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 →
From the Vault: Gift Exchange
By Eilene Lyon Chances are if you belong to any sort of club that you’ve participated in a holiday gift exchange. Perhaps a white elephant gift from deep in your closet, or maybe an inexpensive gift based on a given theme. This week, one of my book clubs swapped gifts based on the books we... Continue Reading →
Paris to Bruges by Bike – Part 2
By Eilene Lyon We began our second week of the bike tour departing from Péronne. We took our coffee break in what appeared to be a fairly new community (Curlu) where our group experienced a flat tire. Our guide, Bart, was up for the task of doing the repair. Our principal stop for the day,... Continue Reading →
Bio Bite: Alvin Treslin Halse
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 →
Ill-Fated Haiti
Found Photo Project #10 By Eilene Lyon This photo is another case of “How on earth did this wind up in southwestern Colorado?” The young man pictured was born in Maine, and educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard. Eugene Usher Mitchell was the tenth of eleven children born to Maine farmer Charles Mitchell and... Continue Reading →
Paris to Bruges by Bike – Part 1
By Eilene Lyon The major portion of our recent European trip involved bicycling for two weeks from Paris, France, to Bruges, Belgium. We were supported by a barge that provided cabins, meals, bicycles, and guides. Our trip began and ended in London. From there, we took an international train through the Channel Tunnel to Paris.... Continue Reading →
An Uncertain Future
Note: The following is blatantly political and partisan. I generally avoid current events of this nature, but feel compelled to have my say. By Eilene Lyon What we know is that the polls can’t tell us the outcome of today’s election. What we know is that there is at least a 50% chance that Donald... Continue Reading →
A Minor Obsession
By Eilene Lyon It all started with a song, “Goodbye Sun Valley,” by a short-lived British group called The Colourfield. It was included on their 1987 album, “Deception.” I call it my birthday song, partly because of the first five words; partly because it’s about self-redemption, something I ponder, particularly on my birthday. The second... Continue Reading →
Family History Blogging Tips
For aspiring (and current) family history writers... Originally published May 13, 2018. EL By Eilene Lyon Some family history writers use their blog as a place to keep in-depth birth-to-death reports on their ancestors, primarily for their own use and for close relatives. This is not for them. If, on the other hand, you are... Continue Reading →