War of Independence and Moccasin Trails

On an earlier blog, we talked about how the Railroad across Canada was built following already established Indian Trails. Well-established Indian trade network trails also existed south of the 49th and were utilized by Americans in the War of Independence. At Bennington, Vermont, in 1777, the Green Mountain Boys beat the English in an important battle that saved Vermont from British rule. They had to pull the wagons and their battery of cannons through the mountainous state to meet and beat the British. There were no roads through the densely treed mountains. Because it would take too much time to clear a navigable road, the resourceful Americans just followed Indian trails through the mountains. Where the trails narrowed, they just chopped the trees down to about 12 inches (30cm) from the ground – low enough for the wagons and cannons to pass over. The Moccasin Trails proved instrumental in the War of Independence! If you are travelling through Vermont, make sure to stop by Bennington to visit the imposing monument to the Green Mountain Boys and their leader.

Moccasin Rails Across Canada

When it came time to run a rail across Canada, engineering scouts didn’t have to look hard to find a route. The Ojibwa, Cree, and West Coast Indian people had a developed a trading trail connecting their people for centuries, no millennium. It is noted that artifacts found along the trail date back 8,800 years. This was a tried, tested, and true trail.
Politicians and land bridge builders of the day put their faith in the system of trails developed by the First Nations people and followed it as they built the X-Canada rail. When there were nay-sayers concerning the route, the policy was “follow the Indian trails”.
As one travels across Canada today, camping, a common audio factor persists no matter which little town or village one camps in: the sound of a train whistle blowing. In the distance, near, be it ever so romantic, it is there.
Indian moccasins that trod this route timelessly in the past can be heard in essence today, as the rails relentlessly pass. It’s a nice history and a great connection between peoples.
Durable outdoor men’s moccasins and ladies moccasins, made of Canadian moose hide, perfect for hiking those trails, can be found on our website at http://www.marieshoes.com/. For comfy, durable, authentic handmade outdoor moccasins visit http://www.mariehoes.com/.

Moccasins -favoured travelling shoes.

Travelling on summer vacation, especially in the camperized van, I slip out of my day shoes and into my moccasins. Whether the day shoe be runners or sandals, moccasins are my favoured choice of travelling footwear.
I take my plain, indoor, soft-soled moccasins and put them on as soon as I get settled into a trip. They are so comfy and still versatile. If we make a stop at a garage for petro, I may decide to pop into the station pantry to pick up a newspaper, or buy a treat. I just leave my moccasins on. They are soft soled , 100% moose hide and the little dust and gravel running to the store is no problem. If a stop requires me to be out and about, perhaps at a roadside rest stop, I just slip into my regular shoes. Try it just once; your moccasins will become a standard vehicle staple.
Marieshoes.com carries soft-soled moccasins. I ordered a beaded pair which work well. Marie Shoes also carries an outdoor moccasin, with a hard sole, but these I wear just for outdoors.
Happy travels!

Moccasins on Display

Hand sewn and beaded moccasins can be found in the gift shops across Northern British Columbia, Canada!
During a recent camping trip across the North of British Columbia I noticed a growing number of handcrafted First Nation products. The selection of items run the gambit from necklaces and beaded leather pouches to smoked-leather moccasins. This presence in the tourism business for First Nations people is a very positive signal. Products are displayed under glass and are regarded as the true Canadiana.
Many of these products can be found on our website, www.marieshoes.com,

Don't Complain!

Remember when you cuss that hole in your moccasin slipper, you still have it fairly good.
IN THE 1500'S
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the1500s:
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water..
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying . It's raining cats and dogs.
There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house.. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, Dirt poor. The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance way. Hence the saying a thresh hold.
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat..
Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Even on the springboard to success, you have to bounce a little." Zig Ziglar

Interesting Odds and Ends - Part 2

While grab a cup of coffee or chocolate, slip on those moccasin slippers and get ready to be entertained:

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what? A. Their birthplace

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'? A. One thousand

Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common? A. All were invented by women.

Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the year? A. Father's Day

In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... 'goodnight, sleep tight.'

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.' It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'

Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice.

At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!

Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you can read it.

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 200 7 when...

1. You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave.

2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.

3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three.

4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.

5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.

6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.

7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen

8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.

10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.

11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )

12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.

13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.

14. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.

15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list.

Quote of the Day:

"The phrase "working mother" is redundant." - Jane Sellman-

Quote of the Day

"Adversity is the stuff that shows whether you are what you thought you were." --American Proverb

Interesting Odds and Ends - Part 1

After a great walk in your moccasins, you might enjoy the following:

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'

Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden'...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S . Treasury.

Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%

The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $ 16,400

The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The first US novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments.

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: Spades - King David Hearts - Charlemagne Clubs -Alexander, the Great Diamonds - Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Quote of the Day:
"You always give one of two reasons for doing anything -- the reason that sounds good, or the real reason." -- Brian Tracy