Indigenous Peoples' Day
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| Basket with Game Pieces: photo by Cliff Hutson |
I am taking another day off by referencing something that I previously wrote about this contentious American holiday.
Showing posts with label cultural history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cultural history. Show all posts
Monday, October 12, 2026
Monday, April 13, 2026
Artemis II / Trombones
Moon Watches
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| MoonSwatch: photo by Cliff Hutson |
My father was born in 1889 and passed away just about a month short of his 99th birthday. One of the things he enjoyed most about his long life was that he could remember reading about the Wright brothers' first flight and that he lived to watch men walk on the moon when he was eighty years of age. I will turn eighty in a few months and am not sure that I will mark my life with such momentous events.
But, it was with some eagerness that I watched the lift off and splashdown of the Artemis II mission as humankind once again ventures into the further reaches of space. I wore my MoonSwatch "Mission to the Moon" watch for the ten day duration of its journey to the moon and back as an admittedly silly way to commemorate the occasion.
Some readers might realize that this watch is a nod to the Omega Speedmaster that was so essential to the successful return of Apollo 13 after it ran into trouble on its voyage. There were Omegas onboard Artemis II as well. But, some of the technology has changed over the years. One can find what is old and what is new here and here.
There is other big news this week:
International Trombone Week
This year’s official International Trombone Week is April 12-19. Find out more about it at the International Trombone Association site.
Monday, February 16, 2026
A Long Weekend
Bookended by two holidays:
It is a long weekend here in the USA and it includes two holidays. Last Saturday was Valentine's Day and today is Presidents' Day, which gives us an extra day off. I can't recall ever having written about the first. However, what I wrote about the second last year works just as well this year. So, I am going to leave it at that.
All writing and images ©Cliff Hutson unless expressly noted. Do not use without permission.
Monday, February 2, 2026
Reading Log: January 2026
The books that I finished reading in the month of January 2026
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| January 2026 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Monday, August 4, 2025
Reading Log: July 2025
The books that I finished reading in the month of July 2025:
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| July 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Musical Coda:
Speaking of a Bat Out of Hell:
Monday, March 3, 2025
Reading Log: February 2025
The books I read in the month of February 2025
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| February 2025 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
The paucity of books this month can be chalked up to my trying to put a dent in the weeks old pile up of the "The New Yorker" magazine.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Indigenous Peoples' Day 2024
A replacement for Columbus Day
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| The Land of the Free?: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. I have written about it before; you can revisited that here or here.
Monday, March 4, 2024
Reading Log: February 2024
The books that I finished reading in the month of February 2024
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| February 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Cliff's Notes
"Darkness"
A story based on the proposition that truth is a matter of the imagination. And, science fiction is a genre that allows one to imagine that things can be very different. Most current reviews stress that this book is a study of gender, However, it also speaks to government, psychology, sociology, and human emotions. I highly recommend it.
"Orange County"
I grew up in Southern California during a time when Orange County was known as a land of oranges, oil, and opportunity for white people. This explains how and why it was, and is, much more than that.
"Bombs Away"
Watching "Masters of the Air" reminded me of this book on the shelf with my collection of Steinbeck works from the Penguin Classics series, which I read quite a few years ago. So, I took it out and reread it.
Written in the early days of World War II, it is a description of how the U.S. Army Air Force recruited and developed a bomber team. It also describes the two planes that they would be flying. Reading it in conjunction with watching the streaming series gives one more insight into role that each crew member fills and the capabilities of the Boeing B-17. (This plane is also known as the Flying Fortress, but I notice that show usual just refers to it as a "Fort".)
Some refer to this work as a piece of propaganda, however I see it as worthy bit of journalism. It is not of the caliber of his novels, but is well worth reading as a part of history.
"Weeds"
Some, unnamed, history professor supposedly suggested that some kinds of problems could be fixed by understanding how they came to be. This book informs us that if there is going to agriculture, there are going to be weeds. This book explains why that is and how we might come to terms with that.
