Celebrate Arbor Day

Hi Puzzlers,

Arbor day is the day that is dedicated to the planting and care of trees and here in New Hampshire we celebrate it on April 30th.

People are encouraged to go out and plant a tree, be it in your own yard or in a community spot. You should remember to ask the community before planting. Homeowners, this is a good time to check existing trees for insect infestations and broken branches and, of course, to plant a new tree.

The first Arbor Day was celebrated on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska. Julius Sterling Morton, a Nebraska journalist and politician, thought Nebraska would benefit from the planting of trees. Trees, he felt, would add to the landscape and economy.

“He set an example himself planting orchards, shade trees and windbreakers on his own farm and urged his neighbors to follow suit. Nebraska’s first Arbor Day was an amazing success with more than one million trees being planted.”

“Windbreaks reduce heating and cooling cost to homes, and add value. They provide a barrier from sound and sight, smell, protect livestock, they look good and provide wildlife habitat for birds and little furry critters.”

Presently all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day although the dates vary according to local climates. I am also happy to report Arbor Day is now celebrated in other countries, with some adopting variations on the theme such as “Greening Week” of Japan.”

"Other holidays repose upon the past - Arbor Day proposes for the future.”

J. Sterling Morton

Happy Puzzling!

Firefighters Part II

Hi Puzzlers,

In today’s Part II post we will look at the history of female fire fighters. I feel it is always important to inspire our girls to believe they can do and be anything they want. Nothing, to me, says it better than showing ladies from our historic past. They made things happen at a time when it wasn’t socially acceptable, when they couldn’t vote or own their own property. Talk about overcoming adversity!

An African-American slave named Molly Williams was the first recorded female firefighter in US history. She worked on the Oceanus Engine Company # 11, where she became known as Volunteer # 11 and was said to be, “as good as a fire laddie as many of the boys.” Her bravery was especially noted during the blizzard of 1818. “Male firefighters were scarce, but Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes and pulled the pumper to the fire in the deep snow.”

Marina Betts, a resident of Pittsburgh in 1820, served as a volunteer firefighter. She claims she never missed a fire in the ten years she was a firefighter. Paul Ditzel stated: “Betts became famous for dumping buckets of water over male bystanders who refused to help fight fires.”

In 1851 Lillie Hitchcock began working on the Knickbocker Engine No. 5. Her journey began as she watched two other fire engine companies pass the understaffed men of the Knickbocker Engine, while enroute to a fire. As the other firefighters passed the Knickbocker they yelled out humiliating remarks. “Fifteen year old Lillie saw their plight and dashed to the vacant spot on the rope. Pulling with all her might she shouted to bystanders, "Come on, you men! Everybody pull and we’ll beat em!”

Can you imagine doing that at fifteen in the 1850’s?

A special note of thanks to all our firefighters.

Happy Puzzling!

Firefighters

Hi Puzzlers,

Today’s blog is about Firefighters. I have always been curious about the fire fighting profession. I wonder if it was always volunteers trying to keep their communities safe? When did it become a paid profession? What about women firefighters? I have so many questions, in fact, that I am going to have to make it a two part series. In this post we will look at the early days of volunteer fire fighting.

Volunteers have and continue to be the backbone of all firefighting. The Union Fire Company established by Benjamin Franklin, in 1736, was the first volunteer fire department. Unlike other “Fire Clubs” of its day, which only protected property of its members, the Union Fire Company served everyone in the neighborhood. This became the role model for subsequent fire companies that sprang up all over Philadelphia. Each Fire Company of this time had to pay for all their equipment; luckily, wealthy volunteers donated the funds to keep the fire companies running.

Prior to this type of organization, “private fire brigades would compete with one another to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid brigades to save buildings. Even after the formation of paid fire companies in the United States, there were disagreements and often fights over territory.”

“New York City companies were famous for sending runners out to fires with a large barrel to cover the hydrant closest to the fire in advance of the engines. Often fights would break out between the runners and even the responding fire companies for the right to fight the fire and receive the insurance money that would be paid to the company that fought it.” I wonder how many buildings burned to the ground before the fight was settled? Yikes!

Here is a list of some famous volunteer firefighters: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Alexander Hamilton.

Happy Puzzling!

Baseball Parks

Hi Puzzlers,

It’s official baseball season and many of you may be cheering or jeering. I personally am in between. I am not a die-hard fan but I know a few of the players, watch the World Series and enjoy a day at the park.

The day at the park is definitely my favorite. The closest official ballpark to New Hampshire is Fenway Park, which is home to the Red Sox and the Green Monster, or “Monsta” as they say in Boston. Fenway is also the oldest ballpark in the country! It opened in 1912 on the same day the Titanic sank!

I can remember my first time at the park and how fun it was strolling down Yawkey Way. During the games half the street is closed off to traffic and lots of vendors line up selling all kinds of goodies. It’s like a giant street party with music playing, food everywhere and thousands of happy people enjoying the day.

I have yet to go to the new Yankee Stadium in New York. My husband has been a Yankees fan all his life and you can well imagine the taunting he gets from every one in our family for being a traitor. Yes, they are all Red Sox fans. But I so enjoy the parks I can’t wait to go and check this one out. The new stadium was opened on April 16, 2009 boasting new wider seats and more legroom. Most seats even have cup holders.

Next on the hit list would have to be the second oldest ball park in the country, Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, which opened in 1914. It went under several different names until 1927 when it was renamed after the Cubs owner William Wrigley Jr., owner and founder of Wrigley Chewing Gum Company. Hmm… Baseball and chewing gum- did that get started here?

Those are my top three - enjoy the season!

Happy Puzzling!

Moose

Hi Puzzlers,

It’s that time of year again here in New England when the moose begin to come out. Growing up in the Great North Woods area, or “Moose Country” as the locals like to say, has given me many opportunities to see moose. They are magnificent creatures.

Moose are the tallest mammal in North America measuring 6-7 feet from shoulder to feet! Female moose can weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds with males weighing 1,200 to 1,600 pounds. All moose have a bell sway, which is a flap of skin beneath their throats. It looks like a Goatee to me. The adult male or Bull Moose has antlers that stretch out to 4-5 feet. If you are ever lucky enough to find one of these antlers in the woods they make great serving trays/platters. Very rustic!

To maintain its body weight the adult moose must consume over 9,700 calories a day. All moose are herbivores and enjoy dining on twigs, leaves and the buds of hard and soft wood trees and shrubs. Moose also like to feed on aquatic plants like water lilies. So if you ever drive by a pond and see a moose in it, don’t be surprised when it sticks its head under the water to find a yummy snack. They can also completely submerge themselves under the water for as long as 30 seconds and can swim as fast as six miles an hour.

Moose have terrible eyesight but their excellent hearing and sense of smell guide them through the forest each day where they can travel up to ten miles a day. They are most active at dusk and dawn, so be careful driving. Remember moose mate in the fall and males can become aggressive. Should you see one, stay in your car and let him pass. Moose can run as fast as 35 miles an hour and trot at 20 miles an hour!

If you are planning a visit to the Great North Woods I would highly recommend booking a Moose Tour!

Happy Puzzling!

Artist Mort Künstler

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist Mort Künstler. “He's the premier historical artist in America - and now he focuses mainly on the American Civil War.

When Mort Künstler began his current emphasis on Civil War art in the early 1980s, he had already accomplished more than what a half-dozen artists could hope to accomplish in a collective lifetime. From portraits of prehistoric American life to the odyssey of the space shuttle, Mort Künstler had painted America's story - and was already renowned as "the premier historical artist in America.

When he placed his focus on Civil War art, Mr. Künstler quickly established himself as the country's most-collected Civil War artist, and earned unprecedented acclaim within the genre of Civil War art.

