Duchess Mountain Domain

Bayfield, Colorado - We know we are a day late and a dollar short, as everyone else out there! It is Tuesday morning as I set my paws to the computer keyboard to write this column.

There is really no good reason that I can think of for being a day late. Only that the Fall temperatures here in the Southwest Colorado Rocky mountains has been great! Too great to stay inside hooked up to NW Okie's laptop. So I found me a sunny, cool spot outside by my humans pickup to watch nature passing by, as well as birds, chipmunks and dog walkers scurrying, enjoying and walking in the rocky mountains.

NW Okie answered our question of when we are heading towards Oklahoma this morning and says, "Maybe early Thursday morning!"

I read where Northwestern OSU began it homecoming week yesterday in the "Green space" on the northwest corner of the NWOSU campus. Will the crowd on the sidewalks around the downtown square be crowded as in past homecoming parade gatherings? I guess the parade starts this coming Saturday, 10:00a.m., traveling from the old armory around third street and Flynn Avenue. Remember in the past when the the parade started up at Northwestern campus and traveled down College Avenue (6th Street) to the downtown square and traveling counterclockwise around the square and ending the Washington Elementary school at Barnes Avenue and 7th Street?

NW Okie remembers those days of her young years! The smells of concessions stands serving homemade rolls, sloppy joes, chips and drinks. She also remembers her dad parking a car in front of the Dr. Pepper plant (where Radio shack is today) and reserving a spot for the elderly grownups to set and watch the parade come down College Avenue, while the youngsters got to sit on the high street curbs to watch the multitudes of big bands and elaborate floats march about a mile downtown to Washington Elementary school.

What are your memeories? Good Night and Good Luck! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Home Comfort Cookbook - 1934 Advice To Young Cooks

America - Do you remember any stories that your grandmother or mother told you of learning to cook on a woodburning Wrought Iron Range, as depicted in the photo image on the left, in the 1930's?

This week we are including advice to young cooks, secrets of good cooking and talk of basic recipes in cooking. Did your mother, grandmother tell you that you should master, become proficient the basic recipes before undertaking the recipes dreivations?

Our "Home Comfort" cookbook says, "Like all other sciences, cooking is governed by well defined rules of practice -- by tried and proven formulae called recipes. In each group or classification, there are what are termed basic recipes from which a wide range of other recipes have been derived.

"For example there are two basic recipes in the cake group cakes with and without butter or shortening. From these two recipes, a wide variety of different cakes may be made by adding or leaving out certain ingredients or quantities, or by the manner of baking. A young cook, especially, should begin with these basic recipes, master them, and become proficient in plain wholesome cooking before undertaking their derivations."

"Home Comfort" cookbook also mentions The Secret of Good Cooking. It states, "The secret of good cooking is: First, be a critical judge -- know excellent cooking from poor cooking; Second, find a fascination in the science, and become thoroughly familiar with what, and what not to do: Third, fid a genuine pleasure in the practice -- mastering the basic recipes and the operation and control of your Range -- and above all, THINK."

Advice to young cooks back in around 1934 went something like this, "A convenient place for everything, and everything kept in its proper place is one of the big secrets in saving steps in preparing a meal. A small table, kept clear of everything except the particular material and utensils being used, is most indispensable to any cook.

"Before commencing to cook, look up the chosen recipe and study it thoroughly. On a slit of paper make a memorandum of the required materials and the quantities called for, and collet the necessary materials and utensils to be used.

"All quantities, liquid and dry, should be measured or weighed exact, for careful attention to details is one of the most important secrets of success in cooking. Young girls, especially, who are just learning to cook, should follow these instructions and not trust too much to luck and memory.

"Luck in cooking is knowing how and being sure quantities, temperatures, and methods of handling and mixing are right, and above all, the proper handling of the Range, which must come from actual practice.

"Use good, dry fuel; keep the reservoir supplied with fresh, clean water; see that the oven heat is at proper temperature for the particular food you are preparing before placing it in the oven; see that the oven is kept properly regulated while cooking; prove to your own satisfaction that the big secret in all cooking is in knowing exactly how. A century ago, no cook was considered proficient under thirty years of age; today (approx. 1934), thousands of girls have become fine cooks at eighteen or twenty.?" View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Okie's Ramblings

Bayfield, Colorado - Okay! I guess Duchess told on me, huh? I am a day later than usual, but can you blame me for wanting to be outside in the Fall, cool rocky mountains, instead of in front of my laptop?

Save a spot on the Alva (Oklahoma) downtown square for us this coming Saturday morning. Will it be cool, cold, rainy or sunny?

Can not wait to see my 2010 paint filly while we are back in Northwest Oklahoma. Not to leave out visiting with my other horses, Nugget, Maggie, Cindy and Doquoti. Do not forget to turn down the thermometer this week and next, though.

I am going to keep this short! If you see Lovina and Bud Clark, tell them you hear Wagner's are visiting NW Oklahoma for the rest of September 2010.

I suppose I should give some reason for being "A day late and a dollar short," huh?

All day yesterday I got this idea to fix up a database to view my Paternal, Maternal and Husband's family ged files in our MySql, php database.

I found this PhpGedView open-source program that, if your webserver allows, lets you run a MySql database, you can use PhpGedView to configure your mysql database to read, search, edit and display your ged files and share with your family across the globe.

I am still in the process of uploading my ged files and setting up my family genealogy database, Paris Times Pioneers genealogy. I have the Paternal family tree uploaded and will be adding the Maternal and Wagner family genealogy later. I still need to fine tune some things yet, and will keep you updated when it is up and running. We shall see how well it works!

We hear that Texas around the Dallas area received at least 7/8 inches of rain and tornadoes. What part of that passed through to Tyler, Texas that sets about 90 miles East of Dallas along Interstate 40?

Thanks for you patience as we come to you a day later than usual! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Bread & Bread Making (1930)

America - Our Home Comfort cookbook of 1934 states the following about baking breads on/in your Wrought Iron Range:

"Bread is divided into two general classifications; Yeast bread, and quick Bread. In their plain form, these constitute basic recipes, from which many plain and fancy variations are made by the interchanging of materials, or by the form of the finished product.

"Bread is composed of flour (used in its general term), salt, shortening, Liquid, and a rising agent.

"For plain, white bread, flour from Spring wheat -- called Bread Flour -- is best. While usually spoken of as "white flour," it has a slightly cream tinge, but produces a fine, practically white loaf.

"Shortening gives to bread a tender texture, rendering it not only more palatable, but more readily digestible; therefore, a small amount is used in all the better breads.

"Water, as the liquid in bread, is in universal use, for not only is it cheaper, but bread will hold its moisture longer if made with water. Milk, however, is more nutritious, since it contains practically all the food values; also, milk gives bread a more spongy texture. A half-and-half mixture of the two liquids is often used.

"The purpose of a rising agent in bread (also most cake, and some pastures) is to render the product light and porous, making it more palatable and digestible. Flour, shortening, and liquid, form an elastic paste which may be formed into a multitude of small air-cells by laboriously beating air into it; when heated, the air expands the cell-walls, rendering the product porous.

"Rising agents, such as yeast, baking powder, or soda with sour milk or molasses, take the place of the air process by forming gas (carbonic-acid gas -- the same as in soda water), which, when heated, expands and inflates the cells, causing the bread to rise. The cell walls are then baked in this condition and retain their shape and volume.

"Besides perfecting the taste of bread, salt strengthens the elasticity of the dough, and also aids in holding the moisture and keeping it fresh.

"Yeast is composed of living cells or plant life. Provided with moisture, warmth and the food on which it thrives, such as the flours of grains, the yeast plant will grow and multiply; but, robbed of these, the living plant will remain in a stet of rest awaiting the proper conditions. yeast, as in general use, is of three kinds: Liquid, or simple yeast; Compressed, or fresh compact; and Dry Cake, or foam. The two latter are the ordinary forms of commercial yeast, or a collection of yeast plants in a state of rest, and may be obtained at almost any grocer.

"Some general rules to be observed in making yeast Bread:
* In preparing yeast for bread, cold or luke-warm water should always be used as extremely hot or boiling water will kill the yeast plant.

* Yeast should first be softened in a small quantity of water, and this stirred into the bulk of the liquid.

* Always add the flour to the liquid, remembering that the liquid determines the quantity of the dough, while the amount of flour determines the texture or quality.

* Bread may be mixed at night, covered with a cloth, and set on the top of the warm reservoir of your range to rise; by morning, the fermentation should be complete, and soon made ready for early baking.

* Bread should be mixed in a bowl of earthenware or crockery, as it holds the warmth more evenly. Since dough is too heavy for beating, it should be mixed with a stiff missing knife, or spatula.

* It is necessary to knead bread twice -- before and after the first rising -- the first, to thoroughly distribute the ingredients; the second to break up the larger air cells and make firm.

* Do not hurry the second rising -- let it be slow and natural; this will result in a finer texture.

* It is best to bake bread in small loaves, as this gives a larger proportion of crust, thus giving it a higher food value.

* It is necessary in baking bread, to kill the yeast plant quickly and thoroughly, since it has accomplished its work of supplying the necessary gas, and must be prevented from further spreading. This is done by placing in a very hot oven for a few moments, and the baking completed in a moderate oven."

Under Bread and Bread Baking, our Home Comfort cookbook says, "The term Quick Bread is here used to cover that classification in which baking powder, or other similar rising agent, is used instead of Yeast, and format he fact that the principal object is the saving of both time and energy in the making of it. Many of the same general rules applying to Yeast Bread may also be applied to Quick Bread, since the principles of mixing and baking are the same. Detailed instructions will be found contain inch particular Home Comfort recipe."

We will include some Yeast and Quick Bread recipes in next weeks Okielegacy ezine. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Perry, OK County Fair

Perry, Oklahoma - Roy of Perry says, " For the first time in several years, it did not 'rain on our parade'!!! Nor did we have any bad weather for the entire week of our county fair here in Perry, Oklahoma. We have just completed our 117th continuous annual running of the CHEROKEE STRIP LAND RUN celebration. It is the longest running continuous annual celebration in the state of Oklahoma, having begun 13 years before we became the 46th state in the nation.

"I can recall one year that the falling rain was quite cold and many of us huddled under awnings and other overhangs around our town square as we watched the decorated floats slowly losing their identity as it melted away from the constant falling moisture. Last year, the rain miraculously quit just ten minutes before the hour-and-a-half parade began.

"This year we had bright sunshine all day long and I shot video for our local-access TV channel for almost eight hours. Most of that time was spent standing on the grass under tent covering the audio-control booth in front of the bandstand in the courthouse park, but I also stood for an hour-and-a-half in front of Jim Franklin's sculpture studio behind my video camera that was recording the passing parade. This year's parade marshal was our own internationally famous (two-time Olympic Champion Wrestler, retired) Danny Hodge. His vehicle was followed by our 'citizen of the year', Noble County Sheriff Charlie Hanger (the ex-highway patrol trooper who in years past had arrested the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh).

"All in all, it turned out to be a great day for our celebration, and I am beginning to get rested up from it. As to falling rain, the previous week, we had received an additional six tenths of an inch. We've had a considerable amount this year and I am behind again on my grass mowing." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

3D Murals by John Pugh

California - Have you ever seen any of Artist John Pugh's 3D murals painted on the sides of buildings? John is considered as a Trompe-l'Å...il, (French for deceive the eye) artist that delves, uses the an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects appear in three dimensions.

Steve sent us some photos showing some of John's 3D murals. We have included one of those in this image on the right. It depicts a Main sTreet scene, in Los Gatos, California of a woman peering into the ruin 3D painting. The woman is a part of the mural, but it really does trick your eye and make it seem that you are viewing the inside of a realistic ruins. You can see more of John Pugh's 3D murals at Art of John Pugh. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

This Day In History - Oklahoma

Oklahoma - Taking a trip down the roads of Oklahoma history takes us to September 21, 2010 Distinctly Oklahoma Moments, concerning Robert Samuel Kerr, born in the Chickasaw Indian Territory, Oklahoma, near the present town of Ada, September 11, 1896.

Robert attended public schools; taught school; graduated fromEast Central Normal School, Ada, Oklahoma, in 1911. He studied law at the University of Oklahoma. During the First World War. Kerr served as a second lieutenant with the First Field Artillery.

Kerr went on to be a drilling contractor and oil producer; chairman of the board of Kerr-McGee Oil Industries, Inc., and was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1948. Kerr was reelected in 1954, and again in 1960, and served from January 3, 1949, until his death in Washington, D.C., January 1, 1963.

Robert S. Kerr was chairman, SElect Committee on National Water Resources (eighty-sixth Congress); Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences (eighty-seventh congress); interment in Rose Hill Cemetery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and subsequently at the Kerr family homestead near Ada, Oklahoma. This NW Okie has some political photographs of Senator Robert S. Kerr and other Democrats on her Google Picasa Political Legacy Album. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Virginia Cured Hams

Virginia - In looking through our 1934 Home Comfort cookbook, we found the following paragraph relating to Virginia Cured Hams. This NW Okie loves the salty, Virginia cure hams. Wish I had some right now. I think I need to head to Virginia and snatch me some, huh? Does anyone make Virginia Cured Hams anymore like the following?

Virginia Cured Hams -- "After the hams are trimmed and cooled, pack them in a cask or tub very closely dusting the trimmed surfaces slightly with salt. After 2 or 3 days, cover with brine, allowing for each 100 pounds of ham, the following mixture. The best ingredients to use is coarse salt, 8 lbs. saltpeter, 2 oz. brown sugar, 2 lbs potash, 1 1/4 oz. water, 4 gallons. Let the hams remain in the brine for 6 weeks, then take out and drain, dust every part of the flesh or trimmed side with very fine powdered black or white pepper, and hang up to dry. After they dry for several days, expose them to hickory smoke in the customary way. The hams will be ideally soft, deliciously seasoned, and proofed against insects, and will keep until wanted. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Washing Clothes In 1930s

America - On page 156 of the 1934 Home Comfort cookbook, it suggests and gives us a hint of how our ancestors used to wash clothes. Did your grandmother, mother use the following means to washing her clothes?

Washing Clothes -- "To wash clothes without rubbing, it is not necessary to buy any of the various so called labor-saving compounds, since they all work on the same principal -- that of dissolving the oils in the fabrics and thus releasing the dirt which is then washed away. One of the very best solvents is soap, and soap is at its best as such when it is in the form of strong hot suds.

"Shave one-half to tow-thirds of an ordinary cake of laundry soap i about one-half gallon water and boil until soap is completely dissolved; pour this into one-half to two-thirds wash-boiler of boiling hot water; put in enough clothes to loosely fill but not pack; it is not necessary to boil them furiously, but keep the temperature to, or a shade under, the boiling point until all the dirt is loosened; have at hand another boiler of hot water, and pass the clothes, one at a time, into it with the stick, agitating it in the water to rinse out most of the suds and then pass the garment through the wringer into the final rinsing water i the usual way.

"Wash white clothes first, and if the water has not become too dirty, the colored goods may be put into the same suds which, of course, must be kept hot.

"Flannels, woolens, blankets, sweaters, etc., are washed in the same manner as above, but never let them boil -- keep the suds just under the boiling point; rinse them through two or three relays of clean, warm water; squeeze them out, but never twist or rub woolen goods as it distorts the fibers.

"Silks, and dainty lingerie require a more delicate handling; do not use extremely strong soap and after the soap is dissolved in a little hot water, use just enough to form a good lather in warm water -- for silks, use nothing but warm water in which the hands ay be comfortably placed; never wring or twist silk goods, but squeeze out the water; do not hang them out to dry, but press out with a warm iron -- not hot -- until they are dry; all crepe fabric should be lightly stretched wile pressing.

"Laces, lace curtains, tatting, etc., are washed and handled exactly as silk fabrics.

"If you have a clothes-wringer, try folding your sheets, tablecloths or other flat pieces lengthwise to form a strip that will pass through the wringer. If folded smoothly and passed through the wringer wet, it will save more than half the work of ironing.

"Sort your clothes and fill your washing-boiler the night before, start your washing before breakfast, and proceed deliberately -- not hurriedly -- but systematically; the early finish, the beautiful result, and your own untried condition will surprise you. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Lard Making (1934)

America - On page 155 of our Home Comfort Cookbook it has the following information regarding Lard Making back in the 1930s.

Lard Making -- "Preparing the Fat - Too much importance cannot be given to cleanliness in lard making and handling, if the product is to be white and pure. After the fresh fat is freed from all fleshy and discolored matter, it is then cut into small pieces, and washed through several waters until the water runs clear. See that nothing but the freshest of clean fat goes into the rendering kettle.