Monday, February 19, 2024
Presidents' Day
Or, Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday
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| Flag with Cat: photo by Cliff Hutson |
I am more than old enough to remember when most of the USA celebrated two separate presidential birthdays - Abraham Lincoln's on February 12 and George Washington's on February 22. Nowadays, the third Monday of the month is a day to honor one or the other, both, and/or any other president.
Additionally, it seems that some of the traditional observances have fallen by the wayside. No longer do we hear much talk of splitting rails or honesty. Nor, are there as many sales on cherry pies. I might miss that the most.
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| Cherry Pie: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Monday, January 29, 2024
The Lassie House
Is Timmy in the well?
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| The Lassie House: photo by Cliff Hutson |
The Lassie House, located in Pomona, California, is the childhood home of Jon Provost, famously known as Timmy, from the television series "Lassie".
Built on 1/2 acre, in 1897 (or 1900 - sources vary), the house is an historic landmark and is said to be one of the largest and most beautiful homes in Pomona. It has under gone renovation over the years. The above photograph shows how it looks today, after work completed in 2018. It would have been quite different when the child actor lived there. I can say that with a lot of confidence because I first encountered it about 35 years ago. Back then, it had a fence and hedge around it. While it was difficult to to get a good look at, one could tell that it was painted white and was tatty looking.
The new owners, one of whom is the president/founder of a construction company that specializes in historic restoration, certainly improved upon the property. Some of the changes were quite extensive. One example is the addition of a well - which actually seems to be a fountain.
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| Lassie House Well: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Monday, October 16, 2023
Reading Log: September 2023
The books that I finished reading in September 2023:
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| September 2023 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Cliff's Notes:
"Shuffle" & "Manifesto"
"Harlem Shuffle" is apparently the first book in The Harlem Trilogy. And, "Crook Manifesto" is the second. They set stories about a furniture store owner against actual events. What is most interesting to me is that they offer an explanation of why an intelligent person may turn to a life of crime.
"Mysterious Beings"
I just have to mention that "The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings" is well ahead in the running for the worst book that I will read this year. Even believers in mysterious creatures and the paranormal will start to doubt themselves after slogging through the "evidence" presented by this author.
"White People"
Spoiler alert: White people in America did not coalesce as a group until Malcolm X achieved national prominence.
"Fuzz"
An engrossing discussion of ongoing conflicts between humans and the species that happen to get in our way. But, no "laws" are actually broken.
Monday, October 10, 2022
Who Discovered America?
Indigenous Peoples' Day
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| American Flag: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Contrary to what most Americans believe to be true, Columbus did not find an unknown land. It had already been settled millennia earlier by people who became known as "Indians", as he had no idea where he was. Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is observed across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities.
Monday, August 29, 2022
Lizard Tail
Lizard Tail
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| Lizard Tail: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Lizard Tail (Anemopsis californica) is also known as Yerba Mansa. Yerba, is Spanish for herb. Some say that mansa is the feminine form of the Spanish word manso meaning tame, tranquil or calm. But, as the plant has none of these effects, the best translation is probably “soft herb”. The common name Lizard Tail derives from its family name - Saururaceae. It is the only member of that family native to California.
What looks like a flower is actually a succession of bracts which sit below a petal-less flower with six stamens and an inconspicuous pistil.
The plant flourishes in very wet soil or shallow water. Thus, today, it is much used as an excellent plant for water features in home landscaping. It can be planted in the water or along moist edges and will trail down along rock faces or fountain edges.
However, it may be said that it better known for its medicinal uses. Native peoples from the coastal Chumash to the desert Shoshone have used yerba mansa as an anesthetic and antiseptic for a very long time. Its dried roots, ground into a powder, are used to relieve sore throats Yerba mansa is used as an antimicrobial, an antibacterial, and to treat vaginal candidiasis. It has been used to treat colds, coughs, asthma, kidney problems, and venereal disease.
NOTE: This post is an examination of traditional medicinal use of a plant. It is intended for cultural and environmental education purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice.
