Sunday, July 9, 2006
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Photo © Janie Anderson
Asiatic lilies and Shasta daisies bloom in Elaine Wold's garden.
The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness. --Therese of Lisieux
Updates -
UPDATE -- Coni struggles through a tough week
by Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN
As some of you may have heard, Coni has had a tough week. She was feeling very fatigued and nauseated throughout the weekend and over the Fourth. Yesterday she had a CT scan that showed the cancer has returned to some of the areas it had been before her surgery, including the liver and vena cava.
The oncologist we met with yesterday recommended that Coni be admitted to Fairview Southdale Hospital so she can receive some intravenous fluids and hopefully get her strength back to the point she can try a new form of chemo. She was checked in yesterday and will likely remain there for a few days. Assuming she can get her strength back, she will start chemo whenever it is safe to do so.
The primary concern of the doctors is the tumor in the vena cava could interfere with the functions of her heart, which would obviously be bad news. Our hope is she will be able to withstand the chemo and it will prevent the tumor from growing too much into her heart.
Sorry to bring bad news, but just wanted everyone to be aware of Coni's condition. Even though she may not feel up to taking a lot of phone calls right now, I think it would really help her to hear from everyone through e-mail or a note on her guestbook page.
Thank you to everyone for all of your prayers and concern.
Weston
Please keep Coni in your thoughts and prayers again this week. You can send e-mails and e-cards to her here: c_waltzing@hotmail.com.
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell
Coni, you are loved much more than you could possibly know.
UPDATE -- Fourth of July Festivities
by Lori Anderson (Mason)
Irvine, CA
Keith and I had a great holiday weekend. We spent a lot of time outdoors grilling, gardening, and swimming. On the Fourth of July we invited the family over for a BBQ. And for dessert, I made my a special cake: a vanilla cake decorated like an American flag with blueberries and strawberries representing the stars and stripes. Yummy! We thought a couple photos would be fun to share.
Photo © Lori Anderson
L to R: Lori, Junior, Lisa Anderson, Keith Mason, Doris & Steve Anderson.
Photo © Lori Anderson
Keith Mason & Lori Anderson (Mason) with flag cake.
UPDATE -- July 4th mini-reunion in Anchorage
by Jerrianne (Johnson) Lowther
Anchorage, AK
My sister Kathlyn (Johnson) Anderson and I both had daughters from outside Alaska visiting Anchorage over July 4th so we arranged an afternoon get together at the playground in Chugach Foothills Park. Colette (Anderson) Huseby is here from Breezy Point, Minnesota, with her son Erik and daughter Ashley. Kyra (Lowther) Carson and her husband, Ken Carson, were visiting from Mill Valley, California. Jeff and Twila (Anderson) Aydelotte and their six children (Jessica, Spencer, Todd, Brendan, Allison & Hanna) moved from California to Anchorage last year.
Photos © Jerrianne Lowther
Left to right: Colette, Argyle, Brendan, Twila, Kathlyn, Jeff, Kyra & Ken.
UPDATE -- The Moorhead Johnsons' July 4th
by Wyatt Johnson
Moorhead, MN
Jolene worked last night and again tonight (July 4th), so the girls and I tried to stay busy and quiet so Jolene could sleep. We started out by playing outside this morning. Rylie, Brooklynn, and I shared coffee on the second floor of the playset in our backyard. Well, Rylie and Brooklynn had Capri Sun, but we called it coffee.
We left home around 10 a.m. and headed to the Red River Zoo, in south Fargo. It was an absolutely perfect day to be there, as our dry summer has resulted in virtually NO mosquitoes, and the infamous Fargo wind was nowhere to be seen. A perfect 75 degrees completed the perfect summer day.
We took the loop past the cockroaches, tarantulas, fish, skinks, snakes, birds, goats (we even got to pet the goats!), mini-cows, mini-horse, llamas, donkey, camels, meerkats, red panda, takins, ducks, eagles, porcupines, bison, prairie dogs, and many more, all in about an hour and a half. The peacocks that roam the ground were especially friendly, and this one posed atop the zoo sign for a picture with the girls.
Photo © Wyatt Johnson
Brooklynn & Rylie Johnson with peacock.
After that, we took a quick stop at McDonald's for a pair of Happy Meals. The girls weren't hungry, so I didn't order anything for them. There was a parade starting at 12:30 at Minnesota State University, Moorhead, so we picked a spot along 11th Street South.
It was a pretty short parade, but we got some dessert (Tootsie Rolls), and saw patriotism run rampant, as well as some cool police cars, fire trucks, John Deere tractors, some other junky tractors, and a princess (some girl with a crown) -- a little something for everyone.
Tonight, against my better judgement, I'm dragging the girls out to the MSUM fireworks show. It doesn't start until 10:30 p.m., but it's such a good show, and Independence Day only comes once a year! I hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Wyatt
Photo © Wyatt Johnson
Brooklynn & Rylie watched a parade to celebrate Fourth of July.
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
Many Hands Helped With Wedding Preparations
Caity, Jayce and I came down to the Cities on Wednesday to help out where it was possible. Thanks to Kim for taking the kids while I had errands to run. And to Marlene for letting them stay over.
Lori and I were up until 2 a.m. I folded programs and various other things while she did several tasks. Thursday a.m., Marlene, Kim and Whitney brought the kids and the soaps Marlene had made for Lori's wedding. They sat down and helped us with folding name and menu tags and scraping stickers off of the vases, etc. THANKS so much to them! Extra hands made the jobs go quickly and MUCH more fun!
In the afternoon, my two little helpers, Caity and Jayce, came along to help me clean Weston's house, in preparation for his guests for Lori and Shawn's wedding. Those two really hustled and did a super job of helping!
After we were done there, we went along with Lori, finishing up some of the "to do" items left on her list. She's got the washing machine going and is working on several other things, so I'd best get back to helping her out ... in fact, she just called for me.
Oh yes, congratulations on that darling new grandbaby, Kathleen and Earl ... what a dolly!
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Information Center
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/
Summertime and the livin' is easy ... but along with the easy livin' come the allergies to the urushiol oil in poison ivy, oak and sumac. Over half of the population is allergic to this potent oil. Come bring yourself up to snuff on the facts as well as the myths about the allergy. BTW, for your peace of mind, the poison rashes are not contagious; the rash is spread "only if urushiol oil -- the sticky, resinlike substance that causes the rash -- has been left on your hands," so wash often during this time of year! Remember, "Leaves of three, let them be!"
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Who Is This?
Let's Play a Guessing Game: Whenever it is handy to do so we will run a picture of someone of the subscribers or staff members of our e-magazine. Tell us who you think it is -- we will let you know who was the first to guess it right -- and the correct guess -- in the following week's Bulletin.
(Send us some to run; we will line them up in our staging area to take their turn. Thanks to LeRoy Dake and Ginny Dake McCorkell for sending last week's mystery picture.)
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
I was not sure who had supplied the photo for this guess -- but I didn't. Because there are so few of us who knew about this gathering, I decided I should claim eligibility to guess. The photo was taken in the front yard of the Dake family home in Howard Lake, Minnesota. It was an exciting event. Don Anderson, my fiancé, brought his family to meet my family on July 4th of 1950. We had a great time together. --Dorothy Dake Anderson
Back row L-R: Grandma Angie Mellon (in shadow); Gert Dake; Coy Nell Gandy Miller; Mavis Anderson; Don's dad, Harry Anderson; my mom, Amy Mellon Dake, and Don Anderson.
Middle row: Billy Dake, holding Stanley; his wife, Lois Dake; Grandma Greer; DeLoris Anderson; Don's mom, Cleo Anderson; Blanche Miller, holding Steve; that's me (Dorothy) hiding; and my dad, Bill Dake.
In front: Carol Dake, Dwight Anderson and Junior Anderson.
I don't see LeRoy on that GUESS picture.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
Editor's Note: Yes, you are correct ... but he was there, taking the picture.
Sorry to be so long in getting to you on the identity of those in the latest picture! We have been busy with our Granddaughter and GREAT Granddaughter. They went home Tuesday.
The Picture: That is Billy Dake holding Stanley on the left -- can't make out who is behind Billy -- next is Lois, with Carol in front; Gert behind, and then Grandma Greer! I am at a loss for the family next -- know I should know them but just can't bring the names back --then Mom Dake, Blanche holding Steve, then Don Anderson and Dorothy and on the far right is Dad Dake. Wish I could remember the other family.
Tom Miller
Madera, CA
Travelogue t
Greg and Sonja Dake left Durham, North Carolina, for Shanghai, China, on January 6th and returned January 28th. It was a business trip for Greg and Sonja went along. They took extra time for sightseeing while they were there.
Photo © Greg & Sonja Dake
Statue on island, left; feeding seagulls from tour boat on Erhai Lake.
Traveling to Yunnan Province
Visiting Dali -- A Boat Tour on Erhai Lake
(posted by Sonja)
Another hour or so and we arrived at the large island. This was more what you think of as an island, with a small stretch of sand beach and some hills. There was a hotel there, behind which was an open space with statues of local gods. There were even a half dozen or so private residences on the water.
The main feature of the island, though, was a 17-meter (56 foot) tall, pure white marble statue of Guanyin, that you could see from a long way away across the water. Will told us it was the tallest marble statue in the world. It was quite impressive. When we got to the top of the island, close to the statue, it was very apparent how big it was. Her toenail was the size of my open hand, fingers and all.
We took pictures of the various statues, and some of the scenery on the island, then had to head back to the boat. We took a quick detour to take a picture of a bronze statue we'd seen in passing on the way in, then made it to the boat before they pulled the gangway up. It was only another 30-minute boat ride to the shore. We didn't return to the same dock we started from.
During that time we acquired an escort of sea gulls, begging for food. The people were only too happy to oblige. Some even went below decks to buy bread snacks to feed to them. Needless to say, we were soon mobbed by them. They weren't the same as the seagulls I've seen in the 'States though, they had smaller, longer bodies and heads. They also didn't have a cry as harsh as the ones in the 'States.
One little boy ran out of bread to feed them and started pulling pieces of orange rind apart and throwing to them. The birds soon grew wise to that, though, and didn't try to eat them. One of them caught a piece of orange rind while hovering right over the boat deck, then decided he didn't want to eat it. He came right over the boat where the boy was standing and very deliberately dropped the piece of rind on the fake grass carpet at the boy's feet! I thought that was hilariously funny, as did everyone else that saw it happen.
No other seagulls came right over the boat like that; the rest stayed just off the railings. I told Greg what it had done; he didn't see it happen. He took a picture of the rind there on the deck. So that's the story of the picture of an orange speck on fake grass on the boat. :) Greg took a lot of pictures of the seagulls as they swooped around trying to get food. It had warmed up enough by then, almost noon, to take jackets off but it still wasn't what you would call warm.
Once back on land, and back in the van, Will asked if we were ready for lunch. We definitely were. He asked if we would like to return to the same restaurant as yesterday's lunch and we agreed. So back we went. We had mushrooms again, and a beef, a pork, and a chicken dish. This time, in spite of the "no seafood" request, they brought out a pot of what looked like fish soup. We didn't try it, and when Will noticed it was there said we wouldn't have to pay for it since we didn't order it. We decided to indulge in more Dali beer with lunch; it was just as good as we remembered.
While we were eating, a German family came into the restaurant and were seated at a table behind us. Mother, father and teenage boy. I asked Greg if he thought they would try the Dali beer, and if so what they would think of it. They might think it was water; it was very light, no bitterness and not at all like German beer. I was a little disappointed to hear them order Coca-Cola to drink, but a little later they did get some Dali beer. No idea if they liked it or not; I didn't presume to ask.
Once we finished eating we wandered over to the souvenir tables to look them over. We hadn't done so before, so we wanted to this time. We had noticed and liked some paintings hanging up, and I wanted a CD of the music we had heard at Butterfly's Dream and at the ceremony on the boat. I got another lesson in haggling, because I liked a display of butterflies preserved in postcard-like displays. She said they were 50 RMB, I think, but when I was ready to pay that she said something to Will. He said "you have to tell her you'll pay less." So she made me haggle for them! :) I ended up paying I think 20 RMB for it, which was probably still too much, but in my mind, worth it.
