Day 46-47, Wed, Th, May 18, 19, 2016 At Merry Meadows, MD (Mason Dixon Line)

Yes, we are on the Mason Dixon line. Remember those guys in your history classes? There was a dispute about three states boundaries, and after some agreement they hired those two Englishmen to finish the work on the boundaries Here is the settlement in part:

"Progress was made after a Court of Chancery ruling affirming the 1732 agreement, but the issue remained unresolved until Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore ceased contesting the claims on the Maryland side and accepted the earlier agreements. Maryland's border with Delaware was to be based on the Transpeninsular Line and the Twelve-Mile Circle around New Castle. The Pennsylvania–Maryland border was defined as the line of latitude 15 miles south of the southernmost house in Philadelphia (on what is today South Street). As part of the settlement, the Penns and Calverts commissioned the English team of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey the newly established boundaries between the Province of Pennsylvania, the Province of Maryland, and Delaware Colony.^[1]

In 1779, Pennsylvania and Virginia agreed "To extend Mason's and Dixon's line, due west, five degrees of longitude, to be computed from the river Delaware, for the southern boundary of Pennsylvania, and that a meridian, drawn from the western extremity thereof to the northern limit of the said state, be the western boundary of Pennsylvania for ever."^[2]

After Pennsylvania abolished slavery in 1781, the western part of this line and the Ohio River became a border between slave and free states, although Delaware^[3] retained slavery until the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in 1865."

So it was not a simple matter as the English Royalty and William Penn had different ideas about what land was "thiers".

So we are camped in Maryland in the "hill" country where the foothills of the Poconos and the Appalachians begin to show undulation in the land away from the Coastal Plains of New Jersey and Delaware. And hilly it is. Last night, daughter Kathy led us the the Jefferson shooting range where the children practiced last night (They have usually a different range (rotating them)  to shoot from each week.) But this range was around turns up and down hills and through the woods that I really did begin to wonder  which direction was "north". It was a warm evening with a little rain, but no sun. The shooters like no sun, but also like no wind and rain. They hold ther practices and meets in the rain unless there is thunder or lightning.

The shooters help to set up the shoot practice

I had bet the three of them that they could earn their "dessert " after dinner if they equalled of exceeded their "average" scores.They really don't keep an "average " score so we agreed on: Sarah- 15, Emily- 17, and Adam 20. That is out of a round of 25 clays.. Well, they achieved that on both practice rounds except Adam who slipped to 17 on his ast round. (Thet all got a dessert anyway!)

We were able to spend some time with them at the house watching their new bird feeder as it attracted about 9 different birds in the time we were there.  We had some time to exchange thoughts about school ancestry, summer activities, and future plans. We seldom get this way so each moment is very precious. Now that Sarah is driving, the burden of getting the children to their shoots and practices can be spread out a bit.

Adam get s the speakers ready

Yesterday we took Sarah to lunch as she is home at present. That was a good one on one time for us. Sarah had been in Michigan to babysit with Oliver when Jennifer delivered the baby Audrey. She stayed in Michigan for 5 weeks. She is very good with children and child care.

Tomorrow we will head  north to Ohio for one night and then on home on Saturday. Tomorrow's blog will be the last unless anything significant happens to merit another one on Saturday.

Some help unload the ammo.

Some spectators get
ready to watch.

Sarah, Adam, Emily and Mom Kathy

Sarah, Adam, Emily and Grandpa jim

Sarah

Adam

Emily.

Thanks to all of you who have been following along espeially the "friends" in may countries across the world,. W

e will let you know when the next adventure starts.  I hope you enjoyed it and learned a little about one of the styles of living here in America. Thanks you so very much.