June 13

 A very special day remembered for so many years with a "party."

This is a photo of Far Guy's paternal Grandmother... Theresa or Tracie.  She is showing off her Dahlias just North of the house. 

She loved her birthday and a "party"  everyone that could would gather at the farm or at her apartment in later years for a gathering to celebrate her. 

June 13 1895 was a special day so many years ago.  She celebrated 87 birthdays!

I cannot think of a better Grandma...she was well loved. 

Far Side

120 years ago

Far Guy’s Paternal Grandmother was born June 13, 1895.   That was 120 years ago.  When I was transcribing her diaries and Grandpa’s Farm Diaries I would watch for those entries.

June 13 1912:  Fred went fishing.  Emma and I down to Aleck’s.  Hazel and Leslie came home with us.  My birthday the kids tried to have a surprise party on me.  It rained.  There were sixteen here had a fine time. Got some nice presents. To bed at 8??or 3??

( Grandma always looked forward to her birthday and having a house full at the farm on the Sunday nearest her birthday! )  In 1912 Grandma was 17.

 

June 13 1913: Ironed in the morn.  Eva went home.  My birthday got a watch and a centerpiece.  To bed at 8.      This was her 18th Birthday.

June 13 1916 Tuesday Helped Dow log Japs Glens here in eve ( Grandpa shorthand= He helped Glen Dow log, Jasper and family and Glen Dow and family came over in the evening.

June 14 1916  Wednesday Made garden fence planted pumpkins  ??

This would have been her 21st birthday…since Grandpa didn’t even mention her birthday perhaps the garden fence and planting pumpkins ( or whatever) was part of his gift to her.

June 13 1918  Thursday To PR Ronald to DR. ( To Park Rapids Ronald to Doctor.)

June 13 1919  Friday  Took cream Esessor? here cultivated corn  (Assessor??)

June 14  1919 Saturday  Plowed spuds

June 15 1919   Sunday  Aunt Amelias folks McLaughlin Frank Wilsons and Da and Ma here

Later in the month he dug her some moccasin flowers.  June 22  Sunday  Home rained got Mocisins

June 13 1920   Sunday  Home Thresa went to church ( A few days prior to this Marvin age 6 came down with measles.)

June 13 1921  Monday  To PR took veal Thresa and kids went

I still have 8 years of Grandpa’s Farm Diaries to decipher…it is a work in progress.  Pretty soon I will have to put it on my bucket list…you know things you want to do before you kick the bucket.

Grandma at the farm with her Dahlias in the 1940’s.

Those Moccasin flowers that they dug back in 1919 eventually ended up on the north side of the house near the back door…sometime a flower or two made it to the kitchen table displayed in a bud vase.  They would have had many places there on the farm near the river where the Moccasin flowers grew naturally.

Grandma died in 1983, she was 87 years 10 months and 13 days old…she escaped the home…and went straight to a big old party in heaven…and if birthdays are celebrated there today must be one big celebration!

A Picture and A Jar

This is the picture that hangs next to the french doors.  I believe it is of Multnomah Falls in Oregon, the falls are along the Columbia River Gorge.   Far Guy and I have been there.  There is a beautiful stone bridge part way up and you used to be able to walk over it..not anymore.  Our daughter Jen got to walk up there one year before it was closed.  The stone bridge which was built in 1914 is not in this picture, nor is the log bridge that was there before the stone bridge.  I purchased this picture at a garage sale, my cousin from Washington was clearing out some of her "stuff"...it is slightly damaged..and I thought about repairing it.  I stopped myself..I decided I like it just the way it is.  Like I said..I believe it to be Multnomah..it might be someplace different.  Whatever.. I thought it was worth two dollars.  One day I had a hammer in my hand..and a nail and I hung it up.   It kinda sticks out like a sore thumb next to the door..until I find a better spot for it..I guess it will stay there.

This is an old cookie jar made by the Hocking Glass Company.  It was my maternal grandmothers and I am sure that it used to have a silver colored label that said "Cookies" ..my parents inherited it..and they gave it to me one year for Christmas.

I used to collect Depression Glass, one year when we were visiting Far Guys sister in Indiana..we drove over to Lexington,  Kentucky and visited Gene Florence's shop..he is like the premiere authority on depression glass in the United States.  We got to meet his Mother that day.. she was a doll!  I have some of his books.  I have been out of the depression glass loop for a long time.  I still pick up a piece from time to time..as both Far Guy and I have our favorite sets which we collect and they will someday go to our daughters..Mine to Trica and Far Guys to Jen.

What is in the jar?  I figured that someone would be curious..my Mother gave me these socks, they were knit by my paternal grandmother for me before I was born.  I put them in the jar along with a note.  One day I went wild with post it notes and wrote the who and what of some of my "stuff".  I should find a photo of me in these warm socks..and put that in the jar too.  So the old jar is kind of a double memory for me, a grandmother that loved me enough to knit me a pair of socks..but who died before I was old enough to remember her, and another grandmother who lived a long life who I visited with often:)