One of my Birthday-in-May folks is my nephew Duane Joseph Pfister, my brother Jack’s youngest son.  He has lived in Irvine, California, for many years and telephones me for a nice, long conversation occasionally.  I hear he reads this column.  Hello, Duane.
     Then, there is my wonderful niece, my sister’s daughter, Suzie Burke. It has always surprised me that the shy little girl who hid behind her mother’s skirt when they came to visit me grew up into such a self-confident, smart business woman.  She took over the business started by her father and has made it even more successful.  And, when I see her coming, I know we will have fun.

Suzie at a recent Christmas party

     May 1 was a beautiful day with sunshine, blue sky, and warm enough to lure me out of the house to pull chickweed for an hour…after which I came in for a two hour nap. That was a very satisfactory way to spend a day.

     May 2.  Weather unsettled.  Small patches of sunshine, mostly drippy skies. Temperature took a drop, but it is still warm enough to go out without a  sweater.  Dan called to tell me about their pink snowstorm which happened when a breeze sent  the spent blooms from their Kwanzan cherry tree fluttering to the ground.

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     From Ken and Kat, Nordstrand cousins who live in International Falls, Minnesota, a charming story they knew I would enjoy:

     An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.
     He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head; he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.
     An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.
     The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.
     Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'
     The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

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     I liked this essay from Frank Withrow. I met Frank at Heather’s wedding to his nephew,Thomas.  We have been e-mailing ever since.  He was part of the U S Department of Education for years and was instrumental in getting Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers on public television.

Worldwide Ambassadors of Good Will and Peace
Frank B. Withrow, Ph.D.

     Forty years ago on November 9, 1969 Big Bird and the Sesame Street Gang appeared on television screens for the first time. These unlikely ambassadors are now viewed in 140 nations and co-produced in a number of different languages and local settings relevant to their viewers. From Germany, Ireland, India, France, Mexico, China to Africa the Sesame Street gang brings literacy, health and joy to young viewers.  In some instances the Sesame Gang may be the only education a young child will receive.
     These unofficial diplomats are the very best we offer other nations. They establish a foundation of knowledge and good will among the young that provide a foundation for peace.  They stimulate literacy and knowledge among the young.  They meet the young at their own level of interactions with the wider world. Big Bird and Elmo reflect the needs  of young children. The magic of the Muppets and the creativity of the Sesame producers capture the hearts and minds of young children everywhere.
     The vision, imagination and creativity of Joan Ganz Cooney, the originator of Sesame Street has over the last forty years enabled talented and creative people to produce programs that reach the hearts and minds of children around the world. When the full history of Sesame Street is written it’s international impact may be it’s most important legacy. The gift of Big Bird, Elmo and the Gang to the world may be the most important thing the United States has done in the last forty years.  The good it does will outlast our financial aid and wars because it is building in the minds of children a world of knowledge and good will.
     To open the mind of a child to the knowledge enables them to be good citizens of the world and to fulfill their own unique contributions to mankind.  Big Bird, Elmo and the Street Gang are especially adept at relating to children all over the world.  Big Bird and Elmo are every child’s cohort exploring the wonders of the world.
     Sesame Street is a combination of private, public and corporate partnerships that reach around the world.  Sesame Workshop is a truly international effort that brings the best of early education to millions of children.
     The success of Sesame Street is due to the vision and managerial talents of John Ganz Cooney who has been able to bring very talented people from the late Jim Henson, Samuel Gibbons Jr. and others to the table and allow them to create these resources.
     The unofficial diplomats of Sesame Street may be setting the stage for the future because they are working with the youth of the world. Will Big Bird, Elmo, Bert or Ernie inspire the leaders of the world of 2025 or 2035?
     It’s a small world.

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     It's been more than a month, now, since Vern passed on, and I'm picking up the threads of my own life, which seems to make it a little less difficult for me.  I'm writing, again, also, the book that has been in the works for so long now is finally ready for the final edit.  It will probably still be awhile, since, after it is finally cobbled into shape, they will apply for a grant to take care of the publishing costs.  I'm not holding my breath waiting for the final product, but it is something pleasant to think about.

     This afternoon the sun is shining and it looks so inviting that I am going outside where I can sit and cut up some of the prunings John did yesterday from the forsythia (through blooming now) and a run-away flowering quince... it was cut to the ground last year and that just spurred it on to major growth. There is a fine pile of slim branches and twigs for me to work on.

     A couple of days after I started cutting up the prunings from the forsythia, Hildy did some tidying on the hydrangea, at my request.  I had her add those cuttings to the forsythia pile and later spent a happy half-hour cutting long ones into ones short enough to fit into our yard waste can.  When I went in to fix myself a bite to eat, I was feeling a fine sense of accomplishment and could hardly wait to get back out to do more.  When I opened the door to go out….. there was one of my wonderful, helpful neighbors, just putting the last of the pile into the can… my work all done for me. What could I say but Thank you?

     May 14, Vern’s cousin Helen, with whom I have corresponded for the past 65 years, passed away.  She and I became fast friends through letters.  I will miss her very much.  Her letters were always full of family news and good cheer.  Vern and I stopped in Hudson, Wisconsin, in 1979, when we took our long automobile  trip across the Trans-Canada highway to Prince Edward Island, then down through the New England states and home across the northern U. S.  That was my first meeting with her.  Then, about 10 years ago, she came out and spent a week with us. Not a whole lot of personal contact, but I counted her a best friend…
     The world is a lonelier place without my Vern, and, now, Helen.

     I am finally able to write, again.  I sent this one to HistoryLink.org and got a response that they plan to put it on the website.

DANDELIONS

     Many years ago, in 1852, Catherine Broshears Maynard brought the dandelion to Seattle as it was well regarded where she came from for its medicinal prowess. She and her husband, David (Doc) Maynard used it to keep Seattle folks healthy.  Dandelion tea was a popular tonic of the day.
     Over time, the dandelion has changed from being a welcome, useful plant into the pesky weed we view it.
     My Swiss Grandmother lived in Monroe, and when we went to visit her in the Springtime, we three kids were sent out with paper bags to gather dandelion flowers wherever we could find them.  She used the blossoms to make her favorite dandelion wine.
     At home in Seattle, Mom sent us around the neighborhood offering to pull dandelion plants from any yard where we saw them so we could bring them home.  She would remove roots and flowers, carefully wash the leaves and we would have them, cooked with a little sugar in the water and sprinkled with a bit of vinegar, for dinner. We knew them as Spring Tonic. We could find the healthy greens in neighboring yards long before the spinach in our garden was available.
     On my way to the grocery store recently, my eye was caught by a yard where dandelions had taken over.  The green lawn had been polka-dotted with the brilliant yellow blossoms to a point where very little green still showed.
     Seeing that field of bright yellow flowers thrust me straight back into my early childhood.  Both my Mom and my Grandmother would have rejoiced to see it. I was reminded, again, that the value of so many things depends on one’s point of view.  One person’s pest plant can be another’s source of healthy food or a favorite wine.

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(Note from John)

Hi All;

We now have confirmation that Mom's Grandfather Gregor and Grandmother Regina Josephina came from Tuggen Switzerland.

John

Tuggen

     The Christmas party that was scheduled for December 17 of 2008 and was postponed because of snow, was held May 17th at History House.  I had a wonderful time, even though I wasn't feeling as well as I would like to.  Being with family is always an upbeat experience for me. I got awfully tired, though.  When Hildy and Dan brought me home, I went right from the back door to bed and slept most of the night, for a change..

     There are so many things that HAVE to be taken care of that I don't know how anyone without a great family like mine could ever get through it.  Nan and I worked at it all day, again, today.  I mistakenly thought that, since we had put everything into joint accounts, it would be easy.  All the red tape zeroes out that idea.  All the joint things have to be closed and a new account set up in my name.  I guess I should be glad there are so many things to take care of... I won't run out soon.

     On one of his Wednesday visits, John was busily at work cooking dinner for us when my old kitchen range made a most peculiar sound and, as the old saying has it, “gave up the ghost”.  Not fazed, he finished getting our meal with the microwave.
    Paul showed me the next day that it was surely time to replace the old stove.  It has been part of our kitchen since 1952 and its wiring was brittle with grease.  We were lucky not to have had a nasty fire.  He and I visited Sears and I now have a much smaller, simpler range to deal with.

From Nan:

Note from Heather on the East Coast:

Hi Mom, Dad, Gma-
We did something really cute at the spur of the moment and perhaps at  the expense of Luna.  We were at the KOA campground at Harper's Ferry,  WV over the weekend and got home yesterday.  Tasia and I went to one  of the halls on the campground where they were hosting a dog fashion  show.  I borrowed a doll's dress (which happened to come off a stuffed  dog doll) and it fit Luna perfectly.  There were 6 dogs in the fashion  show and Luna was #6.  I had Tasia be Luna's handler as I'm sure the  judges would find Tasia cuter than her mom. Each handler walked their  dog from one end of the room and back, in front of the audience.  When  it was Tasia's turn, she started out with a walk and broke out into a  run to one side of the room and back toward me.   I enjoyed all of it  and darn it, I didn't take a picture!  Luna won 2nd place. (I'm sure  it would've been 1st place if the judges had a better look.)  She won  a Tennis Tail doggy toy that is half her size.  Tasia enjoyed all the  attention, I'm sure.

I did take a picture of Luna in the dress and I'll e-mail that soon.

Hugs,
H

     One of those silver linings from a dark cloud happened this week.  Out of the “long ago” came a note from Shirley Poterbin, now Smith, who was John’s Prom date when they graduated from Roosevelt High School in the mid-1960s. She now resides in California.
     The summer of 1969, John traveled solo all over Europe with a backpack and Eurail Pass.  Shirley and I became very good friends sharing the letters and tapes he sent home.  Then, as they drifted apart, I lost track of her.  When she sent me a note of sympathy recently, it really touched me deeply.  We are now e-mailing as friends.

Thought for the day:
     “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”

Helen Keller

Dixie/Dorothea, Senior Editor

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