Oh my … pie

Ace brought in a little treat last week to the Design Studio. One of my favorites that I ate for breakfast a few months back—with glee! The Pastor’s Wife’s Pie, as we call it, is a custard with a graham-cracker crust using my ChillOver Powder.

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Easy, delicious, and something other than a typical cake. (This Pistachio Melon Cake is also another great option—especially if you’re gluten-free.) Both are a great contribution to a potluck or for a special occasion. (Just keep the custard on ice, or refrigerated until serving.)

The one Ace made substituted blackberries for blueberries in the recipe. Thanks, Ace!

Feelin’ a little stressed lately? It’s Labor Day so I hope you’re taking some time to relax. A little on the history of Labor Day here.

Enjoy this mantra (and any other desserts you consume) for the rest of the week …

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  1. Terry Steinmetz says:

    Good article to read to remind us of the laborers who keep this country going. And many thanks to the farmers!

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Kilroy was here

What’s going on with this little guy’s muzzle, er, trunk?

Schnoz … sniffer … honker?

You may have recognized his protruding proboscis before you knew his name …

Or maybe his little springy piece of hair?

Meet Kilroy.

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“Kilroy was here” graphic. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; KovacsUr

Anyone born between 1913 and 1955 (who didn’t live under a rock) would be aptly familiar with our long-nosed friend. (Though if you did live under a rock, you probably had to come out sometime, and Kilroy may have been there first.)

During church service as a young girl, my dad and I were known to draw a Kilroy or two to get through the length of service. But his origins remained a bit of a mystery until 1946.

The American Transit Association sponsored a contest that year, “The Real Kilroy,” which was announced on the radio program “Speak to America.”

The person who could prove they were the real Kilroy would win a real trolley car.

About 40 men laid claim to the infamous drawing, but only one stood atop the rest. That was James Kilroy from Halifax, Massachusetts.

Here’s how his story went:

Mr. Kilroy was a 46-year-old shipyard worker who counted rivets during the war. As he counted, he would place a check mark on each so as not to count twice. Riveters were paid for each completed rivet.

After he clocked off for the day, the riveters would wipe off the check marks. As the shipyard inspector went on duty, he would count the unchecked rivets a second time. This resulted in double pay for the riveters.

Kilroy’s boss, noticing the increase in the riveters’ wages, asked Kilroy to investigate. When the scandal was discovered, a solution was devised.

Trying to use a more permanent solution, such as paint, would have proven tricky, considering the tight spaces. So Kilroy stuck with his waxy chalk, but added “KILROY WAS HERE” next to each check mark. Then, he eventually added the sketch of the long-nosed fellow peering over the fence.

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Kilroy was here, seen in Kansas City, MO. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Marshall Astor

Once it was discovered they had been caught, the riveters quit wiping away his marks. Maybe the guilt of Kilroy “watching” stopped them in their tracks?

Normally, the chalk marks and rivets would have been covered up with paint. With the war on, however, there wasn’t any time to paint over them as they left the shipyard at an increasing speed.

Therefore, Kilroy’s inspection trademark was seen by thousands of servicemen.

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Kilroy. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Ron Hann

Kilroy made a lasting impression with the troops and was mimicked everywhere—from Berlin to Tokyo. It became a challenge to see how far, high, or low Kilroy could go.

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Photograph of a Kilroy was here-style snowman; Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Florian Kilzer

Kilroy is rumored to be atop Mount Everest, the Statue of Liberty, and on the underside of the Arc de Triomphe. Some say he is even scrawled in the dust on the moon.

The moon? Well, who knows, but he is on the back of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.—forever immortalized.

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Kilroy was here engraving at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; Matt H. Wade

Wherever Kilroy is, and however he came about (there’s some debate about a similar character named “Foo” who was created by the Australians during World War I), he gave a little piece of charm and distraction from the war to troops everywhere.

Oh, and James Kilroy won the trolley car.

  1. Kellie says:

    Oh, I loved this! My dad taught me to draw that funny little figure when I was little, and he learned it from his Gram. I never knew till now that there was more to the story!

  2. Terry Steinmetz says:

    What a great story! I’ve seen Kilroy in our papers at school as a child & maybe even into junior high school, but never knew it’s origins. I was born in 1954, so it must have been carried on by others whom it impacted.

  3. Claudia Ramsey says:

    Happy weekend of celebrating Labor. I love the continuing stories submitted and always smile and learn a lot. Farming is a labor in itself and those who have the privilege to be a farmer and farmer girl work hard, but are doubly blessed.

    I remember seeing Kilroy before the 1950’s, as a wee tyke and always thought this guy with the long schnoz was peeking to see what we were doing. I started drawing him a bit, practicing the flow of his eyes and nose. One could make it closer together, getting a sort of pinchy look, or wider for a fuller face. I didn’t know the story, so I appreciate reading it and getting an appreciation of a memory from long ago.

  4. HA! I love seeing Kilroy making his way around the world AGAIN! He was known throughout the world during and after WWII AND we are still getting Sightings from around the world. He is still The GI’s best friend and, besides Korea, has been spotted in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. So you don’t have to be old just be a GI! There is no doubt as to his origin. See volume 1 in http://KilroyWasHere.org for all the legends and Sightings from Australia to Bucharest. Scroll down page one for a video interview with James Kilroy’s children. Volume 3 has real true stories from GIs who served with him. Some funny, some poignant, some heroic, and some just memories that must not be forgotten.

  5. Winnie Nielsen says:

    How did I miss Kilroy all of my life?? What a great story and I do wonder if he is located at so many famous places?? I think I can safely safely say he is not here in Norway! Today is my last day in Oslo before coming home so I have one more day to look around for that memorable face. There is graffiti here but just the usual ugly stuff. If Kilroy was here , I think our tour guide would have pointed him out. Maybe he doesn’t like fish?? I have to admit I have shyed away from salted cod whatever! We hope to visit the Norwegian resistance museum later this afternoon so perhaps Kilroy was known to those brave Norwegians who were trying to save their country while the Germans took over their city and country. A little Kilroy would have gone a long way back in the 1940s under occupation!

  6. Brenda Wheeler says:

    I remember Kilroy quite well. My brothers would draw a large picture of Kilroy and place it at the end of my sister’s bed. They always got the reaction that wanted. She never did like eye balls staring at her. Especially, large ones. We still laugh over that. Oh, the wonderful memories of childhood.

  7. He was, for sure, was there! Ever heard of Heavy Water in Norway? He was there.

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