Fly Girls

The movie "Amelia" about Amelia Earhart was released on DVD this week. I haven't seen this particular movie and I know Amelia was definitely an amazing woman! But to hear people talk, you'd think she was the first and only woman to ever fly a plane.

Amelia was definitely a star. But she wasn't the only woman in her profession. There were actually a lot of ladies ahead of her and around her. The two I'm going to write about aren't as well remembered as Amelia, but their images appear on special commemorative stamps at the Post Office. So they are remembered to a certain extent.

Harriet Quimby was the first woman in the U.S. to earn a pilot's license. She grew up on a Michigan farm and later moved to San Francisco where she tried to become an actress. Acting didn't become her main profession, but she always maintained her sense of the dramatic. Journalism became her main career. She moved to New York City and became a well known photo journalist and theatre reviewer. She also penned some screenplays for the Biograph. She was woman who could do just about anything.

Then she got interested in flying!

To give you an idea of the time, Henry Ford had built his first experimental car only about 16 years before. And the Wright Brothers had only made their big step forward on manned powered flight about 10 years before. When Harriet began flying, driving was still considered adventurous. Flying was dangerous indeed. To me, the "aeroplanes" of that time look like dinky cardboard models with bicycle wheels in front. I have no idea where they put the motors, much less their feet. At least half your body stood out from the top of the plane and you needed to dress very warmly because it was cold flying. Many of the planes were single seaters and the idea of strapping yourself in was just starting to become popular. A lot of aviators of both sexes died in these early planes.

Still, this was something Harriet Quimby was determined to do. She continued on even after one of the people who inspired her to learn to fly was killed in a flying accident. She became the first woman to fly the English Channel. And when she died in an accident herself during an exhibition in 1912, Amelia Earhart was only about 15 years old in high school and wouldn't even step into an airplane for another 8 years.

To the last, Harriet was still a showman. Her purple satin flight suits were famous. As for me, I can't imagine climbing into one of those early aeroplanes. I guess you had to be a special kind of pioneer.

If you want to learn more about Harriet and see what some of the planes she flew looked like, check out this picture of her in 1911. And her biographical write-ups at Florida International University. At Wikipedia. And HarrietQuimby.org.



Elizabeth Coleman, aka Bessie or Queen Bess, was the first black woman in the world to earn a pilot's license. To do it she had to journey to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France in 1921. She was born in Texas and had lived most of her young adult life in Chicago. She was African-American and part Cherokee. Her parents were sharecroppers, which means they didn't have a lot of money. Still, Bessie wanted to make something of herself. She tried to attend college, but ran out of money. In order to make ends meet, she worked first as a laundress and later as a beautician and manicurist. There weren't a lot of options for a women of color in the Jim Crow south and the racially divided ghettos of the north.

Her brothers served in the segregated U.S. army during World War I and they were the ones who suggested flying to Bessie as a profession. They told her French women had already started taking to the skies and suggested she do the same. Bessie liked the idea. Unfortunately, because of her race and sex, she couldn't find anyone willing to teach her in the U.S. So she scraped up what money she could and with the help of a couple of African American entrepreneurs in Chicago who were hoping to use her as a flying attraction, she journeyed to France twice to study.

This was about the same time that Amelia was learning to fly, but Amelia didn't have to leave the U.S. to begin her studies. Two years after Bessie earned her license, Amelia received hers as well from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in France

Bessie began exhibition flying in 1922, because that was really the only way to make a living as a civilian pilot. She became a media sensation and was dubbed "Queen Bess." Her stunts drew crowds, but her big dream was to open an aviation school for young Black aviators. She traveled the Black lecture circuit and even opened up a beauty shop to help build up funds for it. Like Harriet, she had a dramatic side. So it's not surprising that she almost became involved in moving pictures. But she walked out on her first film because she felt her part gave a cliched view of African Americans. She was a racial ground breaker in other ways too. Once she'd made her name, she insisted all her shows be desegregated, with the audience coming through the same gate.



Then in 1926 while making a test flight with her mechanic before a show, there was a plane malfunction when a wrench fell into the gearbox and the plane couldn't pull out of a planned nosedive. Bessie and her mechanic both died. Modern gearboxes now have coverings to keep such things from happening.

At that point in history, Amelia was about two years from her transatlantic flight.

Though Bessie didn't get to open her aviation school, the year after her death, many Aero Clubs rose up in her name. She inspired a generation of African-American flyers. And then some.

If you want to learn more about Bessie, check out the Monash University site on her. At Gale Cengage Learning. And at Wikipedia.


