, tiny brown lentils, and the rare split green pea. That about covers it. If I ever see any red beans I will snap them right up. In the grain department we have slight variety of choice in white only rice and the occasional cracked wheat. They just got the latter in at Soriana and I may make tabouli one day if the supply lasts that long. We can thank the early Lebanese immigrants for the lentil, garbanzo, and cracked wheat. This area was not much of a melting pot so the influences were limited.
Speaking of which, did I ever tell you why the imported straight from Holland edam cheese is so redly available here? I would really prefer some reference material but short of that I will tell you what I remember. It goes something like this. Way back in the 1800’s or so a ship ran aground on one of the reefs off the coast. Or maybe there was a storm, they lost steerage and ran up on a beach. Maybe it was pirates that got um, these waters were thick with them for awhile there. I could continue to speculate but I will not. The end result was, a ship full of edam cheese bound for elsewhere ended up here instead. The people liked it very much. They developed a taste for it which created a demand. It has been considered a delicacy ever since. If someone really likes you they may give you one for Christmas, not an uncommon gift. Should you find yourself in this part of the world and if you are lucky, you may encounter a stuffed cheese on a menu or more likely as a daily special. If you do please order it immediately. You will not be sorry. They take one of those $30 US and I do not exaggerate, grapefruit sized balls of cheese and turn it into a culinary masterpiece.
Why don’t I give you the recipe I used when I made it in my little garden apartment in Alameda. That will save me further description and allow you to reproduce it in the privacy of your own home and at your leisure, should you feel so inclined. I will remind you that the olives are green. The sweet chili is the small wrinkly bell so use one of those instead. The closest you will come with the xcatic chili will be a hungarian wax. Try cheesecloth for steaming the filled cheese. Armed with that knowledge you should be good to go.
Recipe for Queso Relleno
1 Edam cheese with middle scooped out
Oil
¾ k. ground pork
For the stuffing:
1 chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
4 tbs. lard
1 chopped sweet chile
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
¼ cup vinegar
50 grs olives
50 grs raisins
3 tbs. capers
400 grs tomatoes
3 chopped hard boiled eggs
Fry the onion in the lard, add the garlic, sweet chile, the meat, and then everything else.
Fill the cheese with this mixture and cover with a cloth, then steam it to soften the cheese.
K’óol (white sauce)
1 lt. chicken broth
1 bunch epazote
50 g olives
20 g capers
3 tbs. flour
Salt
Oil
Add the epazote, olives, and capers to the broth. On the side, dilute the flour in a little water, and add to the broth little by little, stirring constantly. Add the salt and a little oil. Keep on low heat.
Tomato sauce:
½ kg tomatoes
½ onion
1 chile xcatik
Oil
Epazote
2 tsp. consomme
Salt
Blend the tomatoes with a little water, the onion and the chile. Fry this mixture with the epazote. Season with the consomme and the salt. Simmer uncovered at low heat, stirring until thick, approx. 30 min.
Serve the stuffed cheese with the 2 sauces on top.
So, there you are let me know how it turns out. I myself am turning off the burner under the beans and hitting the trail.
I rolled back in about four o’clock bearing treasures. I decided to stop at Mega first to see what they had in the way of Tylenol. Oh my goodness, they had not only twenty caplet bottles but also fifty and one hundred. Wowzer! The one hundred cost 212 and the fifty 82. Guess which one I got. You know it, they could not fool me with that one. Nor did I have that kind of peso power behind me. They also had a little packet of ground chili. No details. For 4.48 pesos I could not go wrong, so I bought that too.
When I got over to Chedraui I happened to pass by a sale table on the fringes of the produce area. They had stacks of different sizes of those clear plastic hinged sort of boxes like you are likely to see in a produce department in the land of my birth but less seldom here. Everything was 5 pesos. The one that caught my eye was filled with those fabulous Spanish chilies that my brother Spike/Philip and I so enjoy when dining al fresco at the Market Bar in The City. I snatched them right up. The first half package are about ready to come out of the pan. I just tasted one and they ‘are them’ and I have a couple dozen. My brother knows I will be through them in nothing flat. Oh happy day!
Double wow! I just cut up some sharp cheddar and tossed it right in the bowl with the chilies. They taste great together. You can not begin to imagine what a popping burst of flavor sharp cheddar can impart when you have not experienced it for months. I am also embarrassed to say I am down to the last three of the first dozen chilies. I love these things.
I scored big time but they did not have the bread. I asked and they said, oh the rustic bread, no sorry. So I got a bread twist with cheese and sesame seeds and a biscuit with cheese. The biscuit is not even a distant cousin of that basic staple of the deep south and so good when topped with gravy. I will take a picture.
I am going to put the soup together then make a quick Soriana run. I need limes and mineral water and those are key items in this household. First I am pleased to report that the first dozen chilies sated me and I will be able to save the rest for casual snacking.
Soup is in the pan and I am tired. To heck with the Soriana run. I have enough of those basic stables to hold me until tomorrow. I am going to recline in one of my hammocks.
Good midmorning this Friday the 25th of January 2013 at ten o’clock. I slept well and awoke to one of those stand at the gate and shout visitors. Not my visitor mind you. It served as an excellent wake up call. I had actually been up closer to four than five. I thought it was morning, yes it is that light in this area of the fish bowl. Luckily I looked at the clock before I brushed my teeth. It was blissfully silent so I turned off the white noise machine and went back to sleep. I may have slept through the call from the gate had I not done so. Hard to say.
I will tell you that I have been remiss in my monitoring of the moped variety parked outside this front door. I realized as much when I got home yesterday and noticed the current model was half and half, silver in the back and red in the front. So, to date we have silver, red, and silver/red. Now if I narrow it down to distinguishing characteristics we may be able to determine if these are in fact the same silver, red, and silver/red, or a variety there of. All in a days work. This detecting can be an interesting business.
It was a very good thing that I decided to pass on the trip to Soriana. That delayed but massive cloudburst passed over about the time I would have been there browsing the isles. It hovered overhead for quite some time too. When I can hear a hard rain on the roof way down here on the lower level you can bet it is really coming down. A nice time to be tucked in, warm and dry.
I enjoyed my soup last night. Good thing too because I have three small containers of it in the fridge. I also have a dozen chilies ready to eat when the urge comes upon me. This morning I was wondering why I did not save one for propagation purposes. Silly me. If I find myself back over at Chedraui before they sell the last few containers I will rectify the situation. They may or may not carry them regularly. The full price would have been close to 60 pesos and that puts it into the luxury category under my current economic circumstances.
