Okie's NW Corner

Well! Someone is a survivor of another birthday in 2004. Their 56th birthday was Wednesday (February 25th). Another year older, wiser and well-aged with slightly greying hair. Duchess did wake me up with fresh Pug kisses and did her rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song. We both took Wednesday off and played hooky the whole day. It was great! We do not have that many photos to share with you this week, but will see what we can scrounge up. AND... it may be kind of short this week. Duchess and I have been playing hooky this week. Everyone needs a Birthday Break now and then, don't they?!

What about some 2004 baby colt pictures for you animal lovers out there. Up here in the NW Corner as February winds down this weekend and March is just around the corner with it's famous windy days that sometimes come in like a lion and go out like a lamb (or the other way around)... NEW life is beginning to spring-up in some rural pastures of Woods County, Oklahoma. Yes! New little colts are making their arrival early this year. BUT... they aren't mine colts! Clark's Quarterhorses are expanding with their 2004 crop of registered Quarterhorses, starting with this sorrel mare and her 2004 filly.

That is not the only thing going on around these parts... you can find some farmers preparing, drilling some of their fields with oats -- hoping the weather is decent -- giving them enough time to get their oats sowed before the next rainstorm pounds through the state on Sunday, February 29th, 2004.

1939 - Waynoka Newspaper...

We were reading a 1939 Northwest Oklahoma newspaper (The Waynoka News ) dated Thursday, June 15, 1939. Did you know that the biggest privately owned man-made lake in the state was in the "Dust Bowl" of Oklahoma's Panhandle, on the 3,200 acre farm of O. W. Tucker, in Cimarron County?" The 1939 article mentioned that the original dam (45 feet high) would hold 900 acre feet of water and would irrigate 300 acres of alfalfa (started in 1937) through ditches running from both sides of the dam. From reading the 1939 news we also learn that C. T. Sturdevant was extension service engineer of Oklahoma A & M College back in 1939 and was assisted by someone called "Uncle Bill" Baker (Cimarron County agent) and Tucker's two sons when they made the original survey for the lake, dam.

Louis Pryor and Addie Bass...

Before Duchess and this Oakie head out of here for the last few days of February, is there anyone out there that could help a lady that is doing research for records of Louis Pryor and Addie Bass. She is interested in connecting with anyone doing research on the Osage Tribe with dates around 1899 to 1906. Check out her request in the Mailbag Corner. See Y'all next week in the windy month of March. Watchout for sunday, 29th of February -- carry your umbrellas with you if you're in Oklahoma -- keeped anchored with those March winds coming. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Murals...

"Several years ago we were on Vancouver Island and ran across the town of Chemainus. This is about 50 miles north of Victoria. There were many murals there and even a museum. The story was.. well here it is: Chemainus -- Moving up island from Duncan, this small town was once home to a sawmill. When this closed down in 1983 the slow death of the town was inevitable. An artist was brought in to paint a mural on a large wall to depict the town's history, this caught on and more murals were painted, today there are over 30 murals, 10,000 visitors each summer, the saw-mill has re-opened and it is once again a thriving town - the little town that did. I wonder if lots of murals in Alva would attract attention and perhaps tourists or even new businesses? Here is a better URL for their town. Travel More Canada Murals.
Here are some other Links to Other Mural Sites:
A Directory of Murals in Northern Ireland by J. McCormick
Political Wall Murals in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Photo Gallery: Marches, Murals & Protests
Mural of Peace-Milwaukee
Putting Art in Its Place-San Jose
Project Bridge Murals-Texas
Murals Conservancy of Los Angeles
SPARC-Southern California
http://www.bowen.qld.gov.au/webs/murals.htm ." -- Steve View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Made in Oklahoma Millage Coins...

"I have stumbled across scores of paper and metal millage coins. Some say for 'Old Age Assistance.'   Could you give me some information on them. They are made in Oklahoma. Thanks." -- Larry Kemp - Email: kempls@camerondiv.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Walkers, James of Farry, Oklahoma...

