New Four Wheeling Trail

Quite by accident, we discovered a trail made for motorcycles and four wheelers today.  We were stopped by snow as we climbed in elevation, but we plan to come back.  I particularly want to come back because the trail connects with Oregon Gulch.  My grandfather had a mine in Upper Oregon Gulch.  Here's what my Dad had to say about it:

"That was about the extent of my mining except that we dug some shafts there at York.  We dug a well right out in front of the house there in Kingsberry.  Then, we walked over in upper Oregon Gulch.  They had a claim there.  We dug some shafts there.  It was while we were doing that that Mom found that shark’s tooth – over there.

Me:  Did she dig for that or was it just laying there?

Dad:  It was on an old mine dump. It was laying in on an old mine dump as I understand it.

Me:  One of the teachers that was interested in that [when Petunia brought it to school for a science project.  She]  wanted to know if she [Grandma] dug for that or if it was just laying there.

Dad:  I think it was laying on top of an old mine dump. But it was in Oregon Gulch. There’s no road goes exactly to it. I know how to get over there.  I don’t know.  They might have it fenced, so you’d have to go over and walk up.  We used to be able to drive over to the edge and just walk down to the claim there, not very far."

View from trail on ridge

Just after the snow melts, web-like fibers appear at the edge.  I would like to know why.

The drift that stopped us.

Modern Medicine

When I have dealings with the medical community the following thought often runs through my little brain, “I am dealing with a lunatic.” 

This thought has romped through my mind when I have sat in the doctor’s office, the naturopath's office, the x-ray department, and at the hospital.

Scene 1

At the “imaging” place of business.  I have just been called in for a follow up mammogram because they saw SOMETHING on my mammogram.

X ray Tech:  See this little mark here on the mammogram?  That hasn't been there before.  That's why we need a follow up mammogram.

Me:  See this mole?

X ray Tech:  Oh!  (Realizes she didn't see it until I pointed it out.)   Well, no.  I don‘t think that is it. What we saw was lower in the picture. 

X Ray Tech puts a marker on the mole so it will show up on the “image.”

Me (thinking):  Oh that’s right!  Every other time I've had a mammogram, they have put one or two of those markers on me.  This time the Tech didn't put any markers on.  Of course, this room is so dark, she probably couldn't see a flesh colored mole.  Sure makes a lot of sense to keep your Mammogram room so dark that the Tech can’t see if she needs to mark anything.

X Ray Tech (lining me up in the machine):   Oh that mole does line up with the spot when you are in the equipment!  I bet it was the mole we saw in the picture! 

Tech proceeds to shoot three more pictures ordered by the doctor anyway.  Then she has the Doc look at the images online.  He pronounces all to be fine and directs me to come back in a year for another shot of radiation to my chest.

Me (thinking):  I am dealing with lunatics.  You will not see me here again.  I am done with radiation shots to my chest in the name of good health.  Yes, yes I know you told me currently 80% of women are get breast cancer, so mammograms are vital.  Anyone ever thought about checking up on the estrogen based birth control the medical profession hands out like candy as a cause of breast cancer?  Or how about years of radiation exposure from your Mammograms?  No! No! We cannot even consider those as causes!

Scene 2

I am at the OBGYN, eight months pregnant with Prudence.  All through the pregnancy, my iron has been lower than the medical pros would like.  After having the iron in prenatal vitamins give me diarrhea, I abandoned them.  My mother has been home the last month, and she has been cooking lots of roasts, which I, a young, married poor person, have been enjoying.

Doctor (looking at blood work):  Well, I see that iron is finally starting to kick in.

Me:  I haven’t been taking it.  It gives me diarrhea.

Doctor (menacing): Well, you better start taking it!

Me (thinking):  I am dealing with a lunatic.  I already told the doctors in this practice about my difficulty with iron.  There is no point in trying to tell him the facts of the situation.  I'm no good at arguments, and he doesn't want the facts to get in the way of his practicing medicine.

Scene 3

I have just had a baby at the hospital.  The nurse is putting sterile pads on me.  She drops one on the floor, picks it up, and starts for me.

Me:   You are going to put a pad on me that has been on the floor ? 

Me (thinking):  Hospitals, the place of infection control???  I am dealing with a lunatic.

I could write many more scenes, but this post is long enough.

Remembering Summer 2012

While cleaning up my pictures files, I stumbled across some pictures of our summer visitors that I had either forgotten about, or didn't know about.  What great memories of last summer.

And Who Is this Person???

If you want to puzzle me, send me a U-Tube video and expect me to be impressed by the presenter’s remarks, simply because he/she is famous.  Unless a famous person is a pro football or pro basketball player, chances are I have no idea who that person is.   Wilbur keeps me updated on the names of pro sports players, but I don’t even know these unless they are REALLY good, e.g., LeBraun James, Brett Favre, Dennis Pitta, etc.

 As for movie stars, singers, TV actors and bands, anyone who became famous after 2000, is probably a nonentity to me.  You see, in 2000 my twins graduated High School.  The last movie star any of my girls brought to my notice was Brad Pitt. Being in my 40’s at the time, Brad Pitt bore a strong resemblance to an obnoxious boy in my eighth grade homeroom.  When memory erasing is invented, my entire eighth grade year will be the first memory to go.

If children have a responsibility to update parents on pop culture, my son Orville shirked his responsibility sadly.   Orville, graduated in 2004.  During high school, Orville mentioned a fabulous classical trumpet player, Charlotte Church, and an excellent guitarist and singer from Bozeman.  Being a guy pretty fly to the time of day, Orville probably knew having a conversation with me about a hip band or TV star would produce a “deer in the headlights” look at best.   He was too smart to attempt it.

Those who interest themselves in how the “beautiful people” vote, what causes they support, what beauty products they use, what diets they like, where they vacation, what they wear, and what productions they star in, baffle me.  I have zero clue as to why this information is interesting.  As far as changing my vote or sending money to a cause because Mary Movie-star endorses it, why are her opinions better than my friends’, neighbors’, or mine?

Anyone wanting to chat with me about the lives of any of the rich and famous will be sadly disappointed.  I have enough trouble living my own life well.  I don’t need to become informed about the lives of a bunch of people totally unrelated to me, even if they are distinguished by how well they photograph, sing, play, or act.

Unavoidably, I glance at tabloid headlines while waiting in checkout lines.  They indicate that the famous seem to switch partners more often than square dancers.  It’s a mystery to me how they keep up with their own current close connections.   How could I ever keep up? And why would I want to?  Sadly if I need drama, there is plenty in the ordinary lives of the ordinary people I know.  Just because someone is “famous,” their messy lives are no less tragic than the ordinary folks’. I've always preferred comedy to tragedy.

I do like to talk about my family, hiking, wild flowers, American History, camping trips, my religious beliefs, old family stories, what could be done to fix the world’s disintegrating values, and what is going on in my life and my friends’ lives.  Chances are, if the name appears in National Enquirer or in the newspaper’s column about the stars, that’s a yawner for me. 

Idaho Farm Girl

Ione Thorpe 1947

R to L Little boy, Lucy Walker Thorpe, Athena, Thomas Thorpe, little boy, Ione, Preston

I enjoy talking to Grandma Latour on Sundays. Her life is so interesting! She was born on a farm in Pleasant View, Idaho, the second to the youngest of ten children. Probably because of cars being more prolific and dependable, this community has mostly vanished and is considered part of Malad, Idaho to all but the old timers.

Grandma has a high opinion of her dad. She said, "Dad was a busy guy. He was a wonderful guy. If anything new came out that would make Mother's life easier, Dad would buy it for her. Mom was the first person in Pleasant View to have a Bendix (automatic washing machine). Dad would take off work and help Mom on wash day. He was a farmer, so he could. Mom's health wasn't so good. Dad helped her every fall with the canning. He got the boys to help too. They would peel the peaches and pears."

Even though Grandma and Thad (grandma's younger brother)were the youngest children, her Dad found ways to spend time with her. "He read Thad and me the funny papers every night and kept me in stilts. I was always walking around on stilts." Grandma recalls.  "One day, Mom was gone and the bread had risen. Dad showed me how to make the bread dough into loaves."

For three years Dad was the Bishop. In those days, the Bishop's desk was in his home because there was no room at the church. He gave Thad and me drawers in the Bishop's desk. I remember helping him count the silver dollars paid in tithing. Joyce helped by typing the membership cards. Because of Mom's health, Dad resigned after three years."

Grandma also remembered tromping hay during haying. One day, they had a full load of hay and a snake slithered out from underneath the hay where grandma was tromping. Her Dad was jumped to the top of hay in a flash. She said it was hard to tell who was more frightened, her or the snake.

Since there was no TV, video games, computer, or all the other distractions that keep families disconnected from each other, Grandma and her siblings played cards at night and listened to the radio. Grandma and Thad's favorite radio show was Let's Pretend. It featured fairy tales. She and her brothers and sisters played card games too: Rummy and Steal the Pile. With all the boys, the play sometimes got wild. Grandma's Mom said if she could raise her family all over again it would be summer all year long, so she could send them outside. If the kids argued too much, Grandma's Mom would take the cards and toss them into the fire. Cards were not easy to come by, so they learned not to argue.

Grandma's Dad could be tough if need be. Once on a family trip to Yellowstone Park and man was wandering around suspiciously in the campsites. Grandma's Dad shined the flashlight in the miscreant's face until he took off.

I wish I had more scanned photos and stories about Grandma's family. They sounded so happy. They are good example of how families should behave towards each other. Thanks for sharing the stories, Ione!

My Mom the Cleric

Just before Dad returned from the World War II Pacific Theater, Mom moved to town and found employment as a nurse.  At that time, there were two hospitals in town.  St. Peter's Hospital was the older hospital, and St. John's Hospital was the newer one.  Looking back on it, I realize they were both located within spitting distance of each other and the downtown area.

Both hospitals were Catholic.  I remember going in the main entrance of St. John's and seeing Catholic icons in special display places built into recesses in the walls.  Not long ago, I went to an older home in Helena and noticed a similar display place built into the wall of the home.  It's current owners were extremely puzzled about the purpose of the recessed space in the wall.  The space didn't quite work for a telephone.

Probably because Mom found employment at St. John's Hospital,  my siblings and I were born there.

Mom worked as a nurse at the St. John's maternity ward.  One of her duties was baptizing babies.  The nun supervising the newborn nursery instructed her to baptize the newborn babies.  I was thunderstruck when she told me about this. It seemed out of character with my Mom.  She was not one to do something she didn't believe in.

 "Did you do that?!" I asked.  "Yes, I did,"  She replied.  "It didn't hurt one thing for me to do that, and it made the nuns feel better.  They thought they were saving babies from Hell."

So in the 1940's at St. John's Hospital we had an inactive Mormon woman from Utah performing Catholic baptisms for babies at the hospital.  Life does has some humorous twists and turns.

Ranch on the Smith

This is a picture of my great grandfather's ranch on the Smith river.  My grandfather and his brother were out scouting around and found this place.  They were under age, so they persuaded my great grandfather to file a homestead.  This ranch isn't far from my grandmother's parents' ranch.  This close proximity must be how my grandmother and grandfather met.

I think it stayed in the family until my grandfather died in 1964.  The family didn't want to pay the taxes, so they sold it.  I think it was sold to my grandmother's sister in laws' brother, but I'm not positive about this.  The brother had a ranch in the same area.  Wish we still had the place on the Smith.

If I Could Live My Life Over

If I could live my life over, I would love people more and criticize them less, if ever.

I would understand that no one is perfect and everyone will let you down sometimes.  I would remember that in spite of my efforts, I let people down too.

I would realize that frustration with others doesn’t change anything, and the there is small likelihood of anyone changing in response to my direction or words.  I would see that people walk their own paths and I may not comprehend their situation, even if think I do.

I would be more loving with my own family and less impatient with them and others.

I would take time to play with my children.

I would give more hugs and laugh more.

If I could live my life over, I would worry much less and have faith much more.

I would not worry about having the approval of other people and concentrate on having God’s approval.

Once a day I would look in the mirror and say to myself, “I am doing the best I can.”  Then I would climb a hill and yell into the wind this message to my imagined critics, “I really don’t give a damn what you think.”

I would forgive myself and others more.  I wouldn't distract myself from feeling bad about myself by dwelling on others’ flaws. I would quickly let go of others’ behavior that I perceive as inappropriate and put that energy into living my own life well.

 If could live my life over, I would remember more often to look for the humor in situations.

I would not compare myself with others and realize everyone looks good at church. 

I would keep in mind that this is earth life and it’s is normal for people, places, and things not to be ideal.  And I wouldn’t be mad about it.

I would remind myself that things will blow over when I made mistakes, and that everyone makes them. 

I would look at the bigger picture when trials came my way and have a sense of excitement about the great things in store for me, just around the corner.

I would remember to look forward, not back.  This day is the first day of the rest of my life.

A Visit to Hermione

Looking into the Beartooths from the rim trail

 Hiking Partner Hermione

Where the Phipps trail begins.  Pretty nice of the Phipps Ranch to donate 320 acres for the trail.

This Friday I buzzed down to Billings to visit Hermione.  The snow deserted us so we weren't able to cross country ski.  But I had a great time discovering new trails on some rim rocks on the outside of town.  Since we weren't sure of the trails, what was supposed to be a three mile hike turned into a 5 1/2  mile hike.   Fresh air, breath taking views, good company, what more could I want?

After lunch, we toured the Moss Mansion. http://www.mossmansion.com/index2.html .   It was gorgeous.  After our tour, we went to a few stores (jalapeno fudge anyone?) and had dinner.

A completely enjoyable day.

What I Learned about Guns

My Great grandfather John Byrd around 1905

 

Two great grandfathers:  John Byrd, O.A. Robertson

 O.D. Robertson with sons John and Les

Dad

 

Me, around 16 years old, "I bet the old West wasn't how it's portrayed on TV and in the movies.  There probably wasn't shooting all the time.  I don't think people carried guns like that."

My Dad, "I can tell you this: my grandfather Byrd, had a place out at York.  There was  a place to hang a rifle over the front door. A rifle was always hung there. When ever they heard someone coming, they opened the door, put their hands on the rifle, and looked out the front door. They had there hands on the gun ready to swing it down and shoot.  It was a rough time and there were a lot of rough people around.

"One day my Great Aunt Light was home alone. A fellow came to the house and insulted her. I suppose he propositioned her or something. My grandfather Byrd went after him. He was gone for two weeks. All he said when he came back was, 'That fellow will never insult anymore women.'

"When we were growing up, we had guns.  All the guns were loaded.  You never asked if a gun was loaded or not, you knew it was.  As little kids, we were not to touch those guns, we knew it, and we didn't."

My Dad had several hunting rifles, a .22 pistol and some wicked looking hunting knives.  He kept them on the shelf of the coat closet off the dining room.  We would not have touched those guns anymore than we would have jumped off the roof of our two story house. That was something you just didn't do. When we hunted, we didn't care all that much about a deer or elk rack.  It never occurred to us that you wouldn't eat the meat of what you hunted because the meat was why you went hunting.

With all those guns around, isn't it ironic that we never had the horrible events that our country has recently experienced that involve guns?  Makes you wonder if our problem is not guns, but the disintegration of our culture's family and religious values.  In years past, values supported by the ten commandments were deeply rooted.  These values were upheld by most people.  Now, elected officials, some religious leaders, teachers, and others, who used to be the pillars shoring up our values, are now urging us to let them go.  I believe that the farther we stray from our traditional religious values, the more problems, of all types, we will have.  But what do I know.  I'm just a dumpy housewife.

Skiing

Before the 40 degree weather hit, Wilbur and I went skiing at Mt. Haggin.  There was ample snow and perfect conditions.  We saw only three other skiers who were leaving as we arrived.  At one point in the trail we had a gorgeous view into the breath taking high peaks above Deer Lodge.

I wish I could find my photo card reader.  Then, I could have taken the old camera Hermione gave me and displayed pictures of how beautiful it was.  I love winter!

Cold Weather

Hot chocolate, popcorn, and a fire.  Even chilly weather can be enjoyable.

Grandkids for the Holidays

It’s the first day of New Year, and I took down the tree

And found Nerf bullets – three.

