THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Somoa Cook House, Somoa California

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 20, 2013 (Reminder, we visited last spring, almost 8 months ago).

It was suggested we have a lunch at the Somoa Cook House.  Suggestions for lunch are hard to ignore.

Somoa Cookhouse Circa 1893

This is the last lumber camp style cookhouse in operation in North America.  This cookhouse was originally opened as part of Somoa, one of the last company owned towns in the Untied States, established by the Vance Lumber Company.  The original building is the four left-most windows.  The major additions were made to house the kitchen staff.  Meals have been served here continuously for over 105 years.  Only employees were served here until the late 1960's when it was opened to the public by Johnny Fillman

Dedicated 

Febraury 13, 1999

By

The Native Sons of the Golden West

Richard A Hoffmann, Grand President.

Lunch PLUS history, how's that for a win, win?

Meals served family style.  Man enjoyed his meal.  The food was good and he enjoyed the thought of sitting where many working men had before him.  If the food we had was anything akin to what the lumbermen were eating, they were eating some good meals.

Outside the main dining rooms there is a collection of artifacts. How many saws can you find? There is at least one in each photo.

A nice meal was had, we thank those that suggested the Somoa Cook House.  Next we will go find some sand dunes and the west coast.




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"Daily Routines"

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This blog post  is part of my participation in a weekly writing meme called, "The Book of Me, Written By You"  You too can be part of this experiment/experience, there is information at this Facebook page.

I may or may not publicly share what I write each week. This week I share.

Week 22:  The prompt is - Daily Routine(s)

Do you have a daily routine?
Did your parents? Grandparents?
Why did they (or you ) have this routine?
Where did this routine take place?
Structure - Is this important to you? or your family?

Do I have a daily routine, well, yes and no.  I have pets (the fur kids, Gallagher and Captain Hook, two 15 year old yorkies with old age and health issues), so I have to feed and care for them on a regular schedule.  I have to have my German coffee (a mug full) first thing in the morning, a day that does not start with that specific coffee just never feels right. I have to take my meds and such, those are routine issues.

After the dogs, the coffee and the meds, well, my day may or may not be routine.  Many days are spent right here at the ole computer, working, blogging, researching, computer maintenance, visiting with friends on Facebook.  Man and I cherish our quiet mornings surfing and watching the morning shows on the telie.

Most evenings are spent quietly back at home, whether that is at the stick built or in Tana.  We prefer to not drive at night. Man surfs some, and spends some time watching something on the telie (this is when I bless the inventions of wireless headphones - - for him!).  I spend more time writing, researching, haunting Facebook and more computer stuff.  (Below, the stick built desk/kitchen office, and yep, there is a cup of coffee in my yorkie mug and a photo of a yorkie on the monitor.)

However, if we are in the travel mode, morning means drinking the mug of coffee while packing up Tana, moving down the hard road (my daddy always called it the hard road).  Or, maybe a day trip to a state or national park.  Maybe a lunch date with family and/or friends who live nearby (one of the true joys of our nomadic life style, lunch dates).

As far as the parents and grandparents, yes, I suppose they all had some kind of routine during the years that they worked or ran businesses.  I don't think those routines would be any different than those of all others working and raising families.  Hit the floor running, meals, shopping, laundry, cleaning when it can be fit in, work, work, and work, drop into bed at night.

Structure, is it important??  I believe when you have children that structure is important. Schedules, homework, meals on schedule if possible, good sleeping patterns.  I tried to maintain some structure when our sons were growing up.  Sometimes I was successful, other times - -

Structure in my life now, I suppose since we do seem to have a "routine", we do have "structure".  That said, Man and I seem to specialize in "change our plans, cause we can".  We rarely plan our RV trips, other than, say, hmmm, let's head south, maybe Texas, maybe Arizona, maybe Alabama. OK, we usually do have a destination in mind, but, the specifics are, as we say, written in dust or sea mist.  The specifics are apt to change, sometimes more than once in a day.

Routine, structure, at this point in my life both are made to be broken, and on a good day, the results will be comfort zone stretching, interesting, fun and maybe we will even learn something.

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Sunday's Stories, 52 Ancestor Weeks, Week # 4, Maria Eva Molder/Molter

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This is week 4 of my participation Amy Johnson Crow's, once a week challenge to blog about one ancestor a week, tell their story, biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on that one ancestor. More about the challenge can be found at her Blog, No Story Too Small.

Last week I shared Valentin Rudig AKA Valentine Ruthig.  By the way, you may want to revisit, I found his baptismal record and added it to the post!

This week I will review and share what I have about his mother, Maria Eva Molder/Molter.

Maria daughter of Christian Molter and Maria Eva Wagner was born on March 19, 1796 in Kuebelberg, Bayern, Germany.  She was baptized on March 20, 1796 at Kuebelberg, Bayern, Germany according to "Baptism, death, marriage and confirmation records of the Protestant Reformed Church (Evangelisch-Reformierte Kirche in German) of Miseau and Obermiseau, Bayern, Germany.  LDS films 1457640, 0247639, and 0193094."  Her baptismal record is below, it is the second record on this page.

Maria was confirmed in 1809, the record of this confirmation is found in the Protestant Reformed Church of Obermiesau, Bayern, Germany.  I currently do not have a scanned digital version of that record on my computer.

Maria married Johannes (John) Ruthig, son of Johannes Philip Rudig and Maria Margaretha Hirsch on Jan 5, 1817 in Miseau, Bayern, Germany.

Maria and John had three children: Katharina, Valentine, and Johannes.  All three of the children were born in Germany.

I found Maria's name with the Ruthig family when they were immigrating, via New York in August of 1836. Also listed are her husband John, children: Cath (for Catherine or Katherine, found spelled both ways), Valentin and son John.

I thought it might be fun to see what I could net search on the "Albany".  I failed to find an image of any kind that was specific to the Albany.  I did however find an image on this web page that probably is fairly close.  This page by Peter Biggins shows the ship "Johannes" from a watercolor about 1835.  The image is about half way down the page.

Along the way, on a Wikipedia page I found this interesting image, but, it is from 1874, a full 38 years after the Ruthig family immigrated. I can imagine the "feeling" is similar, but, the ship and the clothing and more will be skewed due to the dates.

Maria is found enumerated on the 1851 and 1861 Canadian census of Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada.

Maria died between the 1861 census and the 1871 census.  She does not appear in the Ontario Death Indexes.  I have not discovered her burial place.

My wish list for Maria Eva Molder/Molter Ruthig:

Scan and link her confirmation records from the Miseau church.

Locate, if possible, the actual passenger list from 1836.

Lutheran church records from Ontario.

Any newspaper articles, obituaries, marriage notices.

Locate place of burial.




* Additional source data can be obtained by contacting me, see the right hand column for a yahoo email address.

** 52 Ancestors Weeks Button courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow.

*** I use many resources to research, FamilySearch.org is a free site.  Ancestry.com is a pay site for which I pay, no discounts, etc. The Library and Archives of Canada site is a free site.  None of these sites have asked me to review them, or use them.  See my Disclaimers page for further details.

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Fly Catching Mice, 1898

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

From the Adrian Daily Telegram, 1898.
Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan.

One of the attractions on South Winter street are two mice that appear in Moreland Bros & Crane’s window, each evening, in search of their evening meal.  They have the art of catching flies down fine, and the two little fellows afford much amusement to the passerby as they chase the flies down into one corner and then snap them up.  It is needless to say that the mice are as round and fat as can be.

*Graphics:  Mouse thanks to clker.com  and fly thanks to HassleFreeClipart.com

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"Hobbies and Collections"

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This blog post  is part of my participation in a weekly writing meme called, "The Book of Me, Written By You"  You too can be part of this experiment/experience, there is information at this Facebook page.

I may or may not publicly share what I write each week. This week I share.

The prompt for week 21 - Hobbies

Childhood hobbies & collections
Did you share a "passion" with a family member or friend?
Tell us about it - How, why, where
Do you still have any old hobbies - the ones that have been with you since childhood?
Do you still have those childhood collections?

Hobbies??  I honestly do not remember any hobbies from my childhood years.

I do have a collection that has survived, my grandmother Florence Dews Bowen collected these miniatures for me.  I do treasure them.

As a child I participated in Brownies and then Girl Scouts, yes, I sold cookies door to door.  I think that I may have my badges back at the stick built, tucked away, not photographed.  (Must add to the to do list!)

As a child I took piano lessons, 10 years worth.  Have an organ at the stick built, but rarely play it these days.

As a child I learned to knit.  I can still knit, barely, just run of the mill, ugly, ugly scarfs.  I don't knit much, ok, these days, NEVER knit.  I do crochet some.  I did not learn crochet till I was a  young bride with a baby on my hip.

I probably dabbled in hobbies such as stamp collecting, maybe coins.  Obviously, none of them were enthralling enough to keep me connected.

For years I have indulged in craft projects of all sorts.  Cross stitch, sewing, dried flower arrangements, some porcelain painting of holiday items.  Too many to mention.  I even had a craft room once (one of the boys moved out, and I took over the room.)

The hobbies I currently engage in, computers/technology, cameras/photography, family research, RVing, all came to me as an adult.  I am embracing them with a vengeance now, and now I have blogging to share them all.

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Another Lunch Time GeneaBlogger Meetup!

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Today Man and I had lunch with another GeneaBlogger, Charley, of Apple's Tree fame.  Charley, Frank (her Man), Man and I had a nice long visit.

Charley brought me a gift, ahhhh, you did not need to do that, but, he he, I do love it.  Charley must have thought I needed this after the last week of rants over medical insurance on Facebook!  LOL

She was correct, who doesn't need their very own dam-it-doll?

Hopefully I won't NEED the doll, but, in case - -

Enjoyed our lunch, thanks for meeting with us.  Hope we can do it again sometime.

(And thanks again for the doll.)




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THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Petrolia and More Redwoods

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

May 19, 2013  It has been a LONG day trip, sans Tana.  Remember, this was last spring!

As we turn away from the Lost Coast we see this sign, "Leaving Tsunami Hazard Zone"  For us, this is rather interesting, and just a little unnerving, out of our comfort zones.

As we approach the little town of Petrolia, it reminds us towns in the Northeastern USA.

Picturesque for sure.  It is a remote and very interesting place.  Wikipedia tell us:

"Because of its isolation, the Mattole Valley has cultivated a reputation for independence and self-sustenance, including a network of local resources, the maintenance of its own emergency help line (an alternative to 9-1-1), and even its own currency, the petol. A survey conducted in recent years determined that half of the community is located "off the grid" and relies on solar or alternative forms of power, or none at all."

Town name in stones:

Not far from town is the site of the first oil well in California, it was pumped in 1865.

Alrighty, leaving town there is a bit of a wash out on the road.  That is going to take some serious fixing.  Personally, I was glad to be riding on the other side of this section of roadway. (That is Jolly's dirty hood in the lower area of the photo.)

I did tell you I LOVE bridges, right?

I took this to attempt to show the curvy road.  Photo is less than stellar.  But the road IS curvy!

Humboldt Redwoods, sign hiding behind Flora and hopefully some redwoods.

Road narrows, Jolly fit, but, Man drove carefully and slowly.

We stopped at the Big Trees parking area, yes, Man, that IS a big tree!

This is Tall Tree, also know as the Rockefeller Tree, it was dedicated to John D. Rockefeller III, whose financial backing helped to save this area of old growth forest.  The Tall Tree is 42 foot in circumference, 13.4 feet in diameter and 359.3 feet tall per the signage that was nearby.  I stood WAY back and used the panoramic on it's side and barely managed to get Man and the top of the tree.  You can see Man down there, right??  All 5 foot 10 inches of him??

We had a LONG day, yes, we were very tired.  It was exciting, it was awe inspiring, quiet, huge, tall, curvy, huge, did I say, it was HUGE??  Nature at it's best, with little interference from humans, what an experience.

We have a bit more to see here before we wander up the coast just a few more miles.  We will move 30, 40 maybe even 60 miles at a time, sitting a spell, wandering back and forth on the coast sightseeing, enjoying, trying to absorb the beauty.  One trip may be all we get, and, in hindsight, it was NOT enough!  What a gorgeous place.  We have one month left on the coast.  Hundreds of photos.  Beauty beyond description!





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Gallagher, Drugs and the WM Pharmacy

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

Over at Facebook (aka FB) we have been having a discussion about pharmacies, drug prescriptions, testing supplies, doctors, insurance companies and policies and more.  OK, I started out with a bit of a rant, but, as is frequent with one of my rants, it sorta took on a life of it's own.  We chatted and chatted and solved nothing, but, some of us did enough venting that we had to feel better - - I think.

In the midst of the ranting and comparing the ills of the medical and insurance businesses, I remembered one little issue that I had not mentioned that has been a bit of a thorn in my side.  Gallagher, AKA, Mr. G. and his own little pharmacy fiasco, which sadly, involves me.

See, our ole Mr. G has pre-heart and pre-renal failure. He has been on meds for a bit over 4 years.  Just before we departed on "The Trip" in November of 2010 my vet suggested that I could have his meds filled at Wal*M*** (you know the place).  She told me, I could actually get his drugs there cheaper than I could from her.  She wrote me a long standing, repeating prescription for 2 drugs and off I went to the local Wal*M*** to have them filled.

Now, these days, Wal*M*** actually encourages filling scripts for fur kids.  I don't believe that was the case when I walked into the local store 3 years ago.  They did not deny me the prescriptions, they filled them.

The trouble would become, how they put ole Mr. G into their computer system.  I am not quite sure why or how, but, he got put into the system as Gallagher, with my married surname and my birthday (yes, he is, according to Wal*MA***  a VERY old dog!  LOL)  These days, they put in fur kids with their names, Mr. G, the owners surname, and THEIR birthday, in this case it would have been 1999, not, well, my dinosaur birthday.

At this time I was not using Wal*M*** for my prescriptions, but, that was to change.

And, then the fun began.

(Below, Mr. G and the Easter Bunny, said Easter Bunny has NOT one thing to do with this story!)

They had both Mr. G., born on my birthday in the dark ages, and using my married surname AND moi, AKA, Carol, born on my birthday in the dark ages and using my married surname, in their computer system.  Yes indeedy, they had BOTH of us with the same birthday!

Let the fun, errr, the confusion begin - -

When I would go in for my scripts they could NOT find me on the computer system.  They might find Mr. G, or NOT.

Sometimes when I went in for Mr. G's scripts they would find MINE, or NOT.

Sometimes they could not find either of us.

Let me tell you, there have been a lot of confused clerks over the last 3 years.  I cannot tell you how many times I heard whispered words to the effect of, "I don't understand this, this makes no sense."

And, to make this even more bizarre (because believe me, after a while this went from frustrating to just plain silly and bizarre), was that they could not even find my local Wal*M*** on their data base.  Now, that is NOT a new Wal*M***, it has been there for some years.  I knew where it was, but, that "place" never shows up in their data base.  Really, you cannot find one of your own stores in YOUR data base??  Good grief!

I took to taking the prescription bottles in with me.  Handed them over to the clerk.  They still could not find me or the dog OR the store in the computer.  OH, and from what I can tell, your script number is not a searchable item in their data bases.  I find that even more bizarre.  Why not??  Seems simple enough to me, surname, given name, script number, input all three, and chazaaaamm, there is your script in their computer system.  But, alas, it just does not seem to work that way.  SIGH.

This has been going on for over 3 years.  Really!  Seriously!  Hysterically!

Lesson learned, never ever use YOUR birthday for anything other than your own records.  Doing so is just asking for months and months of confused clerks, shaking their heads, Man looking at me, me looking at Man and both of us shaking our heads too.

Lots and lots of head shaking, belly giggling going on - -

I fully expect next time I need a refill for Mr. G's drugs this will happen again.  It never stops - -

True story, it is too late at night for me to make up this stuff and as warped as my sense of humor is, I am not this creative.



* I'll say this, giving credit where credit is due, I have never met a clerk at the Wal*M*** pharmacy that was ill mannered or grumpy.  They have always been considerate, understanding, polite and eventually produced the right drug for the correct patient.  It's just their computer system  - -
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