A plant or few of them in my garden would be heavenly. I am likely to have one of those again one of these day, gardens I mean. You probably noticed I have never mentioned actually planting anything in this little interior plot right outside my door. Well, it is not really very nice soil. It is a bit of a catchall for rubbish. The minute I got a nice plant in there the kids or their ball would land on it. I will be away for too long when I go to California. At least those are some of the excuses I have given myself. Are they good valid concerns or should I just do it. Hard to say. Once the disillusionment set in the idea just sort of fell by the wayside.
There is still a glimmer, a spark of desire to spend more time living on this island. I could move away from this neighborhood and down toward the waterfront. I have begun to consider this area the belly of the beast and if that is the case the little park would be the belly button.
It is an entirely different atmosphere as you near the water. I can leave this apartment and walk straight down 4th. I start out in this working class neighborhood and end up in a quaint, old but hip seaside village. It is, on this particular street, a mere six short blocks before you arrive at the blue waters of the Caribbean. Half way there you crest a very slight rise and in front of you at the end of the street is the ocean. The sidewalks become brick and the buildings ooze character. Interesting little restaurants worthy of any international resort destination are sprinkled around the area.
It is only a few blocks but a world away from here. I like it down there and beach or no it would be a good place to spend some time. It feels vibrant down there even when there are not many people about. It is kind of a nook between the cruise ship hordes and the northern hotel zone.
I went into a shopping center on a corner. It was a big two story affair with a very high end look to it. Once through the door I transformed myself into a just browsing tourist. The entire building housed jewelry and fine watch stores. On the second level one can watch the jewelers at work or dine at the restaurant. It is a Jewish restaurant with a little packaged foods area beside the reception desk. If you are in need of matzo crackers that would be the place to go. I looked at the menu and the majority of the dishes were the same as you would find on any other menu around here. I can only assume they are kosher. Why would I think that? Because you see not only is the complex full of jewelry stores but diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds. I now understand the group or two of Hasidic Jews I have seen here on the island.
All those high dollar jewelry stores strung along Melgar (the avenue running along the water) would account for the heavy police patrols even without all the tourists to protect. All the better jewelry stores have their own security guards posted at the front door. Many fully suited up in bulletproof vest, weapon in hand.
There was a fairly recent article in the newspaper suggesting all the businesses employ their own security guards as the police were being spread a bit thin with the rise in crime. I mentioned the other day about the police patrolling fairly regularly in this neighborhood. Well, let me tell you it does not compare to that waterfront area we are talking about. They are not only more prominent there as they patrol the streets in their pickup trucks, but there is one standing in the back rifle at the ready. When I took my long exploratory walk to the north the other day I witnessed a good example of their effectiveness and interest in maintaining a nice environment for those peso spending visitors on which the island depends. A very drunk fellow was sitting on the bench that is part of the seawall. He slurred a hello as I passed on my way north. On my return he was sound asleep/passed out in the same spot. Within moments a municipal police truck pulled over and when I last looked were picking him up and moving him out. That sort of thing does not happen in my neighborhood. I am pretty sure he could have laid here all day and into the night. Although I often wonder how the federal police got there so quick when I had my mishap. Ah, the mysteries of life.
Hum, I wonder what the sky looks like up there today. I got real lucky yesterday. I was caught in a light tropical shower as I was leaving Chedraui. It continued pelting me with great big wide spaced drops until I made my turn at the main plaza.
What I can see looks kind of solid grey. I would like to go over to the coffee place and send this so that will be my first goal of the day. Subject to change naturally. I also think it might be about time I look Vale up. Even if, hey what am I saying, lets give the benefit of the doubt. Since she is taking morning and evening classes and then earning some money in the late afternoon helping out a relative of the BF I will need to time my visit. Come to think of it I could just wait until tomorrow when there is no school. All righty then I postponed that quite nicely.
BTW that biscuit was pretty interesting. I detected no cheese in it (or the twist) so I would wager it was a matter of mislabeling. The dough had a distinct flavor of uncooked biscuit dough. Not half bad and you know, I think some gravy might go nicely with them. Something to keep in mind next time I have a package of bacon in the fridge. These biscuits are readily available so it would not be like trying to pair my sharp cheddar and the rustic veg bread.
I am heating the last of the spaghetti while I wait for my hair to dry. There is not much but I can always move on to soup to fill any remaining gaps. I guess I should make some more spaghetti while that open container of sauce if fresh. I am almost out of parmesan but I can always splurge for some more. It lasts a long time and perks up many a dish.
While thinking of food I realize I forgot to tell you about the dried beans I saw at Mega yesterday. They were so pretty. At first I thought they were those red beans I have been wanting. When I got close I saw they were speckled and quite purple. They are called flor de mayo, same as the plumeria. I was not about to lug them home but I am going to look for them in Soriana or San Francisco.
I have moved on to the soup. I just opened that little packet of ground chili and sprinkled some on top. If it is not cayenne I do not know what it is. That is fine by me as I had been wishing for some. I also got a soup shot as I realized I had neglected to photograph it last night. Ah yes, as I make my way into the bowl I can say this is some spicy chili. If you foolishly put a good spoon full of this stuff in your batch of beans you would be in for a real surprise. I will remember to sprinkle it more sparingly in future.
Speaking of moving, my mystery moped neighbors may be doing just that. The silver and red is backed up to my door and they are moving out the furniture. So much for that entertaining research project/handy alarm clock.
I am on to the cheddar cheese and chili dessert plate now. It is every bit as good as yesterday. I threw in a sliced Chiapas banana for contrast and potassium. You are what you eat!
Maybe I will experiment with some of the other chilies available at the markets. I really should be familiar with all the subtleties of flavor. I could roast up a couple of each in the manner I prepared these. What a great way to figure out what dishes they might be best suited to. Back in Cabo I pan roasted serranos and those long skinny dried red ones for snacking on. One of the chilies here is a green version of the latter. I think they may hail from the Vera Cruz area. I have eaten plenty of jalapeños done that way, they are always good.
As I was dressing this morning in the same travel shorts I have been wearing most days, I decided to really take advantage of them. I am stuck on these because of their pockets. There is no good reason I can think of not to use one of those pockets for my camera. It is about time I carefully record some more exterior images for yours and my viewing pleasure. I could actually show you what that lower neighborhood looks like. I use the word lower loosely as this island is almost as flat as a pancake, more in a directional sense, and there is that slight little rise. You could of course hop on Google Maps, enter my address, switch to street view, and virtually cruise right on down the street all the way to the water. Should you do so I suggest you then make a right turn in the direction of the Looks Like Bermuda/although I have never actually been there, part of the island.
