Name That Cat!

How does a cat keep from freezing to death in the Wyoming winter cold? Where did we get this cat? How old was he? Any stories to share? And who would give a cat such a name?

What's for Dinner?

Tonight Paul and I ate creamed asparagus on toast (with a sliced hard boiled egg). Ummmm, it was so good. The main reason I am sharing this is I got a call from Steve not so very long ago concerning the question about whether I really liked asparagus while I was little, or if I just ate it so Mother would like me better. In an attempt to disprove his theory, I just wanted to share the fact that dinner was very good, although I must admit I definitely prefer my asparagus stir fried rather than boiled. This is one vegetable that has a lot of history in our Penrose lives. Mother and I would go out hunting for the new shoots shortly after Dad would burn the weeds along the ditchbanks. That was always a fun treasure hunt. For some reason the asparagus always grew quickly after the weeds were burned. It was on one of those expeditions that Mother taught me a little song/ditty that after she would sing it, she would laugh and laugh. I suspect those little ditties belonged in the same category as whistling. Fun memories!

Grandpa Wasden's Chair

Our grandfather, James Brooks Wasden, was not a tall man - probably about 5'8" or so, but he had a very long trunk (body), and short legs. As a result, when he walked, he always seemed to be tilting into the wind, because his legs couldn't keep up with his body. When he sat in church, he seemed to be very tall, but when he stood, he was average size. Spare of frame, he didn't seem to be out of proportion. This was his chair. It sat at the [dining] table, and he sat on it (with a cushion for comfort that Grandma had made) to eat his meals, read books, and do various other things. I can remember one time that Dwight and I went up to see him when Dwight came home from college , and Grandpa had three books spread out in front of him. One was a history book, one the scriptures, and one a book on church subjects. He was quite proud - asked us if we knew any other man in his 80's who could read three books at one time. (And that is saying something, because he was self-educated, having only attended 3 months of formal schooling in his childhood.) But I digress from the subject of the chair. It seems too short from floor to seat for most of us, because he cut off part of the legs so that his feet could reach the floor.
Now the chair has an honored place in Judy's home.

Winter 1959

I don't know who we owe for this photo of our Penrose home. The winter of 1959 I spent at BYU. The day I left to return to school the temperature was 40 below zero. It doesn't look much warmer in this photo. Frost is on everything! We have all had our own share of too much winter weather this year. But really did any of us have anything that compared with this?

Something Only A Parent Would Keep

The pages are skiwampus (hmmm, is that a word and if it is, how should it be spelled?), the old glue that I used is so stiff that when I move the pages, the glue cracks and flakes away. I don't think I am that old. The aqua looking ink came from a bottle of ink Mother had bought, and as far as I can remember, she used it very sparingly. My writing skills were great, weren't they? Can you believe I cut up so many valentines to make this one. When there were fewer of us at home, there were more valentines to play with. Happy Days!

Valentines of the Homemade Kind

One year Mother sent this valentine to my kids. Inside it says: "If somebody has found a friend, send valentines with love and turn that frown right upside down, A smile will take its place."


This was a valentine booklet I made for Mother and Daddy one year that was saved from probably 1952. The little story I wrote on each page is quite an amazing piece of writing. Oh, well.

Valentines From the Past

Now this is what I call sentiment! It must have meant something to Dad since it was carefully saved through all of the changes in his life. Sarah Harper would have been his cousin.

This older valentine was one that belonged to Roscoe. It is truly romantic.

DAD'S BIRTHDAY

How Old?

Happy Birthday, Dad

This is one of my favorite pictures of Mother and Dad. Taken outside of Grandpa and Grandma Wasden's house on a summer (spring?) day. They look all dressed up. Wonder what the occasion was, what color Mother's dress was, etc. etc. etc. The picture is so typical - and the smiles genuine. Thank goodness for a sense of humor through all the difficult times and the good times as well. If Dad were alive today, he would be three months older than his cousin, Stan Krajicek at 101. Oh, dear, he probably wouldn't have enjoyed that very much. We do miss his sense of humor and his great laugh. I suppose all of us still think of things to tell Dad that he would get great enjoyment out of. February 4 will always be that special day on my calendar.

