Once again we are being hit ... by a fourth hurricane this season. This one is going right over us. We are lucky we still have power! Kelly called from her cell phone to let us know they don't have any power. Kelly and her two boys, Nathan and Devan, are staying at Mom's (Shari's) house. The storm is estimated to last about four more hours. We took some pictures at 7 a.m. of the entrance to our subdivision. It was really windy, but the rain had not really started yet.

In other news, I started a new job last week. It was a great week to start on because it was employee appreciation week. There was something fun each day. Monday was a day of pampering. We got massages, manicures, and breakfast served by the managers. Tuesday was game day; we played mini-golf, darts, trivia, and puzzles. Wednesday was sports day, so we all wore our favorite teams. Wednesday is really busy so we didn't have a lot of time for games. Thursday was local history day. We got to go on a field trip to the John and Mable Ringling Museum. Our transportation was a stretch Hummer. Then Friday was movie day. There was a movie in the morning and one in the afternoon. So, needless to say, my first week was pretty great!

My new job is with Selective HR; it is a payroll company. I will be working in the underwriting department. That is the department that prices the new business and decides if the new client is a good risk. This is the only part of the PEO (Professional Employer Organization) business that I have not worked in. I wanted my work experience to be well rounded. With Selective, I will get to learn about all the diffent state tax laws. The last company I worked for was only insured in Florida.

And what goes better with a new job than a new baby! Jim and I just found out that we are going to have another baby. We were pleasently surprised! Our due date is sometime in May!

We really enjoy reading The Bulletin each week! Everyone is so creative in their writing! Keep up the good work!

Jim, Kristi, and Jordan

Hurricane Jeanne wind at dawn (left); Stretch Hummer (right).

NEW BABY UPDATE
by Jo Anne Sigman

Welcome! Margret Di Ann Zeppelin FINALLY! Here is a picture of our "little" Maggie. Her full name is Margret Di Ann Zeppelin. Maggie for short. Born to Ryan and Gin Zeppelin at Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 24, 2004, she weighed 3-1/2 pounds at birth. But I am happy to say she is now almost 5 pounds and doing very well at home. With NO known health problems. Ryan is Wes's second son. I think Ryan said she was 13 inches long. Proud Grandparents: Jo Anne & Wesley Sigman

NEW BABY UPDATE
by Wyatt Johnson

Welcome!

Brooklynn Ann Johnson

I'd like to introduce Brooklynn Ann Johnson. Brook was born Friday, October 1, 2004, at 7:16 p.m. She weighed 6 lb., 11 oz., and was 18.5 inches long. Jolene and Brook are both doing (and looking) great! I've got to go now, as I'm bringing Rylie to meet her new sister.

Wyatt, Jolene, Rylie, and Brook

STUDENT UPDATE
by Amy Ellen Dake

Hey, this is Amy Dake, and for those of you who don't know, the youngest daughter of Larry and Sherry Dake. This summer I did an internship in Clay Center, Nebraska, at the Meat Animal Research Center. After getting back to Minnesota, I had two weeks of vacation before starting my second year of college at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. I'm getting a degree here in Animal Science.

Chemistry is my only general class this semester and brings loads of homework -- not what you would call fun! But on the brighter side of things, there is Beef Production and Western Equitation. For the latter, we ride horses two mornings a week, and also have the responsibility of cleaning a horse stall every day. Other courses I'm taking this semester are Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Farm Business Management, and the Post-Internship course. Between classes and six hours of work a week, I find myself staying busy!