"Mort Künstler is the foremost Civil War artist of our time -- if not of all time," says Dr. James I. Robertson Jr., the dean of Civil War historians and the author of the celebrated biography, Stonewall Jackson. "To study his paintings," says Robertson, "is to simply see history alive." Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James McPherson concurs. "Of all the artists working in the Civil War field," he observes, "none captures the human element, the aura of leadership, the sense of being there and sharing in the drama, quite like Mort Künstler. He has that enviable talent of being able to re-create history on canvas and to translate events into art."

Click hear to read more about Mort.

Happy Puzzling!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hi Puzzlers,

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! As a special treat I would like to share some highlights from my interview with an “Irish Girl”. She wishes to remain anonymous but I thought you would still like to hear what she had to say about this famous holiday.

First I was told that St. Patrick’s Day is actually a religious holiday in Ireland and St. Patrick is the patron saint for Ireland. He was born in Roman Britain and at the age of 16 he was kidnapped by Irish bandits who took him back to Ireland as a slave.

He later escaped by boarding a ship that was going back to Britain. Once home he studied to become a priest an in 432, Patrick, now a bishop, went back to Ireland to save the pagan Irish.

One of his favorite teaching tools was the shamrock. He used the shamrock and it’s three leaves to teach the concept of the Holy Trinity (the father, son and Holy Spirit). St. Patrick died on March 18, 461 AD after teaching for almost 30 years.

St. Patrick’s Day is said to be a one-day break from Lent, allowing the consumption of alcohol. Well, now we know how drinking got into the celebration!

My Irish girl also told me that the official color of Saint Patrick was blue, not green. She learned this when she met Lord Mayor Briscoe of Dublin when she was younger and inquired why he was dressed in blue.

Globally, St. Patrick’s Day is now more of a celebration of Irish culture than a religious holiday. Many cities around the world celebrate with parades and festivities. The first Irish parade was held in Boston MA in 1737, by the Irish Society of Boston. Ireland’s own first parade wasn’t until 1931 in Dublin.

Yes, you know I had to ask, being a foodie and all, about the traditional dinner of Corned Beef & Cabbage. My Irish girl said the Irish would more likely be eating boiled bacon and cabbage. Irish bacon is more like Canadian bacon. The Irish call our American bacon “streaky bacon.”

Well she was right the Irish used to eat what was called a ham (Gammon) or bacon joint, which was served with cabbage and potatoes. Cows at the time were used for milk and only royalty was feed beef. Irish immigrating to America began eating corned beef because it was affordable and considered a poor mans food. Yummy! I'm lovin' this poor man food. It is one of my favorite meals!

“Beannactai Na Feile Padraig!”
Translation: “Blessing on the feast of St. Patrick!”

Happy Puzzling!

Need to Know Everything

Hi Puzzlers,

It still amazes me how educational puzzles are. I always relate a puzzle with fun, relaxation and bonding time with my daughter. The educational aspect of puzzling rarely enters my mind except when I am asked a question such as, “What are the State Bird and Flower of Hawaii?” Yeah, I know-a strange question from a 13 year old, but Hawaii is her “have to go” spot. And, showing her friends her Mom does NOT know everything is fun for a 13 year old!

Now, I could have looked it up instantly on the Internet but remembered I had the State Bird & Flowers puzzle in the trunk of my car. I always keep a few puzzles in my trunk, along with catalogs, for people I meet who don’t know about our puzzles.

I ran out to the car, got the puzzle and came back in announcing loudly “The state bird of Hawaii is the Hawaiian Goose and the state flower is the Yellow Hibiscus. See-I do KNOW EVERYTHING!” Much laughter ensued and we all began looking at the puzzle. The girls then proceeded to quiz each other to see who could remember the most. All I could remember was that New Hampshire’s State flower is the Lilac.

Soon popcorn was popping, ice teas were in hand and the puzzle pieces were being sorted. Each girl picked a state and tried to find the pieces for that state. Once they got it done they loudly announced in a mimicking voice, “The state bird for Montana is the Western Meadowlark and the state flower is the Bitterroot! See I KNOW EVERYTHING!” It always got a laugh.

Ahh! What a fun educational night!

Happy Puzzling!

P.S. Now I make sure I have puzzles like Trees of North America or State Flags & Capitols on hand just in case I need to know EVERYTHING!

2010 Winter Olympics

Hi Puzzlers,

WOW! The Olympic games sure had a lot of action-packed drama. I love seeing all the athletes compete and also enjoyed watching the cameras as they panned the crowds for the athletes’ parents. I could feel the pride of those parents as they watch their child, and in a few cases children, compete - sharing the triumphs and defeats. Yes, I did get quite emotional a few times especially during figure skater Joannie Rochette’s performance. What strength!

Legends state it was Hercules who started the Olympic Games. The Games were played every four years for approximately 1200 years until Roman emperor Theodosius I banned the pagan Games in 393 AD.

Approximately1500 years later on November 25, 1892 a Frenchman named Pierre de Coubertin pitched his idea to bring back the Olympic Games at a meeting of the Union des Sports Athletiques in Paris; his “the cause of Peace will have a new and strong ally” speech did not inspire people to action. Two years later Pierre, being well connected and persistent, organized a meeting that brought together 79 delegates from nine countries. The auditorium they met in, was decorated to suit the Olympic theme and this time Pierre des Coubertins revival cry was heard.

He then was elected to “construct an international committee to organize the Games. This committee became the International Olympic Committee - Demetrious Vikelas from Greece was elected to be the first president and Athens was chosen as the location for the revival of the Olympic Games!”

In 1908 Coubertin created the Olympic Creed, which states, “ The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

Well said!

Happy Puzzling!

About Us

Hi Puzzlers,

Today I thought we would take a look how White Mountain Puzzles got started.

Now celebrating its 32th anniversary, White Mountain Puzzles was started in 1978 by owners CRONAN MINTON and TED WROBLEWSKI.

Necessity was the mother of invention. Cronan and Ted needed to support their growing families. Freelance writing (Cronan) and running a country inn (Ted) were unreliable sources of income.

At first, the partners created illustrated posters of resort areas like CAPE COD, CARMEL, SEDONA, KILLINGTON, ASPEN, and VAIL. Traveling up and down the country, they sold advertising on entertaining “birds eye view” posters to restaurants, inns, and gift shops. Their first company, named MINTOWSKI PUBLICATIONS, was eventually renamed WHITE MOUNTAIN GRAPHICS, which flourished through the 1980s.

Customers often commented that their artwork – colorful, full of information, and geographically complex – would make great jigsaw puzzles. In 1988, needing new product ideas, they added puzzles to their line. Almost overnight, their puzzles STOLE THE SHOW.
By 1990, Cronan and Ted had renamed their company WHITE MOUNTAIN PUZZLES. They bought an office building, which included the Jackson, N.H. post office. The company is still headquartered here today.

While resort puzzles still play an important role in their business, Cronan and Ted now sell over a million puzzles a year. Not bad for two entrepreneurs who moved their families to the White Mountains because they loved to ski.

Now, Cronan and Ted have a whole warehouse filled with puzzles for their grandchildren to enjoy.

Happy Puzzling!

Artist Diane Phalen

Hi Puzzlers,

Watercolorist Diane Phalen is known nationally for her exquisite quilt designs and her quilt-oriented portraits. The following is an excerpt from her web site.

“Most important to me is to be able to convey emotion in a painting: I want my viewers to be able to feel the summer day, the wind, or any other aspect of a painting. I want the scent of the flowers to be present, the mood of an autumn sky or winter sunset, a moment of peace and contentment connecting nature with our heritage and values. I want the eye to move through each painting and discover delightful, hidden elements like a butterfly on a bush or a cat resting among garden blossoms.”

Diane’s magnificent paintings have been featured in numerous juried, solo and group exhibitions, and she is represented in galleries throughout the United Sates. Her museum quality watercolors are in corporate, historical, and private collections in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, and Australia.

