Monthly Archives: June 2012

Emails, Blogantee & Blogotto

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Thank you for all your emails.

To Eric of Malek Fishermen’s Band in Garner, Iowa, I’m glad you had a great time in Texas.  We enjoyed your music at the National Polka Festival.  Stop by the website anytime for a quick visit to the farmlands between Ennis and West.

To Niece Jennie in Kansas City, Missouri, thank you for your kind words about “Uncle Joe and the Haunted House,” remembering Grandpa’s Tarzan stories, and weaving yesterday’s Vavilovian post into a “Baby Jeanne and the Wheat Gene” story to tell your little ones.  You have a wonderful imagination.  I can’t wait to hear one of your storytellings.

To Dr. Frank in Dallas, Texas, you win the golden coupon for catching a typo in “Uncle Joe and the Haunted House.”  The story had been reviewed by so many so many times, but you did it, you found it.  “Slats” is the proper spelling of the intended word, not “slates.”  You are a physician with a keen eye for the written word.  Have a great time reading the story to your Grandson in California.

And thank you Granddaughter Katelyn, visiting in Colorado, for your many emails and encouragements.

And to all, we thank you and extend to each the “Blogantee,” this Blog’s Guarantee, that if you read regularly, you will be “Strengthened in Spirit, Invigorated in Intellect and Elevated in Energy.”  What a deal.  It’s better than vitamins and absolutely free.

And don’t forget our “Blogotto,” the Blog Motto, “Read & Send to Me and I Will Respond and Post to You.”  Now, that’s a two-way street worth traveling.

Please send your emails to gpajim@unclejoestories.com

Have an exciting and energy-filled day,

Grandpa Jim

Vavilovian Centers, Happy Farmers and Great Sandwiches

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Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov was a Russian botanist and geneticist who devoted his life to understanding crop failures and ending famines.  A brilliant scientist, he discovered that all cultivated plants derive from certain “rough” ancestors, and these “original” versions of our modern-day foodstuffs began and first took root in a very few centers of origin located around the globe.  There may only be 8-12 of these Vavilovian Centers, and most everything we eat derives from one of these critical crop locations.

Wheat is from the Central Asiatic Center.  Potatoes and tomatoes are from the South American Center, which is amazing to me.  This means that there were no potatoes in Ireland and no tomato sauce in Italy until after Columbus discovered America.  From a culinary standpoint, you begin to taste how important these centers are and what a contribution to crops and cooking Mr. Vavilov has made.

Thank you, Nikolai Ivanovich.

As a post script, the Crepe Myrtle, though not listed as a crop, derives from the Indian Center, as does rice, which paints another fascinating picture.  There was no rice in China until after it first sprouted in India.

And as a footnote, why are these centers so important?  Consider that, with the incredible productivity of modern manipulated and custom-designed grains, there may also be sometimes hidden genetic weaknesses.  With a turn in an environmental circumstance or some other untoward catalyst adversely affecting the predominant strain of a grain, say wheat, the entire crop could be lost and the seed stock rendered worthless.

This is when the modern day Vavilov’s will scurry off to that ancient center for wheat, which is in the region of northern Iraq, southern Turkey and eastern Syria.  There, on their hands and knees with magnifying glasses, the scientists will scour the grounds of graveyards and ancient ruins, because these are often the only plots left untouched by the intrusions of modern man.  A tired researcher will find a seed of some surviving dwarf version of wheat, raise it in the air and shout with joy, because that ugly old hardy plant and its seed will likely be resistant to whatever weakness destroyed its modern cousin.

The farmers will be happy and make another wheat crop.  At home, we will be happy and make another sandwich, not realizing that we owe our lunch to a Russian scientist who just wanted to make the world a better place.

Enjoy that sandwich and have a productive day,

Grandpa Jim

Crepe Myrtles and Haunted Houses

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Good Morning.  I hope this Tuesday finds you well and being about your week.

The Lagerstroemia are blooming in Texas.  Commonly know as the Crepe Myrtle, Crepes are the official harbingers of summer in much of Texas.  A bush that can grow as high as a small tree, the crepe flowers look somewhat like northern lilacs but in favored shades of hot pink, red and white.  One of my favorites is the watermelon, which has light red flowers with dark black centers that give the impression of seeds.  Crepe Myrtles are incredibly hardy, drought resistant and easy to transplant.  I have a transplanted seedling in a pot by the front door.

Turning to our second topic, if I click on the Internet for haunted houses I am given the location of 10 nearby houses that have regular hours.  I encounter phrases like “complete darkness — game room,” “amusement park – terrifying,” “meat packing plant — getting scared,” and “old west — haunted.”  I am sure all these houses are safe, spooky and fun, and I am sure they are all busy.

