More about the Fair at New Boston

On September 4th Rena, Scott and I went to the Fair at New Boston near Springfield, Ohio (see previous post).  This Colonial era fair draws a lot of reenactors from quite a distance.  Among those who travel to Springfield from South Central Kentucky are Gerry and Maria Barker.  The Barkers take horses and oxen to reenactments throughout the year to demonstrate how they were the "trucks" of that time period.  Especially fascinating to me was the team of oxen.

The wagon is patterned after wagons available in the late Eighteenth Century.  The wooden bucket suspended from the rear axle contains (surprise!) axle grease.  Gerry has just finished hitching the four oxen to the wagon for the morning's trek through the fair.

Notice that the left rear ox is holding Gerry's hat for him.

In the afternoon, I watched Gerry hitch the oxen to the wagon.  He talked to them in a normal tone of voice, just as he would have to a person.  The front left ox is the lead ox and Gerry talked to him the most.  Gerry had no halters or ropes on the oxen to move them into place.

Gerry just talks to "his boys" as they move into position.  The oxen regularly do real work, including logging, not just giving demonstrations like this.

The wagon tongue got hooked to the yolk of the rear pair first.

All ready to haul something, Gerry takes a few minutes to tell fair goers about the use of oxen in general, and a bit about his boys as well.  Perhaps this is what an "eighteen wheeler" looked like in 1780.  There were many interesting things to see at the Fair at New Boston and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.  But, for me, seeing Gerry work with his oxen was worth the price of admission by itself.  (Now, if I haven't used all the proper terminology, please keep in mind that I'm an aircraft mechanic from a different century and don't know better.  I like history, though.) - Dwight

A Visit to the Eighteenth Century

Yesterday Rena and I left Coshocton, drove to Columbus where our son, Scott, joined us, and we continued to a place near Springfield, Ohio.  The event we attended is called The Fair at New Boston and is a Colonial-era reenactment held each Labor Day weekend.

My brother, Frank and his wife, Carol, portray people typical of those who lived in the late Eighteenth and early Nineteenth Centuries.  Frank is known as Parson John and portrays a preacher.  At many of the events he and Carol attend, Parson John holds a church service on the Sunday morning of the reenactment using music and a sermon typical of the time period.

Scott, Frank and I at the Fair

Carol portrays an Irish indentured servant named Maggie.  This year Maggie gives demonstrations as to how laundry was done.  She's a popular person at the reenactments, bantering back and forth with other reenactor with her quick "Irish" wit.  Not many people portray the servant class, with most preferring to be artisans, merchants, military personel, entertainers, or gentle folk.

Carol and Rena visit a moment between loads of laundry

A wealthy couple talk with a fellow who appears to be a French trapper-trader

A fire-eater at the fair

As is the case with many reenactments, there was a military battle involved.  We were at the Indian encampment when they were preparing to do "battle" with the British. 

Back safe and sound in the Twenty-first Century,

Dwight

Click here for more pictures of the Fair at New Boston

Happy Birthday Javin

Our grandson, Javin, turned 7 years old on August 31.  Since that was on a Tuesday (a school day) , we had an early celebration on the weekend before.

Get those candles blown out!

OOOH, I wonder what this is!

Some assembly required. Javin and Dwight put his new toy crane together.

For more pictures click here

Gabon Blog

If you are having trouble viewing the blog link posted in the previous blog, click on this one instead.

http://www.gabonpilot.blogspot.com/

Rapid Response to Gabon

Three of our MMS men, are currently in Gabon, West Africa preparing a damaged airplane for shipment to MMS for repairs. Staff member, Dale Coates and apprentices Andy Porter and Paul Jones make up the team.

Dale Coates, Andy Porter and Paul Jones

Damaged airplane after forced landing

Pilot, Steve Straw has posted the progress being made on the project, on his blog, so check out the link below to see our guys at work.

http://gabonpilot.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-wings-have-been-clipped.html

It will be secured in a sea/land container and travel by ship and then over land. The estimate is that it will take three weeks to get here.

We would appreciate your prayers for their safety, stamina (long work days) and health.

Fresh Peaches

I really enjoy fresh peaches. They are tasty on my breakfast cereal, delightful as a quick snack, and I've been known to add a little vanilla ice cream to a bowl of them on occasion. The last bunch of peaches Rena brought home from the grocery was maturing a bit too quickly and I couldn't keep up with them. So, it was time to make a pie.

Mom taught me how to make good pie crust, but this time I must credit Mrs. Pillsbury. (She makes them in a big factory and exchanges the pie crusts for some of your hard-earned cash.)

It's ready for the upper crust.

Just out of the oven a few minutes ago, don't know how it tastes yet but I'm optimistic.