Originally ran in the Feb. 10, 1972 edition of the Illinois Valley News
George and Opal Martin have just returned from a Holstein seminar. This is George’s report of the two-day trip: “Approximately 60 people attended in Salt Lake City, January 27 and 28, for the purpose of planning and coordinating Holstein activities for the 7 Northwestern states for 1972.
We stopped at Ogden and had 8 inches of snow dumped on us overnight. While there, we enjoyed a breakfast visit with Opal’s twin cousin, Sarah Marie Hough, and husband Verne. Also at Ogden, we visited the Pappygeorge fine herd of Registered Holsteins, last year’s highest producing herd in Utah. The return trip was via the Colombia River Gorge. We visited with our daughters Rhoda and Ruth Dillon, who are in their senior and sophomore years at Western Baptist College in Salem. To sat the least, we were very surprised to get back to Cave Junction and discover that 17” of snow had fallen. It sure is good to be home again.”
George will be the Oregon State Editor for the new seven state publication, Holstein News, to be published bi-monthly. He currently serves as one of te directors for the Oregon Holstein Association.
From reports I received of the crab feed at Crescent City last Sunday, the feed was a success, with many attending, and the crab was very good. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Darveau, and Jackie were among those who enjoyed the day in Crescent City. Other Cave Junctionites who went for the day of fun were Mr. and Mrs. Tom Atwood and their children, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Fulk with Donna and Sarah, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sowell, June Whitcomb, and Emil Piraino.
Harry Smith’s sister, Mrs. Harold White of Medford, is recovering nicely from major surgery. She is in the Rogue Valley Memorial Hospital.
January 21, Gary Barlow and his uncle, Glenn Arnett, left Cave Junction, and by taking turns drove straight through to Delta, Colorado. They visited Glenn’s brother Darwin for a week. While there, Glenn looked around for a ranch to buy. He found one he liked near the little town of Olathe and bought it before returning home. Glenn’s brother Alfred, a former resident of Cave Junction, lives in Montrose. The three towns are close together. Gary and Glenn arrived in Cave Junction last Thursday night. Gary reported snow all the way through Oregon, then clear skies and dry roads until they crossed over the Oregon border again.
Ronald and Mildred Tycer are entertaining visitors from Ketchikan, Alaska, Edward Sowell and his wife, Kay. Edward is Mildred Tycer’s and Jack Sowell’s brother. They came by ferry to Vancouver, then drove their car here.
Pioneer wives and mothers were proud of their homes, even if they were made of logs or rough sawn lumber, and did their best to beautify them. And they wanted their children to be dressed in pretty clothing. Mothers took pride in making dresses for their little girls, and of course they had to make their own clothes, their boys’ and husband’s shirts. Then there were warm sweaters, stockings, mittens, and caps to be knit. But these women loved color in their homes and the clothing they made, and they went to much more effort to get the desired effect than I’m sure we would.
A very old yellowed clipping tells how they achieved their goal: “Q; Please list some of the wild plants from which homemade dyes for rag carpet and clothing used to be made. A; A black dye for cotton was made by steeping the bark of scrub oak mixed with red maple bark; a black dye for wool was obtained from a mixture of gall-berry leaves and sumac berries. Red dyes were made from laurel leaves and a yellow flower for the sunflower family. Wild indigo furnished a blue dye, and cloth dyed with indigo could be green could be turned green by boiling it in a concoction of laurel leaves and hickory bark. Purple dye was obtained from the tops of cedars and lilac leaves, and brown was made from walnut hulls.”
And now ladies, when you go shopping for a dress for your little girl, a bright shirt for your boy, yardage with its deep tones, pastel colors, and many lovely and colorful prints, a rug, or drapes for your drapes for your home, begin to count some of the blessings of our modern age.
Thursday, February 24, 1972
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Shean, Grants Pass, were Sunday visitors of Joe and Grayce Hudron. Edwin grew up in the valley, and he and his family were neighbors of Joe and Grayce, who have lived on Holland Loop Road for many years.
Doris Boyd entertained the Wednesday Bridge Club when they met at the WW1 Barracks. Dee Hullett won 1st prize, Joy Kellert 2nd, and Harriet Beason 3rd. There were 12 members present.
Norma Vahrenwald is Grand Officer for 1972 for the Order of the Eastern Star, and has been traveling around the state. Last Friday, there was an Eastern Star reception in Portland. Norma stayed overnight with Lucille Floyd in McMinnville, and Lucille accompanied her to the reception. Norma also attended an Eastern Star reception in Tigard before returning home.
Mr. and Mrs. N.E. Wilbur of Brookings visited his sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Wilhelms. They stayed overnight last week.
Oliver Boyd and his wife Roberta, Porterville, California, are visiting his mother, Doris Boyd. They have been guests at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Steve Stratton of Medford.
Weekend guests of Hugh and Roberta Scheer and their sons were Hugh’s brother Ted Scheer, his wife Sara, and son Colby from Canby.