"Red Sky In The Morning, Sailor Take Warning..."

Beautiful early morning fog rises over the Mohawk River as Ma Nature displays her red-sky warning of the coming storms... and we really need the rains.  Area maps dated in the 1770s list the river as Mohawk's River... a historical fact to remember... our current lands belonged to the Iroquois Nation "Guardians of the East" -- the Mohawk Indian people.  

And Here The Words Evidently From An Early Meteorologist:  “When it is 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.” -- Jesus (Matthew XVI: 2-3).      

  

Image shot: 0510, 20 July 2018, from the west deck of our home, one mile south of Fort Herkimer, German Flatts, Herkimer County, NY, USA. 

Uninvited Guests Show Up For Dinner...

Tossed out some old bread yesterday for our Great American Crows to enjoy... but these guests showed up and "wolfed-down" those old scraps.  The presumed Grey Fox couple lives somewhere near our home... we see them afar from time-to-time... along with a good variety of several local wild animals.  The image of these "doggies" -- an apparent couple perhaps with a young family -- was shot through the mirrored one-way window in our walkout basement door.  Interesting animals to watch for sure -- the smaller presumed female (vixen) seems to be in charge of this late afternoon dinner, where the larger presumed male (dog) seemingly knows his place and eventually takes a mouthful of old bread and runs off to the woods to take pleasure in eating his prize untethered by permission from his dominant female better half.  We hope to see the pups if she chooses someday to let her family follow.

 

Multiple DNA Ethnicity Analysis

The directly below image was prepared for sharing on July 15, 2018, by AncestryDNA at www.Ancestry.com.  Not much has changed since their original estimate was calculated in 2012/2013.  DNA doesn't change, but AncestryDNA claims their analysis techniques frequently change and update as DNA technology and science advances.  These updates seem to have little impact in our original case. 

Note: the above ethnicity estimate tracks fairly close to our paper genealogical research.  We are as close to 100% European as statistically probable -- and must say -- very proud to be among the largest American minority group -- a true European-American! 

18 September 2018

UPDATE... Newer Ethnicity Estimates, where percentage change by AncestryDNA alleged due to better DNA scientific analysis. 

23andMe DNA results on left, new AncestryDNA on right:

Establishes again that my likely ethnicity remains close -- very close -- to 100% European origin, a true "European American."

26 September 2018

The Latest and Last Update:  Received a marketing email from MyHeritage DNA a couple of days ago announcing the firm's improved ability to accept uploaded 23andMe-DNA raw data (genotyping chip--version 5) for ethnicity evaluation under MyHeritage analysis methodology.

Presented here are the MyHeritage DNA Ethnicity Estimates:

       

An individual's DNA clearly does not change. 😏But raw data evaluation methods seem significantly variable.  The 26 Sep 2018 analysis of my 23andMe raw DNA data done by MyHeritage shows some strong variation relative to other DNA analysis firms, in particular with my estimated personal French and UK ancestry previously suggested under both AncestryDNA and 23andMe-DNA methodologies.

Cemetery Upkeep Unacceptable

Stevens Cemetery Front Gate Signage

Six southern Schoharie County and northern Delaware County cemeteries (New York State) were visited on Traditional Memorial Day, May 30, 2018.  I'm happy to report that our many ancestor's monuments located here remain in good shape.  And all but one cemetery seem to be well-maintained by highly concerned caretakers.  The single exception is Harpersfield Rural Cemetery (aka: Stevens Cemetery).  Stevens Cemetery is found in a neglected state; whereas, it is apparent the grounds have not been mowed in 2018.  Further, several mounds of autumn leaves are piled along the southern high rock wall fence, likely left there since late fall 2017.  The good news here is that the several known U.S. Miltary Veterans interred at Stevens Cemetery all had an earned freshly placed new American Flag affixed to their graves.  But the high grasses of this cemetery lawn fundamentally and disgustingly nearly cover these earned American Flags. This condition represents a high dishonor to those many Revolutionary War, Civil War, and various World War Veterans interred here. 

Cemetery view from inside front gate, dated 30 May 2018.

Stevens Cemetery maintenance is supported by a significant endowment for perpetual care of cemetery grounds.  The cited cemetery care endowment is presumed administered by some appointed competent authority, an authority who has failed in presumed cemetery oversight responsibility.

Marginal cemetery maintenance at Stevens is an ongoing problem noted over the past several years, but this year has reached a totally unacceptable level of neglect.  The cemetery perpetual care administrators are respectfully and forcefully asked to take swift action to engage a more patriotic and care-minded paid cemetery maintenance crew. The current Stevens Cemetery maintenance situation is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!  Simply put, for goodness sake -- a detailed cemetery lawn maintenance activity must be done about one week (+/- a couple days) PRIOR to Memorial Day!

Presented below are a few gravesite photos dated 30 May 2018.  Note:  The weed-eating noted was done by the post author using a limited battery-operated device on the morning of Traditional Memorial Day 2018.  

Revolutionary Soldier Captain James Smith, his wife Mary Hubbard, their son Nehemiah and wife Hannah Guernsey and family.

Graves of Colonel Joel Mack and wife Susannah.
.

Revolutionary War Soldier James Smith Jr. and wife Elizabeth Shailer.  James is the son of aforementioned Captain James and Mary Hubbard Smith. 

Respectfully submitted,

DJ Paul, CWO4 (ret.)

United States Navy

German Flatts, NY, USA

  

**------** GO GO GO Goooo "Jedi Judge" **------**

"May The Fourth Be With You..."

ALL RISE!

This Just Is Not Right...

On my ATV yesterday proceeding to the back lot to tend our new Norway Spruce Tree plantings.  So what is that blob in the center of our grove of Pussy Willow Trees?  A close-up image shows we now seem to have a porcupine taking up residence near our evidently tasty Pussy Willows.  This needled-thief is observed cutting the tree new growth, enjoying some in place and tossing the rest to the ground for a suspected later night feeding.     

 

Okay, we love watching our many resident local wildlife species, but not so sure about this individual.  Well, he (or hopefully not she with young ones) has tentatively been named with the working-title "Porky" -- unhappily seen this individual a couple times now.  There are a few woodchuck dens just north of this Pussy Willow Grove -- we're hoping this critter has not taken up residence in one of these holes.  Oh well, this is the price of living in a place with a mile+ of virgin woods to our west and another two miles of eastward woodlands.   

  

THIS IS A TEST...

Test takers have two choices.

Task: Identify the photo best depicting the south end of a donkey walking north... 

Choice 1:

-- OR --

Choice 2:

Note:  Images displayed above were copied from simple Google search results, and are displayed here in accordance with the free-use provisions of copyright regulations and displayed here for non-profit educational use only.