The Beatles in America

February 9, 1964 The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
Photo: www.wikipedia.org

  February 9, 1964 was the first time the Beatles performed in the United States, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show.  That show at the time was the premier place to be as a performer, a lot of people were tuned in.
  During February 1964 the Beatles appeared on three consecutive shows of the popular program.  Just another day in history.  The boys performed All My Loving and 'Til There was You.  They made the big time, for sure.

Ed Sullivan
www.wikipedia.org

It's snowing and blowing here this early AM, expected to last most of today, hard to measure because the wind is gusting over 30 mph, at least right now.  Must be winter in Maine.

Working for a living, horse style

Full hitch in 1933 at the Saint Louis stables.
Photo: Anheuser Busch

  Anheuser Busch has been using horses, Clydesdales, to pull wagons from its inception, in the early days that is the way beer was delivered.  Now days the full hitch wagon teams are for show and parades.  The horses, whether in full hitch or individually are a sight to behold.  I am a fan of working horses and was fortunate to have seen the Anheuser Busch team (one of them) once in South Portland, Maine in about 1982; what a wonderful display.  The brewing company still has its primary stable in St. Louis.  Only the male horses are used in a hitch, or team, the females are used for breeding, about 30 foals are born each year.   Horses are kept at various locations and take part in many shows and parades every year.  One of the new males foals this past month was named Stan, in honor of Stan Musial the St. Louis Cardinal great.

A six horse team in 1934
Photo: Anheuser Busch

The modern eight horse hitch in a recent photograph
Photo: Anheuser Busch

Restoration and childhood memories

On the way to Freedom, this sign didn't include Unity
Photo: Google images

  Down in Freedom work is underway to restore a Grist Mill.  At on time I think almost every town in Maine had a mill for grinding grain.  The grain was used for humans to cook with and for animal feed for cows, horses and chickens.  At one time the mill in Skowhegan (as an example) ground enough locally grown wheat to feed all of Somerset County.  That mill was recently replaced.
  Water from streams and rivers supplied the power for these mills, the water driven turbines, or wheels, drove the pulley and belt system the powered the tools, or grinding wheels.

The pulley and belt system in the Freedom Mill, last used for wood turning.
Photo: Gabor Degre, Bangor Daily News

The mill in my home town of Lebanon with the dam removed.
The narrow space in the concrete was the penstock which
pushed water to the wheel for power.
Photo: www.knights.hls-inc.net
 

When I was young the dam was intact and we fished in the summer and did a lot of ice skating in the winter.  Good memories of this place.

The last cartoon is here

Got to watch the spelling and meaning of two words.

Do you see what I mean.
Back to "normal" tomorrow

Owens gotta fly!

Owen goes on his first trip away from home.  He is trying to follow directions, it's a challange.

The boy really tries, but the directions are sometimes confusing.  Don't be like Owen, just stay home!

Donnie don't drive, for a reason.

Poor old Donnie, no place to go and no way to get there.

Owen starts a camp fire

  Owen is a new camper, this time it's his job to start the camp fire, or maybe it's Wilbur birthday cake up in North Dakota, could be.

Owen is going to need more training!