Sunday, July 24, 2005
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Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Swingin' in the rain...
When it gets too hot for comfort in that Minnesota chicken coop, what's a self-respecting troll gonna do? Why hang out in Alaska, naturally! Got himself a copy of The Milepost and headed north to the cool country. I saw him swinging under the spruce trees this week.
UPDATE -- Rosalyn Weiland, 100 years!
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
We had a very special milestone in our family this week that I would like to share with you,
being many would know my dear mother, Rosalyn Weiland. She turned one hundred
years old. A whole century of living, and even though I have had her for 75 of those years, I
am not ready to give her up yet by any means.
My dad was Henry Weiland, formerly from North Dakota, until he came to Minneapolis at 19 and married my mother, who had also come to Minneapolis to work at 19, from a small farm in southwest Minnesota. My dad had a sheet metal shop business on Nicollet Island in Minneapolis for about 35 years, until he died at 51.
We had a beautiful cake to match her favorite yellow roses on an abundant buffet table. We served about 100 guests that came and went during a time on both Saturday and Sunday, July 10th. She was so exhausted that she fell asleep at the table just before it was over. We had family and friends come from Arizona, Texas, Illinois, Iowa, California, Missouri, so it was a very special time for us all.
Mother lives in an assisted living residence in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. She really is very well, and we are thankful. Osteoporosis has made her frail and needing a wheelchair. She loves people and loves to visit, so she gets very lonely. Old age is a difficult time for anyone. Mother can hardly believe that she is 100 years old. She says she certainly doesn't feel like she is.
Thank you for asking about her birthday -- and hope this is what would be interesting to you.
Twila, kids & cat arrive at new Anchorage home, bag and baggage.
UPDATE -- the Aydelotte Family homecoming
by Twila Aydelotte
Anchorage, AK
We have been quite the busy family, way more busy then I could have ever imagined! After arriving in Anchorage, Alaska, Jessica graduated from 6th grade, we had a snowball fight at Alyeska in June, have taken several day trips from Anchorage, Spencer had his 11th birthday and bridged over from Webelos Scouts to Boy Scouts with rank, Arrow of Light and the religious knot (finished at the last minute), have gone swimming often at the lake, went to Denali National Park, North Pole, Fairbanks, and ... just take a look at our photo album; it has most of the pictures in it! (See Miss Hetty's column for Jessica's graduation and Spencer's birthday photos.)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/teddybearkitchen/my_photos
The house we put an offer on fell through, so we are renting. We live close enough to the elementary school that the kids walk. I think we moved in at the perfect time, as the kids went to school for a few weeks and met all the kids in the neighborhood. This summer all those neighborhood kids have played in our backyard. The front of our house often looks like a bike lot!
The long days (never ending daylight) have slowed down a bit now and sometime after 11 p.m. we have signs of twilight. I no longer come out of the grocery store that late, LOL, so I guess I'm starting to adjust. Jeff's work has been extremely busy, so often he comes home late, or goes to work on days he'd rather just be on call. We live less than five minutes from his work, so it's not so bad, after coming from over an hour commute in California.
The shopping here is okay; there's no Target, WinCo foods, or wonderful outlet malls, but there are incredible garage sales! I've managed to replace the more important glass kitchen stuff, found three sets of cubies (yeah, child friendly storage), and my kids don't feel like they left more than just friends behind. (Read: they picked up plenty of toys! LOL)
We do miss the Jelly Belly flops, 99 cent boxes of cinnamon graham crackers, and cheap, good produce. (Okay, we really, really miss the orange and apricot trees from our yard and the lemon tree from our neighbor's yard.) However, we are enjoying an abundance of rhubarb and soon we'll have raspberries and some kind of apples in our backyard here.
This is the update on our chaotic life, I'm sure glad The Bulletin keeps us posted on the real fun adventures of everyone else. Ben, you sure did a great job on that "M"! Kjirsten, we wish you the best in med school. Texas just isn't as beautiful as Bolivia, but still looks like you will have many more adventures. We can't wait to hear about them and everyone else's. Thanks for doing such a great job on The Bulletin!
The Aydelotte Family,
Jeff, Twila, Jessica, Spencer, Todd, Allison, Brendan, and Hannah
The kids enjoy a snowball fight at Mount Alyeska Ski Resort in June.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Flanked by Don's grandmothers, Amy Dake at left and Cleo Anderson at right, Kristin Working and Don Anderson posed for pictures after their lawn wedding at the Working home in 1979. Kristen's lovely wedding gown was designed and crafted by Sherry Dake.
Kristin Ann Working Anderson
1961-1996
by Dorothy Anderson
To introduce anyone to The Bulletin readers it is necessary to establish just who this person is -- so let me first tell you just how Kristin came to be a part of our family.
I first met Kristin when she came through the door into my reading room with a group of very personable 6th grade reading students in 1972. She was a pretty blonde who was a little shy, as this was all new to her. She had just moved into the district and knew nobody.
