Dear Duchess

Happy Monday! This Sunday was Father's Day! Let us wish ALL those fathers out there a "Happy Fathers Day." We have decided to postpone this weeks newsletter until Monday, since our last newsletter was only published this last Wednesday. If it works out for everyone, we may start publishing on Mondays instead of Sundays. That would give us a weekend off and gathering time for putting & publishing each weeks

While NW Okie & David were gone to Arizona last week, we had our Neighborhood Bear make a return visit to our feeders. This time he pulled a even stronger metal hanging pole (not the one pictured in the linked photo) completely to the ground. This Duchess Pugster did not get a photo of the wild beast, though, 'cause my paws do not operate the camera very well. I'm all thumbs, so to speak! AND ... NW Okie took her digital camera with her. Oh Well! Next time! If there is a next time!

NW Okie took down the hummingbird and bird feeders after the second visit of the neighborhood bear to discourage the bear from staking out his territory in our backyard. It is that time of year (June) when mother bears send their oldest cubs out into the world to stake their own territories.

AND ... on another note, the good side is the extra sunflower seeds the birds have spilled on the ground have been sprouting, so maybe we will have some sunflowers for the birds later on in the summer months.

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Northern Arizona Rock Formation Along Hwy 160

On the way back from the Scottsdale, Arizona area through Flaggstaff and up Hwy 89 to connect with Hwy 160 we passed lots of rock formations of interest along the "Indian Trail" as we headed for the Four Corners where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and SW Colorado come together.

This is just one those rock formations that we got a shot of along the way. I believe someone told me it was known as "Castle Rock."

If someone out there viewing this photo knows for sure, let us know. I'm still looking online for the exact name. It sets along the highway on the leftside if headed in northern direction.
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Is It A Crossbill?

We took this digital photo June 13, 2009 of one of the many birds that were feeding in our backyard North of Bayfield, Colorado. As far as we can figure from looking at the overhanging beak, it seems to be related to the "Crossbill" bird variety. Am I correct?

If anyone out there knows anything about birds and has seen this little bird before, please educate us as to its correct bird family variety. Thanks!
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South Mtn Park View of Phoenix AZ

This is one of Phoenix' most notable geologic features, and is also the world's largest municipal park. You can hike, bike, go horseback riding and more, or just drive up to the top.

The city looks peaceful from atop the peak and you may see the Valley's beauty and vast size from that vantage point. After a long, winding, dizzying drive to the top you'll find a rugged parking area and the spectacular view can't be missed. As a warning, they say that the drive to the top can be a bit intimidating and unnerving, considering the blind turns and steep drops.

However the splendor at the top is worth the trip. If you're comfortable driving down in the dark, you can watch the city transform from daylight to darkness, while watching a famed Arizona sunset from the mountain peak, seeing spectacular, fiery colors color the sky to the west, while cooler dark hues slowly creep over the city from east-to-west.

The City of Phoenix website says, "At over 16,000 acres, South Mountain Park/Preserve often is referred to as the largest municipal park in the country. It boasts 51 miles of primary trails for horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking for all ability levels. The park/preserve's main entrance is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours vary at other trailhead locations; check the hiking map for specific hours."

Highest Point -- Mount Suppoa (not accessible to the public) reaches 2,690 feet. Dobbins Lookout, at 2,330 feet, is the highest point in the park accessible by trail.

The history of South Mountain Park/Preserve dates back to 1924. The City of Phoenix website says, "Prominent local citizens, with the help of Sen. Carl Hayden, bought 13,000 acres from the federal government for $17,000. In 1935 the National Park Service developed a master plan for the park with riding and hiking trails, picnic areas and overlooks, all in rustic regional character. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built many of the facilities in the park, based on this master plan. Visitation at the park has gone from 3,000 a month in 1924 to three million a year today. Photos and artifacts at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center give a glimpse into the early history of the park and the CCC's construction work."

South Mountain Park/Preserve actually consists of three mountain ranges, the Ma Ha Tauk, Gila and Guadalupe. They stretch diagonally from northeast to southwest. Major plant species found in the park are bursage, brittlebush, creosote cush, palo verde trees and saguaro cactus.
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Insight Into Grandma

This week's letter from John to Constance takes us into November, 1904, with three letters date November 9, 21 and 28, 1904, all from Altona, Knox C., Illinois, and addressed to Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Oklahoma Territory. Have I told you John C. McClure has beautiful handwriting or penmanship?!

Nov. 9, 1904 ... Begins as usual with, "Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla. Dear Connie, I received yours of recent date, and of course glad to hear from you.

"It has been raining all day. We picked corn this forenoon, but took a vacation this afternoon. School Marms do not get a vacation on rainy days. So you had better change your vocation.

"Yesterday was election in this country, but very little interest was taken around here. The worst of it was, I could not vote being not quite man enough. I sat up until 1:00 o'clock this morning listening to reports of the election. The farmers heard the reports before the people in the city.

"I would like to be at your box social, you would perhaps have the displeasure of eating with another little boy. Our school teacher is going to have an entertainment and box supper thanksgiving night. come, bring a box.

"Well! I will close for this time. News is skars (sic) 'round (sic) 'ere (sic). Write soon. Yours Sincerely, J. C. McClure."

Nov. 21, 1904 ... Begins, "Altona, Ill, Sun. Eve., Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla., Dear Connie, I received your letter, all O.K. which I was pleased to receive.

"We are having fine weather, and are about through picking corn. We will be the first to get through in the neighborhood. Tonight is clear, and cold, so that means a big frost in the morning.

"There was an oyster supper at our nearest neighbors last eve, but I did not go. The folks said there were more girls than boys.

"Thanksgiving Eve, the teacher gives a box social at our schoolhouse. I guess I will go. I suppose I will get some wee little girls box. I hope your box social is a success, and that a little boy gets your box.

"Do you ever see Powers anymore? Say! Old man Corben will be having a Tripple (sic) wedding some day, won't he? "Tell Nellie I want an invitation to her wedding. Poor Edith. I often wonder how she is fairing. How is that other to know fellow coming? Has he found any more of my girls? Well! I will close, for want of something to say. Bye Bye As Ever, J. C. McClure, write soon."

Nov. 28, 1904 ... Begins, "Altona, Ill., Sun. Eve, Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla., Dear Constance, I wrote you a letter last Sun. Eve and have received no answer yet, so I am going to see my best girl again. Only I wish I were 1000 miles closer. Penny for your thoughts.

"It has been awful cold here for two or three days. We finished husking the day after thanksgiving. We picked about 4000 bus. in 25 days and a half. I am going to pick in the morning for my cousin. Wages are awful high for Corn pickers.

"The teacher's box supper was a fizzle. The program was good, but so many girls came without boxes. I made several kids pay 2 prices for their boxes. I ate with another fellows girl. He was sick and could not come. This made some of the girls jealous. For you know there are always two sides in every neighborhood, and they are always fighting. We are on neighbor, two or three girls are continually asking me about my Okla girl. I suppose the other to know fellow up here told them. There is one family up here that cause me more trouble than all my money.

"Where did you spend TGiving? I picked corn. I will close. I just thought I would write as it is Sun. Eve. Bye Bye, Connie. write soon. Your Best Friend, J. C. McClure."
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FAKE: Digital Photo of Sun & Moon

Ellis says, "A scene you will probably never get to see in your lifetime.... This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point. You also see the sun below the moon. An amazing photo and not one easily duplicated. You may want to pass it on to others. The Chinese have a saying: "When someone shares with you something of value, you have an obligation to share it with others Looking Back ... To the Future time."
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Sandstorms Overseas

Jim B. says, "James Wiebener of Alva is currently working at Mosul, Iraq. He forwarded this sandstorm video from an event in western Iraq. It is absolutely the most dramatic storm approach that I have ever seen in the form of a dust or sand storm, and I've seen a few really bad ones live having lived in eastern Colorado. This should be in every junior high, high school and college earth-related science classroom in America. It really gives you the feeling of what it must have been like in the dust-bowl era of the 1930s. For you old Alva folks out there, James is the son of Robert and Waynell (Mallory) Wiebener."
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Brink (Drink) Okla.

James Bradley (jbrad723@bluevalley.net) says, "The Oklahoma Atlas & Gazetteer published by DeLorme shows a Brinks Siding located three miles north of US24 & two miles east of US281.

According to this the siding is located at the common corner of Sections 5, 4, 8, & 9. This may not be the exact location, but would be pretty close. This would be about four miles southwest of Capron on the BNSF.

I enjoy these question/answer sessions and hope that they will continue. Cheers."
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NWOSU Spring '09 Honor Rolls

Michael says, "I have to let you know that the Spring '09 honor roll is out. I once again made it on the President's Honor Roll for Post Graduate students (4.0)."

To be eligible for the President's Honor Roll for NWOSU's Spring Honor Roll 2009 these are the qualifications according to NWOSU: "Those on the President’s Honor Roll earned all As, or a 4.0 grade point average (GPA), in a minimum of 12 undergraduate or nine graduate hours."

