I‘ve posted before about Coats of Arms and do we believe them….. or deserve them….today?  Here’s a story that I just HAD to share:

“At the town of Stirling began the great wood of Caledon where roamed a number of white bulls, with crisp and curly manes, like fierce lions….and more wild than any other beasts. As soon as any man appeared before them, the bulls would rush forward without fear of hounds, sharp lances or other weapons.

“It is said that King Robert Bruce went hunting in this wood and, having only a small party with him, narrowly escaped with his life. One of the bulls, after being sorely wounded by the hunters, rushed fiercely on the King who had then no weapon in his hand to defend himself from the impact. 

“Then a man of great spirit, who was nearby, leapt before the King and, grappling with the bull, cast it to the earth with great force and held it there while the remaining hunters slew it with their weapons. The man who rescued the King was called thereafter TURN-E-BULL and awarded with rich lands by the King.”

This story is retold in a 20-page booklet titled, I Save the King: The Story of the Turnbulls, by R.E. Scott, 1977. Author Scott cites The History of Scotland, published in Latin in Paris about 1626.

Working on a history of Cyrus Turnbull, for whom Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge (south of Cheney near Spokane) was named (although he never owned land there and only “squatted” for six years), I found a reference to this story. Tracking it down, I found that a copy was held by a library in Michigan. Inquiring of them, a most kind librarian found a copy online for me!

Note the lesson there, dear readers. About helpful librarians, I mean. But back to the question: Do you “believe” in a family today having/boasting of a coat of arms from yore???

Did you light a candle or shed a tear today, August 16th, ……. the 45th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death?

We “all” loved or hated Elvis. In 1958 I recall hurrying home from Sunday evening youth group to see Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show! Only from the waist up, of course. 

What did you really know about Elvis the man??

1. He had a twin brother, Jesse, who died at birth.

2. His full name was Elvis Aaron (his father was Vernon Elvis).

3. His favorite sandwich was peanut butter, bacon and banana.

4. His home/mansion, Graceland, was originally a church when he bought it.

5. His first hit? Heartbreak Hotel in 1956.

6. He earned a Black Belt in karate in 1960.

7. He married Priscilla in 1967 in Las Vegas; Lisa Marie was their only child.

8. His first movie was “Love Me Tender.”

9. He made 24 albums.

10. He was reading The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus at the time of his death.

One last Elvis story:  My father was in Sacred Heart hospital in about the year 2000 and when I went to pay for parking, the attendant said it would be free if I could tell him the date of Elvis’s death. “Easy! I said. Everybody knows he’s NOT dead!”  The fellow laughed and let me pass.