Dwight and Russell M.

I had this midget camera for a few years that took midget pictures, but I thought this one worth saving.  Orem in the 80s.

Touring China

The Gages took us to Seattle to the big traveling China exhibit. We had such a memorable time together. 

The Dress - Almost Twins?

During the 1970's, as my little brood traveled to Washington during the summer Judy and I had a chance to plan some projects together. We would discover that we often had purchased the same patterns - fabric, etc. (Later, Ann would join the mix - I still have a piece of fabric that we bought separately; she sewed hers first, and since we were in the same Ward, I didn't want to be a copycat, and still have the fabric in my cedar chest.). Anyway, we must have been together when we chose the pattern and fabric for this dress. (You will notice that mine was a little fancier - lace on the sleeves.) I loved this dress so much that I still have it tucked away, and Judy just confessed that hers is intact, too. Maybe it will go into a quilt some day. By the way, this dress was worn during the days of fashion of the mini skirt, so the choice was either a long dress or slacks - or jeans. That was the rule in my house, and it worked very well.
This picture is one that is part of an album - the kind with the magnetic leaves, so the background of the pages is turning brown from the acid in the paper. Unfortunately, I waited too long to remove the pictures, so scanning is the only way to preserve. Our first graders learned ITA (The Initial Teaching Alphabet), where each sound in the English language had a character. We took pictures of our first-grade class in various activities, and then had the children write stories about each picture. I'm sure you can read this one.

Petersens at Bloods 1974

Unfortunately, taken with a midget camera without more than 1 pixel but it's still worth saving.  I think.

Steve and Ann in the Cart Once More

Ann and Steve by the Washtub

This is another very early picture. I thought I was being creative by taking at an angle.  Steve and Ann were a more captive audience than the "older" girls were; hence I took more pictures of them. Don't get dizzy looking at it. I may end up posting pictures already posted before, who knows.

Eliz Near Future Lilac Bush: Another Early Brownie Photo

Isn't this picture worth the $1.98 the Brownie cost me?

Can you see the canvas clothespin bag?

Liz by Potential Lilac Bush

Probably not the first roll of film.  I'm guessing the Baby Brownie came in either 1946 or 1947.  I don't know why I bought it or where I got it, but I remember that I always wanted a camera and I was aware of the fact that no pictures were being taken of us precious children.

Steve B., first roll of Baby Brownie film

Looking back on it, the scraggly lilac bush was the only background in sight other than the clothesline telephone pole.

Judy B.: Maybe the first picture I ever took with my brand new Baby Brownie

More Data on Powell Wyoming branch library

I went to the online card catalogue (is it really a card catalogue?) and discovered that the Powell library no longer has any volumes of Billy Whiskers, nor do they have Snip, Snap, and Snur.  However, I am pleased to tell you they have one copy of the Norwegian Twins, published in 1930, if you wish to check that one out.  I cannot find data on how many books the Powell library has had, historically.  They must have had several hundred to keep Liz entertained in the 1940s.

Liz and gang in Powell

Not many pixels here, but you can see who they are.

Number of Books Per Capita in Powell WY, historically

Facts and Figures: Population of Powell in 1930: 1156  ; 1950 3804; 1960  4740; 2000 5373.  Lovell: 1930, 1686, 1950, 2175; 2000 2281.  Thus Lovell grew by about 500 people in 70 years, or a fraction of a person per year.  Powell grew 5 x more or less.  The point is, the Powell Library didn't need hardly any books in the 1930s and 1940s. Lovell needs only the same number of books now it had 70 years ago, plus maybe 10 or 20.  And maybe some updates.

May be Jack Davidson when we took Mom down to Tanners in Oregon?

Our hearts were young and gay: Ann and Paul times 2

Wonderful Wyoming History

While continuing my search for a photo of the old Powell library, I found this delightful website (used the Bing search).



http://www.wyomingtalesandtrails.com/index.html   


Enoy!!!

P.S. What about Steve's outhouse.

Powell Library

When I looked at "The Powell Tribune" on line this morning, I was interested in one of the main front page stories - that of the Powell Library remodel. The old-fashioned '30s-style library (my uneducated guess as to period of architecture) (across the street from the old high school was certainly one of my favorite places to go in Powell. The first visit I remember was in the second grade, when I was often sent to the library during recess time (by myself) to check out three books at a time. My teacher must have been frustrated with me, because I was sent there often, and then required to read the books to myself in class. The habit stayed with me all through my schooling. Louise read "Jane Eyre" and "Gone With the Wind" when I was in the sixth grade, so I would sneak times to read from her books. (Only high school students could check those books out.) Six grade was a discovery year - I could put an open book on my old-fashioned desk seat, and keep track of the lesson at the same time. Reading under the covers with a flashlight was something I could do when Louise stayed overnight with a friend. In high school, I discovered that there were other books than fiction, and my reading life was greatly expanded. When I taught school in the '70's, I looked up some of the books I had read in high school, and found that only one or two students had checked out books like "Henry Esmond" and others of the old classics - and my name was still on the check-out card. The article in the paper mentioned that books that had not been read recently were removed from the shelves. Wish I had been there to claim some of them. The library was always a haven for me. I'm sure that the library is now very modern, with computers, and other up-to-date technology. It will be interesting to visit when we are next in Powell - a few years from now, probably. Take a minute now to go to the Tribune website.

Dad's Birthday

We do think of our father, Russell Marion Blood, as a cowboy, but in truth, he lived on his aunt Elsie and uncle Dewey Riddle's ranch from the age of 16 until he married our mother. While the ranch was a working ranch, it profited from the rage of the Eastern dudes (and dudenes), from the East, who came to live the make-believe Western life for a short time. Dad always loved his Stetson hats, and one would last forever, being gradually demoted from a "town" hat to the hat he wore to irrigate, drive the tractor, etc., only traded for a straw hat in the middle of summer. The conch (the round piece above) is from his conch belt, which he wore proudly for many years. I think that when it disintegrated, the conchs were distributed to me and my siblings. Do you have yours? The bucking horse was made into a pin, which school teachers and others proudly wore. Later, they were transformed into refrigerator magnets. The picture of Mother and Dad and baby Louise to the right, shows Dad dressed in the well-worn, practical clothes of a ranch hand. We usually celebrated Dad's birthday with a cake and the table set appropriately. He would come in from milking and comment that it must be somebody's birthday because of the way the table was set.

The Silk Scarf

This is an item from the past. If my memory is correct, the story about this scarf goes like this. It was given to Dad by a "dudene" who had come to the dude ranch in Sunlight in the late 1920's. He was pretty smitten with her, but it turned out to be a summer romance. When Dad met Mother, he gave her the scarf. She used to wear it tied around her head with her hair in a knot at the back of her head.. Later, when I was in high school, and it was the fashion to wear a small scarf knotted at the neck of your blouse or sweater, I inherited the scarf, and wore it for many years. As you can see, it is shredded at the edge, and now is only good for a memento of the past.

Dear Little House

This little saying hung in Mother and Dad's home in Tumwater. I had such dreams of cross stitching it, however, as you can tell, that hasn't happened, yet. However, I remember the tender feelings I had when I first saw this hanging on the east wall by the kitchen cabinet in the Tumwater house. I always felt it spoke volumes of what meant the most to our parents.

Beware the 'Digital Dark Age' | Mormon Times

This article was forwarded to me by a friend. I think it is important information and makes me even more determined to get things into paper copies. Just click on the link for the article.

Beware the 'Digital Dark Age' | Mormon Times

Grandma Wasden

This posting is courtesy of our cousin, Newell Sorensen. We have been corresponding back and forth regarding transcribing Grandpa Wasden's missionary journal, and in his search for the journal he came across this little gem, in Grandma's handwriting, along with Newell's transcription. I thought you might enjoy a piece of our history.

Pioneering in Penrose

In 1904 we decided to seek a new home so after Bro Wasden’s work was finished in the Yellowstone Par, he came to the Big horn Basin looking for land. He decided there was oppertunities for a home so after selling our town lot in Gunnison Utah loaded our household belongings, also a cow and chickens on a railroad car started out for Byron Wyo. I was to follow in a few days bringing the 3 children. My route took me through Utah, Colo, Wyo, Nebraska, Montana &back to Wyo. Where we landed at Garland at 6.P.M. Dec.6, 1904.
The first winter we lived at Byron and JBW worked on the canal, having secured the relinquishment of two parties each having 80 acres of land un the Elk Canal. Then in April he got logs from the mountains and put up a log house on the S.West corner of the townsite which had been surveyed and named Penrose.
Building the house was slow work having to go the 7 mi. each morning & back at night by May 1^st the walls were up, chinked but not daubed the boards lain on the roof, it being a fine day
2
loaded all on the wagon except bedding and enough food to last till next morning and took to our home. But May 2^nd was a different story, the cold North West wind was blowing, but we loaded up and went on, by the time we got to the pace it started raining, along with the wind.
I had two large home made carpets which we nailed up on the walls and tarp and canvas ofer the beds, then after getting something to eat, put up the umbrella and rocked the baby to sleep.{x can’t make out note} It rained for a geed part of 3 days & nights, but got dirt on the roof and daubing in the cracks, we were comfortable. Our first visitors was the Shumway family, their farm joined the townsite on the West Bro & Sister Shumway & 7 daughters came in a small buggy the girls sitting the back hanging their feet out over the side. They did not come in the house as it was so muddy after the rain, did not want to get out.
James had promised to go back to the Park to work, did not expect to go till the 1^st of June. On My 15, received a telegram to come immediately his ticket was at the depot.