PRESIDENT’S HONOR ROLL - Graduate & Post-Graduate Students
OKLAHOMA ...
ALVA – Nathan Chaplin, Brandi Parker, Paul Scioscia, Michael Wagner (OkieLegacy's CS Techie),
BARTLESVILLE - Hannah Feuerborn.
ENID – Mollie Babb, Treva Batcho, James Clark, Robyn Congdon, Carrissa Cowen, Darrell Lanford, Yvoone Lewis-Odom, Susan Lof, Jenea Midgett, Edmond Rollins, David Tomlinson, Carolyn Wagner. FAIRFAX - Aimee Snyder.
MEDFORD – Jessica Anderson, Christopher Blubaugh, Steve Drennan, Debra Lehman.
PERRY – Amber Fortney.
PONCA CITY – Melody Bradley, Jason Stillwell.
POND CREEK – Melissa Winter.
TONKAWA – Jennifer Lewallen.
TURPIN – Kaylyn Hansen.
WAUKOMIS – Tammy Hromas.
WOODWARD – Shannon Craig.

CALIFORNIA ...
CYPRESS – Travis Bernard

COLORADO ...
CAMPO – Brandi Alton.

KANSAS ...
CONWAY SPRINGS – Jena Seiler.
MEDICINE LODGE – Sean McAnarney.
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Headlines In The Oklahoman 100 Years Ago

If you would have picked up a newspaper in Oklahoma 100 years ago, June 22, 1909, in The Oklahoman, you might have read these headlines: "Leon Ling Is Yet At Large" & "Vain Echo To Court's Call" & "Executive To Dictate Tax" & "Thirty Injured When Flyer Leaves The Rails" & "Sensation Seekers Given A Surprise" & "Mixed Strychnine In Her Husband's Whiskey" & Colored Smokers To Be Installed by Railroads" & Boy Killed In Runaway At Mangum, Father Hurt" & "Mauretania Smashes All Records For Big Liners" & "President Diaz Desires To Meet Taft On Border."

The local weather on that day, June 22, 1909, was furnished by J. P. Slaughter, and forecast of cloudy weather, with morning tempperatures at 73F at 7:00 a.m. and rising to 90F at 1 p.m. With a High of 92F at 2 p.m.

As to the headlines that read: "Boy Killed In Runaway At Mangum, Father Hurt," It had to do with a runaway horse & buggy near Mangum, Oklahoma late in the afternoon of June 21, 1909 when the 8-year-old son of Peter Richardson was thrown from the buggy and killed, and the father, Peter Richardson, received a broken leg and a broken arm.

The "Mixed Strychnine In Her Husband's Whiskey" headlines had to do with a Pennsylvania woman confessing to murdering her spouse in York, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1909.

Mrs. Minnie Tracey was arrested on a Saturday, June, 1909, pending an investigation of the sudden death of her husband, Joshua Tracey.

In a statement which was held by the police, Minnie Tracey implicated her brother-in-law, William Brown, who also was in jail, declaring that he purchased and gave to her strychnine which she mixed with her husband's whiskey.

"Thirty Injured When Flyer Leaves The Rails" headlines had to do with the Oriental Limited on Great Northern ditched in Montana.

It was near Ural, Montana, June 21, 1909, when the Great Northern westbound "Oriental Limited" passenger train was derailed near Ural, on the Kootenai river. Thirty passengers were injured, but none killed. A landslide was the cause.
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Wednesday, Nov. 9, 1904 Election News

On the front page of The Daily Okalhoman, Vol. 16, No. 176, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Wednesday, November 9, 1904, was the following headlines: "Missouri Is In Doubt In Presidential Race."

It goes on to report, "Roosevelt May break into the colid south in addition to carrying everything else. Tremendous majorities in New York and all the North -- Democrats elect Governors in Nebraska, Colorado and several Northern States.

St. Louis, Nov. 9, 1904 -- "At 2:15 o'clock only scattering reutrns had been received from all portions of the state and the result in Missouri, both in the state and national tickets, was still deep in doubt. At that time the democratic state committee claimed a state majority of 25,000, while the republican state committee persisted in a republican state majority of 20,000. The actual results will not be known for several hours at least."
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Perry OK Weather & Gas Prices

Roy says, "I almmost forgot! The small storm that we received here in Perry last week brought us another 25/100s of an inch moisture. Just enough to make the grass grow a little faster. I mowed again two days later.

Also the price of gas stayed the same at $2.58.9 here but went up some more in other parts of the state. It's predicted to go back towards $3 per gallon soon because the oil companies are cutting back on the manufacture in order to maintain higher profits.

It seems that the motoring public has cut down on usage so the gasoline in storage isn't moving fast enough. Now who could have predicted that?"
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