First Transistor

Model of first transistor created by Bell Laboratories in 1948?  It is on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space in Washington, DC.

Rainbow on the Wall

Cut Up Watermelon

It is hard to beat having fresh cut up watermelon that has been chill'in the refrigerator!

Pyrite Cubes

Pyrite cubes found in the Waldron Shale of southern Indiana.  The last picture is of a pyrite ball.  Pyrite is also known by the common name "fool's gold".

Hot Air Balloons

Balloons over Jeffersontown, Kentucky during the Gaslight Festival of 2010.

Beryl variation of Aquamarine

Mined in Minas Gerais, Brazil, this uncut aquamarine crystal weighs in at 15,256 carats.  Rare it that the stone remains uncut.  On display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (August 2010).

Indian Emerald Necklace

The Indian Emerald Necklace made with 24 Columbian gems.  Jewels are set in platinum complimented with 100s of diamonds.  Created in 1928-1929 by Cartier.  As of August 2010, on display in the mineral gallery at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

Pyrite Ball

Pyrite ball about the size of a marble found in the Waldron Shale (over 400 million years old) in Clark County, Indiana.  Pyrite is also known as "fool's gold" or iron disulfide.

Butterfly at Arlington

Butterfly on flowers found at Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. (August 2010).

Flower Cluster

Flowers at Arlington Cemetery in August 2010.

Praying Mantis

Praying mantis walking up a guard rail of the Robert E. Lee's old mansion located on the grounds of Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C.  Picture taken in August 2010.

Stiglitz Corporation

An article in The Courier-Journal entitled "Longtime supplier to GE closes" by Chris Otts (September 9, 2010, B8) announced the equipment of Stiglitz Corporation had been auctioned off.  They were one of Louisville's oldest manufacturers which recently employed 56 people.  The article stated their primary customer was GE making parts for their dishwashers, ice makers, ranges, and air conditioners.  The company was founded by Charles George Stiglitz in 1882 though their web site says their company history dates back to 1818 in Louisville after they acquired Bridgeford and Company. 

The company started out as foundry pouring cast iron manhole covers.  By 1949 they started manufacturing appliances fabricated with sheet metal.  They later supplied Sears with gas space heaters and clothes dryers.
The operations were located in westend of Louisville (Portland) until the construction of I-64 moved them to 2.8 acre complex on Mellwood Ave.

Still remaining is their web site http://www.stiglitz.com/ (created in 2002?) which has its domain name paid for till 2017.

The Bridgeford company was profiled in the book The Industries of Louisville, Kentucky, and of New Albany, Indiana.  It was published in 1886 by J.M. Elstner & Co. Publishers of Louisville.  The guide lists them as "manufacturers of stoves, ranges, tin, and sheet-iron and japanned ware.  The facility was located on 6th Street between Main and River.  The entry on page 98 explains that the high grade casting sands found near the falls of the Ohio make it possible to make smooth castings.  The heating stove highlighted is the "Orient" (shown in picture) that was patented in 1884.  Described as "the handsomest, cheapest, and most perfect-operating open stove in the market."

Interesting, the company is listed as being organized in 1880 with $200,000.  The president, James Bridgeford started with a different company in 1829, Wright & Bridgeford.  Facts about the company operation in 1886: 250 employees, 18-20 tons of pig iron used daily, payroll of $4,500 a week and $500,000-$600,000 annually in sales.

Hummingbird

Hummingbird in Hodgenville, Kentucky flying near feeder.

Peaches and Jello

The peaches shown in an earlier posting now have been peeled and cut up.

After cutting up the peaches, Peach Jello is mixed up using boiling water and cold water.

Added the cut peaches to the jello in the bowl.

Last picture shows peaches in jello after being refrigerated for 12 hours.

UPS Plane Flying Over Downtown Louisville

Indiana Skyline From Great Lawn

Peaches

I harvested 10 peaches from the one of the three trees that produced this year.  In the beginning of the growing season, there were a lot more peaches on all the trees but these were the ones that made it to the finish line.  I found two on the ground that some animal(s) had eaten on.  Maybe a squirrel, rabbit, or chipmunk had eaten the exposed part of the peach down to the pit.  It looked ripe so I decided time to pick.

More pictures posted when they are cut up and used in peach jello.

Lincoln's Pocket Watch

President Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch obtained in Illinois.  On display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History on August 2010.

Long Live the Seeded Watermelon!

Newspaper articles are appearing lamenting the loss of seeded watermelons.  First, it was The New York Times and now The Washington Post with an August 31, 2010 article entitled "Watermelons: What happened to the seeds?" by Jane Black (is that a real name?). The comments on the article are interesting to read. I agree with some of the comments that there are good seedless melons.  I have grown some but they were difficult to grow an d the seeds were expensive.  This argument that seeds are a choking hazard is bizarre.

Well, the seeded watermelon is alive and well growing in gardens in Indiana and Kentucky.  Maybe on a smaller scale but they are being grown.  This season I grew mostly Charleston Gray but also Crimson Sweet and maybe some sort of Jubliee striped melon.  The great thing about seeded melons for the gardener is they provide you the seeds for future seasons to grow more melons.

Crop production for my small gardens probably will reach 450 pounds gross weight harvested.  The melon in these pictures weighs a little over 40 pounds.  After cutting this watermelon up and placing it containers in the refrigerator, I washed the table off.  Small pieces of watermelon still remained with all the seeds and soon butterflies appeared to eat the watermelon sugar left on the table.  So neat!