How About Some Cowboy History...?

No, I don't mean the Dallas Cowboys. I mean a real life cowboy!

Back in the olden days, there were more real men, like this man, than we ever could imagine! Many men that grew up in the same era would have become criminals, but for Mr. Mossman the path was different! I'm glad to say that he was one of the good guys and I wish that there had been more like him!

Apr 30, 1867:

Arizona Ranger Burton Mossman is born

Burton C. Mossman, a rancher turned lawman, is born in Aurora, Illinois.

Little is known about Mossman's childhood in Illinois, though he apparently learned to be self-reliant and resourceful at a young age. When he was 21, Mossman left home and moved to Mexico, where he quickly began proving himself one of the most canny and successful ranchers in the territory. By age 30, he not only had his own spread in New Mexico, but was also the superintendent of a two-million-acre ranch in northern Arizona running 60,000 cattle.

As the size of the southwestern cattle industry increased, cattle rustlers began to take advantage of the lack of surveillance on the isolated ranges to steal stock. In 1901, the territory of Arizona responded by organizing a ranger force to rid the region of rustlers and other outlaws. The governor of Arizona convinced Mossman to sign on as the first captain of the Arizona Rangers.

Mossman was suited to the task. Courageous and skilled with a pistol, he had a knack for surprising rustlers while they were still in possession of stolen cattle, freshly butchered beef, green hides, and other incriminating evidence. Though he could use violence to good effect when needed, Mossman preferred to trick his quarry into giving up peacefully when possible. In one instance, Mossman rode south alone in pursuit of the multiple-murderer Agostine Chacon, who had fled to Mexico. Clearly out of his jurisdiction, Mossman had to act with finesse. With the assistance of Burt Alvard, an outlaw turned lawman, Mossman convinced Chacon that he and Alvard were also outlaws and would help him steal several top horses from a ranch in southern Arizona. When the men crossed the border into Arizona, Mossman revealed his true identity and arrested Chacon, who was later hanged.

The Chacon arrest was a typical example of Mossman's approach to dealing with Arizona rustlers and outlaws. "If they come along easy, everything will be all right," he once explained. "If they don't, well, I just guess we can make pretty short work of them... Some of them will object, of course. They'll probably try a little gunplay as a bluff, but I shoot fairly well myself, and the boys who back me up are handy enough with guns. Any rustler who wants to yank on the rope and kick up trouble will find he's up against it."

After a long and adventurous career with the Arizona Rangers, Mossman eventually returned to the more peaceful life of a rancher. By the time he retired from ranching in 1944, he had business interests in cattle operations from Mexico to Montana, and more than a million cattle wore his brand. He lived out the remainder of his life at his comfortable ranch in Roswell, New Mexico, and died in 1956 at the age of 89.

I'm sure that there were more heroes like Mr. Mossman, but some of them we'll probably never hear about. Thanks to the good folks at History.com, we at least can appreciate the history of Burton Mossman.

Fresh coffee on the patio this morning. Sorry, but I don't have any treats this morning!

A Glimpse At The Past...!

It's sort of fun to go back and see what the folks from earlier generations thought about how we might turn out.

I wonder if very many of them would be disappointed if they could see us now? If you take a look at these old cartoons from the 40s and 50s, it's clear that we are not that far off from their visions in some ways!



Almost hit the nail on the head in some spots, right? Here's another one!



It's always good to laugh at ourselves a bit! I'm guessing that most of the folks back then figured we would find new ways to waste time and rot our brains! Right?

Coffee on the patio this morning. Fresh baked wheat bread with butter and strawberry jam OK?

Hat Making Material...!

As is the case with much of what we use almost daily, this stuff has an interesting history.

I'll be the first to admit I knew very little about tin foil, so this was very informative for me. I just love this kind of info 'cause it makes me feel so much smarter! Not that I really am, but I just feel that way!

Aluminum-Foil

First of all, almost no one uses real tin foil these days. The stuff we all call “tin foil” is actually aluminium foil. Originally foil was made of tin but it gave (not surprisingly) a tin flavor to whatever it touched. It was heavier than modern aluminium foil, which has its benefits but not enough to keep it going strong in our kitchens. Aluminium foil began to surpass tin foil after World War II but it had been available since 1910 when it was first produced by “Dr. Lauber, Neher & Cie.” a Swiss company using the force of a waterfall to drive the foil making machinery. Its first use in the US was as a wrapper on Life Savers candy in 1913.

Interesting Fact: Tin foil was used to fill cavities in teeth before the 20th century. If you have fillings today and have ever chewed a piece of aluminium foil, this fact should make you squirm!

All this fun filled information came from the folks over at Listverse!

I hope you all have a fun filled day! If nothing else, make up some new tin foil hats! Not sure the aluminium foil version will work right!

Coffee in the kitchen this morning. It's trying to rain again today!

A Major Maritime Disaster...!

This story from History.com is really sad on so many levels!

Imagine surviving the horror of the Civil War and then being caught up in a disaster of this magnitude! Just breaks my heart, let me tell ya.

