Wyoming Breezes

 Louise Oberlie and Debbie Johnson peel and prepare carrots. Notice the potatoes on the table are already cleaned and ready for the can. All of the photos on this post were taken in 1983. Frequently, the Wind River Education Association would host a Milk Can Dinner for its members, the administration, and the school board. It was a chance to socialize and have a good meal. Kris Nelson sat in the garage and prepared the corn. Corn frozen on the cob can also be used. Kris Nelson and Louise Oberlie pack the milk can. The last few sausages must be forced into the can. Chuck and Renee Gomendi prepare the fire while visiting with Rich Stearns.  Chuck Gomendi sets the can on the cinder blocks and adds the needed moisture. We liked it prepared with beer, but water works, too.  It's time to remove the cans from the fire and empty into bowls. Watching the process are Ethel and John Rowland, Michelle Goldsmith, Chuck Gomendi, Louise Oberlie, and Ron H...

Since I can't crochet to save my life, Cheryl (my friend and knitting buddy) added a border to Mountain Meadows , and I appreciate it. I love how the edge ruffles. This blanket will be sent to the Western Region Oddball Knitters coordinator for distribution at Seattle Children's Hospital.

Esso Gas Station Sign Near Misawa, Japan Spring 1980 Gasoline was sold by the liter off-base and was more expensive. Of course, then most of the cars in Japan (other than Western imports) were small and got very good gas mileage. At home, the price of gasoline increased sharply in 1979 when 52 Americans were taken hostage in Iran. I believe gas lines were common at the pump. While I don't remember gas lines on-base; however, I did find some references to gasoline in the journal I kept at the time. December 8, 1979 (Saturday) Gasoline is being rationed on base.  Click on the link to listen to President Carter address the nation about the  Iranian hostage crisis and embargo . March 4, 1980 (Tuesday) Gasoline on-base is $1.32 a gallon. 

Wyoming Winter December 1986 I was teaching in Wheatland, WY during the winter of 1978 - 79. I told Mom when I was coming home for Christmas, and she said to meet her in Kinnear because she needed to guide me home -- I would never find my way. What?? Of course, I knew some major storms had dropped snow in the area, but what I didn't know was how much snow had fallen and how the wind had created massive drifts. Roads were impassable, and farmers took down fences to create paths through their fields, allowing mail delivery and providing the milk trucks access to the farms to pick up the milk from the area dairies. Plowed roads were only one lane wide, and the snow was higher than most vehicles, nearly creating tunnels. It was possible to walk right over the fences. It was a Winter for the history books, yet eight years later it was nearly repeated. I haven't seen snow drift so badly since the Winters of 1978 - 79 and 1985 - 86. I'll post more photos when I get them...

My oldest Christmas pin, circa 1968 or 1969 It is heavy metal, and the clasp has been replaced twice Another one of my collections is holiday pins. Not just Christmas pins, but Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and even quirky brooches. I wore a different pin to school each day, amazing my students, who declared me to be a "Pin Nut." Jingle Bells a gift from my friend, Sue Hand-painted by my niece, Brenda This one was a lot of fun to wear. Remember the song, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"? These never failed to make my students groan. So how many Christmas-related pins do I have? Would you believe 110 pins. Several years ago, I pinned them on red velvet ribbon so I can display them during the holidays. One of five ribbons on which the pins are displayed.  I think it is safe to say that I am definitely a "Pin Nut."

Marilyn and I made an arrangement in September: I would knit two baby sweater sets (featured  here and here ) for her grandmother boxes, and she would complete a Christmas card holder for me. Last week I received the completed banner and hanger. She did a fantastic job, and I love it. We saw the banner on display in Rapid City quilt shop this summer, and Marilyn thought she had the pattern at home. When we started cutting out the pieces in September, I didn't see how I would ever finish it; thus, Marilyn and I struck our bargain. The banner Marilyn made fits perfectly on my pantry door, and it already has three cards tucked in the branches of the tree. Thanks, Marilyn!

Freedom Stripes 56" x 66" Quilt of Valor Freedom Stripes is a loose adaptation of Mary's Quick Strippie pattern. The fabric for this top (other than the white), the backing, and the binding came from the yardage shown in this September post . Machine-quilted by BunkHouse Quilting January 2012 Ann was my volunteer longarmer for this quilt. Ann transformed this simple quilt with her awesome quilting. I've never had a volunteer quilter do custom quilting on a top or take such care with the details. Thank you so much, Ann! If you need a someone machine quilt your tops, I suggest you check out Ann's BunkHouse Quilting site. You'll be impressed with her work. Freedom Stripes  featured on  Alycia's blog  and ready for distribution. Update: July 25, 2012 Alycia shared photos of a recent QOV distribution day where Freedom Stripes was chosen by the warrior pictured below. Recovering warrior wrapped in Freedom Stripes

Hotel room Southern Japan April 1980 I never got used to sitting on the floor to eat: my long legs just didn't fit well under the table and cramped pretty quickly. The " chairs " shown in the photo were very common in homes, hotels, restaurants, etc. Hotel rooms often had small areas covered with tatami mats and frequently those areas had short tables similar to the one in the photo. Notice the additional floor pillows stacked under the storage area. The floors in the  ryokan  guest rooms were covered with tatami mats. Futons which were used for sleeping were rolled up during the day and stored in the raised storage areas. Some ryokans had raised platforms , on which the futons were placed for sleeping and then rolled up and stored the day. Most of the hotels that I stayed in had beds with mattresses. You can read more about Japanese style homes and the use of tatami mats on this blog .

Dad, Richard, Mom, Marilyn, Evelyn, and Nancy approximately 1956 or 1957 This image of my Dad and Mom joking around is one of my favorites. Notice the Brownie camera in my mother's hand: it was pretty high-tech for those days. I was fascinated with the camera and how it had viewfinders on the top and on the side and could be turned to take either vertical or horizontal photos. Those old cameras were real workhorses, and they captured many great images. The exposed film was mailed to a processor in Nebraska. Remember the flash bulbs the cameras used? The bulbs were either clear or an opaque blue and made a popping sound when they flashed. I rarely wore shoes in the summer and had callouses  on the bottom of my feet that allowed me to run and walk on gravel. Even now, I prefer to go barefoot around the house and in the yard, but the callouses are long gone. Two of my brothers (John and Jerry) are not pictured.

Even though I featured this sculpture previously (2008), its transformation is truly amazing. Central Wyoming College planned the makeover around the dedication of a new building, an Inter Tribal Center. While the building was being constructed, the statue was removed from its pedestal and taken to be refurbished. Central Wyoming College dedicated the Inter Tribal Center in the Fall of 2010, and the statue was moved very near the building. It no longer has a pedestal but stands at ground level, making it much easier to see and appreciate. According to the Art Inventory database, the statue was originally dedicated in July 1981 . The statue is no longer surrounded by trees and looks directly west toward the Wind River Mountains. Even the baby in the cradle board can now be seen. I am pleased that CWC had this work of art recolored, restored, and relocated: it definitely needed a facelift.

Scrappy American Squares 55 x 66 inches By using the scraps from  Freedom Flags and a bit of extra yardage, Scrappy American Squares was started and finished on Thanksgiving Day. The pattern American Squares by Rita Fishel is designed to use just three fabrics, so making it scrappy was a risk. I like the "modern" feel of the quilt top. Featuring 11-inch blocks, the pattern is quick and easy - a perfect one for a beginning quilter. Scrappy American Squares will be sent to a volunteer Quilt of Valor machine quilter after the holidays, and the finished quilt will be sent to Alycia for distribution. Scrappy American Squares quilted by BunkHouse Quilting January 2012 Update : Check out the post on  BunkHouse Quilting  about this Quilt of Valor. Ann is a talented and gracious quilter. If you need a someone machine quilt, I suggest you check out Ann's  web  site and blog. You'll be impressed with her work. Scrappy American Squares  featur...

Susie's Summer Flower November Block The Quilter's Neighborhood This block was easy to make, but it contains a LOT of pieces, most are 2-inch squares with a few rectangles. This is by far my favorite block of the series. One more block and the Quilter's Neighborhood will be finished. The shop owner doesn't have any settings in mind for the blocks - she suggested seasonal table runners, but I won't be using them for that. Any ideas on how to set these blocks into an actual quilt?

Thanksgiving Dinner Deaton Residence November 1979 Misawa, Japan Joann and Don Deaton shared their holiday dinner with six teachers. Joann was my "sponsor" and mentor my first year in Japan: she helped me tremendously. She assisted in finding off-base housing and a car, she helped me learn military protocol and lingo, she dried many, many tears. She was a real blessing to me because I would not have made it through that first year without her. Joann's husband was an Air Force Major , and she was a high school teacher. Joann and Don had two young children: Donna Rae and Bill. Those enjoying the Thanksgiving meal were: Joann Deaton (at the foot of the table), Nancy Vandenberg, Donna Rae Deaton, Peggy Vaughn, Don and Bill Deaton, Nancy Stearns, Roy Sargent, and Marie Fricchonne. John Hedberg (Nancy Vandenberg's husband who was pictured in yesterday's post ) took the group photo.