That 70s Summer

And the project begins!  

We're starting to build the family room on the back patio.  

(Peeking into the far background, we still have flamingos!)

And even though this is a little blurry ... there's a bench around

the base of the mulberry tree in the backyard.

Linda's Confirmation at St. John's, 8th grade, loved this dress Mom made.

I remember I wore white patent leather platform shoes with this dress.

Other things to note:  there are ashtrays on the end table

the green couch:  ouch!  what a color!  And the print

on those pillows screams 1970s!

And does Mom still have the "harvest colors" afghan?

And in other news, during confirmation, it was very hot that Sunday.

We were kneeling, one of the boys fainted

and I felt myself ready to faint as well!

What a day that was!

More Memories

Looks like we're in Warren Park for a night or two ..... 

Great place for a BBQ - more good eats!

Well done, Uncle Gary and Dad! 

David in the red shirt, I'm on the right side (actually in a photo!)

Family.  Nothing says it better!

"Learning your family history 

is the key to unlocking who you are."

Alvarado... Where Dad grew up!

On September 12, 1905, the Post Office officially changed it's name from Snake to Alvarado - the beginnings of this little town.  Unoccupied land is going for $30-$35 per acre.  In 1908 the population is 202 and the town becomes incorporated.  Axel Pederson, known as “Klink Axel,” builds his blacksmith shop, feed mill, and residence.  S. S. Trickey moves into town from his farm. He is a happy guy who serves as auctioneer, pulls teeth, sells Reo automobiles, and serves on the Village Council.  

And so it goes with little mid-western towns, full of ... interesting characters!

Alvarado in 1908 ---is the house Dad lived in built yet?

In 1912, you can take the train from Alvarado to Warren for 27 cents.
A trip to Minneapolis will cost you $6.65.

 In 1921, the first basketball team takes the court for Alvarado High.  The first students graduate from Alvarado High. Prior to 1921, students only went through the 8th grade.

In 1926, the Memorial Bridge over the Snake River is dedicated on June 5. The bridge costs $15,000.

In 1937, Oliver is born.  They were living on a farm across the field from Myrtle's sister, Esther.  Myrtle writes:  "The following April I had my second child, a boy we named Oliver LeRoy.  He was named for the son of my sister Esther.  Esther lived across the field from us and had just lost her firstborn son in an accident.  He was 13, and his name was Forest LeRoy."

In 1944, Ole Bergman, the man Harold had lived with for many years when he was young, and his mother had worked for, and who was now the county commissioner, heard about this house that was for sale very reasonable at only $750.  He paid down on the home for us and gave it to Harold.   Now we had our own home.  Our move to Alvarado was complete.

This is Alvarado in the snow .... so peaceful looking!

(Not sure when the photo was taken, or who took it.) 

 

Alvarado Public School, 1957

Expose'd!!

Uncle Carl Kringsberg.  

This is Grandpa Charley's Uncle, his mother's brother,

a definite family resemblance, in my opinion! 

And one with a fascinating background. 

American mentalist and performer on the Redpath Chautauqua circuit 

in the 1920s with his wife, billed as 

"Miss Esmeralda Martin, the Girl With the Radio Mind". 

Their show was mainly an exposure of spirit mediums and their methods.

"So much has been written and said about Spiritualism, both for and against it, 

that Mr Kringsberg has undertaken to expose its fallacies.  

This he does by performing many of the thrilling spooky tricks 

employed by the leading mediums of America and Europe, 

and then taking the lid off  and explaining how it's done, 

proving that in spite of appearances there is nothing supernatural in it."

"Assisted by Miss Esmeralda Martin, 

he gives a programme of music, magic, mystification and myrth, 

that is not only highly amusing and entertaining, 

but it also educational and greatly worth while." 

 

I am so tickled when I find out something about our family!

Found one last poster!

1960s Christmas

Growing up, we always had a fresh Christmas Tree

As the years progressed,

our trees looked a little better than this one!

