Well, here I am. A displaced (and very often soggy) Desert Rat who lives in the lower Willamette Valley. I listen to folk music and bluegrass primarily, but I don’t pass up Led Zeppelin. My children are all grown up, and I am the proud grandmother of a horde. I love horses, cats, birds, dogs – pretty much all animals except for monkeys. I also love insects and eight-legged creatures, with the common exceptions for fleas, mosquitoes, poisonous spiders, silverfish, and cockroaches. I garden, make the rounds of yard and garage sales, I paint, I ramble, I write, and I dabble in cosplay. I believe in Faeries. And Jesus.
I love family history.
I like to travel.
I drink beer.
I am an INFJ/HSP which translates into an Introvert who is also a Highly Sensitive Person. I can be an emotional wreck. Sometimes I hide in my room for days. Well, I would *like* to, but there’s that darn Day Job!
I also believe in Twue Wov (see “The Princess Bride”): I’ve been married to the same very handsome Mountain Man since 1980.
Yep! You CAN read your blog without becoming a member š
It’s very nice so far, I love the slide show.
Very nice, mom… Oh yeah, you are VERY weird. But you know that, so it’s okay. š
Wanna come over for dinner maybe Sunday afternoon? We still haven’t had you over! What horrible children we are!
-the married daughter
I just finished reading your story about Jarbidge and Pole Creek. My family moved into Jarbidge in 1947, and we moved to Southern Idaho in 1955 because of no high school in the town of Jarbidge.
We spent the first summer in a one room cabin below the Bluster Mine. My father worked for the Forest Service, mostly building roads and bridges to the head of the canyon (this is mostly primative area and the road is closed). He worked at Pole Creek some, but the family only was there to visit.
My two brothers and I sat on the mountain behind George Urdahl’s garage and watched the school house burn down. We would hike over to Deer Creek or Jack Creek and spend the day fishing. In the summer months, that is about all we did (fish). The last couple of weeks, it sounds like the forest fires were real close to town. It was evacuated for about a week along with the Diamond A Ranch and Murphy Hot Springs.
I hope this responce gets through to you.
Thank you,
Steve Holfeltz
4141 W 5655 So
Kearns, Utah 84118
Hmmmm…..OK, so it looks like all I can say is “I Love You” like a sister. Oh wait, you ARE my sister. And I’m proud of it.
Did I ever tell you I had similar dreams? And that God had told me to help move you to Oregon so you could meet Don?
Love,
Me
I am really enjoying reading your blog and learning more about you. You are such an awesome writer and such an interesting person. I love the things you shared about your children. As for the dog, oh my. No comment there. ;->
Thank you, Krystal! I am really enjoying your blog and your adventures, too. I’d love to be so mobile! š
Jaci,
I love this page you have! You have such amazing and interesting stories to tell. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you Elizabeth! I just like to put words together. š
I just finished reading your story about Jarbidge and Pole Creek. My family moved into Jarbidge in 1947, and we moved to Southern Idaho in 1955 because of no high school in the town of Jarbidge.We spent the first summer in a one room cabin below the Bluster Mine. My father worked for the Forest Service, mostly building roads and bridges to the head of the canyon (this is mostly primative area and the road is closed). He worked at Pole Creek some, but the family only was there to visit.My two brothers and I sat on the mountain behind George Urdahl’s garage and watched the school house burn down. We would hike over to Deer Creek or Jack Creek and spend the day fishing. In the summer months, that is about all we did (fish). The last couple of weeks, it sounds like the forest fires were real close to town. It was evacuated for about a week along with the Diamond A Ranch and Murphy Hot Springs.I hope this responce gets through to you.Thank you,
+1
Hi Coleman,
For some reason your comment went into my spam filter. I apologize that I did not respond sooner. I am much younger than you (I was born in 1956 after you moved out of Jarbidge). The school was long gone, but the playground equipment was still there and we often played there (or at George Urdahl’s garage, on the dirt ramps outside). We did lots of fishing (although I, myself, am not much of a fisherwoman).
When I attempted to take my husband to Jarbidge 3 summers ago, there were terrible fires everywhere and all the roads going in were closed. The fires came very close to the canyon. I still want to get down in there to see all the sights again and to share them with my husband. (We named my husband’s dog after Murphy Hot Springs, even though my husband has never been there – we picked the dog up in SE Idaho the same summer of all the fires.)
I have extremely fond memories of Jarbidge, the Urdahls, the Murphys, and people whose names I scarcely remember but I can see there wrinkled faces in my memory.
