Karibu Kenya

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths that you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”  Though the origin of this quote is unclear, there can be no doubt that there are moments in life that do, indeed, take one's breath away.  If we are very fortunate we get to experience several of those magical moments during a lifetime.  One of those times for Mike and me was on a photo safari to Kenya and Tanzania. 

We had had to adjust our priority list for overseas trips.  We wanted to go to China before the new hydro-electric dam on the Yangtze River would irrevocably change the country; thus, a safari to Africa was pushed back three-and-a-half years.  But finally, in January 2008, our trip to Africa was to become a reality.

The Acacia is a thorn tree found across the Serengeti.  To us, it has come to symbolize Africa.

But after all the arrangements for the Africa trip had been made, the State Department cancelled all travel to Kenya because of the violence surrounding the Kenyan Presidential elections in December 2007.  We were horrified and saddened for the people of Kenya who were caught up in this tragedy.  Selfishly, we were also disappointed not to be able to make the trip because some opportunities come only once.  So when the travel company called to let us know that by early March they would be able to resume travel to Kenya we decided to go.  Fortunately, our shots were up-to-date and our visas were still valid. The group we were originally going with dwindled from 26 to 10; some dropping out because of time or work commitments; others because of concern over safety.  Yes, there were vestiges of unrest from the last several months of violence.   In Nairobi the hotel and grounds were beautiful, but we were requested not to leave the compound as a safety precaution.   At Lake Naivasha, over 5,000 displaced people were living in tent cities established by the Red Cross.  The Kenyans with whom we came in contact assured us that we were welcome and we truly felt welcome.  While we were in the country we encountered few other tourists, and no Americans, save our group of ten.  The tourists we met were primarily German and Australian.  In safari lodges built to accommodate 200 or more, there were usually no more than 15 or so guests.  Tourism is a vital part of the country’s economy; therefore people were suffering not only from the aftermath of the violence but also from the stagnant economy as few tourist dollars were being spent.  The Kenyans said the best help would be for us to tell others we felt safe and enjoyed our trip.  Both statements were very true.  More accurately, we were awed by the experience.

The pool at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi

 

Our room at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya

While in Nairobi we visited Karen Blixen's home (see our September 6, 2013 blog, Amazing Aviatrixes.)  We also had the opportunity to visit the Giraffe Center, established in 1979 to save the Rothschild Giraffe, when only 120 of these magnificent animals remained in western Kenya.

Rothschild Giraffe at the Giraffe Center.  These animals were very tame and friendly.

Leaving Nairobi, we headed northward to the Central Highlands where we crossed the equator and approached majestic Mount Kenya.  In the early afternoon we reached Samburu Lodge, some 220 miles (and rough miles, they were) north of Nairobi.  It is a semi -desert region in the rugged northern frontier.  What an amazing experience to observe the animals in such close proximity and with our “zoo mentality” it was also a surprise to see the various species mingling!

Crossing the Equator.  Water really does swirl in opposite directions
as it drains on the north side as opposed to the south side of the Equator.

 

At a lunch stop, we saw this little creature, the Hyrax, a small herbivore that looks like a rodent.
12 inches tall and about 10 pounds, it is (surprisingly) related to the elephant and to the manatee.

 

Samburu Game Lodge, our first overnight stop in the bush.  Our group of 10 were
the only Americans at this lodge, but there were about 6 or 8 others, all Germans.

 

Baboons were everywhere at this lodge.  They respected and stayed away from
the men but chased and were aggressive toward the women in our tour group

 

Herds of elephants graze in the bush.  Their red-ish color is from rolling
in the dirt to cool off and to get rid of insects from their hides

 

African elephants can be distinguished from Indian elephants by their ears.  The
ears of the African elephant are much larger and are shaped like the African continent.

 

Vervet Monkey.  These monkeys spend most of their time in trees,
venturing to the ground only in search of food and water.

 

The Dik-Dik is a species of deer, standing 14 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder
and weighing 10 to 12 pounds.  They are extremely fast.

At first I tried to keep track of what I was seeing on our early morning and late afternoon drives.  Typically, game viewing drives were just after daybreak and late in the afternoon when animals would be the most active.  The first day my notes reflect elephants in herds of 4 or 5, then 7 to 8, and then 30 plus, including one nursing baby.  Zebras in harems (small family units), then in herds.  Dik-Diks (a small deer-like animal), rabbits, several towers of giraffes, gangs of Cape Buffalo, numerous troops of  baboons, ferret monkeys, tree monkeys, herds of Impala, and Beisa Oryx (a species of antelope).  By the next day, the numbers were so staggering I just kept listing species.  We added herds of gazelle, warthogs (with babies…oh, so cute!) Reticulated giraffes, Grévy's zebra, Burchells zebra, gerenuks (a long necked species of antelope), water buck, even cheetah.  And birds ...Secretary Birds, Blue-Necked Somali Ostrich, Egyptian Vultures and on and on and on.  Amazing, SIMPLY AMAZING.  It was a wellspring of life!!!

 

Grevy's Zebra.  No two zebras in a herd have stripes exactly alike, and the stripes
on a zebra's left side do not exactly mirror the stripes on his right side

 

Reticulated Giraffe.  While silent, giraffes seem to somehow still be able to
communicate with the rest of the "tower", the collective term for a herd of giraffes.

 

Herd of elephants with the baby in tow, holding on to mom's tail with his trunk

 

The Gerenuk, a species of antelope.  The word "gerenuk" means "giraffe neck" in Swahili.  This animal
grazes on tree branches instead of on the ground, often standing on its hind legs to reach high branches.
 