So, the next time someone tells you how great Amelia Earhart was, smile broadly and agree. Then ask if they've heard of Harriet and Bessie.



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FTP & STARLIGHT BLOG

I received word from Blogger this week that they're going to stop supporting FTP blogging to private domains. They're urging people to move to their Blogger Custom Domain feature. And they've started a special blog and are building a special tool to help them do so.

Reading the blog full of people who generally know a heck of a lot more tech stuff than I do, I'm not altogether sure I'll be able to do the move. Plus, the new special tool isn't coming out till February 22nd and FTP support is supposed to end a month later. It also sounds as if classic templates will be junked some time in the future as well. It sounds to me like they're streamlining.

So, I'm trying to think of what I'll do.

First, I'll probably discontinue Vaudeville Rose. I really don't have time to run two blogs. And trying to get two of them to crossover may be way more work than I can manage. It also saves me some hosting fees. I'll listen to how well other people are doing with the crossover. And I'll try moving the blog to their Custom Domains if it seems like something I can pull off.

But... if it doesn't work... Or if it sounds like it's beyond me, I'm going to leave Starlight Blog as it is for a while and head for a regular blogspot blog that I already have, but I'm not using at the moment. It's called Starlight Rose. I was going to start up a website with that name at some point, so it will make sense. I figure Blogger will probably leave the regular blogspot blogs alone for a while. I don't want to leave Blogger because most of the blogs I follow are there.

I may try and move a few things over to Starlight Rose just in case. I already know I can move the Follower gadget there with everyone intact, I'm just not sure how effectively it will work after it's moved. We'll see.

In the meantime, please be patient with me while I figure this out. I'll try and do at least one more posting before things get... "interesting."

Thanks, Everybody!!!

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On a more positive note, Tiana Lei at Spilled Ink has given me the "Over The Top Award!" Thank you so so much, Tiana!

I've asked her if I can hold off on the passing on the Award till after the move, so I can have something fun to look forward to.

Have a Great Weekend!

Humane, Scribbler, and De-Lurker Awards

I received several wonderful Blog Awards this week! And I'm thrilled to pass them on!

The first award is The Humane Award from Yvonne at The Organic Writer. She's a poet and a writer. She shares her poems and stories with her readers. And she also does interviews with writers and reviews books that she's read. Let's just say, she hangs around with all the really cool kids. Getting an award from her makes me feel a little cool too. And getting the Humane Award from her... Well, that's just even better than cool!

Thank you Yvonne! I will do my best to live up to it!

The five people I've chosen to pass this award on to are all very civic minded. When you visit their blogs, you know you've found someone special. As always, if you guys don't have time to do the whole award thingy, don't worry about it. Just take this as a tribute to your work.

Jeanette of Threads of Faithfulness writes about her wonderful family, especially their two sons and adopted daughter. She also writes about other families who've adopted. Life with three children can be a roller coaster. But Jeanette keeps steady with the help of her Faith and a heart full of Thanksgiving and Love.

KT of Sneaker Teacher is teaching in Germany at an international school. She writes about class ideas and living in a different country, as well as the differences in teaching first grade versus middle schoolers. She misses having a regular class of her own. But she's obviously someone who cares a lot about her students and teaching in general.

Loree of Stories and Scribbles is someone who truly cares about people. She says she's a bit of a gypsy, but I think it's because she can't help but answer the world's call. She writes of people and places with love. The pictures she gives us are amazing. I often feel that I've been journeying with her. And when I leave I always know I'll return.

Sandy of Bridge and Beyond is someone I've written about before. She and her followers knit warm hats, gloves, and scarves for the homeless in her area of Ohio. They also handle donations of other clothing. This has been a really cold winter. There are a lot of folks in need. If you can help, contact Sandy at Bridge and Beyond. She says there can't be too many helping hands!

Toya of Tales of a Literary Nobody is a writer. But she's much more than that. She's an active volunteer who believes in rolling up her sleeves and actively helping people. She works to promote literacy. And her blog promotes people and caring for people. Without a doubt, this Award was created for her.

Many thanks to all of you, for all the work you do!


Now to the second Award.

Catherine of Winged Writer gifted me with The One Lovely Blog Award. But when she saw that I'd gotten it twice already, she told me to choose one of the other awards on her site that I didn't already have. I chose the Superior Scribbler Award, mostly because I wanted to recognize some other new writers that I've discovered.