Broken Engagement

(This was printed many years ago on the back of the Church News published with the Deseret News on Saturdays. The date is missing from this clipping. Christena is the mother of Tilda Wasden.)

To find better work, the Ake Nilsson family left Sweden for Copenhagen in the 1850's. Sixteen-year-old Christena, Ake's seventh and youngest child, found a job in a factory weaving cloth. There she learned about Mormonism and asked for baptism. Ake gave permission, knowing how headstrong she was, but also knowing that "she usually chose the right anyway." Fearing the elders might be ordered out of her area, she asked for mid-winter baptism. After cutting three holes in the North Sea ice to find sufficient water, the elders baptized Christena Jan 8, 1856.

At times persecution flared against Mormons, like the meeting Christena attended during which hostile neighbors threw an ax through the window, badly gashing an elder's head.

Christena herself was hurt because of her religion, but her hurt was emotional, not physical. She and a wealthy young man fell deeply in love and became engaged. But when her fiance understood how strongly she felt about Mormonism, he forced Christena to choose. She could marry him and enjoy wealth. Or she could be a Mormon. But not both. Sorrowfully she broke the engagement. He demanded back the costly gifts he had given her, and in a rage he tossed his picture framed in gold, and her engagement ring to the floor and stomped them to pieces. The broken-hearted girl managed to save but a few items, including a pair of earrings and a beautiful lavalier.

These small keepsakes came with Christena to America when she emigrated to Utah in 1861. She married Swedish convert John Christenson, a fellow passenger with her on the Monarch of the Sea, on the way to America. They raised four faithful children.

Today their descendants cherish the earrings and lavalier as mementos of their great-grandmother who had courage enough to choose her religion and a life of pioneer hardships over a life of wealth and ease with a non-member husband. - (written by William G. Hartley)

Letter from James B. from Yellowstone 1903

I don't think this has been posted before and thought it might be of interest. Just in case it is difficult to read, the text goes as follows (Note: I have not corrected the spelling errors):
Letterhead: Improvement of Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.
United States Engineer Office,
IN THE FIELD.

Yellowstone Park Wyo. Aug 24th 1903

Dear Gramma
Your most welcom letter was reced A few days ago, And it gave great satisfaction to know you were getting along so well as you are And if you can but take things quiet and not worrey And do that. That is realy nessery and not bothe, about eny thing else you will get on alright I am sure. I realise you have much to contend with and feel the responsibility resing upon you And while that is the case just to take your ease and let others do the russling and worring. Now as to the farm I wish it was so we could buy it but just at presant that looks rather doubtfull. But as I look for work to be threw here by next Mar the end we can then talk matters over and deside on the best corse to persue in the future. Tilda spoke of keeping me home after this And I don't think Shell have hard work to do that as I am so tired of this kind of A life. Well Gramma let your helth be at all times the foremost consideration An May God Bless you in your indeavors. As ever your Son
Jas B Wasden.
Remember me to all the folks And write soon. All is well fat and sassy here. Bye Bye.

Hope You Don't Mind

If I only had my blog up and running - but since I don't and I really want to share this, I hope you don't mind me sending this your way on a sunny but cold Monday morning. This had such an impact on me when it was read in church (Relief Society) yesterday and I wanted to pass it along. In a time when many are feeling just a little out of control, reading this reminded me that, in fact, we do have choices to make.

(I am not certain of the title, but I do know it was written by Goethe who lived from 1749-1832)

I have come to the
frightening conclusion
that I am the decisive
element.

It is my personal approach
that creates the climate.
It is my daily mood that makes
the weather.

I possess tremendous power
to make life miserable or
joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or
an instrument of inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor,
hurt or heal.

In all situations, it is my
response that decides
whether a crises is escalated or
de-escalated, and a person is
humanized or de-humanized.

If we treat people as they are,
we make them worse.
If we treat people as they
ought to be, we help them
become what they are
capable of being.

Robert Hawkins

Here's hoping that this picture of a very handsome forebearer will help get us sparked to continue where we left off with family history. Robert Hawkins is a brother of Sarah Batty Hawkins Blood and a son of James Preston Hawkins. The Hawkins orgininated in Kentucky and Sarah Batty is a Great Grandmother. One geneologist has linked James Preston Hawkins to parents by the process of elimation, however there is no paper trail to validate this parentage.

