a groupie because of my Irish roots

me, the #1 groupie with two of Fonn Mor

Surprise!

As the countdown continues to the big 4-0, my wife pulled off the only surprise-well, good surprise-anyone has ever pulled on me by arranging some good friends of ours to meet us at the house and head north to South Bend to Fiddler's Hearth last Friday. A band that I incredibly enjoy-Fonn Mor-was playing at the Irish pub, sending ND fans into a frenzy just before the Stanford game. Fiddler's Hearth is probably downtown South Bend's second most important asset only to the South Bend Chocolate Company.


I LOVE Irish/Celtic music and this band is awesome. They have a beautiful way of blending a more up-tempo beat to traditional Irish sounds......so cool. I have their cd. The place was packed when we got there and they don't take reservations....so what was the table that became available for the 6 of us? Center and front with the band. Then of course, it didn't stop there as my buddies encouraged the band members to take a picture with their "#1 groupie" they called me. And then the kicker was when my wife had prearranged Fonn Mor to wish/sing me a happy birthday in Celtic style. Too much fun. Except when the ca. 60 year old woman started dancing around me, I couldn't tell if she was coming on to me or what.

Great Grandad & Gramma Ervin Crothers

So, I blame my insatiable need for Irish music on my Irish roots. Our family always celebrates St. Patrick's Day, even though I have no Catholic ancestors. I am fascinated with old Celtic mythology and lore, and am even considering risking my life to fly overseas just to see the Emerald Isle. The truth is I had planned to go to Ireland if I had turned 30 and not yet been married so I could bring back an Irish lass.

Great Grandad Bryant (on left) with his brothers and dad

I have gallons of Irish and Scottish blood pumping through my veins, though many of my ancestors came to this country long before the potato famine of the 1800's. Family surnames include Bryant, Crothers, Carey, Mahurin, Laramore, Bailey, Joyce, Moore, Ervin and Tracy. I haven't figured out if I'm a lover or fighter yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8SktnSlpqI to enjoy a little Fonn Mor.

Pinhook Church

I know, I'm on a run here with old churches. I recently came across this gem, which is particularly early for Indiana, and certainly so for this part of the state. My business travels took me to the tiny village of Pinhook in LaPorte County where I came across the Pinhook Methodist Church, constructed in 1847. The small frame building has to thank for its heroines two older ladies by the names of Phyllis and Julia, who weren't about to let it slip into just the memories of townsfolk.

A fellow by the name of William Garwood donated the land in 1846 for the purpose of a church stating "I give this land for the purpose of a church. It shall be used for that purpose forever and forever". Carpenters by the names of McLung and Barnard built the Greek-Revival structure......McLung being the first to be buried in the nearby cemetery in 1850. The building did serve "forever" as a church until 1968; but even now can be used for weddings and special events....and they aren't bashful at all about showing her off.

The Pinhook Church is now seeking National Register status, being the oldest existing church structure in LaPorte County, and maybe much of Northern Indiana. I was pleased to see the care given to the outside of the building, but marveled at the quality of care and restoration given to the inside.

"Pinhook" was actually a derogatory name given to the village of New Durham, established in 1837, by a rival community in the 1840's. But, Pinhook stuck, as the case may be.......the rival village of Flood's Grove, however, has been washed off the maps.

Kudos to the sentries of Pinhook Church.

it's begun already

I turn 40 next week. I don't look, act, feel or consider myself that old. I've tried to tell myself that I will do so with grace and dignity......but I'm not sure that's going to happen. In the mean time, some friends thought they'd celebrate a little early for me with some random, humorous purchases - a harmonica to sing the blues, fortune cookies and a night out. I might add here that only two of the fortunes are true.

I'm always freezing in the winter......have for 20 years!

Work is definitely more fun these days!

And the one that is DEFINITELY not true is that my doctors are younger than me. My doctors are all MUCH, MUCH older than me. Considerably older! Like 40 is a distant memory for them! gotcha.

More on 40 soon.

those quazy Quakers!

Mary Bogue Bundy

I've always been a family history buff. I have generations upon generations compiled in every family lineage direction, at least back 7 generations or more. One line I take particularly great pride in is my Quaker roots. Incredible records were kept by the Society of Friends of deaths, births, marriages, and migration through their "Monthly Meeting Minutes". The heavy migration of Quakers to Indiana, particularly Wayne and Henry Counties between about 1810-1840 was due in large part to Indiana forming as a state and the religious beliefs of the Society of Friends against slavery....wanting the fledgling State of Indiana to remain a "free state".

