Peck and Pearl

Week 46: #52 Ancestors – Birthdays By Eilene Lyon There is a group of people who always share a birthday with someone close to them: twins. The Putterer’s Uncle Peck (real name Paul) Dremann had a fraternal twin sister, Pearl. The anniversary of their birthday will be on Monday, November 22. Dremanns arrived in Bureau... Continue Reading →

November 20, 2021 41

Absurdities #11

By Eilene Lyon As we motored home after test-driving potential candidates for our new vehicle, we passed a political sign next to the highway. It is located on private property in a very red corner of New Mexico. It read: God, Family, Second Amendment, Constitution, Trump. I pondered those in this country who believe the... Continue Reading →

November 18, 2021 47

Honoring Their Service

By Eilene Lyon Today I am just going to share photos of a few veterans from my family tree. I've written about the service of some; others remain to be done. Feature image: Poppies from my garden this summer. (E. Lyon 2021)

November 11, 2021 20

Parsing Their Politics

Week 44: #52 Ancestors – Voting By Eilene Lyon Because neither Ancestry nor Family Search have Oregon voter registrations online for my ancestors, I do not really know how they voted. I can’t recall having political discussions with my grandparents. I do, however, have a clue about one grandparent’s leanings. My Halse grandparents grew up... Continue Reading →

November 6, 2021 36

Angling for Conservation

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 →

October 30, 2021 33

The Durango Depot – 479 Main

By Eilene Lyon With the encouragement of Anabel at The Glasgow Gallivanter and Brandi at Make the Journey Fun, I’ve decided to share bits of my Old West hometown. One project I’d like to undertake, perhaps as a book someday, is a study of Main Avenue buildings and the businesses they’ve housed over the past... Continue Reading →

October 28, 2021 42

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 63

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 32

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

Myricopia