What's a Train?

Daddy, what's a train? Is it something I can ride?

Does it carry lots of grown-up folks and little kids inside?

Is it bigger than our house? Well how can I explain

When my little boy and girl ask me "Daddy what's a train?"

When I was just a boy and living by the track,

Us kids would gather up the coal in big 'ole gunnysacks,

Then we heard the warning sound as the train pulled into view,

The engineer would smile and wave as she went rolling through.

She blew so loud and clear, we had to cover up our ears,

And we counted cars just as high as we could go.

I can almost hear the steam those big old drivers scream,

A sound my little kids will never know.

("Daddy What's a Train" by Utah Phillips)

The Golden Spike Ceremony, a photo by Edna Barney on Flickr.

Curiosity

It is curiosity that killed the cat, and it will kill us too, by and by, if nothing else kills us first. The cat understands it is all part of the game. Do we?

Mysterious Tombstone of Occoquan

Mill House Museum, Occoquan, Virginia

This tombstone was washed away from the James Arnold family cemetery in Woodbridge, Virginia to the banks of the Occoquan River during the Hurricane Agnes, 1972. According to "Our Mysterious Tombstone" by Martha Roberts, it marked the grave of a New York man, Frank Hurlybuff, who had the stone carved, a casket constructed, then dug a grave in his friend's family cemetery and shot himself. No one knows the meaning of the C.N. 42 W.A.C.O inscription, however the same was found on the tombstone of Elizabeth Hurlebaus, buried at the Crow Road Cemetery, Litchfield, Medina County, Ohio. Elizabeth is believed to have been the wife of Frederick Gottleib Hurlebaus.

The image, Mysterious Occoquon Tombstone 1893, was originally uploaded to the Internet by Edna Barney. 

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick (circa 390-464)

"I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock." ~~ from Saint Patrick's 'Breastplate' Prayer

• Saint Patrick's Benediction
• Saint Patrick Shipwrecked
• Saint Paddy
• Saints Patrick, Enda, Edna, et al
• Middle Mouse
• Happy Saint Paddy's Card

The image, Saint Patrick (circa 390-464), was originally uploaded by barneykin. It is posted here from Neddy's .

Turn Your iPhone On!

I ♥ My iPhone!
Turn Your iPhone On -
Google knows where you have been,
Turn Your iPhone On -
Download your music through the air. ♩♪♫♬



LYRICS:
Come and listen in to our podcast station
Where the mighty host of the heavens ping
Turn your iPhone on, Turn your iPhone on
If you want to hear the songs without buying
Coming from the web of endless tunes,
Turn your iPhone on, Turn your iPhone on.

Women of the New Testament

• Mary "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word." ~~Luke 10:39
• Martha bore witness: "She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God,which should come into the world." ~~John 11:27
• Tabitha was "at Joppa a  certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. And it came to pass in those days, tht she was sick, and died: ... and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them."~~Acts 9:36, 37, 39
• Phebe was "a servant of the church ... she hath been a succourer of many."~~Romans 16:1-2
• Priscilla and Aquila  were "helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks:"~~Romans 16:3-4
• "Mary, who bestowed much labour on us." ~~Romans 16:6

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE WASHINGTON

General George Washington -- "A good moral character is the first essential in a man."

HAPPY 279th BIRTHDAY to the Man Who Changed the World – General George Washington of Mount Vernon, Virginia, who wrote “The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.”

George WASHINGTON (1732 – 1799) was born February 22nd, 1732, at “Popes Creek,” a home that his father had built in the 1720s in Westmoreland County, Virginia. George Washington was raised there and in King George and Fairfax Counties, Virginia.

