Duchess Mountain Domain

Bayfield, Colorado - Besides ground squirrels playing on our hanging corn cobs, we have found an abandoned baby Grosbeak on the ground this week. Our youngest son, Robert, placed the baby Grosbeak in the hanging bird feeder for survival purposes. After attempts to try to get the baby Grosbeak to eat, the baby flew off of Robert's finger into the pine tree.

We thought since the grosbeak could fly that he would make it in the world. BUT! The next day the baby Grosbeak was found laying on the ground and deceased.



How was the Biggest Open Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion in Freedom, Oklahoma this weekend? Would someone send me a Rodeo program for NW Okie's rodeo program collection?

Good Night and Good Luck! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Ramblings & Sculpture

Bayfield, Colorado - Well! Another week of August 2010 has quickly passed and the "Dog Days" of Summer winding down, hopefully. Where have those days gone? Why do we seem to fly through the months so quickly?

I have been working on my Eagle totem sculpture now for 21 days. You can view my updates at the link listed here.

Recently I have started laying in some details in the wings and tail feathers. I removed the background trees in the sculpture because I did not like the way they were turning out. Besides that, they were getting in the way of working on the eagle. So I changed a few things. An artist can do that!

Someone on my Facebook site asked me, "Linda, how are you at carving Eagles as in the Bald kind?"

My reply, "To be truthful, this is my first at carving anything and I am still learning." And I have a lot to learn from those more experienced than myself. But I shall do it in a way that is my own style and not a copycat of someone elses. By the way, I am looking for a stone eye that looks like an eagle's eye. Where can I find one for my eagle?

This week we connected on Facebook from someone who lived around Chester and Orion, Oklahoma, where my mother's PARIS and HURT family grew up and went to school.

Bill Bowers says, "I left Chester (Oklahoma) in November of 1949, so I knew John and Geneva Smith very well. I went to grade school at the Orion school at least one year (maybe more) with E J, Sammy and Geneva Paris. My Mother was Verna Hamilton. Her mother's maiden name was Sarah Louthan, so our families are mingled quite a bit between the Louthan, Bensch, Paris, Hurt, Holub, Hamilton and Bowers families. I wish I would have ask more questions while I was growing up."

Any other PARIS / HURT / CONOVER family descendants out there? View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (1 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Dedication of Bixler Corner To Be Saturday

Waynoka, Oklahoma - Press Release - Waynoka Historical Society, Sandie Olson 580-824-5871 or 580-541-2148. Bixler Corner at Waynoka Station To Be Dedicated Saturday. The Waynoka Historical Society invites everyone to come to the dedication of Bixler Corner at Waynoka Station on Saturday, August 28, at 10 a.m.

A lot has happened on the four lots donated to the society in December, 2001, by Bill and Charlene Bixler. The empty lots have been transformed into a major part of the Waynoka Station complex. The complex, situated next to the BNSF Transcon at the west end of Waynoka Street, includes the Harvey House and Santa Fe Depot.

Interpretive signs have been placed on the site. The informative signs for the dwellings provide maps showing their original locations, as well as the history of each building. The Oklahoma Humanities Council and individuals provided funds for the signs, which were made by Wayne Lamunyun and installed by Jack Graham. Dr. Deena Fisher, Dean, NWOSU Woodward, served as consultant on the sign project. A three-room log cabin, built in 1904 by pioneer Joseph Barnett and donated to the society by the late Jeryl Hutchison, was dismantled and the logs were hauled to the site with the help of Chesapeake Energy. Bill Buckley, Ray Nutter, Corey Smith and others helped with the reconstruction.

A historic 1918 section foreman's house from the town of Edith on the Buffalo Northwestern Railway was given to the society by DeWayne & Lillian Hodgson, Freedom. It was restored on their ranch by Dr. Milt and Becky Lehr, Alva, before being moved to Bixler Corner. Charles Morton Share Trust, Alva, provided funds for the 40-mile move.

Johnny Fuqua donated a Santa Fe Railroad scale house which had been moved to his family's farm from the Waynoka rail yards many years ago. Dr. and Mrs. Lehr accepted the challenge of restoring the unique multi-sided structure and its many windows before its move to town by Veldon Woolley. Jack Graham prepared the site for the scale house. Former Waynokan Mark Clemence, who owns a short-line railroad in Woodward, donated and delivered heavy-duty railroad scales to be placed in the scale house. The Waynoka Co-op provided its forklift to carefully insert the scales through the scale house door for display.

The Oklahoma Centennial Commission was very supportive of the Waynoka Historcal Society. Centennial funds provided the paved sidewalking and parking areas at Waynoka Station and Bixler Corner, in addition to the professionally planned Waynoka Air Rail Museum in the Harvey House.

Because of the generous donations of many individuals and entities, Bixler Corner preserves and showcases fascinating local and area history for all to appreciate and enjoy.

The log cabin and section foreman's house will be open for tours on Saturday morning. Refreshments will be served in the kitchen of the log cabin. Everyone is invited to attend the dedication of Bixler Corner and Open House on Saturday, August 28 at 10 a.m. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Woods County Inquiry: Parker / Bartlett / Jacobs

Oklahoma - kfrick7518 (Email: Kfrick7518) is searching for Parker / Bartlett / Jacobs surnames. On the Rootsweb Message Board URL Kfrick7518 says, "Seeking info on the Morris and Laura Parker family of Alva. Their children were Allie M, George Fred, Edna (married a Noah Bartlett, lived in Stafford, Kansas) and Elizabeth Ann (Lizzie) who married and divorced a Jacobs, had a daughter Mary Jacobs. Any information is appreciated. Thank you!" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

The Teacher

America - Ellis sent us the following message in support of Teacher:

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table) I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator. I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life. (Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make, Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent. A profound answer!

Teaching is . The profession that makes all other professions possible! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Links

Oklahoma - Homer sent us the following links: All National Register Sites By County - Properties on the National Register of historic places in Oklahoma by county. Interact with the map of National Register Properties. View list of multiple property listings in Oklahoma. View list of address restricted National Register Properties by county. National Register of historic places in Oklahoma homepage.

America In 1939-1943 - America in Color from 1939-1943 - These images, by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on Americaâ's rural and small town populations. The photographs are the property of the Library of Congress and were included in a 2006 exhibit Bound for Glory: America in Color.

Calanan Park In Nevada City - Mel's Memories of Calanan Park, By Bonnie McGuire - "August 1, 2010 would have been George H. Calanan's 138th birthday, except that he passed from life in 1951 seven months after the park was named honoring him for all his good deeds. Most of us are aware of the tiny, downtown Nevada City park. This little green spot has relics tied to his life: a hydraulic gold mining nozzle, and gate valve used in that type of gold mining, a shaft core from the quartz Idaho-Maryland Mine, an ore car and other memorabilia. Wonderful reminders of Nevada City's history. But those who were born and raised here have other memories to share about the place before it became a park."

Homer also reminded us about the History of Honor Flight that we listed several years ago. Homer Hawkins of Lawton, Oklahoma, made the trip to Washington, D. C., was fortunate enough to be selected to make the inaugural flight with 96 others on May 17, 2010.

(Oklahoma Honor Flights) headquarters is in Midwest City. They have a website with a host of videos of the trip. They are planning future trips and veterans can access the application online.- "Honor Flight is a non profit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. We fly our heroes to Washington, DC to visit and reflect at their memorials. Top priority is given to the senior veterans. WW II survivors along with those other veterans that may be terminally ill. Honor Flight first flew in May 2005 with six small planes flying 12 WW II veterans, departing out of Springfield, Ohio. In 2006, with a waiting list of veterans expanding rapidly, we transitioned to commercial airline carriers to accommodate the maximum number of veterans as possible. Partnering with Honor Air in Hendersonville, North Carolina and Hero Flight in Provo, Utah, we formed the Honor Flight Network. Together, we are aggressively expanding our programs to other cities across the nation in 2008. Based on recent statistics, we are losing WW II veterans at the rate of 1200 per day. Honor Flight will continue do whatever it takes to fulfill the dreams of our veterans and, very importantly, our senior heroes travel absolutely free....." -- History of Honor Flight Inc. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Train vs. Tornado - Spectacular!

