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Sunday, February 7, 2010
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Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Thai dragon with flags.
(Scroll down to the Travelogue for the story.)

Updates -


Photo © Linda Zitzmann
Lots of snow, as seen from my window.

UPDATE -- snow scenes from my window after the storm
by Linda Zitzmann
Eagan, MN

Editor's Note: Linda is an aunt of my Chap grandchildren. We have an update of the time when she got her new digital camera in Bulletin #388 (November 22, 2009) with a sample of her first attempts. Thanks to Linda for sharing. --DMA

   
Photos © Linda Zitzmann
Blue Jay awaits his turn at the feeder, left; Cardinal stops by for a bite to eat, center; a hungry squirrel has to eat, too, right.


Photo © Linda Zitzmann
My front tree.


Photo © Linda Zitzmann
Woodpecker at the feeder.


Photo © Linda Zitzmann
Finch at the feeder.


UPDATE -- Friday evening
by Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND

I don't have a lot of news but I thought I would just get a note off to let you all know that all is going well here.

We got quite a bit of fresh snow today and it's to continue through Sunday. I hope no one sneezes or we will have a good, old-fashioned blizzard.

I made two loaves of bread today in my machine. I had planned to give one away. One turned out lopsided and the other turned out perfectly. I suppose I can eat a lopsided loaf and still give a nice one away -- that way I will make a good impression as a great baker!

Also did some bill paying and got some snail mail off. But one doesn't want to spend your whole day at work ... and so I had a nice break and had coffee this afternoon with my friend Rhonda, who works at the Leach Home.

Hope all are keeping well.


Elaine Anderson Wold


UPDATE -- fun with time-lapse video
by Jerrianne Lowther
Anchorage, AK

If your Internet connection is fast enough for streaming video, you might enjoy some time lapse videos by Anchorage Daily News photographer Bob Hallinen. At a photographers' meeting last Tuesday, Bob showed us a work in progress, now completed, about painting a salmon mural at the Anchorage Museum and several other recent works. Whether the subject is an artist painting a mural, clouds forming, or a visit to the Alaska State Fair, the subject really moves with time lapse video photography!

The process is pretty complex. First, he puts a digital still camera on a tripod and sets it to shoot one frame (or two frames) every second. Then he edits the sequence as a video in Final Cut Express, adding cuts and fades, speeding up the motion or slowing it down, changing viewpoints, etc. He adds narration and music to make a mini-movie that lasts but a minute or two ... up to three. Finished works are posted on the Anchorage Daily News web site as "multi-media." Four of Bob's latest creations are posted here.

You may have noticed that this has been kind of a slow news week ... but next week, the 400th issue of The Bulletin, falls on Valentine's Day AND Chinese New Year on Sunday, followed immediately by Presidents' Day on Monday. Time to buy valentines, firecrackers and chocolate!



Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell; photo by Jeni Larson
Mermaid Madi Larson swimming in bubble bath.


Day to DayR
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN


Photo © Ken Carson
Oreo prepares to review the recommended literature on cats.

Cats

This cat site is a "Cat Essential" must, including everything you need to know from A to Z about Cats, A to Z on Feline Health and loads more categories, all pertaining to cats. Even if you're not a cat person, you're sure to fall in love with the cat featured in the Photo of the Day, an enchanting feline snapshot, changed daily. Stop by for a peep; you may even decide to adopt a furry friend, instructions about which can be found in the Adoption section.

The Crazy Cat Ladies Society & Gentlemen's Auxiliary

You might want to check out a site that endeavors to use humor to counter the stereotypes people make about folks who share their lives with cats. "Why is it okay for people to have several dogs, but when someone has several cats, she (and it's usually a 'she') is automatically targeted as a 'crazy cat lady'?" Come, find out and share a little cat humor!


The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN

CrossWord Challenge

A challenge to CrossWord Fans: Pull The Bulletin CrossWord from [last week's] paper and, using your memory and the Archives Search function, do as many of the missing words as you can in one hour. Only then are you allowed to look and see how well you did.

Last night, I did just that. I was able to find 10 correct entries in that time. Note: number 1 down in the answer would have been DAISY -- which did not fit. The answer key used ROLAND, which really would not be correct ... as Roland was Diana's brother, rather than her mother.

I thought it was great fun!


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. Ginny McCorkell supplied last week's mystery photos.

 
How many can you identify? What's going on?

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 ... generally in the order we receive them, so the first guess received is on top.