George Washington died in his bedroom at Mount Vernon on December 14th, 1799. His will directed that he be buried on the grounds of his beloved estate where he had selected a site for a new brick tomb to replace the original burial vault which was badly weathered and succumbing to the elements. However, the new tomb was not completed until more than thirty years later. It was in 1831, that the earthly remains of George Washington and his beloved consort Martha were removed there. Every day from April through October a wreath laying ceremony is performed by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, at 10 am and 2 pm, at the Tomb of Washington, in tribute to America’s greatest leader.
George Washington, America’s first and greatest president, is one of the four American presidents carved into the granite at"Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

A grateful nation remembered its patriot warrior president, George Washington of Virginia by erecting the Washington Monument, a great obelisk to his memory in their nation’s capital. George Washington’s birthday once was celebrated in this land with great fanfare on February 22nd. Today George Washington’s birthday seems forgotten or remembered only as “Presidents’ Day.”

There are probably few Americans who appreciate the indispensable role played by George Washington in the formation of the United States of America. Without General Washington, there probably would not be a United States of America today. George Washington was America’s First great General. He was an indispensable leader of the American Revolution. Our forebears described him as “First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

Thankfully, not everyone has forgotten the greatness of the man. Check out MountVernon.org . ~~Edna Barney

This life size display of General Washington as Commander in Chief is from the museum center at his Mount Vernon plantation in Virginia. The image, Museum at Mount Vernon, is subject to copyright by Edna Barney. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin, an administrator of "The Revolution ed" pool.

Dancing Goblin Feet

Goblin Feet
A Poem to Memorize - A Poem to Remember
by J.R.R. Tolkien

I AM off down the road
Where the fairy lanterns glowed
And the little pretty flittermice are flying:
A slender band of gray
It runs creepily away
And the hedges and the grasses are a-sighing.
The air is full of wings,
And of blundering beetle-things
That warn you with their whirring and their humming.
O! I hear the tiny horns
Of enchanted leprechauns
And the padded feet of many gnomes a-coming!

O! the lights: O! the gleams: O! the little tinkly sounds:
O! the rustle of their noisless little robes:
O! the echo of their feet -- of their little happy feet:
O! their swinging lamps in little starlit globes.

I must follow in their train
Down the crooked fairy lane
Where the coney-rabbits long ago have gone,
And where silverly they sing
In a moving moonlit ring
All a-twinkle with the jewels they have on.
They are fading round the turn
Where the glow-worms palely burn
And the echo of their padding feet is dying!
O! it's knocking at my heart --
Let me go! O! let me start!
For the little magic hours are all a-flying.

O! the warmth! O! the hum! O! the colours in the dark!
O! the gauzy wings of golden honey-flies!
O! the music of their feet -- of their dancing goblin feet!
O! the magic! O! the sorrow when it dies.
(from Oxford Poetry, 1915)

What Does It All Mean?

Twelve Days of Christmas

The twelve days of Christmas are the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6th), which is when the three wise men supposedly arrived on the scene. It is NOT the twelve days before Christmas as many erroneously believe. The lovely story following is now considered by the erudite amongst us as an Internet Urban Legend with no basis in fact. However, the "Twelve Days of Christmas" was first found in print in 1790, and was already traditional. Its origin seems to have been French as was the word "carol." Christmas Caroling was derived from the French word "caroller," which means dancing around in a circle. Joyous revelers at Christmastime danced in a circle around the creche, joyously singing Christmas carols. Such holiday celebrating was banned in England during the Protestant Cromwell reign and many of the oldest Christmas songs and their histories were forever lost.

An Underground Catechism 

(from “Drennon’s Twelve Days of Christmas”)

Most folks, I believe, are familiar with the Christmas song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." If you listen to the words carefully, it seems like nonsence set to rhyme and music. However, it was written with a serious purpose. It is more than just a list of twelve silly gifts. Catholics in England during the period 1558 to 1829 were prohibited by law to practice their faith either in public or private. It was illegal to be Catholic. [Note: Parliament finally emancipated Catholics in England in 1829.]

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written in England as one of the "catechism songs" to help young Catholics learn the basics of their faith. In short, it was a memory aid. Since the song sounded like rhyming nonsense, young catholics could sing the song without fear of imprisonment. The authorities would not know that it was a religious song. Actually, the catecism to which it referred was rather ecumenical so could probably be claimed to be protestant if cornered.

