tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-361428112024-03-17T22:01:08.580-05:00Genuine Faux FarmRob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.comBlogger2422125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-53851750849374680002024-02-02T13:20:00.000-06:002024-02-02T13:20:01.626-06:00New Blog Location!<p>So - we're not done writing and sharing. Not by a long shot! Instead, we're looking to make some changes for the better. After over ten years of posts at this site, I am moving the Genuine Faux Farm blog!</p><p>You have three opportunities to subscribe. </p><p>1. The <a href="https://genuinefauxfarm.substack.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm</a> blog on Substack.</p><p>2. The <a href="https://postalhistorysunday.substack.com/" target="_blank">Postal History Sunday</a> blog on Substack</p><p>3. My writings under <a href="https://medium.com/@genuinefauxfarm" target="_blank">Rob Faux | Genuine Faux Farm</a> on Medium.</p><p>In each case, you can subscribe so you receive new articles in your email inbox each time a new article is released.</p><p>On Substack, you can subscribe for free, but you will be asked if you will make a pledge for a paid subscription. If you wish to have a free subscription, select $0 for your pledge amount. You may, of course, make a pledge amount if you feel inclined. If there seems to be interest in that, I may turn on the paid subscription option - but there will always be the opportunity to subscribe for free, even if I do that.<br /></p><p>Medium, on the other hand, will not charge for a subscription to my writings, but they will ask you to join Medium with a paid subscription. This is not necessary to access my work, but you may certainly opt to take a subscription if you like the service you see there.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>What's on each blog?</b></span></div><p><b>The Genuine Faux Farm blog on Substack</b></p><p>This blog will be most like what I have produced on this blog since 2008. In fact, I have been moving the previous content over to this blog so you can access older posts on the new site's archive. The only difference is that I will not be putting Postal History Sunday material in this blog. </p><p><b>The Postal History Sunday blog on Substack</b></p><p>The weekly article where I share a hobby I enjoy is being given it's own home. This will allow individuals who are only interested in PHS and not the farm writings a place to go. However, if you are interested in both, you can certainly subscribe to both.</p><p><b>Writings on Medium</b></p><p>I am trying the Medium writing community for some of the more developed writings I produce. For example, I will be sharing the PAN blogs I write on Medium (and sometimes on Substack). Some of the better Postal History Sundays or Walk There Agains may also show up. I anticipate an average of four to six blogs on Medium per month. And, yes, there may be some cross-posting between Medium and Substack.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Why subscribe?</span></b></p><p>I will give you one reason for you and one reason for me.</p><p>If you subscribe to any or all of these three choices, you will receive new articles in your email inbox. You don't have to remember the web address for the blogs. You don't have to open up any other software. You don't have to rely on unreliable social media to show you posts from me that tell you I have something new out there to read.</p><p>And, the advantage for me is that I get a little feedback and encouragement to keep writing and sharing that writing with you. If there are ten, twenty, fifty or one hundred of you subscribed to a particular blog, then I know at least that many people will truly be given the opportunity to choose to read each article if they wish. </p><p>As always, I thank you for considering my words and thoughts. Have a fine remainder of your day! <br /></p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-6964988479891399682024-01-28T05:30:00.002-06:002024-01-28T11:54:49.113-06:00Tell 'em Where to Go - Postal History Sunday<p>Welcome to Postal History Sunday! I hope you take
the opportunity to enjoy learning something new - or at least you like
to be entertained by a person who thoroughly enjoys their hobby. Either
way, this isn't a half bad way to spend a few moments of your day.</p><p>In
this edition, I wanted to revisit the topic of dockets on postal
history items. The last time I did so, Postal History Sunday was only a
few months old. I'd like to think I've learned a thing or two since
then.<br /></p><p>So, let's get to it!</p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">What's a "Docket?"</span></b></span></p><p>Postal
historians and postal history collectors often reference docketing on
various mail pieces, which can take various forms. Docketing would be
some sort of handwriting on the letter or piece of mail that typically
provides record-keeping functions for the recipient OR directives to
the postal services.</p><p>And, of course, postal historians are usually
more interested in the directives - but the record keeping can provide
useful clues too. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAOpu9UAXw3E6ZQ3tyqfdJBXIJM1XJcEXpYxqNM8GyPe8ThdGd4cuABwXfKm5-5NjSaQt9VPdpxBjdQwG5qJ0GlOR3ysM9VtsWG7G4AxoKqThKZIe94Nz4meJngEcn6JUEiKT/s1644/toolateny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1644" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAOpu9UAXw3E6ZQ3tyqfdJBXIJM1XJcEXpYxqNM8GyPe8ThdGd4cuABwXfKm5-5NjSaQt9VPdpxBjdQwG5qJ0GlOR3ysM9VtsWG7G4AxoKqThKZIe94Nz4meJngEcn6JUEiKT/w640-h368/toolateny.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />For example, the item above shows lots and LOTS of docketing. <p>The
writing that runs sideways on the left side of the envelope would be
filing notes by the recipient. George Atkinson, Esq, a lawyer by trade,
probably did what many at the time did - they filed documents and
stored them in the envelope they came in. To provide for easy
reference, they recorded the date and origin of the contents, a brief
summary AND the date the letter was received in their office (May 9,
1866). It just so happens this date matches the London marking showing
in red towards the top.</p><p>This method of filing is part of the
reason postal historians have as much material to collect as they do.
It also explains why many of the same addressees keep showing up on
these pieces of mail. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-9tDAe6ARP87OlgUY1OAqeRbKjcwhlAqMhQC4Gw3_Y8BCatDKXoAAcGBg-DtkTiNdCIbK99cC1pdDAfHc4TJW5V8Zk0SVohR_NOfVTFGKlOr9LaXxX3VFxTNMJD7XBkYt8nyvVsxcV8hKs8R1Lk2VZZfBnVm8hiSI5rsYsToEzMgr57lJzJZK5uqjSSl/s551/toolatenydocketsteamer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="551" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-9tDAe6ARP87OlgUY1OAqeRbKjcwhlAqMhQC4Gw3_Y8BCatDKXoAAcGBg-DtkTiNdCIbK99cC1pdDAfHc4TJW5V8Zk0SVohR_NOfVTFGKlOr9LaXxX3VFxTNMJD7XBkYt8nyvVsxcV8hKs8R1Lk2VZZfBnVm8hiSI5rsYsToEzMgr57lJzJZK5uqjSSl/s320/toolatenydocketsteamer.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>The other handwriting on the front of
this letter includes the address AND some directional docketing at the
lower left. This docket reads:</p><p style="text-align: center;">"<i>per Cunard Steamer Asia from Boston April 25</i>"</p><p>At
least - that's what the writer was hoping when they mailed the letter.
It turns out - if you read the New York marking in red at the right
side - that it left New York on April 28 on a steamer that was NOT the <i>Asia</i>. </p><p>We'll get back to that in a bit!</p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Success and Failure in Directional Dockets</span></b></span></p><p>If
you look long enough, you can find all kinds of docketing on the mail
that clearly was meant to try to direct the post office with varying
degrees of success. Take the item below for example.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpDhT8f8ylqYSrI3o_FmIyDnHIcUM0c32W0bKAwdbup4VT2I_QrjUBlRyTGEWglNF8RqMVLTvlkzGEWlxeixuoagqpXm8NJTq4wPEmA0YGwnVXvhg9ScK-65y26PR9Kg0noFc/s1570/bosbrpktcover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1570" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRpDhT8f8ylqYSrI3o_FmIyDnHIcUM0c32W0bKAwdbup4VT2I_QrjUBlRyTGEWglNF8RqMVLTvlkzGEWlxeixuoagqpXm8NJTq4wPEmA0YGwnVXvhg9ScK-65y26PR9Kg0noFc/w640-h347/bosbrpktcover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Other than the address panel at the center of the envelope, there is a very brief docket at the top left.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnX_c3wJ22ReOu86EQk3UOfvansAC4JXS_NFcP1s_hos65NQIYTkO6qAPT2MtAHliyCvncvvdYd4s7gdz53Yzus_nNz42Uh58kLGmsslsWlm4poILayH71Ych-3Yf9qguZ2-2j4ynC-KSbga_TSqeG01rWgYf44O0YdesX_S3HTL_TLMh8qHeE_LMO-dTP/s270/worcesterbaconpersteamer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="86" data-original-width="270" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnX_c3wJ22ReOu86EQk3UOfvansAC4JXS_NFcP1s_hos65NQIYTkO6qAPT2MtAHliyCvncvvdYd4s7gdz53Yzus_nNz42Uh58kLGmsslsWlm4poILayH71Ych-3Yf9qguZ2-2j4ynC-KSbga_TSqeG01rWgYf44O0YdesX_S3HTL_TLMh8qHeE_LMO-dTP/w400-h127/worcesterbaconpersteamer.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The docket "<i>per Steamer</i>" at the top left could have meant one of three things. </p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>There was more than one option for mail to go from Worcester to Boston</li><li>The writer thought there was some other option than a steamship to cross the Atlantic</li><li>The writer just wanted to write "per Steamer" on the envelope</li></ol><p>I
can tell you that Worcester is just west of Boston and there are
no rivers that would have had steamers plying between the two
locations. I am pretty certain a train or a coach carried the letter to
the Boston foreign mail office. So, it wasn't the first option.</p><p>I am ALSO quite certain that the
letter rode on a steamship (a Cunard Line ship) to cross the Atlantic.
In fact, there really wasn't another way that mail would do so at the
time. So, you could argue that the person who wrote this wasted ink on
the docket. That would be option three.<br /></p><p>In their defense, it had not been that many years that
steamships were the primary mode of transportation across the sea.
The person writing could very well remember the days that most
ships went by sail, not steam engine. They might even have experienced a
time when you would WANT to indicate that you wanted it to go by a
steamship rather than one that went under sail and you had to say so on
your letter.<br /></p><p>The item below, shows some successful direction given by a docket:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqtMZLK6DlbwfnKo_J7zGsbcoE67MxWJxRCj3zTNTlitNqHivtDPNRsjfGTEK5wUkEy6pipkg4obReQXCYk99y6FwhtA4EZYhjxi2B1F-oVs8VNui4GlHYQbBbuwG9oPhBHbj/s1614/westcoast5cnt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1019" data-original-width="1614" height="405" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqtMZLK6DlbwfnKo_J7zGsbcoE67MxWJxRCj3zTNTlitNqHivtDPNRsjfGTEK5wUkEy6pipkg4obReQXCYk99y6FwhtA4EZYhjxi2B1F-oVs8VNui4GlHYQbBbuwG9oPhBHbj/w640-h405/westcoast5cnt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The words "<i>via Panama</i>"
very clearly directed the post office in San Francisco to put it on a
steamer that would go down the Pacific coast to Panama. The letter then would
go overland at the isthmus and then board another steamer to New York from
the eastern shore of the isthmus. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI62XyhaiLeW6nMQKP5QDyAXldp-vwqer_tABQM2cpSIrsERm9jfg6vDOYotBs0nPZ3NkdQV2_BPegsnc7UN-qfeZpUzJKKYoZl_mtA1ZP3saA-XW_NfrrwB1kZr8YJm81A9zMFD1vF-gchZjXekxwtJt9wMWuyd7gotdCFa2SPtPAPprjLTUby6DU-Ok/s718/westcoast5ctviapanamadocket.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="718" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMI62XyhaiLeW6nMQKP5QDyAXldp-vwqer_tABQM2cpSIrsERm9jfg6vDOYotBs0nPZ3NkdQV2_BPegsnc7UN-qfeZpUzJKKYoZl_mtA1ZP3saA-XW_NfrrwB1kZr8YJm81A9zMFD1vF-gchZjXekxwtJt9wMWuyd7gotdCFa2SPtPAPprjLTUby6DU-Ok/w400-h89/westcoast5ctviapanamadocket.png" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>In
this case, there were a couple of routing alternatives. The default
route was for letter mail to go overland in 1863 since overland routes
were in use at that time from California. So, if a letter writer
preferred the steamship via Panama, they had to indicate that
preference as this person did here.</p><p></p><p>The question is, of course,
"<i>why did this person want this to go on the slower route?</i>" We
may never
know this answer for certain. But, perhaps the sender had heard enough
about mail coach robberies that they did not want to risk that with
this mail item? Maybe there was a known weather issue that was going to
delay overland mail? Or perhaps, they were aware of uncertainties with
respect to conflict with Native Americans along the mail route?</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp9p5ZevtmFHRmliWGn1LeEKg2H7uqiw1Y-AXoM3y0fTqbGX6rFIJL1HYdQ1RCOLtrT40py1Ty8jxojcIGuDslO4NZPeTWkodLaiJT41glX3yXZnbozvJI_j-woYkgsgMPcIn-mRACo_y7Av-NpDHeNuVX8RxkMG1OODjkn01LDQ3jhgXBBuljmaP82SM/s651/OverlandmailcoachattackedAnnRonancollectionca1867woodcut.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="651" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp9p5ZevtmFHRmliWGn1LeEKg2H7uqiw1Y-AXoM3y0fTqbGX6rFIJL1HYdQ1RCOLtrT40py1Ty8jxojcIGuDslO4NZPeTWkodLaiJT41glX3yXZnbozvJI_j-woYkgsgMPcIn-mRACo_y7Av-NpDHeNuVX8RxkMG1OODjkn01LDQ3jhgXBBuljmaP82SM/w400-h261/OverlandmailcoachattackedAnnRonancollectionca1867woodcut.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unattributed woodcut, circa 1867 - Ann Ronan collection<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The <a href="https://johnhutchingsmuseum.org/the-bear-river-massacre/" target="_blank">Bear River Massacre</a>
in January of 1863 was one such event that led to tensions that
impacted the mail route near Salt Lake City. An incident involving US
soldiers harassing Native American women and injuring members of the
Goshute led to an armed conflict. The Goshute, after losing that
conflict, swore revenge on the "bluecoats" (a reference to the soldier's
uniforms). Unfortunately, <a href="https://johnhutchingsmuseum.org/attack-on-the-mailcoach/" target="_blank">they identified mail coach drivers</a> as bluecoats and killed both men on a mail coach early on June 10th.<p></p><p>However,
other than a short period in 1862, overland mails were not halted due
to conflict. They might have been delayed at point along the route if
sections were impassible for a time. So, it was entirely up to the
sender to weigh the risk of possible delay. If they wanted to apply a
docket telling the US Post Office to take the route via Panama, they
could do so.<br /></p><p>Whatever the case, this is a time when the
directive was followed - even if it was going to result in slower
transit of the mail item. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUa_ipkecuu80RkImQX__BSCINNThrWPfgjgpphpIAuBCr6NZaruA5zauoE6KJubHiy9xkcUH2FWLwM3oC5ldap7joat-XNRFXpFeamgSuJuafvYWdRjHOIlnjcijf-6r2NpR/s1629/niceshadetoengland.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1629" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUa_ipkecuu80RkImQX__BSCINNThrWPfgjgpphpIAuBCr6NZaruA5zauoE6KJubHiy9xkcUH2FWLwM3oC5ldap7joat-XNRFXpFeamgSuJuafvYWdRjHOIlnjcijf-6r2NpR/w640-h365/niceshadetoengland.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p>And here is another successful routing docket (look at the top left). This one reads "<i>by the Persia Aug 24 in New York.</i>"
Unfortunately for the postal historian (me), there are no contents in
the letter and there is no originating postmark, so I cannot tell for
certain where this item was mailed from in the United States. Clearly,
it DID go through New York and it DID leave on a ship from New York on
August 24 (yes, it was the <i>Persia</i>). So, you could say that the docket worked - it went where the writer wanted it to go.</p><p>However,
it is likely that this letter would have taken this particular ship
from New York whether the docket was placed on the envelope or not! <br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Did They Need Dockets by the 1860s?</b></span></p><p>By
the time we get to letters in the 1860s, the need for writers to
include directional docketing had been greatly reduced - though there
were times when it was still necessary. As far as mail from the United
States to England goes, the postal service had a pretty good system for
getting letters to the earliest departing steamship or identifying the quickest route - there was very
little a directional docket would do that would improve that.</p><p>As
long as the letter above was mailed on time for that New York departure,
it was probably going to take the earliest departing ship even without the
docket.</p><p>But, the letter below might actually have a somewhat useful docket.... maybe.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Gy32n3SPo_TgDVAdV7MtJLeqyxioBL8-zxd5J3pOZE9bHzsX1-8A7FQisdXI7lCg_i5aaljT2zgmalatMNCWmorbSzIprE_ob20wwhiPi7tcH7BahTAfCMcHAGOSLQYs9HbC/s787/canadalv.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="787" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Gy32n3SPo_TgDVAdV7MtJLeqyxioBL8-zxd5J3pOZE9bHzsX1-8A7FQisdXI7lCg_i5aaljT2zgmalatMNCWmorbSzIprE_ob20wwhiPi7tcH7BahTAfCMcHAGOSLQYs9HbC/w640-h373/canadalv.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p>The
docket "via Liverpool" at top left could be construed as a directive to
put the letter on one of the shipping lines that went through Liverpool
- but it actually did more than that. You see, the Cunard Line would
stop at Cork, Ireland, and offload mail for England there. That mail would then
go by rail, cross the water from Kingston to Holyhead, and then on to
London by rail. </p><p>Because this item was headed to Scotland, the
writer indicated that it should stay on the ship until it got to
Liverpool the next day. From there it would go to Glasgow.</p><p>But,
again, there is a question as to exactly how useful the docket might be
because the mail volume to the United Kingdom was sufficient that mail
to Scotland could have been placed into its own mailbag. If that were
the case, it would take the most efficient route to Scotland without
needing the docket. </p><p>Once more, this is a case where we see mail
handling in the process of change. Dockets that were once critical in
directing the mail were becoming less important as the amount
of mail increased and the mail sorting and routing procedures become more refined.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to the Original Cover<br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAOpu9UAXw3E6ZQ3tyqfdJBXIJM1XJcEXpYxqNM8GyPe8ThdGd4cuABwXfKm5-5NjSaQt9VPdpxBjdQwG5qJ0GlOR3ysM9VtsWG7G4AxoKqThKZIe94Nz4meJngEcn6JUEiKT/s1644/toolateny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1644" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAOpu9UAXw3E6ZQ3tyqfdJBXIJM1XJcEXpYxqNM8GyPe8ThdGd4cuABwXfKm5-5NjSaQt9VPdpxBjdQwG5qJ0GlOR3ysM9VtsWG7G4AxoKqThKZIe94Nz4meJngEcn6JUEiKT/w400-h230/toolateny.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Here we are - back at the original item with the docket claiming the letter should go to Boston and leave on the Cunard Steamer <i>Asia</i> on April 25 (Wednesday). But, clearly, it left New York on a steamer that Saturday (April 28).</p><p>The
reason for the delay is simple. The writer did not make it to the post
office in time to get the mail to Boston and the departure of the
Asia. The post office simply sent the item to New York, where the next
ship was scheduled to sail across the Atlantic.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo2XLs0WBH3tWGD81idTeqs-Hhky1g-2zJjfplzx3R6w6ZLgXeK51krN3NQ9GGsdezQ_yaakrwlbHUijLpyJ2UaeSOLz68DszTQJ1sadTst0gjvUcA-ApGBoQq9cAou0iAhEEeurUWriUEGnL09hI9l_duQ1IeYvZahEIqFIj8IEEUpzS61KRg4mwp4e5/s434/TooLateMarking3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="81" data-original-width="434" height="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo2XLs0WBH3tWGD81idTeqs-Hhky1g-2zJjfplzx3R6w6ZLgXeK51krN3NQ9GGsdezQ_yaakrwlbHUijLpyJ2UaeSOLz68DszTQJ1sadTst0gjvUcA-ApGBoQq9cAou0iAhEEeurUWriUEGnL09hI9l_duQ1IeYvZahEIqFIj8IEEUpzS61KRg4mwp4e5/s320/TooLateMarking3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>But, here is the
problem for the post office. The writer makes a claim by saying the
letter was to leave Boston on April 25. The post office provides
themselves evidence that it is not THEIR problem by putting the "Too
Late" marking on the envelope. "Hey, George Atkinson. I don't care
what the guy who wrote this says - he didn't get it to us in time for
that ship. Take it up with him!"</p><p>This illustrates a bit more
about why dockets were still routinely placed on letters. It could
often serve as an attempt to provide evidence of timeliness during an era
when it took ten to twelve days to cross the Atlantic - and a missed
ship could add three more days to the wait! </p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bonus Docket Fun!</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1w87IBEB-DElBYwG3LMdNoSEJ9v8g-k8aK9SO1Qh6eE9ysNbasa-ZG92GAPTFuCpWjLjOKrBjgQ0Bvvq38Aw3hRRl-QwD4dXMTFmSxKlA9iGiHrfXY9emaXFbKSJjshbqheiae8MuzcQuwu4sTx0Ivy8o5b1GGvobC0ghN6orfsa8VCKbyCfFE0FNl7_X/s1580/overland3cent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="1580" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1w87IBEB-DElBYwG3LMdNoSEJ9v8g-k8aK9SO1Qh6eE9ysNbasa-ZG92GAPTFuCpWjLjOKrBjgQ0Bvvq38Aw3hRRl-QwD4dXMTFmSxKlA9iGiHrfXY9emaXFbKSJjshbqheiae8MuzcQuwu4sTx0Ivy8o5b1GGvobC0ghN6orfsa8VCKbyCfFE0FNl7_X/w640-h332/overland3cent.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I
thought it might be interesting show a docket that was placed on an
envelope that instructed a letter to take the overland route to
California. Unlike the prior example, this envelope was traveling from
the East Coast to the West Coast.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlU355y2oEXVLja7SHvqZZeFOn6GdVtGd0dJqlDgoX_m3M7Wzg3W3BFR3dvoaMz77MKHWU36MY_WorDLxeXBMWwBEdsiSJyHfhHVPyttgdNRb_b2MWdEq3hL6-FoZPIW4kmoF1hntTDQs6sfvqAiDY7EWylCRJae1mICKUdfHPTq29wHDj1fB4r6O5c3J/s821/overlanddocket.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="821" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXlU355y2oEXVLja7SHvqZZeFOn6GdVtGd0dJqlDgoX_m3M7Wzg3W3BFR3dvoaMz77MKHWU36MY_WorDLxeXBMWwBEdsiSJyHfhHVPyttgdNRb_b2MWdEq3hL6-FoZPIW4kmoF1hntTDQs6sfvqAiDY7EWylCRJae1mICKUdfHPTq29wHDj1fB4r6O5c3J/w400-h89/overlanddocket.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>Yes...
that says "overland." I recognize that these scrawls can be difficult
to decipher sometimes, even if you know cursive handwriting. I have to
admit that it helps if you know what sorts of words are likely to be put
on an envelope for a docket. For example, letters traveling across the
United States are likely to have dockets that say "overland,"
"steamer," or "Panama" if there is going to be a directional docket
during the 1860s.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41xcljbmBL4asf3RIWS1gseSHC_okwM2Z_W13IjnHLB8ECz9f7WN7fopLsGHsXx86oQorWCJT4d61_SU9fvy1Q5xetjltK6NXJ_8ERD8zqRoPSpm6QPb-7MXdXmxCJ5v40iyEc4mSM7Bj5-ZZzDC5eXdtNS6qgTluGU6YqYJlW6gIWmjRNBbxxNIcaMIh/s1880/img080.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1880" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41xcljbmBL4asf3RIWS1gseSHC_okwM2Z_W13IjnHLB8ECz9f7WN7fopLsGHsXx86oQorWCJT4d61_SU9fvy1Q5xetjltK6NXJ_8ERD8zqRoPSpm6QPb-7MXdXmxCJ5v40iyEc4mSM7Bj5-ZZzDC5eXdtNS6qgTluGU6YqYJlW6gIWmjRNBbxxNIcaMIh/w640-h362/img080.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This
triple weight letter, with nine cents in postage also has a docket on
the right hand side of the envelope. It is oriented so it reads
sideways, which is often a signal to me that this is probably a docket
applied by the recipient for filing. Of course, this is not always
true, but it is a rule of thumb that has seemed to make sense for
material during this time period.</p><p>If it is a filing docket, you
can often expect names, dates and place names. Frequently, there might
be reference to legal materials that were contents or were referenced by
the contents of the letter. This time, I believe the docket reads
"vouchers." Of course, if someone sees it differently, feel fee to
disagree!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDMPOY8LqmYns8qQCoLRLogp6l3CbZJckEQTvMUMTIaPewUj89dYF11ou-fIMnMVH5k14OSUn0bdhaB-4aObgWy2iPNTw80q9aS0s8HeDWffRnBOG_lJVjHHjqiyaaY9xXdXQo4O2cxuuyDYHjUdy_BJw_SGCG9ejSRHXh3Epp7HE_IyhF8ILp4tb_qPO/s1421/docketClimax.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1421" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDMPOY8LqmYns8qQCoLRLogp6l3CbZJckEQTvMUMTIaPewUj89dYF11ou-fIMnMVH5k14OSUn0bdhaB-4aObgWy2iPNTw80q9aS0s8HeDWffRnBOG_lJVjHHjqiyaaY9xXdXQo4O2cxuuyDYHjUdy_BJw_SGCG9ejSRHXh3Epp7HE_IyhF8ILp4tb_qPO/w640-h380/docketClimax.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I
think I will close with a favorite docket of mine. In this case, we
could argue that this is not so much a docket as it is part of the
address. Frankly, I wouldn't be upset either way because my need to
call it a docket is secondary.</p><p>This letter was mailed from Grand
Rapids to Galesburgh, Michigan in Kalamazoo County. The addressee
actually lived closer to a small town outside of Galesburgh. The docket
reads "Please forward to Climax with Daily Mail." You can learn more
about this particular item in a Postal History Sunday titled <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-rural-burden-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">The Rural Burden</a>, if you have interest.</p><p>I hope you enjoyed today's entry. Have a great remainder day and a fine week to come.</p><p>------------------</p><p>Thank you for joining me this week. I hope you have a fine remainder of your day and an excellent week to come.</p><p>Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-33380721393173055732024-01-24T05:30:00.191-06:002024-01-24T05:30:00.128-06:00Changes On the Horizon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEYJo_7t-uHykmMY2hQvEIWsCcgndLQ5OA4ddfOw4pOZYBuiYzj7mq0iyvO3oJVSmRY3-xmHA5sUIMQIDIZpMcpu_gtZrbzLVcsUJZssAlIrnjP-9gQhw5oInh5JuHaBsr3JBzku_kzgF3hqUSRU31ESkRwvyvHGrO7yJVBi2hDLT-C7u-2w1/s6240/IMG_9653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEYJo_7t-uHykmMY2hQvEIWsCcgndLQ5OA4ddfOw4pOZYBuiYzj7mq0iyvO3oJVSmRY3-xmHA5sUIMQIDIZpMcpu_gtZrbzLVcsUJZssAlIrnjP-9gQhw5oInh5JuHaBsr3JBzku_kzgF3hqUSRU31ESkRwvyvHGrO7yJVBi2hDLT-C7u-2w1/w640-h426/IMG_9653.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />After a streak of four years where I averaged 300 blog posts each year, I was feeling like it was time to re-assess my writing priorities. So, I put out the obligatory end of year/beginning of year posts and then I stopped putting much material out beyond Postal History Sunday. This post will be published on the 24th of the month and it will be the 7th post on this blog for the year.<p></p><p>I can't tell you how strange this has felt - to take a break from writing. I certainly don't miss the constant low-level stress that came from the internal pressure to produce. But, then again, I do find myself feeling like I am missing something valuable. It's almost as if I have removed some of the purpose from my life that, apparently, frequent writing provided for me.</p><p>On the other hand, it's not like I have decided to stop writing entirely. I want to write differently and a nearly daily blog doesn't give space for that.</p><p>I've come to realize that I want to raise the quality of my writing. That means each article or blog post should be given a bit more space and time to become a quality effort. I've also been feeling pulled more to editing some of my prior work to improve them and raise their quality. And, I'm even considering putting some of my material into a book format. All of that is made more difficult if I'm trying to come up with something nearly every day.</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Rw3eq_xRoAZm8xSh6FBOxkN4OW5s8DYl1azmbkUBUoTnzi1Ss9DuWhyeIEr7CRftiVdaMKAwmyi0PJqATH9UXjc11Chq1nzYIBMBypCjwov0yaB3pYpLrYes9T8zpxDU298MV7MkSZzMIlGsC_BES6Bhyphenhyphenu2tmFfZYR42SyQiRoZklSSfXWho/s6240/IMG_9640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Rw3eq_xRoAZm8xSh6FBOxkN4OW5s8DYl1azmbkUBUoTnzi1Ss9DuWhyeIEr7CRftiVdaMKAwmyi0PJqATH9UXjc11Chq1nzYIBMBypCjwov0yaB3pYpLrYes9T8zpxDU298MV7MkSZzMIlGsC_BES6Bhyphenhyphenu2tmFfZYR42SyQiRoZklSSfXWho/w640-h426/IMG_9640.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p>The other major consideration for these changes is that I recognize that the motivation for my writing is, once again, evolving. When the blog first started in 2009, it was a move from monthly Genuine Faux Farm newsletters that we sent out in emails and posted on our own website. About 97% of the posts had something to do with promoting the farm and/or teaching readers about small-scale, diversified farming. There were a couple of moments where I explored other writing, but that was about it.</p><p>Then, the pandemic hit in 2020. Suddenly people were reaching for connections and I wanted to offer whatever I could to help. Since, we had already decided that we would scale back the farm and I would take a job with Pesticide Action Network, there was more space for writing. It turned out that there was a place for my educational posts, philosophical posts, humorous posts and... just a whole lot of posts. I am fairly certain it was the right thing for me to do at that point in time. And, I think some people got something positive out of it.</p><p>And, yes, regular practice in writing didn't hurt the quality of the material either.<br /></p><p>But, as we moved into 2023, it became apparent that the landscape was changing. People were no longer seeking this sort of connection. On top of that, the ways I let people know that a new blog was available started to change. Blogger stopped offering a way to send notices to those who subscribed to the blog. Social media platforms kept changing their algorithms, making it less likely that interested people would actually see it when I offered new writing. So, while I am not anxious or interested in becoming "popular," I found that those who had expressed interest weren't hearing that I was producing new things.</p><p>All of that put a damper on my enthusiasm. After all, if I wanted to write a diary, I wouldn't publish it. I typically write with an audience in mind - even if that audience is just a small (but mighty) one. But, if you can't reach that audience reliably, the writing becomes an exercise in futility.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPZGy9RsxGblgv44tx-Y-kgSj1Jdf96rcXNBM46ImUX86So9M0UUkgG-XJFiriuOyHkRokWJMV3Tc8bNcHqxWqL1kBbQK22Oz4ogFAIC-T8yK5lBDZNjsXAaZg4wdYvi33tflfXg0dBOnLN53yrP7wYgGsZrlhdnBMUDmQZO_vzL8a9rf5yXH/s6240/IMG_9636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPZGy9RsxGblgv44tx-Y-kgSj1Jdf96rcXNBM46ImUX86So9M0UUkgG-XJFiriuOyHkRokWJMV3Tc8bNcHqxWqL1kBbQK22Oz4ogFAIC-T8yK5lBDZNjsXAaZg4wdYvi33tflfXg0dBOnLN53yrP7wYgGsZrlhdnBMUDmQZO_vzL8a9rf5yXH/w640-h426/IMG_9636.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>Now what? Things probably shouldn't continue as they have because the old process and method is no longer fulfilling - quite possibly for everyone if no one knows there is material to read!</p><p>Well, folks, there are changes on the horizon!</p><p>First, I am exploring two new (to me) blogging platforms: Substack and Medium. I have begun the process of establishing accounts and setting things up there. In both cases, they allow me to establish an email contact list to those who subscribe. That means you can opt to be notified via email when new things come out. THEN, you can decide for yourself if you want to read or ignore each item as they come out.</p><p>I think that's a lot better than never knowing you have the option.</p><p>Second, I am considering what I want my writing load to be in the coming year. At present, I can tell you that Postal History Sunday won't end any time soon. I am also interested in picking up a bit more on an old, familiar topic - small-scale, diversified farming and agroecology.</p><p>I like the idea that I might be able to go on Faux Real Story writing sprees when I feel that creative urge. And, I want to re-work and re-release some of the better posts. And then, there's that book idea that has rolled around in my head for many years. The biggest problem with that is the normal issue for me - available time.</p><p>That, and I'm often unwilling to keep myself from exploring and expanding my topic area. Books don't make good places for moving targets.</p><p>So, stay tuned (if you actually get here in the first place) - something's coming, and I'm actually starting to feel good about where it's going.<br /></p><p>Have a good remainder of your day and thank you for considering my words.<br /></p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-7079611873109805192024-01-21T05:30:00.001-06:002024-01-21T05:30:00.130-06:00Carried Away Some More - Postal History Sunday<p> </p><p>Winter has very much arrived and made itself welcome at the Genuine
Faux Farm. After a late start, we've had multiple snows, strong winds,
and some bitter cold. All in a period of a couple of weeks. </p><p>One
of the myths that I tell myself about the cold weather is that I'll get
to spend more time with the postal history hobby I enjoy. It's a good
story, at least, that helps me tolerate trudging out to the laying hens
in wind chills of thirty below. But the reality is that there are often
more, not fewer trips, out to deal with farm chores. And while I spend
less time outside per trip, I probably spend much more time putting on
the proper clothing to do the work.</p><p>So, this week for Postal
History Sunday, I thought I would let myself be carried away some more
by carrier covers - all in an effort to forget, if only for a short
while, that I have to go collect more eggs before they freeze!</p><p>And,
before we get into it, it should be noted that the carrier fee to the
mails were removed on July 1, 1863. Since I enjoy studying items with
postage stamps bearing the 1861 US design (issued in August 1861), you
will find most of the covers shown today will be dated between August of
1861 through June of 1863. I'll leave it to other folks to show
earlier and later items if they wish!<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC800F10_PZCmJmeVcJuAQr7betUNMh2am43qm0q_JS2iGABmnp_6nvVYiJFvWDG1wBSvCIh-xD-hXFQx87vM6byUlF2Y1v2_7h8FbmBPHzbfpQWB-3DkSjuX1LV169dFMo-QJVvVT6owIxm-VOZPeWVRIxUCic5oQyyltDpHiv0xCOaxrquCwFQKt_Lwj/s1579/carrier7ctdoubleratePhiladelphia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1579" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC800F10_PZCmJmeVcJuAQr7betUNMh2am43qm0q_JS2iGABmnp_6nvVYiJFvWDG1wBSvCIh-xD-hXFQx87vM6byUlF2Y1v2_7h8FbmBPHzbfpQWB-3DkSjuX1LV169dFMo-QJVvVT6owIxm-VOZPeWVRIxUCic5oQyyltDpHiv0xCOaxrquCwFQKt_Lwj/w640-h356/carrier7ctdoubleratePhiladelphia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">The letter carrier fee "to the mails"</span></b></p><p>Just <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2024/01/carried-away-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">two weeks ago</a>,
I focused on carrier letters that showed the one cent fee to pay a US
mail carrier to collect the letter from an individual or a letter box
and take it to the post office. A small number of the larger cities in
the United States provided this service in the 1850s into the 1860s, but
their number was increasing as the postal services grew to accommodate
the increased volume in mail. </p><p>Persons who are interested in this
topic can find examples of a US postage stamp paying the one cent
carrier fee from larger cities such as Philadelphia, New York,
Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn and Cleveland. And it should be noted that
this fee was for a carrier employed by the US Post Office. There were,
at the time, competing private carrier services in some locations as
well. </p><p>Shown above is an envelope that must have weighed more
than 1/2 ounce. The letter rate for a domestic letter within the United
States was 3 cents per 1/2 ounce in weight and this letter bears two
3-cent stamps at the top right to pay that postage. On the left is a
1-cent stamp to pay the Philadelphia carrier fee to the mails. That
extra penny paid for a US letter carrier to either pick it up from the
sender or from one of the post boxes in the city. That carrier would
then take it to the post office where it could be prepared to go with
the rest of the mail bound for Boston.</p><p>This particular item
illustrates the difference between a "rate" and a "fee." Letters could
be sent at the rate of 3 cents per 1/2 ounce. For an extra fee of one
cent, a letter carrier in Philadelphia could bring the letter to the
post office for the person wishing to mail the letter. So, even though
this letter weighed over 1/2 ounce, the carrier fee did not double like
the postage amount did. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTq7yZMbXPRtwp7JHOYw12iLMSH9ArK5jeycy4mHi2QBeqllT1ETOuXzNTEVyasxSaLdgLhwkWoktwHAmHddH4We6a9Y2MuVxaCKwIV37ecZ1P1V6-SttIWGuUa5IZAeNQQHHZVV73pYwUwzImnL-gCM4xG-etWFkqN3tlNkHc5P7YPiraLhELBhyphenhyphenVkn5/s1044/newyork1ctcarrierb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="1044" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTq7yZMbXPRtwp7JHOYw12iLMSH9ArK5jeycy4mHi2QBeqllT1ETOuXzNTEVyasxSaLdgLhwkWoktwHAmHddH4We6a9Y2MuVxaCKwIV37ecZ1P1V6-SttIWGuUa5IZAeNQQHHZVV73pYwUwzImnL-gCM4xG-etWFkqN3tlNkHc5P7YPiraLhELBhyphenhyphenVkn5/w640-h360/newyork1ctcarrierb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carrier to the mails and delivery in New York City<br /></b></span></p><p>The
small envelope shown above is an example of a letter that was taken to
the mails by a letter carrier and carried to the addressee by a letter
carrier. We can deduce that it was likely delivered because the address
panel includes details for the location of Mary G. Ambler at Number 25
on West 23rd Street. And, in case that was not enough, there is a
docket at bottom left that reads "3 doors from V Avenue Hotel," which is
likely referencing the very new Fifth Avenue Hotel that had recently
been completed 1859). A letter that was going to be held at the post
office for the recipient to pick up typically would not include a
detailed location.</p><p>This letter took advantage of the one-cent
carrier fee that paid for pick up and delivery of letter mail within New
York City. We can determine this is the case both because there is a
one-cent stamp paying the postage and there is a postal marking that is
known to indicate this carrier service at the time. A tracing of this
marking (with a different date) is shown below:<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoQclGyN2z6mae00Tto6mqLP0fSHDtcXytZfi6ueZEO4KSvlQEiTa9tHX62O4Wbe_C3p9scG5-7Rti1o5lxJy0QDIgv7wguvzgn0VZMqrqgNChom7jC34NMcb40yfio3BI7xXFmYNy4TG7-Nhp_mBiuLv6anJM5mX1zz_83TXnzP84xYw-CHk6tKuQ76W/s210/pmcr11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="199" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoQclGyN2z6mae00Tto6mqLP0fSHDtcXytZfi6ueZEO4KSvlQEiTa9tHX62O4Wbe_C3p9scG5-7Rti1o5lxJy0QDIgv7wguvzgn0VZMqrqgNChom7jC34NMcb40yfio3BI7xXFmYNy4TG7-Nhp_mBiuLv6anJM5mX1zz_83TXnzP84xYw-CHk6tKuQ76W/s1600/pmcr11.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p></p><p>Now,
before I go much further, I want to point out that a cover with a
one-cent stamp alone does not necessarily indicate carrier services.
