Weather Vanes Fox Story Resource

Weather vanes story resources is an occasionally recurring series in my blog. Each weather vane highlights particular subjects with links and anecdotal information to help create a living story from material on the web.

Elusive and wily the fox in story and in the wild represents a character of resource and cunning.

Brer Fox is a character of the Uncle Remus folk tales that were collected by Joel Chandler Harris. These folk tales were made popular once again and brought to the new era by Walt Disney. The first use of Brer Fox in his 1946 movie Song of the South and later with the construction of Splash Mountain at Disney World Orlando, Fla.  To read more about the history of Brer Fox in media here is the link to the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br'er_Fox_and_Br'er_Bear

Here is an online link to a classic Brer Fox tale; http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2008/09/brer_fox_goes_hunting.html

Eatonton, GA. is home to the Uncle Remus Museum. Housed in former slave quarters the small museum an American folklore treasure. Trip Advisor has news and reviews of the Uncle Remus Museum with photos included.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34919-d2290571-Reviews-Uncle_Remus_Museum-Eatonton_Georgia.html

The direct link to the museum is here:
http://www.uncleremus.com/museum.html



     Francis Marion  of South Carolina was among the legends and heroes  created during the American Revolution. Smithsonian sifts through the resources, legends, lore  and fact to get a closer look at our wily patriot.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/biography/fox.html

more on the legend: http://www.swampfoxmemorial.org/francismarion.html

Walt Disney again had a part in the later career of this Fox. Disney created a TV series in 8 parts depicting the life of the notorious patriot. Actor Leslie Nielsen was the star. After the original airing
dates the show returned in syndicated programming and three episodes on DVD. More here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swamp_Fox_(TV_series)  

Here is a quote from the theme song:
      "Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, tail on his hat... nobody knows where the Swamp Fox at; Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, hiding in the glen, He'll ride away to fight again. Got no money, got no beds, got no roof above our heads; got no shelter when it rains, All we've got is Yankee brains!"

South Carolina Storyteller Tim Lowry portrays the Legendary General Francis Marion. His website: http://storytellertimlowry.com/ 

                                                          


 Other posts from the Weather vane series:
http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/08/weather-vanes-story-resources-part-7.html

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/01/weather-vanes-story-resources-part-5.html

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2011/12/weather-vanes-story-resources-part-3.html

 

100 Day Journey to Mustang Makeover

100 days ago he was nothing, no... he was a bit of wind and plains trapped temporarily in horsehide. The BLM ( Bureau of Land Management) round up, brought him in and he was put with a shipment headed east to TN. There he ran through chutes and into the waiting  trailer of trainer Geoff Goodson and a second journey, this time to Connecticut.

Now his 100 days are up and he is off again. This trip is to Clemson, SC. and the Extreme Mustang Makeover. The competition of  horse trainers and Mustang horses is a unique look at the incredible intelligence, compatibility, and flexibility of the Mustang.

They leave today for the long ride south. A team effort to put Lil Joe Wrangler into the competition with other Mustangs and trainers. With Geoff Goodson are a ring crew and more importantly to us back home, updates from Clemson! Lil Joe will compete in compulsories, and freestyle. Check it all out here at their site:
http://www.extrememustangmakeover.com/emmsouthcarolina.php

Compulsories are the useful and safety oriented skills of a good equine citizen. Expectations are high and all the Mustangs need to  exhibit a strong foundation before moving on to the freestyle.

Freestyle, an event to measure how much trust and training can be developed in a 100 day program of foundation building. Lil Joe Wrangler was a star pupil. His work sessions were kept short to accommodate his young age and physical development. He became a go everywhere, do everything horse. Lil Joe developed a fan club, he has a big heart and a personality the size of the open plains. Before leaving for Clemson and the big weekend long competition Geoff Goodson and Lil Joe Wrangler put on a public demonstration here at Round Stone Farm in East Hampton CT.
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Roundstone-Farm-LLC/169194046424247

Here is a video compilation  from the Mustang Demonstration with CT. Horse trainer Geoff Goodson.

Here is a link to Geoff Goodson's site: http://www.geoffgoodsonhorsemanship.com/

Best of Luck to Geoff Goodson and Lil Joe Wrangler in the Extreme Mustang Makeover.

Previous Blogs in the Lil Joe series:

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/08/lil-joe-mustang-horseadventure.html

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/07/american-mustang-horse-from-bottom-up.html

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/06/utah-wild-mustang-in-connecticut.html

http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/06/wild-horses-couldnt-keep-me-away.html







 

Won't Be Caught Speeding

My husband had a tire blowout the other day, ripped a gaping smile shape into the thick black rubber tire. My son, a mechanical minded young man set to the task of changing out the tire for a new one.

It quickly became apparent that the axles were a different diameter. My husband said it was ok with him if the new axle was a little smaller. Proud to say my son thought the wiggle and play in the tire with an ill fitting part were a bad combo.

My husband quickly replied he never takes it over 30 mph, it would do.

On the road again with the newly installed tire and a safety device my son added. Just because we're farming doesn't mean we can't have a little fun, even under 30 mph.

 

another farm oriented blog of mine:

 http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/09/wed-word-wisdom-ruminate.html

Wed. Word Wisdom - Hand

Wednesday Word Wisdom with Carolyn Stearns Storyteller

Hand; it's not what you think it is really so much more. As an equine reference point it is a fun word to define.


Hand:

a unit of length measurement equalling four inches, used for measuring the height of horses, usually from the front hoof to the withers and I know you were thinking of the appendage at the end of your arm and it's close because before standard measuring tools the hand was the standard term used to measure a horse. Come back next week for a new Wednesday Word Wisdom. Bringing you the lesser known meanings of words or their origins in agriculture and history. Previous Wednesday Word Wisdom entries: http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/09/wed-word-wisdom-ruminate.html http://carolynstearnsstoryteller.blogspot.com/2012/09/wed-word-wisdom-sheepishly.html