Women made civilization possible.

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The programs in the 1950-60s were focused on Westerns, though I do not know why. Matt Dillon, Lone Ranger (with Tonto, played by Jay Silverheels), Rawhide, Have Gun Will Travel, and many more filled our living room with galloping horses, lots of gunfights. Many up and coming stars began their acting careers in a Western.

What is seldom seen are the dramas with female wives who are racing around in long prairie skirts, always working in the background.  Working? They were the workforce until children grew enough to pitch in.

Who are these women? Why in the world were they always stirring pots over log fires, especially when hell is breaking loose around them?

Old Farm and country photographs

1906 Yakima

Kentucky, 1920s

Workers in hayfield. Women are cooking.

Nebraska, 1886

 

1920s, going on honeymoon

grinding corn Kentucky

Fool Thunder and family. Hunkpapa Lakota. 1880

True west magazine

earliest photo of Native Americans

1853

1906, Osage

Native Americans and European immigrants, being a woman was desperately hard. Sunrise to sundown, women worked hard to feed and care for her family. 

Women settled the West, more so than the men. Sure, men were charged with protecting family, keeping them safe, chasing bad guys. But, women provided more than food and children--they civilized the West. Churches, schools, and a sense of community emerged from the strength of these special strong women.

Salute the women in your life. You are lucky to have, or to have had, these God-blessed women who make the world bearable. Give them some roses, just for the heck of it.

She will deserve every petal.

Is it football or is it foot-ball?

The way it is

Which one is it? Which is the REAL football?

Of course, we know the authentic American football we know, but some may not love (which is me).

Not again!

Super Bowl is coming, and many rejoice. Some already know and care that the LA Rams and Boston New England Patriots will be facing off.  

The excitement happens with each team as they slam and smash, leap to intercept, and cruise into end zone, with the obligatory end zone dance.

We all know people like that. 

Oh, yeah.

They may/will have Doritos on the table with some sort of beer (American maybe) in the cooler. There will be chips/crisps and dip (French onion), tortilla chips and guacamole, and maybe a vegetable platter. Faces may be painted in team colors. Oh, and don't forget the strange over-sized foam finger.
  

Most Valuable Player

For me, that day is only for the commercials. And, whenever there is one of these clever commercials, the players are hanging around waiting for them to be over.

But is it foot-ball?

Pele

No, it isn't for me.  The real foot-ball (called soccer here) came from Europe. The World Cup has action that doesn't stop, so much so that there are rarely any commercials. 

When we were visiting family in Switzerland (2014), red with a white cross was prominent everywhere. At the AirBnB where we stayed, we watched each game with German commentators. But we didn't need any help understanding the action. It was awesome.

Pubs are filled with shouting fans, team colors flood the streets, and sometimes, too often sadly, disputes can break out in the stadium. 

Russia vs. Egypt 2019

 But in watching this game where action never stops, we see players who are passionate and in top physical shape.

The photos says it all.

Fans don't leave to get beers/lager/ale, but are watching every play. 

I don't know about most bloggers, but this foot-ball is the real one, the one to watch.  

Players get hurt, no avoiding that**. But that is another post, a very sad post, coming up.

**Injuries in any sport are inevitable, but in any style football they are frequent and some serious. Whether it is devastating or one that allows a player to continue, every fan has watched a player being taken off the field.Over the years in American football, head injuries had resulted in brain damage.  This is also the case in FootBall/soccer and especially Rugby.
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