It's the combination of the one-cent stamp with this particular marking
that confirms it for us. However, there are other situations that might
call for a single one-cent stamp on a cover.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_P2DpkzS2e5MqufurvcbzD6I3R9BkL_jOZK63izwGI9PU4SFiUM1QmDoGcjrTY8dlTZF8kyCIrMtL0LNuVNK1gwzODAFJsqrJ_WVjrWamlr9Zzzz97evqQ5L8QwzPQY1eBSlxpBNdikwg1yHQL6eVYMDgvLwIekVjZnpRjK0_JCMFDyFMexP57DLsBgg/s1269/dropgettysburg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1269" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_P2DpkzS2e5MqufurvcbzD6I3R9BkL_jOZK63izwGI9PU4SFiUM1QmDoGcjrTY8dlTZF8kyCIrMtL0LNuVNK1gwzODAFJsqrJ_WVjrWamlr9Zzzz97evqQ5L8QwzPQY1eBSlxpBNdikwg1yHQL6eVYMDgvLwIekVjZnpRjK0_JCMFDyFMexP57DLsBgg/w640-h386/dropgettysburg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The
small letter shown above is good example. The postmark on the stamp is
for Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and the letter is addressed to the same
location. Gettysburg did not have a US postal carrier at the time, so
there is no way this paid for those services. On the other hand, there
was a one-cent rate for letters dropped at the post office that were
also intended to be picked up at the post office - just as this one was.<br /></p><p>So,
the take-away here is that we also need to know that the post office in
a given town or city actually employed letter carriers before we can
consider the possibility of a carrier fee on a cover.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cstHtFkDmph_996WIj67S2jGaIRopEEFip_EjUa4o6gqi9ydvQb47ABgvvQfw6vDrhbJwj2pKZsvay6Tqz_mVpPxMso97nFqxiBWspMvlf4Y9fx5U4rnjF59EZo5HQvqvsyIJwWQMzd8A_dNhDUGtzCfcU64xkjN1oprgIe98MNNqIQbknJ6TdZZn_j6/s1588/carriercanada.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1588" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cstHtFkDmph_996WIj67S2jGaIRopEEFip_EjUa4o6gqi9ydvQb47ABgvvQfw6vDrhbJwj2pKZsvay6Tqz_mVpPxMso97nFqxiBWspMvlf4Y9fx5U4rnjF59EZo5HQvqvsyIJwWQMzd8A_dNhDUGtzCfcU64xkjN1oprgIe98MNNqIQbknJ6TdZZn_j6/w640-h362/carriercanada.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Some were destined to leave the United States</span></b></p><p>The
one-cent fee for carriage to the mails was independent of the postage
rate, as we saw with our first example. But, let's drive that point
home a bit further.</p><p>Shown above is a letter mailed in Philadelphia
and destined to Canada. The postage rate for a simple letter from the
US to Canada was ten cents at the time. And, sure enough, there is a
green ten-cent postage stamp at the right paying the cost for that rate.
</p><p>This is the part where you say, "Hey! There's a one-cent stamp
on there too. Philadelphia had letter carriers. I bet this is an
example of carrier service to the mails too!" And the good news is, you
would be correct. Good job!</p><p>An extra penny of postage paid
beyond the required postage rate, in addition to the knowledge that
there were carriers picking up mail in a given city, makes a strong case
for the carrier fee. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4pqdwBtJhkElSEPawtGW6gFaL_qeUMcBRtYVz5dtGgM-5uJCtG5YeR98kDCnIDiUhpsBOmLcD1wEGyFsLVeMtM2XoFIP3ZKq9NHRXiYN5wsPTNaHkLZczuLh5bt26Q8E-V1TakjLKVEMVTQ1L3zkGs0qqTxo9wkpxFKrriDmBKKc7kf0jlsENhmKtZxH/s1606/bluecarrier.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1606" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4pqdwBtJhkElSEPawtGW6gFaL_qeUMcBRtYVz5dtGgM-5uJCtG5YeR98kDCnIDiUhpsBOmLcD1wEGyFsLVeMtM2XoFIP3ZKq9NHRXiYN5wsPTNaHkLZczuLh5bt26Q8E-V1TakjLKVEMVTQ1L3zkGs0qqTxo9wkpxFKrriDmBKKc7kf0jlsENhmKtZxH/w640-h376/bluecarrier.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here's
another good candidate. This letter was mailed from New York City to
Staffordshire, England. The postage rate for a simple letter from the
US to the UK at the time was 24 cents for a letter weighing no more than
1/2 ounce. The 24-cent stamp at the left pays that postage rate, and
the 1-cent stamp at the right paid for the carrier service in New York
City to the mails.</p><p>The case is made stronger by the fact that an
additional stamp (the 1 cent stamp) was added to this cover in addition
to the amount required for the letter postage rate. Why would a person
bother to separate another stamp from the sheet, lick the back, and then
stick it on the envelope unless they intended for it to pay for some
sort of service?</p><p>The answer is: they wouldn't. So, it is pretty clear the extra penny was intended to pay for the carrier service to the mails. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs80nws9ohkguCHyTEILb1KwXrC5pugx8TegUvoaFGUvRQZzAPULWegyBsOaoMhBHJUSagQ8Z33GsU40l6dmCoNPJH8tMQeQRoUi-XhduIjwhgHv45_cFAhSaJmxBbHYC5g2Unem5eWM-12dl4MNsN9rtGaCHmdVL9CVRSwG0yGOLO4vv6azxZL4KS7Yz/s1629/Brunswickoverpay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1629" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvs80nws9ohkguCHyTEILb1KwXrC5pugx8TegUvoaFGUvRQZzAPULWegyBsOaoMhBHJUSagQ8Z33GsU40l6dmCoNPJH8tMQeQRoUi-XhduIjwhgHv45_cFAhSaJmxBbHYC5g2Unem5eWM-12dl4MNsN9rtGaCHmdVL9CVRSwG0yGOLO4vv6azxZL4KS7Yz/w640-h365/Brunswickoverpay.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Here
is an example that I hope will illustrate what I mean. The total
postage on this cover is 30 cents. The postage rate required for this
item was 28 cents. The stamps on the cover include one 24-cent stamp
and two 3-cent stamps. What were the extra two cents intended to pay?
Or did they pay for anything at all?<br /></p><p>The item was mailed in
New York City, so there were letter carriers available. So, it is
possible this was an attempt to pay carrier services. But, I don't make
the claim that this happened. Why?</p><p>First, the old rate to
Brunswick was 30 cents per 1/2 ounce and it had recently (within a few
years) been changed. Also, the rate for letters that were sent unpaid
was 30 cents and 28 cents when it was properly paid. So, it is entirely
possible (in fact, likely) that this was a simple mistake in
identifying the postage rate. It is also possible that this was a
"convenience overpay." The person had 3-cent stamps and 24-cent stamps,
which didn't provide a good option to get to 28 total cents. So, they
just got as close to the total they could with what they had. </p><p>This
would be different if there were 29 cents of postage on this cover and
one of the stamps was a one cent stamp. It certainly would NOT be a
convenience overpay - what's convenient about adding another stamp?
And, it would clearly not be due to rate confusion - unless they thought
they would take the average of the two and give that a go! <br /></p><p>The
final piece of evidence is that this letter was mailed in 1865, well
after the July 1, 1863 date where the carrier fee was removed. Since
there was no carrier fee, it couldn't have been used to pay it. But,
even if this had been mailed in 1862, I would not make the claim that it
was an attempt to pay for carrier service.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH05mhcG94HjDkZLhavq2CCNygWi03c56jX_K2aOGuR6yl-NLnBx1Iswl81pbI6v45ec3_QUlc1HzFCCHkB-TH9HxmR4Wyyw2oYOqXCfLhujqRrexBsSJyrhJvETBYB-4EzPDgCQqrKWkI3EfDYrS1M5yLkpSVF06wyQouIeBCkD2DL0R9Za_O56WOIqnU/s1663/carrier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1663" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH05mhcG94HjDkZLhavq2CCNygWi03c56jX_K2aOGuR6yl-NLnBx1Iswl81pbI6v45ec3_QUlc1HzFCCHkB-TH9HxmR4Wyyw2oYOqXCfLhujqRrexBsSJyrhJvETBYB-4EzPDgCQqrKWkI3EfDYrS1M5yLkpSVF06wyQouIeBCkD2DL0R9Za_O56WOIqnU/w640-h358/carrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>That
brings us back to another cover that traveled from New York City to
England. This one was mailed in early 1863. Once again, a 24-cent
stamp pays the postage rate and a 1-cent stamp pays the carrier fee to
the mails. Letter carriers did work in New York City. The date is
prior to July 1, 1863. And, there really isn't any other reason for a
person to add a 1-cent stamp to this particular cover other than to pay
that carrier fee.</p><p>While it is certainly not at all difficult to
find covers that illustrate the combination of a carrier fee with the
domestic letter rate (3 cents), it is much harder to find examples that
traveled to destinations outside of the United States. They certainly
exist, most frequently to Canada. I have also seen examples with
payment for carrier service to the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
There aren't lots of them, but there are enough to confirm that it did
happen and to establish patterns so we can more readily identify them.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy6eK-oEan7-1-YsjlKob-GhcDmr4GLavhvka0hMhdSYT3Mm7d6K5OBGBX7BSkSeO_4ltr3yrNJe7Hf0FQJKLBCy9gRJI94hm97HjY5yHyHY8tL2WC62BPLRr9vR3VvNUHLsYnTzPEP6E-8SNs9i3i3hkz30IfKjp5ZLPSu0-Tp7DrW85Q-yCQ_R473Xn/s1643/privatecarrier.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1643" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcy6eK-oEan7-1-YsjlKob-GhcDmr4GLavhvka0hMhdSYT3Mm7d6K5OBGBX7BSkSeO_4ltr3yrNJe7Hf0FQJKLBCy9gRJI94hm97HjY5yHyHY8tL2WC62BPLRr9vR3VvNUHLsYnTzPEP6E-8SNs9i3i3hkz30IfKjp5ZLPSu0-Tp7DrW85Q-yCQ_R473Xn/w640-h350/privatecarrier.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">More competition for the US Post Office</span></b></p><p>In
the Postal History Sunday from two weeks ago, I showed an example of a
Blood's Penny Post item where a private carrier picked up the letter and
brought it to the post office - instead of a letter carrier employed by
the US Post Office. This week, I am showing an example that was
carried by Boyd's City Express (New York City) to the mails.</p><p>Like
the Philadelphia Boyd's cover, this battered envelope shows a 24-cent
stamp that paid the US postage for the rate to the United Kingdom. It
also has a Boyd's City Express stamp that indicates the 1 cent fee they
required to carry the letter to the post office had been paid.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY51r6MFpFuIsX79PCMYbBrUghz3LTXHTZxg3CaA6fOoarLnTLRw2NwaLZR59QV0vFnCluMCxMA822ytyF_07LtjbG8v8lIk-SUc7_wg3wt0lVEU2IQ4FB9qnKN0BjDyVSpuiXkHOAXcYkD1M6idZXGcpV8DCgo6eNiaa6CPrn5agThLPCXYEJ3ffysT8P/s436/Boyds1860businesscard.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="436" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY51r6MFpFuIsX79PCMYbBrUghz3LTXHTZxg3CaA6fOoarLnTLRw2NwaLZR59QV0vFnCluMCxMA822ytyF_07LtjbG8v8lIk-SUc7_wg3wt0lVEU2IQ4FB9qnKN0BjDyVSpuiXkHOAXcYkD1M6idZXGcpV8DCgo6eNiaa6CPrn5agThLPCXYEJ3ffysT8P/w400-h281/Boyds1860businesscard.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1860 business card from John Bowman's <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/pdf/A-Primer-on-Boyds-City-Express-Post.pdf" target="_blank">Primer on Boyd's City Express</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Like
Blood's Penny Post, Boyd's City Express opted to ignore the decision
that only the US Post Office could carry mail on designated post roads.
Unlike Blood's, who closed in 1862, Boyd's continued to provide their
services for local mail delivery until 1883, when government officials
raided the business offices. While fines were levied against them, they
remained open for business to carry mail for a couple more years before
terminating that service. However, they changed their business
priorities to focus on mailing lists and address labels.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82ztrg68_WbXVPiA_BB5LZxRbXJYJx3oZkDP-o13C7hlZI7mvDf9gbNOUafyF6igT9KQV2zZR5kuHe_WQEOuF62uJf8YTFDufYWGlFQ5rKrb1CXyjmn7gZmFWYERlqwZNxHkPEvEfuF9u0sLh92NO-SFew5TGwXE7qzD66vmTkLsyofx9o19jOfVqgNDQ/s499/boyds24cents.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82ztrg68_WbXVPiA_BB5LZxRbXJYJx3oZkDP-o13C7hlZI7mvDf9gbNOUafyF6igT9KQV2zZR5kuHe_WQEOuF62uJf8YTFDufYWGlFQ5rKrb1CXyjmn7gZmFWYERlqwZNxHkPEvEfuF9u0sLh92NO-SFew5TGwXE7qzD66vmTkLsyofx9o19jOfVqgNDQ/s320/boyds24cents.png" width="305" /></a></div><p>Some
of you might have noticed that someone wrote "Paid 24 cts" just above
the 24-cent stamp. In fact, if you look closely, you can see that the
stamp is actually placed over the writing. This tells me that it is
likely the letter was handed to a Boyd's letter carrier along with
payment for the 24 cents in postage. Since neither the Boyd's carrier,
nor the person sending the letter had a 24-cent stamp, they simply wrote
the payment amount on the envelope. Once the letter carrier got to the
post office, they passed on the payment that led to the addition of the
postage stamp. </p><p>Like Blood's Penny Post in Philadelphia and the
US Postal Office in New York City (and other carrier cities), Boyd's
maintained boxes where customers could drop letters for pick up by
persons employed as letter carriers by the City Express. The National
Postal Museum includes a description and a photo of one of the two
remaining post boxes known to still be in existence today.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdb2v6AqBXAH8y88M77e0-WEdZ97BE6q56F-Xcg79hkyUJYR8sZdHSpJRIP2H2NHQJqtdkV0RqAxnLHrPnftQQgBtxNTuc9kHZ27R4kGKHJfWtPDr-jayd9LwYBn1qYZZXI5GvSZ9dFgaylIBk4VR4FI5U-Hi8ZLAHv-ZbHKXBGi1RX-csi_79U3NEuJd/s664/boydsmailbox.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="649" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdb2v6AqBXAH8y88M77e0-WEdZ97BE6q56F-Xcg79hkyUJYR8sZdHSpJRIP2H2NHQJqtdkV0RqAxnLHrPnftQQgBtxNTuc9kHZ27R4kGKHJfWtPDr-jayd9LwYBn1qYZZXI5GvSZ9dFgaylIBk4VR4FI5U-Hi8ZLAHv-ZbHKXBGi1RX-csi_79U3NEuJd/w391-h400/boydsmailbox.PNG" width="391" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boyd's City Express Post letter drop mailbox - from <a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_0.279561.1" target="_blank">Smithsonian National Postal Museum</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Now, I will grant you that this Boyd's cover is not pretty - lacking a bit in <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2022/07/curb-appeal-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">curb appeal</a>.
But, I have yet to find any other example of this combination of Boyd's
carrier service to the mail that then goes to the United Kingdom with
24-cents paid by an 1861 series postage stamp. In other words, as far
as I know, it's the prettiest one out there. That's plenty of curb
appeal for me.<p></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bonus Material</span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1IN2xDNjli_BTGylZt6h6UKNYG5Jg_TxBYd1xqC9pcXQVMyWPtTvADGEKF-MNnms6a5-uynNw3qQtH0M00pbImEdydIQNdnExVC7TYhrLaX0sYx1wuYOY3PQC6QSp_fM48IP7V8k5VOAYg6vi1C9eagvdGWJu8u7hnoKc4U3ZRC-Q5B7SkITncBslRXQ/s932/fifthavenuehotel.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="932" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1IN2xDNjli_BTGylZt6h6UKNYG5Jg_TxBYd1xqC9pcXQVMyWPtTvADGEKF-MNnms6a5-uynNw3qQtH0M00pbImEdydIQNdnExVC7TYhrLaX0sYx1wuYOY3PQC6QSp_fM48IP7V8k5VOAYg6vi1C9eagvdGWJu8u7hnoKc4U3ZRC-Q5B7SkITncBslRXQ/w400-h293/fifthavenuehotel.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fifth Avenue Hotel - from <a href="http://History101.nyc">History101.nyc</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The
"V (Fifth) Avenue Hotel" referenced by the docket on our second cover,
was located between 23rd and 24th Streets on the southwest corner of
Madison Square in Manhatten (NYC) from 1859 to 1908. Construction was
underway in 1856 and reached completion in 1859 at cost around two
million dollars. </p><p>During construction, the Fifth Avenue Hotel was
dubbed "Eno's Folly" after Amos Eno, the developer responsible for its
construction. Detractors felt that it was too far away from the
established city center and would fail to attract patrons. However, it
rapidly attracted the attention of those with power and money, becoming
both a cultural and political gathering point for the elite class. <br /></p><p>Our
second letter was received at a pivotal point for the neighborhood.
The construction and success of the Fifth Avenue Hotel led to further
development around Madison Square Park. Still, in the early 1860s, this
hotel was new and it clearly stood out - making it an excellent
landmark to use if you wanted to tell a letter carrier you were just
three doors away.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoKsM4RWjzjeJqSxkiVTykos3GDPJrM00JCK6MR3SQVRNKJd0CPtZiogdKo1SJ48xACaxQpRCV27J8aGqo445WBmOmd0JtBErbkdux5emm8DsjM5Gz4T9tIDZkRchnlB2dTMy41mJTCMAXtBCyERbxOFa2GyrRiIYfTyN7d-dAOGhV_Wz7nNpc2MbU0DW/s538/threedoorsdown.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="538" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoKsM4RWjzjeJqSxkiVTykos3GDPJrM00JCK6MR3SQVRNKJd0CPtZiogdKo1SJ48xACaxQpRCV27J8aGqo445WBmOmd0JtBErbkdux5emm8DsjM5Gz4T9tIDZkRchnlB2dTMy41mJTCMAXtBCyERbxOFa2GyrRiIYfTyN7d-dAOGhV_Wz7nNpc2MbU0DW/w400-h103/threedoorsdown.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Want to learn more?</span></b></p><p>There
are numerous excellent resources available to those who might like to
learn more about carrier covers. The topic is well-studied and much
broader than I could possibly cover in a couple of blog posts. Here are
a few suggestions for those who might like to explore a bit more:<br /></p><p>The <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/" target="_blank">Carriers and Locals Society</a> promotes the study of private carriers and local posts in the United States. Their site includes <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/articles-and-research.asp" target="_blank">articles</a> and <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/exhibits.asp" target="_blank">exhibits</a> that might be of use.</p><p>A <a href="http://chronicle.uspcs.org/PDF/Chronicle_84/7074.pdf" target="_blank">short article</a>
that methodically summarizes the history of carrier fees and drop
letter rates in New York City can be found in the US Philatelic Classics
Society Chronicle if you would like to see a broader context of this
topic.</p><p>------------------</p><p>Thank you for joining me this week. I hope you have a fine remainder of your day and an excellent week to come.</p><p>Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-88529951678522781812024-01-15T05:30:00.001-06:002024-01-15T05:30:00.135-06:00Power Politics<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pNfWx0Z2oJJGp3kCNC0jSzZWk-Rit4V0V8Ofs6466vaKK8B2AjoSYBwD-2RSR49kLdDucY9TtqTsjrBBOrpkWC-0FkYmg1Xhsj1zEheiGWbLbbInwjHFMlvKzCxGjTgZO36ppRFo9Jy6BMkxgUvUCRsxTGrYEe2XRvPv_yeShJ4F6rSRC0Hk/s6240/IMG_5959.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pNfWx0Z2oJJGp3kCNC0jSzZWk-Rit4V0V8Ofs6466vaKK8B2AjoSYBwD-2RSR49kLdDucY9TtqTsjrBBOrpkWC-0FkYmg1Xhsj1zEheiGWbLbbInwjHFMlvKzCxGjTgZO36ppRFo9Jy6BMkxgUvUCRsxTGrYEe2XRvPv_yeShJ4F6rSRC0Hk/w640-h426/IMG_5959.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />There is a family of sayings that go something along the lines of<p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat...... <fill in the blank>.</span><br /></p><p>I have heard this concluded with the words "others," "animals," "wait staff," "nature," "themselves," and "lessers." And, if I think about it much longer, I suspect the list will get longer and longer. But the one I seem to recall hearing first was "you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat their lessers." <br /></p><p>I guess it doesn't exactly matter too much which one of these you select, because they are all true. You can learn a lot about someone by observing how they react to and deal with other.... things/people/creatures. The key is taking time to observe with the intent to learn.</p><p>But, it does matter when you are talking about "lessers" because it gets us to a bigger problem and a different issue. So, let me try something here.</p><p>Doctor versus janitor? Wait staff versus manager? Farmworker vs actuary? </p><p>Don't tell me you don't see a hierarchy there because I think it highly likely that every person who reads this blog was trained to believe that a person who is a doctor has a more valuable profession than a person who pushes a mop around a school. And, by extension, a manager is afforded more respect than a waiter or waitress. And who tells their child that they should consider school subject matter to become a farmworker instead of a nice office job working with numbers?</p><p>In fact, I may be a perfect case in point. Do you think it's more impressive that I've been a professor of Computer Science or that I've been what some would call a "truck farmer." You tell me, which one would you encourage your own children to go to school to learn to be?<br /></p><p>It is difficult to get away from value judgements about the relative worth of people, animals, things and occupations. Part of the key is recognizing them for what they are and then moving forward.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPOVhbLD-yCxv3AWQRuwGHq6N715Qo1iUWcubXSizCcHILAp-Cs1L6sRW6kZEcKUfrupRwpgAePplJwKBP6FJH9xDfskJHXyCsQrnPa9USPpHhtg-Qio65afEcemjlC8Y7Fp3c020a9CmmrCN7v_Uz4mnZrj16ywnYGGg-P9SzN92cDCOxeVv/s6240/IMG_5928.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPOVhbLD-yCxv3AWQRuwGHq6N715Qo1iUWcubXSizCcHILAp-Cs1L6sRW6kZEcKUfrupRwpgAePplJwKBP6FJH9xDfskJHXyCsQrnPa9USPpHhtg-Qio65afEcemjlC8Y7Fp3c020a9CmmrCN7v_Uz4mnZrj16ywnYGGg-P9SzN92cDCOxeVv/w640-h426/IMG_5928.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>If you want to admit it or not, we do work from assumptions that certain occupations are
inherently worthy of more respect than others. It isn't uncommon to hear a parent admonish a child to work hard so they don't end up doing the job someone else is doing - clearly indicating that the person doing the work failed to be successful, so they are stuck doing an undesirable job that is, nonetheless, still a job that needs doing.</p><p>Jobs like - cleaning out the chicken coop.<br /></p><p>Whether you find it to be annoying or frustrating or whatever, I don't think we'll ever get away from value comparisons because they are simply part of the varied and complex life that is on this Earth. Inspector is bigger than Soup who is bigger than Murphy. Murphy will win every foot race with the other two cats as long as all three are given an even chance and they all try their hardest. Inspector is the strongest of the three and could knock Murphy sprawling ... if he can catch her.</p><p>Some jobs have more power simply by nature of what the person must do. A doctor, by nature of having more knowledge about the human body, has what might be an inordinate amount of power over my health, even though my body is not theirs. A teacher has a certain amount of power over those who attend classes. But in those cases, I tend to believe that the members of these professions do well to have the heart of a servant because the responsibility of holding that power is great.<br /></p><p></p>Using myself as an example, once again, I have more skill, aptitude, knowledge in some areas that put me at an advantage when it comes to writing. Should I hold myself back just so everyone is equal? Of course not - but how I treat those who do not have the same skillset matters and tells others a great deal about me. <p>If my role in a school were to be a director, the person holding the overall strategy of how the school runs, then there is certainly a certain power that I would hold. Similarly, the janitor holds a particular power as well. It is different, of course, but no less important. What matters is how each person holds their responsibilities and uses their skills while treating others with different occupations and abilities with respect that honors who each person is.</p><p>It's not supposed to be easy, because the world is gloriously complex. Everyone is different and the things we do are not easily compared. Yet we still seek to order things according the power we think they should have. I guess it might be natural to most humans. But if we recognize it, we can address it - and maybe come to a better understanding.</p><p>Then we can simply say that we can learn a lot about each other by observing how they interact with people who are different from themselves, without the need to ascertain who is superior or who is inferior. What an interesting thought.<br /></p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-70427250445287955992024-01-14T05:30:00.001-06:002024-01-14T05:30:00.139-06:00Purple Fire Starters - Postal History Sunday<p></p><p>My origins as a postal historian have roots in my early interest in
collecting postage stamps (philately). As a kid on a shoestring budget,
my first source of stamps for collecting came from mail items that my
family received, closely followed by stamps torn from covers that were
saved by relatives. The postal historian in me shudders that I may well
have been responsible for the destruction of some interesting covers.
But, if it were not for the willingness of people to at least salvage
the stamps on my behalf, I may never have explored postal history at
all.</p><p>With my limited income, I could still go down to either the
music store, which had some stamps and supplies for collectors, or the "<a href="https://www.unitedstatesnow.org/what-is-a-five-and-dime.htm" target="_blank">five and dime,</a>"
and periodically pick up a packet of mixed stamps. On those days I
could be found spending way too much time trying to pick the packet that
had the most "new to me" stamps visible in the envelope through its
clear window. I even "splurged" one day for a BAG of stamps.</p><p>That
bag introduced me to the thought that not all stamps have the same
value to a collector. Especially when your bag of 1000 stamps had about
fifty exciting and new stamps and then multiple copies of other, less
exciting, stamps. For example, there had to be at least one hundred of
the three-cent purple Jefferson stamps of the <a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/about-us-stamps-bureau-period-1894-1939-definitive-issues/presidential-series-1938" target="_blank">1938 Presidential Series</a>, which was produced through 1954. Let's just say there was a significant amount of "buyer's remorse" after that purchase.<br /></p><p>The
three-cent purple stamp paid the most common postal rate for a simple
letter mailed within the United States. Which means, of course, there
were (and still are) lots and lots of covers featuring this stamp - like
the one shown below: <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvrCa0hY2jRdVGt1SMPsFX0OfdB9kaEGMOKm6UmixaDO8w7RrlMGzqZ05efIDYGEOU-TlBFGRKTU1NYtOkhIZcJCZAd4_pK__nJFaGvSL4kakcBBGNG08uwxwNUYYyDhZRg4xqpGJ1WfwYfQBnFee95lZbAfTZjnqen54rvCUAI5KytPXup2Q9o_bkLy7/s1791/prexy3ctkansascity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1791" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvrCa0hY2jRdVGt1SMPsFX0OfdB9kaEGMOKm6UmixaDO8w7RrlMGzqZ05efIDYGEOU-TlBFGRKTU1NYtOkhIZcJCZAd4_pK__nJFaGvSL4kakcBBGNG08uwxwNUYYyDhZRg4xqpGJ1WfwYfQBnFee95lZbAfTZjnqen54rvCUAI5KytPXup2Q9o_bkLy7/w640-h388/prexy3ctkansascity.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This
cover is actually a pretty nice looking example of a typical simple
internal letter paying the 3-cent rate for the United States. The cover
is in good repair. The markings are all clear. The address and return
address are easy to read. The postage stamp has a nice color, is well
centered, and in good repair. Even the envelope is a nice shade of blue
rather than a dingy white. </p><p>But, it still has that darned purple fire starter!</p><p>My
partner, Tammy, joked many years ago that we should take the hundreds
and hundreds of copies of this stamp I had in shoe boxes, bundle them up
and use them to start fires. Or, maybe we could dip them in wax and
make candles out of them. And, I'll tell you that the disappointed
young collector wasn't entirely upset by this suggestion. But, the
collector in me always balks - because you never know when you might
find something special.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Other Fire Starters</span></b><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipE3z4E-R7sDmSyL_GNtAeBDXMgSW7io0tadGIKSLbu1BWLs3M4oOyNWb3hXnG176GuQK3m4HbT1NknT8lIzB-lax-77tRkRiGkmHuc_x4KZfvrWiMe-89n0X2GqSq89cDFd9_jXIwhZsiVBqmEXJZ9q6IOl0JjXok_in8casr-hrHtEhN2LVuv49uUDTF/s1664/1861pinkearlyuse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1664" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipE3z4E-R7sDmSyL_GNtAeBDXMgSW7io0tadGIKSLbu1BWLs3M4oOyNWb3hXnG176GuQK3m4HbT1NknT8lIzB-lax-77tRkRiGkmHuc_x4KZfvrWiMe-89n0X2GqSq89cDFd9_jXIwhZsiVBqmEXJZ9q6IOl0JjXok_in8casr-hrHtEhN2LVuv49uUDTF/w640-h360/1861pinkearlyuse.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>Postal
history is not immune to the concept of "fire starters." The most
common piece of saved mail will be a simple letter that shows a typical
use of the most common stamp and/or most common markings for that period
and place. If there was a reasonable amount of mail volume in the
first place, there will most certainly be a class of items that will be
plentiful enough to make the collector say, "Oh... another one of..
THOSE."</p><p>For example, the 1861 US series of stamps I favor also
features a three-cent stamp that paid the rate for a simple domestic
letter. There are lots of examples of this stamp on cover that survive
today - even after 160 years. If you wanted to add a piece of real
history in the form of an old envelope, you could do so for very little
cost. In fact, if you're not picky about how it looks, there are people
who might happily gift one to you if you showed real interest.</p><p>So, why would someone want to pay attention to them in the first place? What makes one of these fire starters worth attention?</p><p>For
the 1861 cover shown above, you might notice that it is also a clean
and well preserved cover, despite its age. That, in itself, is a good
start. The color shade of the stamp provides some interest, as do the
blue postmarks. It's a neat curiosity that the year date is upside
down. And maybe the addressee is of interest. In short, there are many
ways a piece of postal history can get our attention - even if it is
associated with something that can be found in abundance. <br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Exceptions to the rule </span></b><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJQtQk3YyoZzoSWcgY65_wB1zXWlKY28aX0iPFj5WS5FsrrNI_rgOEm32gTt7K_tuJO6NEfVN-Mlug3Gki06T8wCb46GU-nB_v5sL_TVx4zh_ilihEHGBKU10QGXj5aeJlq0mSRQT-XohUpO-HWvtAV0qS_BpwrEJ6XixPSzHQad4TjC916T-F0xjXA1V/s1821/prexy3ctandspecialdelivery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="1821" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJQtQk3YyoZzoSWcgY65_wB1zXWlKY28aX0iPFj5WS5FsrrNI_rgOEm32gTt7K_tuJO6NEfVN-Mlug3Gki06T8wCb46GU-nB_v5sL_TVx4zh_ilihEHGBKU10QGXj5aeJlq0mSRQT-XohUpO-HWvtAV0qS_BpwrEJ6XixPSzHQad4TjC916T-F0xjXA1V/w640-h428/prexy3ctandspecialdelivery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Just
because a three-cent purple Jefferson is associated with the most
common type of US domestic mail in the 1940s, it could still be used in
combination with other stamps. For example, here is a 1947 envelope
that includes a Special Delivery stamp that was intended to pay for
additional services.</p><p>Once again, the cover is in good shape and it
looks pretty nice. But, there is also the possibility that there is
more story to be told with this item. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop-OkTwplRsUlP3cSHdYn8nYb03LGtm2GtE-r6BzxX9AhA1T3YgLh82ZeldOrqkQUj0ckwgAbuX7cCvE7utNNxQRTnNszozcjupmWLCLkt6YT4Z02DXa4FNCyTR6_jEWD_9Zfk0DZaX6KLIUUhwJFiERPIa035pbQ7bgUT6EAQ0X6n2pqdSZf-YN_B2CB/s1700/prexy3ctmultiple.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1700" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop-OkTwplRsUlP3cSHdYn8nYb03LGtm2GtE-r6BzxX9AhA1T3YgLh82ZeldOrqkQUj0ckwgAbuX7cCvE7utNNxQRTnNszozcjupmWLCLkt6YT4Z02DXa4FNCyTR6_jEWD_9Zfk0DZaX6KLIUUhwJFiERPIa035pbQ7bgUT6EAQ0X6n2pqdSZf-YN_B2CB/w640-h420/prexy3ctmultiple.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Then
there is this letter that was mailed from Des Moines, Iowa, in 1941 to
Venezuela. This letter took the more expensive Air Mail services to
speed its delivery. It was also inspected by a censor on August 5, with
World War II actively engaged - even if the US was not directly
involved at the time.</p><p>Once again, this letter clearly has more
going on than a simple domestic letter. Even if you are not a postal
historian, you would probably notice this envelope if it were in a pile
of covers that looked like the first one I showed for this article. </p><p>But, what if I show you this one?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfcMO-bujdhwyWsWdBu3HdVR7MCgyQ6a1fbLPGrS9qxqWEZ-cOytVO5CIOtjGlc0QJLysrdQs06A_G0ZZ2i1nf7ERjsBoEE8w_bFXOdX-3XVlVcuaRXxZtRrKoXjvttQzJMrC2KVKZhxBIALKiQmtwe7sT0xueqLs9hYGZG6RMP1-ANBZS7cfiueqS5Kv/s1951/japaneseinterneeheartmountain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1951" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfcMO-bujdhwyWsWdBu3HdVR7MCgyQ6a1fbLPGrS9qxqWEZ-cOytVO5CIOtjGlc0QJLysrdQs06A_G0ZZ2i1nf7ERjsBoEE8w_bFXOdX-3XVlVcuaRXxZtRrKoXjvttQzJMrC2KVKZhxBIALKiQmtwe7sT0xueqLs9hYGZG6RMP1-ANBZS7cfiueqS5Kv/w640-h360/japaneseinterneeheartmountain.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Yes.