Then I picked out a two-CD set of music, and again it was time to haggle. I got those down to 35 RMB from I think 75 or so. Greg asked about the price of the painting but they wanted 160 RMB for it; he didn't want to haggle and decided not to get it. (Which was good because we later found the same ones in Lijiang, larger and cheaper.)
So it was back to the van, for another 3-1/2 hour ride back to Lijiang. We thanked Will for his wonderful guide service and gave him a tip of 200RMB. Even though it isn't required, for tours it is not frowned upon and we felt he had more than earned it. A couple of hours into meeting him I started to think of him as a friend, not just a guide. His business card has his e-mail address, and he told us to e-mail him to let us know when we get our marble picture.
I dozed the first hour or so of the ride, until we got back to the same shop we had stopped at on the way two days before. This time I got out, since I needed a restroom stop. Too much Dali beer at lunch! When I got inside I discovered it was another jade shop, but didn't look around any this time. I did look at the snacks by the door for myself this time, but was glad I didn't take Greg up on his bet. I would have lost. I had no idea what ANY of those foods were. We again were given bottles of water by the driver, and back we went on the road to Lijiang.
to be continued
Photo Editor's Note: We are serializing Sonja and Greg's web log and illustrating it with the photos they are posting, but there is far more photo material available than we will be able to fit in The Bulletin, so we also provide the links to the blog, for those who are interested:
Web Log: http://sonjas-travels.blogspot.com/
As you may remember from last year's write-up of "Canada Works VI -- Hank and the Eel Pout," a group of friends that I work with go to Canada for a few days of fishing on Lake of the Woods once a year. This year, only three of us were able to make it, (from left in picture above) Muskie, Chip, and "Howie" [Wyatt]. Mickey is planning a two week vacation with his lovely wife for their 10-year wedding anniversary, Big D is in the process of moving to Iowa for a new job, and Wishy had family in town from all over the U.S. for his grandmother's 90th birthday. With these plans, we were able to give them excused absences from this year's trip.
Muskie and Chip left Sunday afternoon, June 18th, as Muskie now lives in Wadena, and Chip was passing through there that day from a weekend trip with his family. That left me with a 5-1/2 hour drive, all by myself with my own thoughts, which was quite a change from my usual trips these days. There were no little girls screaming because the other touched her seat, or because they needed something to drink, or because they needed more snacks. I considered just spending the week driving around like this, but thought fishing sounded like fun, too. I left Moorhead at 7 a.m. Monday, after dropping the girls off at daycare, since Jolene worked Sunday night.
I arrived at Buena Vista Resort, near Morson, Ontario, around 12:30 p.m. I stopped by the cabin to drop off my bag, and headed down to the docks to wait for Chip and Muskie. We'd decided they should come in to pick me up around 1:30, so I sat around and chatted with a couple of dockhands. One was the 14 year old grandson of the owner of the resort. Ryan was from Utah, and this was his first full summer working at grandpa's resort. He was a nice kid, but seemed like he'd have been more at home on the ski slopes than the dock.
Around 1:30, The Baron arrived (A mid 80's model Lund Baron boat with a 150 HP Mercury Black Max motor, and a 9.9 HP Mercury kicker that's used for trolling. For the fishing illiterate, trolling is a way of fishing where you drop your lines in the water, then drive the boat at a slow speed, making whatever type of bait you have spin or wiggle, or whatever it does to attract fish.
We headed to one of our usual spots, near Garden Island, northwest of BVR. It was a little slow, but we were able to get our limit of two walleyes each. The biggest one was just over 16 inches; the others were 14 to 15 inches, which are "nice eaters" (fishermen's way of saying they're fairly small). The perch in the picture below didn't quite make "nice eater" status. No, that wasn't my bait, that was a fish that I caught!
Monday evening was burger night, where we all discussed how much more fun it would have been to have the other three stooges there.