Monday, August 8, 2022
Reading Log: July 2022
The books I finished reading in July 2022
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| July 2022 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
"Perchance to Dream," Robert B. Parker
"Land of Sunshine: An Environmental History of Los Angeles," William Deverell and Greg Hise
"Double Indemnity," James M. Cain
"One-Shot Harry," Gary Phillips
Cliff's Notes
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| Double Indemnity: photo by Cliff Hutson |
"Loving Day"
We have, through out our lives received countless messages about which categories we belong to, or don’t. This informs how we tend to view the entire social world and our place in it. This book asks the question — "Why are you calling yourself black and not biracial? "
The novel's title obviously refers to Loving Day, when the U.S. Supreme Court nullified bans on interracial marriage. Baz Dreisinger has described it as "a semi-autobiographical" "extended literary metaphor about race and mixed-race in America."
Certainly, if any of my friends were to read it they would have a greater insight into my life, which can be viewed as partly truth and partly fiction.
"Perchance to Dream"
This title is a literary reference — to Hamlet's famous soliloquy which begins "To be or not to be", But, rather than a contemplation of suicide, it is a clever sequel to "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler.
It is my opinion that Parker does a much better job of emulating Chandler in this volume than he did in "Poodle Springs." I very much enjoyed it.
"Land of Sunshine"
The title of this book also harkens back to a prior publication. As the full title implies, the book is an exhaustive look at the environmental history of greater Los Angeles from ancient times to the very recent past. Which is to say that it provides a framework to examine where the city started and how it got to where it is today.
It drags a bit in parts, but rather than just reading what I thought would be the sections that held the most interest for me going in, I read the entire book.
"Double Indemnity"
First published in 1935, or 1943 depending on your source, this novel is probably the exemplar of noir fiction. One review says that it is — "Tautly narrated and excruciatingly suspenseful, Double Indemnity gives us an X-ray view of guilt, of duplicity, and of the kind of obsessive, loveless love that devastates everything it touches." I can't put it better than that, so I won't try.
The 1944 film of the same name, whose adaption was co-written by Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, is one of my all time favorites. The book and the film are both excellent in their own right. I can't recommend them highly enough.
"One-Shot Harry"
Gary Phillips has been a writer for thirty years, but this book is my first exposure to him. I like on several levels. First of all it is about a photographer and is well written, the suspense keeps drawing the reader along. Secondly, it is set in Los Angeles. during the time I was there in my teens. I know well many of the places to which the plot takes us. Phillips also captures the essence of the ubiquitous racism that permeated the LAPD under the leadership of chief William H. Parker. So, not only is it a good crime story, it provides a bit of history that many people are unaware of or have chosen to ignore.
Monday, December 6, 2021
Reading Log: November 2021
The books that I finished reading in November 2021
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| November 2021 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
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| OWS Whiskey Coasters: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Monday, November 1, 2021
Reading Log: October 2021
The books that I finished reading in October 2021:
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| October 2021 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
"The Keeper of the Keys," Earl Derr Biggers
"Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation," Michael Pollan
"It's a Wonderful Woof," Spencer Quinn
National Author’s Day
"The Author is a certain functional principle by which, in our culture, one limits, excludes and chooses: ... The author is therefore the ideological figure by which one marks the manner in which we fear the proliferation of meaning."
DÃa de los Muertos
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| DÃa de los Muertos: photo by Cliff Hutson |
Monday, September 6, 2021
Reading Log: August 2021
The books that I finished reading in the month of August 2021:
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| August 2021 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
"Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth," Bryan Burrough, Chris Tomlinson, and Jason Stanford
"The Botany of Gin," Chris Thorogood and Simon Hiscock
Monday, May 3, 2021
Reading Log: April 2021
The books that I finished reading in April 2021
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| April 2021 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson |
"Underland: A Deep Time Journey," Robert Macfarlane
"An Indigenous People's History of the United States," Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
"The Reindeer Chronicles," Judith D. Schwartz
"Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization," David R. Montgomery
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