December 1st is Ann's Special Day!

This is a picture taken on another special day - Ann is wearing the Hawaiian shirt and necklace that was necessary for her and Paul's trip of celebration to Hawaii.  Birthday?  Anniversary?  I didn't date the picture.  This picture says it all about Ann - She has a great sense of humor, wit, and complete compassion for those around her and beyond.  We are so blessed to have her as "little" sister - a term long-ago outgrown.  When you need health advice, supplement advice, sewing advice, baking or cooking advice, parenting advice, etc., etc., etc., where else can you turn.  The quartet of the Blood sisters is very powerful - and it's important to remember that.  Happy, happy birthday, Ann.  I do know that the reason you kept chickens is that your mother hen instinct is so strong, that none will go wanting.

Rare Early Day Photo of Penrose

This rare picture of early Penrose shows how barren and empty the land was until most of the area came under cultivation.  The Penrose church is on the right in the far distance, the Penrose school is on the left.  Somewhere there is a picture of a school class at the Penrose school but I couldn't find it this morning.

With tools in both hands, someone convinced Grandpa Wasden to sit for a family picture on the porch of their Penrose home.  Left to right, Lucinda, Minnie (our mother) Grandpa, Grandma immediately behind, Orvil, and Elna.  This photo has probably been posted before, but we're in the mode of the Penrose church and Grandpa's role as church leader for so many years.  Sorry if I am making the pictures too large but I like to show them off.

And here is Bishop and Sister Wasden who did indeed take their appearance seriously on the Sabbath day and looked as spiffy and dressed up as any Mormon bishop and his wife.

And here is how I remember Grandpa from days spent in the haying fields when I grew up. Note the arms of his shirt, cut and refurbished to last another few years.

Penrose LDS Sunday School Date Unknown, 1920s or 1930s?

I don't know where I got this old and valuable photo from.  The fact that this many adults and children attended the Penrose church at one time just seems incomprehensible.  Today, one family farms all of Penrose and many acres on all sides of the little valley where we grew up.

The Penrose LDS Church Near Our Home in a Sagebrush Patch.

Someone can tell the story of how Dad and Uncle Norman Sorensen tore the building down, discovering a large honeycomb stash of honey and nearly killing themselves when the roof structure collapsed.  And then the hardwood flooring lived on in the west side addition to our Penrose house.

Construction of the Penrose LDS Church

I don't know where I got the four negatives of the construction of the Penrose LDS church.  They were miniscule, mostly coal black.  I thought that despite the primitive nature of these photos these images are historically important.  As I recall, lumber came from a logjam on the nearby Shoshone River.  This is the church where Grandpa Wasden served as branch president and bishop for how many years?  Thirteen? Will those who have some of the historical facts of the construction of this building please fill in the gaps?  Maybe Uncle Dave's writings?  Note the out house in the first image., I received my infant blessing in this building and remember going to Sunday School in the summer and taking our little chairs down the front steps and out into the weedy blossoms for class.  And I remember so well the plaintive wail of fiddles well into the wee hours of the morning when country dances were held here.  Jerry Gullion would stand either on the stove or on a chair or on something in the middle of the room and call the square dances and weary bone-tired hard scrabble farmers would find, temporarily and blessedly, a new lease on life from a few moments of fun and laughter.  Please add to what I have said here by adding new posts rather than just comments, which rarely get read.

Home Economics and Dairy Science Featuring Judy

While I was at it, I couldn't resist tinkering with these other 2 pics from Steve; I hope you don't mind..  If any of you have further photos post 1950 when I left home please dig them out and post!,I missed about half of my parents' lives and know little about the mayhem and fashion errors of the less mature siblings after I was no longer home to supervise, guide, and admonish.

Well well well! What have we here, Judy and Ann?

I thought I was done doctoring photos, but I had to see what all the fuss was about as regards egregious wardrobe issues.  And what's with all the sleeveless stuff besides?  And the modern stove?  We still had the big old coal and wood burner when I departed Penrose in January 1950.  I can see more light and parental supervision was needed here.

Steve's photo

Well I couldn't resist seeing what was here.  Double click to get the details.  The tag on Steve's photo says 7d ranch.  However, that is the same tag as my Canon 7d camera, so who knows?  These aren't the cabins Mom came up to Sunlight to clean whereupon she was swept off her feet by the charming cowboy, just like in the ebooks advertised daily on my Kindle?

Picture of Dad (Ruseell Blood)

Forgive me for resizing this picture but it is such a classic photo I thought it was worth fixing up a bit.  So many details of our lives are in this photo: the lamp and lampshade, the bookshelf with neatly arrayed books, the desk with accompanying stool, the little chair, the hardwood floor and, best of all, a never-before-seen (by me at least) picture of Dad.  Thank you Steve.

OK, we know where Louise is, but where in the world is Waldo, where is Dwight and there is a prize for the correct answer to where's this.

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.