My guess for the guess picture is that I know for sure the fellow in the gold suit is my brother Don and he maybe told the fellow who is pushing him in the water that he couldn't do it and the fellow proved it. Could it be a Quick man doing the pushing? Looks like Mark Johnson in the water, too. I will get the right answers next week.

Mavis Anderson Morgan
Hope, ND


I would like to take a shot at this week's Guess Who game. At first glance, it appeared that this week's picture was of actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis attempting to push a member of Richard Petty's pit crew into a lake, circa 1980, give or take. However, upon close inspection of the second photo in the series, I now see that the prank victim was not a NASCAR mechanic, but Grandpa Don Anderson.

I am still not sure of the identity of the hirsute fellow perpetrating this act on Grandpa, but it looks like it may be the younger Don Anderson. I don't know if that's right, but I do know that Grandpa's shoes were never the same after this fateful day.

I realize many of the readers may not know who Zach Galifianakis is, so here's a link to a picture. Uncanny, isn't it?

Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN

I know -- yes, I sure do! It's Grandpa Don being pushed into the water by Charlie Quick!

Lori Chap Ostendorf
Rogers, MN


It looks kind of like a grizzly bear taking on a bee, but more likely it's Donnie and Don!

Wyatt Johnson
Moorhead, MN


This is at a family reunion that was held at Uncle Jim and Auntie Blanche's cabin. Charlie Quick is making sure that Dad (Don Anderson) gets a little swim. Little Kimberly Johnson is watching the commotion. Not sure who the fella in the trunks is!

Patty Anderson Henderson
Minnetrista, MN


Ahhh I saw that picture in The Bulletin last week and meant to write in my answer, but I completely forgot! Please forgive me for my forgetfulness!

That is my dear grandpa (Don Anderson) and a blur of me (Heidi Johnson) in the pigtails. Looks like Grandpa's about to get wet!

Heidi Anderson Henderson
Albuquerque, NM


Wowee! That's probably your best one yet! Perfect use for that photo. That's Charlie, of course. Will The Bulletin ever return to normal?

Doug Anderson
St. Cloud, MN


Aunt Dorothy,

We hope that you enjoy your new computer and we pray it stays healthy for as long you need it to. I guess you have most of the addresses restored. This is way late, but I only want to let you know my guess about the mystery pictures before The Bulletin is released. Charlie Quick up to his antics about the time I first knew him and Uncle Don, whom Charlie is shoving into a Minnesota lake, possibly where Jim and Blanche had a cabin. The next pic I would say is Uncle Don deciding whether or not he has the capability to even the score. I will not try to guess on the youngsters.

Earl Stahlecker
Gatesville, TX

Editor's comment: the photo was taken at the lake where Jim and Blanche had a cabin. I'm guessing it would have been 1983 or 1984. --DMA


The GUESS picture was again bewildering to me. Until I saw the second picture, I had no idea who was wearing the orange suit.

Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN


Memory Lane

A series of recollections, of the five years when Bill and Lois Dake and their family lived in Minnesota, began with the episode in Bulletin 343. It's too soon to tell just how many parts there will be in this series, just after World War II. In Bulletin 349, I told more about polio (once called Infantile Paralysis) via two links, Polio and Sister Kenny, to minimize disruption of the narrative flow. Both documents are posted as a series of scanned images. We can't edit them or correct typos and they will not respond to font changes or printer settings as regular Bulletin pages do.


Dorothy Dake, 20, hand tinted portrait, 1946.

Winter In Bemidji
by Dorothy Dake
Howard Lake, MN

News From Home

Last Saturday, right after I finished my chores, I heard the phone ringing out in the hall. I made a quick trip to take the call -- to spare Belle's painful knees (and to find out if it was someone calling for me).

I had been expecting to hear from Blanche. On Tuesday of this last week, I had gotten a letter with a picture enclosed. It was of the exterior of the Ernie Nyman house that is on the farm that the kids are dealing on. Blanche and Jim had done some "looking the place over" at LeRoy's request.

Now Vonnie had wanted them to go over and get the keys from the Nymans and then they could look at the inside of the house and the sheds, too. She is not a complainer, but from some of the things she has mentioned, I am thinking she would like a house with a few more conveniences than the one she and LeRoy are living in right now at the ranch where he works.

It was indeed Blanche, and she had such interesting news! She and Jim had gone to Ernie's and he had the keys ready and sent them to look it all over at as leisurely a pace as they wanted. They took him at his word and made a thorough visit.