It's a simple, domestic letter. It has that darned fire starter stamp
on it. If it were in that same pile of covers, you might not notice it
if you quickly flipped through everything - because, for the most part,
there's nothing that easily makes it stand out.<br /></p><p>But this envelope is part of a very important story that is part of United States World War II history.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Executive Order 9066</span></b> <br /></p><p>On
February 19, 1942, President Franklin D Roosevelt signed Executive
Order 9066. This order directed the War Department to establish
"military areas" where anyone could be excluded from access. This
action came about due to increasing public pressure based on growing
anti-Japanese hysteria. Top government officials, such as Attorney
General Biddle and Secretary of War Stimson did not necessarily feel the
move was a good one and worried that it might not be legal. But, those
who insisted the policy was needed to ensure public safety on the West
Coast convinced them to recommend the action to the President.</p><p>Executive
Order 9066 allowed the military the power to remove persons of Japanese
descent from California, Oregon and Washington. The War Relocation
Authority was created and a system of Assembly and Relocation Centers
were created. Most Assembly Centers were fairgrounds and racetracks on
the West Coast. Santa Anita Park, an equestrian racetrack in southern
California, temporarily housed <a href="https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/japanese-american-incarceration" target="_blank">detainee families in horse stalls</a>. </p><p>There were <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/japanese-american-relocation#conditions-in-relocation-centers" target="_blank">ten Relocation Centers</a>
that are more accurately described as prison camps. While each camp
included schools, post offices, work facilities and land to grow food,
they were also surrounded by barbed wire and guard towers. Those who
were labeled as dissidents were sent to a special prison camp in Tule
Lake, California. Two camps were located on Native American
reservations despite protests of the tribal councils there.<br /></p><p>By August of 1942, <a href="https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/japanese-relocation#background" target="_blank">approximately 112,000 persons</a>
were sent to the Assembly Centers for processing to the Relocation
Centers. Two-thirds of these people were citizens of the United States
and had not been charged with disloyalty to the US. Still, they had no
mechanism to appeal their detention and loss of property. They were
forced to leave homes, jobs, businesses and communities, along with most
of their possessions, and when they returned at war's end, many found
what they had left behind was gone.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAoNHh7YVxQqjiyZ0004DgiJupGyr6ateCW2jsMmkLdpNfBJrU1NuAK8BUWzbgpEmCCsi52zp80XmcUFidPUSgpUT1609DsaY_ALE-2tVxIcPKsuDOwSTvx1cautfm7tAB9cwIv_Tw9dsN-rVbI88Y2SOm0oEYMRsaehuVAPLsf7GvzBsKfQhvznaJF7G/s1181/japaneseinterneeheartmountainreturnandcds.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="1181" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIAoNHh7YVxQqjiyZ0004DgiJupGyr6ateCW2jsMmkLdpNfBJrU1NuAK8BUWzbgpEmCCsi52zp80XmcUFidPUSgpUT1609DsaY_ALE-2tVxIcPKsuDOwSTvx1cautfm7tAB9cwIv_Tw9dsN-rVbI88Y2SOm0oEYMRsaehuVAPLsf7GvzBsKfQhvznaJF7G/w640-h189/japaneseinterneeheartmountainreturnandcds.png" width="640" /></a></div><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Heart Mountain</span></b></p><p>One of the prison camps was located in Wyoming at <a href="https://www.heartmountain.org/history/life-in-the-camp/" target="_blank">Heart Mountain</a>.
This Relocation Center consisted of a 740 acre site that included 650
buildings (450 barracks) and was surrounded by barbed wire and nine
guard towers. At its peak, over ten thousand people were confined at
this camp and those incarcerated there grew their own food on 1,100
acres of nearby land.</p><p>Barracks were laid out in blocks separated
by unpaved roads. Kiyoshi Honda, our letter writer, lived in Block 17,
according to his return address. Each block consisted of 24 barracks,
two mess halls, two latrine buildings, laundry facilities and two
recreation buildings. The address "Block 17 - 3 - B" identified the
writer's barracks building.<br /></p><div class="wp-block-kadence-column inner-column-1 kadence-column_40e2b7-37"><div class="kt-inside-inner-col"></div></div><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5OtRDi3Vg5NbKIWx6N0cLIodJ7OX6_vpKptZlxa-k9OH3-hWiPj3E9XYDDcvSt0SiiLBIWCf700lkf5KBZjTozU0zsoxDckA680kDmmv8gHiDbolZHQxKWOmdlQGoSw6XUGlNGIhYeTSjbtxJjwOG2jGRMXKDlgnDbsFAYO9X5XBEi6Yq5EsG7x9-S7g/s1189/heartmountaininternment.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1189" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5OtRDi3Vg5NbKIWx6N0cLIodJ7OX6_vpKptZlxa-k9OH3-hWiPj3E9XYDDcvSt0SiiLBIWCf700lkf5KBZjTozU0zsoxDckA680kDmmv8gHiDbolZHQxKWOmdlQGoSw6XUGlNGIhYeTSjbtxJjwOG2jGRMXKDlgnDbsFAYO9X5XBEi6Yq5EsG7x9-S7g/w640-h406/heartmountaininternment.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heart Mountain Internment Camp - from <a href="https://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/luna/servlet/detail/uwydbuwy~24~24~424575~186500" target="_blank">Univ of Wyoming / American Heritage Center</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>There
are several resources that discuss the history and events surrounding
the imprisonment of Japanese peoples during World War II in the United
States, but the best resource I have found thus far is the <a href="https://encyclopedia.densho.org/about/" target="_blank">Densho Encyclopedia</a>.
I strongly advise interested readers to visit that site, which includes
recorded oral histories in addition to images and other materials.
Much of the details that follow for both Heart Mountain and Camp Amache
were gleaned from <a href="https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Heart_Mountain/" target="_blank">their materials</a>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCat8pLXbwkhMjM6UTpkfzJlD9Vy772m55ImqKpgfdyXbk6F1cF-SZ4zHlL-cLAgzfSD6bHhxJRBS34zW1Pm4mJDfTFntEIqA7oYzounfIVZAjmXBki0aAaYcE1xnnpljoiZ1UWxSeP8wTvt00kcnHQSzg30FWSFXABNwY4jgw8fO-WPUvyVSenYVr-VDE/s700/workinginfield.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="700" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCat8pLXbwkhMjM6UTpkfzJlD9Vy772m55ImqKpgfdyXbk6F1cF-SZ4zHlL-cLAgzfSD6bHhxJRBS34zW1Pm4mJDfTFntEIqA7oYzounfIVZAjmXBki0aAaYcE1xnnpljoiZ1UWxSeP8wTvt00kcnHQSzg30FWSFXABNwY4jgw8fO-WPUvyVSenYVr-VDE/s320/workinginfield.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="https://encyclopedia.densho.org/sources/en-denshopd-i37-00793-1/" target="_blank">Densho Encyclopedia</a> - viewed 1/6/24<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The
location for the Heart Mountain site was not selected for
habitability. Instead, the location was intended to isolate the
internees from the rest of the population. The land was barren and
unwelcoming, especially considering where most detainees had lived prior
to their arrival at Heart Mountain.<br /></p><p>The Heart Mountain site
started rapid and slipshod construction of the necessary buildings in
June of 1942. While around 2000 people were employed in the building
process, construction experience was deemed unnecessary - if you could
drive a nail with a hammer, you qualified. While construction of over
500 buildings were completed by August, most were poorly suited to
withstand the extreme weather typical for Wyoming. Doors and windows
were often poorly installed and would not close completely. Detainees
began arriving in mid-August and did what they could by hanging spare
sheets and stuffing cracks with rags and newspapers.</p><p>The Heart
Mountain prison camp is known for the acts of protest undertaken by
members of the detainee population. Rather than paraphrase, I thought
the following from the Densho Encyclopedia would serve well:<br /></p><p></p><blockquote>"The latent antagonism between Caucasian authorities and inmates came to
boil ... when military police arrested 32 young
children for sledding outside of camp boundaries. Although the children
were released to their parents, inmates were quick to condemn the
treatment of the children by the police. Amidst rising tension the army
attempted to recruit volunteer workers to construct a barbed wire fence
around the perimeter of the camp. The majority of working-age men went
on strike, refusing to participate in the project. They questioned the
army's justification for erecting the fence; namely the attempt to keep
stray cattle from entering the campgrounds. Three thousand inmates
signed a petition "charging that the fence proved that Heart Mountain
was indeed a 'concentration camp' and that the evacuees were 'prisoners
of war.'"<br /></blockquote><p>Of course, there was an effort by
government to use semantics to justify the forced removal of these
people from the West Coast while still making it sound less like they
were actual prisoners. Detainees at Heart Mountain were clearly aware
of the picture being painted in the press that worked to put a good face
on the matter and they were not willing to accept that without a
struggle. <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilI_-tNpywp0jm0_j_oDO1foVwS3PfTZGpxWJtYSk7VJpasCoCKoKTTF87aq7mIxnWGoj0307-Z7umN8gTgXbjP_VoP7lbt2h-LPjOOPKnt6lMlsLZbeSmxEwFtMiKND-UNMoOza8JYZcDa8qGJh8T3B3rouSi2fvMFQFPhy2B32AxumOnxOpAAvS80VXK/s2278/japaneseinterneeCampAmache.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="2278" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilI_-tNpywp0jm0_j_oDO1foVwS3PfTZGpxWJtYSk7VJpasCoCKoKTTF87aq7mIxnWGoj0307-Z7umN8gTgXbjP_VoP7lbt2h-LPjOOPKnt6lMlsLZbeSmxEwFtMiKND-UNMoOza8JYZcDa8qGJh8T3B3rouSi2fvMFQFPhy2B32AxumOnxOpAAvS80VXK/w640-h336/japaneseinterneeCampAmache.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p> <b><span style="font-size: large;">Camp Amache</span></b></p><p><a href="https://amache.org/" target="_blank">Camp Amache</a>,
also known as the Granada Relocation Center, is located near the towns
of Granada and Lamar, Colorado. This Relocation Center provides an
interesting contrast to Heart Mountain. Colorado's Governor Ralph Carr
was the only western governor to support the establishment of a
Relocation Center in his state. The administrators of Camp Amache were,
in general, considered to "have a deep regard for fairness" and some of
the teachers petitioned to move to the camp so they could better serve
their students.</p><p>The agricultural efforts of the detainees were
fairly successful, producing over 4 million pounds of produce in 1943
alone. The camp even had a silk screen printing shop. Established in
June of 1943, the Amache silkscreen shop produced over 250,000 color
posters under a contract with the US Navy.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStM1FBbLqMKA4PKJlbd5dZpxjQVlSCj4e_LQnY3KIts_6YE5VL1fASklzGLXzemmXVkzAmywcMpImW9de84bs8H7ZubxBOLWR0VFExJIOqQPWej32n2nOJOSTAGFAVRdIG8mKYKCX32lvfLli6rW-oBZsyxJq1YaqylLqixukjOM7gXHpBB6lxv3Al3_r/s1300/campamache.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1300" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStM1FBbLqMKA4PKJlbd5dZpxjQVlSCj4e_LQnY3KIts_6YE5VL1fASklzGLXzemmXVkzAmywcMpImW9de84bs8H7ZubxBOLWR0VFExJIOqQPWej32n2nOJOSTAGFAVRdIG8mKYKCX32lvfLli6rW-oBZsyxJq1YaqylLqixukjOM7gXHpBB6lxv3Al3_r/w640-h360/campamache.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camp Amache - from <a href="https://www.nps.gov/amch/index.htm" target="_blank">National Park Service</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The sender of this letter, <a href="http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/finders/sc014_2.htm" target="_blank">Sam Okubara,</a>
actually served in the US Army after World War II in Japan as a
language instructor (presumably teaching the Japanese the English
language). The relatively "friendly" conditions at Camp Amache
correlated with higher numbers of volunteers for military service. </p><p>The following also comes from the Densho Encyclopedia:</p><p></p><blockquote>"A total of
953 men and women from Amache volunteered or were drafted for military
service during WWII. Of this number, 105 were wounded and 31 killed in
action. Among those killed was Kiyoshi Muranaga who was awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor
. However, not all Amacheans responded favorably to the notice for
induction into the military. Thirty-one men from Amache were tried for
draft evasion, found guilty, and sent to prison in
Tucson, Arizona."</blockquote><p>I think it is important to point
out that, while Japanese people in these camps were denied their
freedoms, they were still subject to being drafted for military
service. I don't think it takes too much imagination to understand why
many of those drafted would be inclined to say "no" and accept the
punishment of doing so in protest. <br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HzC2eY2HoRHJdhfbuAyrinRk_yyro4ewbNEBPifh_rXle3L_g5YJWRXAR9twP4l8N1yjVaE9VVlHiVjJuJZ2LjNDpPQD8QavuaQ9cD_e_GlbrHdBCTHITuptlRUcidd9irJGqzS6fH6X9-y_HBwJL3FumxJur_gfnlOhjGXp6oNP3W1B9Uj_1wTmT9aH/s352/okubarafamily.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="352" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HzC2eY2HoRHJdhfbuAyrinRk_yyro4ewbNEBPifh_rXle3L_g5YJWRXAR9twP4l8N1yjVaE9VVlHiVjJuJZ2LjNDpPQD8QavuaQ9cD_e_GlbrHdBCTHITuptlRUcidd9irJGqzS6fH6X9-y_HBwJL3FumxJur_gfnlOhjGXp6oNP3W1B9Uj_1wTmT9aH/w640-h450/okubarafamily.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okubara family in mess hall - from <a href="https://mvpl.catalogaccess.com/photos/7196" target="_blank">Mill Valley Public Library</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>The Okubara family was forcibly removed from their home in Mill Valley, California in April of 1942. The <a href="https://www.millvalleylibrary.org/DocumentCenter/View/1625/MVHS_REVIEW_2019-PDF" target="_blank">Spring 2019 Mill Valley Historical Society Review</a>
features the story of the removal of Japanese citizens, including the
Okubaras. The Mill Valley Public Library includes images of the family,
including the one shown above. Sam can be seen as the second person
from the right (in uniform). Sam's parents, Tora and Harry can be seen
at the left.</p><p>While Tora would die from heart failure at the camp
in 1945, both Sam and his father would return to Mill Valley at the end
of World War II. Sam would then depart to serve in Japan soon after.
The story in the Mill Valley Historical Society Review is worth a read
if you want to get a better flavor of events for that community.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmiQD1HGHZKjAEa5D5U3XQRO5MYSCJtZqzJi9GOQpbWnwMWPRrhP9ueD9dCWiBIvHLGQZIeWjG-Sdi0xfsRQJmsB3q_phCforaOlGSbTmyELb425_e0_qDxgP0JIiFlqoi1AbTNHbfalro-LF5Kbi-sJ0chORv8Sn9pabyFdheyBONAqfli6ZCaGqPh81/s794/granadapioneer.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="794" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmiQD1HGHZKjAEa5D5U3XQRO5MYSCJtZqzJi9GOQpbWnwMWPRrhP9ueD9dCWiBIvHLGQZIeWjG-Sdi0xfsRQJmsB3q_phCforaOlGSbTmyELb425_e0_qDxgP0JIiFlqoi1AbTNHbfalro-LF5Kbi-sJ0chORv8Sn9pabyFdheyBONAqfli6ZCaGqPh81/w640-h224/granadapioneer.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Granada Pioneer - from <a href="https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83025522/1944-05-10/ed-1/?dl=all&sp=1&st=text&r=-0.069,0.092,1.008,1.144,0" target="_blank">Library of Congress</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>While
detainees found themselves in less than desirable situations, they
still did what they could to build community. Many of the camps created
their own newspapers as evidenced by the masthead of a May, 1944
edition of the Granada Pioneer (Camp Amache) shown above. Reading the
contents of these papers show the tensions that reflect the rejection of
their loyalty to the land in which they lived and their connections to
their homeland or the homeland of their ancestors. They also reflect
what was likely a wide range of opinions regarding how they should react
within the population of prisoners in these camps.</p><table align="center" border="1" style="width: 65%px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8GFRQmN8WeRjmTDcYYgI7AmCXcCH3KJOsbAFMFmPljcSS617F4Pk0-LUGctzlCDEFZIHVUSFfpjmSlITkyGwIfNZnW17Tu57HKPEMF-RCoDZxc8p4Jc3f89_LcXa36ZLdFbwbqDUqKbjfq5jkULcPF1tesRz9wSxIN3_ywPFpHW3xQxHyCNX14eCxNK7/s239/CampAmachePOOct14.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="239" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8GFRQmN8WeRjmTDcYYgI7AmCXcCH3KJOsbAFMFmPljcSS617F4Pk0-LUGctzlCDEFZIHVUSFfpjmSlITkyGwIfNZnW17Tu57HKPEMF-RCoDZxc8p4Jc3f89_LcXa36ZLdFbwbqDUqKbjfq5jkULcPF1tesRz9wSxIN3_ywPFpHW3xQxHyCNX14eCxNK7/w320-h241/CampAmachePOOct14.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Oct 14, 1942 Granada Camp Bulletin<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</td>
<td><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zxXLYzBx1wNINCxkRx2wXUTPnTkwG7-SOx0xCAU6JOtR2LR3EFiM1xZ6c8jyX52913MdyK4HnICgNpIFrY86SdtWNv3WELTmo6d7K6GkSDZu4-d6iE-qVsM3_auwAFm47HBpXEElH2mubCjTxhBDawQF_LbTFGZFsMRgX12a2I9fhiBucV0qrUnSPVcP/s401/campamacheponame.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="401" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zxXLYzBx1wNINCxkRx2wXUTPnTkwG7-SOx0xCAU6JOtR2LR3EFiM1xZ6c8jyX52913MdyK4HnICgNpIFrY86SdtWNv3WELTmo6d7K6GkSDZu4-d6iE-qVsM3_auwAFm47HBpXEElH2mubCjTxhBDawQF_LbTFGZFsMRgX12a2I9fhiBucV0qrUnSPVcP/s320/campamacheponame.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83025521/1942-10-17/ed-1/?dl=all&sp=2&st=image" target="_blank">Oct 17, 1942 Granada Camp Bulletin</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-r42OJ0VetEhbuF9wjIaB8jqd3JKBv-HrhjkLcZrmEm-7sJQQSv7YsxE7JAlE1DyXwjia9E-yvrsQCFdSmKZwWrcDHd8mV6VIiRY8elFY5vLSpKgvchHg0LbOK9G7adEq049kQ/s1600/BL14_toFrancestmaplessback.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><br /><p>The Granada Pioneer had its start as a camp
bulletin that began publication on October 14, 1942. In that issue, it
becomes clear that the addition of several thousand people to a small,
rural population did not come without significant strain on the existing
communities. One article makes note (shown above at left) that the
rural Granada post office struggled to handle the sudden boom in mail
volume. Another mentions that passes to shop in Lamar were not going to
be offered because internees had cleaned off the merchants shelves,
leaving nothing for the local farmers. Subsequent bulletins for the
next week indicate that rapid adjustments were being made and the Lamar
Chamber of Commerce was now courting business from those at Camp Amache.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQyZA-lrjLtVoTctf4wa-nRv4oF9ART-Tg2lj3lozAZ_apG1jQ_9r6tI1rHfQrKsOV0ZFwMQonN-ccbS0f4gAUt10gncc_z-QB7X_omYB-46-fjQY1xcRy0POKTMvMf30_oq0XkLXplrL1__edXVJBLO3Bs9RB8A1mWZ4mdncqMa1t7SF_uCzvAC72RK8/s642/japaneseinterneeCampAmachepostmark.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="642" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQyZA-lrjLtVoTctf4wa-nRv4oF9ART-Tg2lj3lozAZ_apG1jQ_9r6tI1rHfQrKsOV0ZFwMQonN-ccbS0f4gAUt10gncc_z-QB7X_omYB-46-fjQY1xcRy0POKTMvMf30_oq0XkLXplrL1__edXVJBLO3Bs9RB8A1mWZ4mdncqMa1t7SF_uCzvAC72RK8/s320/japaneseinterneeCampAmachepostmark.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>While
the War Relocation Authority named this the Grenada Relocation Center,
the US Post Offices recognition of the name Amache seems to have
resulted in the latter name receiving more use. By the time this letter
was sent, the post office in the camp had its own cancellation device,
though I expect it was in use sooner than this.</p><p>And finally, you
might notice that both envelopes were addressed to the newspaper named
the Denver Post. Sam Okubara's letter may well have contained payment
for a newspaper subscription since his letter was addressed to the
subscription office. However, a very faint marking on that envelope
indicates that it was in the Steno Department on the 17th of October.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZH3HxnVlscJ2GIXjOlla69F9XiYSDG89mMHRGba1crC3E-_KRdne8y4r3kCgl9JQXP8LH5PR6kLkgetoEX82PcjrUdZ7gOvp-pZQlBWp-JfY-oyc8AESWBLwIECyp4F4LjECnm9d8Lhtsq1XV2I8tG08m21Z30q_SSvAiYflmvBY5fgVmiT4rr0n6U6hN/s512/japaneseinterneeCampAmacheDenverPostStenoDept.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZH3HxnVlscJ2GIXjOlla69F9XiYSDG89mMHRGba1crC3E-_KRdne8y4r3kCgl9JQXP8LH5PR6kLkgetoEX82PcjrUdZ7gOvp-pZQlBWp-JfY-oyc8AESWBLwIECyp4F4LjECnm9d8Lhtsq1XV2I8tG08m21Z30q_SSvAiYflmvBY5fgVmiT4rr0n6U6hN/s320/japaneseinterneeCampAmacheDenverPostStenoDept.png" width="310" /></a></div>Since
there are no contents, we can't be wholly certain of anything. Though
it seems odd that a mere subscription would require the efforts of the
Stenographer Department. If anyone has insight on this, I would be
happy to hear it.<br /><p>And that is how two of what must be many fairly
common-looking covers elevate themselves well above firestarter status.
They shine a light, without being subjected to burning, on a time in
history that we should contemplate and learn from. Thank you for
joining me today. I hope you have a fine remainder of your day and an
excellent week to come.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bonus Material - the Prexies</span></b></p><p>The
1938 Presidential Series is often referred to by philatelists as the
Prexie Series or the Prexies. And, of course, there are people who love
to collect and explore the history and postal history that surrounds
them. The United States Stamp Society has a <a href="https://www.prexie-era.org/prexies-low-mid-values/" target="_blank">nice overview of the entire issue</a> that you can look at if you want to learn more. This <a href="https://stampsmarter.org/learning/album_Prexie_home.html" target="_blank">online exhibit by Hal Klein</a> can give you an overview of the rates these stamps could pay.</p><p>If you like even MORE detail about the stamps and their production, you can go to <a href="https://stampsmarter.org/1847usa/1938Identifier.html" target="_blank">this page on the Stamp Smarter site</a>.
It is here that you might notice the stamp production numbers for each
denomination. The three-cent Jefferson had a total production level of
130 BILLION copies during the 1938-54 period. The next highest
production number for a denomination in this issue is about a quarter of
that. Now you might get an idea of why there are so many of them out
there.</p><p>Yet, despite the relatively common occurrence of this
particular stamp, a person can find truly interesting, and very
worthwhile, things. <br /></p><p>---------------------</p><p>Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-60374344560974896682024-01-09T05:30:00.001-06:002024-01-09T05:30:00.138-06:00A New Year and Renewed Effort for Agroecology<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfv9HQWQ1MlvP2LPelLY2N4064YTtSsy39l0ytc85zTYleFs8meyKjAl0HnvD2qecwx8fhFD8JWOjSML4Uo_-xTSq5LQpXXxJjCbhbpbjP4qpKSr6WczykpZKqE7zGuQ7rRz2MWZUZDFsKfAGo36Lps20bBrclixwLB5HXqClG6BZ9uoXScOXK/s4272/Z_TruckTetris1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfv9HQWQ1MlvP2LPelLY2N4064YTtSsy39l0ytc85zTYleFs8meyKjAl0HnvD2qecwx8fhFD8JWOjSML4Uo_-xTSq5LQpXXxJjCbhbpbjP4qpKSr6WczykpZKqE7zGuQ7rRz2MWZUZDFsKfAGo36Lps20bBrclixwLB5HXqClG6BZ9uoXScOXK/w640-h426/Z_TruckTetris1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /></p><div class="elementor-element elementor-element-a5d11a4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-content" data-element_type="widget" data-id="a5d11a4" data-widget_type="theme-post-content.default"><div class="elementor-widget-container"><p>As
I add another year of growing food for others into the books, I find
myself doing what so many people do in late December and early January — reflecting on
what has been and considering what may be. It’s tempting to fall prey
to the belief that this is the moment that everything will change,
making it a key transitional event in the life of our farm. Except,
I’ve realized that good stewardship recognizes that a farm is always in
transition, from one season to the next, from week to week, from task to
task.</p><p>A farm that implements the <a href="https://www.panna.org/news/agroecology-adapting-agriculture-to-the-land/">principles of agroecology</a>
is one that embraces complexity. That complexity often comes in the
form of transitions, moving from planting to cultivation to harvest.
These farms are prepared to work with whatever the land and the weather
brings to them. The people that do this work are strong and capable,
and they achieve a great deal. But they do all of this despite, not
because of, our current agriculture and food systems.</p><h3>Broken food and farming systems</h3><p>Our
current food and farming systems have come about due to a thirst for
control, simplicity and money. To be successful, a farm always has to
be seeking “more” and the concept of “enough” is considered to be no
better than failure. Bigger is better. Achieving the highest crop
yields is necessary, regardless of the non-monetary costs. As long as
the people who happen to be at the top of the ladder keep increasing
their sphere of influence and their assets, these systems are considered
successful.</p><p>The bigger our farms get, and the more they embrace
larger fields with single crops, the harder it is to get away from a
reliance on pesticides. As these farms increase in size, the harder it
becomes for new growers to <a href="https://www.panna.org/news/guest-blog-land-access-all/">access land</a>
and enter the profession. The laws and the regulations continue to
skew towards the preferences of these large, corporate farms and the
industry that promotes them. The power in food and farming is
definitely not in favor of a complex and diverse agriculture.</p><h3>Meanwhile, on a small-scale farm</h3><p>Our small-scale farm has been among those who continue to <a href="https://www.panna.org/news/farming-yield-money/">embrace agroecology despite the pressures</a>
of a system that would prefer we “get big or get out.” We have been
scaling back out of necessity since I started working with PAN, but we
still play a part in providing food to our local community.</p><p>I
wanted to give you a partial picture of what providing food to our local
community entails. But, before I do, I want to assure you that we do
love doing this – but we are also glad we don’t do it as much as we used
to. The time was right for us to scale back and we’re just trying to
find the right scale for where we are in our lives now. We are trying
to determine what is “enough” instead of getting caught in trying to
always acquire and achieve more.</p><p>One day in August, we delivered
32 dozen eggs, 35 pounds of tomatoes, 35 pounds of green beans and a
bushel of onions. We also delivered smaller amounts of zucchini, summer
squash, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce. A couple of individuals were
thrilled to get some HUGE zucchini, while others were happy to receive
zucchini that were only six inches long. Another person walked to the
delivery point and found they could not carry it home, so we dropped it
off at their home when all the other pickups were done.</p><p>While
orders “only” came from 24 individual families, there was certainly
effort expended to promote sales, manage orders, process those orders
and deliver them. On the same day, we worked with a couple of young
people to harvest green beans, we performed all of our farm chores and
tasks, and we both fulfilled our duties for our off-farm jobs.</p><p>Now
imagine this. When I worked on the farm full-time we offered a CSA
(Community Supported Agriculture) farm share. We had as many as 120
members getting a share every week. We typically offered anywhere from 7
to 15 different items in a share every week — which meant we might
deliver 120 pounds of green beans, 240 pounds of tomatoes, 240 heads of
lettuce and other produce in similar amounts each week.</p><p>A
small-scale, diversified farm can fill a farmer’s day. Now imagine
adding in the difficulties a broken food and agriculture system presents
for this type of farm. Concerns brought about by pesticide drift, the
struggle for land access, and the pressures of regulations built for
farms one hundred times our size are added to the burden.</p><h3>Promoting a transition to agroecology in 2024</h3><p>I
know many of you who will read this patronize local growers of food and
I salute you and have much gratitude for you. But sometimes patronage
is not enough. Sometimes, it is important that we take the next step to
understanding what it takes to grow good food on a small-scale with
sustainable practices. And, once we have that understanding, we need to
stand with current growers and those who want to enter the profession to
change the policies that actively work to remove us from the food and
farming system.</p><p>Perhaps you are also a steward who implements the
principles of agroecology. I recognize the value in your efforts and I
understand that it can be hard, but rewarding, work. And this is one of
the reasons I work at PAN to do advocacy work. I do this because the
people who work so hard to raise food in the best ways possible for
their communities shouldn’t also have to expend the energy or time to
fight alone against a system that is stacked against them.</p><p>As a
farmer and steward, I appreciate the work each of you has done on behalf
of the small-scale, diversified growers who strive to be stewards of
the land and their communities. As a member of the PAN community, I
look forward to a new year of promoting a real and lasting transition of
our farm and food systems towards agroecology.</p><p>--------------</p><p>Thank you for considering my words. This blog is a cross-posting <a href="https://www.panna.org/news/new-year-for-agroecology/" target="_blank">from the Ground Truth blog</a> for Pesticide Action Network that I wrote for their year-end issue. I hope you find something here worth pondering. <br /></p></div></div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-18968352475867236032024-01-07T05:30:00.001-06:002024-01-07T05:30:00.278-06:00Carried Away - Postal History Sunday<p></p><p>Welcome to Postal History Sunday, a weekly feature where I share a
hobby I enjoy with anyone
who has interest. It doesn't matter if you are an accomplished postal
historian or just a curious bystander, everyone has an opportunity to
learn something new. Ignore your troubles for a bit - maybe if you
forget to water them, they won't keep getting larger? Grab a
beverage of your choice and put on your fluffy slippers and take a few
moments away from the rest of your busy life.</p><p>This week, we're going to
look at the service provided by letter carriers in the United States to get the mail from the
sender to the post office in the 1860s. I typically refer to these as <b>carrier letters</b>, and they can be an interesting sub-topic for postal historians. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4LacY_YyB4vw1Q6BNZ-kmwXVJlazLoIfP6XAxuRa024RlU9mfQNvtkGB4VKFJC12Y11rasDXtwT_M8X9Tot8ssGNXg7ycSxp47PoWj-L14QHGJLEtdcghLrBW4ZJhuyfLxE8mTNZC0PT98h7lLB3HKMmlvTFN-3N5-6iInVu2xvrwDNnv2SUg7Yk3Mol/s1651/EarlyCarrier.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="1651" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4LacY_YyB4vw1Q6BNZ-kmwXVJlazLoIfP6XAxuRa024RlU9mfQNvtkGB4VKFJC12Y11rasDXtwT_M8X9Tot8ssGNXg7ycSxp47PoWj-L14QHGJLEtdcghLrBW4ZJhuyfLxE8mTNZC0PT98h7lLB3HKMmlvTFN-3N5-6iInVu2xvrwDNnv2SUg7Yk3Mol/w640-h380/EarlyCarrier.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>We're
going to start with this 1861 letter that originated in Philadelphia.
There are two postage stamps (1 cent and 3 cent) representing four cents
of postage paid to get this letter to Baltimore. The three cent stamp
paid the postage for a simple letter weighing no more than 1/2 ounce
within the US, as long as it did not travel over 3000 miles.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Letter Mail Rates in the United States April 1, 1855 - June 30, 1863</b><br />
</p>
<table align="center" border="1" style="width: 65%px;"><tbody><tr><th>Distance</th><th>Rate</th><th>Per</th></tr><tr>
<td>up to 3000 miles prepaid<br /></td>
<td>3 cents<br /></td>
<td><i>1/2 ounce <br /></i></td>
</tr><tr><td>over 3000 miles prepaid <br /></td><td>10 cents<br /></td><td><div style="text-align: right;">
</div><i>1/2 ounce </i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>This
particular PHS is concerned about what the blue 1-cent stamp paid for -
carriage to the Philadelphia post office. This could either mean that
the letter was picked up by the postal carrier from the sender or some
other drop off locations, such as a post box.</p><p>A person could also
pay to have a letter carrier deliver letters in the larger cities, such
as Baltimore and Philadelphia. The full street address on this envelope
tells us it could have been carried to No. 41 Charles Street. The
recipient would have paid one penny for delivery to the carrier - the
sender could not prepay for carrier delivery. But, today we are not
going to concern ourselves with delivery. Instead, we'll focus on
carriers getting letters <b>to the mails</b>.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Service Taken For Granted</b></span></p><p>While
I recognize that fewer and fewer people actually send letters via the
postal service, many who read this blog have at least some memory of a
time when paying bills and sending written correspondence via the mail
was commonplace. Unless you lived in a small, rural town, you probably
have (or had) a postal person delivering mail to your office or place of
residence. If you wanted to send something in the mail, you could
simply place it in your mailbox and that same person would pick up your
letter and take it to the post office for you. </p><p>That's a good
example of carrier service to the mails. The big difference is that no
extra fee beyond the regular postage rate was needed to secure that
service. Prior to July 1, 1863, people who wanted their letter carried
to the mails had to pay an extra fee.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawRCuZIeC755qVGixOjGTes3p2FlFZ5GQ44GOH-o3p6ZUp-Yv20hbP__h7jPbGbkaKJ0HAc4vVYaS6wLtewqweQ6i9A5u-8HgOu40RneM-plCobZNDtUX985DlCbZZQ-ZGgVIZRLlw4UqaE3vTlZnQiPAI1tIKzl3T3My3AILsrRWpGSucg/s523/ruralmailbox.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="523" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjawRCuZIeC755qVGixOjGTes3p2FlFZ5GQ44GOH-o3p6ZUp-Yv20hbP__h7jPbGbkaKJ0HAc4vVYaS6wLtewqweQ6i9A5u-8HgOu40RneM-plCobZNDtUX985DlCbZZQ-ZGgVIZRLlw4UqaE3vTlZnQiPAI1tIKzl3T3My3AILsrRWpGSucg/s320/ruralmailbox.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/reaching-rural-america-past-exhibits/rural-mailboxes" target="_blank">Smithsonian National Postal Museum</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I do not live in a town and I also benefit from <a href="https://about.usps.com/who/profile/history/rural-free-delivery.htm" target="_blank">Rural Free Delivery</a>
in the United States. In other words, I do not have to pay extra to
have someone drive by our farm six days a week and drop our mail off in a
box that looks a good deal like the one shown above. And, just like
someone who lives in a city with postal carriers, I can place mail into
my mailbox and raise the red flag on the side to alert our rural carrier
that I have placed a letter(s) into the box that I want them to take to
the post office for me without paying more.</p><p>The rural service started in the late 1890s,
though it was not adopted everywhere at once. Prior to that point,
rural customers had to make a trip to the nearest post office (that
could be lengthy) to pick up and drop off mail. Or, they made arrangements with someone else to drop off or pick up mail.<br /></p><p>Well,
believe it
or not, there was also a time in the United States where even people
living in some of our largest cities either had to go to the post office
themselves to pick up or send a letter OR they had to pay someone to go
to the post office for them. The 1860s were a key period where carrier
services expanded rapidly from the largest cities to smaller cities and
towns - which is one reason why I enjoy looking at items from this
period in the United States.<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Penny to Carry Your Mail </b></span><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtX0Q5VznbAOziYNFiQBc3wguZ0HpLoJhmSHDomrFRcPIVGvMb4VOYQ81fYjkCYD8jspdHMyBVswrGG1_xRnhYkpCJ_FgF-FZoJdulbeVXBGzMSfGydjqUOUDhrIxz6IZjYYI8lg7oJHEa9HbLPllwJQ2rdvI0PVmZRdw6ReMWRbbJ0Fl61uApVEfqhSK/s1548/Carrier4ctNewYorkDemonitized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1548" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtX0Q5VznbAOziYNFiQBc3wguZ0HpLoJhmSHDomrFRcPIVGvMb4VOYQ81fYjkCYD8jspdHMyBVswrGG1_xRnhYkpCJ_FgF-FZoJdulbeVXBGzMSfGydjqUOUDhrIxz6IZjYYI8lg7oJHEa9HbLPllwJQ2rdvI0PVmZRdw6ReMWRbbJ0Fl61uApVEfqhSK/w640-h408/Carrier4ctNewYorkDemonitized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br />Here
is a similar item showing 1 cent payment a letter carrier to take this
envelope to the New York City post office. In addition the possibility
of handing a letter directly to a carrier, New Yorkers could find one of
the lamp-post drop boxes scattered throughout the city. </p><p>There
were 586 such boxes in 1863 in NYC but there were most likely fewer in
1861 when the letter shown above was mailed. To my knowledge, there
isn't any way to tell whether this envelope was handed to a carrier or
taken from one of these boxes. But, once again, the 1-cent stamp is
evidence that the carrier service to the New York post office was
paid. </p><p>And, before we move on, there is something different about
this cover. See if you can see it. If you can't, don't worry, I'll
fill you in later!</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbUp8Fm04RWJ1vhtYcAuqURnftTGPEtzSF7UIPfMYH6R9c1jK-cQly26D852VdikBG-o7ynKsorDI0-lZDhoF7VTUpXse7_N3WkQmOeCI-uF1VXHKNucYCQtdiwOnCQ8v9XjtAroy3uVA6CWXm6tHnIP22T3dM0puXrvTYc1Frx_ygjEWkQ/s577/mailboxpottspatent1858.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbUp8Fm04RWJ1vhtYcAuqURnftTGPEtzSF7UIPfMYH6R9c1jK-cQly26D852VdikBG-o7ynKsorDI0-lZDhoF7VTUpXse7_N3WkQmOeCI-uF1VXHKNucYCQtdiwOnCQ8v9XjtAroy3uVA6CWXm6tHnIP22T3dM0puXrvTYc1Frx_ygjEWkQ/w266-h400/mailboxpottspatent1858.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/customers-and-communities-serving-the-cities-overcoming-congestion/street-corner" target="_blank">Smithsonian</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p>According
to Appleton's United States Postal Guide for 1863, carriers visited
these boxes six times a day to empty them and take the letters deposited
there to the post office. There were 137 postal carriers employed by
the New York City post office if we use the numbers in the report of the Postmaster
General for the fiscal year 1863/64. Their job, in addition to picking
up letters from these letterboxes, was to also make deliveries of the
mail and collect the one cent carrier fee.</p><p>You might be
surprised to learn that the first collection box officially sanctioned
by the US Post Office was patented in 1858 by Albert Potts. These were
quite small and required frequent emptying. This, of course, led to
larger boxes, including those built under contract with the Post Office
by John Murray in 1860. If this topic interests you, you may enjoy
reading the<a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/customers-and-communities-serving-the-cities-overcoming-congestion/street-corner" target="_blank"> summary provided here</a> by the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.</p><p></p><p>There was limited carrier service for pick up and delivery well before the 1860s, which is the period I focus on. The <a href="https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/new-york-city-directories#/?tab=about" target="_blank">New York City Directory and Register</a> for 1789 lists at least one letter carrier named Hugh Duncan, as pointed out in this presentation by <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/pdf/Early-Carrier-Service-in-America.pdf" target="_blank">Calvet Hahn</a>
and confirmed by viewing the directory in question (shown below).
