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In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776,
THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. ______ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That, to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and organizing its Powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. ______ He has refused his Assent to Laws the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. ______ He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. ______ He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of People, unless those People would relinquish the right of Representation in the legislature; a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. ______ He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. ______ He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing, with manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the People. ______ He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. ______ He has endeavoured to prevent the Population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. ______ He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers. ______ He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. ______ He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance. ______ He has kept among us, in times of Peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. ______ He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power. ______ He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: ___ For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: ___ For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: ___ For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: ___ For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: ___ For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: ___ For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: ___ For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: ___ For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: ___ For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his protection, and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People. He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens, taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions, We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in GENERAL CONGRESS assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, DO, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly PUBLISH and DECLARE, That these United Colonies are, and of Right, ought to be free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Bri tain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that, as FREE and INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. AND for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
JOHN HANCOCK, President
Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary
New Hampshire: JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON
Massachusetts-Bay: SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY
Rhode Island: STEPHEN HOPKINS, WILLIAM ELLERY
Connecticut: ROGER SHERMAN, SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OLIVER WOLCOTT
Georgia: BUTTON GWINNETT, LYMAN HALL, GEO. WALTON
Maryland: SAMUEL CHASE, WILLIAM PACA, THOMAS STONE, CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON
Virginia: GEORGE WYTHE, RICHARD HENRY LEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENJAMIN HARRISON, THOMAS NELSON, JR., FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, CARTER BRAXTON.
New York: WILLIAM FLOYD, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS LEWIS, LEWIS MORRIS
Pennsylvania: ROBERT MORRIS, BENJAMIN RUSH, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN MORTON, GEORGE CLYMER, JAMES SMITH, GEORGE TAYLOR, JAMES WILSON, GEORGE ROSS
Delaware: CAESAR RODNEY, GEORGE READ, THOMAS M'KEAN
North Carolina: WILLIAM HOOPER, JOSEPH HEWES, JOHN PENN
South Carolina: EDWARD RUTLEDGE, THOMAS HEYWARD, JR., THOMAS LYNCH, JR., ARTHUR MIDDLETON
New Jersey: RICHARD STOCKTON, JOHN WITHERSPOON, FRANCIS HOPKINS, JOHN HART, ABRAHAM CLARK
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Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!
On July 4, 1776, the same day that the Continental Congress of the thirteen United States of America declared independence from Great Britain, Congress named the first committee to design a Great Seal, or national emblem, for the country. The United States of America needed an official symbol of sovereignty to formalize and seal international treaties and transactions with other countries of the world. It took six years and three committees consisting of the works of 14 individuals before Congress finally accepted a design on June 20, 1782.
On this day, Charles Thomson, the head of the third and final committee commented on the symbolism of the design. It is the only official explanation offered about the meaning of the Great Seal. He said:
The Shield is composed of thirteen stripes that represent the several states joined into one solid compact, supporting the chief which unites the whole and represents Congress. The stripes are kept closely united by the chief and the chief depends upon that union and the strength resulting from it.
The motto E Pluribus Unum alludes to this union.
The shield is born on the breast of an American Eagle without any other supporters to denote that the United States of America ought to rely on their own virtue.
The Olive Branch and Arrows denote the power of peace and war which is exclusively vested in Congress.
The Constellation of thirteen stars denotes a new state taking its place and rank among other sovereign powers.
The Pyramid signifies strength and duration.
The Eye over it and the motto Annuit Coeptis allude to the many signal interpositions of providence in favor of the American cause.
The date 1776 underneath is that of the Declaration of Independence and the words Novus Ordo Seclorum under it signify the beginning of the new American Era, which commences from that date.
The following information is in addition to his explanation.
Symbolism of the Shield: The shield is composed of the blue Chief (top horizontal bar) and the red and white Pales (thirteen vertical stripes) which represent the several states all joined in one solid compact entire, supporting a Chief which unites the whole and represents Congress. The motto alludes to this union.
The stripes are kept closely united by the Chief, and the Chief depends upon the union and the strength resulting from it for its support to denote the Confederacy of the United States of America and the preservation of their union through Congress.
E Pluribus Unum: This is written on the scroll carried in the beak of the American bald eagle. The general meaning of each Latin word is clear: Pluribus is related to the English word: "plural." Unum is related to the English word: "unit." E Pluribus Unum describes an action: Many uniting into one. An accurate translation of the motto is "Out of many, one" - a phrase that captures the symbolism of the shield.
The American Bald Eagle, a majestic symbol of the United States, is holding in his right talon an Olive Branch, and in his left a Bundle of Thirteen Arrows depicting the notion that the United States is a country born of peace but is prepared for war to maintain that peace.
Charles Thomson specified a bundle of arrows, and in his preliminary sketch showed the thirteen arrows tightly aligned – a symbol of "strength in unity" that's found in the traditional cultures everywhere, from the Romans to the Iroquois: Sticks alone can be broken by a child, but sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.
There is nothing special meant by the shape of the stars or the shape they all make in the Constellation. Stars have been depicted as having five points or six points at the artist's discretion. The American Flag has stars as five points which were made the same for the seal's constellation. But to keep everything uniform the thirteen stars also form a six point star symbolizing the unity of the constellation.
Annuit Coeptis: This is found on the reverse side of the seal over the Triangle containing the Eye. The following is the translation of each Latin word. Annuit means to nod assent, to favor, to smile upon. Coeptis means undertakings, endeavors, beginnings.
Annuit Coeptis means "favors (lit., gives the nod to) undertakings." The subject must be supplied. Who favors? The Eye (Providence) does. The verb Anuit can be either present tense or perfect tense, therefore an accurate translation of the motto is: "Providence favors our undertakings" or "Providence has favored our undertakings." (The word "our" is supplied.) It has also been translated as: "He favors our undertakings"
The Eye of Providence: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." – Closing sentence of the Declaration of Independence
The eye was originally suggested by Pierre Du Simitière, the consultant and artist on the first Great Seal committee appointed July 4, 1776. He specified: "The Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the Shield and beyond the Figures."
On the base of the pyramid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI which is the Roman Numerals for 1776 the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Novus Ordo Seclorum: This is displayed underneath the pyramid. Although Thomson did not provide an exact translation of the motto, he explained its meaning in conjunction with the date 1776 on the foundation of the pyramid: "The date underneath is that of the Declaration of Independence and the words under it signify the beginning of the new American Era, which commences from that date."
1776 was so iconic, that even though there were 14 states by the time the Great Seal was adopted in 1782, the number of stripes and stars and arrows was set at 13, the number of states in 1776.
Novus means new, young, novel, or renewed. Ordo means order, row, or series.
Seclorum means ages, generations, or centuries. An accurate translation of Novus Ordo Seclorum is "A New Order of the Ages," but the meaning of this motto is better understood when seen in its original context.
There are several conspiracy theories on what Novus Ordo Seclorum means. It does not mean "new world order." Novus Ordo Seclorum is an 18th-century Latin phrase (derived from a 1st-century B.C. one). Seclorum is a plural form and if translated word for word it would read: New Order Ages not New World(s) Order! Charles Thomson specifically said the motto refers to the new American Era commencing in 1776.
Whatever the meanings supposed or actual the Great Seal of the United States of America is dramatically impressive and is recognized the world over, as a show of strength, unity, and dignity of which it represents.
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On May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory, Leland Stanford, the head of The Pacific Union Express, drove a "Golden Spike” into a pre-drilled polished California Laurel tie as the ceremonial final spike to join the rails of the First Transcontinental Railroad (also known as the “Overland Route”) across the United States connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific. David Hewes, who was a good friend of Leland, donated the 18 carat gold spike. The railroad was considered by some to be the greatest technological feat of the 19th century.
In anticipation of the ceremony, Union Pacific No. 119 and Central Pacific No. 60 (better known as the Jupiter) locomotives were drawn up face-to-face on Promontory Summit, separated only by the width of a single tie. The locomotives were drawn so close together that the crowd of more than 3000 pressed in tight to witness the event.
The accuracy of the account from that point forward is uncertain but it is known that the golden spike and the laurel tie were removed and replaced with a regular iron spike and normal tie. At 12:47 p.m., Stanford and Hewes drove the last iron spike finally completing the line. Supposedly they both missed the spike allowing some levity with the crowd which included a majority of spike drivers, but the single word "done" was nevertheless flashed by telegraph around the country.
In the United States, the event has come to be considered one of the first nationwide media events. The country erupted in celebration upon receipt of the message. Complete travel from coast to coast would be just one week or less instead of six months or more. This however publicized, was not really a complete Transcontinental Railroad, not until 1873 as passengers and freight trains had to be ferried across the Missouri River prior to then. On March 25, 1873 the Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge opened and directly connected the East Coast to the West Coast making it then an official Transcontinental Railroad, almost four years after the “Golden Spike” had been driven.
On June 4, 1876 an express train named the Transcontinental Express arrived in San Francisco via the Transcontinental Railroad only 83 hours and 39 minutes after it left from New York City.
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Back sometime in 1917 Henry Sterling Chapin, Commissioner of Education of New York State had an idea for a national contest to create a creed for the citizen’s of the United States of America. It was to be a brief summary of the American political faith founded upon things fundamental in American history and tradition.
An employee of the U.S. House of Representatives, William Tyler Page’s entry was declared to be the winner of over 3000 entries submitted. On April 3, 1918, James H. Preston, the mayor of Baltimore, presented an award to Page in the House of Representatives Office Building where upon the “American’s Creed” was formally accepted for the United States by James Beauchamp Clark, the Speaker of the House, as well as Henry Chapin. The proceedings relating to the award were printed in the Congressional Record of April 13, 1918.
In 1919, William Tyler Page was elected Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. When the majority party in the House changed thirteen years later, the position of Minority Clerk was created specifically for him. William Tyler Page held this position until he died on October 19, 1942.
In discussing on how he decided on the wording of the Creed, Page said: "It is the summary of the fundamental principles of the American political faith as set forth in its greatest documents, its worthiest traditions, and its greatest leaders." It uses passages and phrases from the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Daniel Webster's reply to Robert Y. Hayne in the Senate in 1830.
“The American’s Creed”
I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon the principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.
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As everyone knows March 17th is St. Pratricks Day. But why is this day so famous? To find out one must start with the saint himself.
An apostle of Ireland it is believed that St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on the 17th of March, 493 AD. He was born in Briton, now known as Kilpatrick, to a Roman Family of some importance. The legend goes that at the age of sixteen he was kidnapped by Irish marauders and sold as a slave, forced to tend to his master’s herds. During his enslavement he took to prayer, whereupon an angel appeared to him and consoled him to leave his cruel master and start his ministry.