It did not take her long to meet and gain lots of new friends. She was an exceptionally likeable girl with a friendly personality. I didn't know at the time that I had gained a lifetime friend, but I did realize I had met a wonderful group of students that year and that she was one of the best!
The year she was in my 6th grade the "beeps" were in Cokato school -- as we were living in the country ... so for that year I was the only one of our family who knew Kristin. But it was four years later, in 1976, that some of the other Andersons met her. That year our family moved into our newly purchased home in Howard Lake. Doug was a 7th grader, Patty was a freshman and Marlene was a sophomore -- the same as Kristin. And so she met us again: now that she knew "Mrs. Anderson" and her three youngest children, it could only follow that she would meet the rest of us... I guess you can see where this is all leading.
On August 4th of 1979, in a lawn wedding at the Working's country home, Don and Kristin were married and Kristin Working became an Anderson.
The next part of any introduction should include some work and play details. Let me tell you first about the work Kristin did. After she was married, she attended the Lakeland Medical and Dental Academy. She chose to become a Lab Technician. She graduated from there in the spring of 1981. For the next three years or so she worked in the Children's Clinic of Wayzata. It was rather a family venture. Her sister-in-law, Marlene (Anderson) Johnson worked in the same office as a receptionist. And to have Eric nearby, she placed him in the pre-school run by that clinic. After Lexie was born, Kristin took time off from that type of work. She had a day care for a bit, she assisted her dad with his painting jobs, and for a while she did lab work part time. Her last five years she was a Medical Assistant to Dr. Hurt at the Edina Family Physicians' Clinic.
Of course her work included making a home for the family. After the arrival of Eric, and then Lexie, the apartment living got a little crowded and Kristin and Don began to shop for a house.
The one they chose was in a community under construction in Maple Grove, Minnesota. To make it affordable they arranged for "sweat equity" as a part of the down payment. That meant lots of work for them, but they were young and willing and able to do that. They needed to do all of the painting. Thanks to help from the Workings (who did that type of work for a living), the painting, inside and out, was done with a professional touch. Over the next few years it was an ongoing task to finish the lowest level, and to decorate the interior.
One of the most striking things about the finished home was its landscaping. Both Don and Kristin had green thumbs. The shrubbery and flower beds, the added deck, and the beautiful trees provided the touches that made a house into a home.
Of course not all of their spare time from their jobs was spent working -- not with this very active family. They were both family people and liked to have a part in all the "occasions" of their family as a whole. And so they did lots of things with her parents and with our family and even occasionally with a combination of the two. Their summer vacations were often spent on family camping trips, fishing, swimming, and traveling to new areas. Kristin's favorite winter sport was cross-country skiing, but she did go snowmobiling. (Donnie assures me that her snowmobiling was to please the guys in her family.)
To finish up this introduction, why don't I tell you about a typical summer gathering at Donnie and Kristin's house:
Grandpa and I arrive early, as we always do, and try to be a help, but mostly we just "hang out" with the grandkids ... after all, we have to catch up on the doings of the tribe. Donnie is busy grilling a turkey or ham (or maybe both) and Kristin is putting the finishing touches to a delicious looking dessert. As each of the other families arrives and puts their contribution for dinner in the oven or the refrigerator, the kids begin begging to go swimming in the pool that is close enough to be as convenient as a private one. The main problem is they can't be allowed there until they have supervision. So they will have to find some willing grown-up to come along and serve as life guard.
Soon everybody has arrived and gotten involved in the various activities. Another grand day is in full swing! A lovely day with everyone talking, eating, playing games, swimming, and relaxing -- but it is soon over and time to go home. So life is lived and enjoyed ... and the family has another set of loving memories stored for the future.
Kristin and Lexie in 1990, left; Kristin in 1982, center; Kristin & Don with Lexie and Eric at their home in Maple Grove in 1992, right.
Eric & Leona stayed for lunch with Don & Dorothy.
The Matriarch has decided she loves living so close to all her grandchildren... Two of the latest visitors to come by were Eric and his wife, Leona.They promised to come again and to be sure to come in the Buick that used to belong to Grandpa so he can check how it is holding up in its old age! Grandpa talked them into staying and having lunch! It was great fun having them!
Who Is This?
Let's Play a Guessing Game: Whenever it is handy to do so we will run a picture of someone of the subscribers or staff members of our e-magazine. Tell us who you think it is -- we will let you know who was the first to guess it right -- and the correct guess -- in the following week's Bulletin.
(Send us some to run; we will line them up in our staging area to take their turn.)
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
My guess for the pictures in the July17th Bulletin is Grandma Amy Dake with great granddaughter Sara Dake and the other may be Melanie Anderson Shockey.
Mavis Anderson Morgan
Hope, ND
The first picture is of Grandma Amy Dake ... and such a good picture of her ... she is holding dear, lovely Amy Ellen Dake! (Larry and Sherry's daughter.) The young lady in the other picture looks familiar but I really can't place who she is ... someone else will have to supply that info!
Sure is fun to see these photos pop up from the past!
Ginny (Dake) McCorkell
Blaine, MN
Not a guess about Grandma Dake, but is it Amy Dake (Larry's daughter) as the baby? And, maybe Sarah Dake as the other pic? Not sure ... but, there it is ... my guess.
Donna Johnson
Ashby, MN
I've never seen that picture before, but that has to be none other than my wife Sherry [Dake]. Isn't she cute! And she still likes cats. ("Happy Birthday!" Sherry -- July 15th.)
I can't guess -- because I know -- who the other two wonderful people are. They are Amy Dake and Amy Dake.
And yes, last week that was our "Sarah" sitting on our back step with Eric Anderson.
LTD
[Larry Dake]
Brooks-Oklee, MN
P.S. I'm curious what "secret source" sent Sherry's picture in. Maybe they will come forward and introduce themselves.
Editor's Note: That lovely picture of Sarah Dake and Eric Anderson last week was the work of Larry Dake, who sent it to us, and the picture of Sherry Dake was sent to us by Betty Droel.
I hung up the phone. We were right on schedule for my new job -- that no longer existed.
We didn't consider turning back. We were on our way to the "promised land," where the weather was always warm, and the grass was always green! We'd soon be out of the snow.
I'll find a different job when we get there, I thought.
It was 1986, and Tom Bodett, an unknown author at the time, who later became famous for his Motel "6" tag line, "We'll leave the light on for you," had just published his book, As Far As You Can Go Without a Passport, the View From the End of The Road.
We didn't know they'd leave the light on for us, but they did. And when we signed into Motel "6" in Troutdale, a suburb on the east side of Portland, it felt like we were nearing the end of the road.
At the motel I studied the Yellow Pages and found out there was a running-shoe manufacturing company in a nearby suburb. We drove there in the morning in our rusty baby blue Lincoln, pulling our heavily loaded trailer, with the shoeshine chair tied up on the top.
The camel bells on the trailer rang as we maneuvered through the city streets.
I went into the office of the shoe factory to apply for work. They weren't hiring. But they let me fill out an application anyway. We had no address, and no phone, so I left my parents' number in Minnesota.
We then drove our monumental rig downtown Portland to the address of a shop that advertised custom-made shoes. I parked out of sight, and Sherry, Sarah and Amy again waited in the car.
I went in to apply for work and met an interesting shoemaker. We exchanged shop talk. He gave me a special shoe knife he had purchased in Italy while learning his trade -- but he gave me no hope of a job.
In fact, he told me unemployment was very high in Portland, and homelessness was a big problem for the city. As I walked back to the car, the sky was lowering and grey. A light rain was falling. Sarah, four years old, and Amy, seven months, were getting weary of being cooped up in the car.
The shoemaker had mentioned a shoe repair shop across the Columbia River, in downtown Vancouver, Washington, where I might check for work. Rain was falling steadily as we made our way across the bridge to Vancouver. Parking was difficult to find, but I found a lot several blocks from the shop, where I could park for $5 and walk.
"Mister, could you spare a quarter," a man begged from a doorway, "I'm cold and hungry ... Mister ... all I need's a quarter, so I can buy a cup of hot coffee. Please Mister!"
I fished in my empty pocket. "I don't have a quarter," I said. "I'm sorry."
"Oh Mister -- can't you help a poor man's down on his luck?"
I rushed down the sidewalk to the dimly lit shoe repair shop and stepped in out of the rain. It was a dark, cluttered place.
And they weren't hiring. Period!
Get lost! He didn't say it but he didn't need to. I could feel it.
We made our way back across the bridge and into Portland rush hour traffic -- angry drivers honked and scowled as we searched for the right exits to get us back to Motel "6."
Back at the motel Sherry bathed the kids. Later we counted our money and figured we had just enough to get back to Minnesota -- if nothing went wrong.
If we stayed in the motel another night or two, we would not have enough to go back!
But, we'd come this far. We would stay. But what if I couldn't find a job?
We needed to find a safe place to park our trailer. It held most of our worldly possessions, and if we left it at the motel someone might steal it. It was not safe crisscrossing the city with it bobbing around behind our baby blue boat while we swerved about, looking for unfamiliar streets and addresses.
I called the friends I'd met the Sunday I'd been stranded in Portland during an ice-storm, just a month ago.
"We're in town at the Motel '6,'" I said, "I was wondering if we could park our trailer in your driveway, while I look for work."
"Well ... no ... no, we can't."
"Oh, that's okay!" I said quickly, "I understand."
"Maybe you could call our brother workers," they said. (Meaning two ministers of our shared faith, who worked in the city.)
I called the number they had given me, of the home where the workers were staying for the night.
"Hello," I said, "We're from Minnesota. My family and I just arrived in Portland. We're looking for work."
"I see," he said.
I thought, Likely he's been visiting with the family, maybe they're in the middle of supper -- or maybe he's preparing for a funeral!
"We're at the Motel '6,'" I said.
"Where?"
