Sunsets

The following quote was taken from Henry David Thoreau's journal, dated December 27, 1851. 

"The man is blessed who every day is permitted to behold anything so pure and serene as the western sky at sunset, while revolution vex the world."

Christmas Folklore

A little Christmas Folklore... 

It was thought that one who sits under an Evergreen on Christmas Eve will hear angels singing.

If the sun shines through fruit trees on Christmas Day, the trees will bear a lot of fruit in the coming season.

A white Christmas is a prediction of a prosperous year.

May we all have a white Christmas!

Will You Have Music In Your Soul?

In days of yore, Bulgarian peasants ate sparrows on Christmas Eve so that they would have music in their souls and would feel as if they had wings.

The sparrows were caught in wheat fields weeks before Christmas, killed and hung to dry. 

On Christmas Eve they were soaked, broiled and eaten.

Merry Christmas!

Poem For December - "How Still, How Happy!" by Emily Brontë

On this first day of Winter:

Portrait of Emily Brontë by her brother Branwell Brontë.

The following are the last three stanza's of Emily Brontë's poem "How Still, How Happy!"  It was originally published December 7, 1838.

It is but thought - full many a night 

The snow shall clothe those hills afar 

And storms shall add a drearier blight 

And winds shall wage a wilder war, 

Before the lark may herald in 

Fresh foliage twined with blossoms fair 

And summer days again begin 

Their glory - haloed crown to wear. 

Yet my heart loves December's smile 

As much as July's golden beam; 

Then let us sit and watch the while 

The blue ice curdling on the stream - 

Yorkshire Christmas Pie

 This illustration was provided courtesy of Emma Cowley.  Emma is a London-based illustrator, and this piece is currently on display in the Association of Illustrators' Images 34 show.  Visit her website: http://www.emmacowley.co.uk/ or blog: www.emmacowley.blogspot.com to see more of her terrific work.


The following recipe for Yorkshire Christmas Pie comes from Mrs. Hannah Glasse's "Art of Cookery" 1774.

Make a crust with sides and bottom thick and large enough to hold a turkey, goose, fowl, partridge, and pigeon, all boned.  Season well and place the meat as close together as possible in the crust.  Fill the spaces with woodcock, moor game, and any other wild fowl at hand.  Add four pounds of butter, lay on a top layer of crust, and bake for at least four hours.

Mrs. Glasse added that the crust should be "well built," requiring at least a bushel of flour.

Yorkshire Christmas Pie was popular in England in the 18th century, although only the wealthy could afford it.

Cross-section of a Turduckhen including a hen in the center with cornbread stuffing. 

The Turducken is the American version of Yorkshire pie, although it doesn't contain as many different types of birds.  It has been a popular dish in our Southern states for many, many years.

John Madden brought this dish back into fashion when he mentioned it during a football broadcast.

It became so popular that you can now find Turducken, ready to be roasted, in local grocery stores.

Boston Tea Party

"The Destruction of Tea at Boston Harbor", lithograph depicting the 1773 Boston Tea Party by Nathaniel Currier.

John Adams' diary contained this entry on December 17, 1773:

"Last Night 3 Cargoes of Bohea Tea were emptied into the Sea.  This morning a Man of War sails."

"This is the most magnificent Movement of all.  There is a Dignity, a Majesty, a Sublimity, in this last Effort of the Patriots that I greatly admire..."

Josephine County Memories at the Josephine County Historical Society

New Arrival!  Introductory 10% discount plus free shipping for the holidays!

 

$35.95 plus free shipping!
    $39.95 List Price (save 10%)

In-stock and ready for immediate shipping,
or pick up at the Bookshop in the Josephine County Historical Society Research Library at 512 SW 5th Street, Grants Pass.
We're open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

We are now selling Josephine County Memories - A Pictorial History from the 1800s through the 1960s.

This fascinating book from The Daily Courier, working with the Josephine County Historical Society is an heirloom-quality, coffee-table pictorial book on the history of Josephine County.  This keepsake book features hundreds of stunning historic images from the late 1800s to 1969 from Josephine County.  Order today for only $35.95 + free shipping! 

Click Here to purchase your copy online!

Grants Pass Stage is Robbed!

An out of state newspaper reported that the "William Creek-Grant's Pass" stage was held up by a lone man on December 13, 1902.

The news article goes on to say that the stage was on its way from Grants Pass to Williams when a young man wearing a red bandana stepped out of the woods, pointed a revolver at the driver and demanded that the driver and passenger stop and raise their hands above their heads.

The robber demanded that the mail bags be tossed out and then ordered the stage to go on its way.

The mail on this day was light, so the robber only got away with about $15 in loot.  

Josephine County Sheriff Lewis and two of his deputies went out to the scene of the holdup where they found the opened mailbags.

You know, for just $15 you could become a member of the Josephine County Historical Society, and it's just $25 for your entire family.  For this small fee, your benefits of membership include  free research in the Research Library, a 10% discount on JCHS-printed publications purchased in our bookshop, a subscription to our newsletter, the Old-Timer, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are making a contribution to preserving local history. 

Please join us and help keep our history alive!

 

Squirrel Causes Power Outage - November 1961

There was a story published in the Daily Courier fifty years ago about a power outage.

An apparently daring squirrel playing near the Merlin power substation, "made a fatal leap," landing on a 60,000 volt power line.  

The power was not restored to some residents for as long as six hours.  It was reported that this was the fourth time that power was disrupted due to a squirrel.  It's not clear whether they meant just in the year 1961.

Things haven't changed much in the last fifty years; at least as far as squirrels causing power outages in our area.

Squirrels are still causing power disruptions in Josephine County.  I remember three years ago, our power was out for almost 12 hours due to a squirrel!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't happen this year, especially for the sake of all those daredevil squirrels!

A Pearl Harbor Day Tribute

The following post was written by Gary Swanson. Thanks Gary!

I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to those honored dead whom we remember on this day.

I recalled finding this wonderful remembrance that was sponsored in the past by the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

The following narrative was written by Robert Mitchum, and eloquently recited by John Wayne!

"Lest We Forget"

"Josephine County Memories" Is Now Here!

New Arrival!  Introductory 10% discount plus free shipping for the holidays!

 

$35.95 plus free shipping!
    $39.95 List Price (save 10%)

In-stock and ready for immediate shipping,
or pick up at the Bookshop in the Josephine County Historical Society Research Library at 512 SW 5th Street, Grants Pass.
We're open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

We are now selling Josephine County Memories - A Pictorial History from the 1800s through the 1960s.

This fascinating book from The Daily Courier, working with the Josephine County Historical Society is an heirloom-quality, coffee-table pictorial book on the history of Josephine County.  This keepsake book features hundreds of stunning historic images from the late 1800s to 1969 from Josephine County.  Order today for only $35.95 + free shipping! 

Click Here to purchase your copy online!