His journey would take him back to Briton where he became a priest and heard the call to go deep into Ireland and convert the druids to the Catholic faith. Some druids, who were set in their pagan beliefs, decided they would try to stop Patrick and destroy his ministry.
However, Patrick fought back, not with might, but with miracles! His first miracle was to turn a chieftain’s arm to stone as the chieftain swung a sword at him. The chieftain, so taken aback by this, swore allegiance to Patrick who then changed his arm back to flesh. The chieftain then gave Patrick a large barn to hold his services in. Today a church and monastery is on that very spot.
Patrick continued to perform miracles and preach his ministry. He used the three leaves of the Shamrock to teach about the “Holy Trinity” or the “Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost” of the Catholic Faith. His powerful miracles brought him fame. So much so, that when his former master heard that Patrick was approaching his town, he set fire to his mansion and cast himself into the flames rather than be vanquished by his former slave.
Patrick continued his ministry into Ireland where he reached the town of Tara. The chiefs, the Brehons, and the druids assembled together on Easter Sunday, March 26th, 433 AD to vanquish Patrick and keep him from destroying their pagan ways. The story goes that the druids and magicians conjured up a dark cloud over the land. Patrick removed the cloud and let the light of the sun shine upon the land. Seeing this, the Arch-Druid Lochru, lifted up high in the air. Patrick knelt and while in prayer cast Lochru from his demonic flight and smashed his body onto a rock. All of Ireland was set free that day to practice the religion that Patrick brought to them.
No matter how true the stories are, Patrick's ministry covered a span of about 60 years. He founded 365 churches and monasteries and changed the ways of Ireland for the better. The Irish have celebrated this religious holiday for over 1000 years.
When the Great Potato Famine occurred in Ireland in 1845, almost a million poor and uneducated Irish Catholics immigrated to the United States to escape starvation. Due to their religious beliefs and funny accents the immigrants had trouble finding jobs. After they paraded and celebrated their first St. Patrick's day in their new country, the newspapers portrayed them in cartoons as barbaric and as drunk monkeys. It wasn't a promising start for the Irish.
However, within a couple of years the Irish had organized, and with their numbers, their voting became powerful. They became known as the "Green Machine". Parades during St. Patrick’ Day now became a show of strength for Irish Americans, as well as the political candidates who joined them. In 1948, President Truman attended New York City’s St. Patrick's Day parade, a proud day for the Irish who struggled to fight the stereotypes and racial bigotry afforded them just a year before. All of a sudden it was good to be Irish and with that, St. Patrick's Day was born.
Today St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide. Parades are held all over the United States. Chicago dyes its famous Chicago River green. Everyone wears green on the 17th, and if you’re caught not wearing green you get a pinch by someone who is. Tradition is to eat corn beef, cabbage, and potatoes on this day for good luck. Parties are held, beer is dyed green, and everyone is Irish for a day!
So this 17th, raise up your pints and offer a toast to the man who made this day famous. And to all of you from us at Basil Lumber have a “Happy St. Patty’s Day”
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Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated throughout the world on February 14. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. However, the holiday is named after two Early Christian Saints, Valentine of Rome and Valentine of Terni.
St. Valentine of Terni became bishop of Interamna (modern Terni) about AD 197 and is said to have been beheaded during the persecution under Emperor Aurelian. He spread the message of true love, and it is said that he had the holiness to perform miracles, like healing the old and infirm. Not much else is known about this saint other than he is buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni.
St. Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Terni. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.
Legend contends that St. Valentine of Rome served during the third century under Emperor Claudius II. Claudius decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young men, his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. While in prison, it is believed that St. Valentine fell in love with a young girl who may have been his jailor's daughter. It is believed that he performed a miracle on her by curing her of blindness while she visited him during his confinement.
Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although this is a legend which may have been embellished, the story certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, St. Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of St. Valentine's death or burial, which probably occurred around 270 A.D, others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'Christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival.
According to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed.
Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February, Valentine's Day, should be a day for romance.
The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
In 1797, a British publisher issued The Young Man’s Valentine Writer, which contained scores of suggested sentimental verses for the young lover unable to compose his own. Printers had already begun producing a limited number of cards with verses and sketches, called “mechanical valentines,” and a reduction in postal rates in the next century ushered in the less personal but easier practice of mailing valentines. That, in turn, made it possible for the first time to exchange cards anonymously, which is taken as the reason for the sudden appearance of racy verse in an era otherwise prudishly Victorian.
Paper Valentines being so popular in England in early 1800s, Valentines began to be assembled in factories. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in mid 1800's. The reinvention of St. Valentine's Day in the 1840s has been traced by Leigh Eric Schmidt. As a writer in Graham's American Monthly observed in 1849, "Saint Valentine's Day... is becoming, nay it has become, a national holyday."
In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father operated a large book and stationery store, but Howland took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received, so clearly the practice of sending Valentine's cards had existed in England before it became popular in North America.
Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards, and starting in 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary." The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association also estimates that, in the US, men spend twice as much money as women on the holiday.
The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards.
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Many early cultures held celebrations around the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is when the sun is the furthest from the North Pole and creates the shortest day of the year. It falls on the 21st of December and thereafter the days in the Northern Hemisphere became longer. At first these celebrations were to appease the local deities so the sun would return. Later, these celebrations recognized that the sun was growing stronger and moving further North. Spring would soon be arriving!
