This blogs sole purpose has transitioned to one of keeping in touch with each other. Over the years it has been primarily for letting everyone know what is happening and also for promotion to add more folks to our Winter Texan family. The core of things has changed and we must change along with it. We still want to know what is happening with our friends no matter where they may be located. So continue to let us know where you are and what is on your plate.
I heard from Mary a day or two ago and she told me that she and Dave had been to the Abe Lincoln car show in Springfield Illinois and they were double trophy winners. Early in the day they received the Kailey Wilmarth Award sponsored by her father. She lost her battle with leukemia while still in the 8th grade. At the end of the day they received 1st place in the 1926-1949 category with her dad's old 1939 Oldsmobile 2 door sedan named Maggie.
Not much news from anyone this summer. I did hear from Marty Harper today and she tells me Don is recovering so nicely from his back surgery earlier this summer. He still has to wear his brace and can't lift more than 25 pounds but to me it sounds like he is doing very well.
Jim had a very light breakthrough covid case a couple of weeks ago, wasn't ever really sick, did not have a fever but had a very raspy voice. His throat wasn't sore but it was hard to talk and his thinking was "wonky" or as Barb says, brain fog. Apparently that hangs around for a while but it is getting better. He did have extreme fatigue and still tires easily but otherwise is fine. We've been remodeling my bathroom and just like last summer when we did Jim's, things never go as planned. We built this house in 1973 and it has had several renovations over the years including the bathrooms. Mine and Jim's started out as one very large bathroom when we built it but after the kids left we divided it in half and now he has his and I have mine off our bedroom. But as is always the case, it's easier to build new than it is to remodel old so once again it's been a challenge but we will get it finished one of these days.
It has been very dry here in Central Wisconsin and we were supposed to get lots of rain today but somehow we only got a few very light showers, not nearly enough that's for sure. The farmer's market and roadside stands are stocked with lots of fresh vegetables and the corn and bean crops look great in spite of not having a whole lot of precipitation all summer.
If anyone has news that you would like to share, please do let me know and I will be happy to post it. Enjoy what's left of the summer - the days are getting shorter and before we know it, fall will be here.
Flea Market Near Mexican Border Engulfed in Flames
A large fire broke out at the Don-Wes Flea Market in Donna, Texas, on July 16. Video filmed by Mike Garcia Jr. shows heavy gray smoke billowing from the site. The market contained over a dozen vendors and a restaurant, according to their website, and had been in the community for 22 years. Local news reports said multiple agencies responded to the fire on Saturday. No injuries were reported. Other video filmed Saturday showed debris from destroyed structures at the location. “Grateful to Weslaco FD for their response to control and put out the fire,” said Congressman Vicente Gonzalez in a post on Facebook. Credit: Mike Garcia Jr. via Storyful
The 4th of July has come and gone and yes, the days are already starting their downward trend although as of yet it's not noticeable. It rained off and on here yesterday but cleared off in time for the fireworks last night. We could hear them but did not drive to town see them going off. We watched the Capital 4th on PBS but to be honest I found it somewhat disappointing. We've watched it every year for many years but this year it did not "trip my trigger". The woman who played the piano was very good and had the music memorized which is no easy feat but for some reason I found the whole show somewhat disappointing. Oh well, each to their own and as most of you know I am somewhat picky!
I don't have anything in the way of news so thought I would give you a couple of recent bird photos. Some of you will have seen them on Facebook but not everyone is on Facebook. The top one is a male Baltimore Oriole enjoying grape jelly and below that are two Red-headed Woodpeckers.
I heard from Marty Harper today and she told me that Don's back surgery yesterday went really well. They got him up today and he is walking which is very good news. He will be wearing a back brace for several months but compared to the pain he has been for such a long time I'm sure the back brace probably will feel pretty good. Don is someone who when anyone needs help with something he is right there to give them a hand. A pretty handy fellow to know!!
I have no other news to pass along. All you dads have a
Happy Father's Day
I thought I'd mention that Don Harper will be having back surgery tomorrow. Not only that but he has been fighting shingles, however, the surgery is a go. Hopefully that will fix the pain that he has been in since we were all together in south Texas for the winter. We would meet often on our morning walks but as we headed toward spring I saw him less and less and quite often he was using a cane or at least had it along with him. We all know that is not like Don so let's keep him in our thoughts and prayers and wish him a very speedy recovery and hope he will be out and about again, pain free.