Before I get to Tuesday, I should describe how we fish for walleyes on Lake of the Woods. As I talked about above, we troll, using a hook with a small colored spinner that spins around above the bait to attract the fish to the bait. The bait is typically a minnow, though we occasionally use nightcrawlers or leeches. Above this hook is a leader, which is about 12 inches of fishing line that is heavier than the rest of the line used. This is so when the sharp teeth of the fish hit this line close to the bait, it (theoretically) doesn't break. We typically use 8 to 10 pound test line, while these leaders are more like 16 to 20 pound test. Above this leader is a lead weight that is 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 ounces, to help get the bait and lure down to the bottom.
As we troll along, we hold the pole so that our forefinger is touching the line close to the reel, which gives a better feel for when you're getting a bite. When a fish bites, you then give it a little line to make sure it has the hook in its mouth, before giving the pole a tug to "set the hook." Then you slowly reel it in, allowing it to fight and hopefully tire itself out, while one of the others mans the net to scoop up the fish once it gets close to the boat. Too often, these "bites" are actually the jagged rocks on the bottom of the lake grabbing the lure, which you can sometimes get out, but many times have to break the line and tie on a new lure. Unfortunately, the fish usually hang out near the bottom, so it's best to have the lure down there close to the rocks.
Tuesday, we headed to another of our usual spots, "My Place," which is a very small, incredibly wind-blown island with horrendously jagged rocks threatening to snatch the lures at any second. If it sounds like a terrible place to fish, that's because it is. However, there are ALWAYS walleyes all around that structure, so we fish there often. We caught a few more "nice eaters" there in the morning, before going to another usual spot on Rubber Island for the afternoon.
There, Muskie was able to pick up a 25-incher, which we released. It's considered sporting to release or mount the really big ones, as they're usually the females, and releasing them will mean more fish and bigger trophies in the future. We also picked up an 18-incher and a 17-incher, which are perfect size for bringing home. We got rained on a little, but The Baron has a small canvas top that can be put up to keep us a little drier, which helped. "Chicken drummie night" made sure we had enough food in our starving bellies. Yeah, that's it, starving.
Many other people "jig" instead of trolling, which means they attach a hook with a large colored lead head on it, putting the bait on that hook. They then just drop it over the side of the boat and jig the lure, which means they bob it up and down to attract the fish. Many of the seasoned guides do it this way, as they feel this is the way to get the bigger ones. I remember as a kid doing most of my fishing on Lake of the Woods that way, probably because it's frustrating for a dad or FFA teacher to have to keep replacing lures for a kid who can't tell rocks from fish!
to be continued
Photo © Wyatt Johnson
Wyatt catches a tiny perch.
How Bears Fish For Alaska Salmon
By Jerrianne Lowther
Anchorage, AK
When Kyra and Ken Carson came to visit this week, we took two days for a floatplane vacation in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks. One of our favorite stops was at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park. Huge coastal brown bears gather at the falls to catch leaping red salmon headed for their spawning grounds upstream. The biggest bears take the choicest fishing spots.
Their method is very simple -- but nobody said it was easy! They stand on the lip of the falls and wait for a leaping salmon to jump within reach. They snatch a salmon in their teeth and take it to shore and eat it immediately. Seagulls gather to snatch up the scraps. As soon as a bear finishes eating his catch he returns to his fishing spot to catch another fat salmon. No bag limits for bears!
Photos © Jerrianne Lowther
(1) Open mouth, (2) catch fish (3) head to shore for lunch.
This and That
6
by Elaine Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Photo © Janie Anderson
Elaine Wold in her colorful midsummer garden.
Free weeds -- Pull Them Yourself
"Oh, how pretty!, but what a lot of hard work that must be," visitors say as they survey my flower garden. But I answer that something is not hard work if you enjoy doing it!
I enjoy my flower garden for a number of reasons. First, it gives me a purpose in getting out in the fresh air each day. I find it interesting and exciting to look and see what is sprouting, budding, or blooming each day. Then, it provides me with exercise, as it makes me bend, lift, stretch and use various muscles to keep me agile. I find it makes for a good gymnasium!
My garden is a place for reflecting and meditating, and many thoughts go through my mind as I work among the flowers. It's a time to separate oneself from the cares of the world as one works among the beauties of nature.
