Yesterday, July 26th, was my interview with Mr. Arthur. The Arthur's are a very nice couple and their house is quite interesting. It is almost like a museum and appears to be built after the old Cracker style. I don't think you can see them in any of the pictures, but along one wall, they had pictures of all the most famous Confederate generals. I thought it was so neat...
It took us a little longer than it should have to get there because I got my directions messed up. Well, rather I just didn't realize that Co. Rd. 660 was (or becomes) the road I was looking for...Anyway, now I know how to get there :)
We arrived and unloaded the car and started setting up after some initial chit-chat. Once everything was set up we had a pre-shoot cup of coffee.  The backdrop...  One of the lights...and my head. This was actually after the interview. Mr. Arthur did use his notes some during the interview, but for the most part I believe it was alright. I'm sure it didn't help him any that the lights had to keep on being rearranged. The sun kept shifting so Savannah (my DP) kept telling me to move this light...shift that one...adjust the blinds, etc. It wasn't necessarily condusive to perfect continuity of thought for Mr. Arthur, but it was actually rather amusing. After all, it's better to laugh at stuff than rant. Particularly when you can't do anything about it! :D I know that I got some usuable stuff from this fine Southern gentleman with his special Florida speech peculiarities. The best part was actually after the official questioning was over...Mr. Arthur gave me the closing speech for my doc! It was one of those times where I got the 'feeling'...as soon as he was done speaking I turned to Savannah and said, "I think I just got my closer." (If that is a word.) She responded, "I was just thinking that myself!"
We had a short picture taking spree afterwards and then Mr. Arthur broke out the period firearms he has made. (There were more flint-locks than precussions.) This man is a real gunsmith! We got to handle those big-bore beauties freely. These are certainly not girls guns. Nor for left-handed (or eyed) shooters. He made a left-handed 'boy's gun' for Mrs. Arthur, for like me, she is left-eyed. She went and got that so I could see and handle it.
After enjoying the guns, we sat around with another cup of coffee and talked for quite a while. Mrs. Arthur loaned us a DVD on black Confederates, so we will have to return at some point :) We also got invited to the SCV meeting next month and I think we will probably go.  That's a buffalo hide... I have to go now... Racheal
I declare! The 'blogosphere' is so tiny! I keep finding that one person's blog is followed by another person who I recognize off yet another person's blog! It's ridiculous! However, I didn't come on here to exclaim over such nonesense.
I did some hunting around in some of our old pictures and found a small number of photo's and line-drawings out of old newpapers that I can use for my documentary. A very small number--but some are better than none.
[By the way have you heard about the double barrel .45 in the style of the 1911? The AF2011-A1? It's nutty! (Sorry, Daddy was checking his Guns & Ammo e-mail and clicked on the article.)]
Back to the point :) I thought I'd share a couple pictures of my Granddaddy when he was young. Just a quick warning--he was a looker! (So was Grandmother!)
The Clark Gable mustache days. Granddaddy was a DI during the Koren War.
Now, wasn't that worth it? According to him, he was the meanest Drill Sgt. you could ever have had. The sad thing is, he's proud of it. He also denies that he was trying to look like Clarke Gable--no matter, he could fool you at first glance :)
Granddaddy always calls Grandmother 'my pretty woman' when talking about her. Anyway, it has always kind of mystified me why my lady-like grandmother married a drinking, smoking, rough cowboy. He wasn't a Christian when they got married. It was after the kids were born (or some of them at any rate) that he came to Christ. He quit drinking and smoking, but never left the ranching. Racheal
Is it okay for me to do two blog posts in one day? :) :) (Well, as it's my blog, I don't care!)
I'm sleepy--which ensures that I'll ramble. I feel like running my mouth (or my fingers) because I'm sleepy and trying to stay awake.
So...you heard about the first part of the day (i.e. Snip and being stomped on)...would you like to hear about the post-lunch episode(s)? Good, I'm glad.
We were scheduled to have a full house today--a total of 5 visitors. 2 of them couldn't make it, but the S.'s and Andre did show up. Andre got some more hand's on gun training from Pop. Before anyone else was out at the firing line, I was out there banging away with the .22 S&W revolver. (My rifle is in the shop getting an extractor--AWESOME!) Then I shot my .38 for a bit before moving on to the .22 rifle with the scope. Daddy thought the scope might have been messed up, but I think it was fine. I was the one responsible for the poor shooting. (2 inch group isn't too bad when your wobling...and resting on an arm that isn't 100% up-to-snuff.)
Around shot 3 of the 5 I took at this sitting, I looked behind me and immediately began to wonder what that truck (turns out it was a van) pulling a boat was doing coming in our driveway. I watched and then about the same time I was getting suspicions of who it might be, they were confirmed. It was Uncle Rod and Rod Jr. I finished my five rounds and went to the house. 'Little' Rod (okay, so he's not so little any more, he's 15) was in the house talking. The boy's voice has changed since I saw him in December! They left after a bit and I still don't know what the Uncle wanted. (Maybe because I didn't ask.)
Once they left, the shooting began in earnest. We emptied at least another box of .22's, used up a lot of .38's (mostly me), fired off some 9mm's (that's a slick S&W Daddy's got), and some of us shot a 12 guage shotgun. Andre loved the shotgun. I did not. I fired it twice from the shoulder and hurt really bad. Then I fired it twice from the hip. That was alright, but if I ever fire a 12 again I want a sissy pad!
Once we were done expending ammo (around 5:30) I went down to feed Snip and then Mama and Daddy took our visitors over to Granddaddy's to feed the cows. I think they all got a kick out of it. Then they came home and we ate and talked. (I eat too much in social situations.)
Then they went home...and now I have to go. Good-night! Racheal
I love reenactments...always have, always will. One day I would like to be a reenactor myself...
Regardless, the main reason we attended the Battle of Bowlegs Creek reenactment on Saturday was for me to gather more facts/data/interesting stories. We met a gentleman who knew quite a bit about Captain Hendry; he is also a great-great nephew of Confederate General A.P. Hill!! Now that's just plain cool.
The added info was broad and varied...but I won't go into that all right now. In fact, I might need to grab my notebook to jog my memory. I already added some stuff to my 'narration'. One of the most interesting things though was how Hendry used the terrain. He'd lead the Yanks on a chase...towards a swamp. Upon reaching the swamp, he'd turn aside and the Federal troops would plow into the swamp. We have gators...so when it is said that Hendry let the swamp eat them, it brings to life the terror that must have fallen on those blue-coated soldiers...
Also, the aforesaid gentleman told us that Hendry preferred a La Mat revolver. I'd heard the name before but had no mental picture of what it looked like. Apparently, it chambers nine .41 caliber bullets and one 20 gauge---which had it's own separate barrel.
 I thought this wa a neat pictures because you can see this particular reenactor spitting out the top of his paper cartridge. Since this was a battle fought between the Cow Cavalry and the Florida Rangers (Union), rather than infantry, the troops would have been cavalry...on horses. There wasn't a single horse at the reenactment :) Anyway, it was still fun and noisey. Particuarly the cannon--which I seriously doubt would have even been part of the engagement.
For more pictures, check out the Photos' page...I have a fairly nice selection :) Racheal
I finally got around to getting the pictures from last weekend...
Savannah and I on a trailer ride.
Daddy
That's me between the cabbage trees; off to check targets.
The Snipers...
That last one is just a random picture of me...it has nothing to do with long-distance rifle shooting.
Ah, yes...the sound of big guns. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Daddy and an old friend of his, Dan, have been planning to do some long range shooting. Today just happened to be the day.
We ate lunch and ran out the door as soon as I got home from taking Granddaddy's lunch to him. We met up with Dan out there in the middle of a sod farming operation and then moved into a pasture to set up. Daddy told me to tie some orange 'tape' to the post of the target contraption that was already there. First thing I did was slice open my finger on a splinter. We got set up at 25 yards (approx.) and first Daddy poked some hole in the cardboard, then Dan (I'm impressed--he's as good as Daddy), and then Savannah. By now, I was pining to throw some lead down range myself, so I asked Savannah if I could shoot her gun. Of course she said yes. I propped up there and took one shot (very well placed if I do say so myself--susprisingly good in fact), and decided that I'd better not shoot any more. My wrist didn't like it :( Oh well. Katherine then proceeded to send lead into her target.
Sometime in here, Mr. Dan's boy showed up with his girlfriend in tow...After he showed off his gun--a Lampua (Daddy will let me know if I spelled that wrong :) I know nothing about this particular weapon other than I think it's ugly, it's expensive, the needed scope is as expensive, and the ammo price is out of this world), we moved back to around 200 yards. Then I turned around and walked all the way back and got in the three foot ditch there in front of the targets and berm in preperation for what I would do the rest of the afternoon--check and mark targets :) That was an adventure in and of its self. Daddy had one radio and I had the other. I would stay hunkered down in the ditch until Daddy said, "Check targets, please." Then I'd hop up and bound up the side of the ditch and run (or walk) over to the target. Once there I would report the shot placement and draw a line through the hole with my Sharpie. Turning around I would jump down into the ditch and go back to my seat--a perfectly shaped out-cropping of sand from the side of the ditch. After a while I got really hot and in need of a drink. As if he could read my mind, just as I was fixing to say, "Daddy, I need a drink", he said, "I'll send somebody down with some water here in a minute." A couple more rounds and Mr. Dan hopped in the back of the 4x4 with a bottle of nice cold water and his son drove down range. I sure was grateful for that water...I was really beginning to need it (I wasn't quite overheated, but I was getting there. I had enough rest between spurts of activity to keep me from overheating too fast. I did get a fine sunburn on my right arm, though.)
Then they moved back to 500 yards. At that range the radios got kind of choppy. After shooting at 500 yards for a while, they came back in to 200 (about the time I let on I was getting hungry--Savannah said that she could tell by my voice--through the radio, mind you!) I can't rememeber when or where...but Daddy said that at one point Savannah made a better group than both he and Dan! Go, Sister!! (Opps...there's my innate feminism coming out.) Daddy was (I mean is) real proud and I'm guessing Mr. Dan wasn't too put out :) There at the end they shot the gongs for a bit. In the last group, I started to wonder, "Who is that awful shot?!" Turns out it was Mr. Dan's son! Oh well...who knows, I might have been missing that much too :) Racheal
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