Otherwise, there really isn't a lot to report. As those of you know who are Facebook friends we have sold our 5th Wheel which is a very big relief to us. It was a lot of fun for many years but when it ceased to be fun we decided it was time to purchase a mobile in our park and hang up our RVing keys. Oddly enough, Barb and Butch Brooker, as most of you probably already know, made the same decision and they bought a park model over at Trophy Gardens. We will miss it in many ways but in other ways it will be nice not to be hauling that very large rig down the highway. With the price of diesel now, it certainly was the right time to come to that decision.
Storms rumbled through Wisconsin today but we really had nothing but some rain. There certainly were tornado warnings out for areas not far from us but nothing happened here. The sun has come out now and it cooled off. Yesterday we had 99 degrees and very high humidity. It seems it goes from one extreme to another, either it's too cold or too hot, nothing in between. Next week temperatures in the 90s are in the forecast once again.
Our Amish neighbors have a farm market stand by the road, it's not open yet but their plants are spectacular and it won't be long before they will have something for sale. Our favorites are their tomatoes and then their sweet corn. It's so handy, I can walk maybe a block up the road or less and have all the fresh vegetables that we want. I think their first offering will be strawberries but because of the cold spring they are somewhat delayed.
If any of you ex-Magnolia people, or the few who still do reside in Magnolia have any news you would like to share please let me know and I will be glad to post it.
Naoma R. Pratt, age 75, of Rapid River, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 20, 2022 at U.P. Health Systems Hospital in Marquette.
Naoma was born August 10, 1946, in Grayling, MI, the daughter of Lyle and Zelda (Bond) Corbin. Naoma was raised in Hulbert and attended Newberry schools through graduation. On October 3, 1964, Naoma was united in marriage to Eugene Pratt. Together they spent 57 wonderful years making memories.
Naoma was a devoted member of the Rapid River Congregational Church, where she also was a part of the women’s fellowship club. She also was the bookkeeper for her family business for 20 years. Naoma loved walking, going camping, traveling, and playing cards. Naoma and Eugene enjoyed going to Texas, where they wintered for 16 years and also made many special friends. She especially loved spending time with her family. She will be deeply missed by many.
Naoma is survived by her loving husband, Eugene, daughter Sherri (Mike) Parrett, son-in-law Robert Maplesden, brother Robert (Brenda) Corbin, sister Mary (Brian) Leazier, sister-in-law Marilyn Pratt, grandchildren Taylor (AJ) Miller and Joshua (Randi Paul) Parrett, great-granddaughter Adalyn Miller, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her parents, brother James Corbin, daughter Debra Maplesden, brothers-in-law Harold Pratt and Ray (Karen) Pratt, and sister-in-law Virginia Pratt.
Memorials honoring Naoma may be directed to UP Home Health and Hospice or the Rapid River Congregational Church.
Family will receive friends on Thursday, May 26, 2022 from 1 PM to 3:30 PM at the Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. Services will follow at 3:30 PM with Pastor Bill Rafuse officiating. Naoma will be laid to rest in the Rapid River Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at 5 PM at the Rapid River Congregational Church.
I am so pleased that I can share this good news. I really meant to put it on last week but got caught up in our Texas project and it didn't get done.
Friday, May 6 is going to be a very special day for two very special people. Duane Ergen and Reggie Holland will be celebrating as that is the day they have chosen to be their wedding day. It couldn't happen to any two nicer people and I for one wish both of them much happiness on this day and in the years to come. I think it would be really nice if we all sent them cards with our congratulations and best wishes. I am going to give you the last address I have for them and if it isn't right, I will post a correction.
1155 Porter Street, Clearwater MN 55320 is the last address I have for them and it is the address I found on line so hopefully it is still correct. Shower them with your blessings and best wishes!!
Hi. This is me Carman.
I’ve asked Deon to post this on magnolia blog. I would like to say thank you to all the people that attended my birthday celebration at Trails End. It made my day very special. I was surprised and glad to see all of you.
Another dreary, damp day here in Central Wisconsin although this afternoon the sun did peak out for about two minutes before it once again retreated behind the thick cloud cover.
I have a couple of things to share and I have already put this on my Facebook Page but for those of you who are not on Facebook I am also putting it here. I read that there is a very simple way to add the degrees symbol when typing on your Android smart phone and that is simply holding down the zero, release and you will have the degrees symbol after the number. Try it, it does work and is kind of fun and it eliminates having to type out the word degrees every time you are saying what the temperature is.
Secondly, there has been a lot of discussion here and there about mail forwarding and how much trouble most people encounter. Here is what we do. About three days before we leave in November I go online to the USPS official site (not any other site) and sign up for the mail forwarding service. It is very simple and I give them the date in November that we are going to leave. At the same time, I put an ending date in and I make it about three weeks before we plan to get home. We are almost always home by the very end of March so I usually make it sometime around the end of the first week in the month. This costs a very minimal charge so they can check your ID and make sure it is you, and requires a credit card. At the same time, I go to the post office take one of those yellow cards that are always available on the counter and fill it out to have our mail held from the day the forwarding is stopped and I check the box that we will pick up the accumulated mail and then our normal mail service will resume. Years ago I was able to fill out a form I picked up at the post office, they discontinued that so then I found the form online, filled it out and took it into the post office. That too disappeared so now I do it on line and it has always worked flawlessly. They will hold your mail for 30 days. One year we got stuck in Amarillo for a week because of the weather so it was held longer than 30 days. I just gave them a call and told them the situation and it was not a problem. I read all kinds of complaints about the trouble people have but honestly, if you do it like this you will be surprised how simple it is and how well it works. I think the key is to put the ending date in when you start having it forwarded. Most people, I think, tend to return home about the same time each year. Years ago we went to auto-pay for our utility bills so we don't have to work about bills in the held mail. For everything else but the utility bills I can do it online at my convenience.
One other tidbit, we had a credit card hacked two years ago and I do believe it was Barb Brooker who told me that she uses one card for online and a different one in person. I could be wrong about who told me that but it does seem like it was Barb. Ever since then I have done that. The one I use online is the same one I use over the phone for reservations and things like that. At least if your card is hacked you will know it was either someplace where you inserted it or if it's the other one, it was hacked online or over the phone. Of course, you still don't know where but it does narrow it down.
We will be heading back down to the Valley on Monday when we will finally be able to take physical possession of the mobile home that we purchased in Trails End. It will be our first opportunity to really look it over since we purchased it in mid-December. We are hoping for better weather going down than we had coming home. This time we will be in our little fuel efficient car that for its size holds a whole lot of cargo.
I understand the birthday party for Carmen that Darlene organized at Trails End was great and I'm sorry we were already on our way home but I know some of you were able to attend and enjoyed yourselves meeting up with other Magnolia friends and wishing Carmen a Happy Birthday.
Think Spring!!!
Those of you long-time Magnolia Park residents of old, will remember how the parrots would come through usually morning and evening. They would quite often land in a tree on Pecos in the vicinity of where Liz and Andrea lived and maybe still do. We haven't driven through Magnolia for quite some time so even though I think they are still there I'm not quite sure.
In any case, tonight, here at Trails End about 5:40 we heard the most raucous noise, as only parrots can make and sure enough there was a huge flock just across the highway on the wires and in the trees by Dollar General. There was obviously something in the trees that they appeared to really be enjoying and they stayed for quite some time. I took 97 pictures!! Here are just a few for you to enjoy.
I know there are some faithful Magnolia people who still check in on the blog and I thought you might enjoy these photos as much as I did.
Barb B.
Some VERY Interesting Photos
1 The 'Tier Avto', the 1930's version of a GPS. Developed by Touring Club Italiano, this device was more like a “map guidance tool and came with a set of paper maps It was tethered to the car’s speedometer that kept the scrolling of the map in proportion to the speed of the car.
2 A 'Tasmanian tiger' in captivity circa 1930. Also known as the thylacine, this carnivorous marsupial was native to the Australian mainland and went extinct in 1936.
