Cabinets of Curiosities, and Serendipity III

Posted on March 3, 2014 by waterhigh

Fertility Frog Pipe Bowl

Yesterday was annual artifact ID day at the local museum. My last springs finds were designated likely Matanzas of the Mid-Archaic age, pushing 6,000 BP (before present). Curiously, the older the artifacts, the fancier the stonework. Mostly I had a lot of flakes and some ‘blockies’, a new term for me, meaning just a rock, not a prehistoric artifact.

As I browsed the museum, lots of things reminded me of Forrest Fenn and the Chase.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

No surprise there; it invades the mind. [Not unlike the virus in the Preston/Child book I was in the middle of reading. More on that in a moment.]

The frog, of course.

The stone faces — think one of his bronze jars.

Mackinaw Cache

A cache, not the Fenn Cache.

Red ochre…..

Surveyor’s Compass…

This strangely shaped stone piece…….

And, okay, not a Clovis in a Mammoth (on Forrest’s bucket list), but how about a spear point that nicked a bison’s rib?

Bison Kill found in Illinois River at ‘water low’

Lots of interesting maps and letters on the walls, showing the moving Indian boundaries, the Military Land Grants on the (then) frontier, settlement of Illinois from the south toward the north. (I’m awaiting a copy of An Illinois Reader, editor Walton.)

Cover of Fever Dream

Back to the book — Fever Dream — the finding of which was in itself, serendipitous. Think second-hand shop. It was an advance reader’s copy.

I was most of the way through the book before yesterday’s outing. When I came to this cabinet, I did a double take.

Carolina Parakeet

Yes. The extinct cornuopsis carolinensis, or Carolina Parakeet.

What were the odds! The bird and the artist Audubon play an intriguing role in the thriller, which I went right home to finish.

Happy hunting! Or should I say Chasing…..

Audubon’s Parakeets

“Obviously, I must be their long-lost beloved son”

Posted on February 27, 2014 by waterhigh

Any Daffy’s in the Chase?

(To watch the Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck clip, you have to click on the “View Original” button. Pretty good humor.)

A Seat By The Fire

I think these people are right to protect their privacy; can you imagine all the relatives that would be crawling out of the woodwork looking for handouts?

A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.
Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them. Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece.
“I don’t like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don’t get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever,” said veteran numismatist Don…

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Polar Vortex III?

Posted on February 25, 2014 by waterhigh

Embracing this winter. Who knew I’d have use for Minnesota things down here.

There’s been so much fluffy stuff, I snow-shoed tracks for the skinny skis.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

In training —not for the biathalon, but the Chase.

Searchers are getting cabin fever waiting for the big melt out in the Rockies.

Polar Vortex I — made raspberry jam

(Snow shoed)

Polar Vortex II — made marmalade

(Skied) (Pruned fruit trees)

Polar Vortex III — don’t know yet

I won’t ski or snow shoe — the fluff was turned into a bone-shattering layer of ice on stone-hard ground. Sometimes it’s good to stay inside and smell the lemon blossoms.

On an unrelated note, I came across this very moving song last week. Interesting site.

http://thenancarrowproject.com/2014/02/19/we-aint-got-the-time/

(Back to the Chase next week with some more Fenn ideas.)

Vortex (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Let Them Be Eaten By Bears”

Posted on February 7, 2014 by waterhigh

The title sure grabbed my attention.

Sub-titled: A Fearless Guide to Taking Our Kids Into the Great Outdoors

A book I have yet to read, but it sounds like it might help with Forrest’s goal — i.e. to get the kids off the couches.

A couple links:

Peter the author

A review

Yogi Bear with “don’t feed the bears” message – NARA – 286013 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What If?

Posted on February 5, 2014 by waterhigh

Oh, no!

Forrest thinks “The treasure may be discovered sooner than I anticipated.”

{Here’s a link to Jenny Kile’s blog where you’ll find her new Six Questions with Forrest Fenn, and the above quote.}

Ever get that sinking feeling? How will we searchers feel once the treasure chest is found?

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

Early on, I emailed Forrest and asked him not to give out any good clues until I got a chance to head west. (Beginner’s Confidence. Some of you know what I mean.)

Then, after a month or two of ridiculously obsessed behavior, I actually wished someone would find it. I wanted my life back.

(Okay. That didn’t last too long.)

I’ve wavered back and forth since then.

It hasn’t even been a year of chasing for me. I think I first heard of The Thrill of the Chase last March or April. But I don’t want it to end.

Not yet.

Serendipity II — Right Time, Right Place, Right Stuff

Posted on February 4, 2014 by waterhigh

How much pure luck or chance do you think it will take to find Forrest Fenn‘s “blaze“?

So often, it’s the unanticipated that turns out to be the treasure.

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A full moon.

A shuttle launch.

A fortunate location.

Birkebeiner Bronze

Posted on February 2, 2014 by waterhigh

Think birchbark leggings and skinny skis. And snow. Lots of snow. (Like today.)

‪Norsk (bokmål)â¬: Birkebeinerne Torstein Skevla og Skjervald Skrukka frakter med seg lille Håkon Håkonsson, kongssønnen, i 1206. Maleriet Birkebeinerne av Knud Bergslien fra 1869 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 1206, Birkebeiners whisked the 2-year-old Prince of Norway through mountains and forests to save his life. Since 1973, the event is marked in Wisconsin with a marathon ski race.

1982

Mr. W is in there somewhere. We’d both tried doing the 54 kilometer (34 miles) American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race the year before. Back when I thought I was in shape and had handily finished a 10k.

My brother tried to warn me. He told me to sign up for the Korteloppet, the half-marathon, which he’d done the year before. He was going back to earn his Birkebeiner medal. I wanted one, too, not a mere Korteloppet ribbon.

Viking on Lake Superior

Heck, no, I said. I can do it. (I seemed to forget that I’d been yanked from a 30-mile walk for hunger when I was 16 by a nurse who thought I’d overestimated my abilities.)

Up the hill

After tumbling down a hill and knocking myself in the head with a ski somewhere around the half-way point, I was ready to find the bus back. It was late in the day and I would have been pulled anyway. Mr. W made it three-quarters of the way before time ran short. Humbling.

Okay. We could blame the poor snow cover that year. Or our cheap no-wax (no grip, no go) skis.

Defeat is not in Mr. W’s vocabulary. He returned the next year with slick racer skis and came home with a medal. Me? I was home with a newborn. As good an excuse as any.

IMG_1155.JPG (Photo credit: arahbahn) NOT Mr. W, but another happy camper courtesy of flickr

It was twenty-some years before I got my fast skinny skis; and no, I have no plans to sign up for the 41st annual Birkie later this month. They only take the first 10,000, anyway.

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure (Photo credit: symphony of love)

Inspiration

Posted on January 30, 2014 by waterhigh

Anatomy 101 @ World’s oldest university — complete with censor’s window above and marble slab below

DTI image of a brain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses — especially learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.

Leonardo da Vinci

I discovered this quotation on an architect’s blog. Click here: Inspiration.

Paisagem do Arno, 190 x 285 mmm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anatomical study of the arm, (c. 1510) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Beaches

Posted on January 27, 2014 by waterhigh

White Sands

Winter beaches. Summer beaches.

I have my favorites. If I were a travel writer, I’d tell you about them, but really, I’d rather keep quiet. Nothing like a crowd to dampen the specialness of a secret spot. Just ask Forrest Fenn.

Favorite (secret) lobster dock/restaurant in Maine

Today’s high will be about 0 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m using my imagination, picturing running on a beach. Well, maybe just strolling. With a metal detector? Since I’m imagining, sure.

Treasure is where you find it.

(I think I’ll pick up a real one before my next treasure-hunting trip.)

Blue Water

No travel plans this winter, but I’ve gathered lots of memories.

Loose Ends

There was a kid who had a grandpa who every morning said “It’s a good day for it.” Didn’t matter if it was hot or cold, sunny or rainy, it was always a good day for something. As often as could be, that might be fishing.

So, today was a good day to make blackberry jam. Much better than heating up the kitchen on the hot, steamy July days when I picked, washed, pulped and put them in the freezer.

(Yes, I know I skipped the Oxford comma. I don’t believe in them.)

Raspberry Trove

Also, I made a pot of tea and sat down to blog. Is it writer’s block? I should be well into a revision at this point, but things have only just now settled down around here.

The bonus of the super cold days — it’s usually sunny. I can get my vitamin D through the window, right? Then, back to work. It’s a good day for it.

Blue Dusk with Pine Tree

Inquiring Minds

Posted on January 22, 2014 by waterhigh

Another Q & A with Forrest Fenn

I’d been considering lately what other questions I could ask Mr. Fenn. I know clue/hint type questions are out, as well as topics he’d like to keep private. What to ask, what to ask?

One item that piqued my insatiable curiosity came from a recent comment on another blog —- Douglas Preston was originally going to write the ‘Thrill of the Chase’ story.

Wow. Was that true? Was it going to be 85% fiction or 85% memoir, I wondered.

I’ve read four of Preston’s books now, and I’ve got to say …. Well, I think I won’t. Just be prepared for a little horror with your mystery/thriller reading experience.

Click on the Q & A Heading/Round Two to learn more.

Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Chest

Don’t you wonder if THE POEM would have been easier to solve if someone else had been the one trying to keep the secret?

Imagination

Posted on January 15, 2014 by waterhigh

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
– Albert Einstein

10 Advantages To Living In The Frozen Tundra

Posted on January 9, 2014 by waterhigh

You’ve nailed it! Won’t those searchers in Santa Fe be jealous?

To catch up on Rennelle’s Raffle, go to Toby’s blog for the videos. (Hint: the winner lives in Colorado)

Brick House

With all the hoopla today about how cold it was going to be, I thought it might be fitting to open up my first ever Monday blog post with list of advantages to living in Wisconsin in the winter. By the way, anyone else notice that the coldest day on record since 1996 just happened to fall on a Monday? Just sayin’.

It is, indeed, a day to grind in the grim reality of at least 3 more months of cold and snow with nothing much to look forward to except that each passing day adds a couple more minutes of daylight. Oh, and a certain someone turns Nifty Fifty soon, so if you are the type that suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and likes to spend money when you are depressed, feel free to buy me something cool.

1. No hurricanes in Wisconsin. Yay! Remind yourself of this as you walk to your car after work while the -50 degree wind…

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