My First cooking Segment

Still No Knitting

Well still no knitting. Well nothing interesting. So I figure I should be posting some here.

I have been kicking around the internet archive site and found thing little thing from the fifties. It is a kids show where they threw some circus acts on TV. It was called Super Circus.

Super Circus 1954

New Balls

The quest for new smaller balls continues. Making round balls is a pain in the neck. It has been the bane of the Clown Brigade's existence, that and, mimes.

When we started the Brigade many years ago we used rubber lacrosse style balls. It was annoying to find ones that were all the same weight. There was also the issue of them bouncing when you drop them. It was simply not fun for new jugglers. So we started making some cube shaped balls. These had he advantage of not rolling when they were dropped.

We made them in a 5.3 ounce size, these wee the same weight as lacrosse balls. We also had a smaller round 3 ounce ball. We had an even smaller 2 ounce cube shaped ball. We had a great deal of trouble sewing smaller balls.

For the last couple months I have been messing around with the geometry of the pattern we use. The hope was that I could increase in interior space of the balls. I have just finished the first set of this new pattern.

They are 1 3/4 ounces and round. They are a pain in the neck to turn inside out. They are also very difficult to stuff as well. On the upside they are even rounder than our previous balls. That is also the down side. They make the larger size balls look almost ovoid in shape. This could be my imagination.

Pineapple Bread

Besides knitting, clowning, juggling, and writing the great American Novel I am trying to make the best Fruit Cake. I love fruit cake. Frankly it is one of the few secular Christmas traditions that I am interested in.

I enjoy trying various fruit cakes from several companies. For some reason fruit cake is not a big thing with the bakeries in my neighborhood. So I have been trying to make a great Fruit Cake.

Well anyway this is a pineapple cake from all recipies. I came out well. It is not dark enough or sweet enough to be the base for a fruit cake. The Mrs. likes it and she is hard to please with sweet pastries.

It is not too sweet and there are no exotic ingredients. It did take me ten fewer minutes than the recipe called for. I am putting the recipe bellow. Love someone this Christmas folks.


https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/6937/pineapple-bread/

Z

Chief's Message 12/12/2018

Gandalf Meme

Just figured I should get back to blogging eventually. I even took a stab a writing a meme today.

The White Man's Flag

It is odd the way that we as Humans latch onto a symbol. We enshrine something as important to our society or heritage for countless reasons. Some of them are exceptionally important while others, not so much.

One such symbol is the “Stainless Banner” This is the name given to the first flag of the Confederacy to have the familiar insert that we all recognize. The person that created this flag called it the “White Man’s Flag”. If you do not believe me look up William T. Thompson. He owned a newspaper and published his thoughts on why he created his flag. This is a quote from him in his own paper. So it is probably not a misquote.

“As a people we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause.”

This quote was from 1863 at the beginning of the war. No one wrote angry letters of protest to his paper. No one threw away his idea for the flag because he thought it was supporting the subjugation of the slaves. Everyone in the Confederacy was pretty much cool with his view on the subject.

The other interesting thing about this flag is that it was not flown over the capital of South Carolina or on it’s grounds for decades after the civil war. The good people of South Carolina only needed to put the flag up after the Civil Rights Movement won a few victories. How can anyone, with a straight face, say this is not symbol of white people being superior.

It would appear the South did not need reminded of their heritage until they couldn’t kick around black folks any more.

The current defense is that the flag, being a battle flag, represents the valor and bravery of the Confederate Soldiers. As a Yankee I see I view the actions of Southerns as treasonous. No matter how you cut it they thought they were not going to get what they wanted under the Lincoln Administrations. Did they wait to see if a deal could be struck? No they raised an army and killed hundreds of thousands of their brothers.