There are also covers that exist to show carrier delivery service in
Philadelphia as early as 1754.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4OB98kHQ2hbonDSaATAqR_HVoR9sUgofByTzgbBZr6Tt28fCQIiaqXBnhoozKRjC93teiBJBkV5KLnBfAlSuNu6_-4LoNdTIn9waFh3JgGW_4tqEoxzPVSma2Msm6D_nxGeNU_-pvXXfgMgdKFvYqhR3nzrM3qdrJ-VxAF1td1Sg2cetOxpzCm30U2XJ/s484/carrierDuncanHugh1789NYCdirectory.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="484" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4OB98kHQ2hbonDSaATAqR_HVoR9sUgofByTzgbBZr6Tt28fCQIiaqXBnhoozKRjC93teiBJBkV5KLnBfAlSuNu6_-4LoNdTIn9waFh3JgGW_4tqEoxzPVSma2Msm6D_nxGeNU_-pvXXfgMgdKFvYqhR3nzrM3qdrJ-VxAF1td1Sg2cetOxpzCm30U2XJ/w640-h176/carrierDuncanHugh1789NYCdirectory.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The
motivations for the US Post Office to begin taking carrier pick up and
delivery more seriously is a fairly complex question. I could point to
Europe and the history of mail pick-up and delivery that was well
established
there. But, that would only serve as the model for some of the ideas
that were implemented in the United States. We need to remember that
the majority of the population resided in rural areas and the existing city infrastructures were much
younger and less established in the US. <br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>An Outside Motivation - Protecting Turf<br /></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginZ--H4OJ40i-ssIsP7Vvlyg5cl2awnKKJwdfW0pLtd5LWnEOafsDR5w_WN4B7l6iooSz_tsKc1UxMvPCinKRd_jTKYNhW3sQbXjzQE_SE0kKJHxyfrMgomtNy7Wz1SmFlGSfIwEpCwuYFfQDGW59otxHd3k8glSTn2dFHLh3twdz4sS8ew/s1633/bloodscarrier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1633" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginZ--H4OJ40i-ssIsP7Vvlyg5cl2awnKKJwdfW0pLtd5LWnEOafsDR5w_WN4B7l6iooSz_tsKc1UxMvPCinKRd_jTKYNhW3sQbXjzQE_SE0kKJHxyfrMgomtNy7Wz1SmFlGSfIwEpCwuYFfQDGW59otxHd3k8glSTn2dFHLh3twdz4sS8ew/w640-h364/bloodscarrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Just
as private mail services pushed the US Post Office to provide cheaper
postage (and get laws passed to remove the competition), the private
services that offered to take mail to and from private homes and
businesses encouraged change by providing competition. One well known private service was called the
Blood's Penny Post in Philadelphia. </p><p>Shown above is a letter that
was mailed in Philadelphia on September 4, 1861, to Washington, D.C. A
three-cent stamp paid for the domestic postage to get from Philadelphia to
D.C., but there is an additional adhesive on this cover that represented
payment to Blood's for carrier service.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTUVz_LbKIMLN8OwuXu1UKu-PCIYwCbfzvt2Xz0MfNHY51_5RhNNjKoVU9NuATSJ8IN2vxQs9b9SXKYiAfoo3W8SBQt0iYe6_jU_7sLE0TULz0MY_7qAAe2WY4_svZsd1_LWE-l_HGin9DbguiyTN0qBgAGsRoW6f8RVaetjhSlJ3_4QXSA/s239/bloodsstamp%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="239" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZTUVz_LbKIMLN8OwuXu1UKu-PCIYwCbfzvt2Xz0MfNHY51_5RhNNjKoVU9NuATSJ8IN2vxQs9b9SXKYiAfoo3W8SBQt0iYe6_jU_7sLE0TULz0MY_7qAAe2WY4_svZsd1_LWE-l_HGin9DbguiyTN0qBgAGsRoW6f8RVaetjhSlJ3_4QXSA/s1600/bloodsstamp%20copy.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><p>The
Blood's carrier service started in 1845 as D.O. Blood & Co,
becoming Blood's Despatch in 1848, and was finally known as Blood's Penny
Post in 1854. At its height, it serviced hundreds of collection boxes
throughout Philadelphia that were emptied as many as five times a day. </p><p>If
you'll look at the cover above, you'll find a round marking at the
bottom left. It is hard to read, so I can provide you with a similar
marking that bears different dates and times. If the marking on our cover were clearer, we might expect to be able to
find out which time of day this letter had been collected by Blood's
Penny Post - just as the example below from 1858 illustrates for us.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SK7gw_X-3MOh2f04tmSZNPzWtm4TAoerRAO3ot-TuzFs9grwj0xtbuoVVHUHQZwQymOUE-uKbyxkn8IBf9PZXrg4rMmq9VLQXgvEep5bA11X5kWGakrYjbsP-fY3NPAsn7-5ZLuhgrbHgdbetDi2XLnI5kgPJZdh4flj3KfgFVz6shOrVA/s210/bloods.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="199" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SK7gw_X-3MOh2f04tmSZNPzWtm4TAoerRAO3ot-TuzFs9grwj0xtbuoVVHUHQZwQymOUE-uKbyxkn8IBf9PZXrg4rMmq9VLQXgvEep5bA11X5kWGakrYjbsP-fY3NPAsn7-5ZLuhgrbHgdbetDi2XLnI5kgPJZdh4flj3KfgFVz6shOrVA/s1600/bloods.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><p>In
September of 1861, the cost for carrier service by Blood's Penny Post to the US Post Office
in Philadelphia was one penny. Blood's started the service at a cost of
three cents in 1845, dropping it to 2 cents and then 1 cent (in 1855)
as business grew and competitors attempted to get into the fray. If you
are interested in seeing examples of postal history from Blood's and
their competitors in Philadelphia you may view them in <a href="https://www.collectorsclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/VernMorris.pdf" target="_blank">Vernon Morris'
exhibit</a> of Blood's postal history.<br /></p><p>It
turns out that it can be useful to have the federal government on your
side. The US Post Office had the ability to declare any road or street a
"post
road." Once a road or street had that designation it was no longer
legal for a private entity to carry the mail via those routes. In July
of 1860, the Postmaster General announced that all streets in
Philadelphia were post roads. As a result, Blood's was technically
no longer allowed to carry mail in the city - but they opted to ignore
that
announcement and continued to provide their services.<br /></p><p>However,
after the Post Office sought an injunction to prevent Blood's from
continuing in 1861, the Penny Post finally shut their doors on January 10, 1862.
If you would like more details about Blood's Penny Post, I suggest you
read this article in the <a href="http://chronicle.uspcs.org/pdf/Chronicle_144/10814.pdf" target="_blank">Classics Society's Chronicle by Edward Harvey</a>. And, if that's still not enough for you, you can read this article that <a href="https://www.pennypost.org/pdf/penny-post-archive/PennyPost199111.pdf" target="_blank">expands on certain details by Steven Roth</a> (starts page 4). </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>US Postal Carriers in Major Cities</b></span><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-ID851kjUzMuzOqSpTtoOVH-cDP0EU7S-BrR10xLvJxoBgr8t4o6n3tmVUPJYg2Orfzz_bmVGIzz9EdnubVvplUFUVJY2tYDxxiKBwSCS5JS-hZNL_GK7e5WyR5qvg6ygm-B2pv0Dw8-GEg_Z5rImbCJo9_frMvLspp3TAMt6DJEaiMaEA/s1591/Phila4ctCarriernov18b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1591" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-ID851kjUzMuzOqSpTtoOVH-cDP0EU7S-BrR10xLvJxoBgr8t4o6n3tmVUPJYg2Orfzz_bmVGIzz9EdnubVvplUFUVJY2tYDxxiKBwSCS5JS-hZNL_GK7e5WyR5qvg6ygm-B2pv0Dw8-GEg_Z5rImbCJo9_frMvLspp3TAMt6DJEaiMaEA/w640-h344/Phila4ctCarriernov18b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>A person can, if they wish, find examples
of the US Post Office's penny carrier service in several of the major cities in the early
1860s. In my own collection, I have examples for New York City,
Boston, Brooklyn, Baltimore and Philadelphia (another is shown above).
In each case, a three cent stamp pays for a simple letter weighing no
more than 1/2 ounce to travel from one point to another within the
United States. The one-cent stamp pays for the carrier service to the
post office.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_0aDRBdze2Bq5_qARkmdybgyEfYTa9fu2avwuavoE6S2GZ0QPAaSv8YHnaEn2y1msJ93kWm-PM9S-VXyVbe8dk7SfRwBrrmIMbJyzas_Qouz4VYm5lNReo9qVt5m31oQtmBQB1Fruww85j_DyueWCcEzZH5O3W-hReMHzJzK01mzYB6yRQ/s229/philpenpost.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="229" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_0aDRBdze2Bq5_qARkmdybgyEfYTa9fu2avwuavoE6S2GZ0QPAaSv8YHnaEn2y1msJ93kWm-PM9S-VXyVbe8dk7SfRwBrrmIMbJyzas_Qouz4VYm5lNReo9qVt5m31oQtmBQB1Fruww85j_DyueWCcEzZH5O3W-hReMHzJzK01mzYB6yRQ/w200-h192/philpenpost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It
is interesting to note that the US Post Office in Philadelphia was not
too proud to take a few clues from the successful Blood's Penny Post.
The back of this letter shows a poorly struck postmark that would
include the date and time stamp to show which carrier circuit picked the
item up.<p></p><p>Rather than show you that marking, because it is hard
to read, let me show you a similar marking that bears a different date
in time so you can get a feel for what it looks like.</p><p>As postal
use grew in the 1860s, the number of cities that provided carrier
services increased. And, on July 1, 1863, the one cent fee for carrier
service was removed and <a href="https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/customers-and-communities-serving-the-cities-city-free-delivery/joseph-briggs-and-the" target="_blank">Free City Delivery</a>
was established in the United States. At that time only 49 post offices
employed at least one carrier and there were approximately 450 carriers
in total. By 1900, over 400 cities employed nearly 10,000 letter
carriers and rural delivery was starting to get a foothold.<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why are Postal Historians Attracted to "Carrier Covers"? </b></span><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtdIiCMsQg-DCsKRi_Eac2j35dLq8v6AN_UlGkMj_7jcc8lmiaCPabMsVsNfZKF2BTo7WJKDTUNAIiD30DBZmAZgDTI_lDd6Q9PexOPQKtFlLkLQsfBHYpeniM1VruH8dKnl1Ta8ozth8tutQuBWkk5ComhS3vEjinKmCYwP96QdoP1coWw/s1409/Baltimore4ctCarrier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1409" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtdIiCMsQg-DCsKRi_Eac2j35dLq8v6AN_UlGkMj_7jcc8lmiaCPabMsVsNfZKF2BTo7WJKDTUNAIiD30DBZmAZgDTI_lDd6Q9PexOPQKtFlLkLQsfBHYpeniM1VruH8dKnl1Ta8ozth8tutQuBWkk5ComhS3vEjinKmCYwP96QdoP1coWw/w640-h364/Baltimore4ctCarrier.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>As
a postal historian, I appreciate items that provide me with clues that
tell me how the letter traveled through the mail. Once we get to the
middle of 1863 and the 1 cent fee for carrier pickup to the post office
was removed, we lose some of the indicators that might tell us how a letter
got to the post office in the first place. A letter that was picked up
from a lamppost drop box will look exactly the same as one that was
dropped by the customer at the main post office after July 1st of that
year.<br /></p><p>That's why items prior to that date, like the cover
shown above, have a special attraction. The mere existence of the 1
cent stamp on this cover tells us that a carrier picked up this item and
took it to the post office. Just a bit more of the story is evident
here. And, because I know it cost 1 cent for a carrier to pick this up,
I know the item shown below was NOT taken to the Philadelphia post
office by a US post carrier.</p><p>Why? Well, the postmark date is
1861, so the 1 cent carrier fee was in force. There is no indication of
carrier service so it is highly likely it was dropped at the post
office.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMaZtNQyMXZP4ShJQJJJ0ronezNxzC80f34xgqkVkL_XjuV97YigWnZNF_0Qma4cRMyKFU99RZFW9BDL55yXP9mdGeg5gwtqSAWOg6BwYBAQBZs3zmHhAqUP6GpMGBZczbgpKRgOeNJ8IDoppnmFUxHh2FbdfLxBsszzOri-H3ntAWaw3hg/s1294/img078.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1294" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMaZtNQyMXZP4ShJQJJJ0ronezNxzC80f34xgqkVkL_XjuV97YigWnZNF_0Qma4cRMyKFU99RZFW9BDL55yXP9mdGeg5gwtqSAWOg6BwYBAQBZs3zmHhAqUP6GpMGBZczbgpKRgOeNJ8IDoppnmFUxHh2FbdfLxBsszzOri-H3ntAWaw3hg/w640-h378/img078.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>If
this item were dated October 1, 1863 (instead of 1861), I would not
have any clues to tell me about the journey this letter took to get to
the post office. It could have been dropped in a post box, handed to a
carrier or passed to the postal clerk at the post office.<br /></p><p>But,
that's not the whole story of what attracts people to items we call
"carrier covers." You've actually gotten a taste of it in this Postal
History Sunday. We have interesting stories involving private local
carriers that provided a service that the US Post Office was either
neglecting or not doing sufficiently well. We see evidence of social
change as mail was made more accessible to a wider audience. We see the
progress where a convenience that initially required payment eventually becomes an expected free service.</p><p>It's a good story. And you all know how I like a good story.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bonus Material</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginZ--H4OJ40i-ssIsP7Vvlyg5cl2awnKKJwdfW0pLtd5LWnEOafsDR5w_WN4B7l6iooSz_tsKc1UxMvPCinKRd_jTKYNhW3sQbXjzQE_SE0kKJHxyfrMgomtNy7Wz1SmFlGSfIwEpCwuYFfQDGW59otxHd3k8glSTn2dFHLh3twdz4sS8ew/s1633/bloodscarrier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1633" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginZ--H4OJ40i-ssIsP7Vvlyg5cl2awnKKJwdfW0pLtd5LWnEOafsDR5w_WN4B7l6iooSz_tsKc1UxMvPCinKRd_jTKYNhW3sQbXjzQE_SE0kKJHxyfrMgomtNy7Wz1SmFlGSfIwEpCwuYFfQDGW59otxHd3k8glSTn2dFHLh3twdz4sS8ew/w400-h228/bloodscarrier.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>The
letter that features the Blood's Penny Post stamp is written to a
Private James C. Hufty of Colonel Baker's "First California" Regiment,
Company C. Hufty, a 21 year old, enrolled on April 18, 1861 with the
First California. Apparently, Hufty found some way to hold on to the
letters he received because there are several envelopes from this
correspondence available to collectors. </p><p>Camp Oregon (where this letter was addressed) was part of the
defense around Washington, D.C. (to its northwest) and many of these
camps included <a href="https://www.oah.org/resources/scholarship/civilwar/gallery/family-members-encamped-with-union-troops-near-washington-d.c/" target="_blank">the families of some of the soldiers</a>.
This could, I suppose, help explain how these envelopes survived. Is
it possible he had someone at camp who kept track of these letters for him? Below is
a photo of the 31st Pennsylvania Volunteers encamped at that time near
Washington, D.C. (a different unit that did not include Hufty).<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-tUk9z4_FYBImub53a0PcGDFr5CUbTON7gRpU0LV70ptjjcSf4g-F-sRzaCRs9ICb9HnWuctPetONjBeWMymt3oLl1Qdl7e5sb_lMs_mujo8PLetC-zbYjk71XgNs_WcGX4CF6_4rNYd4fdVUG5IuAxjEH6eCr2iFgwS4nOQn2Z9eINyVA/s640/family-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="640" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-tUk9z4_FYBImub53a0PcGDFr5CUbTON7gRpU0LV70ptjjcSf4g-F-sRzaCRs9ICb9HnWuctPetONjBeWMymt3oLl1Qdl7e5sb_lMs_mujo8PLetC-zbYjk71XgNs_WcGX4CF6_4rNYd4fdVUG5IuAxjEH6eCr2iFgwS4nOQn2Z9eINyVA/w400-h371/family-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Library of Congress, LC-DIG-cwpb-01663</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Private
Hufty would be among 553 Federal prisoners taken at the Battle of
Ball's Bluff on October 21, 1861. I have not been able to track Hufty
beyond that point in time.<br /></p><p></p><p><a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/items/show/4827#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&xywh=-226%2C11%2C689%2C351" target="_blank">Senator Edward D Baker</a>,
of Oregon, formed this regiment largely with volunteers from
Philadelphia and New York City, despite what the name might imply.
Baker was a politician and a friend of President Lincoln. Because he
recruited this regiment (and he had connections), Baker was given the
commission as Colonel, despite his lack of military training. This was a
fairly common occurrence early in the war, which led to numerous
mistakes in early action.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluSVHmNOyla90ttDibLiZHYG9RiPZXuNx2KWbXPb77b4yScr23zmKX0ZcYonqB7J-jP0uZgeUsbjfWRwVKiLjMJ3PeIPOoVoHpWm9krxguNcRS3Ii0fcEQ3qb0Ave6er1DAcX55unZKtyYY1UtFlaJv37QLN9ZPi0tuuaU8QTNQPBCPtZFQ/s617/Battle_of_Ball's_Bluff_Map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="617" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjluSVHmNOyla90ttDibLiZHYG9RiPZXuNx2KWbXPb77b4yScr23zmKX0ZcYonqB7J-jP0uZgeUsbjfWRwVKiLjMJ3PeIPOoVoHpWm9krxguNcRS3Ii0fcEQ3qb0Ave6er1DAcX55unZKtyYY1UtFlaJv37QLN9ZPi0tuuaU8QTNQPBCPtZFQ/w640-h622/Battle_of_Ball's_Bluff_Map.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from WikiMedia Commons<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The
Battle of Ball's Bluff was a prime illustration how the lack of
military background cost dearly. Baker positioned his troops on low
ground, putting them at great disadvantage. They were pressed back to
the Potomac where many were killed, captured or drowned in the attempt
to retreat. Baker paid with his life and his incompetence resulted in
the creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of War. The Joint
Committee was created to begin addressing the competence of military
leadership and to counter politically motivated appointments.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPil_6qRb6vG_9MlOmpVls2yvT4hJu9VMpOOJznTwX9x5K_hQ5_pqGmtZcjKTFRaiBye0X3kuD_xS1Vg6y2E9CkG7zWPGd51nwyMesfR3_vJNOR0_lESCjqyyt0sx56E_RFkvHPdVOGx-luEum_hZAomjq-qVY0LkEqEqHxQ7Z2DwHw9dDRg/s800/bakeratballsbluff.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="800" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPil_6qRb6vG_9MlOmpVls2yvT4hJu9VMpOOJznTwX9x5K_hQ5_pqGmtZcjKTFRaiBye0X3kuD_xS1Vg6y2E9CkG7zWPGd51nwyMesfR3_vJNOR0_lESCjqyyt0sx56E_RFkvHPdVOGx-luEum_hZAomjq-qVY0LkEqEqHxQ7Z2DwHw9dDRg/w400-h263/bakeratballsbluff.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baker shot at Ball's Bluff - from <a href="https://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b50103/" target="_blank">Library of Congress</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>After the Senator's (Colonel's) death, the 1st California was renamed the <a href="http://www.pacivilwar.com/regiment/71st.html" target="_blank">71st Pennsylvania Infantry</a>,
though it was (and is) still often referenced by its original name.
The 71st participated in many major battles, including Chancellorsville
and Gettysburg. They were mustered out in August of 1864.</p><p>If you are interested in more details surrounding the 71st Pennsylvania, the <a href="http://bluegraymagazine.com/store/product87.html" target="_blank">History of Edward Baker's California Regiment</a>, 71st PA Inf. by Gary
G. Lash could be of interest to you. </p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">And one more tidbit for this week</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtX0Q5VznbAOziYNFiQBc3wguZ0HpLoJhmSHDomrFRcPIVGvMb4VOYQ81fYjkCYD8jspdHMyBVswrGG1_xRnhYkpCJ_FgF-FZoJdulbeVXBGzMSfGydjqUOUDhrIxz6IZjYYI8lg7oJHEa9HbLPllwJQ2rdvI0PVmZRdw6ReMWRbbJ0Fl61uApVEfqhSK/s1548/Carrier4ctNewYorkDemonitized.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1548" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtX0Q5VznbAOziYNFiQBc3wguZ0HpLoJhmSHDomrFRcPIVGvMb4VOYQ81fYjkCYD8jspdHMyBVswrGG1_xRnhYkpCJ_FgF-FZoJdulbeVXBGzMSfGydjqUOUDhrIxz6IZjYYI8lg7oJHEa9HbLPllwJQ2rdvI0PVmZRdw6ReMWRbbJ0Fl61uApVEfqhSK/w400-h255/Carrier4ctNewYorkDemonitized.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I
promised earlier that I would fill you in about the thing that is
"different" for the second cover shown in today's Postal History Sunday -
so here we are!</p><p>The United States Postal Service issued a new
design of postage stamps in 1861, releasing them for use in August of
that year. At the same time, the <b>demonetized</b> the older designs
of postage stamps - making them no longer valid to pay postage. The
idea was to prevent postmasters and persons in the Confederate States
from using older stocks of US postage.</p><p>However, there was a period
of time where old postage was still allowed and, of course, not every
instance where a person tried to use an old stamp was going to be
noticed. While the new designs were different, their colors and designs
were similar enough that a person with much to do might miss it. This
is an example of a cover where an old design from the 1851 / 1857 series
(the blue one cent stamp) is used with a new 1861 design (the rose
colored three cent stamp).</p><p>Of course, there is more that can be said about that - but that might be best said in another Postal History Sunday.<br /></p><p>Thank you for joining me this week. I hope you have a great remainder of your day and a fine week to come!</p><p>---------------------</p><p>Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-10853095724169049512024-01-01T05:30:00.098-06:002024-01-01T05:30:00.255-06:00Best of 2023<p>Welcome to 2024!</p><p>I am sure this year will bring some new things - including the possibility of a new approach for the farm blog. But, before we turn the page on 2023, I thought I would share my selections for the best blogs of 2023.</p><p>In order to qualify, I removed Postal History Sunday from the list (they got their own post) and I also removed Faux Real Stories because I've been sharing them lately for you to enjoy. I also removed from consideration any "throwback" post - even if I practically rewrote some of them in their entirety.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBacq9vgmfioT0CZGdCKt-rmSguNbXDGyrvYh8AY1AyreSUPtk38X5vye5-ZxkIJYQPhKRxyTd9oiY4za2CWpGRMEtE3ady-uebG8ddA5qOsJ3WHx9aewq4jwbTBTXLIjRtS5xf2Z-_vqyQ607x2jWHoVLZ8pEBVUqbPxaNcP1JfeddgHCWsqC/s6240/IMG_9549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBacq9vgmfioT0CZGdCKt-rmSguNbXDGyrvYh8AY1AyreSUPtk38X5vye5-ZxkIJYQPhKRxyTd9oiY4za2CWpGRMEtE3ady-uebG8ddA5qOsJ3WHx9aewq4jwbTBTXLIjRtS5xf2Z-_vqyQ607x2jWHoVLZ8pEBVUqbPxaNcP1JfeddgHCWsqC/w640-h426/IMG_9549.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Given the fact that there were well over 300 entries in the past year, there was still plenty of decent writing to share. In other words, it was still difficult to limit myself to eleven! But first, we get to share the blog that got the most readership (not counting those taken out of consideration by my restrictions above)!<p></p><p>After each link, I grabbed a quote from each blog. Maybe you can choose what seems interesting to you to read. Or you can just read this blog and be amused by the fact that I feel like I need to provide a "best of" list for 2023 in the first place!<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>People's Choice:</b></span></p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/08/why-theyre-called-chores.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Why They're Called Chores</span></a></p><p>Now, the good, or bad, news - depending on how you look at it - is
that there were two days this past weekend. Sunday was cloudier, cooler
and it had some light rain. The rain wasn't heavy enough to stop the
outdoor work, but it sure did make a person damp a bit faster than some
good, old-fashioned sweat. </p><p>In my case, I was able to accomplish the task of sweating and getting rained on at the same time. </p><p>Multi-talented, I am.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Author's Choice: </span></b><br /></p><p></p><p>And now we come to my choices. I did not spend much time on ordering them - but I did agonize over the process of cutting things down to just eleven. I did okay until I got down to fifteen - but it was pretty difficult to choose at that point. That's good news for you, because I didn't have to stretch to find the good stuff!<br /></p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/09/those-who-hesitate.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Those Who Hesitate</span></a></p><p>Look before you leap. Or, maybe you prefer "look for thorns before
you grab the stem of a rose?" Whatever. It's your brain, so you can
play with the idioms that reside there all you would like.<br /></p>Assess
your surroundings, think about the possible future outcomes, before you
find that you've put yourself into a very bad situation. It actually
doesn't sound all that different from what I was saying before when I
suggested that I would be lost if I hesitated. But, in my case, I was
talking about hesitating to think about the situation and make a
decision.<p></p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/04/mythology-open-spot-in-calendar.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Mythology: The Open Spot on the Calendar</span></a></p><p>I have selective amnesia when it comes to some of the busiest and
most stressful times of year. Perhaps there is a small voice in the
back of my mind that is yelling in its tiny voice, "NO! Not then!" But,
the open spot on the calendar causes the rest of the crowd to roar in
appreciation of the fact that a mutual time has been located and agreed
upon. </p><p>That poor little voice knows better, but how can it get the
attention of the decision making process when that process is too busy
acknowledging the applause? OPEN SPOT... OPEN SPOT... OPEN SPOT... YAY! </p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/03/spring-migration.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Spring Migration</span></a><br /></p><p>Many birds change into their mating plumage by going through a molt
(growing a new set of feathers). According to All About Birds, the
Cornell Lab website, Snow Buntings
rub their heads and bellies against the snow to wear off the darker
coloration on the tips of their feathers, exposing the lighter, white
parts. </p><p>Ah, the things we do for love. </p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/02/rustic-or-dump-at-least-its-authentic.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Rustic or a Dump - at Least it's Authentic</span></a></p><p>Part of the problem is that not everyone can tell the difference between
useful items that are there for a reason and an honest to goodness
mess. You can probably guess that the rolled up hose in a cart with a
couple of feeder covers is probably there for a reason (stored for the
Winter). But, they also probably don't look all that attractive either.
There's a pile of metal that is waiting for the next metal drive -
and that's not something you walk someone by when you want them to think
your place is beautiful either.</p><p></p><p>I will also hazard a guess that chicken transport crates are not likely to be most people's choice of decorative items either.</p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/07/water-cooler-talk.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Water Cooler Talk</span></a></p><p>Only a very select portion of the population in our world today can
fully relate to the idea of moving hens from one location to another on a
small (or even larger) farm. And that's why I often find myself
mumbling words like "oh, nothing much," when someone makes the polite
inquiry about what I did last night. Or, I simply make the bold
statement, "We moved the hens from one location to another one." People
around the cooler can take it at face value or not. </p><p>It's just
that this approach runs the risk that one of those folks are going to
ask me to explain what I mean by that. And that is when the fun begins.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/02/moalepe-walk-there-again.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Moalepe - Walk There Again</span></a></p><p>Then there was the Eucalyptipath... Ok, it was a row of Eucalyptus
trees (with a few other trees mixed in). After a stretch of sun that
made us both feel a little bit uncomfortable, the shade from the trees
was welcome. And, to top it off, we had a bit of a breeze moving the
leaves around.</p><p>I think the only thing about this part of the path
that was a negative was the sheer number of roots IN the path. I would
have liked to have walked with my head up, smiling the whole way, to
enjoy the sight of the filtered sunlight and the feel of the breeze on
my face. Instead, we had to keep our eyes on our feet most of the time
so our faces did not get a close up of the ground and those same roots.</p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/01/snirt-alert.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Snirt Alert</span></a></p><p>Today's snirt is on our farm, in part, because of the words of Earl
Butz, Secretary of Agriculture for Richard M. Nixon. Butz called upon
farmers in the United States to plant from fencerow to fencerow and
encouraged individual farms to get big or get out. I should be clear
here, however, that his declaration in 1973 did not mark the beginning
of snirt in Iowa and other locations. It merely emphasized a style of
agriculture that has little regard for diversity and natural processes -
a style that was already gaining steam, especially after World War II.</p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/08/coneflowers-and-goldenrod.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Coneflowers and Goldenrod</span></a></p><p>Mother Nature: "How about a nice BIG patch of goldenrod where you planted those iris."</p><p>Farmer Rob: "Um... I would rather that go over..."</p><p>Mother Nature: "And while we're at it, some thousand-flower aster would be great next to it."</p><p>Farmer Rob: "But that's where I put the iris and day lilies! Could we just..."</p><p>Mother Nature: " And that cherry tree.... it needs some trimming."</p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/04/sweet-marsh-disturbing-walk-there-again.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Sweet Marsh - A Disturbing Walk There Again</span></a></p><p>We continued down the path and noted that there was a turtle crossing
it a few hundred feet ahead of us. This Painted Turtle really wanted
nothing to do with us either, but it couldn't swim or fly away.
Instead, it simply pulled into its portable home and put out the
unwelcome mat. </p><p>Of course, being the inconsiderate humans we are,
we had to stop and observe this poor creature for longer than it
wanted. To be fair, our simple passage was already considered enough of
an inconvenience. But it seemed like it had a pretty nice home - and
we told it so. </p><p>Of course, we got no reply and we eventually gave up having a conversation as a bad job. </p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/11/clan-leaf.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Clan Leaf</span></a></p><p>While a branch may not fully appreciate or understand the function and
form of a leaf, it still needs to recognize its value and respect it.
The roots will never see a leaf, but it takes its nourishment through
photosynthesis while the leaf is part of the plant or as a result of
decomposition after the leaf falls and is broken down into useful
nutrients.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2023/07/grace.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Grace</span></a></p><p>In this world, you can do everything as best as you are able with the
knowledge that you have at your disposal. You can seek out qualified
opinions and give yourself time to make the best decisions. You can do
everything as right as you possibly can.</p><p>And you can still have a result that is not a good one - even when you can't possibly see how you could have done much better.<br /></p><p>This is why it is so important to give each other - and ourselves - grace.</p><p></p><p>------------</p><p>Thank you for reading and considering my words. Here's hoping we can find kindness and beauty in 2024.<br /></p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-43847251505002535492023-12-31T05:30:00.001-06:002023-12-31T05:30:00.143-06:00Author's Choice for 2023 - Postal History Sunday<p></p><p>It is Sunday and it is also the day before the turning of the
calendar from 2023 to 2024. As has been the tradition with Postal
History Sunday, I am offering up what I feel are some of the best
entries for the past year. Feel free to take the links to the original
articles if the description moves you to do so. And, of course, if you
think I've got it all wrong and there are others that should have made
the list, feel free to let me know.<br /></p><p>If you look under the
image for each article you will find a "trivia" question. See how many
you can answer! Hint - one might find those answers by taking the link
for each entry - who didn't see that coming?</p><p>Set the troubles aside, grab a favorite beverage and put on the fuzzy slippers. It's time for Postal History Sunday!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>People's Choice - <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-foolish-desire-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">The Foolish Desire</a></b></span></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="CSS_LIGHTBOX_SCALED_IMAGE_IMG" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmsJHBDkEYVV1J2uWMPO2_3dwx6cuZLUIvOseFj_vlTfSDtnDZMe63KBa-ePyOPud9vSq1d-H_5ceibMz-BRZPj_OURmEjDqjk99P2KJ798ILqXEghv5FpqKvUjFA11nIPQWsM/s409/John_William_De_Forest.png" style="height: 409px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 309px;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. In addition to his military service during the Civil War, what was J.W. DeForest' primary occupation?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></p></div><p>The
"People's Choice" award was actually very close this year with no entry
running away from the competition. The interesting thing, for me, was
how some blogs clearly appealed to a wider audience - and they weren't
always the ones I expected. </p><p>This was actually one of the Postal
History Sunday entries this year that was a rewrite of an entry from a
couple of years ago. I've learned more since it first appeared and I
know that the best writing is actually re-writing. The results here
seem to back that up.</p><p>As far as a preview is concerned, the main
focus is on the contents of a letter written by Harriet Silliman
Shepherd to Erastus DeForest during the American Civil War. This Postal
History Sunday ranges far and wide, including bull fighting, fancy
cancellations, and the chi square distribution. Yes, you read that
right. We take our mathematics seriously here too.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">11. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/02/one-thing-leads-to-another-postal.html" target="_blank">One Thing Leads to Another</a> and <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/02/another-thing-leads-to-another-postal.html" target="_blank">Another Thing Leads to Another</a></span></b><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SjdNyeVwt8K9IX3C5X9QMME13__9fk1jpqtdk8pFl0zbV6C4EyjAak3xeYqFDrV6kCKSE_8IpL2zSOQaTUAmWXAKRG5wiytkl5mKLdsy0BH-lgrgdTf67uF64EyxA6b3kRrFO8hUSrZjBoIJP9nFZWOE3PQ3jCiS_K7AQActfMe-UhPjaP7LPJwAcPZd/s961/slide0.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="961" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SjdNyeVwt8K9IX3C5X9QMME13__9fk1jpqtdk8pFl0zbV6C4EyjAak3xeYqFDrV6kCKSE_8IpL2zSOQaTUAmWXAKRG5wiytkl5mKLdsy0BH-lgrgdTf67uF64EyxA6b3kRrFO8hUSrZjBoIJP9nFZWOE3PQ3jCiS_K7AQActfMe-UhPjaP7LPJwAcPZd/w640-h468/slide0.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. What was the purpose of an exchange office for foreign letter mail?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>While
it might seem a bit like I am cheating to get more than eleven blog
entries into this list, it's pretty difficult to separate these two
because they were intended to be linked in the first place. At least
that's my story and I'm sticking to it.<br /></p><p>Both of these entries
were inspired by a virtual presentation I provided for the Collectors
Club of New York. Okay... It was a REAL presentation, not a virtual
one. But, I was safely ensconced in front of my computer, just as the
audience members were. I appreciate the opportunities to participate in
things like this that are brought about by tools like Zoom because I
might not have been able to join in otherwise.</p><p>There were many
positive responses to the content I shared during the presentation, so I
thought I would convert some of it to a blog form. If you would like
to learn a bit about how I use information from one cover to help me
understand another cover, these blogs might be of interest to you. </p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">10. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/03/crossing-pond-and-lighting-candle.html" target="_blank">Crossing the Pond and Lighting a Candle</a></span></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKb16WdemCeFCC6qp8cw506Z0gNwpRhYjG1xfg0OqI09-Gc33cRyb766-kLWuQvSTYk_05xbcpTkFMTcOYQkfXjrXDS2QQq0l7siDR7GxlbDgmE5GlqoqfzNbTEIA3rxk9FCQh79UnbYNLapLNXU3kOnmtlWRagitgQtZhgdkiwzyQuy1jIi8bMuSYyAg/s529/jcfield1867-the-archers-register.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="529" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTKb16WdemCeFCC6qp8cw506Z0gNwpRhYjG1xfg0OqI09-Gc33cRyb766-kLWuQvSTYk_05xbcpTkFMTcOYQkfXjrXDS2QQq0l7siDR7GxlbDgmE5GlqoqfzNbTEIA3rxk9FCQh79UnbYNLapLNXU3kOnmtlWRagitgQtZhgdkiwzyQuy1jIi8bMuSYyAg/w400-h284/jcfield1867-the-archers-register.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. Why was paraffin a popular choice for candle making in the 1860s?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />I
will admit that some of my favorite Postal History Sunday's to write
are those where I allow myself to really explore a single cover fully
and thoroughly. This article is actually a very good example of that
approach. It starts with a step by step "reading" of the cover to help
show everyone how I could determine postal rates, routes and means of
transportation. Then, we get to explore the contents and the recipients
of the folded letter being featured.</p><p>This article does a good job
of knowing when to quit, in my opinion. And that's actually one of the
hardest things to figure out as I write Postal History Sunday. Clearly
topics like trans-Atlantic mail carriage, candle making and the history
of a specific geographical region can fill chapters in a book. The
trick is to find enough to clearly and accurately reflect enough of each
subtopic to be interesting and engaging without crossing the line and
becoming dull and overbearing.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">9. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/04/validating-dispensation-postal-history.html" target="_blank">Validating a Dispensation</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iQohq8gYCQfnwNbNgqyjhoNWPye4cNSYjGl9gSnrVT6QrWz4GEu4Bm8_rw5fbwiEEwgaUDzxGpelqrri5rLbVKSifuCvNCQbWqfOa901sRDJwOGheZyPGrzWidnvL_gbqgm-pFnJu__c3lnGfOe0L99_VH1GwbE00AZRqgdaTtbxwIrzh6qScKQuDAXZ/s1452/RM23_toUS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1452" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4iQohq8gYCQfnwNbNgqyjhoNWPye4cNSYjGl9gSnrVT6QrWz4GEu4Bm8_rw5fbwiEEwgaUDzxGpelqrri5rLbVKSifuCvNCQbWqfOa901sRDJwOGheZyPGrzWidnvL_gbqgm-pFnJu__c3lnGfOe0L99_VH1GwbE00AZRqgdaTtbxwIrzh6qScKQuDAXZ/w640-h412/RM23_toUS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. Why couldn't the sender prepay all of the postage to send this letter to the US?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>And
here is another entry that focuses on a single cover - this time from
Rome to Baltimore in the 1850s. Yes, another cover is described in the
article, but the point of its inclusion is to help us understand this
one better.</p><p>I like this entry because it has a nice balance
between the postal history and the social history. There's something
for everyone - which makes it a good choice for this list. It also fell
together fairly easily, which is rarely the case. There are typically a
few points where everything hangs up and I have to fight through
things. It's noteworthy when that doesn't happen AND the results also
read well.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">8. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/05/valuable-real-estate-postal-history.html" target="_blank">Valuable Real Estate</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8RQrOMEfeksOM_69lleNbZvZ2tw0VUdJNMCkSIpN0qr-aTn8is27lYkcTpLyHmBKisgTjE_jfeFD8geopEB48bi7p3QN8gCdn4R82tUTvBkoy__OPWpvO54GmbV7qmwk5gDwORKIumENuZ_nfB8Botf8VFL67hNO6DxCwKsrZlEawTxuqYwhV_tXn7xb/s3756/crosswritingbackcontent1.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2359" data-original-width="3756" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8RQrOMEfeksOM_69lleNbZvZ2tw0VUdJNMCkSIpN0qr-aTn8is27lYkcTpLyHmBKisgTjE_jfeFD8geopEB48bi7p3QN8gCdn4R82tUTvBkoy__OPWpvO54GmbV7qmwk5gDwORKIumENuZ_nfB8Botf8VFL67hNO6DxCwKsrZlEawTxuqYwhV_tXn7xb/w640-h402/crosswritingbackcontent1.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5. What were the possible reasons for people implementing cross-writing in letters?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Postal
History Sunday entries that appear to succeed in being accessible to a
broad audience often win my favor if I am trying to decide between two
choices for the Author's Choice list. Everyone can probably relate to
the idea of running out of space - just as the writer of this letter
might have been feeling as they tried to put everything they could on a
few sheets of paper. </p><p>I also enjoy taking advantage of
opportunities to feed everyone some postal history facts and information
while you are distracted by something like cross-writing. Or maybe I
enjoy slipping in some social history while you are distracted by the
postal history? Doesn't matter, I am happy either way.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">7. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/01/farm-palace-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">Farm Palace</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qUiXC30BB089_4NwmGR5wsw-WxVVLQzzxrl3B6hyr9RIvhuCEYvacFipkF5pvN3tvFDSPD71vNwASIXHvLd7ZhVxK_D8dizICpw9meVqHcPqlWNp9cH6TS9PQX1GBuHYnxdlF6uMdvA6cOWZ-NBbfGV-u37eZEobw6nv1S41gAYmevDiAMeCjJzxA5T4/s1074/barnandsteamtractor.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1074" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0qUiXC30BB089_4NwmGR5wsw-WxVVLQzzxrl3B6hyr9RIvhuCEYvacFipkF5pvN3tvFDSPD71vNwASIXHvLd7ZhVxK_D8dizICpw9meVqHcPqlWNp9cH6TS9PQX1GBuHYnxdlF6uMdvA6cOWZ-NBbfGV-u37eZEobw6nv1S41gAYmevDiAMeCjJzxA5T4/w400-h281/barnandsteamtractor.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6. How many plants did the Dickey Clay Mfg Co have at its peak?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Not
every Postal History Sunday has a great deal of postal history in it.
