The Storybook - Part II

I have been enjoying reading what my Mom wrote in "The Storybook."

I am sharing a few more, because I think that my family (especially) would be interested.

I remember my wedding .  .  .

October 19, 1930.  It was chilly and a few snow flurries in the air.  We

went to Fergus to have our picture taken before we went to the church.

We stopped at the hospital to see Ralph's brother Joe, who had just had an 

appendectomy.  I gave him a rose from my bouquet.  
When we got to the church a bunch of young people from Dalton 
came and started to decorate the car while we were in  the sacristy, 
getting ready to march in.  That made us laugh as when we came around
 to the front of the church to walk in, we saw them and they tried to duck behind the car.  Everything went fine, though.  On our way to the folks' for the reception, 
Ralph stopped the car and cut

the tin cans off and threw them along the road.

I've spent many happy moments with friends, in family gatherings, or sometimes

just by myself.  One happy occasion that stands out in my mind was the time....

To Ralph - One "special" time was one evening you asked if we should go to Underwood High School to hear London Parris and the Apostles - and that was really a delightful time, we both enjoyed their singing so much - Parris with his deep, deep voice and a tenor that was just beautiful.  You bought three of their records and when we got home we sat down by the stereo and played the records until almost midnight - just you and I and good music.  Happiness!

Of the various animals which have been in and out of my life, I remember _________ 

the most because. . . .

Shep.  We lived on the farm then and he was such a good dog, seemed to watch out for the kids and us and wanted to protect us.  I also remember our little dog, "Tootsie" that was my pet when I was a little girl, and a gray cat names "Moses."

Aside from the chores all youngsters do, my first job for real wages was. . .

Helping the neighbor ladies do their house cleaning, $2.00 for the job!

I worked in a radio factory in Minneapolis when I was seventeen, averaged

about $48.00 a month.  Paid my share of rom rent which was $10.00 a month 

and had to buy food and street car fare, etc.  Not much left at the end of

the month but it was a good experience.

This photo is of Mom and her brother Orion - she was about 3 years old

and the picture was taken at a photographer's in Dalton.

The Storybook - Part I

In 1980, one of her grandchildren gave my Mom a storybook.

This storybook started out, "Once upon a time..." and then

there were different topics that Mom was to complete, telling the story of her and her family.

I am going to share a few of them here, the title page is in italics, and Mom's 

response is in bold:

Almost all parents can recall with great detail the day their children were born.  

I remember the day you were born....

Of course I remember that day you were born - all 9 of you!  When our first one was born it was quite an experience - it took a long time.   After she was born Ralph said, "Would you go through that again?"  and I answered, "Sure, I would, to get such a precious, beautiful baby." 

Yes, I went through it many times and was so thankful that all our babies were healthy, normal and very pretty.   Of course, I would be telling a lie if I said I was always thrilled (at the moment) of being pregnant again and so soon!  When I was expecting the 8th one, I hardly dared tell Ralph, but when I did, do you know what he said?   He put his arms around me and said, "That isn't so bad, is it?"  That made me happy and as soon as I got used to the idea and knew that a new life was begun within me again, I just started to plan and look forward to having another member in the family.  We loved everyone and have so many good memories that I couldn't begin to write them all down.  I feel that God meant to make me a mother, seeing He gave me so many children to love and take care of.

[note:   Baby #8 was none other than me!]

The first time I met your father...

The first time I met your father was when I was about 16 and he was at my sister's place threshing grain with his Gaar-Scott steam engine.  What else?? I thought he was really nice - and I used to think about  him once in awhile, but didn't know  him very much until 5 or 6 years after that.

I remember my first date with your father...

My dad had come to Fergus Falls to bring me home, I had been working there but was coming home to help Mama for awhile.  He stopped at the filling station for something and he (Ralph) came to the car and asked me to go with him to choir practice at Parkdale Church.  It really took me by surprise, my dad was coming back to the car and he looked at me (question) and I nodded my head.  So he came and that was our first date.

There is a medicine for every illness, but nothing is as good as MOTHER.  When I was little and didn't feel well, my mother used to. ..

It was always nice to snuggle up on Mama or Papa's lap.  Such a happy, peaceful feeling and real good medicine.  My parents were always so kind and tender.

There are too many to share on this blog, but will share a few more on another day.

My Great-Grandparents' Farm

Today I received in the mail some pictures from my cousin Rod 

Included were old pictures from the farm my great grandparents lived on.

After the death of my great-grandpa, his son (Rod's father) took over the farm.

 This is my great-grandparents and some of their children

sitting in front of their home, just south of Dalton.

  

I am guessing this photo is one of the older ones, since

the barn is not the same as the one below.

 Threshing time on the farm!

 This picture was taken years after the Dahlager family moved.

It's a pretty neat photo, I think - note the sagging barn roof.

 Here is the house as it looked many years after my

relatives moved.

 The old outhouse...yes, it is!

 It's a pretty fancy one - it has a lid!  

Uff-dah!!

One of the old sheds. 

What fun to see these photos!   The farmstead no longer resembles what was there when my great-grandparents came to Dalton in 1884.   One by one, the buildings have been torn down and the farm site sit vacant and lonely.

No Stone Unturned

Lately, I have been spending my spare time at the local cemeteries!

The Otter Tail County Historical Society would like

to have photos of all the tombstones for their database.

Goodness, what a project!!

So far, I have taken over 500 pictures for the project.

I have completed 3 cemeteries:  Sarpsborg, St. Olaf and Zion

and I plan to do 3 more:  

Kvam, Ten Mile Lake, and Our Savior's.

If anyone is interested in taking pictures of

one or more cemeteries, contact the

historical society, as I am sure they would like 

all the help they can get!

Some of the stones are barely readable,

Some are laying on the ground in pieces,

and some have disappeared altogether.

Some are huge, so as not to be missed,

others are hidden beneath the peonies or trees.

I had paper and crayons along in order to (hopefully)

rub the name/date where it couldn't otherwise be read.

I wonder if anyone wondered if I was some

distraught mourner, on my hands & knees with my hands

on the stone (trying to decipher the writing)!

The above tombstone is for Anne Marie, who died as an infant.

The tombstone (in pieces) below is for a young boy, just 13 years old,

who died in 1881.

Looking at all the tombstones makes one wonder about

the life & family of the one buried there.

I was reminded of the many hardships of years ago

when there was no treatment/doctors available, 

where today some of those problems are easily remedied.

Some years saw many deaths of all ages possibly due to an epidemic.

Actually, this project is interesting.  Care to come along

when I go to the next one?