My garden is part of my social life. It makes for friendships as I watch various walkers stop and view the flowers and I often visit with them. One can exchange plants with others and that makes for friendships, too. I often share bouquets with those in the nursing homes who enjoy flowers they cannot grow anymore.
My flowers are mostly perennials. They multiply fast, are very hardy, and are easier to care for. Each has its own season. Earliest in the spring, the tulips make a grand showing for several weeks. By the time they are through, the hybrid iris and peonies are displaying their brightest. Next, the Canadian shrub roses add a lot of color in the garden and around the house. Right now, the various colored lilies are at their best. Adding color now are the galardia and monarda plants, too.
Among the flowers can be seen an archway, numerous birdhouses and a birdbath, a little windmill, and a chair with a basket of flowers and sunbonnet on it. Birds, butterflies, bees, and yes, even rabbits and squirrels inhabit the place! No flower garden would be complete without some plaques... One says, "Welcome to my garden"; another says "free weeds, pick your own." And every gardener knows the familiar verse, which I have on a plaque, also:
"The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth.
One is nearer God's heart in a garden,
Than anywhere else on earth."
Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"
Photos © Janie Anderson
Tuberous begonia, left; hardy shrub rose, right.
Photo Editor's Note: Janie Anderson made many beautiful photos in Elaine Wold's garden -- more than will fit in this issue of The Bulletin -- but you can see them here:
o In Service To Our Nation j
Gert Dake Pettit is compiling information on family members and friends of the Dake family who served in the armed forces during and after World War II.
Seaman 2 class Donald W. Anderson, U.S. Navy, 1946
Donald W. Anderson
After several farm deferments, my luck run out and in 1945 I was scheduled to be drafted. Not liking the Army, I enlisted in the Navy. After getting recruit training at San Diego, California, I jumped from a dock during an "abandon ship" procedure and broke my arch in one foot. I was discharged in the spring of 1946.
I chose not to go into the reserves, so instead I joined The 164th Infantry Division of the North Dakota National Guard and served the two years required.
In 1951, at the beginning of the Korean War, I got orders for a physical exam and consequently I was drafted into the Army. I went to Fort Lewis, Washington, for basic Infantry training and later was sent to Fort Jackson for training in HQ. & HQ. Company.
Many World War II veterans were drafted and after six months were discharged. I was discharged in June 1951.
Serial Numbers Don Anderson:
Navy 329 89 89 Seaman 2 class
National Guard 389 65 79 PFC
Army U.S. 55 109 889 PFC
Don & Dorothy, summer of 1950, were engaged then.
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
Just Married
July 8---Lori Chap to Shawn Ostendorf
Best Wishes!
This Week's Birthdays
July 13---Zach Bratten
July 15---Tom Morgan
July 15---William Earl Dake
July 15---Sherry Dake
Happy Birthday!
More July Birthdays
'
July 1---Suzanne McCorkell
July 1---Zachary Elliot Smith (2 years)
July 3---Vonnie Dake
July 5---LeRoy Dake
July 5---Jennifer Dake Horne
July 6---James Miller
July 7---Kimberly Johnson
July 8---Trenton Loredo Roberson (3 years)
July 18---Callie Printz (5 years)
July 19---Patricia Dake Myer
July 19---Marlee Morgan Freesemann
July 19---Devon S. Stewart (12 years)
July 20---Michael Miller
July 20---Susie Miller Smith
July 24---Jeni Larson
July 26---Tytus Joshua Myron (11 years)
July 27---Wyatt Timothy Mellon (9 years)
July 29---Heather Henderson
July 29---Colleen Mellon Scott
July 30---Justin Printz
July 31---Tim Myron
July Anniversaries
Z
July 8---Shawn and Lori Ostendorf (next year)
July 19---Dan and Nancy Mellon (37 years)
July 27---Larry and Sherry Dake (28 years)
July 29---Charles and Ardis Sigman Quick (34 years)
July Special Days
O
July 4---Independence Day
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Dear Miss Hetty,
As for my 21st birthday, I had a great day. The day started out with a beautiful bouquet of roses from Dan. My parents also came to visit us for the weekend. I was a Father's Day baby so it's always fun to celebrate the two occasions together! We had dinner at Red Lobster and then my sister surprised us by bringing an ice cream cake. To top the weekend off, we even saw Curt, Patty, Ben, Heather and Mason on their way back from Dagmar convention. Of course, we shared what was left of the cake! :)
Hope you have a good week ... we're looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend at the wedding.
