I'm back

My last post was several months ago, but I'm back. My monthly goal is to write two notes in this blog each month. I learned a long time ago that if I write it down it will happen. There is something about a list a goals that motivates me. That is if the list is not too long and if the list hasn't filled up with busy work.

One of my other goals this week was to create a nook in the garage. I now have my desk set up and the bookshelf is mounted on the wall. Over half my books are out of the totes and I have thinned the collection, with 3 boxes of books and DVDs dropped off at the local library. The books will go into their quarterly sale. The DVDs may be used to replace damaged ones in their collection.

Years ago my dad made a camping box for the car. It is 24 inches wide, 21 inches tall and 10 inches deep. The front opens down and creates a table. Dad used it until he was able to graduate to a pickup and camper. Mom the took the box and made it into a writing box.

When she passed away it was one of the things I wanted. It has traveled with me for the past 20 years. In San Luis Obispo it held up one end of the desk I had made out of an old door. It has been stored in a garage at times. In Gladstone I built a frame that turned it into a stand up desk. In Sandy it sat on a beautiful old wooden card table in the corner of my room. Today it is the corner of the garage in my nook.

It brings back memories of my parents and sometime about it brings out the creativity. I haven't changed it and it holds my Morning Pages Journals and other keepsakes. Maybe I will take a picture and add it to this post.

The real message here today is that I'm back.

Bilyeu Den Cemetery

This time of year my thoughts turn to cemeteries. Visiting the Bilyeu Den Cemetery in the rural community of Jordan, Oregon, are among my earliest memories. This is where many of my father's family are buried. The cemetery got it's name from the Bilyeu Family, who lived in the area. The cemetery was established in the 1857 and has changed a lot since my first memories, which was either a memorial day or the burial of my grandmother Ellen J. Weidman in 1951.

It has been over a year since my last visit and I printed out the roster from the Internet. 23 pages with a single column of data. Reading it brings back memories

There on page 1, between Lester R. Wood, a World War I Navy veteran, and Donald Wilber Fleming, are the names of my parents, Chester Lee and Lilia M. Grimes. I can picture their graves. nearby are my grandparents, Defsie and William Grimes and my step grandfather Clarence Barnett. Because he served in WWI, I have eligibility for membership in the Sons of the American Legion.

Laura Neal is here. She was my favorite substitute teacher at Mari-Linn School in Lyons. I think we had her for every grade. I enjoyed visiting their farm. Today a major portion of it is a county park.

Also there is Hazel Worth, my 7th grade teacher. We had history. She went to school with my dad. I grew up on stories of Hazel.

Near Hazel are my great-grandmother, Ellen Weidman and her mother, Elizabeth McCoy. there are also aunts, uncles and cousins of various degrees.

One memory I have of past visits was the number of young children buried there. Reviewing the roster confirmed that life was hard on infants and young children. the earliest burials seem to be the three young children of H & M.A. Bilyeu. All three died in 1857. James died June 17th at the age of 5 years, 1 month and 23 days. Then George H. died on December 26th, at the age of 3 years, 10 months and 13 days. Five days later Isabell died on December 31st, at the age of 2 months and 25 days.

Another family lost three children in October 1917. Were they victims of the Influenza Pandemic?

I have a new mystery. I remember doing some family research and finding a Farrier somewhere among my ancestors. Yesterday, on page 3 I found Ambrose and Marian Farrier, Pioneers of 1845. Now, where are those papers at?

It has been fun walking among those buried in the Bilyeu Den Cemetery. I sometimes wonder if someday I will be joining my family here.

No Mother, No Problem

Yes, I know, we all have a mother. Mine passed away over 20 years ago and I often think of her. Yet, there are many others who are never remembered. They are may be old and alone. There is no one to make Mother's Day (or any other day) special for them.

They are everywhere. Check with your local long term care facility, such as a nursing home or assisted living community. As your neighbors. Adopt a mother (or two) and make their day. A bouquet on Mother's Day would make their day. A card each month would be great. Your mother doesn't have to be gone in order to do this. I'm sure should would not mind sharing you.

Adopting a mother on Mother's Day has been on my Bucket List for several years. This is the first time that I have really promoted the idea.

Good Bye Virginia

Elsie Virginia Turley

1920-2010

Learning of the death of a friends always brings back memories and disappointment in not being there to say goodbye. So it was with Virginia. I first met her soon after I became the activity director for a retirement and assisted living community in Sandy, Oregon. She had a reservation for a very specific apartment in our facility and was a frequent visitor for lunch.

We quickly became friends. I think it was three of the things we had in common. We were both Navy. Virginia enlisted in 1944 after getting her teaching degree from Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. two years before. She served in both Chicago and Cleveland as a member of the Shore Patrol. She often told me that the reason she joined the Navy was to find a man, and she did.

