The Aztec Arches

By Eilene Lyon It's been decades since I swore off of Arches National Park, though I drive through Moab regularly. Like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Yellowstone, it's become one of those places being loved to death. Like "I want to go have a special wilderness experience...with 10,000 other people." NOT. Fortunately, the West is rich... Continue Reading →

October 21, 2021 57

For Whose Excellence We Bear Witness

Week 31: #52 Ancestors – Favorite Name Week 33: #52 Ancestors – Tragedy By Eilene Lyon ho-ri-zon, n. 1. the line marking the apparent junction of earth and sky 2. range of outlook or experience. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary) The Putterer’s 3rd great-grandfather bore the delightful name of Horizon Jewett Poor. His middle name was the... Continue Reading →

October 16, 2021 30

Soda Fountain of Youth

Week 27: #52 Ancestors – Free By Eilene Lyon It’s been a while since we heard from my Grandpa Smitty. The childhood treats he recalls weren’t exactly “free,” but they brought to mind some of his carefree younger days when the taste of a soda pop took you to another realm. Excerpt from “The Changing... Continue Reading →

October 2, 2021 56

From the Vault: Capirucho (a poem)

By Eilene Lyon The “From the Vault” series features an artifact or family photo from my collection to illustrate a tale from my distant past. Here are a couple YouTube videos. The first shows visitors to Antigua demonstrating how not to play capirucho. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT--9xLvlgM I like this one, because he shows how to measure... Continue Reading →

September 30, 2021 28

First Goes the Farm

Week 37: #52 Ancestors – On The Farm By Eilene Lyon I feel compelled to record stories about relatives who, for one reason or another, left no living descendants. One of these is the brother of my great-great-grandfather, Alton P. Crandall. Alton was the oldest child in the family. Next came a set of twins,... Continue Reading →

September 25, 2021 41

Tracks Across Borders

By Eilene Lyon On a recent camping trip, I took the opportunity to discover portions of Colorado’s newest scenic byway (which continues into New Mexico). Called “Tracks Across Borders,” this byway follows the historic route of the narrow-gauge Denver & Rio Grande Railroad between Chama and Durango. (I’m one of those people annoyed when state... Continue Reading →

September 16, 2021 37

Daredevil

By Eilene Lyon A few months back I told my husband (70s and adventurous) that I planned to get him a Go-Pro for Christmas. “What for?” he asked. “So when they find your body, I can say ‘Oh, that’s how it happened!’” Fortunately, The Putterer’s latest adventure did not win him a one-way ticket to... Continue Reading →

September 9, 2021 57

Rascally Rabbit

Week 5: #52 Ancestors – In The Kitchen By Eilene Lyon Aunt Betty (Lyon) Dremann took the time to write her memoirs before she passed. I wish everyone would do that! However, she only wrote to the point where her sons were of the age to begin forming their own memories, as if her own... Continue Reading →

August 21, 2021 37

From the Vault: Swimming Lessons

By Eilene Lyon The “From the Vault” series features an artifact or family photo from my collection to illustrate a tale from my distant past. In retrospect, I’m grateful my parents insisted we learn to swim as young children. That doesn’t mean I enjoyed the process, though. I don’t recall where I first began taking... Continue Reading →

August 19, 2021 35

Myricopia