Exploring the Past to Improve the Future
By Eilene Lyon During the days when dirt and manure still muddied Durango streets, commercial construction boomed. In the early twentieth century, Durango had admirable aspirations. Though she would never achieve her dream of becoming “the flourishing metropolis of the southwest” or “a second Denver,” her prospects in 1902 looked promising. A trio of men—Michael... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon By the time the 1958 episode of TV's “This is Your Life” aired, Olga Little was already a Colorado legend. She ran her pack string of burros for nearly 30 years (1909-1947) and had been labeled the only female packer “in Colorado,” “…in the West,” and even, with a touch of hyperbole,... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon I spoke with my dad the other day. He was widowed not long ago. Even more recently he turned 89. He says his memory isn't great, so he's been asking me questions. One is a query I answer regularly (and reluctantly), so I thought I'd share it here for posterity. "How did... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon I've lately been reading a slim volume published in 2001 by the Quality Paperback Book Club, of which I was a member for many years. It's called The World's Best Shortest Stories (of all time) and features clever 55-word (or less) stories. Most have surprise twists at the end, some subtle, some... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon (Note: I originally wrote this, and stashed it, in 2011. I’ve updated the percentage of female pilots. Emily Howell Warner died in Littleton, Colorado, on July 3, 2020 at age 80.) Back in 2010, my husband and I took a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Orlando, Florida. Before we left the... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon Found Photo Project #11 As happened with young Dorothy Beaty, this found photo project revealed that the person behind the camera had the most fascinating story of all. That’s not to say the subjects in front of the camera are not worthy of their own spot in the limelight. The Smith Siblings... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon Today I celebrate another trip around the sun. I thought it might be a good time to reflect on my arrival on this Earthly Plane, oh-so-long ago. First a little background. My father was in ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) in college. He married my mother after their junior year, and upon... Continue Reading →
By Eilene Lyon Alvin Treslin Halse (1915–2007) Grandpa Everett and his youngest brother, Alvin, were the “runts” of the Halse family. Despite his stature, Al played basketball for the Florence, S.D., high school. Older siblings Inez and Lloyd were like second parents to him. In the late 30s and 1940s he worked in a Corvallis,... Continue Reading →
This post about one of my great-grandmothers (who I never met) was popular. Originally published April 18, 2018. EL Week 16: #52 Ancestors – Storms By Eilene Lyon Stella Gusso didn’t ordinarily let the farm dog in the house, but something didn’t feel right. The building clouds were ominous-looking. Stella’s husband and the other men... Continue Reading →
Human Created Content - Creative Writing - Australia
Life is a series of transitions, and so is the retirement journey.
Creative, non-monetary forms of payment
Random musings on style and substance
Where the locals go, because the locals know!
Internet home for Marie Zhuikov: Blogger, Author, Poet, Photographer
Reflections of an inquiring retiree ...
The opinions expressed are those of the author. You go get your own opinions.
I write about genealogy on this site. Come see what's going on!
Fun With Genealogy
Discover and re-discover Mexico’s cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
Navigating the second half of my life
The people, places, and things that make the Willamette Valley shine
Journeys Through the Second Half of Life
Doing the best I can to keep it on the bright side
My 'Well of Lost and Found Thoughts'
Author, Speaker, Family Historian
thoughts about life from below the surface
... stories of significant others in the Allery, Cutting, McCulloch and Robertson tribes ...
Celtic, Mythical and More ...
