Mossy Feet Books – Author Paul R. Wonning
Books About Indiana History, United States History and Garden Guides
Local lore states that the earliest settlement was by the French in the late 1700’s. There has been no evidence to support, or refute, this tradition. By 1810 there were around ninety settlers in the area of Vallonia. The name derives from the site being located in a valley. John McAfee, Thomas Ewing, and J. B. Durham laid the town of Vallonia out in 1810. Continue reading Indiana Photo Gallery – Fort Vallonia
Greetings, in this episode we visit the Shiojiri Niwa Garden in Mishawaka, Indiana which is in St. Joseph County in north central Indiana.
My wife and I strolled through the Shiojiri Niwa Garden in Mishawaka, Indiana during a camping trip to Potato Creek State Park. This 1 1/3 acre garden includes over 20 varieties of shrubs and trees and many more smaller flowering plants. Over 200 boulders are scattered over the garden. Continue reading Podcast – Visiting the Shiojiri Niwa Garden
The Algonquin, or Eastern Woodlands Indian, tribes inhabited Indiana as the Europeans began penetrating the region in the 17th Century. The tribes in Indiana included the Shawnee, Lenape (Delaware), Miami, Potawatomie, Kickapoo, and others.
The Algonquin Tribes of Indiana relates the general culture, lifestyle, and agriculture of this vast family of Amerindian tribes. Continue reading Sample Chapter – Native Amerindian Tribes in Indiana in 1812
The Algonquin, or Eastern Woodlands Indian, tribes inhabited Indiana as the Europeans began penetrating the region in the 17th Century. The tribes in Indiana included the Shawnee, Lenape (Delaware), Miami, Potawatomie, Kickapoo, and others.
The Algonquin Tribes of Indiana relates the general culture, lifestyle, and agriculture of this vast family of Amerindian tribes. Continue reading Algonquin Tribes of Indiana
Prince Henry the Navigator, Christopher Columbus and the Age of Discovery
The Age of Discovery took place from the 15th through the 17th Century and featured a vast expansion of the European’s knowledge of the world. Two men played a crucial role in that era, Prince Henry the Navigator and Christopher Columbus. This episode discusses those two men, which form the opening chapters of the author’s book, The New World Discoverers. Learn about the explorers that led the exodus of settlers that flooded into the New World. Continue reading Podcast – The Age of Discovery – Exploring the New World
A gardener named Mel Bartholomew developed the square foot gardening system in 1976. In this system a garden is broken down into four square foot squares and the vegetables planted in square foot blocks, using optimum spacing. I used the system for a year or two, but as I had not begun using raised beds yet, the system did not work well for me. Continue reading Square Foot Gardening
A variety of outdoor activities may be enjoyed at Starve Hollow State Recreation Area. Hiking, fishing, camping, boating are all activities which may be partaken in. There are picnic areas and a beach for swimming. Hunting and boating on the lake may also be enjoyed. Continue reading Indiana Photo Gallery – Starve Hollow Lake
We visited the Sculpture Garden during our 2023 camping trip to Shakamak State Park. drove over to the Sculpture Garden. This is a hidden gem, out in the boondocks on a gravel road. Continue reading Podcast – Sculptures in the Forest
Greetings, today I will talk about one of the earliest plans to unite the 13 colonies under one government, the Albany Plan of Union, which Benjamin Franklin proposed in July 1754. Continue reading Podcast – Ben Franklin and the First Plan of Colony Unification
Wildlife lovers should think about making a trip to Muscatatuck National Wildlife Area. The Refuge is on US 50 just east of Seymour, Indiana. The diversity of wildlife visible to even casual visitors to the Refuge is a delightful thing to see. Continue reading Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge
In February I began planting potato chits in 3″ pots. A potato chit is a sprout that has developed on the skin of the potato. I cut off the chits as we used the potatoes for other purposes and laid them in a 4″ saucer to form a callus. The photo below is a potato chit ready for planting. Continue reading Planting Potatoes
Greetings, in this episode I will talk about the third book in my United States History Series. This book, entitled Political Parties and the Presidents, begins with an outline of the messy voting process that existed during the Eighteenth Century. Continue reading Podcast – Political Parties and the Presidents
Greetings, in May of 2023 during a camping trip to Shakamak State Park my wife and I visited the Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Mound Historical Park. The park is located about 2 miles west of Indiana State Road 63 in Sullivan County about 2 miles southwest of the village of Fairbanks, Indiana. It is on the south side of the road, left side if going west. Continue reading Podcast – Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Mound Historical Park
Skyline Drive in Jackson-Washington State Forest is about two miles south of Brownstown, Indiana on Indiana State Road 250. Turn right off the State Road on Skyline Drive. At the top of a steep grade, visitors will find the first of five overlooks. Continue reading Indiana Photo Gallery – Skyline Drive
First, the raw statistics. The bridge is 2,307 feet long and 157 feet off the ground, at its highest point. It has 17 – 75-foot deck plate girder spans. These alternate with 18 – 40-foot deck plate girder spans. The west end of the bridge has 2 – 50-foot spans and 2 60-foot spans on the east end. The bridge, if placed on a gigantic bathroom scale, would weigh 2,895 tons. The cost to build the bridge was $246,504, which would be $212,000,000.00 in 2024 dollars. Continue reading Podcast – Tulip Trestle Bridge
Greetings, today I will talk about the second book in my United States History Series. The book covers the political parties from the beginning of the Republic until the eve of the Civil War. Continue reading Podcast – A Short History of United States Politics – Book 1
Jackson is a multi-use property. Hunting, fishing and trapping is permitted. The State of Indiana conducts periodic timber sales in the State Forests. The monies obtained by the sale of licenses, fees and timber go into the Heritage Trust fund that the State uses to procure more property. The State began acquiring the land that now encompasses Jackson-Washington in the 1930’s. The other activities offered at Jackson-Washington are camping, hiking, boating, fishing and horse trails. Continue reading Indiana Photo Gallery – Jackson-Washington State Forest
Greetings, today I will talk about one of my new book releases, Shakamak State Park. This is one of the lesser-known state parks, however it is a wonderful place to camp and hike. My book provides an excellent way to introduce you to the park, which is southeast of Terra Haute, Indiana. Continue reading Shakamak State Park
The United States Constitution is a remarkable document devised by a remarkable group of men. It is a document that governs the government and not individuals. Continue reading Podcast – History of the United States Constitution
The first of the radishes in the greenhouse are ready to join the nearby lettuce for an early salad. I usually begin planting radishes in bedding packs under the grow lights in mid-March and transplant them into the greenhouse about 2 weeks later. If you don’t have a greenhouse, plant the first ones about mid-April in the garden. Continue reading The Quick and Easy Radish
Mossy Feet Books - Author Paul R. Wonning 