FAMILY HISTORY UPDATE
by Larry T. Dake; photos & captions by Dorothy Anderson

Grandpa A.S. Mellon in Waverly Community Store, circa 1930 These are old photos of mine. The above photo is a very early picture of the store; I would guess it was taken in the early 1930s. Later the store was redone to be much more "modern." That is my Grandpa Mellon to the right of the counter that in my day was the candy display! I served as a clerk there to help out in 1946 while one of his two lady clerks was vacationing. ~ DMA Editor's Note: The following Q&A is reprinted from Bulletin #17, published January 27, 2003. Where was Great Grandpa Mellon's store and what was it like? (from Donna Johnson) The store my Grandpa had was in Waverly, Minnesota. It was on the corner of the block with the street that went down to the lake located just east of it. I think you would think it was cute. It was old fashioned. At first Grandpa had managed it for a farm co-op, but by the time I can remember my visits, he was the owner. He and two women (and I guess sometimes Grandma, too) were the clerks. In the front of the store there were some shoes, hats, and sundries. I remember bathing suits and hats as being the most interesting. There were little stools for grandpa to sit on while trying shoes on people. The next department was the food. You told the clerk what you wanted and they crawled up or down, weighed, counted out, and bagged things for you and then carried them out. In the very back was a meat market and that is where Grandpa (and later a roly poly older man by the name of  John Johnson) worked. I remember John would give you a wiener to eat if you stood real quiet and were polite. My grandpa was such a neat grandpa and was always so kind and generous!
A. S. Mellon In response to Ardis's request I'm submitting a quotation from a newspaper article about Grandpa Mellon. I copied this longhand. The original article was about two different politicians, so the quotation here isn't complete. There also was a photo of three men, including Grandpa Mellon, a distinquished looking, silver haired gentleman. ~ LTD Morning Tribune March 4, 1941 by Orlin Folwick, Staff Writer Representative A.S. Mellon of Waverly is a typical genial country general store operator. He's been running the general store in Waverly and knows all the answers. Can strike up a conversation with any stranger in a minute and usually steers the subject around to where he wants it. Knows Farm Problems Mellon started his career in the state senate six years ago. Served 1935 and 1937. Was out two years but couldn't keep his name off the filing list, so last year he took a fling at the house. Born on a farm and having farmed forty years himself, Mellon is deeply interested in agricultural legislation. Feels it's the farmer who is the hub of the economic wheel and when the hub is well oiled, the wheel will run. He fishes a lot and reads public affairs. Hasn't time to read fiction or time consuming literature.		A.S. Mellon & Great Grandson Tom Mellon 1947 or 1948 The snapshot above was one I took of my Grandpa Mellon in front of the store, holding his first great grandson, Tom Mellon. (Dan is Tom's brother.) ~ DMA

Grandpa Mellon was a very politically involved merchant.

Lake Itasca tour boat heads for the landing

Weekend Fun In Northern Minnesota

Beaver, Caity, Jayce and I had a short trip to Northern Minnesota this last weekend. What an absolutely GORGEOUS weekend to be out and about! The weather was in the 70's and the skies were absolutely clear, which was a wonder, after almost a whole week of rain! Believe me, we appreciated the whole weekend!

We headed up to Bemidji on Friday evening, leaving later than I'd hoped, but needing to get things finished before we could get away. The kids were thrilled that they got to swim that evening, being it was later than they usually stay up, and by rights "adult" time in the pool ... but, the management said they could swim. They managed to get Grandpa talked into taking them swimming quite a bit over the weekend, so they were very happy! Caity made a couple new friends in the process; no one is a "stranger" long to her, must take after Great Grandpa Anderson!

Saturday we ventured off on our outing, checking out Bemidji State Park, hiking and having a picnic there. We all enjoyed the beach, with enough surf pounding to sound more like the ocean, very nice to recline on the benches provided and enjoy the scenery and the peaceful time out in the sunshine. The beach even offered up some shells for the little hunters; they later added various feathers and pine cones to their finds. It was fun watching their excitement when they'd find another treasure. It couldn't have been a nicer day for hiking; even the mosquitoes weren't too bad, only saw a few. (Which after this summer, having so very many, was a blessing!)

I picked the "Depot" for our evening meal. It proved to be a great place to eat and actually was the original train depot for Bemidji. It was very nicely done, still having the original ticket window, the carriage entry way, etc. We were seated by the fireplace and enjoyed checking out many train prints around us, also one of Bemidji the 1800's. Plus, the food proved to be very delicious!

The waitress got the biggest kick out of Jayce. Of course, he was in good form, keeping us laughing. I'd gone to the bathroom and when I came back, here he had Caity's extra sucker (came with their sundae) in a "doggy bag" ... He'd asked the waitress for one! Beaver said she got a kick out of his asking, though, so guess it was OK :-)

Sunday afternoon we spent time at Itasca State Park (after more swimming). We visited the lodge and wandered down to the beach, waiting until the boat arrived so we could take the Itasca Lake boat trip, which lasted about an hour and half. Very relaxing, informative and beautiful. Caity is sure she wants a boat that big now :-)

After the boat trip, we drove up to the Headwaters and they crossed over the log. The water was high and the stepping rocks were covered, making them slippery and dangerous. We saw one little girl fall in and get soaking wet. Of course, that would NOT have bothered Caity and she'd have loved to go back and get her suit and swim, but by then it was getting late enough that we needed to start heading out. Did a stop at the visitors center; it's got a lot of fun things to do and see, well worth the time to stop in, if you ever get the chance.

Made a fun stop at the West Forty, a restaurant that had a barn (that housed the waitresses' station) and was decorated with tractors and things having to do with farming. A unique place! Very good food, and for being very busy, the food arrived in no time. After eating their meal, Caity and Jayce were asleep within a few minutes, after we'd started back, so at least didn't stay up too late that way. A very successful weekend getaway!

Editors' Note: One year ago we published a story about Donna's & Beaver's first trip to Itasca State Park with Caity and Jayce. We noted a promise to the kids that they could walk across the log at the headquarters next year ... but not then. How fun it is to run a story about that promise being kept! Want to see the original story? CLICK HERE and then click again on the link to The Bulletin #63, October 5, 2003:

Lori & Beaver admiring the view of the Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial, left. Right: A view of the top of the Washington Monument from the doorway. The lighter colored stone of the first 152 feet was laid from 1848 to 1854. In 1854, political infighting stopped construction. When construction was resumed after the Civil War, the same marble was not available, thus the different shade of the upper part of the monument.

The Washington Monument
By Beaver

I first saw the majestic Washington Monument as we rode from the airport to the hotel. Having been told that tickets often run out early each day, we had pre-ordered our free tickets to visit the monument. When pre-ordered, the free tickets are $6.50 each.

We would be visiting the monument on Friday, two days after arriving in Washington. It looked awfully tall and skinny. I don't do heights well. The last time D talked me into going to a high place, the Eiffel Tower replica in Las Vegas, I almost squashed a woman in the corner of the elevator, in my quest to lean against the wall so as not to fall over. D says the Eiffel Tower doesn't sway. I think it sways. A lot.

The monument is at the center of the National Mall, a focal point visible from almost every part of the mall. For two days, everywhere we went, that soaring obelisk haunted me. I was going to have to go up there. I was not going to waste a $6.50 free ticket, and look like a chicken, too.

We lined up at our appointed time, ahead of the poor folks who had waited to get their free tickets when they arrived. D told me to take a picture from the base of the monument looking up. It was tipping over! Or maybe it just looked like it because the clouds were moving?

At the entrance to the monument, I had one last chance for a reprieve. The guards separated all of us who had hearing aids and pacemakers. I thought they were going to tell us we couldn't go up, but they only wanted us to be hand searched rather than going through the security machine.

Like a condemned man being led to the gallows, I followed the herd through the base of the monument to the elevator. A guide came along, and while we waited for the elevator, he explained that the monument is made of tightly fitted marble blocks, with only enough mortar for waterproofing. Granite blocks reinforce the marble walls. There is no metal or concrete reinforcing. It is the tallest building of its type in the world.

Great! So I'm going 500 feet up in a building designed like something a child would build with blocks, and then easily knock over.

The trip up in the elevator took a very long minute. When the door opened, I shuffled out of the elevator, braced against the swaying of the monument. After a while, I realized it wasn't really swaying much. Maybe not swaying at all. I ventured to look out one of the four windows. Great view. Even took a picture. Took pictures from all four windows, east north, south, and west. Wonderful view! When it was time to go down, I wanted to stay.

View of the Jefferson Memorial from the Washington Monument.
(Photo taken by intrepid tourist who risked his life so that you could see this view.)

