OR - CA 2008 / Chapter 8

The Day Arrives
In case you've forgotten, the reason for our trip out west was to attend Aunt Kathy and Uncle Gordon's 50th Wedding Anniversary. On that day there were many arrivals, flowers and family. The picture below is Uncle Gordon's family when they were young...

...and his sister and brother upon his brother's arrival. Uncle Gordon with his back to the camera.Uncle Gordon's sister's sons arrive for the occasion...
...followed closely by my cousins...
...three of Uncle Wes and Aunt Ann's four girls...
...were able to make it.This is Uncle Dick's only son.
Food seems to be always abundant at all our gatherings...
...with many choices to suit the picky eater. I believe the sausage was elk.
...and we all sat down for a nice light lunch before the afternoon festivities.

OR - CA 2008 / Chapter 7

More Treasures - Family History
One of the treasures that Aunt Kathy keeps in Great Grandma's trunk is her nurse's cape that she received when she became a nurse.
In the collection of treasures below on the right hands side you will see the pin that Aunt Kathy received showing that she graduated from the La Junta Mennonite School of Nursing in 1955. This is what the L.M.S.N. on the collar of her cap stands for. Their are other odds 'n ends treasures in the display below, some of them have fallen. One of particular interest is the Red Cross. The note says, "Red Cross pin worn by Aunt Ruthie during WWII. Drove Red Cross truck with Shirley Temple Black - About 1943-45"The bracelet in the bottom of the display was brought "...to Kathy in 1946 by brother Harold from mainland China after WWII." Harold being my father.

OR - CA 2008 / Chapter 6

Tiny Treasures
I discovered that Aunt Kathy and I share a common interest in collecting miniature treasures. Below is a man with a large sombrero napping against what we believe to be a well.
Here you can see the size of it when compared to a quarter.

Several of these tiny tools actually work. The knife opens as do the pliers and cutters.
Here's Aunt Kathy's treasure chest for her tiny treasures. I believe it was made by one of Aunt Kathy & dad's uncle.
The outside is made of metal with the inner box being wood.
Below are a few more of her treasures, rattlesnake rattles and arrowheads.
Dad said there were lots of arrowheads around where they grew up in eastern Colorado.

2008 KS Round Up AHSGR Board Meeting

Last night I was sitting at my dinner table when a paper on my cork board caught my eye. I asked my hubby, "What day is it?" and when he told me that it was the 25th I told him that I'm suppose to be in Salina at 9am on the 26th. I had totally forgotten. So I, who doesn't do mornings, was up at 6am getting ready to make a 2 hour drive to attend the 2008 Kansas Round Up of Chapters of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia board meeting.
I was a little late in getting there, but the meeting hadn't started yet so I hadn't missed anything. There were representatives from most, if not all, the Kansas chapters, it was a good turn out.
Everything on the agenda was pretty well taken care of before noon at which time we broke for lunch. After lunch we wrapped things up, the meeting was adjourned and we all left for our respective homes.

I arrived back home around 3pm and after changing clothes and putting things away kicked back and took a cat nap. : )

OR - CA 2008 / Chapter 5

NEED A HUBCAP?
Remember the picture of my hubby, my dad and my Uncle Gordon talking outside? see HERE... Well, when I walked up to them my hubby said that there was something he wanted me to see, so I followed him. He led me to a door and slowly opened it...
I have NEVER seen so many hubcaps in all my life...
Uncle Gordon has them all sorted and stacked and, I'm sure, inventoried, ready to sell.
I found THIS listing posted October 26, 2007:

I have a large stock of nice original American car wheel covers from 1949-1978. I
have caps for Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler , Chevrolet, Imperial, Dodge, Desoto,
Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Rambler, AMC, Nash and
More..e-mail me for availability, price and pictures at 27buick@gmail.com ...thanks Gordon

Uncle Gordon has worked on car restoration ever since I can remember. He started his boys on restoring their own cars at a very young age, but I'll touch on this in another post.

A perfectly restored vehicle is incomplete if it's missing just one hubcap, or if they aren't perfectly matched.

