Spring Fever! What is it?

Has Spring Fever hit you? What exactly is Spring Fever? How does Spring Fever come upon you this time of year?

There is no excuse for this newsletter being late ... other than "Spring Fever" has set in around these parts. Lately, since Spring has sprung amongst us, I get this urge of laziness. Only wanting to escape to the sunny, warm, spring-like temperatures outdoors -- planting my garden and seeing what I can grow.

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) is noted for the following quote about Spring Fever. Does this quote of Twain's ring true with your feelings about Spring: "It's Spring Fever. That is what the name of it is and when you've got it, you want ... oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" -- Mark Twain

Also... Mark Twain wrote a poem which made the phrase, "Spring Fever," popular. Has anyone out there come across that poem? I have been searching the internet for it with no luck so far. Perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places. I am not quite sure what the title of the poem is, but assuming it is "Spring Fever."

Wikipedia has this interesting history of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). Clemens was born November 30, 1835, died April 21, 1910. He was better known by the pen name Mark Twain, but he had other pen names before settling on Mark Twain. Twain was an american humorist, satirest, lecturer and writer, noted for his novels of Huckleberry Finn (Greatest American Novel) and Tom Sawyer's adventures. Here is the Official website of Mark Twain.
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You Got A Friend

Like James Taylor says, "You've Got A Friend..." in this precious Pug! She loves her tummy rubbed while she lays there smiling. It gets pathetic at times. It just cracks a smile across this NW Okie's face and makes everything Okay!

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Nosy Horses at Fairvalley, OK

If you drive through Fairvalley, Oklahoma, you will find our "nosy" horses gathering at the gate to check out the contraption that was making a movie of their antics out at Fairvalley.

We are told that Nugget, Maggie & Quoti are loosing their SW Colorado Winter coats for their Spring NW Oklahoma attire. AND... the Oklahoma wind is swishing thru their manes and tails. Thanks to Robert L. Wagner for the Horsesmovie clip.

Thanks to Nugget, Maggie & Quoti for making an appearance. You can also see the "Horse Movie" over at our Mac website. -- NW Okie
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Luse Family Legacy - Woods County, OK

The following is from Footprints Across Woods County, page 421 and compiled by Octava Luse Freno.

John Luse and Alice Jane Reynolds were both born in Missouri. John was born February 21, 1864 and Alice was born September 2, 1871. They were married in Girard, Kansas in 1888. To their union were born nine children: Ora, Maude, Harry, Elsie, Clyde (all born in Pittsburg, Kansas). A baby girl died during infancy. Cora, Charley and Frank were born in or near Alva.

At the turn of the century John and Alice with five children came to Alva in a covered wagon. John was a brick mason so found employment in the construction business in Alva.

John helped Conctruct the Woods county court House and the Castle on the Hill. Ora, as a small boy, worked with his father as hod carrier. With their large family, John and Alice decided a farm would be a better place for them so with a small savings they purchased a farm 20 miles NW of Alva. (SE/4 of Section 1-Twp18-Range 16) from W. J. Pope for $1200. They first lived in a frame house but later built a large three story red brick home which is still in use.

John, as a brick mason worked away from home leaving all the farm work for Alice and the children. In addition to farming Alice was quite proficient as a horse and mule trader. Ora went to school in a little rock school located on the Greenleaf. In 1911 john sold the farm. ora worked for various ranchers including Scott and Dewey Cummins.

Ora married Halie E. Barnes at Winfield, Kansas. They first lived near Winchester where their first daughter was born. They named her Octava Fostena. They soon purchased the Allen place and later more land in S34-29-16. In 1919 they moved to their new land where another daughter was born. She was named Geneva Olivene. When Octava and Olivene were small they enjoyed young lambs as pets and fed them by bottle. octava and Olivene went to grade school at yellowstone and Faulkner schools. They rode horses about three miles and had to open five gates on their way to school. Olivene was ill for many years and passed away March 6, 1939, at the age of 17.

While living on the Haven place some of the land was farmed and the balance was grass pasture where a herd of herford cattle ranged. There were also hogs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.

During the dry dust bowl years the cattle had to be rounded up and driven to the Greenleaf for watering. The first brand used by ora was the "mug" (P).

During the depression of the thirties the cattle were sold in Kansas City with the money placed in the Alva Bank for payment to the Federal land Bank. At that time banks were clsoing across the country and so did the Alva Bank, keeping all the deposited money. ora was now unable to make the Federal Land Bank payment.

The F.L.B. proceeded to take all the remaining cattle except those which belonged to Halie, Octava and Olivene (approximately 30 head). These cattle had individual brands. later to build up another herd, ora used the brand he called the "pigpen" (#). In the fall the cattle were rounded up and ora and Octava would drive them across the country for many mies to wheat pasture, crossing rivers and creeks. Sometimes it would take several days.

Several memorable vacations were made driving a model A touring car to colorado to visit relatives. The first time Ora drove in the mountains near Denver, the brake linings wore out and they had a frightening ride down the mountains without brakes.