And, of course, the ever present tinsel!

Every year, we took a photo in front of the tree

(I'm thinking I'll cover these posts in groups by decade)

This is 1965

Each year, the pile of presents becomes better and better.

Check out that old TV!

You can see the beginnings of Mom's "Little Town"

that, too, gets better and better each year.

I'm betting a few of the ornaments on this tree

are still among mom's treasured ornaments now!

We had family to share this Christmas with us.

Mom's sister and her family came out.

Mom shared that us girls moved in their room

and Marge and Jim and the boys shared us girls' room.

Luckily, the bedrooms were very large on Maude Ave!

Ornaments with history became 'my thing' as an adult, and

each year I purchased and dated some.  With old dates

and stories, each year they're unwrapped and put on a tree ...

Sometimes, it's like seeing an old familiar friend!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

In a letter from Myrtle (my grandmother) to my parents dated 6/27/1996, she writes:

          I often wondered about her [Harold's mother].  She came from the same place in Sweden where Mom [Anna Kringsberg Liden] came from.  Harold and I went to church with Mom on Sunday, and Rev. Lundell, the minister, came right over and said "You must be Mom's youngest brother, I'd know you any place."  Mom said, "Oh no, that's Myrtle's boyfriend."   In our wedding picture so many people commented about Harold and I looked so much alike.   I've never said this to anyone before but I have thought of it often, just a thought, I don't think his mom really knew who his father was as the names on his birth certificate and baptism certificate were different. I just haven't wanted to check into his family.  His mom was a Hendrickson, tho.

          Several of the kids have wanted to check on our family history and I've kind of discouraged it.  "Why not let sleeping dogs lie?"

Pretty much sums up how both sides of my family felt about family history and events.

I'm sure other families have these kinds of "skeletons in the closet"!!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

In a letter from Myrtle (my grandmother) to my parents dated 6/27/1996, she writes:
          I often wondered about her [Harold's mother].  She came from the same place in Sweden where Mom [Anna Kringsberg Liden] came from.  Harold and I went to church with Mom on Sunday, and Rev. Lundell, the minister, came right over and said "You must be Mom's youngest brother, I'd know you any place."  Mom said, "Oh no, that's Myrtle's boyfriend."   In our wedding picture so many people commented about Harold and I looked so much alike.   I've never said this to anyone before but I have thought of it often, just a thought, I don't think his mom really knew who his father was as the names on his birth certificate and baptism certificate were different. I just haven't wanted to check into his family.  His mom was a Hendrickson, tho.

          Several of the kids have wanted to check on our family history and I've kind of discouraged it.  "Why not let sleeping dogs lie?"

Pretty much sums up how both sides of my family felt about family history and events.

Christmas Trees

When my Dad got his GMC truck -- he was so happy, proud even! -- we did everything with it.  I'm not sure if it just evolved, or it was planned this way, but he put a shell on the back, and bought a pop-up tent trailer for all of our trips in the 70s and 80s.

Before he put the shell on, we rode in the back of the truck up Highway 17 to Santa Cruz.  Any of you who have driven it know it as a winding highway through mountainous terrain.  Back in the 70s it was 4 lanes, no divider, and a history of many, many crashes.  There are portions of the road that are steep, and the curves come upon a driver much faster than you realize if you've never driven this road before.  How we were allowed to ride in the back of a truck on this kind of road was surprising! 

Every December, usually the first weekend, we would make this trek up and over the mountain to trudge our way along a hillside looking for the perfect Christmas tree.  We always found one we thought we liked -- they weren't usually as perfect looking once we got it home, but decorated up and the "bad side" turned against the wall and it looked as perfect as it needed to be! 

We would saw the tree down, toss it in the back of the pickup and we'd climb in after it.  Sometimes, if the weather was cooperating, we'd stop in Santa Cruz to check out the beach, maybe get a cone at Marianne's Ice Cream!!