Sometimes, the social history rules the day. Regardless, the operative
word is "history." </p><p>The journey for this article focuses around
the advertising images on a mailed envelope instead of the postage rates
required or the routes the letter took to get from here to there. I
even got to do a little bit with local Iowa history this time around. I
also appreciate the opportunity to find a link to my profession as a
grower of food. Sometimes the personal connection lends more meaning -
and with that meaning there is often better writing.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">6. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/10/correspondence-course-ii-postal-history.html" target="_blank">Correspondence Course II</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yMRxS-JCI4Y2MuZl_muP6FyoHeKRZwosWSwsRFfKvRAWLDY-D_QvFZPy3HXhuDC69mgipzlLngkYeV5bCOKCLC9x7lWd8zE07HGG7jZYUwCoh_Oxrsizup4x-eTCHWAoC4hvUO2cFvTzGLskuEufM-e_6UXZaJo9xav9xGF0QQm3r6Q0wqMQkFY36shj/s2622/OstendePrint1830ish.tif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="2622" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6yMRxS-JCI4Y2MuZl_muP6FyoHeKRZwosWSwsRFfKvRAWLDY-D_QvFZPy3HXhuDC69mgipzlLngkYeV5bCOKCLC9x7lWd8zE07HGG7jZYUwCoh_Oxrsizup4x-eTCHWAoC4hvUO2cFvTzGLskuEufM-e_6UXZaJo9xav9xGF0QQm3r6Q0wqMQkFY36shj/w640-h516/OstendePrint1830ish.tif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7. How did Belgium increase its importance for mail carriage in Europe?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Sometimes,
I get the urge to write about something with more breadth rather than
depth. I was able to accomplish that by focusing on several covers that
were mailed to Luden and van Geuns in Amsterdam in the 1850s and
1860s. Instead of starting by analyzing a cover, this article
introduces us to the people behind the business before taking the time
to look at several covers they received while they were in business from
locations all over Western Europe.</p><p>This particular article is an
updated rewrite of an article I shared with the Postal History Journal a
couple years before Postal History Sunday existed. Once again, I've
learned a great deal since that time, so I like to think I've done the
subject proud with a strong rewrite. <br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/04/night-flight-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">Night Flight</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUdAtt1d6vtHKjBbTe3r9fRbXmbEJaJMml4J6Nb_jXQ9t7iS8jfukQCRwGTj-xgUGa-8APT3B3fub__tCCBWOV2hvhJ-t24AkHQj1Qpwe_E4ynU6BGQE4wV7IfFw8ACheGkINdg3_ZNwxdMa7Nr3As7jGW-O81iHbJ9IGu5uM8lrFGvhOjuM4WQjOB5aM/s741/lightsonplane1924.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="741" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUdAtt1d6vtHKjBbTe3r9fRbXmbEJaJMml4J6Nb_jXQ9t7iS8jfukQCRwGTj-xgUGa-8APT3B3fub__tCCBWOV2hvhJ-t24AkHQj1Qpwe_E4ynU6BGQE4wV7IfFw8ACheGkINdg3_ZNwxdMa7Nr3As7jGW-O81iHbJ9IGu5uM8lrFGvhOjuM4WQjOB5aM/w400-h286/lightsonplane1924.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8. How long might a letter take to travel from the East to West Coast via surface mail in the 1920s?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The
Author's Choice blog is a chance for me to celebrate (more for myself
than for you) a little bit of flexibility in my own writing and
learning. For example, it would certainly be far easier for me to write
Postal History Sunday entries that focused entirely on the covers that
bear the 24-cent 1861 postage stamp. Or, at the least, stick to the
1850-1875 time period where I am most comfortable. But, I often select
entries that range further afield from that comfort zone.<br /></p><p>That's
why an article that features air mail in the United States during the
1920s was an enjoyable stretch for me. There are all sorts of resources
available for the early development of air mail, so it's not as if it
was horribly difficult to find answers. But, even when information is
freely available, familiarity (or lack thereof) plays a significant role
when it comes to writing clearly and accurately. I think I did pretty
well with this one, even if I do not profess to be an expert on the
material, so it gets to be on this list.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/10/humbug-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">Humbug!</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXXqjYFPN3X3sxbSw6yBPJc7cA-WLpEChq_svnC0_aNOtb7GUA_ALjAAcUpqD8K9wwzvPeNtMUQ-OXS6K7P9I8m4K9hcliBjfMWQF6cj-WmCJo5o1_AOvaljQMtvJWPFEkv7_GsDaWKCmAPCNUp0TFDcN0XiNY-wTzrXxuuYzUERt6TrIZbPEktnG046x/s439/humbug.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="439" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXXqjYFPN3X3sxbSw6yBPJc7cA-WLpEChq_svnC0_aNOtb7GUA_ALjAAcUpqD8K9wwzvPeNtMUQ-OXS6K7P9I8m4K9hcliBjfMWQF6cj-WmCJo5o1_AOvaljQMtvJWPFEkv7_GsDaWKCmAPCNUp0TFDcN0XiNY-wTzrXxuuYzUERt6TrIZbPEktnG046x/s320/humbug.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9. What percent of items found their way out of the Dead Letter Office in the US?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Sometimes,
I get a feeling about an item and I just know there's going to be
something enjoyable to write about. This is one of those cases. As
soon as I noticed the word "Humbug" boldly written on this cover, I just
had to explore. The result is a an entertaining blog article that
falls deep into the subject of dead letter mail - a postal history
subject that can quickly become complex but is always interesting. And
the idea of undeliverable letters is something we can all relate to -
which makes the topic very accessible to most readers.<br /></p><p>Another
way I can tell this was a good blog was the fact that I continued to be
motivated to learn more even after the article was "complete." As a
matter of fact, there's <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/11/more-to-say-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">more humbuggery in this follow up</a>
Postal History Sunday. Maybe, someday, we'll see a third installment
where I put all of that and some new discoveries together? I don't
know. I guess we'll find out together.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/11/dutch-treat-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">Dutch Treat</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MNuawApew8ST3b3HgcCAwbrPWzn3yt8YrBtjITACaw_fs26HuIzX7OEzxspXRj6H_o71efQzSNN-wDbh0XD8ZZGclqTNr7n741ij8YfblZYC-sG4QSdkfkCZIVyYJz0uvpdIUBHqg6ZY-2tzV9Y3euv79iXzA0uamMw1Pn1ATjSbVknj-qvWvIejfSZF/s1652/Netherlands.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1652" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MNuawApew8ST3b3HgcCAwbrPWzn3yt8YrBtjITACaw_fs26HuIzX7OEzxspXRj6H_o71efQzSNN-wDbh0XD8ZZGclqTNr7n741ij8YfblZYC-sG4QSdkfkCZIVyYJz0uvpdIUBHqg6ZY-2tzV9Y3euv79iXzA0uamMw1Pn1ATjSbVknj-qvWvIejfSZF/w640-h358/Netherlands.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10. How long was the 27 cent postage rate for mail from the US to the Netherlands active?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>It
never seems to fail. Each time I have done the year-end Author's
Choice article for Postal History Sunday, there are three that I
struggle to order. On any given day, I might change my mind about where
each of these three land. I feel like that is a good sign because it
indicates to me that there is some consistency in the quality of my
writing (you can decide whether it's a good or bad consistency).</p><p>I
received a comment regarding this particular entry that it gives a good
perspective as to why some postal rates are common while others are
not. I must admit that my goal was a bit more simple at first. I
wanted to explore why it was that I had to look so long to find any
example of this 27 cent rate from the US to the Netherlands. But, as I
dug into the topic, it felt natural to compare and contrast some of the
options for mail between the two countries at the time.<br /></p><p>But,
there is actually one more reason why I like this Postal History Sunday
article. It felt, to me, like I had unlocked a fresh way to write about
this material - a slightly different way to view it. It might not seem
all that different to you, and that's fine. But I found some fresh
perspective about how to explore things and that means something when
you try to write something new each week.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/07/guano-wars-postal-history-sunday.html">Guano Wars</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMS14-jtJm55qC4vMiemXAui732uj3ud1lSFT__eB2bj_hZ5CRtWaG0xOgNjM7ttqNrlPll2drSX48gqWpvPNigT2WaR224867fhS87DwzglSvvge4Lu1kfOWJl9sBaHWmq3k4rmbFmeFnFhmLnyKDZC3SV-dixy4tT1mKCIRx_-2ZuSLgtGRPxIREJoA/s800/chinchaloadguano.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMS14-jtJm55qC4vMiemXAui732uj3ud1lSFT__eB2bj_hZ5CRtWaG0xOgNjM7ttqNrlPll2drSX48gqWpvPNigT2WaR224867fhS87DwzglSvvge4Lu1kfOWJl9sBaHWmq3k4rmbFmeFnFhmLnyKDZC3SV-dixy4tT1mKCIRx_-2ZuSLgtGRPxIREJoA/s320/chinchaloadguano.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11. Why was Chincha Island important to the US and Europe in the 1860s?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>This
Postal History Sunday is actually one that I've been sitting on for a
few years. I've done some research on and off and written a little bit
here and there on the topic. But that writing did not get to the point
where I pushed the "publish" button unless it was supplementary
information for another PHS topic.</p><p>That's part of how this blog
has worked over the past three and a half years. Most topics are
explored over time and the knowledge gets refined as I learn more.
Sometimes, I'll write on a topic and publish it fairly quickly -
producing a reasonably good article. Other times, I might publish
something and then find it lacking when I review a year or two later.
That's when I let myself re-write what is written. Then, there are
topics like this one - where I just don't want to share it until it gets
closer to where I ultimately want it to go.</p><p>This particular blog
connects my profession as a grower of food to postal history and the
history of a region that we often ignore in the United States (the west
coast of South America). It would not surprise me if I decided to take
this particular topic even further in the future.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/forward-and-mystery-of-joseph-cooper.html" target="_blank">Forward! and the Mystery of Joseph Cooper</a></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YvUOB6TLUTm6l7_ObKIdX4DCkC3TAZOgGWLvX0JLsz2P-IzT9ZS-IbuxOrQLlzgcxt16-ng0g12Udb_K9uC2qv6tGU0nJh5_bCYClZZBOlrLevMWbkgA7wJf6Bd3H36LtEx8D2X93Xco70wv0wA5bOufODE5GgeZrKi5ht2lsYUhls_Bo2gdHUG6Ew4s/s1000/fortlaramie1867.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="1000" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YvUOB6TLUTm6l7_ObKIdX4DCkC3TAZOgGWLvX0JLsz2P-IzT9ZS-IbuxOrQLlzgcxt16-ng0g12Udb_K9uC2qv6tGU0nJh5_bCYClZZBOlrLevMWbkgA7wJf6Bd3H36LtEx8D2X93Xco70wv0wA5bOufODE5GgeZrKi5ht2lsYUhls_Bo2gdHUG6Ew4s/w640-h170/fortlaramie1867.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12. What happened to Joseph Cooper?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Then
there are articles that come together in the matter of a couple of
weeks. And, oddly enough this time around, I actually started this
particular Postal History Sunday for the prior week and got to a point
where I knew there was too much. So, I found a <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2023/08/forward-postal-history-sunday.html" target="_blank">stopping point for that blog </a>and left a teaser at the end of it for this one!</p><p>This
is the only time out of 176 PHS articles that I stopped writing a blog
and then still published what I had - only to follow up with something
more the next week. But, it worked. I was able to ride the momentum
from the prior week, using that energy to track down Joseph Cooper as
best as I was able. I even infected my lovely bride, Tammy, with the
search and she helped track some information down too.<br /></p><p>This
particular entry explores a postal history topic in some detail
(forwarded mail) while also taking a look at the social history
surrounding not one, but two different people. The trick was to find
enough so I could write something that was compelling while, once again,
avoiding the temptation of writing too much. I don't know if this one
succeeded as well as some of the others did, but the enjoyment of the
search stood out for me in this blog - and that's why it lands at number
one this year!<br /></p><p>And there you are, my list for 2023. I hope
you enjoyed this and the blogs I linked here. Have a fine remainder of
your weekend and an excellent week to come.</p><p>-------------------<br /></p><p>Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-53499988145910568202023-12-30T05:30:00.000-06:002023-12-30T05:30:00.250-06:00The Depths of the Tomato Forest - Faux Real Story Week<p>Our story week has been extended to the end of the year! It turns out I had more of them to share than I thought and the time during the holiday season is a perfect time to gather everyone around a fire and tell them. Enjoy!</p><p>-------------- <br /></p><p>Once upon a time, there was a farm. And, on this farm, there was a
tomato forest. If you left the old farmhouse with its <a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2014/12/gff-guardians.html" target="_blank">Guardian Dragons</a>,
took the path around the Mighty Oaks and through the clover patch, you
could see the garden.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPAnEro8Jb8VfyOmfl4k8y78isvdi4hgxeJDux7DDC8pmSvfmb6csB9_TmzsnNiIrjdG8-vZQCeP7fYqw7A9QmNM8qNx8M4lAGAao39m6WJCvpem9lX-hJGqwy5RfB-3mXR2C/s1600/IMG_7900.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPAnEro8Jb8VfyOmfl4k8y78isvdi4hgxeJDux7DDC8pmSvfmb6csB9_TmzsnNiIrjdG8-vZQCeP7fYqw7A9QmNM8qNx8M4lAGAao39m6WJCvpem9lX-hJGqwy5RfB-3mXR2C/w640-h426/IMG_7900.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>A
wall of zinnias bordered that garden and just behind that wall was the
Tomato Forest. If you believed the story the farmers told, the tangled
green vines were supported by wire cages fashioned out of old woven-wire
fences. But, to look at it, the Tomato Forest sure looked like it held
itself up with its own magic.</p><p>Inga had been to the farm before
with her parents, but this was the first time she was going to stay for
more than a single day's visit. Turi and Torger held her hand as her
parents drove away. "It's going to be fun staying at the farm for a
couple of days," said Torger, "It will be fine. Turi and I are here
with you."</p><p>Inga wasn't entirely sure about that and a tear rolled
down her face to her chin. Things can get pretty scary when you are
small and things are different from what you are used to.</p><p>Farmer
Tammy looked at Farmer Rob and said, "Well, I suppose we'd better
introduce you to some of the inhabitants of our farm! I know you've
already met our friendly Farm Supervisors!"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6zEMm7n2FupjBmBTVdatN4EsVXceMtNfSNrVJ9Tiatf2UdIlsab7tj2Mh6n5qWnKymM6Gxfoc6vIv3eB6-EuoH_M3AjUXmlG1_uycOB6Rpc2slsBJ2sClqTBR9Gif8n6c5FA/s2048/IMG-5371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1738" data-original-width="2048" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn6zEMm7n2FupjBmBTVdatN4EsVXceMtNfSNrVJ9Tiatf2UdIlsab7tj2Mh6n5qWnKymM6Gxfoc6vIv3eB6-EuoH_M3AjUXmlG1_uycOB6Rpc2slsBJ2sClqTBR9Gif8n6c5FA/s320/IMG-5371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Turi,
Torger, and Inga walked with the farmers to the pasture and when they
got there, the hens rushed to the fence. They clucked and squawked,
trying to get the kids' attention. The rooster even fluffed out his
feathers and crowed a couple of times. It was time to show off and
impress the visitors.<p></p><p>If they did this right maybe the next visit would include some treats - like some bread or vegetable scraps!<br /></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvGC1EDUwgT2c4m0vg4CzLDf79Wib_Sb8tk0hHi0KfYouy_ydD-uGt6hSFbH7kZo3ipShxLLs3GBi6wtuk6Okk3JXSBhn6cZqecg8-HhbOc2iGQcWLkffyYDud75jBKJHbqTo/s2048/2009hens.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvGC1EDUwgT2c4m0vg4CzLDf79Wib_Sb8tk0hHi0KfYouy_ydD-uGt6hSFbH7kZo3ipShxLLs3GBi6wtuk6Okk3JXSBhn6cZqecg8-HhbOc2iGQcWLkffyYDud75jBKJHbqTo/w640-h480/2009hens.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>The hens were very interesting and Inga almost forgot that she wasn't going to go home and sleep in her own bed that night.</p><p>And,
the cats WERE very friendly, and they almost made her feel that
everything would be all right even though her Mom and Dad weren't going
to be in the same house at the end of the day. </p><p>And, the farmers were actually pretty nice so maybe... just maybe... this would be ok?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJG_zdc52mwjDOIj-Xfedd8VJo4QCsZpXKl0Hf9xne-UZfq0vVIOR5_t-jvw-gHUEhmZrIt2SyfE_WZeJm7FH9v_lNAw_4DQoAmmWrtDzaoe5UzYEbWcVhk1MaeOBlUaqR_zQ/s2000/2009boyaswindow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJG_zdc52mwjDOIj-Xfedd8VJo4QCsZpXKl0Hf9xne-UZfq0vVIOR5_t-jvw-gHUEhmZrIt2SyfE_WZeJm7FH9v_lNAw_4DQoAmmWrtDzaoe5UzYEbWcVhk1MaeOBlUaqR_zQ/w400-h266/2009boyaswindow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p><br />In
the afternoon, the children helped give the chickens some kitchen
scraps and the birds were very excited. They were pleased that their
earlier efforts to impress everyone had paid off. </p><p>After they
watched the birds eat their treats, the children played under the Mighty
Oaks and they went and looked UP at the blue silo that stood sentinel
at one corner of the farm.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyScj2EqzhMouzUtmQbJxpkoJY8CCGQKLjGgUlMpKh-ztwt2BAUu-wCYFgat8D7_cKrjHEyBof21oRHNA1deCkUwiefjlQlXC2rXHsTSB8bVfHzqJ2knAdKy8fegB8rMfRn1l/s2048/IMG_2557.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyScj2EqzhMouzUtmQbJxpkoJY8CCGQKLjGgUlMpKh-ztwt2BAUu-wCYFgat8D7_cKrjHEyBof21oRHNA1deCkUwiefjlQlXC2rXHsTSB8bVfHzqJ2knAdKy8fegB8rMfRn1l/w640-h426/IMG_2557.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>They
visited the barn and Turi wanted to climb up and see the hay mow.
Farmer Rob followed her up. "I won't let you fall," he said. And he
didn't, even though it seemed like they were very far off of the ground!<br /></p><p></p><p>At
the end of the day, Inga helped the farmers make certain all of the
hens were in their room. Before the farmers closed the door, Turi and
Torger went in to see if there were any more eggs to put in the basket.
They all said good night to the Farm Supervisor cats and went into the
old farmhouse.</p><p>And it was not the same as home. Inga wanted her
Mom and Dad. She wanted her room. And she wanted her bed where she
would be safe and warm.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9SW89qMqeb542XjYo4KXDtjV8gwNvrnHwNYlRfk-kBNAXp3wG_kaAq-HN_W1O3oDEo_JAZKd31HrDDy8eB2jwDRZGsM9yPNppptAEFgLbJA2PIbNimVoHeTU4LrR9wzhrTYj/s2048/IMG_8213.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9SW89qMqeb542XjYo4KXDtjV8gwNvrnHwNYlRfk-kBNAXp3wG_kaAq-HN_W1O3oDEo_JAZKd31HrDDy8eB2jwDRZGsM9yPNppptAEFgLbJA2PIbNimVoHeTU4LrR9wzhrTYj/s320/IMG_8213.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><p>Farmer
Rob tried to help by pointing to a little green dragon that sat by the
stairway. "Do you see that dragon? And have you noticed the other
dragons in each room of the house? They're here to protect us. They
are our Guardian Dragons. If anything bad comes into the house, they'll
burn it up before it can get close to us."</p><p>Inga wasn't sure that the little stuffed dragon would do much of anything to protect her, but she smiled bravely anyway. </p><p>But
when she got up the next morning, the farmers pointed out a ring of
dark dust at the foot of the stairs. "See?" they said, "Our Guardian
Dragons must have prevented something from getting upstairs to you!"</p><p>Inga
still wasn't so sure that the Guardian Dragons had done anything since
they looked exactly the same as they had the night before. But, nothing
bad had happened and she had been safe. Maybe she was still missing
her parents and her home, but she was ok... and the sun was shining. <br /></p><p>And today, they were going to visit the Tomato Forest!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgtPQjkMR8IKkhaRnkd447N30gqwzguZDyBP99mB7eT_Rntbav69pU4JRk9WEEBjDcpD9xEhMc04x_ug6NgVz7_PUIt8XXzS0KVI9I72XDY7HXHGO3hEFYJpMoO-WsJLC6M5g/s1600/IMG_7898.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgtPQjkMR8IKkhaRnkd447N30gqwzguZDyBP99mB7eT_Rntbav69pU4JRk9WEEBjDcpD9xEhMc04x_ug6NgVz7_PUIt8XXzS0KVI9I72XDY7HXHGO3hEFYJpMoO-WsJLC6M5g/w640-h426/IMG_7898.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>They
left the old farmhouse. They walked under the Mighty Oaks. They made
their way past the clover and they came to the wall of zinnias. </p><p>They
were greeted by a monarch butterfly that sat on one of the flowers. It
opened and closed its wings slowly as its probed for nectar. It didn't
seem bothered by the children's approach and it eventually lifted off
from that flower and lazily floated above the wall, looking for another
likely candidate for its next landing spot. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzYXEPKx7Xd91cawf4imowWUrO380Bk4X7cj7rq5Oq0pJxS6zknQTqNf-MvXL-_pw66RBDBdukptmqsAX4uqLOLy_NOQdlGdekA-L9uupYJIlvrjDtRNBkr7X8yew0PT04DIA/s1600/IMG_4175.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzYXEPKx7Xd91cawf4imowWUrO380Bk4X7cj7rq5Oq0pJxS6zknQTqNf-MvXL-_pw66RBDBdukptmqsAX4uqLOLy_NOQdlGdekA-L9uupYJIlvrjDtRNBkr7X8yew0PT04DIA/w640-h426/IMG_4175.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>They
walked through the opening in the zinnias and found a row of basil.
There were bees buzzing on the flowers there and when they brushed
against the leaves they noticed the pungent, sweet fragrance of the
plants. </p><p>And then they came to the edge of the Tomato Forest.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyInbT0_I-MXA-yYJJAz_jHf0ljeLEyNeBMCc_vwGkCJxgL2s-ejXYvNNbfk1vkRJCvhFYBsQGyo0rzffnP5JqpUxulp7nnM9N5ud7VF4uQGGkg11MGcSKwJNhYsBZ7atojzI/s1600/GermanPinkplant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyInbT0_I-MXA-yYJJAz_jHf0ljeLEyNeBMCc_vwGkCJxgL2s-ejXYvNNbfk1vkRJCvhFYBsQGyo0rzffnP5JqpUxulp7nnM9N5ud7VF4uQGGkg11MGcSKwJNhYsBZ7atojzI/s320/GermanPinkplant.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p>
</p><p>The plants were huge! They were so much taller than the children
and the vines and leaves created what looked like an impenetrable mass
of green.</p><p>"So, how will we get the tomatoes out of the Tomato
Forest?" asked Farmer Tammy. "I know there are some ripe tomatoes in
there somewhere, but I can't figure out how to get to them."</p><p>They
looked a little more and the children noticed something the farmers
hadn't. There were tunnels in the vines! Areas where someone who was
their size could go, but the farmers could not!</p><p>"I'll go see if there are tomatoes in there," said Turi.<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrsHBVVly1m4lOr_iHKeRKd0GZlGzcrWN1IYbVfQ11timRDYvL936xJ5vjvqDA90E-09Vcp4QqDC1I7OGn07qq9y5QfNcU8f4nkX1t4swq2yeEUTwA-ULA9dQr8PoctxOrBUT/s1600/italianheirloom.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrsHBVVly1m4lOr_iHKeRKd0GZlGzcrWN1IYbVfQ11timRDYvL936xJ5vjvqDA90E-09Vcp4QqDC1I7OGn07qq9y5QfNcU8f4nkX1t4swq2yeEUTwA-ULA9dQr8PoctxOrBUT/s320/italianheirloom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>
</p><p>Turi crawled into the Tomato Forest and the other four waited until she finally cried out, "I found one!"</p><p>And then she said, "I found a bunch of little ones too!"<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04M0tRI-vJx9BXA6xsPhnrUaUDd7Y1GLohqSO9zEq2Kurb4tBsutSRm2nIHrbHEIgqWk54cIiybWhq8ERh9kBphmgZrfbh6Ad1btIzgqKvXZ52lKKXUvF7CPpzLkJZECLbc8x/s1600/GoldRush.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04M0tRI-vJx9BXA6xsPhnrUaUDd7Y1GLohqSO9zEq2Kurb4tBsutSRm2nIHrbHEIgqWk54cIiybWhq8ERh9kBphmgZrfbh6Ad1btIzgqKvXZ52lKKXUvF7CPpzLkJZECLbc8x/s320/GoldRush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Turi, Torger and Inga helped the farmers find the ripe tomatoes in the
Tomato Forest, bringing them out so the red and yellow fruits could be
put into harvest trays.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"We
will take some of these to the farmers' market," said Farmer Tammy.
"But first, we'll need to taste some of them to make sure they are good
enough!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A
round of taste-testing found the tomatoes to be quite good and
encouraged everyone to look for more ripe tomatoes for the market. Once
they were pretty sure they had found all of the ripe fruit, they picked
up the harvest trays...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and carried them past the basil with its buzzing bees and fragrant leaves...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">took them through the opening in the wall of zinnias where the Monarch floated lazily along its length...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">walked past the clover and under the Mighty Oaks...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and
returned to the old farmhouse where the Guardian Dragons patiently
waited, always watching for things that might threaten the inhabitants
of the old farmhouse.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When
Inga's parents returned to take the children home, she was very happy
to see them and she knew she would sleep in her own, safe bed that
night. But, she wasn't afraid of the farm anymore. While it wasn't
home, it wasn't at all bad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was just different. And different is ok.<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaN7RJ48FCKQ8bhtQhIoXsPi0epHJTRU8xNMgEcHWktHWRNcc3DZFtchYLkEp5P1DjRgfAylghK__QbU3nrkFCLI-spG_k_S3PD3EY_UrJIctgPHA6D8VE2mwFaJcTFgBZJMs/s500/turitorgeringe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="500" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyaN7RJ48FCKQ8bhtQhIoXsPi0epHJTRU8xNMgEcHWktHWRNcc3DZFtchYLkEp5P1DjRgfAylghK__QbU3nrkFCLI-spG_k_S3PD3EY_UrJIctgPHA6D8VE2mwFaJcTFgBZJMs/w400-h275/turitorgeringe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-49180048811545269832023-12-29T05:30:00.026-06:002023-12-29T05:30:00.130-06:00The Bunny Trap - Faux Real Story Week<p>We're getting closer to the end of the year, but we're still not done with Faux Real Story Week. Ok, it's been two weeks. But, I suspect very few are upset about that.</p><p>Fill up the hot chocolate mug and gather around the fire - here comes another one!<br /></p><p>-------------<br /></p><p></p><div align="left">
Our biggest nemesis in our early gardens
was the rabbit. And we tried several approaches to exclude them from our
vegetable crops.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">We
even tried reasoning with them - after all, rabbits
have this nasty habit of taking out very young plants - even if
more established
options were available. You would think they would understand
that there would be MORE, not less, to eat if they let things get a bit
bigger. Heck, I would have gladly given them some of our bounty if they
would just leave the little, baby plants alone!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Unfortunately, the average education level for
members of <a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/mammal/rodentia/rodentia.html" target="_blank">Rodentia</a> is fairly low, so we resorted to fencing.</div>
<div align="left">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1Yo4Xb09JI-1pRKZLdhjS8n8A44hbO-ApiS37EFh8QtOSqvost8kcAokqO9S6sjnfE5hhEVtW9XG5cyxgZk_rrTIFy_psGV5rMoDE-V-txssiRn_617lAQ_rR7UWyiSql0uCVQ/s1600/File0001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1Yo4Xb09JI-1pRKZLdhjS8n8A44hbO-ApiS37EFh8QtOSqvost8kcAokqO9S6sjnfE5hhEVtW9XG5cyxgZk_rrTIFy_psGV5rMoDE-V-txssiRn_617lAQ_rR7UWyiSql0uCVQ/w640-h445/File0001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table> </div><div align="left">Rabbit fencing has smaller holes closer
to the ground to keep rabbits and other critters from crawling/hopping/walking
through. And, we had carefully placed timbers around the perimeter of the garden
and then erected a fence that tied into those timbers. We reasoned (and
correctly so) that this would make it difficult for critters to make a
quick burrow under the fence.</div><div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left">
We entered the gardening season feeling
as if we had prepared well for the inevitable rabbit population explosion
in our neighborhood. And, we might have been....UNTIL....</div><div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left">
One day, the neighbors noticed the cute little bunnies
in the bunny nest. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">"Aren't they cute? Would you like to pet them?"</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">" No. No, thank
you."</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Even then, they had beady eyes. Never trust a critter
with beady eyes. Especially when vegetables are on the line.</div><div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left">
The neighbor's dog noticed the cute little
bunnies just outside their bunny nest a week later.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">"Aren't they cute?
Would you like to taste them?"</div><div align="left">"Yes, I would," said the dog.</div>
<div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Run bunnies! Run! Run dog! Run! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Look out! There's a
fence! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I bet we
can get through it because we are still small. Squeeeeeze...
pop! Two baby bunnies, complete with beady eyes, in the garden.
One dog - crashing into said fence. The fence stood up to the collision and the dog bounced back up to chase the third bunny in
another direction.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">Meanwhile the two bunnies in the garden looked around.</div><div align="left"><br /></div>
<div align="left">
Utopia! Baby veggies everywhere! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">See the bunnies. See the bunnies see the veggies
with their beady eyes.
See them get fat. Now they cannot not get back out of the garden because their baby bunny tummies are full.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">They are
safe because the puppy dog cannot get in. The humans cannot
chase them out. The
humans cannot catch them. The humans can't even throw rocks at
them for fear of destroying the very vegetables they seek to protect. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Sigh. Anyone for organically raised rabbit?</div>
<div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Eventually, we removed the fence, chased
the rabbits out and replaced the fence. We really outsmarted those critters
that time, didn't we?</div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-89146166855568308512023-12-28T05:30:00.006-06:002023-12-28T05:30:00.135-06:00Cold Front - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>I hope you aren't tired of our Faux Real Stories, because I've got another one for you today!</p><p>Gather 'round the fire and keep sipping the hot chocolate. Have a great day and enjoy the read!</p><p>-------</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyomcJF-H8qIIANy-MGRAc7kYMt59sqAKxTuCRkDs2xUhSGBJHguprwJRIzrwvZ_BMUxF6B_dDNhahz0riy3XImGoOM3FifPsY14mhBgNnf_Ac0e_UgHXWGvURrSWnbeHkK0vvKEQWs4d7DgK51HbcEFNcGVo-kmIVbcHwA0YWbz8THQGuV_v0/s4272/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyomcJF-H8qIIANy-MGRAc7kYMt59sqAKxTuCRkDs2xUhSGBJHguprwJRIzrwvZ_BMUxF6B_dDNhahz0riy3XImGoOM3FifPsY14mhBgNnf_Ac0e_UgHXWGvURrSWnbeHkK0vvKEQWs4d7DgK51HbcEFNcGVo-kmIVbcHwA0YWbz8THQGuV_v0/w640-h426/IMG_0079.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>I
remember several years ago at the farm when we had a stubborn
cold-weather system that came with a fair amount of snow. We were in
the habit then of listening to the weather radio early in the evening to
get a feel for the next day's weather. The synthesized weather voice
said, yet again, the words "bitt er lee cold." We'd been hearing that more than normal that particular winter, so we had multiple
opportunities to hear the automated voice butcher that same phrase over and
over again. Bitt er lee cold... indeed.</p><p>
On the other hand, I think we handled "bitt er lee cold' better than we have handled "except higher amounts in
thunderstorms." There have been many seasons where our farm WAS where the exception occurred - over and over again. </p><p>I KNOW we handled "bitt er lee cold" better than the continuous list
of warnings and hydrological reports we heard in the flood years of 2008
and 2010. Ok, you get the point. Except that wasn't where I wanted to
go with this story. I suspect you are noticing that this happens a lot with me and my stories. </p><p>Now, where was I?<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxqceGzJx6Eoq3CqPQA6PxiNKV6BON9__By_Y4GOQfs1_SNXE5aObqZyy8FcKN8Mj5kiOlclh6HyCXgOWEkwa45ux8SS9aIk2QJOaFXNOcoBGmDQ6LQrN8b6_jbqL3KJK7TFH8b-aMtRw3BLeapgUBO8rWh8xbL8DjBj3mdae9GpRaiZi000j/s4272/IMG_0090.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxqceGzJx6Eoq3CqPQA6PxiNKV6BON9__By_Y4GOQfs1_SNXE5aObqZyy8FcKN8Mj5kiOlclh6HyCXgOWEkwa45ux8SS9aIk2QJOaFXNOcoBGmDQ6LQrN8b6_jbqL3KJK7TFH8b-aMtRw3BLeapgUBO8rWh8xbL8DjBj3mdae9GpRaiZi000j/w640-h426/IMG_0090.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>
I have it on record that we've had lows at the farm of -21 degrees Fahrenheit over the past few winters and we've gotten below -30 (2009, I think). We'll
grant you that this is cold. But, Tammy and I had an experience in one
of our former homes that provide us with a fallback whenever we start to
feel put upon by cold weather. All we need to do is look at each other
and say - "Duluth."<br />
<br />
Now, before you think we are about to bash Duluth, Minnesota, you should
know something. People who live in Duluth are proud of their ability to
handle the weather up there. We learned that if you think it's too
cold when you live there, you just keep it to yourself. </p><p>Why? Because,
those who live there will tell you why what you are experiencing isn't
so bad. In short, they'll make you feel like a wimp. Besides, it isn't
as cold by the lake as it is by Embarrass, or maybe <a href="https://www.minnpost.com/greater-minnesota/2023/02/impressed-by-the-snow-thats-nothing-compared-to-minnesotas-60-below-record-tower-set-in-1996/" target="_blank">Tower</a> (-60 in 1996). If you want
cold, you go there. Or maybe Hudson Bay.<br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJzVRptuRszx9sBvyDm_66598xUeEcjS7OO9Y39-pxEhYiyj7HInbv9FMUIRlRtlXZ_SixSpSM-Z0Txm1m4rAzbEkpvVNdrI-zrkqIsELWhiR6mBRgV9wbzdXdnior-xcgeCcg/s1600/IMG_0095.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJzVRptuRszx9sBvyDm_66598xUeEcjS7OO9Y39-pxEhYiyj7HInbv9FMUIRlRtlXZ_SixSpSM-Z0Txm1m4rAzbEkpvVNdrI-zrkqIsELWhiR6mBRgV9wbzdXdnior-xcgeCcg/w640-h426/IMG_0095.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>
We lived in Duluth for just about one year. And, of course, our time
there included a Winter that started with snow in September (not a
rarity I was assured) and one of the coldest Winters they had
experienced for a very long time. It was the first time in 25 years
that Lake
Superior froze over.... completely. </p><p>Yes, we can pick them, can't we?
