Seventy Years Ago In Europe

We always hear about D-Day and The Bulge, but all of the fighting through Europe was brutal from start to finish.  I recently re-read George Wilson's book, If You Survive, and it is an important book for all who have an interest in World War II.  Seventy years ago American soldiers were in one of their toughest fights, in the Hurtgen Forest.  Mr. Wilson briefly mentioned Thanksgiving 1944 in his book: "Our Thanksgiving dinner was hand-carried up to us by men from the service company.  Our cooks had put together giant turkey sandwiches, and they were a treat compared to K-ration Spam, even though we, of course, received none of the usual fancy trimmings.  It wasn't all celebration, however, for we learned that some of the food carrying party had been hit on the way up.  Though this happened all the time, we never quite learned to accept it.  We had been fighting in the Hurtgen Forest for twelve days, the worst combat I had yet encountered."  If You Survive, George Wilson, Ballintine Books, 1987.  American forces suffered 33,000 casualties in the Hurtgen Forest; the Germans had 28,000 casualties.

You can see a photo of Mr. Wilson at the bottom of THIS PAGE, and read his obituary HERE.  His book is easy to find on the internet, and you should be able to buy a copy for under $10.

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, Because Everyone Should Read It!

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789." G. Washington

Ruger's Auction To Benefit The Youth Shooting Sports Alliance

Ruger's auction this week is one of their classic P85 Decocker Pistols, made in 1990, and residing in the Ruger safe all these years.

This fine pistol will sell mid-day Wednesday, November 26, 2014, so click over to Ruger's GunBroker page to place your bid.  The price may be reasonable on this one; it is only up to $460 as I assemble this post. 100% of the proceeds of this auction will go to benefit the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance.

$580!  Someone made a decent deal!

Thanksgiving Tuesday Turbo

Pick 'em, Clean 'em, Smash 'em!

Hmmm...They don't actually grind cranberries.  Well, it's close enough for me.


Back To The Old Grind!

Not My Victrola: Across The Pond

Paul Harrison is a regular YouTuber with an historic record collection.  It's not just 1920's popular music; he has a very large collection of music hall songs from the early Twentieth Century.  Think Broadway and Vaudeville on the Thames.  These are songs you would hear if you went out for a night of entertainment back then.  This song by Billy Williams is a cute one with several amusing scenarios.  The money shot begins at 2:40, for the folks who have a hard time sitting through these old recordings. Yes, folks had impure thoughts back in 1910.

Weekend Steam

Crankin' It Up With Our Old Buddy Brat

We are going back a little more than a century with this Columbia disc for a couple of amusing songs performed by Bert Williams.  Turn up the volume and listen close.  These are good ones.

Here's An Easy Snag, and A Brief Saw Lesson

This is one is a really easy drop that I did last summer.  It's punky, and the dust really flies.

Take A Look At The Insides Of An Ignitor!

Gary Bahre pops the ignitor out of the Falk to clean the points.

We Love This Buggy!

 We bought the RTV two years ago and it has really improved our firewood gathering ability.  We can all ride to the woods, instead of only the guy driving the tractor and wagon.  I cut, Susan and her mother load, drive back to the house, dump the firewood, and return to the woods. In years past, I would cut, take the tractor and wagon back to the house and unload while everyone waited for me in the woods, then I would go back to cutting while they loaded.  I was always beat at the end of the day, and the loaders were cold from waiting for me to unload and return.

Now I cut, Susan and Pattie load. Unloading is done by pulling a little lever and letting the RTV dump the load, while I am still in the woods cutting the next load. We're handling the wood less, and we feel good at the end of the day.  Wood that has to be split is separated by load, so it comes off the RTV to the splitter, and then into the stack at the house. 

National Ammo Day!

Go out and buy at least 100 rounds today.