I thought I'd go over some of my pix here.  I know I said I'm not a blogger and not to expect much here, hell, none of my wives believed me either. 

There is one pic, four gentleman in Ballarat.  The first,  Charles Ferge or Seldom Seen Slim.  Cousin Will and most all the old timers in Ballarat considered Slim a "new comer" who just stole their stories and retold them as his own.  I did have the dubious pleasure of meeting Slim one time in Ballarat.  The next hansom fellow is Wm. {Billy} Hyder.  He was a cousin of my grandmother.  She spent the better part of his adult life in Ballarat and the surrounding area.  He always called him self a prospector, not a miner.  He partnered with Shorty Harris and Fred Gray on several ventures.  Cousin Will also spent a lot of time in Goler Canyon.  He built what is know as the "Newman" cabin after the Wingate Mono Rail was abandoned. Well that's because the 2x6 framework is salvaged material from the mono rail.  The side walls are salvaged packing crate material from the old American Potash and Chemical Company in Trona.  The next guy in the group is Fred Gray.  He was a very important resident of Ballarat.  He was a knowledgeable miner, and as I understand, a mining engineer.  He was also the local assayer, and had an office in Ballarat.  The last one in line there, was a colorful character in Ballarat.  Chris Whict ran one of the local saloons.  From what I've read about him, he died before his time.  His doctor told him "one more drunk and you're gonna die Chris".  I guess he went out the way he wanted to. 

Ok, I blabbed a lot on the first one, but I'll do one more.  There is a pic of my father, D.O. Newman and a friend of his.  My dad is wearing the black cowboy hat and yes he is field dressing a burro.  That pic was taken around 1937 or 38 and the taking of burro was not unusual.  It was the only fresh meet most of the miners out there ever got on a regular basis.  Cousin always said to drop between 6 months and a year old. Under 6 months it was too stringy, over 12 months it was shoe leather.   You'll see another pic of my dad, and his two friends.  My dad is holding the rifle he dropped   the burro with, a Winchester 25/35 M.94.  I still have that rifle, and it still shots well.

Ok, I'm tired of typing.  Let me see if I can get this word doc cut and pasted to my blog.  Maybe I won't be blogging . . . .   

I got it here and I can add photos, so i'll add the three photos I blogged about.  Sorry about the double pic.  i got it figured out now.