It even made the news in Duluth. So, if the natives said it was
something special, we have a right to pull out the story I think.<br />
</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OLu3sJX3Xf7HslZv1BsYxf4Z_euUfBPDMjjKKx5ngDYRseJRg-e1FsBWcUBxg57VJ709Ywf7ks4GKPVytXoRgv8P366ajMjvrDXVAo7xbUNGO-Exg6AnWaW0OPQnTNw4qsiZfw/s1600/IMG_0401.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OLu3sJX3Xf7HslZv1BsYxf4Z_euUfBPDMjjKKx5ngDYRseJRg-e1FsBWcUBxg57VJ709Ywf7ks4GKPVytXoRgv8P366ajMjvrDXVAo7xbUNGO-Exg6AnWaW0OPQnTNw4qsiZfw/w640-h480/IMG_0401.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It seemed like the sun in Duluth was never much higher over the horizon than this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>Of course, for the sake of a good story, I can exaggerate a little bit
(like I did with the caption above). But, thus far I have not
stretched the truth in anything other than this caption. And, what
makes this even more enjoyable is the fact that I don't need to do
anything other than report what happened for the desired effect.<br />
<br />
It was January and Rob needed to get to the University of Minnesota -
Duluth for classes. We lived in a drafty old house that was just a
block from the lake. UMD was on the hill and over the hill (so to
speak). This is important to know because weather by the lake could be
very different than weather "on the hill" which was different from the weather "over the hill" (some might say "on top of the hill"). <br /></p><p>However, this Winter, it
didn't matter much where you were, the temps were pretty cold. <br />
<br />
In any event, Tammy would take Rob up to UMD most mornings and we would
drive by one of the bank signs that would display the temperature.
This, in and of itself, speaks to both the toughness and/or dementia
that people who live in Duluth exhibit. Only someone who wants to
wallow in their own misery wishes to see temperatures that always
exhibit a <i>negative sign</i> in front of the numerical reading every single day, all day long.<br />
<br />
During this particular week, we would go out and start our car and make
sure not to make mention to each other about how cold it was. But, as
we drove by that infernal sign, we could not help but read the bad news
OUT LOUD to each other. </p><p>Well, what would you do if you saw <b>-35</b> on one
of these signs? <br />
<br />
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Each day we would drive by and
see that same temperature on the sign. We thought at one point it might
be broken. But, Tammy would see different numbers with that stupid "-"
in front of them at different times of the day as she ran Meals On
Wheels. So, that wasn't it. Though it is possible it couldn't read a temperature COLDER than that.<br /></p><p>And, of course, it was a bank sign. They
aren't noted as being the paragons of accuracy. Actually, don't bank signs usually run a bit warm? Nonetheless, it was
cold. And, a check with historical records that year does show the
<a href="https://www.currentresults.com/Yearly-Weather/USA/MN/Duluth/extreme-annual-duluth-low-temperature.php" target="_blank">lowest temp for that month at -39</a>.<br />
<br />
We went outside on Friday and we both looked at each other with a bit of
surprise. It felt warmer. In fact, we both said something about how
much nicer it seemed. I don't think either of us was about to suggest a
hike up Seven Bridges Road at that moment, but we were both convinced that
it was warmer.</p><p>So, this time as we headed up the hill towards the sign,
we were anxious to see if we were right. And we were.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>-25</b></span><br />
<br />
Yep, that's what the sign said. And now you know. A human being can
feel the difference between really cold and really really cold.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-83143162301198205152023-12-27T05:30:00.043-06:002023-12-27T05:30:00.241-06:00Stuck on You - Faux Real Story Week(s)<p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje2b4_gCZXhVKPuatyyfSDrurk-632zaeVRrb56JUIXyVGCEUun1jJYvb1W3jGmTT3rV4EAlZ06vw4dD-rNYS4N8438tdSgWJJactIvUfQHN8R0l8E4-mlOyjA0rmphSU2niLem2VYdkTOmQw7eT6aQ_GTADQCAITP-AeDOwFsPwjXlzG-YA=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje2b4_gCZXhVKPuatyyfSDrurk-632zaeVRrb56JUIXyVGCEUun1jJYvb1W3jGmTT3rV4EAlZ06vw4dD-rNYS4N8438tdSgWJJactIvUfQHN8R0l8E4-mlOyjA0rmphSU2niLem2VYdkTOmQw7eT6aQ_GTADQCAITP-AeDOwFsPwjXlzG-YA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></p><p>We had actually been growing produce and raising poultry on the
Genuine Faux Farm for six seasons before we added a building, called a
high tunnel, to the farm during our seventh season (2010). A
high tunnel is a hoop building that uses the solar gain provided by a
plastic covering to extend the in-soil growing season both at the
beginning and the end of the year.</p><p>The first high tunnel was put up in July
of that year, too late for an early Spring crop - but plenty of time
for us to go 'all in' for our late Fall and early Winter crops. The
picture you see above is what the building looked like on November 5 of
that year. The building was full of lettuce, kale, spinach, collards,
mustard greens and a few other things. And it was about this time (early
November) that we started harvesting from the building for our extended
Fall season CSA shares. </p><p>The field crops were done - so this was
it. We had to make these things, along with any storage crops we had,
work for the rest of the year's farm income.</p><p>This high tunnel has a
metal frame for both the hoops and the end walls and a single layer of
plastic for the cover. On a sunny day, temperatures can get quite warm
despite outside temperatures well below freezing. However, once the sun
sank below the horizon, the thin covering did not hold the heat for
long. And, yes, the walls themselves were often be at temperatures
near and below freezing while the area near the soil was well above freezing
during the day.</p><p>All in all, the high tunnel, which we dubbed
"Eden" worked pretty well - allowing us to harvest up to the week before
Christmas. But, harvest was not without its perils. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTVrLAgKZYJMtbuLE0TugAIu74Dgucxir8GYarl7w83funoDSMxiAMsN-OOrZtUntbdF2JZgqFtR-X9oZnRsL3byb23gWw1SwqQRtrNUXaz-4lQ6OpKWIKkSAb1cQ2iZkBzsqmOL6tPVFWYAouFwk7JaS8hApz8d5nWTPyV8-M18UzSu9Pd9P/s4272/IMG_0545.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTVrLAgKZYJMtbuLE0TugAIu74Dgucxir8GYarl7w83funoDSMxiAMsN-OOrZtUntbdF2JZgqFtR-X9oZnRsL3byb23gWw1SwqQRtrNUXaz-4lQ6OpKWIKkSAb1cQ2iZkBzsqmOL6tPVFWYAouFwk7JaS8hApz8d5nWTPyV8-M18UzSu9Pd9P/w400-h266/IMG_0545.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Scenario</span></b></span><br />
Temperatures during the first week of December were in the low single
digits (Fahrenheit). The sun was out and there was not much wind - both
of which I considered a blessing. I had to pick for the extended
season
CSA shares and the crops were in the unheated high tunnel.<p></p><p>In
order to harvest all of this leafy green goodness, the temperatures
needed to get warm enough so that I wasn't picking frozen greens. With
the sun out, temperatures had reached 40 degrees inside the building by 11:00 AM and it made
it to 58 degrees for a brief time at the peak of the day. After my
check of the temperature at 11, I figured I could start harvest at noon.</p><p>So,
I worked outside the high tunnel for awhile. Just because there is
snow on the ground and it is cold, that doesn't mean there aren't things
the farmer has to do. There are chickens that need food and water.
Eggs need to be collected. Some things needed to be moved. It's just
the way it is. </p><p>In the process of doing all that work, I got some
snow on my black coat. That's normal too. No big deal. So, I went to
the Truck Barn and collected the harvest equipment - then I trudged
through the snow toward Eden.</p><p>Some of the crops had an extra cover
on them, which I had to remove. There was a little moisture there as
well and that landed on me and my coat. Once again - not a big deal.
It happens all the time.</p><p>I proceeded to do the harvest, picking
the various greens into each of their designated tubs, being careful to
pick enough so each person would get their fair share of the produce.
After about an hour of harvest, I decided to stand up at the end of a
row, next to one of the end walls. I needed to stretch out my back - so
I lifted my arms to the sky, arched my back and.....</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Review of the Facts</b></span></p><p>Let's
remind you of a few things before we continue with the story.
Rob wears a black coat. Black tends to collect heat from the sun.
Rob's coat had moisture from melted snow and water from the row covers.
The end walls of the high tunnel have metal.
The walls are much cooler than the air in the high tunnel - often below freezing.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to the Story</b></span><br />
Ahem.... as I was saying...<br /></p><p>I needed to stretch my back - so I
lifted my arms to the sky, arched my back and... the back of my damp
coat touched the metal supports on the end wall. The end wall's
temperature was below freezing, the coat was wet and.... the coat
adhered to the metal.<br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Thought Process</b></span><br />
Hmmmmm. I appear to be stuck to the metal on the end wall. I'm glad
that wasn't my tongue....or my hand. You know what? I appear to be
really stuck to this wall. Why was my back so wet? </p><p>You know, I should give it a bit more of a tug, so I can get loose. </p><p>Oy, that's on
there good. I hope I don't rip the coat. Maybe I should just unzip
the coat and worm out of it? You know, it might be a bit silly if my
coat has to stay on this wall until warmer weather. But, it could be
sillier still if I just stayed here....</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">And It Got Even Sillier</span></b><br />
</p><p>Now, you need to get a little bit better picture of what this
must have looked like. I was standing up against the wall and my hands
were up just a bit over my head level and my elbows were bent. Almost
as if this was a 'hold-up' and I was the victim. Oh - wait. That's
exactly what this was. I was being held up and at the mercy of our new
high tunnel.</p><p>The coat was a zip-up coat, so there was no way I was
going to reach down with my hands to unzip the coat and step out of
it. My cell phone was in a side pocket of my jeans that resided just
above my knee. Once again, there was no way I was going to be able to
reach that. And, if I did... who do you call? And once you do call
someone... what do you say?</p><p>"<i>Hello. I'm stuck to the wall of our high tunnel and I can't get out?</i>"
After the giggle fit the recipient of the call was bound to have, I am
sure they would suggest that I figure it out on my own.</p><p>I tried to
ask Doughboy, the farm supervisor cat at the time, for a little help. He just
yawned and proceeded to sit down to watch what I would do next. Some
help.</p><p>So, I figured I had two choices. I could try to worm out of
the coat by bending my knees and wriggling out the bottom of the coat.
Then, I would leave my coat there until the Spring thaw. Or, I could
just leave the coat on and use a bit more force to pull myself free. I
supposed it might rip the coat - but that's better than waiting until
our customers called Tammy to tell her I was absent from the delivery
four hours later.</p><p>So, I lifted one leg up to help get some
momentum and tore myself free. There was some pilling from the back of
the coat still attached to the end wall, but otherwise the coat seemed
fine and continued to serve me well after that point.</p>And, since that time, I always stretch my back when I'm in the middle of the building.Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-2160488540667793652023-12-26T05:30:00.015-06:002023-12-26T05:30:00.136-06:00Box of Maple - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>People seemed to be having fun sipping hot chocolate and enjoying stories. So, since I have a few more ready to go - let's just keep sharing the Faux Real Stories. Enjoy! <br /></p><p>--------------------------</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdub3bsWMjbJB0fOdbLNH0aM8pZK-Hfh48fvWGLuvkYYO5TRE9dQTg7j9_vWs84zeP8MuFae0bnMfYknDq57vCH8JSDEH4bBsLy7208v53c6BzgYQOEaidTY311nI6tO0PCM7/s6240/IMG_0162.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdub3bsWMjbJB0fOdbLNH0aM8pZK-Hfh48fvWGLuvkYYO5TRE9dQTg7j9_vWs84zeP8MuFae0bnMfYknDq57vCH8JSDEH4bBsLy7208v53c6BzgYQOEaidTY311nI6tO0PCM7/w640-h426/IMG_0162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div align="left">Once
upon a time there lived a family who had a backyard that was
filled with one too many trees. The mighty pin oak and the
sprawling locust had left very little sky for the maple tree to
reach into with its sparsely covered branches. While the tree had, in
fact, grown to a respectable 20 feet in height and had a 3 inch
diameter trunk, it was a bit sickly and was judged to be
entirely too close to the humans' abode anyway.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">The decree came down from the parents of
the household that the tree should be removed. And this task fell to
their first child on a fine June day. Out he marched, with a
saw and a branch pruner, determined to reward the trust placed
in him to do the task efficiently and thoroughly. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Taking
the tree down in manageable portions, it was soon reduced to a
pile of brush. But, what should he do to prepare its transport
to the city brush pile? The solution came in the form of one
cardboard box that was slated for disposal. This box had once held
an artificial Christmas tree. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">What better container to use for a
downed maple?</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">In a careful and well thought out manner,
the tree was cut into lengths that were very nearly a perfect fit for
the length of the box. Any side branches were cut off of each
limb. As a result, all of the larger branches and the trunk
were placed lengthwise in the box. And, happily, there was
still plenty of room!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">In went the small branches, covered with
leaves. Anything that didn't fit well was trimmed down until it did.
By mid-afternoon, there was no pile in the yard and probably no air pockets in the box. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">No tree and just one box -
complete with a lid that barely fit over the contents - sat waiting in the back yard for parental approval.<br /></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Upon the father's return from work, he went
to the backyard and wondered out loud where the brush from the tree
had gone. His son, of course, proudly pointed to the box.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">"Son," he said evenly, "have you tried to move that box yet?"</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">To make a long story less long - it took
a makeshift ramp and both of us to wrangle the box into the vehicle.
Getting it out again was only a little less difficult. To this
day, I wonder if Dad didn't force the transfer of brush to
other boxes just to temper the disappointment I might have felt
if we had done so.</div><div align="left"> </div>Or maybe he was just as stubborn as I was. Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-69978316736105668092023-12-24T05:30:00.003-06:002023-12-24T08:56:47.521-06:00Eight Tiny Reindeer? - Postal History Sunday<p>It's hard for me to believe that we are now deep into December -
Christmas Eve to be exact. After weeks of rushing around trying to do
everything all at once, we find ourselves preparing to spend some
quality time with family. And since that's exactly what I want to be
doing, it seemed right to just have a little fun with this week's Postal
History Sunday.</p><p>Last year, we did <a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/2022/12/twelve-covers-for-christmas-postal.html" target="_blank">Twelve Covers for a Christmas Postal History Sunday</a>.
This year, we're going to do one for each reindeer. If you're looking
for me to be super clever with my selections as they line up with
reindeer name, it's not going to happen this time around. And, I
probably won't dig too deep into any one topic. But, that doesn't mean
we can't still have a little fun.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cupid</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXzEhkbJOQzMLgfuQFmmTZ5JZJGuq5BEAVrbSIQ-3hiNwH1Ku4IzSBpfucxNLdu6T-SX6Hz6_-vWx7q7Ny77ByK8NapVFFMd_H2vbHyT51G20dwVQAAG-PgVG6zGI2MqHTaiNEW3aDt6qvMK2D6QhD2VHiwjSoea5h6gTVqsPAcIYanbYwD_WTzQTJ8qg/s892/2centtinyvalentine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="892" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeXzEhkbJOQzMLgfuQFmmTZ5JZJGuq5BEAVrbSIQ-3hiNwH1Ku4IzSBpfucxNLdu6T-SX6Hz6_-vWx7q7Ny77ByK8NapVFFMd_H2vbHyT51G20dwVQAAG-PgVG6zGI2MqHTaiNEW3aDt6qvMK2D6QhD2VHiwjSoea5h6gTVqsPAcIYanbYwD_WTzQTJ8qg/w640-h602/2centtinyvalentine.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Ok,
maybe I'll try to a be a little bit clever with my first selection.
Here is a simple letter mailed within the United States. The postage
rate was 2 cents at the time, so this tiny envelope was properly paid to
get to Mrs. Alvin Hill in Ames, Iowa. There aren't any particular
clues about where this was mailed, though it could very well have been
mailed in Ames.</p><p>Collectors often enjoy finding the smallest
envelopes that were properly and successfully mailed. While this is
certainly not the smallest I have seen, it is small enough. And, in
this case, I also have the contents - a tiny card featuring Cupid!</p><p>No, not the reindeer. But Cupid nonetheless. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir477sl6Sp8CinRPebZeMwiOOIEXeVsyHaXePS0VxBQVDO08revjQ2qSH9bTd57-0goxfEBL-0gWwsdO5A6qbf78RIT7D7Kk4b1El9F3ds4lqRGJMop7bhcQaC0RNRdnQ2reuCXTgkxRGzwXedPMOpRN3TwGckrFw7nni8m3TzTK5zSHszH5qH3BShGoJg/s840/2centtinyvalentineenclosure.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="752" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir477sl6Sp8CinRPebZeMwiOOIEXeVsyHaXePS0VxBQVDO08revjQ2qSH9bTd57-0goxfEBL-0gWwsdO5A6qbf78RIT7D7Kk4b1El9F3ds4lqRGJMop7bhcQaC0RNRdnQ2reuCXTgkxRGzwXedPMOpRN3TwGckrFw7nni8m3TzTK5zSHszH5qH3BShGoJg/s320/2centtinyvalentineenclosure.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><p></p><p>Perhaps
this particular cover might have been a better selection to share in
February, but when I've got to come up with eight covers to share and I
look at one that directly links to the name of one of Santa's reindeer, I
must use it.</p><p>Well, at least that's how I felt. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzGUFLEbKfr0TMo0cY0ODCQIVnBZK4FaPD6iuT_b8E60CtZR3ZtyZplpIFNaD_4CNsxUp6gFgPAYtaoBcj75_3LkTtAl-pB_SHNxrIxKaC-AKvZNk3adzKSRVuPF7rJHXGw3ebDwSshe4x79ZSycnbGLjvqUVL9qlcirqAgwnhuuuD9x3XnoYIbhyzOPp/s1496/2centtinyvalentineenclosure2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1496" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzGUFLEbKfr0TMo0cY0ODCQIVnBZK4FaPD6iuT_b8E60CtZR3ZtyZplpIFNaD_4CNsxUp6gFgPAYtaoBcj75_3LkTtAl-pB_SHNxrIxKaC-AKvZNk3adzKSRVuPF7rJHXGw3ebDwSshe4x79ZSycnbGLjvqUVL9qlcirqAgwnhuuuD9x3XnoYIbhyzOPp/w400-h219/2centtinyvalentineenclosure2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>I'm
not going to vouch for the quality of the verse in this tiny card as I
do not claim to be a poet of any sort. Still, I am not certain a
person scores points for rhyming "umbrella" and "fella" in a
Valentine. </p><p>I prefer harmony to discord, so I am
hopeful that Mrs. Alvin Hill wasn't a poetry critic and found the
little card to be charming. Apparently someone did (or perhaps it was just amusing), because this little
letter was likely mailed some time in the early 1920s and it has
survived one hundred years.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dasher</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPXJ4dJ2OzOhVwW7lMlaqdTcrVItSvOr4ytQLfhhaRt653iGal0iGIyrcs7SJlukIwZFYRuUt7HOtmDYQv2YptRd0KOyMDPvB8_21pFVCZ3u0LbGf_FYTdfmROn2SzG_xyiOG-_3MFtBfwjpTsS0ML_iLEahhxmKLZ3fiFiql_GbWY-xgmp7rRm2w4ZCA/s1688/GB62_toFranceL1.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1688" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPXJ4dJ2OzOhVwW7lMlaqdTcrVItSvOr4ytQLfhhaRt653iGal0iGIyrcs7SJlukIwZFYRuUt7HOtmDYQv2YptRd0KOyMDPvB8_21pFVCZ3u0LbGf_FYTdfmROn2SzG_xyiOG-_3MFtBfwjpTsS0ML_iLEahhxmKLZ3fiFiql_GbWY-xgmp7rRm2w4ZCA/w640-h402/GB62_toFranceL1.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>It
wasn't too difficult to think of multiple options when it came to
Dasher. Business correspondence often was sent with a certain sense of
urgency, just as this letter from London to Lyon, France, likely was in
1871. </p><p>Mailed in London on August 8, it arrived on the 10th in
Lyon - which is certainly quite timely. However, this letter was not
taken to the mailing office before the mails closed for the day. That's
part of the reason why there is a big, bold "L1" in a box on this
cover.<br /></p><p>Post offices adhered to schedules that were based on
the departure times for the transportation systems that carried the mail
to and from those locations. So, for example, if the train that was to
carry the mail from London to Dover (where it would then cross the
English Channel on a steamship) was to depart the station at 10 PM, the
mails to depart on that train would close at some point prior to that to
allow the postal workers to properly prepare the mail and get it to
that station.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLKgxfRovqAsR9dEgenDtZ_VbHolxS1gQGcJ0OmScM46-0lJQ3M1G-rL7nJ9wLDAu8TXvZwWw2P8ZgmIkRrDYuhHSp8AaZWDKb1tSGB0v1oaycdai08tOKMSISKfYONMzZnjl9QHmhzQ5lQde-KWAj7-ppd1QqV9niBJZ9O92XkbunJToS4DZxW8Q0uKi/s545/threadneedlestreet.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="545" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLKgxfRovqAsR9dEgenDtZ_VbHolxS1gQGcJ0OmScM46-0lJQ3M1G-rL7nJ9wLDAu8TXvZwWw2P8ZgmIkRrDYuhHSp8AaZWDKb1tSGB0v1oaycdai08tOKMSISKfYONMzZnjl9QHmhzQ5lQde-KWAj7-ppd1QqV9niBJZ9O92XkbunJToS4DZxW8Q0uKi/w400-h214/threadneedlestreet.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>For
the sake of making a clear example of it, let's say this London East Central (EC) post
office closed the mails to France at 9 PM so it could be ready to go on
the 10 PM train. Now imagine the poor clerk from Truninger &
Company at 41 Threadneedle Street rushing to get to Saint Marten's
LeGrand where the East Central London Post Office was located before the
mail closes. They enter the lobby, possibly a little out of breath,
and see the window to receive mail to France... closed. </p><p>The good
news for this clerk was that, for a fee, this letter could still go out
with the 10PM train. That fee was one penny more.</p><p>Two stamps
were placed on the letter. One for 3 pence and the other for 4 pence.
The price for mail to France was 3 pence per 1/4 ounce. So, this letter
must have weighed over 1/4 ounce and no more than 1/2 ounce. Six pence
for the letter rate and one more penny to pay for a late fee. Just so
this letter could meet the 10 PM train.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LKIJEfg8dFqew7wD6lkBBPdlC1u86GEapMveRMR6OM2flDKLNl1yS3F6TlTuvmVhPsuE2JkqDrx7IC42CMBkSO-qgXRMi6IlCsWXO9d7xFj3oob17VGOAJRUoJR-0krLzNpzYw_ahyyMR6ofjOYg8B3bKLtWmzaRfidW1n9jEC9KCiTf3QILfw5b95Nq/s414/truningerfailure1885TheChronicleJan171885p83.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="414" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LKIJEfg8dFqew7wD6lkBBPdlC1u86GEapMveRMR6OM2flDKLNl1yS3F6TlTuvmVhPsuE2JkqDrx7IC42CMBkSO-qgXRMi6IlCsWXO9d7xFj3oob17VGOAJRUoJR-0krLzNpzYw_ahyyMR6ofjOYg8B3bKLtWmzaRfidW1n9jEC9KCiTf3QILfw5b95Nq/s320/truningerfailure1885TheChronicleJan171885p83.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Truninger
and Company were exchange merchants and according to this
clipping from the January 17, 1885 Hunt's Merchants' Magazine, they
became insolvent after 40 years of business in 1885, fourteen years after this letter was sent.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Dancer</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_aS8VV370_fHJhEPXHeFYuk3LR8Hs_lg74RaKzmCSnXI2pk2_6SGvoJ-pYTyDjBnPgwy7o_OcwWA6rsM2SEhFrvOxBQ1je0087hHrVRNDEoTRX1CIB9fTOkJ5oShr4-LLM6BwGl2tzVDJ-Pp7-Tun91VMX7Fx4iy6OjujPkywzzB_Pt1Hvu-Sd0-gzDi/s1039/transmiss2centtiny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1039" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_aS8VV370_fHJhEPXHeFYuk3LR8Hs_lg74RaKzmCSnXI2pk2_6SGvoJ-pYTyDjBnPgwy7o_OcwWA6rsM2SEhFrvOxBQ1je0087hHrVRNDEoTRX1CIB9fTOkJ5oShr4-LLM6BwGl2tzVDJ-Pp7-Tun91VMX7Fx4iy6OjujPkywzzB_Pt1Hvu-Sd0-gzDi/w640-h422/transmiss2centtiny.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Well,
look! Another tiny reindeer... er... cover. This one was mailed on
January 1, 1899 at Binghamton, New York to Liberty Falls (also New
York). Once again, the 2 cent rate for letter mail was in effect for
this letter as it was for our first one.</p><p>Sadly, this time I have
no contents. I also have no other reason to share this other than the
fact that it is a tiny cover to hold a spot for one of the eight tiny
reindeer.</p><p>For those who are wondering what "Sull. Co." at the
bottom left refers to, you might initially think - as I did - that this
might be a reference to a company, just as our second item had a
handstamp for Truninger and Co on Threadneedle Street in London. But,
this time, you would be incorrect. Liberty Falls is in <b>Sull</b>ivan <b>Co</b>unty
in New York.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Vixen</span></b> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPEtS3eZ0CkYHoHIy9H8nqLyIamg0FA4KPfJTvwmDqVow_DqEVs4ewDe1mnA-TkWw5IgLSSEfjozW3m04dEoYTWJAOIDA90VN2d5OXkgGFUiMOsTc3JwvyJpiwUW-iwPEWBjEV_cM8BcdCSuFhF18rF0PbFEUrSzu1-f3tKN9d8wTOtWsrAqW6Cl-CCWi/s1512/droponecentcarriermisperfgrill.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1512" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPEtS3eZ0CkYHoHIy9H8nqLyIamg0FA4KPfJTvwmDqVow_DqEVs4ewDe1mnA-TkWw5IgLSSEfjozW3m04dEoYTWJAOIDA90VN2d5OXkgGFUiMOsTc3JwvyJpiwUW-iwPEWBjEV_cM8BcdCSuFhF18rF0PbFEUrSzu1-f3tKN9d8wTOtWsrAqW6Cl-CCWi/w640-h350/droponecentcarriermisperfgrill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br />Here
is a letter mailed in the 1860s in Camden, New York, for a recipient in
Camden. The one cent stamp paid the rate for what was known as a
"drop letter." The basic idea was that if a person went to the town
post office and dropped a letter there for someone else to pick up, it
should not cost the same as a letter that traveled hundreds of miles to
another post office location in the United States (3 cents), nor should it cost the same as a letter that would be taken by a carrier to the addressee (2 cents).</p><p>This letter was
likely sent in 1868, when the 1 cent drop letter rate was effective for
towns that did not have any carrier delivery service. In those towns
everyone came to the post office to pick up their mail.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2otkWsQ9Rq4e5IfSrPnLCLVkPddRyRwV2bTz3E6wskUWiUv8te-kMYH0dawXePpitq2wNdNhk_3YGbc-2rFroJye78nUw-PUZudZai4QplzCHyYfbBaQEo504UDoKEBmEq6-6HKw1HBR9IRsafumSoa8S1iTfLDvM1ihi_A1pVM3uZwMZM5Y2v67369R/s340/egrillpaperfold.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="340" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2otkWsQ9Rq4e5IfSrPnLCLVkPddRyRwV2bTz3E6wskUWiUv8te-kMYH0dawXePpitq2wNdNhk_3YGbc-2rFroJye78nUw-PUZudZai4QplzCHyYfbBaQEo504UDoKEBmEq6-6HKw1HBR9IRsafumSoa8S1iTfLDvM1ihi_A1pVM3uZwMZM5Y2v67369R/s320/egrillpaperfold.jpg" width="320" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>While
this particular cover is not a "big deal" for its postal history, it
does have something sneaky interesting going on (just like a fox, eh...
get it? Vixen? Fox? No? Ok, never mind).</p><p>The postage stamp on
this cover is an example that the production of postage stamps was not
always perfect. This sheet of stamps must have gotten hung up somehow
in the machine that punched holes to make the perforations that allowed
easy separation of one stamp on a sheet from the others. Instead of a
nice rectangular stamp, you can see that the bottom and right
perforations are askew. </p><p>There's even a stray perforation at the top right.<br /></p><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Prancer</span></b> <br /></p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZ64A94c9SDjPaVLOyZESMmIdWTdN0CzoxeIHR4F_XS5nTeYzNXxxrTZxYfw4UL7F2Lc8D-gdk9yh7On2mB3Ixk6TeTvtJBNWMJTRBS30jvfcLlN-r5qLb1772Y3jqZ1UQzo9hDWU0VaofCr3WiAONEFi4jNlTV_PoiUGa28g8Zqzyb5H4P_nfew6lYFw/s1718/1864BuffaloPatentCommissionMcht.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1718" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZ64A94c9SDjPaVLOyZESMmIdWTdN0CzoxeIHR4F_XS5nTeYzNXxxrTZxYfw4UL7F2Lc8D-gdk9yh7On2mB3Ixk6TeTvtJBNWMJTRBS30jvfcLlN-r5qLb1772Y3jqZ1UQzo9hDWU0VaofCr3WiAONEFi4jNlTV_PoiUGa28g8Zqzyb5H4P_nfew6lYFw/w640-h374/1864BuffaloPatentCommissionMcht.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Here's
a letter that was sent from Buffalo, New York on May 17, 1864 to
Albany. This cover was picked up from a post office box rather than
delivered to the addressee in Albany. All you have to note is the "Box
713" that appears at the bottom of the address panel to get that
confirmation. </p><p>The idea of a post office box was an innovation
that allowed those who were willing to pay rent for a box to avoid lines
at the General Delivery window to check if they had mail. The first
locked wooden mailbox door designed for customers to pick up their mail by opening that box
was created in 1857.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABY5aJiw3C93L9DhVumZJoP7OnrUQdbaXr1nHBAqIxsZEFxENk5oC8vJwHOWJHsLu1lmW1kmtcC3RLXpmetmNGBvtPjiZx7zYjuyVmpAGP2D0bsYk5yLqKsct3ZaZ6rjomyJ3Tuvbe6ZoLw7BLm4EQQGOqRsHhXCWNybtWiSY7ac2MxkS9lT9clEO0QPH/s300/1864BuffaloPatentCommissionMchtcancel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiABY5aJiw3C93L9DhVumZJoP7OnrUQdbaXr1nHBAqIxsZEFxENk5oC8vJwHOWJHsLu1lmW1kmtcC3RLXpmetmNGBvtPjiZx7zYjuyVmpAGP2D0bsYk5yLqKsct3ZaZ6rjomyJ3Tuvbe6ZoLw7BLm4EQQGOqRsHhXCWNybtWiSY7ac2MxkS9lT9clEO0QPH/s1600/1864BuffaloPatentCommissionMchtcancel.jpg" width="300" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>Also
of interest on this particular cover is the interesting cancellation
that was used to deface the postage stamp so it could not be reused.
For a short while, cancellation devices with cutting edges or punches
were used in a few post offices, including Buffalo. If you look
closely, you can see that the thin, center circle in this cancellation
does cut a bit into the paper of the stamp.</p><p>The biggest difficulty
with these cancellation devices, in addition to possible damage to the
contents, was how quickly they became dull. Collectors of stamps and
postal history typically refer to these as <a href="http://chronicle.uspcs.org/pdf/Chronicle_163/11503.pdf" target="_blank">patent cancellations</a>.<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Comet</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPOJTm-iUunySUCtLM9vUGWIgacAgAm8_HYuPjC9ofqYIfhBd5qdwGGz7VNYcWNhPUp4Dodbdar6OKNunwobn47o2-OlojYNYwIX52xd-5M-sGsRGr2LxuAIZacqHSJxJJsedaY7O1s3aMj9tjy3MPWlRJsI5CYf3d6yMn253L3O49M93Jz6Mfrv-xJPY/s3238/RM22_toSwitzerlandletter3.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3238" data-original-width="2550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPOJTm-iUunySUCtLM9vUGWIgacAgAm8_HYuPjC9ofqYIfhBd5qdwGGz7VNYcWNhPUp4Dodbdar6OKNunwobn47o2-OlojYNYwIX52xd-5M-sGsRGr2LxuAIZacqHSJxJJsedaY7O1s3aMj9tjy3MPWlRJsI5CYf3d6yMn253L3O49M93Jz6Mfrv-xJPY/w504-h640/RM22_toSwitzerlandletter3.tif" width="504" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>And
here is a reminder to us all that postal history items are not always
nice, neat and easy to figure out. The item shown above is written on
thin, tissue-like paper - probably to keep the weight low enough to
prevent the letter from getting too heavy (and requiring more
postage). </p><p>Like many of us, the letter writer started writing as
if they had plenty of space, but eventually found that they had much
more to say than they had figured. As a result, they began to cram more
and more into smaller spaces. In the end, the letter looked like this
when it was mailed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvy3_fugW_mbsjoH8PGiioktnYTdu3g3xr5eZKUkFtC6yj48W_W5tVAD-OcNc4vR2WTo_yNOcBppXNMkIzN8l_2a5eJGaPRRsjsAVbTRFPakiXX_vU75of7anBK-U7LTJjzbezFCnBXFAGClzYTzuqiRXy3L3lp6UISvFhWnjSymlmVBt-16ALR8N2fUt/s1515/RM22_toSwitzerland.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1515" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvy3_fugW_mbsjoH8PGiioktnYTdu3g3xr5eZKUkFtC6yj48W_W5tVAD-OcNc4vR2WTo_yNOcBppXNMkIzN8l_2a5eJGaPRRsjsAVbTRFPakiXX_vU75of7anBK-U7LTJjzbezFCnBXFAGClzYTzuqiRXy3L3lp6UISvFhWnjSymlmVBt-16ALR8N2fUt/w640-h292/RM22_toSwitzerland.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>This
letter was mailed on March 30, 1857 from Rome in the Papal States.
