Yellow Wild Flower

I don't know the name of this wild flower or the name of the small red one in a previous post.

The iGene Awards for Kinexxions

It's time for the Annual iGene Awards in which we announce our “best” blog posts from last year in five categories. Created by Jasia at Creative Gene for the Carnival of Genealogy, this year marks the 5th anniversary of the awards.



And this year, the ceremony for kinexxions is coming to you from Salt Lake City! What better place for such an event? And now, the winners...



Best Picture: Going through my Mother's papers after her death last February, I discovered a photograph that I had never seen before. In Mom :: Before she was Mom I presented that photo and several a lot of others. Is this my Mom?





Best Screen Play: The post Joslin Rendezvous :: The Homestead discusses a few of the trials and tribulations encountered by Virgil Joslin when he homesteaded in South Dakota in the early 1900s. Additional material written by his son Irwin would be used to create a feature-length movie that would star Sam Elliott and Meryl Streep as Virgil and Mary Joslin.



Best Documentary (investigative research): This past summer I decided to take on my Switzer family in Columbiana County, Ohio and found that there were Not One, Not Two, Not Three, but Four of Them! with “them” being men named Jacob Switzer. One of them was my ancestor, but which one? Yes, this is one of a series of posts, all of which are listed here.



Best Biography: The rules are going to be stretched a little in that two series of posts are being selected, neither were actually “written” by me. The Life of Hazlette Brubaker presents the story of my Grandmother's life, as told in her own words, in a series of 15 articles.



The Berlin Family :: John D. and Susannah is the first in a series of articles that includes family Bible Records as well as 35 letters written between 1861-1895 between family members. (Links to those documents are included at the bottom of the selected post.)



Best Comedy: Humorous writing is not really my forte (I've often been told that I have a very dry sense of humor, almost humorless.) At any rate, I've selected One Half of an Old Mare called Van Dora for this category. Maybe you “had to be there” but finding Van Dora in the inventory of the estate of William B. Jones had Carol and me cracking up for several days.



And that brings to a close the iGene Award Ceremony for ..... hmm, well, not just yet. Since I've been doing a bit of traveling I thought I'd modify the categories in several areas and present a “travel” version also...





Best Picture: Nature's Trifecta



Best Screen Play time with Geneabloggers: Ah... Anastasia and St. Augustine



Best Documentary: It Sounded Too Good to Pass By



Best Biography Unique Event: Badlands :: Where the Buffalo Do Roam



Best Comedy: A Great Big Ball of Twine

Written for the 114th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy.

Chipmunk

Look hard and you can see the tiny chipmunk on the left side of the tree stump. We saw him last time we went to the mountains.

Ultraviolet 25 Coolum Cave Queensland Australia

Big long moves to good holds and exposure to burn. Nothing too technical, just keep hanging on untill the top.





Photo: Phil Box

Early snow

Nothing like a little snow, to bring one out of a blog slump.



Every channel forecast snow, but I didn't pay much attention to their percentage predictions. My belief that it would actually snow, in Alabama, in early December, was exactly 0%.



But it did snow, a little.



Jasmine romped. She adores cold weather.



The chickens were wary. It might have been some evil plot, after all.



I don't remember the trees ever looking so nice, after such a light snow.



I hope the rosemary didn't get too frizzen.

Pancake Bay Dreamscape

This was taken shortly after sunset today, just after the vibrant colors of sunset began to fade. This sunset easily ranks (in my book) as the most spectacular sunset so far this winter. The colors and clouds were incredible, a wonder to behold. As a photographer I am always desiring clouds like those in this image, that fan out from where the sun dipped below the horizon. Clouds like this don't seem to happen very often, but when they do it's a magical sight.

Purse or Pocket?

For as long as I can remember, I have loathed those things that are known as purses: small handbags designed to house not books, laptops or groceries, but tiny personal belongings such as a wallet, phone and keys. Traditionally women have carried purses, because their clothing is not designed with pockets to accommodate these miscellaneous items. Even when pockets exist, their design is not actually useful for storing things without distorting the fit of the garment or even interfering with movement. And so historically, women have carried tiny handbags, seldom experiencing the freedom of walking around empty-handed, the peace of mind of not constantly having to look after one's belongings, and the fun of spontaneous mobility (try running down the street with a purse).



In the twentieth century, some women have taken this up as a feminist issue, refusing to carry a purse out of principle and only buying clothing with well-designed pockets. But for the most part, the purse trend persists, with fashion designers making a fortune on this accessory every season.





For me it's not really a political thing, but I do get frustrated carrying a purse. Over the years I've made an art of finding clothing with proper pockets, or else adding my own pockets to garments. Even for 90°F summer heat, I own skirts and sundresses with cleverly placed pockets for my wallet, keys and phone.



Looking at a friend's vast collection of diminutive handbags one day, I asked why she preferred this method of carrying her things. She replied that this way everything is always in one place, and she need not move it from jacket to jacket as I do. That makes sense - except that she switches from one purse to another on a semi-daily basis, so she still ultimately has to move everything over. But explanations are about subjective perceptions of reality, and this was how she saw it. When I talk of purses being a burden, those who like them probably think it's mostly in my head as well.



I've been thinking about the purse vs pocket issue more since I started cycling. When riding a bike - particularly if that bike is not bolt upright - pocket design presents a special challenge, as contents can spill out more easily than when walking. Clothing that is marketed as cycling-specific, even for commuting, usually features lots of complicated pockets that try to get around this. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Personally, I find the rear pocket design of the cycling jersey to be an extremely efficient way to carry small items on the bike, and I've wondered what elegant method can be devised to translate this into streetwear and maybe even business-casual attire. Begrudgingly I've ridden my bike with a purse in the basket or strapped to the rear rack now and again, but I always wish for pockets.



I am wondering what my female readers prefer. And does it depend on whether you are on or off the bike?

A Raven Flies Through the City: The Bella Ciao Corvo Citta Donna

A couple of weeks ago I received aBella Ciaobicycle as part of a work-related trade. I have never been compensated for anything in bicycle before, but I think I could get used to this if absolutely forced to (at least for the benefit of providing test ride reports for my readers, right?). The bike was assembled with my preferences in mind, and I was invited to offer an honest critique.



The bicycle is aBella Ciao"Corvo Citta Donna". The model name translates into something like "urban raven" anddonnaindicates that it is the lady's version. The colour (chosen by me) is "verde arsenale" - a pastel army green. Half a dozen other colours are available as well. The "Corvo Citta" models can be ordered as single speeds, 3-speeds, or 7/8-speeds, with or without coaster brake. I asked for a 3-speed coasterbrake version. The accessories are either honey or black, depending on the frame colour, and mine came with the black accessories package.



Bella Ciao frames are individually hand-made (brazed and lugged) by a small family-owned manufacturer in Northern Italy that has been building frames for generations. The standard models are cro-moly steel, though there are also limited editions made of Columbus tubing.Standard features on the Corvo Citta Donna include the classic Italian frame construction, 700C wheels with alloy rims, body-coloured fenders, an enclosed chaincase with a rear opening, leather saddle and grips,rear reflector,and a brass bell.



The frame is made in size 54cm (21.5") only, measured the "standard" way. This is an important point, especially if you are trying to compare the Bella Ciao to the Abici,whose sizing is measured differently. I would say that the Bella Ciao frame isslightly larger than the bigger of the two Abici frames.



With its hardy tubing, modest lugwork, and thick powdercoating, the "Corvo Citta" is attractive, but decidedly utilitarian.



It is not a delicate bicycle by any means; the frame feels as if it can take anything that life has to offfer.



The lugged fork crown warms my heart; very nicely done. And look at the body-coloured cable guide braze-ons.



The only part of the frame that is not lugged, is the connector between the curved top tube and downtube. But if I have to choose between this and the fork crown, the latter is infinitely more important to me. (The connector on my Pashley was not lugged either.)



I like the elegant chaincase, and the interesting thing, is that despite being steel it is absolutely silent.



Somewhat disappointing though, was the choice of theShimano3-speed hub and gear shifter for such a classic bicycle. TheShimanocertainly works fine, but the excruciatingly high-tech looks of the hub and shifter disrupt the bicycle's classic charm. Personally, I feel it would have been better to use theSturmey Archerhub and shifter on these bikes - though I suspect others will disagree.



The Bella Ciao has straight fork ends, which I prefer on an internally geared hub bicycle. There are also chain tensioners installed - a detail the Co-Habitatant found especially exciting.



The bicycle arrived to me with a Brooks B17S saddle, but I immediately replaced it with a B72. I am not sure why both Bella Ciao and Abici use B17 saddles on their city bikes, but I think they need to rethink this choice - it is not an appropriate model for an upright ride, especially for women. The B72, on the other hand, feels absolutely at home here.



As long as I am doling out criticism, I will also mention my perplexity over the choice of brake lever: I believe it may be an interruptor lever, because it is very short. The Tektrofront caliper brake provides excellent stopping power and the lever is squeezable, but it's just not the right one for this type of bicycle. A normal, full-size city lever would be more suitable.



The minimal insignia on the Bella Ciao include a small headbadge on the head tube featuring the black raven logo, the "Corvo Citta" model name inscription near the bottom bracket, and a "fatto a mano in Italia" sticker on the seat tube.



And one thing I should definitely mention is the handlebars - which are proprietary Bella Ciao. They are shaped similarly to Porteur handlebars, but with just a tad more flare-out to them. The shape is super comfortable for my hands and seems perfectly matched to this bicycle's geometry.



Moving on to ride quality... The most notable sensation I got from the Bella Ciao, was that it did not feel like a new bicycle. It felt very familiar, like an old bike that I have always owned.Lovers of classic bicycles complain that "there is no such thing anymore as a simple, well-made, lugged steel 3-speed bike". Well, I think the Bella Ciao isexactlythat. It is easy. It is comfortable. It is uncomplicated. It is not as laid back as a Dutch bike, but definitely not too sporty either (more relaxed than an Abici). It is maneuverable but unaggressive. It is just a bike. A very nice bike that anybody can ride, and that is light enough for anybody to lift.



When a bicycle is this easy, comfortable and undemanding, you end up riding it all the time... which, ironically, ushers in my next complaint: Where are the lights? And more importantly, where is the rack? I would love to ride the Bella Ciao regularly for transportation, but there is nowhere to attach my bag and all the other stuff I take along, which is frustrating. The design of the bicycle will accommodate the VO Constructeur rear rack, and when I have the money I might get one. But I think that a rack in the style you see on some of these bicycles would be more appropriate. Anybody know where I could source one?



The Bella Ciao"Corvo Citta Donna" might just be the closest I have tried to an "all around, normal" bike out there today among classic lugged bicycles. And that was rather unexpected, given the quirkiness of the manufacturer's self-presentation. Free-association collages, stories of resistance against fascism - it is enough to raise the eyebrows of some and to make others wonder whether Bella Ciao is in reality a contemporary art project rather than a real bicycle company. Well, I suppose there is no reason it can't be both...



Though currently only sold in the EU, Bella Ciao is considering North American distributors and the bicycles may be available for sale in the US sometime in . The Corvo Citta Donna would certainlybe welcomed by women looking for more options in classic city bicycles.

Internet Connection sees 2nd ascent

Yesterday I made plans to climb with my friend and health/rehab advisor, Andy Shriner and his friend Brad from Morgantown, WV. Andy is a motivated rock and ice climber who moved to Morgantown from Cincinnati, OH this past year. Andy has been chomping at the bit to get out on the local ice I've told so many stories about. Actually Andy is fortunate to be climbing any ice this season after having been caught in an avalanche at the base of Pinnacle Gully in NH earlier this winter. Luckily he walked (limped) away with experience, a banged up knee, and a story to tell. Laura, my girlfriend/climbing partner decided to take a rest day Sunday, so I took a long shot and called Tom Thomas, a climbing friend from here in SWPA to see if he wanted to join our crew. I figured he'd already made plans with others and was going to decline. Either way I know he loves harder mixed climbs and called to invite him. The phone conversation went something like this... Hey Tom it's Tim, what's up? TOM: Tim, great to hear from you. I've been climbing a lot, like the last 6 days. ME: Awesome, glad you've been getting out. Want to climb some cool mixed stuff tomorrow? TOM: HELL YEAH! Where and what time do you want to meet? ME: How about Valley Dairy in Connellsville at 9:30? TOM: Perfect, see you in the morning... What do I need to bring? Never mind, I'm coming with you, who knows what we'll be getting into, I'll bring lots of shit for anything! Cool...




So the day was set. We met at the SWPA climber meeting spot of Valley Dairy Restaurant in Connellsville. Introductions were made and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast telling climbing tales and getting stoked for the day ahead. After breakfast we went outside to pile into vehicles to head for the crag. I followed Tom to his car to help shuttle his gear over to my car for departure and I received my first glimpse as to what Tom meant by "I'll bring lots of shit for anything." Let me just say, he was truly prepared. In addition to a normal "kit", his car contained multiple boots, ropes, racks and bin full of pins, bolts, shuts, drill, etc... Kudos Tom for some true climbing preparation! Although we didn't use much of your massive pile this outing, we'll be needing it for establishing new test pieces when things come back in.

Andy and Tom getting ready for the long approach

We made the short 10min. drive to the South Connellsville Rod and Gun club from the restaurant. Everyone was amazed as we pulled into the shooting range and the ice appeared in front of us. The Pistol Whipped Wall was looking even better than a few days prior. As much as I want to get on these they getting plenty of sun and were about ready to crash down as we were leaving. More for future outings as usual (not a bad thing in my eyes).

The Pistol Whipped Wall, before the sun

We walked down range to check out the lines and develop a game plan. Everyone was stoked with the appearance of the climbs and we opted to climb in the Internet Connection area. We went back to the car and loaded up what was needed for the days events (a very nice luxury at The Gun Club).After packing up and walking back over to the climbs, Tom was debating whether to get on Internet Connection for a send or just top tope it. With 6 consecutive days of climbing behind him, I could easily understand his serious debate. Internet Connection WI5 M7is an intimidating line that starts with overhanging moves and a heel hook off the ground to get established on thin ice which is followed by many heady and powerful moves all the way to the finish. I'm not sure I'd want to get on it without feeling reasonably fresh. After discussion with the group and himself aloud, Tom opted to tie in and give it a go since it has only formed twice since 2007.

Tom and Brad weighing the options

Good thing he did... Tom put on an impressive display of climbing, both mental and physical. He inched his way up the line through sections of delicate moves, followed by powerful moves that involved verbal displays that would make Chris Sharma proud. In the end Tom put in effort and got the job done. He successfully sent the line becoming the 2nd ascentionist since Laura and I first sent the line back in 2007. Here's a photo recap of Tom sending the line while being belayed by Brad.

Mixed start to thin ice

Exceptionally fat ice through this section

Nearing the top of the "Gully"

An airy, overhanging traverse to thin ice

Tom Thomas says "You really have to try this"

Working up delicate terrain

Great work on a proud send, Tom Thomas on Internet Connection WI5 M7

After Tom's great send, Brad who is relatively new to ice, but a seasoned, veteran outdoor athlete and longtime New River Gorge local; had the opportunity to second this exciting climb. Brad put in great efforts and made his way up the line. With a little practice and experience Brad will be a sending machine as well. Here's a few photos that Tom snapped of Brad going up after his climb.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

Brad on Internet Connection, photo T.T.

After watching Tom lead Internet Connection, Andy and I walked over to climb the Alpine Ascent Gully M4 in the fattest conditions I've ever seen. This normally boney line reminiscent of the 2nd pitch of the Black Dike, had fat ice on it. Andy took the sharp end and led this short, but sweet line up to the ledge. From there we dropped a top rope on a rare former I've eyed over the years. We all took turns trying this new line and having a great day filled with sunshine. Despite my newly injured right shoulder, I managed to join the fun and climbed Internet Connection and the top route line without hurting myself further. I even managed to get some more mileage on my Lowa Ice Comp GTX "fruit boots." It was a great day with friends. Tom snagged the 2nd ascent of Internet Connection, Andy and Brad swung picks into some of the best SWPA ice of the season and I had the luxury of a fun day with some good friends.

One of the many options at The Gun Club yesterday, photo T.T.

But, the story doesn't end there... Long time friend and local legend, Ray Burnsworth showed up with his pal "Stink" the dog. I called him early Sunday telling him of our "crew" heading out to the club and invited him to come hang out. He showed up and met the guys hanging out and helping to guard us from those coming to shoot and not seeing us on the wall downrange. Thanks Rayman for keeping us alive from additional dangers most ice climbers don't have to consider... Well there's a story after the story. Ray not only had to protect us today, but another friend of his. "Ig" Read Ray's recap of our climbing day and his additional craziness on his Wildfilm Blog.

Local icon Ray Burnsworth, "don't mess with IG"