Enter my ancestors. Several branches of the family tree came from North Carolina Quaker stock, their lines dating to about 1730 in that state....moving to Indiana as early as 1815, before statehood, and settling in Salisbury, Wayne County. Later, several moved into the Spiceland area of Henry County. These families were the Halls, Nicholsons, Bogues and Bundys. The Bogues were of particular note because of their quiet fight against slavery. The Bogue family, and Bundys, positioned themselves across the state from north to south to aid escaped slaves find freedom in Michigan, along the Michigan Road. There is a stone memorial dedicated to the Bogues in Cassopolis, Michigan for their efforts in securing freedom for escaped slaves via the "Underground Railroad".

Why, if Indiana was a free state, was the Underground Railroad so important here? Because, unlike most free states, state laws during that time permitted bounty hunters to capture escaping slaves in the state and return them to their so-called owners. So the Negroes weren't truly safe in Indiana despite its "free" status.

Stephan G. Hall

I'm proud of my Quaker roots......talk about real mavericks! I was asked to portray my 4x great grandfather, Stephan Hall who came with his Quaker family from North Carolina in 1815, this past weekend at a cemetery tour nearby. I don't look bad for being 200 years old next year.

seeing red in green

M I T C H

lies. about. results.

I just don't know if I'll be able to make it to election day without losing my religion. Coming off complete aggravation regarding the bailout.....I am now bombarded with Mitch Daniels "saviour of the state" ads that, frankly, are misleading dim-witted Hoosiers into believing this guy!

One of the first claims in his Star Wars-esque advertisement is that he:

balanced the state budget

Without Raising Taxes

Uh, hello Hoosiers?

Do you remember the

increase in sales tax this year?

How can a man with any integrity at all allow that to go on his ad? This has become a sad state of affairs in American politics. At one time, it was simply about spinning the message........now it's about out-right lying to the public. And so long as you have enough money to throw at it........people will believe what you say, regardless of your actions. I guess we should blame the voter for being so uninformed, but it just rubs me raw.......once Mitch made that claim, can you believe ANYTHING he says?

Kinda like River City's mayor's race.

Speaking of........my folks witnessed our reputable mayor dumping his stale coffee out on the street prior to a visit to the coffee shop. Pretty shoddy.......but I guess he never claimed he would clean up the town.

mastodon digs

If there's one thing our county is famous for in our little corner of Indiana-it's mastodon digs. Seems like we can hardly turn around to dig a pond or septic field without turning up one of these giants. We've had two found in the last three years alone.

I like to try to imagine these big guys roaming across the wetlands and scrub forests of the state....it really hasn't been that long ago in terms of the age of the earth-only 10,000 years ago. The thing that disappoints me most is that our mastodons never get to stay here; they're always shipped off to a museum some distance away,

such as the state museum. I think the next one that turns up......

we get to keep. I think if we took the loft out of my barn it would probably fit....and then I'd charge a nickel to get to see the great beast......and have loud trumpeting calls recorded to add to the ambiance.

Hmmm.....I'm liking this.

Kayaking the Tippy

Having found this new fondness of kayaking, after a great trip on Sugar Creek just a month ago, it was not difficult at all to be talked into a camping/kayaking trip by the guys. We headed to the Tippecanoe River by Winamac for an overnight stay at Tippecanoe River State Park and kayaking the next morning.

I've canoed the Yellow River before, but, unfortunately Yellow River fans, the Tippy has it all over our beloved Wythougan. The river is broader, cleaner.......and you're not afraid to get out (or fall out) of the boat and wade. While I still believe Sugar Creek at Turkey Run & Shades is the real kayaking gem of Indiana, not many rivers could be outdone by the Tippecanoe.

And....I come away with this belief, more resolved than ever, that our state tree should be the sycamore and our state bird, the Great Blue Heron. These majestic trees line our riverways as if sentries of the natural beauty of Indiana. And just as you round a bend in the river, the Great Blue takes flight with its wide stretching wingspan as if a living prehistoric relic of ancient times when the glaciers had just subsided.

So what's your favorite river?

Tyranny of the Urgent

A few weeks back our pastor made the suggestion we all read the little pamphlet book "Tyranny of the Urgent", and then supplied us all with them, which made me feel obligated to read it. Once I finally found time to read it, I decided to do what the author suggested in keeping track of every half-hour during the course of the day......the point being we lose track of the most valuable thing we have, our time.

So, knowing that you're all dying to know what Hoosier Reborn does with his time now that he's unemployed, here's the results based on a percentage of non-sleep hours....which incidentally averaged 7 hours of sleep a day.

Leading Youth Group & 20's class at our church: 12%
Messing around with my non-profit preservation interests: 14%
Actual paid work: 32%
TV (mostly on the couch with my wife): 7%
Time the whole family is doing something together: 10%
House work/painting: 9%
Time with God: 6%
Personal stuff, like shower, meals and work out: 10%
Emailing/blogging: 5%
Hanging with friends coffees/movies: 4%

What stood out to me first was the fact that my combined non-profit stuff almost equalled my for-profit work stuff. I do think that will go down as some projects are coming to a close. I guess I should consider myself blessed that I have that time to give and still pay the bills......I think, I better ask my wife if we're paying our bills.

The other thing that stood out to me was how much more a percentage of time everything consumed than my time with God.....but at least He ranked higher than my connection to friends either in person or via email. But I'm not so sure that's good either.

Any suggestions on how to find more time in my day.....maybe some things I should cut out or reduce in time spent? TV......maybe.

wood is....

just some more random pictures

from this first weekend of autumn

corporate vs. personal responsibility.....the bail out

I'm furious. And you should be too. What is going on in our beloved democracy? Why is capitalism and the free market system heralded as the saviour of mankind, then so quickly subsidized when we realize a mess has been made of the financial markets?

Why is "corporate responsibility" derided by Republicans as hurting the free market, when the same tout "personal responsibility" when they want to neglect the poor? And can someone tell me why the heck it is MY responsibility to shore up shoddy credit and bad investment decisions by lending institutions who just wanted to turn a quick buck and then sell the "toxic paper" debt on to others with the same goal?

So, should I join the revolution and just not pay my mortgages? Here we are, practicing personal financial responsibility by prudent spending, doing without new cars and cable, and a lot of other luxuries many in our generation feel are rights/owed to them......and get them by going into debt accessing credit on inflated homes......really nice homes........and then the bottom falls out and my tax dollars, and my children and grandchildren have to clean up the mess? Where is the lending institution's personal responsibility? The borrower? Lehman Brothers?

This is corporate welfare we are being told must be paid out to these financial institutions with the threat of "total financial collapse" if we do not. This is in essence socialism.....a redistribution of wealth....$700 billion.....to guys who made some bad decisions, but want to keep their Lexuses. And for some reason, when we talk about helping the poor, the homeless, those without health care........Republicans want to throw out the "socialism" term. Unbelievable.

As scary as it may sound, I just wonder if we don't need a collapse. Our economy has been built on low-paying jobs and easy access to credit on inflated valued homes. Shoring it up is like putting duct tape over a burst pipe. I don't know that Democrats have the answers here, but it's clear the President does not. Ron Paul seems to make the most sense........and that to me is troubling enough.

Join me in "Ban the Bailout"

things you've never seen before

Driving in Northwest Indiana led me past this soggy pumpkin patch. I had to do a double-take, because I've never seen pumpkins floating in a field before. Rivers were still running high, roads still closed.........it seems like it is going to take a long time for this part of the state to dry out.

I wonder if there is such a thing as "pumpkin bobbing".

names I would not choose

Now, be honest, haven't you heard some one's last name and thought, maybe even verbalized, "wow, glad I don't have their last name". I was driving in the Porter County area today and came across this sign........and I thought to myself, if I were a participant on the Wheel of Fortune and saw this arrangement of letters I would guess an "L" an "M" and buy an "O".....Vanna, can we see those letters? For some reason, I don't think Mr. Chi_d _ _ _ester would appreciate that, being that he's running for judge and all.

Other names of people I know that I'm glad I do not have: Stinke, Burpee, Swiney, Gross, Boner, Bottomley, Cockbain, Lush or Pueke.......and I'm only halfway through the phone book. There was a friend in college with the last name "Small". We made fun of him relentlessly....although I could see going through school with the name "Large" like another friend of mine, for obvious reasons.

I wish Judge Chidester the best....I guess. Better than his counterpart in river city. Have you noticed Mr. Palmers signs nearly ALL appear to be placed in the right-of-way...violating our laws? That doesn't seem to speak well of his ability to execute the law from the bench. Cae-sera-sera.

the Jacoby Church

Unfortunately, many rural churches throughout Indiana are disappearing. A few posts ago I highlighted the Powers Church near Angola. This time we go to Marshall County to the Jacoby Church, northeast of Plymouth. The church was constructed in 1860. The following is information from a descendant of the founder, John Jacoby:

John Jacoby moved from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania to Marion County, Ohio with his family in 1831 or 1832. He bought land in Marion County, on December 23, 1831. In 1847, he and his wife and children journeyed to Wisconsin by way of the water route from Huron, Ohio, and from there they went to Marshall County, Indiana. John bought a farm in Marshall County on November 17, 1847. He owned the entire Section 35 in Center Township. He was one of the founders of the St. John or Jacoby Reformed Church, and he deeded an acre of ground on which to erect the house of worship and its cemetery.

Prior to constructing the house of worship, the Jacobys needed a burial ground for members of the family who passed on. The cemetery dates about 12 years older than the church. In a letter between Daniel Jacoby (a brother) and Michael Jacoby (his son in Ohio) the need for a church is evident:

December 30, 1849

"Our spiritual affairs is not very good. We have not heard a sermon of our own church since Pence left here. It is true we have meeting here in Plymouth sometimes by the Methodist and sometimes by the Presbyterian but still it is not home for we like our own. I hope the time will soon come that we will be able to support a minister sufficient to preach the Gospel to us of our own church. I am not discouraged. I will serve my God while I live. Let others do as they will. For God is a prayer hearing and prayer answering. God hears and therefore I put my trust in him, and if we will never meet on earth I hope to meet you all in heaven where parting will be no more is the prayer of your most humble . . ."

Their prayers were answered by the construction of the single room timber frame building in 1860, being dedicated in 1861, on the corner of the John Jacoby farm. This was largely a German Reformed/Lutheran congregation. In about 1904 the church was updated with the addition of the front foyer and bell tower. The church operated in several generations of denominations/congregations including one associated with the Missionary Church. The building was closed for a period of about ten years before another group began meeting here for a few years during the 1960's while their building was constructed in Plymouth.

And then it sat vacant. A descendant of the family cared for the building, but it quickly fell into disrepair as the building approached the new millennium. Windows were broken out, a corner of the building had dropped by over a foot and gaping holes in the ceiling accelerated deterioration. Further complicating the matter was an ownership issue, while the township owned the cemetery, there was no clear title to the building.....creating difficulty in organizing efforts to save the 140+ year old building.

To say the church is a landmark in the community is an understatement, but the future seemed bleak.

Soon........the salvation of the church.

a Hoosier and a Hurricane

Floyd. A rather unassuming, mild-mannered sort of name.

But Floyd caused us a great deal of problems on our first year anniversary trip to the East Coast. My wife and I had a rather short, frugal honeymoon, so we decided to take an extended trip to the East Coast in 1999, to celebrate our first year of marriage. It was also the first real test of spending a lot of time in the car together, wife navigating while I drove......despite a long, silent car ride from about the Adirondacks into Vermont, after missing a turn or two.......we're still together, almost 9 years later.

Anyway, still living on love, we decided to tent camp during our stay at Acadia National Park, off the coast of Maine. We arrived at the campground and quickly realized there were very few other campers......due to Hurricane Floyd changing course and working its way up the coast. We figured, aw, we can make it through the night. The winds howled and the rains came. And this was just the precursor to the main storm, yet to run ashore. So, the second night, we rented one of the campground's little log cabins, about 8' x 10', and hunkered down. And it was crazy. I think most disappointing was the fact that the wind kept blowing out my matches while I tried to light the grill on the porch.

We had planned to head down to Boston and back to Indiana the next two days. But Floyd was still churning off the coast of Massachusetts and we thought it would be better to go back the way we came, inland.....spending the night at Lake Placid, New York. Wouldn't you know that the hurricane decided to go inland and flooded roads and bridges throughout Vermont and into New York and most areas were without power. The Bar Harbor/Acadia area is impressive and the ocean was furious from the approaching storm. Vermont was a place you could just settle into nice and easy.....which is why we had planned to return there this year. I think we're staying in state....to many hurricanes. BTW......South Bend got like 11 inches of rain over the weekend, mostly due to Ike. Holy Cow! Our basement, by the way......DRY!

awwwhhh.....aren't they cute?

UPDATE

After terrorizing the family for the last few days, and visitors to our home, I decided I needed to take a tough stand against Sammie, Eddie & Oliver......I found them lounging together in a heap when the sun came out today. Let's just say Sammie and Eddie won't be a problem anymore. Oliver, the tricky one that he is, got away for now. We're developing quite a little pet cemetery along the north side of our fence. And don't send me animal activist hate mail, I tried unsuccessfully for a relocation program. There are 3 in this photo...count the heads.

Ah if only party bosses were so easily removed!

This afternoon it was great fun watching our little ones play around the bushes by the back step. I'm not sure where their momma was, but watching them slither in and out of the ground brought a smile to my face as I called the kids over to watch the three baby snakes play by our back doorstep. How many snakes in a clutch, or nest, or ??? Evidently now I know why that big, fat garter snake was so angry with me when I tried to chase it away.

I left a note on the door for my lovely wife, who is currently away, to be careful not to step on our youngins' when she gets home. If it isn't moles, who evidently figured out how to stay away from the trap, it's bats, and if not bats, it's snakes. A friend of my wife's said it's because of the nature center we built in our back room for the kids........."if you build it, they will come" she says. Drats!

Historic Bridges of Plymouth

A few years back my involvement in some downtown redevelopment work in Plymouth led me to an interesting discovery. Plymouth has several historic bridges....kinda like Madison County. While you might not think of Plymouth as a river town, the Yellow River, or "Wythougan" in Native American tongue-meaning "yellow waters", meanders through the little city of 10,000.

It wasn't until I went on a canoe trip down the Yellow that I truly realized the coolness of the concrete arched bridges........so here we go......pretend you're on a float trip, feet hanging over the side.......down the river and enjoy.

The first bridge (from north to south, with the flow) is the Jefferson Street/Lincoln Highway Bridge. The double span, filled concrete arched bridge was constructed in 1927 once the final route was chosen for the new Lincoln Highway alignment through Marshall County/Plymouth. While renovations in the 1980's widened the deck and changed the handrails to standard highway design, the historic superstructure is still in place and is begging for restoration.

The next bridge is the Garro Street Bridge. Constructed about 1920, it also is a double span, filled concrete arched bridge but is unusual because of its angle across the river. The original concrete railings still exist on this bridge, as no renovation work was ever made, except to remove some remarkable metal light fixtures at the four corners. I believe refurbishment is in the near future....let's hope the lights come back.

The third bridge is the National Register listed LaPorte Street Footbridge. Constructed in 1898 and fabricated by the Rochester (Indiana) Bridge Company, this bridge is a metal cantilever structure with piers at the banks. Only one other bridge like this exists in the state, in Winamac. I also happened to have proposed to my wife on this bridge.......

Luten Bridge, ca. 1918

Luten Bridge, prior to restoration

The fourth bridge was constructed between 1916-1917 and has the distinction of being a Daniel Luten concrete bridge. Luten was an engineering professor in Indiana who patented his concrete bridge designs that quickly made him famous across the country. The Luten Bridge is the Michigan Street bridge and was constructed in place of the early metal Michigan Road bridge, probably in keeping with the construction of the Yellowstone Trail following the alignment and bringing additional vehicular traffic across the bridge. This bridge was renovated in the 1970's. widening the deck and removing the historic handrails. This year the bridge was restored with handrails sympathetic to the original design being installed, along with the new addition of light fixtures.







The fifth bridge to cross the Yellow River is the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge produced by the American Bridge Company of New York in 1902. This may be my favorite. The massive steel bridge is one of the earliest Pratt pony style truss designed bridges in Indiana. It is set on massive limestone abutments and is a marvel to walk under along the bank of the river.

Another noteworthy bridge is the Pennsylvania Railroad/Michigan Street viaduct constructed about 1900. This is one of the more identifiable Plymouth landmarks. The steel pony plate girder truss style bridge crosses Michigan Street just south of the Yellow River and rests on massive limestone abutments and center pier. A train once derailed at this location sending rail cars over the north side of the rail to the street below. What would become known as the Pennsylvania Railroad was constructed through Plymouth in 1856. Two other 1900 pony plate girder truss bridges are also located in Plymouth along this rail line. So if you're keeping track-that's 8 historic bridges....not bad for a little town.