Hello friends and kinfolk. -- I'm sending a story I wrote "on the road" in 1998, after we had left our latest job on a sheep ranch near Big Timber, Montana. We had worked there for about nine months. We had lived and worked on four different sheep ranches prior to this one. They were in Eastern Oregon, Western Oregon, Central Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We were now on our way to Northwestern Minnesota in hopes of finding our own "place." This story was published in Sheep! Magazine. ~LTD

To Be Free: A Shepherd's Journey
by Larry Dake

We pull slowly down the driveway. Across the plank bridge, through the sheep gate. It feels good to feel the load behind, to feel the wheels turning. We're moving; moving in our own two trucks. We don't know if we'll ever be back this way again. The headlights ply the darkness. The trucks growl. They crawl up the hill that, although familiar, seems much bigger than we knew it. Now we're over the top, rolling down the other side. Getting up speed. It feels so good to be on the road again. Just can't wait to get out'a here.

For most of our children's lives, Sherry and I have lived and worked as shepherds on sheep farms and ranches. We enjoy the country life: shepherding the sheep, working with the sheep dogs, seeing the fruits of our labors. Our kids, Sarah and Amy, now in their teens, have never known life to be any different. We're glad we've been able to raise them up alongside baby lambs, bunnies, puppies, and tomatoes.

But it's time; Time to move on. We've had enough! We're chafing at the bit. We're itchin' to be free. We're anxious to get on down the road to new hopes. Our own flock of sheep. Our own dreams.

It was hard to say our goodbyes to our new found friends. It was hard to pull our shallow roots from the Montana soil. It was hard to trust that someone else will watch over the sheep and take good care of the horse. It was hard to kiss the guard dog good bye. It was hard, but we just couldn't wait to get out'a here!

We've been this way before. Our rabbits' cages go on the bed of the pickup truck behind the lawn mower and yard rakes. The cages are readied for their passengers. The dog kennels come apart and are stacked across the box of the pickup. The bicycles, birdhouse pole, shepherd's crooks, and tree house ladder go up on top of the kennel panels.

I'm feeling like we're a traveling circus. Our different things and our different animals have their different places. And when we get everything in its place we'll be on the road again -- like we've been so many times before. We're packing up, going to the next show.

The freezer goes in the front of the little trailer; the trailer that Dad made on the farm in Minnesota, before I was born; the trailer that has been to Alaska, to Arizona, to Oregon, to New Mexico, to Wisconsin, and now here to Montana. The dog houses go up on top of the freezer and are packed full of belongings. The cord of the freezer, full of frozen food, is left hanging out to be plugged in here, and there, along the way. The toboggan, the flower pots, and some plastic buckets are tucked in and around with other things. The tarp goes over the top to hold it all together and to keep the load dry. The first trailer's ready to roll.

It measures 4'x4'x8'x however high we can stack it. It used to hold all our belongings. But we've stayed too long on some sheep ranches and our rolling stone has begun to collect some moss. So next up to the house door is our 7'x 7'x 16' covered cargo trailer.

First in is the old upright piano, which Sherry and I roll precariously down the sagging wooden planks and up to the front wall. We stack the boxes, still unpacked from the last move, around and on top of the piano. Next in go life's convenient things, the back issues of Sheep! Magazine, the pictures from the walls, the mirrors, the sofa, the easy chair. So much stuff!

Late that night when we retire to bed, hopefully for the last time in this place, I reach for the reading light at the head of the bed. It's gone, packed in the trailer. I look at the clock to see how late it is. It's not there. I need to clip my finger nails. I can't. The clipper's packed.

Our sheep dogs, "Checker" and "Rosie," have begun following us around like shadows. They don't want to get left behind, and they know we're about to leave this place.

Last into the trailer go the beds, the groceries, the last four kitchen chairs. The shepherd's house is getting empty. But there's more to carry out; like house plants, toothpaste, clothes for the journey, dog food, cat food, rabbit food, bird food, and our own food. All day long we carry stuff out! It seems like there's no end of stuff. When will we ever get out'a here! Finally we vacuum the floors, load the vacuum, and shut the trailer doors.

In the fading daylight, the rabbits are put into their cages on the bed of my truck. The dogs have already found their places right behind me, on their rugs in the back seat of the crew cab.

The cats go in the extra rabbit cages that are in the back seat of my wife's truck, beside the parakeet's cage; and my younger daughter, Amy, beside them. Before taking the wheel of her truck and trailer, Sherry checks the shepherd's house one last time and retrieves the fly swatter from a nail behind the door -- nearly forgotten.

I climb behind the wheel of my truck and trailer. My older daughter, Sarah, checks the rabbits in their cages on the bed of the pickup one more time, and climbs in with me and the dogs. We start our engines.

Now we're rollin' down the road. The empty shepherd's house, the wooden plank bridge; the boss; they're all behind us with the sheep on the familiar hill. The fence posts are slipping away with the miles. It's wonderful to be on the road and free! It's wonderful -- to be free!

More October Birthdays:
'
October 10---Cody Printz
October 10---Hannah Aydelotte (3 years old)
October 12---Muriel Rodriguez
October 12---Tami Hunt
October 14---Douglas Anderson-Jordet
October 18---Lori Anderson
October 18---Diana Martin
October 18---Dan Mellon
October 20---Wade Printz
October 22---Richard Johnson (Rich in MN)
October 24---Eric Shockey
October 26---Ardis Quick
October 27---Marlene Johnson
October 29---Samantha Jo Larson (10 years old)

More October Anniversaries:
Z
October 17---Troy and Marlee Freesemann (10 years)
October 27---Don and Gert Pettit (14 years)

October Holidays & Observances
O
October 11---Columbus Day (Observed)

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Miss Hetty Says

To all my readers: We are celebrating some very special things this fall ... like the second anniverary of The Bulletin and the first anniversary of two staff members: Miss Kitty and me! Celebrations and Observances are what I am assistant for, so here is a write up about me! Well, not everything is here, but at least it kind of tells you who I am!
 
I changed my name and took a neat title when I joined The Bulletin. I suppose most of you guessed that Miss Hetty isn't my real name, but I do like it a lot ... and it really was just Hetty Hooper until I decided that snooty Miss Kitty wasn't going to get ahead of me ... so I have been Miss Hetty since then!
 
At first I got to do a lot of snooping around and reporting on the romances of the young folks, but I lost my sources (nobody would tell me more gossip items) -- and my job -- when I got too fresh... So I just disappeared for a while. I guess Miss Kitty missed someone to fuss with! I've missed her, too, and am waiting for her return ... and I hear it is to be soon!
 
But anyway, My Boss told me that I could bring my column back if I didn't mind working with Miss Jerrianne on a new and nicer column where we report on birthdays and anniversaries and other family and social events... It is fun BUT don't tell my Boss how I do slip in a gossip item once in a while. Miss Jerrianne and Miss Kitty don't seem to notice!
 
Drop me a line with news items so I can keep my job -- and I welcome gossip, as long as it is kind. (I get in big trouble when I get too smarty!)

Oh, and I almost forgot ... the web archive of The Bulletin is expanding so we can soon look up all The Bulletin issues on line. They aren't all there yet, but you can already see the first issues of The Bulletin, which started in September of 2002 as a group e-mail to Miss Dorothy's children and grandchildren -- only. It was sent out whenever enough news accumulated. Now it is e-mailed to more than 70 addresses every Saturday.

You can also see issues from September and October of 2003 when I joined The Bulletin (#59 September 7, 2003) and was soon followed by Miss Kitty (#63 October 5, 2003), who hooked up with Miss Jerrianne and The Bulletin about the same time.

Personally, I think it's fun to read about what was going on about this time last year, and also in 2002, and see how the publication and the people written about have changed and progressed over the past two years. Miss Jerrianne said archive copies will keep the same content but the formatting will be streamlined, lest this project be two winters long! For instance, the headline for The Bulletin began with #22, but appears throughout. Enjoy!

To read The Bulletin on line, CLICK HERE and browse whichever issues you want. The new home page URL is http://www.thebulletin.ws/

Click here to find out Who's Who in The Bulletin 1