Give this picture a title

Come up with a clever caption for this picture and be this week's winner of The Oregonians' clever caption contest. Winner will be selected by an erudite and impartial judge.

"I love a mystery..."

Going through some old pictures, I found a postcard. No date on it. No address. No signature. Not even a "halfpenny stamp" where one should have been placed. Hmmmm. Who wrote this? How did it end up among the old pictures?
I have made a few conclusions about it.
1. The picture post card, as it says at the bottom, is of "Ernest Stevens "As Friday". I tried googling Ernest Stevens, vaudeville, blackface, minstrels....nothing showed up. Was he an American minstrel man? British?

2. The writing on the left side says "Jack this is not 110 Engine, but it reminded me of a man that took part in a ministral once upon a time." My dad, though named "John", went by "Jack" and he was in minstrel shows in Baker City as a young man. He was also an engineer for the Sumpter Valley railroad for a time. Did he run engine #110?

3. The writing on the right side says "I gave her that?". I have no idea what this refers to, but was probably clear to the writer and the recipient of this card.


Now for the really interesting part. In case you can't make out the message on the card it says:

"Jack I was more than Pleased to hear from you although it was verry short. I did appreciate it, it showes that I have your well wishes. I have not got a letter from Dave since I left. I guess it is because he has had so much sicness. Tell him I would like to hear from him personaly when he gets time. Tell J. Eccles I awaiting for an answer from him. I will write you a long letter when I return from Scotland where I am going for conferance nex Sunday May 14. I expect to see uncle Stewart thus will tell you all when I return. I am not so well physicaly but Spiritualy I never felt better. May God bless you all. With regards to all ------"

So this is obviously a card sent to my dad by someone (friend? relative?) who knew him as a young man. And what is he doing in Scotland? How did the card reach my dad without any postage on it? When was it written, by whom?

Moral of the story: date and sign everything you send to someone. That will save a lot of consternation decades later.

Stay tuned.

Young beauty

Mystery picture of the week. Anyone know who it is?

Grandma & Grandpa's helper

By special request I have posted this on my blog
You probably know that if you left click on the picture you can enlarge it.
Note the plate of left overs in Grandma's hand; the two Easter eggs in Grandpa's hand; the "boot" on Grandma's foot; and above all, Grandma's purse nearly dragging the ground as it hangs from the tiny shoulders of the little girl who wanted to help her grandparents out to the car.

Julie's visit

Here are some pictures from last week.

If you'd like to see some of these same people on a walk through the galaxy, post a comment.

Otherwise, you'll just have to imagine how it was to walk to Jupitor and Mars.

"My Three Angels"

First of all, this blog should be titled "Our Three Angels", since the subjects were created through close cooperation with both of their parents. But many, many, many years ago I directed a production of "My Three Angels" (see the movie adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart) and ever since then, when I look at the picture that has adorned our piano for lo these several decades I automatically think to myself "Those are my three angels."

For the benefit of a few readers of this blog who may not recognize this picture (that means you, DS) they are, from left to right: Denise, Julie, and Barbara . (The picture on the mantel is of their grandmother, Nan, who gave them the new nightgowns they are wearing.)

Okay, scroll down.



Some years have passed since this picture was taken. And for the past several years the three sisters (yes, like those three beautiful peaks in the Cascade Mountains or the Chekov play) haven't all been together very often. So on the occasions when they are, their father takes advantage of a photo shoot.

Yesterday, in our condo: Denise, Julie, Barbara. (Note blatant plug for Tony's book, -- available this month at a Deseret Book store near you.)

Julie lives in Vancouver, Washington. (Pause here to reflect on the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.) She has been visiting her daughter and son-in-law in the Los Angeles area and came to visit us for a few days on her return home. Welcome, Julie!! (Soit le bienvenue).

Last night we took the three of them to dinner at that chic little bistro called "Chuck-a-Rama"

("where the elite meet to eat" for those of you who are old enough to remember the radio show ----oh, never mind; none of you is that old.)

After dinner we drove up on the south hills of Draper to see where Denise and Joe will be moving in a couple of months. We're all excited about that because they will be much closer to us.

After that, Denise and Julie were subjected to an advance showing of my yet-to-be-final-edited DVD.

Today Julie is off to see Denise and Emma at some place where there are all kinds of things for full-of-energy-almost-four-year-old girls to have fun. (Moms and Aunts will no doubt enjoy it, too.)

So ---we're enjoying having our three angels together for a few days. Stay tuned.