On the second day of New Year I washed the walls

And tripped on six magnetic balls.

 The third day of New Year I spent sick in bed

With the kids’ stomach flu bug that I dread.

On the fourth day of New Year I still was not OK

And had to stay inside all day.

On the fifth day of New Year I out the window I did gaze

As a smear of jelly on the woodwork I did raise.

On the sixth day of New Year I ran all the wash

And found teeny pairs of underwear and socks.

On the seventh day of New Year I cleaned under the bed

There were Rolos and candy canes – red.

On the eighth day of New Year the freezer I did clean

There I found a race car that was green.

On the ninth day of New Year the cabinet I did wipe

And N’s precious, handmade card I swiped.

On the tenth day of New Year the bathroom I did muck

And picked up two hot pink bath-toy ducks.

On the eleventh day of New Year I washed prints off the glass

And sighed to think our grandkid fun was past.

On the twelve day of New Year I took a two hour nap

And longed to hold my grandkids on my lap.

Miss you all!

The Cat with Eight Lives

This cat, since it was a Halloween decoration, was probably an odd Christmas gift to being with.  Probably, that is why Glimmer decided to steal into my craft room one evening and paint his lower half red.  After Glimmer's ministrations, this cat looked like he had been stabbed in the neck and was in immediate need of an ambulance.  When the adults in the house first saw Glimmer's alterations, we stood with our mouths open and a stunned look in our eyes.  Then we were hit by the humor of the situation.

My only regret is that we did not take a picture of him before Flash and I fixed him.  If you need any rewards for Glimmer, I recommend buying her paints and offering to let her paint at the end of the day.  I have never met such an enthusiastic painter.

Hermione promised to take good care of this cat since he has used up one of his lives and has only eight remaining.

Love to all,

Prairie Smoke

Four Things Children Really Want for Christmas

1)  Relaxed time with the family

2) Realistic expectations about gifts

3)  An evely paced holiday season

4)  Strong family traditions

From Unplug the Christmas Machine by Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock, William Morrow and Co. 1982

Wilbur's Christmas List

1)  More bullets for his nerf gun

2)  Ferrari

3)  Warm weather

4)  World Peace

NOW do you see why he is so hard to shop for???

Orville

Orville Senior picture

When Orville was born, I got tired of hearing about how spoiled he was going to be as the only boy out of four girls. Few relatives or acquaintances could resist favoring us with this very unoriginal opinion.  After hearing this for the fortieth time, I remember turning to one of my aunts and saying, “We have every hope of turning him out creditably.”   I don’t know that our efforts produced Orville’s sterling character and personality.  I’m just glad he is the person he is, no matter how it came about.

About 18 months old

Front porch of Jefferson Hills house

Orville was anxious to get underway.  At 8 1/2 – months he took off walking.  Boys tend to talk a little later than girls, but I could see that Orville understood everything that was said and what was going on. 

During the summer after he was born, he became used to having an entertainment committee, comprised of his sisters, around.  For a couple of weeks after his sisters returned to school in the fall, he was very cranky about the lack of provision for his amusement.

Easter Sunday age 3

April 5, 1996 

Monopoly Man costume - Orville's idea

A guy has to be tough when he is the youngest of five by four years.  Orville figured out how to express his disapproval and gain the upper hand:  biting.  He was the child least likely to be intimidated.  When my other children would not come with me, I would tell them they could just stay there but I was leaving.  They would hurry and catch up with me. Not so Orville.  Around age three, he adamantly refused to come at the conclusion of Petunia’s basketball game.  I got in the car and drove away while he calmly watched me from inside the school fence.  I think he was glad I was taking his siblings away so he could play with his friends in peace.   Yes, I did go back for him.

Orville never cared a snap about playing with action figures, Legos, or cars.  He liked sports equipment.  If he couldn’t throw it, skate on it, run with it, ride it, catch it, or bat it, he wasn’t interested in it.  Once we had a man who had played baseball with the Chicago White Socks at our house chatting.  The man told us how so many parents think their children will be great athletes when actually the children don’t have the talent.  He started throwing a ball to six year old Orville to show us some of the ways he tested kids to show their ability.  After a few minutes of this, he turned to me and said, “Congratulations!  You have an athlete here.”  I already knew it.

Orville never found a sport he didn't like (well, maybe wrestling), but he specialized in soccer.  Since he didn't play in the “pay for play” league, he should not have been good enough to play first string in High School.  But he did.  Since he did not play on Sundays, the “pay for play” league shouldn't have wanted him to play on its premier team.  But it did. He should never have been eligible to compete for a berth at state tennis tournament because he only practiced during season.  But it happened.

More important than talent is character. Evidence of his quality character is that he accepted his father’s stipulation that he not play on Sunday, and he never acted like a jerk about it.

Besides sports, Orville discovered he loved music. He became first chair trumpet and played the piano.  Between his Junior and Senior year, he talked to me about music camps.  He thought it would be terrific to go Interlaken.  I told him that he should try out for that camp if that’s the one he wanted.  I had no idea the camp was eight weeks and cost several thousand dollars.  Being a seventeen year old guy, Orville never thought this information was worth mentioning.  I remember being dumbfounded when he was accepted to the camp and I discovered the details.  The camp was worth it, though.  Here Orville learned succeeding was less about talent and more about work. 

It was a good lesson to learn, and he has put it to use in many areas of his life: learning Korean, serving a mission, becoming an engineer.   

When a parent is pleased with his/her children, the parent never really knows this:   Did they develop into such great people because of me or in spite of me?  I don't know.  I do know my children were who they were before they were born.  I am just grateful for Orville and my four other great blessings.

Eglantine

Eglantine Senior Picture

When she was born, the hospital nurses had the audacity to label her "Twin B,"  but Eglantine never bought into the idea that she was second to anyone.  Although she weighed in at 6 lbs 6 1/2 oz, she was an inch taller than her twin.

Money was scarce when Eglantine and Hermione were born.  I remember being stunned when I took them for their six week check up and the pediatrician billed me double.  Knowing that our insurance wouldn't pay for well baby visits, I ditched the pediatrician visits and began weighing the twins at the grocery store.  As I would check out at Buttreys, I would ask the checkers if they would weigh my babies on the produce scale at the register.  The checkers were all women, and they always happily agreed to weigh my twins for me.

Eglantine AKA Sweet Pea

When she could crawl, Eglantine used to roam the house in her nightgown, sucking her fingers. She reminded us of a character on a cartoon show named Mr. Magoo, so we started calling her Sweet Pea.

I will never forget how stunned I was when Eglantine was around four months old.  She and Hermione were sitting in their baby chairs on the kitchen table when Eglantine started making  sounds resembling her twin's name.  I thought I was imagining it, when my mother said, "She is trying to say Hermione!"  

There are some children with self esteem problems, but Eglantine was never one of them.  If someone was unkind to her, she felt so sorry for that person.  Obviously they had something wrong with them.   When Eglantine was around eleven years old, Wal Mart called, and she lined herself up for a photo session.   I was caught by surprise when Wal Mart called me to pick up the pictures, accompanied by a bill for $35.  My understanding was that she had won a free photo session as a prize. Similarly at age six, she received mail soliciting her to buy mail order plant books.  With the help of her sisters, she signed up.  I didn't know about it until the bill came.  

Petunia and Prudence screamed bloody murder when they saw Santa Claus.  Eglantine surprised me when at age three she insisted that I take her to the mall for a portrait with the jolly old elf.

Around eleven, Eglantine participated in a city-wide track meet five miles away.  She would have won the 200,  but she had never run on a track with lanes before.  No one had explained to her that runner must use only the lane they start out in.  She didn't let that initial frustration stop her, though.  She rocked at track.  She won medal after medal in several different sprints, although she was mainly a 400 runner.  As a Senior Eglantine tried High Jump and medaled at divisionals.  She walked away with the sixth place medal at state in an event she at participated in only a hand full of times.  I knew Eglantine was a sprinter, so I asked her why she didn't ask the coach if she could run the 200.  "Oh, " she said, "everybody wants to run that." She wouldn't ask the coach if she could run too.  In the last few meets her Senior year, the coach had Eglantine enter the 200, where she would come in second to the team's top runner.  George Harper was so disgusted that she had not been in that race since her freshman year.  "The only reason she's second, "  he told me, "is that she hasn't had any experience with the starting blocks!"  She took second in the 200 at Divisionals and earned the sixth place medal at state in the event also. At state in 2000, she took 2nd in the 400 and first in the numerous relays she ran.  Eglantine was a big part of our town's first girls state championship in track.

State Girls Track champs ride the fire engine around town.

Besides being a fine athlete, Eglantine was an A student.  She took a photography class and photographed the most interesting pictures.  She would only put up with so much boredom in school, however.  I remember her getting bored with French.  She decided not to study for the final and earned a C in the class.  She didn't care.  She just wanted to be done with that BORING class.  

Eglantine was a friend collector.  She had numerous friends in High School and college.  Some kids are mortified when other laugh at them, but Eglantine loved at good laugh.  She never thought the laugh was at her expense because only a moron would not realize how cool she was.  She's fun and always thinks of fun activities.   

Generally, Eglantine likes people.  As an adult, she organizes activities, kids, and groups so that people get together and have fun.

 I love that Eglantine is my daughter.  Seeing her strengths and abilities makes me happy.  Energy + Enthusiam + Excellence = Eglantine!

Hershey's Kiss Costume

Prom Senior Year

Hermione

After Hermione and her twin sister were born March 11, people would say, "Ahh!  Beware the Ides of March."  Hermione's Apgar score was a 10 at birth, the highest they give children.  After noticing she held her head to one side all the time, I took her back to the pediatrician who found she had torn her sternocleidomastoid muscle during birth.  Hence all the crying and the Apgar score.  

Hermione was born when we lived on Diamond Springs Drive, 13 miles out of town.  Because of my blood pressure the doctor informed me, my babies needed to be induced that day.  I asked him if I could go home first, and he agreed.  I went home, had lunch, fed and watered the chickens, and arranged for childcare.  When I got back to the hospital, the nurses said, "Where have you been!  Dr, Whitesitt has been here waiting for you."  Oops.  My blood pressure was cause for alarm, but I didn't realize the seriousness of the situation.

Originator of the rabbit costume:  sleeper PJs and tights on your head.  Oct. 1983.

Hermione and Eglantine slept in the same crib for two or three months.  Then we moved them to their own room.  They may have been twins, but their personalities were never alike.  When Hermione objected to something, she objected 100%.   As a child, she did not believe in taking things lying down.   She hated her bath and water for several months.   She has since learned a boatload of coping skills and gained perspective.  As an adult, she doesn't let things get to her.  She bathes regularly, too.

Age 3

Playing Cowgirls at Grandma R's

Hermione has always had an appreciation of the beautiful.  I remember her playing in Grandma R's pink bedroom.  She arranged a table setting with play dishes and placed a rose petal on each plate.  Her Grandma loved seeing the beautiful arrangements she created.  Grandma R would always remember to peek into the playroom after Hermione had left to see how artistically Hermione placed things.

Speaking of creativity, she liked to write and won a state-wide PTO story writing contest.   "Keep writing!" encouraged the judges.  When she was old enough, she became the piano teacher's pet because of her enthusiasm and talent for the piano.  She scored several superiors at state music festival.  She was always an A student too.

Hermione LOVES nature.  Need a hiking or skiing partner?  This is the gal who wants to go.  I loved having her home between jobs or school because I always had a hiking partner. 

In addition to loving the outdoors, Hermione truly enjoyed college.  Or maybe I should say she enjoyed learning.  It was satisfying to pay tuition for someone who was fascinated by so many of her classes.  When she went back to school for her masters after serving a church mission, she put her love of learning into action again.  She became a tip top clinician.  

Because we had five children, it often seemed like many people in the school and the community looked down on Dad and I.  It was almost as if they viewed us as irresponsible.  Others often seemed to think our children didn't have as many opportunities or receive as much  attention as children in two child families. It is true that we divided our attention by five.  Also true that major vacations to far away places were way beyond our means.  But when you have a child who becomes the person Hermione is, you have hard time making a case that our our family construction was a bad thing.