Twelve bajocchi in postage were applied in the form of two stamps, which
was apparently enough for this letter to be properly paid to get to
Geneva, Switzerland. There are three indicators that this was the
case. The red "PD" in a box, the red "Franco" and the red "X" all tell
the same story.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Donner</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkFR9h6rd1_RNhAtdUvZKm0uBb_UZawHAbxwnBlqzuiTHbAuVTb5WiRMvGcOaRW6RKu3UKu-DE1wC4zN5PfltEUZjkUUcO-BUZVMMrfz0sY_3ygNxqjheMn7Ojo0XeaI6Pe1lh1Z2rHCSQAG_h9Fdzpk8jP7N0_XbtnJd1rGdqgNxI1XnF35MTX_WFNrG/s1588/SZ29_toEnglandstrubel.tif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1588" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkFR9h6rd1_RNhAtdUvZKm0uBb_UZawHAbxwnBlqzuiTHbAuVTb5WiRMvGcOaRW6RKu3UKu-DE1wC4zN5PfltEUZjkUUcO-BUZVMMrfz0sY_3ygNxqjheMn7Ojo0XeaI6Pe1lh1Z2rHCSQAG_h9Fdzpk8jP7N0_XbtnJd1rGdqgNxI1XnF35MTX_WFNrG/w640-h420/SZ29_toEnglandstrubel.tif" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Here's
a cover that I think is a pretty example of mail from Basel,
Switzerland to London in 1859. There are two stamps paying the 60
rappen rate for mail to England via France. The letter crossed into
France at St Louis, went through Paris and eventually found it's way to
London - taking three days to get there.</p><p>Now, if you look closely
at the ink flourish under the word "London," you might notice that the
paper is eroding there. In fact, you might notice some small areas in
the address where the paper is also gone.</p><p>This ink is probably
iron gall ink, which does, over time, eat into the paper on which it was
applied. If you are interested in a brief introduction to some of the
history of inks, you can try <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/history-matters/history-ink-six-objects" target="_blank">this relatively short summary</a> by Lydia Pyne.</p><p>And,
I know I told you I wasn't going to try to be too clever with my
choices - but can anyone guess now why I chose this one to go with
Donner?</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Blitzen </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1L43x677k-CoUeQDaLzXj8yqgFtkAeytb316koFyAU3zN2AbdIknDPYajkoZ1DLZ8VvhZ5tuFF2-ZFozznhBm94V9YscxfJ12sP3Y5AdH52BYOG4pIStBMlhC8drB6ySxTLVdflDZUy_v-QrxnHAYgSRBrM3F_jyVbn8iaOLDF1iQ4tepLBTDjIj3ttgz/s1834/Germanyeilbotennichtnachts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1426" data-original-width="1834" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1L43x677k-CoUeQDaLzXj8yqgFtkAeytb316koFyAU3zN2AbdIknDPYajkoZ1DLZ8VvhZ5tuFF2-ZFozznhBm94V9YscxfJ12sP3Y5AdH52BYOG4pIStBMlhC8drB6ySxTLVdflDZUy_v-QrxnHAYgSRBrM3F_jyVbn8iaOLDF1iQ4tepLBTDjIj3ttgz/w640-h498/Germanyeilbotennichtnachts.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Blitzen
gets to show off an internal German letter mailed in 1916 and we're
focusing on both the red label and the purple printing at the top of
this envelope. This letter had an extra fee paid for express courier
delivery to this cigarette fabricator. Both the label and the purple
printed instructions tell us this.</p><p>But, an additional instruction
at top left says "Nicht Nachts!" - which told the post that a night time
delivery was not wanted for this item.</p><p>So, while they were in a
hurry to get that letter to the recipient, it was likely that no one would be
present to receive the letter during the night time hours. Or
perhaps, Blitzen didn't have a glowing red nose so he couldn't find the
right spot until morning?<br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rudolph </span></b></p><p>Did you actually think I would leave out the ninth tiny reindeer?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4BioJu3Q7ZPsAE7YAsq-zoH1MZPDZD5S3FcREqBykMa3nQxRLJ10iH23HdpcYvyDijkPJ2sYvicsNW9bpAhTkUMf6tF7iPovooI4v9c_ldCeFxPM2ee0pmOXdZcDnjEeBNpHzEiWKoVdTNgpJtxwnHL8UrqPyyzz3fKoK9kKkYBBdpqDCNFa3OSaI9Ky/s1643/norway.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1643" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij4BioJu3Q7ZPsAE7YAsq-zoH1MZPDZD5S3FcREqBykMa3nQxRLJ10iH23HdpcYvyDijkPJ2sYvicsNW9bpAhTkUMf6tF7iPovooI4v9c_ldCeFxPM2ee0pmOXdZcDnjEeBNpHzEiWKoVdTNgpJtxwnHL8UrqPyyzz3fKoK9kKkYBBdpqDCNFa3OSaI9Ky/w640-h364/norway.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Of
course, my Rudolph features a 24 cent US stamp from the 1861 series.
This time, it shares a cover with a 10 cent and 12 cent stamp, paying 46
cents for a letter from the US to Bergen, Norway.</p><p>Merry Christmas
to you all! And, if you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish for you all
the blessings that are appropriate for you and yours.</p><p>------------------------------ <br /></p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto" lang="en">Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>. </span>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-59150616249620512972023-12-23T05:30:00.063-06:002023-12-23T05:30:00.139-06:00Drive-by Vegetabling - Faux Real Story Week<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-SNkXssTeBcgtcfHBj-jsxzudu6OK_HCQROAWLd8S-xusJFGYaqmgmHhDUhYCpBAX63GIQeDQyzAI7zwXT-GZzfv-1B_mrISVs7jZMYffjLBy7OhN9JeS3iA3S3u5BDLBuwlKAq-nzUDmdgDbBTTcKCwqOK09nT1HndQPaaBBfpqUvjhyphenhyphenTUh/s4272/IMG_1139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-SNkXssTeBcgtcfHBj-jsxzudu6OK_HCQROAWLd8S-xusJFGYaqmgmHhDUhYCpBAX63GIQeDQyzAI7zwXT-GZzfv-1B_mrISVs7jZMYffjLBy7OhN9JeS3iA3S3u5BDLBuwlKAq-nzUDmdgDbBTTcKCwqOK09nT1HndQPaaBBfpqUvjhyphenhyphenTUh/w640-h426/IMG_1139.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I would occasionally work for Grandpa
Faux for week-long stints during the summer, painting, cutting
down weeds,
and being an accomplice in semi-frequent "drive-by vegetabling"
trips. </p><div align="left">
But, I think I've gotten ahead of myself. Let me provide you with a little bit of background to help the story go down easier. And, you've got your hot chocolate too, right? Take a sip and settle in. <br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Grandpa was
a contractor
(cement and other general contracting) who had a workshop near
the edge of
town. He also grew up on a farm. Needless to say, some of the
land around
the shop was pressed into service as a place to grow some
peppers, squash
and other vegetables. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Most of the plants he chose to grow were
things
that were easy to pick quickly, but were likely to produce more
than he
could, or would, eat. In fact, I remember a time that we
brought some veggies to a restaurant he frequented and he gave it to them
and asked if they would prepare a specific meal for him - and they did
it. On the flip side, I also remember he did some work for them when
they needed it too, so I'm sure the trade was a good one from their perspective.</div>
<div align="left">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo35aFyLqKtUgt-aELyiyMJn1iAk67rld1yMJ4vZCtKA0VtIAstuFw92tAii7bwU2GbcaEsltCYEv6NgC02vZ8zVW40BKwBecZKGfPjtag8-zMekAP-_IdIRcGQPsR2XH-1s0MtA/s1600/IMG_3786.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo35aFyLqKtUgt-aELyiyMJn1iAk67rld1yMJ4vZCtKA0VtIAstuFw92tAii7bwU2GbcaEsltCYEv6NgC02vZ8zVW40BKwBecZKGfPjtag8-zMekAP-_IdIRcGQPsR2XH-1s0MtA/w400-h266/IMG_3786.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I could ask him, I bet he'd confirm that he grew Black Beauty zucchini!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, what did he do with extra zucchini, peppers and other veggies? He certainly was not the sort of person who would let perfectly good produce go to waste.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Well, my
grandparents lived in a trailer court at the time, and these places often become a
community of their own. This particular court had a significant number of
retirees who lived on fixed incomes. Surely those people would appreciate and enjoy
fresh produce! <br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Of course, Grandpa was happy to share
the excess freely with those he knew. So, what exactly, is the problem with this
situation? Person with extra produce meets those wanting some produce.
Sounds good, right?</div>
<div align="left">
<br />
Ok, you've forgotten something. Remember Aunt <<i>fill in the name here</i>>? You know, the one who would try to give you money
for everything and anything - especially when you were trying to be nice and provide a gift?<br />
<br />
Is this an Iowa thing? I'm not sure, but I do remember the
struggle to do the right thing with another relative. She would always
want to give a dollar or two to each of the kids for whatever reason
when we visited. A seven-year old kid is going to have a difficult time
looking at money being offered and not be happy to take it. But we absolutely KNEW that we were expected to decline.</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">In fact, we knew that part of the game was to protest - sometimes vigorously - that you would NOT take the money. So we did that.<br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Manners, and maybe tradition, dictated that we should
not accept the money. Just as it appeared to be a tradition to try to foist the money off on the children. The resulting tumult of repeated offers to pay/give cash and
refusals to accept
payment/said gift could become tedious, frustrating,
uncomfortable and...well...
you get the idea.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">So.... back to the story at hand. My Grandfather did NOT want to deal with that scenario because there most certainly were a number of Aunt <<i>fill in your name heres</i>> in the trailer court! They were going to want to play the game of "I want to pay you/no I don't want any money" for however long it was going to take. And these people played for keeps! Or... um... gives? I don't know. Grandpa knew they wouldn't give up easily, we'll just leave it at that.<br />
</div>
<div align="left">
I entered the picture as a grandchild who was
capable of dashing from the cab of the truck, to the front door with a
bag of produce and back to the truck in a few seconds. After all, I did need to stay in shape for baseball. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">So,
Grandpa Faux would look at me and say, "Let's go to the shop." </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Hey, he's my
ride, I couldn't exactly say no. So, we went to the shop. We trudged out to
the (very) long single row of plants and he gave instructions on what to
pick. Once we'd picked it all, we went back to the trailer and put the
excess into paper bags because we had some 'errands' to run before we
went to dinner ourselves.<br />
<br />
I am positive Grandpa enjoyed this game more than he let on. But, I'll
tell you this, I took it as serious business. I was NOT going to get
caught and I was going to make each delivery without squashing any
squish (yes, you read that right)! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">He'd stop in front of a place and
tell me where to put the bag. I'd run up to the target home, rap
quickly on the front door or ring the doorbell and dash back to the
truck. This was followed by burning rubber (ok,
I exaggerate a bit there) as we zipped away. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">There it is, the
anatomy of a drive-by vegetabling.<br />
<br />
As I look back on it, I am not sure who was having more fun - me,
Grandpa...or the people
who began trying to anticipate when we would arrive so they
could find
some way to catch us. In one case, we noticed someone peaking
out through the blinds of their window as we pulled up. So, Grandpa
sped back up and we went on. We drove up on the road that was a block
away and he gave me instructions to run through the backyard and then
slip it onto the front porch. Then, once the delivery was dropped off, we drove around the front so we could
wave as they picked up the bag from their porch.<br />
<br />
I realize now that I only did this a few times since I only stayed with
him for a week at a time twice a summer while I was in high school and early college years.
But, I still remember the joy of giving - with a little bit of "daring
do" to put an edge on it.</div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-31314681714760921142023-12-22T05:30:00.037-06:002023-12-22T05:30:00.149-06:00No Eggplant for You! - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>This week, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------
<div align="left">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oYB5i1dzlaDTGCnA-wjIAO-4amhtIO-2uYby2Vc8LEmpcj4VcOW6TnEXCqXWTmWgnTjyFI72RdXOGa60q-6E_FYEBmmqRPKcIQI8ggu6ENRfOTez4oo587VOSvw3AVFesK9t3Q/s1600/BlackKing.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oYB5i1dzlaDTGCnA-wjIAO-4amhtIO-2uYby2Vc8LEmpcj4VcOW6TnEXCqXWTmWgnTjyFI72RdXOGa60q-6E_FYEBmmqRPKcIQI8ggu6ENRfOTez4oo587VOSvw3AVFesK9t3Q/w640-h426/BlackKing.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Tammy's mother, Sue, is fond of growing
nice, big, purple eggplants. These fruits are often the key ingredient
for Eggplant Parmesan,
one of her favorite dishes. But, as is so often the case, Mom's dish of choice was NOT appreciated by all members of the family. <br /></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Tammy likes vegetables. It was
actually Rob who was deficient in that department and it was
Tammy who had to encourage Rob to eat more veggies. Cheese on
the broccoli comes to mind as one of the things that needed to happen until I learned how much better broccoli from our own garden tasted.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">So, who was sad during the years when the eggplant crop at the Genuine Faux Farm was poor? </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">It wasn't Tammy! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The mere suggestion
that we grow some eggplants was enough to make her question someone's
sanity (guess who?). In fact, my winning argument for growing eggplant
in the garden several years ago went something like this:</div><div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left">
</div>
<div align="left">
<i>"Hey, we won't have to feel bad
about selling all of the eggplant we grow since we won't want to eat them
anyway!"</i></div><div align="left"><i> </i><br />
</div>
<div align="left">
Even more amazing than this is the fact
that Rob found out he kind of <i>liked</i> eggplant - much to Tammy's
horror!</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lcRTx8UPXyl7fb_CbQKYFP_7ktgO-8WTz42FOkxs6EPFXyqHAjgEy0CLFTiwTEdA8NUzqH7Apcb59HkXdQVP4O973t3d5Ws7sVye1s8gev0DSOHhCS3VpjpXe8J_EWFvbCeDSA/s1600/Listada2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lcRTx8UPXyl7fb_CbQKYFP_7ktgO-8WTz42FOkxs6EPFXyqHAjgEy0CLFTiwTEdA8NUzqH7Apcb59HkXdQVP4O973t3d5Ws7sVye1s8gev0DSOHhCS3VpjpXe8J_EWFvbCeDSA/w640-h426/Listada2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div align="left">
We tell you all of this as a prelude to
this GFF story:<br />===========</div><div align="left"> </div>
<div align="left">
Some years ago in the Zenk garden, Mom and
Dad, with their two lovely daughters, worked to plant their vegetable
garden for the year. The asparagus was already sending up spears and the
mulch had been tilled in. They would plant a little bit of everything,
just as they did most years. There would be beans and tomatoes, oregano
and garlic, onions and ... eggplant.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div>
<div align="left">
When you are kid, there may be no greater
injustice than to have to care for a plant that produces
something you
do NOT want to eat. It is one thing to have to weed the garden,
or pick the beans or dig the potatoes and yet another to have anything
to do with one of the banes of your existence. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">In Tammy's case, that
bane came in the form of the eggplant.<br />
</div>
<div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The garden grew. The plants in the garden
were, in general, healthy. The crops were being harvested and
consumed.
The eggplants grew tall, with green, healthy foliage. In fact,
it was noted by the rest of the family that these might have been the
biggest, lushest eggplants they'd ever had in the garden.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">But,
for some strange
reason that year, the eggplants were not blooming. And, without a
bloom,
there would be no fruit.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div>
<div align="left">
And Tammy rejoiced.<br />
</div>
<div align="left"> </div><div align="left">What could the problem be? Too much water?
Too little water? Was there some sort of disease that needed to
be diagnosed?
There was discussion about this, of course. And, some amount of
disappointment
that there would be no Eggplant Parmesan. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">But, in the end, the
crop failure
was attributed to either bad seed or just a strange year. After
all, the rest of the garden did well. There was no shortage of fresh
food for the family.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div>
<div align="left">
Yet - it was a year without Eggplant Parmesan. Again, Tammy rejoiced.</div>
<div align="left">
<br />
It wasn't until many years later that the
blight that caused the crop failure was discovered. And now that
we've had a number of years experience growing crops on the farm, we
can attest to a long list of possible causes for production failures.
If someone would have described this situation to me now, I might have
been tempted to ask questions about how much fertilizer they had put on
their garden. Often a crop that grows bigger and
greener than usual without fruit has too much nitrogen. But, in the
end, all of my answers would have been guesses and they would have been
wrong.<br />
<br />
In any event, we mentioned that the reason for the crop failure was discovered years later. Or should we say,
<i><b>the culprit confessed? </b></i><br />
<br />
A plant that has its flowers pruned diligently will tend to continue to
grow bigger and produce more leaves. We also know if a child is aware of this - they will be a motivated child that is willing to act based on this logic:<br /><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>
flowers on an eggplant plant will turn into fruit</li><li>eggplant fruit will become Eggplant Parmesan</li><li>removing flowers will result in no Eggplant Parmesan </li></ol>
We also now know that a kid
can be successful in making sure that<b><i> every flower is picked off</i></b> of an eggplant plant before
they turn to fruit. And Tammy was that successful child.<br />
<br />
But, Tammy forgot something. Other people grow eggplant. And Mom can always buy an eggplant from them. Oops. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I guess there was some Eggplant Parmesan that year after all. </div><div align="left"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIefLsZQPNVX-KIvrSQ-qoZIQdEH5g7TRti3loanooNXG97-B3i5Eg-w7bykU5OoKfcTEfaVHUrMyjanJ94QYWXRL2I5T6wvjfexjZ6sAeEP9BcsQvhcrKTfGZ6qmA5jdpxlMPpQ/s1600/RosaBianca2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIefLsZQPNVX-KIvrSQ-qoZIQdEH5g7TRti3loanooNXG97-B3i5Eg-w7bykU5OoKfcTEfaVHUrMyjanJ94QYWXRL2I5T6wvjfexjZ6sAeEP9BcsQvhcrKTfGZ6qmA5jdpxlMPpQ/w640-h426/RosaBianca2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-18607344917198689002023-12-21T05:30:00.021-06:002023-12-21T05:30:00.141-06:00Knee Deep - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>This week, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBXKH-WG9T2zi0kFSdlfmAC09rR0Y9WgftmfWH2NZdvQ4y-5KRMJRRcW8N5OkVkzo_szRoQzwatiNIgtziMtkyQ5j5J2AoQ3R4DdeAwm-AD308R2YGxpaerlgo8oTVvoEPOSVOMaU-ldKVQzSPzu0lbQjQp-S4kV0obhtKXeUNpuWdSAjlw/s4272/IMG_2763.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBXKH-WG9T2zi0kFSdlfmAC09rR0Y9WgftmfWH2NZdvQ4y-5KRMJRRcW8N5OkVkzo_szRoQzwatiNIgtziMtkyQ5j5J2AoQ3R4DdeAwm-AD308R2YGxpaerlgo8oTVvoEPOSVOMaU-ldKVQzSPzu0lbQjQp-S4kV0obhtKXeUNpuWdSAjlw/w640-h426/IMG_2763.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p>The
Genuine Faux Farm has beautiful, healthy soil. But, that soil is
pretty heavy and it takes quite a while for it to dry out. That means
our easiest farming years are typically those where we get average to
slightly below average rainfall. On top of that, our farm is pretty
flat - so if we get excessive rain it doesn't go anywhere - it just
stays until it either evaporates or seeps into the ground.</p><p>Don't
get me wrong. I feel that our soil health has improved over the years
and I believe that it is a good thing to have water naturally filtering
through the soil (and eventually into the ground water). The difficulty
has been that the number of exceptionally high rainfall periods have been much
more numerous since we scaled up our farm in 2007 than they were for
all recorded weather in our area up to that point.</p><p>If we were
growing crops that grew all summer and then got harvested once in the
fall, that would be one thing. But, when you grow a wide range of
vegetables and you market them on a weekly basis, you are forced to get
out there - even when things are damp.</p><p>Oh, what am I saying? We
have to get out there even when you might need to take out your snorkel
gear to get from here to there. It doesn't matter whether it was sort
of wet or extremely wet, we still had work to do.<br /></p><p>The good
news is that we maintain permanent grass/clover paths throughout the
farm, so we can get from plot to plot most of the time. Though there
have been times where we've had so much continuous rain that <a href="https://genfaux.blogspot.com/2022/09/clueless-no-more-3-years-later.html" target="_blank">this is actually in question</a>.</p><p>Several
years ago we had a very heavy rainfall in August during the morning of a CSA
(farm share) delivery day. We had already harvested most of the
produce, but there was more to do before we could say we were ready.
The bell peppers needed harvesting and they were on the schedule to be a
featured item. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgmg4t1wbF-iqscgnUt2uGGIurd9WgMmESCJxX0YYpniW-WdO8Bv1Gjo3caxmUrN9yMyWS9wwpu5lEl_65uElMAHSsMHZCmAIBE93UM-Ibd5uzuDXjuKKcsCJdUqFsPf3k7yg5tRV95ZFYc5_Pr8PUuhIq0s8EmbgJEEu3kvQzOo_fZVTgg/s2048/IMG_0144.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgmg4t1wbF-iqscgnUt2uGGIurd9WgMmESCJxX0YYpniW-WdO8Bv1Gjo3caxmUrN9yMyWS9wwpu5lEl_65uElMAHSsMHZCmAIBE93UM-Ibd5uzuDXjuKKcsCJdUqFsPf3k7yg5tRV95ZFYc5_Pr8PUuhIq0s8EmbgJEEu3kvQzOo_fZVTgg/w300-h400/IMG_0144.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Denis was working on the farm with us at that
time, so I asked him to come out to the pepper field with me. We
grabbed some harvest totes and squelched our way to the field. The plan
was that I would harvest and Denis would remain on the grass path to
catch whatever I tossed his way. I had the foresight to take my shoes
and socks off before stepping off the path and almost immediately sank
up to mid-calf in the mud. <p></p><p></p>Now,
before some readers react with disapproval that I was doing bad
things to my soil, let me remind you that this is MY story and not
yours. Also, I was planning on keeping the traffic to a minimum. We
had a commitment to fulfill, but I was going to meet it with the least
damage possible.<p></p><p>Things got a little crazy as I picked each,
beautiful bell pepper and tossed it to Denis, who waited patiently (and
gave periodic encouragement). We kept a careful count so we would know
when to stop -and only had to subtract a pepper a couple of times when
the throw and catch didn't quite happen as planned. At one point, I
sank up to my knee. But, once I got past the first few steps, it was
actually kind of fun. I got to do my job and play in the mud. How many
of you can say that?</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">So... I told you that story so I could tell you this one. </span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjTcG4lSjTZ8fdW7kRCcrJca80ZfWPmiuZQANaPFE1WkzqG2Hi_cwT5P4BWGU9wiOTpajx7HpLB3vm0MpH9rBkcmTQ0tO8RyKxu80WNBHGgh67cfxv5QQDOyxme9PCwsbv6wC8CWGbmToxCP_Xy7zrAy89hCCZ_G_mMjcAANG7-vCZtOrSuvY/s576/sweetsiberian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="576" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjTcG4lSjTZ8fdW7kRCcrJca80ZfWPmiuZQANaPFE1WkzqG2Hi_cwT5P4BWGU9wiOTpajx7HpLB3vm0MpH9rBkcmTQ0tO8RyKxu80WNBHGgh67cfxv5QQDOyxme9PCwsbv6wC8CWGbmToxCP_Xy7zrAy89hCCZ_G_mMjcAANG7-vCZtOrSuvY/w640-h426/sweetsiberian.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our
watermelons went into the ground late the previous year, which meant
they weren't ready to harvest until September. So, of course, two
things happened. We had an early frost AND we had a wet Fall.<p></p><p>Things
were on the dry side when the frost came, so I used the technique of
running an overhead sprinkler over the watermelon rows to keep them from
freezing. We needed a little more time to get them harvested. But,
then I didn't have time the next day, or the next day.... or...</p><p>Well,
you get the idea. For the next few days I couldn't harvest and then
the rains came. This wouldn't have been a big deal EXCEPT I had run
overhead irrigation on the patch where the watermelons waited for me to
harvest them. This area was already wet - and the rainfall made it MUCH
wetter.</p><p>And then the forecast called for more rain and colder temperatures which meant I had no choice. I had to harvest in the mud.</p><p>The
first task was to simply get the watermelons out of the patch and onto
the pathways. So, in I went, picking up as many watermelons as I could
each time.</p><p>For those of you who have picked up one 10 to 15 pound
watermelon, you might be able to picture what it might be like to pick
up one and then pick up a second one. One cradled in each arm. After
taking two out at a time, I realized how much work this was going to
be. Each step had me sinking up to my calf muscles in cold mud - and it
was starting to rain some more.</p><p>There wasn't an option to toss
watermelons to someone on the path, so I tried picking up three at a
time. That was sort of do-able, so I tried four. </p><p>So, let me remind you again. It was wet. The watermelons were slippery. </p><p>As
soon as I would manage to get that fourth watermelon into my arms
another one (or two) would slip out of my grasp. Sometimes, they would
slip out when I tried to do a third watermelon. The word "frustrating"
might not quite cover how I felt at the time. After one particularly
nice watermelon slipped, fell and split open, I resigned myself to the
slow slog with two or (maybe) three watermelons each trip.</p><p>The mud and
water filled my boots and my feet were cold, muddy and wet. I was cold,
muddy and wet. The watermelons were cold, muddy and wet. But, I kept
my head down, looking for the next watermelon to harvest. That's when I
walked by an odd lump of mud that was shaped a bit like a foot.</p><p>That got my attention.</p><p>I
looked down at my own feet. They were both big globs of mud that
vaguely reassured me that, even though I couldn't feel them very well
any more, I still had TWO of them. That was a relief, but one of those
feet was suspiciously smaller than the other.</p><p>To this day, I do
not know exactly when the boot came off my foot and I have no idea how
long I was trudging around with only one boot and with the other foot
clad in a sock that was now halfway off of the foot.</p><p>The good news, if there was any, is that I learned some lessons AND I got a story out of it. </p>And I still have both feet.Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-85601883199637676912023-12-20T05:30:00.032-06:002023-12-20T05:30:00.136-06:00Auto Exploits - Faux Real Story Week<p>This week, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhyRwYBiQv_sfjzD8MIva-7Fhmlb0WcOmLp0rGML5_-ADCniiRl_1OKQ8ceaGhtTQIixx0djJUyF2mZvxXoMET4U947ql4CFHW54kYlxzhzn2tuc-vsBhf8cXtFL9kIXnBgckUzxXuCGfNl9ilLgrglOVSffOEBAAfPUZenWmUXFfRL_Aw/s800/4614609-56956-1972-mercury-grand-marquis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMhyRwYBiQv_sfjzD8MIva-7Fhmlb0WcOmLp0rGML5_-ADCniiRl_1OKQ8ceaGhtTQIixx0djJUyF2mZvxXoMET4U947ql4CFHW54kYlxzhzn2tuc-vsBhf8cXtFL9kIXnBgckUzxXuCGfNl9ilLgrglOVSffOEBAAfPUZenWmUXFfRL_Aw/w640-h480/4614609-56956-1972-mercury-grand-marquis.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>A person's first vehicle is often two things: </p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>not the most reliable or attractive vehicle on the road, and </li><li>the eventual source of several stories. </li></ol><p>In my case, <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/2022/11/einstein-land-yacht.html" target="_blank">Einstein the Land Yacht</a>
rapidly developed its own mythology that I was happy to perpetuate -
once I got out of whatever situation I was in with the car at the time.</p><p>Einstein
was huge, with a trunk that just might have been big enough to put a
sub-compact car into it as a back-up vehicle. By the time the car
entered my possession, it had seen its best days. But, when it was new,
it had some amazing (and new for the time) features. This car actually
had shoulder strap seat belts, which was not a standard feature in
1972. It even had cruise control, which still worked....sort of... </p><p>So,
about that cruise control. I learned the hard way that it didn't quite
work when I set it at the speed limit and then I got pulled over for
speeding. Why? Well, I hadn't noticed that the speed the cruise had me
running at kept inching upward as I drove. It would reset each time I slowed down for a turn or a stop, but then it would
start inching up again. The thing about this vehicle is it actually
rode better when the car went faster, so it didn't seem like we were
going all that fast. But, the objects by the side of the road did seem
to pass quicker than maybe they should have.</p><p>The officer must have noticed the shocked look on my face and let me go with a warning. Sometimes an honest reaction is the best one. <br /></p><p>And, of course, the car had some rust. </p><p>Okay,
it had a LOT of rust. We put a doubled up carpet into the trunk to
make sure things didn't FALL OUT as I went down the road. It wasn't as
if it was a huge hole. But, it was enough that loose objects bounce through the hole and onto the pavement below. There were also holes in the floor of the passenger compartment
that were not visible because they were covered up by carpet pieces too.
<br /></p><p>On the other hand, if you were driving on days like this... it was a whole different story.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTRcoyXuKLGvlH9-eRZM4uizFRF2lGeFgOX5tN9g8kBxr8KbFfFPqbSqQSVbbAWcmzJ9GjAzCdQmkOIh3P0d_Wa4Jtvk1drBBGP--s9gJNYLRLE5X_u5jb_PCyuSwKzlsUG3ff5XcpwAJJdupn9pU-GNTfNDAjXUrq26qMZrOQQ5AJY6FJg/s1077/drifting.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="1077" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtTRcoyXuKLGvlH9-eRZM4uizFRF2lGeFgOX5tN9g8kBxr8KbFfFPqbSqQSVbbAWcmzJ9GjAzCdQmkOIh3P0d_Wa4Jtvk1drBBGP--s9gJNYLRLE5X_u5jb_PCyuSwKzlsUG3ff5XcpwAJJdupn9pU-GNTfNDAjXUrq26qMZrOQQ5AJY6FJg/w640-h194/drifting.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>The
resulting natural air conditioning was so effective that Einstein's
heater had no shot of keeping up. The good news, for me, was that there
was more draft on the passenger side. So, if I was alone in the car,
it wasn't too bad.</p><p>Ah, who am I kidding? There was a reason I
stopped at gas stations more often during winter trips. Yes, the car
went through gas like no one's business, that's true. But, I had to get
out and run around a bit to get the feeling back into my feet. And
yes, I am exaggerating a bit... I think.</p><p>Riding in this
car may be the reason Tammy has gotten into the habit of wrapping a blanket
around herself when she is passenger in any car during the winter. A
couple of winter trips in Einstein was enough to scar anyone for life.</p><p></p><p>I
think it would also be accurate to say that Einstein was not running
about as often as it was running. Still, that car always got me TO the
destination before it decided break down. The relatively frequent periods where it would fail to work was
good for me because it got me to walk to work more often. </p><p>During one of
these periods of Einstein "not working," the issue was a dead battery,
which was something I could figure out how to replace without getting it towed to a shop.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TiDgMZAIAgirJgHE-OSd8kl34crFF0c3KKHc7v5t3z9dtLUzmceytRcUE4Gq7saqU3GqqbbrnVsLQAr8fAsio5JRaZ83tLCdZ-HFSbUaSypJqP4Ak2c22V0mvdIfqmth60U_JMYCmFzBfSX0oHvSXPICVAKEvk20Qxx1yEyPaMPt28GGLg/s524/carbatteries.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="524" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TiDgMZAIAgirJgHE-OSd8kl34crFF0c3KKHc7v5t3z9dtLUzmceytRcUE4Gq7saqU3GqqbbrnVsLQAr8fAsio5JRaZ83tLCdZ-HFSbUaSypJqP4Ak2c22V0mvdIfqmth60U_JMYCmFzBfSX0oHvSXPICVAKEvk20Qxx1yEyPaMPt28GGLg/w400-h229/carbatteries.PNG" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>Unfortunately,
the closest place to get a new battery was about two and a half miles away. The
weather was getting colder and we had a light, drizzly rain on the day
the trip was made to get that battery. At the time, my friend, Phil,
shared the apartment with me, so we took a walk together to run this
errand. Okay, we walked, we did not run.<br /></p><p>Of course, the walk there wasn't all that bad. As I said,
I was used to walking, as was Phil. But, once the battery was
purchased, it still had to be taken all the way BACK to the parking lot
at the apartment complex. Let me say this - car batteries are NOT easy
to carry and they can easily weigh 40 to 50 pounds. And, to add insult
to injury, the rain was starting to pick up and the daylight hours were
waning.</p><p>We took turns lugging that battery. Sometimes trying to
carry it on a shoulder, sometimes with two hands in front of our bodies,
and a few times we tried to carry it like a football. And I remember
getting a bit more disgusted with the world after most everyone driving
by gave us curious looks, but no one stopped to ask if we could use some
help. </p><p>I suppose we just looked like two young idiots taking
their pet car battery for a constitutional. Each person who saw us and
gawked, but drove by, were probably either too astonished by what they
were seeing or confused by it to make any decision to offer help. That,
and I am sure we were kind of scary looking to some folks. I really
can't judge. But, I sure wanted to at the time. It was simply a
measure of how much of a struggle the task of carrying this thing was
getting to be that I was letting myself get irritated with anyone who
happened to have the misfortune to look at us.</p><p>We did, eventually,
get back to the apartment. And, after struggling up the steep drive to
the parking area, I just put the battery into Einstein's spacious back
seat, where it would sit until the next morning. And, that next
morning, I put the battery in and Einstein started right up! We took a
quick drive around the block to test it out and then parked the car in
the lot. I had visions of getting to drive to work on Monday dancing in
my head. Based on the weather forecast, my other option was to trudge
there in the rain.</p><p>I got up the next morning and went to the car and turned key in the ignition. </p><p>And I got no response.</p><p>The battery was dead.</p><p>That's when I learned what an alternator was for. Well, that and how problems with an electrical system can drain a battery. <br /></p>Well, at least an alternator didn't weigh as much as a battery.Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-56110769119051082632023-12-19T05:30:00.004-06:002023-12-19T05:30:00.241-06:00Big Job Little Shovel - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>This week, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFN3CSuS7XFwYHadTVSAdn7i-EIz0nV6uEWOfwTAgIkbcpgw-wn7fuqeAac0MRuHuJ6CCLOVNEfrMUSREAUnimuvD0TMFQaIQNxnzlBKISCtBvipl8e2PZJlJB7_vnFuvYjLF6oOdBvTuqk80mhU63O7bYBMamdTN9tSzyP9IHLnepoA-kA/s1103/File0009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1103" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFN3CSuS7XFwYHadTVSAdn7i-EIz0nV6uEWOfwTAgIkbcpgw-wn7fuqeAac0MRuHuJ6CCLOVNEfrMUSREAUnimuvD0TMFQaIQNxnzlBKISCtBvipl8e2PZJlJB7_vnFuvYjLF6oOdBvTuqk80mhU63O7bYBMamdTN9tSzyP9IHLnepoA-kA/w640-h432/File0009.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Every
time we have a build-up to another Iowa Winter storm, I am reminded of
one of my earlier life experiences involving a significant snow. I
certainly felt the energy of the impending storm, just like every other
elementary school-aged child who attended public school in the Upper
Midwest. </p><p>It was exciting! It was different! There was a
definite tension being put out by the adults that the children certainly
tuned in on too.</p><p>And, hey! It was SNOW! And possibly lots of
it. Probably enough for a snow day away from school, which was always
fun - even if you happened to be a kid that liked school.</p><p>Maybe
our family was different from yours, but we often undertook BIGGER play
projects on snow days - if you know what I mean. After all, there would
be a whole day to fill. Instead of a few crayons and a couple of
pieces of paper, every possible writing and drawing utensil and REAMS of
paper would come out. Instead of a batch of Matchbox and Hotwheels cars
in a corner of the living room, we'd put together a track with a
loop-de-loop and spend hours running cars off the edge of the kitchen
table onto that obstacle course.</p><p>And, of course, we could expect a good session outdoors in the fresh snowfall. Snowforts. Snowmen. Snowballs.<br /></p><p>Prior
to this particular snowfall, I had received a kid-sized snow shovel so I
could help Dad with cleaning the driveway. I seem to recall that I had
a chance to use it a bit before the "big storm." And, I am certain I
had an outsized idea as to exactly how much "help" I gave Dad cleaning
the drive after a couple of dustings or lighter snows. It felt good to
have the feeling that I had contributed and it was nice to be able to do
something with him.</p><p>Flush with success on prior snow shoveling
exploits, I was ready for the "big time!" So, when this storm came
along, I was ready.</p><p>We gathered around the kitchen, listening to
the radio and waited for the pronouncement that Newton schools had
closed - and there wasn't much wait this time around. There had been a
fair amount of wind and the drifting was severe - even in town.</p><p>I
seem to recall that Dad still had to get to work and he said something
about doing the shoveling when he got back home. Upon hearing that I
piped in with, "I'll shovel it for you Dad!" There was a slightly
amused look that passed between my parents, but I think I was given an
encouraging reply.</p><p>Later that morning, I bundled myself up to
perform my self-appointed task. Our house had an attached garage that
emptied in the back onto a covered patio and into the driveway in
front. My shovel was on the patio, so I went out there and pushed some
of the snow off the edges of the patio and out of the way. Then, I
trotted through the garage towards the pass-through door in the front of
the garage.</p><p>I opened the door.</p><p>And I looked straight into a wall of snow. </p><p>The
snow was pressed up firmly against the door and held in place when I
opened the door. As I looked up, the pile more than doubled my own
height. In fact, there was only a small sliver of light where the
anemic sun shone through a tiny gap between the snow and the top of the
door frame.</p><p>Now what?</p><p>Having minimal snow moving experience,
I acted on the only solution that immediately came to mind. I took one
shovel-full at a time through the garage out to the patio and then
threw that snow as best I could into the back yard. If any snow fell
off my shovel in the process, I would return to clean it up. After a
every couple trips I would stop and stare, with growing dismay, at the
snow wall that didn't seem like it was changing all that much.</p><p>After
a while, some of the snow fell into the garage (not a surprise really)
and I worked on taking that snow through the garage, out to the patio
and into the yard. But, my level of dismay and consternation only grew
with each trip. Almost as if the pile of worry was trying to catch up
with the pile of snow. You, see, the image in my mind told me the snow
was that deep ALL THE WAY to the end of the driveway.</p><p>How was I going to succeed at a task that big?<br /></p><p>Eventually,
my Mom suggested that I had done enough and I believe I was all too
willing to accept that. The shovel got pushed into the pile of snow
near the garage door and I went inside. Relieved to have had the
responsibility taken from me.</p><p>When Dad came home that night, he
was greeted by the image of a tiny shovel, poking forlornly - and maybe a
bit defiantly - out of the snow pile by the garage door. It turns out
that the wind had really stacked the snow up on that side of the house
and garage. It's entirely possible if I had allowed myself to just be a
kid and barrel into the pile a few times I would have found an escape
through the door and pushed the snow away form the house more
effectively than I had with the whole effort with a shovel.</p><p>But, it was a matter of pride. I said I would SHOVEL that snow. </p><p>So, I did. No cheating. No shortcuts. Every bit of snow that DID get moved was moved via SHOVEL.</p>Sometimes
we measure our success in different ways. Today, I consider this
effort a success because I gave my Dad a real laugh. And I got a good
story out of it.Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-61112895815023342042023-12-18T05:30:00.016-06:002023-12-18T05:30:00.135-06:00We Don't Got the Beets - Faux Real Story Week<p>This week, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless, somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p><p>--------------------------<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_j0f3fs018NvKqjrgGQXPQTCIezGf8HOqy2yhfWTj5UkBFvWz7CMyn-njviV6jcGFYA4o7E_ocyUcDWGfBvkNBBqNJXST-1WXigEV3bI9jq6cSXF9URqKIiGeAbOOXp7y5EOJK7ppLyDepZ_saJVe5wVh_g2LzxlxBh5MbfHkgHkWXLksA/s4272/IMG_7453.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_j0f3fs018NvKqjrgGQXPQTCIezGf8HOqy2yhfWTj5UkBFvWz7CMyn-njviV6jcGFYA4o7E_ocyUcDWGfBvkNBBqNJXST-1WXigEV3bI9jq6cSXF9URqKIiGeAbOOXp7y5EOJK7ppLyDepZ_saJVe5wVh_g2LzxlxBh5MbfHkgHkWXLksA/w640-h426/IMG_7453.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />In the world<b> </b>before
Rob worked full-time on the farm and the Genuine Faux Farm tried to
have produce for as many as 120 families every week of the growing
season, Tammy and I did not think about beets. Or, maybe more
accurately, neither of us felt terribly compelled to consider growing
them.<p></p><p>Neither of us had grown up with much affinity for this
root crop. I suspect Tammy might have been cautiously neutral as far as
they were concerned, but I was decidedly ANTI-beet. In other words, I
was perfectly fine with NOT "having the beet(s)" and I was content with
not growing beets as part of our crop list. I mean... I was already
growing carrots. I was (and still am) very anti-carrot when it comes to
my own diet. So, I wasn't ready to add insult to injury.</p><p>Beets
are fairly divisive - people are split about half and half when it comes
to liking or disliking them. On the other hand, most people are happy
to purchase carrots or receive them as part of farm shares. So I
relented and we grew them for Tammy and our customer base. I was, and
am, most likely among a minority of people that just can't find a way to
swallow them. My aversion is enough that my college friends would ask
me to get the mixed vegetables so they could watch me efficiently sort
out all of those little square carrot pieces and deftly eat the rest of
the veggies in the mix.</p><p>But, as we looked at our growing plan for a
rapidly expanding CSA (farm share) program, we realized that we would
have to add some crops that weren't our favorites so we could expand the
variety and use the diversity to provide on-farm crop insurance. So,
we added beets to the grow list. </p><p>Philosophically, I was okay
with it. After all, if I was not interested in eating them, then I
would be perfectly happy to hand them over to customers with NO
regrets. Right?</p><p>We started with a nice seventy-foot long bed of
your typical red beets. I don't even remember the variety we planted
that year. True to form, the veggie that Rob was not looking forward to
eating took off. Germination was excellent. The growth rate was
good. And, with beginner's luck, we even got the timing and spacing
right for this new (to us) crop.</p><p>While I say that I was not fond
of eating beets, there is another truth that goes along with it. I like
growing green things. And, when something I plant does well, it makes
me happy. These beets were doing very well and I actually enjoyed
walking by that row, anticipating the day that I would pull them and
present them to our customers. I watched as the roots swelled at the
surface of the soil and I marked the harvest week in the delivery plan.
