Duchess Corner

Duchess may be laughing at our beginnings of a "little" tomato, but just wait until it gets fully developed, vine-ripened and what have you. We shall see if she is laughing then! Here is another quick peek this week at our "little" home grown tomato.

While Duchess may have a smile for my potted tomatoes, Sadie spends her time chasing leaves in the wind and then quenches her thirst at the watering hole in front of our adobe here south of Bayfield, Colorado.

Have you seen these lifesize horses made entirely out of driftwood? Life-size Driftwood. Marvelous Work. WOW! Stand a few of those out in your pasture if you can't afford the upkeep on the real thing and see what passerbys do. No cleaning up after those horses, huh? Except, perhaps after a strong tornado or wind storm.

Enjoy your Memorial weekend and have a safe one. Remember those WWI, WWII, and other war veterans this Memorial Day. Let us not forget to pay tribute to our "Pioneer" ancestors who came before us and settled the western frontiers of the Americas.
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Garver Flying Circus...

Has anyone out there ever heard of Garver Flying Circus out of Attica, Kansas?

We did a Google search online for Garver Glying Circus and found a few links of interest. We also found out that some pilots organized flying circuses as entertainment businesses. The Garver Fancy Flying Circus of Kansas was often called the best in the United States. Members of the Garver family did loops, spins, rolls and other airplane piloting tricks.

There was this mention of "Ravenna's Party for Central Nebraska," was first held on August 15-17, 1923. It was held every year since except for the war years: 1942-45. "Garvers Flying Circus," featuring pilot Garver and his flying partner, Paul Duncan, the "Thrill Master" held the crowd's attention. Mr. Duncan performed wing walks, trapeze stunts under the wing, hung by his teeth, his toes, by one hand while flying low over the crowd, and then performed the grand finale, "leaping off into space, trusting his parachute" from 5,000 feet. Pilot Garver performed tail spins, ten loop-the-loops in succession and a stunt called "the falling leaf." He also gave rides for $1.00 a minute. That year he also performed a humanitarian act. Miss Helen Goehring of Ravenna was in the plane, ready to go for a joy ride when a distraught man, Mr. Hanson of Arcadia approached the pilot, saying his son was seriously ill in the Grand Island hospital and he had missed the last eastbound train out of Ravenna, #40. Pilot Garver quickly agreed to fly the father to Grand Island, with Miss Goehring still aboard. Thus, the young lady received a sixty mile ride for the price of a dollar! -- Buffaloe Tales - Ravenna's party for central Nebraska

Then there was The Western Star, August 28, 1925. - "FATAL AIRPLANE ACCIDENT" -- Many Coldwater, Kansas people witnessed an airplane tragedy on last Sunday afternoon when Joe La Chappelle, a member of the R. Carter Harrison Air Passenger Service and the Garver Flying Circus, dropped 200 feet to the ground from an airplane on which he was doing some acrobatic stunts and was instantly killed. He came to this city the latter part of last week with three other airplane men and, together, they were putting on an exhibition of difficult stunts with the airplane and parachute." -- Fatal Airplane Accident

Besides Garver Flying Circus of Attica, Kansas, let us not forget one of the most famous female pilots in America that was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. Amelia Earhart was a national celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s, and she continues to receive national attention today because of her mysterious disappearance. We also hear that Atchison, Kansas is a great town for ghost hunters.
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The Rest of the Story...

Alva's Spring Water... "I made a two day visit to Alva the end of January of this year and the person I was visiting with told me about a spring that flows down into Alva (under ground from way up north-perhaps an aquifer), that is great drinking water. He said it comes out on some ones land out of a pipe, which is by one of the new bridges being constructed. Does any one know about the water, does it really exist & if so...where exactly is this water flow located???"

Saturday Night At Dacoma, OK... "Fizzies - Greatest drink on the planet Earth as far as I was concerned while growing up in the 50's. I was watching the Food Channel a while back and a store that sells old old old candies that you can't find anymore was talked about on this particular show. I contacted the Food Channel and they gave me a number which I called. It was the old candy store. Fizzies are no longer made. They researched it for me and the company folded in the 80's. Sorry."

1920 Pow Wow Yearbook & Floris Patterson... "Donald Ray Aldridge, Odessa, Tx., is the only living child of Floris Patterson. Floris married Jesse Aldridge and they lived in Laverne, Oklahoma. Floris has 7 grandchildren scattered around the country. Her sister, Lora Patterson Sipes, was also an artist an was an art teacher in Oklahoma. -- Lora Aldridge - EMAIL: lora@outragegis.com

..."Tami - EMAIL: tamidconn@yahoo.com is the lady who had the picture that was done by Floris Patterson and mentioned that she would like to find family members to return the artist picture to. You might drop her an email and let her know about the living child of Floris Patterson Alridge in Odessa, TX and possible others. Thanks for stopping by and letting us know. Have a great week!
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Isaac B. Lawhon...

"I located the piece that you have written regarding Isaac B Lawhon testifying in a court case. I am wondering if I can get the piece that you have written, and any other data you may have, regarding him, as my husband is a descendent of Isaac's daughter, Lena. We are having a family reunion on July 1st and it would be fun to share this piece with the cousins, etc. Thank you so much." -- Paula Dunagan View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Cedardale, Oklahoma Photo...

"My Grandmother Nash moved to Cedardale, Oklahoma at the age of 12. Her maiden name was Finley but they moved to Cedardale because of her mother's family WEBBER. My Great Grandfather FINLEY operated a store, post office and telephone exchange at Cedardale. My grandmother married Ed NASH, a local homesteader. My grandparents lived in Cedardale until the mid 1930's. With regard to photo I located on the Internet, I can not help you with the name of any of the children. You might try contacting Ed Hepner in Laverne, Oklahoma. Either Ed or one of his siblings may be able to help you. I just recovered a tape with my Grandmother telling the story of moving to Cedardale, Oklahoma. In the time before the Post Office, the location was called Cedarvale but because another Post Office had that name, Cedardale was adopted. Good Luck." -- Clifford R. Porter View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Gas & Weather...

"I've been waiting for 'the other shoe to drop' all week. On Tuesday morning they dropped our gas prices another 2 pennies. The majors have posted regular unleaded @ $2.59.9 and the independents are 2 cents cheaper at $2.57.9 with premium 10 cents higher and super another 10 cents higher (or is it the other way around). I don't have any vehicles that need the higher octane stuff. Also the weather is HOT, HOT, HOT. As a matter of fact they keep telling us that we're going to get some more rain (I was told there were loud thunderclaps last night but I wasn't aware of them) and someone said today that Mannford, Ok. (close to Keystone Lake) got 3 inches of rain overnight. I don't remember whether I'd sent you the web site of the driftwood horse. Marvelous Work!" -- Roy View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

193rd Tank Battlion...

"I wanted to let you know that the email address shown for Bill Wood is dead (re: your 193rd Tank Bn. web page Uncle Bob/193rdtank.html) as are most of the links shown in his article. I have some information for him... do you know a new email address for Bill? Thanks." -- John Patton View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma State Flower...

"Here is a nice write-up on the state flower, Indian blanket. I had a report today that it is blooming near Clinton. Have you seen any near you?" -- Elizabeth - Indian Blanket View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Waynoka & Quinlan - NW Oklahoma Bank...

"The town is Quinlan. The family who started the bank were the Washburns. The owners of the First State Bank are the children of Forrest and Lula Washburn George. Quinlan is a very old town. I think it started as a shipping point for cattle. The Quinlans had a large ranch in the Quinlan-Waynoka area. They built the 2-S Hotel in Waynoka. Their brand may have been 2-S. The town has an interesting history. Lyle Washburn (deceased now) was a relative; probably the grandson of the original banker. Lyle owned the Ford dealership in Alva, and owned a Studebaker dealership in Waynoka before that. I believe Lyle's wife, Carol Lee, was from the Quinlan area, too." -- Sandie View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Duane Hostetler Memorial Aviation Exhibit...

"In your next issue, please put out a request if anyone has stories and photos about the Garver Flying Circus from Attica, Kansas that we can use in the "Prairie Connection." They may have used the Salt Flats, as Cessna did for practice, but I am not sure. And if per chance, anyone has a Duane Hostetler aviation story, we'd be very appreciative of that, too. The exhibit will be open by appointment (620.896.7566) after Memorial weekend. This weekend it will be open Friday 2 to 4, and Memorial Monday, 10 to noon. We will have a lot of photos of Duane's planes, and need help in identifying them. It is located at 118 West Main, downtown Harper, Kansas. Thanks." -- Rosalea Hostetler - EMAIL: wepreserve@balmerfund.org View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe