HMMM...I may be stumped. Place of birth may be out. Number of children, date of birth - just throwing these things out there. I'll be home for clues tonight!!

Happy Saturday, All. Nancy.

I will check back later for clues as well. Beautiful weather here today so will be outside most of the day replacing a broken window and doing odds and ends in the garden.

I need clues also.

Annette

Have I ever shared that I was born in Wisconsin, north of Green Bay? Once, we drove out there from Pennsylvania (three kids and the huge dog in the station wagon and my two sisters came down with the mumps by the time we got to Indiana) and stayed right on the bay. I was so excited to have a chance to swim in the bay. Turns out, where we were staying, it seemed that one could walk out for miles and the water never got deeper than my dad's knees! No need for anyone (or anything) with life saving/water rescue skills, alas, despite the fact that we were totally prepared for such!

Hey, you Canadians, think...think.
Oh, and Napoleon has a link here, too, but his is more peripheral/coincidental. I have two other names, but I think that would give it away. Oh well, let's go for it. Here's one of the two: Meriwether Lewis. I will give you the last name later, but I will leave you with a few lines: ...Beauty without Vanity/Strength without Insolence/

Almost time to pick up the pups. They always look so beautiful after their baths. They both have double coats. Ugh. No webbed feet though. At least, I don't think so. I should check. She has such a gentle nature. She is the cutest little thing, too-not quite like a border collie, although that is what they told us she had in her. There is definitely something else there, also.

Sorry to combine so many little notes. Had I been home all morning, I would have spread out the posts.

Cynthia

I'm probably barking up the wrong tree but does it starts with a 'V' ?

Annette

Hi all, just back from a shakedown cruise in my new-to-me fishing boat. I told DW that this was going to be the last year for me doing the farmers' market. I was going to take whatever I made this year and buy a fishing boat. Then next summer I'd go fishing, rather than work my butt off in the garden. So I did. And I will.

One more week of market, if the frost holds off, and then I'll put the garden to bed. I still have 200' of un-bloomed sunflowers that I'm counting on for the last market.

But enough trivial news about me. What do those people have in common? All I have so far is that maybe they all either have or lack a certain skill set. It must have to do with water, right?

Standing by.

TM

Annette, maybe you are barking up a nearby tree? I believe you are leading everyone in the right direction, though.

TM, water is part of the clue, but it is not a skill the named folks share.

Courage without Ferosity...

If I add Lord Byron to the list, does that help?

And all the Virtues of man without his Vices.
...

OHHHH, I thought I had it till that last bit.....I was thinking of the results of an unhappy dog, and it seems to me water in there somewhere, but it was a crappy day at work, little or no sleep last night, so I'm dog-paddling in the dark.....

Nancy.

Oh, you are so close-especially in the case of Murdoch's connection.

I got nuttin', Honey.
TM

Let's see:

Dogs
Water
Canada (go east young friends)
Webbed feet
Huge dog
Water rescue/lifesaver

Does that help? I was sure Lewis and Byron were giveaways.

Cynthia, who is rather pleased to be able to stump you so far. ;)

OK, so a particular KIND of dog?? There are two that going east will offer to me - large, or really large??!!

Nancy.

Ahhhhh me thinks I know, these people all had the same breed of dog, by any chance a Newfie?

Annette

I missed the 'huge dog' bit - Newfie, for shore!!!

Nancy.

Took most of the afternoon, but I got the window replaced. The glazing compound has to dry for a few days and then need to paint it. That should be a quick job.

I don't know much about dog breeds so will agree with Annette and Nancy as it fits the go east clue.

More about your fishing boat, TM. I remember my Grandpa had a wooden row boat that we kids loved, even more after he stored it on the ground behind his garage. We had grand adventures in that boat.

"I started early
Took my dog
And visited sea..."

Thanks to your pointed list of clues, Cynthia, I thought of Newfies too. My brother has one, and his live-with has several. Big gentle bear-like dogs. So all these people had Newfies? Huh.

TM

**** for all of you! Well done. Yes, all those mentioned, except Napoleon, owned Newfoundlands. We had one, too, named Irwindyl's Chincoteague Rebel. the name came from the breeder (mrs. Irwin) and my dad's family who settled on Chincoteague Island on Virginia's Eastern Shore in the early 1600s. We called him Reb and he was the best...until Clouseau, that is.

Reb went with us to Wisconsin. He was still a pup and weighed 100 pounds! He was a great, soft pillow in the back pf the wagon on the trip. He also scratched up our legs as we walked/tried to swim. He was a rescuer through and through.

So, here are some interesting facts...

Napoleon did not own a newf, but was rescued by one when he fell overboard from the ship on the way to Elba. He was not a fan of dogs and even the rescue did not change that.

Lewis' newf was named Seaman and traveled on the expedition with him and Clark. The Indians kidnapped him and Lewis sent three armed men to threaten to kill the tribe. They returned the dog.

Murdoch took his newf Rigel on the Titanic. Murdoch went down with the ship, but Rigel swam next to a lifeboat for three hours until rescued by the HMS Carpathia. Rigel was recognized as a hero for alerting the captain of the weakened lifeboat with survivors before it hit them. That is the story, anyway. Rigel was adopted by one of the crew aboard ship.

Luath was Barrie's Landseer newf (the black and white ones) and was the inspiration for Nana in Peter Pan.

Faithful was the first dog of US Grant and Carlo was Dickinson's newf. Brumus was Kennedy's and Bashaw was Dudley's favorite dog.

Boatswain was Lord Byron's newfoundland. He was born in Newfoundland and died at Newstead Abbey just five years later of rabies. I will link the page with the poem written as his epitaph. I cannot read it without tears.

Also, Richard Wagner had two newfs. Robber, who accompanied him on a fishing boat as he fled creditors(that flight inspired The Flying Dutchman) and Russ, his last dog who is buried at his feet.

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends. Pat a dog today!
Cynthia

Here is a link that might be useful: Epitaph to a Dog

Oh and TM, meant to congratulate you on your new boat! There is little better in life than being on the water or in the woods. Here's to calm seas (lakes?) and fair winds..and lots of yummy fish!

Good question, Cynthia. I really like Newfies, though one did knock my grandson off a dock into the water this summer. Maybe the dog just wanted a little lifesaving practice.

Thanks for the new boat wishes. I did post a photo on the Sunday Trivia thread.

TM