"A crowd of rowdy teenagers swarmed the Navy Yard waterfront in Washington, D.C."

Yesireebob. We all know what "crowd of rowdy teenagers" means, don't we?
And the photos prove it ... once again.
Can't say it out loud though - might hurt someones phe-e-e-e-lingz.

What does one do with feral humans?

Confederate General Joseph Eggleston Johnston arrived at Greensboro for a military conference with President Jefferson Finis Davis and General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard. Davis introduced the meeting with a discussion of the available military resources and a plan for continuing the war by rounding up deserters and enforcing conscription. Johnston responded by requesting authority to begin a correspondence with Union Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman for a truce. This was dismissed out of hand by the President. The meeting was adjourned to await the arrival of the Secretary of War, Major-General John Cabell Breckinridge, with definite news from Virginia. Breckinridge arrived during the evening and brought the unwelcome confirmation of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Johnston and Beauregard urged Breckinridge to support them in seeking permission from the President to request a suspension of hostilities at the council of war to be resumed in the morning.

Union Major-General George Stoneman’s cavalry bypassed Greensboro and attacked Salisbury, rounding up 1,300 prisoners and destroying the depots accumulated to supply the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia for its anticipated retreat into North Carolina. They also captured 10,000 small arms and fourteen guns The defence of Salisbury was commanded by Confederate Lieutenant-Colonel (formerly Lieutenant-General) John Clifford Pemberton. Stoneman’s cavalry engaged in the destruction of the railway bridges along the track between Greensboro and Charlotte. The destruction of the railroad meant that the Confederate President and Government currently in Greensboro would be denied the benefit of railroad travel for the next stage of their flight.

Confederate General Robert Edward Lee held a final review at which he gave his formal farewell to his troops and officially disbanded the Army of Northern Virginia. Union Brigadier-General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was appointed to receive the formal surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia from Confederate Major-General John Brown Gordon at Clove Hill near Appomattox Court House. After the formalities were concluded, Lee departed for Richmond.

Lee meets Grant At Appomattox Court House

General Order
No. 9

After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the survivors of so many hard fought battles, who have remained steadfast to the last, that I have consented to the result from no distrust of them.

But feeling that valour and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that must have attended the continuance of the contest, I have determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen.

By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.

With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your Country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration for myself, I bid you an affectionate farewell.

— R. E. Lee, General, General Order No. 9

One of the consequences of the "hired gun" period of my career is times of financial weakness. Mrs DT & I came to understand our life was airplane flight on a less-than-airworthy aircraft. There would be periods of soaring upward flights ... and times when the engine sputtered. Obviously from a hindsight view we came through OK but there were periods where the propeller picked up grass stains ... I'm not a pilot but I understand such is not a desirable situation.

Anyway, it was during one of these times, we ended up renting a cabin on some friends property up in the hills west of Loveland, Colorado. Our friends lived in the main house and had a couple of Great Danes. This one was "Max".

The property was at the mouth of what could be called a mini-canyon but was more a break in the hills a small creek passed through.

And elk.

This young bull lagged behind the herd and got curious about that critter on the other side of the gate. That green street sign is misleading; there's a private two-track path alongside the small stream through the hills to the right. It's a 1-foot spacing between horizontal bars on the gate.

They played together a bit - then the elk moved on to catch up with his herd.


It's not a trivial task keeping elk out of a garden ... that elk could clear that gate without thinking about it ... although he'd prefer just pushing it over.

Built in 1871, the Pigeon Point lighthouse is still an active navigation station. Located between Santa Cruz and San Francisco and is considered endangered because of "global warming" sea-level rise.

Perhaps the Californians can look to Plymouth Rock for guidance ...

The lamp room was originally equipped with a 1-ton, 1st-order Fresnel lens of 24 panels first lit in 1872. A 1000W electric bulb replaced the kerosene lamp in 1926. The Fresnel lens was retired in 1972 and had been occasionally lit for annual demonstrations. The lens was removed in 2011.

I had lived in Santa Cruz in the mid-80s - left not long before the Loma Prieta earthquake, I'd likely have been a casualty of that event - but I didn't live there anymore and it's a different story anyway.

The story is that I happened to be visiting friends sometime in the 90s and took a ride up the coast. To my surprise, it was a special event evening at the lighthouse and they fired the old lens up.

I stopped and stared in awe. It was like being in the middle of a disco ball - the only way I can describe it. Times I wish I had a poetic streak - Jean could probably do a better job of describing the sight - had she been there. A spectacular sight I'll likely never see again; certainly not at Pigeon Point. Another of those accidental one-time events that can't and shouldn't be planned or "prepared" for.

My grandfather's world must have had its own unique charms, now lost forever like our times will be in our grandchildren's lives. But being the contrarian I am, I'd rather go visit 1900 than 2100.

I wouldn't live in California again; I'm not likely to visit either except the eastern fringes (Death Valley region) - I'd probably be arrested for something - Idaho plates for example - but there were some wonderful places there. I'd live in Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains or up above Nevada City in the Sierra ... in a different time and world.