3 Airline reservations before computers, 1945
4 The 1950s '3-in-1 Kitchen Combination.' It came with a stove, a sink, and a fridge - all in one!
5 American photographer James Ricalton posing with two extra tall men, fondly remembered as the 'Giants of Kashmir,' in 1903.
The photograph was taken in Delhi during 'The Durbar,' a celebration of the British monarch Edward VII’s (the great-grandfather of the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II) succession as the Emperor of India.
6 Television shopping in 1974
7 A gas station on Brovarsky Prospect in Kyiv, Ukraine, 1979
8 A woman standing in the doorway of an RV Camper at an exhibition in London, 1927. It was also called the "Road Yacht."
9 Draft beer being served during a Lufthansa flight in the 1960s
10. The Esso Hibernia tanker under construction, Wallsend, UK, 1970
11. Niagara Falls without water, 1969
Here is a link to an article that tells the story of how they pulled it off.
12. An Empire State builder hanging on a crane above New York City, 1930
13. An elementary piano class in progress in 1947 (photo by Yale Joel)
14. Military bomber planes fly past Mount Vesuvius in Italy as lava and ash spurts from the top of the volcano.
The devastating eruption ravaged the village of San Sebastiano and San Giorg in March 1944 and killed 57 people. Meanwhile, the Allied forces were battling for supremacy in the skies.
15. The original Moulin Rouge, Paris, 1914
16. A Phillips fridge from 1956 with a built-in radio!
17. A horse being rescued from a canal that it fell in - Amsterdam, 1929
18. Control Room of the German UB-11 Submarine (First World War)
19. Swedish Warship 'Vasa' being recovered from the seafloor in Stockholm, Sweden, on the 24th of April, 1961. It stayed underwater for 333 years and was still astonishingly well-preserved.
20. A young woman of the Ouled Nail tribe, Algeria, circa 1905 (photo by Lehnert & Landrock)
21. Philadelphia Electric Co. street light maintenance vehicle, 1910
22. A tree house of the Koiari people, east of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 1886
23. A woman using a vacuum cleaner in 1906
24. The 1958 'Sir Vival.' Designed by Walter C. Jerome of Worcester, this unique two-section vehicle was made to protect its driver and three passengers from death or injury on the highway.
The designer believed that, in case of a collision, the engine compartment would take most of the brunt and leave the passengers safe. Its standout features included a two-piece engine and cab, along with a driver turret. Unfortunately, only one Sir Vival was ever made, and it remains in the care of Bellingham Auto Sales in Bellingham, Massachusetts, even today!
25. A Native American chief at the Canadian Rockies, 1938
I have been trying to find a way to get these on the blog but not having any luck just yet.
Delores “Dee” Sanford, 91 of Sioux Falls, South Dakota passed away on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at Dougherty Hospice House, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Dee was born to Elmer and Martha (DeSmet) Remmerde on February 18, 1931. Dee was a teacher for 32 years, often teaching the second generation of families.
Dee and Dayton loved to travel-they visited all fifty states, fifteen European countries, Canada and Mexico. She was an active member in American Business Women’s Association, the Moose Lodge, Active Generations and the Sioux Falls Retired Teachers Association. Dee loved dancing, sewing, baking and making wedding cakes.
Dee is survived by her children, Bonnie (Virg) Senescall; Debbie (Randy) Blackburn and Donn (Becky) Bosler; grandchildren, Brad (Gen) Blackburn, Corey (Jasmin) Blackburn, Kari (Steven) Prichard, Brian (Rosa) Blackburn, Chad Senescall, Jim Wold Jr. and Eric Wold; great-grandchildren, Garon, Corbin, Dawson, Landon, Destiny, Caleb, Chandler, Kaylee and Matthew; sister, Maxine Serck; nieces and nephews.
Dee was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Dayton, grandson, Shane Senescall and sister, Shirley Schemmel.
I know I haven't posted much lately but frankly, there isn't much new to post. I finally finished the new park directory for Trails End and it was done in color. I have to say, it does look nice, not too many mistakes thank goodness and the residents have been very appreciative of the new directory. It costs $10 which is lots more than our Magnolia directory which we always priced at $3.00 but color is lots more pricey. It was a huge job but next time it would be ever so much easier.