Due to the extraordinary amount of detail in Diane’s work, a painting can take up to two months to complete and often longer, depending upon her travel schedule. “I love to experiment with the medium. A favorite technique of mine is to use a palette knife to highlight hidden layers of color. I have also used salt, a nail file, fluorescent gouache, sand paper, and watercolor pencils to achieve various effects.”

Articles on Diane Phalen have appeared in most major American quilting publications, and she is a welcome speaker at quilt shows around the country. Her work appears on prints, cards, calendars, fabric products and in her books on quilting. Let’s not forget PUZZLES!

Happy Puzzling!

Presidential Hobbies

Hi Puzzlers,

Presidents Day is Monday February 15th and I thought it would be fun to take a look at what some of the Presidents did as hobbies. Why HOBBIES, you may ask? Well, I think looking at the hobbies of the Presidents allows us to see a side of a President’s personality that we may have never known.

Take, for example, Calvin Coolidge. He liked to play the harmonica, ride a mechanical bull, and used “Indian Clubs” for exercise. First of all, what is an Indian Club? And, second, Calvin Coolidge looks so refined and proper that the image of him riding a mechanical bull, swinging around a club and blowing on a harmonica does not fit my preconceived notion of him. Ah!!! But things do change and things are not always as they appear, as the infamous saying goes.

John Adams enjoyed a daily swim in the District of Columbia’s Potomac River. Okay- not too unusual, I know, but he liked to do it nude! He also got caught swimming one day by reporter Anne Royall and was forced to give her an interview before she would leave so he could get out of the river. If that didn’t shatter yet another image of a President, picture him playing billiards. Yes, he played pool and even bought a pool table for the White House with his own money.

Warren Harding's favorite hobby was poker! He had nightly games in the White House and served alcohol….this was during prohibition! Harry Truman also enjoyed poker playing and Dwight Eisenhower enjoyed bridge.

Herbert Hoover exercised with a medicine ball! His cabinet and staff would join him regularly in the morning and soon became known as the “medicine ball cabinet.”

Richard Nixon enjoyed bowling at the White House Bowling Alley which was inaugurated by President Truman on April 25, 1947. President Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson also enjoyed the sport of bowling.

George H. W. Bush enjoyed playing horseshoes so much he had a horseshoe court installed on the White House lawn. He also went skydiving!

Our current President Barack Obama enjoys basketball.

Click here for a here a quick quiz!

Happy Puzzling!

Women Pilots Of World War II

Hi Puzzlers,

From the moment the puzzle of Mark Karvon’s Airplanes of WWII arrived I have been fascinated by these planes and with thoughts of the people who flew them. I’ve heard stories about warplanes of WWII having been piloted by women but had yet to investigate what capacity of piloting they really did and why it wasn’t in any of the history I had been taught in school regarding WWII.

As it turns out, women were pilots in WWII! The first squadron of twenty-five women was commissioned under Jacqueline Cochran at the request of the British to ferry airplanes for the British Air Transport Auxiliary. At the same time, in the United States, Nancy Harkness Love began recruiting women to ferry planes for the Air Transport Command.

In November of 1942 at the Municipal Airport in Houston, TX training began for the first class of 319th WFTD with Cochran as the commander. This class was known as the “guinea pigs”. In 1943 the name was changed to Women’s Airforce Service Pilots-WASPS!

Training consisted of 210 flight hours and 285 hours of ground school, taking seven months to complete. The 1,074 woman graduates went on to ferry 12,650 planes. “Half of all fighters planes manufactured were ferried by the WASPS who flew over sixty million miles. Thirty-eight of these women gave their lives serving their country.”

These women not only ferried the planes but tested new and repaired planes, which was extremely dangerous. They taught male pilots how to fly the new planes, towed targets, flew tracking, smoke-laying, staffing and simulated bombing missions!

These “guinea pigs” had to pay all of their own expenses, which included room and board, and their own way to Texas. Thirty-five years after being deactivated, in 1977 the US government finally gave the WASPs honorable discharges and veterans’ benefits.

WOW! Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “You go girl” doesn’t it!!!

Happy Puzzling!

Attic Treasures

Hi Puzzlers,

How many of you remember your Grandmothers’ attics! I was looking at our Attic Treasures puzzle and noticed it looked a lot like my Grandmother’s, or Memere as the French would say, and the memories came flooding back.

My sister and I would spend hours up in the attic, playing and pretending we were “old fashion people.” We’d feed the old dolls on the high chairs and made pretend phone calls while strutting around in the old dresses, hats and saddle shoes. It was a whole different world to us.

The smell of the attic and all those mothballs and cedar blocks could sometimes be overwhelming but we just cracked open a window and continued playing. In the heat of the summer the temperatures would make staying up there long almost impossible, so we would grab a few of the day’s treasures and be off to the back yard.

My Grandmother even had the same Electrolux vacuum. My sister and I would take turns pulling each other around on the back of the vacuum pretending it was a train. Next came the treasure hunt. How many of you remember the tin full of buttons-oh my, what a treasure chest that was!

One of my personal favorites was the trunk full of old uniforms, which we were never allowed to touch. We could only gaze with wonder and amazement that someone in our family had worn these impressive clothes.

So thanks to all the Grandmothers, Memeres, Mims, MaMos, Grammas, Ya Yas, and Nannies for saving those “Attic Treasures”. You’ve given us memories that will last a lifetime!

Puzzlers-we would love to hear a story about your attic treasures!

Happy Puzzling!

"Missing Pieces"

Hi Puzzlers,

Today’s topic is the notorious “Missing Piece.”

We got inspired to write about this when our office cat, Kramer, was caught red handed messing with our puzzle. Yes, that’s him. Don’t let the cute brute fool you-he is a trickster!

As we sorted through some of the many, many missing piece explanations we’ve received through the years, a pattern started to emerge. It appears several of our loving pets seem to share this prankster behavior. Continue reading the true stories of fellow puzzlers who have also been victims of these shenanigans!

“I wrote to you about a missing piece and you were exactly right! We found the missing piece yesterday out on the back porch. We’re blaming the cat.”

“Great News!” I found both of my missing pieces. One was actually under the felt of the puzzle roll-up system, which was under the puzzle itself. So how it got there is anybody’s guess. The other one is an even bigger mystery. It was under the paper covering the floor of my parrot’s cage. I’ve lived here long enough to know the house isn’t haunted. But I do have some suspicions about my dog and bird being in cahoots to cause some mischief! Seriously though, this is a strange one.”

“It showed up today. Right in the middle of the living room, which had been vacuumed more than once since its disappearance? I am highly suspicious that the cat had something to do with this mystery.”

“My little girl found the last piece on her Dad’s bathroom counter. I’m not sure if she brought it there or if our kitten did.”

Please note a missing puzzle piece is a relatively rare occurrence, considering the millions of puzzles that we sell. Very infrequently a piece is actually missing from the box but more likely, the piece has simply been misplaced somewhere in your home regardless of how experienced and careful you are with your puzzles.

We ask customers to allow a few days, keeping an eye out as they go about their day-to-day routine. Nine times out of ten the piece will show up, and not necessarily in the same room where the puzzle is being constructed – or, sometimes, not even in the same house!

If you feel you’ve searched thoroughly and still cannot find your missing piece, give us a call at 1-800-548-8009 extension 19.

Happy Puzzling!

P.S. Kramer has yet to admit to any wrong doing!

Stable Mates

Hi Puzzlers,

I just got the list of our best selling puzzles for 2009 and one of them, Stable Mates, got me wondering about the Budweiser Clydesdales and their Dalmatian sidekicks. We all recognize them immediately when we see them, even if we don’t drink beer, but what’s the story behind one of the best marketing mascots of our times?

It all began in 1933 after the repeal of Prohibition when August A. Busch Jr. gave his father a hitch of Clydesdales pulling a red, white and gold beer wagon. Mr. Busch Sr. immediately recognized the horses as an advertising tool.

Mr. Busch had the horses sent by train to New York City. Once in New York, the Clydesdales then went to New Jersey Newark Airport to pick up two cases of Budweiser beer which were given to Alfred Smith, former governor of New York. Mr. Smith was instrumental in the repeal of Prohibition.

This was the first stop of many as the Clydesdales began their tour of New England and the Middle Atlantic States. One of the most notable stops was to the White House, where a case of Budweiser was delivered to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In the 1950s Budweiser added the Dalmatians to the team. Budweiser chose the Dalmatian because of their long history with beer wagons. In the early days of brewing Dalmatians where sent to protect the horses and the wagon while the driver was inside making the delivery. Back then the dogs would run behind the wagons! Now the Dalmatians can be found seated next to the driver. Puppies are usually paired with mature dogs to learn the ropes and acclimate to the horses. This builds a strong bond between dog and horse. The dogs even sleep with the horses in the stables! They definitely look like best friends!

Happy Puzzling!

Meet Artist James Mellet

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like you to meet artist James Mellett. Jim's artistic talent is behind some of our most popular puzzles. He has been working with White Mountain Puzzles for over a decade.

Jim is a Pittsburgh native and has been a freelance illustrator for almost 20 years, working out of his home studio. He has a BFA from Indiana University of PA (IUP) and an Associate Degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Jim has completed 22 large montage illustrations for White Mountain Puzzles Inc. Some of his most popular titles are Television History, Hollywood, Ireland, The 60's, and Rock 'n' Roll.

He has exhibited at Society of Illustrators/LA, Illustration West 39th Annual Show, Kipp Gallery at IUP, Renaissance Gallery in Carnegie, PA; James Gallery, Create-A-Frame Handworks Gallery, and frequently at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Gallery. Jim has also won awards for his sports art in the Beckett Magazine Annual Sports Art Gallery. Jim is a founding member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators (PSI), and he has been serving the PSI in the position of secretary since 1999. He lives in Mt. Lebanon, a Pittsburgh suburb, with wife Jan, and daughter Kathryn.Click on Jim to view all of his great jigsaw puzzle designs.

Let us know your favorite!

Happy Puzzling!

Happy New Year!

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like to wish you & your families a very Happy New Year!

To help you get it started we have discovered some "Superstitions/Traditions" that must be done in order to assure the New Year is off to a good start, assist in warding off evil spirits, and attract good luck.

Before January 1st you must stock the cupboards and pay all bills -- and this includes mailing them out. Every wallet must have lots of money in it! (Monopoly money doesn't count.) Put in as much as you can as this will set the tone for the coming year.

At the stroke of midnight you must kiss those who mean the most to you. Doing so helps ensure that love and family bonds will continue throughout the year. If you fail to smooch, you could be in for a year that lacks affection and feels lonely. Also at midnight, all doors must be opened to help the old year out. The New Year can't come in until then. Do not forget to make as much noise as possible to celebrate and welcome in the New Year, which also scares away evil spirits because they don't like loud noise and avoid it at all cost. Whew!!! That's a lot to do in 12 strokes.

On New Year's Day wear new clothes because you'll want more new clothes in the coming year. Pick one very small work-related project which can be done quickly and do it. Don't work all day, as to do so is very unlucky. Avoid doing laundry, sweeping floors and taking anything, including the trash, out of the house. If something needs to leave the house on New Year's Day, put it in the car overnight the day before!

The hog symbolizes prosperity so your New Year's Day meals should consist of anything hog-related. Why, you may ask? Hogs root forward, which is considered very lucky, while cows stand still and any poultry scratch backwards in the dirt. We want thing to keep moving forward in a positive way. Other lucky foods include cabbage, because it looks like paper money, and anything round such as peas, lentils, etc. that resemble coins. The Dutch favorite is the donut. Rice is also considered lucky.

So, with all that being said, here is my personal New Year's Day feast: Cabbage rolls stuffed with pork and topped with sweet tomato chutney served on a bed of sauerkraut with sides dishes of long grain brown rice and a mixture of black-eyed peas and lentils. And, you guessed it -- donuts for dessert! I'll let you all know how it turns out, and if you have any lucky New Year's Day traditions please share them with us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Holidays

Hi Puzzlers,

We would like to wish and your families a Happy Holiday.

During this festive time it seems that most families and cultures have their own holiday traditions. Some are based around activities and some around food and drinks. We found some of them to be very unusual and different and thought it would be fun to share a few of them with you. Maybe they will become your new holiday traditions.

Our first and favorite is the holiday puzzle, where family and friends gather around to help assemble it and share conversation. Don’t forget to mark the back of the puzzle with the year it was completed and have everyone who helped sign his or her name. It will be a cherished keepsake for years to come.

Or try the German tradition of hiding a “Pickle” ornament in the tree and whoever finds it gets an extra gift! In Romania, children clean their boots on December 6th and line them at the door in hopes that Santa’s cousin might bring them a gift.

One inventive family, in an attempt to bridge the gap between Hanukkah and Christmas, decorates their tree with spray painted bagels! Others put an “Elf on the Shelf”. The elf is put where the children can see it but not touch it and they are told that each night he goes back to Santa and tells if you were naughty or nice. The elf needs to be moved every night to a new location, so the kids will have to look for him each day thus adding to the fun.

On the adult based traditions try the traditional “Gag Gift”. You know, the soap on the rope and fruitcakes that get re-gifted every year! If that’s not your style, try predicting the future by writing your predictions down on paper and sealing them in an envelope till next year. Then open last year’s predictions and try to figure out who wrote them and see how accurate they were. Or for the more physically inclined try the “Tree Toss”. Once the holidays are over toss the tree out of the highest window in your home, then drag it to the curb. It’s said to relieve the winter blues in a flash.

Puzzlers - we would love to know what your holiday traditions are.

Happy Holidays!

All That Jazz

Hi Puzzlers,

Most everyone loves Jazz music, or as in the case of my daughter and me, you will grow to love the music once you are exposed to it. My father would always have some kind of Jazz music playing in the background and if one of his kids walked by he would grab their hand and whip us around as if dancing the Jitterbug.

Among my Dad’s favorites were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra and the “Rat Pack” (Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.), Count Basie and Nat King Cole, just to mention a few. When ever I hear their music I am reminded of my father and the impact Jazz music has had on music since its inception.

Jazz, sometimes referred to as “America’s classical music”, began in the 1700s and played an important role in African American culture. Songs were used to tell a story, to pass the time, and soulful songs were used to express religious beliefs and hopes for freedom. These songs helped make up the foundation of jazz music.

In the 1800s African American composer Scott Joplin combined the musical traditions of many European immigrants with the rhythmic and melodic music of the black communities to form what is now call Ragtime.

During the 1900s New Orleans became a melting pot of musical traditions. Immigrants from all over the world began to combine musical styles such as blues, ragtime and marching band and it is this combination that created a new style of music called JAZZ.

As African Americans began to migrate north in the 1920’s, bringing with them the sounds of blues and jazz music, the popularity of the new music took hold on many young Americans. Listening to and dancing to this new music was seen as a rebellion against their parents. Young woman cut their hair and hem lines and became know as Flappers.

By the 1930s, the new jazz “Big Band Swing” was the most popular and it kept everyone dancing at the local dance halls. But as soon as WWII began in the 1940s it was difficult to find musicians to play in the dance halls as many had gone off to serve the country.

Television in the 1950s had slowly replaced dance halls as a form of entertainment. Television variety shows introduced a new form of music-“Rock N Roll”. Many performers such as Elvis Presley became overnight successes.

During the civil right movement of the 1960s many African American musicians broke free from companies holding the rights to their music and started controlling it themselves. Most successful were those from Motown Records.

From the 1970s to the present, jazz music has had many changes and continues to evolve into many different variations. A few years back I purchased a new CD by a group called Jamiroquai - as it turns out, it is considered to be one of the new jazz variations call Acid Jazz. It looks like my father’s influence is still with me. Thanks Dad!

What's your favorite jazz style or performer!

Happy Puzzling!