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Sunday, February 10, 2008
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Happy Valentine's Day!

Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Orchids for all the sweethearts out there...

Photos © Whitney Johnson
Boat dock, left; Anacapa Island Lighthouse, right.

Update -- California visit by way of Albuquerque
by Whitney Johnson
Acton, CA

We're in sunny California now, but on our way here it was a little more snowy than sunny! We ran into some storms in Iowa and then again after we left Albuquerque. We saw 16 cars in the ditch in Iowa and then nine semis in the ditch amongst all the other cars between Albuquerque and Flagstaff. We arrived in Acton all in one piece the 29th of January after staying at Heidi and Ryan's in Albuquerque.

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Update -- a weekend with the Shockeys
by Janie Anderson
Wahpeton, ND

Melanie reads to Greta.

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Photo © Jeni Larson
Madi & first birthday cake.

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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. Merna Morgan Hellevang supplied last week's mystery picture.

Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):

Editors' Note: Correct guesses appear in bold face type and incorrect guesses in normal type.

I must say I tried, but there is not one thing about either lady in the GUESS picture that I can recognize. Will be interesting to find out who they are. I know Ruth Fertch had a forehead like the one on the left, so wonder if it is one of her relations? First thing I noticed was how slim and erect they were. Is that a Kaiser or Frazer in the background?

Kaiser-Frazer, founded by Henry J. Kaiser and Joseph W. Frazer, president of the Graham-Paige Corporation, started making automobiles with the brand names Kaiser and Frazer after World War II.

The company also built a small car called the Henry J, named for Henry Kaiser. A slightly re-designed version of the Henry J was sold by Sears during 1952 and 1953 under the brand name Allstate. This car was referred to (by me) as "Henry Junk." This car was tagged as a product of Sears-Roebuck. While listed, for informational purposes, in the Sears "wish books," the Allstate could not be purchased by mail order. It did not go over too well, if I remember. It reminds me a lot of the fate of the PT Cruiser of today.

In 1948, I recall reading, after many disputes with Henry Kaiser, Joseph Frazer resigned as president of Kaiser-Frazer; Henry Kaiser's oldest son, Edgar was made president. During 1953 and 1954, Kaiser Motors operations at Willow Run, Michigan, were closed down or moved to the Willys facility. Kaiser car production in the USA ended during 1955.

Our dad had a Kaiser automobile at that time. A later model Kaiser was purchased from Betty Weioland Droel's mother [Mrs. Harold Weiland] in 1956. A story on that, Caribbean Coral, was published earlier in Bulletin 189 and another, The Hunt For Carribean Coral, was in Bulletin 191.

Both cars were well ahead of the competition and were more advanced, but the buyers were not ready for changes. Of some of the strange cars made after the war, it was said you could double the value of the car by filling the gas tank.

Both Frazer and Kaiser models had much better riding qualities, plus the heating systems were far superior to the competition. There was no need for "frost shields" on the Kaiser-Frazers. (Who recalls frost shields?)

Our dad liked cars. It was common to see five or six in his yard at one time, plus three trucks. They were older and used in the operation of the farm. I will say this: The total value of all of them would not be as much as one brand new, medium-priced car of today.

Cars, used or new, were very reasonably priced and insurance was not heard of in the days of old. Gas was 24 cents a gallon during wartime rationing days. A new 1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster 4-door cost $1,675. Full price.

I wonder how many of you readers would have liked to live back in those days?

Don Anderson
Alexandria, MN

Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Imlil, a Moroccan village high in the Atlas Mountains.

A Day Trip In The High Atlas
by Kjirsten Swenson
Houston, TX

Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Villager on the road to Imlil. The highest peaks were behind me, buried in the clouds.

Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Boys playing street soccer in Imlil.

On the ride up, I met an elderly merchant from the Sahara who also has a home in Imlil. He speaks excellent English, and I was thrilled to share conversation and mint tea in his home for an hour before setting off to hike.

Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Trader from the Sahara (notice the turban) has a shop in the High Atlas. He entertained me with lots of stories on a blustery morning and shared a pot of mint tea, too.

I walked too far and returned to Marrakech so sore and tired that I needed a taxi to shuttle me back to my hotel.

To be continued ...

Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper

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I was so glad for the Update of LeRoy Dake. We hadn't heard all those details, so it was thoughtful of you to send that in, Ginny, and now today you say they (Mother and Dad both) are doing as well as can be expected. Roy has a special place in his heart for LeRoy, so we are glad for any and all news.