We have had a park resident pass from Covid, not vaccinated nor is his wife who also had it and was seriously ill but she has finally recovered. There were quite a few break-through cases here in the park but with the exception of three people who were unvaccinated, no one else was severely ill that I am aware of. Most people in this park have taken great pains to be careful and most up to this point have been masked when in a group setting including us. Things are relaxing a bit now and of course, now the CDC is saying that masks are no longer necessary, at least for the time being or until the next big wave of a variant comes along. Our buildings are all open and have been all season. This park has lots of Canadians and they know that to get back home they must test negative before crossing the border so people in here are very careful.
We have been watching a little bit of the news about Ukraine but I really do find it too painful to watch much of it. As Jim said, it is tragic and that is about as good a way to put it as I've heard.
Our Magnolia people as they call us over here are becoming more and more involved in various activities in the park and that is good. Chris is leading crafts just like she did in Magnolia. There is a very active quilting group here and I like that a lot. Someone has a "fabric garage" as I call it. Lots of beautiful quilting fabrics in a building that looks like a two car garage but is really her fabric store/quilting studio. How handy is that!!
As I understand it the folks that went to Alamo Rec from Magnolia are now going to have to relocate as part of Alamo Rec was sold. That is what the rumor mill says but I have heard it from several people so suspect it probably is true. The rumor mill says they are moving to Palm Shadows.
We have not been to the Don Wes Flea Market yet this year as it's not quite as handy as it used to be when we could just walk up to it. We will have to check it out before we head for home which will happen sometime in late March.
The weather this winter has not been the best. Here and there a few real hot and humid days and then three or four or more days in a row of cold and either out-and-out rain or drizzle. Neither of these could possibly be called pleasant. We are in a stretch like that right now. The cold front roared in Wednesday afternoon, yesterday was cold and wet, today was cold and wet, tomorrow and Sunday are going to be more of the same. Enough already!!
If you have news you would like to have shared, please let me know. By the way, this park has some empty spots just looking for new residents if anyone is thinking about the Rio Grande Valley for next season.
Joseph Daniel Lapointe (71 years)
It is with heavy hearts that our family announces the passing of Joe Lapointe on Thursday, February 3, 2022.
Beloved husband of Jeannette Lapointe (nee Piché). Loving father of Kelly Hunt (Ray), Kim St. Michel (Wayne predeceased), Todd (Mel), John (Mona). Proud Papa to Cassie (Jesse), Allie, Lenny (Carly), Liandra (Scott), Carolyn, Victoria (Mathieu), Wyatt, Morgan, Abby, Jeff, and Carter. Four beautiful great-granddaughters Paityn, Paisley, Oaklynn, and Mia.
Son of the late Susan (nee O'Hagan) and Louis Lapointe. Dear brother of Peter (Shirley), Patricia Annett, Maureen Bellerose (Richard), Louis (predeceased). He will be sadly missed by many nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.
Joe had a passion for teaching and inspiring others. 'Mr. L' was a beloved teacher for over 30 years in Massey and Espanola.
'Gentlemen start your engines and tie your shoelaces!' In the 70's and 80's Joe organized the highly anticipated annual, Brown Street Soapbox Derby on his childhood street in Sault Ste. Marie.
Joe was an avid sports fan, but the game of Basketball held a special place in his heart. Joe and his brother, Lou, ran summer basketball camps teaching and instilling the love of 'The Game' in others.
A friend to many, Joe will be forever remembered for his love of music (serenading 'Happy Birthday' was the highlight of our family birthdays), youthful nature, charismatic personality, and great story-telling abilities often sharing sport stories and family history. Joe enjoyed reconnecting with his family heritage through fishing and enjoying time on the water.
In memory of Joe's lifework to help children reach their fullest potential donations to NEO Kids Foundation would be appreciated. We will honour Joe with a celebration of Life at a later date.
An Irish Blessing
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rain fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
It is with sadness that I have to report that Don Schmaltz passed away this morning here in Weslaco at 7:38 AM. He had been in ill health and in the hospital for the last couple of weeks. I don't believe this was at all covid related. Don has had a variety of health issues for the last several years. When I have more particulars I will post it.
