Fay, Florida, Hummingbirds & Tomatoes

We hear from relatives in the Northern Florida panhandle that Fay has brought lots of rain to Northern Florida for over 20 hours, dropping an inch an hour since the mid-morning of August 23rd.

They are saying, "Fay has officially broken the drought in N. Florida and Southern Georgia."

Thanks, Lou & Kay, for letting us know you are safe, dry.

NOW... onto the tomatoes and Hummingbirds. I finally got to pick four of my homegrown tomatoes that I planted in huge pots this Spring before we moved. I don't think potted tomatoes plant have the same REAL taste that the tomatoes have that are grown in the ground, though.

It seems as though our summer monsoons have subsided for now with temps are in the mid to high 80's. AND... the Rufus hummingbird has let the Emerald hummingbird partake of his (Rufus) personal hummingbird feeders we placed out. There for awhile I thought that the Rufus hummer had moved on, but I spotted Rufus chasing the Emerald hummer off a couple of days ago. BUT... Emerald keeps coming back!

We hear that Oklahoma's gas prices at down to $3.39.9 this week. Our regular gas prices here in southwest Colorado (Bayfield) have decreased to under the $4 dollar mark ($3.96.9). What's it doing in your area?

This week, this Democrat will be glued to CSpan, CNN, MSNBC and the Democratic National Convention 2008 in Denver, Colorado!
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Freedom, OK's 2008 Old Cowhand - Dean Wilson

We didn't make it back to Northwest Oklahoma last weekend for Freedom's Rodeo, Cowhand Reunion and Shootout. BUT... We read in this week's NW Oklahoma weekly newspaper, The Freedom Call, that Dean Wilson was the honored Old Cowhand this year (2008) at Freedom's Old Cowhand Reunion & Rodeo.

What we know of Dean Wilson from that article is that he married Betty Hackney, April 29, 1951. Both Dean and Betty worked for the Kamas Brothers Ranch; thereafter the young couple moved to Protection, Kansas to work for Betty's uncle, Lloyd Hackney. At this same time, family was blessed with the birth of daughter RoAnn and son Randy.

In 1954 the Wilson family headed to the Parker and Beely Ranch just north of the Kansas line and daughter Sharil was born.

From 1958 to 1961, the family worked the Gregg Ranch just southeast of Wimore, Kansas. There, Dean, enjoyed the kind of work he loved, but had a few more acres to ride. It wasn't all work. The family would stay busy with the birth of twins, Darol and Carol.

Finally in 1961, Dean rented 880 acres northeast of Mooreland, Oklahoma. He bought a cow herd, horses and a few hogs. While living in Mooreland, the late Darrel Eden approached Dean and ask him to manage the Freedom Propane Company. So in 1964 when the owner of the Mooreland acreage put it up for sale, the Wilson family gladly jumped at the chance to move back 'home' to Freedom.

All three of Dean and Betty...s daughters had been crowned Freedom Rodeo Queens, as well as serving as attendants. Even granddaughter Sabrina was crowned Queen in 2002.

Congratulations to Dean Wilson and his family from the OkieLegacy and McGill Sisters L&C Corporation (Dorthy & Linda).

If anyone out there has an extra copy of the <2008 Freedom Rodeo Program for the 71st Rodeo & Cowhand Reunion, I would sure love to have a copy. You can mail it to me: Linda Wagner, PO Box 619, Bayfield, CO 81122. Thanks!
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No Mans land of Oklahoma

Have you ever realized that five flags have flown over No Man's Land in Northwest Oklahoma?

According to Timothy Egan's book, The Worst Hard Time, Spain was the first to claim it, but two expeditions and reports from traders reinforced the view that the land was best left to the "humped-back cows" and their pursuers, the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache.

Spain gave the territory to Napoleon. The French flag flew for all of twenty days, until the emperor turned around and sold it to the US as part of the Louisiana Purchase. A subsequent survey put the land in Mexico's hands, and extension of their rule over Texas in 1819.

Seventeen years later, the newly independent republic of Texas claimed all territory north to Colorado. But when Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845, it was on the condition that no new slave territory would rise above the 36.5 degrees in latitude, the old Missouri compromise line.

That left an orphaned rectangle, 35 miles wide and 210 miles long, that was not attached to any territory or state in the West. It got its name, No Man's Land.

The eastern boundary, at the 100th meridian, was where the plains turned unliveably arid, unfit for Jefferson's farmer-townbuilders.

It was in the late nineteenth century, that one corner of the panhandle served as a roost for outlaws, thieves, and killers.

The Coe Gang was known for dressing like Indians while attacking wagon trains on the Cimarron Cutoff.

The Santa Fe Railroad pushed a line as far as Liberal, Kansas, on the Panhandle border, in 1888. Kansas was dry ... and so a place called Beer City sprang up just across the stateline ... a hive of bars, brothels, gambling houses, smuggling dens, and town developers on the run. The first settlement in No Man's Land was Beer City and lasted barely two years before it was carted away in pieces.

Law, taxes, and land title companies finally came to the Panhandle in 1890, when the long, undesired stretch was stitched to Oklahoma Territory.

No Man's Land was settled, when there was no other land left to take. It was a hard place to love and a tableau for mischief and sudden death from the sky or up from the ground.
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Growing Up In South Louisiana

We are in the process of taking down Kenneth Updike's stories and ramblings of "Growing Up In Oklahoma" because Kenneth asked us, "To remove all of my previous writings to you about my Ramblins. Personal stories that I told you and your readers. My Son has had all of my writings, and notes copyrighted so that we can put them in a book or booklet. His idea. I really have no objections to this, but he insists we can be viewed by more people. I leave it up to him. Thanks for your help in the past, and I still read your Okie Legacy nearly every week."

If you find some of Kenneth's Ramblings that I have missed, Please email me the link with Vol. and Iss. numbers so that this NW Okie can remove them. Thanks for your help!
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100 Wheat Combines

"Record setting harvest was done in 2008, in Norton, Kansas 160 acres was harvested with 100 combines and several grain trucks in 10 minutes and 15 seconds. This record will be entered in the Guinness World Book Of Records. Proceeds of this crop is to be sent to a kid's camp. That's how they get it done in Kansas." -- sent in by a couple of readers: N. Talkington and Ellis Raymer

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2006 Old Cowhand - Smiley Olson

"Smiley is my dad's (Keith) brother and I think the world of him!" -- Trayce Hellman OkieLegacy comment
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Harmon's In Woods County, OK - 1900

"Searching for information on Harmon lines related to John Houston Harmon b. April 1845 and wife Margaret Elizabeth (Lizzie) Muse Harmon b. January 1852. I am particularly interested in finding descendants of their children to compare notes with.

They had a total of 12 children of which 8 were living in 1900 census of Woods Cty, Van Twp. Oklahoma, primarily in Ringwood.

I am descended through their son George Wesley/Wesley George/George William Harmon who died in Texas. (As you can see there's some dispute about his name I'm trying to clear up.)." -- KWolfe - Email: kwolfe1@gmail.com
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Jack "Stit" Davidson

"Jack Davidson's nickname - Stit. Rumor was it from drivers education -- 'You're stit hitting the curb.' Davidson said 'Stit' instead of 'still' or perhaps only did it once and it stuck." -- Gail Bliss
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Fort Supply Sanitarium - NW OK

"I am trying to do family research and have found we had an Uncle in Ft. Supply Sanitarium. Would you have any idea on how to trace the sanitarium records, or who I could contact? Any information will be greatly appreciated." -- Phoebe Johnson - Email: pjohnson@bluestemresources.com
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POW Camp At Windfall, Indiana

"I am aware of the POW camp at Windfall, Indiana and have sent a note to history friends in the area. I don't mind sharing information in hopes of learning more myself. I have one photo and one article from the Kokomo newspaper in which you may already have. Will be happy to share the info plus one additional photo I have of German POWs at the Orestes Canning Co, Orestes, Indiana." -- Dave Dwiggins EMAIL: zenas5@yahoo.com
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Weather & Gas Prices In Perry, OK

"While other parts of Oklahoma were experiencing flooding this past week, Perry only received about 6/10 inch (in my rain gauges). Yesterday (August 21), the Conoco station dropped the price to $3.39.9 per gallon (from the previous price of $3.45.9). I wonder if it will continue to drop. Oklahoma is fortunate too that job opportunities to continue to open up, and housing values have increased for the 4th year in a row. Interesting!" -- Roy K.
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MORE Internet Speed Tests

"Here is another place that will give you a free speed test. I didn't give them any information as for zip code, email address, etc. Just pick the location nearest you and click on it. speakeasy.et/speedtest/ One of Dell computer technicians told me years ago not to use the speed test that your internet provider offer, as they pick the one that gives them the best readings. -- Kenneth
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Young Ladies With Diplomas

"Hi, Linda! A couple of items - re: Donnan photo - it's possible that the child could be a boy - it was not uncommon for them to be posed in dresses at that young age. Also, re: comments from persons from Enid - does anyone there remember a young woman named Shirley Vail, who would have been a high school student in the mid-1940s? She is a distant cousin of mine and I lost touch with her many years ago." -- Barbara Walters Hodges - OkieLegacy Comment
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Learning K-K-Katy Song

"Who sent the information about K-K-K-Katy? I learned this song in the early ''50s during co-ed singing lessons given by Fred Neuman."-- SBW
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Cari-Okie Blog

"Here's a short Blog you might find interesting about Anadarko's Woods And Waters Winery. It was written by someone called Cari-Okie. (maybe a cute play on words.) This Blog is another reason I'd like to go there some day and check it out. " -- ndtttttttttttttttttttt
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Oklahoma Tidbits

We all know what "Okla" and "homa" means in the Choctaw language ... 'Land of the Red People.' AND... that Oklahoma is bordered by six states: Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Missouri and Arkansas.

Did you know ... Oklahoma ranks 18th in area at 69,957 square miles; 6,656 square miles of land; 7.5 million acres of forest; 1,301 square miles of water, and more coastline than the Atlantic and Gulf together.

Here are some Oklahoma tidbits that I found in The Freedom Call, August 14, 2008 Issue:

Oklahoma means. 'Land of the Red People' in the Choctaw Language.
Oklahoma was admitted to the Union on November 16, 1907, as the 46th state.
Oklahoma is divided into 77 counties with a total area of 69,957 square miles.
State Motto: Labor Omnia Vincit (Labor Conquers All Things)
State Colors: Green and White
State Tree: Redbud (Cercisn Canadensis)
State Animal: American Buffalo (Bison)
State Bird: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Muscivora Forficata)
State Fish: White Bass (Sandn Bass) (Morone Chrysops)
State Flower: Mistletoe (Phoradendron Serotinum)
State Rock: Rose Rock (Barite Rose)
State Nickname: Sooner State
State Reptile: Mountain Boomer (Collared Lizard). -- NW Okie
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