Steve Nicholson sent us this YouTube link of a train vs. Tornado. Steve says, "Watch the entire video, it's a shocker! This occurred 7 January 2008 on the Union Pacific railroad near Harvard IL. You can see the trees being whipped, hear debris hitting the trailing engine from which the video came, and then see debris flying through the air from the F3 tornado that blows some cars over. Then the rest of the train carried along by its' momentum smashes its' way along creating even more of a mess. The tank car seen in the vid, containing shock fluid, leaked for hours before it was contained.



"The tornado started at 3:30 pm about 1.2 miles north of Poplar Grove in Boone county and ended at 3:48 pm about 3.2 miles north northeast of Harvard in McHenry county, Illinois. The first signs of damage were at Quail Trap road where trees were damaged and sections of roofing were removed from a shed. A large barn was destroyed and other buildings were severely damaged. Large trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado reached its maximum intensity of EF3 at the northeast corner of Centerville road and Beaverton road. A two story farm house and garage were leveled and large trees were stripped of all branches. The tornado was about 100 yards wide through this area.

"There was damage to trees, power lines, barns, and sheds. The tornado then crossed the Boone/McHenry county line as a weak EF0 tornado with just minor tree damage at this point. It crossed Hunter road and continued to track northeast across Ryan road as an EF0 and caused mainly minor tree damage. It crossed White Oaks road then it uprooted a hardwood tree and snapped off pine trees at their base along Maxon road. The tornado intensified as it moved toward the town of Lawrence where it produced the worst damage. Significant damage occurred in the town of Lawrence particularly at a house that had more than half of its roof ripped off and garage blown out.

"The tornado then moved across the Chicago and Northwestern railroad where it blew 12 railroad freight cars off the track. The train was moving at the time the tornado hit it. So as the main engine stopped the remaining cars on the track continued along it and slammed into the front part of the train. This caused a few more cars to derail, including one containing hazardous materials that caused the evacuation of the town of Lawrence.

"As the tornado moved east of Lawrence it once again started to weaken with some tree damage and shingles off of a few houses on the northeast side of town. It then ran along Oak Grove road for a stretch where it produced EF1 damage with a hardwood tree snapped at its base and knocked over an old...weakly structured barn with estimated winds around 100 mph. It then headed across farm fields and headed for hwy 14 where it damaged a metal barn and sheared a few trees. As it crossed highway 14 it flipped a semi-trailer and injured the driver at a truck stop weigh station." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Lawrence M. Ludtke - Sculptor

Houston, Texas - A Texas best friend of mine from the late 1970s to the 1980s sent me the following link to her dad's (Lawrence M. Ludtke) website. He was a remarkable artist, sculptor. His Resume reads as follows:

"LAWRENCE M. LUDTKE, Sculptor, Fellow-National Sculpture Society.

* Mr. Lawrence M. Ludtke is a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society and a Corresponding member of the Royal Academy of British Sculptors.

* His portrait and figurative sculptures are represented in prominent institutions across the United States. Included are The United States Air force Academy, John Hopkins Medical School, Rice University, Texas A&M University, CIA Headquarters at Langley,Virginia, the portrait Gallery of The National Cowboy Hall of Fame, The Pentagon, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Austin Texas and The National Battlefield Park at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

* He has fulfilled commissioned works of many famous personalities including Presidents Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson. Winston Churchill, John Wayne, General Wild Bill Donovan, Congressman Maury Maverick and Congressman Henry B. Gonzales, Babe Zaharias, General Sam Houston, Governor John Connally and heart surgeon Denton Cooley.

* The artist has also created significant liturgical art. The two most notable are a life-size Pietaâ' for St. Maryâ's Seminary in Houston, and a Christ and Child for Travis Park Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas.

* In June 1991, the artist created twenty-two portrait heads and logos in bronze for the American Quarter Horse Foundation in Amarillo, Texas. Recently seven bronze bas-relief panels depicting the World War Two Medal of Honor Recipients from Texas A&M were unveiled at their Corps of Cadetâ's Center.

* Following a nation wide competition, Mr. Ludtke created for the State of Maryland their State Memorial placed on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

* A seven foot bronze of General Earl Rudder stands on the Campus of Texas A&M University, Dedicated in October of 1994. An eight-foot figure of a young cowgirl was placed on the grounds of The Astrodome in Houston in 1994. Larger than life portrait busts of Albert Alkek and his wife have recently been unveiled at the new Alkek wing at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston.

* In 1996 a bas-relief commission of Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Williband Bianca was unveiled at South Dakota State University.

* Two full figure bas-relief panels were commissioned and installed at the Houston Light and Power headquarters in Houston, Texas in 1996.

* Bas-relief panels of Jesse Jones and his nephew John Jones were commissioned and installed at Jones Hall in Houston,Texas in 1997.

* An eight foot figure of Major Dick Meadows was dedicated June 6,1997 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

* Six life-size children in bronze for the State Capitol grounds in Austin were unveiled in July 1998.

* A seven-foot figure of General James Hollingsworth, decorated hero of WWII, Korea, and the Viet Nam Conflict, was dedicated in the spring of 1999 on the campus of Texas A&M University.

* Upon completion of the fundraising effort, an eight-foot figure of General Sam Houston is planned for Sam Houston Park in Houston, Texas. The model has been completed and approved by City council." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Cartop School House & Preston Hill Cemetery

Woods County, Oklahoma - To some of you Freedom and Northwest Oklahomans out there: Have you ever heard of a schoolhouse called "Cartop?" Someone believes it may have been near Preston Hill Cemetery (Longitude and Latitude: 36.841ºN,99.027ºW), located in Woods county, Freedom area.

Preston Hill Cemetery Map:

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

America - 23rd of August - This Day In History: 1902, August 23, Fannie Farmer opens cooking school. For those of you to young to remember, Fannie Farmer was a pioneering cookbook author, who changed the way Americans prepared food by advocating the use of standardized measurements in recipes. Farmer opened a school or cookery in Boston, in 1902. In addition to reaching women about cooking, Farmer later educated medical professionals about the importance of proper nutrition for the sick.

Fannie Farmer was born March 23, 1857, raised near Boston, Massachusetts. Her family believed in education for women and Fannie attended Medford High School. As a teenager she suffered a paralytic stroke that turned her into a homebound invalid for a period of years. As a result, she was unable to complete high school or attend college and her illness left her with a permanent limp. When she was in her early 30s, she attended the Boston Cooking school.

The Boston Cooking school was founded in 1879, promoting a scientific approach to food preparation and trained women to become cooking teachers at a time when their employment opportunities were limited.

Fannie graduated format eh program in 1889 and in 1891 became the schools principal. In 1896, Fannie published her first cookbook, The Boston Cooking school Cookbook, which included a wide range of straightforward recipes along with information on cooking and sanitation techniques, household management and nutrition. Fannie Farmer's book became a best seller and revolutionized American cooking through its use of precise measurements. a novel culinary concept at the time.

It was in 1902 that Fannie left the Boston Cooking School and founded Miss Farmer's School of Cookery. In addition to running her school, she traveled to speaking engagements around the United States and continued to write cookbooks.

In 1904, Fannie published Food and Cookery for the Sick and Convalescent, which provided food recommendations for specific diseases, nutritional information for children and information about the digestive system, among other topics. Farmer's expertise in the areas of nutrition and illness led her to lecture at Harvard Medical school.

Fannie Farmer died January 15, 1915, at the age of 57. After Fannie's death, Alice Bradley, who taught at Miss Farmer's School of Cookery, took over the business and ran it until the mid-1940s. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook is still in print today.

Did your mothers or grandmothers ever use any of Fannie Farmer's cookbooks? View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe