The Ax Murder House in Villisca, Iowa where Josiah B. and Sara Moore and six children were murdered on June 10, 1912. Debbie and I were at a craft show in Indianola on Saturday to sell our books and photography. It is the second of five craft shows we are attending this fall to sell our goods.
We’ve been attending and selling at craft shows for more than 15-years in places such as Clarinda in Southwest Iowa, the Quad Cities, Coralville, Des Moines and even Calamus, a small town in Clinton County. We’ve met some of the most interesting people at craft shows. I recall a couple years ago during our first year at the Clarinda Craft Carnival meeting two senior ladies, possibly in the early 80s, who grew up and attended high school in Villisca, home of the Ax Murder House. Villisca is just more than 20-miles from Clarinda. They shared a story about when they graduated high school. After graduation, the two sisters left Iowa to spend the summer working at a resort in Colorado. While introducing themselves to other staff, they said they were from Villisca, Iowa. “That is where the Ax Murder House is,” one young fellow said. “Ax murder,” they asked. What ax murder?” Driving by the house gives me the creeps, so I can’t image growing up in Villisca and not knowing about the ax murders that took place on June 10, 1912. Somebody came into the house and killed Josiah B and Sara Moore and six children, which included the couple’s four children and two guest children. They were all brutally murdered with an ax or some type of blunt instrument. The murders were never solved. The ladies said that evening they called home and asked about the ax murders. Their parents said they didn’t talk about it because relatives of the slain still lived in town. “We didn’t know,” one of the ladies said. The other lady said, “I went to a dance there in high school and remember the ax over the door, but I never gave it any thought that it was where a murder happened.” We have stopped at the Ax Murder House twice, but it has limited hours for tours and we missed it both times. However, groups can spend the night in the Ax Murder House for a sum of cash. I wouldn’t mind taking a tour, but I have no desire to spend the night in a house where a murder happened. I don’t care if it was 111 years ago. Craft show attendees are a different bunch. Some of them seem lost in thought while others are friendly and love to talk. I like going around visiting and checking out what others have to offer. At Indianola, I stopped to check out a cosmetic booth. I don’t wear cosmetics, but the lady was smiling and was nice to visit with. We talked about hand lotions and she proceeded to give me a touch of two different kinds, one after the other. The second round of lotion was so thick it reminded me of the grease used to pack wheel bearings. My hands were so greasy that I made my way to the men’s room, where I promptly washed my hands. It took four rounds of soap to get the greasy goo off my hands. It made for a fun laugh while sharing the story with Debbie. A few years ago, we attended a craft show in Wapello along the banks of the Mississippi River. The most popular item of the day was the cinnamon rolls sold by the band boosters or some school group. People were walking around in a daze while eating cinnamon rolls and looking off into the Heavens. We didn’t sell too many books that day. I would be surprised if many vendors sold much. On the flip side, last year at Clarinda, we had people buying from us as we packed up our table. The goal is to give our books and photography exposure while enjoying time together doing something we love. I encourage you to enjoy life, smile and when a bump comes along, keep on moving forward. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.
0 Comments
Rose Foubert, right, enjoys a laugh with a long-time customer and friend during a retirement party at the EV Malt Shop in North English on Sunday, Oct. 15. Rose and her husband, Dave, have sold the popular eatery after more than 23 years in business and are retiring. It was standing room only as folks came to share well wishes with Dave and Rose all while enjoying a tasty BBQ meal with all the fixings. The event is small-town living at its finest. It’s not uncommon to drive through a small town and not see a soul. Someone might be mowing the yard or working in the flower bed, maybe tuning up their old Chevrolet, but most days, small town living is peaceful and quiet.
