A Cannon in the Garage

[LAKOTA169]

Is that at the Blue Water Sportsmans Club by Port Huron?  I didn't live very far away, I'd heard (both word of mouth and literally) that they fired them old cannons off over there. 

Yes it is. Went there a couple of times with my son and grandson. Grandson got to fire one of the cannons.

 

[Dan Hiebert]

Yes it is. Went there a couple of times with my son and grandson. Grandson got to fire one of the cannons.

 

Very cool.  Looked familiar, When I was stationed in Detroit, that's where we went to qualify.  Lived just down road. 

[LAKOTA169]

It was fun watching them shoot the cannons and surprised how accurate they were with them. We enjoy the Living History events, but we're more into the Colonial/Rev War era. Son belongs to the 10th Virginia regiment of the Continental Line. When he got married, they had a full colonial wedding where almost everyone was dressed in colonial clothes (53 guests were wearing colonial clothes).

 

Cutting the cake with his sword.

Me.

[Dan Hiebert]

It was fun watching them shoot the cannons and surprised how accurate they were with them. We enjoy the Living History events, but we're more into the Colonial/Rev War era. Son belongs to the 10th Virginia regiment of the Continental Line. When he got married, they had a full colonial wedding where almost everyone was dressed in colonial clothes (53 guests were wearing colonial clothes).

 

Cutting the cake with his sword.

Me.

Too cool!  Pre dates the Revolutionary War era, but we used to hit the Encampment of St. Clair (French discovery of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, and French & Indian War?) in Pine Grove Park every year.  Part of it is always a tad too commercial for me (the arts & crafts fair part), but we enjoy how everyone strives for authenticity, even down to the cooking.  Around here we have Ft. Niagara on the U.S. side and Ft. George on the Canadian, with encampments and enactments that span the French colonial era through the War of 1812.  If anyone is in the area, Ft. Niagara has wonderful Christmas tours. 

[LAKOTA169]

Too cool!  Pre dates the Revolutionary War era, but we used to hit the Encampment of St. Clair (French discovery of Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River, and French & Indian War?) in Pine Grove Park every year.  Part of it is always a tad too commercial for me (the arts & crafts fair part), but we enjoy how everyone strives for authenticity, even down to the cooking.  Around here we have Ft. Niagara on the U.S. side and Ft. George on the Canadian, with encampments and enactments that span the French colonial era through the War of 1812.  If anyone is in the area, Ft. Niagara has wonderful Christmas tours. 

The outdoor pictures were taken at the Feast. We try to go every year. We know a couple of the vendors that are there. I like the way they have 3 time periods set up there. French and Indian era, Rev War era, and Fur trade era. Son's Rev War group usually sets up there.

[Don Coatney]

If you re-enactor followers have never been to Georges house MT Vernon it is worth the trip.  

 

 

[LAKOTA169]

If you re-enactor followers have never been to Georges house MT Vernon it is worth the trip.  

 

 

Wow Don, you sure do dress funny.  I don't do a lot of the reenacting, but mu son and his family do. his group has camped at Mount Vernon. They have gone to a lot of the big reenactments. They have done the battle of Trenton where they rowed across the Delaware River (in December), Lexington and Concord, and a few others. He also tutors with the Plymouth (Mi) Fife and Drum Corp. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI4J-WDXNjc

[Niel Hoback]

   My son lives about a mile from Washington's Ferry Farm where George was supposed to have cut down his Dad's cherry tree.  We get to go there for the Forth of July when  President Washington and several officers meet at their encampment.  Its really nice, and big, too.  Its in Fredericksburg along with Mary Washington's house and grave, and many other original historic sites.     Great fireworks, too.

[Don Coatney]

For those who want to cloud your brain more useless trivia.

 

 
Early aircraft's throttles had a ball on the end of it,
in order to go full throttle the pilot had to push the throttle all the way forward into the wall of the instrument panel. Hence "balls to the wall" for going very fast. And now you know the rest of the story.
 
*********************************
During WWII , U.S. airplanes were armed with belts of bullets which they would shoot during dogfights and on strafing runs.. These belts were folded into the wing compartments that fed their machine guns. These belts measure 27 feet and contained hundreds of rounds of bullets. Often times, the pilots would return from their missions having expended all of their bullets on various targets. They would say, “I gave them the whole nine yards,” meaning they used up all of their ammunition.
 
*********************************
In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg." (Artists know hands
and arms are more difficult to paint.)
 
******************************
As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig'. Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
 
*********************************
In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining.. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit
in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'
 
*********************************
Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced' wore a tightly tied lace.
 
*********************************
Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, sincemost games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'
 
********************************
Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
 
**********************************
At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming.. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.
 
**********************************
 

[ggdad1951]

as funny as most of those are I think many are not true.  I know that is not the etymology of "gossip".

[Don Coatney]

I am sure many are untrue. But fun to read. Ever wonder why us from Indiana are called Hoosiers?

 

Quite plausible is this facetious explanation offered by "The Hoosier Poet," James Whitcomb Riley. He claimed that Hoosier originated in the pugnacious habits of our early settlers. They were enthusiastic and vicious fighters who frequented the many taverns found at every crossroad. They gouged, scratched and bit off noses and ears. This was so common an occurrence that a settler coming into a tavern the morning after a fight and seeing an ear on the floor would touch it with his toe and casually ask, "Whose ear?"

[Plymouthy Adams]

and today...we all give thanks for high top boots....

[Dan Hiebert]

For those who want to cloud your brain more useless trivia.

 

 

Early aircraft's throttles had a ball on the end of it,

in order to go full throttle the pilot had to push the throttle all the way forward into the wall of the instrument panel. Hence "balls to the wall" for going very fast. And now you know the rest of the story.

 

*********************************

During WWII , U.S. airplanes were armed with belts of bullets which they would shoot during dogfights and on strafing runs.. These belts were folded into the wing compartments that fed their machine guns. These belts measure 27 feet and contained hundreds of rounds of bullets. Often times, the pilots would return from their missions having expended all of their bullets on various targets. They would say, “I gave them the whole nine yards,” meaning they used up all of their ammunition.

 

*********************************

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are 'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, "Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg." (Artists know hands

and arms are more difficult to paint.)

 

******************************

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig'. Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.

 

*********************************

In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining.. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit

in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'

 

*********************************

Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced' wore a tightly tied lace.

 

*********************************

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of Spades.' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, sincemost games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'

 

********************************

Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and political concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'

 

**********************************

At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming.. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.

 

**********************************

 

As good of explanations I've ever heard for these, only one I'd heard before was P's & Q's.  My repertoire of quasi-useless info is now expanded, to the future chagrin of my co-workers no doubt.  Thanks Don!