Monday, March 31, 2025

Charity Portraying Louisa May Alcott, CIvil War Nurse

 When Charity was in eighth grade At Hyde Middle School I helped her with a class project.  It was on the Civil War and Charity decided to do a reenactment of Louisa May Alcott.  I found her story in some Civil War Books I had and wrote a script for her.  I never saw her actually perform, because this was in her school class.  However I saw her rehears several times and she looked beautiful and was doing a great job, pretending to help the wounded soldiers.  I understand she did so well the teacher kept a video copy so he could show subsequent years how to do a good job on the assignment.




Sunday, March 16, 2025

Paintings from Kolb Studio: Grand Canyon National Park

 While Sheri, Mirianda and Tony were on the Bright Angel Trail, I doubled back and visited Kolb studio, which was having an art show downstairs.  Some of the paintings really moveed me with the light, colors and feeling so real.







Friday, March 14, 2025

Vocal Music and Swimming Lessons at Sky View

 When I was younger, after second and third grades, I took swimming at music lessons.   We would bus from Hyrum to Sky View High School in Smithfield. That is where the school district had a pool.  This was likely around 1965.  In addition to swimming we would also have music lessons together as a big choir.  Stratford Loosle, the Sky View choir director would conduct the music lessons.  We learned songs like "Up with People."  I remember he encouraged everyone to use their diaphragm.  He singled out Lori Yeates (a year older than I.  She lived in Hyrum by the church, 2nd ward.) for doing it correctly as her arms would bounce in front of her as she sang.

As for the swim lessons there were lots of small groups.  They showed we could float by asking us to touch our toes, which would cause you to float.  I was always a capable swimmer.  We also did lots of kicks holding onto the edge of the pool.  

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Almost a Fight with Randy Wood

 Randy Wood lived up the canyon at Hardware Ranch.  This was a place where they fed the elk during the winter.  As such he would drive down from the ranch to Hyrum, and catch the bus at the intersection where Canyon Corner use to be.  That is where he would get off in the evening as well.  This was in the days when we went to high school in Smithfield at Sky View.  It was almost a half hour ride each way from Hyrum, going through Logan.

Sometimes the bus was pretty crowded.  Lots of people were hitting my chair or the back of my head as they went up or down the isle.  I interpreted this as they were teasing me on purpose.  Finally I caught Randy as a culprit and told him I was going to get off at his stop and beat him up.  However Randy got off a stop early, by Anderson Drive.  People told me he was getting away.  I didn't pay them no mind because I really wasn't interested in a fight.  My challenge was a quick impulse which I quickly regretted.  And so that is how I had an almost fight with Randy Wood.  

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Hyrum Second/Fourth Ward Friends Growing Up

I grew up in Hyrum, Utah.  I lived in the second ward, which was later divided to the second and fourth wards.  I lived there from second to fourth grades, and then 7th grade until I left on my mission.  I would hang with a group of friends from our ward.  Our relationships were closer in Junior High School.  we would sit on the heater on cold days by the back door, we would sit on a stairwell by the library and tell jokes, read Charlie Brown comics and make finger elephants.  We would also stay after in the seminary room as David's dad was a teacher.  We would play ping pong or tennis.  David's dad would sometimes give us a ride.  Other times we would walk home together.  One of those times we came upon an elderly woman who had fallen and broken her hip.  We were able to contact an ambulance and stayed with her until it showed up.  (This was before cell phones.)

David Keeley married Joyce Ballard and became a seminary teacher.  During high school he had a job at a diary and as a result was the only one with his own car, an old mustang.  David and Joyce are currently on a mission, showing church history sites including Palmyra.

James Salvesen had many brothers.  Then lived at the mouth of Black Smith Fork Canyon.  They had a cement pad where we played basketball for a couple activities.  James had younger brothers Ronald and Doug who were also in young mens with us.  James married Carma Nelsen but later divorced.

Mike Albrechtsen lived on main street, not far from Canyon Corner.

Randy Allen also lived on main street, and about 600 east.  He used to play the piano and could play fur elise.  He also played trombone in the band.  Randy wrote this back to me, "We have been living in West Jordan for over 40 years and like it here very much. I retired last April and Diane and I are having a great time traveling as much as possible."

Neil Frank is very good at art.  He mostly drew animals.

Terril Morgan lives in the Ogden area.  He sent me a wedding announcement saying he was marrying Kim Marie Sears.  He also was very good at art.

Vance Douglas has passed away.  He was hit by a car.

Mark Applegarth ran hurdles at the high school.  Mark married the daughter of Gary and Dixie Clawson.

Brad Thomas last I heard is a physical therapist in Logan.  He played on the basketball team in high school.

Kent Nate I am not sure where he lives but his son was in our ward for a time in Manteca California.  He and Brad were a year younger than me.  Kent played football in high school.

Randy Wood lived at Hardware Ranch.

Russel Egbert, a grade younger than me but we both did our missionary farewell together.  I am not sure where he went.