There is a story that took place shortly after the war that involved Robert E. Lee taking communion with a Black Man. The quote I found on it as follows:

"NEGRO COMMUNED AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH," CONFEDERATE VETERAN, 13 (AUGUST 1905): 360. "Col. T. L. Broun, of Charleston, W. Va., writes of having been present at St. Paul's Church, Richmond, Va., just after the war when a negro marched to the communion table ahead of the congregation. His account of the event is as follows:

Two months after the evacuation of Richmond business called me to Richmond for a few days, and on a Sunday morning in June, 1865, I attended St. Paul's Church. Dr. Minnegerode [sic] preached. It was communion day; and when the minister was ready to administer the holy communion, a negro in the church arose and advanced to the communion table. He was tall, well-dressed, and black. This was a great surprise and shock to the communicants and others present. Its effect upon the communicants was startling, and for several moments they retained their seats in solemn silence and did not move, being deeply chagrined at this attempt to inaugurate the "new regime" to offend and humiliate them during their most devoted Church services. Dr. Minnegerode [sic] was evidently embarrassed.

General Robert E. Lee was present, and, ignoring the action and presence of the negro, arose in his usual dignified and self-possessed manner, walked up the aisle to the chancel rail, and reverently knelt down to partake of the communion, and not far from the negro. This lofty conception of duty by Gen. Lee under such provoking and irritating circumstances had a magic effect upon the other communicants (including the writer), who went forward to the communion table.

By this action of Gen. Lee the services were conducted as if the negro had not been present. It was a grand exhibition of superiority shown by a true Christian and great soldier under the most trying and offensive circumstances."

This is a quote from a witness that clearly did not like Black People. There is some question of if this happen or not. We do know that is daughter was arrested in 1900 for defying Jim Crow laws by sitting in the “Colored” Section of Street Car. She clearly learned this behavior from somewhere. And it is likely that it was from her father who has been held up by many as a moral and just person.

One thing that we do know was that Robert E. Lee was the President of what was then Washington University, now Washington and Lee University. He was buried there at the beloved institution that he helped turn around from some lean years before his tenure. During his time there the Confederate Battle Flag was never flown over any pat of the campus. In fact at his burial on campus he forbade use of the flag or uniformed Confederate Veterans. If anyone on the planet could have justified having that flag represent them it was him. He understood that is was not appropriate. The man that sent thousands to die and kill under that banner knew that it’s day had passed

The south should look to the example of it’s greatest hero and his family. In them is a forgotten symbol of what this country should be.

Blue Plastic Ball Failure

Well there is some tearing at the seams. This was what happened with the other plastic balls. So it is sad. The nearly lasted three weeks.

The frustrating part is that there are companies that make plastic bean bags. I am simply not able to find that material in the local fabric stores.

Well it is back to the drawing board.

Second week of the Blue Plastic bals

Today was the third time I took the blue plastic balls to juggling at CMU. They continue to hold up and there may actually be hope that this material will work. The denim and duck cloth start to become rounder when they are broken in. Also the seams on the cloth ball’s seams tend to flatten out as they are used. that is not happening with the plastic balls. 

So if this material works there will need to be some work on the pattern. Even so we are at two weeks with a bunch of different people jugging them. So this is a good sign. 

Flying Blue Plastic Balls on Sunday

Well they survived their first go round with throwing. A dozen or so folks threw them around today. The only complaint was that they were not filled enough. This was fairly obvious to me as well. It will be fixed on the next set of them if the plastic holds.

The first set of plastic balls we made did not survive the first Brigade Practice so these are already better than the last ones.

Big Blue Plastic Balls

Experimenting with Gillie Balls continues. One of the major issues we have with the gillie balls is that they are made of cloth. Hospitals would prefer that the balls had a plastic surface. All things we where being equal we would just juggle lacrosse balls. We did make the larger gillie balls the same weigh as them for this reason. We also have some places that will not let us juggle lacrosse balls because they think we will destroy the equipment. On an odd side not no one has said we cannot juggle clubs in a hospital room. So I am not following the logic. Still, when I run my own hospital I will make the rules until then I suppose that is where we are on that subject.

Anyway last year we tried making gillie balls out of the same plastic material we made the end of juggling batons out of. This failed miserably splitting on the seams after a week. With the success we have had making tartan balls with interfacing on the inside we are trying a plastic with cloth like material on the under side.

I made up a set of these and the first thing I notices is that there is too much room on the inside of the balls. Since we make them to weigh the same as lacross balls they are not filled by volume. So the first thing we have to do if these work is make a pattern specifically for them

Well I have tossed them around and I will take them to CMU to see what the experts them of them.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Sushi and Ball Fun

This was a rather nice plate of sushi from the good people at Little Asia. This was a very yummy Monster Roll.

You may notice in the background a few of our juggling balls. We have the always stall worth Briggy Ball in black and red to the right of the picture. To the left was have a brand new set of balls in Andrew Carnegie's tartan.

Well be safe out  there and keep your stick on the ice

Sushi Tuesday

Still messing around with Sushi. This is a recent plate with a few of my favorite rolls.

2 Year Birthday for Briggy Balls

The oldest set of Briggy Balls in the Brigade is two years old. Not a bad life span for a couple of pieces of duck cloth. The Duck cloth does appear to last longer than denim and it comes in a nice array of color.

These double stitched balls have also been through the washing machine a few times.So all and all not bad for some practice balls.

Here they are on our kettle stand getting ready for an evening of fun on the South Side.

Baby Gillie Bals

I am working on some of the smaller gillies balls. There are three ounces and perfect for most children and small people. With the juggling classes this summer I am sure we are going to go through a few of them.

Ides of March March with Monkey

Samantha Ann's monkey went along with us on the Ides of March March.

 Here is Monkey with a drummer. Maybe he is a drummer mime. Well he was very loud.

 Here is Monkey with Mandy the spritual leader of the ides of March March. I think Monkey and the octopus have a date.

Here is Monkey with Ramone.

Making Balls Again

Miss Thurmon made a bothersome discovery a couple weeks ago while at a juggling practice. One of the lacrosse balls we were using was a great deal heavier than the others. This meant that the scale I have been using is off. So this week I picked up a used postal service scale. Sadly it also means that a lot of the balls that I have been making have also been off.

So for the last week I have reweighed all the round bean bags we have made in the last couple months. I am adjusting their weight and stitching them back up. I figure by Sunday I will have all the practice balls fixed. I may even be able to make a couple new sets.

Anyway after weighing all the balls they balance out at 5.3 ounces. This also puts them in the mid range for what lacrosse balls are supposed to weigh.

Some Juggling and a Death Threat

Kettle Stand One

Everything has to start somewhere. For the Brigade our fundraising activities started standing kettle for The Salvation Army. Since we have been apart from the Army we have not done a great deal of fundraising until this year. We have done some hoagie sales and a little of this and that. This spring i got out and stood a little Kettle for the Brigade.

By the way standing kettle is standing outside a store with a bucket and ringing a ball. I do own a bell but I rarely used it. Usually i would juggle and sing Christmas Carols. I should probably have mentioned this sooner.

Anyway tonight I have my stand ready, my carol cards and juggling balls. I always feel like the holiday season is starting when I get out there on a kettle. If you want to stop by I will be at the Combodican Kitchen on the South Side. Which by the way has the best Seafood Wontons in the commonwealth.

Over the years I have stood kettle at lots of stores and have never recomended one on my blog. The Cambodican Kitchen  will be the first. If you want some good food this is the place. It is also the only restaurant that I stop at weekly. And it is not because I stand kettle there. There were lots of places I stood kettle near and would rather bring a sandwich than eat the food.

Maybe someday it will mean something. As for today the Cambodian Kitchen is our first Kettle Stand.Kettle Stand One.

Be safe out there and keep your stick on the ice.

Package for Someone

I have had this package for one of the members of my troupe for a month or so. When I do not have it I see this person. When I have it I do not see this person.

Of course it is books and it is heavy when you are toting it around in a bag of juggling stuff.

When I tell them it I had it on my person yesterday I think they think i am messing with them. So i am posting it here. For what ever reason I am getting into wrapping things in brown paper. I am trying not to use tons of notebooks to save tree but I am wrapping things in paper. That must be some kind of mental illness. I am sure that someone will make a drug that cures this but causes temporary blindness or make you need to wear a diaper.


Well there is some random poorly spelled stuff. Thank you for listening.