How Many Guys.....

does it take

to look under the hood

for something?

At one point, all five of them were looking. They crack me up!

Coronado State Monument

Last weekend we decided to go to see Coronado State Monument which is just to the north of where we live near Rio Rancho, NM. in the town of Bernalillo, NM. First there was a sign telling us that these were the ancient ruins of Kuaua Pueblo. Kuaua is an old Pueblo word meaning 'evergreen'. Kuaua Pueblo (pueblo means 'town') was started in the 1300's and was made out of adobe which is a mixture of mud and straw that makes a good brick. By the 1500's it is thought that the town may have had as many 1200 rooms. This town is within sight of the Rio Grande River (this day we couldn't see the river as there were too many trees). These native Americans survived by hunting, fishing, and farming. They grew many of the same things that I now grow in my garden - squash, watermelons, corn, and beans. Corn was their staple food and was ground into a meal on special flat rocks using round rocks to make a meal which they used for a flat bread. This pueblo may have been a center for much trading among other tribes. The Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
found the village in 1540 while looking for the Seven Cities of Gold, which he never found because they didn't exist. Coronado had about 300 soldiers and 800 other Indians with him as well as about 1000 horses and other livestock. They spent the winter at Kuaua. This is where the monument got it's name of Coronado. It was excavated in about 1930 but many of the ruins that were above ground have disappeared with time and now most of the walls that you can see have been rebuilt to look like what was found. There was a square kiva or ceremonial chamber found underground that had many colorful murals in it. These murals can be seen in one special room at the visitors center but photos are not allowed so that more damage won't be done to them. I did find photos of them on a website and lots of information on them as well as the pueblo at these websites. The kiva can be entered and seen at some times but not on the day we were there. I did get to go into it when I was about 17 in about 1968. http://http://www.100megspopup.com/photo4phood/swarch/coronadohistory.html
http://http://www.nmmonuments.org/coronado-state-monument


My 2nd photo shows one of the signs that you can find on a short walking tour of the ruins with information on the ruins. But the most important sign to see and remember while visiting here is the one telling you to give right of way to all Rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes are found frequently on the cement and dirt trails where they like to sun themselves, but on this day we didn't see any. There are benches made out of logs for those that need to sit and rest and picnic tables with brush shades for resting and picnics. At the Visitors center was a modern-made wood cart like the Spanish would have used when they made the adventure to find the Seven Cities of Gold. The Visitors Center has a wonderfull, cool intrance way with huge yuccas in front of it. There are signs telling what a lot of the native plants are including the barrel cactus in the last photo. The cactus had buds on it but none were open. There was a Pueblo style oven in front of the Center. These ovens are still used to bake bread in at the pueblos.

Santorini Salad for lunch and more breath taking views of Oia

We had our lunch in Oia. In a lovely tavern overlooking the Caldera.

Santorini salad and yoghurt with honey and walnuts for lunch at the Strogili tavern. I forgot to take fotos of the views down to the caldera from our table.

We ordered the usual Greek yoghurt with honey and we tried a different salad this time—the ‘Santorini Salad’ which was garnished with with fresh spring onions and topped with the local Santorini cheese. I ate them the spring onions gusto because they were chunky and sweet. I thought the feta cheese was a cross between an Emmental and a Comte.

After lunch we were back to trailing the marble and volcanic cobblestone pathways. Oia is just so lovely, you cannot simply tire from adoring it. It is like a fairtytale place during the time of the Greek gods.

Because of its popularity, the little town is literally flooded with tourists. It is nearly impossible to get a good shot without someone sneaking you’re your picture. People are walking everywhere. But as you walk farther from the centre towards the northern tip of the town where the Oia Kastro castle ruins are located, there are less people around. The spectacular sunset in Oia goes down here.

More lovely panoramic views of Oia:

Sunrise Over Cuesta

Cuesta Sunrise, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Twelve hours after the sunset hike yesterday, I was up on the ridge again, but this time for sunrise. The sunrise wasn't as dramatic as the sunset as there were no clouds to catch the light...hopefully they'll be there next time!

Bridge Across the Ditch

This little bridge that was on the pathway to the river trail is over one of the main irrigation ditches that take water to irrigate the small farms along the Rio Grande River.

Joslin Family :: 1820 Ohio Census

As we learned in this July 1969 letter from Irwin Joslin to my Grandmother, he found only one 'Joslin' family enumerated in the 1820 census in Delaware County, Ohio and that was Jonas.

Just to be sure, I recently searched the 1820 Ohio census index at ancestry.com for "Josl*" and got nine results:

• Ezekiel Joslen is in Tate, Clermont County
• Mary Joslen in Franklin, Clermont County
• Phebe Joslen in Franklin, Clermont County
• Amasa Joslin in Kirtland, Geauga County
• J J Joslin is in Deerfield, Warren County
• Jonas Joslin in Liberty, Delaware County
• Reuben Joslin in Mesopotamia, Trumbull County
• Wm Joslin in Deerfield, Morgan County
• J Joslin in Washington, Warren County

And, searching for "Joc*" found a "Luther F B Joclin" in Cincinnati, Hamilton County.

Viewing each of the pages for Liberty and Orange townships in Delaware County confirmed that Jonas Joslin was the only 'Joslin' family enumerated in those townships. Actually, I have viewed the entire Delaware County census on microfilm, looking for other families, and there is indeed only one 'Joslin' family in the county.

The Jonas Joslin household was enumerated in Liberty Township. Jonas is the second name on page 95a. A family history published by Jean Oldham Heuman in 1998/9 states that "there were two sons and five daughters" in the Jonas Joslin family but names are known only for the two sons and two of the daughters: James, Jonas Jr., Elizabeth, and Fanny. I suspect that Mrs. Heuman may have based the number of children in the family on the 1820 census. There are potentially three additional females (one aged 10-15 and two 16-25 in 1820) in the family whose names are unknown.


Based upon what is currently known about the family, the 1820 census enumeration may have included the following:

• males under 10 = 0
• males 10 thru 15 = 1 [born 1804-1810...Jonas Jr., 17, born in 1807]
• males 16 thru 18 = 0
• males 18 thru 26 = 1 [born 1794-1804...James, 24, born about 1796]
• males 26 thru 44 = 0
• males 45 and over = 1 [born before 1775...Jonas Sr., 51, born in 1769]
• females under 10 = 0
• females 10 thru 15 = 2 [born 1805-1810...Fanny, about 10, born about 1810; and one other, name unknown]
• females 16 thru 25 = 3 [born 1794-1804...Elizabeth, 18, born in 1802; and 2 others, names unknown]
• females 26 thru 44 = 0
• females 45 and over = 1 [born before 1775...Ruth, wife of Jonas Sr., about 49, born about 1771]
• Foreigners not naturalized = 0
• Number of persons engaged in agriculture = 1

The Little Blue Shack

Every time I went to the restroom while staying at the Homer Spit Campground, I passed by this little blue shack that was covered with interesting items (for lack of a better term). It seems to be the thing to do in Alaska – odds and ends of fishing and boating and other paraphernalia can be seen hanging from all manner of buildings. But the color of this little building stood out amongst the others.

And each time I passed by I wanted to stop and take some pictures, but the weather just wasn't cooperative and the lighting wasn't right – until Saturday morning (August 14th).