I Remember the Farm

Week 39: #52 Ancestors – On the Farm By Eilene Lyon My grandmother, Clare Ransom Davis, was born on the Davis family farm about six miles from Moscow, Idaho, in 1914. She was the second (and last) child of Clara Pearl Ransom and Sterling Price Davis. Grandma wrote a story about her father that I... Continue Reading →

September 27, 2018 20

The Sentry (for dog lovers)

By Eilene Lyon She has always stood at the ready to protect us: from lizards, squirrels, bears, hummingbirds, flies, and free-range garbage trucks. Kyra is now into her second decade of guard duty. We didn’t name her. In retrospect, she should have been christened with a warrior’s name – “Xena” or “She Who Eats Skunk... Continue Reading →

September 8, 2018 22

Genealogy (sort-of haiku)

By Eilene Lyon It is the job of The ones who are left, to do The remembering. Feature image: Collage of photos from W. Halse collection 2015

August 23, 2018 20

Creative Counting in Cribbage

By Eilene Lyon "Aren't you going to count your pairs?" "Oh yes. Pair, two. Pair, four (cupping breasts), plus a pair of legs, a pair of arms, a pair of ears..." "I don't think you can peg points for those." [Neck-and-neck at the finish line - player drops a queen] "Seventeen" "Ohhhhnnnnggg!" "What was that... Continue Reading →

August 18, 2018 13

The Drought Diaries: Too Little Water/Too Much Water

By Eilene Lyon Too Little Water August 12, 2018 The Animas River is at an all-time historic low (and they are still drawing irrigation water – sorry, New Mexico!). As of Friday, it was running at 131 c.f.s. The average for this time is about 600 c.f.s. I don't normally stand in the "river" As... Continue Reading →

August 14, 2018 15

The Rolling Ghost

By Eilene Lyon This evening I went out for happy hour with Ms. Pearlywhites. She recently got back from her annual visit to the family farm in upstate New York. It was time to catch up on what we’ve been doing with our summer, the lamentable state of our vegetable gardens, and where we should... Continue Reading →

August 8, 2018 13

“The Picturesque West”

By Eilene Lyon I stopped into the Friends of the Library book shop earlier this week. Check out this book I was so delighted to find – for the grand price of $4.00! As many of you are aware, I am working on a non-fiction book set during the California gold rush. This stout hardcover... Continue Reading →

August 3, 2018 12

The Short Load

It’s been a while since I shared one of Smitty’s stories with you. This was written on May 24, 1991, in Portland, Oregon. My grandparents got married about the time Clare was graduated from the University of Idaho. It was in the depths of the Great Depression. Smitty had graduated earlier with an electrical engineering... Continue Reading →

July 22, 2018 13

The Danger of Solo Road Trips

By Eilene Lyon When I go on one of my "Dead Ancestor" tours across the country, I take along a micro-cassette recorder. I see a lot of interesting things as I'm driving around and don't want to forget them. It's also helpful for remembering where I went and what I did there. Later, I transcribe... Continue Reading →

July 19, 2018 24