Cherie and I drove from Boise to Kaysville this past week. She was graciously transporting me so I could spend time with Utah family and friends. I love driving those long stretches – it gives me great thinking time. I realized that it has been over 25 years since I drove from Boise to Twin Falls. I’ve made the road trip from Utah to Twin Falls on the way to Stanley but hadn’t been on the more northern stretch. Not much has changed. I did note several sections of power-generating windmills just past Bliss --something new to me. And while driving through the Bliss section there were four F16s (that is what I thought they were – I’m sure Michael could verify or correct me on this) flying in tight formation. They didn’t do anything fancy but I saw them 3 different times so they were spending some time flying in the area.
So many memories came flooding back as we approached Jerome/Twin Falls. I noticed growth in homes, farms and businesses along the freeway. Seeing the Twin Falls temple from the freeway is wonderful. I feel strongly that Papa and Grandma (Clinton and Emma) could be considered pioneers of the gospel in Twin Falls. If they are aware of temple building in the spirit world (I believe they are) I know they are THRILLED about that temple.
We can truly say that our roots are planted in Twin Falls and the Magic Valley of Idaho. What circumstances made our family possible? Dad’s family was compelled to move to Idaho because of a lack of jobs in Wisconsin. His father, Bill, had carpentry skills and a friend already living in Idaho communicated to him that jobs were available for carpenters to help build Sun Valley. I need to verify the year they traveled to Idaho (1929?)but I know Dad recounted the journey especially remembering traveling through Yellowstone Park, camping by the roadside and riding on the running board of the family car. The running board was a small, tight platform along the side of the car that helped you step up into the car – and he got to stand on this running board while the car was moving. That means to me that the cars didn’t go very fast. It also means that the concept of safety was very different back then.
I plan to document in future posts the experiences of the Armga family as they settled in Idaho. Dad, Aunt Jean and Uncle Bill have recounted stories of the very challenging times they lived through.
Mother’s family began their Idaho experience with Papa and Grandma (Clint and Emma) first settling in the shadow of the Teton Mountains in Driggs, Idaho in 1917. They had just married. Clint had a job teaching school. They also dry farmed. The farming was not a success. Over time they moved and lived in Rexburg and Idaho Falls, also located in eastern Idaho. In the late 1930s Clint accepted a job in Filer Idaho as the high school instructor of music. I believe he taught both band and orchestra. He may have also taught some vocal classes. The family lived in Filer several years. Because of difficulties with the school district the family eventually moved to Twin Falls. This would have been about the time that mother was first starting high school.
In a sense, our family got its start at the Twin Falls High School. This is where Larry saw Betty up on the stage in the school’s auditorium. He was smitten. Within a short period of time he convinced a friend to introduce him to the cute girl. The rest, they say, is history. Well, and propinquity.
Siblings and spouses who became couples because they both lived in Twin Falls: LuAnn and Ivan, Charles and Judy (his first wife), and Cheryl and Dick. So, many of the cousins can also consider their beginnings to be related to south central Idaho.
We are deeply connected to that beautiful fertile valley with the Snake River, potato farms, natural spring water, the South Hills at one end and far in the distance the Sawtooth mountain range. It was no mistake that the Lukes and the Armgas both found themselves living in the small town of Twin Falls. It was meant to be.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy Birthday America!
I love the 4th of July. Independence Day is a happy day to me. I like seeing the flag, the parades, picnics and fireworks. What is not to like? Well, in Texas that would be the heat. Austin has spectacular fireworks but we haven't been to see them in years -- it is just too hot. Plus, it takes a couple of hours to get out of the park where the fireworks are set-off because of the hundreds of thousands of people who come to watch. Not so much fun.
Armga family traditions? The fireworks were set off at Harmon Park which was close to our house. This park had a baseball stadium where a AAA baseball league played. It had a swimming pool where we took lessons and made an effort to learn to swim. For years it had a WWII army tank parked for us to climb on as we played. I remember having picnics at this park and I also remember playing on the playground equipment and getting really sunburned.
For fireworks I remember we'd take a blanket and sit at the edge of the park. I specifically remember wearing a jacket one year because it was chilly.
Oh, and how could I forget the sparklers. Now this was the big thing! We'd do sparklers on the front yard of our Addison house. Pat also remembers doing the little coil thingies that would burn down and leave a black spot on the sidewalk.
In later years the more sophisticated fireworks became available for purchase. I remember at our Jerome house that Bruce would razzle dazzle us all with his pyrotechnic display. Weren't we lucky that no one got hurt?
Dad was so patriotic and instilled in his children a love, respect and reverence for this nation of freedom in which we live. I worry and fret on a regular basis that I don't do enough to support our democracy. I vote but is that enough? Politics are too political (I remember even Dad saying this)and it is easy to want to disengage from all the bickering, name calling and fear-tactics. But I know the strength of our system of government rests on the citizenry being informed. I believe we each do have an obligation to make an effort to know the issues and to educate ourselves so we can develop informed opinions on those issues. And I don't want my opinions to be just regurgitated media-speak.
I recently purchased a used political science textbook that looks at prevailing theories and ideas that shape our political world. I'm having to do some selective reading to start because some of it just doesn't YET engage my mind. I love pursuing my interest in American Presidents because the more I read about them and their times the more I begin to understand the history of this country. Of course some of that reading just makes me more frustrated because it seems we, as a country, seem to make the same mistakes more than once.
Do you feel patriotic? What do you feel are your responsibilities as a citizen of America?
Armga family traditions? The fireworks were set off at Harmon Park which was close to our house. This park had a baseball stadium where a AAA baseball league played. It had a swimming pool where we took lessons and made an effort to learn to swim. For years it had a WWII army tank parked for us to climb on as we played. I remember having picnics at this park and I also remember playing on the playground equipment and getting really sunburned.
For fireworks I remember we'd take a blanket and sit at the edge of the park. I specifically remember wearing a jacket one year because it was chilly.
Oh, and how could I forget the sparklers. Now this was the big thing! We'd do sparklers on the front yard of our Addison house. Pat also remembers doing the little coil thingies that would burn down and leave a black spot on the sidewalk.
In later years the more sophisticated fireworks became available for purchase. I remember at our Jerome house that Bruce would razzle dazzle us all with his pyrotechnic display. Weren't we lucky that no one got hurt?
Dad was so patriotic and instilled in his children a love, respect and reverence for this nation of freedom in which we live. I worry and fret on a regular basis that I don't do enough to support our democracy. I vote but is that enough? Politics are too political (I remember even Dad saying this)and it is easy to want to disengage from all the bickering, name calling and fear-tactics. But I know the strength of our system of government rests on the citizenry being informed. I believe we each do have an obligation to make an effort to know the issues and to educate ourselves so we can develop informed opinions on those issues. And I don't want my opinions to be just regurgitated media-speak.
I recently purchased a used political science textbook that looks at prevailing theories and ideas that shape our political world. I'm having to do some selective reading to start because some of it just doesn't YET engage my mind. I love pursuing my interest in American Presidents because the more I read about them and their times the more I begin to understand the history of this country. Of course some of that reading just makes me more frustrated because it seems we, as a country, seem to make the same mistakes more than once.
Do you feel patriotic? What do you feel are your responsibilities as a citizen of America?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Happy Birthday to Me!
Yup, it’s true. Today is the big day. I am a grand ole 58. Believe me, it sounds incredibly old. I really can’t believe I am almost 60. It seems just like yesterday that I was surviving the trauma of turning 30. Enjoy your 30s and 40s kids, because those years just keep right on kicking by and there is no going back. Getting older is, however, better than the alternative.
I’ve learned over the years to appreciate birthdays. Because I had the misfortune of expecting that my family would remember my birthday at the same time that my parents did in fact forget my birthday and I was therefore sorely disappointed, I learned to take matters into my own hands. I started to plan and for several years implemented my own birthday celebrations. It really is the way to go. That way you get to do what you most want to do. I generally did a picnic of barbequed hamburgers – seemed perfect for the time of year. I would make a yummy potato salad and Toufkuchen for the birthday cake. I'd serve the cake with Schwan's chocolate almond ice cream -- yum!
And, I consider it an honor to have been born on the day that is the exact half-way point of the year. July 1st is day number 182 – half way to December 31. I was born on a Sunday at 1:08 p.m. “. . . the child who is born on the Sabbath Day is bonny and blithe and good and gay.” Of course, that sounds just like me.
Our family had birthday traditions but they weren’t very elaborate. We always had a birthday cake with candles. The cake was always served with ice cream. The birthday person always had money secreted into their piece of cake. And we had the “Happy Birthday” song sung to us while the cake with lit candles was held in front of us. We were encouraged to “make a wish” and then had to blow out the candles in one breath for the wish to come true.
As a quick aside, Patty Smith Hill co-wrote with her sister the song “Happy Birthday". Patty Hill is also an important historical figure in the world of child development. I’ve lectured about her every year for the last 20 plus years. To help the students remember her, I always had them sing the “Happy Birthday” song with me. The song has been adapted to many other cultures. In Brasil, it is sung rapidly and while lightly clapping hands. The words get translated into: Congratulations to you, Congratulations to you, This day cherished, Many years of life.
