Friends O’ My Folks

If you’re from my hometown of Deltabama, UT, you probably know some of the folks in these slides. You won’t see Dad anywhere because he must have been the official photographer.

I can’t find any ties or bow ties on anybody, but Mom’s cat sunglasses at Hoover Dam certainly qualify as Sunglasses o’ the Day. Check out her wild pants too. From left to right: Helen Barney, Mom, Peggy and Grant Crane. There’s no date on the slide, but I’m guessing they visited Hoover Dam together in the early 60’s.

The other two pix were taken in our living room, long before I was born—probably the mid-50’s. Again, Dad was the official photographer. I imagine Mom catered the affair. The dinner party must have been a celebration, but I can’t tell exactly what that might have been. The fashion is snappy, eh? I can identify most of the guests: Mom is in the middle of the second slide, wearing red and her apron. Also at her table are Helen and Joe Barney. At the next table, you can see Peggy and Grant Crane, and—I think—Donna and Clark Cox. Glen Gardner is sitting in the chair under the lamp, and his first wife, Irma, is to Peggy’s right. I don’t remember the names of the other couple, but I do remember them.

My fave thing about the third slide is how Peggy Crane has thrown back her head, overcome with laughter.

I just realized something. Mom is the only one in the pix who is still alive. Our family is lucky. I might have to break in to the care center to see her soon.

Well, If It Ain’t The Goose Whisperers!

I can forgive Dad for not wearing a Tie o’ the Day to go goose hunting. Dad is the taller dude on the left. His hunting buddy is Joe Barney. They were friends from practically the minute they were born, and it shook Dad horribly when Joe died far too soon. This slide is undated, but a safe bet would be that it was snapped in the mid-50’s.

See how Dad and Joe apparently mesmerized the geese into letting the mighty hunters tromp right into their little geese gaggle. Golly! It’s as if the geese practically leapt up into Dad’s and Joe’s hands. See how the geese look exactly alike. If I still hunted, this is how I’d do it. But I’d be wearing a bow tie while I hunted. One of my camo bow ties, of course.