Williamsburg Villager August 2020
Williamsburg Villager August 2020
August … A bit late!
By David Crane
I’m sorry this is late. It seems time has changed during this Covid crisis, but the deadlines never slow down. As I write this we just had a successful Car Show with the Kustoms and Classics Car Club and I celebrated another birthday. Shanellen also celebrated her wedding with Andrew Sullivan! Lots of milestones for sure.
We look forward to August to the start of school. This year it is starting nervously as everyone is unsure how the pandemic will affect children's health. Trask is headed back to Wisconsin for his senior year, starting the semester with online only classes. He’ll continue to work remotely for Collins Aerospace as he finalizes his future job prospects. Mason starts his senior year in high school in person, with college selection on his mind. Schools have been contacting him for possible soccer positions and he’ll weigh his options as the semester progresses. Amy is nervous as are all administrators on how this school year will progress.
We also started August with new signs outside the store encouraging all to please wear masks. This is for our customers and our staff’s safety. Please help us and be kind to all you interact with.
Included in this newsletter are a couple of articles from Ivan Roesner, local Marine. He would LOVE to have you send him questions in the e-mail address he posts at the end of his articles.
Stay safe, hope for cooler weather, and we’ll see you ‘round the stove!
Ivan’s Insights
Editor’s Note: This month we have two articles from Ivan for the newsletter. Life for our local Marine can be hectic at times. Unfortunately, by the time I received his article I already sent the NL off to the printer.
Today’s Rain Forecast: A lot
By Lance Corporal Ivan G. Roesner, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division
The hallmark of a tropical region is the amount of water. It can take the form of solemn waves wiping the sandy shores, or the water droplets in the air that torment my workday when the sun shines bright. A truly marvelous state of water in this tropical area is the rain. To say it is plentiful would be an understatement. With rain hitting Okinawa about once a week it comes to an average of eighty-two inches per year, it doubles the amount of rain in the midwest. Enough to make the Flood of ‘93 look like a kiddie pool. It can seem overwhelming, even for a tropical island, but it is necessary to keep these lands abundant with the most gorgeous flora and fauna. The actual rainfall can be just as captivating to watch just as much as its long-term effects of bringing life. Instead of slowly easing into a downpour, the rain starts with three seconds of scattered droplets and turns to a full-scale shower faster than you could blink. It takes a bit of mental preparation before walking out in it. You’ll be completely and utterly soaked just short of thirty seconds. It is a rather strange feeling to be out in it. I never have felt overwhelmed with the blanket of water pouring down. The drops are heavy and numerous, but feel very light when hitting my skin, almost like it didn’t hit me at all. Funnily enough, I become almost instantly drenched at the same moment I think about the rain being inconspicuous. During the bombardment of H2O, cooler temperatures also come down and relieve our bodies from the invisible fire of the sun. Depending on the situation, the heavens are given praise for the rain, but every now and then we shake our fists in annoyance. As for me, the tropical precipitation is always a welcome occurrence.
Churaumi Aquarium
By: Lance Corporal Ivan G. Roesner, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division
Service members of the U.S. Military were finally given more leeway after COVID-19 settled down in this part of the world. I knew it was time to start crossing off ideas on my Things-To-Do list. The first was visiting the world’s fourth-largest aquarium. I waited for a beautiful Saturday morning, grabbed a couple of friends, called a cab, and made our way to Churaumi Aquarium. Upon arrival, my group started looking for the ticket booth. None to be found. We did a small google search and found out that it is more like a park. It is free to enter, but the main attractions require payment. I liked that setup. I only paid for the attractions that I wanted to see. When I walked through the main gate, I was instantly amazed. It was beautifully designed, and the architecture was incredible. The first thing all of us wanted to see was the actual aquarium. A quick look at the map, a long walk, another look at the map, and a shorter walk, we found the entrance to the aquarium.
There are 273,000 words in the English dictionary, and I still am not able to describe how astonishing the aquarium is. The design of it is clever. The top floor was focused on more of the shallow water wildlife. So many species of coral and fish of all shapes, sizes, and colors. It was beautiful! As I walked to the next level, the tanks displayed fish that would be found in deeper waters, as well as cave-dwelling species. Eventually, my group reached the largest saltwater tank I have ever seen. All of our jaws dropped. We were dumbstruck, paralyzed. A 7500 meter cubed tank with scores of fish swimming in schools manta rays flapping their wings, soaring through the current, and two absolutely massive, thirty-three feet long whale sharks. We walked closer to the tank, tripping multiple times. We were, at that moment, not focused on walking. Never have I seen something so huge. The tail fins were five to six feet from top to bottom. The largest manta ray had a wingspan of about 25 feet. I marveled at its beauty as with flew threw the water. Never have I seen a creature so large, yet have such graceful and majestic movement. You can watch a documentary about the oceans and think “Dang those things are huge” or “wow those fish are so pretty” but seeing these animals in person is totally different than on a TV screen. You get perspective of how small we are and how beautiful life truly is. The next level down was dedicated to deep-sea creatures. They did not look like fish, they looked more like aliens. While some fish wish eye that took a quarter of their body length gave me the creeps, others were very neat. The Lanterneye fish looks like generic fish, but it has a bioluminescent organ under its eye that is used to communicate and attract prey.
The aquarium wasn’t the only attraction. There was also the “Dream Gardens.” It was like a greenhouse, arboretum, and botanical gardens all in one. My favorite part of it was the orchids of all colors imaginable. The last attraction that required payment was the Culture Museum. It focused on the past to the present of Pacific Islander culture. It was amazing seeing the craftsmen ship of their tools, weapons, clothes, jewelry, and boats. I probably couldn’t make what they made with modern tools and equipment. The other attractions were free but didn’t make it any less interesting. Next to the gardens, there was a replica pacific islander village that looked one-hundred-percent authentic despite being built with modern tools. Next to the aquarium was the dolphin show. Unfortunately, there weren’t any shows planned due that day due to the need to mitigate the risk of COVID in large crowds.
Churaumi Aquarium was a great way to spend time with friends and enjoy the island of Okinawa. It gave me a new perspective of ocean life and the beauty of nature in general. I can not wait to go back again.
I would love to hear some of the questions from the readers of the Williamsburg Villager. If you have a question about the weather, the people, food, culture, or overall experience of Okinawa, please get in touch with me via email. I will answer questions to the best of my knowledge and as soon as possible!
Email: ivansinsights@gmail.com
Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
by Joyce Lindsey
In a 9x13 inch pan spread...
- 5 cups chopped rhubarb
- 3 ounces strawberry jello
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
Prepare a yellow or white cake mix according to directions and spread over fruit. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Turnover on a large serving tray.
The Williamsburg Villager is provided by Crane's Museum and Shoppes. Please submit any announcements to David Crane at Crane's Country Store located next door to the museum by the 15th of each month to ensure publication.
Annual subscriptions are available for a $12.00 donation to the museum.
Crane's Museum & Shoppes
10665 Old US Hwy 40
Williamsburg, MO 63388
877-254-3356
Crane's Museum is a Regional History Museum located in Williamsburg MO. We invite visitors of all ages to enjoy a step back in time. Enjoy breakfast or lunch in Marlene's Restaurant, shop for gifts at Town House Treasures, or get ready for any season at Crane's country Store's Clearance and Closeout Shop.