Catherine of course is a writer herself. She favors writing for children because she's says she has a bit of the "wonder child" in her. Her art journal is fun and inspirational to those of us who have a harder time finding our inner child. And her posts and interviews on writing will appeal to the adult minded writer. But for me, the best part of her blog is her Sunday Scribblings.

Thank you, Catherine!

The Superior Scribbler Award was originated by The Scholastic Scribe. In creating it, she described how her father suggested one day that she sign up for the High School Journalism Program because she wasn't strong in math. LOL It turned out to be a good suggestion. But not everyone gets encouragement for writing. Part of the reason for this award is to encourage. The following list of people are all writers. Some of them are just starting out and others have been going at it for a while. Let's give them all some encouraging applause!

Bella McFarland has a PhD in chemistry. She's also a published romance writer with three books to her credit and many more on the way from multiple publishers. I don't know how she does it all! Plus, in December she signed with her dream agent! Many Many Congratulations to Bella! And continued success! Is there anything you can't do?

Carol of Writing from Montana won the 2009 Spur Award for The Best First Novel for her self-published historical novel. She has also written several traditionally published books on horticulture, one of which was a finalist for the Washington State Book Awards in 2002 and the subject of a slide presentation at the Smithsonian.

J. B. Chicoine - Aspiring Novelist is an incredible watercolorist as well as a writer. She has been taking us through the process of her second novel on her blog, as well as giving us a few excerpts recently. See her second blog J.B. Chicoine Unsupervised & At Large for a look at her artwork. I really think she should be designing bookcovers as a side line to her art and writing.

Michelle Hickman calls her blog The Surly Writer. I love the irreverent tone she puts in her writing sometimes. Her Fractured Fairy Tales are incredibly fun! Without a doubt her blog is a joy to read. But the memoir she's working on is beyond all of that. That's where I think she's done her best work. Whenever it's published, I'll be looking to buy it.

Tamara of Chasing Dreams is having some of her dreams coming true! Her first book is scheduled for release this fall from a traditional publisher and she's been working very hard with her editor to get it ready in time. She's still submitting to contests and starting new books. She's also querying for agents for herself and her novelist husband. How does she do it all?

Tiana of Spilled Ink has just finished the first draft of her novel. And she's joined a critique group. She also reads industry blogs and looks to industry experts for info on the business and craft of writing. Among her resolutions for this year are getting her first agent rejection and starting a new book. This lady does her homework and then some! She can't help but succeed!

V.R. Barkowski is part writer and part cheerleader. She writes full speed ahead, taking on challenges, rewriting novels, and working hard to make all her writing goals. She writes romance, historical fiction, and of course NaNo. She's a writer's writer with incredible energy. She is also a very serious reader, who can polish off way more books in a week than I could ever hope to.

Wendy of Where Ladybugs Roar has probably one of the best blog titles around. She also has a lot of finished manuscripts. She's sending out queries and entering contests. She also has a gift for artwork and she's done up some private printings of her books for friends and family. Those books already have fans among the mothers and friends of her betas. That's a very rare thing.

Congratulations to you all on the wonderful work you do!


This last award is from Maria at Personalized Sketches. It's a fun award for anyone who wants to "De-Lurk" and leave a comment. Of course, you don't have to take the award to leave a comment. But if you want to take part in the fun, go ahead! I thought this might be a fun way to end this award posting.

The 10 interesting things about me are as follows:

1. I worked in the World Trade Center on the 87th floor of the north tower facing the Empire State Building in New York City for 5 years. The sunsets were incredible! The storm clouds were incredible too. Your ears would pop like you were in an airplane when you rode the "express" elevators. And the building really did sway in the wind. On really stormy days you could hear the creaking, as if you were riding in an old wooden ship.



2. We have 7 pets (not counting the tropical fish). 4 Cats and 3 dogs.


3. I wrote three full length fanfiction books for two different fan groups. Two of them were for "The 10th Kingdom" and one was for "Buffy." I still get some nice feedback from "The 10th Kingdom" fans.


4. I've lived in all 5 boroughs of New York City.


5. I'm addicted to Pepsi.


6. I'm such a non-cook that I resisted learning how to use a potato peeler till I was 30.

7. I love to direct shows and choreograph, if it's a musical. I especially love BIG shows with BIG casts.


8. I like to garden, but I don't have anything resembling a green thumb. Over the years I've learned to take order from Mother Nature. If something works, I do more of it.


9. I love history! Especially about women.


10. I hate story formulas. If you read a lot you can often see a formula coming from a mile away. I'm always telling my husband how a story on television will turn out because I'm familiar with the formula they're using. If a show has too many formulas, we tend to stop watching.




Thanks again to Yvonne, Catherine, and Maria!!! And to all the new nominees! You guys are all Great!!!


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Over at Vaudeville Rose last week I did a run down on the recently closed old musical "Finian's Rainbow." I've since learned that most of the board to the community theatre group I'm part of got to see it. I'm glad it got a chance to come back to Broadway for a few months!

Cadmium Scare

Not long ago there were new lead laws put into place for children's jewelry, toys, and clothing because of the high amounts of lead being used in their manufacture in places like China.

These laws have made things tougher for some companies, especially for the small businesses that sell on Etsy and Artfire. But everyone was starting to get the hand of it. And it looked as if the worst was over. Until this week...

On Monday the news came out that some Chinese companies were replacing the lead in some paints and children's jewelry for the even more dangerous heavy metal cadmium, because it was cheaper than the safer metal zinc. For some reason there was no law against using cadmium in children's jewelry in US law, though there were some restrictions against its use in paints.

The AP report is here. And there's an additional write up here. It can definitely be a danger to children who put things into their mouths.

Walmart and other seller's began pulling suspicious items off their shelves in reaction to the news. Some of these items included charms of characters from the recent Disney movie "Princess and the Frog."

First, this is a warning to parents to be careful of probably all children's jewelry that isn't made of sterling or gold. And second, it is a warning to jewelry designers who sell in venues like Etsy and Artfire to question their suppliers. Etsy has a couple of threads on the subject in their forums like this one where they're discussing possible testing and contacting suppliers to see if they can certify their components. You can also search "cadmium" in the Etsy forums.

Diane at My Gemstone Box has also written on this. She suggests asking for an MSDS Sheet (Material Safety Data Sheet) from suppliers. If you're a jewelry designer or other crafter of children's items, you may want to drop by her blog and discuss this topic in more detail.

This comes at a bad time when so many small sellers are trying to keep the costs of their work down in the weak economy. I would personally like the US to make this more of a trading issue with China than an individual business issue. This problem has cropped up several times with Chinese manufacturing companies in several different venues.


On a much happier note... K.M. Weiland of Wordplay has announced that her most recent book "Behold the Dawn" and her previous one "A Man Called Outlaw" have both been released on the Kindle for $6.99 each. For a Kindle addict like me, this is good news!

You can also buy her books at Smashwords in a variety of e-book formats.

You may remember that K.M. was a guest blogger here back on November 3rd. She told us about her book "Behold the Dawn" then. She also gave us an excerpt from it that I thought was especially tantalizing. You can find it at the bottom of the November 2009 archives.

Congratulations, K.M.!

The Circle of Friends Award

I didn't get this Blog Award out as quickly as I'd hoped because our puppy Buddy is still having problems. His Kennel Cough turned into pneumonia, which I hear sometimes happens in puppies. He had to go back to the vet hospital and was in what they call an oxygen box for several days till he got well enough to take in oxygen on his own. The good news, though, is that he back home and much better.

Anyway, as I said in my last posting, Tricia J. O'Brien of Talespinning has gifted me with an award. Tricia is a very prolific writer who is always up to a writing challenge. The work she does often leaves me breathless. It's a given that you'll enjoy her blog if you're a writer. But I think you'll enjoy it even more if you're not. You'll love the insights she gives into the writing life and the endless snippets of her stories and haiku. She's a writer's writer. And a reader's joy!

She asked a group of us to choose one of five different awards that she recently received and she urged us to give them whatever rules we wanted. I chose "The Circle of Friends Award," since I've come to think of blogging primarily as a Circle of Friends. The Blogosphere allows a lot of different people with different interests to find each other and exchange life-stories and to support each other. The blogs that I follow are written by jewelry designers, artists, crafters, writers, book fans, Adirondackers, parents, and more. It's a Wonderful World! And because I gave just about everyone I knew an award late last year, I've chosen 10 New Blog Friends to give this Award to. They're all places that make you feel at home right away. I can't recommend them enough!

As in all the Awards that I give out, you guys don't have to do the whole Award thingy. I know how tight time can be. You can just consider them "Blog Hugs.


Brenda of Days of My Life is like a friend you check in with and then exchange stories on how your respective days went. Brenda writes about trying to stay fit, hair dying disasters (of which I've had my own), TV programs of interest, and just about everything else. When I read her blog, I find myself nodding my head and saying, "Yeah," because I've been there too.


Catherine Denton of Winged Writer is not only a writer, she's a wonderful artist as well. I love the way she brings art into everything. I think her art brings life to her writing. And one of my New Year Resolutions is to try and see art in life the way that Catherine does. I think her way of seeing color and light in everything is the right way to live.


