Oakie's Heart to Heart - Vol. II Iss. 88

Brrrrr..... It's cold out there & a foggy Friday night in Oklahoma! It is beginning to look a lot like... a Wintry Christmas, though! Tuesday (December 12th) of this week that Arctic front ran into the SW front - delivering snow, sleet and ice to most parts of Oklahoma before moving on to the east and north. I hear tell that the SE corner of the state was without electricity and heating for a few days. How did it affect you? Buckle up and drive safely if you have to get out in these winter storms. If you all are heading out for Christmas parties this weekend, please buckle up and Don't Drink & Drive!

Last week I ask for memories of your Christmas Traditions. I think it is only fair that I should relate to you some of my fondest memories of the holidays. Let me take you back to the younger days waking to the smells, sounds of christmas on Seventh & Church street in Alva, Oklahoma.

The decorations & christmas caroling around the downtown square and the anticipation of what Santa would leave me under the tree are only a few memories. I think traveling from Alva to Hopeton to spend the Christmas day with my mother's Paris relatives stand out the most. Mother's brothers, sisters and their families would gather at Grandma & Grandpa Paris' small little house in Hopeton, Oklahoma. Grandma Paris would have her famous bohunk (Bohemian) pastries (kolaches, pies, breads, cinnamon rolls and homemade noodles) filling her home with the fresh baked aroma. Ernest & Mary Paris' nine siblings would be helping in the kitchen, playing dominos, and cards while the cousins would be running throughout the house and exchanging christmas gifts. When the grandparents past on my folks started their own Christmas traditions of seasoned quail breakfast, homemade biscuits & gravy. We would get to peak into our stockings after breakfast. After the quail breakfast, we would gather around to present and unwrap presents that we spent the holidays making or buying. Somehow... The homemade presents from the heart were my favorite. Getting closer to the mid-day big feast... a few aunts & uncles would stop by with their families and everyone would cook, laugh, play cards, dominos and spend a glorious day together stuffing bodies with a meal fit for a king which included the Paris' homemade chicken & noodles, pies, pastries and fresh baked breads. Decorating the house - digging out the 1000 piece-puzzle - visiting friends & Family - sending out holiday cards are just one of the many holiday traditions that fill our home now.

Another reader (Scott in Atlanta) remembers Christmas traditions with dinner at his Grandma's... "Lots of homemade breads and pastries... and the main course? Oyster Stew! I don't know how this got started, but my little family still has the same Christmas Eve dinner here in Atlanta to this day! I still have the picture of me crying my eyes out as a fellow Alva Jr. High teacher of my mom's, dressed as Santa stopped by Grandma's house Christmas Eve to try and give me a fire engine. I would have NOTHING to do with this silly bearded man in the red suit! But the next year... when I was 19... I wasn't afraid of him anymore. Christmas morning was spent at home, opening presents as soon as I could wake everybody up and drag them out of bed. A big Christmas dinner at lunchtime, leftovers for dinner, and Christmas night we'd all pile in the car and drive around Alva to see the lights and decorations - The nativity scene down in the canyon between 14th and Apache Drive; Dr. I.F. Stephenson's 'arches with chasing lights' seen up the hill from down on Highway 281; Fred Neuman's Lighted Coffee Cans hanging in his trees on 14th Street (by the way, Fred... the Alva Boys' Choir Peanut Brittle is awesome again this year... all 30+ boxes I had shipped to Atlanta for the girls in my office!)... and many many more too numerous to mention."

NORTHWEST HAPPENINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS... Pat Steed (Ph.D, Associate Professor
of English at NWOSU and a transplanted Texan) recently has been invited to deliver a presentation on the "Cherokee Strip Museum" at the "Southwest Texas Popular Culture" meeting this coming March in Albuquerque, NM. The title of her paper will be "Digitizing Popular History: The Small-Town Museum Online."

Here is a copy of the proposal that Dr. Steed sent me. She submitted her presentation and it was accepted by a historian down in Texas... "Networked technology has made possible an important outlet for the rural museum to
stake a claim on the new electronic frontier. The Cherokee Strip Museum, organized in 1961 by civic and social clubs of Alva, Oklahoma, went online in January 2000 to bring the popular history of northwest Oklahoma's pre-statehood
days directly to Internet visitors who would have a particular interest in the Land Rush and early settlement years of the Oklahoma Territory. All of the exhibits in the Cherokee Strip Museum were donated by the citizens of Alva and surrounding communities in an effort to preserve a popular history important to their local heritage. I met with the members of the Museum Board to discuss the possibility of putting the Cherokee Strip Museum online. They were enthusiastic about the project, convinced that going digital would initiate more interest in the popular history of northwest Oklahoma. The online project proved to be a worthy initiative. Other rural Oklahoma museums have staked their claim on the digital frontier as well. What needs to be done now is to link all of Oklahoma's small-town museums into a consortium for the study of Oklahoma's popular history. I will briefly discuss the history and operation of the Cherokee Strip Museum and then explain the principles behind the design of its web site."

