Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Lassen Volcanic National Park

After leaving Sheri's place on Monday (June 28th), I stopped for two nights at Manzanita Lake Campground on the north side of Lassen Volcanic National Park, several hours drive north of Stockton and about 60 miles east of Redding. It was more or less on the way to my Fourth of July destination.

I was aware that the highway through the park was only open about 10 miles on either end so you couldn't drive all the way through. Also, the Lassen Peak Trail was not yet open. (If this trail is one you might want to do this summer, check their website first. It will be closed periodically during the summer for restoration.) There are plenty of other trails, some quite easy, such as the 1.8 mile loop around Lake Manzanita and the half-mile paved trail in the Devastated Area.

Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita on the afternoon of my arrival.

A closer view of Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita.

On the morning of my second day at Lassen, a prescribed burn was being done by the Park Service on the northwest side of Lake Manzanita. The wind carried the smoke away from the campground area but the acrid smell of the burning brush permeated the air.

I stopped at the visitors center, which was engulfed in smoke as it was in the direct path of the wind though a safe distance from the burn area, to get a park brochure and some information (it was closed when I arrived the night before). Even though the road through the park was not open, if you wanted to do some driving, you could access all four corners of the park. There were campgrounds on the south side so I could have gone that way and spent the night on that end of the park but it was in the opposite direction I was headed and would have added several more hours onto an already long trip. Instead, I relaxed around the campground and took a few short walks.

Sunday Morning Sunrise

The pictures below are for Susan. As we were having lunch the other day she wondered what pictures I had taken that would show what it was like in Indiana while I was there but at the time I hadn't taken any. These were shot this morning, south of Columbia City on highway nine, as I was driving down the road. A little snow. Lots of cold.




Yes, I went back home for a few days. I had some things to take care of before I got further away. My sojourn in Louisiana lasted two weeks. Thank you very much, Ruth, for your hospitality. It was cold the first week there but we managed a few short outings. The last couple of days in Monroe were quite nice with the temperature reaching 70 degrees. Then I went north. Where the temperature never got above 20 for the week. A big Thank You to my brother Jack and his wife Beesa and to my friend Cindy and her husband Bill for allowing me to invade their homes for a few days.

The journey has resumed. I'm heading south again, still hoping for some warmer weather.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Dry tooling? More like wet tooling!




Laura and I had a few hours to get out today. Her shoulder is still bothering her from the other day when she hit her shoulder on Anger Management and didn't want to climb, but eagerly volunteered to belay me if I wanted to climb.I opted to head to Upper Meadow again to see how much ice was left and work on our new line there. Upon arrival, we saw that the main ice pillar (finish of the climb) had fallen. As we expected, it fell in towards the cave. The other columns were still standing and/or hanging. My first assesment was that it was a little sketchy i.e. dangerousto be in there. Since we made the drive, I figured I'd give it one go. We hurried up and got ready. I started up the route,Sunday's ice was now seriously unbonded crap. I worked up through to the rock. I attempted to use some of the ice, but as expected I sent it crashing down towards Laura. When I felt the ice go Ihad her take me up. She was positioned out of the way and was fine. I pulled back on and continued up hitting each hook. I finished my burn at the lip with water pouring down my neck. Laura took me up and I lowered off. We took a few pics and hiked out, bidding the icefarwell. I can't wait for winters return and a chance to climb this fun new mixed line. By then my I should have my new Lowa"fruit boots". I can't wait to give 'em a go.Lookout sucka!!!







Tuffee



Friday, July 8, 2011

Rock in Road


I'm not sure why there were barrels around this rock that was almost in the road. Could have been just to causion drivers. But it looked as if the rock had slipped more toward the road or maybe the road crew was afraid that it might slip some more. We have seen lots of rocks in the road on this trip and others but never any this big.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1942-1943)

The 33d Annual reunion of the Phend family was held at Nappanee Community Park Aug 30, 1942 with 32 in attendance. Also two Visitors Mr. & Mrs. W. O. Yarian of Toledo Ohio.

A Very good dinner was served which was enjoyed very much by all present.

Meeting called to order by president Henry Phend.

Motion made & 2d that Henry Phend remain as President
Fred Ernest V. President
Sec & Treasurer Virginia Phend, Larwill Ind

Balance of $1.40 from last year
Paid .25 Postage
leaving Bal $1.15

Motion Made & 2d that reunion be held at the same time & Same Place. Last Sun in Aug. Motion carried.

[page 2]
Collection today 2.85
Bal last year 1.15
Total 4.00
Paid for Pavillion 2.50
Bal 1.50

Births
To Josephene Poyser, daughter Sharon Rose

Deaths

Marriages - 1942
Betty Phend to LaMarr Stouder
Dean Ernest to Doris Mansfield
Elizabeth Phend to Charles Young
Mabel Phend to Harry Swiehart
Kohl Miller to [Dorothy Anderson]

[page 3 - marriages, continued]
Anna Mae [Thornton] & Martin Miller
Richard Thornton & Janice Roper

Minutes read, approved & signed.
F A Wehrly sec & Treas.




==+==+==+==+==+==+==

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1943)

1943. No Reunion.

Balance last year $1.50
Cards .08
Bal. 1.42

==+==+==+==+==+==+==

The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Northern Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. The events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post. This is the last post in this series.

It would be 9 more years before the Phend Family Reunions resumed. On August 28, 1952 a family gathering was held in honor of Henry and Susie (Yarian) Phend on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary and the gatherings have continued annually since. You can read more about these reunions in my post titled The first Saturday in August.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

She was the chief cook, I was the dish washer.

About 1958, probably influenced somewhat by her brother, William Hale Brubaker, and her uncle, Maurice James Wise, who both owned restaurants, my grandmother became manager of Miller's Ice Cream Store located at Five Points on Goshen Road in Fort Wayne. A few years later she moved to North Webster and opened "The Dairy Bar" which provided jobs for several family members, myself included.

My grandmother in the kitchen of the Dairy Bar.

Caption written by grandma for the picture below.

A small horseshoe shaped bar surrounded by 10 stools was positioned just outside the door to the kitchen, far right. It was the most popular spot in the Dairy Bar. Shown above were customers Helen Ravely and her daughter Jane, then Grandma and my mother, I'm not sure who the girl next to mom is, could be Wanda Wysong, but the one on the right is Beverly Penrod.

Grandma opened the restaurant every morning at 5 a.m. in the summer and 6 o'clock in the winter. While breakfast was being served she made the pies (some of the best!) and preparations were underway for the daily lunch special. Swiss steak, fried chicken, liver and onions, beef heart, ham and beans - just a few of her specialties. Sunday was the really busy day with the after-church crowd starting about 11 a.m. and continuing through until about 2 o'clock.

Closing time during the winter was 9 p.m. while in the summer the restaurant stayed open until 11 o'clock. It usually took another hour to get the place cleaned before we could go home. I did not enjoy working the late shift, or the morning shift for that matter! For the first few years (before I legally became old enough to work) I cleared tables and washed dishes, eventually moving up to waitress and finally grill cook. I peeled a lot of potatoes and did prep work, but grandma and mom were the ones that cooked up the daily specials. It was by no means an easy job.

Notice the prices for breakfast items:
Ham or Bacon & Eggs, toast, coffee 75¢
2 Eggs, toast, coffee 40¢
a glass of fruit juice was 15¢
Contributed to the "they worked hard for the family" edition of Smile for the Camera.