~FINDING FALL~

I have needed a little R&R for a while and decided that I wanted to see Yellowstone and the Teton range again. It has been years since I have been there and with winter just around the corner what better time to take advantage of this beautiful weather! Steve was just as interested in going as I was but for very different reasons...It being where the "deer and the antelope play sort of thing. I was in it for the mountains, rivers, waterfalls and color!!!

The week before we left I started thinking about how much my dad would like to see that part of the country again too so, I called him and invited him to come with us. He was so much fun to have along. There is not anything he will not try. The guy amazes me everyday. We hiked and hiked, one day doing 385 stairs down to the bottom of Yellowstone falls and then 385 stairs back up! There is not a place in Yellowstone that doesn't include a lot of walking. Dad is better at that then I am! I hope I grow up to be just like him.

We saw so many things that I can't remember all of them by name but, I have lots and LOTS of pictures. Here are some of my favorite. Most were taken in the bright sunlight making it hard to really appreciate how absolutely beautiful everything really was up there. Yellowstone is mostly pines so the fall color is not like it is here but, still very, very pretty. In 1976 over half of Yellowstone was destroyed by a fire that was started by a "controlled" burn. You can see in one of the pictures how much the trees have come back. They are about 10 feet tall now and SO thick. I would be completely lost in 5 minutes...Pure bear bait! Notice how tall the burned pines are. It really makes the little ones look small and they truly are about 10-12 feet tall!

From Yellowstone we made our way south to the Grand Teton National Park. What can I say? I think I will just let the pictures do the talking...And yes, my dad hiked up to inspiration point! It is a steep, rocky trail full of twists and turns yet, he was ahead of me the whole way. I never even heard him get winded. The picture of him sitting with his arms around his knee is at the top looking down over the lake. I can not tell you how many times I have seen him in this exact same pose. I had to snap a picture. He started to get a bit annoyed at me and my camera after about the millionth picture, well, as annoyed as my dad ever gets. I just told him it was for posterity and he seemed fine with that. hehe.


1. Colors of fall

2. The Teton's @ Jenny Lake

3. Jenny Lake

4. Look close, you can see the railing
from part of the stairs leading to
the lower Yellowstone Falls.

5. Inspiration Point

6. All three of us

7. View from Jenny Lake

8. Signal Mountain

9. Lilly Pads at String Lake

10. Can you tell I LOVE the Tetons...

11. From the dam

12. Old Faithful

13. Castle geyser

14. Steve and Dad at Mammoth

15. Yellowstone lower falls

16. The STAIRS! 385 down, 385 up.

17. At the bottom of the falls

18. Burned but not dead!

19. Chillin

20, 21, 22, 23, 24, Mammoth Hot Springs.

25. Petrified tree...Thought to be around 50 million years old.

26. Tatonka

27, 28, Painted Pots

29. My typical view.

30, 31. Riverside
Geyser

~ALI TURNS *8*!~

It is hard to believe that this little baby girl is eight years old! It seems like I was making my way to Vernal just yesterday to be there when she was born! What a beautiful little thing she is. Ali and I have so much in common. She loves "girly" things and everything that "Sparkles". We could shop til we dropped just about everyday and still find things that we wanted...Sorry Stephanie you were blessed with a daughter that has her grandmothers genes...It's really not so bad, you just bedazzle her softball mitt and make sure that you dress her in ANYTHING that sparkles for gym class and she will be fine with the "tomboy" thing...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALIANAH. You are such a sweet and happy little girl. Don't ever change!

HEY ROZZY...

When I get back...



I have a surprise for you!











CHOCOLATE & VANILLA!













See you soon!

~A LITTLE SEPHA-A LOT OF LOVE~

Sept 21, 1929

Dearest Ward,

I wrote you last night while the girls were at the hobo dance with McBeth's but, in our hurry this morning we missed the mail so I will write another letter and send it to town with Marlan.

I am so worried about you. Why don't I hear? Isn't there some one who could let me know something once in a while? I try to kid myself that no news is good news, but even that is poor consolation.

We are all well, as well as conditions permit.

Mr. Thornton treashed the wheat Thursday. He had 165 bushels, about 20 bushels more I estimated.

It rained Thursday night and intermittently all day day Friday. No frost last night, no rain today so far. Although we have cloudy weather and wind.

I guess we will threash the oats Monday the weather permitting. The sheep are uncontrollable when taking them to pasture. What about selling Mr.'s Cramer and O'Conner some oats? They spoke like you had partly promised them some each. I understand they want about 1000 lbs. O'Conner was just here and said that he would come again next week.

Marlan finished the seed down home. Eleanor is working out today. We are anxious to see how she likes it.

Your father and Grandma and my father spent nearly all day with us Thursday. Grandma is not very well but, she is planning a trip to Uintah next week. That is if they don't have to move Myrl there. From what Grandma said old Pan is pretty mean to Myrl and the Dr. ordered her to move to save her life. Myrl seems to have not come back. She gets up then gets worse.

$15.00 is all we can get for the calf. Shall we take it? 16 cents dressed. I guess Mr. Thornton will get after the hay as soon as it dries up again.

I think I'll keep the girls out another week. By that time you will be home with me. I'm not feeling too good, but I guess I'll hold out. (Remember she is 8 months pregnant).

Last night when the crowds were coming home from the dance three cars piled up out by Wind's. From what the girls say I don't see how they ever escaped. One car rolled completely over. Don't know who it was yet. Ruby was at the dance. She seems to have a bright and shining flame.

Father started south this morning to the reunion. He is very restless and unsettled. He wants to trade his old sow and 8 little pigs to me. We will see when you both return.

Write soon with lots of love.

Sepha and Kids


Salt Lake Butcher Shop (aka LDS Hospital Grandpa's humor again).
Sept. 23, 1929

Mrs. Sepha Robison

My Dear Wife and Family,

Your letter was rec'd and am glad the boys are getting all the hard work done. I am getting along fine but am weak and sore. Think I can talk Dr. B.T.R. out of a few days if I don't grumble about the soup. The swelling has been bad. The Dr. has been scared of blood poison, but that danger is over now. I am still wrapped in cotton with five hot water bottles from hips down.

Perry and Lorena just left. They are trying to get home before the storm.

About the calf. Sell it for whatever you can get. And let Cramer have some oats but, O'Conner can wait till I get home. Use your own judgment as to the conditions down there for I don't understand them now as you do.

There is lots I like to tell you, but I am laying on my back and am tired. So will close with all the love in the world to my wife and children. I am as ever your husband and father.

Ward.

Have the children write.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I have read and re-read these entries and talked with Aunt Mildred I have come to really wonder (being the nurse that I am) if Grandpa at this point didn't have colon cancer. In 1929 they had no way of knowing what colon cancer was let alone the obvious symptoms he was having. A few short years later he would die from another cancer...Could it have been a colon cancer (90% curable today) that metastasized? One can only make guesses and wonder how nice it would have been for our grandmother and their children to have been able to have THEIR husband and father in their lives a little longer...Technology is such a blessing.

~MY KIND OF SATURDAY~

Sometimes you just have to say to "heck" with the usual Saturday stuff and spend the day with the grand kids! For the past couple of Saturdays Steve and I (mostly Steve and the boys) have been working on our garage. Now that it is done our Saturday project was "the GRAND KIDO'S! The ones who were in town that is...

A little golfing, shopping, and lunch and a lot of energy! Then home for naps to get ready for the big football game. I wish I would have gotten a picture of Cole all decked out in his BYU hat and shirt. He looked like a little football stud!

All of you know that in this family we are huge BYU fans but I am not sure that you realize just how young we start instilling that sense of loyalty. If Charly is any indication then you have a pretty good idea. We SO hate it when they lose and know that most of you SO love it! (We forgive you. You have the rest of you lives to come around).

I think that next time we have our "Saturday" with the grandkids we will plan a picnic. I really don't like taking them to the "slide place". It is just so not clean...If the weather holds out, I'm thinking a blanket, the park and a warm fall afternoon sounds fantastic.