"My ancestors established the town of Farry,Oklahoma. Grandmother James secured the first post office.They also established the first Freedom newspaper which was called the Freedom Express. It was published outside under a large tree. This is all prior to the present location of 'New' Freedom. I have a multitude of pictures and copies of the old paper. This was circa 1898. All the Walkers and James in the Preston Hill cemetery are the founders or descendents of the original settlers. This can all be documented with the Oklahoma Historical Society. I have donated approximately 200 glass negatives of pictures of people and their homesteads in that community. Later on in the early 1930's my Grandad, Howard Walker was Woods County Treasurer during the Depression. I have lots of history I would share about the Farry community if anyone is interested. The pictures are in Oklahoma City at the Historical Museum, listed under the J.O. Walker collection." -- Gilvin L. Walker - Email: kargilwalk@cyberlodge.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Bliss' of Lookout, Oklahoma...

"My father, Vernon Bliss's mail box is the dot on the map of old Lookout, Oklahoma. I was raised there on the farm. It was interesting reading about Lookout, Daycreek school, Mound Ridge school and etc. I forwarded this information to my father, Vernon Bliss, whom still resides on the farm where the Lookout dot is on the Oklahoma maps.  He informed me that quite a few of the names were incorrect and mis-spelled. Also, Sandra (Bliss) Wimmer still lives there on her dads farm. Keep up the good work." -- Dale Bliss - Email: dale@obsoletefordparts.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Leap Year Birthdays - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Gail!...

"Gail Hadwiger, long-time p.e. teacher in Alva has a birthday on February 29th.  I'm not saying  HOW OLD SHE IS.  ('Sworn to secrecy.)  It would be great if all who know Gail and the great person she is would wish her a great day!" -- Bonnie View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Osage Tribe Inquiry - Date 1899 to 1906...

"Would like to know if anyone is doing research on the Osage Tribe and if so... the dates I need are 1899 to 1906. I am looking for records of Louis Pryor and Addie Bass. Any records of the two in the same place and time together. Thanks." -- Linda - Email: knyghtryder1@yahoo.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Goldbug Class of '76...

"Would love to hear from anyone from the Alva High School, Goldbug Class of '76!" -- Tamre Warfield Bohn - Email: tbohn92058@aol.com View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Grandma in Fonda, Oklahoma - 1915...

"I have attached the photo of my grandmother, Dorthey Louthan, in Fonda Oklahoma, 1915. Thanks." -- Cindy Louthan Powell

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Native American Genealogy -Oklahoma Tribal Address...

Native American Genealogy -Oklahoma Tribal Address -- Osage Tribe of Oklahoma - P.O. Box 1539, Pawhuska, OK 74506, Phone (918) 287-1128, Fax 287-1259. "The Osage Nation Reservation consists of approximately 1,475,000 acres and is otherwise known as Osage County, Oklahoma. The Osage tribe owns all mineral rights located within Osage County and has an income from all oil and gas found in Osage County. The Osage tribal campus - the heart of the Osage Nation - is located in Pawhuska, Oklahoma....." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Why are Leap Years Used?

Why are Leap Years Used?... "Short answer: Leap years are needed so that the calendar is in alignment with the earth's motion around the sun. Long answer: The mean time between two successive vernal equinoxes is called a tropical year, and it is about 365.2422 days long. This means that it takes 365.2422 days for the earth to make one revolution around the sun (the time is takes to orbit the sun). Using a calendar with 365 days would result in an error of 0.2422 days or almost 6 hours per year. After 100 years, this calendar would be more than 24 days ahead of the seasons (tropical year), which is not a desirable situation. It is desirable to align the calendar with the seasons, and make the difference as small as possible. By adding leap years approximately every 4th year, this difference between the calendar and the seasons can be reduced significantly, and the calendar will follow the seasons much more closely than without leap years.
    In the Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar used by most modern countries, the following rules decides which years are leap years: Every year divisible by 4 is a leap year. But every year divisible by 100 is NOT a leap year. Unless the year is also divisible by 400, then it is still a leap year. This means that year 1800 , 1900 , 2100 , 2200 , 2300 and 2500 are NOT leap years, while year 2000 and 2400 are leap years." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Leap Years...

Leap Year -- "Nor why we have leap years . Probably our teachers did not know.... The necessity for leap years stem from the fact that there are almost 365-1/4 days in a year....." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe