Early March Winds In February

The latter half of this week we were experiencing the March winds early, along with temperatures in the 50's and 60's here in the valley. That was after two inches of snow fell around Valentines Day and the eveniing of February 13th, 2007.

After the snow the first half of this week, the large wind chimes hanging from a tree in our yard produced the most beautifully, chimed melodies that you might hear from a church organ. Notice the chimes hanging from the huge, leaning tree in our neck of the woods. The wind just sends out its special mountain melody here in the valley south of Bayfield, Colorado, and it is simply beautiful!

Things have been getting pretty muddy around here in the daylight hours as we take a walk out in the pasture to check on the horses. BUT... when night time comes the mud tends to freeze. AND... the winds of what seems to be an early March come blowing through the valley. We still have snow on our mountain peaks and higher elevations that we can see from a distance hillside. The snow in the valley has seemed to this NW Okie to have stayed around a lot longer this year with the colder temps. BUT... what do I know! I'm only a NW Okie!

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Searching For 1910 Murder Trial Exhibits

Where do they store the old 1910 murder trial exhibits for Woods and Woodward County, Oklahoma? Do they still exist? Searching for photo of Mabel Oakes (exhibit "B").

This week we are continuing with some additional research into the "Old Opera House Murder" of 1910. We are searching for an exhibit (exhibit "B") that was used in the 7 September 1911 Woodward County, Oklahoma Case #714, concerning the murder trial of Justice of the Peace Nelson L. Miller for the death of Mabel Oakes. This Exhibit "B" was also mentioned in the 600-page transcript for Miller's 26 April 1913 Appeal No. A-1618. The special proscecutor, Mr. Tincher, hired by George Oakes questions, hands Mr. Oakes a photograph and marks it as Exhibit "B" and asked him if this was a photograph of his daughter, Mabel Oakes. George Oakes replies that it is.

When we were getting copies of the transcripts and court filings, there were no exhibits that we could find. Do these 1910 exhibits still exist in either of the Woods County Case #612, or the 7 September 1911 Woodward County Case #714? Does anyone out there in Woods or Woodward County, Oklahoma with any connections to the the county courthouses that could do a search for these old exhibits of 1910? OR... Maybe you could lead us to a person, place where we can obtain a photocopy of the 1910 Murder Case Exhibits! Thanks for any help you can send this way!
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Wayne Lane's Centennial History Book

We are searching for a copy of Wayne Lane's Centennial History book? In it you can find the Castle on the Hill song which is referred to as Oh, Northwestern.

We understand that it says the following: "On a local basis, a new college song, Oh, Northwestern, was dedicated to President O. E. Hatcher when it was first sung at a chapel assembly in December 1933. Its words were by Thelma Myers, secretary to the president, and the music by Mrs. E. B. L. Hardy. The composition was used as the college song for several years afterward."

We would also like to find a copy of the printed melody of "Oh Northwestern." Does anyone know where we can find a printed copy of the melody of "Oh Northwestern?" Thanks again for any help from anyone out there!
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The Rest of the Story

NWOSU's Old Science Hall... "Castle On the Hill Poem -- "You have written your name in history.
Oh! Northwestern!
You've engraved it deep upon the scrolls of fame.
We have linked our lives with yours --
Oh! Norhtwestern!
Our achievements add a luster to your name.

We'll write your name upon the archives of distinction.
Ambition and achievement e'er will be our aim.
We will write your name with reverence,
Oh! Northwestern!
Our achievements will but glorify the same.

So -- then stand ye sons and daughters of Old Northwestern!
Take off your hats to the men upon the field!
They will fight tonight for Old Northwestern
And for the honor of the Castle on the Hill!
So -- then stand all ye sons of Old Northwestern!
Paying tribute to the men who never yield.
They will win tonight for Old Northwestern.
And for the glory of the Castle on the Hill!"
---written by Thelma Meyers ---

SEE ALSO: 1938 Ranger Yearbook (scroll to pg. 17 of 1938 Ranger Yearbook PDF file for the lyrics of the poem). NWOSU has permission to use any of the pdf files I have scanned of the old Ranger albums that I have." -- NW Okie

NWOSU's Old Science Hall... "That's it... I'd not referred to Lane's history book (I know I have it SOMEWHERE). I know bits of the melody, but not the whole thing. The printed music does exist somewhere... but who knows where?" -- Rod M.

Floppy Top Bop... "Unfortunately, Floppy Top Bop has been hanging on the edge of my consciousness since you jogged my memory. As I was going to sleep last night, I remembered the following: Pack your boob in a tube, then begin to hop, you'll be doin' the floppy top bop."

The Martin's of Major County, OK... "Hi, My name is Jeanine Baringer and I have also been trying to reach Betty and Paul (Martin) by phone but have been unable to get through. I live in Pine Island, MN. Did you ever hear from them. Jeanine - Email: larrybar@worldnet.att.net
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Nor'Easter In Full Force On Valentines Day

"This is a photo of a path from the porch to a neighbor's driveway, for the mailman. They won't delivery mail if they can't get to the box. The snow line on the cutout was almost chest high on him he came by about 9:30 this morning. This picture was taken from inside out the window, so it looks a bit lower than it really is.

Some other pictures of a lousy day in Woodchuck Falls, err Glens Falls, NY. All I can say is even though we have received over 28 inches so far since midnight, it's still not as bad as the 112 inches they got this past week out in the western part of NY, and they were expecting another 20-36 from this storm too. Look up Parrish, NY on the weatherground.com site. They have nowhere left to pile snow, and in most places it's up to the 2nd story windows of the houses there.What about the folks who only have one story houses, have they found them all yet? Anyhoot, here are some pictures I took this afternoon.

I have dropped into your site a few times lately and enjoyed your SW Colorado Weather Cam. I've been meaning to write and tell you that and ask if you've permanently moved to Colorado but I keep forgetting to do it. By the time I finish poking about your site and get done browsing all the interesting things I am usually tired and ready to head off to bed so I say to myself, "I'll do it when I login tomorrow." Right! Tomorrow comes and I check one mailbox and then get lost tending to stuff around the house, and I space it out till I am too tired to write anything coherent. *grin* Aging is so much fun, NOT!

Use whatever you like, I even have some new ones I took a little while ago to show just how deep the danged stuff is out there. I keep telling Tom to be grateful we don't live in Parish, they've had over 10 feet of snow in just over a week's time. Anyone who lives on the north or east side of any great lake should have their head examined for staying more than one winter. *guffaw* They can't even find some vehicles out there, still buried someplace under mountains of snow that keep blowing and drifting. It's bad enough here.

I will enclose a few more pix for you to choose from from that were taken today. Tom has been shoveling since 8 am for about an hour at a time, comes in for 15-20 minutes to warm up and rest and goes back out to face it again. Our driveway is about 65 feet long and the snow was over 24 inches out there this morning. He quit shoveling about 11:00 last night with just over half of it done for the third time yesterday. I practically had to tie him down to keep him from going back out again. I told him it would be easier in daylight with no more coming down on him, getting him wet and cold, so he finally gave up and went and took a shower. He'd been at it since about 8:30 in the morning. We could have had a nice big snowblower really cheap when our neighbor JoAnn sold her house in June but we figured we be in Wa. by Thanksgiving so turned it down. Told him then he should buy it, even if we weren't going to be here, give it to one of the kids when we leave for the left coast but... Hindsight is wonderful, isn't it? Anyhoot, here are a few pix of today's adventures in the snow." -- Betty Lee View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Eastern Oklahoma Valentines Weather

"Believe it or not, we have had a couple of days of "snow". By that I mean..... an ALMOST dusting one morning and then a heavier fall last night and this morning and it looks like it is trying to "dust" us again now but none of it is really sticking around but it is definitely COLD! The wind is making it even colder. I think it was something like 17 degrees when I went out to do some errands today and I think it is going to be VERY cold tonight but then will heat up later on this weekend so."
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OK POW Camps - Tulsa World News

"Feb 10 had an article on German POW camps in Oklahoma on Page A11." -- German POW Camps in Oklahoma

[Editor's Note: Check out the Tulsa World's Oklahoma Centennial pages online.]
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Class Reunion Poem

"Is there any copyright issue regarding that Class Reunion poem in the mailbab section of OkieLegacy, Volume 8, Iss. 30. My High School class is rapidly approaching our 50th and it would be so appropriate for sharing with some of my former classmates, or to be read at our 50th (for whoever of us is still living and able to get there). I see the author is "unknown." May I copy and reprint or share it? I'll be glad to give credit to your Okie Legacy as my source." -- Nola (Veley) Wilkerson, formerly of Alva, now of Westmoreland, KS
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Photo of Scott Cummins

"May I have permission to use your photo of Scott Cummins which is on your page: OkieLegacy - Pilgrim Bard on my page about him? My page is here: Kansas, Barber County - Scott Cummins. I would, of course, credit you and your site for the photo and would provide a link to the page on your site which has the photo as part of the photo caption and credit line. You may be interested in knowing that his book, Musings of the Pilgrim Bard, is online at the following url: Musings of the Pilgrim Bard. For some reason, the online version of the book starts with page 21. He mentions Alva, Oklahoma, on page 33 of his book, which is here: page 33 - Alva. As the book is in the public domain, you might want to transcribe the poem for use on your site. I've also credited you on the Contributor's page: Contributor's page. There are at least 11 pages on my Barber County, Kansas, site which are about people or events in Woods County, OK. The following link is to a search results page for the search term Woods County. You'd probably find more pages were you to use the site search engine to search for town names. I just checked and there are 56 pages which mention Alva, Oklahoma. Thanks again." -- Jerry Ferrin
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The Pilgrim Bard's Poem - Lines (1/15/1899)

(from Scott Cummins book, Musings of the Pilgrim Bard - page 11) -- Written on the trunk of an aged and decaying cottonwood tree that stood on the ban of Salt Fork river on the old Camp Supply trail, an old camping ground.

Before I ever saw the sun
This giant tree from earth did start;
Ye now its race is well nigh run --
Decay has fastened on its heart.
alas, 'tis dying sure and slow --
A gloomy monitor it stands
Guarding the river's shifting sands;
Speak! thou decaying giant -- tell us of the ong ago.

Tell of the savage red man's camp,
tell of the wandering hunter's cheer;
From sorching sun or evening damp
Devil and saint have sheltered here
To plot or pray as seemeth well.
The shaggy bison sought thy shade;
The dun deer 'neath thy branches played;
Oft, too, these wilds re-echoed wolf and mountain lion's yell.

Thy seared old trunk hath many a scar,
Thy gnarled branches crook and twine
As though the elements at war
Had caught thee in their dread confine;
Here, too, the lightning trace I see
Perchance for years you stood aone
Till thine own polen zephyr blown,
Took root in earth and grew a kindred grove to thee.

Beneath and rough thee floods have rolled,
and driftwood in thy boughs have caught,
E'er white man's foot had pressed this wold
Or white man's eye beheld this spot,
I trow 'twere guess work all to try --
In fancy's realm alone we see
This monarch's quaint biography.
The shimmering of the leaflets tell not of the days gone bye.

Mortal, thou may'st a lesson read,
for thou art passing like this tree;
The poor in purse, the ghouls of greed,
None can escape the stern decree;
blind worms are waiting at the goal,
and if thou hast a single spark
To light thee, as the way grows dark.
'Tis this, beyond death's portals, lives the immortal soul.
Pilgrim's Den, Jan. 15, 1899.
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Pilgrim Bard's - The Hunter's Camp

This poem is from Scott Cummins book, Musings of the Pilgrim Bard, page 33, and is the ending of another poem that starts on page 28, of Musings of the Pilgrim Bard. That poem is The Hunter's Camp and it mentions "Alva" (as aroung the Oklahoma Run of September, 1893). It seems the Pilgrim Bard liked Alva to a future thriving city of the west; a proud Princess; and a hunter's camp. Thought you might like to read it...

"The snow white tents that glistened 'neath the sun
Spoke volumes to me in a moment's space;
Henceforth that lonely, isolated vale
Will be thriving city of the west --
Alva, proud Princess, once a hunter's camp."
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