Char of Ramblings is as wonderful a writer as she is a photographer. She mostly writes of her life and her photography. I especially stand in awe of her photography. She has an incredible gift for it! But I can't help but smile over her writings too. When I visit her blog, I feel like I've stopped in and visited with an old friend at the end of a long hard day.


Jo of Majority of Two has a very thoughtful blog where she considers many things... like how life can turn on a dime, the essence of "cool," changes in the world, and recent events in the world of sports, news, television, and movies. She's the friend you go to when you are trying to make sense of it all.


Katie @My Net Finds has her finger on the pulse of the Internet. She has reviews of products, sure. But she also collects cute videos for her reader's enjoyment, as well as recipes, movie trailers, and stories of her own cute kitties! Her blog is just fun to visit, because you never know what she'll come up with next.


Libbie of The Middlest Sister writes about the adventures of family life. I especially love the tales of her children's antics. And I especially loved the playhouse she built for her kids under the dining room table. But she also talks about the more serious things that happen while you're getting from here to there.


The Luckiest Mrs is a newlywed who just celebrated her first anniversary. She's also a dental student. Her posts are full of life, love, and her puppy Malone. There's never a dull moment at The Luckiest Mrs. Her posts always make me smile!


Parenting By Dummies is written by a lady who tells you like it is and makes you laugh while she does it. She calls herself "Dumb Mom," but she's anything but. I love her take on just about everything. She's the friend you visit because you know you'll start laughing and never stop.


Sharon Mayhew of Random Thoughts is a writer who is currently working on an historical fiction book. She blogs on the writing life and on her own life. Occasionally she has contests and recipes. If you're a writer, you'll especially find a kindred spirit in her.


Unknown Mami also writes about things that everyone can relate to, like family and life in general. In addition, she writes about other blogs and places of interest. Her style is light and full of fun. She'll give you a smile and point you to other blogs that will do the same. What could be better?




Congratulations to all the new Award Winners! And thank you all for your wonderful welcoming blogs!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I hope everyone had a Wonderful Christmas! Ours was pretty quiet. We traveled up to the country. Then I cooked while my husband decorated the Christmas tree.

We've had snow several times and even a touch of rain. Today we've got serious cold. As I type this, we're in single digits. I'm sure the wind chill is below zero. The good thing about it is that the sky is beautifully clear and the moon is breathtaking! On full moon nights in the Adirondacks you don't need a flash light outside when there's snow on the ground. The moonlight reflects off the snow and the trees leave blue shadows. It's all very fitting since this an official "Blue Moon." That means it's the second full moon in one month.

I can't believe 2010 is almost here!!!

What is everyone doing for New Year's?

We'll be back in the city for the big celebration. We have a standing invitation to celebrate with another couple. This year their adorable nephew will be on hand as well.

We usually spend New Year's Day itself napping and working up a list of New Year's resolutions. Will they be running those old "Twilight Zone" episodes again? I find those strangely enjoyable, even though I'm sure I've seen just about all of them by now. LOL

Meanwhile, our new puppy Buddy has come down with bronchitis this week. The parvo obviously had him run down and ready to catch anything. We had to take him to the vet this morning again. But at least we got him some medication and his first set of shots. So, we're hoping he'll be on the mend for good this time!

Since the bronchitis is catching, we're also hoping the other two dogs don't get it. Keep your fingers crossed! Buddy is here with Virginia in this picture, chewing on the same toy. Virginia has adopted Buddy. He follows her around devotedly and she gives him pointers on things like housebreaking. LOL


As for our other dog Wolf... Well, he's accepting Buddy. And Buddy is kind of in awe of Wolf. I think this picture here where Buddy watches Wolf try to sleep is pretty funny. If you click it, you can see it bigger. I can't help but chuckle at Buddy's expression.

Anyway, may you all have a Great New Year's Eve! A Magical "Blue Moon" and an Incredibly Wonderful 2010!!!

May all your wishes and dreams come true... and then some!

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Next week, to celebrate the New Year and blogging in general, I'll be giving out a few "Blog Hugs." Tricia of Talespinning has kindly included me in her list of Award Nominees for five different Awards. She's asked us all to choose one and make up our own rules as to how to pass them on. I've chosen "The Circle of Friends Award" because I think that's what blogging is all about. Since I gave out awards to all of my followers in October, I'm going to try and include some new people in this "Circle." So, help me begin the New Year by acknowledging some new friends.