mannabouttown

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

The Judas Tree

The following is from the Ypsilantian of Thursday, MAy 31, 1888.

A beautiful and conspicuous object in many of our door yards for the past two weeks, for its ample dress of reddish purple flowers which precede the leaves, has been the Cercis Canadensis, or Judas tree, of which the popular name in this country is red bud. An old author say, "This is the tree whereon Judas did hang himself, and not on the elder tree, as it is said"--a piece of information which should give the tree an added interest. The wood of the Canadensis if fine grained and hard, and finely veined with green and black, very beautiful when polished; and the twigs make a nankeen dye.

The genus Cercis belongs to the order Leguminosae, a very large and important family of which the peas, beans, locusts and clovers are our most familiar representatives. There are about 500 genera and 7000 species, distributed in all parts of the world. They embrace such timber trees as the rosewood, laburnum with its olive green timbers; and produce such medicines and drugs as liquorice, senna, sweeet tamarind, gum Arabic, gum tragacanth, balam copavia and tolu, and such dyes as indigo, logwood, Brazil wood and reti sandal wood. The sensitive plant is among them, genus Minosa, from greek mimos, a buffoon, "because the leaves seem to sport with the hand that toches them." Some of the other species have sensitive leaves.

The pea has been so universally cultivated from time immemorial that its native country is unknown. The common bean is from the East Indies, the lima bean from India, and the scarlet pole bean from South America, which comes also the pea nut, with its singular habit of flowering in the air and then forcing the fruit into the soil to ripen. Very soon the locust trees, the most ornamental of all the species common to us, will perfume the whold country with their fragrance.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

A Bold Bad Boy

The following is from The Ypsilantian of Thursday, May 31, 1888

Last Friday, a youngster about seven years old, finding Dr. Oakley's horse and carriage at the curbstone with nothing to do, bethought himself a very suitable person to enjoy a little ride at the Dr.'s expanse. So unhitching the horse and planting himself well back in the carrage with feet sticking out horizontally, on account of the width of the seat, he started on his holiday escapade. Overtaking a larger boy near the forks on the road on Huron street, he shared with him his good luck and surrendered the lines. At an increased pace, they soon disappeared over Mr. Watling's hill. Meantime the Dr. had caught the trail and was after them, with blood in his eyes, and nobody knows what in mind. The older boy, on seeing the parties in pursuit, had no longer any desire to ride but tested his leg power in a run across the lots to the woods. The parties returned with the horse, but what was done with the boy is not reported. Evidently a little education as to the difference between meum and tuum is guite essential for the sake of the youngster's own good.

Otis Lee

In Highland Cemetery there is a family plot with four square headstones standing in a row. These are the graves of Otis H. Lee and his three wifes. Mr. Lee was born in Dudley, Massachusetts inn 1802. He moved to Ypsilanti in 1838, and with the exception of four years residence in Janesville, Wisconsin, lived in Ypsilanti the rest of his life. He was engaged in the dry goods and grocery trade.

A member of the Whig party he occupied leading positions in the community. Lee was appointed postmaster at Ypsilanti by President Zachary Taylor in 1849, and held the office until the election of President Pierce in 1853. He would alos hold offive on the school board and was a trustee of the Presbyterian Church.

His first wife Lucy died in 1847 and his second wife Phebe died in 1850. He married his third wife Nancy in 1852, and she survived him. His wife Nancy died in 1877. Otis Lee had no childern.

"His life has been a peculiarly chequered one," noted The Ypsilanti Commercial in its obituary published November 14, 1874, "marked by misfortune and loss of property. His virtues many, his frailties few, and over these we throw the mantly of charity."

Otis H. Lee died at Ypsilanti on November 8, 1874 of delirium tremens.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

News From the Past

The following two stories are from The Ypsilanti Commercial of May 27, 1865.

Pickpockets.

On Friday, the 19th, the day of Dan Rice's visit to our city, two pickpockets were arrested by Marshal McComick and Constable Pierce from Ann Arbor, who was down from that city on their track, two others of the gang having been arrested there. They wre pursured from the circus ground to the railroad track near the residence of John Gilbert, where they were arrested. They were taken to the lock up, and when searched several hundred dollars were found on them. They were examined on Saturday before Justice Carpenter and committed for trail at the next term of the circuit court. The rascals found several "victums" here, among whom were Ben Miller, who they relieved of $143 and Mr. Kellogg, who lost between $40 and $50. The pocket books of both were found near the place were the arrest was made, having been thrown away by the thieves.--With all due sympathy for our friend Miller and all other losers, we look upon it as consumomate foolishness for a man to venture into a circus crowd with any large sum of money in his possion, and the loss of it as a justly sented punishment.

We understand some four or five female students of the State Normal School (now EMU) were expelled at the last sitting of the Faculty. We have not the particulars, but those who do not intend to obey the rules of an institution however arbitrary they may appear, should not enter it.

Selling Books

I will be selling copies of my books, Our Heritage: Down by the Depot in Ypsilanti, and Footnotes in History, at the Ypsilanti Farmers's Market on Saturday, May 28, from 8:00 A. M. until 2:00 P. M. Our Heritage is a history of the Depot Twon section to the city, and includes the story of the the Michigan Central Gardens, The Lewis Horse Exchane a gambling operation, and the Great Ypsilanti Train Robbery of 1916, and much more.

Footnotes in History is a collection of the stories published by the Ypsilanti Courier, the first year I was with the paper. Stories include the strange hosue of Charles Jarvis, how the first blood spilled in the Civil War ended up on a shelf in the Michigan State Normal School (now EMU) Science Museum. As well as the story of Miss Mildred Young, whose life was saved by her corset; as well as the time a riot broke out at a meeting of the Salvation Army.

Copies of Our Heritage ($15) and Footnotes in History ($20) can also be purchased from me by writing to: James Mann, Post Office Box 980773, Ypsilanti, MI 48198. Please add $3.00 to cover shipping and handling.

You can order all of my books on line from www.eklecticstore.com.

Please stop by the market and say hello.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Found

The following is from The Ypsilanti Commercial of Saturday, May 24, 1873

Last Wednesdy morning a child recently born, was found on the bank of the river in the rear of Mr. D. Wise's residence. It was doubless the intention to throw it into the river, but it was caught in the bushes. A jury was impanelled, consisting of the following persons: Dr. E. Batwell, J. Bickfond, A. Guild, G. Davis, H. Van Tuyl, J. Taylor. The infant was a seven-months' child, and upon examination was found to have been alive when born. The following is the verdict: "That the child came to his death by exposure and neglact at the hands of Margaret Simpson, a recent comer to this place and who claims to be a widdow 35 years of age." She came from Lansing here about seven weeks ago, and has been at work here since. The accused was around the house as usual at night, and was up and prepared breakfast in the morning. She has been arrested, and will be held to answer the charges against her.

Patron saint of Historians

The Venerable Bede (673-735) is the patron saint of scholars and historians. He is also the only person in history to have the title vererable. Bede was born on land to the south of the Tyne which afterwards became the property of the twin monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow. At the age of seven Bede was given by his family to the care of Abbot Benet Biscop for an education. Here he was ordained a deacon at the age of nineteen and a priest at the age of thirty. He would spend the rest of his life at the monastery. Bede never traveled far from the monastery, yet he became one of the most learned men of Europe.

At the monastery he lived a simple uneventful but happy life, as a teacher and scholar. Almost all of what is known of his life is from his own words. "I have spent the whole of my life," wrote Bede, "within that monastery, devoting all my pains to the study of the Scriptures, and amid the observance of monastic discipline and the daily charge of singing in the church, it has been ever my delight to learn or teach or write."

St. Benedict Biscop had brought with him a large library from Lerins, and this enabled Bede to carry out his life work. His range of writing included orthography, meter, compurisitics, and chronology as well as the lives to the saints. He considered his most important work his twenty-five works of Scripture comentary. His earliest Bibical commentary was most likely his work on the Revelations. "From the time of my admmission to the pristhood to my present fifty-ninth year," wrote Bede, "I have endeavored for my own use and that of my brethern, to make brief notes upon the Holy Scripture, either out of the works of the venerable Fathers or in conformity with their meaning and interpretation."

His best remembrered writing are his historical works, especially The Ecclesiastical History of the Englishe People. This five volume work records the events in Britain from the landing of Julius Caesar in 55-54 BC to the arrival of the first missionary from Rome, Saint Augustine in 597. Bede was a careful scholar who wrote his account in a sober and objective manner. For his sources he claimed the authority of ancient letters, the "traditions of our forefathers," and his own knowledge of contemporary events. He was careful to cite his sources in the text, and asked the copyist to include the sources in later editions, which, unfortunately, many did not do. It has been called "the finest historical work of the early Middle Ages."

Bede explained his reason for writing the history: "For if history records evil of wicked men, the good religious reader or listener is encouraged to avoid all that is sinful and perverse, and to follow what he knows to be good and plesing to God."

Bede completed his history of the Englishe people in 731. To this he added Lives of five early abbots of Wearmouth ad Jarrow. He carried out all of his writing alone. "I am my own secretary; I dictate, I compose, I copy all myself." Not until the end of his life would he take on a secretary.

He was at work on a translation of the Gospel of St. John into Old Englishe when he fell ill from a lung infection. Knowing he did not have long to live, he pressed on with the work. On the Tuesday before Ascension Day he summoned the priests of the monastery, made them little gifts of pepper and incense and beged their prayers. Then over the next forty-eight hours he dictated the translation to his scribe, a boy named Wilbert, while propped up in his bed. Even in the face of death, Bede still took care in comparing the text and preserving its accuracy. "I don't want my boy's," he said, "to read a lie or listen to no purpose after I am done." His students begged him to rest, but Bede insisted on working. "we never read without weeping," said one.

At the end of the day, the boy Wilbert said, "There is still a chapter wanting, had you not better rest for a while?"

"Be quick with your writing," replied Bede, "for I shall not hold out much longer."

When night fell, Wilbert said: "There is yet one sentence not written."

"Write quickly," said Bede.

When the sentence was sritten, Wilbert said, "Now it is finished."

"You have spoken truly," replied Bede. "It is well finished. Now raise my head in your hands for it would give me great joy to sit facing the holy place where I used to pray, so that I may sit and call on my Father."

He died singing "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost."

When news of his death reached the missionaries who used his Scripture commentaries, Boniface wrote the "the candle of the Church, lit by the Holy Spirit, was exinguished."

The title TheVenerable Bede, tha tis, worthy of honor, may have been used during his life time, it was certainly used within two hundred years of his death. Bede is the only Englishman Dante names in the Paradise. Pope Leo XIII gave Bede the title of Doctor of the Church in 1899, the year he was made a saint. His feast was originally on May 26, but was moved to May 27, to avoid a clash with the feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury. Since 1969, Bede's feast has been on Mya 25.

Monday, May 23, 2005

A Day at the Farmers's Market

I had a good time at the Ypsilanti Farmers's Market Saturday, and even sold a few books. I sat at my table and watched as the people came and went. Saturday was a nice sunny day, with warm air and a gentil breeze, just right for planting in the garden. Those who came to the market were there for plants, so the venders with plants and floweres did very well this week. I saw some friends I had not seen for some time, and had a good visit with them. I will be back at te market this Saturday, May 28, and I hope to see you there.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Improvements

This story was published by the Ypsilanti Commercial on May 22, 1869.

Oppsite the Hawkin's House Mrs. Mayne is erecting a nice store, designing a first-class fronts, beween the old Larzaleer block and Martins. We have already noticed Batchelder Bros., Post's and Van Tuyl's. Nearly opposite Rowley's Produce Store, Mr. S. Whitmarsh is erecting a Produce and Feed store of comely proportions. Passing Congress Street Bridge (Michigan Ave.) the reader can see a desirable improvement in part. You will discover tha the Huron Mill is being painted, presenting a tasty external appearance. If you have time go into the mill and you will see a still more important improvement. A complete and handsome stone foundation being built under the mil, and renovated in other particulars, under the supervision of Mr. Speer. The facilitics for custom work, always superior, and being made still more valuable. Going to the Depot, you noticeunusual activity going on in the corner of the Norris Block (Thompson Block). The new proprietor, Mr. O. F. Thompson, will inform you, for he is always genial and social, that he has bought this propeerty, and is going to renovate and repair it right up to the handle. He means to make one of the completest paint shops in the State, using the first floor for a store conected woth his business. You can see by the twinkle in his eye that he is glad to get out of the old barn in the rear, having for the small sum of $100 bequeathed the barn and apurtances belonging thereto to our good-natured friend Wm. Casey. Between Uncle Ben's wagong shop and the store you discover tha the old engine nuisance is gone and a good blacksmith shop takes its place, to be occupied by everybody's friend, Mr. T Vinian. If that corner block don't shine in less that three months, the pride of the Depot, set us down as a false prophet. The owners of property in the vicinity seem mightily pleased at the prospect. Unwittingly we passed Mr. Ferrier's Foundry (where the Co-op is now). You will notice that since the fire he is with his accustomed enegry putting his superior shop to rights again.

House of ill fame

The following is from The Ypsilanti Commercial of May 21, 1870.

Broken up

A house of Ill-fame in the 5th Ward was broken up by officers Tinney, Waugh, and Forbes, Wednesday night, armed with a warrant issued by Justice Warner. A couple of frail women were arrested and fined $20.00 each. There were five men (so called) young and old. They hung their heads for shame, as well they might. It is a shame that there is no city ordinance to punish the male bipeds, as well aas the poor victems of lust--the women.

Friday, May 20, 2005

I Stand Corrected

I said in ansewer to a commitit that my books are not available on line. I was mistaken, as my books are available on line. The gife shop eKlectic carries all of my books on their web site. This includes the picture history books I did for Arcadia, Ypsilanti: a history in Pictures, and Ypsilanti in the 20th century. They also carried Our Heritage: Down by the Depot in Ypsilanti and Footnotes in History. All of my books can be found on line at www.eklecticstore.com.

You can also order copies of Our Heritage, and Footnotes in History from me through my post office box at: James Mann, P. O. Box 980773, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48198. Our Heritage is $15 a copy and Footnotes is $20 a copy. Please add $3.00 to cover shipping and handling.

You can also stop by the Farmers Market on Saturday and buy a copy from me. I will be at the market fro 8:00 A. M. to 2:00 P. M. Stop by and say "Hello."

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Enraged At One of their Fellows

The following is from The Ypsilanti Daily Press of Thursday, June 15, 1905.

What would border dangerously near hazing, if it were not so palpably imbecillty on the part of the perpetrator of the so-called "practical joker," occurred this week in the science building of the Normal. The victim of the joke, if such it may be called, in Ralph Harlow, familiarly called "Billy Bounce." The perpetrator is a senior of the school who expects to graduate this year, and as his name is known to the members of the faculty, who will probably deal with the case, it is unneccassry to make it public. It is said, however, that the student body is so thoroughly enraged at the incident that they would deal with the senior himself in no very gentle manner if they had the opportunity.

Tuesday afternoon the joker invited his victim to the science building to show him around. Harlow has never had any chemistry, but the senior has taken several courses and besides a slight knowledge of the subject, has an unusual attack of the distemper called "swelled head." Among other sights of the laboratory was a test tube full of heated chlorine and Harlow was told to take a good long breath inhaling the odor. Harlow followed instructions, and was overcome with the fumes, which burned his throut, lungs and indeed all the mucous membrane it touched. Harlow was overcome and lost consciousness, and the senior not being able to resucitate him easily, became frightened and grabbed his possessions and left the building, leaving his victim unconscious. He was found in this state some time later by some one going to the room and help summoned, but it was only after three hours' work that he regained consciousness. As a result he is in bad shape, the powerful fumes of the stuff having burned him in an uncomfortable and serious manner.

The perpetration of such so-called "jokes" is a dangerous and criminal proceeding and deserves rigorous treatment.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Books for sale

I hope I will be forgiven for indulging in a bit of self promotion, by announcing I will be selling copies of my books at the Ypsilanti Farmers's Market on Saturday, May 21, from 8:00 A. M. to 2:00 P. M. I will be selling copies of Our Heritage: Down by the Depot in Ypsilanti ($15) and Footnotes in History ($20). Our Heritage is a history of Depot Town co-authored with Tom Dodd. Footnotes in History is a collection of my stories from the first year I was with the Ypsilanti Courier.

The Farmers's Market reopened a few weeks ago, and has been getting bettter with each week. A number of crafters are expected to be at the Market this Saturday, so it should be worth a visit.

The Venerable Bede

One week from today, Wednesday, May 25, is the feast day of the Venerable Bede, patron saint of historians. How should one celebrate such a day?

Sad Story

The following is from The Ypsilanit Daily Press of Friday, April 8, 1910. It is a sad story made interesting in part by what it dose not say.

WEll Known Ypsilati Lady in Moment of Insanity Takes Her Life By Strangulation.

Miss Edna Sweet, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Warren Sweet residient five miles south of Ypsilanti took her life by hanging with a piece of clothesline Thursday afternoon at the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Eva Barrowcliff, on North Prospect street. She was 28 years of age.