Suddenly, the experimental crop was something I was PLANNING on. It
was going to be a key part of this particular delivery.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mi0X2Ym_jCyJG6c0uVs5ET1wiDvWbgn73dVv_eNb3NzpKc3pLIY-lCLjqHz_0VxRqcyy7GFDI4PZ-yl_kkuBNL35ekxkB2hR7QT9ayQYXpp6Rqo6tmz9ICJsW_b8tkWHdf0P0jcjmCMMJzlLvcOzf9vhRcN03IcMhd9dhVtodc6i3PEnMQ/s4272/IMG_7208.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mi0X2Ym_jCyJG6c0uVs5ET1wiDvWbgn73dVv_eNb3NzpKc3pLIY-lCLjqHz_0VxRqcyy7GFDI4PZ-yl_kkuBNL35ekxkB2hR7QT9ayQYXpp6Rqo6tmz9ICJsW_b8tkWHdf0P0jcjmCMMJzlLvcOzf9vhRcN03IcMhd9dhVtodc6i3PEnMQ/w640-h426/IMG_7208.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Before
I go much further with the story, there are a couple of additional
things you might need to know. First, we have grown beets successfully
for many years since this Faux Real Story occurred. The picture above
illustrates both carrots and beets side by side in Eden (our smaller
high tunnel). Both are looking pretty happy. And, if I recall, that
harvest was pretty darned good. <p></p><p>We also explored many
different varieties of beets and discovered, much to our surprise, that
both of us liked the taste of Chioggia and Golden beets. We
can even tolerate the red beets when they are roasted. So, while I
still don't like carrots, the same thing can't be said about beets.</p><p>And
finally, I would like to remind you how we, as humans, can go into
"auto-pilot" mode when we are in familiar territory. Your brain picks
up subtle clues about what you are doing and where you are going without
really focusing on it. You turn at the correct street corner. You
open the appropriate cupboard. You know which side to turn to get
toilet paper when you're sitting in the bathroom.<br /></p><p>You stop right here for the beet row....</p><p>Ahem...</p><p>You stop RIGHT HERE for the beet row....</p><p>Um...</p><p>Where are the beets?</p><p>The
day of harvest had arrived and I strode purposefully out to the field
where I knew that beautiful row of ripe and ready beets were waiting for
my attention. I had the containers ready to go and I walked down the
path without really thinking much about where I was going.</p><p>Hello cucumbers. Hello snow peas. Ah, the summer squash and zucchini are looking pretty good. </p><p>After
a moment, I hesitated and stumbled to a stop. My brain recognized that
I had taken too many steps and that I had walked past the beet row.</p><p>So I took several steps backward.</p><p>Then I retraced those steps forward.</p><p>Backwards again. Forwards again.</p><p>I
was absolutely certain this is WHERE I had planted those beets. I was
so dumbfounded that I actually put down the harvest containers and I
walked the entire plot and looked at each row. Everything was as I
remembered it. Except for the beets.</p><p>I trudged back to the
farmhouse and found Tammy and asked her if she had harvested the beets.
Once I got a reply to the negative I walked back to the spot where I
was certain beets had been present just 24 hours before.</p><p>That's
when I saw it. Regular indentations in the ground that were just the
right size for each round beet root. Next to those indentations were
imprints in the soil that matched the cloven hooves of the small herd of
deer that must have found our beet smorgasbord during the night-time
hours. The only other evidence that beets had been growing there was
one sad and lonely bunch of wilted beet leaves.</p><p>So I had to tell all of our CSA customers that "we don't got the beets."</p><p>Now
our fate was sealed. We were doomed to grow beets again. Because the
surest way to get farmers, like ourselves, to dedicate themselves to a
particular crop is to take a harvest away as close to its completion as
you can get.</p><p>And, as they say, the rest is history. Have a great remainder of your day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk1Xb9K6Hm1W3pMzX5SLDIcoQWKJ9CW-1Z7PCmw6jl-5Z2sht-V1tG4wQB1ASDWGnSIdODn5i457vNJU0m6_kIH5T9QfVNwM--fUCJFUDe4JdnVjWBlOwGsryhq14EoauHIEOlfQT69M_Dr1hL5c5B0QTbHWITLihoT_lrFU8E5ORBn6TNA/s4272/IMG_7552.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbk1Xb9K6Hm1W3pMzX5SLDIcoQWKJ9CW-1Z7PCmw6jl-5Z2sht-V1tG4wQB1ASDWGnSIdODn5i457vNJU0m6_kIH5T9QfVNwM--fUCJFUDe4JdnVjWBlOwGsryhq14EoauHIEOlfQT69M_Dr1hL5c5B0QTbHWITLihoT_lrFU8E5ORBn6TNA/w640-h426/IMG_7552.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-84441805396022079622023-12-17T05:30:00.001-06:002023-12-17T05:30:00.145-06:00Too Hyper - Postal History Sunday<p></p><p>Welcome again to Postal History Sunday!<br /></p><p>For
those who may be unfamiliar with Postal History Sunday, I thought it
might be time to give a brief re-introduction this
week.
The GFF Postal History blog started as a place where I could work on
various postal history projects and perhaps, eventually, share them with
others. But, when the pandemic took hold in 2020, I felt it was a way
to reach out to others and share something I enjoy - perhaps helping
those who read what I wrote some sense of connection or a point of
interest to counter feelings of isolation.<br /></p><p>Postal History Sunday became a regular weekly post in
August of 2020. My goal has always been to allow persons who don't have expertise in these
topics a chance to see why I find these pieces of paper so interesting.
At the same time, I hope to be able to provide some tidbits of
information to other postal historians that may be of interest to them.
The hobby has a wide range of sub-topics and there is always something
new to learn.</p><p>If I do it right, a wide range of people should find
these posts enjoyable. If all else fails, I typically find that I
learn something new - and that makes me happy.</p><p>Now, pack those troubles and worries away for a time and let's see what we have in store for us this week.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTxSMD32jkFWWBMHYh6DqQKDQFdAzauPhRRW2cH_qvJtZgBfP7_0vyCqyVrT1ulH1qRKS_mnUGSi2StE4FztQRzo3hfbJE_5Fe7Sa6hb_Yd6AjSv3kiQ6c0u7gXsTIfaAFPQV/s1824/germinflanew.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="1824" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTxSMD32jkFWWBMHYh6DqQKDQFdAzauPhRRW2cH_qvJtZgBfP7_0vyCqyVrT1ulH1qRKS_mnUGSi2StE4FztQRzo3hfbJE_5Fe7Sa6hb_Yd6AjSv3kiQ6c0u7gXsTIfaAFPQV/w640-h522/germinflanew.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Today
I am going to start with an item that was mailed on September 12, 1923,
in Hanau, Germany to Saarbrucken. It's really a bit of an ugly
duckling and I am guessing some of the postal historians out there are
wondering why I would give it a home. For those of you who are not
postal historians, you're probably wondering the same thing. But you
wonder about that for everything I show in these blogs anyway, don't
you?</p><p>Well, I won't keep you in suspense for long. Instead, I'll just show you whats on the back.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_MdAGbqtBJ0QAdeOAqLi9hErI5MWq93OLI1pywp-y2dwOKm9lTW8yWxDHMbz826dRR0Wjeamt8eX4XhHeh98hvLSBTW0-CAYOJCCVWiiWTOpZSnSxkD8x1NREO_EVP0MwUUj/s1824/germinflanewback.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1488" data-original-width="1824" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_MdAGbqtBJ0QAdeOAqLi9hErI5MWq93OLI1pywp-y2dwOKm9lTW8yWxDHMbz826dRR0Wjeamt8eX4XhHeh98hvLSBTW0-CAYOJCCVWiiWTOpZSnSxkD8x1NREO_EVP0MwUUj/w640-h522/germinflanewback.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Oooooh!
Ok. The back of this cover has another 14 postage stamps at 5000 marks
each for a total of 75,000 marks in postage. This sort of thing, where
you find an intact piece of postal history that has a whole bunch of
postage stamps on it, is hard for someone like me to ignore - even if it
is a bit on the rough side. It's because I like items that make me ask
questions.</p><p>Questions like "why?" "Why so many stamps to mail this envelope?)<br /></p><p>This
postage on this envelope covered what was needed for a simple, internal
letter in Germany. If you've read some of these blogs before, you
might recognize that a simple letter that has a origin and destination
within the same country is the most common piece of mail a person can
find. </p><p>So, you might ask a new question - "Why did they use so
many stamps to pay for a simple letter?" Since that's a very good
question, I thought I'd go about answering it!</p><p>The kicker is that this particular rate (75,000 marks for a letter weighing no more than 20 grams) only lasted from
<b>September 1, 1923 until September 19 of the same year</b>. <br /></p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Mailing costs during hyper-inflation</span></b><br /><p>This is an area of postal history that
fascinates many people, but is not in my area of expertise. Of course,
that does not mean I can't find my way around the subject - but it does
mean that I will miss subtle differences that a person who concentrates
on this area will see. If you are that person, feel free to feed me
more information if you think I am missing something.</p><p>The period
of time after World War I was difficult for Germany after the signing of
the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The treaty caused Germany to forfeit
their overseas colonies as well as contested areas in Europe. Limits were
placed on their military and Germany was forced to pay 132 billion gold
marks in reparations to compensate for civilian losses due to the war.
The amounts that were actually paid and the timeline for that payment
are another story that you can find if you are interested.<br /></p><p>The
aftermath of the war in Germany set the stage for something called
hyper-inflation which was, in part, fueled by the unrestrained printing
of paper money and government debt. Of course, the situation was much
more complex than that and if you would like to read a fairly easy to
follow piece that explains hyper-inflation in Germany better than I will
- please <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitext/ess_germanhyperinflation.html" target="_blank">check it out on the PBS site</a>. </p><p>To give you an idea of the type of inflation were are talking about "<i>prices that had doubled from 1914 to 1919 doubled again during just five months in 1922</i>."
Prices continued to increase rapidly throughout the rest of 1922 and
throughout 1923. As 1923 progressed, people looked at the first five
months of 1922 wistfully because merely doubling prices seemed pretty
tame by October of 1923.<br /></p><p>And here is where postal history
intersects with fiscal history. By collecting old letters from Germany
in 1922 and 1923 you can get a real lesson in what hyper-inflation looks
like.<br /></p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Domestic Letter in 1920</span></b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMEQsrkivQlCf_-6pubP9hBbyDuR-iKnHT-Od3WOjYGCPVbmYAX3BTaA6qkvzqVwsLzkAmYDkWDbhQ0M0vDyo_MCVVB0zs7VuQROhNahlWYXgrMEGrb1TD-spCxvB5oVdbngs/s1597/Germanydomestic1920onered.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1597" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMEQsrkivQlCf_-6pubP9hBbyDuR-iKnHT-Od3WOjYGCPVbmYAX3BTaA6qkvzqVwsLzkAmYDkWDbhQ0M0vDyo_MCVVB0zs7VuQROhNahlWYXgrMEGrb1TD-spCxvB5oVdbngs/w640-h430/Germanydomestic1920onered.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p>I'm
going to start with a simple letter sent in November of 1920. The cost
of sending a letter that weighed no more than 20 grams to another
destination within Germany's border was 40 pfennig (100 pfennig = 1 mark
- not unlike our cents and dollar in the US). This rate was effective
from May 6, 1920 until March 31, 1921. Prior to World War I, the
postage rate had been 10 pfennig, so we can already see that the simple
act of mailing a letter was already four times more expensive. <br /></p><p>I
suppose at this point, people might already have been a little bit
disgruntled by the higher postage rates, which accurately mirrored
prices of other items, such as milk, bread, paper and other common
items. </p><p>This rate would increase to 60 pfennig on April 1, 1921.
Certainly annoying, but it would be nothing like the next jump in the
postage rate.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The January 1, 1922 Increase</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaeB-jKUdAIweD07HXorqEsbCuGKQsCB8xKiOtpQ44NIo56pnQUOg-O3OtdTSA4dkJKXoM0P-p9tR853UxAJHvn8ToZH6TkQlyafQKoHIdrnP12fRaWQU0lT56hE6TOm_oiF4/s2048/Germanydomestic200pf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="2048" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHaeB-jKUdAIweD07HXorqEsbCuGKQsCB8xKiOtpQ44NIo56pnQUOg-O3OtdTSA4dkJKXoM0P-p9tR853UxAJHvn8ToZH6TkQlyafQKoHIdrnP12fRaWQU0lT56hE6TOm_oiF4/w640-h373/Germanydomestic200pf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>Just
like every business in Germany at the time, their post office department was
finding that expenses were rapidly increasing and their employees
were demanding greater pay so they could stay ahead of the cost of
living trends.</p><p>The cost of a single letter, that weighed no more
than 20 grams, was pushed to 2 marks (200 pfennig). The letter below
was mailed on April 12 of 1922 and shows a 2 mark postage stamp. <br /></p><p>Let
me put this in perspective. Here are the letter rates in the United
States during the first part of the 1900s. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <b>Letter Mail Rates in the United States</b><br /></p>
<table align="center" border="1" style="width: 65%px;"><tbody><tr><th>Effective Date<br /></th><th>Rate</th><th>Per</th></tr><tr>
<td>July 1, 1863<br /></td>
<td>3 cents<br /></td>
<td><i>half ounce <br /></i></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>October 1, 1883 <br /></td>
<td>2 cents<br /></td>
<td><div style="text-align: right;">
</div><i>half ounce<br /></i></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>July 1, 1885<br /></td>
<td>2 cents <br /></td>
<td><i>ounce</i><br /></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>November 2, 1917<br /></td>
<td>3 cents<br /></td>
<td><i>ounce</i><br /></td>
</tr><tr>
<td>July 1, 1919<br /></td>
<td>2 cents</td>
<td><i>ounce</i><br /></td>
</tr><tr><td>July 6, 1932<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br /></td><td>3 cents<br /></td><td><i>ounce</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The
postage rates in the United States went up one penny to help pay for
the war effort, but it was then reduced after the conclusion of the
conflict. The rate did not increase to three cents again until 1932.
and let me remind you that the amount of territory covered by the post
office in the United States was far greater than Germany's in the
1920s.
Our current price in the US to mail a letter is 66 cents.</p><p>This
rate
increase would be like jumping our 66 cent rate for one ounce to more
than two
dollars tomorrow. While I know few people send much mail anymore, you
can still imagine how this would be received. Those of us who still
send letters or bills via mail just might finally give up that idea.<br /></p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rapid Increases Followed</span></b></span><br /></p><p>People
who specifically collect and study German mail from this period have a
lot to look for and plenty to enjoy. From January, 1920 to December of
1923, there are twenty-four changes in the domestic letter rate. And
get this - the shortest rate period lasted just SIX days. <br /></p><p>Just
like our first item, the letter
below required 75,000 marks to pay for a simple domestic letter. And
again, this rate was effective for only 19 days. At the end of that
time period it jumped to... oh.... 250,000 marks. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHHWXK3kXL9QmFyoJLMOr6tAtW7YyLQMFEM71ba34oqR3KnZiI8vI-rU9Zhkc6C6mHdhgvBZMzOExe57QLBUfpUz2xj02MRqt5YCForXtJp7p6WQ4mYxvf3L4kC-o-Glw6lmj/s1834/Germanydomestic75000mark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="1834" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHHWXK3kXL9QmFyoJLMOr6tAtW7YyLQMFEM71ba34oqR3KnZiI8vI-rU9Zhkc6C6mHdhgvBZMzOExe57QLBUfpUz2xj02MRqt5YCForXtJp7p6WQ4mYxvf3L4kC-o-Glw6lmj/w640-h496/Germanydomestic75000mark.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The
exceptionally short rate periods found the postal service unable to
respond with new postage stamp designs for each change. So, to cover
the demand for stamps, they started <b>overprinting</b> existing postage stamps with values reflecting the new postage rates. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3WgcJhcTqjFJCqtuE-gbNiZCGEu54n16vAJN-FpON8pxrbaglG3OIrkmjcKiVnF8H62QiTNPSESrlURVFYpxW3IKWBPkZh-_BOoTg3FHj7lObcZJqVGaD9DhfRl2qDHSFpDU/s342/75000.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="292" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3WgcJhcTqjFJCqtuE-gbNiZCGEu54n16vAJN-FpON8pxrbaglG3OIrkmjcKiVnF8H62QiTNPSESrlURVFYpxW3IKWBPkZh-_BOoTg3FHj7lObcZJqVGaD9DhfRl2qDHSFpDU/s320/75000.png" /></a></div><p>The
letter above actually has a 1000 mark stamp that was overprinted with
the new 75,000 mark value. Or, like our first item - it took a whole
bunch of stamps that had the lower denominations to accurately and fully
pay the new, higher postage rate.</p><p>Of course, with all of the
changes,
there are many covers that show an incorrect postage amount that was
accepted. Or, even if the amount paid in cash was correct, it might
have been easy to make a mistake with the correct postage stamps.</p><p>As a matter of fact, in August of 1923, the German post offices allowed for cash
payment without requiring the use of postage stamps simply because it
was difficult to get the stamps to every post office in the country
quick enough.<br /></p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Be a "Millionaire" to Mail a Letter</span></b></span></p><p>The
rate from October 1 to October 9 of 1923 was actually 2 MILLION marks
for a letter weighing no more than 20 grams. The letter shown below was
mailed on October 8. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v9EZ92rdUaNHPKWsVKnC64dXhYik4RynZ-Cs6WGAUNd-HcGUW8OO02irfF-9JT3DBkyLfWAzLU67zWnSDgMZiGzes-zwcLlHayUN1e75q7uDdBGmjoLVYNoRdZH8wuaMSSRl/s1803/Germanydomestic2millionmark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1803" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v9EZ92rdUaNHPKWsVKnC64dXhYik4RynZ-Cs6WGAUNd-HcGUW8OO02irfF-9JT3DBkyLfWAzLU67zWnSDgMZiGzes-zwcLlHayUN1e75q7uDdBGmjoLVYNoRdZH8wuaMSSRl/w640-h510/Germanydomestic2millionmark.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>One
of the things we need to remember about all of this is that "two
million marks" did not represent the same value that "two million marks"
once held. In late 1923, you could have trainloads of German paper
money and it would actually have very little value. People who were
able to had moved towards acquiring physical property that would retain
some value. The PBS essay mentions that many families purchased pianos,
even though no one in the family played them - just so they would have
something of value for their money.</p><p>I was curious if there was a
good summary as to who was able to handle hyper-inflation in Germany and
who might have struggled. There is an excellent summary of the most
commonly accepted stages of hyperinflation in Germany in<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9y64j6/revision/5" target="_blank"> this BBC article</a>. Of interest to me is the following from that page on June 12, 2021.</p><section data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5"></section><blockquote><section data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5"><h2 data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$0"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$0.0">Hyperinflation winners:</span></h2><ul class="list unordered" data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1"><li data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$0"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$0.0">Borrowers,
such as businessmen, landowners and those with mortgages, found they
were able to pay back their loans easily with worthless money. </span></li><li data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$1"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$1.0">People
on wages were relatively safe, because they could renegotiate their wages
every day. However, even their wages eventually failed to keep up with
prices.</span></li><li data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$2"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$5.$1.$2.0">Farmers coped well, since their products remained in demand and they received more money for them as prices spiraled.</span></li></ul></section><section data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6"><h2 data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$0"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$0.0">Hyperinflation losers:</span></h2><ul class="list unordered" data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$1"><li data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$1.$0"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$1.$0.0">People on fixed incomes, like students, pensioners or the sick, found their incomes did not keep up with prices.</span></li><li data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$1.$1"><span data-reactid=".jw1bhyvh6g.0.0.0.1:0.1.0.$0.$6.$1.$1.0">People
with savings and those who had lent money, for example to the
government, were the most badly hit as their money became worthless.</span></li></ul></section></blockquote><p>As
a farmer, I might suggest that farmers may have coped well because they
were in a population that is often more willing to accept barter
agreements. But, I am not an economist, so we'll not go there!<br /></p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Back to "Normal"</span></b></span></p><p>In
December of 1923, Germany issued a new currency and allowed for an
exchange rate of 1 trillion marks for a SINGLE new "Renten-Mark." The
postage rate was reset at 10 pfennig (in the new currency) and the
hyperinflation period was over.</p><p>But, before this blog is over, I thought I would share one more. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaxI75Zra8QQnn-WObAt1wiy3XEEn1h4PnaqPzFEaF6FJmV-2SOW9Eep-DS3wyOutyIf8SmSzaQCFf96kwZT8UlOx5c7hlfLf5iV39tidAEC7fB1G7dGtVv9wqCVvSlByzNCl/s1651/GermanytoMuscatineIowa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1651" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaxI75Zra8QQnn-WObAt1wiy3XEEn1h4PnaqPzFEaF6FJmV-2SOW9Eep-DS3wyOutyIf8SmSzaQCFf96kwZT8UlOx5c7hlfLf5iV39tidAEC7fB1G7dGtVv9wqCVvSlByzNCl/w640-h434/GermanytoMuscatineIowa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>A
favorite item in my own collection has an Iowa connection. This letter
was mailed on April 23, 1923 to Muscatine at the cost of 300 marks.
This rate was effective from March until the end of June. I would not
be horribly surprised to learn that this may have been yet another
German businessperson investing in the US dollar and abandoning the
German mark. <br /></p><p>And... there you are! A journey to Germany in
the early 1920s - all without leaving your seat (unless you like to read
and walk at the same time?).</p><p>Have a great remainder of the weekend and a wonderful week to come!</p><p><span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Want to Learn More?</span></b></span></p><p>The small booklet by Gerhard Binder titled <i>The Postal Rates in Germany from 1906 to 1923: The High Inflation 1923</i> is a wonderful resource that helped me to get the basic knowledge I needed for German postal history at that time. </p><p>If you enjoy postal history and want to see what a person might do if this was a topic they wanted to focus on, you can look at <a href="https://www.rfrajola.com/infla/INFLA.pdf" target="_blank"><i>Extraordinary Frankings from the German Inflation: 1919-1923</i></a> by Charles L Williams.</p><p>------------------------------ <br /></p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u" dir="auto" lang="en">Postal History
Sunday is published each week at both the <a href="http://genfaux.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Genuine Faux Farm blog</a> and the<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"> GFF Postal History blog</a>. If you are interested in prior entries, you can view them, starting with the most recent, at<a href="https://gffpostalhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Postal%20History%20Sunday" target="_blank"> this location</a>. </span>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-59122394329422417242023-12-16T05:30:00.025-06:002023-12-16T05:30:00.307-06:00Not Smart Enough - Faux Real Story Week<p>Starting the end of this week and through the next, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gp6jwh-FATL1Owjbty8xsj3ZYOttk9g9l0M_6dVdpG6dab_9pS0Iu_SxHMW7rEbhmrAf7YyZ0qoGxn9KCkGSRYkTaIN2NWT8tdx5sJ-CldLii7no2cM45ciUTrpBY5X9TxqNf2PQ7Dt6aqI9OdT83w217qwV1kUbkbsq2F-6d_Y8v-Sqxg/s1178/emersonhough.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1178" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Gp6jwh-FATL1Owjbty8xsj3ZYOttk9g9l0M_6dVdpG6dab_9pS0Iu_SxHMW7rEbhmrAf7YyZ0qoGxn9KCkGSRYkTaIN2NWT8tdx5sJ-CldLii7no2cM45ciUTrpBY5X9TxqNf2PQ7Dt6aqI9OdT83w217qwV1kUbkbsq2F-6d_Y8v-Sqxg/w640-h366/emersonhough.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the scene of the crime?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I
still clearly remember my second trip to the elementary school
library when I was in the first grade. I know that might seem odd that I
would remember the second trip, but I think you'll get it
once the story is completed. I only vaguely recall the first trip when
the entire class of 25 students went to get a tour.
The librarian (and our teacher) showed us the 'section' where the books
'for first graders' was
located. The librarian probably waved her hands around at the rest of
the shelves a bit as
well. I am not sure. I suspect I was probably looking at a book while
she did that...<p></p><p>My second trip to the school library was with the "advanced
reading group" so we could select a book to read during "reading time" in class. One of the
perks of being in this advanced group was that you could pick things
from other shelves that were NOT in the first grader section. </p><p>Looking
back, I realize the sections in the elementary library were an attempt to help guide us to things
we were likely to enjoy and/or have success in reading. But, I guess I
feel that if any kid saw a book in ANY part of the library that might have
been of interest, they should have been allowed to check it out and at
least thumb through it. Who knows where that might lead?</p><p>Learning?!? Oh no! We wouldn't want that, would we? <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPeY-jdA6TVqxJFHYLLdyDYVAE-AdDLlMQPzN1MnxkG6BjFFcbRG2nb3uZUiMCZSqBnl2wg6sdu8nbtYeC8SGNsE01g8QLs0qv0KIZbz1c9m-2L07c5X4Xn7smkr5SCJcz_Lp/s1600/52a0c42b5da0e.preview-620.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="620" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPeY-jdA6TVqxJFHYLLdyDYVAE-AdDLlMQPzN1MnxkG6BjFFcbRG2nb3uZUiMCZSqBnl2wg6sdu8nbtYeC8SGNsE01g8QLs0qv0KIZbz1c9m-2L07c5X4Xn7smkr5SCJcz_Lp/w400-h309/52a0c42b5da0e.preview-620.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, he doesn't look all that smart. Notice the cat has its back turned to him?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><p>In any event, our group was actually SENT to the
library while the
teacher stayed in our classroom with the rest of the students. We
arrived and headed towards the section that was labeled "for advanced
readers" or some such thing.</p><p>Then, for some reason that is still a mystery to me, the
librarian singled me out and said, "These books aren't for you, you need
to go over here." And, she steered me back to the first grade section. My
childhood memory tells me that she was pretty harsh about it, but I
really can't tell you for certain if that was just my perception that
has built up over time or if it was the actual tone she used.<br />
<br />
Those who know me probably recognize that as a kid, I would not seek out
confrontation. I would normally keep my mouth shut and do one, or both, of two
things. If I was certain that the other person was very much in the
'wrong' I'd find a way to circumvent the situation when they were no longer involved. If I wasn't sure
what just happened, I would retreat to the point where things still made
sense.<br />
<br />
In this case, I felt a combination of confusion, shame and embarrassment with a dash of '<i>but I've already read some of the books located in the advanced section, so there!</i>'
thrown in. So, while my somewhat confused classmates moved on, I
turned around and went back to the classroom. I went back to my desk
and started doing whatever it was we were supposed to be doing on our
return. </p><p>This was the place where things last made sense to me - so
there I was.<br />
<br />
I opted not to go back to the school library for
some time, though I would go to the city public library and happily
browse, read and check things out - from all sorts of sections at all
kinds of reading levels. I don't recall how word got to my
teacher that I had been stopped from looking at other books, but she did
go back up with me at some point and made a point to tell the
librarian that I was allowed to check books out from anyplace in the
library I wanted. I DO recall that I checked something out that was a
real stretch -
but I am sure I read it (as best I could) just to prove the point.<br />
</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdof0JecUjsTZMQFLIuxIgnuE8VELknUcE3lDZXGKBTurPvUU8hsr7o7rDl5yJAv-9I_3jASti2USh7fCmWUz1d9bm1m3XbIReLZHx6s1zO3Q_eMOUxGiau9GNyc3mDXoi0_JZwQRoan400enWB6g5ALb5p8VAo0xzVTfLlQeFRwrkSFhaEA/s640/drift-catcher-iowa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="640" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdof0JecUjsTZMQFLIuxIgnuE8VELknUcE3lDZXGKBTurPvUU8hsr7o7rDl5yJAv-9I_3jASti2USh7fCmWUz1d9bm1m3XbIReLZHx6s1zO3Q_eMOUxGiau9GNyc3mDXoi0_JZwQRoan400enWB6g5ALb5p8VAo0xzVTfLlQeFRwrkSFhaEA/s320/drift-catcher-iowa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>That story is probably one of the first of many where someone
either underestimated or overestimated what I was capable of doing. I
am sure that everyone has some of these in their own life-story too.<br />
<br />
But, I re-tell myself this particular story to remind me of a two things:<br />
<br />
<b>First, it doesn't take much to hurt someone - and there doesn't have to
be intent. </b> </p><p>I still recall feeling the burning shame and the beginnings
of doubt putting cracks in my self-confidence. Maybe I really
wasn't all that smart after all? Did I look stupid? An adult clearly thought so, so maybe I was.</p><p>Thankfully, I had plenty of additional
support from family, my teacher, and others. And I started out with enough of my own
self-confidence to heal up rapidly. I circumvented the limited access
problem by going to a 'friendlier' library, so things were mostly fine after the initial event as far
as I was concerned. </p><p>This story reminds me that not everyone
has
enough of a support system or sufficient self-worth to weather things
that don't seem so big to the rest of us. That's why I try to
carefully consider what I say. It is why I push myself to apologize when I
err in
what I say. It gives me a good reason to work on giving specific and direct praise that
tells a person exactly what I like about what they are doing. </p><p>And,
perhaps it is why I often just don't say anything!<br />
<br />
<b>Second, I tell this story to remind myself that I am not as smart as
I might think I am - but I am also not as stupid as I think I am
either.</b> </p><p>There is such as thing a healthy self-doubt and
self-criticism. But, this must be balanced by healthy doses of
confidence and self-assurance. Let's just say that I know enough to know that I don't know
enough - but I will do my best with what I've got.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should go to the library and check out a book on the subject.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's in the first-grade section.
</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36142811.post-697456394616063352023-12-15T05:30:00.039-06:002023-12-15T05:30:00.139-06:00Date Night - Faux Real Story Week<p></p><p>Starting the end of this week and through the next, as we approach the longest night of the year, I thought we
could all gather around the virtual fire each day and I would tell you
all a story. </p><p>Well, not just a story. A Faux Real Story! These
stories aren't fictional, but I've been told they are, nonetheless,
somewhat entertaining. So, sip on some hot chocolate, reach your hands
out to warm them by the fire... and enjoy.</p>--------------------------<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGFhYGxHcKS2pJHctfcyIcjCCEhKsAsTobSiaQqNVA_aTQmf8T95jdW5YS5y6q3LVv-FbFW_Q_vvJRv3sR2Ek8VL6A0WRylY0ukNo8J5tOpHcxzzRjQyVNHR4NI9_KgIcZm7dqr2VJewbo6E88eVU2jTOvhncR56BLU7SDSuI9epeLP6FHg/s6240/IMG_6524.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGFhYGxHcKS2pJHctfcyIcjCCEhKsAsTobSiaQqNVA_aTQmf8T95jdW5YS5y6q3LVv-FbFW_Q_vvJRv3sR2Ek8VL6A0WRylY0ukNo8J5tOpHcxzzRjQyVNHR4NI9_KgIcZm7dqr2VJewbo6E88eVU2jTOvhncR56BLU7SDSuI9epeLP6FHg/w640-h426/IMG_6524.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">How we did "Date Night" at GFF</span></b><br />
<br />
Before the Genuine Faux Farm became such a big part of our lives, Tammy and I saw Friday as the gateway to the
weekend, just as so many people do. But, once we started this
vegetable and poultry farm thing, Fridays just didn't mean the same thing they used
to.<br />
<br />One early May 'farm date night' in 2013 began with a wild flurry to get the truck loaded
with vegetables, eggs and plants for our plant sale down at Hansen's
Outlet in Cedar Falls. We were also delivering egg orders and our Spring
CSA shares to our Cedar Falls members. While we were at it, we
delivered a few other orders of lettuce and asparagus to a restaurant and a retail outlet. Nearly everyone
who placed orders showed up, many plants were purchased, and we were
able to converse with many wonderful people.<br />
<br />
After the sales and deliveries, we reloaded the truck and we managed to go somewhere for dinner (Rudy's anyone?).
But, we did so with the knowledge that rain was coming *and* we still
had to prepare for the Waverly Farmers' Market the next
morning. We ate fairly quickly and rolled home, keeping a wary eye towards the clouds looming in
the west.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Veggie cleaning by candlelight</span></b><br />
<br />
While days in May are long, dark clouds in the west limited the amount
of workable light. Of course, starting the cleaning process at
9:15 PM
probably was asking for some problems with available natural light regardless of the weather. So,
we grabbed a trouble light and an extension cord and hung it up in the
cleaning area. </p><p>That's when Tammy told me that she thought it was romantic to be cleaning veggies by "candlelight." <br />
<br />
Ok, maybe she didn't think it was romantic. I suspect there was some sarcasm at play here. But, it was still part of our Date Night. <br />
<br />
To make a long story less long, it started to rain at about 9:30 PM -
and our cleaning area was outside. It's moments like that where we
are both amused and a bit irritated by the situation. </p><p></p><p>It's better if we
emphasize the amused part. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirEvEmywo-6B_iEmkF2wyrpgJYoo3yH6Emiaz05i3v6lx5JPGiqb9H9gUweO6GaNA13EwJo5nkK6MrcvM0KQMRzosSkq7LGOBr5EfAlPXgVDFqn6mQI66M6yDEE4sOFiIJdRuwgdkLETAEM_xPWTFr1brlfmYq27AWn9yH4PJ2MyqcKdCqA/s6240/IMG_6526.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirEvEmywo-6B_iEmkF2wyrpgJYoo3yH6Emiaz05i3v6lx5JPGiqb9H9gUweO6GaNA13EwJo5nkK6MrcvM0KQMRzosSkq7LGOBr5EfAlPXgVDFqn6mQI66M6yDEE4sOFiIJdRuwgdkLETAEM_xPWTFr1brlfmYq27AWn9yH4PJ2MyqcKdCqA/w640-h426/IMG_6526.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Always more to it than that</span></b><br />
<br />This is, of course, the abbreviated version of Date Night. I didn't
mention the romantic interlude that consisted of putting the hens away and
checking on the chicks in the brooder to make sure the temperatures were
steady. Then there was the heavy breathing that was a result of a dash
out to the high tunnel to close it down just in case there was wind
in those clouds.<p></p><p>We even touched hands once in a while as we
passed containers and unpurchased plants out of the truck so we could
clean the truck bed and then start REPACKING it for the next morning.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Perspective</span></b><br /></p><p>Over
time, we changed how we did things at the Genuine Faux Farm. We
removed farmers' markets (except for Spring plant sales) from our list,
which provided us with a new perspective on weekends and, of course,
Date Night. That's not to say there weren't still plenty of
opportunities to gaze lovingly into each other's eyes while our hands
were thrust into icy water so we could get another thirty pounds of
lettuce cleaned and packed for some reason or another.<br /></p><p>In the
present time, both Tammy and I have off-farm jobs. My job generally
does not require weekend work, and we have not recently cleaned veggies for a Saturday market late on a Friday night. Yet, we
still find our opportunities to spend time together.</p><p>Maybe we could clean the hen room out this weekend? Does that count as a date?<br /></p><p>That's me - ever the romantic.</p>Rob Fauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03633049985565787351noreply@blogger.com0