Take care,
Jaci
I grew up with Trudi…in Winnemucca. We were close. Mother’s shared a hospital room where we were born…three days apart. I was thinking of her on her birthday and did a search…read your entry and have waited until now to respond. I still miss her. I knew her sister Earlene…I knew Mitch. Sent birthday cards to Jo (mother) until Trudi passed away. WOW! So glad to find someone who cared as much as I did.
Jackie Wilcox? Peg
Peggy!
I remember you (I was Jackie Wilcox in those days). I remember all that trivia about your birth & Trudi’s birth. I also sent cards & letters to Jo until her death. I remember how Earlene died. Played with Trudi’s guinea pigs… She gave me my first cat. I am so glad you found this entry and commented. It means the world to me that someone else remembers Trudi and mourns her every year as I do.
We should reconnect – I would love to catch up on your life.
Hi Jackie! Wild. I’ve never searched Trudi but for some reason I felt compelled to this year. My middle name is Jo (for Trudi’s mom’s name). I think of her every anniversary date. Life is good for me. Blessed actually. I work for a non profit organization specializing in children and adults with developmental disabilities. Love it! Love life! And you?
Isn’t that funny, Peggy! I’m just glad I tagged that entry well enough that it popped up for you. š life is good for me, too – blessed, even. I putter around, pretend to be a writer and an artist, and have a wonderful family. Are you on Facebook? I wouldn’t mind connecting there but I will let it be your call. There are not many Winnemucca people I have reconnected with there: Melanie & Lisa Thompson, Mary Fitch, Rita… oh shoot – I’ve forgotten Rita’s last name! – Osborn. Jodi Pogue from 2nd Grade. Cindy Erquiaga. Deanna Starr (Carolyn’s older sister. Carolyn is gone now, too – breast cancer).
Carolyn.. really? Didn’t know that one. Talked to her once several years ago but didn’t keep up. Ouch. I am on facebook. Would like to befriend you…SLTonto…name on everything. Not friends with many Winnemucca people. Tim Little. Neil McCoy. Would like to connect with Jodi Pogue
Yeah, Carolyn’s death was a hard one. I think I still have the last email she ever sent me. š¦ I remember both Tim Little and Neil McCoy. I sent you a friend request and a message – I know Shelley Orgill from White Pine HS. She’s our “friend in common”. I will let Jodi know. She found me by searching for Claire Wyckoff (and like you, didn’t realize she was messaging someone she knew from the same time period. It was a great reunion.) š
Hmmmm, Peggy Rankin, huh? If Jaci didn’t catch this, I did. I’m on Facebook too.
I kept in touch with Carolyn (even up to her funeral…) and a few others. Usually stop and see Forgnone brothers and Mrs. Alexander when I go through.
Hi Terry! Facebook is amazing with getting us old people in touch, isn’t it! Was sad to hear about Carolyn. I haven’t been to Winnemucca for about 20 years. I need to go at some point to take my parents and brother home (I want to release their ashes from Winnemucca Mtn), but I am pretty good at procrastinating so I haven’t been there yet. Hope all is well with you.
What a lovely, ramblin’, folksey, bit o’ prose you weave here. I come away feeling rested and touched by the simple things you write about. I love these things, too, and this makes me feel so at home. Thank you for bringing it alive for all of us fortunate to enter your bit of the world…
That means SO much to me, Jenny! It is what I strive for. Thank you!
I remember the china cabinet Mom use to keep all her treasures in. I looked at it every time I passed it. Dad always called me Richard, remember. From a movie he had seen, I think about them everyday. And pass on the kindness they showed me, to other people. I Love you, Deni, Terry, Cindy. I consider all of you my family. I love you.
You *are* family, JoAnn. (Richard was a horror flick, by the way. Dad’s macabre sense of humor… I think Richard was an axe murderer. It was a compliment, but a weird Wilcox one.) Love you!!
No one should pass up Led Zeppelin! Or bluegrass, either, for that matter. I have lots of both on my ipod…and I think the Dillards were the best bluegrass band ever. They certainly had the best banjo player in Doug Dillard.
Yes! It’s nice to know someone else has as ecclectic a taste in music as I do – and I agree on the Dillards, one of the best.
I knew Peggy Garfield and her whole family. I was raised in Paradise Valley, NV. My Dad was from Ft. McDermitt and my Mom was from Duck Valley, NV. I read your story. It was interesting. I knew Wanda and her family. Right now her siblings are fighting to stay on the Winnemucca Indian Colony
That is so fascinating! I spent some time living in Paradise Valley as well (like a whole two months, but – hey). I’m glad someone else remembers Peggy and Wanda. ā„ Thank you for commenting and letting me know.