Gettysburg

Photo: Gettysburg pajama pants. Historic military battle pink plaid fleece pants are funny to me.

If some of the people in this photo look extra Parks-y, it's because that's the Director of the National Parks Service, Jon Jarvis (beige hat), with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar (middle) and The Conservation Fund team.

On Friday I attended work at a golf course. However, no golf. Instead, we celebrated The Conservation Fund's accomplishment of assisting Gettysburg National Military Park in acquiring a 95-acre golf course/country club located on an important historic site of Day 1 of the battle, one of the largest remaining unprotected parcels.

In March 2010, it appeared that the property was headed for a worst-case scenario in terms of battlefield preservation: a developer bought the property and created a development concept plan for over 200 housing units on the site.*

The Conservation Fund worked to successfully negotiate an option with the developer to acquire title to the land, and subsequently conveyed it to the Park Service. National Park Service intends to restore the landscape to its historic 1863 setting, in preparation for the upcoming anniversary of the start of the Civil War.

For more about this project see this link and for more about battlefield protection, see this link.

Photo: Robert E. Lee word searches, gift shop

D.C. Sunrise

Photo: D.C. Sunrise. Morning run in Virginia through Theodore Roosevelt Park. 3/22/2011

Daughter of an Irish Citizen

Congratulations to Ireland's newest citizen - my Dad! He received his citizenship on St. Patrick's Day. I think the requirements included having a grandfather who was born in Ireland and telling the leprechauns to color the milk and pancakes green every March 17.

We celebrated with a Cotter-style Irish party last night :)

Photo: some of Dad's siblings/future Irish citizens. We toasted with green champagne.

I made pickles shaped like shamrocks.

Historic Trails in KC - Santa Fe, Oregon and California National Historic Trails

The Santa Fe, Oregon and California National Historic Trails all run through the Kansas City area. On Monday, I toured some of the historic sites with the President of the Santa Fe Trail Association. Many of the sites were near where I grew up and where my parents live now.

We first visited Minor Park and to view some of the trail swales by Red Bridge. I grew up biking in Minor Park and had never realized the trail history. I had to ask what a "swale" was - it's the remnants of where the trail went through! We drove by some sights near the old Bannister Mall (now demolished) and Hickman Mills H.S. (now closed). It was a drive down memory lane for me. We then drove to Olathe and saw where the people would camp after a 1-2 days journey after stocking their wagons at the trading post in Westport (now Kelly's Bar!).

We visited Gardner, KS, where the Santa Fe trail splits from the Oregon/California trails.

Map: Trail sites in KC. Minor Park, Red Bridge Crossing, Lone Elm Campground and others.

Map: Santa Fe Trail. "In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became America’s first great international commercial highway, and for nearly sixty years thereafter was one of the nation’s great routes of adventure and western expansion." - Santa Fe Trails site.

I'm excited to learn more about trail history in Missouri, Kansas and beyond. You can learn more, too, at the Santa Fe Trails Association, Oregon/California Trails Association and Partnership for the National Trails System sites. Or if you're in KC, you can visit some of the sites for yourself!

"Great Outdoors" Meeting in KC

Photo: Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, by Chris Oberholtz/The Kansas City Star

It didn't realize the irony in traveling from DC to KC for a conference until I talked to someone in KC who said, "Oh, you're from DC? I just attended a conference there last week!"

I gladly traveled to KC this week for the Wildlife Management Institute conference, where I spoke about all things FLTFA, hung out with a bunch of sportsmen, and highly enjoyed reminiscing around Crown Center, a kids' paradise where I spent my youth dazzled by the fountains, theaters, Crayola store, visitor's center and everything Hallmark.

On Wednesday, another DC-ite came to KC, the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, who spoke about the importance of protecting the "great outdoors," even in a time of economic downturn and war.

He provided the examples that during the Civil War, Lincoln signed the first declaration to set land aside for recreational use, which led to the establishment of America's first national park, Yellowstone.


During the industrial revolution, Theodore Roosevelt orchestrated one of the greatest conservation movements to protect the nation's forests, rivers, and treasured lands from industry decimation, including establishing Grand Canyon National Monument, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest and Devils Tower.

During his first visit to the Grand Canyon in 1903, TDR famously stated:

"Leave it as it is.You cannot improve upon it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do it to keep it for your children, your children's children, and for all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American...should see."

In the 1930s during the times of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps, creating jobs that built many park facilities, reservoirs and other recreational sites. New parks and monuments during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency included Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree, and Olympic National Park.
To read more about the Secretary's new "America's Great Outdoors" plan, see this site.

The Secretary also announced a new website to encourage youth employment and activity in America's great outdoors. See www.YouthGO.gov

It's All Fun and Games til Someone Loses an Eye

Photo: Royals' mascot, Sluggerrr

In KC news, this month the Royals' mascot, Sluggerrr, faced trial for allegedly hurting a fan's eye when he threw a hot dog around his back and into the stands.

The fan says he suffered detached retina in his left eye from the incident, and has subsequently developed a cataract in the injured eye.

This led to Sluggerrr testifying in court! He brought his mascot outfit to the stand and set it at his feet. Sluggerrr said he usually made eye contact with someone before sending a frank their way. During cross examination, the attorney showed Sluggerrr video of a toss he made during a 2009 game and invited him to discuss the hot dog’s “arc” and “velocity” as it sailed away.

“I would try and put more mustard on it,” Sluggerrr said. “I guess that’s appropriate for a hot dog.”

Best hot dog testimony ever!

Sluggerrr won the case. A win for the Royals!!

(More about this story here and fun legal analysis by TortsProfBlog here).

Cruising in my Grandparents' Oldsmobile

In KC for the week, for work. I planned on renting a car, but I waited until the last minute and the prices jumped sky-high.