The song's gifts had hidden meanings to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, but it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. i.e. the church. The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."

Here is a complete list of the 12 symbols with their meanings*

• 1 Partridge in a pear tree = The One true God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ
• 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
• 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity
  
• 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
  
• 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch which contain the law condemning us of our sins.
  
• 6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
  
• 7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith
  
• 8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
  
• 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Spirit
  
• 10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
  
• 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
  
• 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
  

The Twelve Days of Christmas by Dennis Bratcher

The Twelve Days of Christmas - History

Folding Fitted Sheets

Back in my day, there was no such thing as a "fitted sheet" hence we grannies are grateful enough to treat these modern bed linens with the respect they deserve. And NO, it is not easier to roll both sheets up in a ball and stuff them inside one of the pillow cases!

Wild Parrots of New Jersey

The question is, do they speak New Joisey?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

NOVA Barbies

I found the following “Christmas Shopping” suggestions at an unnamed message board. This is an inside joke, meaning that one needs to understand the acronym NOVA to "get it." Translation: one must have some familiarity with the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC.

Reston Barbie:
This princess Barbie is sold only at The Reston Town Center in Chico’s. She comes with an assortment of Coach Handbags, a Lexus SUV, a long haired foreign dog named Honey, and a “cookie cutter” $2,000,000.00 house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with “augmented” version.

Springfield Barbie:
This modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar Minivan and matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full time occupation or secondary education. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.

Prince Georges County Barbie:
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, a Pontiac with dark tinted windows and a crack pipe. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills). Unless you are a cop, then we don’t know what you are talking about.

Great Falls Barbie:
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and Scioto Country Club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won’t be able to afford any of them.

Fredericksburg Barbie:
This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a NASCAR shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud light and a Hank Williams, Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken’s butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a Confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.

Herndon Barbie:
This collagen injected, rhinoplastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available.

West Virginia Barbie:
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out of another Barbie’s house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

Falls Church Barbie:
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, archless feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her “Willow.” She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Clintonville Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.

SouthWest Barbie:
This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his ‘79 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

Dupont Circle Barbie/Ken:
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple “snap-on” parts.

The History of America's WASP

History of the WASP, 1942 - 2010



Geri Was a WASP

Congressional Gold Medal for WASPS

Members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) received the Congressional Gold Medal for their service in World War II. The corps of female pilots was created in 1942 to fly military planes in the U.S. so that male military pilots were available for combat service and duties. The ceremony, which was held in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center, included the presentation of the colors and the singing of the national anthem.

Potomac River of 1634

In early spring of 1634, when Father Andrew WHITE and the English colonists on the Ark and Dove sailed into the Potomac River, they were enthralled with the beauty of the “great stream” and its wooded shores. They named it Saint Gregory, in honor of the canonized Pope of that name. "Never have I beheld a larger or more beautiful river," wrote Father WHITE. "The Thames seems a mere rivulet in comparison with it; it is not disfigured by any swamps, but has firm land on each side. Fine groves of trees appear, not choked with briers or bushes or undergrowth, but growing at intervals as if planted by the hand of man, so that you can drive a four-horse carriage, wherever you choose, through the midst of the trees. Just at the mouth of the river we saw the natives in arms. That night fires blazed throughout the whole country, and since they had never seen so large a ship, messengers were sent in all directions, who reported that a canoe, like an island, had come with as many men as there were trees in the woods."

The image, Potomac River, was originally uploaded to the Internet by Edna Barney. It was posted here by Neddy of .

Red Poppies In Memory

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem, cited above. She then conceived of wearing red poppies on Memorial day to honor those who died serving the nation during war. She sold poppies as a fundraiser to benefit needy veterans. When Madam Guerin, a visitor to the United States from France, learned of this new custom she began making artificial red poppies to raise money for French war orphans and widows. The Red Poppy tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922, the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell Red Poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948, the US Post Office honored Moina Michael for founding the National Poppy movement with a three cent postage stamp with her likeness upon it.

The image, Poppy at Lion House, was originally uploaded by Edna Barney. It is posted here from Barneykin's account.

Understanding Baltimore Speak

Hiya Hons! Here's how to understand and talk BAWLAMERESE.

• Bawlamer : American city north of Warsherton.
• Amlance : Will take you to the horsepital.
• Arn : Will press your pants.
• Baffroom : Where the terlet is.
• Blair Road : spelled "Belair Road."
• Cammer : What you take pixtures wiff.
• Chimbley : It's on top of the ruff.
• Downer Shore : Chesapeake Bay.
• Earl : an engine lubricant or Earl's name.
• Farplace : Fireplace.
• Formstone : A cement, stone-shaped rowhouse application.
• Iggles : Eagles.
• Orster : where you get perls.
• Po-lice : They lock you up at the Station House.
• Sem-lem : Any convenience store, such as 7-11.
• Stoop : Marble steps in front of a Baltimore Row Home.
• Tars : What your car rides on.
• Par a Plars : Tool for removing nuts and bolts.
• Youse All : All of you.
• Zink - where you wash dirty dishes.

Baltimore, My Baltimore -- My Hometown.

How The Scots Invented New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve madness is a modern-made celebration. Before the Scots popularized midnight debauchery, the New Year was soberly celebrated on the first morning of the year with respect and reflection. Then, someone went and invented public clocks, great clanking iron engines with enormous hanging bells to inform mankind of the precise passing of time. When clocks arrived in Scotland, the Scots promptly went into “party mode,” combining two peculiar Scottish customs, Hogmanay and First Footing. By the 1680s, New Year’s Eve was born. A century later Scotland’s beloved Rabbie Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne," setting it to a raucous Scottish dance tune.The Scots contributed a wee bit of Scotch whiskey and soon all of civilization ended the dignified moderation and temporal respect they had formerly displayed when ushering in the New Year. The rest is history, or so say those who claim that the Scots invented Everything.

The Case Against the New Year from the Wall Street Journal

A Soldier's Lament

"NO PATRIOTISM"


This is one example of graffiti that occupying Union soldiers left upon the walls of Blenheim in Fairfax, Virginia during the War Between the States. This photograph is from the attic, however when wallpaper was recently removed from the main floors of the old Greek Revival farmhouse, graffiti was discovered everywhere. This "Soldier's Lament" records:

4th Month

No money

No whiskey

No Friends

No Rations

No Peas

No Beans

No Pants

No Patriotism (underlined)

"Blenheim," located at 3610 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia, is a brick home built by REZEN WILLCOXON about 1858, to replace an earlier frame dwelling. This 12-acre former farm, includes a cemetery for several generations of the Willcoxon family who lived here. Blenheim is renown for its outstanding examples of Civil War soldier graffiti. It is currently being restored. The day we were there, a recent tropical storm had left many downed trees, but no damage to the structures.

The image, Soldier Graffiti, was originally uploaded by Edna Barney. It is posted here from Barneykin's account.

Visit Neddy's Archives for more of Edna's writings.

Happy Bjarne Day

Bjarne, America’s Discoverer 986AD

Most people have no idea that the first European to discover America was a Barney. They think it was Leif Erikson or Christopher Columbus. When Leif found the coast of America he was following Bjarne’s discoveries. Bjarne, a Norwegian Viking, found what is now New England in 986 AD. He went back to Greenland where his family was living and told his father, Harold, what he had seen. Harold was a member of Erik the Red’s sailing team. Erik the Red then ordered his son, Leif, to go and find the lands that Bjarne had described. The rest is history, and Christopher Columbus ended up getting the credit, as he had a great publicist. Leif came in second place, and Bjarne was forgotten.