Just a month ago, August 18, there was a summer garden
supper-feast at the home of Dennis and Peggy Espe’s. The occasion
was Larry Lowell Metcalfe’s birthday. Cousin Larry considers his
friend, Dennis Espe as very special true friend. Sometimes in life
we’re lucky to get a “true friend”
Therefore a photo.
A couple days after that photo was taken, Mr. Espe’s,
Smith,cousin’s; Wayne and Rosemary,hosted another hills gathering.
Oh my! More birthday festivities honoring their uncle Henry
Salmonson. Lot’s of Smith nephews and nieces from the area and
Minnesota enjoyed Hank playing a collection of his favorite tunes.
Hank’s actual birthday was today, September 18. He is now
officially 90 and he celebrated again, with his son Bradley from
Idaho, From Seattle, Nephew-in-Law and niece; Leonard and
June(Salmonson) Honsey, Great niece Sherrie Honsey, From Bottineau,
Sharon Beckman and myself all at the Family Bakery. June baked the
official cake.
The photo is of Hank, Hank’s son Bradley, his niece June
(Salmonson) Honsey and Great Niece Sharon Honsey. All with the
exception of Sharon are DHS graduates.

When I was a little child, our family lived in a little house
nestled under the acorned hills. Around the corner to the back sat
the wee out-house which served our families needs until I was in
fourth grade.

My mother’s kitchen stove was a combination; 1/2 wood + 1/2
electric, which on cool mornings pushing fall, my mother would
gather her fine wood kindling,begin a fire. She’d, put 2 scoops of
coffee in the pot and let it come to a boil. We girls would wake to
the wafting smell of bacon, pancakes and coffee. Then, a rattling of
milk buckets and our Dad exclaiming, “Jack Frost was here last night,
get up girls and look at the pictures he left! ”

Oh boy! What treasures we gazed upon! Of course, we’d been
told that outside the elusive “Jack Frost” been around for days. We
knew he’d been sneaking around using his best colours to paint the
leaves. Mom had been canning and gathering the last of the
vegetables of summer which were too colourful lined up in rows in the
root cellar.

Now,with houses and windows weather proofed, “Jack Frost”
and the magical farm mornings have been long left behind. This
morning going out with the dogs, I looked across to my neighbors yard
and viewed “bag ladies” sitting on many steps. Oh my Gary, don’t
take that last statement literal.
Of course not bag ladies in Bottineau, but patio plants geranium and
such, covered with colourful blankets. And in the garden, tomatoes
and cukes covered with tarps.

Next week fall will officially be here. I will be walking the
dogs in the darkness of morning.I will for old times sake stomp on
the thin ice covering puddles. As the sun rises in the east my voice
will will crackle then hum “Autumn Leaves” and I will think ” That’s
the right key isn’t it Mr. Johnson?..Thank you for making us
practice, practice, and practice, from your gift of teaching I can
still be on key after all these seasons. ”
Later. Vickie