The Bulletin
Special Memorial Day Issue
Sunday, May 30, 2004

Browse The Bulletin archive index

Home About Archive Recipes Stories Galleries Who's Who Where

Updates -

FAMILY UPDATE
The Stahlecker Family
Editor's Note:
Kathleen is the daughter of Lois and Bill Dake (my brother)

Hello Aunt Dorothy & Uncle Don,

I truly enjoy The Bulletin and every time I read it think I need to drop a line your way. After reading an update from Ardis and Carol a while ago, I decided that there was not a time any better than now to do this.

As you know, I'm sure, by now, we spent some time with Donna and Beaver a year or so ago when they came to Texas. We enjoyed it so much and wished it could have been longer. Duane and Charlie stopped by back in the early spring, I believe it was, for a few hours of sleep on their way to Mexico. Just want to issue the invitation to all relatives from up that way to stop by any time you are in the area for a while.

It has been great hearing about some of the cousins/families and their happenings. And of course, in my mind, Marlene, Patty, and Doug should still be these little cousins running around when we made our trip to Minnesota every few years, or so. Doug, I remember how you and Patricia were such great buddies. They do not live too far from us and we see them quite often. Anyway, she is still tall and slender, but has a lot of gray in her hair. This reminds me of how old I am getting and that you guys are definitely not those little kids anymore.

Our three kids are doing great. Aaron is a freshman in school. He is 6'2" and outweighs his dad by 30/40 lbs. Angela has three little boys from age 6 to 10 months. They keep her hopping. She is not going to teach this next year. She will stay home with the boys. Scott is undertaking a new phase in his job and will have to be away, possibly up to 5 1/2 months, at a sales school in Massachusetts. This will be truly a test on a lot of things for them, but hopefully they will weather it fine. Adriana (the middle child) is expecting her first baby in August. They are excited. She is a nurse in Ft. Worth at a hospital there. Her husband is a surveyor, or something like that with a fancier name. The girls are about 90 miles from us and about 40 miles from each other. They really enjoy that.

Mom is doing pretty good. She turned 80 in January. Willie has moved to Colorado to live and work, for the moment. This is a whole other story, but at least he is not at mom's anymore. James is working with some company that surveys gas/oil lines all over the U.S.A. He is in Michigan right now and they are now fixing to move to Kansas. We were able to have all five kids home in December to celebrate Mom's birthday. It was the first time in 13 years or so that all of us had been together. It was great!!!!

We are hoping to see you guys, possibly for the Cousin Reunion. We are still working on things to see if at least Carol and I can maybe fly there from Nebraska. We were already planning on going to Carol's the last of June - first of July. We had talked about then just driving on to Minnesota for the reunion. But with the gas prices the way they are, and then when we put a pencil to the mileage, we just decided that it would not work to try to drive it on the time we had. It is still about 1,000 miles or so from you guys at their place. So Earl just suggested that maybe Carol and I could fly up there for a few days. So we will see, as time gets closer, what develops. Mom is hoping to come with us to Nebraska. She has not taken a vacation in some years and it would not hurt her to get away for a few days.

I just finished my last day with my kids at Head Start. They will not come back until August 16. I am Teacher/Director there in Gatesville. I have seven people working with me. Just myself and the back building teacher will work through the summer getting ready for the next year. It will be very busy, but it gives us a break from the children. Head Start is a lot different than the day care business. A lot more paper work, etc., but I like it. Earl stays busy with his job but continues to love it after 20 years. Doesn't seem possible that we have lived back in Texas that long.

I better run. Hope I have not bored you too much with all the updates. We send our love to everyone, and maybe at least some of us will get to see some of you, in the near future.

Love to all,
Kathleen, Earl, and Aaron Stahlecker


UPDATE
Santiago and Markie Start a Business
by Marlene

Markie's the newest business man in the family. He and his friend Santiago have started a lawn mowing service. Santiago lives down the street from us and the two of them have become very good friends. Rich has made business cards for them and they go door to door hunting up business. Santiago doesn't speak much English, so Markie does the talking and bargaining. Santiago is a wonderful little mechanic. He assembled the trailer that you see in the picture. It came in a big box with lots of pieces and he was able to get it all together even though the instructions were in English.

They're very enthusiastic and that impresses people. They have neighbors coming over to ask if they'll do their lawn when the boys are finished with the one they're doing. Kind of fun for them.

This should keep them both busy this summer.


Markie & Santiago Keepin' It Green


Editor's Note: I wrote to Jim to tell him that the violet he gave us for our combined birthday party was blooming again. This is his answer.

UPDATE
by Jim Miller

I am glad to hear that the violet I gave you is doing well. You know I thought that I could raise some violets like your sister did. Well I had six and have only lost two. Those two, I think I may have drowned. I sure don't have that [green thumb] like Mom had. You know I always called her Mom, so it is hard to just use her name. Well, so goes the battle!

I did enjoy watching the program about the end of World War II. I got the whole 22 days of the program. It was fun to see some of the old faces!

The Bulletin is great. I read it stem to stern. Some of the names are a little foreign, but I am starting to get them in the right places.

JIM


UPDATE
by Carol Printz

Dear Aunt Dorothy,

We talked to Justin and Melody by phone yesterday and learned that Curt and Patty had been in meeting with them yesterday in South Dakota. Guess they had come right by Sidney on their way to the wedding* in Cheyenne, but that they did not realize we lived in Sidney. Too bad!!! It would have been nice to see them, even briefly.

*Editor's comment: Rork Murphy was the groom -- he is Curt's nephew -- I really don't know the details!

Guess I thought I had given you our new address for the newsletter ... but now that I think about it, maybe I put it on the Dake web site instead. Anyway, here it is, just in case I haven't given it to you ... 1922 Keller Drive, Sidney, Nebraska, 69162. Our phone number is 308-254-4961. So hope if anyone comes by this way they'll look us up!

I'll forward this note from Melody ... thought you might enjoy seeing what our grandkids Wade and Callie and the other "ranch kids" were doing last week. :>)

Love, Carol

Here are a few pictures from branding last week. The kids all have a great time at them. They'll get lots of branding in this week as we're starting on this side and will brand Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. They are actually branding on Tuesday on the other side, so the men are gearing up for a very busy, productive week! No branding on Saturday yet, Cody. We'll be sure to let you know when/if there is one.

Have a great week!
Love,
Mel & crew


Ranch Kids Watch Branding Roundup


Memorial Day
by Beaver

This piece appeared in the Minnesota Legionnaire as well as the Ashby Dalton Post.

We march down the long sloping street, lined with people, all rising in honor of the American flags our Legion Color Guard carries. The flags catch the wind as we come out from the tree-lined street, and the flag carriers struggle to control the whipping cloth. We are growing older now, and the flags and rifles are heavy, but we march proudly, shoulders back, striding in step to the Hup, twoup, threeup, fooe, of the caller's cadence. Ahead of us, across the highway, between the Veterans' Memorial and the gray gravestones of the cemetery, we see the crowd, waiting. Latecomers stream from cars lining the roadsides, joining the crowd, filling the small parking lot and spilling out onto the green lawn.

We make the turn into the cemetery drive, pressed close by the crowd, as they part to give us room to march through. We turn again and halt, facing the five polished, black stones of the Veterans' Memorial, surrounding the flagpole, guarding the big American flag rippling in the breeze. Small flowers bloom in carefully tended beds near the black stones. Service flags ripple near the podium, where the Legion Commander sits ramrod straight, wearing his best suit and his Legion cap. With him are the minister, the speaker, and the Post Adjutant.

The crowd gathers, visiting, waiting, but staying at a distance. It grows quiet as the Legion Commander steps up to the microphone. The program is brief. A few words from the Commander, a short speech, the minister offers a prayer. Sometimes there is a solo. The band plays. I hear little of it. I see the kids in the crowd, moving about, not paying attention. I think of the soldiers only a few years older than the kids, who fought and died, barely yet men, with a whole lifetime of living and loving ahead of them. I look away from the kids, look again at the flowers.

The speeches are over soon, and the Commander leads the way from the podium to the American flags spaced across the front of the memorial. Each year, I have the same thought. There are too many. Each flag represents a member of our Legion Post who has died during the past year. As the Adjutant reads the final roll call, the Commander and his entourage salute each flag in turn. I remember each man, and how he was. Most of them, I knew well. It will not be the same without them. They ate with us, drank with us, marched with us. We disagreed, sometimes argued, but we were comrades, veterans, Legionnaires.

Solemnly, the group returns to the speakers' stand. The minister prays. The first grade class places wreathes on the graves. The band plays. After so many years of participating in this ceremony, I cannot tell you the order of the program. For me, the people evoke such emotion that the structure is lost.

Ten- hut! The color guard snaps to attention. I wonder if the crowd sees us as a group of middle aged, graying farmers and carpenters and retired businessmen, or do they see us as we feel, soldiers again, standing straight, ready to do our duty. Firing squad, fall out! Those of us who carry rifles leave the formation. We line up, away from the crowd, facing west. Firing squad, ten-hut! Prepare to fire! We step back, raise our rifles. Aim! Fire! Three times, the seven of us fire. The first volley is ragged, the second better. The last volley is crisp, perfect. Present arms! Once again, we snap to attention, holding rifles vertically in front of us. After the crashing reports of the rifles, the silence is deafening. The crowd is silent; the kids are still, waiting, frozen in place.

From the cemetery, out of our sight, the first notes of Taps ripple across the grass. Little shivers run up and down my spine. I blink back tears, not looking to see if anyone else does the same. How many times have we heard these melancholy notes as one of our comrades was laid to rest?

Fall out! The Memorial Day program is over for another year. Little boys swarm around us, looking for empty shell casings. I watch them, and hope they never have to fight as did those we honor today.

We mingle with the crowd, visiting, greeting friends. Buses are waiting to take us back uptown. Slowly, we filter through the crowd and climb aboard. Every year, someone says, "Can you believe all the people that were here today? It seems like there are more every year. All the things they could be doing on this nice Memorial Day, and they chose to come here this morning. We can be mighty proud of the people in our community."

We talk, and sometimes laugh, on the trip uptown. But sometimes an old soldier stares off into the distance, thinking, remembering.


This piece was forwarded by Donna.
We are honored to include it in our Special Memorial Day issue.

TELL THEM YOU CARE
by Lt. Col. James T. Patterson

I recently decided to visit some of the veterans in several nursing homes.

I was especially interested in doing this since my dad is a veteran of World War II and I am a reservist in the United States Air Force. I thought the visits would be nice, but I was not prepared for what occurred.

I guess I thought these veterans were regularly remembered, especially on holidays like Memorial Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day, but unfortunately that is not the case.

These men and women who brought peace to the world and then quietly came home and rebuilt the nation, have virtually been forgotten and unappreciated. What they did is the platform upon which this nation so proudly stands, yet fewer and fewer of our population understand the sacrifices and commitment these people made.

I wore my uniform when I visited these veterans. I had no idea how much that symbol would mean to these noble warriors. I visited one man who hadn't spoken in four months. I was told he probably wouldn't acknowledge my visit. When I walked into the room, he saw the uniform and sat straight up in bed, eyes bright and attentive.

I told him I wanted to express my appreciation for what he had done. I told him how honored I was to be in the presence of someone who had done so much for the peace of this world and the growth of this nation. I said I wanted to give him a miniature flag as an expression of my gratitude.

He took the flag and held it to his lips and sobbed. He held my hand and said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." These were the first words he had uttered in months.

There was not a dry eye in the room. In one nursing home, we had the Honor Guard from Dyess Air Force Base present the colors before the veterans. As the Guard entered the room, these wonderful men, with tears streaming down their cheeks, placed their hands over their hearts and pledged allegiance to the flag that they loved.

In two other homes, we had been given a new flag from the U.S. Senator. We brought the veterans outside to view the flying of the new colors. When I gave the command to "Present Arms," these veterans who were stooped with age, stood as tall as they could and saluted. As the National Anthem was sung, tears flowed with grateful appreciation.

I proudly cried with these soldiers of the past. I was honored to talk with men who landed at Normandy, fought in North Africa, Sicily, Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Bulge. I visited with men who survived the attack at Pearl Harbor and three years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. These quiet heroes cried and shared their cherished memories with me.

Over and over, they and their families told me how much my visit and my simple expression of respect had meant to these men of history. Never have I felt so humble and yet so proud and lifted up as I did in the presence of these veterans.

Today, the veterans of World War II are dying at a rate of 1000 a day. Soon, they'll be gone. For you active duty military and reservists, I implore you to put on your uniform and go visit any and all veterans you know. I encourage everyone not to waste another day, but rather, sit by the side of these honorable men and women. Hear their stories. Tell them you care. Learn from them.

It will be more rewarding than anything you have imagined.

-- Lt. Col. James T. Patterson, USAFR


Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN


Caity & Lilac Bush

Spring

When I snapped this picture, of Caity in front of our lilac bush, I thought maybe with the lovely lilacs blooming, it meant Minnesota had finally had spring arrive. It's been very slow in making its presence known this year. We are all more than ready for some nicer days, at least warm enough to not have to bundle up, just to go outside for a while. Believe me, with taking several children out to play, that is a BIG DEAL!

Well, today it looks like it's trying to return to winter instead ... I doubt we'll even make a high of 50 degrees; along with that, there is a very nippy wind to make it even more miserable feeling out there. So much for fun outside activities. brrrr

But, I will go out later and take a long sniff of those lilacs and cut some for in the house -- at least it will smell like spring has arrived!

Lilacs take me back to back to Grandpa and Grandma Dake's place. They had the best lilac bushes; there were enough to create a cozy little hideaway for us to play in. I loved that feeling, being surrounded by their sweet smell and feeling safe and secure. Isn't it great how smells can transport you to another time, place and age?!

Gotta love it!

Editor's Note: Thanks, Donna! Your lilac bush piece is perfect for Memorial Day. Our lilacs almost always bloomed just in time for us to cut branches and put them in Mason jars and decorate the family graves with them in the Ashby cemetery. (In Alaska, lilacs bloom in June ... or July!)

We also had a lilac bush hideaway at "the old place," 1/2 mile south ... when we lived there. The bushes formed a ring and we played inside. It smelled like heaven ... until we hauled grass clippings in there to make a soft bed to sit or lie down on ... Within a few days, it smelled TO heaven, as the grass clippings heated up and composted into a smelly, green manure. Whew! -- Jerrianne


Travelogue t

The Bolivian Beat
By Kjirsten Swenson

At the moment, I'm taking advantage of a pause in one of Doctor J.'s and Dentist Karina's perpetual solitaire playing marathons to write. No Internet in Morochata, but I'll send it this weekend when I hit the city. I'm smelling the saice that my favorite (recently impregnated and more recently engaged) Cholita is cooking for lunch. It will certainly include a mountain of rice, two potatoes, and llajua hot sauce that pains me.* Just outside my window, a campesino is plowing his field in preparation for more potatoes... Rainy season is over, the hills are green, and chirimoyas are in season again. Life is good!

At the moment I ought to be teaching English to primero medio in the colegio below, but the profesores in the entire country are striking, indefinitely, since last Tuesday. Apparently the government doesn't pay them enough and is being mean about retirement. In other social unrest news, kindergartners through seniors and all of the profesores of Morochata's colegio marched to the plaza and shouted queremos aulas (we want classrooms!) outside of the mayor's office last Monday. Rumors indicate that nobody was actually there 'cause we went at midday, but hopefully those in power received the message through chisme at least. They started construction of an addition many months ago, but for some reason left everything half-finished. It seems that the current administration is as inept, and perhaps as corrupt, as the previous one that was ousted in the chaos of last November.

I've been taking advantage of the teacher strike to help with the hospital's vaccination campaign. Nearly every day we leave before dawn in the "ambulance" (SUV plus a cushion) for one of the communities surrounding Morochata. After an hour or so of the nastiest dirt roads you can imagine, we spend the morning vaccinating every man, woman, child, and dog that fails to escape us. Frequently the campesinos invite us to share their food, often boiled potatoes and charque, a sort of fried jerky.

That's about it as far as novedades go... nasty microbes have attacked my respiratory and digestive systems a la vez, which I consider particularly cruel. But last evening my Bolivian mom and I went to an excellent concert, and after singing in my dreams all night long, I'm feeling better :) It seems that the teacher strike will continue at least through Monday, so I've decided to spend tomorrow in the city, too, and leave Monday morning for Morochata. My Bolivian sister is tempting me to come back next weekend for a mega concert in Cochabamba's stadium that will include Las Kjarkas, by far the most popular folkloric group in the country. We'll see.

Great that you've bought tickets! I left my Bolivia guide book on a bus to La Paz, so you should order the latest Lonely Planet or Footprints Bolivia guide from amazon.com and start reading. We'll have time for Morochata, Cochabamba, the Urkupiña Festival, and one or two other regions (La Paz, Lake Titicaca, Sucre, jungle...) depending on what most interests you. Your time is short enough we'll want to plan well.

Hasta Luego,
Kjirsten

*Editor's Note: Here is a Bolivian recipe for the llajua hot, spicy sauce that pains her:

http://www.boliviaweb.com/recipes/english/llajua.htm

Plowing in Morochata
A Morochateño Plowing His Potato Field

*Photo Editor's Note: If you wish to see more of Kjirsten's photos, this is from her Bolivia 3 album at http://community.webshots.com/user/kjswenson


Miss Kitty & Jokers
Miss Kitty Cultivates Pansies With An Attitude

The Miss Kitty Letters*
By Miss Kitty

Spring finally made it to Alaska and we've been busy, busy, busy. Of course, I help with everything ... especially the supervising part. I think I have a talent for that. It's true that mundane chores ... like changing bed sheets and folding laundry ... may take a little longer when I help. However, with my bouncing and pouncing ... and taking time out to play Catch and Fetch with my catnip mouse ... boring household chores are made vastly more entertaining.

Now that the gardening season has arrived, I've been helping outdoors, too. First, we cleaned out the tool shed and all the flower beds. I thought that was great. I'm only allowed outdoors on my leash or on a tether when I'm not in the pouch, but I make my own fun. When Miss Jerrianne got down on all fours to clean the old fronds out of the ferns, I hopped up on her back and looked over her shoulder. A lady actually stopped her car and said she wished she had brought her camera, because she thought that was so cute.

Miss Jerrianne spends a lot of time digging dandelions out of the lawn and I have mixed emotions about that ... they're kind of pretty with their fuzzy little yellow heads ... and, well, aren't lions actually some type of cats? Anyway, while she was digging up the dandelions, I was digging up the lettuce bed. I really got into that project ... with all four feet. I was just having the best time ... and then I looked up and saw this ... this ... monster coming right down the driveway toward me!

I made a beeline out of the flower box, down the front steps and around the corner where the monster wouldn't step on me, nearly mowing off the buttercups in my haste ... until I hit the end of my tether and snapped back like a bungee jumper. Miss Jerrianne looked up from her digging, expecting to see someone walking a dog down the street, and saw a monster moose traipsing right through our front yard! She peeled me off the foundation and hustled us both indoors until the moose jumped over the fence and went away. Then she noticed that the harness snap she could hardly squeeze open when she tied me up was completely sprung.

Later that day, we heard about a big black bear roaming around the other end of our subdivision, half a mile away, searching out garbage cans and bird feeders stuffed with tasty bear snacks. We haven't seen any bears here yet, though that might happen if people aren't very careful with their garbage cans. The next kind of wildlife we encountered wasn't much to look at, but it had a nasty whine and a vicious bite. It's no wonder they call those monster mosquitoes Alaska's state bird.

I've been out and about in the pouch, shopping for gardening supplies like hose fittings, plant food, clover seeds for the lawn and lettuce seeds for a salad garden. I suppose bedding plants for the flower pots and hanging baskets will be next on our list. Miss Jerrianne is quite fond of Joker pansies with funny faces. She is always looking for new variations for her photographic project, Pansies With An Attitude. I'm sure she'll be posting examples on her web site soon.

At one store, Humane Society representatives were microchipping pets. They asked if I had come for a microchip but Miss Jerrianne told them I already had mine. I got to watch them giving microchip shots to dogs while I got off scot free. They liked my Celltei pouch and they were pretty impressed that I had gone from lost kitten to blogging and writing regular columns for The Bulletin in a few short months. They said I was a very lucky cat and tried to interest Miss Jerrianne in a kitty companion for me. We declined their kind offer and I was glad they didn't say I was spoiled.

In addition to our own yard and garden, Miss Jerrianne has been working on an annual neighborhood beautification project for Chugach Foothills Park. She made a new web page to help coordinate the efforts of volunteers who plant and water and weed the flowers. It's a big job and help from the surrounding community is very welcome.

http://www.jlowther.com/Pages/ChugachFoothillsPark.html

And speaking of web pages, I've been pretty interested in the goings on at Kodak Birdcam 2004. Waiting for those eggs to hatch was pretty boring ... kind of like watching grass grow ... but the pace picked up when five little birdies popped out of the shells. Miss Jerrianne thought those little white fluff balls were pretty cute. "Aren't they adorable?" she said. Kittens are adorable, I told her. Baby birds are ... delicious!

For more Miss Kitty adventures visit my web log:

http://www.jlowther.com/Pages/kitty/index.html

Miss Kitty


Keep Us Posted!

Please drop Miss Hetty a line and tell us who, and what, we've missed. And how about a report (photos welcome) of YOUR special celebration?

'Many Thankse
Everyone!

Miss Hetty


Home Cookin' H

from Wyatt & Jolene

Jolene has been put to task by Donna and Lori to share some of her family's recipes. We'll start with one of my (Wyatt's) favorites. The first time Jolene's mom (Cathe) made this, for some reason (stupidity) I didn't think it looked like something I'd be crazy about. Everyone in her family begged me to try it. I did, and ended up having a second piece, with thoughts of a third. Unfortunately, I'd already had too much wild rice, and too many homemade buns.

Frozen Salad:
1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (reduced fat, if you wish)
3/4 cup sugar
1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries with juice
1 - 20 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
2 sliced bananas
1 - 8 oz. Cool Whip (reduced or no fat, if you wish)

First beat cream cheese and sugar together. Stir in fruit next, then the Cool Whip last. Pour into 9x13" pan. Cover and freeze. Remove from freezer 15-30 minutes before serving.

We use reduced fat cream cheese, and no fat Cool Whip, and it still tastes WONDERFUL. In fact, we have some in our freezer right now -- which reminds me, I've gotta go.

Wyatt


This and That
6
by Elaine Wold
Wahpeton, ND

Here's something that brings back memories...

For those of you who never saw the Burma Shave signs, here is a quick lesson in our history of the 1930's and 1940's. Before the Interstates, when everyone drove the old 2-lane roads, Burma Shave signs would be posted all over the countryside in farmers' fields. They were small red signs with white letters. Five signs, about 100 feet apart, each containing 1 line of a 4 line couplet ... and the obligatory 5th sign advertising Burma Shave, a popular shaving cream.

DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD
TO GAIN A MINUTE
YOU NEED YOUR HEAD
YOUR BRAINS ARE IN IT

DROVE TOO LONG
DRIVER SNOOZING
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
IS NOT AMUSING

BROTHER SPEEDER,
LET'S REHEARSE;
ALL TOGETHER,
GOOD MORNING NURSE

SPEED WAS HIGH
WEATHER WAS HOT
TIRES WERE THIN
X MARKS THE SPOT

Now then , let us hear your favorite Burma Shave Sign! And did you know shaving cream is just fluffed up soap? Makes a great "in a pinch" spot remover.

Photo Editor's note: When our family hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 1973, an inventive trail maintenance crew in New England had recently installed a much appreciated footbridge over a small stream course. Their handmade "Burma Shave" signs said it well:

WALKING ON
THIS BRIDGE OF ROCKS
KEEPS THE WATER
FROM MY SOCKS
BURMA SHAVE


From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper --
the Family Snooper!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May 31---Memorial Day (observed)

This Week's Birthdays:

May 31---Mavis Morgan
June 4---Merna Hellevang
Belated Birthday Greetings to David O'Brien (Becky's Friend), May 23

Happy Birthday!

This Week's Anniversaries:

May 31---Tom and Mavis Morgan's Wedding Anniversary (47th)
June 3---Ginny and Larry McCorkell's Wedding Anniversary (32nd)

Many Happy Returns!

A Wedding:
%
Tami Sue Anderson
and
Jason Hartwell Hunt
will be married on
June 18, 2004

More June Birthdays:
'
June 7---Shane Swenson
June 18---Caity Chap
June 21---Ary Ommert
June 25---Ben Henderson

More June Anniversaries:
Z
June 6---Wyatt and Jolene Johnson's Wedding Anniversary (6th)
June 7---Clark and Susan Smith (Miller) Wedding Anniversary (13th)
June 19---Curt and Patty Henderson's Wedding Anniversary (22nd)
June 20---Rich and Marlene Johnson's Wedding Anniversary (23rd)

June Graduations
®
(Surely there must be some!)

June Holidays & Observances
O
June 14---Flag Day
June 20---Father's Day
June 20---Summer Solstice (First Day of Summer)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations!

To all our May & June graduates, including any we may have missed.


Jason Hunt, Tami, Rick, and Barb taken at Tami's graduation (Doctor of Optometry) from Pacific University, College of Optometry, in Forest Grove, Oregon, May 15, 2004.

Thanks!

Thanks! It's so busy around here right now that we hardly have time to do any celebrating!!! The card had maroon daisies on it, which is Tami and Jason's flower for their wedding. --Dwight and Janie

Thanks for remembering my birthday and sending an e-card! It made me laugh! I didn't have much of a birthday celebration so I have no pictures. However, I'll attach a picture of Jason, Tami, Rick, and Barb taken at Tami's graduation. --Rick

Keep Us Posted!

Please drop Miss Hetty a line and tell us who, and what, we've missed. And how about a report (photos welcome) of YOUR special celebration?

'Many Thankse
Everyone!

Miss Hetty


+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi. Just got The Bulletin. Lots in there ... Interesting, but sad to read about  Beaver's family ... their accidents ... so sad ... not easy for Twila and the rest of the family.

I can not get over the gift for words that Doug has... What a writer! ... just enjoy it so much ... the pictures and graphics are nicely done, too. Great job!!

Noticed the article  about the Printz family. I think we stayed at their home on our trip out west ... moved to Nebraska now. Those boys did some tapes of hymns for us, remember?

Elaine

Editor's Note: I do remember -- also, they gave up their rooms and slept on the floor so we could stay in comfort!


Wow. Wonderful Bulletin! I loved Doug's piece. Of course, it's always so fun to read about something that you were involved in and that dredges up so many memories. What would we have done without Aunt Gert? Why did she never yell at us? Can't figure that one out.

I loved the art work that went with the story, too! What talent! Keep up the great work, you two.

Thanks for the picture from Carol. It was so good to see the picture of their family.

It was good to catch up on Ardis and her family, too. I've heard so many good things about Jason and Travis. It was good to hear how they're doing and that Jason is healthy.

Marlene


Hi Dorothy,
 
I thought the last Bulletin was especially good. Happy, sad, funny, heartwarming, it had a little of everything. I especially liked Doug's piece, which made me chuckle as I recalled my older sisters torturing me when I was a small boy. I liked Brianna's illustration a lot; it added a nice touch to the article. With such talented people contributing, The Bulletin is always a fun read.

Thanks, Jerrianne, for being the family historian, always knowing the things I have forgotten (or didn't know to begin with). Thanks also for the kind words; I've never felt that I was filling anybody's shoes except my own, when I can find them. Thanks also to you and Dorothy for all the work you put into The Bulletin; it just keeps getting better and better.

Beaver


THANKS!

Hats off to you and Jerrianne for another superb copy of The Bulletin! I never fail to be amazed at how it is growing and changing. It's fun to have Briana aboard ... I am looking forward to meeting you! You've made it even more interesting, great illustrations -- it brought back that cart so clearly to my foggy brain! The story was a hoot; thanks for sharing it, Doug! HOW did you survive your youth? I never did think about what a Lion's Den you entered each time you spent time with those girls!

