Homefront life

In between all the craziness in the Boston area this last week, normal life has gone on. The garden is mostly clear out back - we'll be removing the side fence for more light later this spring, so eventually all my baby cucumbers and tomatoes and such will be old enough to go live in the dirt outside. For now they're luxuriating under grow lights in the office -

In other news, Patriot's Day is of course a Big Thing here. In going to meet a couple new acquaintances, I heard once again this wonderful speaker. We've crossed paths a few times, and every time I come away more impressed.

We were at a historical lecture/reenactment at Barrett's farm, where he took on the role of Col Barret. The man is quite simply amazing. He can go from discussing the minutiae of the Mayflower Compact to his own stories from early tech venture capitalist life in a heartbeat. He's one of the most fascinating conversationalists I've ever had the opportunity to run into, and very much look forward to crossing paths again.

In a related vein, I've tracked down through interlibrary loan a copy of one of the source books used for a certain White Rider by historians of April 19th -

One of the advantages to living in New England now is that the place is filled with libraries, all packed with old "history of our town" books printed up by local historians and antiquarian societies. Lots of them never made the national publishing scene, many still aren't digitized - but the originals are tucked away in local libraries all over this part of the state. Every library trip is like a treasure hunt!

Speaking of antiquarian societies - I got a new toy! See that lantern next to Mr. Jefferson's bust? It's a copy of the Old North Church lantern made famous by Paul Revere's Ride. The Concord Antiquarian Society had some made up for the bicentennial, and I finally manged to find one on eBay that didn't cost a mint. It's found a new home in the "Americana Corner" in the breakfast room TJIC has let me claim -

 


Let's see - what else? I got to the range once - the 10/22 front sight is finally staying put. Thanks all for the recommendations for red loctite - worked like a charm. The general range won't let us do field positions, so these are all "unslung rifle resting over a backpack" at 25 yards. Not perfect, but I'm kinda proud of what I managed, what with making it out maybe once every month and a half or so these days  -

And of course, taking walks in the woods with family and friends - one sweet dog and one young boy, exploring the great wide world -

For all its craziness, life is still pretty sweet these days.
Time to go clean the garden.

God bless you all, and may your weekend be a good one. 

Site report - Lexington Green, April 19 2013

So as some may know, there was originally a 2A rally and Oathkeepers renewal ceremony intended for Lexington Green today, April 19th 2013.

There was some back and forth after the bombing in Boston, but as of this afternoon, the Green was totally shut down. No one allowed on it at all - officers were stationed at every entrance, the green itself was utterly empty:

A few members of Oathkeepers and other organizations were around, some talking with officers - and then most left for Springfield.

Afterwards, I had a chance to hear the police chief speak some with bystanders - among other stories was hearing about how his dad busted John Kerry's group on the green back in the 70's.  

His concern was not the Oathkeepers.
His concern was not the counterprotesters.

His concern was with unaffililiated nutbags trying to stir up trouble in the middle of a time when his some of his force  - 4 officers - were diverted to Boston. (At least half a dozen were securing the green - perhaps up to twice that).

I have to admit, given that at this very moment there's a MyPersonalJihad getting shut down two towns over, I can appreciate his position. I still think he made the wrong call, I definitely think he at least up to now has drunk the "bomber was a right winger" PC BS kool-aid* - but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt in that the circumstances are pretty downright crazy at the moment.





And finally, my fellow liberty lovers, I'd just like to say this -

The Alex Jones "everything is a conspiracy" talk is not helping. Really. When a couple jihadi-inspired monsters are rolling through town tossing pipe bombs out the window after getting their pictures on the TV, it's okay to think that just maybe the feds and local cops are after the right guys.

Not everything is a flippin' coverup.



Anyhow, back to work. Springfield is too long a haul for a workday, and the Battle Road tour group fell through as well. So might as well get some billable hours in before going out to play tonight.

 Happy Friday, y'all.


edit - other participants report an abbreviated event of around 100 persons occurred earlier, sometime after 11:30AM - presumably in front of Buckman's Tavern off the green. A female Lexington PD officer was filming the crowd. I did not arrive until after shortly after noon, by which time only a few people remained. (Posted start time was 12:00 PM)






==================
* I didn't say this in public until the guys were ID'd, but rule of thumb - domestic American terrorists of both sides have more refined target selection. McVeigh went after a Federal Building. Lefties blow up military offices and sabotage industrial, power, or resource extraction equipment.

Neither side has ever just gone after random citizens in the street. That screamed jihadi from day one.

Battle Road

 You hear it first. A distant unmistakable rattle.

Then a wisp of white smoke. A flash of red. Indistinct shouts.

The storm washes over you sooner than you expect. A band of red-coated men run up the road, stand shoulder to shoulder along the low stone wall, and fire a volley into the treeline. Horsemen race past, clearing the meadow ahead of them.

And then they come. A column of men in loose order, making the best time they can behind the screen of guards. Officers ride among them – one loses his patience, shouting in rage at the indistinct shadows in the treeline. The sweet, sulfurous smell of burning powder hangs in the air.

And as soon as they came, they are gone again. The wave has passed – but the sounds of fire do not yet fall off. In the wake of the retreating army, dogging them like a wolf pack, clumps of men run in small bands.

They run in a crouch along the low stone walls – as they near the rear guard they kneel down, take steady aim – and fire. Sheltering behind the wall they reload, wait another chance – and rush past.

And once again the road is quiet.

For Loup - bows in the backcountry

Once upon a time, internet friend Loup and I were speculating about archery among whites on the colonial frontier. A couple old crossbows from the Museum of Appalachia had turned up, and we got to wondering how common archery as a survival means may have been for the poorer sort.

Re-reading Doddridge's “Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars...” I came across some primary source material that I think answers the question, at least as regards the Virginia / Pennsylvania frontier of the 1760s-1780s. (By extension, this state of affairs can probably be safely assumed for English and Ulster Scots settlements along the Appalachian chain, but I'd be less certain about applying it to Puritan-derived village life in New England proper.)

Boys were taught the use of the bow and arrow at an early age ; but although they acquired considerable adroitness in the use of them, so as to kill a bird or a squirrel sometimes, yet it appears to me that in the hands of the white people the bow and arrow could never be depended upon for warfare or hunting, unless made and managed in a different manner from any specimens of them which I ever saw. In ancient times the bow and arrow must have been deadly instruments in the hands of the barbarians of our country ; but I much doubt whether any of the present tribes of Indians could make much use of the flint arrow heads which must have been so generally used by their forefathers.

Fire arms, whereever that can be obtained, soon put an end to the use of the bow and arrow... 

Notes on the Settlement... p.122

Doddridge also speaks to many boys having “acquired considerable skill” at the “boyish sport” of throwing a tomahawk, and proceeds to describe the art in a fashion any salty 1970's rendezvouer would recognize.

More interesting I think is his description of the use of animal calls. I'd always thought that something of a Hollywood fiction of the 50's – perhaps at most a rare occurrence turned to convenient use in drama - but apparently it was fairly widespread:

One important pastime of our boys was that of imitating the noise of every bird and beast in the woods. This faculty was not merely a pastime, but a very necessary part of education, on account of its utility in certain circumstances. The imitations of the gobbling and other sounds of wild turkeys often brought those keen eyes and ever watchful tenants of the forest within the reach of the rifle. The bleating of the fawn brought her dam to her death in the same way. The hunter often collected a company of mopish owls to the trees about his camp, and amused himself with their hoarse screaming ; his howl would raise and obtain responses from a pack of wolves, so as to inform him of their neighborhood, as well as guard him against their depredations.

This imitative faculty was sometimes requisite as a measure of precaution in war. The Indians, when scattered about in a neighborhood, often collected together by imitating turkeys by day and wolves or owls by night. In similar circumstances our people did the same. I have often witnessed the consternation of a whole neighborhood in consequence of a few screeches of owls. An early and correct use of this imitative faculty was considered as an indication that its possessor would become in due time a good hunter and a valiant warrior. Notes on the Settlement...  p.122-3, emphasis added

Tow cloth snapsack, haversack, shot pouch

Once upon a time I ordered some linen canvas from a historic fabric dealer.

What arrived was hardly what I expected - sturdy yes, but course and rough - even bits of stem matter sticking out of the weave here and there. It was tow cloth, no doubt.

It sat in the bottom of my scrap pile until last fall. I figured I could put it to use for the trading pile, and made from it a snapsack, haversack, and with the last little bit a small shot pouch. They all came out pretty well I think - none match extant examples perfectly - especially the pouch which says more "post Civil War impoverished South" than "1770's back country" - but all I think wouldn't raise an eyebrow were they transported back to once upon a time.

The pieced together haversack I especially like - pieced together with the last scraps of tow, slung on a hemp canteen strap and fastened with coat pewter buttons, it has a nice farmwife "you want me to make you a what?! Now?!" look to it.

 

 

Easter 2013

... was a very good day.

TJIC and I went to services first at his church, then at one I've been meaning to go to for ages. It was so refreshing, and a reminder not to be so lax about it in the future. It's not for His sake we're called to remember Him so regularly. :p

Afterwards, we had coffee out, and then an incredible dinner with friends. Lots of amazing veggies and a ham that crossed the line into bacon. So good!

Hope your weekend was as grand!

Onward!

Range trip!

Got to go to a shooting range last night in deep-blue Yankee land! (Sorry, forgot the camera. )

For a point of reference to those in Free America, the things I learned -

A. The people - the crowd wasn't huge, but it wasn't atypically small compared to other states, especially for the time of night. Several couples on a date night. Mostly tech/engineering types with only a one or two "crusty Yankees" present. Of the engineering types, about 2/3 your soft spoken codemonkey types, about 1/3 your more confident managerial, jocky, or "former servicemember who reads science fiction" archetypes. Only one (other than yours truly) who had any redneck to speak of. No one who screamed LEO or current service member.

B. At least half the groups present had an AR of some variety - all of them tricked out to one degree or another. One gentleman had an AK, also not stock. Everything else was defensive pistols. No cowboy stuff, no traditional "sportsman" stuff, no Joe Biden Specials.

My Appleseed 10/22 was the only wood stock there.

(Side note - the front Tech Sight keeps shooting loose - it was actually rattling by the end of the night. Friends have suggested re-doing the loctite - with red this time)

C. The bell curve of skill from what targets I saw was pretty good. Not "oh my God amazing" but no "barely on paper" either. No safety issues at all. Broadly competent marksmanship all around. That said, although all the shooting was good, and the firearms were almost universally defensive types - there was very little weapons training that I saw. The range prohibited field positions - nothing but offhand and supported on the bench. Even at that though, I didn't see anyone practicing magazine changes - one or two of the pistol guys might have been occasionally practicing acquiring their target from low ready, but I didn't get a good look.

D. On a technical note - the Vortex "Viper PST" optic is very nice, although in the very close confines of an indoor range it fuzzes out over 5x. That's still more than enough to keep everything inside a reduced 300 meter silhouette though. One gentleman had the Vortex Aimpoint knockoff - that was less impressive. The dot is at least as precise as an Aimpoint (perhaps more so, going by memory) - but the controls feel clumsy and the swing-out magnifier was surprisingly dark.The guy who had it was making nice little groups though, so it definitely worked.

... and that's it! Hope your weekends are grand - happy Saturday!