Wyoming Breezes

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. Phyllis Diller

John Stearns 1932 - 1996 Ideas for projects swirled in John's head, and he often sketched those ideas on a scrap of paper. John, my oldest brother was an accomplished welder and used his skill to construct many things - signs, corrals, drilling rigs, water diversions, flag poles, barbecue grills, bridges - whatever someone wanted built. John works on a water diversion near  Bull Mountain, south of Laramie, WY Dwight (a nephew) positions a pipe for John to weld. In addition to welding, John was also a master mechanic. He rebuilt engines and repaired equipment, often using recycled parts. If something was broken, he could repair it. This charcoal, barbecue grill on my sister's patio was designed and constructed by John. When it is in use, smoke comes out of the smoke stack. He also designed and built a charcoal grill shaped like an old tractor. I think John saw potential in every piece of metal despite its condition.  He often hauled jun...

Kathy B. organized another swap, but this one had to contain specific items - sock yarn, a pen, and a $5 gift certificate. The sock yarn will make colorful and fun, striped socks. I'd start knitting on them now, but I must finish some other projects first. Katherine was my swap partner, and she included extra items - tea, two sets of double points, and stitch markers in her box. Thank you, Katherine for these fabulous items.

Walking in the Rain Nagasaki, Japan April 1980 I didn't even own an umbrella before I moved to Japan. I left two years later with more than five of them. Japan has four distinct seasons, and nearly every one of them involves rain. I lived in northern Japan where the rain turned to snow from late November to March; however, during the typhoon season, rain fell in sheets, driven by brisk winds. I remember distinctly when  Typhoon Tip came ashore in October 1979: the driving winds and rain lashed at my little off-base house , but no damage was done. This graph from Climatetemp.info  gives average climate information. The dark green line is rain/snow fall, and the black line is humidity. Notice the pale green line - that indicates "wet days." The red line is temperature. Click on the link for more detailed information about Japan's average weather.

Moody Blues,  a West Coast/Central Oddball Baby Blanket, is being knit on size 8 needles in different shades of blue. Update : September 22, 2011

Rich Stearns 1936 - 1996 During the summer, my brother Rich would come in from milking and say, "Well, I've got to go stir the water around." He "stirred the water," in the morning and in the evening, on two farms that were ten miles apart. I can only imagine the miles that he walked in a day, often carrying heavy canvas dams, before he invested in a four-wheeler. Eventually, the canvas dams were replaced with thick plastic ones, but the chore still required thigh-high, size 12, irrigation boots and a sharp shovel. The shovel was the most important tool: it was necessary to make the cuts from the ditch to the furrow and to place the dam in the ditch, but it also served as a defensive aid. Rich brought several rattles home from the snakes he had killed while irrigating on the north farm. Flood irrigation is a lot of work: the dam has to be placed in the ditch and weighted down with dirt/mud, the cuts have to be opened to the rows in the field, and befo...

Super Stars Quilt of Valor 66.5 x 90.5 inches Pattern used: " American Independence " by Karen Witt an online, free bonus pattern courtesy of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting   July/August 2011 The quilt was sent to a Quilt of Valor coordinator, Alycia Carmin. She also posted it on her blog .

Bucking Horse Balloon Rendezvous Balloon Rally Riverton, WY July 2011 The bucking horse and rider and Wyoming are nearly synonymous. The emblem is the registered trademark  for the State of Wyoming. Our license plates have used this logo since 1913, and the University of Wyoming is also associated with the emblem. The history of the logo was recorded in the 2009 issue of the Wyoming Library Roundup.  Here is the text: During World War I, military units were ordered to design an identifying symbol that could be stenciled onto its equipment. George N. Ostrom, a Sheridan, WY cattle rancher and a Wyoming Army National Guard supply sergeant was with E Battery, 3rd Battalion, 148th Field Artillery Regiment, 66th Field Artillery Brigade and his unit was right, smack dab in the middle of the fight in France. “At this time we were in intensive combat and my battery commander asked me how we could possibly comply with this request,” Ostrom wrote in a letter dated 1913...

Cookie factory demonstration Japan April 1980 Baked items and ice cream in Japan had a unique taste because they were made with a sweet bean paste  rather than just sugar. I never did acquire a taste for these confections. Cookies were often packed in elaborate boxes and given as presentation gifts. These gift boxes of treats could be very expensive.

Flowers is a West Coast/Central Oddball baby blanket. I added pink geraniums to the blanket, using the purled ladder stitch. The first section represents daffodils. Update : December 15, 2011

Hometown Stars is finished and ready to be sent to  the Quilt of Valor coordinator for distribution. Finished size 62 x 75 inches I owe a big "Thank You" to Rose Ann L., the volunteer long-arm quilter, and my sister, Marilyn for supplying the backing fabric.  This quilt was a true group effort. Hometown Stars was sent to Alycia C. in Colorado for distribution.

Susie's Summer Tree July block The Quilter's Neighborhood The third seasonal tree is Susie's Summer Tree. The sky fabric for this block is much darker than that on the Summer house block. Susie's Summer House and Summer Tree Only one more tree block in this series. I am not sure what the final four seasonal blocks will be, so I'll patiently wait until September when they will be revealed.

Rendezvous Balloon Rally Riverton, WY July 2011  "Jack N D Box" was the only character balloon at the rally this year and  was piloted by John Harlow from Springfield, MO. The crowd was patient as Jack's arms, hair, nose, and even the toys,  surrounding him were inflated.  The local paper reported that Jack required a team of 10 people and as well as four times as many tanks of propane to fully inflate. Jack is a HUGE balloon, stretching 110 feet, twice as long as a regular balloon. He looked like Gulliver reclining on the field.  Slowly, Jack began to rise. . .  and rise. . .  and rise. . . until he was fully upright.  Jack was impressive on the field; however, I can only imagine  how he looked aloft since Jack remained on the ground the day I attended.

Newly married couple Tokyo, Japan train station April 1980 Family and friends gathered to wish a young couple well on their honeymoon. I assume the banner illustrates where they are headed on their trip. I am not sure why they were given the huge party hats.

The heat has zapped my energy and left me about as worthless as this old, shed roof at my grandfather's farm. I'm not complaining too much since this is the first warm weather of the summer, and before long, I will be grumbling about the cold. A climate with no extremes might be ideal, but it would also be boring.