Although Ora and Halie moved to Alva in 1948, ora never retired, but continued in the cattle business, which he knew so well and loved, until his death January 10, 1965, at the age of 76.

The only surviving daughter of Ora and Halie Luse, Octava, was married to Sam samuelson in the Cedar Grove Church, with Rev. McGraw officiating. They first lived on a farm about five miles east of Alva, and later bought a small farm SW of Hrdtner, Kansas. To this union was born two children, Janice Marie and Karl Ejner, both born in Alva. Janice and Karl attended school for many years in Albuquerque, NM. Janice married Charles T. Grimsley in El Paso, Texas, and they had three children, Bryan Luse, Kristal Rae, and Randall Gene." -- written in 1986 by Octava Luse Freno
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Growing Up In Oklahoma & Louisiana

We are in the process of taking down Kenneth Updike's stories and ramblings of "Growing Up In Oklahoma" because Kenneth asked us, "To remove all of my previous writings to you about my Ramblins. Personal stories that I told you and your readers. My Son has had all of my writings, and notes copyrighted so that we can put them in a book or booklet. His idea. I really have no objections to this, but he insists we can be viewed by more people. I leave it up to him. Thanks for your help in the past, and I still read your Okie Legacy nearly every week."

If you find some of Kenneth's Ramblings that I have missed, Please email me the link with Vol. and Iss. numbers so that this NW Okie can remove them. Thanks for your help!
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I-40 Bridge - OKC, OK

"Read and take heed!! Let your people know. Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2008 12:59:19 -0600. The I-40 Bridge with the exits leading to the downtown areas is the worst in the nation. In that FEMA meeting they told everybody to go back and tell their families not to drive on that stretch of I-40. It will not be repaired. Stay out of that area- Find another way to get to downtown." -- Roy
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Save On Gas

The Save On Gas statement has been taken down because Snopes.com says it was FALSE. Please check out this LINK
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Book: Life of WIlliam Penn

I happen to be lucky to have in my possession a 1836 small book (approx. 5x7 inches and 3/4 inch thick) that belonged to my grandmother McGill. The book was written by M. L. Weems, entitled "The Life of William Penn, the Settler of Pennsylvania, Founder of Philadelphia, and One of the First Lawgivers in the Colonies, Now United States, In 1682, published in Philadelphia, PA, by Uriah Hunt, No. 101 Market St., and sold by the booksellers generally throughout the United States. Stereotyped by L. Johnson. 1836. From reading the copyright, it appears the first printing was around 1829.

The books cover is in what I would call fair to good condition for a 172 year old hardback book with some wear and tear on the outside, binding edge of the book. This book is NOT for sale, but I was wondering if anyone might know if this 1836 might be a valuable collectors item? Thanks for any help and information you might be able to give me.

Title page... The Life of William Penn - the Settler of Pennsylvania, the Founder of Philadelphia, and One of the First Lawgivers In the Colonies, Now United States, In 1682. written by W. L. Weems, published in Philadelphia, PA, 1836 by Uriah Hunt, No. 101 Market St., and sold by the booksellers generally throughout the United States. Stereotyped by L. Johnson.

Second page... Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit.
Be it remembered, that on the twenty-seventh day of July in the fifty-fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1829, Uriah Hunt, of the said District, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit:

"The Life of William Penn, the settler of Pennsylvania, the founder of Philadelphia, and one of the first Law-givers in the Colonies, now United States, in 1682. Containing also his celebrated treaty with the Indians -- his purchase of their country -- Valuable anecdotes of Admiral Penn -- also of King Charles II, King James II, King William, and Queen Anne, in whose reigns of William Penn lived -- curious traits in the character of the people called Friends or Quakers, who have done so much to meliorate the condition of suffering humanity. By M. L. Weems, author of the Life of Washington, &c."

Character of William Penn, by Montesquieu...
"William Penn is a real Lycurgus. And though the former made peace his principal aim as the latter did war; yet they resemble one another in the singular way of living to which they reduced their people -- in the astonishing ascendant they gained over freemen; and in the strong passions which they subdued."

Character of William Penn, by Edmund Burke...
"William Penn, as a legislator, deserves immortal thanks from the whole world. 'Tis pleasing to do honour to those great men whose virtues and generosity have contributed to the peopling of the earth, and to the freedom and happiness of mankind; and who have preferred the interest of a remote posterity and times unknown, to their own fortune, and to the quiet and security of their own lives."

In conformity to the Act of the congress of the United States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an Act, entitled, "An Act Supplementary to an Act entitled, 'An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching, historical and other prints."
D. Caldwell, Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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Oklahoma Bombing Tribute

This weekend, Saturday, April 19, 2008, was the 13th anniversary of the Murray Bombing in Oklahoma City, OK, April 19, 1995. Will we ever really know what happened that day when 168 innocent persons lost their lives that day in history?
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Oklahoma City Bombing Tributes

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1995 Oklahoma City Bombing - Rare Footage

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Conspiracy Files - Oklahoma Bombing 1-6

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