The Okie Legacy

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Spring In The Heartlands

I survived the muggy weekend of May 6th at FairValley and my stint as a cowgirl. It was more like a cowgirl armed with digital camera instead of a horse, rope and branding iron. I drove into Fair Valley in an SUV and branded our small herd with JPEG files for future references.
cowcrew.jpg - The Cow Crew -- cowdays1.jpg - Cow & Calf at FairValley -- cowdays2.jpg - Another Cow & Calf at FairValley

The weekend went great! I am still in the northwest enjoying the Spring Irises -- waving wheat; farmers haying wheat and the baby colts being born. I don't own a horse or colt yet, but I do have the opportunity to own something that I have always dreamed of owning. Its a dream that began when I was quite younger when I read the book, "Black Beauty." I'll show you more about my dream horse later. For now... Here are the Spring Iris' from Maple Street...
1027maple.jpg - Irises on Maple Street
1027maple2.jpg - Irises on Maple Street

My sister reminded me the other day of the Palomino Stallion (Nugget) that our Dad owned back in the earlier days out at the ranch north of Waynoka. Nugget would follow Gene around where ever he went. I remember a time when I was in grade school and we were living down on the SW corner of Seventh street (the 2-story, white-framed house no longer exists and has since been replaced with a different 2-story, brick Manse for the Presbyterian church, Alva).

Back to the Nugget Story... Dad had brought Nugget into town and I was riding him around the yard. We were headed clockwise around the nw corner of the house where a tree limb meets the roof line... AND... I forgot to duck. Nugget kept going, but I didn't! I was swept off the side by that "dang old tree limb". I was just a mere young thing at the time.

Another sister's memories of Nugget... "I remember how much Gene loved Nugget and how proud he was of that horse. Gene thought Nugget was uncommonly smart. He raised Nugget. Nugget would follow him around like a big dog, walking in the back door and into the kitchen of the ranch house, much to Vada's dismay... but, I don't think she really minded. Dad's heart was broken when he found Nugget dead after Nugget rolled over and drove a sharp, woody feed stock through his belly. But, while that horse was alive, I think Gene got much satisfaction through his relationship with the horse. I remember doing acrobatics on Dad's shoulders while he rode Nugget. He would flip me up and I would stand on his shoulders with my arms spread out, thinking I was doing something magnificent and spectacular while he held me by my knees. What a flood of memories! I once spooked Nugget and Gene through a wire gate! I was just doing the best I could. I was just big enough to hold on to the steering wheel of the old, open jeep that Gene had. I stretched down to put one foot on the clutch and one on either the gas or brake... but, I tried to hitch myself around; pulled the steering wheel; lost my footing on the clutch; and lurched forward where Gene was pulling the wire up off the gate post. The jeep and I, Gene and Nugget all went through the gate about the same time... without opening it. Not one of my better days, as I recall, but, then, not one of my worst ones, either..."

Sometimes we only need to step outside ourselves and our back doors to view the good things and memories in our lives. Look around you! What little piece of the Spring beauty can you find around you?

I just love the Springtime! Its a chance to get outdoors and watch the waving wheat rippling in the wind like gentle waves on a lake or ocean... Only these are green lakes of wheat... NOT water! Lets not forget the farmers busily moving their cows off the wheat and hauling to the salesbarn... AND... A those same farmers haying & baling their wheat around the northwest part of this Heartland.

If you are traveling through Alva, turn north off of highway 64 onto 6th Street (College Avenue) and go downtown where the Mural Committee has been busy raising funds to place painted pioneer murals on the business buildings around the downtown square.

Some of you northwestern Okie's might remember the "Old Anthony Dept. Store" on the NW corner of 6th & Barnes. That is the same corner that "Monfort's Drugstore" use to be located before it burned down in the 1950s. That corner is where you will find the very first pioneer mural depicting the Oklahoma Land Run of September, 1893. mural1run1893.jpg - Mural #1, The 1893 Land Run

Across the street to the south is the second mural depicting a country doctor making a house call to a pioneer homesteader in Snowy Winter. This building now houses Larry Smith's dentist office, but the building housed the "Old McGill Furniture bldg." in the earlier days.
mural2doctor.jpg - Mural #2, Country Doctor -- mcgfurniture1936.jpg - McGill Bros. & Furniture Store

The third mural depicting the "Burning of the Castle on the Hill (March, 1935)" is in the process of being painted by an artist up in Kansas and to be hung (before June 3rd Arts festival) on the corner of 5th & Barnes Street just east across the street from the Bell Hotel.

Speaking of the "Castle on the Hill" (a.k.a. Northwestern Normal School), NWOSU and Alva was buzzing this week with the announcement by the Board of Regents of NWOSU's new President. Tom McDaniel and his wife (Brenda) will be returning to Alva as Tom takes over the reigns at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

This has been a really great week! It began last weekend when I drove to Fair Valley, Oklahoma to supervise and let my cowgirl come out and play.

"No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it." -- Hal Borland, "A Promise--April 29," "Sundial of the Seasons (1964)"

I might end here with a little reminder and borrow a quote from one of my favorite song... "Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every byway until you find your dream..."

You have a choice... You can wake up in the mornings and choose to look for the best in people and the days -- You can follow your own dreams (not someone else's) -- OR... You can dwell on the negative of each day and be a victim.

Find and discover what you are good at and dance like no one is watching and take advantage of the paths that open up while you are following your dreams.

Life is too short and precious to NOT search out the beauty around you. Make the most of what you have and find the beauty in the little every day things around you.

I choose to see the best in people view the beauty of the waving wheat fields in Spring -- the farmers haying wheat -- the Spring wildflowers that are scattered and dot the landscapes of the countryside -- AND... The rolling hills of sagebrush and pastures that cover the sandy hills of Fair Valley and Freedom, Oklahoma area. If you are ever in Guthrie, Oklahoma, stop by the Masonic Lodge where the State Capitol was original located.

o o Oakie's Links/Mailbag...

o Have you ever wondered how your ancestors lived and coped with life? HISTORY MAGAZINE is the only popular magazine that will help you better to understand the social conditions affecting their lives. Articles like "The Country Store," "1910 -- Highlights of the Decade," "History of the Telephone and Telegraph," "Chicago in 1880," "The 1918 Influenza Pandemic that Killed More People than WWI," "The Blacksmith," and many more. -- http://www.history-magazine.com

o NEW ON-LINE GENEALOGICAL LIBRARY -- Try It Today! HERITAGE BOOKS, INC. 1540 Pointer Ridge Place, Bowie MD 20715 -- http://www.heritagebooks.com/librar

o THE CHEROKEE STRIP MUSEUM Web site has put up some Second Floor photos of what you might find if you took a tour of there museum that is located in the old hospital building on fourteenth street in Alva, Oklahoma. Be sure to stop by and check it out and see what Pat has done over at their web site. Sign their guestbook while you are there. Thanks! http://www.alvant.alva.ok.us/csm/csm.html

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o "Linda, you got some excellent pictures on the Talimena Drive! I think Daisy was born in March 1994 and that we got her in April of that year, so she would be 6 years old."

o "Today I am ordering the book entitled "in Plain Sight" by Gloria Farley - thanks to you for bringing it to my attention. I have visited the Rhune Stone at Heavener & I recall the legislation which was authored by my friend Jim Hamilton that made the site a state protected place. Jim was serving in the State Senate at the time. The stories that have been told about the stone have always intrigued me. I am looking forward to receive it."

o "note -- I think the Legislature was wrong when they enacted law to recognize the "Indian Blanket" as our state wild flower. The Indian Blanket is virtually unknown in the wild of our part of the state. The beautiful "Indian Paint
Brush" wild flower is very prominent here and is actually the flower that had been recognized by the Tourism Department of Okla. back when George Nigh was Lt Gov. & also chairman of the Tourism Board."

o o Quote/Poem of the Week...

Love (Inspirational Quote) -- "O love, resistless in thy might, thou triumphest even over gold!" -- Sophocles, Antigone

o o FREE WEEKLY DRAWING...

WE NEED TO HAVE A DRAWING... Are you game for a Weekly FREE Drawing? If so, Email me and put "Oakie's H&H Free Drawing" in the Subject & Body line. I will stick your name in my glass bowl and draw a name out each friday until my supply of "Alabaster/Silver" plaques run out. I will display the artwork for the drawing on the front page of "OkieLegacy" -- wwwpubco.com beginning of each weekend (Sunday).

Limited, One-of-a-kind editions... Recently, I have accumulated some limited, one of a kind editions of Alabaster plaques/clocks that were handcrafted/painted right here in northwest Oklahoma by Cimarron Alabaster just south of Freedom -- south of the Cimarron River in New Pringey, Oklahoma (pop. 4).

Cimarron Alabaster has combined the handcrafted New Millennium Silver works of Jim Strait (craftsman from Silver Dollar City) to produce a one-of-a-kind, limited edition of Alabaster/Silver plaques & clocks produced in northwest Oklahoma with a touch of Missouri. Each plaque/clock has its own silver stand. The clocks run on AA batteries.
alabaster_silver.jpg - four samples of the Alabaster/Silver palques

"Sunburst Silver Enterprises" has created the "New Millennium" metal. Its comprised of Tin, Fine Silver, a dash of bismuth and tin. It contains NO toxic materials (the lead has been taken out). Sunburst Silver's own sparkle finish has been highlighted with diamond-cuts entirely by hand. Each piece is "limited, one of a Kind." For More Info concerning the "New Millennium Silver" CONTACT: Jim Strait, Sunburst Silver Enterprises, Rt. 1, Box 96M, Mt. Vernon, Missouri 65712, Fax: (417) 466-4223, Voice:
466-3824.

See You All Next Weekend!
Linda "Oakie", NW Okie Columnist

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