The Blaisdell Blog

  On February 19, 1847, the first rescuers reached the survivors of the Donner-Reed Party near Truckee Lake (now Donner Lake) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  It soon became apparent that those who survived had resorted to cannibalism.  This gruesome tragedy did not happen by accident.                Ten months earlier, on April 16, 1846, nine covered wagons left Springfield, Illinois on the 2500 mile trek to California.   Almost half of the 87 men, women and children of the Donner-Reed party were doomed before the first revolution of the wheels.   The group of emigrants was led by James Fraser Reed.   He was influenced in his decisions by a book, The Emigrants’ Guide to Oregon and California, written by Landsford W. Hastings.   The book touted a new route, referred to as the, “Hastings’ Cutoff.”   This route was supposed to save almost 400 miles and be over easy terrain.   In fact, the route had never been traveled, by Hastings.   His book was a fraud—a moral if not a legal cri

  Like many of our festivals, Valentine’s Day has a murky beginning.   One of my favorite theories about the Feast Day of St. Valentine is that February 14 th was considered the day when birds chose their mates for the year.   This is in keeping with my Valentin’s Day love story.             My husband and I enjoy playing golf.   We usually play at Los Lagos Golf Club in Edinburg.   As you might guess, with a name like Los Lagos, there is plenty of water.   It is the water that really brightens our day.   If you have water, you have waterfowl and that means a good home for Lord Nelson.   I am in love with Lord Nelson, a white pelican, who lives in one or another of the ponds that dot the golf course.   I call him Lord Nelson (the British Vice-Admiral who lost his arm in the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife) because the pelican, like his namesake, has only one wing.   I don’t know if my pelican also carries the real Lord Nelson’s additional characteristics of only one eye and con

  My favorite Winter Olympic sport is Biathlon.   For those of you (and you are legion) who have never heard of biathlon, it is a sport that combines cross-country skiing and marksmanship.   Both men and women compete, singly and as teams.             The sport has its roots in Norway and was a part of military training.   The reasons for this training are obvious.   If you are protecting a mountainous and snow-bound country from invaders you are going to have to travel fast and shoot straight.   It sounds so simple.   But, like so much that seems simple on the surface, there are layers of complication.               Imagine yourself as a competitor in this race.   You are a skier on a cross-country race.   You can cover the course in any style you wish, but your skis, poles and rifle are your only required and allowed material.    The ski’s can not be shorter than your height, minus 4 cm.   Some of the hills are up hill and you have to climb them in your skis.   Some are down hi