Thursday 13: Martin Guitars

In Nazareth, PA, the Martin Guitar Company builds guitars for those of us who like to do a little strumming.

Martins are terribly expensive guitars, though. I don't own one.

Anyway, we toured the finishing factory. It was a one hour tour and with my health issues I was a whipped by the time we finished.

What we saw was how a guitar is made.

This is the exterior of the Martin Guitar Company. It says "established in 1833" on the front there.

 

This cutout shows you the parts of the guitar - the top assembly, anyway.

 

Before a piece of wood is cut into the well-known guitar shape, it is thoroughly checked both by laser and visual inspections for blemishes or thin spots. Wood that does not meet quality standards is not used.

 

This is a display of how they bind the sides together, using clothespins, after the wood has been shaped in a days-long process.

 

Lots of guitars. They try to put out nearly 200 guitars a day.

 

 

This is what  a guitar looks like without the neck, polish, or decoration.

 

Our tour guide explained how the fret boards are placed on the guitar necks.

 


This man was inspecting the guitar for quality. The guitars are checked at every step.

 

These are guitar necks, which will be fixed to a guitar body. Some are fixed with machines; others by hand. The ones done by hand can take about an hour to place properly. These, of course, are custom guitars and expensive.
 

 

A display showing the guitar and how it is put together.

 

Guitars that have been stained and polished await additional work.

 

I like the sunbursts. (The reddish looking ones).

 

The factory was huge. It took us over an hour to tour it.

 

This robot polishes guitar bodies to a high sheen.

 

Martin also has a factory in Mexico which is making cheaper guitars. They are not made from real wood but instead are created from composite wood. I played the small one (second from the tour guide's hand - that other thing is called a backpacker) and personally found it lacking in tonal quality.

The guitars made in Mexico have an "X" in the model number and range from $429 to $879 and up. The guitar *I* would like to have (if I could find one to play first) is an OO-18 Authentic 1931 made of genuine mahogany that looks to be about the same size as the small cheaper guitar that I played. The OO-18 has a price tag of (gulp) $7,499. So there is a big difference in price between an "X" guitar and a non-X Martin guitar.

A Martin Dreadnought D-455 Authentic 1936 made of Brazilian rosewood sells for (big gulp) $59,999.  And custom guitars sell for much more than that. I suspect noted musicians routinely come in there and pay $100,000+ for specialized instruments.

More on guitars tomorrow. They also had a museum, and I will show pictures from that.

_______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 468th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. 

Pocono Raceway

You may be wondering why we chose to go to the Poconos if we weren't going to spend our time in one of those heart-shaped bathtubs at a resort.

Here's the reason. Pocono Raceway offered a chance for my husband to knock off a couple of items from his bucket list.

The entrance to the Pocono Raceway.



A rock with Richard Petty's
 name and racecar number.

The raceway offered a number of different affordable driving and/or riding experiences. He also was able to visit the race track, plus we were in the infield of a major race track even if the place was empty aside from us and other drivers or riders.
All of this is very thrilling if you have been a NASCAR fan for your entire life.

Wednesday was the day he was scheduled to take a ride in a stock car  at 165 mph around the 2.5 mile track. He decided not to drive because he determined he would get to go faster if a pro was at the wheel (and he was right - the guys who were driving crept along while he whizzed by them).



This is the infield.

 

These were the cars that would be used.

 


I don't know if these were Sprint cars or ARCA or what.

My husband had to put on a racing suit.



Then he waited.



He had a big smile on his face the whole time.

OK, he's not smiling here, but I love this picture of him.



This is my picture of a picture that the stock car people took.



This is the backside of him; I was taking this picture while the (ah hem) professional photograph was taking his picture.

 

Also my picture of their picture. I couldn't get over the infield railing to take a picture of him in the car from this side.
The driver's name was Steve.

This is my picture of him in the car, taken from the infield.



He's getting ready to go!

There he goes around the track at 165 mph. (And didn't I line that picture up well?)

And he's back, and shaking hands with one of the fellows who worked there.

Sometimes you go do things with the guy you love just because you love him. This is one of those major dreams - he's always wanted to ride in a stock car around a race track. I am glad we were able to go to Pocono so he could have this experience. It made the whole trip worth it.

But there was still something in Pennsylvania for me . . .

Stroudsburg, PA

Our first full day in Pennsylvania found us a little unorganized and not sure where we should go. For folks who normally visit places like Myrtle Beach and Williamsburg, finding little guidance as far as spots to visit was a bit unsettling.