~A LITTLE SEPHA-A LOT OF LOVE~

September 1929. Grandpa was in LDS hospital in Salt Lake City with what appeared to be a blood clot however, as I continue to post these letters you will find that this is just the beginning of his battles with health and hospital stays and grandma's battle to once again "survive" this difficult time. Grandma was overseeing the family at home in Sutherland. She was also pregnant with Choral #9 who was born on November 8.

Before posting this I wanted to talk to my Aunt Mildred the only surviving member of my mothers family to make sure that I had the birth order of all the sisters and brothers right. I LOVE talking to her and will make sure that I do it more often...Grandma's children in order:

Marion
Eleanor
Wayne (died shortly after birth)
Lela
Mildred
Ward
Betty Jo
Brooks
Choral
Sarah Ann (Sharon)
Alma

Dear Ward,

I just came back from Howard's and he told me you were feeling fine the last time he saw you. I surely hope that you are at least comfortable. I was terribly worried and I did not hear. The boys got home between 10-11 last night.

We are alright up to date. I got Marlan started in the seed yesterday. She cuts a little then uses the rake. It was against your wishes but we felt that under the conditions it would be better.

Frank Dickerson came after the calf but we wouldn't let it go for $15.00. Howard handed me your purse this morning. It contained $15.00. I will send you $10.00 and keep the $5.00. I may have threashers and I spent my money for peaches. I bought 5 bushels at $1.25 making $6.25. Then some bottle lids and that leaves me nearly broke.

Father came in Tuesday morning. He was awfully sorry he didn't know. He said if he had stopped he would have gone back with you. We received an invitation to the Abbott reunion but I sent our regrets yesterday. It is to be held Sept. 26,27,28.

Well, lover, I will close and go milk the cows. Will be glad when you can return.

With lots of love I am your loving wife.

Sepha

P.S. I loves daddy and want him to come home...Brooks
I love daddy and hope he is lots better...Betty


LDS Hospital
September 21, 1929

Mrs. Sepha Robison

My Dear Wife and family. Your letter was rec'd and was much pleased to get one letter. I am getting along as well as can be expected. Dr. Merrle and Dr. B.T. Richards was just here and said I would be very lucky if I get out in another ten days. I had a blood clot that has been bad. But yesterday I was wheeled back to the Top. So am wrapped in cotton. Tied in bed flat on my back. Nothing to eat but soup, soup, soup...They have gathered up all the old cow bones, horse bones, dog bones and even digging up the graveyard for bones o boil to feed fellers like me with a sore ____! I haven't seen a piece of bread since I came in. Three times a day my menu:
1 Glass of oil
3-6 gallons of soup
1 chocolate ice cream
*cup of chocolate
And with all that good stuff to eat haven't had a bowel movement yet...Seems to be important to them!

(Poor Grandpa, he's not going anywhere until he "goes").

Jimmie Gee just came in and he will post this letter.

I have counted all the nurses (150). Have counted 65 doctors. Mouse tracks on floor, 10,000. Fly specks on the ceiling 200,000. Can tell about a lot of stuff when I get home and that won't be many hours if I get my way. Don't worry about me. Take care of yourself. And look for the bright side of all conditions. So appreciate letters from home. Will chew off with lots of love to you and the children. I remain as ever your husband and father.

Ward.

P.S.
How are the elder boys getting along cutting seed? And are the sheep any easier to herd?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm thinking that Grandma was the serious one and Grandpa had to be reeled in most of the time...How I would have loved to have known them both!

~OREO'S AND ROZZY~

She saw me coming with something in my hands...I had defiantly gotten her interest. Rozzy LOVES Oreo's but, only the insides...

How is it that they figure out that the inside of the Oreo is the most enticing at this young age? Every one that I handed her she somehow opened up and ate the icing out of the middle and then threw the cookie aside.

Rozzy is a "thinker" she carefully twists the cookie in opposite directions and opens it up. Very patient for a 15 month old. (okay, I loosened them slightly...).

She is a little sweetheart and I miss seeing her everyday now that her mom and dad moved her to Farmington. It was so nice just having her a couple of minutes away. We sure do take things for granted until we don't have them anymore.

I love you Rozzy Jean!