I’m falling in love with tin boxes, they are my new thing. I have a few, but my favourite is definitely my Queens Coronation tin that I found in a little second hand and craft shop. It’s battered but I think that only adds to the charm! Keep special bits and pieces inside: letters, jewellery, memories, photos… There is something very special and romantic about keeping special pieces in a old looking tin. I’ve collected a couple of tins from around the internet for you (the Beano one I need), but I urge you to have a look around the next time you are in an antique, charity or junk shop!

Treasure Tin Buffalo Bill, £2.50 (on sale), Dotcomgiftshop

Bird patterned tin box, £6, Tesco

Wild and Wolf Beano First Aid Kit Tin, £9.31, Amazon

Silver Tin Postcard Box, £8.10 (on sale), Lisa Angel

going up and down Lookout Mountain and Buffalo Bill’s grave… this guy was riding up and down all day. Popping up sometimes out of nowhere… it was surreal. This kind of bike is called the ‘penny farthing’ or ‘ordinary’. Very surreal…..

Maude Branscombe was a very popular stage beauty and light opera singer. She was reported to be the most photographed woman of her day. Biographical information about her is sparse and more will be added at a later date. Her first appearance on the New York stage was in 1876 as Cupid in a revival of Ixion at the Eagle Theatre. The portrait at the top was photographed by renowned W & D Downey of London, England.

The second portrait  was cropped so the photographer is unknown.

The third portrait (Branscombe is wearing a necklace) is by L. Levin & Son of San Francisco, California.

The fourth cabinet card image was photographed by Sarony. Sarony was a well known celebrity photographer and more of his portraits can be viewed by clicking on the category of “Photographer: Sarony”. Sarony does an excellent job of capturing Branscombe’s beauty and her alluring eyes.

The fifth and sixth, and seventh cabinet card were photographed by another celebrity photographer, Jose Mora, of New York City. Interestingly, the fifth and seventh cabinet card captures Branscombe in the same costume as the second cabinet card. It is likely that the photographer of cabinet card number two, is also Jose Mora. To view other photographs by Mora, click on the category of “Photographer: Mora”.

The seventh cabinet card portrait of Branscombe was photographed by Howell, another New York City photographer with a studio on Broadway. Howell’s close-up photograph captures the actress’s beauty and her wonderful eyes. She is wide eyed and her hair is a bit mussed. These qualities add to the allure of Miss Branscombe.William Roe Howell was born in 1846 in Goshen, New York. He had a passion for drawing and painting and he directed his creative interest into the field of photography as a young adult. He opened a photographic studio in Goshen. In 1863 he moved to New York City where he joined Robert and Henry Johnston at Johnston Brothers Studio at 867 Broadway. In 1866 the firm became Johnston & Howell. In 1867, he became the sole proprietor of the gallery. By 1870, he was gaining much recognition in the field of photography. His great location in New York City gave him access to many fashionable upper class men and women as well as many celebrities. Among his photographic subjects were P. T. Barnum, Buffalo Bill, and Robert E. Lee. He opened a branch studio in Brooklyn. In 1873 he came one of five Americans to be awarded a special grand prized at the Vienna World Fair. He frequently received mention in the photographic journals. He published a book of cabinet cards that received much praise. He became a photographer for West Point, Princeton, and other notable institutions. He won many medals at photography exhibitions. In 1878 he moved his business from 867 to 889 Broadway and opened another studio with a partner (Meyer) at 26 West 14th Street. In 1880 he retired from photography due to health reasons.  In 1886 he moved with his family to Washington D.C. intent on opening a photography business there. He then disappeared. He vanished just two weeks before the grand opening of his new studio. He left his wife of 16 years (Fannie Scott) and his five children penniless. His wife stated that Howell was an eccentric man and that he must have got tired of business and family problems “and cut loose from us”.  He apparently returned home after a short duration of absence and his business appeared in the 1888 Washington D. C. business directory but not in the 1889 directory. He died of tuberculosis in New York City in 1890. He had been residing at the home of a colleague who ran a photography studio in Harlem. It is believed by some biographers that he had divorced his wife and returned to New York without his family.

It’s time to right a wrong. TDYLF has featured a lot of great moments in movie history (using stick figures) through the years, but there’s one very memorable film that has somehow escaped the stick figure clutches. Today, that all changes. Welcome to the stick figure canon, The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Buffalo Bill. Enjoy!

As always, click on the image for full resolution.

Fort Cody Trading Post, North Platte, NE – December 2012

Our favorites:
Do: Golden Spike Tower (panoramic view of Bailey Yard, the world’s largest rail yard)
Eat: Gracie Mae’s (lunch: sandwiches, soups, coffee, bakery)
Eat: Depot Grill & Pub (dinner: good beer selection, hearty food – perfect for single-digit weather!)

Unlike William F. Cody, Hickok couldn’t adjust to the changing West.

It was becoming less wild. His scouting days were over—the Indian wars were rapidly coming to an end.

(In June, 1876, barely two months before his own death, the Sioux and Cheyanne would wipe out the other famous “Long Hair” of the plains–George Armstrong Custer–at the battle of Little Bighorn.)

And most towns, like Abilene, increasingly had little use for lead-slinging lawmen like Hickok.

James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok

Worst of all, he was going blind—either from a venereal disease he had contracted or from the glare of too many prairie sunrises.

In 1873, Hickok tried his hand as an actor in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. But he was a terrible performer—and knew it.

The fault, however, did not lie entirely with him.  Even Laurence Oliver would have rebelled at spouting lines like: “Fear not, fair maiden, for you are ever safe with Will Bill, who has sworn to defend to the death your maidenly virtue.”

Not that the audiences cared. They had come to see legendary plainsmen–such as Hickok and Cody–in the flesh, not great theater.

Hickok asked Cody to release him from his contract. Cody refused. So Hickok once again turned to his guns for a solution.

In this case, it meant shooting blanks into the legs and buttocks of “dead” Indians who suddenly sprang to life and rushed off the stage. And one night, Hickok put a real bullet through a stage light that was hurting his already sensitive eyes.

That, finally, convinced Cody that Hickok’s acting days were over.

In March, 1876, he married Agnes Lake Thatcher, a circus acrobat several years his senior.

In April, he told Agnes he was heading for the gold rush country of Deadwood, South Dakota. After he made his fortune, he would send for her.

But she never saw him again.

Deadwood was the sort of town the National Rifle Association wants to see replicated across modern-day America.  Everyone wore a gun, and there was no town ordinance against doing so.  Nor were there any law-enforcers like Hickok to protect the public from the kill-crazy antics of liquored-up gunmen.

Grave of “Wild Bill Hickok”

Worse for Hickok, he had two strikes against him: His reputation as a matchless gunfighter had preceeded him–and his failing vision put him at a disadvantage in backing it up.

Arriving in Deadwood, he quickly decided that the strenuous life of a gold-miner was not for him.  Instead, he would seek his fortune as he often had—in saloons as a gambler.

And, as he had so often, he spent more of his time losing money than making it.

On August 2, 1876, his long trail of bad luck finally ran out.

He had always sat with his back to a wall, as a precaution against ambush.  On this afternoon, he found his preferred seat taken by another gambler named Charles Rich.  Hickok asked Rich to trade places with him, but when the latter refused, Hickok didn’t press the matter.

Hickok paid no attention as a whiskey bum named Jack McCall walked around to the corner of the saloon to where the ex-lawman was playing.

Jack McCall

The previous night, Hickok had won considerable money from McCall in a poker game–and had generously given him back enough to buy something to eat.

(The 1995 movie, Wild Bill, depicted McCall as Hickok’s illegitimate son seeking vengeance on the father who had abandoned him.  But this was completely false.  The one saving grace to this otherwise absurd film was Jeff Bridges’ gritty performance as Hickok.)

Suddenly, McCall  pulled a double-action .45 from under his coat, shouted “Take that!” and shot Hickok in the back of the head.

Hickok died instantly.  He was 39.

As he slid from the table, he dropped the cards he had been holding—a pair of eights and another pair of Aces, which has ever since been known as “the dead man’s hand.”

McCall was “tried” by a mining court.  He claimed that Hickok had murdered his brother and he had sought revenge.  He was acquitted.

He headed for Wyoming, where he incessantly bragged that he had killed the famous “Wild Bill” Hickok.

McCall was arrested in Laramie and charged with murder.  The trial in Deadwood was found to have been invalid—owing to the town’s being in Indian territory and outside the reach of United States law.

Once again forced to stand trial, McCall found himself convicted.  On March 1, 1877, he was hanged.  Later, it was discovered that McCall had never had a brother.

Now I must preface this by saying that I love Vegas…so overall the trip was a success, and I would do it again. The decorations at The Venetian and The Bellagio were particularly wonderful, plus the food, shopping, entertainment, etc. kept us busy.

But who am I kidding; you don’t want to read about that. You want the juicy Vegas stories. Now I am too old and too married to wake up with a tiger in my room, and most of my Vegas “sinning” involves overeating and overshopping, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t taste some local flavor.

Okay but first, church. (Just bear with me here, please.)

Things started out a bit rocky when I attempted to attend midnight mass. I decided that since we were in Sin City, it couldn’t hurt to earn some extra credit. So we attended services at a huge cathedral complete with the Bishop of the Las Vegas Diocese presiding. If anyone has seen extra sinniness, it’s this guy.

Now if you know anything about Catholic mass, you know that Christmas celebrations are usually around 90 minutes. But when the bishop is involved, there’s a whole lot more pomp and circumstance and even costume changes (i.e. Bishop Beanie vs. Bishop Mitre, for example). Tack on another fifteen minutes for incense swinging alone. It took 45 minutes before we got to the Gospel, and I was ready to pass out. Apparently a day of dehydrating flights and a stuffy, packed seat in the balcony do not mix. Faced with the possibility of falling unconscious into the mothball-laden fur coat in front of me, I chose to leave early for some fresh air and water. Not a good start.

Thankfully, things picked up the next day. After rehydrating and getting a good night’s rest, my husband and I hit the strip for a 3-mile run. The sights and decorations on the strip were enough to distract me from my heavy breathing, plus the “adult literature distributors” were not out yet, eliminating a huge obstacle. Usually there are about fifteen in a row, so that would have been tricky. Good for my mileage (and my Spanish usage), but tricky.

Now onto Fremont Street.

The first Fremont Street performer we encountered was a bikini-clad man dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Even though I am from a small town in Wisconsin, this was not shocking to me. After all, I love me my drag queens. The Drag Queen Bingo episode of Sex and the City alone made me want to move to Manhattan immediately. Those gals are bee-yoo-tiful and can teach me a thing or two about concealer. However, this was no RuPaul. Instead, he looked exactly like the super creepy serial killer transvestite from The Silence of the Lambs. I was relieved that the fur shrug he wore was actually a real garment and not a little dog named Precious. He had nice legs though, I’ll give him that.

After swiftly making it past Buffalo Bill, we decide to spend our $10 meal credit at the swanky café at Binions. I was about to bite into my BBQ beef when in wheels Mr. Gangrene, proudly displaying his infected and smelly foot for all the diners to see. He was soon removed due to several complaints from patrons. He obviously had some mental problems and probably a good case of diabetes, so I felt sorry for him. On the other hand, I could not feel sorry for another man I encountered.

I’m talking about The Flosser.

As in “I just had a meal of corn-on-the-cob, popcorn and Butterfingers, and this may take a while, so I am going to get all of this gunk out of my mouth by flossing in the middle of the street.”

The real kicker was, he wasn’t by himself. And it’s not like he was with some other disgusting slobs or a strange band of dental hygiene enthusiasts. He was with his wife and two kids, and they just stood there while Dad took care of business, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. And by all accounts they looked like a normal, non-Honey Boo Boo type of family. Who apparently thinks it’s okay to chuck food particles from your mouth onto the street.

Lastly, what would vacation be without a little embarrassment?

Now if you know me, you know that I hate being the center of attention…unless my hair is perfect and I’m wearing a really hot outfit, then it’s okay. Thank goodness for the pretty dress, otherwise a stunt person would have been nice during my wedding. I don’t want to be that person pulled on stage for a private dance at the Chippendales show. I don’t want the stand-up comedian talking to me; I am an audience member, and I prefer to stay invisible, thank you very much. I did not fork out 20 bucks to become part of your act; I paid so you could entertain me.

So imagine my horror when suddenly my husband becomes part of the pre-show entertainment at Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere. Since I was sitting next to him, the huge auditorium spotlight also shone on me, so in my book this still counts as personal mortification.

I knew we were doomed when the French “street performer” took one look at my husband (from 10 rows down) and said, “Ah, zere he ees! My friend!” and then promptly booked it up to us. My husband must have some sort of audience participation appeal; he was also chosen to be the “enemy spy” on board at the Star Wars ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (And by the way, he loves seeing stand-up comedians and would probably also love talking to one during a gig. It figures.)

Well I will not ruin the surprise for you in case you ever see Mystere, but let’s just say it involved lots and lots of popcorn and the entire audience laughing at my husband. All I could do was sit there and say, “Wow. I am really embarrassed for you.”

As for the rest of the week…I am just sorry we had to leave before we could see MC Hammer and Tone Loc perform together at the Riviera. That would have been sweet.

Almost everyone has heard of “Wild Bill” Hickok–the legendary Western scout, Indian fighter, two-gun lawman and crack shot.

And the legend, not the man, is often invoked–inaccurately–by “gun rights” advocates who seek to reduce the entire Constitution to a single amendment: The Second Amendment.

But there is a vast difference between Hickok the legend–and Hickok the actual man.

For one thing, his real name wasn’t “Bill”–or even “William.”  It was James Butler Hickok.   He supposedly got the name “Wild Bill” after thrwarting an attempted lynching–and a woman applauded his bravery with: “Good for you, Wild Bill!”

James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok

For another, Hickok didn’t spend most of his life as a town marshal.  His gunslinging days as a lawman lasted just two years–1869 to 1871.  And they ended badly.

His first stint as a lawman came at Hays City, Kansas.  As sheriff, he shot and killed at least two men.  According to legend, one of these shootings occurred when Hickok, looking in a bar mirror, saw a ruffian named Strawhan pull a pistol to shoot him in the back.

Hickok, looking into the mirror, threw a “trick shot” over his shoulder–and nailed Strawhan dead.

Then Hickok’s luck ran out.  On July 17, 1870, several members of the 7th U.S. Cavalry attacked him in Drum’s Saloon.  Knocked to the floor and repeatedly kicked, Hickok had reason to fear death.  Drawing his pistols, he killed one private and wounded another.

Although he had acted in self-defense and the shootings were entirely justifiable, Hickok now faced even greater danger from other, enraged members of the same regiment.  He decided to leave Hays before they could take their revenge.

His next posting as town marshal came in Abilene, Kansas.  This stint lasted from April to December, 1871.  And, like his last one as a “town-tamer,” it ended with a deadly shootout.

A major portion of his duties lay in enforcing the “no firearms worn or used in town” edict.

Abilene was a cattle town, the end of the line for many outfits seeking a major railhead where their hundreds of beeves could be dropped off and shipped eastward.

When cowboys–most of them in their teens or early 20s–reached Abilene, they wanted to celebrate.  Their long drive was over, and now they could finally get paid.  And there were plenty of bars and whores waiting to pick up their newly-issued monies.

This combination of randy men and ready supplies of alcohol and women often led to trouble.  One cowboy might make a pass at another’s “lady” for the night.  Or an argument might erupt over a card game.

It was Hickok’s duty to make sure that such arguments were settled only with fists.  And that meant demanding that all cowboys’ guns be checked at the marshal’s office until the “boys” were ready to leave Abilene.

This, of course, contradicts the “open carry” demands of the National Rifle Association.  And most of its members–if transported to the Old West–would find themselves on the wrong side of Hickok.

And that wasn’t a good place to be–as Texas gambler Phil Coe learned to his dismay.

Coe and Hickok had clashed before.  As co-owner of the Bull’s head Saloon, Coe had advertised its wares with a sign depicting a bull with oversized sexual organs.   A number of citizens raged that this was obscene and demanded that the animal’s sexuality be greatly reduced.  The city fathers agreed.

Hickok stood nearby with a shotgun while a painter made the necessary deletions.

On October 5, cowboys were flooding into Abilene, looking for a good time.  Coe, feeling in high spirits, decided to celebrate by firing his pistol into the air several times.

The shots quickly brought Hickok to the scene.

“Did you fire that shot?” Hickok demanded.

Coe supposedly replied: “I shot at a dog–and I’ll shoot at another.”

Coe threw a shot at Hickok, which missed.  Hickok whipped out his two revolvers and put two bullets into Coe’s stomach, mortally wounding the Texan, who died three days later.

With Coe’s Texas buddies surrounding him, Hickok suddenly heard someone rushing at him from behind.

Hickok whirled and fired twice more–into the chest of his own deputy, Mike Williams, who had been running to his aid.

Hickok, aghast at his mistake, gently carried Williams into a saloon and placed his body onto a billiard table.  Then he raged through Abilene, ordering an end to the festivities and knocking down any cowboys foolish enough to resist.

Owing to this latest explosion in violence, the city fathers quickly reached two decision:

First, they put an end to Abilene’s years as a major cattle shipping point.  From now on, cattlemen were no longer welcome there.

And then they fired Hickok as city marshal in December, 1871.

Goodbye Horses heißt das Stück und ist ein Remake des 80er-Jahre-Klassikers von Q Lazzarus. Vielleicht erinnert sich jemand an Buffalo Bill, dem Killer aus Das Schweigen der Lämmer in einer der wohl bizarrsten Szenen des Films…das ist SEIN Lied.

Hier gehts zum Download (rechte Spalte – man muss seine E-Mail-Adresse angeben).

Newdell’s Critique – Buffalo Bill

Reblogged from haunted rock:

Landing in snowy Denver!

Despite the first snow of winter in Denver dumping a load of the white stuff all over town, minus 10ºC temperatures, and my lack of packing preparedness, I managed to get to Denver without a hitch or a delay to start my winter vay-kay State-side. We landed on a slightly snowy runway, and inspite of the pilot’s warnings that we were in for a bumpy ride (thanks to the winter storm) it was a surprisingly smooth flight. I was picked up from the airport by Jeanne, my great aunt who the last time I met, I was 5 years old and very very blonde. This time, it was a case of ‘I’m the one with a very pink suitcase…’ We headed straight into downtown Denver from the airport for the first visit of the whistle stop tour- the US Mint. Denver is one of only two locations in the US that makes coins. It was a pretty awesome visit. I found out all about the various special quarters they have been making to commemorate various things. After the completion of the state quarters, they are now making some for US national parks.  It was pretty cool. The history of the place is quite interesting, and how the gold rush in Colorado was the reason for the Mint finding its place in Denver. It started out involving the purification of precious metals to make coins, and nowadays it makes coins of all denominations in US circulation, as well as some uncirculated collectors coins. Plus, we got to see $2mill dollars worth of gold bullion in the shape of just 2 small bars, each weighing 27.5lb each. Crazy that value of money is so insignificant in dimensions.

That night we had a quiet one at home with some good TV. It was nice to finally put my feet up after finishing finals and flying over 1,000 miles across America.

20^th December 2012- Hiwan Homestead, Coors Brewery and some awesome Christmas lights!

Snow covered mountain back drop on route to Evergreen.

This morning I headed to Evergreen with Jeanne to help with a school visit to a Hiwan homestead, where 40 1^st-3^rd graders (6-8 year olds) were visiting for the morning to learn about the various aspects of living for the Native Americans back in the 1800s. It was absolutely fascinating! The kids got a chance to make clay pots like the ones they used to cook with, they learned about the different houses they lived in, the food they ate as well as about the textiles they made and the influence of explorers such as the Spanish on their way of life. I definitely learned a lot.

Jeanne outside the Hiwan Homestead Museum. (psst- check out the snow!)

So after an educational morning, we drove up through the mountains to Idaho Springs for lunch. It’s where Uncle Ben grew up. Driving in, it definitely had some of the elements of a midwest cowboy film set, just updated slightly to 2012. We had lunch in The Buffalo Restaurant and Bar complete with a full sized replica bison (that’s by-son, Michael ) in the window. It was pretty cool.

Idaho Springs, CO.

After lunch we drove down to Golden, another former ‘gold rush’ town, that’s now famous for ‘liquid gold’ or that stuff we call ‘Coors.’ The factory in Golden is the original one, where the beer was first invented by a German who’d travelled west in search of the American dream at the time. The story goes, he landed in Golden, loved the Rockies water and started brewing beer. The rest is history. It was a fun tour, got to see bits of the brewing process, such as toasting the barley and how the different degrees of toastedness will determine the colour and flavour of the beer… Of course the most important part was that at the end of the tour, we got free samples of the beer. Now for a small health warning: if you have lived all your life around sea level, when you find yourself in the ‘mile high city’ mind yersel when you decide to ‘try a few beers…’ o_O It wasn’t so much the extra giddyness, as much as the raging headache that set in just a little later… Anyway. It was an awesome visit, got to try some of their more speciality beers and some seasonal variations on my new favourite wheat beer Blue Moon (which, surprisingly is made by Coors!) I think I definitely left the factory with a new appreciation for the ‘new gold’ that floods the States and further afield. Also- turns out Colorado is flooded with microbreweries, so if you’re into quirky homemade style brews, the Rockies might be the place to go!

Coors Brewery

This evening after a quick visit to a indian restaurant/brew pub (?!) called the Yak & Yeti (excellent chicken saag!) we headed to jump on a bus for a tour of Christmas lights on houses around the Arvada and Denver area. It truly was something that had to be seen. From houses festooned with lights to 2 houses who clearly have bored electrical engineers/programmers for owners, who managed rig up their lights to flash to music, that is broadcast over short range radio so you can listen and watch from your car/bus. It was an evening that did not disappoint! Unfortunately the darkness and the moving bus, most of my photos are a bit blurry, but here’s one of the Civic Center in the heart of downtown. Once I manage to get my Samsung videos to talk Mac, I’ll get a video of the radio ones up too!

Christmas Lights

21st December: Boulder, Tea and Miracle on 34th St

Today we drove up to Boulder to visit the Celestial Seasonings tea factory. On route we stopped off half way up the side of a mountain near Chautauqua Park for a wee look over the city. This end of Colorado is pretty well noted for the abundance of red rock in the area, so most buildings are pretty distinct in colour.

A view over Boulder from about 750ft above the city.

I quite like how the flat plains of Colorado give way to these immense mountains. Makes for a pretty cool view. Jeanne tells me if it wasn’t so smoggy, you’d be able to see downtown Denver and the airport from here. (about 40 miles!)

After this, we headed to Celestial Seasonings, this really cool herbal tea factory that started out with someone hiking in the hills, collecting ‘urbs and, well, making tea. Or should I say ‘urbal infusion’- it’s only allowed to be called tea if in includes Camellia sinensis leaves. Our guide was hilariously funny, and we got to try a good few teas as well as learning all about the processes behind making black, green and white teas.

We headed up the road to the Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art after tea-ing ourselves out. This place also lets you have a wander around for free, and featured a pretty cool sculpture garden outside, as well as (to be expected) lots of Western Art inside. Lots of Cowboys and Native Americans, it was definitely different and pretty interesting.

I like this guy. He’s waitin’

After this, we headed into downtown Boulder to grab some lunch on Pearl Street. Boulder has quite a large student population, coupled with its hippy ‘quinoa and hummus obsessed’ general population, it had the feeling of almost like somewhere in the Netherlands, healthy on their bike- quite different to the deep-fried South (sorry!). Also, their student shuttles are called Hop, Skip, and Jump adding to the quirkiness!

So this evening after dinner at Indian Restaurant/Brew Pub we headed to the Arvada Center to see a performance of Miracle on 34th Street, the Musical. It. Was. Awesome. Definitely put me in the mood for Christmas!

22nd December: Golden Christmas Parade and Becoming Van Gogh

River through Golden towards Coors, still a bit snow covered!

This morning we drove up to Golden for the annual Christmas Parade. It featured a lot of local businesses, schools and the fire department, parading down the main street in front of quite a large crowd, in spite of around 0-3degC temps. My favourites of the parade had to be the ‘Scots’ who managed to wear their kilts correctly and toot a few tunes, Santa on the motorbike, and the other santa in the Camero being driven by a rather smug looking Mrs Claus. Excellent.

Kilts! In Colorado! At Christmas?! Who knew?!

Santa on his motorbike…(!)

After this, we headed into downtown Denver to what is now officially my *favourite* chain in America- Mad Greens. It’s a salad bar that makes the salad in front of you like they would in Subway. It was fresh and delicious. The South- take note! We then headed to the Denver Art Museum to see the Becoming Van Gogh exhibition. Now, here’s something I didn’t expect- it was sold out. Even when tickets were $28 a pop, it was SOLD OUT. It was an excellent self guided tour exhibition helped with the addition of audio headsets that explored Van Gogh’s development as an artist and his progression of his works. Even for a physicist, it was absolutely fascinating and very moving in places. Loved it.

Afterwards, we had a wander around downtown. During recent redevelopments, now when they make a new building in the Denver area, they have to get a sculpture placed outside. This includes a massive 1.5 storey high blue bear that stares into the conference center downtown, a massive red chair with a tiny horse on top- which represents a child whose left their toy behind apparently, and a few other quirkies. The picture below is of the huuuuuuuge dust pan and brush outside the Denver Art Museum. Pretty cool.

Dust pan and brush outside the Denver Art Museum

Tonight we headed to a place that was even featured on South Park for dinner- Casa Bonita. It’s a family Mexican Restaurant that can seat over 900, and is quite well noted for its all you can eat menu. Most of its seating surrounds a massive waterfall and dive pool, where every 15 minutes or so shows take place including dives and gun fights etc. It was quite fun! It has a lot of fun caves etc to have a wander around after dinner. Definitely worth a visit.

Casa Bonita waterfall

23rd December: Visiting Uncle Lindsay and family in Trinidad, CO

Road trippin’ Colorado style!

Today we travelled 3 hours south of Denver to Trinidad to see my uncle Lindsay and his family. They live on a ranch outside town, complete with cows, pigs, chickens, horses and donkeys. (awesome!) I got to meet Uncle Lindsay and his wife Diana along with 2 of their 4 daughters for the first time. It was a totally awesome day. Mexican for lunch (they are about 25 miles from the border with New Mexico of course!) then pie and ice cream before getting a wee tour of the farm. It was such a fun day! It was great to reunite two arms of the family and update on what everyone is doing. Last they had seen of the Motions was when my grandparents visited, oh about 17 years ago! Also Scooby, oka Adrianna (the youngest) was back from Guatemala where she has been working with the Peace Corp so she had lots of excellent stories to tell! Also, Miranda and her husband Keith (second youngest daughter) had their baby Tell along with them. He’s 3 months old and utterly adorable! He quite happily sat my lap while we watched the end of the Broncos game this afternoon. All in all, a fantastic day!

Baby Tell. I believe the correct response is ‘d’awwwwww!’

Moo?

The Tucker Clan in Trinidad!

24th December Christmas Eve! Visiting Buffalo Bill and Dino Ridge.

So today accompanied by Jeanne’s godson Gary, we travelled up Lookout Mountain to have a look over Golden and to visit Buffalo Bill’s grave. It was a totally gorgeous drive up the side of one of the largest foothills surrounding Golden. The view from the top was a little spoiled by the snow clouds that were rolling in, hopefully get some better pictures another day. It was cool to see infamous Buffalo Bill’s grave though. He was famous for the fact he according to (wiki)legend managed to kill 4,280 American Bison (buffalos) in 18 months. :O Basically, he was the coolest cowboy around. His former home at Lookout Mountain is now a museum about his life. Sadly it was closed when we visited, but its vast giftshop was worth the visit! Afterwards we went to have a look at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It’s this massive outdoor arena/music venue that has had many, many famous bands come perform in recent years, from the Beatles to the Police and U2. It was used back in the day by Native Americans who wanted to address large tribes, as it features two massive rocks on either side of the stage that act to echo and amplify the noise. Now, it makes for a first class music venue that bands really wanna perform at. Pretty awesome, if you don’t mind climbing a lot of stairs!

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

After having a look at Red Rocks, we headed down into nearby Morrison, another gold rush town near Golden for some excellent Mexican food for lunch. A few tacos later, we headed to Dino Ridge to have a look at the dino prints that can be seen there. It was awesome! America may be “new” in comparison to a 600 year old University, but it has plenty prehistoric awesomeness. Given my ignorance of such things, since it isn’t really in our school curriculum, I definitely learned a lot! Definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in Denver!

It’s a festive Dino!

Dino Prints from Dino Ridge. Pretty cool!

This evening we headed around for a party with Jeanne’s family, that involved around 30 cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, a turkey, a ham and plenty of pie and sides to make for an awesome dinner. I also got my first chance to play the ‘White Elephant’ game too. Essentially it involves every person in attendance bringing along a random gift. Each person is then given a number, and the person with number 1 will pick a gift and unwrap it. The person with number 2 then has the choice whether to pick another gift or steal person number 1′s gift (then number 1 can pick another one or steal anothers). This goes on until everyone has a gift, no matter how random. It was absolutely hilarious and so much fun! Like when the teenage boy opened a gift and discovered a quirky multicoloured fish shaped dish, then later when he got very attached to a japanese print only for someone else to steal it! Or when the 7 year old unwrapped a 7 piece knife block! I managed to get rather attached to a fetching pair of kitty slippers, only for them to be stolen too! It was lots of fun. Really enjoyed it! Then when we left, the snow that had started as we arrived had accumulated to a cool 1-2inches and was still coming down. Hello White Christmas! It did however make for an interesting drive home!

Christmas day. 

