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 →

Watch Tower Wreck

Week 28: #52 Ancestors – Transportation By Eilene Lyon I just discovered that The Putterer and I both have an ancestor who died in a similar gruesome fashion: having legs severed by a railcar. Adding to the coincidence, both of these ancestors were German immigrants and their birth names were Carl. I’ve previously told the... Continue Reading →

No Mountain Too High

Hulda Hearn Shanks (1832-1885) By Eilene Lyon “She holds that true companionship between man and woman necessitates the possession and the exercise by both of equal rights, privileges and franchises, believing, as she does, that in nothing else is the civilization of any people apparent as in the closer and ever closer approximation of woman’s... Continue Reading →

A Father For Cyrus

Week #15: 52 Ancestors – Brick Wall Week #24: 52 Ancestors – Father’s Day By Eilene Lyon Since I’m not doing all 52 Ancestors prompts this year, what the heck, why not combine a couple? Sometimes breaking down a brick wall is just a matter of finding a piece that doesn’t fit properly. Remove it... Continue Reading →

The Missing Blogger

By Eilene Lyon One or two of you (three?) may have noticed my absence. It's not my intention to disappear from the blogosphere, yet. I've been dedicated to working on my manuscript and other projects related to getting the book done and "out there." But I am ready for a little break from that. Time... Continue Reading →

San Juan Sagas

Found Photo Project #2 By Eilene Lyon Photo Find I enjoy finding 19th century photographs in the local antique store that have some identifying marks. This photograph of 6-year-old Henry Lloyd Wilson caught my eye, despite the defacing scratches. It has so much information: his age, the date the photo was taken and where, and... Continue Reading →

Old Lime Creek Road

By Eilene Lyon Our mountain biking trip this week took us to Old Lime Creek Road in the San Juan Mountains. It follows an ancient Ute Indian path that became a mining road, and later the route between the Animas Valley and Silverton. The Civilian Conservation Corps made improvements in the 1930s, but it was... Continue Reading →

Funny Money

Week 22: #52 Ancestors – Military By Eilene Lyon While labeling family photos recently, The Putterer came across some small bills in odd denominations: 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents. They are called Military Payment Certificates (MPC) and they served as currency while he lived on base in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971. I’d never... Continue Reading →

Where’s George?

Week 21: #52 Ancestors – At the Cemetery By Eilene Lyon Many of my farming ancestors led stable, quiet lives that can be hard to document. But some relatives had a flamboyant existence. One of these was my 2nd great-granduncle, George Albert Cutting, brother of my ancestor Arthur N. Cutting. George’s travels spanned the continent,... Continue Reading →

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