She's Got the Sweetest Little Baby Face

Little Miss Lana is growing up, and she is losing the kitten face some. She's still so cute though, that I think she still has a baby face.



Not only is she the cutest thing, she is so helpful. She is willing to join in and lend a paw wherever she can.





Don't tell the other pets, but she is my favorite by far. This week, at least.



Well, apparently the boy and the dog are jealous over this post, so I have to add a few shots of them too.





The dog is awesome too. She is by far the most affectionate of all our pets. She gives slobbery kisses all day long.





Now Mimi is so cool, she isn't even jealous that I said Lana is my current favorite. Mimi just sits in the corner and rolls her eyes at all of us. Which makes me extra fond of her the days I am trying to get something done and the other two are wanting attention. They are all pretty fabulous in their own ways. Just like people.



Living the life in Virginia!

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Ninth Grade

Crowning Glories Galore!

footnoteMaven has posted the 5th Edition - Smile For The Camera over at Shades of The Departed.

The word prompt this time around was "Crowning Glory" and the contributions of the 52 participants will not disappoint you. Please, go check them out, you'll be glad you did! My contribution was The Hover Children :: All Dressed Up.

I'm pleased to say that I will be hosting the 6th Edition of Smile For The Camera here at kinexxions! Thanks, fM, for the opportunity!

The word prompt for the 6th edition is Funny Bone. Show us that picture that never fails to bring a smile to your face! An amusing incident, a funny face, an unusual situation. Share! Choose a photograph of an ancestor, relative, yourself, or an orphan photograph that tickles your Funny Bone and submit it to the carnival.

Your submission may include as many or as few words as you feel are necessary to describe your treasured photograph. Those words may be in the form of an expressive comment, a quote, a journal entry, a poem (your own or a favorite), a scrapbook page, or a heartfelt article. The choice is yours!

Deadline for submission is midnight (PT) October 10, ...

Details for submitting your contribution can be found at Smile For The Camera.

A Visit with Geekhouse Bikes

Today I had the pleasure of visiting Geekhouse Bikes in Allston, Mass. A region of greater Boston that's just across the river from Cambridge, Allston is notorious for how dangerous it is to cycle there and I was fully prepared for a journey fraught with peril. Instead, I found myself pedaling along a bike lane followed by a series of quiet streets - at the end of which was Geekhouse, nestled picturesquely between a white picket fence and a rusty chainlink fence, amidst rows of family homes with tidy back yards offset bya sinister-looking warehouse in the distance.



When I saw this out front, there was no doubt that I had come to the right place.



Geekhouseis a small shop that has been producing their distinct custom bikes since 2002.



TIG-welded steel, clean lines, and candy-coloured powdercoat, make their handiwork easy to spot on the streets of Boston and beyond. The powdercoat is done in-house by the Geekhouse subsidiary, Sugarcoat.



While I generally prefer lugged steel construction, there is something about the "New England bad boy" look of the segmented forkon a neatly TIG-welded frame that makes me feel all funny inside. Now imagine a workshop chalk full of these forks, in candy colours... I did my best to keep calm.



The main man behind Geekhouse is Marty Walsh, who learned TIG-welding while apprenticing for Mike Flanigan of ANT and began making his own frames shortly thereafter. His work embraced the influence of ANT and the Fat Chance legacy, while developing a trademark aesthetic unmistakably his own.



As Geekhouse grew, Marty was joined by Brad in the framebuilding department



and by Gregory in the running-of-the-business department.



The sense of comradery between the three boys is endearing, and entertaining to watch.

They clearly have a good time working together,which makes for a comfortable and lighthearted atmosphere in the shop.

But getting back to bicycles - One development I find exciting, is that Geekhouse has recently made a number of beautiful custom frames for women, reflecting the increasing number of female cyclists who are opting for handmade bikes. Unfortunately none of these frames were at the shop during my visit, but here is a glimpse as photographed by others:



[image via Geekhousebikes]

This "Woodville" model is a contemporary take on the loop frame. And notice the "wooden" rims.



[image via Geekhousebikes

And a fairly classic straight step-through bicycle re-imagined in Geekhouse style.



[image by urbanvelo via Geekhousebikes]

But of course, a "woman's bike" does not have to be a step-through, especially when it comes to road and touring bikes. The bicycle above (shown at NAHBS and mentioned here earlier) was made for Bianca, who rode it cross-country for Autism, from Boston to San Francisco.



[image byurbanveloviaGeekhousebikes]

To me this bicycle is just stunning; definitely my favourite Geekhouse bike.And if the owner rode it from Boston to San Francisco, I take it that it has got to be comfortable.



[image via Geekhousebikes]

What I think makes this a remarkable bicycle, is the combination of all the practical, functional elements - the built-in mounts, the racks, the lights, the sturdy geometry - and the hyper femininity of the colourscheme. The lilac and pale turquoise are unexpectedly gorgeous together. They make the bicycle look very light, almost ethereal. I would not have thought this design up myself, but I love it - and I think it works on a TIG-welded frame better than it would on a lugged one, as combining lugs with such vivid colours would have been overkill. This is also why I think the bright colourschemes of the lugless Brompton work so well, and why I love the TIG-welded truss frame by ANT: Sometimes, just sometimes the clean joints afforded by the lack of lugwork are more fitting to the overall personality of a bicycle.



The personality of Geekhouse bikes is certainly distinct, and I look forward to a possible test ride... hopefully something with a delicious segmented fork!

NAHBS Goes Floral

I had been looking forward to the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) and now the images are finally beginning to show up on flickr and various cycling websites. Lots of beautiful bicycles, with Randonneur and Porteur aesthetics looming large. Another theme I've noticed is the prevalence of floral designs, especially in accessories. Have a look:

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]
This handmade rack with a leaf motif is from Banjo Cycles and part of a matching front and rear rack set. These must have taken a long time to make!

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

Front rack with wooden inlays, on a Yipsan Cycles mixte.

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

Some custom "tree" headbadges by Poka Cycle Accessories. Love the look of enamel paint on these.

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

Also Lilly of the Valley headbadges.

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

And check out this beautiful chainguard, also by Poka. I would love one of these!

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

Brooks saddle, carved by Kara Ginther for Banjo Bicycles.

[image by sleepyneko via flickr]

Fleur de Lis lug/sleeve on an A.N.T Scorcher.

[image by thebicycleescape via flickr]

Bamboo frame with floral motif. This is a Bamboosero bicycle made by Bikeys in New Zealand, the floral artwork done by a Maori artist.

[image by Velo Colour]

And these magnificent floral details are by Velocolour (check out additional details here).

Looking at the popularity of floral designs at NAHBS this year, I wonder whether it reflects a growing female customer base for bicycle builders. Or perhaps these are just as popular with men. What do you think?

Border Collie

Tuffee thinks she is herding Sunny. Sunny says he is way to old to pay attention to a little dog.

Velo Withdrawal

Earlier I posted about having to stay off the bike for a few weeks after a minor injury. It is now week 2 and I am climbing the walls. My mood, energy levels, and general sense of well being have plummeted after the velo-induced high of the past few months. I want to be on my favourite path, blissfully flying past the river and the meadows!

The addictive and stress-reducing qualities of cycling that many report are fairly typical reactions to aerobic exercise. Yet, I have never had this sort of response to any other form of physical activity. I hate jogging and going to the gym, and I get worn out by any sort of sport within minutes. This makes it especially difficult to explain how I am able to cycle for hours without getting tired.

It is not long now until I am able to cycle again. Still, this "withdrawal" is difficult to endure. How do you deal with having to take a break from cycling -- be it due to travel, weather conditions, health, or other obstacles?

James Joslin :: 1840 Whitley County Federal Census

In this previous post we learned that James Joslin "of Delaware County, Ohio" purchased 80 acres of land in Whitley County, Indiana from the U.S. Government in September 1837 and that it was patented in August 1838.

We don't have a firm date as to when James and his family arrived in Whitley County but on page 227 of "Counties of Whitley and Noble, Indiana" (edited by Goodspeed & Blanchard, 1882) it shows that James Joslin was among the 12 residents of Troy Township to cast a vote in the first Presidential election held on July 4, 1839. And, in "Recollections of Early Troy by Mrs. Fannie Marrs" published on page 253 in the 1907 "History of Whitley County, Indiana" (edited by Kaler & Maring) she states "My father, Price Goodrich, landed here in June, 1838. James Joslin, John Black and Harlow Barber, with their families, came in 1839."

There are a myriad of spelling variations for the "Joslin" surname. Just change the o to a, the s to c or sc or ss or sh, the e to y or omit it entirely… so I generally use the wildcards "Jos*" or "Jas*" for searches when wildcards are allowed. Some of the spelling variations that have been found are: Jaaslin, Jaclen, Jaclin, Jaclyn, Jaslin , Jocelin Jocelyn, Joscelin, Joscelyn, Joselin, Joshlin, Joshlyn, Joslyn, Josselyn, Josslin, and Josslyn. On one occasion it was spelt Gloslin, but the vast majority of the time my particular family has been found as Joslin.

A search of the ancestry.com online census index for 1840 using the wildcard search of "Jos*" shows two households with the surname of Joslin and one Joselin living in Indiana. There was also one household with the spelling of Jocelin and two with Jocelyn. The only household in Whitley County, Indiana in 1840 was that of James Joslin. (I have viewed every page of the 1840 census for Whitley County to verify that there are no other Joslin families included.)

James Joslin is the fourth name listed on page 455. Price Goodrich, probably a brother of James' wife Abigail, is the sixth name. A portion of the record, cropped from the ancestry.com image is shown below, click on the image for a larger version.


In the Whitley County Marriage books are records for 10 individuals with the "Joslin" surname. Five of them are for known children of Lysander Price Joslin. The remaining five are:

Fanny P. Joslin to Joseph Shoemaker on February 5, 1843 (1st Book pg 68)
Lysander Price Joslin to Lydia Robinson on August 23, 1843 (1st Book pg 76)
Emily Eliza Joslin to John Long on October 12, 1854 (Book 1 pg 187)
Edwin M. Joslin to Sarah Fellows on November 9, 1854 (Book 1 pg 182)
Joseph A. Joslin to Prudentia E Noble on June 2, 1861 (Book 2A pg 55)

Given the fact that James Joslin is the only "Joslin" household in Whitley County in 1840, it has been presumed that the individuals listed in the above marriage records are the children of James and Abigail Joslin. And, yes, I am quite aware that all of the "children" listed in a household are not necessarily the children of the head of household. That fact notwithstanding, and with additional research that has been done on each of them (sources available upon request), the household of James Joslin in the 1840 Whitley County census appears to be:

• 1 male 5-10 [1830-1835...Joseph A. was born September 11, 1832]
• 1 male 10-15 [1825-1830...Edwin Mattoon was born December 17, 1829]
• 1 male 15-20 [1820-1825...Lysander Price was born May 1, 1825]
• 1 male 40-50 [1790-1800...James was born about 1796]
• 1 female under 5 [1835-1840...Emily was born December 12, 1837]
• 1 female 10-15 [1825-1830...Fanny Philanda was born October 1826]
• 1 female 30-40 [1800-1810...Abigail was born about 1805]

Wistow - Kilby - Foston - Wistow

Wednesday 8 June , with Marta - between 7 and 8 miles. Weather showery, but mainly fine.

Walk taken from the October 1997 issue of Country Walking magazine.

Wistow Hall from the road

We were so keen to look through the bridge that we missed the footpath by the church and had to turn back to it. Then we failed to take the left turn we should have taken just across a footbridge, and continued to the Grand Union Canal at bridge 78 (I think).

Lock keepers Cottage

Tenth Century church at Foston

Foston has been a deserted village for about 400 years, but St Bartholomew's church, dating from the tenth century is still in use. People had arrived to prepare for the Flower Festival when we got there.

Keep on the strai(gh)t and narrow!

A pleasant walk - a good lunch at the Dog and Gun in Kilby, but a little too much arable field walking, at low level with no real views, in the middle part of the walk - between Kilby and Foston, and a tad too much road walking - narrow verges and more traffic than I expected. The beginning third and the final third were better.

tbc





For details and map click this link

Gunks Routes: Pink Laurel (5.9)

It had been a wonderful weekday in the Gunks. After we finished up with The Seasons, Maryana was looking for a 5.9 to lead. She suggested Pink Laurel, mostly because the first pitch has a G rating. I'd never done the first pitch, but had long been curious about it. I told her my understanding was that the first pitch crux is short but polished/greasy and that some people hate the route. But I also told her I've been wanting to do it and that I'd love to lead the 5.9 pitch two. So off we went.



Pink Laurel is a two-star classic you don't often see people doing. It looks intimidating. It sits just to the right of some very popular, easier climbs like Jackie (5.5) and Classic (5.7). The first pitch ascends a corner system, with the crux coming low at an escape from an awkward alcove. When we arrived at the base and looked upward, it seemed to me like the dark, awkward alcoves continued throughout the whole pitch.





(Photo: Maryana pondering the crux alcove on pitch one of Pink Laurel (5.9))



Maryana was more than up to the task of climbing the pitch. Although there were placement opportunities, she didn't put in any gear until she got herself through the easy starting territory and into the crux alcove. Once there she placed two solid cams. At the time I was ignorant of what was to come, so I didn't know to tell her what I'm going to tell you now: I'm not sure those two cams were placed optimally. If she'd blown the crux move they would have kept her from hitting the ground, but maybe not the rock at the base of the alcove. Maryana placed the cams in the ceiling of the alcove, one in the crack on the left and one in the crack on the right. Because the cams were set back a bit from the lip, she extended the draws on both of these pieces. Better, I think, would have been to place a cam right at the lip of the roof of the alcove, clipping it direct. No extension.



But she was totally solid on the moves, so there were no worries. As soon as she stepped up out of the alcove, I suggested she place a piece ASAP, which she did from a rather strenuous stance. Then it appeared the climbing eased for the rest of the pitch.





(Photo: Maryana almost through with pitch one of Pink Laurel (5.9))



When it was my turn to follow, I saw why people gripe about Pink Laurel. The polished part of the route is short, but it is the crux. Dick tells you to undercling left out of the alcove, but this advice only tells part of the story and doesn't begin to capture the weirdness of the move. It is a committing undercling up left with very slippery feet, then a step right, awkwardly straddling a corner. Another strenuous step up and you're out of the crux.



I didn't think the moves were hard, exactly, but they were strange and insecure. Very good protection is available but as I realized watching Maryana some care should be taken to protect the crux well.



I thought the climbing above the crux was interesting and unique. The remaining alcoves went at around 5.6, and there were some funky moves required to get out of them. Before I knew it I was at the ledge with Maryana.



Pitch one of Pink Laurel was very interesting, and a little different from your typical Gunks climb. I'd like to go back soon and lead it myself.



And I'd really like to go back and lead pitch two again because I totally botched it with Maryana.





(Photo: Vass leading pitch two of Pink Laurel (5.6 variation))



Last fall I did the 5.6 variation to pitch two of Pink Laurel with Vass, sending him up on lead after I led pitch one of Jackie. This easier variation of Pink Laurel is fun (I thought it seemed pretty soft for 5.6), and it led me to believe the 5.9 version of the pitch wouldn't be too difficult, because the crux would have to be short. Both versions of the pitch, easy and hard, start and end the same way. The only difference is that the 5.6 version cuts left around the roof while the 5.9 version cuts right.



Returning to the pitch with Maryana, I set off, getting to the stance atop the prominent pointed flake (just over Vass' head in the photo above) with ease. Then I headed right, towards what I thought was the 5.9 finish. An overhanging 5.7-ish traverse around a little nose led me a stance at a shallow left-facing corner. Here I looked up and could see a big angle piton in the roof above and to my left. I thought that this piton must be at the exit to Pink Laurel, but I wasn't sure I was supposed to go that far back left to exit the roof. It seemed especially contrived to go back and left when I was already standing at an easy-looking corner that seemed to go straight to the top.



So I went straight up the corner instead of heading back up and left, and since the climbing to the top couldn't have involved any moves harder than 5.5, I knew I'd messed up.



Later I looked at the photos in the guidebook and realized I'd traversed too far to the right, going all the way to the finish of A-Gape. This climb is a 5.11 down low but the part I did is easy and from all appearances seldom climbed. Judging from the line in the book I went straight right when I should have gone diagonally up and right from the stance at the flake. I don't know how I missed the line so completely.



Now that I've avoided Pink Laurel's second pitch from both sides, I have to go back and attack it directly!

Father of Eva Rupert :: Is it John or Adam?

Online trees are certainly a “mixed bag” when it comes to reliable information but sometimes you find a gem that provides a clue or lead to follow-up on. Such was the case with the WorldConnect database of another descendant of Conrad and Eva/Eve (Rupert) Yarian. Her parents were given as John and Barbara Rupert and it had a source for her baptism - the Lower Bermudian Church in Adams County, Pennsylvania.



From her modern gravemarker in Unity Brick Church Cemetery, Columbiana County, Ohio we know that Eve was born on December 21, 1786. In addition, the 1850 census gives her age as 64, and in 1860 she is 75 years old. In both census records (Unity Township, Columbiana County) her birthplace is given as Pennsylvania.





Photo taken September 19, .. by Becky Wiseman

A resource I had found in the early days of my research (forgotten but recently reviewed) was a short typewritten manuscript titled “Some Descendants of Mathais Jurian” (compiled by Miss Cecil M. Smith, Hollis, New York, no date) It has two slightly conflicting dates for Eve's birth. On page 6 her birth is given as December 24, 1786 while on the next page it is given as December 21, 1786. It also states that Eve was born in born York County, Pennsylvania. (Keep in mind that in 1800, Adams County was formed from part of York.)



A search of the Library Catalog showed that the 1943 typescript “Church record of the Reformed & Lutheran congregation at Bermudian, Latimore Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, 1745-1864” by William John Hinke was available on microfilm.





The last entry on page 21 shows [Infantes] Eva b. Dec 21, 1786 bapt. --------, 1787[Parents] Hannes Rubbert and Barbara, [Testes] John Adam Rubbert and Margaret



Having looked for these people “out there” on the internet recently, I've found a lot of conflicting information. It seems some researchers think that John Adam Rupert and John Rupert are one and the same person. Of course, without further research into Pennsylvania records I can't say conclusively that this Hannes Rubbert (John) with wife Barbara and John Adam Ruppert with wife Margaret shown here in Adams County, Pennsylvania are the same individuals who lived in Columbiana County, Ohio. But I can say that Hannes and John Adam are definitely two separate individuals!





The first entry on page 22 is the birth of Johannes born Nov. 9, 1786 to Johannes Adam Ruppert and Margaretha with witnesses Hannes Ruppert and Barbara.



The fifth entry on that page (the last entry on the scan) is the birth of Anna Catharina born Febr. 23, 1789, bap. Apr. 13, 1789 with parents Adam Rubbert and Margaretha and witnesses Henrich Flliker and Christina.



Other family trees on the net (from some of the researchers who don't subscribe to the premise that John and Adam are the same person) show four brothers - Adam, John, Martin and Michael Rupert - with unknown parents. The first three reportedly all ended up in Columbiana County, Ohio at the about the same time.





This record is from page 71 of the Bermudian Church Records showing the birth of a son Johannes on Jan. 29, 1780 bapt. on May 14, 1780 to Martin Rupert and Elisabeth with witnesses being Peter Arnold and Margret. Is Martin one of the four brothers?





On page 73 we have the birth of Jacob on June 1, 1782 bapt. June 23, 1782 with parents Johannes Ruppert and Barbara and witnesses Georg Hermann and Apollonia.





On page 74 of the Bermudian Church Records is the birth of Salome on Nov. 5, 1782 and bapt. in 1783. Her parents were Johannes Ruppert and Barbara with witnesses being Felix Thiel and Elisabeth. As a side note, this record was on a page with births for both 1782 and 1783. It is highly unlikely that Salome was born in November 1782 if Jacob was born in June of the same year. This is a transcription of the church book so the record could have been copied incorrectly or the church cleric could have inadvertently written the wrong year.





As a final “exhibit” from the Bermudian Church Records is page 101 listing the “Communicants, 18th Sunday after Trinity, 1787.” In the first column at number 23 is Johannes Rubbert, number 24 is Barbara, wf. In the second column is number 30, Adam Rubbert.



Among other sources that I reviewed on microfilm (No. 317346) at the Family History Library was “Wills of Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties” compiled by Henry R. Baldwin, no publication date. I didn't find a will listed for John Rupert but did find an abstract for that of Adam Rupert.





This is a snapshot taken with the camera. The record refers to Book 10 page 376 with a year of 1838. Heirs of Adam Rupert were his wife Margaret, sons John and Adam, daughters Catherine married John Sheets, Margaret married Adolph Saschtebergen, Mary married John Snoke (Snook), Elizabeth married Henry Sentzenisen. Grandchildren (Sentzenhisen) May, John, Daniel, Adam, Jacob, Samuel, Benjamin, Margaret, Sitter, Eliza, Ester, Henry, Lewis. Executors were John Sheets and Adam Rupert. Witnesses were William Chain and Solomon Greenamyer.



Note that Adam's wife is Margaret and there is a son John and daughter Catherine, corresponding with the Bermudian Church records.



Armed with this information and hoping to find something to help verify that John Rupert was the father of Eve, I began looking at land records for Columbiana County, Ohio.