My husband latched on to a brochure I found advertising something called The Country Kettle, a gift and candy shop. He punched in the GPS for that and soon we were spending about 40 minutes driving down 290, I think it was, to East Stroudsburg.



A shop full of expensive goodies - and fudge.

The store was interesting, full of Disney characters and expensive doo-dads, along with a back room full of candy (including fudge). Further along there was a Christmas Store. I took my camera in there (I forgot it in the Country Kettle).



A large selection of ornaments yielded two
fire trucks for my tree. 



I loved the Star Wars nutcrackers - and immediately
wanted Lord of the Rings ones instead.



This showcase of Russian nesting dolls was lovely.

After a snafu with traffic and a bit of a discussion between us about directions - men just will not listen, will they? - we finally ended up avoiding the bypass of 290 in favor of business 290 because of roadwork and a six or seven mile traffic backup. This route took us through Stroudsburg proper. It is a lovely and apparently thriving area - lots of folks about, and I could see little stores that looked intriguing. One of the churches had a 1788 date on it. The city, which is the county seat, was founded in the mid 1700s.



The first store that caught my eye was this one - one I suspect community leaders
 would rather not have there.



The theater reminded me of the Grandin Road area of Roanoke.



A good view of how Main Street looked.



This says "Stroudsburg Birthplace of the Nationwide J. J. Newberry Co. Stores."
I loved Newberry's when I was a child - there was one in Salem that I visited frequently
with my grandmother. Good memories.



Another shot of Main Street. It was very well-kept and I thought a lovely community.
We did not stop, unfortunately.



I saw several book stores while we were in the Poconos - and I was so glad!



This was on the other end of Main Street. Condoms on one end, psychics on the other.
 

By this time we were quite a ways from our hotel in LeHighton even though that was where we were heading - back to the hotel. We did not stop in Stroudsburg because my husband had another destination in mind. If I ever get beyond the Mason Dixon again, I wouldn't mind visiting this county seat for a day, and actually walking the street instead of just driving through.

To the Poconos

Last week, while I was showing you pictures of spiders and nothing special, I was in Pennsylvania with my husband for our annual vacation.

We went to the Poconos. Specifically, we went to the LeHighton area, which is about 30 minutes from Pocono Raceway. We stayed at a Hampton Inn, and not at a resort, because all of the resorts I could find were either smoking facilities or so old that I dismissed them out of fear of mold and mildew.

I do not recommend visiting the Poconos in the manner that we did (that is to say, staying in a hotel and winging it), because the area is spread out and we spent a great deal of time in the car. There are many small townships in the area that one could spend days exploring, but part of the time it rained and in many instances things I wanted to visit - museums and such - were closed "for the season" and/or were only open on Saturdays. We were not there over the weekend.

Staying at a resort probably means you are stuck at the resort unless you venture out, but I daresay the resorts are set up to keep you occupied.

Having said that, the area is lovely, not too much unlike my beautiful county here in Virginia except a bit more mountainous. The communities, however, seemed more economically depressed and reminded my husband of West Virginia. The townships were in between mountain ranges rather like West Virginia, as well.

I took these shots from a Walmart parking lot near LeHighton. The Walmart was built upon a high hill and had the best views that we found, over all.

I thought it was pretty country. Apparently it is good for growing Christmas trees, because on the way in, we saw many evergreen farms. There were rows upon rows of growing trees.

I had a hard time getting photos of those, as we were driving close to dark and it was a little foggy.

Stay tuned for more about our great Pennsylvania adventure.

Sunday Stealing: Perceptions

Sunday Stealing: The Perceptions Meme

1. Where did you grow up?

A. About six miles from where I live now, on a farm at the foot of Caldwell mountain in the wilds of the woods, roaming the meadows and fields as I watched the change of seasons.

2. Where do you live now?

A. I live on a farm in the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge, where deer wander and bear roam free, and turkeys gobble hello in the early morning hours, a place where quail occasionally sing and foxes chase mice.

3. What do you think about religion?

A. It is the bane of mankind, a way for those in power to control those who need controlling, a type of brainwashing to keep the lower classes in their proper place. It is also a spiritual need of humanity, because we have knowledge of death, which is such a great unknown that our minds must always create a mythology to explain it, or fear of it would paralyze us. Religion as practiced now is merely another outlet of capitalism, and it has fallen far from what it should be, if it ever reached that point. I have found that most people do not practice religions as they should be practiced; they practice them to suit their own purposes.