OR - CA 2008 / Chapter 4

KEEPSAKES - FAMILY HISTORY
Have any of you heard of "Friendship Cards"? I've heard of Calling cards, kind of the precursor of business cards. But I had never heard of Friendship Cards. Apparently they were popular at the turn of the century or there abouts.
Aunt Kathy had mounted these in a frame which she had hung in her house for a while, but now wanted to share them with family.
Some of the cards were duplicates and many to the same person...
...so we went through them one by one...
...sorting them and deciding who would get what ones.

Aunt Kathy had other papers framed. An 1888 bill from the mill in Peabody KS. The letter to the right is written in German.
Various bank notes for payment due from Hillsboro, Cottonwood Valley Bank(?) and Marion Centre(?)...
One from 1882 reads, "J.J. Funk & Company, Dealer in General Merchandise."
This last one from the German Bank of Hillsboro, Kansas was modified, changing the interest from 12% to 10% and "if not paid when due" scratched out and "till due" hand written. Stamped Aug. 31, 1886.

Very interesting imagining the transactions the ensued when pen was put to paper at the creation of these artifacts.

More to come....

Did I Mention That I Love My Camera?

Yesterday was a busy day, program upgrades on a server caused problems with getting mail. So I had to figure out what was wrong with that. Up grade in cell phone required being on the phone with support to get the phones switched over, seems like I got the new employee that kept having to find out what they needed to do. Later than what I had planned, I managed to get outside, walk the yard and finally get it mowed as that it's suppose to rain today. I heard on the news this morning that it's already raining in Greensburg and they were watching the area for lightening strikes. So how are you doing in Greensburg, Anita?

The following pictures I took some time back, shortly after I'd gotten my new camera. They're all taken from a moving car. There's a bridge near where the one below was shot that be call the bumpty-bump bridge. I have taken this route specifically to take people across this bridge. It's like a mini roller coaster ride.
The clock below sits in the yard of someone's home.

This is the quaint little town where house above resides. Several of the private homes used to be businesses.

Roads that go on forever, disappearing over the horizon.

I think I was going for some cloud shots in the one below.

Windmills are always a favorite for photographers in these parts.
Lots of burnt off fields this time of year. I've got some sky shots of burning fields from you airplane trip.
Anita, this ones for you! I wasn't sure if I got a good shot of it or not since were going by so fast.

Lonely llama grazing in a pasture.

Just some pictures that I wanted to share and thought today would be a good day to do that. Tomorrow I should have another entry of my OR - CA adventure for you.

Earth Day -- All Day Today

In recognition of Earth Day 2008 I would like to remind and encourage everyone to recycle, reuse and re-purpose everything you can. I purchased some cloth bags from Dillons and use them at all the stores. They are wonderful for more reasons than just cutting back on plastic and paper bag usage. They are far sturdier than plastic and easier to tote than paper. I keep mine in the trunk of my car so I have them whenever I go shopping.
I would like to encourage everyone to take time out to take the road less traveled to marvel at the wonders of our world. To slow down and appreciate what we have and learn what can be done to preserve it. Take a walk, or a bike ride where there is fresh air and learn what can be done to keep it fresh.
Realize the beauty in small wonders, you can't see these from inside your car.
That a weed is only a flower/plant out of place. Dandelions are Gods creation just as much as roses. Man is a blight upon the face of earth far worse than the lowly flowers that are considered weeds. The litter they leave causes no harm, is not polluting or hazardous.

Remember the joy of the wind in your face and barefeet in the summer sand.
Take time to stop and enjoy a sunset and find ways to be good stewards of this great blue ball.

Well I think it's fine, building jumbo planes.
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train.
Switch on summer from a slot machine.
Yes, get what you want to if you want, 'cause you can get anything.

I know we've come a long way,
We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass.
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas.
And you make them long, and you make them tough.
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can't get off.

Oh, I know we've come a long way,
We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Well you've cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air.
But will you keep on building higher 'til there's no more room up there?
Will you make us laugh, will you make us cry?
Will you tell us when to live, will you tell us when to die?

I know we've come a long way,
We're changing day to day,
But tell me, where do the children play?

Where Do The Children Play?
Artist:Cat Stevens