Update -- Penny Miller marries John Peska in Florida
by Ardis Quick
Roseville, MN

Charlie and I took off several days to make the trip to Pensacola Beach to see John Peska and Penny Miller (Duane's oldest daughter) get married. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and joined Penny and John for pizza and a chance to get acquainted with John's family. The kids were all having fun, including Abigail, Penny's daughter. She was all dressed for playing in the sun.

Photo © Ardis Quick
Abigail's ready for the beach.

Photo by Gert Pettit
Howard Lake Memorial Day ceremony.

Update -- Memorial Day observance in Howard Lake
by Gert Dake Pettit
Howard Lake, MN

These pictures were taken when I went to the Howard Lake Memorial Day service. As each serviceman's names were read, the girls would place a flag in the cross. The picture was taken as they read Billy's name. The photo of Billy's grave is one I took when we were in Texas, And then, of course, Gilbert's name was read on Memorial Day, too. This is a picture of his grave in our cemetery.

Jayce was brave enough to go swimming in that very frigid lake! Not for me, or Caity, by the looks of things.

McKenna enjoyed her pool ... dry, with toys, thanks! She also got a kick out of her Uncle Chris joining her on the ground.

We all enjoyed watching the competition with some bag toss game they were playing. They played until the sun went down.

Photo © Donna Johnson
McKenna in dry pool with toys entertains her uncle Chris.

The Ashby Legion hosted the annual Memorial Day to a packed auditorium, with standing room only. The highlight of the program was a Military Tribute, a very well done, moving enactment of a visit to the Vietnam Veterans' monument, with a deep voice narrating the story line. I heard many say it brought tears; I know it did for me.

Then we went to do the usual pulling and cleaning around the Johnson plots. The tree we planted a few years ago has gotten very large -- makes it easy to find the right area at a glance!

When the Color Guard got to the Memorial, there was a cameraman from Fargo filming, which we later watched online. A very nice tribute to the Ashby community about how patriotic and close this little community remains.

Photo © Donna Johnson
Memorial Day Color Guard at Ashby cemetery.

Then it was up to the Legion for the free barbecue meal. There were so many people, Beaver took us all into the back room and we ate in his office. McKenna had another first; a pickle, which she did not even make a face at, much to our surprise!

On the way out of town, we stopped and I got a picture of Caity's second-place-winning "Poppy" poster, posted in the Ashby bank's window on Main Street. Congratulations on making it into the paper one more time, Caity!

Photos © Donna Johnson
Weston tidying grave, tree in background, left; Caity's poster, right.

Those would be my cousins Ginny Dake and Steve Miller. Aren't they cute!?

Hey, you have my Steve [Miller] but I don't know the little girl!

Jim Miller
Bradenton, FL

And, Steve, I know you're half Dake, and the other half must be related to the fellows on that Miller baseball team from Darwin.

Aunty Gert [Dake Pettit]
Howard Lake, MN

Ginny Dake McCorkell
Blaine, MN

"No. I can't do that."

Checker was a dog with heart. He had worked so hard these past weeks that he'd worn holes in the soles of his feet. He had proven himself an honest companion, eager do his best. More important, he had an uncanny ability to relate; he was so "there!"

And "there" was where I needed him.

"I'll shoot him for you," I heard Jackson say, through the dark cloud that had descended over me. "I'll bring you another dog. I promise."

Jackson was acting out of compassion. I understood that.

Checker, who'd been lying on his side, sensed the tension in our voices. He stood onto his three good legs and hiked the left rear one up at the hip; it flopped unnaturally from side-to-side, like a pendulum. He hopped over to my side.

"Trust me," Jackson said, "It's the right thing to do; there are plenty of other dogs."

I stroked Checker's forehead and kicked my toe in the dirt. Ever impatient, Jackson said, "Well?"

When I looked up into his cherubic face, my thoughts were racing. Jackson was right: Checker was in a lot of pain.

"I'll get my gun," he said, turning toward his pickup where it lay on the dashboard, "He won't feel a thing."

***

I'd been grazing the sheep near the trail that was our 14-mile driveway. Sherry came by in our pickup to tell me the sister workers (our ministers) were coming to spend the night -- tonight. She, the kids and the workers would plan to have supper with me at the sheep camp, and then they would all go back to our house.

While we were talking, the heavily overcast sky was spitting rain at us. Checker had lain down under the edge of the pickup, out of the weather -- and fallen asleep. When Sherry began to drive away, the back wheel ran over his rear leg snapping it in two. He ran, yelping in extreme pain and shock.

We had just retrieved and calmed him (as best we could) when Jackson pulled up in his white, ranch-truck, towing my sheep camp and commissary wagon. He would be dropping the wagons beside the road several miles ahead, where I would be spending a few nights with the sheep before moving on to camp at a place called Black Bull Springs.

Upon Jackson's arrival, I thought: When it rains, it pours!

He had quickly sized up the situation, and now had been kind enough to offer to put Checker down for me.

"No," I answered, "I'll set his leg."

"Right!" he said, rolling his eyes. "And you'll have a crippled sheep dog!" He got into his pickup, slammed his door, and sped away -- the contents of the two camp wagons expressed his emotion as they banged noisily up and down with every bump in the road.

From Lauterbrunnen, we took a tram to the top of the Schilthorn. This mountain may be recognizable to some as it has a revolving restaurant (Piz Gloria) on top where you can enjoy a meal while watching the awesome Swiss views. We chose to have coffee and hot chocolate for fear of having to sell our first child to pay the bill! The Piz Gloria has a "Hollywood claim to fame" because it was reportedly blown up in a James Bond film.

The next day we journeyed to the "top of Europe." Jungfrau's summit is the highest point in Europe. The summit is about 13,800 feet; we got to 11,000 feet (by train). We walked out onto the glacier. The glacier is about 11 miles long and it provided some wonderful scenery. During our trek onto the glacier, we saw an avalanche for the first time. We actually heard it before we saw it.

The next part of our journey was to Montreux and Lausanne by panoramic train. This leg of the journey found us sitting in the nose of the train ... ahead of the conductor, so there was only glass between the Swiss countryside and us! Cows would graze right up to the tracks, so we saw more than one close up of their faces! Happy cows!

Again, we walked around to take in the sights and sounds of the French portion of Switzerland. Bern and Luzern (or sometimes spelled Lucerne) is the German part, and Lausanne is the French speaking part. We didn't get to the Italian speaking part of Switzerland ... next time?

We took a boat ride on Lake Geneva with a magnificent backdrop of the Alps! What more could one ask for? This area is well known for their production of wines and, again, chocolate! The grapes blanket the countryside. The museums and castles are amazing. Susan is an architect, so during her college studies she studied many of these fantastic structures. She served as an expert guide!

This Week's Special Days
June 14---Flag Day
O

This Week's Birthdays
June 8---Ashley Huseby (5 years)
June 11---George John Larson
June 11---McKenna Christine Ostendorf (1 year)
June 12---Andrea Dake Mendez
Happy Birthday!

This Week's Anniversaries
June 8---Jeff and Jessica Myron Gauderman (1 year)
June 10---Jim and Kristi Larson Indermark (8 years)
Congratulations!

More June Birthdays
' 
June 1---Jeremiah Dake
June 4---Merna Hellevang
June 5---Rian de Been van Gageldonk
June 6---Jettison Quaid Freesemann (3 years)
June 7---Shane Swenson

June 16---Gina Henderson
June 17---Louise Cloyd
June 18---Caitlynn Mae Chap (12 years)
June 19---Doris Anderson
June 19---Ashley Meyer
June 20---Spencer Aydelotte
June 20---Roy Droel
June 20---Julian Montford
June 21---Ary Ommert, Jr.
June 24---Aiden Montford (5 years)
June 25---Ben Henderson
June 26---Greg Wm. Dake
June 26---De Myer
June 27---Sam Mellon
June29---Tim Huseby
June 29---Trinidy Creede Roberson (2 years)

More June Anniversaries
Z
June 3---Larry and Ginny Dake McCorkell (36 years)
June 6---Wyatt and Jolene Johnson (10 years)
June 7---Clark and Susan Miller Smith (17 years)

June 18---Jason and Tami Anderson Hunt (4 years)
June 19---Curt and Patty Anderson Henderson (26 years)
June 20---Rich and Marlene Anderson Johnson (27 years)
June 20---Steve and Marian Miller (38 years)

June Special Days
O
June 6---D Day
June 14---Flag Day
June 15---Father's Day
June 21---First Day of Summer

As a younger man, [Dave] Kelly from Darwin had contacted Steve or my brother Tom.

Jim Miller
Bradenton, FL

Editor's comment: I do hope to hear from any other Miller who might have further information. Thanks for your note.

What is really relaxing is The Bulletin! Some really good writers -- even about sheep -- and homesteading.

I bet you enjoy your new place! Pictures look cozy!

Lorraine C. Tabor
Northfield, MN

I think that is the one and only time I will ever see a hot air balloon over Luzern, Switzerland. Roy's ancestors came from Switzerland, so anytime we see something about it we become very interested. We were especially interested in the huge mountains they have there. Thanks for the Travelogue story of your time there. So nice to see the picture. We remember Owen so well, but hadn't seen a picture of his wife that I remember of.