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Where Were You On...                                    by Canita Pro (Canita Prough) 4-2020

5/2/2020

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 ​Where were you when President John F. Kennedy was shot?
Recently, I was asked, “Where we you when President Kennedy was shot?” I was five years, 1 month, and twenty days old. My parents and two siblings were living in Lamar, Colorado at the time.  I can remember a time when I was crawling off the grass onto the sand where the pheasant were raised. I also remember a steel metal strip sticking out of the cement where boots were scraped before entering the house.  My parents have assured me that these are two different locations in and about Lamar. Alas, I do not remember where I was on November 22, 1963 when John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas.
The person asking this question was stating that this was why I knew how to work computer software. Perhaps that is true.  Although, I believe I have this ability because I was blessed to work for a company that was on the cutting edge of technology and attended college later in life. This company had one of the first fax machines. I graduated from an old upright electric typewriter to a new Olivette typewriter, with limited memory. This answering service was one of the first to convert to computers leaving the old switchboards behind. The man who ran the company had the large Motorola mobile phone in his car, and we answered and worked with the beepers that doctors used in the hospitals long before cell phone arrived.  I even remember when the cable was being put in the ocean allowing internet service was announced.  ​I could ask a similar question and believe I would get very interesting answers. Where were you when Elvis died?
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​Where were you when Elvis died?
This happened prior to the answering service going to computer, for me, when there were ten switchboards with eight ladies answering incoming and making out going calls. This was a messy day.  When the news spread, all eight ladies were crying, everyone was red eyed.  And the crying did not last for just a few minutes.  It was more like an hour.  Two of the ladies asked off work and headed to Memphis, Tennessee. The crying would erupt again when the shifts changed. There seemed no way to consoling these upset ladies. I can say the message spread a little faster with their help. On August 16, 1977 at the age of eighteen just before my nineteenth birthday, I was with a group of ladies, at a telephone answering service, who obviously loved Elvis.
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​Where were you during The Gulf War-co-named Operation Desert Storm?
I was in the United States territory of Guam in Micronesia.  I was there as a missionary teacher to first graders. I had arrived in Guam on August 1989 at the start of the school year.  I was living in Yigo, Guam, acclimating to the weather and the culture. The first thing that happened was the closing of Anderson Air Force base.  No one comes in, no one goes out.  The school and my living quarters were one mile from the front gate. I had nineteen students and over 50% were military children. Not, much of a class that day. The things that was most interesting to me about these days was I would call home and my family would tell me things like. “The President is not sending military people.” In Guam, the US territory, they were sending military people, by the hundreds, I had crying parents and children visiting me saying that both parents were being sent and they were to send their children back to the continental US. They were to get their will in order and not to plan on returning, there in Guam they were preparing for a Nuclear War. Telling the people that the war would be short and deadly. On an airplane ride a few years later, I was talking to a person who was in medical personnel at that time.  He said they had sent thousands of body bags to Numberg, Germany because they believe there would be a large amount of deaths. I was also told later, by military personnel, that Operation Desert Storm was an arranged war to test the Scud missiles.
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​Where were you when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was bombed?
I was standing in the dorm, at a University, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  I was turning off the T.V. to go to class. I had just started college full time at thirty-eight years old.  Having just returned from doing foreign mission in Bad Soden, Germany. I decided to do the college thing as if I were still a spring chicken. At 9:02 a.m. April 19, 1995 a terrorist truck loaded with a bomb drove into the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Killing two acquaintances and several friends.  When the bomb went off the third floor of the dorm room in Tulsa, Oklahoma, shook almost knocking me off my feet. One hundred and eight miles away from my dorm, a building dropped to the ground, killing 168 people, nineteen who were children under the age of 6.
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​Where were you when September 11, attack took place?
I was living in Canton, Michigan, teaching nineteen first graders.  It was a school day, a Tuesday.  Several strange things had happened that morning.  On the way to work gas stations and food restaurants were closed.  I had read the signs coming to work.  Then during morning devotions, the school secretary had read a letter from a Muslim religious leader in Detroit, Michigan, saying, “I will pray for you especially on this day.” Our principal, who never missed work, was missing that day.” I had one child, who was part Iranian who was not in school that day. At 8:36 a.m., September 11, 2001.  We were given a note to not allow the children outside today and to stay calm, do not talk about what you hear.  We will send someone to give you restroom break shortly.  Around 9:15 a.m. I was given my break.  I went to the teachers lounge and was told what was happening, allowed to watch the videos of the attack on the news for about ten minutes.  Then returned to a classroom of children for the remainder of the day.  Two parents came and asked for their children to be removed to go home with them, otherwise, we continued our day as usual, without lunch and recess breaks.
Canton, Michigan is 25.9 miles from Dearborn, Michigan.  Dearborn, has the largest population of Muslims in the United States.  The police were alerted, they sent in military police to keep peace. One of my children’s father at the age of thirty-three had a massive heart attack and died in his sleep two days after the attack. The very next night one of my children’s uncles hung himself in the basement. I personally thought I was ok.  Then a year later, my health broke, I had stomach problems, blood pressure problems and began visiting with a life coach.  I had to go back to just being ME, not a teacher, not a daughter, not a sister, not a friend, back to ground zero just to be ME and breathe.  I had to tell myself to breathe, first we get through this second, then this minute, then two minutes, and so on. 
The gas stations and restaurants were closed because they were owned and operated by Muslims.  The Muslim community had been warned and had taken cover.  My principal had many Muslim friends and had a huge struggle to overcome.  Was he to tell others and cause panic or keep it to himself?  He chose to keep it to himself. (I am sure he was praying for us).  What a terrible place to be.  He had his family and himself safely tucked away.
This terrifying event killed 2,996 people, 25,000 people were injured, over ten billion dollars-worth of damage was reeked on Manhattan, New York and the World Trade Center, The Pentagon in Washington D. C., and the airplane that was hi-jacked over Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
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​Where were you when Joplin, Missouri blew away on May the 22, 2011?
I had attended church that morning, ate lunch, and laid down to my Sunday afternoon nap.  I remember one lady going to the altar that morning rededicating her life to the Lord.  A loud pop woke me at 5:34 p.m. thinking that it was lightening for the electricity had gone off.  I called my sister who lived in Neosho, which is south of where the tornado hit.  She told me she did not know what was going on, said our other sister was helping people at Wal Mart.  That was the last time for several days I would be able to use my phone, for the phones were all blocked because so many were making calls or maybe I should say trying.
My home was in the basement of one of my sister’s homes.  I went upstairs to see if anyone was home.  No one was there.  I then drove to Wal Mart which was not easy. Phone lines were down, there were people wondering around in a daze. Cars were mangled around telephone poles and buildings.  I had to park about a mile from the store.  As I walked to the store, I prayed with people, listened to people story and tried to direct them to safety.  When I finally reached the store.  The store was nothing but rubble.  The police were there, but they were told to help only those in trouble not to do damage control.  There were people looting the store and stores all around.  I asked an officer if there were any casualties.  He said one woman and her child. That they were still trying to get them out. There was one massive ball of cars in the parking lot.  It was huge.  It looked like a 100-foot transformer gone wrong.
Jumping to the end for there is much to tell of that day.  The sister that was at the store.  He loaded her SUV with people and was trying to get them to safety.  Like I said, streets were closed, wires down, and debris everywhere.  It took her hours to get them to the hospital, then to make her way home. The lady who had re-dedicated her life, when to be with her Lord and Savior that day. My sister’s home was not damaged, other than a few missing shingles from the roof, and her home was less than a mile from the route the tornado took.
So, that day Sunday, May 11, 2011, during an EF5 multiple vortex tornado with peaks of 250 mph winds. I was asleep in my bed.  This tornado did 2.80 billion dollars of damage, 1,150 people were injured and 158 were killed.
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​Where were you during COVID-19?
That is where I am today as I am writing this.  It is week three of quarantine.  I am a teacher, teaching school via the internet to twelve students. I only get out when necessary. I live in Kyle, Texas, Hays County just outside Austin, Texas. The week prior to spring break the children were watching the news, staying on top of the outbreak.  First it came from a camel, bat, or monkey.  Then, it was created by the Chinese, Next, men who smoked were at risk, the outbreak did not like heat, then came the quarantine.  The students who were at school took all their books home for their spring break.
I wear a scarf when I go to the grocery store, I sanitize my hands, wash my clothes when I return to my one-bedroom apartment, with a living room that is set up to teach school.  I spend my weekdays, doing on line teaching, grading papers, preparing lesson plans, lessons and communicating with parents. Prior to the announcement that pets did not carry the disease people were dropping their pets off along the side the road.  It was beginning to become a problem one week into the epidemic. I have three cats, was so happy to hear it was not affecting pets. At this point they have decided it was an epidemic created by the Chinese was from bats.  It seems to kill those that have inflammation.  Elderly adults are more at risk than children.
As of 4/10/2020 the global COVID-19 results;
1,677, 256 confirmed cases
101,732 dead
372,428 recovered
United States results;
492,995 confirmed cases
18,248 dead
27,660 recovered
Someday, in the future, someone might ask you Where were you when…?
 
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Childhood Favorites

3/28/2020

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Copyright 2020
​Canita Pro (Canita Prough)

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It seems that gelatin powder has been flavored and used in cooking since the 1500’s. It was popular for making into molds for quite some time. In 1845 it was boxed and made easier to purchase. Then it was 1897 before the famous form of flavored gelatin powder hit the market.
Flavored Gelatin Toast was a favorite at our house while I was growing up and it is still a favorite “go to” when I ‘m feeling nostalgic or wanting a comfort food. It is easy to make; children love to make it and eat it.
It is 2020 and I’m teaching, I have made this twice for my students.  It is still a favorite for children.
Preparation Time:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and on bake.
Prep time (10) minutes
Bake time (8) minutes
Makes (8) pieces of toast
Ingredients:
Stick of butter (cold from the refrigerator and definitely not margarine)
Flavored gelatin powder
My favorites are raspberry, cherry, orange and lime depending on my mood. Any flavor can be used.
Optional:
½ teaspoon sugar (mixed sugar and sweetener substitute works great)
Take a baking sheet and lay out slices of white or wheat bread.
                                                                   
Preparation:
You can leave the bread in slices or do it up nice by making the toast round and without crust. Don't give those crust to the birds. Use them to make individual Nutmeg bread pudding cups with a Nutmeg Sauce that follows.
Slice your stick butter into thin slices, put two complete slices and one slice divided in half on each slice of bread.
Tear or cut off the corner of the gelatin packet, this make sprinkling it easier. Sprinkle a thin layer of gelatin over the toast making sure to get it all the way to the edges, because you want to get a taste of the gelatin in every bite. Only use half of the package of gelatin powder; you will want to make syrup for your pancakes tomorrow or another batch of Jell-O Toast.
If the gelatin is not sweet enough for you. You can add ½ teaspoon of sugar per slice. There is a sugar substitute that is part sugar and part sweetener. This product makes this toast about half the sugar intake and it tastes just as awesome.
Then place the toast in the preheated oven, on the top shelf for (8) eight minutes.
Dip it!
Remove carefully and allow to cool about two minutes, then enjoy it with hot cocoa, chocolate milk or your choice of drink. Of course, if you are having hot cocoa or milk dip the bread into the drink. It tastes great that way.
Turn off the oven, put away the butter and bread, place the unused gelatin in the box it came in. Be sure and fold the top and securely seal it with a rubber band or a chip clip to use next time. Clean up your work space, making your Momma happy.
This toast is great for breakfast, as an after-school snack, or even as a desert.
Bunnies with Simple Gelatin Syrup:
Another favorite around our house was bunny pancakes with flavored simple gelatin syrup.
Prep Time: depends on the number of people
Makes (4) 4" pancakes
Ingredients for Bunny, Pancake Batter:
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of oil
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon of sugar (half sugar, half sweetener mix work well)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon of soda
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup milk or buttermilk
Cooking oil for skillet about (1) Tablespoon
Ingredients for Simple Gelatin Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar or ½ cup of the half sugar, half sweetener mix
½ package of flavored gelatin (any flavor)
Time Management Tip for the Kitchen:
Plan ahead, what can cook while you are preparing? Examples; put something in the oven like biscuits first, then fry the eggs. If you are having bacon, fry it first, place it in the microwave, then put the biscuits in the oven and fry the eggs.
                                                 
Preparation of Bunny, Pancake Batter:
 
In a medium mixing bowl beat the egg, then add all the remaining ingredients.
Beat the batter a with spoon or mixer on low until the batter is smooth. Pancake batter is usually thin or runny.
My time management at work for this recipe is start the simple gelatin syrup now.
While the syrup is cooking start making your Bunny/pancakes.
Place your skillet or griddle on the burner, turn it to medium high heat, add (1) Tablespoon of oil. Allow the skillet to warm. You can drop a few drops of cold water in the skillet to see if it is hot enough or just hold your hand, NOT TOUCHING THE SKILLET/GRIDDLE, over the skillet and feel the heat, if it warms your hand it is hot enough.
Take a tablespoon and pour ½ of the batter from the Tablespoon into the hot skillet about (1) one inch from the edge. This will become the head of the rabbit. Move the batter so it is round. The taking the edge of the remaining batter in the Tablespoon, add ears to the top of the circle. Refill the Tablespoon (2) twice making a circle that connects to the smaller circle or head, making the body of the rabbit (back view). Refill the tablespoon half full of batter and place a tail on the bigger circle making the rabbits tail (either side, closer to the bottom of the circle).
Watch the batter as it cooks, bubbles will appear, then they will begin to burst, pick up an edge of the cooking bunny and check for coloring (You’re looking for golden brown). If it looks the right color, place your spatula carefully under part of the big circle and neck of the bunny. The neck is your weakest point. Flip that bunny over to cook the other side. Watch the other side carefully, checking by lifting the edges. When it is the right color and cooked through, take your bunny carefully out of the skillet, placing your spatula under his neck, and place him on your plate.
When the first bunny is done, your simple gelatin syrup should be done. Continue the process until everyone has a bunny. (Don’t worry if your bunny doesn’t turn out right, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.) I promise you will get the hang of it if you practice.
Pour on your syrup and eat away.

Preparation of the Simple Gelatin Syrup:
Put the (1) cup of water, (1) cup of sugar or ½ cup of sugar/sweetener mix, and the (½) package of flavored gelatin in a saucepan and stir to dissolve some of the sugar and gelatin.
Place the saucepan on the burner and turn it to high. It takes this mixture (5) minutes to cook. Set your timer, when it rings, take off the syrup and let it cool.
Used! One Box of Flavored Gelatin
I like to eat the ears and tail first. This recipe is for the older children, mothers, grandmothers, fathers, grandfathers and the children at heart.
This recipe is excellent for breakfast and dinner/supper.
There you have used the full box of flavored gelatin powder, no waste. You have had three great foods, and the children have loved it.
                
Nutmeg Bread Pudding Cups
Ingredients:
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups (remains of 8 slices of Jell-O toast)
Nutmeg Bread Pudding Preparation:
In a mixing bowl beat together the two (2) eggs, milk, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla. Place the dry bread crusts into the mixture, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Using a twelve-muffin pan, lightly grease it, fill the cups 2/3 full of the refrigerated bread crusts. Bake in 325-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the oven or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve warm with Nutmeg Sauce.
Nutmeg Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute
1 beaten egg yoke
4 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon ground nutmeg
Nutmeg Sauce Preparation:
In a small saucepan melt butter, Stir in sugar, egg yolk, nutmeg and water. Cook and stir constantly over medium-heat for 5 to 6t minutes or till sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Serve warm. Covers 12 individual Nutmeg Bread Pudding Cups.
Nutmeg:
Nutmeg is the spice you smell and taste if you are drinking that holiday favorite Egg Nog. I love the flavor of nutmeg and leave the vanilla out of the recipe to get the full effect. The bread pudding is a delightful custard with soft and crunchy bites of bread covered with a sweet, buttery nutmeg sauce.
Now! No wasted bread.
Childhood favorites become comfort food later in life by adding a memory to the food.
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Motorcycle Mention Game                        by Canita Pro 2020

3/20/2020

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​Ever played Slug Bug or Jinx?  Well, there is a new one.  Motorcycle Mention. With hot new rides made available in the motorcycle world.  Looking for them should be pleasing to the eye.  A few motorcycle from 2016 to 2019 are listed below and shown above
2019 Motorcycle.com’s Motorcycle of the Year.
 The KTM 790 Adventure R. This model has WP XPLOR suspension front and rear.  It’s low center of gravity which makes it 2019’s Motorcycle.com’s winner of the year.
Motorcycle.com’s 2018 Motorcycle of the Year
Honda CB 100 R with it’s 4 in 1 exhaust and 998cc 4-cylinder engine.
The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT with its cruise control, heated grips and guard shifter.
MOTY Award 2016 Motorcycle of the Year
The MOTY Awards has named the Triumph Street Twin by Bonneville the “2016 Motorcycle of the Year.” It is a full-size, fully featured modern motorcycle with standard ABS and traction control. The Street Twin feels fully equipped and thoroughly featured. More than that, the Street Twin is a delight to ride. Light feeling, agile, with strong off-the-bottom power, the Triumph is a compact, easy-to-manage bike that never feels dumbed down. Its charm is never veneer-thin or cynical. They have genuinely good performance.
2016 Best Sport Bike of the Year
MOTY Awards also named the Yamaha YZF-R1 the “Best Sport Bike”. It’s easier to ride than any of its competition, and at the end of the lap it’s also faster. The R1 will make you feel like a better track rider. On the street, the suspension is stiff and the riding position is aggressive. The seat is wide and pretty comfy, and mellower ride modes allow you to dial back the hair-trigger throttle. Add to all of that the R1 experience is bathed in the warm, dulcet tones of the cross-plane engine. Last year the R1 changed the way we see superbikes, and one year later it is still very much the king of the class.
Motorcycle Injuries
On the average on my fifteen-minute ride to work and back each day there is at least one motorcycle on the road to be seen going each way. There are well over 500,000 motorcycles, on the roads, in the United States. The federal government estimates that per mile traveled in 2014, the number or deaths on motorcycles was over 27 times the number in cars.
Rules for Motorcycle and Moped Drivers
Those riding motorcycles are less stable and less visible than cars. When a motorcycles crashes, their riders lack the protection of an enclosed vehicles, therefore, they are more likely to be injured or killed. Serious head injuries are common among motorcyclists.
All-terrain vehicles (ATV’s) are not designed for on-highway use, yet in recent years more than 300 riders died in crashes on public roads annually.
In most states the rules for motorcycle and moped drivers are the same rights and duties as drivers of motor vehicles:
  • You must be 16 years of age or older to operate a motorcycle or moped on a public road.
  • If under 18, you must hold a Learner’s License for 12 months with no moving violations, convictions prior to the issuance of a Motorcycle Only license.
  • Operators of motorcycles must complete an approved motorcycle safety course and get a motorcycle endorsement on their license or a Motorcycle Only license
  • Motorcycles and mopeds, must register annually and have a tag, may not operate on bicycle paths or foot paths, and must carry Personal Injury Protection (insurance).
When riding a motorcycle, or moped you must use;
Directional signals (shown above)
  • Turn signals are required by law when changing lanes or overtaking a vehicle.
  • You must give a turn signal for at least 100 feet before you make your turn.
  • “Right turn” is the left arm from elbow to the palm of the hand extended to the sky (as if you were under arrest.)
  • It is against the law to use your directional signals to tell drivers behind you that they can pass.
  • “Slow or Stop” is the left arm from elbow to palm extended to the ground.
  • Hand signals must be given from the left sides of the vehicle.
  • “Left turn” is the left arms from elbow to palm extended straight out, as if doing jumping jacks.
  • Slow down to a safe turning speed
Protective Clothing
The federal government says that helmets are about 37 percent effective in preventing motorcycle deaths, about 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries. Only twenty states make helmet mandate.
Proper clothing for motorcyclist:
  • Helmet- protects from head injury, windblast, cold and flying objects
  • Gloves-protects hands
  • Jacket and Pants – protects against sunburn, road rash and windburn
  • Boots-gives protection to the foot and ankle, allows a good grip on the foot pegs and road surfaces
  • Proper clothing protects from bugs, heat from bike, debris from the roads and the weather.
Slug Bug
  • The advertising has been done and the law made now, perhaps we should begin “Motorcycle Mention.” How many of you have ever played Slug Bug or Jinx?
  • Slug Bug is the car riding game of noticing Volkswagen Beetle cars. The first person to see the Volkswagen Beetle call out “Slug Bug” and then proceeds to slug a neighbor in the upper arm.
Jinx
Jinx or Personal Jinx is a children’s game (although not entirely used by children) when two people unintentionally speak the same word or phrase at the same time. One of them yells “Jinx” before any further conversation can take place, the other person is in the state of “jinxed” and may not speak further until they are “released” from the jinx. The game ends with either the jinxed is released by the “jinxee” by speaking or saying “you owe me a Coke.” The penalty is traditionally a pinch or a punch in the arm. Most often the winner does not receive the Coke
Motorcycle Mention
Recently while reading, the statement was made perhaps we should create a car riding game where we became more aware of motorcycles.
Motorcycle Mention is the new game that goes like this. (It is a mixture between Slug Bug and Jinx.) While riding down the road if you see a motorcycle or moped you call out “Motorcycle Mention, you owe me an M & M.” This will make the driver aware of that these is a motorcycle nearby, it is training future drivers to aware of them, and it is a game that can keep the children entertained for a while.
There are 30 to 35 candies in an individual, 1.59-ounce, bag of M & M’s. It may take a car recorder to keep record, but three to five car rides should produce enough motorcycles, in a populated city, to insure a bag of candy.
It Could Save a Life!
Next time you’re in the car and see a motorcycle play “Motorcycle Mention.” It could save a life!
 
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​Morning History Lesson                           By Canita Pro (Canita Prough)    Copyright 2020

2/9/2020

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                For the last year and a half, I have driven to work on the same road.  Along the drive you see street signs and towns over and over again.  Usual names and places that seem to stick in my mind.
            The town of Buda.  Why Buda?  We are a long way from countries who worship Buda. Buda was originally called Du Pre from1835 to 1881 then the Post Office discovered that there was another town called Du Pre.  It was then changed to honor some women who worked in a local hotel to the Spanish name “Viuda/widow,” which has long since been mispronounced.
            Buda was established as one of the first cities in central Texas region.  This is another town that lost history because of a name change. Buda was a part of a land grant given to Stephen Von Rensselaer Eggleston on February 1835. Fifty-six years of history of a placed called Du Pre gone. Snap! Just like that, gone.
            The first sign that sticks out is the Old Black Colony Road, there is no doubt in my mind that there is a story to be told there. There is, only it’s belongs to the Antioch Colony.  In the 1870 or 1871 a business man by the name of Joseph F. Rowley sold land to, some former slaves, 490 acres at $5.00 an acre. They named the colony Antioch Colony for the Turkish city.  Ten to fifteen families were said to live in the community.  The Settlers were Bunton, Champ, Harper, Kavanaugh, Taylor and Beard.  They raised cotton, sugar cane and corn.  They had a mule-powered mill where they produced corn, bran, and sorghum molasses. There they built a community that consisted of an African Methodist church, a school and a cemetery constructed in 1874.The land for the school was donated by Elias and Clarisa Bunton. The two-story school served fifty-seven students.  The community thrived until the 1950’s when people moved away for better opportunities.
            A little further down the drive is the road Bliss Spillar.  It is an unusual name and I wondered if was a woman or a man.  The only information I could find on a Spillar was a Dr. Bliss R. Spillar Jr. who was an anesthesia who reshaped the practice of anesthesia in San Antonio, Texas through a group of seven anesthesiologist, called the Spillar Anesthesia Group.  Dr. Spillar died in 1977. He had served as the anesthesia chief at Fort Hood Army Hospital.  Dr. and Mrs. Bliss Spillar spent more than fifty years in the medical profession. They met while attending medical school together, married in 1952, and moved to San Antonio, Texas.  They raised four children and were blessed with five grandchildren. They were active in leadership and community involvement with early diabetes education from the 1960 to the 1990’s.
            The town of Manchaca comes up next.  In this last year we have seen some (98) ninety-eight years of history erased in a name change. A Basque name Mentxaka-Manchaca was named after a near-by spring. The town went by the name Manchaca and now is being changed to Menchaca from a Jose Antonio Menchaca one time camping at the spring. History is in the making from day one.  Manchaca had a history all its own.  Now, ninety-eight years later, it’s all erased by a name change. To me it is just sad. It seems history is being changed, whether the right spelling was given or not in the beginning. History began the day the name Manchaca was written down as such.  Now it begins a new history let’s hope for the better.
            Next sign of interest is the Frate Barker.  Who is Frate Barker?  I like the name Frate but did not feel it went well with Barker.  Well, his real name is James Euphrates Barker and his nickname was Frate.  Frate was born in 1860 and died in 1952. He lived in or around Austin, Texas most of his life.  He was the son of Austin’s original setters. It was his family that settled the Austin area.  His father Eleazor Block Barker (1835-1910) and mother Mary Elizabeth Harvey Barker (1838-1897) and his grandparents Jesse Barker (1791- 1846) and Malinda Weeks (1795-1845) who were married in Bastrop in 1857 were the originals. They were the founders of Rice Crossing. It is rumored that Frate owned property somewhere close to where the sign now resides.  Also, rumor has it that there was a heritage tree planted and taken down that was on his property.  The tree is to be replaced later.
            So now that I’ve started my research on the names.  My morning history lesson is a little livelier.
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Fermented Rice - Canita Prough (Pro) 2019

12/14/2019

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There are many types of rice and they are prepared in many interesting ways.
Types of Rice
I have had several types and styles of rice: American, Mexican (el arroz). Haitian (diri), Chinese (fan), Korean (hin Pap), Philippine (kanin), Guamanian (hinksa) and a few others. People have asked me, "Do you like rice?" My answer was "Yes, I like rice." I have visited countries where rice and beans were the staple. I have eaten rice and beans, and beans and rice for most of my meals for months. I have had rice with kimchi so spicy that I was able to blow fire like a dragon. There is fluffy and sticky white rice, brown rice, and red rice. Based on my travel experience, I thought I knew rice.
India and Rice
I was planning a trip to India. I thought I don't really need to take snacks. I like rice and fresh fruit, so I should be good. I stayed within a six-hour, radius around Hyderabad, India for three weeks. It was there that my education on rice was developed.
There are two types of aromatic rice’s, Jasmine and Basmati (Hindi word for rice). Those two types of rice can be recreated into milled raw, steamed, and parboiled rice, then there is Sella, Ponni and more.
Idili and Chutney
For breakfast in India we were given a rice patty called Idili and Chutney. Idili is made from Basmati rice, mixed with red parboiled rice and flattened poha. It is fermented, cooked and served with Chutney and other foods. It sounded like a good choice for breakfast because "I like rice." I had a quick lesson in rice that morning. I was unprepared for rice that had been fermented. My pallet leans toward sweet, not savory or sour thus it was not to my liking. I discovered I did not know very much about rice. I had several more servings of rice on my trip and I learned a lot more about rice. I do believe if I had the time and desire, I too would learn to enjoy Idili and the wonderful Chutneys of India.
More Rice’s to Try
I know more about rice and I have more to learn, but I am a little more cautious when someone asks me if I like rice. Alas, I have not given up on rice. I am still checking out the rice wherever I go. Why don't you join me?
 
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THE UNFLAPABLE SHIPS OF THE                                   DESERT                               By Canita M. Prough (Pro) 2019

10/6/2019

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​                ​Have you ever heard a camel talk? You probably have but did not know you were hearing a camel talking. Have you ever watched a Star Wars movie?  Then you have definitely heard a camel talking. There is a character in the movies that comes across as the strong silent type. He rarely talks but when he does you think he is impatient with the person to whom he is speaking. It is a voice we have learned to love and recognize, the voice of Chewbacca.
                Chewbacca’s voice is taken from the sociable and communicative camel. They are known for being grouchy, biting, spitting and because they have really flexible legs can kick from any direction. They are mostly known for their humps. There are one hump camels called Dromedary and two hump camels called the Bactrian. There are several well-known animals that are related to them or that they are related to such as the Vicuna’s of South America, the Llamas, and the Alpacas.
                For years it has been thought that the humps stored water, but it has come to light that the hump is made of fat that can be reused as food or water as needed. The belief that the hump was water came from the fact that camels can consume 53 gallons of water in three minutes and can go for six to seven months without food or water. The hump releases 9.3 grams. of fat which turns to 1.13 grams of water. The hump will slump when the fat reservoir is close to depletion similar to the slump of a whale fin in captivity.
                Camels have several amazing features; one being the use of two rows of eyelashes to protect their eyes, three eyelids to adapt their eyes to their environment, the ability to close their nostrils from dust and sand, noses that can act both as dehumidifiers and humidifiers to minimize water loss through breathing and extremely strong small hairy ears.. 
                Have you ever noticed how similar a rabbit nose and a camel’s nose appear?
                Fully grown a camel can be 10 feet tall, depending on the type of camel, which dwarfs most men.  They weigh 1,320 pounds to 2,200 pounds, and can carry 375 to 600 pounds on their backs. They have a life span of forty to fifty years.
                Camels have thick coats that protect them from the sun, their fur insulates them so their bodies can absorb their sweat. Their hide is very strong, with a pulling strength 5x greater than cattle hide.
                 Camels can keep a constant speed of 25-45 mph and with a little prodding they can do short bursts up to 65 mph. Camels are amazing animals. 
                They normally have single births but do on occasion give birth to twins. They are pregnant for twelve to fourteen months.  They have rich milk and the fact they are born with their eyes open enables the calf to run within a few hours of birth.
                Contrary to popular belief camels do not always live in warm climates. With their reflective fur systems, they can survive in the snow-covered mountains and in the hot deserts. The Bactrian camels come from Mongolia which gets colder in the winter months.
                The word camel is the Arabic word “jamaal” which means beauty. The camel communicates with the beautiful sounds of moans, groans and deep bellowing. They were granted the name Ships of the Desert because of their wide balls of fat which consists of two toes called feet.
                Next time, you see Chewbacca in a movie, remember he speaking camel.

