The evidence seems to point to POPCORN.

Ann and Judy should definitely recognize this.

Going through my hold baggage from Viet Nam in Penrose summer of 67.

These pictures prove two things, number one, Judy did work on the farm and two she had early practice at sewing wedding gowns. 

Judy Said I Had To

As we have talked about summer sewing projects, Judy said she would post a picture of the wedding dress project if I would post a picture of the curtain project. Here it is - still a little tweaking, but almost done.

The Roman Shades were disintegrating so I took the easy way out. Note the Coleus in the window where the curtains are pulled back. They are more like a Coleus tree than a little plant.

This is a spring tulip that doesn't look like a tulip. Really pretty. 

And last but not least, the Iris were beautiful last spring. Ok, so I'm late sharing,  Better late than never.

Nobody's Home

After whining to Steve about how to get rid of the chickens, in his amazing wisdom he said "put an ad on Craig's list". Being an independent thinker, I went to a local radio station's on-line classified section and there I found a wonderful solution. A farmer-type was advertising that he would take chickens, ducks, geese for his bug control project. All we had to do was drop them off. We put the seven surviving, only laying an egg every now and again, chickens in a box with a vented top, Paul took them to Lehi and presto, they have a new home. Now when we wake up in the morning we don't hear them talking to us, there are no new dug up grass spots and backyard life has gone back to being very quiet - almost boring.
Will we do it again? It was a fun project until I broke my leg. We loved having the eggs, but I have found another farmer who will sell eggs from their "free range" chickens for $3.00 a dozen. That is probably still cheaper than having our own chickens. Guess we will have to wait and see what the early spring brings.

Nobody's Home!

Something Fun

Here is something fun. Judy and I were talking about when Dad was baptized and I was pretty sure I had his certificate. It is terribly faded and Dad started to write over it but then quit. One interesting statistic is that when Mother was baptized she was No. 24 in Penrose and when Dad was baptized he was No. 88 in Penrose.

Just in case you can't read the information on Dad's certificate it says he was baptized on December 16 and confirmed on December 21, 1930 by Bishop Welch. I suspect we could write for a copy of his certificate from the Church, but this is kind of fun to have.

Genealogy Stuff

Can you tell I am going through more of my stuff? As I am looking for things for my story I am finding a few potential treasures. This one is in Aunt Eva's hand writing. I haven't checked dates, but am just putting it out where others can see if there are any clues in this information that might be helpful. Please remember. I am not vouching for the accuracy of any of what is written here. Eva often got dates wrong, but just in case there is something here that is important here you go.

Mystery Letter

Maybe Steve can shed some light on this letter??
This is a transcript of a letter written to Dad regarding the making of
lampshades for the Wyoming Furniture Company. I don’t know who wrote the letter, as the
signature is cut off on the copy of the letter I found in Mother’s genealogy files.

Wyoming Furniture Company,
Specializing in Rustic Furniture,
P.O. Box 720, Cody, Wyoming
Aug 2, 1946

Dear Russell:
I talked to Paul about using Magnolia and he thinks it will work out ok. I know you will turn out a good job if you use it, so I say go ahead if you possibly can. (I got another delivery of lamps yesterday.) Paul uses about the following mixture for a rustic stain (vary according to shade desired)
Burnt umber - 3/4
Burnt sienna - 1/4 so total of both equals 1/2 pint
Linseed oil 1/3
Turpentine 2/3 (mixed in 1 gallon amounts)
After staining, varnish twice, first with gloss 2nd with dull.
I just mentioned the above in case you might like to have it. I will figure on the shades out of one kind of wood or the other. If the magnolia shades cost more we will do whatever is fair on the price. Let me know how you make out. You can see by my writing that (and then the letter is very faded. It is a copy and bottom line with the signature is cut off.)

Judy and Bob Come to Salt Lake 2012

I have no idea if these were posted before.  I was sorting through old photo files and came across them.  If you have seen them before, you can look at them again.  Judy and Bob were actually in Zion among their own kind.

A Little More History: Velna and Carolyn, Elizabeth and Dorothy and Cat

Has anyone ever seen this picture?

What are Judy, Laura, Ann (not Beth) and Dad Looking at?

Another photo rescued from the dark ages

Roscoe Blood's Grave Fort Collins CO Cemetery (Father of Russell M. Blood)

photo taken 1981

Dad and Elna at Roscoe Blood's grave in the Fort Collins CO cemetery 1988

Dad (Russell Blood), Grandson and Namesake Russell Blood with Daughter Lori 1981 Fort Collins Cemetery near Roscoe Blood Grave

Happy Birthday to Dear Dwight

There is one very important thing about these family pictures.  You can see the smiles and laughter that occur when we are together.  Dwight has probably had a witticism to share in each one of these pictures, taken at various times and places.  On this very important birthday, we all sent our happy birthday to you.  You are a most beloved brother, father, grandfather, uncle, etc., etc. etc.  We love you and hope that this day is good for all.

Wasden Family Gathering

This photo of a family gathering at Grandpa and Grandma Wasden's is probably one of the most important family pictures ever taken in the Wasden family.  I don't know where I got it or   who took it, but I wonder if Dad did because he is not in the picture.  I took out some of the dark spots so people are a bit more easily recognizable.  Now we need the history of the picture and the identification of the people in the picture, row by row.  Use the edit feature in Blogger to add your information so that it shows directly under this photo.  Blood children seem to be absent.

Judy Strangling the Poor Cat

I know we've all seen this picture many times, taken by Uncle Norman, I think, on the day he took pictures of all of us.  However, I don't know if we've seen it in a lightened-up version.  So many details appear in this photo.  I was going to list them, but I am leaving that task up to the five of you. I'm looking forward to your list.  I think the comments we make back and forth about these photos and the memories they stir are really important in our family history.

OK here's the list:

• The original chicken house was just south of the coal bin when we first moved to Penrose.
• The sawhorses, already noted.
• The coal bin
• The copper boiler we used to heat wash water and bath water
• We had sugar beets right up to our doorstep the first year we were in Penrose.  I suppose Dad was looking for every extra dollar he could find.
• The telephone poles that anchored our sturdy clothesline.
• The wooden boxes that kicked around forever under the clothesline.
• The polka dot dress Judy is wearing:  Is that the same dress Louise wore in her famous picture?
• Anything else?

Dad, Dwight, Russell Trip to Nebraska 1988

Not great pictures, but images likely worth saving.  Dad and Elna came to Fort Collins and Russell and I went with them to Nebraska to see one more time the locations of importance to Dad.  Not sure which cemetery this is, probably Alliance Nebraska.

Dad, Ann, and Beth in Washington date unknown

Sorry, Ann, I know its a poor picture of you and Beth but I thought the picture coming out of the black was worth saving for the image of Dad.

Blood Family Photos 1956

I fixed these two pictures the best I could.  I'm glad they were never deleted.  I think these must be in 1956 possibly from our trip to Penrose before we headed for Ann Arbor.

Judy and Steve in the Wheaties Box on Penrose Front Porch

Have you seen this picture before?  I sort of resurrected it this morning.

Louise, Diana, Velna at the Los Angeles Temple 1956

I had a research meeting for my marketing project I was working on in Tucson so after the meeting, we drove over to San Bernardino to see Louise.  This picture hadn't seen the light of day until now.

Three Sisters in Orem Date?

Aren't we having fun?  Another coal black negative that has a memorable picture underneath.  Skin tones aren't great, but would you delete this picture?  Absolutely not.  I'll leave you all in suspense until the next one comes along.

Here for Good Measure is a Resurrected Photo of a Pretty Vase and Lace Curtain at Judy's

Since I was having so much fun with the photos below I salvaged from 55 years of outer darkness, I started to see what else was pitch black and found this one.  I don't know who took it, but I thought it was rather pretty and I am glad to see what is under the dark layers of film.  Another chapter about the vase by the window.  Much writing and clarifying to do.

Judy in Fort Collins Summer of 1956

Here are three pictures of Judy (and Velna and Russell) taken in Fort Collins the summer of 1956 when Judy came to stay with us and I wangled a job for her in our Department of Economics on the top floor of the administration building.  No one had ever seen these photos until this morning, including me, so they were a complete and pleasant surprise.  The negatives for these pictures were almost completely black and I remember how disappointed I was at the time not to have some pictures of Judy to remember her stay with us.  But then I didn't have fancy schmancy photo editing software in 1955.  I hesitantly began to edit these three black pictures a few minutes ago, and look what came out! Velna and I were living on South College Ave in Fort Collins by the Spudnut Shop, a block from the north end of the campus.  And, of course, the railroad went right through the middle of town and right through the Colorado A & M (then, now Colorado State University) campus.  We had cheap rent since the upstairs was a sorority annex and we were the sorority girl tenders and had to break up the porch clinches at ll:00 p.m. at night and send the little darlings off upstairs to bed. 

Velna is expecting second son Ron, who we did not know then was Ron in the dark ages of OB-GYN, who was born August 17.  Two weeks later, baby Ron, Russell, and Velna took off for Ann Arbor Michigan to begin my work for a Ph.D. in economics.  We had no place to stay when we got there, barely enough from our meager research assistantship funds to buy some groceries at the A & P, and discovered that everyone in Michigan drank gallons of Vernor's ginger ale.

But how delighted I am that these three photos of Judy have come to light after nearly sixty years of reposing in darkness!  And now Judy must write another chapter titled "My summer in Fort Collins" just like I used to report on "What I did over Saturday and Sunday" in the second grade.  At least for the first six weeks, when I was kicked out of the second grade for what?  Utter boredom?  Creative fiction on what I made up about what I did over Saturday and Sunday?  Or maybe Miss Black just couldn't stand me any more and wanted to pawn me off to Miss Joneson, my wonderful third grade teacher who didn't try to get rid of me.  And then I had her again for junior high math.

Judy and Robert in Penrose 1960

I must have had a primitive camera when I took these pictures, but at least we have these.

Robert and Steve in Penrose

Possibly Measuring for the new Dairy Barn?

We're Leaving Cheyenne, We're off to Montan

It turns out there is a whole lot more to the story that connects this picture with the earlier pictures I posted of Judy and Bob in Cheyenne, with the picture of Judy and Bob in Penrose.  I discussed this story for a considerable time today with Judy and she will tell you the rest of the story.  I hope.

The Mountain Climber and the Paper Carrier: Judy and Bob, Penrose, in the 60's

This picture was just too good to led molder in the archives.  Robert here shows the Happy Days type person that charmed Judy.  I think it was the hat that done it.  Plus maybe the glasses.  Or maybe it was the insouciant devil-may-care but life is good pose.  What do you think?

After I posted this, I had a sharp pang of recognition.  Does Robert's shirt look familiar?  Well there may be a little difference, but not much.  Nice style, though.  I'm now through editing this post.

Annie's Golden Mums

The thing about shopping at Costco is that you never know what you want or need until you see it at Costco.  And that is how Velna and I got these gorgeous copper-colored mums on our front doorstep. My sister Ann, our Costco fairy, made a prompt and very wise decision when she saw big containers of yellow and golden colored mums at Costco.  As written earlier, she knew yellow was for spring, gold for fall.  So next thing I knew she was lugging a big pot way too heavy for anything she should have been lugging up to my front porch.  So now we and our neighbors will enjoy this beautiful splash of color from the proper-colored fall mums until frost thanks to a wise and prudent Costco fairy who never saw an infomercial she didn't like or a botanical remedy that wouldn't cure or wasn't at the ready with the latest from the Wizard of Google.

We got cheated out of seeing what we thought would be a spectacular harvest moon last night by the dark and stormy clouds.  The morning is just as foreboding and weepy and right now the thunder fairy is busily showing off and thundering just to show who is in charge here.  Does anyone (Louise and Liz) remember when we used to hide under the quilts on the big bed at the little brown house during the ferocious summer Penrose thunder storms?

And please, we need everyone's comments so we don't feel so lonesome out here.  Just a word to let us know.  

Yesterday:  Call from Judy.  Call to Ann to see why nose numb.  Judy called back. Neighbor came bearing two ears of corn.  Velna went with sisters to Olive Garden for sister's birthday.  Brought home leftovers.  Made bread, chicken noodle soup, and finished laundry while they were gone.  Earned many, many points to offset rare egregious comments and behavior.  Watched Ballykissangel.  We'd seen it before.  Watched Father Brown.  We'd seen it before.  Went to sleep woke up with stiff sore hands couldn't find little rubber squeeze ball found it at 3:00 a.m. over by the cabinet said one or two encouraging words to the little squeeze ball about improper behavior and worked out the kinks.  Took another 67 pictures of clouds and mountains this morning.

Just went out to check the golden mums.  Beautiful!  Thank you, Annie.  You can make it to St. George in no time at all.  It will be a test of your desire to repent and continue practicing on me.  A crucial test is forthcoming.