Gina Henderson
Fargo, ND
Gina celebrates 21 years with roses from Dan.
Thank you for the birthday greetings! We were invited to a "moving-away" get-together for one of the ladies in Winston-Salem, and they surprised me with a cake, too. The picture is of Lois (my co-worker this year) and myself. I always enjoy The Bulletin!
Suzanne McCorkell
Winston-Salem, NC
Photo © Betty Droel
LeRoy Dake celebrates birthday.
The phone rang while we were at the breakfast table -- it was Ginny McCorkell, wanting to invite us to a noon meal as a surprise to Vonnie, whose birthday was yesterday (July 3rd), and LeRoy, whose birthday is tomorrow (July 5th). Jack and Virginia Adair were there, also, so the eight of us had a very special birthday dinner.
Of course, Virginia and I both said we would have to tell Miss Hetty about this.
Please note the size of Larry's dessert. The second picture, with both Larry and Virginia, was mainly to show you that he ate ALL his ice cream.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
Photo © Betty Droel
Larry McCorkell ate all his ice cream.
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?
Everyone!
Miss Hetty
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click here to review last week's Bulletin
After every Bulletin I think, "that was terrific, now I need to write to Dorothy"! However the weeks slip by with only good intentions. I do look forward to Saturday afternoons and The Bulletin's arrival. My heart is thrilled to see pictures of my "cutie" grandkids or Levi. Pictures of everyone's kids do good for our hearts, I think.
Jennie and Chris are due to arrive in just a few hours. This is weekend four in a row that we have spent with them. We also took a quick trip to Durham to see Greg and Sonja over the Fourth. I love this crazy busy life with the family. In between weekends, I have been busy sewing capes and costumes for play clothes for the kids. Both Ethan and Carrie love to dress up. Of course, grandma loves to see them smile. :)
Gert's articles on the servicemen have been heart warming. Especially Uncle Jim's. I remember as a kid seeing his uniform in a trunk upstairs at their house. My dad always spoke with pride and respect when he talked about Uncle Jim's time in Europe. It was interesting to read a little about it. Would love to know more. My thanks go out to each and every one who has served.
Sonja's stories of China are great. I have heard some in person but the word pictures are so enjoyable. I am sure it helps that they are my kids, but it is fun to read every week.
Thanks to all of you who work on The Bulletin and contribute so much to our lives every Saturday.
Carolyn Miller Dake
Duluth, GA
I am sorry, Lori (Shawn, too), that I am not in town for your wedding! This will be a world class event that I'm not happy to miss. I wish you the best, and hugs all around! Lori, you have outdone yourself this time, finding a guy as nice as Shawn. Welcome, Shawn, to our family!
All is going well here in Grants Pass, Oregon. My new job is better than I could've asked for. I am finding (as of yet) that I am well trained for this position, and I will enjoy doing less of the actual work and more of the planning and layout. Hi to everyone, keep up the good work and keep The Bulletin rolling!
Richard Johnson
Long Lake, MN, but currently in Grants Pass, OR
Editor's Note: Rich is in Grant's Pass for training. They are framing up a complex for assisted living. The company he is working for provides the overseeing and coordinating while they are building it. Rich is in Oregon to walk through his duties with the man who is doing the kind of work Rich is to do in New Mexico. We are glad to pass on your message to Lori and Shawn and to hear that you like your new job, Rich -- and I am sure everyone would like you to give us a job description and a little more information about your plans. May we hear from you again, soon?
Thanks so much to all of you who helped create the article on my dad [Rolly Mellon]. Dad passed in 1999, preceded by Mom in 1996. They were wonderful parents and we miss them greatly.
In looking through pictures to send you, I was struck by how well children seemed to be dressed in the 30's. I was told that my Grandpa Everett was not significantly affected by the Depression, yet I was surprised to see Dad and Diana always so well-dressed.
Speaking of Aunt Diana, as many of your readers know, she is struggling with some health problems currently and your prayers for her will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks again, Dorothy and Gert.
Dan Mellon
Alta Loma, CA
What fun learning about Rolly! It is weird to think of all the ancestors a person has that they know nothing about! Thanks for filling us in... I hope we will see more such features in the future.
Kudos also to Jerrianne for how streamlined and-state-of-the-art these features (and the rest of The Bulletin) look.
Doug Anderson
St. Cloud, MN
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
The Bulletin arrived right on schedule, but I wasn't on schedule. I watched and waited for it, but I was busy with some special company leaving and more coming. As soon as I had a chance, I sat down and read it word for word, enjoying every single thing in print and picture.
There were many interesting things in it this time mainly for the family The Bulletin was originally intended for, although through the years others have slipped into your subscribers list and been included right along with the rest from time to time. That makes it very special, and always new and interesting, never knowing when someone you know well will be showing up on the pages.
I was so glad for the first picture depicting the important message of the week -- our Miss Liberty. She represents our country in its unselfish freedom and hospitality, though it is being abused. We are thankful every day for our citizenship in this great United States of America.
So now we know Coni and Weston's coming appointments and plans. Sounds like they are doing all they can, and one can't do any more than that. We wish them well, again.
Can you imagine the household with three boys welcoming that sweet, brand new, baby sister, Trinidy? Congratulations to the Robersons.
Also, with the brand new home almost built in Wahpeton, North Dakota, we truly applaud your time and exhausting efforts to choose all the necessary things a new home will need. Colors and fabrics and brands -- sometimes you know right off the bat what you want and like, which is nice.
What a very precious picture of the little lamb and little Levi! I heard of another brand new baby Levi (Arvig) in the last day or so.
What a touching experience to have spent time with your old nanny families, Donna. Some things can only be "felt," not "telt" when it comes to such occasions.
I don't see LeRoy on that GUESS picture. I sat behind him this afternoon. He always has a quiet smile for everyone, and he and Vonnie take very attentive care of one another. It is so wonderful when folks can grow old together. That's when they need someone the most -- as they get older and less able.
"OUR" time in China was made especially interesting again by the story of the tour and the food and the excellent descriptions of all the sights and sounds and smells to be experienced. And, again, we were glad to see the "to be continued."
Ary's deck pictured with the lovely flower arrangements on it was extremely high in the building. I am wondering what floor that would be, to see the world below so small.
Glad you made it back safely from Florida, Donna. Thanks for a detailed diary.
I really enjoyed the story of Rolly Mellon, even though I did not know the family. Where would Diana be now? OR, is that "our" Diana that is sick these days? Was so nice that you included the more recent pictures of the 50th anniversary. Time makes changes. (Yes, indeed, that photo is of "our" Diana Mellon Martin. -Ed.)
Dorothy had written about you making a trip, Don, so thanks for the story of it from the early morning all through the visits, and even the nostalgic trip back to Alex.
Fun to see the picture of Mitzi. Who wouldn't just love that kind of pizza?
We don't get tired of seeing pictures of the newborns as they grow older, and now this picture of Mason is unbelievable from the tiny baby he was just not long ago.
We've anticipated this wedding of Shawn and Lori for a long time, but now it's finally coming to pass this Saturday. They look like a very happy couple in love, and we wish them many years of it only getting better and better. We know; we've been there.
Now that was a pretty ugly creature in the Foto-funnies. I didn't look at that very long, I think I am a vegetarian, too, if Doug plans him for the meat course!
Thank you again for all it took to put together our 211th Bulletin. We hope we do our part to make it worthwhile and easier and keeping you inspired. If you ever run out of material, just turn the keyboard over to Miss Kitty.
Betty Droel
CHUCKLES
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell
Suzanne McCorkell's "whopper" perch. (Sorry about that, Wyatt.)
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Quotation for the day: One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. --Dale Carnegie
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.
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