She says the buildings have lots of potential, and really, it is in very liveable condition just as it is. Now then, I get kind of carried away at times and talk too much ... Blanche is the quiet kind ... but this time things got turned around. Blanche is such a great observer of things and she saw and reported so many interesting details. So I kept pretty quiet and listened and I shall try to remember the things she reported.

First, she started by telling me about the yard: lots of nice trees (including a couple apple trees, evergreens and various hardwoods) but not enough flowers! (There are plenty available from Mom's perennial bed, or Blanche's for that matter.) There is a row of lilacs along the lane that, with a little trimming, should be gorgeous. And there is a fenced garden out near the pasture. Then she mentioned the barn.

This has been a dairy set up, back when Ernie's father-in-law was living. All the things that were in the sheds are a part of the deal. It looked to Jim like most of the equipment can be made useable again. One thing Dad will be pleased about, for LeRoy's sake ... there is running water piped to the barn (and the house). It looks like it may need repair. It is only large enough for stanchions for eight cows, with a haymow between the right and left sides of the building. The second half has two pens in it. Plenty of carpentry work for Vonnie's dad, Ivan Thomas, when he is able to come from Arizona to help.

Next, they looked in all of the little sheds; some were full of all kinds of things. Some of it looked like it may be useful when LeRoy gets his welder (Jim's observation) and some sheds look like they might be better burned down.

And then came the fun part for us ladies to hear about -- a tour of the house.

The side toward the driveway has a door out from the living room. You drive around and park in the front. That entry leads through a wash room and into a large kitchen.

Now we are to remember that anything the mother-in-law left there that they wanted, they had removed to their home. The Nymans mentioned that he had told LeRoy (and Vonnie) that anything in any of the buildings that they were touring would be left there for them ... so the things Blanche remembered to tell me about being there will be there for them. That is part of what made the tour fun!

The kitchen floor is covered with quite nice linoleum ... flowers, Blanche thought she remembered. There is a sink with a drainboard with curtains around the edge and shelves on one side of the pipes. It has a faucet for cold drinking water and at the opposite end it has a hand pump that you prime to pump soft water from the cistern.

NOW, prime stuff. It has a Monarch cook stove ... in it you can burn cobs, wood pieces, or coal chunks. it has warming ovens on the top and a reservoir for hot, soft water. Blanche says the oven is very nice, indeed. Two nice windows with shades (but no curtains).

The basement is not under the full house but it is finished off and has lots of storage space for winter keeping of vegetables and canned food. Perhaps a hot water heater would be something to plan for. No furnace in this part of the house, as the house is heated with an oil-burning heater that is sitting in the living room.

The rest of the house has rather small rooms, but adequate. The other items of interest in the downstairs were an old wooden rocker (it needs repair but is really cute), an iron bedstead with springs, and a stand in the bedroom with a big bowl that held a large pitcher. Doesn't that sound exciting? I have to get home to help with getting everything explored and dolled up!

Blanche mentioned that the upstairs was completely empty and it did not look like it had been lived in ... the windows are not covered and the rooms have just unfinished wooden floors. BUT it can be finished very handily into two bedrooms, a storeroom, and a bathroom (if they should decide to put it there). Of course, the bathroom could be put in one of the two storage areas on the first floor.

As to floor coverings, there are painted floors in the bedroom and the hall but the living room has had a carpet ... but it really needs replacing. In the living room is a nice, big, double window with a shade ... but there are no curtains on it, either.

It has been empty now for more than a year, so everything will need sweeping, dusting, polishing, and cleaning ... so it is good we have a big family. "Many hands make light work." And my mother would probably add, "and it takes lots of cooks to keep everybody fed!"

Looks to me like it is a sure thing that LeRoy and Vonnie will be living there in a couple of months! And I hope to be there to greet them when they come!


Photo © Jim Miller
LeRoy & Vonnie's new home-to-be near Dassell, Minnesota, 1949.

I believe this picture was taken from the township road and shows the back of the house, which would show a back door, a window from the living room (on the side) and one from the bedroom ... then, if you look closely, you will notice there seem to be cars parked on the opposite side. I picture the big, double, living room window on the end of the house to your left, as you stand on the township road, looking at it. The back entry into the dining room and kitchen area is on the far side, on the back, I think, but I can't remember for sure ... and Ernie didn't remember, either. --DMA


Travelogue t


Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Southeast Asia Extravaganza 2009
by Kjirsten Swenson
Albuquerque, NM

After many days of decadence with not a lot of activity, we were both ready to move. So Sunday morning we rented bikes! After earnestly explaining to Jeff that I am a wimp on a bike, he forgot. But we started slowly, with a very pleasant ride through the city of Chiang Mai to a group of ruins just outside of town. On the way we rode along canals, through a market street, over a river, and through a quiet neighborhood.