It was so special to see a picture of Will and Karol Thompson in Florida. I had not seen them since the inevitable white hair had appeared, but they still look very young, as they always have. I did a doubletake again when I saw Lorraine Slotten's name. I immediately pictured my friend Lorraine Slotten, who is Lorraine Jacobsen in Montana now. Then I remembered having seen that couple in The Bulletin before. I don't remember ever meeting the Warrens. Tom and Mavis won't get lonesome, anyway.

The link to watch Shane and Jayna go skiing was really fun and interesting. The YouTube videos of them with sound was quite an accomplishment. I tried to enter a comment on their web site, but it never did go through.

FINALLY, we got to see the Fusion! Cute story along with it, Weston, and I am sure you were desperate to get a picture for us before it got dusty! You took a perfect picture, that's for sure. NICE CAR. Too bad you had to take it out on the slushy roads, but who wants to leave such a nice car parked?

I guess I never heard why Mitzi goes to market. She must be a buyer. Quite an experience to be responsible to shop at the New York markets for days! You would have been very concerned to see blood on your son's shirt, Mitzi, and we are glad it wasn't more serious. Hockey looks risky with the sharp skates. Good thing Sheldon was there with his medical expertise.

The first thing I thought when I saw you have plane tickets to Peru was a Travelogue we will get to see about it. Never a dull moment in your family!

I almost laughed out loud over the expression on Oreo's face on that picture. He does look shocked and amazed. I just can't take it in that Miss Kitty is such a storyteller and excellent typist. Her description of the new washer and dryer is hilarious, and exactly what a cat would be thinking. By the way, Miss Jerrianne, you are fortunate to have gotten new machines, and I am sure they match. What brand? How do you like them? Am sure there is not a minute you miss the old ones. We want to see that story of laundry in the good old days when Miss Jerrianne gets a chance at the keyboard.

I guess I have a favorite this week. It's the Ring-Necked Pheasant story. What a work of art to create those birds, so lifelike with the right body size and action, mounted on the stands! I really admired that work, Sheldon. I imagine the pile of skin and feathers that you start with. Unbelievable to have those magnificent birds looking so life-like, mounted. Excellent photos Mitzi took. Thanks for sharing this story with us.

I looked on the Internet for Taxidermy and found a website of a young lady, Amy's Animal Art Taxidermy, which proved it can become a passion. I was hoping to see how she did it, but it was only finished animals posted.

I was so impressed as I silently studied those two pictures, which happened to print on the same page for me. They look alike! One in Morocco, and the other in Luverne, Minnesota. So impressive, thinking of nature being the same in every age and in every part of the world. That was good thinking to place these two pictures together, Photo Editor! Also, both black and white.

And then to the continuation of the Travelogue by Kjirsten. More amazing photography. The one smaller picture of the camel's head looks like a posed picture for National Geographic. Also the weird, lopsided nest of the stork.

I'm sure the storekeeper is still smiling with thoughts of that American girl trying on his wares, but you can't make a Moroccan out of pale-skinned Kjirsten.

A Long Time Ago was what Donald wrote about his mother doing the laundry, but that story isn't in place of the one you are going to tell us about your mother, is it, Jerrianne? We still need that story. Donald B. Johnson was truly a great storyteller, as are his children now. You could just visualize this wash day and the clotheslines and the neighbors checking each other's wash out, even to the time of day it was hung. We never tire of hearing about the good old days, do we?

Between Kjirsten and the traditional outfit, and her dad and his pheasants, and Jayna and Shane's web site link, it was a most unique Swenson Bulletin this time. One not likely to be repeated! Sounds like Kjirsten and Sheldon have some adventures planned, which we know will reach The Bulletin pages eventually. We can hardly wait!

The CHUCKLES was totally different this time, but just as full of chuckle possibilities, being we get to submit the pheasant's comment. I hope some of the clever subscribers will send in their guesses. Mine would be: (scroll down to read it).

I didn't know a camel couldn't back up. Isn't that interesting? Nice Quote!

Once again, even though the above looks like a lot of words, I really am at a loss for a way to express how much we enjoyed Bulletin #294. If you ever get the feeling that it's a common issue, just ask us who see it after it's all finalized, rather than while you are going through all the work to complete it.

Betty Droel

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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

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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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