Miss Sweet had been ill for about four years past and since January had been in a hospital a part of the time. During six weeks in the winter she was in Chicago undergoing treatment and had only been home a short time when her parents decided upon a trail treatment in Detroit. She was taken to Harper's hospital accordingly on Monday and was prepared for an operation, which physicians believed would relieve the diffficulity, but when the time came for the operation she refused to allow it. Nothing further coould be done and her brother, Nelson brought her home Thursday afternoon. They left the street car at Prospect street and went to the home of their anut, Mrs. Barrowcliff, to await the arrival of their father who was to take them home. After they had been there a short time Miss Sweet left the house. When a few minutes had passed and she failed to return, Mrs. Barrowcliff became anxous about her and started in search. She failed to get any answer to her calls and upon looking through the window of an outbuilding in the reat of the house was horrified to behold her niece hanging dead from a piece of clothline which she had cut with a knife taken from the kitchen when she left the house.

Nelson Sweet was informed of the act but before the victume could be relieved sahe had strangled so that recovery was beyond hope. The father arrived a short time later and was terribly shocked at the sad news of his daughter's awful deed.

Mis Sweet attended school in Ypsilanti but was compelled to leave before graduating on account of poor health. She was a bright student and an accomplished writer having composed several interesting poems and short articles.

After her long suffering from poor health her mind finally becme at times weakened and it was for this trouble that the operation was to have been performed. Her extreme condition of nervous excitement is thought to have again unbalanced her mind Thursday afternoon resulting in her death.

The funeral will be held at the Sweet home south of the city Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock and interment will take place in Udell cemetery.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Cleaning the Water Tower 1905

The following is from The Ypsilanti Daily Press of Tuesday, April 25, 1905

After one has witnessed the laborious process of cleaning the big standpipe on the hill one will never again laugh at the impossible feat of dipping water out of the lake with a thimble, for on Saturday night the big tank was given its semi-annual cleaning. At least 5,000 gallons of water were dipped out of the big tank with scoop shovels in the short space of an hour by six men and a boy.


Twice each year the tank is given a thorough cleaning. On these occasions the water is drawn off through fire hose into the hydrants. On Saturday night three hydrants wer open for over two hours. When the tank was empty with the exception of about six inches the men went to work, four with brooms and the remainder with shovels, and the sides of the tank as well as the bottem were thoruughly cleaned. For half the time the water was kept in motion, so that the sediment and mud would be carried to teh sewer opening. Later, when the water was getting low,the real sweeping began, so that when the last shovelful was taken up the bottem of the tank was as clean as milady's floor. To remove the tools and get out of the tank was but the work of a few minutes, and a short time afterwards the water was bubbling up through the big pipe and the semi-annual cleaning was over.

The big tank is something of a curiosity to one who has not seen it. To reach it one must go up a flight of stairs until the landing is reached. After this the ascent is for a short flight on the outside of the tower and then by a winding circuitous route until one is within five feet of the top of the tank. It is a narrow walk and standing here one can look over the top and down 28 feet to the bottem of the great empty tank, which is 40 feet in diameter, and holds when full a quarter of a million gallons of water. On looking up one sees far above the cupola, which is reached by another flight of thrity-five shaky steps.

It is hard, too, to realize the deposit which six months brings to the bottem of this hugh receptacle, but there are several inches of mud and iron precipitate from the water and it is to clean this that the work is twice each year undertaken.

The cowd on Saturday night presented a motly arrary, for true to the rhyme, some were in rags and some were in tags, but none in velvet gowns.

In deed, the costumes were many and varied, for the sediment is heavy and leaves an iron rust stain wherever it stricks.

But the work of removing all this has been completed, and the task, which was carried on under the direction of Supt. Blachard, was very thorough, and those who patronize city water may be assured that so far as the stand pipe is concerned the water is as clean as a thorough cleaning can make it.

Meanwhile, the job being done the workers and witnesses had the pleasure of being lightened down to the ground floor, some 200 steps below the level of the tank.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Bodies on Campus

On Thursday, May 12, 2005, I was the guest speaker for the meeting of the Emeritus Faculty of Eastern Michigan University. The topic of my talk was the people for whom the buildings on campus are named. I was going to begin by saying as a historian, I know where the bodies are buried. Then I remembered that there might be bodies buried on the campus, as part of what is now the campus was once a cemetery. From 1865 to 1888 St. John's Catholic Cemetery was on the land now occupied by Phelps Sellers, Dining Commons #2, and part of Wish and part of Buell. The Church decided to move the cemetery, as all of the space was filled, and the new cemetery was moved to the present site on River Street in 1888. Well, all of the bodies were supposed to have been moved, but they may have missed a few.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