"I ... I'm not sure where ... we're east of downtown ... at Motel '6.'"
"Oh, I think I know where you are. Troutdale, maybe. We're about an hour-and-a half west of you," he said.
"Oh."
"Did you need us to come?"
"No ... no. I was just wondering if there's a place where we could park our trailer while we look for work."
"Hmm-m, a place to park a trailer, well ... No ... I don't know."
"Oh ... that's okay! I said.
"I can't think of ..." he started.
"No, no. That's okay!" I reassured him.
Our short conversation ended awkwardly. I was discouraged and disappointed. It looked like we'd be pulling our trailer with us wherever we went.
And where would we go?
I went out to the car and dug our typewriter from the trunk. In the morning I'd type a resumé with no address, and no home phone number.
It was a very dark night at Motel "6," even with the light on. And Tom Bodett, unbeknownst to me, was writing his next book, titled Small Comfort.
Tomorrow night, I thought, we'll sleep in the car.
Travelogue t
The Bolivian Beat
By Kjirsten Swenson
Photo Editor's Note: Kjirsten has returned from Bolivia to enter medical school at Baylor University in Houston after a reunion with her family in Dickinson, North Dakota. She has promised a wrap up on her two years in South America for The Bolivian Beat next week.
Unusually colorful (but expensive) London taxicab.
London: Planes, Trains & Automobiles
(Part 1 of 2)
By Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN
After the trip Donna, Lori, my dad and I took to Washington, D.C., last September, my dad wrote about our adventures with public transit; specifically, the Washington Metro system. As he mentioned, by the end of our stay in D.C. we had become quite adept at boarding the right train, heading in the right direction at the right time to take us where we were trying to go.
On my trip to London in April, this experience came in handy, as I had to navigate an even more confusing transit system. Because my cousin Ben and his wife, Mandy, do not have a car, we had to rely solely on various forms of public transportation to get from place to place.
First, a little background on London's public transportation. There are four main modes of transport:
Taxis: All of the taxis in London conform to a distinct appearance that has been relatively unchanged since the 1930's and is shown in the above picture. While most of the taxis are black, this particular model was sponsored by Pioneer and had a wilder paint job. Due to their expensive fares, we did not use taxis until our last day in London, but that's a whole different story, to be told later.
Buses: There are two types of buses in London: double-deckers or the accordion types that pivot in the middle and are twice the length of a regular bus. We generally rode the double deckers, sitting in the top deck for a better view of the streets. Occasionally we rode the accordion-style buses. One of the attached pictures shows me standing in the pivoting middle part of one such bus.
Strangely enough, although the buses are all operated by the same entity and run the same routes, each style of bus has a different payment procedure. Upon boarding a double-decker bus, the rider must show his or her pass to the driver before being seated. Conversely, there is no need to show a pass when boarding the accordion-style buses, but riders must be prepared to show a pass if asked by the transit employees, who occasionally conduct random checks. Why this discrepancy between ticket policies on the different buses? To confuse American tourists like me, I guess!
The honor system (or in this case honour system, I suppose) used on the accordion style buses is not foolproof. Ben told of one of his friends who rode the buses for months without a pass. When his ruse was finally discovered via a random ticket check, he had to pay a fine that ended up being much less than he would have paid for all those months' worth of bus passes!
Tubes: The Tube is the same as New York's Subway or Washington D.C.'s Metro, a train system that runs through underground tunnels. Officially, London calls its subway the Underground, but the locals refer to it as the Tube. I think it would have been easier if they all just called it what it is: an underground railroad. But I guess that name was already taken. Thanks a lot, Harriet Tubman!
Anyway, the tubes served as our primary mode of transport, as we each had a pass good for unlimited rides, and tubes are much faster than buses. There are 12 different tube lines in London, each of which is represented on signs and pamphlets by a different color and name. For example, the red Central Line, the yellow Circle line, the green District line, etc. As a comparison, the D.C. Metro only has five lines.
Trains: Not to be confused with tubes, trains are part of the National Rail system and generally run above ground, although some are underground. Also, trains run throughout the country, including London, while tubes only run within London. Trains share many of the same stations with tubes, so one can take a train to the tube station and transfer to a tube to complete the journey, or vice versa. Confused yet?
From Ben and Mandy's apartment, we had three options: walk down the hill to get to the bus stop, walk up the hill and to the right to get to the train station, or walk up the hill to the left to get to the tube station. Each option entailed about a 10 minute walk. Since all of us had passes allowing us unlimited use of the buses, trains or tubes, we made our decision based on whichever option would get us closest to our destination for that day in the least amount of time.
Wait a minute, did I say we made our decision? I meant Ben made our decision, since I generally had absolutely no idea where we were going or how on earth to get there. So, much as my dad followed Lori and me through the subways of D.C., I followed Ben, hoping that if we ever got separated I would be able to figure out which tube to take to get back to New Cross Gate, the tube station nearest to Ben's place.
Of course, the New Cross Gate station is not to be confused with the New Cross station, which is located near the New Cross Gate station, but farther away from Ben's place. Both are located on the end of the orange East London line, but the line splits prior to reaching either station. So when boarding the train, we had to be sure it was headed to New Cross Gate, not New Cross. Now are you confused? So yeah, like I was saying, I followed Ben and hoped we didn't get separated.
By Tuesday, our fourth full day in London, Kristie and I ventured into the tubes without Ben for the first time to get to the Paddington train station, where we were to catch the train to Bath, as described in one of my previous articles. Don't worry, Ben said; it will be easy. You just take the Baker line to Paddington and then find the National Rail ticket booth. We figured we could manage that, and sure enough, things went smoothly. Soon we were at the station and found the National Rail booth.
"Two tickets to Bath please," I requested.
I'm sorry sir, but to catch the train to Bath you'll have to go to the Paddington Station.
I started to say, "I know, that's why I'm here," or something equally as smart, when I noticed the huge sign saying EDGEWARE ROAD STATION. Yep, we had gotten off at the wrong stop. It ended up being no big deal, as we got back on the tube, found the correct station and made it to our train to Bath. However, our next venture on the tubes and trains didn't go quite as smoothly, as I'll explain next week.
As a postscript to this story, the news of last week's bombings of the tubes and buses in London was especially worrisome to me, considering that Ben and Mandy rely on those systems to get pretty much anywhere. Fortunately, an e-mail that morning confirmed that Ben and Mandy were OK. Still, it was a little eerie reading those news reports mentioning places like Edgeware Road, Kings Cross and Russell Square, each of which I remembered passing through on the tubes. Some of the victims of those bombs may have been people I sat next to on those trains or that bus just a few months ago. Thinking about that definitely made that bad news hit home even more for me.
Weston on accordion-style bus, left; and on "the tube," right.
From tiny seedlings, a shelterbelt grew ... and grew ... and grew.
Twila's Trees
Photos by Donna Johnson
Ashby, MN
Photo Editor's Note: Betty Droel wrote to Jerrianne: Your mother [Twila Johnson] bought and planted -- which meant dug holes and watered -- MANY, MANY, MANY pine trees in the triangle next to her house and the road where she lived in Ashby. They were just a bunch of baby trees and seedlings when I saw them last. I even helped her carry water to them.
I would soooooooooooo like to see a picture of that land with the trees on and see how they have grown. I have a fear someone ripped them all out to put in a building right there in that prime spot of town -- and if they did, too bad, but if they are still there and growing, I wondered if someone with a digital camera could take a picture -- and just put it in The Bulletin.
Wyatt Johnson responded to a request for pictures and current information:
I smile EVERY SINGLE TIME that I drive out of Ashby towards Dalton. Those trees are all absolutely HUGE now. I still remember Grandma huffing and puffing and red in the face from dragging hoses and watering cans around to keep everything growing. Grandma would be incredibly proud.
The one kind of sad thing is that the garden is now just grass, but I suppose everyone doesn't want a garden. I remember the time a friend and I went to Grandma's garden and picked all the carrots. We took them all to the back step, behind the garage, and started eating them. I think she wasn't real happy about that, but how do you get mad at a couple of kids gorging themselves on vegetables?
Beaver Johnson wrote:
The first tree-planting project was a shelterbelt, planted in the forties or fifties. There were several rows of trees, with the first row being Caragana (Siberian Pea Shrub), along with hardwoods and pines. The shelterbelt was planted when the land was still being farmed, and it grew into a windbreak not only for the farmland, which would eventually become building lots, but also for the entire northwest side of Ashby.
Twila's house was built on the seventh (and last) lot of the parcel, which Don and Twila sold in about 1980 to a couple who built a new home, but only lived there for about a year before selling it back to Twila. This lot included a large triangle of land to the northwest, which was nearly as large as the building lot, but couldn't be sold as a separate building lot because of its shape. Twila bought the house in 1982. The yard had not been landscaped, and was mostly raw, black dirt.
Richard and I hauled in dirt and landscaped the yard, planting grass in the fall of 1982. There were dozens of tiny trees that had sprouted voluntarily on the south side of the house. Mom had us dig up some of the best ones and plant them next to the highway. (These are in the foreground of the picture showing the garage and the trees.) It was kind of a joke; we didn't really think they would grow into anything, but they all lived and are now at least 30 feet high.
She kept planting more trees, enjoying many outings to nurseries to buy trees, mostly conifers. She filled the entire triangle on the northwest end of her lot with so many trees that it was hard to mow around all of them. It was an endless job, hauling water to them and fussing over any that weren't doing as well as she thought they should.
After Twila died and her house was sold to the couple that had just bought the grocery store in Ashby, Glen Dahlen built a house on land we sold him across the highway. There were no trees on his lot, so the new owner of Mom's house asked whether he would like to hire a tree mover and take enough trees to make room for the rest to grow. Glen happily accepted the offer and moved several pines to his yard.