3

He got a man to plow the lot for garden, he to use the team to plow his own garden and then was to take the team to the Park.
Two days before he was to leave, he came and said his wife would not let him go to the Park. That left the horses for me to take care of. We had no stable or shelter just some logs tied together around the hay which had been hauled from Burlington.
That afternoon a storm came up and in order to protect the horses I started fo put blankets on them, had to climb on the fence to reach, I’d get the blankets, on, start to buckle the straps when Wosh the wind would take them off, after about an hours work finally got the blankets fastened.
By that time was wet through It kept raining and at 2 A.M. heard water running the cellar which had been dug under par of the house, I dressed, lit a lantern, got a shovel and made a dam to turn the water, then as soon as it was daylight, was out shoveling a dam to turn the stream of water from coming in the door yard. Still raining.
While I was trying to blanket the horses a man came by watched me, but did not offer to help, next morning another man came by while I was making the dam but did not offer and help. I gegan to wonder if that was the attitude of all men in the Big Horn Basin.
Later had some very good neighbors who prove

Suzy Q

I threatened to post this shared photo before Christmas, but that would have spoiled the surprise.  The wonderful doll was made by Ann for one of her Granddaughters.  I think the doll looks like Kristin.  What a great doll to love and a grandma to go with it.  Great job, Ann.

Elder James B. Wasden

(Begin at lower left corner and count from the left side each time)

1. Ellis, Logan; 2. M. N. Fisher, East Mill Creek; 3. James M. Smith, Logan; 4 Thurber, Richfield; 5. L. R. Anderson, Manti; 6. David H. Elton, Salt Lake City

7. Brown, Office; 8. Naylor, Office; 9. Pres. Elias S. Kimball; 10. Woodmansee, Office; 11. N. L. Nelson, Office; 12. J. A. Wixom, Brigham City

13. Parsons, Koosharem; 14. Wilkison, Richfield; 15. James B. Wasden, Gunnison; 16. Price, Mill Creek; 17. Thos. G. Fraser, Gunnison; 18. Larson, Coville; 19. Osborn, Rexburg, Idaho

This photograph has been in the safe keeping of our cousin, David Wasden (Uncle Brooks son, for those who are not familiar with that piece of genealogy). David and I made a trade. I sent him CD copies of Uncle Brooks and Aunt Lorraine visiting with Mother and Dad back in the late 1970's. In return, David had his son, Steven, make a copy of this photo, which I received in an email today. What a fun addition to our Penrose Mornings record. David had a difficult time transcribing the names of the people in the photo. Many of the names were incomplete, or were terribly faded, but there is one person in that photo who cannot be mistaken for anyone else but our Grandfather. I think he was a very handsome young man. No wonder Grandma was willing to marry him and then work so hard to survive while he was gone!

Messing Up the Blog

I have been messing up the blog in stages.  Feel free to change back.  Now must fix the transparent background and text color but am exasperated enough for the moment.  I hate, hate Blogger.  But I decided we need flowers.  So rather than comment just fix it back how you want it.  H & K.

Another Christmas Memory

"THE" CHRISTMAS TREE

The picture of this tree is not to make everyone go "ohh, ahh" but is an illustration that goes with a Christmas reminder story.
On a nice cold snowy afternoon we got into the truck and went to our favorite "cut your own tree" farm.  Much to our chagrin the farm was closed.  The owner was walking in his driveway so we stopped to talk with him.  Seems that he had a operation in the summer and didn't get into fields to trim his trees so he was going to take the year off. 
Disappointed we went back to the shop and started our search for a new place to cut a tree.  We found several, made phone calls and checked on prices.  Mary Lynn found one that was close by and any size tree was $30.00.  Mary Lynn likes a bargain.  So the next morning we piled into the truck and off we went. 
We found the place to be a small unassuming little place with a row of cut trees leaning on a cable stretched across the yard.  I immediately expressed my skepticism but Mary Lynn said we could at least look.  The trees by the road were short and scraggly and I was unimpressed, but by this time Mary Lynn had rang the door bell and a little old lady, probably in her 80s met us.  We were told that we could go in the back lot and pick and cut our own if we'd like and she handed me a saw.  Off we went, trudging through the deep snow. 
The trees were not well kept but Mary Lynn was thrilled and had already picked out several that she said would be satisfactory.  While we were looking Mary Lynn told me what she had gleaned from her conversation with the proprietor.  One, she was probably a widow, two the person that cut the trees was her son which meant that he was at least my age.
And the thing that I gleaned from our conversation was that Mary Lynn was going to buy  a Christmas tree from this sweet little old lady regardless.  And so we did.  I drug the tree to the truck while Mary Lynn went to pay the lady, (she gave us an oven mitt for cutting our own tree).  Still mumbling about the quality of the tree I was stretching a bungee cord to hold the pickup bed cover down when I let it slip, it hit me in the mouth causing great pain and a very swollen lip.  Mary Lynn while sympathetic later suggest that if I had remembered what the tree was really about I might not have needed such a severe reminder.
It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful Christmas trees ever.
(this story has been abbreviated believe it or not)
MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE

NATIVITY NIGHT LIGHT

This silhouette shadow scene was designed by Mary Lynn, "It will only take you a couple of minutes to cut it out."  Guess it was worth it even though it took 3 or 4 minutes instead.

Joy!

Asleep, the Lord of all.....

Away in a Manager was a childhood favorite.