If anyone has any information on this family, we would love to hear from you. In the meantime, Robert Hawkins is well worth claiming.

A Fun Discovery

As you may or may not know, Kristen and Matt and their five children live in Brigham City. Matt had to meet with his Bishop on Sunday evening in Bishop Kennedy's home. Matt walked into their home, saw the lamp and asked how they came to have it. The story goes as follows: Bishop Kennedy's family lived in Lovell, and had bought furniture from what will possibly prove to be the Shoshone Furniture Company in Cody in the very early 1950's or late 1940's. The furniture and lamp have always been referred to by the Kennedy family as their Cody furniture. When Bishop Kennedy's parent's passed away (I think I am getting this right, but if not, hopefully Kristen will help me out), the furniture and lamp were among the family heirlooms that the children felt very emotionally attached to, and so names were drawn to see who would get what pieces. Bishop Kennedy ended up with the chairs (can't remember if Kristen said they have a couch as well) and the lamp. When Matt saw the lamp, he was sure it was Kristen's Grandfather who made it. Kristen goes visiting teaching with Bishop Kennedy's wife, and so today she was able to take some pictures and now we can enjoy them. It was particularly fun to see Dad's stamp from inside the lampshade. The family still has the original receipt and as soon as Kristen can get a copy of it, I will post that as well. It will tell us how much was paid for these treasures.

Steve will be able to fill us in on the history of the furniture and the lamp. When I talked with him, he told me all kinds of things I didn't know about this world Dad and Mom lived in during the Molesworth years.

Wouldn't Dad have been in awe to think that there are people out in the world who treasure his work to the extent that it is considered a treasure for them. I think this is just another tribute to our Father who never really knew how beautiful his work was, and to Mother who encouraged and supported him in doing something he loved to do.

Velna in the blue suit

Would this be the blue suit?

The Mystery!

Upon my grand arrival home from my unplanned week away, this was waiting for me at the back door. How classy! The attached note stated that the "lost" had been "found".

Lost refers to Mother's hand pushed cultivator which Ann, Steve and I appropriated to use for imaginary transportation for cats and dolls, via train, car or pony. Since it was a favorite, there were occasional squabbles and some coveting when someone else had it.

One day Mother was canning beets and her hands were stained with juice. Steve had the cultivator, I wanted it. I took it and hid it behind the garage door and he told Mother. I reported to her that I didn't take it and Ann said she didn't take it. I was more convincing at lieing than Ann was at telling the truth. Ann got spanked with beet stained hands.

I did confess to Mother much later and I have often felt that I owed Ann for the pain she endured. And now I feel that I owe Steve his lost turn to play with my new cultivator.

In the meantime, it will reign in my garden and each time I see it, I will think of each of you and how you have loved me........but not more than I love you.

Thank you to all who have made this reunion possible.

Fiesta Dishes

I think most of us have at least one piece of the original Fiesta dishes from Mother and Dad's collection. Please give me the background on how we came to have these dishes.

A Few Fun Judy Pictures

The big dance! This picture was taken the night Bob asked Judy to marry him. She loaned this dress to me for the Senior Prom. Note the "glass" slippers.

This picture is fun - it shows a little corner of the Penrose house kitchen, and Judy, very carefully studying something. I believe this picture was taken the summer of 1959.

Summer of 1959. Judy and I had made these "cute" outfits - shorts and a nifty top. These were made with Mother's permission. The shorts were true shorts, as opposed to knee length shorts. Judy led the way in this project and I was a willing follower. This is another fun picture of Judy, as well as the Penrose kitchen, modernized (i.e. electric stove and running water).
I always loved this picture of Dad with Judy and me. Judy set such a great example for me - she has always been a neat dresser and worked really hard to help me understand how to follow her lead. Her dress is one she had made, my gorgeous blue suit is one that Velna passed on to me. I felt very grown up in it.

Whew! It was so good to have a "Judy" sighting last night. Even though she sounded tired and seemed to be looking forward to getting some good sleep, it was reassuring to hear her voice. I couldn't find any appropriate flower pictures to send to her, but I had a few minutes this morning and went on a hunt for a couple of Judy pictures that would be fun to share. Welcome home Judy!