A small bowl of spaghetti, a small bowl of soup, eight chilies, two slices of cheddar cheese, and one small Chiapas banana under the belt and time to get going. It is a quarter to two, a fine hour for the coffee place. Hard to say but I think there is a sunny glow to the light filtering down to the center walk way. Until next time then.
Love
YS, YD, YM, YA
Hello,
It is four in the afternoon of Wednesday the 23rd of January 2013, an overcast day punctuated by intermittent showers. Thunder storms are predicted for tomorrow. Looks like I will be sticking close to home.
I suspect I may have found the cause of the super sluggish sending and receiving of these reports I have been encountering. It was not all that old mail I waded my way through while deleting. There was no discernible difference between the before and after of that little project. I think it is the result of an inner email program conflict as a result of composing these daily reports right there on a regular email form.
Silly me, why did I not consider that. What was wrong with the old cut and paste procedure anyway. When I took note of the struggle taking place today I finally realized. Things had gotten pretty crazy. I was getting pop up noticed from my own computer saying things about actions I had taken while offline and saving drafts to a rescued file. Sure enough there were numerous partial drafts of the last couple of reports written. That was kind of odd as I had not even tried to send the one that went out today and the other was long gone. I thought it would be smart to start with a short one to myself. It said nothing more that ‘a test’. As I watched the utter confusion and read those pop up warnings it finally clicked.
As a point of fact and just so you know. Lately, once I finally got that first big daily report out of the machine I was able to send and receive normally. Why I thought it was the size of the given email is beyond me but that was the best I could come up with.
Now of course I think it was a result of working offline in my mail program. So, I am writing this in a new file I have opened in my word processor program. I will cut and past to an email when the time comes and see how it goes. If successful that will be swell. I can copy them from that file to the Hello file and then start a new one. Easy peasey, perhaps.
I am getting a little edgy. I am down to two tylenol and you know I did not go to Chedraui, nor will I until the weather clears. I will hold off on a San Francisco or Soriana run. They are close enough even if I have to go in a driving rain. I am going to see if I can manage without.
You are probably wondering if I bought that new iPod Touch. Yes I did. I got a red one like my little iPod shuffle. I ordered it to be engraved identical to my little shuffle too. PATTI. Nothing more. I feel I have done a little something for the world today. You may or may not be aware of the fact that a part of your Apple purchase when you choose the color red goes toward fighting aides in Africa. Yes indeed, I made a humanitarian gesture. I was on the brink of ordering the blue. I would have if the red had been unavailable as it sometimes is.
I picked up an email from Randy and Cheryl while I was down at the coffee place. Cheryl suggests I might like Isla de Mujeres as a possible next place to live. That thought had occurred to me too. It is much smaller that this island and still just a ferry ride to Cancun on the mainland. The research has begun.
Be advised. I did send off scads of pictures so my emissary will be posting those for me.
I did splurge at the bakery ladies little window. I brought a double brownie that is just short of heavenly. I have consumed one little strip so far. I will make it last. Some today, some tomorrow, and so on. A little at a time should not throw me into a sugar frenzy. Lets hope not anyway. In general the sweet things down here tend to contain a great deal less sugar than the ones up and over there.
Spaghetti is on the menu for the evening meal. I am reading a book set in County Kerry, Ireland. I believe I am in for yet another fun and action packed night at home. My favorite way to pass the time. No complaints here. I am just a little concerned about this neck problem. I wish I had a heating pad and some of that spray on pain aid stuff my mother gave me. Never mind, I am bucking up as I write this. I will be just fine.
It is only five but I think I am going to start the pasta water. Do not worry I have the colander with handle all laid out. I am going to give it a try right inside the other. It might work and it might not. On that note, I will be in the west of Ireland if anyone needs me.
I will leave you with this Irish proverb. If you hit my dog, you hit myself.
Good Thursday morning this 24th day of January in the year 2013 at nine o’clock in the morning. There was a patch of blue when I lifted the curtain to look out the window, craned my neck and caught a glimpse of that square of sky way up there above the planter between this apartment and the one next door. That is more blue sky than I saw all day yesterday. Looks like we will have to wait and see about those thunder storms.
My spaghetti turned out great. It was simple as could be. I kept it down to a bare minimum of ingredients. I cooked the pasta until almost done and then set the pan aside. I heated a bit of olive oil in the big sauté pan and then tossed in the thinly sliced mushrooms. I gave those a quick blast and then squirted in part of the container of the spaghetti sauce. While heating that through I drained the pasta and I am pleased to report my double colander idea worked like a charm. I dumped the drained pasta in the pan on top of the sauce, topped it with a little olive oil coating the spaghetti as best I could, then mixed it all together. It was just like the package promised. A quick wholesome meal that was not only different (by Mexican standards), delicious, and nutritious but loaded with antioxidants and so forth. Brought to me by those fine folks at Hunt’s and their more than 100 years of experience in the development and manufacture of tomato products. How could I have gone wrong? I shook some parmesan cheese on top and it was a toothsome treat.
I managed to save some spaghetti for my lunch today. I put some of those nice Peruvian beans to soak so they will be the backbone of the evening meal. Perhaps another minestrone sort of soup. I have a piece of cabbage, onion, garlic, a tomato, and some macaroni. Top that with some more of the parmesan and I will be in business. If the weather holds and I happen to make it to Chedraui I could get some of that fabulous veg bread to eat with it. Oh yes! If not I have a couple of different kinds of local crackers should the mood strike. Oh wow! I can almost taste a little sandwich with the veg bread and sharp cheddar cheese. Let me stick my head out and check that sky again. Um hum, still some blue out there. I would be blowing the budget with tylenol and cheese both but what the heck I only spent 45 pesos/$3.56 yesterday and cheese is an excellent source of protein along with its other attributes. Now watch, I will hike over there and they will have sold out of all the sharp cheddar. No, I refuse to even joke about such a serious matter. Think positive, that is my motto.
Last night I finished my visit to the west of Ireland not turning out the light until I had read the last page. Then I switched over to and reclined in my sleeping hammock and waited for sleep to overtake me. It took its own sweet time. I began to wonder if it was another waning gibbous moon. Minus a handy dandy gadget I was unable to quickly ascertain the exact stage in order to further my research.
It is half past ten now or half ten as they would say in Ireland. I have been poking around and am just now heating the water for my second cup. I will get the shower water going next. Then we will see what the day holds in store for me.
