Note from Ed: I may have edited the following Ramblings slightly to avoid giving anything away that is important to the book.
Ram’s Ramblings on an Old Gold Miner
This reporter was recently privileged to witness the vast collection of gold nuggets and sculptures owned by Matthew Trimble. Mr. Trimble was owner of the Trimble Goldmine after his father, who died in a cave-in, left it to him. Eventually, the mine was purchased by Yallow Mining for $45 million. . Mr. Trimble not only got the $45 million, he also kept several million dollars worth of gold nuggets and sculptures that he had already collected from the mine and elsewhere. The pride and joy of Mr. Trimble's collection is the biggest nugget ever found in the 48 contiguous states (see the picture on the right). It weighs in at 15 pounds. It's not the largest nugget in existence, however, as there are several larger nuggets that were found in Alaska. The most interesting part of the story is that the 15-pound nugget was found purely by accident. It wasn't mined; it was tripped over while Mr. Trimble's father was walking at night. Mr. Trimble has two other large nuggets, one of 7 pounds and one that weighs 6 pounds. These nuggets were found in the remnants of the cave-in that killed Mr. Trimble's father.
Mr. Trimble has a large collection of sculptures and figurines made of solid gold as seen in the picture at the top. A number of them are intricately carved like the tree shown in the first picture at the bottom. Others are basically dioramas, such as the one of the miners pushing the ore cart also shown at the bottom. The third picture at the bottom is a figurine of which Mr. Trimble has approximately 100 similar ones. He even has some figurines that would appeal to those with more risqué tastes.
Respectively submitted for reading pleasure and edification by Robert Adam Madigan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ram's Rambling Restaurant Review
I have eaten at the Mason Jar three times and, each time, have found the food superb.
The first time I ate there I had what no doubt what a lot of you have had, a Mason Sandwich. I wasn't disappointed. The generous portions of four meats, ham, roast beef, turkey, and bacon, along with the Mason Jar's own special sauce makes a taste sensation to satisfy virtually any size hunger. In addition, the crispy, skin-on, home fries are far above the average French fries served at the typical fast food restaurant.
If a sandwich is not your style, the Mason Jar has a wide variety of other selections on their menu. If seafood is your desire, I can, without reservation, recommend the shrimp platter. The shrimp comes to the table fried to perfection using a batter that is nothing short of epicurean heaven. The coleslaw that accompanies the shrimp is the best this humble reporter has ever had, bar none.
If fare from south of the Rio Grande is more to your liking, you should definitely try the fajitas. They come with all the garnishments you could imagine and the taste is not to be believed. I have had fajitas from Chicago to New York as well as in Mexico and the fajitas at the Mason Jar push all the rest to no more that a weak second on my culinary scale.
I haven't had the opportunity to sample every entre on the menu, but I can easily assume that the rest of the dishes served at the Mason Jar would be nothing short of excellent. Thus, if you haven't already figured it out, I whole-heartedly recommend the Mason Jar for your next meal out. I give it 5 out of 5 Rams.
Respectively submitted for reading pleasure and edification by Robert Adam Madigan.-----------------------------------------------------
Ram's Rambling from October 2, 2001
The story of SweetWater
Even though most poeple hereabouts know the legend of Sweetwater, I have been asked to use my blog to relate the story for those of you who don't.
In the late 1800’s sugar was extremely expensive because it had to be brougt in from so far away (mostly Minnesota), so a lady named Marion Berguns in the town of Taproot started growing her own sugar beets for sugar production. One day a wagonload of sugar beets was being brought from the fields to where the sugar was being produced. The wagon was being drawn by two horses and a snake startled one of the horses who then reared up causing the wagon to tip over and the beats from the wagon to roll down hill. Several of the beats rolled into the mineral spring that was there. This spring was not only mineral water but very hot mineral water. So hot, in fact, that the water boiled the sugar beets causing them to release their sweetness into the water.
The water from the spring had always been popular because of its mineral content even though it didn't taste very good. But, after a few weeks, someone braved a taste of the water with its new sweetness. He liked the new taste and spread the word. Then, because of its new taste, the water became even more popular. After a year or so the town fathers decided that the town of Taproot would become the town of Sweetwater. Thus, the town of Sweetwater was born. Since that time, two sugar beets have been added to the spring each month to keep the Sweetwater flowing. Sweetwater is still manufactured and distributed under the Burguns name.
Respectfully submitted for your reading pleasure and edification by Robert Adam Madigan.