More Ice In the River

Two more wonderful shots of the great river from this winter. The ice is daunting, but doesn't nature have the most pleasing color schemes? And what is that house doing in the background?

Just Words

As I am going through more "stuff", I ran across a book titled "Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics". On the inside cover it is stamped "Big Horn Academy Library" and was published in 1915. It is an amazing collection of poems, etc., especially knowing what things were considered appropriate to discuss in her home during Mother's growing up years. When whistling was considered inappropriate, this little book certainly seems to indicate that literature was quite another matter. As I glanced through the different poems I wondered which ones caught Mother's eye as she did her homework. I also wondered if Grandma knew what Mother was reading - so many of the poems are of love lost, passion, and all kinds of emotions that were perhaps ok to read about, as long as they were written by people like Shakespear, Wordsworth, Burns, Lindsay (who?), Moore, Shelley, Keats, to name just a few of the better known authors, whose works are included. One of the poems is titled "A Ditty". How many times did we hear that word?
I wanted to share just one of them with you, and you can wonder, with me, if this is one that Mother read with a twinkle in her eye. For any man who may read this, I mean no disrespect, but because you knew Mother and Dad you probably will appreciate this a little more.

ADVICE TO A GIRL

Never love unless you can
Bear with all the faults of man!
Men sometimes will jealous be
Though but little cause they see,
And hang the head as discontent,
And speak what straight they will repent.

Men, that but one Saint adore,
Make a show of love to more;
Beauty must be scorn'd in none,
Though but truly served in one:
For what is courtship but disguise?
True hearts may have dissembling eyes.

Men, when their affairs require,
Must awhile themselves retire;
Sometimes hunt, and sometimes hawk,
And not ever sit and talk:-
If these and such-like you can bear,
Then like, and love, and never fear!
(By T. Campion)

More Treasures

In an attempt to put together a little bit of history behind some of the things I have in my "treasure cabinet", I need some help. If you know any of the story behind these two treasures, will you please come to my rescue. Anything you can tell me about the bowl or the salt and pepper shakers would be appreciated. And if we end up with more than one story about either or both items, that will just make them a little more intriguing. Thanks a bunch!

University of Wyoming Normal Training Diploma - 1929

Click on this to see the date and signatures. It is interesting that 146 personnel from the University of Wyoming faculty and administration signed this diploma. Among those signatures are: Arthur Griswold Crane, Ph.D. (was he the President, Dwight?), A.P.Vass, Agronomy, S.H. Knight, Geology, O. C. Schwiering, M.A. in Education, who later became an artist in Jackson Hole, S.S. Nussbaum, HIstory, and Clara Bowman, Education. Dr's. Vass, Knight, and Nussbaum were still at the University when I attended 1953-55. (I knew Dr. Vass because I edited his writings - I had geology from Dr. Knight, and ancient history from Dr. Nussbaum. The name Bowman is one that we heard from Mother - she lived at the Bowman home, and earned her board and room by being a "maid" of sorts. (The experience was not one that she was fond of recalling.)

A Very Icy River

This is a 2009 version of our old river of where we called home.

Diploma from The Big Horn Academy, 1923

This is the inside of Mother's diploma from the Big Horn Academy in Cowley, Wyoming. The cover is brown sheepskin or soft cowhide in a buff brown, about 12" x 5". What a bit of history from our mother, Minnie Wasden Blood.

Steve's Seagull and Christmas

In the early '90's, I, along with the help of Judy and friends, including Dad, Ann, Steve, David Paul, and other Oly-Tumwater friends had a holiday boutique on Tumwater hill at our home that was very successful. One year, Steve designed a group of Christmas decorations that included this seagull (by the way, copyrighted by him). Dad cut out lots of seagulls, buffalo, boots, and I can't remember what all that I painted, and we sold by the bunches. Dad sold his wooden boxes, which were a big hit, his bookends, and the cowboy pins, among others. Ann did Scherenschnitte, David painted beautiful boxes (I have one).
The other part of this story has to do with my ineptitude in getting plants to bloom. I faithfully stowed the little Christmas cactus away in a dark place for a couple of months, got it out, watered it faithfully, and look what I got - one bloom that is about to open, and two more potential ones. Next year, it will work better - or I may read the indoor gardening book that tells me how to achieve more success.