This led to the opportunity of driving my grandparents' Oldsmobile for the week, which with its couch like front-seat, A.M. radio and general pudge.

The car is my uncle's* now, but I still liked to think of it as "my grandparents Oldsmobile" and remember all the fun times I had with them cruising KC.

*Thanks for letting me borrow the car!

St. Patrick's Day Parade/Dog Show in Alexandria

Photo: Alexandria St. Patrick's Dog Parade, photo by FidoJournalism.

On March 5, Alexandria hosted its annual St. Patrick's Day Parade/Dog Show, kicking off March's Irish celebrations way in advance of St. Patrick's actual feast day. Tom and I attended, along with some co-workers to enjoy the festivities.

Photo: Dog/owner look-alike competition winner

Photo: Owner/dog matching hair competition

Photo: Irish dog


No Irish parade would be complete without an Irish car - the DeLorean!

Health Trends - Mr. Potato Head

Photo: Action Adventures Mr. Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head is the last "person" I expected to lose some weight this year, but he did. Nice job. This is for real. He is now thinner.

Photo: Action Adventures Mrs. Potato Head. She is thinner now, too.

Photo: Mr. Potato Head new slimmer version (left) and older version (right). Credit: Time/Hasbro

Cafeteria Trends

Capitol Hill has seen many changes this year, and another went into place this week in the cafeteria. After four years of biodegradable and/or recyclable food and beverage packaging, on Monday the House switched to using styrofoam for its food containers and non-biodegradable utensils. Some have called it the House's "return to the mid-1990's" program.

Sad news. I can appreciate each party's manuevers to try to out-best each other, but one party implementing styrofoam in the cafeteria to irk the other party's tendency to care more about the environment hurts everyone more than it helps. I can't find the exact number, but at least 10,000 people work on Capitol Hill and thousands more visit and eat at the cafefeteria each day, which creates a huge amount of waste that could be better managed if compostable and recyclable, in my opinion.



In another fascinating trend, did you know many college cafeterias no longer use trays? Most schools in the Washington region have gone "trayless" in at least one dining hall, and several nationwide have banned them altogether as part of an effort to encourage students to eat healthier.

"Without a tray, students have to be pickier during the first sweep of the cafeteria line and make trips back for more. It results in as much as 25 to 30 percent less wasted food, according to a 2008 study of 25 campuses by food services provider Aramark." More at Washington Post.

Sometimes You Need a Hat and a Hood

Tribute to Paul Cotter, and his first hike up Chautauqua in Boulder.

He actually insisted on hiking most of the way, contrary to these cute depictions of him swinging and shoulder-riding.

Sometimes you need a hat and a hood when you're a lil' person in Colorado.

Engagement Party - Denver

Tom and I visited Denver last weekend, where Eric and Meredith threw us an over-the-top engagement party. I can't believe Tom has never met most of my Denver/KC/Miami friends and this party provided an opportunity for us all to celebrate together. Thanks Eric and Meredith and thanks for coming everyone!

Photo: Meredith, Addy, Liz, me, Eric

Photo: Kevin, me, Mary Clare, Lisa. Fun to have family in Denver!

Photo: me, Alisha and Matt, who have 6 month old Avery! Alisha and I went to Miami U together and both worked at Kanakuk.

Photo: Tom, me, Megan, Bryony and Jose. Megan, Bryony and I went to law school together.

Photo: Kelly, daughter Hagen and me. Kelly and I went to Miami U together and braved Denver together post-college.

Photo: Kelly's husband, Hayes, threatening Matt

Photo: Addy, star/host of the party

Photo: Hagen enjoying the party food.

Photo: Tom, Paul, Kevin. Paul is starting a new crop-top fleece trend.

Photo: Paul in the teepee and Lisa. This party had lots of fun toys!

Photo: Tom serenading me :)

Sadly, I do not have any photos of GT, mystery man, who attended the party. I do have this amazing photo of Tom holding a doll's hand, holding Addy's hand, holding Eric's hand. This is how we roll.


To learn more about this amazing guy Tom, here's Lisa's post from the weekend!

Balloon Dog Fight

This recent intellectual property case made me laugh. The artist Jeff Koons, who creates giant balloon dog sculptures, sued a company that sells bookends in the shape of balloon dogs.

Photo: balloon dog bookends.

Koons claimed the bookends infringed on his intellectual property, like his sculpture seen above at Versailles. (Yes, the balloon dogs were at Versailles).

The store claimed that Koons did not "own" the balloon dog image. Here's the opening line from the Complaint by the defendant:

"As virtually any clown can attest, no one owns the idea of making a balloon dog, and the shape created by twisting a balloon into a dog-like form is part of the public domain."

Basically, everyone made fun of Koons and he dropped his lawsuit last week. The store had sold around 3 bookends before the lawsuit and now it has sold 150. I enjoyed learning about balloon dog creations. The end.

Selling Sherwood Forest

The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest.

England has proposed to sell some of its public forests to help pay off its debts, including Sherwood Forest, the famed home of ROBIN HOOD! England has few public forests left; it's sad to think they would liquidate them. The advertisement for the proposed sale is depressing.

WOODLANDS FOR SALE CENTRAL ENGLAND

King’s Wood, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. 17.5 acres (approx.) of freehold woodland offers invited in excess of £120,000 [#204].

Article on "What Would Robin Hood Say" in the NYT last week.

"In a bid to raise much-needed government cash, the British authorities are pushing forward with a controversial plan to sell or lease much of the publicly managed woodlands and forests in England over the next decade, an area of nearly 1,000 square miles.

Among the lots to be transferred into private hands are parts of historic woodlands such as the Forest of Dean and Sherwood Forest, the legendary haunt of Robin Hood." ... Rest of story here.