4. When did you start online social media?

A. In the early 1990s. I was using bulletin boards (BBS) long before the Internet was "the Internet," and then I was a member of AOL, which in its early years utilized chat rooms and a messenger system. I was also part of the early newsgroup communities in the mid-1990s and actually helped run one for a while, establishing rules and guidelines and working to keep the trolls away. That stuff wasn't called "social media" then but that is what it was. As for Facebook and Twitter, I think I started those around 2006.

5. What did you study to be?

A. I majored in English. I studied to be a writer. I became a writer.

6. How are you at this point of your career?

A. I am, for the most part, retired. I am still writing but currently not publishing.

7. Do you use your real name on a blog?

A. I do not, but it is not hard to find and most people who hunt for me with my real name come across it.

8. Do people you work with read your blog?

A. Yes, they do. Or did. I have about 400 readers a week. I don't know who they all are. I know some of them are local folks who liked my work with the newspaper.

9. Are you on the job market?

A. Not at the moment.

10. If you could go back in time to meet someone famous but now deceased, who would it be?

A.  Mary, Queen of Scots.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: Last Time I Saw Him

Saturday 9: The Last Time I Saw Him (1973)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.


1) In this song, Miss Ross sings of a tender farewell at the bus station. When did you last say goodbye to someone at an airport, dock, train or bus station?

A. I told my husband goodbye back in June when he and his mother flew to Chicago to celebrate her brother's 90th birthday.

2) Continuing with the theme of "lasts," who received the last gift you gave?

A. My husband. I paid for him to take a ride in a stockcar at the Pocono Raceway. He loved it.

3) Who last did you a favor?

A. My brother. He loaned me his hotspot so I could use it when we went on vacation last week.

4) What's the last thing you dropped or broke?

A. Probably a glass or something. I don't recall breaking anything important in a long while. My husband, now . . .

5) What's the last thing you borrowed or lent?

A. The aforementioned hotspot would be the last thing I borrowed.

6) When is the last time you danced?

A. I sometimes do a little shimmy after I've showered. Does that count? But I haven't been "dancing" in 30 years.

7) When were you last nervous?

A. I am always nervous. But yesterday when we were driving home from Pennsylvania on Interstate 81, I was REALLY nervous because everyone drives like maniacs on that road, and there were at least four accidents that caused major backups. Thankfully we knew that US 11 runs adjacent to I-81 most of the way, so we hopped off and on to bypass the traffic jams. It only took us about 9 hours to get home - should have taken about 7.

8) What was your last DIY project?

A. Does trying to declutter count? If so, I am currently in the midst of it. Otherwise, the last major home improvement project I personally did was to tear the wallpaper off the kitchen walls and repaint them. That was in 2010. And I am always a project in the making - as we all are (or should be).

9) When did you last check your horoscope? Was it accurate?

A. I guess last weekend, before we left town. I haven't had time to catch up on the newspapers. I don't recall if it was accurate. Horoscopes are like tarot cards - something to give you a new way to look at current circumstances, maybe. Or maybe just something to give you a laugh.

_____________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.

Thursday Thirteen

Things on my bathroom counter top:

1. Toothbrushes

2. Hairbrush

3. Comb

4. Castor Oil

5. Mouthwash (three different kinds)

6. Toothpaste (two different kinds)

7. Red food dye (to check to see if the toilet is leaking)

8. Dawn (because my husband had grease on his arm and didn't put the dishwashing soap back)

9. Soap

10. Hairdryer

11. Curling iron

12. Q-Tips

13. Timer (to time my showers so I don't overuse water)

_______________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 467th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. 

Books: The Collector

The Collector
By Nora Roberts
Read by Julia Whelan
16 hours
Unabridged
Copyright 2014


The Collector by Nora Roberts brings us the story of Lila Emerson, a professional house sister and novelist with an unabashed habit of looking out the window with binoculars to see the little "movie stories" of the lives of the people who live in the next apartment complex over.

Unfortunately, she sees a woman murdered, and things go downhill - and uphill - from there. Roberts brings us an interesting and intriguing story of murder for art, and two strong central characters to carry the story through to its deserved, if not unexpected, ending.

She meets Ashton Archer, brother of one of the other victims murdered in the apartment, and together they set out to solve the mystery of the brother's death. Roberts does a nice job exploring the art world, and is close on her facts. She talks about eight missing "Imperial Eggs" made by Faberge for the Russian imperial family - mostly true, except the Faberge website says there are only seven missing eggs. She also overstates their value a bit - but it's fiction, and it rings true, so what the heck. How many people google the objets d'arts mentioned in books, anyway?

Additionally, Roberts brings in the story of  Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, the lost girl who many thought was not killed by secret police in 1918. It's a nice touch and an interesting bit of history to bring to the fore.

The story kept me interested and I consider it one of Roberts better books. Her later books seem to me to be better written, anyway - certainly showing that practice makes perfect, or at least better craft.

A Roberts book is always a decent way to pass the time, and this book is no exception. While I never missed my exit when I was listening to it, I did occasionally sit in the garage to finish a section before I came back into the house.

Granddaddy Long Legs

Granddaddy long-legs

Another Bear Video

This bear is missing half of its front paw.

Sunday Stealing: Doing Questions

Sunday Stealing: The "Doing Questions Like It's 2003" Meme

1. Tell us about your pets. If you don’t have one, share why you don’t.

A. I don't have any pets now, except for cows and the wild animals outside. I used to have a dog, part Eskimo Spitz and part terrier, named Ginger. She was 17 when she died, and I never had the heart to get another. Plus I am terribly allergic and Ginger had to stay outside, unless it was very cold, in which case I brought her into the garage. I don't think I could really care for an animal like I should because of my asthma and allergies, so better not to have one. As for cats, I am allergic to them, too. My parents always had a dog when I was growing up, which is part of the reason I stayed sick all the time, I think.

2. Name three things that are close to you.

A. My PC, my landline phone, and a glass of water.

3. How was the weather for your summer?

A. July was too wet, and August and September too dry. We only had three cuttings of hay this year instead of four because of the dry weather and inconsistent rain.

4. What was the last film you saw? Did you like it?

A. Friday night my husband and I watched Sisters with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on HBO. I am very glad I did not pay money to see it, which means I did not care for it. *Update* Saturday night we watched Steve Jobs. I didn't care for that film, either. What a wretched man he was. Brilliant, maybe, but a wretched person.

5. Tell us about the last trip that you took.

A. Last year we went to Charleston, SC. We saw a big boat, an historic old town, learned a lot about the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, and generally had a nice time.

6. Where do you buy groceries? Why?

A. I buy groceries at Kroger, Food Lion, and Ikenberry Orchards. The first two are chains, and they have the stuff you need like canned green beans and the occasional frozen dinner for when you don't want to cook. Ikenerry Orchards carries fresh produce, locally grown veggies, peaches, and apples.

7. Tell us something that you did today. Or will do if you haven’t had your morning coffee yet.

A. I changed the linens on the bed, washed and put away four loads of clothes, emptied the dishwasher, paid bills, and put two potatoes in the oven to bake for dinner. I also did my physical therapy exercises. 

8. Have you pulled an all-nighter?

A. The last time I was up all night was in July 2014, when my husband got his hand caught in a hay baler and he had to have emergency surgery. The surgery finished up around 2 a.m. and I stayed with him until about 6 a.m., and then went home to get some sleep after the nurses changed shifts and I could speak with his day nurse about a sponge bath for him and a note on the door asking the firefighters to let him sleep. I also asked that they limit the number of visitors he could have at one time. Since he is a battalion chief with the fire department, there were about 150 people who wanted to see him once they learned he was hurt.

9. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi & Coke?

A. I don't drink soft drinks any more, but yes, I can. Pepsi is blah. Coke is not.

My brother.

10. Tell us about your siblings. How many and what do they do?

A. I have a brother who is three years younger than I. He is President of Cardinal Rubber & Seal, Inc., a corporation my father started which deals in industrial hoses, seals, and gaskets with operations in multiple states. He also likes to hunt and fish and spend time with his two children. He has always been my "little" brother and I have always been very protective of him.

11. What’s the oldest thing that you own?



My many-great grandmother's
scissors

A. It is either a pair of scissors that my great-great grandmother owned, which she was holding when she was struck by lightning, or a pig killer my husband has that has passed down through his family. The scissors never grow dull although I don't use them much because they mean more to me than whatever I might be cutting. As for the pig killer, it's a big metal thing with a sharp spike attached and in the old days when they killed pigs, they would hit the pig in the "sweet spot" in the head with the pig killer. Obviously, we do not use that anymore but that is how they did it long ago. I don't know which of these objects would be the oldest.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.