Mom expressed regret more than once that they had planted Caragana as the first row of the windbreak, calling them obnoxious weeds because of their way of spreading out and taking over. We cut several of them where we could remove them without spoiling the windbreak. She always got such a kick out of living in the shelter of the windbreak she and Dad had planted so many years before, having no idea the one of them would someday live in the shelter of the trees they planted.
One day Mom called me to come in, saying she needed a little help just for a few minutes. When I tried to stall, she insisted that it needed to be right now. So, I drove to her house, and found her, along with her next-door neighbors Ernie and Hazel, behind the house. Mom had decided to get rid of an 8-inch Caragana stump from a tree I had cut the previous year. She had dug away as much dirt as she could, but the stump was still firmly rooted in the ground. She had been talking to Ernie about how she wished that stump was out of there, and he volunteered to help.
Ernie was (I think) in his seventies, heavyset, with a bad knee that made him unsteady on his feet. His wife, Hazel, was a very small woman. Ernie came over to Mom's with two log chains, a handyman jack, and a pillow, with Hazel supporting him as he carried all the equipment. Mom was puzzled about the pillow, especially, but Ernie had it all figured out. He hooked one log chain to the stump, the other to a live tree, using the pillow to keep from damaging the bark, and attached the chains to opposite ends of the handyman jack. He was the only one of the three with the upper body strength to pump the jack handle, so he ran the jack while Hazel held onto him to keep him from losing his balance.
Mom's job was to chop off roots that were exposed as the stump was pulled to the side. They had worked on this project for several hours, taking breaks as needed. When I arrived, they had the stump just about out, but they claimed to be too tired to finish the job. It only took a few more pumps of the jack handle, and a little more chopping of roots, and the stump was free! We all sat down for cookies and lemonade, which everyone except me had earned!
Trees she had planted decades earlier sheltered Twila's Ashby home.
If readers are interested in reflecting back to "the good old days," they might like to visit the Bagg Bonanza Farm, located about 10 miles west of Wahpeton, North Dakota, near Mooreton.
My daughter Muriel and I toured there recently and it was interesting to see new things added. The day we were there it was a beehive of activity as 137 members of The Latter Day Saints church group were assisting in repairing and cleaning projects as part of their mission work for the community.
The 15 acre farmsite is designated as a National Historic Landmark. It was named to the National Register of Historic Sites in 1985, and since that time numerous volunteers have assisted in restoring the buildings. The site contains many of the original structures which have been restored: The large farmhouse housed the family and numerous hired hands; a bunkhouse was also available for a number of the helpers; a laundry shed; machine sheds; blacksmith shop; a little general store, where the hands could obtain small purchases; there is also the foreman's house, which now houses a gift shop.
The latest building to be restored was a 128 foot long mule barn. Volunteers and contributions in the past several years had made it possible to get to the stage of it being shingled, when a windstorm in June demolished it.
It all began when a Pennsylvanian, Mr. Downing, secured land from the bankrupt Northern Pacific railroad, since he was a stockholder in that company. It is thought that at one time the holdings were over 9,000 acres.
Frederick Bagg had come to the employment of Mr. Downing, and upon Downing's death, Bagg inherited part of the Downing land and he began his own Bonanza Farm.
With less availability of good help, and with the depression years, tracts of the land were eventually sold off to other farmers. The buildings started to go into ruin. The volunteers for the Bagg Society have worked hard to restore and get it registered since it is the only original Bonanza farmsite left in the country. It is a good opportunity to go back in time to what was the important industry of agriculture, which helped build this area.
Visitors can tour the place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There is a concession stand, too. They serve great pies and have lots of other things for sale. As an example, there is The Bagg Cookbook (fundraiser) which is a really good one. Besides great recipes there are lots of pictures in it and a history of the farm -- a nice bargain and souvenir for just $10.
The Bagg Bonanza Farm, Mooreton, ND
This picture shows three of the buildings of the farm. In back, to the left, is the laundry building and a horse drawn wagon; in the front is the Foreman's House, and at right in the back is the large Bagg House. The downstairs was used by the Bagg Family while the upstairs was for the help.
For more information on the Bagg Farm and other Bonanza Farms, click here:
http://www.mnstate.edu/heritage/BaggFarm/BaggHome.htm
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
This Week's Birthdays:
July 24---Jeni Larson
July 26---Tytus Joshua Myron
July 27---Wyatt Timothy Mellon (8 years)
July 29---Heather Henderson
July 29---Colleen Mellon Scott
July 30---Justin Printz
Happy Birthday!
This Week's Anniversaries
July 27---Larry and Sherry Dake (27 years)
July 29---Charles and Ardis Sigman Quick (33 years)
Congratulations!
More July Birthdays:
'
July 1---Suzanne McCorkell
July 3---Vonnie Dake
July 5---LeRoy Dake
July 5---Jennifer Dake Horne
July 6---James Miller
July 7---Kimberly Johnson
July 8---Trenton Loredo Roberson (2 years)
July 13---Zach Bratten
July 15---Tom Morgan
July 15---William Earl Dake
July 15---Sherry Dake
July 18---Callie Printz (4 years)
July 19---Patricia Dake Meyer
July 19---Marlee Freesemann
July 19---Devon S. Stewart (11 years)
July 20---Michael Miller
July 20---Susie Miller
July 31---Tim Myron
More July Anniversaries
Z
July 19---Dan and Nancy Mellon (36 years)
July Special Days
O
July 4---Independence Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Dear Miss Hetty,
Thanks so much for the anniversary wishes. Today is just another work day for both of us, but we plan to go to our favorite restaurant this weekend to celebrate. We are somewhat focused on our daughter giving birth in about three weeks. We'll both take some time off to help. For me, it will mostly be watching 2-year old Aiden, which is no chore at all!
Dan Mellon
Alta Loma, CA
Thanks for the birthday ecard!!
Love, Sherry [Dake]
Brooks-Oklee, MN
Jessica Aydelotte graduates from 6th grade, left; Spencer Aydelotte's 11th birthday cake looks like an aquarium filled with tropical fish, right.
Miss Hetty Says
We have TWO weddings coming up next month and I am so excited!
Heidi Kaye Johnson and Ryan Lowell Henderson
will marry at noon on August 6
at 316 Charles Street, Long Lake, Minnesota.
Jayna Christine Lee and Shane Michael Swenson
will marry at 3 p.m. on August 20
at Godric Grove, Elings Park, Santa Barbara, California.
Keep Us Posted!
Please drop Miss Hetty a line and tell us who, and what, we've missed. And how about a report (photos welcome) of YOUR special celebration?
Everyone!
Miss Hetty
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just got through enjoying every last item in The Bulletin! Of course, those little cowboys (and big ones) were adorable. Anybody that knows me well, knows I have a SOFT spot for cowboys, thanks for looking up to my beloved cousin, Stan (now known as Bill)!
Mavis and Tom's family pics and story were great!
The Lexie story brought tears to my eyes and also some smiles, with other thoughts and memories coming to the surface for me. One that still makes me smile was her being the bravest of our campers, to get into the COLD Lake Superior water, and once in she was a little fish in the water!
The trip stories were great: Enjoyed Sheldon's trip story, gave me some chuckles about the food; then the fantastic "newlywed" pics; what a trip that was! Also got some laughs from Wyatt's story; sounds like he has some fun friends and that they all know how to relax when away from work. (Well, maybe some during work, too... :-)
GREAT POEM, Melinda!
And Dad's story brought more memories rushing back ... pushing wheelbarrows full of cement up a hill for sidewalks, carrying shingles up the ladder to where Dad was working on the roof, Donnie and I holding sheetrock up for ceilings, while Dad nailed. (How shaky those skinny little arms would get!) I'd lay odds that I might have painted more wheels, etc. than Donnie, too. He was an expert at getting out of things... One technique was to do a very sloppy job, so Dad didn't ask him as often. :-) (smarter than me!)
It was super hearing comments from Steve; I wish he'd share more memories with us! As well as Carol -- and what happened to Bill (Stan)???? Are you alive yet, young man?
I enjoyed the Foto Funnies as usual. Also glad to hear that little Popeye had a good outcome. He was a fortunate little guy to wander into Jerrianne's yard!
Donna Johnson
Ashby, MN
You came through with another interesting issue today. Always fun to read. Nice to keep in touch with what others are doing this summer. It's a warm day, nearly 100 degrees, but a good, brisk wind helps it somewhat. Good we can be comfortable in the house. Thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow. Grass is turning light color already and the rivers still have not gone back into their banks in many places.
I don't get to other continents, but I can send a story on the Bagg Farm if you would like, as Muriel and I went out there today... May be something interesting for the readers.
Keep cool!
Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND
......received the last Bulletin, and so far have not been able to read it, but it's supposed to be close to 100 degrees tomorrow, so that would be a good day just to stay in and catch up on my reading! Love to you, dear cousin......
I sincerely hope you all are well and happy. You are always in our thoughts and hearts... Love.....Diana
[Diana Mellon Martin]
Brook Park, MN
I hope everyone is remembering my dear Aunt Diana's husband, Russ, in their prayers. Russ is a really good person with some health problems, and he could use all your support.
Dan Mellon
Alta Loma, CA
Regarding Betty's question about whether we still have spooky free-range cows...
We still have cows strung out over a couple of miles of hills, woods and sloughs. By putting wheels under the worst of the spooky, dangerous cows, and by carefully saving only good-tempered heifers, we have greatly improved the disposition of our herd.
For many years, I had been using a small Yamaha motorcycle to herd cows. It worked pretty well, but sometimes it took some hard riding to get the cows to go where I wanted. A few years ago, D and the kids, having decided I was to getting too old to be falling off motorcycles while chasing cows, gave me birthday money toward an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV).
When I checked the cows with the ATV, I hauled along a couple of 5-gallon pails of corn and gave the cows a treat. Before long, they would follow the ATV anywhere, which is a lot easier than chasing them. Usually, I need help only to cross roads; any other cow moving that needs doing I can do by myself. It's a big improvement from the days before motorcycles and ATVs, when the cows were rounded up by kids on foot, and would just as soon chase the kids as be chased by the kids.
Beaver Johnson
Ashby, MN
First of all: I LOVED THE COWHAND on the first page with the chaps on the front and nothing on the back. That is just so darling. You should send that somewhere with a caption I am not clever enough to add. The whole, complete outfit, except where the horse's hide would really hit the back of the legs. I keep looking at it and smiling. So innocent and so manly to be this cowboy!
The Tom and Mavis Morgan family was so interesting. I took too long looking at that, trying to see each single person, but I guess none of them are familiar. Not yet -- but if I keep reading The Bulletin, I will be come acquainted with them, likely.
I was so touched and saddened by the story of Lexie. She looked to be such a sweet and pretty girl.
For sure I recognized dear Amy Dake on the guessing game. Also "Sherry Berry," as I used to call her at that age.
Larry, we will let you get off THIS ONCE, but hopefully you will have something in the next Bulletin telling us what happened after that disappointing phone call.
The Bolivian Beat would be winding up. Maybe we'll hear about the final trek experiences a few more times. Ben and Heather are a striking looking couple, on the Venice trip. It was fun following along on a trip we will never take, for sure.
The results of the fishing trip looked like some great eating. Happy looking faces.
I LOVED THE WRITING IN ELAINE WOLD'S COLUMN. I entered into almost every one of them, although I don't let myself follow through with it, ha. One good way to get the beautiful attributes, anyway.
I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because...
I'm probably reading The Bulletin
or trying to dream up an "LTTE" for it.
(I am loyal.)
Roy loved Don's painting tractors story, and I did too, having remembered some he painted in the Good Old Days. Not too many as old as I am -- still remembering, ha.
Larry and Sherry having a 27th anniversary. WHEW! I remember when they were both pretty small. Larry in the highchair for sure!!
Popeye is one famous cat. Also a fortunate one to have gotten into Miss Jerrianne's heart. We hope to have an update of that one next Saturday. Maybe a picture of Miss Kitty as she glares at Popeye through the screen.
My time is up. And I am not finished telling you all the things I loved and enjoyed in the July 17th Bulletin, but it was really very interesting -- and holds our attention like not too many publications of that kind do when we don't know the folks so well. It is special, and I feel pretty happy to be on your "list."
Thanks and hello from us both,
Roy and Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
Letter from the Photo Editor...
Yes, it's a lot of work, but I really do get a kick out of seeing what The Bulletin subscribers come up with to fill our page every week. A question out of the blue about my mother's trees turned into a neat little story with a lot of things I never knew and views of those trees now.
And Miss Kitty reports that things are a lot calmer around here now that Popeye is back with his own family. At least they were until a guy on a riding lawnmower got too close to our compost pile and sucked a 9'x12' tarp off it and into the bowels of the lawnmower today. On our way to the store for a new tarp we stopped to get a picture of the troll that spends summers in my neighbor's yard.
And now comes Larry Dake writing about Tom Bodett, who wrote As Far As You Can Go Without a Passport, the View From the End of The Road, from Homer, Alaska, which makes him sort of a local folk hero here.
Alaska -- all of it -- is, to my thinking, the biggest small town in America. And though Homer is 220 road miles from Anchorage, I've spent a lot of time there and Tom Bodett was one of my advertising clients for a couple of years when I worked on the The Milepost guide to Alaska travel. He also had a beautifully written and well read weekly column in the Anchorage Daily News and a national public radio program modeled on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. I watched the live performance and taping of a couple of those shows.
I recall hearing, or maybe reading, about how Tom Bodett, as the new celebrity spokesman for the Motel "6" chain, was recording some radio spots and ad libbed, "We'll leave the light on for ya." Just like that, a new and unforgettable advertising campaign was born.
But the memory of Tom Bodett that stands out in my mind is from a newspaper column when he described the sounds of his young son waking up in the morning in his crib ... the little rustling noises ... and then the child says to himself, in a soft voice full of wonder, "Wow!"
Wow! Ever since I read that I've wanted to be the sort of person who wakes up in the morning and the first thought that comes to mind is "Wow!"
And like the rest of you subscribers, every week I hang onto that cliff by my fingernails, waiting to read the next episode of Larry Dake's LTD Storybrooke ... waiting for that turn in the road that will enable Larry and his family to wake up the next morning and say, "Wow!"
Jerrianne Lowther
Anchorage, AK
CHUCKLES
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EDITOR'S POLICY: If you wish to subscribe to The Bulletin, simply send me a statement of that fact. If you wish to keep receiving it I hope you will contribute to one of the columns that are running in this family epistle (at least occasionally!). My e-mail address is dma49261@juno.com This Bulletin is copyright Dorothy M. Anderson; the contents are also copyrighted by the authors and photographers and used with their permission, and the contents are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the explicit consent of the creators.