The Flail

 Looking for something to post, I came upon the photos I had taken of a farming implement at the Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Historical Society of Williamsport, PA.  We visited there at the end of October.

In a room with lots of old time stuff I saw the flail.  We have one of these that we found in the barn.  We never really knew what it was for until a neighbor in town described how it was used.  He didn't put a name to it though.

I have no idea how old ours is but I can't imagine it was in use in the 20th century.  I don't have a photo of ours and it's cold, wet and dark outside as I write this so you'll just have to believe me that ours looks just like the one hanging there.  Two rods fastened together with a leather thong (I don't think ours is eel skin), with one rod shorter than the other.

I plan to print up the description and mount it next to the flail so others will now know what it is.

These came to me under the heading 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s

 

The question should be "Who still eats this?"

This wouldn't even be my daughters but may one day be the granddaughters but hope not.

 

I loved to get this candy when I was at camp in the 60s.

This would be Dan with his brother Dennis next to him.  We didn't have a TV until the late 50s and  even when we did, I wasn't allowed to watch much Saturday morning TV.

To be continued.

My Father's Words

 My father was a Presbyterian minister.  He died in 2007.  At the time of my mother's death in 2013, my youngest daughter took home the file box with Dad's sermons, well some of them.  She thought she'd have time to read through them.  Work and motherhood prevented that so the box came to me. 

It wasn't until last fall that I got it out to find some sermons to send to my brother in law, Jerry, when he inquired about them because he wanted to help his pastor who had long Covid.  His thought was he could read them in her stead on several Sundays while she recuperated and the church found others to fill the pulpit.

She has since returned to ministering but was impressed with one sermon in particular and asked Jerry to give it this Sunday the 15th since she was going to be away.

If you want to hear him go to this YouTube link  and scroll to minute 35 for the sermon.

All my siblings tuned in live or later to hear our father's words.  It was very moving.

Thank you, Jerry.

Hakeem Jeffries

Barbara of When I was 69 (now 80) posted a link to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' speech to Congress in her post this week.  I had read portions of the speech but not heard it in entirety.  It is magnificent.  Check it out if you haven't heard it.

But at least read below his closing - a stunning use of alliteration.

 “We will never compromise our principles. House Democrats will always put American values over autocracy. Benevolence over bigotry. The Constitution over the cult. Democracy over demagogues. Economic opportunity over extremism. Freedom over fascism, Governing over gaslighting. Hopefulness over hatred. Inclusion over isolation, Justice over judicial overreach. Knowledge over kangaroo courts, Liberty over limitation. Maturity over Mar-a-Lago. Normalcy over negativity. Opportunity over obstruction, People over politics. Quality of life issues over QAnon. Reason over racism. Substance over slander. Triumph over tyranny. Understanding over ugliness. Voting rights over voter suppression. Working families over the well connected. Xenial* over xenophobia. Yes, we can over you can’t do it, and zealous representation over zero sum confrontation.”

*xenial means hospitality.