City Hatter

I was walking on Michigan Ave. this morning, when I saw the signs in the windows of Cith Hatter: EVERYTHING MUST GO. 20 to 40% OFF. This is not a good sign of things to come. City Hatter was in business about a year, with one of the best looking storfronts on the street. Now, in its place, we will most likely be getting a vacent building. What the downtown area needs is foot traffice, that will stop in the stores and spend money. Then the city will have a downtown to be proud of.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Murder

The M & B Liquor and Deli on Whittaker and Willis Roads was damaged by fire the morning of Tuesday, April 19, 2005, and now stands as a boarded up eyesore. Today few people are aware the store was the site of a murder in 1925. At that time Harry Cyb operated a combined gas station and general store at the site. Harry closed the store at about 10:00 P. M. on the night of Friday, September 18, 1925 and went to the the house at the back of the store he shared with his wife and five childern. Two cars pulled up in front of the store, and Harry was told someone wanted oil. He was hit in the head and knocked unconscious while pouring a bottle of oil into the car. He was dragged into the car, and the car was driven off.

The fmily had to get a ride to the village of Willies to find someone with a telephone so they could call the police. Police at Ypsilanti first went to the store, but as no one was there, went to Willis as that was where the call had come from. As they dove down Willis Road, they saw a spot in the road, but did not stop. At Willis they were made aware of the facts of the case. Then they went back to where they had seen the spot in the road, and found it was blood. The officers followed the trail of blood to the side of the road, where they found Harry alive but unconscious. He was taken to Beyer Hospital, where he died the next morning.

By the police had taken into custody Herman Crossis, who was found walking by the road near the store. Crossie was duk and had bloodstains on his clothing. Officers went to the home of William Crossie where they found Owen Lidke who was not drunk, but had bloodstains on his clothing. William Crossie, the brother of Herman, was questioned, and, as there were bloodstains on his clothing as well, was taken into custody. As the police drove back to the store William seated in the back seat of the car sang all the way, except when they came to the site where the body of Harry was found. Then William stopped singing and all but stood up in the car to look at the spot where the body had been found. He had not been told of the body.

The three men stood trial in circuit court and were found not guilt, as the evidence was insufficient. Harry Cyb sleeps in his grave at the back of St. John's Catholic Cemetery on river Street. His headstond stands alone, as there is no one buried near him.

Monday, May 09, 2005

Motorcycle awareness month

I say a sign on Grove Road Saturday evening proclaiming: May is Michigan Motorcycle Awareness Month. Look Stwice, Save a Life. I had begun to suspect something was up involving motorcycles that afternoon, while I was at the Farmers's Market. There was this sudden roar as what looked like a hundred motocycles went past on Cross Street. Someone at the Market said they were on their way to St. John's Cemetery on River Street, where one of their brothers is buried. Sure enough, the whole lline of motocycles turned north onto River Street toward the cemetery.

That evening I was driving down a road west of Ann Arbor and saw a second line of motocycles coming in the opposite direction. This group was not a large as the first, but it still was impressive. The rider of one motocycle appeared to me, to be trying to give his passenger a kiss, as they were doing 45 or 50 miles per hour on the road. Now that gave me a feeling of confidence.

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Still a lot to learn

I still have a lot to learn about blogging, but in the end I will learn everything I need to know. I realize it will take a little time for me to get up to speed, and be accepted into the ranks of real bloggers, but I shall kep at it until I succeed. It is onely a question of time, and time is on my side.

Friday, May 06, 2005

Still Learning

There is still a lot for me to learn about blogging, and I need to work on it. I need to practice and keep at it, so I will develop good blogging habits. For one thing, I need to learn how to best use this site to promote my books, so they will sell. For that I need a siteon the blog where readers can find out how to order copies of my books. I will figure it out, and do it right.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Try, try, again

I am playing with my blog, and trying to find out why I cannot get onto it the usual way. I will figure this out, and make good use of this blog yet.

Getting use to the blog

I am just playing with my new blog, to get use to it and to teach myself how to make the best use of it. This is going to be fun, once I figure out what it is I am trying to do. So wish me luck.

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to my blog, when I will deal with the history of Ypsilanti Michigan, a subject I am very fimiler with. I am now to blogging, and it may take me a little while to get up and running, so please be kind to the new guy.