 
Photos © Kjirsten Swenson
Detail, gate of photo above, left; morning light on spires, right.

The ruins themselves, the remains of a 700 year old royal city, were interesting and a welcome respite from navigating the city traffic. Imagine any chaotic, developing country metropolis where cars, motorbikes, mini-buses, tuk-tuks, and people compete for space on narrow two-lane roads, and then pretend to be on a bike in the middle of it ... sounds scary, but we agreed that drivers seemed totally used to dealing with non-car traffic, and we felt safe enough.


Photos © Kjirsten Swenson
Three-wheeled tuk-tuks serve as ubiquitous taxicabs in Thailand.

  
Photos © Kjirsten Swenson
Ruined temple, left; temple interior, right.


Photo © Kjirsten Swenson
In Chiang Mai, Thailand.


Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of
5
Hetty Hooper

This Week's Special Days
February 12---Abraham Lincoln's Birthday

This Week's Birthdays
February 7---Rylie Johnson (8 years old)
February 11---Alexander James Indermark (2 years old)
Happy Birthday!

More February Birthdays
' 
February 1---Kathlyn Johnson Anderson
February 3---Penny Miller Kramer
February 4---Cameron Birkholz
February 6---Melody Printz
February 6---Kelli Nicole Mellon (11 years old)

February 27---Bonnie Anderson
February 28---Eric Anderson

February Anniversaries
Z
February 4---Jim and Jan Smith (49 years)
February 6---Russ and Judy Miller Riesenberg (29 years)

February 18---Roy and Betty Weiland Droel (17 years)
February 24---Jess and Louise Cloyd (65 years)
February 26---Tim and Char Morgan Myron (27 years)
February 28---Junior and Doris Anderson (48 years)

February Special Days

February 2---Groundhog Day
February 12---Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
February 14---Valentine's Day
February 15---Presidents' Day
February 22---George Washington's Birthday


Miss Hetty's Mailbox:

Dear Miss Hetty,

Thank you for thinking of me on my birthday.

Age makes a person realize our time left is shorter and the need to make good use of what's remaining.

Larry McCorkell
Blaine, MN



Photo © Linda Zitzmann
Linda Zitzmann's burning bush, decorated with snow.


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?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click here to review last week's Bulletin

This morning, just as I was ready to send out, I received a letter that started thus:

Hope all is well with you. Just realized it was Saturday and no Bulletin and then checked and have not had one since January 10th. Have been so busy myself I did not realize they had gone missing until today. It was always such a welcome visitor on Saturdays.

So I sent out the URLs that take one to the Archives, then I entered my friend's name and address back into my address book and onto my mailing list. Next Sunday she should be back in the loop. Just now came the following Letter to the Editors:

Hi again and thanks ... now I am all caught up. Enjoyed the photo of Don and his siblings! Lots of memories of that family in my youth.

Wow, your computers' problems are way over my head. For publishing I have always used Apple computers and have four of them buzzing all the time in two offices here in my home. They are networked from my employee's home so she can take over her computer, or any of the others in the office, if she needs to work at home occasionally. All four in the office are linked together and my son in Washington can get on my computers anytime and figure things out, if need be.

For the most part there, and for years, we only had one go bad and think it was the kid who came to help me with a problem that created that crash. I lost all my photos, including my Alaska trip that I had just been on. That has been a number of years ago.

Nice to see the snow photos from afar!

You have a great family and fun to see all they do. Love the new sunroom at at the farm. It will get good use.

Barbara Floyd
Phoenix, AZ


Last Week's Bulletin Review JKL
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN

Thanks to the help of dedicated, devoted Bulletin subscribers, our Editor now has her new computer up and running. We all got our Bulletin right on schedule.

So now to try to put together a thank you for our Bulletin #398. Between our Editor and Photo Editor, both with computer issues, we appreciate it even more than ever, seeing it was almost needing to be delayed. A feeble thank you does not seem sufficient to express how much we enjoy The Bulletin.

The first picture was a mystery until I realized it was one Kjirsten had sent, and it was a part of the Travelogue from a Thai cooking class. So interesting. We never know just what that first picture will be. Sometimes our photo editor really surprises us.

It's been awhile since we had an update from Jeni and Kurt. A brand new baby boy being introduced to us, and looks like they are Vikings fans, clear to the newborn. Madi has surely grown up. I wonder if Shari is used to being Grandma by this time?