So that’s about it folks for now. I have been undeniably spoilt. I am so grateful for Uncle Ben & Jeanne for putting me up this year. It has been utterly awesome. While I’m missing the folks back home, it was great to catch up via Skype. And I’ll be there next year. It has been amazing to experience another culture and a very different custom for Christmas. We’re off to another Christmas party tonight, the we’re going ‘toobing’ or ‘tubing’ tomorrow with my cousins (who I’ve also yet to meet!) and with lots more planned before I head to Baltimore on the 3rd, expect more blog posts!

Merry Christmas y’all! x

This is a copy of the same state tree decoration that is on the White House tree this year. What an awesome memento of my time here! Thanks Uncle Ben & Jeanne! x

And massive thanks to the Bobby Jones Scholarship for providing the opportunity and means for this once in a lifetime trip!

http://www.rrauction.com/bidtracker_detail.cfm?IN=273

Turn it on, listen to this song and continue doing something else while you occasionally tune in and out.  Pretty good, right? You have no idea. Thankfully, when I clicked on the link, I was preoccupied with something else and didn’t watch the video; halfway through, I turned back to the video and actually listened to the song to realize its true genius. Yes, my friends, this is a song paying homage The Silence of the Lambs. I don’t know or care about this band in the slightest, but they’ve definitely provided me with a good laugh alongside a lesson this week; music alongside preoccupation does not allow for consumption to the fullest extent. Tune in, people, or you might miss something great.

Put the lotion in the basket

1841

Aug 28: England:  Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince

1842
Sweden: N P Nilsson: A horse-dealer who opens his first moving picture theater, London,  in Stockholm 1904, produces features, with his son Axel, from 1911. Dead 1912.

1844
England: Annie Holland (Payne).

France:

Emile Reynaud.

Sarah Bernhardt.

1846

Germany: Ottomar Anschütz in Lissa.

USA:

William F Cody (Buffalo Bill).

B(enjamin) F(ranklin) Keith.

1847

Italy: Vittorio Calcina.

Febr 11: USA: Thomas Alva Edison.

1848

Switzerland: Francois-Henri Lavanchy-Clarke.

Aside from places like The Irma, there isn’t a whole lot going on in Cody and it seems to run solely on tourism. We found The Irma in search of a good breakfast and found exactly what we were looking for. Tim Lamb, a waiter there, told me a bit about the place. He turned out to be a photographer himself. Apparently, the Irma’s famous cherrywood bar is one of the most photographed features in all of Cody. From the antique register and antler chandeliers, to an old telegraph machine in back, the restaurant certainly has a lot of character. 

A quick check of the Buffalo Bill schedule shows that The Wild West Show played in Chickasha, Oklahoma in

Buffalo Bill’s Gravesite circa 1920s

September 1912 (they lived there then) and Amarillo, Texas in October 1915 (they lived there then).  So perhaps when Eula and Frank (William F—coincidence?) moved to Colorado they went to see the gravesite where they bought the postcard after having seen the Wild West Shows. I know this is pure speculation, but it could be the case.

It seems, my speculation was correct.  Recently, as part of my research on the Postcards Project, I have been going through and cataloging family documents and photos.  So imagine my surprise and delight in finding a photo, in the original photo album belonging to Eula and Frank Morris Jr., of the Buffalo Bill grave in Colorado from the 1920s! What an exciting find! Here’s the photo.

After rolling through St. Louis it was off to Bartlesville, OK another 6 or 7 hours down the road.  We stopped in Joplin for dinner and to take a short break.  One’s back side get’s sore from sitting the car for most of the day….. 

Joplin, MO seems like It’s still recovering from the tornado a few years ago. You can still see places where it’s apparent that there was a structure there at one time and now it’s just s slab of concrete. When we came out of the restaurant, there were a bunch of birds sitting on some power lines across the street.  It was amazing to listen to them chatter.  Every once in a while, they would all take off and fly in a clump and then separate and return to the wire.  The birds would hop side to side spreading out on the wire making room for more birds. 

2012-11-15–Joplin, Mo VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We overnighted in Bartlesville, Ok and then it was off to Stillwater, OK – Home of Oklahoma State for the weekend.  Rather than travel the main highway, I prefer to take the back roads.  Taking some of the old Route 66 on the way and enjoying the drive.  While you can’t quite do the interstate speeds over long distances this way – you do get to take in more of what America is about.  Small towns, stores, and unique items along the road.   Like passing Buffalo Bill’s place on the way to Stillwater.

Arriving in Stillwater is just like coming home for me.  It seems like such a significant portion of my life was lived there and the memories are fond.  Its great to walk around and see the things that have not changed and then discover the things that have changed.  What made this trip extra special is that I have two children, two niece’s, and a nephew all attending school at OSU.  So the chance to have dinner with them and see how they are doing was an extra bonus.  We had dinner at the local steak house and then some of sent out to go Bowling.

And then we went out for Ice Cream (well frozen yogurt) at a place called Landry’s.  It a self-serve kind of place, unless you get a “Concrete” which is a harder version of the yogurt (that’s what I went with).

The next morning – we went and checked out the the pre-game festivities and walking though the tailgating areas was fun.  We also walked over and checked out the newly renovated Student Union.

		2012-11-17–Oklahoma State VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

The bakers’ union went on strike. “Our members decided they were not going to take any more abuse from a company they have given so much to for so many years,” said Frank Hurt, the bakers’ union president, in a statement Friday evening.

Hostess management said work rules from existing labor agreements made it hard to improve productivity and spend money efficiently. For example, some rules required different workers to deliver bread and cakes, the company said.

Hostess traces its beginnings to the 1927 founding of Schulze Baking Co., according to court papers. The company gobbled competitors over the years and ended up with 372 separate bargaining contracts for workers, 5,500 delivery routes and a vast production system.

It also showed organized labor’s willingness to test the boundaries of wage and benefit givebacks. During and after the 2008 financial crisis, auto workers and others readily agreed to concessions deemed crucial for survival. But this year, workers at Caterpillar Inc.and Hostess walked off the job instead. Caterpillar’s union later relented.  

Months of back-and-forth threats and court proceedings ultimately led to delivery-truck drivers and some plant workers represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to agree to deep concessions, but the bakers’ union, known as the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, resisted. Full story over at WSJ

Equipment: spice jars, chopstick, piping bag or gun

Hands-on time:50 minutes | Total time:1 hour, 15 minutes

Homemade Twinkies Recipe

Directions

Get more deliciousness at Homemade Twinkies Recipe | Leite’s Culinaria

A prime example is the increasingly popular wildlife contest hunt, the kind of backwards barbarity that earned “Buffalo Bill” (the celebrated nineteenth century mass murderer of bison, not the fictional serial killer in Silence of the Lambs) his nickname. Buffalo Bill Cody killed 67 of the gregarious, benign beings during the 12-hour contest. Within a couple of decades, the once-abundant species was all but extinct.

It’s hard to believe that contest hunts were not relegated to the distance past long ago, along with bison hunting, trapping and the vilification of wolves, but all these atrocities are making a comeback and find their way into the news with disturbing regularity.

Just today I stumbled onto the following Associated Press article about a contest coyote hunt slated to take place this weekend in New Mexico (You can’t make this kind of shit up).…

“The terms of the competition are simple: Hunters in New Mexico have two days this weekend to shoot and kill as many coyotes as they can, and the winners get their choice of a free shotgun or a pair of semi-automatic rifles.

But the planned two-day coyote hunting contest has sparked an online petition that has generated tens of thousands of signatures worldwide. The FBI is investigating a death threat to the gun shop owner who is sponsoring the hunt. And one protester has even vowed to dress like a coyote to trick hunters into accidentally killing a human.

But none of these episodes will likely stop the owner of Gunhawk Firearms from holding the scheduled two-day coyote hunting race this weekend, despite the international attention the idea has garnered. “I’m not going to back down,” said Mark Chavez, 50, who has faced two weeks of angry phone calls and protests — and even a threat to his life. ‘This is my right to hunt and we’re not breaking any laws.’

Under the rules of the contest, the winning team will get its choice of a Browning Maxus 12-gauge shotgun or two AR-15 semi-automatic rifles…”

…

A contest to see who can kill the most animals—with two free assault weapons for the winners—but they’re “not breaking any laws”? It appears we’ve reached a new historic low point in regards to wildlife protection laws,…or the lack thereof.

Text and Wildlife Photography ©Jim Robertson, 2012. All Rights Reserved

Seriously; as a writer you kind of have to people-watch to get good characters and stuff, so if you see me perving on someone- don’t worry! I’m not going to kidnap them and make a skin-suit (It puts the lotion in the basket or It gets the hose again), I’m merely looking at them, thinking, ‘Hey wow! That person looks nice!’, or ‘They look like they’d make a good rapist!’, or ‘You should be a victim, Friend!’

I, personally, don’t think this is an insult.

However! When I’m chillin’ doing some studying or just walking, minding my own business, don’t be surprised if I don’t look at you.

Even if I know you I will NEVER instigate conversation unless I am ridiculously pumped up and feeling awesome that day. I don’t mean this to be a slight on you- I am just a dick and really awkward.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t stop people looking at me.

This freaks me out.

If you like my eyeliner, just talk to me! I don’t do anything special, and I would honestly show you how I do it and everything!

I’m friendly, I think. Unless you come up to me really aggressively, then I might just cry, or act like I’m so much tougher than I actually am and start swearing like a fishwife to try and come across as much more manly and unappealing.

ALSO! If you wolf-whistle at me I won’t respond because I never think it’s for me. So, fyi.

Uhmm, so in summary I love looking at people- particularly girls because they look so much prettier! But I like boys :3, but, in particular, ones that look nice.

Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926) was an American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter. Oakley’s amazing talent and timely rise to fame led to a starring role in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, which propelled her to become the first American female superstar.

Oakley’s perhaps most famous trick is being able to repeatedly split a playing card, edge-on, and put several more holes in it before it could touch the ground, using a .22 caliber rifle, at 90 feet.

Retronaut via 1894 : Annie Oakley.