Week 25: #52 Ancestors – Groups By Eilene Lyon You could say that The Putterer’s great-uncle, Aubrey Ralph Lyon, was more than a joiner. He served as group leader and even activist. He was the third of five children, born in 1892, to Arlon F. and Emma (Pierson) Lyon in La Moille, Illinois.1 When he... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
Freedom’s Journal
By Eilene Lyon -- March 16, 2021 This date in 1827 saw the publication of the first issue of Freedom’s Journal in New York City. It was the first newspaper produced by and for Blacks in the United States. A group of free men of color, primarily clergymen, met at the home of community organizer... Continue Reading →
The Embezzlers
By Eilene Lyon A lesson from my personal history that I was slow to learn: there is a certain type of person in this world who steals from his or her employer. They don’t just destroy the trust of their bosses, though. The impulses that drive embezzlers taint all their relationships. I have a degree... Continue Reading →
Absurdities #10
By Eilene Lyon This is actually two absurdities for the price of one! When we bought this year-old trailer in 2002, it came with a motor vehicle title. Um, trailers don’t have motors. After buying our van RV in August, we sold the trailer. We gave the buyers a proper bill of sale, and transferred... Continue Reading →
Death By Diphtheria
Week 44: #52 Ancestors – Scary Stuff By Eilene Lyon Confronting our own mortality is one of the scariest things we ever do. My research into the 19th-century lives of my ancestors and kin has revealed many awful ways to die. I’ve previously discussed milk sickness and tuberculosis. A few recent coincidences led me to... Continue Reading →
Philadelphia Firestorms
Week 33: #52 Ancestors – Troublemaker By Eilene Lyon Henry Z. Jenkins rose before dawn one morning in June 1827 in his single room in north Philadelphia’s Penn Township. His workday normally began at sunrise and ended at sundown – just like that of every other journeyman in the city. The master tradesmen dictated the... Continue Reading →
Absurdities #9
By Eilene Lyon The other day I dropped by the local college campus to review a book in their research library. As I headed back to my car, I encountered a mule deer buck in velvet, blithely using a rear hoof to scratch his ear, like a dog, as he idly chewed some leaves he'd... Continue Reading →