​Ambassadresses of Peace and Change

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​Copyright 2019 Canita Prough (Canita Pro)
Among the Native Americans there are several Ambassadresses of peace and change.
  • Pocahontas (Me’toa’ka) 1597-1617 of the Powhattan people
rescued, protected and helped the struggling English colonist
  • Nancy Ward (Nan-yeh-i) 1738-1822 of the Cherokee people.
rescued and protected whites, brought milk, butter, cheese,
spinning, weaving and animal husbandry to her people.
  • Sacajawea (Tsi-ki-ka-wi-as) 1790-1884 of the Shoshoni people
was the primary provider of edible wild foods and heroine of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition.
  • Sarah Winnemucca (Thoc-me-tony) 1884-1920 of the Paiute people
fought for human rights and efforts of peace between the Native American
and Whites.
Each of these Ambassadresses stories are fascinating, heroic and encouraging to us in our fast-paced, ever changing world.
Most of us have heard the stories of Pocahontas and Sacajawea thanks to history lessons in school and Disney. Although, it is the story of Nanyehi (Nan-yay-hee) or Nancy Ward in which I would like to make you more aware. Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy a musical called “Nanyehi” which told the story of this brave and resourceful Beloved Woman of the Cherokee.
 
Nanyehi is also known as Wild Rose, Nancy Ward and Granny Ward, each representing different times of her life. She holds the titles of Beloved Woman, War Woman (Agi-ga-u-e), Ghigau (Ghi-ga-u), negotiator and Ambassador.
Nanyehi was born sometime in 1738 in Chota (city of refuge) Monroe County, Tennessee. Her name means “one who goes about.” She was born to Skayagustuegwo, Fivekiller, the Raven of the Delaware-Lenni Lenap warrior and Tame Doe of the Cherokee Wolf clan. In her childhood The Nunnehi told her she would be a part of two worlds.
  • 1751 she married Red Fox Chutlow Kingfisher (Tsu-la) of the Cherokee Deer clan who was a noted war leader.
  • 1752 a daughter is born to them that they name Ka-Ti.
  • 1755 She gave birth to their son Fivekiller, Littlefellow (Hi-s-ki-ti-hi).
Battle of Tail'wa - Nanyehi (War Woman)
  • In the same year as the birth of her son, 1755, the Battle of Tail’wa took place between the Muskogee/Creek and the Cherokee. Nanyehi and Kingfisher were a part of that battle. Nanyehi chewed the bullets for her husband to make them jagged giving them edges where they would do more damage. Kingfisher was mortally wounded. She immediately picked up his rifle and continued shooting leading her people to victory. For this heroic act she was awarded the title of Ghigau at the age of eighteen. This title made her responsible for the fate of the people captured.
Nanyehi-Teacher
  • 1756 Nanyehi married an Irish Trader by the name of Bryant Ward.
  • 1757 a daughter is born to Nanyehi and Bryant Ward they name her Elizabeth.
Using the power invested to her as a Ghigau she frees a white woman named Mrs. Lydia Russell Bean which changes Nanyehi’s world. She keeps Lydia with her until she is well enough to travel to her settlement. While she is healing Lydia sees the plight of the Cherokee people. Lydia returns to her settlement and eventually returns to Nanyehi’s camp with cows. She teaches Nanyehi how to spin and weave, make butter and cheese, milk cows and raise animals.
Nanyehi in turn teaches these trades to her people bring prosperity to the clan. She is described as queenly and commanding by those who met her during this time in her life. She becomes the leader of the Women’s Council as Ambassador and negotiator for her people. When the French and Indian War (1754-1763) began she warned the Whites several times of impending danger from her people and the French.
Nanyehi-Ambassador
  • 1760 With the French and Indian War (1754-1763) raging Bryant Ward returns to South Carolina to his English wife. When the War is over Bryant shares his time between his two wives with each having knowledge of the other. In 1815 Bryant dies.
In the years after the war Nanyehi returns to the place of her birth and opens an Inn at Womankiller ford, on the Ocoee River, at Highway 411 N., Benton, Tennessee. Where she adopts two more children.
  • 1774-Meli Ward
  • 1775-William S. Taylor
With her son Fivekiller she runs the Inn until her death on March 30, 1822.
These brave Ambassadresses helped to improve the world in which they lived and presented a way to peace for the future.
Nanyehi-The MusicalThe Musical “Nanyehi” was co-written by Becky Hobbs and Nick Sweet.
Becky Hobbs is the fifth great granddaughter of Nanyehi. She is a renowned song writer with hits such as “Jones on the Jukebox,” “Honky Tonk Saturday Night,” and “Let’s Get Over Them Together.” Her husband, Duane Sciacqua, accompanied her on guitar. He has been featured on numerous soundtracks. Nick Sweet is a freelance stage director who has directed over 135 productions in Oklahoma, Texas, Alaska and Georgia.
For more historical information about Nancy Ward please visit www.nancyward.org. or for more information on the musical contact www.nanyehi.com.
This musical is three hours long, but it is so enthralling that it seems a short time. This musical is well worth the effort to see and hear.
 
Purchase of Alaskan Territory
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​In 2009 during a guided tour in the Denali National Forest a question was presented to me "Why was the per acre amount in the purchase of Alaska a fraction?"  After much research this is my findings.
Explosion of Ice Businesses
From 1851 to 1913 there was an explosion of businesses making ice. The California gold rush (1849–1855) and a rising economy made a demand for luxuries such as ice. Nevada Ice Company by M. Tallman in Pilot Creek, Calif., Sitka Ice Company, Summit Ice Company by Fitz William Reddings Jr. and B. B. Reddings, of railroad fame, in Serne Lake, Calif. and the most famous American-Russian Commercial Company or to the Russians, The Russian-American Company in Sitka and Kodiak, Alaska.
The American-Russian Commercial Company
The American-Russian Commercial Company was founded by San Francisco Entrepreneurs and Siberian Merchants in 1851. It was founded to supply San Francisco with ice. This company existed as the American-Russian Commercial Company until 1867 when Alaska was purchased by the​United States. The name was changed to The Kodiak Ice Company and it continued with that name until it’s liquidation in 1881.
1867 Russian Ice House
In 1851 the Russians constructed a large ice house in Sitka and began selling ice which eventually dominated the trade in the Russian territory of Alaska. This ice block house was disassembled and preserved in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1867. It is now the property of the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks, Alaska.
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Creating Ice Blocks
To create the ice blocks, Tanignak Lake on Kodiak Island was dammed to increase its depth. The Aleutian’s were trained to harvest the ice. Captain David B. Walker was the superintendent of this work. During the winter months the operation was moved to Sitka where the Tlingit’s worked the ice.
Harvesting the ice consisted of a horse harnessed to an iron sled. This sled was made with two runners: one was smooth, the other was saw-toothed. The saw-toothed runner would cut a two-inch gouge into the ice. To keep the ice blocks, uniform the horses and sled were drawn across the ice in a checkerboard formation making it possible to separate the ice with a single blow. In Sitka the ice blocks were stacked on top of each other, hauled over wood rails to the harbor where they were then loaded onto ships heading to San Francisco, Calif. Over the years 1851 to 1867 over 10,000 tons of ice were shipped south.
1867 United States
In 1867 United States many exciting things were happening. Nebraska became the 37th state to the Union. Gold was found in the Stikine River in Alaska. The invention of the first commercial refrigerator took place in 1854. Commercial freezers were in use 40 years before the first refrigerator for the home became available in 1913. One of the biggest happening during this time was the purchase of the Russian territory of Alaska on March 30, 1867 for 586,412 square miles or 1,518,800 km at the price of 7.2 million dollars in gold.
Purchase of the Alaskan Territory
​This purchase was given many names such as: “WalRussia,” “Icebergia,” “Polaria,” “Polar bear garden” or the well-known name “Seward’s Ice Box.”
Russia had offered the Alaskan territory to the United States several times. Just prior to the Civil War (1861-1865) they offered to sell the Alaskan territory to the United States for 5 million dollars. The Civil War broke out and all talks were stopped. In 1866 William H. Seward, Secretary of State, to President Abraham Lincoln was sent in response to another offer by Russia to sell. Russia was in dire financial trouble; the ice trade was falling as more refrigeration become available and the Russian’s felt the Alaskan territory had no natural resources. With the rumors of gold and the military vulnerability to the north talks began again on the purchase of the Alaska. This time the price was 7.2 million dollars for the 586,412 acres. The exchange rate in 1861 between the American dollar and the Russian rubles was 4.9 to $1.00. (closest found documented rate)
7.2 million dollar equals 1,469,387.7551 rubles
7.2 million divided by 586,412 sq. mile equals 1.22780570657 cents
per acre
7.2 million divided by 1,518,800 km equals 4.74058467211 cents
per acre
Why the fractional percent per acre?
The question arises why such an odd amount per acre? Why not exactly 1 cent per acre or 5.0 per km? While visiting the Denali National Forest in Sitka, Alaska in 2009 the tour guide suggested that the odd amounts were due to the purchase of an ice contract. The 1983 translation of the Russian document “Acta Slavica Iaponica 1:15-37” by James R. Gibson states “The Russian-American Company received the compensation for the loss of territory in the amount of 6,526.666 rubles.” The Russian-American Company was an ice company.
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Seward's Ice Box
We know now looking back on history that the purchase of Alaska was of great benefit to the United States with the gold and oil. There is no condemnation felt now that would bring on names such as: “Polar Bear garden,” “WalRussia,” “Polaria,” “Icebergia” or “Seward’s Ice Box.” We do know now that “Seward’s Ice Box” was referring to the compensation for the loss of territory to an ice company.
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​Poe and Hitchcock                         Copyright Canita Prough (Canita Pro) 2019

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​Fear has motivated some well-known creative people such as Edgar Allan Poe and Alfred Hitchcock.  This is a fictitious story about being buried alive and how fear motivated these two famous writers.
1861 Baltimore, Maryland
The year is 1861, the place is Baltimore, Maryland. You are riding along on your favorite horse, a Plantation horse. Her name is Dancer. She is prancing along beautifully on this lovely fall day. There is a light breeze which is causing her mane and long, silky tail to fan out like a feather. She is enjoying the walk as much as you are. She lets out an occasional snort and clears her nostrils. You have the road to yourselves.
Your thoughts are on the beautiful colors of the fall leaves. Then a sound interrupts your thoughts. It is the rattle of a rattlesnake. There on the road just ahead of you is a rattlesnake coiled basking in the warmth of the sun. Dancer hears the rattle before you. She begins prancing quickly, shifting from side to side. There is another rattle and then a hiss. The snake uncoils and begins dancing in the air. Dancer goes up on her hind legs waving her front hooves furiously in the air. You lose your hold and realize you are falling.
Confinement
The next thought of consciousness is that it is really dark. I consciously think do I have my eyes open? I close and open them again. Have I laid here on the road until darkness has descended? I have trouble breathing. The air smells musty. Did I hurt myself when I fell? Then why do I feel no pain? I then try to stretch out and find I cannot move. My elbows are confined. My hands move up and down my body, but not away from my body. It seems I am in a box. Then it comes to me. Is it possible that I have been buried?! That my greatest fear has been realized! Could the fall from the horse have caused me to appear dead? Panic sets in, I begin beating with the back of my hand on the box, I try twisting frantically, but to not avail. I try to scream, but I could not draw enough breath. I began to pray that my wife, bless her soul, had done as I had asked. That she purchased one of those Bateson Belfry coffins to bury me in. The Batson Belfry coffin has a hole with a cord that runs to an attached iron bell mounted above the grave. The cord should be in my hand, but I cannot feel it. I cannot move enough to really search. Is there a weight on my chest? My heart is pounding so hard I can only feel its movement. If my wife, God bless her soul, did not do as I asked then I am doomed! I must calm myself and feel from the rope. Ah, there it is! I feel so cold. Now, to get a good enough grip to ring the bell. There I hear a faint chime. Will anyone be listening? How long have I been here? How long will I have to stay here? I can feel some cool air on my neck so surely there is air getting in here so I can breathe. I should be in the graveyard near the church and the monastery. How long must I ring this bell? My hand is getting tired, but I must not quit! For only the constant ringing will draw attention. My hand is sore and tired. Will anyone hear me? I will surely die of starvation, thirst or my heart will fail me if they do not come soon. All of that extra cost to my poor wife, bless her soul, and I die anyway because no one hears the bell.
Do I hear something? The ground is shaking like a herd of horses are running over me. Is that a voice I hear yelling? Is that scraping? Am I hearing things because I want them so badly? No, it continues. Do I dare to hope? Yes, it continues. Should I quit ringing this bell? I will not until I am sure. I hear voices they are getting stronger, louder. Surely, I am not mistaken. Yes, yes, I can hear them now. “We are coming as fast as we can!” The scratching seems louder. I will stop ringing the bell now. They are on their way. Is that a faint light I see around the cord? Yes, they are starting to lift the coffin. I feel the tears streaming down my face. They are breaking the seal. I am so weak I wonder if I can get out of this thing. There I see light. There is Brother John and Brother Andrew. I try to lift my hand and I cannot. They are lifting me from the coffin. “Thank you!” “Thank you!” I whisper. Brother Peter leans in close to hear what I am saying. He is saying “Thank you!” They lay me on the cold ground and begin wrapping me in blankets. I take a big gulp of air and begin to cough. They bring me water; I take a small sip and begin to cough again. They move me over to a blanket and carry me to the monastery.
Life 380 BC to 1925
This is bizarre, but it is what people from 380 BC to 1925 thought could happen. Often when dreaded disease like cholera broke out, because the disease spread so quickly people would die and be buried without a doctor examining them. The stethoscope was invented in 1816 in Paris, France, but it would be many years later before it would arrive in American.
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​Edgar Allan Poe
This fear of being buried alive was an influence on the Gothic writings of Edgar Allan Poe (1809 – 1849). In his writing there is the reoccurring themes of death, mourning, premature burial, effects of decomposition and the appearance of the dead. The morbid themes stem from his father abandoning the family when Edgar was one. A year later, his mother, Eliza and bother William die of consumption which is known today as tuberculosis. Later his step mother, Frances and, his wife, Virginia also die of consumption. It was during the time that his wife was suffering from consumption in 1842 that he writes the bizarre story of The Masque of the Red Death. A story in which a group of people lock themselves away to escape a horrible disease only to find it is among them.
He is the author of the well-known stories; The Tell-tale heart, The Pit and Pendulum and his darkest tale The Black Cat.
In 1810 he wrote the horror story The Premature burial which was in response to the fear the public had to the possibility of being buried alive.
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​Alfred Hitchcock
The master of the involuntary scream, Alfred Hitchcock, learned to express his fear in a manner which chills us all.
In Paul Aurandt’s “More of Paul Harvey’s, The Rest of the Story” there is a chapter called Living in Fear which explains Mr. Hitchcock’s phobias and lifetime fear of the police. The following excerpt is a part of that chapter.
Living in Fear
“One day, five-year-old, Al was playing around the house, a pretend game of knights and dragons. Daddy was home too that day.
Suddenly Daddy called from upstairs. Little Al ran up to see what Daddy wanted.
Daddy was holding a note in his hand, a note in a sealed envelope. Little Al knew where the police station was, did he not?
Little Al nodded.
Daddy smiled. The boy was to take the note down the street to the police station, hand it to the police chief, and wait for a reply.
Sensing the importance of this message, little Al eagerly accepted the errand. In a flash he was out the door, running through the avenue as fast as his little legs would allow.
By the time he reached the police station he was out of breath, but still beaming with the pride of this new responsibility.
‘I’m to wait for an answer.’ Said little Al, thrusting Daddy’s message into the police captain ‘s hand.
Reading the note, the police captain grinned at first, then appeared bewildered, then grinned again.
‘Come with me,’ he said.
Little Al followed him through a door, down a long hallway, and through another door – until he and the policeman were standing at the open entrance of a vacant cold, somber jail cell.
Before Little Al knew what was happening or why, he was inside and the iron-barred cell door was clanking shut beside him.
He could hear the police captain’s voice trailing away: ‘This is what we do to naughty boys.’
And all was silent.
There was no one to hear little Al’s frightened cries for ten minutes or so, a seeming eternity. Then the captain returned, released the boy without explanation, and little Al ran.
For little Al, recalling, the rest of that day is blank.”
Alfred Hitchcock gave us thrillers such as the 1934 and 1956, suspense thriller The man who knew too much which is about an American family’s drama filled trip from Casablanca to Marrakesh and the 1963, horror thriller, The Birds which is about a sudden-unexplained violent attack of birds on the people of Bodega Bay, California.
Using fear to create
The fear of being buried alive and the fear of police motivated these two imaginative writers into creating stories that can still put fear in us today.
 
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