A 2005 Gallup Poll showed that 37% of American believe in haunted houses.  One New York judge ruled that a seller has a fiduciary obligation to disclose that a house has a reputation for being haunted.  At least, 64 haunted house movies have been made between 1921 and 2011.  “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” was made the year I was born and it is a commendable film.  Literature is replete with haunted house stories.  People believe in them, judges rule in their favor, Hollywood films them, and authors write about them.

Clearly, there is popular support for haunted houses.  It seems that people generally want to know more about them and want to be involved with them.

I don’t know that Uncle Joe really wanted to know more about the haunted house in his story or really wanted to be more involved with that house.  As you can read, he did learn more about the house and he did get more involved with it.  Maybe that is something that all haunted houses really want.

I can’t help wondering if Uncle Joe is thinking about planting a Crepe Myrtle in the front yard of that old house?  Next time I’m down, I may just take that pot out front.  A lonely Lagerstroemia can always use a little company.

Enjoy your day,

Grandpa Jim

 

 

The Secrets from Cemetery Hill

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A new week is here!

The news from the farm is that the wheat harvest is in.

You may have noticed a header picture of the combine harvesting wheat.  Here is the picture:

Do you see the white shape on the left horizon.  That’s the white cross at the Penelope Cemetery.  Here’s a picture of the cemetery:

Now, let’s look back at the 75-acre Patch from Cemetery Hill:

This is actually one of the header pictures and it has some secrets for the close of eye. Do you see the dust rising from the wheat field beyond the first line of trees in the distance on the left?  That’s the combine working.  (Hint: if you click on the picture, many programs will expand the photograph and give you a magnifying glass for closer perusal.)  Now, can you see two white elongated shapes, one far off against the trees in the middle right and part of another on the far right?  Those are the grain trucks waiting to be loaded.  Below is a picture of a grain truck to help you spy them:

And, if you look really closely, you might be able to spot a green John Deere Tractor with a green grain buggy attached.  These are hard to see.  Here’s a picture of the tractor and buggy to help your examining:

Now, when you see the picture of the 75-acre Patch from Cemetery Hill, you know and can find its secrets.

Enjoy you day and stay alert for surprises.  You never know where they may be hidden.

Grandpa Jim

 

Summer in Texas

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The mid-day heat is upon us.  In this part of Texas, what I call “high summer” runs roughly between the Holidays, Memorial Day and Labor Day, June, July and August.  In other parts of the State, the really hot weather starts earlier and lasts longer.  By now, most everywhere is hot during the day.

In the Northern Hemisphere, June 20, 2012 is the official first day of summer.  It is not a particularly significant date on the heat calendar.  It is a wonderful date for the day with the most daylight.  On that day the sun has traveled to its northernmost extent, appears to stop, and heads back south.  The following days each bring a little less light.  This continues until December 21, 2013.  On that date, the day with the least daylight, the sun appears to stop again and heads back north.  The sun-stop days are the solstice days because on those days the sun appears to stop.  Solstice derives from the Latin words “sol” (sun) and “sistere” (to stand still or stop), which together in our favorite dead language (and it really isn’t) literally means “sun to stop.”  Now, that should get some notice.

We live on an amazing planet in a fascinating solar system surrounded by an astonishing universe.  There is always something new to learn and observe.

Thank you for visiting.  “Uncle Joe and the Haunted House” is enjoying the attention.  I hope you are enjoying the story.

Grandpa Jim

“Uncle Joe and the Haunted House” Has Arrived!

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I am very glad to wish you all a most wonderful weekend of discovery and fun.

The first Uncle Joe Story is posted under the tab entitled “Uncle Joe Stories.”  Take a peak.  Have a read.  Stay for a while.

I remember the night this story was first told.  Granddaughters Katelyn and Finley stayed over.  They camped out in the lower bedroom.  When I entered, so many stuffed animals and pillows were on the bed I could hardly see those little girls.  I sat down and we started talking.  I mentioned my Mom told me Jungle Jim stories before I slipped off to sleep.  Of course, the girls asked for a story.

Uncle Joe had told me about the Haunted House.  So, I thought, “Why not.”  I began.  At the end, the girls said the words every storyteller longs to hear, “Tell us again, please, tell the story one more time.”

After that, in the evenings when we were together, I would tell another Uncle Joe story.  Something Joe had said would somehow weave itself together and move us forward.  I would listen with the girls in wonder as the words emerged and the story unfolded.  The story was always there.  We were discovering it, watching it come to life.

My hope is that you will read this story and storytell Uncle Joe to someone close to you, and minds will open to the wonders of stories known and told and those yet to be discovered.

Have a fun-filled adventure,

Grandpa Jim