We also received birthday presents but to be honest, I can only recall one gift I received – money to buy what I wanted and I bought a hula hoop from Trollinger’s Drug Store on Main Street. I think I was seven so that would have been 1958. Because I had a summer birthday I think I usually got something summery, like a swimming suit that I needed.
I don’t remember if there was a favorite cake for our birthday cake, or if we even had a choice. I remember Aunt Jean doing Angel Food cake with whipped cream and peppermint candies for Bruce’s December birthday but I don’t remember any other specific cake that we had growing up.
I remember that some years we had the choice of either having a party with our friends or going out to dinner with mother and dad. I’m pretty sure the going out to eat was limited to George Kay’s, but I’d defer to the memory of my older sibs on what the choices were in Twin Falls at the time. I only remember having one party and I requested that Judy Hartley who lived down the street “do” the party for me. I must have been to a party at her house and I was impressed with what they did so I wanted a party just like hers and thought that having her do it would make it so. I remember nothing about the party except the house being clean and being ready for people to arrive. In my mind mother always subtly encouraged us to choose the dinner out – gosh, I wonder why? Pat says she doesn’t remember having this choice so perhaps it was a short lived practice.
So, what have I forgotten? What other traditions did we have? How have my sibs morphed these traditions in their own families?
Oh, and for birthday #58 we’re going to see a movie (“The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3”), eating dinner at a Brazilian restaurant, and celebrating with an ice cream cake. Happy Birthday to me!
I’ve learned over the years to appreciate birthdays. Because I had the misfortune of expecting that my family would remember my birthday at the same time that my parents did in fact forget my birthday and I was therefore sorely disappointed, I learned to take matters into my own hands. I started to plan and for several years implemented my own birthday celebrations. It really is the way to go. That way you get to do what you most want to do. I generally did a picnic of barbequed hamburgers – seemed perfect for the time of year. I would make a yummy potato salad and Toufkuchen for the birthday cake. I'd serve the cake with Schwan's chocolate almond ice cream -- yum!
And, I consider it an honor to have been born on the day that is the exact half-way point of the year. July 1st is day number 182 – half way to December 31. I was born on a Sunday at 1:08 p.m. “. . . the child who is born on the Sabbath Day is bonny and blithe and good and gay.” Of course, that sounds just like me.
Our family had birthday traditions but they weren’t very elaborate. We always had a birthday cake with candles. The cake was always served with ice cream. The birthday person always had money secreted into their piece of cake. And we had the “Happy Birthday” song sung to us while the cake with lit candles was held in front of us. We were encouraged to “make a wish” and then had to blow out the candles in one breath for the wish to come true.
As a quick aside, Patty Smith Hill co-wrote with her sister the song “Happy Birthday". Patty Hill is also an important historical figure in the world of child development. I’ve lectured about her every year for the last 20 plus years. To help the students remember her, I always had them sing the “Happy Birthday” song with me. The song has been adapted to many other cultures. In Brasil, it is sung rapidly and while lightly clapping hands. The words get translated into: Congratulations to you, Congratulations to you, This day cherished, Many years of life.
We also received birthday presents but to be honest, I can only recall one gift I received – money to buy what I wanted and I bought a hula hoop from Trollinger’s Drug Store on Main Street. I think I was seven so that would have been 1958. Because I had a summer birthday I think I usually got something summery, like a swimming suit that I needed.
I don’t remember if there was a favorite cake for our birthday cake, or if we even had a choice. I remember Aunt Jean doing Angel Food cake with whipped cream and peppermint candies for Bruce’s December birthday but I don’t remember any other specific cake that we had growing up.
I remember that some years we had the choice of either having a party with our friends or going out to dinner with mother and dad. I’m pretty sure the going out to eat was limited to George Kay’s, but I’d defer to the memory of my older sibs on what the choices were in Twin Falls at the time. I only remember having one party and I requested that Judy Hartley who lived down the street “do” the party for me. I must have been to a party at her house and I was impressed with what they did so I wanted a party just like hers and thought that having her do it would make it so. I remember nothing about the party except the house being clean and being ready for people to arrive. In my mind mother always subtly encouraged us to choose the dinner out – gosh, I wonder why? Pat says she doesn’t remember having this choice so perhaps it was a short lived practice.
So, what have I forgotten? What other traditions did we have? How have my sibs morphed these traditions in their own families?
Oh, and for birthday #58 we’re going to see a movie (“The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3”), eating dinner at a Brazilian restaurant, and celebrating with an ice cream cake. Happy Birthday to me!
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