Vale is running almost as late as my exercise buddies. I lost track of what day she was due here at ten o’clock in the morning but it must be coming up on a week ago. Let me take a peak just for fun. Very interesting. The boys are two weeks late today and Vale is one week late. And that is just the way it is here in the land of mañana but maybe I should stop scheduling meetings for Thursdays. Those do not seem to be working out so well. I guess I will eventually go check on Vale if she does not come looking for me first.
Boy was I spaced or what. I have been standing right here at the counter typing away while my coffee water boiled. I could smell it and thought, oh good the shower water will be ready soon. Shortly before eleven I reached for my cup and was surprised to find it empty. I looked up at the stove and only then did it dawn on me that it was not the shower water heating up over there. Looks like I will be a little later in leaving the house than I had anticipated.
There is no way in the world I am putting on a backpack until I have dosed up good with some tylenol. That means if I hit some wifi today it will not be until later. First things first. Then too I have yet to determine if this ten dollar backpack is waterproof or not. For safeties sake I have been enclosing this marvelous but rapidly becoming antiquated machine in one of my kayak dry bags. I have a plastic bag in there too just in case. If I do make an afternoon run today and one of those predicted thunderstorms materializes I will ideally, be just fine. I am not interested in conducting any tests with my live laptop though. Some kind of test dummy would preferable. I will hold off on that until my neck and shoulders are back to normal. Best to leave this baby right here in the house than run the risk of ruin.
Well I guess the water is ready and if I do not make a move I will still be standing right here.
It is shortly past noon now. I am having a plan B lunch. It seemed like a good idea to pressure cook the beans while my hair dries. Then it seemed like an impossibility to heat the spaghetti at the same time. Rather than delay my departure any further I flipped from Italian to Spanish lunch. I made a plate of crackers and cream cheese with little bite sized pieces of Spanish chorizo with pickled cucumbers and onions on the side. Um um, good!
I was thinking that if I ever find any chili powder I can make those chili beans I have been craving. You are probably thinking, what is she talking about find some chili powder I thought she was in Mexico. Well yes, and no. Yes I am , and no it is not that part of Mexico. They do sell pinto beans here but the bean of choice is the black. The usual dried legume selection consists of black, pinto, peruvian, an occasional small white one bean, garbanzo, tiny brown lentils, and the rare split green pea. That about covers it. If I ever see any red beans I will snap them right up. In the grain department we have slight variety of choice in white only rice and the occasional cracked wheat. They just got the latter in at Soriana and I may make tabouli one day if the supply lasts that long. We can thank the early Lebanese immigrants for the lentil, garbanzo, and cracked wheat. This area was not much of a melting pot so the influences were limited.
Speaking of which, did I ever tell you why the imported straight from Holland edam cheese is so redly available here? I would really prefer some reference material but short of that I will tell you what I remember. It goes something like this. Way back in the 1800’s or so a ship ran aground on one of the reefs off the coast. Or maybe there was a storm, they lost steerage and ran up on a beach. Maybe it was pirates that got um, these waters were thick with them for awhile there. I could continue to speculate but I will not. The end result was, a ship full of edam cheese bound for elsewhere ended up here instead. The people liked it very much. They developed a taste for it which created a demand. It has been considered a delicacy ever since. If someone really likes you they may give you one for Christmas, not an uncommon gift. Should you find yourself in this part of the world and if you are lucky, you may encounter a stuffed cheese on a menu or more likely as a daily special. If you do please order it immediately. You will not be sorry. They take one of those $30 US and I do not exaggerate, grapefruit sized balls of cheese and turn it into a culinary masterpiece.
Why don’t I give you the recipe I used when I made it in my little garden apartment in Alameda. That will save me further description and allow you to reproduce it in the privacy of your own home and at your leisure, should you feel so inclined. I will remind you that the olives are green. The sweet chili is the small wrinkly bell so use one of those instead. The closest you will come with the xcatic chili will be a hungarian wax. Try cheesecloth for steaming the filled cheese. Armed with that knowledge you should be good to go.
Recipe for Queso Relleno
1 Edam cheese with middle scooped out
Oil
¾ k. ground pork
For the stuffing:
1 chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
4 tbs. lard
1 chopped sweet chile
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper
¼ cup vinegar
50 grs olives
50 grs raisins
3 tbs. capers
400 grs tomatoes
3 chopped hard boiled eggs
Fry the onion in the lard, add the garlic, sweet chile, the meat, and then everything else.
Fill the cheese with this mixture and cover with a cloth, then steam it to soften the cheese.
K’óol (white sauce)
1 lt. chicken broth
1 bunch epazote
50 g olives
20 g capers
3 tbs. flour
Salt
Oil
Add the epazote, olives, and capers to the broth. On the side, dilute the flour in a little water, and add to the broth little by little, stirring constantly. Add the salt and a little oil. Keep on low heat.
Tomato sauce:
½ kg tomatoes
½ onion
1 chile xcatik
Oil
Epazote
2 tsp. consomme
Salt
Blend the tomatoes with a little water, the onion and the chile. Fry this mixture with the epazote. Season with the consomme and the salt. Simmer uncovered at low heat, stirring until thick, approx. 30 min.
Serve the stuffed cheese with the 2 sauces on top.
So, there you are let me know how it turns out. I myself am turning off the burner under the beans and hitting the trail.
I rolled back in about four o’clock bearing treasures. I decided to stop at Mega first to see what they had in the way of Tylenol. Oh my goodness, they had not only twenty caplet bottles but also fifty and one hundred. Wowzer! The one hundred cost 212 and the fifty 82. Guess which one I got. You know it, they could not fool me with that one. Nor did I have that kind of peso power behind me. They also had a little packet of ground chili. No details. For 4.48 pesos I could not go wrong, so I bought that too.
When I got over to Chedraui I happened to pass by a sale table on the fringes of the produce area. They had stacks of different sizes of those clear plastic hinged sort of boxes like you are likely to see in a produce department in the land of my birth but less seldom here. Everything was 5 pesos. The one that caught my eye was filled with those fabulous Spanish chilies that my brother Spike/Philip and I so enjoy when dining al fresco at the Market Bar in The City. I snatched them right up. The first half package are about ready to come out of the pan. I just tasted one and they ‘are them’ and I have a couple dozen. My brother knows I will be through them in nothing flat. Oh happy day!
Double wow! I just cut up some sharp cheddar and tossed it right in the bowl with the chilies. They taste great together. You can not begin to imagine what a popping burst of flavor sharp cheddar can impart when you have not experienced it for months. I am also embarrassed to say I am down to the last three of the first dozen chilies. I love these things.