To Preserve -- "Lard may be kept sweet and fresh, even in the warmest weather by adding to the rendering or remelting kettle, a handful slippery elm bark. No salt or further preparation is necessary for this purpose. Tins, crocks, or jars, in who lard is placed should always be thoroughly sterilized before filling.

To Prepare for Market - "Lard intended for the market should be bleached to be of first quality. This is best done by cutting the cold lard into small pieces about half the size of an egg, and then allowing it to stand in cold water for half an hour; then, wash through 5 or 6 successive waters, working it with the hands; drain well, working out all the water possible, remelt over a boiling water bath, and strain through fine linen; if necessary to get rid of all the water, remelt the second time, repeating the process of straining. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Government Whitewash (1934)

America - Did you ever wonder how they keep the Whitehouse in DC looking so white back in the 1930's during the depression. Read below what they used to keep the United States Government lighthouses and other weather and wave beaten properties, including the White House, painted to stand the test of many years.

Home Comfort states, "This white-wash, used for many decades on United States Government lighthouses and other weather and wave beaten properties, has withstood the elements for many decades without the ordinary renewing necessary with other whitewashes and paints. The east end of the White House, itself, painted with it stood the test of many years. It will be found and an economical method of barn and fence painting, and without an equal.

"Take half a bushel of unslacked lime, slack it with boiling water, over during the process to keep in the steam; strain the liquid through a sieve or fine strainer, and add to it a peek of common slat previously dissolved in warm water; add three pounds of ground rice; boil to a thin paste and stir in while hot; add half pound of Spanish whiting and one pound of clean glue previously dissolved by soaking in cold water and then hanging over a slow fire in a small pot hung within a larger one filled with water; add five gallons of hot water to the mixture, stir well and let stand a few days, covered from dirt. It should be applied hot, for which purpose it can be kept in a kettle on a portable heater. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Barnsdall, Oklahoma - WWII

Barnsdale, Oklahoma - Photo on the left is a photograph of 2nd Lt. Charles R. Schleifer as shared by Clint Daniel.

Clint Daniel of Southern California wrote, "Hello, I came across your terrific website while doing some WWII research. I thought you might find the following link on my WWII website Navigation: Individual Service Stories - Mystery Solved 1945 to 2006 interesting, relating to WWII and Barnsdall, Oklahoma, my family's home town.

The above linked page is dedicated to all of the photo-recon pilots who took flight during the war, and Barnsdale, Oklahoma, the small town where this story took place.

The story starts out, " Over the years, I have heard the story many times. It occurred while my father was growing up in his hometown of Barnsdall, Oklahoma (Osage County) during the war. Over and over, he related the story to me in exactly the same way. He recalled seeing two planes, that he identified as P-38's, dog-fighting at high altitude over his home town. At 13 years old, he was already an admirer of the P-38 from the magazine articles he had seen and could not resist watching this display taking place before him.

The next paragraph continues the story, "After several minutes, he noticed that one of the P-38's was diving down at a high rate of speed and appeared to spiral a little as it came down. He recalled hearing the engines sounding as though they were at full throttle, making a very loud screaming sound. As the P-38 rushed closer to the ground, it appeared that the pilot was attempting to roll the aircraft into an inverted attitude. My dad guessed that the pilot was attempting to bail out of the aircraft. The P-38 remained inverted and struck the ground a short distance outside of town. Like many others, my father ran to the nearby crash site. When he arrived there, he recalled that the majority of the plane had all but disintegrated upon impact and caught fire. It was obvious that the pilot had been killed. My father found a small piece of the aircraft and kept it for many years, remembering the dreadful event he had witnessed. Once I began collecting WWII aviation related items, he gave the piece of metal to me and related the above story to me many times. Each time, the story was told with the exact same details … An F-5, the reconnaissance version of the P-38, had in fact crashed 2 miles west of Barnsdall, Oklahoma on July 2, 1945. The pilot killed in the crash was identified as 2nd Lt. Charles R. Schleifer, ASN 0-705999." - Click the above link for the rest of the story!

"Again, you have a terrific website and I enjoyed reading many of the articles! All the best from Southern California." -- A website celebrating the history of the American military aviator! View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (2 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe