Among the pictures I took at the reenactment in New Market were two that showed a soldier who appears to be of Asian descent. When I looked at the photos I mused about this: Certainly there were some Asian-Americans who fought in the Civil War.
Yesterday I happened across confirmation in the Historical Markers Database: a marker in Ohio called Asians in the American Civil War. Sadly, many of these veterans were denied citizenship because of exclusionary laws.
May 31, 2010
May 30, 2010
Historic Mt. Zion Church
Near Aldie, Virginia
Mt. Zion has stood near Aldie and Gilbert's Corner since 1851. You might easily miss it because a traffic circle has been built at it's entrance on Route 50.Above: Markers Commemorate Union Soldiers who were killed here in a Civil War cavalry engagement with Mosby's Rangers.
Below: Text of Historical Marker
"Mt. Zion Old School Baptist Church was founded in 1851. Just west of the church is a graveyard containing many 19th century grave markers. On July 6, 1864 nearby, Mosby's Rangers attacked and routed 150 Union cavalrymen. Over 100 Union soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. Mosby had eight men wounded, one mortally. The church is site of the annual Thomas family reunion founded 1934."
May 29, 2010
Prospect Hill
Professor Poland at Prospect Hill Cemetery
Front Royal, VA
I took this photo last weekend on a field trip with a NVCC history class. We studied guerrilla warfare in the Civil War and were in this cemetery to learn the story behind a monument to Mosby's Rangers.
Actually, I've been to this site with Dr. Poland's class twice before, in 1994 and 2003. Visit this Mosby tour page from 2003.
Labels:
Civil War
Squirrel on the Deck
This fellow discovered that little bits of suet fell on the deck from the feeder that we put up for woodpeckers. Those pieces also made the deck slippery, so this afternoon I moved the suet feeder. I hammered in a nail on the outside of the rail and hung it there. (Sorry, Charlie.)
Labels:
Squirrels
May 28, 2010
Hillside by a Country Road
Since we live in a pretty area, I like to vary the route home in order to explore the countryside. This green pasture lies near the east side of Supinlick Ridge in Shenandoah County.
Labels:
Farms,
Misc. Animals,
Shenandoah
May 27, 2010
May 26, 2010
New Market Reenactment, Sunny Day
The actual Battle of New Market took place on a rainy day but the 2010 reenactment fell on a beautiful sunny day. I imagine most of the participants were happy with the nice weather. Losing your shoes in mud (as happened to many soldiers in 1864) would not be fun.
The troops with the white (and colored emblem) flag represent the VMI cadets.
The troops with the white (and colored emblem) flag represent the VMI cadets.
Labels:
Civil War,
Horses,
Living History
May 25, 2010
Who's a Photographer?
Or should I ask, Who's not?
Labels:
Civil War,
Living History,
Photo Techniques
May 24, 2010
Why the Valley Was Vital
During the American Civil War, the Shenandoah Valley was hotly contested, turning the beautiful countryside into battlefields and buildings into hospitals. In a recent book, Professor Jonathan Noyalas gave this overview of the Valley's strategic importance:
First, the Valley supplied numerous resources to the Confederacy, particularly forces operating in Virginia — the heart of the Confederacy. The materials that Valley farmers supplied the Confederate troops earned the Valley the nickname the "Breadbasket of the Confederacy." Additionally, the Shenandoah Valley served as an avenue of invasion for Confederate armies into the North and also served as a point from which Confederate forces could threaten Washington, D.C. Due to its strategic location, Confederate war planners also utilized the valley as a place from which to create a diversion and alleviate pressure against Richmond. Union forces likewise looked to the Valley as a point from which they could protect Washington, D.C., disrupt invasion and diminish the Valley's capacity to supply food and material to the Confederate war effort.
Labels:
Books,
Civil War,
Shenandoah
Cavalry Picture (Filtered)
At the New Market Reenactment
I used several filters in Photoshop to make this picture look painterly. To see a larger version, click on the image.
Labels:
Horses,
Living History,
Photoshop
May 23, 2010
Scene at a Reenatment
Battle of New Market
I filmed this brief video at the 2010 Reenactment in New Market, Virginia. We see Confederate artillery on the left in front of the zig-zag rail fence. The Union Cavalry charge seemed tamer than I expected, but I suppose they did not want to risk harming the horses. In any case, the action was much enjoyed by the audience.
Labels:
Civil War,
Horses,
Living History
May 22, 2010
May 21, 2010
May 20, 2010
Beauty at the Battlefield
Reenactment 2010
New Market, Virginia
I'm sure there are times when the long dresses in styles of the 1860's become hot and uncomfortable, but these women seem to be having fun.
Labels:
Civil War,
Living History
May 19, 2010
Dressed for History
Ladies at the New Market Reenactment
Labels:
Civil War,
Living History
May 18, 2010
Relaxing at the Bushong Farm
Labels:
Civil War,
Living History
May 17, 2010
May 16, 2010
Another Diet Disappointment
It's been a while since I tried dieting but the doctor said I was my A1C test shows I am at risk for diabetes. The nutritionist gave me lists of the glycemic value of foods and said that following the plan should help me lose a few pounds and keep my blood sugar down. She tried to make it sound easy but I knew it wasn't. I was already on a restricted diet for multiple food allergies.
Still, I tried hard to follow her advice. At her suggestion, I tried hemp protein and chia fiber, but they both made me ill. I read two books on low-glycemic diets and a third book on blood glucose levels. Although I've followed a fairly low-carb diet for many years, I tightened it up by cutting out white rice and baked potatoes, and I added in a little more protein.
So I did the homework but failed the exam. In the first two weeks, I gained two pounds. My energy levels dropped and I started having episodes that felt like low blood sugar, and my already-low blood pressure dropped a couple of points. Just walking up the driveway left me dizzy. The nutritionist recommended some supplements that didn't seem to help much.
Another two months passed and I gained two more pounds. I admit that I am snacking a bit when those weak and dizzy spells hit me. And now my energy is finally coming back, but I don't know whether it's because of the snacks or because I'm getting to bed earlier.
The only reducing diet that resulted in weight loss for me was Atkins. Unfortunately it had digestive side-effects that made it unhealthy for me.
Years ago I went on a 1600 calorie diet and gained weight. I cut back to 1400 calories and stopped gaining but did not lose even though I was careful and wrote down the calories in everything I ate. Then I cut back even further and finally lost 4 pounds... but it took 4 months. By then I felt exhausted and my skin was so dry from cutting out fat that it was cracking. A visit to the doctor and a blood test set me straight. The doctor said I wasn't getting enough protein and needed to get off the diet. I did, of course. But I often wonder if that severe dieting might have caused some permanent damage since my food allergies and sensitivities really started multiplying after that.
[Foods I actually test "allergic" to include wheat, baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, black pepper, black tea, white beans, and white fish. I won't bore you here with the list of additional foods that I cannot digest without severe symptoms.]
Labels:
Health
May 15, 2010
Iris in Our Yard
These are blooming right now. We've planted a nice selection of iris over the past few years because the deer don't eat them like they do many flowers.
We bought them at local stores, yard sales, and from Exline Iris Gardens which we visited a year ago.
Labels:
Gardens
May 14, 2010
Photo Tour of Lee's Retreat
I've finally posted a series of pages on my Civil War Field Trips site covering last year's tour following Lee's Retreat to Appomattox. They replace a page of photos from our 1998 version of the same tour.
I posted many of the 2009 tour photographs on this blog a year ago. It was time to get them duplicated on the other site because this year's field trips start a week from today!
I posted many of the 2009 tour photographs on this blog a year ago. It was time to get them duplicated on the other site because this year's field trips start a week from today!
Labels:
Civil War
May 13, 2010
This Weekend at New Market
The Civil War Battle of New Market
and Living History
May 15 and 16, 2010
in the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley
Link: New Market Reenactment
Labels:
Civil War,
Fences,
Shenandoah
The View from Packsaddle Ridge
On Sunday we took a ride in the country and found ourself near Packsaddle Ridge Golf Course so we stopped there and looked around. It's on the western slope of Massanutten Mountain near Keezletown. |
It's pretty country there, with mountain scenery like we have here in Shenandoah County.
Labels:
Massanutten Mtn.,
Recreation
May 12, 2010
Notes on Naming Files
Recently I have had a couple of requests for digital photos that I took a few years ago. They took a while to find because at the time I filed them chronologically but didn't have a consistent system for naming them. Thus it took me longer than I would have liked to find them.
They were "filed" before I worked out a system of renaming every picture as I downloaded it from the camera. Now I do this using Adobe® Bridge and I'll describe the process in case you need a system for doing this.
In this case, I put them in a folder on my computer that I created for the current month. If they were for a particular website other than my blog, I would use a special folder for that site.
P.S. You can search from Bridge and see a display of pictures found.
They were "filed" before I worked out a system of renaming every picture as I downloaded it from the camera. Now I do this using Adobe® Bridge and I'll describe the process in case you need a system for doing this.
I copy files off the camera frequently, often the same day as I take the photographs. This way I minimize the chance of losing them, plus I can keep my blog up to date with fresh images.
Above: Here I've inserted a memory card from a camera and navigated to it in Adobe Bridge. I've highlighted the pictures that are of the same place because I can give them the same name followed by a number.
Above: Here I've inserted a memory card from a camera and navigated to it in Adobe Bridge. I've highlighted the pictures that are of the same place because I can give them the same name followed by a number.
In this case, I put them in a folder on my computer that I created for the current month. If they were for a particular website other than my blog, I would use a special folder for that site.
After I've saved all the new photos with appropriate names, I can open this month's working folder in Bridge and click on an image to open in Photoshop. Usually I brighten the photo and crop if needed.
Since I process a fair number of photos this way, I've create another folder for the files that I've worked on this month and I save them there as Photoshop (PSD) files. I also have a folder for pictures that are ready to print, but that's another story.
Every day or so I back up my computer, an easy process because of an Apple® program called Time Machine. Even if I change computers, I'll be able to find photos on the storage device by searching by name or date.P.S. You can search from Bridge and see a display of pictures found.
Labels:
Photoshop
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