Comments for The Horace Kephart Alaska Center Weblog

Comment on Veterans’ Day musings by Glassbenmhor

Glassbenmhor — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:20:45 +0000

A marvelously enlightening piece,that evokes memories of Regimental years.Two Pipers were ordered to the little coastal town of Saint Valery in France. A name familiar throughout my childhood, in Military History St. Valery is yet another feather in the cap of the Guiderian school. However to the Highlands of Scotland it was our very own ‘day of infamy’ the decimation of the 51st Highland Division.The place where Highlanders fought Panzer Tanks with sticks and stones in a ‘do or die’ delaying action against the avalanche of mechanised Ruhr steel.But for my part years later, in a time ‘when they were feeding them , not needing them’, we had played our Lament as the wreaths were laid,and were respectfully strolling among the white headstones. Our Regiment had not been present at that place having already been wiped out ten miles to the East.We passed through Gordons,Argylls and Seaforths when suddenly came to one stone that was different from the others, we glanced each other, and turned to face the stone, heads bowed without a word being said, and read,JOHN McWILLIAMS, 1st BLACK WATCH, PIPER, 22 Years,a poignant moment in a young life, for we were Pipers and we were Black Watch and were both 22 years of age.So every 11th of November I remember John McWilliams, and thank my lucky stars that I was born in the latter half of the 20th century.

Comment on And now, Horace Kephart by Angus Smith

Angus Smith — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:26:24 +0000

A number of years ago I made a long distance telephone call from an island paradise caressed by the Atlantic upon Scotlands Western seaboard.The island in question is called Jura, or in the ‘mother tounge’ Eilean Dhiura. Jura, yes not to be confused with coffee machines or minor regions of France.However we can be assured that the mention of what is seen as Europe’s last true wilderness will bring a large smile to the face of old Horace as he surveyes below him, the valley of modern life from the clouds above.As to the phone call, well we all us, as we go through life require mentors and it is my good fortune to count Dennis as one of mine.

Comment on The Old Woodsman’s turkey stuffing by Chaz

Chaz — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:50:41 +0000

My fishing buddy Smitty used to make the salt pork, bread and sage stuffing every year at Thanksgiving.

He told me the recipe once and I wish I had written it down. He used a large electric oven to cook the stuffing in until it was just right. Smitty who was also my Father-In-Law died this past March. No one remembers how he made his stuffing but this sounds like a good start. Thank You.

Comment on A quiet moment: the 78th anniversary of The Old Woodsman’s funeral by Robert Louis Stevenson on the Task of Living | Cosmopoetica

Robert Louis Stevenson on the Task of Living | Cosmopoetica — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:34:18 +0000

[...] [linktribution: Dennis Stephens] [...]

Comment on The Old Woodsman’s turkey stuffing by Jean

Jean — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:03:34 +0000

Yup, sure sounded like a wacky recipe to me. Good thing it’s really two recipes.

Sure seems like there’s a lot of mashing involved, though.

Comment on The Old Woodsman’s turkey stuffing by chrisl

chrisl — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:06:04 +0000

I misread that recipe the same way… sounded terrible!

I make essentially the second version when I make stuffing.. sausage/bread/sage. None of those apples, raisins, oysters, etc. for this guy.

Comment on Why read Kephart? Who cares? by Dennis

Dennis — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 01:06:25 +0000

Sure have. McManus is one of my favorites. I have seven of his books on my shelf, and had several more but lent them out. They apparently found other homes.

Have you read “My first deer, and welcome to it”? It’s in They Shoot Canoes, Don’t They? Deals with the dilemma of a 14-year old, just got his license and tag, but no driver’s license and no one to ask to drive him. He has to ride his bike “twenty miles up the side of a mountain to go deer hunting.” Then he actually shoots a deer. Uh-oh.

Have you ever had to get the lights to work on a trailer? In another of my favorite stories McManus recounts the hours spent under a boat trailer the night before he planned to leave for a fishing trip, tracing wires, jiggling plugs, checking circuits, replacing bulbs, and they still don’t work. Can’t recall the name of the story, but it was in his book Kerplunk! which I must have lent out.

You may know that McManus has also written several humorous mystery books in which the hero is Sheriff Bo Tully of Blight County, Idaho. I recommend them. One of them is titled The Blight Way, published 2006.

Thanks for the comment.

Comment on Why read Kephart? Who cares? by stapleyourdog

stapleyourdog — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:57:10 +0000

Ever read Patric McManus’ books? Very humorous.

Comment on Captain Kenealy’s 1899 recipe for moose ragout by Blog Gems - 10/15/07 : CIOS 256

Blog Gems - 10/15/07 : CIOS 256 — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:05:29 +0000

[...] You might hear Dennis feverishly talking about “Kephart”– he has shared a bit more about him and a tasty recipe… [...]

Comment on Feeding my dog apples, late at night by violaamberg

violaamberg — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 23:44:59 +0000

Ahh, beer, dogs & bagpipes… doesn’t get much better than that does it?

I told my daughter about the College Coffee House – we’re looking forward to seeing you play!