Ruffner Family Reunion 2025

     The Ruffner Family reunion took place at the Ruffner homestead in Luray, Virginia. Many dependents of Peter Ruffner from Bern, Switzerland, 1739 were in attendance for different presentations. 

    One of the more interesting presentation was by a Ruffner who started the Glasshouse Butterfly Company. She informed the gathering about the mating places in Mexico, the chemicals that are harmful the a butterfly's habitat, and the pollination effects that help the human population grow food.

    The Glasshouse has a website:

Amelia@GlassHouseButterflyFarm.com

phone # 540.975.3060

I am studying connections with Charles Cist, the Ruffners, the Browns, and other European families that sponsored ships to the British Colonies during the mid 1750's.

Windsor Ontario Art Gallery 04-22-2025

 The Plenty of Seeds exhibit by Obi-Cree artist Jessica Rachel Cook was worth the drive to Windsor.  Here are a number of interpretations from my own journey.

The wall installation of Under the Blanket offered many interpretations beginning with the idea of a person sitting at a dinner table and reviewing in one own mind of how to use the eating utilizes at a formal dinner party. The salad fork, then the main course fork and knives, then the dessert spoons, etc. One the left side of the pew wheel are five typically male tools, wheat cycle, saw, pick fork, larger wheat cycle, etc. on the right side are typical ladies tools, washing board, scissors, meat slicer, etc. which one to use first.  Which tools to start the day with, others to uses in the afternoon. Of course, starting out the day in prayer is a reflection of the pews with different items inside the refurbished church pews reflect. I am still looking at the different colors at the end of each pew, black, red, yellow, white.

I found this exhibit to be very respectful. Something that is respectful, but has been possible under the blanket and is being aired out.