But when a family falls on hard times or suffers a setback, folks come from everywhere to help. It’s like they grow out of the woodwork or spout from the yard. They bring a pocketful of cash and show up in great numbers for their friends, family and neighbors. The same holds true for a town celebration or when a veteran is welcomed home. Maybe the community center needs updated or a new playground for the area youngsters is needed. Or the local fire department needs a new truck or some updated gear. I’ve witnessed, not only personally, but as a journalist the many times folks have come together to help each other through a rough patch in life or make their community better. Just this year, after our van caught fire, Ron the Barber in Montezuma set up a fund drive to help us get another vehicle. And a co-worker of mine also set up a fund drive. Together, the funds raised made a difference and we were able to get a vehicle. It amazes me how generous folks can be and the love that they share for others. Having grown up in a big city, there are a lot of goods folks there as well. I’ve always said that a big city is a bunch of small towns tied together. I mowed my neighbor’s yards and tossed the morning and afternoon newspapers on their porches. I stopped to visit on occasion, most often at Mr. and Mrs. Belknap’s home to the north of my boyhood home, where I enjoyed playing dominos with Mr. Bell, as I called him. Anytime I go back to Tulsa town, I always drive by my boyhood home. The last time I was there, I stopped and Debbie took my photo in front of the old home place. I have lots of great memories. On Sunday, Oct. 15, I made the trek to my old stomping grounds of North English. I got my start in the world of small-town journalism at the North English Record. I have lots of fond memories of my 2.7 years in North English. There were lots of great people who gave me the opportunity to share their story in the pages of the Record. I made friends quickly and was often invited to eat dinner with town folks. My publisher in Marengo said I would set up interviews in the early evening so I could stay and eat supper. There’s some truth to that statement. Anyway, I was in North English to wish Dave and Rose Foubert, long-time owners of the EV Malt Shop, the best in their retirement. Dave and Rose met while working at Amana Refrigeration. Rose heard that the EV Malt Shop was for sale, so she left her job at Amana and took a chance. That was June 2000. It was a chance that paid big dividends as the malt shop was a popular place for families to gather and the locals to catch up on the town gossip while drinking a cup or two of coffee. And on Sunday, it was standing-room only as folks came to share a kind word and laugh, give Rose a hug and shake Dave’s hand, all while enjoying a fresh BBQ pork sandwich, cole slaw, baked beans, chips and slice of cake. It was great seeing some the folks I remember from back in the day. I had to ask some their names as I knew them, but didn’t remember their names. I wouldn’t trade the experience of working at a small-town weekly for anything. It’s been my home for almost 26-years. People have been good to me. I met my wife, Debbie, in Montezuma and she is such a blessing to me. Together, we are doing great things. It’s good to take time to visit and reconnect with folks. I appreciate everyone who has opened their hearts and homes and shared their stories for others to enjoy through my pen and camera. Living in a small town is just the best. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. I’ll never forget the many Christmas gatherings in the 1970s at Uncle J.B. and Aunt Rosemary Jackson’s stately southern-style home near downtown Tulsa.
Every year, about a week or so before Christmas, the Jacksons would open their home for a large Christmas celebration. No one was a stranger as the door was always open. There was always plenty of conversation as folks connected to the Jackson family spent an hour or two catching up since they last met. The large dining room table and nearby buffet was filled to the brim with tasty food. At times, the food spilled over onto the kitchen counters. Once everyone got caught up and enjoyed a meal, it was time to settle in for some Christmas Carols from a small book of Carols kept in the Jackson’s grand piano bench, only to be used once a year. Then Santa would stop by and everyone from young to old went home with a gift and a round of hugs. Uncle J.B. was my grandmother’s brother on my mom’s side of the family. He was raised in Alabama and came to Missouri when the Jackson family moved to New Madrid in the Bootheel of Southeast Missouri in 1932. It was in New Madrid that my grandparents married on Oct. 29, 1932. My grandpa’s family, the Hortons, had migrated to New Madrid from Alabama eight years earlier. Uncle J.B. was stationed at Pearl Harbor during World War II. After the war, thanks to the GI Bill, he attended Freed Hardeman College in Henderson, Tenn. It was there in 1946 that Uncle J.B. met Rosemary Adams, who was from Tulsa. They married on June 15, 1947 and raised four beautiful daughters, Mary Gail, Kay, Jan and June. After moving to Tulsa, Uncle J.B. joined his father-in-law, Ben Adams Sr., at Home Furniture, the family-owned furniture store in downtown Tulsa. Ben opened the store in the late 1920s. “Granddaddy sold new and used furniture that he received as a trade in,” said Kay. “He kept his own books and took payments weekly on the notes he carried for people. He had some customers that kept coming back for 40 years.” Kay said some of the customers thought home was Uncle J.B.’s name and they would call him, “Mr. Home.” Having known Uncle J.B., I’m sure being called Mr. Home was never a concern of his. I always remember him as a gentle, compassionate man with lots of love to give. Uncle J.B. worked at the furniture store during the days and attended Tulsa Business School at night, where he earned a business degree. He then joined the business school staff as an employee and I believe went on to run the school. “After he (Uncle J.B.) received a promotion at the school, he started working during the day there but continued to work on Saturdays at the furniture store,” recalled Kay. “Daddy would make deliveries of furniture to people’s homes and also did upholstery and refinishing of some of the old furniture traded in.” “And he was very good at it,” Kay went on to say. “Our home was filled with antiques and many of those were acquired through the furniture store as old furniture that people had traded in for new. My dad could make them look new. He was very talented in that way.” Kay, who is nearly six years older than me, remembers spending every Friday night with her grandparents, the Adams. “Many Saturday mornings I would go with granddaddy to the store and he would give me a quarter to dust the furniture,” Kay recalled. “I have so many good memories of the store.” My mom loved Uncle J.B. and Aunt Rosemary and if my memory serves me right, after her junior year in high school in Van Buren, Mo., she came to Tulsa to spend time with the Jacksons. After she graduated in 1955, she moved to Tulsa and it was there that my mom met my dad, who grew up east of Tulsa in the Verdigris River bottoms, or the sticks, as I call it. They met through a mutual friend. And ironically, were married on June 15, 1957, the same day 10-years after Uncle J.B. and Aunt Rosemary were married. My mom said Uncle J.B. and Aunt Rosemary were the reason she came to Tulsa. She carried a $2 bill in her purse and when Mom needed money, she’d stop at the furniture store and Uncle J.B. would give her two $1 bills in exchange. When she earned enough money, she’d buy her $2 bill back. I now have the $2 bill among my many family treasurers. Urban renewal led to the closing of Home Furniture in 1964 to make way for the Williams (now Magellan) tower, which was built in the 1970s. Life is full of treasures. I encourage you to take time to find the many treasures life has offered you and keep the memories fresh in your own heart. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Ron Hensel, aka Ron the Barber, visits with Roberta See of Grinnell during the second annual Montezuma American Legion Post 169 Car Show on the Montezuma Square on Saturday, Sept. 30. Ron, the local Legion Commander, organizes the show, which drew nearly 180 cars this year. If you have ever spent any time in Montezuma, you may know or have heard of Ron Hensel, aka Ron the Barber.
I’ve been a friend of Ron’s since he opened his barbershop on the west side of the Montezuma Square in September 2008. He’s trimmed my head ever since we first met. I don’t know if Ron has cut more hair off or if I’ve lost more hair in the last 15 years. I don’t quite have the head of hair I once did back in the day. When able, I enjoy stopping by the barbershop to visit and catch up on the latest town gossip and news. There is always an assortment of folks from farmers to local good old boys who come for a trim or stop by to talk politics or town happenings. You never know who might be in the barber chair or waiting their turn. Ron grew up in Milo and is a graduate of Southeast Warren High School. After attending barber school in the early 1960s, Ron cut hair in a barbershop on the Indianola square. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. And after that, he operated a barbershop on Army Post Road for a number of years. He and his wife, Bea, bought a piece of land at Lake Ponderosa in 1997. Two years later, they sold that lot and purchased another lot on the west lake, where they built a comfortable home. They sold their lake home and moved to Montezuma nine years ago. It didn’t take Ron long after moving to the Montezuma area to become involved in the business community. He has been a long-time member of the Montezuma Community Boosters and remains active in the Montezuma Lions Club. He was named the Montezuma American Legion Blakely-Stevens Post 169 Commander in 2010. One of his first moves as commander of the Legion was to give the Legion Hall, located on the backside of the Memorial Hall, a good scrubbing and paint job. He’s worked tirelessly to promote the Legion and was involved earlier this year in starting a Sons of American Legion Chapter in Montezuma. The Sons of American Legion is for sons and grandsons who had a father or grandfather in the military. The Montezuma chapter has grown to 43 members. The sons next undertaking is the Wreaths Across America campaign coming this Christmas. The WAA allows folks who have veterans buried in one of Montezuma’s cemeteries to purchase a wreath and have it placed on their graves by a veteran. Area folks can also purchase wreathes for loved ones buried in other cemeteries and place them there themselves. Under Ron’s leadership, the Legion has grown to nearly 100 members, the largest in Poweshiek County. In addition, Ron oversees the placement of American Flags around the town square during holidays and other events and prior to Memorial Day activities, at the local cemeteries. He also leads the town Memorial Day service. Ron has always been a big supporter of Montezuma athletic and school events. When the Montezuma Fire and Ambulance Department gives Montezuma students firetruck rides as part of fire week activities, Ron always has a big bowl candy at the barbershop. When he hears the siren, he grabs the bowl and heads outside where he tosses handfuls of candy to the students as they roll past the barbershop. And in 2013, Ron was instrumental in helping bring the Freedom Rock to Montezuma. When he learned about the 99-county Freedom Rock tour that year, Ron approached the City of Montezuma to get the ball rolling on the project. With the help of Legion members, a rock was found north of Montezuma and put on a trailer with the use of a bulldozer and brought to town. It was painted by Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II in August 2016 and is located on the southeast corner of the Montezuma Square. And last fall, Ron and his wife, Bea, where recognized with the Greater Poweshiek County Foundation “Spirit of Giving” honor. The honor is handed out each fall to community members and leaders from across the county. In mid-May, when my van caught fire and burned, Ron started a fund drive to help Debbie and me get another vehicle in June. What a blessing! Ron’s latest undertaking is a new Legion Hall. In June 2021, Scott, Kevin and Kerri Carl, the grandchildren of the late Cloyd M. and Francis Carl, donated two acres of the original Henry F. Carl farm to the Legion for construction of a new legion hall. Since that time, Ron and members of the local American Legion have been busy selling watermelon at community events and raising funds to build a new legion hall. In 2022, Ron organized the first Montezuma American Legion Car Show to raise funds for the building. The event drew 115 cars and trucks and a large crowd. The show was such a success, that Ron and the Legion decided to bring it back in 2023. Ron spent part of the summer attending various car shows around the area handing out flyers advertising the Montezuma show. It paid off as this year’s show, held on Saturday, Sept. 30, drew 180 vehicles from classics to newer cars and trucks, race cars, customized golf carts and even a 1969 Airstream camper and 1969 customized pickup truck. It was a great show and testament to the hard work of Ron and the Legion members do in the Montezuma community. Next time you’re in Montezuma, stop at the barbershop and shake Ron’s hand and say thanks. If you would like to make a donation to the future legion hall, I’m sure he would be happy to accept the donation. Ron is definitely a leader who is making things better than he found them. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Darrell Brand, a now retired long-time teacher, administrator and coach, does the traditional breakdown routine during Braves Night activities. Being a community journalist, I sometimes find myself in odd predicaments.
That was the case last week at Braves Night at Montezuma High School. Braves Night is a pep rally and crowning of the Hometown King and Queen held at MHS on the Thursday of Homecoming week. Part of the festivities include the Breakdown routine hosted by Darrell Brand, a now retired long-time teacher, administrator and coach at Montezuma. The Breakdown has been a part of homecoming at Montezuma for long before I came on the scene. Brand, who is in his 80s, still has the moves and quite a vertical leap. When I first came to Montezuma, Brand wore a ballcap backwards and a pair of plastic glasses with an extra big nose while doing the routine. He did away with the garb several years ago, said his wife, Sherma, tossed it in the trash. Brand bends over, claps his hands and jumps around while he chants “breakdown” along with the players and crowd, doing so several times. He ends the routine with “breakdown” to silence, or an attempt at silence. In some cases, when the athletes and crowd miss it, he starts over. It’s fun and makes for great pictures. Before the breakdown routine started that evening, I was seated in the middle of the gym on the south bleachers. In front of me was a mat used by the cheerleaders. Behind the mat were 10 chairs in sets of two spaced evenly apart for the 10 members (five couples) of the homecoming court. Further back was a podium and then seated on the north bleachers were the football, volleyball and cross country teams. I’m thinking that Brand is going to do the breakdown routine on the mat in front of me. I was wrong, he set up camp behind the homecoming court. I got up from my somewhat obscure seat and made my way to where the homecoming court was to get a better view and photo of Brand and his breakdown routine. I bumped into one of the queen candidates, apologizing for my misstep. “No problem J.O.,” the young lady said. Even Brand was smiling at me as I fumbled around trying to get the best position for a good picture. And of course I was standing in the middle of the gym for everyone to see. I did Ok. I got a couple good shots and that is what I was after. I only need one for the paper and I got it. I’ve walked in front of people at concerts, plays, ballgames and graduations for years. I walk alongside parades and get close to the floats to take the best pictures. That gives me the opportunity to get better crowd shots. At volleyball and basketball games, I roam all around the outside of the court. I do the same on the football sidelines, always keeping my eye on the ball just in case a player is headed my way. There’s nothing worse than to get one’s lights knocked out by a football player running zero to 60. That happened to me at Montezuma football game at Wapello my first year in town in September 2000. I got hit twice in the first half and broke my camera lens and flash into two pieces. I had a bruise on my stomach as big as a watermelon. I have had some closes calls in the years since, but thankful I’ve not been run over or knocked down. When I see a player running toward me carrying a football, I go the other way. I was at Star Lanes the other day ordering a couple cheeseburgers for Debbie an I. While waiting, I struck up a conversation with a young lady and her two boys who were there bowling. She commented on my work saying, “When I see you come in the door, I know we are going to get some good photos.” These were really kind words that touched my heart. I’ve always said that my backside has been in a lot of momma’s photos. I’m also positive that a lot of my photos and stories have been on a lot of momma’s refrigerators and scrapbooks. What a ride this newspaper venture has and continues to be. I love community journalism and I am always ready for the next good photo or digging out the next feature. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Photojournalist and author Dave LaBelle, left, checks out the Iowa State Fair photo book while J.O. and Debbie Parker look on during the 2023 All-Iowa Writers’ Conference held on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Montezuma. The Parkers, who host the writing conference, donated the State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers Reunion books they published to LaBelle. J.O. first learned of LaBelle and his work as a student in the 1990s at the University of Missouri-Columbia. It was the spring of 2010.
I stepped into the house after a long day at the Poweshiek County CR and Debbie, who was seated in the living room, said, “I want to hold a writers’ conference.” “And I want to invited Donald Harstad to speak,” she added. Harstad of Elkader is a 26-year veteran sheriff’s deputy in Clayton County turned author. He wrote his first novel, “Eleven Days” in the late 1990s, which became a New York Times Bestseller. He went on to write several other novels including: “A Long December,” “Code 61,” “The Big Thaw,” “Known Dead,” and November Rain.” I didn’t know anything about hosting a writers’ conference, so I was a bit leery at first, but encouraged Debbie to reach out to Harstad. She found an email and wrote him that evening. He wrote back at 3 a.m. and said he’d love to come speak at our first conference. Shirley Damsgaard was there that first year as was Tamera Jones, Alan Loots, Mike Manno and others. We’ve had a crime lab employee speak at our conference one year, and a Grinnell Police officer spoke of police duties and dealing with crime. Our third year, we had Larry Weeks with Brownells come and talk about gun identification. He said some authors write about crime and don’t know a thing about guns. It was an educational presentation. We’ve had nationally known authors, editors, illustrators, historical fiction, romance, crime, Christian and children’s authors. There are far too many to name. And one year we received a grant to bring national best seller Laura McHugh to Montezuma. We also enjoyed a presentation by Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, an agriculture journalist and author of a number of Iowa books, including “The Lincoln Highway in Iowa,” “Classic Restaurants of Des Moines” and “Iowa Agriculture: A History of Farming, Family and Food. The first nine years we held the conference in the Montezuma School, Memorial Hall and Community Hope Church before moving it to Grinnell for one year in 2019. Then Covid hit and the writers’ conference came to a grinding halt for three years. But thanks to Debbie’s persistence, we brought it back this year. She spends from four to six months finding authors to speak each year. She receives a lot more “no’s” than “yeses.” And what a great lineup we had this year for the conference held on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Community Hope Church. They included Crystal Ferry, aka Stella Bixby of Montezuma, Laura Snider, a lawyer an author; Iowa State University Professor Kevin Kimle and his wife, Patti, who gave a moving narrative on the Underground Railroad in connection with their book, “The Only Free Road.” Also speaking was Joseph LaValley, who has seven books based on fictional newspaper editor Tony Harrington. And Adrianne Finlay, an English professor at the University of Northern Iowa spoke about the writing process and shared about her books. And lastly, a royal treat was Dave LaBelle, who calls Dyersville home. LaBelle is one of my favorite photographers and is the author of “The Great Picture Hunt,” and The Great Picture Hunt 2,” “I don’t want to know all the technical stuff..I just want to shoot pictures,” and “Lessons in Death and Life” His most recent book, “Bridges and Angles: The story of Ruth,” is a novel based on his mother, who was swept away in California flood in the 1960s when LaBelle was a senior in high school. I first learned about LaBelle as a photojournalism student at the University of Missouri. I have followed his work for years and have all of his books. When I learned that he had moved to Iowa, I reached out to LaBelle earlier this summer via Facebook and he agreed to come speak. I was on Cloud 9 all day as I shared my story with him and donated our books on the Iowa State Fair and the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion. LaBelle spent his time not only telling his life story, but talking about how words and pictures go hand-in-hand. He closed his presentation by encouraging the conference attendees to find their purpose in life and make the best of what is in front of them. We all have dreams and purpose. Today is the day to make a step to see those dreams come to pass. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. I don’t know what made me think about it, but somehow my mind strayed to back in the day when my folks and I would visit the bright red painted Country Store in East Tulsa.