I enjoyed hearing from all and Elaine's poem made me chuckle out loud. Yet again, thanks for your work, Mom and Jerrianne! And, of course all of the other contributors. It was fun to see Carol's family. Are there any other families that want to share pics? We love them!

Donna


Would Dylan Huffman be in Caity's class? I think he is in second grade this year at Ashby. He is the son of Marshal and Barb Huffman (Nathan's cousin) who used to live in Fergus Falls and now have moved to Dalton. Just wondering as I couldn't see him on the picture, but then a couple of kids' faces were covered up.

Brenda

Answer, by Donna

Caity knows a Dylan in first grade, but she doesn't know his last name. All the children did not show in the picture we sent, so he surely could have been there. Would be fun to see a picture of him, so I could look for him other times.


Once again, the latest Bulletin was outstanding. When I look at the pictures Kjirsten takes, I think I'm reading National Geographic, or something, they are so professional and exotic! The Ashby Elementary piece was very entertaining and expertly produced as well!

Doug


Grandma,

Once again, we REALLY enjoyed this Bulletin. Rylie saw the picture of you, Grandpa, Dad, and Donna at Bug-A-Boo Bay and started giggling and yelling "Grandma!" "Poppa!" I've got to agree with Grandpa, the ribs were my choice the last time I ate there, and they were SUPERB!

I particularly appreciated the story of the lectern at Ashby School. 13 years of my life were spent there, and I never knew that story! I'd heard the story of Bobby before, but never the one about Grandpa Donald. The story of Bobby's accident always made me grip the wheel on the tractor a little bit harder as I drove down the gravel road by the farm.

I remember a few things about Grandpa Donald; the most vivid is of him shooting starlings off the bird feeder from the dining room at the farm. He had a little piece of cardboard (with a hole big enough to stick the gun out) in one of the places where a screen or window would have otherwise been. I'm not quite sure why I remember that so well, but I do!

I also remember spending time wandering through the "Treasure Cove" in the back of the laundry. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time, and remember getting those powdery, sugary suckers many times there. It's funny the little things a grandma or grandpa do, that they don't even realize, that stick with us for years and years.

Love,
Wyatt

Editor's Note: Way before your time, Wyatt, your Grandpa Donald had a sparrow hunting cat. He would support the cat's hind legs on his hand, which he held over his head so the cat could grab sparrows off the rafters in the old garage. Nobody relished the job of cleaning sparrow droppings off cars housed in the "car shed" (where the furnace lives now) and his sparrow hunting made quite a difference.

I also meant to add a footnote to your piece on Rylie's play set ... where you wondered how many children had two grandmothers named Donna ... to remind you that Rylie also had two great grandmothers named Amelia and Adelia. And one of Rylie's Grandma Donnas has two brothers-in-law named Richard Johnson. Richard C. Johnson is married to Marlene and Richard D. Johnson is married to Mia Nelson. I'll bet those combinations don't happen very often, either. -- Jerrianne


The Bulletin I just LOVE. I look forward to it every week. Especially enjoy the pictures and the family stories -- the travels and the celebrations. The concert at school. Love it, love it. The illustrator does a great job. Loved the carriage drawing and the children.

Barb Dewey


CHUCKLES

sent to us by Richard C. Johnson, our son-in-law

Answers given by school-age children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Think about it; it was the best way to get more people.
3. Mostly to clean the house.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. He made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

Editor's note: I noticed that Rich's mother, Karen, sent this to him. Thanks, Karen, for sharing these observations of mothers from the kids' viewpoints!

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY: A person is only old when he shuts his mind and stops learning. --Baxter Lane

EDITOR'S POLICY: If you wish to subscribe to The Bulletin, simply send me a statement of that fact. If you wish to keep receiving it I hope you will contribute to one of the columns that are running in this family epistle (at least occasionally!). My e-mail address is dma49261@juno.com


This Bulletin is copyright Dorothy M. Anderson; the contents are also copyrighted by the authors and photographers and used with their permission, and the contents are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the explicit consent of the creators.