They were married after the war and moved to New Jersey. Her husband Frank was involved in the Scouting program as was I in Oregon and California. That was our second link.

He husband was also a Kiwanian and I was the president of two different clubs. For many years Virginia helped prepare for their biggest fundraiser, a fly-in and cruise-n She would round up a crew and they would spend the day assembling the napkins and flatware for the pancake breakfast. When she moved she brought the party with her and we would invite her friends to join us for lunch.

We became friend and I had many wonderful conversations with her. She one of our Red Hat ladies and I drove many of their outings and other trips that she enjoyed. I remember being invited to a family dinner at a nearby restaurant.

A private burial with military honors was held at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. I held a private memorial to remember a friend and fellow Veteran. Smooth sailing Virginia, good bye.

Just Rambling

It's Friday morning and I'm sitting in my favorite coffee shop and enjoying my first cup of coffee of the day. It's time to come up with a blog entry. Because I call this "Tom's Rambling" I rarely plan ahead. Here is what I wrote this morning. so far I haven't taken my laptop to the coffee shop to write directly in the blog.

This week I read a note on one of my military sites that the remains of more of our Vietnam War missing have been found, identified and returned home. As a veterans and a member of the American Legion, I'm proud that we're still searching, still recovering and still honoring our "Missing In Action". Hopefully a lot more of their families will experience closure as the Department of Defense continues to search the battle fields.

This week I got word that one of the young men, a World War II veteran, from my youth had passed away. Leland had been a role model growing up in a small town in the foothill of the Cascade mountains in Western Oregon.

I continue to be amazed at the ability of Facebook to pull people together. I'm now friends with several of my high school classmates and some of my shipmates from my Navy days. There are even a handful of childhood friends from Lyons, that small down in the foothills. My hometown even has a fan page.

Well those are my random thoughts for today. Now I can enjoy the beautiful weather while it's here. Forecast calls for showers midweek.

Aimee or Ashlee?

I have been taking pictures since my parents (or maybe it was my sister Dot) gave me my first camera. A photography class in high school really got me going. I learned to develop my own film (black and white) and print my pictures. During my junior year at Stayton Union High School I had several classes in the Industrial Arts building and I could finish the whole process in one day. It was exciting and at one point I even considered becoming a professional photographer.

The above picture was in a box of photographs I found amount the stuff I had moved from storage unit to storage unit. I scanned the picture and posted it on Facebook. I know she is one of my twins. It's either Aimee or Ashlee, but I have no idea. The comments were wonderful. Their brother had no idea and finally their comments showed up. Aimee said it was Ashlee because she always hogged the cat, Tigger. Ashlee said the same thing about Aimee. It is still a mystery.

Our memories fad but I have thousands of prints (even some of the negative) and a large tote full of slides. They are all pre-digital. There are thousands of digital pictures on cd's and on my external hard drive, which has room for thousands more. Thanks to Facebook I have been able to display some of my favorite pictures. A scanner let's me turn the prints into digital images. Facebook lets me share them with family and friends.

I also use them on the greeting cards I send out.

Tales from Sunken Grade

Later today I'm launching a new blog called "Tales from Sunken Grade". the name comes from the traffic sign. At some point I added "To write a book of Tales from Sunken Grade" to my bucket list. I always like the name and my head is full of stories about people I have known over the past 60+ years.

When I wrote my goal the plan was to write a story a week. Then I changed it to a story a month about life in and around Sunken Grade, a sawmill town in the coast range of Western Oregon. I got off to a good start but soon got bogged down in life. It has been a couple of years since I last added a story to the notebook, now in a box in the garage from my last move.

The stories are still running through my mind. So I have decided to create another blog as a place to deposit the tales from Sunken Grade. I will post an update on my Facebook page when I have posted a new entry.

Thank you to those who have encouraged me to keep writing. I hope you will enjoy the stories about life in Sunken Grade. Who knows, you might even recognize someone you know.

Weather forecast is rain all next week. Sunken Grade sees lots of rain throughout the year. A wet Spring is nothing new.

Good Bye Davy, Daniel and Fess

I have spoken to several dozen groups as a life coach. One of my favorite topics is eliminating "missed opportunities" For me that was passing up a chance to met Ansel Adams or not visiting Spirit Lake at the base of Mt Saint Helens. Ansel Adams died before I had another opportunity to visit him in Carmel, California. Spirit Lake disappeared under 300 feet of rock and dirt when the mountain erupted on May 18, 1980.

This morning I woke realizing that I had missed the chance to met a childhood idol. For nearly 10 years I lived within a hour of the Fess Parker Winery in Santa Ynez, California. I drove past the winery countless times, always thinking that I would stop sometime in the future.

Yesterday, March 18, 2010, Fess Parker passed away at the age of 85. The King of the Wild Frontier is gone but he will continue to live in our hearts.

I was one of millions of youngsters who embraced the 6-foot, 6 inch Parker. He was the man in the coonskin cap who stood for the spirit of the American Frontier. Like other Boomers gripped by the Crockett craze, I had my cap. I have often wondered how many rabbits died to met the demand. I found an article this morning that reported that at one point 5,000 coonskin caps were sold a day. The price of furs when from 25 cents a point to $8.00 a pound.

Thank you Fess Parker for bringing Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and the wild frontier to life for us.

A Gem: Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve

The Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve is a true gem. I discovered it soon after moving to Healdsburg in mid 2009.

On my first visit to the preserve I caught this picture. We watched each other for about 3 minutes. Then I made the mistake to shift slightly and he was gone in a flash of his white tail.

The preseve is located at the end of Arabian Way and contains several trails. I soon learned that most involve either going up or own hill. My usual route is to head east on the Fox Pond Trail. This trail is only .3 miles long and gradually climbs. At the end you and go left to the Fox Pond viewpoint or turn right and take the Ridge Trail. the name is a little deceiving. Most of this trail is very steep. From the Fox Pond Trail it is a steady climb through the Oak trees that cover the perserve.

This is one of homes I could see through the branches of the bare Oak trees as I climbed the Ridge Trail. I walk daily and thought I was in pretty good shape. I was wrong and had to take frequent stops on the climb.

The Russian River takes a perpentine path as it flows out of the Alexander Valley to the North and goes around Fitch Mounain. After floating the river once in a canoe, making a couple of trips to the preserve and viewing the area on Goggle Maps I finally understood the lay of the land.

The buildings in the center of the picture is the Rio Lindo Adventist Academy. At this point the river is flowing North toward you. It then turns left and flows past the academy again. At the end of the bit of water you can see is where the canoes are taken out of the water. The trek starts 8 miles up river, where the Alexender Valley Road crosses the river.

This last picture was taken from the Ridge Trail. This is Mount Saint Helena. The mountain has flanks in Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties. It is one of the few local mountains that receives any snowfall during the winter.

After visiting the Russian River Overlook I took the Ridge Trail down to the All-The-Oaks Trail and headed back to the preserve entrance. What is interesting is that from the Overlook down, the trail is paved. I have a feeling this area was set for development at one point.

I have just begun to explore the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preseve. There are two other trails, the Serpentine Trail and the Blue Oak Trail. I'm sure I will be posting more pictures in the future. According to the sign at the entrence there are eight different oak trees in the preserve. Maybe I can find an example of each. When I visited the preserve last June the wildflower season was ending. Maybe I can catch it earlier and add to my wild flower collection.

This preseve is a true gem and I have encountered very few people and no trash. Thank you Healdsburg.

Signs of Spring

Rumor has it that Spring will start in a couple weeks. I thought about that during my recent walk through nearly Badger Park. The fruit and ortimental trees have all bloomed and the daffidols have been showing their colors for the past couple of weeks. I noticed the tulips are beginning to come up.

Soon the vineyards that surround Healdsburg will come to live and soon will be covered with the grape blooms. Spring is a beautiful time of year here. It is a reminder of the cycle of the seasons.

This trail runs along the Russian River. It is narrow and was very muddy because of the rain the day before my walk. The river was running high and muddy, but the sky was blue with beautiful white clouds and the grass was very green. All in all it was a very enjoyable walk.

When was the last time you took a walk? It is amazing what you can see when walk. Take a camera along and share your photographs with the friends.

Have a great weekend.

Old Pictures Revisted

I have spent the last couple of days looking for a digital photograph I took several years ago. Most of my images are on my external hard drive but some are on cd's that I used for backup. It has been fun traveling back in time.

Here are two images of Mt Shasta. The first one I took while driving North on I-5. It was a beautiful day and I could see the mountain way off in the distance. I knew just where I was going to stop to get a picture. There is a viewpoint just South of Dunsmuir. As the miles rolls by I looked forward the stopping and snapping the picture. I had never seen the mountain so white. It must have been covered with a fresh blanket of snow.

Finally I arrived at the view point, only to experience a big disappointment. A band of low clouds blocked the view of the mountain. After a short rest stop I continued on up I-5. The mountain remained blocked from view. After a meal stop in Yreka I continued North. Just North of Yreka the interstate crests a low ridge before dropping down to a bridge over the Shasta River. Looking back over I shoulder I could see the mountain. I quickly pulled off the road and took this picture.

On a later trip South I arrived in Weed, at the base the mountain just before sunset on a clear night. I stopped where I could get a good shot of the mountain and took another picture. The mountain was glowing pink and there was a full moon. However, it was not hanging over the mountain. This is one of the very few pictures that I have used a editing program to enhance. A little clipping and pasting moved the moon to where I wanted it.

I know, I doubt Ansel Adams would have approved. It was a chance shot, with the mountain bathed in the pink light of a setting sun. This was a once in a lifetime shot.

Mt Shasta is part of the Pacific ring of fire and like Mt Saint Helens, she will come back to life. The appearance of the mountain will be changed forever.

Upbeat Times "No Bad News is...Good News"

Today I discovered a new newspaper here in Sonoma County. Actually, it's an old paper that has returned to print format. They have been publishing the positive side of life since 1998. Visit their website at www.upbeattimes.com. It is great local reading.

The Joy of Sending Cards

I was stationed in Washington, DC, in 1976 when I met my first computer. It was a giant mainframe machine in the basement of the National Institutes of Health across the street from the National Naval Medical Center, where I was the assistant Military Personnel Officer. We had a remote data entry station. My systems guy could create reports but had to drive over, find a parking spot and go into the data center to get the printouts. I think I drove him crazy thinking up new ways to use this new tool. We finally got a printer and that made life a little easier.

The second machine we had was an IBM magcard typewriter. The technology was new but we took advantage of it. We only had to type a document one time. When we upgraded to the magcard2 it got even easier. As you revised a document the new version was saved to the second card. At one time my brother had a shop full of these old machines. He was an IBM typewriter repairman and worked in the factory that made the magcard machines.

I got my first computer a couple of years later. It was an Atari 800 and I was hooked, especially when email and the Internet came along.

In the fall of 2008 and friend showed me a neat program called Send Out Cards. It combined the benefits of the computer with the warmth of actually sending and receiving a card in the mail. The card has a first class stamp and can be written in own handwriting.

Today I average better than a one heartfelt card a day. I'm able to use my own pictures for a little more. The average card costs less than a $1.40 when I use my own pictures. I love taking someone picture and then sending them a card with their picture on the cover. I have also scanned old family photographs and used them on the card, like this picture of me and a friend.

Not everyone has an email address, I don't know it, or cannot find it. I have learned to send a card and in a few days I usually get an email or a phone call.

Why not try it out? Just click on the "Custom Greet Cards" link to the left and I will let you test drive the system. you can send a couple of cards on me and experience the fun of sending out greeting cards. One warning, it can be addictive.

Valentines Day with Williams and Ree

Sunday we went to the Citrus Festival in Cloverdale. This was the 118th annual Festival, which is like a small country fair with everything including the 4-H animals. Not sure how this guy got in, but he was keeping his eyes on everyone. One beautiful bird.

Williams and Ree, The Indian and The White Guy, (you can find them in the internet) are among my favorite entertainers. First saw them at the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles about 20 years ago. I have been known to drive 2-3 hours to see them perform.

The weather was great this weekend, which the people at the festival enjoyed.

Time with Bill

Today I'm at Kaiser Permanente Optometry clinic with a friend. Bill is a World War II veteran with dementia. We're here for his annual Photographic Diabetic Screening.

While setting in the waiting room I asked Bill if he remembered the day World War II ended, August 14, 1945. He seemed surprised to hear the war had ended. He was looking at a Time Magazine and the time and was looking a combat pictures from Iraq. So much of his memory is gone and maybe it's good that he has reached the point where he doesn't get upset when I cannot remember the past.

I asked because I have become involved with an organization dedicated to establishing a National Day of Remembrance so that our :greatest generation can help education and inspire future generations of Americans. This August 14, 2010, we will be marking the 65th anniversary of the end of war. Communities across America are being encouraged to held commemorative events to mark the day.

August 14, 1945 was the day that the burden of war was lifted from millions of military members. Theirs was a commitment to serve for the duration and a transition period. For them and their families, August 14th marked the day the greatest generation could start thinking about the future. A grateful nation thanked them with the GI Education Bill and home loans. The depression was history and the face of America would never the the same.

Now the these veterans are in the twilight of their lives. Some remain very active and while others are suffering from illnesses like Bill. The third objective of the Spirit of 45 campaign is to collect first hand memories of those who experienced the joy of August 14, 1945, so they can be a permanent reminder of a time when the people of America were united to face a common challenge. I wanted to record Bill's memories but discovered I was too late.

You can help us capture these memories. If you know a World War II veteran or someone who was on the home front, visit www.spiritof45.org and learn how to collect their memories. Then record them and add them to the website. Time is running out!

First Post of 2010

Ok, I have been absent for several months. As I mentioned earlier, I have moved to Healdsburg, California, in the heart of the Sonoma County Vineyards. There have been many distrations here, but it's time to put those aside and get back to writing in my blogs.

I have added a weekly reminder on my to-do-list to write a weekly blog entry. Maybe that will help me focus.