You could buy about anything country there from clothing to seeds, plants, trees, garden tools and much more. They catered mostly to farmers (or city slickers trying their hand at farming) and those living in the rural setting. And there were actual people who worked there and knew the business and helped customers. There were no self-checkouts or bag your own items. Stores like that are few and far between these days. Most have been replaced with large box stores that sell lumber, paint, seed and toilet seats. Around Poweshiek County, Halls Feed and Seed in Brooklyn would come close in service and sales to what I remember at the Country Store. It’s not as big, but it’s packed with about anything you need for country living. The last I knew, the Country Store, which celebrated 50-years in business in 2005, closed its doors in 2007. A quick search of the Internet didn’t net much on the long-time business. My parents and another family from the First Baptist Church in downtown Tulsa joined forces in the late 1960s and planted a huge garden on a spot of land in East Tulsa, a mile or two from the Country Store. They grew everything including watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, green beans, tomatoes, lettuce, okra (a southern favorite), peas, onions and much more. My parents bought a roto-tiller from Montgomery Ward, another business that has bit the dust, in the late 60s. My dad loaded it in his 1967 Chevrolet C-10 pickup after work at the factory and hauled it to the farm to till the earth. I remember sitting in my dad’s truck and listening to the AM push button radio. I didn’t listen long as I was afraid I would run the battery down. On hot summer days, the other family’s two boys, Mark and Gary, and I would spend time roaming the area and shooting off bottle rockets and firecrackers on the Fourth of July. One year, we got a load of gypsum used for fertilizer. The boys used their craftiness to carve out two monsters in boxes with the gypsum. I thought it was cool. And it was on the road next to the garden that I first drove my dad’s pickup. He’d push in the clutch and I would shift the gears and steer the truck. I grew up one half-mile from Route 66. In fact, I walked or rode my bicycle one block on Route 66 when delivering the morning Tulsa World newspapers each day. My mom and I started throwing the Tulsa World on Sept. 1, 1972. That first day, she had to leave me to go home and get my dad off to work. Later on, he learned to get ready to pack his lunch and leave for work on his own. Sounds familiar as Debbie gets me going in the mornings and packs my lunch. I threw newspapers with my mom for almost five years, quitting on July 31, 1977, just a month before my senior year in high school. I used the money I made to buy school clothes and at least five bicycles, three of which were Schwinn Stingrays. My dad also helped with the newspaper business and we were once featured in one of the Tulsa papers about the family who throws papers together, stays together. My dad and mom always grew a small garden at my boyhood home each summer. My dad loved wilted lettuce salads and fresh onions from the garden. My mom would heat up the bacon grease and pour it over the lettuce. My dad also mowed yards around our neighborhood, a business that he took over from my grandfather on my mom’s side of the family. I took the yard business over from my dad and mowed many yards in the neighborhood in the 1980s. Living on my block was in some ways like living in a small town. We knew all our neighbors and would check in them. I always enjoyed visiting with the Belknaps on the north and playing dominos with Mr. Bell, as I called him. I got my first camera, an Argus Twin-Lens Reflex camera, from the neighbors to the south, the Watsons. It was their son’s camera and I still have it to this day. And it still works. I’m thankful that my parents were involved in my life and that of my brother. We had a close net family who ate together, did things together, worked together and prayed together. They both grew up in the sticks in the country and they knew the value of hard work and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. I will always be thankful for their impact on my life, for carrying me to church, teaching me the Good Book, loving me and providing lots of memories. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Debbie and I welcomed home a new puppy during the Labor Day weekend.
His name is Boomer and he is a Great Pyrenees Border Collie mix that we purchased from a breeder in Fayette, Mo., Mark and Rosemarie Adams. I first met Rosemarie 20-years ago at the Missouri Photo Workshop held in Louisiana, Mo., a town of 3,000 plus along the Mississippi River. We’ve been Facebook friends for a number year and I have sent her a message or two, but it wasn’t until late June this year that I saw post on her Facebook page offering Boomer and four other puppies from the same liter. We reached out to Rosemarie and got the ball rolling on welcoming Boomer into our home. We came up with the name and shared it with Rosemarie and she started using it when calling the little fellow. We happen to have a cat named Sooner, so we know own Boomer Sooner. Rosemarie and her husband, Mark, who recently retired after a 35-year career as a crane operator, had wanted to attend the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant. So the couple made the three plus hour journey from Fayette to Mount Pleasant to bring Boomer to us. We met them at the Mount Pleasant Wal-Mart. Boomer is such a loveable fur ball and we are glad to have him in our lives. Debbie and I along with our family have been attending the Old Threshers Reunion since 2007, the year that we started working on our second Iowa photobook, “Family Reunion: Midwest Old Threshers,” which was released in August 2008. We worked with the now late Lennis Moore, the CEO of the Old Threshers and Terry McWilliams, who is the current CEO, along with the Old Threshers Board to make the book project possible. They paid for one-half of the printing on the book and in exchange, we gave the Old Threshers 1,000 books to sell. It was a win-win situation for all parties involved. There’s always plenty to see and enjoy at the Old Threshers. It’s a nice way to end the summer and head into the fall. I enjoy antiquing and bought several items this year including a framed print of a farmer hand-picking corn that was being tossed into a horse-drawn wagon. It is unique piece of artwork that reminds me of the time my dad and his brother, Uncle Charley, hand-picked 40-acres of corn after the Verdigris River east of Tulsa got out of its banks, not once, but twice in 1948. The Verdigris is a tributary to the Arkansas River that runs on the west side of Tulsa. “The river knocked the stalks down, but not the ears of corn,” my dad told me. The brothers earned enough money from the sale of that corn for their dad to purchase a used tractor and harrow. Somewhere in my parents things I have the receipt from when that tractor was bought at a dealer in Broken Arrow, Okla. We also checked out the many vendors at Old Threshers. I would like to purchase a new flag pole, but the good ones have hefty price tags. We also rode the electric trolley and steam train, attended the family-friendly dancing girls show at the Old Threshers Saloon and watched a shootout at the train depot, all in the North Village. And a trip to the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion would not be complete without a visit to the First United Methodist Church food tent on the grounds. They have some of the best fried chicken and the state fair award-winning meatloaf, which is the creation of Melinda Huisinga of Mount Pleasant and formerly of Des Moines. Melinda won a blue ribbon with her meatloaf at the state fair in 2017 in a food contest that Debbie and I sponsor through our company, Our Front Porch Books. Life can keep us busy as there are always things to do. If your life seems out of sorts, take time to reflect on the positives, spend time around positive people, maybe get back to a church and change things that are pulling you down and wasting time and not lifting you up. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Jim Good, a good friend and former roommate back in the day in Tulsa, knew a thing or two about building a fast car. He did machine work on engines and also built his own engines.
He could set the points on cars using the cyclophane wrapper from a package of cigarettes. He would slide the wrapper between the points (for those who know what points are in a distributor) and turn the screw and set it. In the early 1980s, Jim owned a 1970 Oldsmobile W-31 that came with a one-piece fiberglass front end. I was thinking it was a 442 Oldsmobile, but Jim said it was a rarer car than that. Anyway, when Jim bought it, it had a 350 Oldsmobile engine. “It was pretty fast that way, but it had been driven hard and didn’t have the best oil pressure,” Jim said via social media. “So, I built a high performance 455 for it.” The car had a 3.91 rear end gear, which made it accelerate hard. Jim said the previous owner had installed the fiberglass front end, but gave him all the original parts so it could still be restored to original down the road. “It was definitely a fast car,” said Jim. “The exhaust exited in front of the back tires so it was loud when I got it.” Jim said the car had the bare minimum exhaust that would pass state inspection, a requirement for vehicles in Oklahoma. “I could get a third gear scratch when I was getting on the freeway,” recalled Jim. “It was a little spooky to get a scratch and go a little sideways at that speed.” I loved riding in that car. It was loud and fast. I remember one weekday night, Jim wanted to take the Olds for a spin and blow the cobs out, he said and that’s what we did. We ended up on the Crosstown Expressway in Tulsa (an expressway that goes around downtown Tulsa) and I was hanging on for dear life. We had to be going more than 100 mph. I mentioned something about the cops and Jim said, “They are on the other side and wouldn’t get us.” Jim ended up selling the Olds when he decided to go back to school. “I couldn’t afford it as a college student,” said Jim. “I couldn’t really afford it when I was living with you and just barely getting my rent paid every month.” “You and your parents were very patient with me and helped me through a rough time financially,” he added. I don’t remember any of that, but enjoyed having Jim around. He loved God and we went to church together. That was more important than the rent. I got to thinking about Jim’s Oldsmobile 442 W-31 and my second cousin’s Studebaker Lark while strolling around taking photos and interviewing folks at the 50th Grinnell Show & Shine Car Show on Saturday, Aug. 26. It was a great show with a record-breaking 279 vehicles on display. There were lots of people to visit with and learn about their cars. I met a fellow, Jay De Young, from New Sharon who has a rare 1914 Apperson Jackrabbit Touring Car that was made in Kokomo, Ind. It had been in his family since his dad’s great uncle purchased it new from the Shee Company in the Ottumwa/Oskaloosa area. When the great uncle passed away in the early 1930s, his two daughters took ownership of the Apperson. It survived the World War II scrap heap and Jay and his brother, Lee, who lives in Chicago, inherited the car from their father some years later. The car won the most original trophy at the Grinnell show. That is quite a story behind the car and I enjoyed visiting with Jay. Maybe down the road, I can get a chance to write a longer story for a magazine article. There were a lot of old and new cars at the