The production team at NewSpring held their annual Pig Roast at Ken's today. A little ball, horse shoes, frisbee We had a good time just sitting and chatting, and there was Tons of fantastic delicious BBQ Swine.

Thanks go out to new team member Jeff Spearman one of the owners of
Charlies Bar B Que in Greenville. The food was totally perfect.

Major thanks to Ken and his wife Meg for letting all of us take-over their home and for being so gracious. You guys are fantastic. We can't wait until the 1st Annual August Homemade Ice Cream social.

Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen (May 2, 1892 – April 21, 1918) also known as "le Baron Rouge",or the "Red Baron" was shot down killed just after 11 a.m. on April 21, 1918, at the height of WWI. He died after being struck by a single .303 bullet, while flying Somme River.

But who fired the fatal shot?

At the time the Baron had been pursuing a young allied pilot ( Lt May ) at very low altitude. They were twisting and turning and even flew so low that one plane almost hit a church steeple. He was spotted and chased by Captain "Roy" Brown who had to dive steeply at very high speed to intervene, and then had to climb steeply to avoid hitting the ground giving him only two or three seconds to aim fire and shoot. The Baron continued to chase Lt May for several more moments. Brown was at the time credited with shooting down the Red Baron - although now it seems unlikely. Richthofen received a single but fatal chest wound - it seems almost impossible that, if this was from Brown's guns, he should then have flown on after May for as long as he did.

Who fired the fatal shot?

The identity of the person who shot the Red Baron remains unknown. The .303 was the standard calibre for all machine guns and rifles used by Allied forces during World War I. There were several ground based gunners also shooting at him.

The most likely theory is that the shot came from Sergeant Cedric Popkin, an anti-aircraft (AA) machine gunner with the Australian 24th Machine Gun Company, however there is evidence W.J. "Snowy" Evans, a Lewis machine gunner with the 53rd Battery, Royal Australian Artillery may have fired the fatal shot.

It was 89 years ago today and has been an enduring mystery. One that has intruged me ( and many others ) for years.

BTW The British Royal Flying Corps rendered full military honours at the von Richthofen's funeral

A movie is due late summer.







Read the book Richthofen's own autobiography is titled Der Rote Kampfflieger ("The Red Battle Flier")..

Chef Boyardee came to my house tonight. It has been a while, but tonight I whipped-up a couple pizza's for supper. We had cheese, pepperoni, more cheese, back-bacon **
( Canadian Bacon ) mushrooms, peppers and still more cheese. The secret to a great hommade pizza is lots of cheese. Please never compare this to the frozen cardboard types most people buy.

** For those who never saw Bob & Doug McKenzie, or never lived in the Great White North ( Canada )

TAKE OFF.......... Hoser's

Last week we went to the play "Last Train to Nibroc"at Anderson University. Actually it was the first part of the Nibroc Trilogy. We saw part two entitled "See Rock City" tonight. The love story continues as the couple plans a honeymoon to Rock City, Tennessee in 1943. Then after the victory, May and Raleigh are forced find solutions to the challenges of a new, postwar America. It's a funny play yet laced with a dose of rural 1940's hardships.

Once again the drama department of the University does a wonderful job. Honestly going to plays are fun, and you should really try to go next season. The Playhouse will be presenting, " Annie Get Your Gun", "Steel Magnolias", and "Hamlet", along with "Senior Follies" next season.

TAX DAY IS HERE !!!! Did you mail your return yet? How much did you make in 2007? Send it in !



"Give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's." Mark 12:17 [ (BBE) Bible in Basic English Edition]

Uncle Sam thanks you !

You may keep what is left over

After our social night break, our movie night, a night where several families were out of town and then the Easter holidays it's finally back to a normal schedule for our homegroup. We have been in a study series on having an "Extraordinary Marriage". I already feel I have more than just an extraordinary marriage. I also have an extraordinary friend in my spouse. Kristie is a blessing to me every moment. Still I have found a few things I can put into practice. While at times the whole series seems a little cheezy there are also issues that are hard to talk about together. Thankfully I am part of a group of wonderful friends who like to have a little crazy fun, but who all love Jesus with their whole hearts. Otherwise this series would be pushing the edges of our comfort zone too often. Thank you God for a homegroup like this one.

You have got to see the Little People . Our friend AVClub found and pointed these out. Thanks Ken.

We attended a play " Last Train to Nibroc " at Anderson University tonight.


It is a story about the return to innocence, an old fashion love story. And Funny too.


David Larson, his students, and staff do an outstanding job with the drama program. You really should check this one out. Go saturday and get the bonus of two productions ("See Rock City ") plus free BBQ dinner .

Today's Garfield

Subject: Mosquitoes (rumor) Put some water in a white dinner plate and add just a couple of drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dishwashing soap. Set the dish on a porch or patio. Mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead, or fall into the water, or on the floor within about 10 ft. ( like production pig BBQ's )

Mosquitoes ( FACT )
Everyone knows that those pesky 'skeeters just hate to feel dirty. Something about a free bath that drives them to forget they are not little fishies.

I know early native American tribal leaders used to teach that "clean 'skeeters are happy 'skeeters".

Algore used to pride himself on his public stance against dirty blood suckers. Using millions in leftover Whitewater funds he personally fought to establish mosquitoe bathing areas.

The early French explorers learned to always eat lemon drops (Citron de baisses )to ward off the pesky "Moustiques". And the German settlers often told tales of the
"Moskitozitrone" or 'Tiny Lemon-flavored winged-demons of Amerika'.
So to sum up this over wrought authors saga... Eat a lemon flavored jelly bean before hiking in the woods. Or you may become victim of of what the Italians called,(and the reason Columbus came back home as fast as he could), The 'Demons Limone-conditi volo molto piccolo.