Roman Saturnalia and Mithraism held celebrations at this time. Stonehenge has alignments for the winter solstice. The Germanic tribes of Northern Europe celebrated mid-winter with feasting, drinking and rituals. They did this most likely because the days were short, the weather was bad, and people were stuck inside. Some food, drink and fun always helped in removing that dismal winter feeling.
Several cultures, Babylonians and early Romans, celebrated a new year in the Spring. This made sense to them as there is a rebirth of life after the long winter. It was in 153 BC that the Roman Senate moved the New Year to January 1st, which then coincided with the winter solstice celebrations turning two celebrations into one.
The Chinese New Year is set by the first day of the first moon and occurs this year on February 14th and starts the year of the Tiger. Family ties and traditions are celebrated as is a “cleaning of the house and grounds” to bring in the New Year afresh.
The Jewish New Year is called Rosh Hashanah and falls on the Hebrew Calendar of 1 and 2 Tishrei or this year, September 9th and the 10th. As with the Chinese, family ties and traditions are celebrated, and remembering the past are stressed.
In Islam the New Year starts July16, the date set by when Muhammad emigrated from Mecca (A.D. July 16, 622)
The Hindu New Year, falls at the time and date the Sun enters Mesha. This year the date is March 16th. Hindus celebrate the New Year by paying respects to their parents and other elders, and seek their blessings. They also exchange tokens of good wishes for a healthy and prosperous year ahead.
On New Year's Day, people in certain countries gather on beaches and run into the water to celebrate the “New Year”. Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States are the most popular countries for this. These events are sometimes known as polar bear plunges, and are sometimes organized by groups to raise money for charity. Polar Bear Clubs in many Northern Hemisphere cities near bodies of water, have a tradition of holding organized plunges on New Year's Day.
In Britain an extra round of football fixtures (brackets) is played unless New Year's Day falls on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday.
In Vienna, Austria, the Vienna New Year Concert rings in the New Year.
The New Year's Day Parade held in London features performers, including acts from each of the city's 32 boroughs, as well as entertainment from around the world.
Ski jumping takes place on New Years Day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany, and is part of the Four Hills Tournament taking place over the New Years holiday.
In Philadelphia, the Mummers Parade is held on Broad Street. A Mummer is an actor who communicates entirely by gesture and facial expression.
Since 2008, the National Hockey League has held its annual Winter Classic, an outdoor regular season hockey game, on New Year's Day. This year, the Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1, in a thrilling overtime shootout at historic Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
In Pasadena, California, the Tournament of Roses is held, with revelers viewing the parade from the streets and watching on television, followed by the Rose Bowl college football game. This year it pitted the “Big Ten” champs, the Ohio State Buckeyes against the “Pac 10” champs, the Oregon Ducks. The Buckeyes beat the Ducks 26–17. Go Bucs!
In the Southern United States, people traditionally prepare a meal of collard greens or cabbage with black-eyed peas or pork for a year of good luck. A dime is often placed beneath the plate as a part of the tradition.
In Pennsylvania and Ohio, mostly in or near Pennsylvania "Dutch" (Deitch/German) areas, it is common to celebrate New Year's Day with a meal of pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes. The practice comes from a Pennsylvania "Dutch" tradition that dictates these foods will bring good luck in the New Year.
In all, the New Year is a time where people gather together, celebrate their lives, reflect on the past, vow to make changes, and prepare for the coming year.
So from all of us at Basil Lumber and Millwork we wish you a prosperous and healthy “Happy New Year”. We hope it’s a good one for you!
Please enjoy the following link: http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/
The holidays are upon us, and whether you are ready for it or not, Christmas will soon be here. It is at this time of year that we all feel the need to share with others our good fortune. The holidays bring out the best in us, as we celebrate with famly and friends, the spirit of giving and the magic that this time of year brings.
And if you are reading this chances are you could use a Basil Lumber "Gift Certificate". Just give us a call or drop us an email and let us know how much and to whom you would like the Gift Certificate sent and we'll take it from there. We carry all types of Hardwoods and Hardwood Plywoods perfect for making or repairing wood furniture and the materials needed to finish them. Looking for a stocking stuffer? We have small hand tools and accessories, a perfict fit for any size stocking.
Check out this month's website link; a beautiful yet easy to make Cherry Bookcase!
http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/17541/article17541.html
And from all of us at Basil Lumber "Have a safe and Happy Holiday!"
Ohio has its fair share of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The sky is brilliant red this morning as this is being written; and we take note of that old saying: “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning”.
But where did that saying come from? The first reference we’re aware of is from the Bible when Jesus said, “When in evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: For the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today; for the sky is red and lowering.” (Matthew XVI: 2-3)
Shakespeare wrote something similar in his play, Venus and Adonis. “Like a red morn that ever yet betokened, Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field, Sorrow to the shepherds, woe unto the birds, Gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to herds.” Sailors and farmers made the rhyme “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning” so they could remember the words, and the warnings. They used this and other rhymes for navigating ships and planting crops. This is called weather lore. So is it true? Can we really expect rain if the sky is red in the morning? Is there a scientific explanation for this phenomenon?
The answer in this case is yes, the conditions of the atmosphere, the type and movement of the clouds, the direction of the winds, and a little known thing called light refraction; all play a part in predicting the weather. Typically, weather moves from west to east, blown by the westerly trade winds. This means storm systems generally come from the West.
The colors we see in the sky are due to the rays of sunlight being split or refracted into the colors of the spectrum as they pass through and ricochet off the water vapor and dust particles in the atmosphere. During sunrise and sunset the sun is low in the sky, and because of the angle in relation to where we are, it transmits light through quite a bit of atmosphere. More atmosphere; more water vapor and dust particles and the more the light of the sun is refracted. A red sky suggests an atmosphere loaded with dust and moisture particles. We see the red, because red wavelengths (the longest in the color spectrum) are breaking through the atmosphere. The shorter wavelengths, such as blue, are scattered, reflected, and broken up.
Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.
A red sky at night indicates the sun that is setting in the west is shining on clouds to the east and conditions are clear to the west (because the sun can be seen setting). This usually indicates high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Basically good weather will follow. If you can see the sunset, the sky will be redder the lower it gets as it passes through more atmosphere and dust.
Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.
A red sunrise in the morning indicates that the rising sun in the east is shining on clouds to the west and conditions are clear to the east. Clouds moving from the west (especially upper level cirrus) indicate an approaching storm system. This indicates that a storm system may be moving to the east. If the morning sky is a deep fiery red, it means a higher water content as well as more dust (stirred from the storm) in the atmosphere. So, rain is probably on its way.
As far as our red sky this morning; we’re expecting rain this afternoon and according to the radar, it’s a comin’. And remember, we have the insulation, the lumber, the stain, the sealant, and the caulk you’ll need to keep the rain and “ol’ man winter” out! We still have some mulch left as well… see the ticker on the home page for pricing!
This month's home tips covers everything from caulking to mulching to making chocolate. Thanks again for visiting!
The "Gateway to the West"
The Gateway Arch, also known as the Gateway to the West, is the iconic image of St. Louis, Missouri and commemorated the city's role in the westward expansion of the United States. It was designed by Eero Saarinen and Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. It stands 630 feet tall, and is also 630 feet wide at its base from leg to leg, making it the tallest monument in the United States. Construction of the arch started on February 12, 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965. The monument opened to the public on July 24, 1967.
The cross-sections of its legs are equilateral triangles, narrowing from 54 feet per side at the base to 17 feet at the top. Each wall consists of a stainless steel skin covering carbon steel walls, rebar, and reinforced concrete. The interior of the Arch contains a unique tram system providing passage to an observation deck at the top. There are two emergency stairwells each containing 1076 steps each, in the event the tram system fails.
During construction, both legs were built at the same time. The base of each leg had an engineering tolerance of one sixty-fourth of an inch or the two legs would not meet precisely at the top. Tolerances were kept throughout the construction of the legs yet when it came time to connect both together at the center; the legs did not align properly. The south facing leg, exposed more to the sun, was warmer than the north facing leg, causing thermal expansion of the south leg and the difference in the alignment. The St. Louis fire department was called in to cool down the south leg by spraying it with cold water until the two legs aligned.
A time capsule containing the signatures of 762,000 St. Louis area students was welded into the final center piece before it was set in place.
Eleven light aircraft have successfully flown beneath the arch.
In 1980 Kenneth Swyers parachuted onto the top of the Arch. His intension was to then jump off the top with another chute and land safely on the ground. However, the wind caught his first shoot before he could discard it, throwing him off balance. He slid down the north leg to his death.
At 7:15 am on October 29, 1983, David Adcock began to scale the arch by means of suction cups on his hands and feet but he was talked out of continuing after having climbed only 20 feet. The next day he successfully scaled and rappelled the nearby 21-story Equitable Building in downtown St. Louis.
The Gateway Arch was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
On September 14, 1992 it was rumored that John Vincent successfully scaled the outside of the Arch with suction cups during the night, and performed a BASE jump from the top with a parachute at 7 am. No evidence surfaced to support his claim, and it was speculated by Park Rangers that Vincent was lowered from a helicopter onto the top of the Arch, from which he parachuted. He was jailed three months for the stunt.
On July 21, 2007, approximately 200 people were trapped in the trams or at the top of the Arch after an electrical problem occurred with the tram system. All were returned to the ground either by being taken down stairs to a service elevator, or by waiting for power to be restored. A second electrical problem caused one tram to be taken out of service the following day.
Whether you’re building an arch, a doorway, or just repairing something, Basil Lumber and Millwork has the materials you need for your project. Now, take a look at the following link for plans and advice that may help you with your project; and again, thanks for visiting!
http://www.encyclopediaofhomeimprovements.com/index.html
The Star Spangled Banner Flag that inspired Francis Scott Key is on display in the National Museum of American History, a treasure of the Smithsonian Institution.
On September 3, 1814, Francis Scott Key and John Stuart Skinner, who was an American prisoner-exchange agent, set sail from Baltimore aboard the ship HMS Minden flying a flag of truce. They were on a mission approved by President James Madison to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes, a friend of Key’s.
Because Key and Skinner may have heard of the plans for an attack on the city of Baltimore during dinner on the boat, they were held captive until after the battle. During the rainy night, Key had witnessed the bombardment on Fort McHenry and observed that the fort’s smaller "storm flag" continued to fly, but once the shell and rocket barrage had stopped, it was too dark to know how the battle had turned out. Then dawn came, and Keys saw that the storm flag had been lowered, and a larger flag with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes had been raised.
Key was inspired by the American victory and the sight of the large American flag flying triumphantly above the fort. Aboard the ship the next day, Key wrote a poem on the back of a letter he had kept in his pocket. At twilight on 16 September, he and Skinner were released in Baltimore. He completed the poem at the Indian Queen Hotel, where he was staying, and he entitled it "Defense of Fort McHenry".
The song had been set to the popular melody "The Anacreontic Song" which was the official song of the Anacreontic Society, an 18th-century gentlemen's club of amateur musicians in London. On September 17, a printer in Baltimore, anonymously printed copies of it which is the song’s first known printing.
On September 20, both the Baltimore Patriot and The American printed the song, with the note "Tune: Anacreon in Heaven". The song gained popularity, with seventeen newspapers from Georgia to New Hampshire printing it. Then Thomas Carr of Baltimore published the words and music together under the title "The Star-Spangled Banner", although it was initially called "Defense of Fort McHenry".
The song became more popular throughout the nineteenth century and bands played it during public events, such as national holidays. On July 27, 1889, Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy introduced General Order #374, allowing "The Star-Spangled Banner" to be the official tune to be played at flag raising ceremonies.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that "The Star-Spangled Banner" be played at military and other appropriate occasions. But it wasn’t until March 3, 1931 when President Herbert Hoover decreed by law that "The Star-Spangled Banner" was the official national anthem of the United States, over 115 years after it had been written.
Now for this month's link. Whether your interest is landscaping or other home topics, DIY Home Tips is the site for the do-it-yourselfer to get information about a wide range of do-it-yourself home topics. Browse this site or use the search box to look for a specific topic. Enjoy!
http://www.diy-home-tips.com/index.html
This month we commemorate the placement of the cornerstone of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty which was laid on
However there were many circumstances which could have prevented the statue from ever being… Yes, our iconic Statue of Liberty may not be here today had other forces prevailed.
Originally the Statue of Liberty was to be presented to the
Then on the U.S. side; the cornerstone of the pedestal was laid in August, 1884 after France told the U.S. it completed the statue, but the construction had to be stopped in January, 1885 due to lack of U.S. funds. And Grover Cleveland, then the Governor of New York, vetoed a bill presented by the
The statue which was disassembled in
On
At 2:08 a.m., the first of many and the biggest explosion took place. Fragmentation from the explosion traveled quite a distance, some piercing and lodging into the Statue of Liberty, which was relatively close and some slamming into the clock tower of the Jersey Journal building, over a mile away, stopping the clock at 2:12 a.m. Had the shrapnel that hit the clock tower hit the statue instead, it may have taken it down.
The explosion was the equivalent of an earthquake measuring between 5.0 and 5.5 on the Richter Scale and was felt as far away as
Property damage from the attack was estimated at $20 million (US$ 400 million in 2009). The damage to the Statue of Liberty was valued at $100,000 (US$ 2,000,000 in 2009) and included the skirt and the torch. The torch had been closed to visitors because of this, although the crown reopened this past July 4th. There are no current plans to reopen the torch. It is estimated that 4 people lost their lives.
There have been other terrorists who have threatened the statue but none have succeeded. The Statue of Liberty remains strong as does its country, standing tall and exclaiming to the rest of the world our democracy and the liberties it provides, and of which we sustain.
This month’s website features plenty of woodworking projects and plans:
http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/
Until next month, have a great August!
Let the celebrations begin. July is a month that everyone looks forward to. It starts out with a bang and then it keeps on going. But more than fireworks occur this month. Picnics, barbecues, carnivals, baseball games, and concerts are enjoyed by all. Vegetables start to ripen in the gardens, and flowers are in full bloom. July is one of those months that is full of life!
Independence Day should be the 2nd of July !
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress officially voted to approve a “Resolution of Independence”. Congress then debated and revised a written Declaration several times, finally accepting it on the 4th of July.
A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail: “The 2nd day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
Adams' prediction was off by two days, and as everybody knows, Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July, the official date written on the Declaration of Independence. And a side note; most of the delegates signed the official Declaration on August 2, 1776.
Happy Birthday United States of America!
To the Moon!
July is also the month that we went to the moon. Apollo 11 blasted off the launch-pad at 9:32 am on July 16, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center. On July 20, 1969 at 10:56 pm, Neil Armstrong stepped off the ladder of the Lunar Module and touched the Moon's surface. As he did so he spoke the famous words "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind". Buzz Aldrin joined him shortly thereafter, describing the view as "Magnificent desolation".
It was later learned that a glitch between the computer, radar guidance, and how the astronauts had been trained, caused the lunar module to miss it’s primary landing site. As the module was heading for a boulder strewn area, Neil Armstrong took semi-automatic control and started looking for a safer place to land. With Buzz Aldrin calling out altitude and velocity data, they landed in a safe spot with only 25 seconds of fuel left.
The mission fulfilled a goal that President John Kennedy had expressed during a speech given before a joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."
This July 20th marks the 40th anniversary of now that infamous day. Yes, it was 40 years ago!
What’s up Doc?
On July 27, 1940, Bugs Bunny made his first cartoon debut in “A Wild Hare”, directed by Tex Avery. There were earlier versions of cartoons featuring the mischievous rabbit, but this was the first with an actual name for him. It was in this cartoon that he popped out of his rabbit hole to ask Elmer Fudd, a befuddled hunter, "What's up, Doc?" It was the first of many meetings of the famous two characters which always resulted in a fued. It is also the first cartoon where Mel Blanc uses the version of Bugs' voice that would become the standard cherished by us all.
Bugs has also feuded with Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian, Beaky Buzzard, Daffy Duck, Tasmanian Devil, Witch Hazel, Rocky and Mugsy, Wile E. Coyote, Count Blood Count, and a host of others. Although he would always win, there was one episode in which Elmer Fudd bests the rabbit and in doing so he causes Bugs’ demise. "What's Opera, Doc?" which spoofed parts of classical composer Richard Wagner's "Ring" Cycle; the entire cartoon is sung as an opera except for one line of dialogue. After the death of Bugs Bunny with Elmer carrying him off, he comes back to life as the cartoon ends and says "Well, what do you expect...a happy ending?". Leave it to Bugs to always have the last word even after he dies.
Not to be confused with Mickey Mouse, here’s a website that will have you clicking the computer mouse:
The site offers extensive home construction and home improvement information to homeowners and features a How-To section, a Store, Ebooks, Bid Sheets, Videos, a Newsletter and much more. And remember, Basil has the lumber, if all you need is the “know-how” or a “brush-up”, this web-site will help!
Thanks for spending some time with us and we’ll talk at ya’ next month.
June is the 6th month of the Gregorian calendar. The first day of summer this year falls on June 22nd. That is also the longest day of the year in terms of daylight and is called the Summer Solstice. This means that for one day the Sun is at its highest point in the Northern Hemisphere. After the 22nd it starts it slow trek back to the equator.
So why isn’t the longest day of the year the warmest? Earth is like a big bowl of water. If you leave a cold bowl of water in the sun long enough it will turn warm. But it takes awhile for this to happen. The oceans and land masses of earth are the bowl of water and the atmosphere is like a lid. They absorb and maintain part of the energy from the sun (about 50%). The rest is eventually reflected back to outer space. So it takes about 3 months for the energy from the sun to heat the northern hemisphere to its hottest point. That is why it is warmer during July thru September than it is in May through July, though the sunlight is shorter in July thru September.
Happy Father's Day Dad!
Father’s Day falls on June 21st this year. Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd of Washington thought of the holiday one Sunday in 1909 while listening to a Mother's Day sermon at the Central Methodist Episcopal Church at Spokane, so she decided to arrange a tribute for her father.
Her father, William Jackson Smart, raised her alone after her mother died.
A bill was introduced in 1913 and
Flag Day
Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the
Back to the heat, or really how to beat the heat… now is the time to fix that deck or build a new one, raise those flower beds, or construct that shed you always wanted. We have the lumber, the nails, the screws… all you need is a strong back and the cooler days of June. Enjoy the following website to help you with those projects!
http://www.allwoodwork.com/freeplans/freeoutdoorplans.htm
Until next time; have a happy and productive June!
April showers bring May Flowers, and those flowers are starting to poke their heads thru the soil. May brings a welcome relief from the dreary cold weather, and if you are a gardener, the 15th is dear to you. That is the official day devised by the powers to be in this region that one can plant their garden with hopes that Mother Nature won't be cruel and give us one more night of frost. Ready the shovels!
Happy Mother's Day Mom!
Mother's Day always falls on the Second Sunday of May which this year is the 10th. On May 12th, 1907, two years after her mother's death, Anna Jarvis held a memorial to her mother. She then embarked upon a campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday. After several years of lobbying legislators she succeeded. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as a national holiday in honor of mothers. The International Mother's Day Shrine was established in Grafton, WV on May 15, 1972 to commemorate her accomplishment.
Memorial Day
In rememberance of those who died to keep our "Great Country" free!
Memorial Day is on the 25th this year; a national holiday and a day of remembrance, it was formerly known as Decoration Day. It commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in military service to our country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.
The Sunday before Memorial Day is always the day that the Indianapolis 500 runs. That's the day most folks fire up the grill for the first time this season! Make sure to check your grill thoroughly for gas leaks, rusted burners, etc, and replace any part that may exhibit trouble. A great way to check for gas leaks is to mix 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap with a 1/2 cup of water and brush on all connections and hoses. If you get a bubble you have a leak!
And as some of you may know, May 5th is Cinco de Mayo. A common misconception however, about Cinco de Mayo in the United States, is that Mexico celebrates this holiday as the day that it gained its independence from Spain. It is not! Mexico's official federal holiday of Independence or their "Independence Day" is celebrated on September 16.
So what is Cinco de Mayo? It is really a regional holiday celebrated primarily in the Mexican State of Puebla and commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely defeat of French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The French decided to invade Mexico to overtake the government, occupy the country, and force them to pay interest on loans owed to France's creditors. Outnumbered almost two to one, Mexico's Army defeated a much better equipped French Army and this battle became a source for Mexican pride. While significant, it is not an obligatory federal holiday in Mexico. But they did force the French out of their country.
Getting back to the flowers, we have both Cypress and Hardwood mulch to help keep those flowers looking great, at prices that don't break the bank, so come on by and get yourself a couple of bags. (See our ticker on the "Home" page for pricing on mulch.) And now, this months links:
Another great website featuring tips, tools, and projects shared by Rick and other woodworkers: Rick's Woodworking Website: http://www.rickswoodworking.ca/
More plans: Free Woodworking Plans: http://www.freeww.com/index.html
Thanks for visiting and we'll talk at you next month!
As everybody knows, April 1st is celebrated as April Fool’s Day. We’re not sure when it all began, but some folks believe it started with the ancient Romans and Celts. They celebrated the coming of spring as far back as the Middle Ages. In late March they would start their merriment, ending their fun in early April with festivals full of mischief-making and practical jokes.
Others believe that Roman mythology could have played a role. The tale goes that Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest, was kidnapped by Pluto, the god of the dead, and hidden in the underworld. Ceres could hear the echoes of her daughter’s cries and looked for her, but she searched in vain; hence the phrase “fools errands”, which later led to the practical joke of “wild goose chases”.
The most accepted theory pinpoints the Old World French celebration of their New Year. The celebration began on March 25th and ended on the French New Year’s Day of April 1st. The King of France, Charles IX, introduced the Gregorian Calendar to the French in 1582, moving New Years’ Day to January 1st, but many were not notified of the change or were stuck on celebrating the old tradition; so they were mocked and had tricks played on them the day of the old New Year, April 1st. Every year thereafter, April 1st became the day the French and eventually everyone else, played tricks on each other.
So what was the best April Fool’s joke ever played? There are hundreds, but one stands out in particular. A British radio station featured a Swiss family harvesting spaghetti pasta from spaghetti trees in 1957. Hundreds of listeners called the radio station that day asking where they could find a spaghetti bush, or how many spaghettis could one get from a spaghetti bush. Today we know that could never have happened; because as everybody knows, spaghetti bushes are mainly found in lower Italy, and cannot be grown in Switzerland due to the mountainous terrain!
And now that we have that squared away, Basil Lumber has hand-picked some of the best reserved lumber bushes around, for only the best lumber bush sticks, just waiting for your project. Hardwoods, Softwoods, OSB, Plywoods, Treated Lumber, Plywood, Fencing, and Landscape Timber, we've picked the very best for you. Come on in and take a look or give us a call, you will not be disappointed.
Let's go to this month's links before we get carried away:
A family woodworking forum where you can chat with someone online about your wood projects. You have questions, there may be someone online who can help!
Family Woodworking Forum: http://familywoodworking.org/forums/index.php
and a website featuring education and entertainment for the modern woodworker:
The Wood Whisperer: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
As always to open just right click on the above links and pick "Open in New Window" from the drop-down list. Thanks for visiting, we'll be back next month!
The early Roman calendar labeled March as the first month which was actually called Martius. Its name was given in honor of Mars, the Roman god of war. Later, the ancient Romans made January 1st the beginning of the year, and March became the third month on the calendar.
The old saying that “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” refers to the stormy wintry conditions at the beginning of the month and the spring-like mild conditions at the end of the month. An old superstition called the first three days of March “blind days” because they were seen as unlucky. It was believed that if rain fell on these days farmers would have poor harvests.
On March 1st, 1803, Ohio became the 17th State of the Union. Daylight Saving Time occurs on March 8th. “Beware the Ides of March” was a warning given by a soothsayer to Julius Caesar of his eventual assassination which occurred March 15th, 44 B.C. March 17th is celebrated by the Irish (and just about everyone else) as “The Feast of St. Patrick”, and on March 24th, Maryland celebrates the arrival of the first “Maryland Colonists” who landed in Maryland back in 1634.
This winter season officially ends on March 20th, the day that the sun is directly over the equator. As the sun moves further into the northern hemisphere, the days get longer and warmer, the tree sap starts flowing and animals such as the black bear come out of hibernation.
For us in the lumber business it marks the beginning of the “Annual Construction Season”. That’s when we see the elusive “Backyard Carpenter” come out of hibernation. They start to polish their hammers, and oil their nail guns in anticipation of another great summer of building. Decks and shed drawings are created and talked about. Words like “String Lines” and “Plumb Bobs” are spoken with high anticipation.
And Basil Lumber has the lumber you will need for all of your construction projects. Whether your looking for rot treated or fire treated, sticks or plywood, we have it, ready for you. Redwood, cedar, hardwoods, landscaping, fence posts, railroad ties, wood siding, metal roofing; we have it all! Oh yeah… and mulch, either Hardwood or Cypress, we have it. So give us a call or fax us an order and “Happy Building”!
This month's links feature a website with hundreds of free woodworking plans:
Absolutely Free Plans: http://absolutelyfreeplans.com/
and a website called 'Ol Dave's Woodshop - Where woodworkers are not all Pros
'Ol Dave's Woodshop: http://www.oldaveswoodshop.com/
Enjoy and keep a look out for an active but sleepy carpenter.
Wow, what a crazy winter we’re having. It is 67 degrees outside and the NWS has just issued a tornado watch for Central Ohio! Last week it was snow, freezing rain, more snow, then single digit temps; now sunshine! But, it is still February, and the groundhog “Punxsutawney Phil” saw his shadow which supposedly means six more weeks of winter… if you believe a groundhog can predict that. Ohio’s groundhog “Buckeye Chuck” also saw his shadow up in Marion, Ohio; so a double whammy. Ouch!!
The tradition of Groundhog Day comes from a German superstition that calls for bad weather if an animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2, the Christian holiday of Candlemas. Candles to be used throughout the Church calendar year for sacred events were blessed on this day. European folklore allowed that a sunny Candelmas Day would result in six more weeks of cold, wintry weather. There is an old Scottish rhyme: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."
So, who has been more accurate, Punxsutawney Phil or Buckeye Chuck? According to records, since 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted the departure of winter correctly 97 times. Buckeye Chuck officially started his predictions in 1979. Since then, Punxsutawney Phil (about 80% accurate) has been more accurate than Buckeye Chuck (about 70%), depending on where you get your information from.
This month's links feature a beginner website:
Sawdust Making 101: http://sawdustmaking.com/
and a website that is all about jigs:
Woodjig.com: http://www.woodjig.com/
We hope you enjoy them! We'll see you next month... Until then, think warm thoughts... 67 degrees should help!