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Something different today. A little color for us to remember summer :D
I'll bet you thought we'd forget about this place. This is the world-famous Alamo, the 18th century Spanish mission where in 1836 Davy Crocket, Jim Bowie, William Travis, and about 250 other Texans fighting for Texan independence were wiped out by a Mexican army of 1,800 men commanded by General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
Here's the story. In the 1830s, Texas was Mexico territory. But it was also open, unsettled country (assuming you don't count the Comanche), and more and more American adventurers and pioneers streamed into the Texas hills. The Mexicans didn't mind this all that much at first, and even though the American-Texans never made much of an attempt to adapt culturally, they seemed for a while content to be a part of Mexico.
All that changed with the rise of General Antonio López de Santa Anna to become the 8th President of Mexico in 1833. Santa Anna was a lot less interested in the federalist model of government Mexico had enjoyed up to that point and decided he preferred a more dictatorial style. This went okay in much of Mexico, but the American-Texans were more familiar with a federalist model (by the American definition) that focused heavily on the rights of the individual states. In 1835, they decided they weren't having any of Santa Anna's crap and rebelled. Over the course of a few months, the Texans defeated the Mexican army troops already stationed in Mexico in a number of skirmishes.
But Santa Anna had no intention of rolling over and letting Texas be Texas, so he conscripted 1,800 men into an army and personally led them in a march to the Texas frontier. At the same time, he sent a strongly-worded letter to President of the United States Andrew Jackson in which he declared any foreign fighters found in Texas pirates. By Mexican law, this meant Santa Anna would take no prisoners of war. Any American found on Texas land would be executed.
The Texans--who probably didn't know they'd been marked for death--responded to the approach of Santa Anna's army by establishing a garrison in the Alamo Mission. At the time, the mission was more than just this one building. This was just the central structure of a large, walled compound with several structures that the Mexican army had already converted to a fort. Holing up in the mission/fort turned out to be a bad idea, though, and on February 23, 1836, Santa Anna's army surrounded the Texans. The siege lasted 12 days, during which the Mexicans tried twice to scale the compound's walls. The Texans repelled the Mexicans both times. But then on March 6, the Mexicans made a third attempt, and everything went to hell. The Mexicans made it over the walls and started killing every American they could find on sight. Legend has it that some Americans tried to surrender and were immediately executed. The heroes of the Alamo, they say--people like former Congressman and eventual TV show icon Davy Crockett--went down fighting. Not a Texan walked out of this place alive.
But this victory turned out to be fleeting for Santa Anna, and the Alamo became a rallying cry. News of the slaughter drove Texans mad with rage, and they came back and hit Santa Anna hard. A month or so later on April 21, 1836, the Texans defeated Santa Anna's army at the Battle of San Jacinto, finalizing the push for Texas independence. The future state would spend the next decade as the independent Republic of Texas, until the Mexican War encouraged them to join the United States.
This makes Texas one of only a few US states with the distinction of having once been its own country. The Texans tend to be big-headed about this.
Despite being on their third owner, 5 ex-Reading Company SW1001s remain in active service on NS. One is sort of the pet shop switcher at Juniata, NS 2102 (nee-RDG 2612), but lately it's been NS 2103 (nee-RDG 2613) doing the honors.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
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O'Lord, I've not been too careful, In the things I've said and done, I've boasted too much of my nights on the spree, And the games of Pontoon I've won.
But I've always done my duty, No matter where it may be, Ashore with the Gallant Commando's, Or out with the Fleet at Sea.
So when Gabriel blows his last trumpet, And the reaper, his harvest doth glean, Remember, if I've been a sinner. At least God I've been a Marine.
BRONX, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 23: Yomo Toro's family unites to remember and pray for international cuatro player Yomo Toro who was awarded the Grammy but passed away before he could accept it. Taken December 23, 2012 in the Bronx, NY.
This is the first time I've seen a Red Velvet Mite since this guy; www.flickr.com/photos/katievision/907673022/ Four years, almost to the day. And by the way, the 'red fuzzy bug' is my MOST viewed flickr photo EVER. I think they must only come out after rain on cloudy mornings in July...? I guess I'll look them up and give you the real facts.... your nature science info on these fascinating bugs; Mites are curious creatures closely related to ticks, but fortunately, most do not bother humans. Velvet mites are harmless to humans.