If any of you have information concerning Oklahoma's small-town museums or histories, Pat would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Just e-mail Pat mailto:plsteed@alvant.alva.ok.us with your information. Stop by Patricia L. Steed's "NWOSU Web Page" - www.nwosu.edu/English/drsteed.htm - and "Personal Web Page" - www.alvant.alva.ok.us/plsteed/index.html and don't forget to check out the "Cherokee Strip Museum Web Page" - www.alvant.alva.ok.us/csm/csm.html.

o OAKIE'S MAILBAG & LINKS

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa December is a special time of year. Take a break from the shopping and parties and learn about the traditions and history behind these important holidays. From the menorah,
to Kwanzaa's seven symbols to the Christmas tree, you'll find amazing facts and traditions that will enrich your understanding of this time of year.email.aetv.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?id=737
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"Christmas Eve Traditions - Dinner at Grandma's...lots of homemade breads and pastries...and the main course? Oyster Stew! I don't know how this got started, but my little family still has the same Christmas Eve dinner here in Atlanta to this day! I still have the picture of me crying my eyes out as (a fellow Alva Jr. High teacher of my mom's, dressed as) Santa stopped by Grandma's house Christmas Eve to try and give me a fire engine. I would have NOTHING to do with this silly bearded man in the red suit! But the next year...when I was 19...I wasn't afraid of him anymore. Christmas morning was spent at home, opening presents as soon as I could wake everybody up and drag them out of bed. A big Christmas dinner at lunchtime, leftovers for dinner, and Christmas night we'd all pile in the car and drive around Alva to see the lights and decorations - The nativity scene down in the canyon between 14th and Apache Drive. Dr. I.F. Stephenson's "arches with chasing lights" seen up the hill from down on Highway 281. Fred Neuman's Lighted Coffee Cans hanging in his trees on 14th Street (by the way, Fred...the Alva Boys' Choir Peanut Brittle is awesome again this year...all 30+ boxes I had shipped to Atlanta for the girls in my office!)...and many many more too numerous to mention." - Scott mailto:scottdowns@mindspring.com
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"Here is an easy way to make a small difference this holiday season. Campbell's is donating a can of soup to the needy for every person that goes to their site and votes for their favorite NFL team. Go to the site and it is right
there, very easy to do. It will only take a few minutes of your time to fill some empty tummies with warm soup this winter. The packers are currently 3d in the standings with the vikings in first." www.chunky.com/click_cans.cfm
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The Choctaw-Web is devoted to Choctaw genealogy, census and resources. It is the only site on the internet with 1885 Choctaw Nation Census. What is new on the Choctaw-Web this week 1885 San Bois Census. There are 891
names of Indian Territory settlers to research. Check out their NEW MAP LINKS - Several links to Maps of Oklahoma, Indian Territory and Choctaw Nation have been added to both the Trails page and the Choctaw Map page. www.choctaw-web.com/new_page_2.htm
http://www.choctaw-web.com/san_bois.htm - SAN BOIS
http://www.choctaw-web.com/san_bois_ii.htm" - SAN BOIS II
http://www.choctaw-web.com/san_bois_iii.htm - SAN BOIS III
http://www.choctaw-web.com/
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"Knowing the cultural context is required for any genealogy research. I am compiled a bibliography of NA and Choctaw resources to help you in your search." mailto:Choctawweb@aol.com
www.choctaw-web.com/genealogy_9.htm
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"Upgrade now to Version 3.0 of KWTV News 9's Storm Signal. NEW! Version 3.5 Beta. Get live animated doppler radar, wind, temperature and more on your desktop computer!"
kwtv.stormsignal.com/devices.asp
kwtv.stormsignal.com/download_35b.asp
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US Supreme Courts Decision 2000 --www.supremecourtus.gov
Florida Election Cases -- supremecourtus.gov/florida.html
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o OAKIE'S QUOTES

THREE WISE WOMEN... "What would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men? They would have stopped to ask for directions, so they would have arrived on time. They would have helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, fed the animals, baked a casserole, sent out baby announcements, brought practical gifts and there would be Peace On Earth!" -- by T. Sebra

Now is the time for all of us to put aside our difference and pull together in unity for a stronger and better United World and Peace on Earth. From the trials we have come through, maybe the road will show us the way to
change those things that need to be changed so that we can graciously come together for the betterment of all mankind around the world.

Seasons Greetings -- Peace On Earth -- God Bless Y'all!
Linda 'Oakie'

The Okie Legacy