BenTha'er-Horizons

The Hail You Say

This has been a colder, wetter, and snowier (in mountains) winter and spring so far. Not to many warmer, sunny days though when we do have them it is pleasurable. We recently had such a large pea-sized hail storm come through that I had to get a photo of how much the deck was covered with white.
hail on deck
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Love and Affection

In researching family deeds over the years for this property, I came across a deed as my Great Grandmother, Rachel Arminta Peterson, granted property to her daughter, my grandmother, Goldie C. Wolfenbarger. The deed was dated October 30, 1915 and is held in microfiche at the Linn County Courthouse here in Oregon.

It was very sweet to read the line completed for the sum for property consideration where it says,
"For the consideration of the sum of Love and Affection and Ten Dollars"…

RA Peterson deed to GC Wolfenbarger
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Why Has Handwriting Disappeared

I have been researching the deeds for our property over 170 years and 5 generations. First one needs to go to the tax office at the County Courthouse for a description. Then you take this document to the County Clerk's office to go through the Deed Books and microfiche over the years based on looking for the Direct (grantor) or Indirect (grantee) party involved. There are probably over 50 large books with lined pages covering each deed transaction written in the most clear yet distinctly beautiful cursive handwriting. This form of writing is not seen often today. Many cannot write in script at all. What a potentially lost art. Maybe it is coming back?
A history of what has happened to cursive handwriting with the use of technology such as tablets and computers.

Good penmanship was long considered a status symbol, in that it meant one had the wealth, privilege, and time to access education. The ancient Romans borrowed aspects of the Etruscan alphabet to create one of the earliest forms of written script for transactions and correspondence. In the late eighth century, Charlemagne instructed an English monk to standardize the craft of penmanship, which resulted in Carolingian minuscule, a form of writing that crept closer to modern script. A heavier typeface reigned supreme upon the invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century, but Italian humanists revolted by creating an even more elegant handwriting style, known as “italic.” This became such a status symbol that, by the 1700s, some writing schools emerged in the American Colonies. At Boston schools such as the Latin School and the Writing School in Queen Street — where subjects included spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, and the catechism — there was a heavy focus on penmanship and different forms of ornamental script and calligraphy.
Peter Powell DLC script
Script on Peter Powell Donation Land Claim document
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Deer Family Out For A Feed

A few days ago our local deer family with does and fawns of 6 were out catching some good grass nibbles. They did not seem disturbed with the human family looking at them from the house. It is getting close to spring.
Deer family group
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Jupiter and Venus Conjunction

In the early evening just as the sky was darkening on March 3rd, Jupiter and Venus came together in conjunction over the west horizon. This was just for a short time and won't happen again for another 9 years. I was fortunate to sit out on our porch and view with strong binoculars. I also was able to capture a bright view of them together with my iPhone. Vada and Victoria joined me to get a view of the planets and then the bright moon more to the south.
Jupiter-Venus conjunction
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