Mites in the family Trombidiidae are the large red velvet mites found in the soil, soil litter, and other terrestrial habitats. These mites have a complex life cycle. The several instars of larvae generally are parasitic on insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and aphids, but adults are free-living predators of small arthropods and their eggs. Because of their feeding habits, velvet mites have been considered as possible biological control agents for invertebrate pest species.
The velvet mites found in the deserts likely are in the genus Dinothrombium because members of the genus are found in sandy desert areas. Other mites that look similar to these are in the genus Thrombium, which are found in organic soils. Velvet Mite (Family Trombidiidae, Dinothrombium spp.)
On desert soils, Dinothrombium adults only come out on the surface of the sand after heavy rain and may only forage for a few hours per year. After a complex mating dance, female Dinothrombium lay as many as 100,000 eggs.
As might be expected based on the bright red color, velvet mite taste bad and are avoided by predators. On the other hand, extracts from red velvet mites are used for the treatment of male infertility in traditional eastern medicine.
Antonio Chapa and Albert Chapa perform a song during a Remembering Father Mathew event on Monday, Oct. 21, 2013 at the Main courtyard.
Paul Chouy / UT Brownsville
Grand Marais, MN - Devils Track Area
Remembering when it was spring, much cooler temps, moisture and morning mist! Archiving photos from the trip up in May... enjoying "trail treasures" as I hiked to the sound of soft thunder and the approaching storm.
Copyrighted 2012 ( Nice on black )
This photo is of an information kiosk near the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre. The text reads, "Remembering Speedy / H.M.S. Speedy was a two masted schooner approximately 80 feet long (24 metres). The ship was constructed in 1796 as a gun boat and was later modified in order to carry cargo. The Speedy was built of green timber and it was widely known around Lake Ontario that the ship was in poor repair. / As the Speedy began her final voyage, she ran aground while leaving York (Toronto) harbour. The captain, Thomas Paxton was reluctant to complete the journey due to the ship's condition, but was ordered to do so by Lieutenant Governor Hunter. / The Speedy was reportedly stopped at Oshawa en route from York in order to collect witnesses for a trial. It was claimed that the Speedy was seen, briefly, off High Bluff island on October 8, 1804 before it disappeared. The wreck of the Speedy has yet to be recovered." The three images on the kiosk are: "H.M.S. Speedy fighting the storm on October 8, 1804" (Colour painting "Last Fight of the Speedy" by P. Rindlisbacher; www.friendsofpresquile.on.ca/speedy/ ), "H.M.S. Speedy was a two masted schooner approximately 80 feet (24 metres) long." (C.H.J. Snider), "The route of H.M.S. Speedy from Toronto to the proposed district town of Newcastle for the trial." (3 connected map points: York (Toronto), Oshawa, Newcastle (Presqu'ile); additional map point: Kingston). 100_4159
After arriving at New Delhi, we slept for a few hours at the airport before heading to Guwahati in Assam (N-E India) with the Himalaya mountain range visible in the distance.
The visit to Guwahati was limited to 1 day, visiting the Assam National Museum and Temple of Kamakhya during the last days of the monsoon period. The next day we left already and we crossed the Bhramaputra river north to the Bhutan border to start our visit to the kingdom of Bhutan .
Bhutan to New Delhi We left Bhutan in Phuntsholing crossing the border with India and we headed for the airport of Bagdagra.
For sure a few hours to remember. At the end of the day we arrived again in New Delhi for 2 additional days in India.
Our first day in New Delhi was used for a citytour. Along all the sites and sounds from traffic, we visited some historic places like the Jama Masjid Mosque, Humayun's tomb, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib temple, India Gate and the Raj Ghat park, with the marble platform that marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.
On our last day, A very early departure for a 5 hour drive over the Yamuna Express way to Agra.
Visiting one of the 7 current World Miracles and the Unesco World Heritage site Taj Mahal temple, Agra Fort and also a brief visit the Little Taj Mahal temple.
Our Unesco World Heritage visits