Apr 27, 1865:

Union soldiers die in steamship explosion

The steamboat Sultana explodes on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing 1,700 passengers including many discharged Union soldiers.

The Sultana was launched from Cincinnati in 1863. The boat was 260 feet long and had an authorized capacity of 376 passengers and crew. It was soon employed to carry troops and supplies along the lower Mississippi River.

On April 25, 1865, the Sultana left New Orleans with 100 passengers. It stopped at Vicksburg, Mississippi, for repair of a leaky boiler. R. G. Taylor, the boilermaker on the ship, advised Captain J. Cass Mason that two sheets on the boiler had to be replaced, but Mason ordered Taylor to simply patch the plates until the ship reached St. Louis. Mason was part owner of the riverboat, and he and the other owners were anxious to pick up discharged Union prisoners at Vicksburg. The federal government promised to pay $5 for each enlisted man and $10 for each officer delivered to the North. Such a contract could pay huge dividends, and Mason convinced local military authorities to pick up the entire contingent despite the presence of two other steamboats at Vicksburg.

When the Sultana left Vicksburg, it carried 2,100 troops and 200 civilians, more than six times its capacity. On the evening of April 26, the ship stopped at Memphis before cruising across the river to pick up coal in Arkansas. As it steamed up the river above Memphis, a thunderous explosion tore through the boat. Metal and steam from the boilers killed hundreds, and hundreds more were thrown from the boat into the chilly waters of the river. The Mississippi was already at flood stage, and the Sultana had only one lifeboat and a few life preservers. Only 600 people survived the explosion. A board of inquiry later determined the cause to be insufficient water in the boiler--overcrowding was not listed as a cause. The Sultana accident is still the largest maritime disaster in U.S. history.

Let's have our coffee in the kitchen this morning. I'm having Mom's house siding and patio pressure washed and we don't want to get wet!

These Folks Really Need This Class...!

As most of us know, there are some folks that need help...a LOT of help!

I figure there must be a whole lot more to this story. There is probably a very good explanation for this happening, and I would really like to hear the whole story. After all, I don't want to wrongly accuse someone of being stupid or ignorant, ya know?

Virginia Man Accidentally Shoots Himself, Wife During Gun Safety Class

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — A Roanoke man and his wife are recovering after he accidentally shot himself and her during a firearms safety class.

The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office tells media outlets that Michael L. Deel shot himself in the hand with a .45-caliber handgun. The bullet also struck his wife, Michelle, in the leg as she was sitting beside him.

The incident occurred Saturday during a firearms safety class at a residence. The instructor, Thomas Starke, told police that he had left the room and then heard a shot.

The Deels were taken to a local hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Michael Deel says the shooting was a “stupid accident.”

See, folks...this is the main reason there are Firearms Safety Classes! Some of us need the class more than others!

Coffee out on the patio this beautiful morning! Fresh tomatoes right off the vine over there, but save me one...OK?

A "Gem" Of A Funeral...!

Some folks want to be remembered after they pass away. No matter what!

I guess that this is certainly one way to accomplish that! Actually, this is a pretty cool way to go! I never heard of this before, but I have to say it's different!

LifeGems

Bizarre Fact: A US company will take your remains and turn them into a diamond which can be used by your loved ones.

The company uses the cremated remains of you or a pet to create synthetic diamonds which range in weight and price. A full human body can provide sufficient carbon to make up to 50 one carat diamonds (which cost around $14,000 each). After the carbon from the corpse is purified, it is converted to graphite which is then used in the synthetic diamond process. The resulting diamond is engraved with the name of the dead, and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. In 2007 the company used carbon extracted from strands of hair from Ludwig van Beethoven to produce three diamonds for charity. LifeGem retained one diamond, they donated one to John Reznikoff who provided the hair sample, and the third was sold on Ebay for $202,700 US. Get your LifeGem here. Pictured above is an authentic LifeGem (image copyright LifeGem).

The only problem I see with this is that most of relatives would rather have the money this cost instead of the gem! Still, this is pretty unique as a memorial, if you ask me!

Coffee on the patio this morning. Pretty nice outside and I'm ready to enjoy the sunshine!

Desserts Made Easy...!

My Baby Sis sent me this recipe because she knows how much I like easy!

Of course, she also knows that I'm partial to desserts made with as few ingredients as possible! This type of dessert are absolutely perfect for the Prepper, in my opinion.

1 box angel food cake mix

1 box any other flavor cake mix

Combine 2 mixes together dry, and store in 1 gallon Ziploc bag.

To prepare, place 3 Tablespoons of dry mix in a single serving cup or bowl, add 2 Tablespoons water, and mix. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Ta-Da! That’s it! I would smear peanut butter on top of chocolate, or brown sugar on top of carrot or spice, choc chips on almost anything, maybe powdered sugar……..Let your imagination run wild!

This sounds like it would be the perfect kitchen project to get the kids involved in, and to top it off...they can eat their mistakes ! How good is that?

Coffee on the patio this morning. I have some buttered whole grain toast with honey powder to go with it!