Grinnell Show & Shine. I don’t remember seeing any Studebakers at this year’s show. They were a good car back in the day. I had cousin from the Chicago suburb of Wheaton who moved to Tulsa to attend welding school in the early 1980s after graduating high school. He had a Studebaker Lark that was in a state of rebuild. It wasn’t as fast as the Oldsmobile, but it was a nice vehicle with a piece of beef under the hood. I enjoy cruising through town with the windows down and one arm propped on the window ledge. The first car I purchased was a 1977 Chevrolet Monto Carlo with the long front end. I bought it used in 1980 and ended up rebuilding the engine in 1981. It barely had any power. After tearing the engine apart, I discovered it had a bent piston rod and that more than half the values were burnt. The thrust bearing on the end of the crankshaft was shot. I had to replace the pistons and add a used crankshaft in the engine and torque convertor in the transmission. A friend of mine, Scott, helped me rebuild the engine. I put too big of a carburetor and the wrong cam shaft, but it was still a nice running car that I enjoyed driving for several years. I ended up selling the Monte Carlo and a 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier that I bought new to help pave the way to go back to school at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1992. A lot has changed since those days and it’s been a great ride filled with lots of memories that keep getting better as the days roll along. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. Debbie and I were in the Des Moines Register Building on the Grand Concourse late last week looking at Iowa State Fair souvenirs when a couple said they saw our display in the ISF Museum across from Pioneer Hall.
“I thought that was you,” the lady said as her husband drew near. We visited for a moment, made our purchases and Debbie and I headed toward the camper. It was 20-years ago in 2003 that Debbie and I met at the Iowa State Fair Campground while I was doing a story on state fair campers from the Montezuma area for the Montezuma Republican newspaper. This year, we were futured in the Ralph H. Deets Historical Museum at the fairgrounds in a special display on state fair attendees who found love at the fair. There were five couples featured in the display. We visited the museum and display twice during our stay in Des Moines. The first time at the museum, I was visiting with one of the attendees and shared a story about the time I left my lights on in my S-10 pickup and ran the battery down. It was 2002, the year before I met Debbie. I had just put a new battery in my truck a week earlier. I walked to the on-site car repair at the parking lot and asked about getting a jump. “That will be $15,” the fellow said. I opened my billfold only to discover that all I had was $5. So, I walked to my truck, got in and bowed my head, asking God to send me help. I sat the truck with the windows down for about 15-minutes. Then a family came walking behind my truck headed to their vehicle across the aisle. It just happened that their vehicle was backed into the parking spot. I got out and approached them, asking if they could give me a battery jump. “Do you have jumper cables?” the fellow asked. “Sure do,” I said. The man and his two boys pushed my truck out into the lane and across where their van was at. They hooked me up and I was back on the road again in a couple minutes. I offered them my $5 and they told me to keep it. I will never forget that experience. Anyway, on Sunday, the last day of the fair, we revisited the museum. As we stood there looking at the love display, Debbie said, “Look at all we have done.” It is amazing how God brought us together, two complete strangers from two different states and more than 500 miles, and what we have accomplished in our nearly 19-years of marriage. And it was nice to be recognized on the grand stage at the Iowa State Fair. It was also nice to spend time with family at the fair. And as always, I entered antiques in the Pioneer Hall. I didn’t fare as well this year as I have in past years. There is always next year. My favorites things at the state fair, outside of eating at Beattie’s Watermelon Stand, is people watching and visiting with folks. It’s fun to watch people open up and share more about their lives. I’m pretty much an open book, so I feel comfortable talking to total strangers. My ability to talk with others has helped me a lot in the journalism world. My dad was like that. It used to drive me crazy how he could stop and visit with a total stranger. He had the uncanny ability to meet people who had a connection to his growing up days in the sticks east of Tulsa, Okla., my hometown. Overall, it was a nice fair. We didn’t spend as many days on the fairgrounds as we have in the past. We did attend two of our oldest nephew’s goat shows and watched a portion of the Cowboy Action Shooting the first Friday of the fair. I enjoyed grilling out at the campground on my new grill. I also spent a couple hours walking around the campground the first weekend, visiting with folks and taking photos of camper yard ornaments and decorations. I started the camper yard ornament project last year and I still have a good portion of the campground to cover next year. There is a mixture of everything from political signs to welcome to our camper and more. It’s a city on wheels. I hope you enjoyed a day or two at the state fair. Next up is the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant. I enjoy seeing the steam engines, learning about farming history from back in the day and antique hunting. I leave you with this, if you don’t go inside a door, you’ll will never know the opportunities that await. Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day and always. |
Archives
March 2024
Categories |