I scored big time but they did not have the bread. I asked and they said, oh the rustic bread, no sorry. So I got a bread twist with cheese and sesame seeds and a biscuit with cheese. The biscuit is not even a distant cousin of that basic staple of the deep south and so good when topped with gravy. I will take a picture.
I am going to put the soup together then make a quick Soriana run. I need limes and mineral water and those are key items in this household. First I am pleased to report that the first dozen chilies sated me and I will be able to save the rest for casual snacking.
Soup is in the pan and I am tired. To heck with the Soriana run. I have enough of those basic stables to hold me until tomorrow. I am going to recline in one of my hammocks.
Good midmorning this Friday the 25th of January 2013 at ten o’clock. I slept well and awoke to one of those stand at the gate and shout visitors. Not my visitor mind you. It served as an excellent wake up call. I had actually been up closer to four than five. I thought it was morning, yes it is that light in this area of the fish bowl. Luckily I looked at the clock before I brushed my teeth. It was blissfully silent so I turned off the white noise machine and went back to sleep. I may have slept through the call from the gate had I not done so. Hard to say.
I will tell you that I have been remiss in my monitoring of the moped variety parked outside this front door. I realized as much when I got home yesterday and noticed the current model was half and half, silver in the back and red in the front. So, to date we have silver, red, and silver/red. Now if I narrow it down to distinguishing characteristics we may be able to determine if these are in fact the same silver, red, and silver/red, or a variety there of. All in a days work. This detecting can be an interesting business.
It was a very good thing that I decided to pass on the trip to Soriana. That delayed but massive cloudburst passed over about the time I would have been there browsing the isles. It hovered overhead for quite some time too. When I can hear a hard rain on the roof way down here on the lower level you can bet it is really coming down. A nice time to be tucked in, warm and dry.
I enjoyed my soup last night. Good thing too because I have three small containers of it in the fridge. I also have a dozen chilies ready to eat when the urge comes upon me. This morning I was wondering why I did not save one for propagation purposes. Silly me. If I find myself back over at Chedraui before they sell the last few containers I will rectify the situation. They may or may not carry them regularly. The full price would have been close to 60 pesos and that puts it into the luxury category under my current economic circumstances.
A plant or few of them in my garden would be heavenly. I am likely to have one of those again one of these day, gardens I mean. You probably noticed I have never mentioned actually planting anything in this little interior plot right outside my door. Well, it is not really very nice soil. It is a bit of a catchall for rubbish. The minute I got a nice plant in there the kids or their ball would land on it. I will be away for too long when I go to California. At least those are some of the excuses I have given myself. Are they good valid concerns or should I just do it. Hard to say. Once the disillusionment set in the idea just sort of fell by the wayside.
There is still a glimmer, a spark of desire to spend more time living on this island. I could move away from this neighborhood and down toward the waterfront. I have begun to consider this area the belly of the beast and if that is the case the little park would be the belly button.
It is an entirely different atmosphere as you near the water. I can leave this apartment and walk straight down 4th. I start out in this working class neighborhood and end up in a quaint, old but hip seaside village. It is, on this particular street, a mere six short blocks before you arrive at the blue waters of the Caribbean. Half way there you crest a very slight rise and in front of you at the end of the street is the ocean. The sidewalks become brick and the buildings ooze character. Interesting little restaurants worthy of any international resort destination are sprinkled around the area.
It is only a few blocks but a world away from here. I like it down there and beach or no it would be a good place to spend some time. It feels vibrant down there even when there are not many people about. It is kind of a nook between the cruise ship hordes and the northern hotel zone.
I went into a shopping center on a corner. It was a big two story affair with a very high end look to it. Once through the door I transformed myself into a just browsing tourist. The entire building housed jewelry and fine watch stores. On the second level one can watch the jewelers at work or dine at the restaurant. It is a Jewish restaurant with a little packaged foods area beside the reception desk. If you are in need of matzo crackers that would be the place to go. I looked at the menu and the majority of the dishes were the same as you would find on any other menu around here. I can only assume they are kosher. Why would I think that? Because you see not only is the complex full of jewelry stores but diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds. I now understand the group or two of Hasidic Jews I have seen here on the island.
All those high dollar jewelry stores strung along Melgar (the avenue running along the water) would account for the heavy police patrols even without all the tourists to protect. All the better jewelry stores have their own security guards posted at the front door. Many fully suited up in bulletproof vest, weapon in hand.
There was a fairly recent article in the newspaper suggesting all the businesses employ their own security guards as the police were being spread a bit thin with the rise in crime. I mentioned the other day about the police patrolling fairly regularly in this neighborhood. Well, let me tell you it does not compare to that waterfront area we are talking about. They are not only more prominent there as they patrol the streets in their pickup trucks, but there is one standing in the back rifle at the ready. When I took my long exploratory walk to the north the other day I witnessed a good example of their effectiveness and interest in maintaining a nice environment for those peso spending visitors on which the island depends. A very drunk fellow was sitting on the bench that is part of the seawall. He slurred a hello as I passed on my way north. On my return he was sound asleep/passed out in the same spot. Within moments a municipal police truck pulled over and when I last looked were picking him up and moving him out. That sort of thing does not happen in my neighborhood. I am pretty sure he could have laid here all day and into the night. Although I often wonder how the federal police got there so quick when I had my mishap. Ah, the mysteries of life.
Hum, I wonder what the sky looks like up there today. I got real lucky yesterday. I was caught in a light tropical shower as I was leaving Chedraui. It continued pelting me with great big wide spaced drops until I made my turn at the main plaza.
What I can see looks kind of solid grey. I would like to go over to the coffee place and send this so that will be my first goal of the day. Subject to change naturally. I also think it might be about time I look Vale up. Even if, hey what am I saying, lets give the benefit of the doubt. Since she is taking morning and evening classes and then earning some money in the late afternoon helping out a relative of the BF I will need to time my visit. Come to think of it I could just wait until tomorrow when there is no school. All righty then I postponed that quite nicely.
BTW that biscuit was pretty interesting. I detected no cheese in it (or the twist) so I would wager it was a matter of mislabeling. The dough had a distinct flavor of uncooked biscuit dough. Not half bad and you know, I think some gravy might go nicely with them. Something to keep in mind next time I have a package of bacon in the fridge. These biscuits are readily available so it would not be like trying to pair my sharp cheddar and the rustic veg bread.
I am heating the last of the spaghetti while I wait for my hair to dry. There is not much but I can always move on to soup to fill any remaining gaps. I guess I should make some more spaghetti while that open container of sauce if fresh. I am almost out of parmesan but I can always splurge for some more. It lasts a long time and perks up many a dish.
While thinking of food I realize I forgot to tell you about the dried beans I saw at Mega yesterday. They were so pretty. At first I thought they were those red beans I have been wanting. When I got close I saw they were speckled and quite purple. They are called flor de mayo, same as the plumeria. I was not about to lug them home but I am going to look for them in Soriana or San Francisco.
I have moved on to the soup. I just opened that little packet of ground chili and sprinkled some on top. If it is not cayenne I do not know what it is. That is fine by me as I had been wishing for some. I also got a soup shot as I realized I had neglected to photograph it last night. Ah yes, as I make my way into the bowl I can say this is some spicy chili. If you foolishly put a good spoon full of this stuff in your batch of beans you would be in for a real surprise. I will remember to sprinkle it more sparingly in future.
Speaking of moving, my mystery moped neighbors may be doing just that. The silver and red is backed up to my door and they are moving out the furniture. So much for that entertaining research project/handy alarm clock.
I am on to the cheddar cheese and chili dessert plate now. It is every bit as good as yesterday. I threw in a sliced Chiapas banana for contrast and potassium. You are what you eat!
Maybe I will experiment with some of the other chilies available at the markets. I really should be familiar with all the subtleties of flavor. I could roast up a couple of each in the manner I prepared these. What a great way to figure out what dishes they might be best suited to. Back in Cabo I pan roasted serranos and those long skinny dried red ones for snacking on. One of the chilies here is a green version of the latter. I think they may hail from the Vera Cruz area. I have eaten plenty of jalapeños done that way, they are always good.
As I was dressing this morning in the same travel shorts I have been wearing most days, I decided to really take advantage of them. I am stuck on these because of their pockets. There is no good reason I can think of not to use one of those pockets for my camera. It is about time I carefully record some more exterior images for yours and my viewing pleasure. I could actually show you what that lower neighborhood looks like. I use the word lower loosely as this island is almost as flat as a pancake, more in a directional sense, and there is that slight little rise. You could of course hop on Google Maps, enter my address, switch to street view, and virtually cruise right on down the street all the way to the water. Should you do so I suggest you then make a right turn in the direction of the Looks Like Bermuda/although I have never actually been there, part of the island.
A small bowl of spaghetti, a small bowl of soup, eight chilies, two slices of cheddar cheese, and one small Chiapas banana under the belt and time to get going. It is a quarter to two, a fine hour for the coffee place. Hard to say but I think there is a sunny glow to the light filtering down to the center walk way. Until next time then.
Love
YS, YD, YM, YA
U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea (March 20, 2023) - With the help of 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, Soldiers of Eighth Army Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion trained on MEDEVAC procedures on U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys (Camp Humphreys) March 20. The Soldiers practiced administering first aid along with loading and off-loading mock casualties from the air ambulance. The ongoing exercise #FreedomShield affords Eight Army Soldiers the opportunity to not only practice combat operations, but also drill on saving lives. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Park, Joon Hyeok) 230320-A-ZZ999-0003
** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM | www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **
Find out more on getting a breast lift with implants. Learn about the procedures that are followed and the side effects that may result.
healthfirstmagazine.blogspot.com/2017/06/breast-lift-with...
At Hilton Head Plastic Surgery & MedSpa our experts will explain the surgical procedures of plastic surgery treatment. We also offer Medspa and skin treatments. For getting more information visit us at- www.hiltonheadplasticsurgery.com/surgical
Gretna Green is a parish in the southern council area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on the Scottish side of the border between Scotland and England, defined by the small river Sark, which flows into the nearby Solway Firth. It was historically the first village a traveller would come to in Scotland when following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green railway station serves both Gretna Green and Gretna. The Quintinshill rail disaster, the worst rail crash in British history, in which over 220 died, occurred near Gretna Green in 1915.
Gretna Green sits alongside the main town of Gretna. Both are accessed from the A74(M) motorway.
Gretna Green is most famous for weddings. The Clandestine Marriages Act 1753 prevented couples under the age of 21 marrying in England or Wales without their parents' consent. As it was still legal in Scotland to marry without such consent, couples began crossing the border into Scotland to marry.
Gretna's "runaway marriages" began in 1754 when Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act came into force in England. Under the Act, if a parent of a person under the age of 21 objected to the minor's marriage, the parent could legally veto the union. The Act tightened the requirements for marrying in England and Wales but did not apply in Scotland, where it was possible for boys to marry at 14 and girls at 12 with or without parental consent (see Marriage in Scotland). It was, however, only in the 1770s, with the construction of a toll road passing through the hitherto obscure village of Graitney, that Gretna Green became the first easily reachable village over the Scottish border.
Scottish law allowed for "irregular marriages", meaning that if a declaration was made before two witnesses, almost anybody had the authority to conduct the marriage ceremony. The blacksmiths in Gretna became known as "anvil priests", culminating with Richard Rennison, who performed 5,147 ceremonies. The local blacksmith and his anvil became lasting symbols of Gretna Green weddings.
Victorian chronicler Robert Smith Surtees described Gretna Green at length in his 1848 New Monthly Magazine serial, The Richest Commoner in England:
Few of our readers—none we should think of our fair ones—but at some period or other of their lives, have figured to themselves the features of Gretna Green. Few we should think but have pictured to themselves the chaise stained "with the variations of each soil", the galloping bustle of the hurrying postboys, urging their foaming steeds for the last stage that bears them from Carlisle to the border. It is a place whose very name is typical of brightening prospects. The poet sings of the greenest spot on memory's waste, and surely Gretna Green was the particular spot he had under consideration. Gretna Green! The mind pictures a pretty straggling, half Scotch, half English village, with clean white rails, upon a spacious green, and happy rustics in muffin caps, and high cheek bones, looking out for happier couples to congratulate. Then the legend of the blacksmith who forged the links of love, added interest to the place, and invested the whole with fairy feature.
How much better, brighter, more promising, in short, a Gretna Green marriage sounds than a Coldstream or Lamberton toll-bar one! and yet they are equally efficacious. Gretna Green indeed, is as superior in reality as it is in name. It looks as if it were the capital of the God of Love, while the others exhibit the bustling, trading, money-making pursuits of matter-of-fact life. Though we dare say Gretna Green is as unlike what most people fancy, still we question that any have gone away disappointed. It is a pretty south country-looking village, much such as used to exist in the old days of posting and coaching. A hall house converted into an hotel, and the dependents located in the neighbouring cottages. Gretna Hall stands a little apart from the village on the rise of what an Englishman would call a gentle eminence, and a Scotchman a dead flat, and is approached by an avenue of stately trees, while others are plentifully dotted about, one on the east side, bearing a board with the name of the house, the host and high-priest, "Mr. Linton". There is an air of quiet retirement about it that eminently qualifies it for its holy and hospitable purpose.
Since 1929, both parties in Scotland have had to be at least 16 years old, but they still may marry without parental consent. Since April 2022 in England and Wales, the minimum age for marriage is now 18 irrespective of parental consent. Of the three forms of irregular marriage that had existed under Scottish law, all but the last were abolished by the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1939, which came in force from 1 July 1940. Prior to this act, any citizen was able to witness a public promise.
Gretna's two blacksmiths' shops and countless inns and smallholding became the backdrops for tens of thousands of weddings. Today there are several wedding venues in and around Gretna Green, from former churches to purpose-built chapels. The services at all the venues are always performed over an iconic blacksmith's anvil.
In common law, a "Gretna Green marriage" came to mean, in general, a marriage transacted in a jurisdiction that was not the residence of the parties being married, to avoid restrictions or procedures imposed by the parties' home jurisdiction. A notable "Gretna" marriage was the second marriage in 1826 of Edward Gibbon Wakefield to the young heiress Ellen Turner, called the Shrigley abduction (his first marriage was also to an heiress, but the parents wanted to avoid a public scandal). Other towns in which quick, often surreptitious marriages could be obtained came to be known as "Gretna Greens". In the United States, these have included Elkton, Maryland, Reno and, later, Las Vegas.
In 1856 Scottish law was changed due to a measure passed in Parliament by Alexander Colquhoun-Stirling-Murray-Dunlop to require 21 days' residence for marriage, and a further law change was made in 1940. The residential requirement was lifted in 1977. Other Scottish border villages used for such marriages were Coldstream Bridge, Lamberton, Mordington and Paxton Toll, and Portpatrick for people coming from Ireland.
In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, when Lydia Bennet elopes with George Wickham she leaves behind a note stating that their intended destination is Gretna Green, though later they are found cohabitating in London, having not in fact travelled to Scotland.
In Season 3, Episode 5 of the BBC series You Rang, M'Lord?, two of the characters elope to Gretna Green. This then prompts two other characters to elope in a similar manner. However, they are stopped before they reach Scotland.
In Season 6, Episode 20 of the BBC series Waterloo Road, student Jonah Kirby elopes with teacher and Head of Spanish, Francesca 'Cesca' Montoya, to Gretna Green in order to get married.
In Season 2, Episode 7 of the ITV series Downton Abbey, Lady Sybil Crawley tries to elope to Gretna Green with chauffeur Tom Branson.
In Episode 3 of the ITV series Doctor Thorne, adapted from the Anthony Trollope novel of the same name, the character Frank makes a joke about him and Mary running off to marry in Gretna Green.
In Season 5, Episode 6 of the BBC series Poldark, Geoffrey Charles and Cecily Hanson try to flee to Gretna Green.
In Season 1 of the Netflix series Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton and Marina Thompson plan to run away to Gretna Green for a quick wedding, though the scheme ultimately falls through.
In Half A Sixpence the two main characters (Arthur Kipps and Ann) marry at Gretna Green.
Gretna Green is revealed to be the hometown of the character James Spooner in Season 6 Episode 1 of the podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Dumfries and Galloway is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the north-east; the English ceremonial county of Cumbria, the Solway Firth, and the Irish Sea to the south, and the North Channel to the west. The administrative centre and largest settlement is the town of Dumfries. The second largest town is Stranraer, located 76 miles (122 km) to the west of Dumfries on the North Channel coast.
Dumfries and Galloway corresponds to the historic shires of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Wigtownshire, the last two of which are collectively known as Galloway. The three counties were combined in 1975 to form a single region, with four districts within it. The districts were abolished in 1996, since when Dumfries and Galloway has been a unitary local authority. For lieutenancy purposes, the area is divided into three lieutenancy areas called Dumfries, Wigtown, and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, broadly corresponding to the three historic counties.
The Dumfries and Galloway Council region is composed of counties and their sub-areas. From east to west:
Dumfriesshire County
the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Annandale
the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Eskdale
the sub-area of Dumfriesshire – Nithsdale
Kirkcudbrightshire County
the sub-area of Kirkcudbrightshire – Stewartry (archaically, Desnes)
Wigtownshire County
the sub-area of Wigtownshire – Machars (archaically, Farines)--divided into census areas (civil parish areas)
the sub-area of Wigtownshire – Rhins of Galloway divided into census areas (civil parish areas)
The term Dumfries and Galloway has been used since at least the 19th century – by 1911 the three counties had a united sheriffdom under that name. Dumfries and Galloway covers the majority of the western area of the Southern Uplands,[1] it also hosts Scotland's most Southerly point, at the Mull of Galloway in the west of the region.
Water systems and transport routes
The region has a number of south running water systems which break through the Southern Uplands creating the main road, and rail, arteries north–south through the region and breaking the hills up into a number of ranges.
River Cree valley carries the A714 north-westward from Newton Stewart to Girvan and Water of Minnoch valley which lies just west of the Galloway Hills carries a minor road northward through Glentrool village into South Ayrshire. This road leaves the A714 at Bargrennan.
Water of Ken and River Dee form a corridor through the hills called the Glenkens which carries the A713 road from Castle Douglas to Ayr. The Galloway Hills lie to the west of this route through the hills and the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills lie to the east.
River Nith rises between Dalmellington and New Cumnock in Ayrshire and runs east then south down Nithsdale to Dumfries. Nithsdale carries both the A76 road and the rail line from Dumfries to Kilmarnock. It separates the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills from the Lowther Hills which lie east of the Nith.
River Annan combines with Evan Water and the River Clyde to form one of the principal routes into central Scotland from England – through Annandale and Clydesdale – carrying the M74 and the west coast railway line. This gap through the hills separates the Lowthers from the Moffat Hills.
River Esk enters the Solway Firth just south of Gretna having travelled south from Langholm and Eskdalemuir. The A7 travels up Eskdale as far as Langholm and from Langholm carries on up the valley of Ewes Water to Teviothead where it starts to follow the River Teviot to Hawick. Eskdale itself heads north west from Langholm through Bentpath and Eskdalemuir to Ettrick and Selkirk.
The A701 branches off the M74 at Beattock, goes through the town of Moffat, climbs to Annanhead above the Devil's Beef Tub (at the source of the River Annan) before passing the source of the River Tweed and carrying on to Edinburgh. Until fairly recent times the ancient route to Edinburgh travelled right up Annandale to the Beef Tub before climbing steeply to Annanhead. The present road ascends northward on a ridge parallel to Annandale but to the west of it which makes for a much easier ascent.
From Moffat the A708 heads north east along the valley of Moffat Water (Moffatdale) on its way to Selkirk. Moffatdale separates the Moffat hills (to the north) from the Ettrick hills to the south.
There are three National scenic areas within this region.
Nith Estuary: this area follows the River Nith southward from just south of Dumfries into the Solway Firth. Dumfries itself has a rich history going back over 800 years as a Royal Burgh (1186). It is particularly remembered as the place where Robert the Bruce murdered the Red Comyn in 1306 before being crowned King of Scotland – and where Robert Burns spent his last years. His mausoleum is in St Michael's graveyard. Going down the east bank is the village of Glencaple, Caerlaverock Castle, Caerlaverock Wild Fowl Trust, an ancient Roman fort on Ward Law Hill and nearby in Ruthwell is the Ruthwell Cross and the Brow Well where Robert Burns "took the waters" and bathed in the Solway just before his death. On the west bank, there are several walks and cycle routes in Mabie Forest, Kirkconnell Flow for the naturalist, the National Museum of Costume just outside New Abbey and Sweetheart Abbey within the village. Criffel (569 metres) offers the hill walker a reasonably modest walk with views across the Solway to the Lake District. The house of John Paul Jones founder of the American Navy is also open to visitors near Kirkbean.
East Stewartry Coast: this takes in the coast line from Balcary Point eastward across Auchencairn Bay and the Rough Firth past Sandyhills to Mersehead. There are several coastal villages within this area – Auchencairn, Kippford, Colvend, Rockcliffe, and Portling. There is also a round tower at Orchardton and the islands of Hestan Isle and Rough Island can be reached at low tide outside the breeding season for birds. Mersehead is a wildfowl reserve. The area has a number of coastal paths.
Fleet Valley: this area takes in Fleet Bay with its holiday destinations of Auchenlarie, Mossyard Bay, Cardoness, Sandgreen and Carrick Shore. The area also includes the town of Gatehouse of Fleet and the historic villages of Anworth and Girthon – there is a castle at Cardoness in the care of Historic Scotland.
The region is known as a stronghold for several rare and protected species of amphibian, such as the Natterjack toad and the Great crested newt. There are also RSPB Nature Reserves at the Mull of Galloway, Wood of Cree (Galloway Forest Park), Ken Dee Marshes (near Loch Ken) and Mereshead (near Dalbeattie on the Solway Firth)
There are five 7Stanes mountain biking centres in Dumfries and Galloway at Dalbeattie, Mabie, Ae, Glentrool and Kirroughtree. The Sustrans Route 7 long distance cycle route also runs through the region. There is excellent hill walking in the Moffat Hills, Lowther Hills the Carsphairn and Scaur Hills and Galloway Hills. The Southern Upland Way coast to coast walk passes through Dumfries and Galloway and the 53-mile long Annandale Way travels from the Solway Firth into the Moffat hills near the Devil's Beef Tub. There is also fresh water sailing on Castle Loch at Lochmaben and at various places on Loch Ken Loch Ken also offers waterskiing and wakeboarding. The Solway Firth coastline offers fishing, caravaning and camping, walking and sailing.
Dumfries and Galloway is well known for its arts and cultural activities as well as its natural environment.[citation needed]
The major festivals include the region-wide Dumfries & Galloway Arts Festival, and Spring Fling Open Studios. Other festivals include Big Burns Supper in Dumfries and the Wigtown Book Festival in Wigtown – Scotland's national book town.
Places of interest
Galloway and List of Category A listed buildings in Dumfries and Galloway
Annandale distillery - Scotch Whisky
Bladnoch Distillery & Visitor Centre - Scotch Whisky
Caerlaverock Castle – Historic Scotland
Caerlaverock NNR (national nature reserve)
WWT Caerlaverock – a reserve of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
Cardoness Castle
Castle of St John, Stranraer
Corsewall Lighthouse, privately owned
Drumlanrig Castle
HM Factory, Gretna, Eastriggs – site of a munitions factory during World War I
Galloway Forest Park, Forestry and Land Scotland
Galloway Hydro Electric Scheme, Scottish Power
Glenlair – home of 19th century physicist James Clerk Maxwell
Glenluce Abbey
Hallhill Covenanter Martyrs Memorial - near Kirkpatrick Irongray Church.
Isle of Whithorn Castle
Kenmure Castle – a seat of the Clan Gordon
Loch Ken
MacLellan's Castle, Kirkcudbright
Motte of Urr
Mull of Galloway – RSPB/ South Rhins Community Development Trust
Ruthwell Cross
Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery
Southern Upland Way – long distance footpath
Sweetheart Abbey, New Abbey
Threave Castle
Prior to 1975, the area that is now Dumfries and Galloway was administered as three separate counties: Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Wigtownshire. The counties of Scotland originated as sheriffdoms, which were established from the twelfth century, consisting of a group of parishes over which a sheriff had jurisdiction. An elected county council was established for each county in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889.
The three county councils were abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which established a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. A region called Dumfries and Galloway was created covering the area of the three counties, which were abolished as administrative areas. The region contained four districts:
Annandale and Eskdale, covering the eastern part of Dumfriesshire.
Nithsdale, covering the western part of Dumfriesshire and a small part of Kirkcudbrightshire.
Stewartry, covering most of Kirkcudbrightshire.
Wigtown, covering all of Wigtownshire and a small part of Kirkcudbrightshire.
Further local government reform in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 saw the area's four districts abolished, with the Dumfries and Galloway Council taking over the functions they had previously performed. The council continues to use the areas of the four abolished districts as committee areas. The four former districts are also used to define the area's three lieutenancy areas, with Nithsdale and Annandale and Eskdale together forming the Dumfries lieutenancy, the Stewartry district corresponding to the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright lieutenancy, and the Wigtown district corresponding to the Wigtown lieutenancy.
The council headquarters is at the Council Offices at 113 English Street in Dumfries, which had been built in 1914 as the headquarters for the old Dumfriesshire County Council, previously being called "County Buildings".
The first election to the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the reforms which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1975 has been as follows:
Since 2007 the council has been required to designate a leader of the council. The leader may also act as the convener, chairing council meetings, or the council may choose to appoint a different councillor to be convener. Prior to 2007 the council sometimes chose to appoint a leader, and sometimes did not. The leaders since 2007 have been: