Thursday

Good morning,

Quote of the day:

“Fishing is so much like mathematics that most people will never figure it out.”

                                              Izaak Walton

I have a very talented and close friend that lives in Rutherford City, North Carolina. She is a kick-ass guitar picker, singer, harmonizer and what I treasure most…a wonderful poetess/songwriter. I am going to give y’all a treat…Here is a poem by Brenda McAfee known to me as “The Bard of The Blue Ridge”...IKYIM.

Where I Could Be Patsy

Brenda McAfee

Legs dangling from a limb, salt shaker in my hand

Green apples and imagination, my childhood combination

For flights of fancy

Queen of the hill, world at my command

Dreaming dreams beyond my means, a reverie of finer things

Utopia, my own fairyland, where I could be Patsy

Home alone, front porch for a stage

Crazy, Sweet Dreams and Wayward winds would take me away

But I never could stay

Rope on a limb, wood plank for a seat

I'd sing and swing my fantasy complete

Then there I'd be, back to reality

Queen of the hill, world at my command

Dreaming dreams beyond my means, a reverie of finer things

Utopia, my own fairy land, where I could be Patsy

My tribute to Patsy Cline.

Thanks Bard...IKYIM

Comments about Donald and Megyn:

Most of us have read what Donald Trump is supposed to have said about women that was demeaning. I did not hear it for myself so I do not know for sure if the wording I read was accurate and complete. I say this because I do not trust the media to publish everything accurately and in context if they have an agenda and most do. If it is accurate and in context then all I can say is that it was tacky as hell at best or in very bad taste at worst.

I personally was disappointed with Megyn Kelly trying to embarrass Donald by inferring he is a chauvinist pig right off the bat. I am convinced that Donald was not talking about her menstrual cycle when he mentioned “blood”. He misquoted the old adage that “he/she they had blood in their eyes” and tried to blow it off and screwed that up too. The point I am trying to make is there are a lot more important things I am interested in than whether or not Donald Trump is a chauvinist. Megyn said it is good journalism. I don't get it.

         This Date in History August 13

1781 On this date a Patriot force led by Colonel William Harden and Colonel Francis “The Swamp Fox” Marion sent their fastest riders to within sight of British Colonel William Fraser and his force of 450 British and Loyalist troops. The Patriot riders are spotted and Fraser sent his troops in pursuit. As y'all already have figured out, it was a trap designed by Harden and Marion. The riders led the enemy troops to a place 30 mile northwest of Charleston, South Carolina named Parker’s Ferry. Awaiting the Redcoats was an entrenched Patriot army who opened fire when they were within 50 yards and mowed down those jackasses like wheat. But Fraser was not to be outdone and ordered two more charges which would have annihilated Fraser’s troops but the Patriots ran out of ammo. Even Fraser was hit three times but was able to maintain control and withdrew from that bloodbath with what was left of his command. About this time 3,000 Patriot troops boarded ships of the French fleet that had already defeated the British Navy in the Caribbean and was headed for the Chesapeake Bay. For reasons known only to British General Charles Cornwallis, he had chosen Yorktown, Virginia to encamp his 8,000 man army with his back to the Chesapeake Bay. It is assumed that he thought the British Navy would be able to evacuate his army if necessary. Patriot General George Washington, knowing that the French fleet was on the way, saw his chance and encircled Cornwallis’ army on the land side and began a siege. As usual, General Henry Knox was close by and Washington tasked him with the deployment of the artillery with deadly effect. Cornwallis knew he was in deep shit and kept looking for the British navy which never showed up but the French fleet did and sealed off the Bay and began bombarding. Soon thereafter Cornwallis raised a white flag and asked Washington for terms. Washington demanded that all of the British and Loyalist troops to stack arms and all of Cornwallis’ officers to surrender their swords indicating unconditional surrender. Cornwallis showed no class when he sent one of his officers instead of himself out with his sword to give to Washington. The Patriot army took 8,000 prisoners and control of hundreds of muskets and artillery pieces. Essentially, after years of blood, sweat, misery and tears, our war for independence was over.

1940 On this date the Battle of Britain began. Earlier the head of the German Air Force, Field Marshall Herman Goering, had persuaded Adolph Hitler that the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) could bring Great Britain to her knees with air power alone. Hitler agreed and on this day the German sent 1,500 aircraft across the English Channel to destroy the English Air Force (RAF) and then Hitler would unleash Operation Sea Lion which would be the amphibious invasion of England. The first thing Goering wanted to do was destroy the English radar system that warned the British Air Force of the arrival of the German aircraft. On the first raid only one of the British radar units was destroyed and only five were damaged. Then for some crazy reason, Hitler and Goering decided that the radar was not important and the wholesale bombing of the major cities in England was more important to break the spirit of the English people. So they sent wave after wave of bombers and bombed the hell out of many of England’s largest cities. The people of England withstood that bombing with bulldog determination whilst their radar units warned the British of the incoming German bombers and they got their Spitfires and Hurricanes airborne and were waiting when the bombers and fighters arrived and blew the hell out of them. On October 31 Hitler and Goering decided that they could not stand the losses the English pilots were inflicting and said to hell with it and the bombing and Operation Sea Lion went down the toilet. The RAF had prevailed in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. Winston Churchill said about these pilots “Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” Amen, Winston, Amen.

      Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow