Origin of the Word 'Infantry'

Does anyone know where this word originated?

On a television program I was watching they suggested that Infantry derives from ancient Greek; the strategists placed the youngest soldiers on the front line, because the were essentially expendable, hence Infant-ry. Sounds awful to me. Shocking, really. My google search found that explanation, but other explanations were also provided.

Thoughts? I am curious because, like so many others, Herb was attached to a French Infantry Battalion.

Just struck me. I guess I am also thinking about all the child soldiers in the world today - with ISIS, Boka Haram and other such atrocious world events.

Over 1000 page views

In spite of the fact I have been totally lax and not getting anything done on the blog! Yay!

I will confess, I have added a new hobby to my collection of hobbies and i am currently keeping it under wraps, but perhaps I will share soon enough. I will return to Herb and his fellow soldiers soon.

A Family of Friends

I have been catching up on my back issues of The Week Magazine and in the August 1st edition this article was featured:

If you consider your friends to be like family, you may be onto something. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and Yale University have found that friends have more DNA in common with one another than they do with strangers. In fact, the similarities in gene signatures equate to 1 percent of a person’s total genetic makeup, which means friends are roughly as “related” as fourth cousins, relatives who share great-great-great grandparents. “The striking thing here is that friends are actually significantly more similar to one another than we were expecting,” UC San Diego geneticist James Fowler tells NPR.org. The study drew on data from more than 1,900 people and found that friends were most genetically similar in areas affecting the sense of smell, which researchers say may serve to draw people with similar tastes to congregate in the same place. Friends do, however, tend to have different kinds of immune systems. But such divergences may have evolutionary advantages, since a person who is susceptible to a certain type of disease would lower his or her risk of catching it by associating with others who are fortified against it. “The biggest implication is that evolution can’t be studied as a Robinson Crusoe phenomenon,” Fowler says. “We didn’t evolve isolated. We evolved with our friends.”

I honestly don't know what to make of it.

I do know that one of the things I have been interested in as I do my family tree is who is it that I am friends with who is also my cousin, no matter how distant. I was talking with the wife of my mother's second cousin and she was telling me tales of a great grandparent of hers - who, after she left, I learned was also a great grandparent of mine. I think she and her husband are sixth cousins or something, so that may make she and I 6th cousins once removed....

In any event, that has nothing to do with the article above, just interesting to know that the people I love are actually genetically similar to me. How cool

Fort Ticonderoga and Shoe & Boot making

I mentioned how the folks at Fort Ticonderoga do all the research and then make many of the things they use as if they were living in the time period. Well, that includes their shoes. I was so surprised to be standing in front of a shoe maker in 2014. I am particularly interested in this craft at the moment because I have discovered that one of my ancestors - born in the early 1800's - came to America after having been indentured to a boot maker in Ireland. The shoes being made at For Ticonderoga in 2014 represent the craft from about 50 years earlier than the craft that my ancestor may have learned in Ireland.


here one can see some of the tools - lasts and some of the various leather

Unfortunately, the shoemaker was not making anything while I was standing in front of him. He did answer some questions, but he seemed a little distracted, I will confess.



This pair of shoes is being made for someone who is particularly hard on their soles.


More examples of shoes made at the Fort.

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

I just wanted to do a shout out for Taylor Stevens and her first book The Informationist. I have been listening to her talk about royalties and the business of writing with Stephen Campbell on his new podcast, the Author Biz. The picture they paint is definitely discouraging - writing and publishing seems to be a very tough business.

BUT, with that being said, listening to Taylor Stevens talk about her book made me rush right out and buy it - a paperback, as that is what they had at Barnes & Noble. And I am loving it. Can't put it down. I suggest if people like thrillers they should grab this one.

Beef is Tough on the Planet

From the August 8th edition of The Week magazine:

If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, you may want to change your diet. New research has concluded that raising cattle for beef is nearly 10 times more damaging to the environment than producing pork, chicken, or eggs. The study is the first to quantify the overall environmental impact of various livestock and draws on data collected by the U.S. departments of Agriculture, Energy, and the Interior from 2000 to 2010. Scientists analyzed land use, water consumption, and nitrogen pollution from fertilizers, as well as the greenhouse gases, such as methane, emitted by the animals. Researchers then calculated the amount of resources required to produce one calorie of each product. Pork, chicken, eggs, and other dairy products all have roughly equivalent environmental impacts, but raising beef requires 28 times more land and 11 times more water while generating five times more greenhouse gas emissions compared with other agricultural products. The message for the consumer is clear, Mark Sutton of the U.K.’s Center for Ecology and Hydrology tells The Guardian (U.K.): “Avoiding excessive meat consumption is good for the environment.”

I had heard this before.... so just cutting out meat on one day of the week is a worthwhile endeavor - but not easily done.

Fort Ticonderoga Realism

As I mentioned in a previous post, the folks at Fort Ticonderoga are doing a fabulous job bringing history alive.

Gordy here, our guide though history, is wearing a uniform custom made for him right at the fort. He is dressed as a soldier from Pennsylvania. Though the fabric itself is not made at the fort, all the cutting, sewing, fitting etc. is done right here on Lake Champlain.



I am learning to sew, myself, and button holes still scare me - on a machine! The tailor here at the fort uses a chisel and some twisted thread and hand makes the button holes.


The piece of wood on the table is what he uses to hit the chisel to make the button hole. Here he is sewing the edge of the button hole with a whip stitch of some nature.

The tailor is wearing the Colonialist 'uniform' of the time - a linen shirt worn over his own clothing, thereby making everyone appear much the same.



In this photograph one can see the chisel, the hammer, the leather, the thread and the young man who has worked at the fort for four years sewing and repairing during the tourist season and researching during the winter months. He researched and created all the French uniforms last year and the Pennsylvania Militia for 2014.

There is an 8 minute video showing this young man making a coat for a colleague - most of the entire process sped up considerably. It is fun to watch. No paper pattern for thee guys....

Quilt at the NYS Military Museum

I didn't expect to see any fiber art while I was at the New York State Military Museum, but hanging in the book shop was this very large memorial quilt. I am sorry the photograph is of such bad quality - I only had my archaic phone along.

It seems to be mostly for World War II, but I can't be sure.

I thought it was an interesting combination of hobbies - genealogy, history and fiber art.

Shibumi Silks - a Silk Art Experience

I did not catch the artists' names and I only arrived at the end of a two day art show in Saratoga Springs, NY, but this was great fun to see.

This is one of the artists leading the process - here he is conferring with someone making herself a scarf.

These folks are out of Wallingford, CT and it seems they go to a lot of art shows in the New England area. The owners are brilliant to let people make their own pieces. Luckily they guide people through so that everything they make comes out really well. I was watching one woman's creation in progress and I had very low expectations, but it came out gorgeous.

The trays are filled with water and the inks float on top. One of the artists did guide her as to how much ink to use and essentially where to make the drops of ink/paint on the water. Then a comb is used to draw the colors through one another and finally a stylus to make swirls.

Once the paint is swirled together, a piece of silk is laid on top and it takes only a moment for the fabric to absorb almost all the ink. The silk is then dragged over an edge - not doing anything bad to the design - and rinsed in blue, inky water, in no means negatively impacting the new scarf. It was amazing to see.

I wish I had gotten a photograph of the final result - as it was really splendid - I just couldn't get the right angle without being too rude to the other people around me.

If you see these artists at an art show, step up and try your hand at it. It was impressive. (And, of course, they sell scarves that they themselves have made.)

Scallions in Saratoga Springs, NY - Restaurant Review (and some repurposed family heirlooms)

The Scallions restaurant is right across the street from the NY State Military Museum - so a very nice place to grab a bite after viewing the museum's collection. This restaurant is not on the town's main drag, but it was still very crowded.

The decor was delightful - brightly colored artwork. They even have a lounge which I believe is also considered a gallery. Clearly the artwork is for sale. I did not take a photograph while in the restaurant and I'm afraid I can not capture one from their web site to show you.

For lunch I had a shrimp and fennel salad (with arugula, prociutto, parmesan, artichoke hearts) and a blueberry, mint lemonade (held the vodka, though).

The young wait staff were some of the most attractive people I have seen in a while - and very polite.

I did take one photograph while in the restaurant - I liked these windchimes, though generally I am not fond of windchimes - but these used old silver plate with beads which I thought was a clever repurposing of old family stuff. Two of the windchimes use either a creamer or a sugar bowl, but mostly it is spoons, forks and knives. One way to display old family pieces.....