I was impressed with the photos Rich Weiland had sent in of the snow and hoarfrost on the old buildings. It could look so lonely, but something about it seems peaceful, and memory filled. Freda Huisman's funeral trip reminded me of when I first met Freda. She was in her prime, and we had such lovely, healthful meals at their table. But time takes its toll, and the good old days are rich memories as we rock back and forth.

The sagging farm building reminded me of what Lydia Zimmerli commented one time, "The hands that cared are stilled."

WOW, what a story about Donnie and his sore foot! That would be quite a decision, knowing the recovery time involved, but as with most things, it got beyond a question of "should I?" or "shouldn't I?" but DO IT! What a difference it will make on his every step, after it's all healed. It was fun clicking on the link for "Charlie's Bunion," but somehow the link did not work for me. (It's fixed in the archives now. --Photo Ed.)

What a wonderful letter from Carol Pokornowski and Sadee after their visit at Ashby with the Johnsons! Everything and everyone was included with such appreciation, and that will be pleasant memories for a long time.

I gasped to see the two pans of perfectly browned and shaped buns made from scratch. It looks easy, and I am so tempted to attempt it myself.

I'm not quite sure how "Peeling Craft" is done. Very new to my mind.

We were so glad for the Update on The Editor's Fried Computer -- Final Chapter (we hope).

Speaking of Rich Weiland, once upon a time I had a little baby brother. I was 12 years old, so he was pretty special and I loved taking good care of him. He grew up being what I called "A Golden Jewel," as he somehow managed to stay out of the trouble most kids get into.

He graduated from Patrick Henry High School in north Minneapolis in 1960. He chose to go to Minneapolis School of Business, taking computer training: machine operation and plug board training, which was a precursor to computer programming.

He also taught night courses for the same thing at a different school.

I remember visiting him at his work when the computer room was climate controlled with a locked door. There were huge machines inside for doing the first programming and computing. Eventually, the computers became smaller and smaller. Rich progressed along with each stage of the computer world until his retirement.

So, when our Editor was having computer problems, Rich was ready and willing to see that she would have one of the best computers and running well, after her fried computer needed to be replaced. As our Bulletin this week describes, he and Verlaine made the trip to Alexandria so we could once again be trouble free in getting our Bulletin on schedule.

Rich and Verlaine were married November 3, 1962. He has been in the computer work all his working days, and has lived in the same home in Coon Rapids for nearly 40 years.

Memory Lane. I always look forward to that one, eagerly. This time it was about "Mrs. Walters," who became "Belle." I can imagine how those two older ladies doted on this lovely young person who caused no problems and quietly, faithfully worked and lived simply. How well I remember the mangle! We had one, and became so adept at it that my mother did all the shirts on it, too.

I am trying not to be too ignorant, but I must confess the picture Virginia McCorkell sent in has me wondering. Could it be laundry waiting to be mangled?

I love reading the Travelogue, because it is real. It is a true story without any additions to enhance it. All Kjirsten learned on her trips, and about cooking all that food and rice, will benefit her for the rest of her life. We only have heard of these things, but she has seen it and smelled it first hand ... and tasted it and felt it. Not many young people have such experiences behind them at her age. She will surely be successful.

I really smiled to see the cozy picture of dad and the new baby. No wonder he is so tired -- napping -- as probably he was walking the floor the night before. We have learned that we have to enjoy the new baby pictures, as they are soon beyond that stage.

I know the crossword puzzle will be a winner with most. Kind of a shock to see your own name for 10 across.

Well, the Quotation for the day is about right! Most of us are illiterate when it comes to the computer, beyond clicking on and off. I had such a devastating realization when I tried to bring up a picture in my C drive and I realized they were all GONE. The result of a virus like Dorothy's, but it didn't do as much damage as her virus did.

So, now I had better send this. If it is too wordy or too long, please feel free to condense it -- and thank you, Dorothy and Jerrianne and all.

Betty Droel


FUNNNIES

© Douglas Anderson-Jordet

Click here for a larger version. Click here for a zoomable pdf.

To search a name in Who's Who or Who's Where: click on the link to open the page, then use CONTROL F on a PC or COMMAND F on a Mac. To search for a second occurrence of the name, use CONTROL G on a PC or COMMAND G on a Mac. (This works on ANY web page with text, unless the text is converted to an image. Chances are, it works in your e-mail, too.) HINT: Search by first name only, as most entries list the family name once but do not repeat the last name for each family member. In Who's Where you can search on state or city names, too.



Quotation for the day: The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. --Dorothy Nevill

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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