 

The Cheetah, the fastest land animal in the world, can reach speeds of 70 mph (113 km/h)

 

Warthogs, members of the pig family, live in groups called "sounders"

 From Samburu we headed toward Mount Kenya National Park.  We stayed at the Serena Mountain Lodge known as the “tree-hotel".  This lodge is set in a forest reserve overlooking a waterhole and salt lick.  Sitting on the third floor balcony it is possible to watch herds of animals drinking at the waterhole.  As night falls, if you give the night steward a list of animals you would like to see, he will wake you up if any animal on your list appears at the waterhole.

Dozens of Cape Buffalo drink at the watering hole at Serena Mountain Lodge.  The foliage
in the center of the watering hole has been planted in the shape of the African continent.

Often incorrectly called "Water Buffalo", the Cape Buffalo of Africa is
not related to the larger Water Buffalo which lives in India

Animals observed here, in addition to those previously noted, included tree lions, large spotted genet, giant forest hog, and the elusive leopard.  Leopards are one of the most elusive animals to see.   Mike and I each had an opportunity to see one, though at different times.  Sometimes we would take different safari vans.  One evening, as my vehicle rushed homeward in the encroaching dusk (no one is allowed to be in the reserve at night, both for their safety and to curb the possibility of poaching) we had a tire blow out.  Usually if a driver/ guide had a problem he would radio another driver for assistance, but this close to dark, that wasn't an option.  The driver pulled marginally off the track and got out to change the tire, adamantly refusing help and ordering us to stay in the vehicle.  The only thing he wanted us to do was watch the leopard resting in the brush, barely 12 feet away!  The safari driver changed the tire with NASCAR speed while the leopard languorously stretched and yawned.  Apparently, the big cat had a big dinner and wasn't much interested in our activities.

The vans in which we travelled throughout Kenya.  The tops are raised for observing and
taking pictures and closed while travelling on roads.  Toyota makes these vans.

As we departed Mt. Kenya National Park, we saw the lodge where England’s Princess Elizabeth was vacationing in 1953 when her father died, and she became the Queen of England. 

Moving southward we traveled along the magnificent Rift Valley, 100 miles northwest of Nairobi.  We had an afternoon game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park.  This area is noted for vast numbers of greater and lesser pink flamingos.  Most importantly, this is one of the premier rhinoceros sanctuaries in Kenya.

The Rift Valley, the most fertile farming land in Kenya, stretches north to south down the entire country.



Pink flamingos by the thousands at Lake Nakaru

 

A rhinoceros at Lake Nakaru co-exists with a herd of zebras

 

Vultures feast on the carcass of an animal brought down by a predator

 

A plains zebra, one of three species of zebras in Kenya

 

Later that day we arrived at the Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge.  Here we took a boat ride to Crescent Island, a game and bird sanctuary.

Lake Naivasha Simba Lodge.  During our stay, we were the only tourists at this lodge.

 

Pelicans

A "pod" of hippopotamuses.  Hippos are social animals, sometimes living in groups of up to 30 animals.
Because they can get sunburned, they spend much of their lives submerged to their eyes in water.

From Lake Naivasha, we drove to the world-renowned Masai Mara National Reserve, considered to be the finest wildlife area in Kenya.  Here we stayed at the Mara Simba Lodge.  Sightings in this reserve include zebra, Thomson's gazelle, Defassa water buck, Masai giraffe, and wildebeest - - thousands of wildebeests.  Along the banks of the Mara and Talek Rivers, hippos and crocodiles fight for water rights.  Over 400 bird species have been recorded.  All the “Big 5” game - elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, and buffalo - can be found in this reserve.     It is also possible to observe jackals, hyena, bat fox, and various others species.

Crocodiles at the Mara River

Hippos in the Mara River.  They are perhaps the most dangerous animals in Kenya
and the crocs don't bother them.  A hippo can easily kill a crocodile.

 

The Spotted Hyena, Africa's most common large carnivore.  In addition
to being skilled hunters, they are scavengers.

 

A pride of lions lounging in the grass on a warm afternoon.  Note how close the
sightseeing vehicle in the background is.

  

This big lion walked up to our van and lay down in the shade of our vehicle, literally feet from us.

 

Yvonne calls this her "Hemmingway" picture of Mike

 

The Bat-Eared Fox weighs 7 to 12 pounds and is 18 to 26 inches long. 
Termites make up 80% of its diet

 

The Topi is among the most socially advanced of the antelope family, living in herds
of 15 to 20 animals.  Its black and purplish-brown markings are very distinctive

One way to observe this area is by hot air balloon.  Mike had an opportunity to do just that, taking off in the pre-dawn on a flight over the vast plains of the Serengeti to see many herds of animals.  During the annual Great Migration, wildebeests and zebras trek 1,800 miles across the Serengeti, crossing crocodile-infested rivers, sometimes a million animals moving at the same time, to reach water and greener pasture.

 

One of two balloons on our morning flight.  Note the chase vehicles in the background.  They served
a gourmet breakfast when we landed.  Our pilot was an American who has flown in Africa for years.

 

In a future installment, we’ll explore Tanzania, the other country we visited on our safari.

The balloons touch down just short of the Tanzania/Kenya border, to a waiting five-course gourmet champagne breakfast.  Aah, such is the stuff of  Road Stories.

Rob and Jackie, friends and co-workers, both nurses from Boston, who we met on this
trip and who were great travel companions.  Rob loved life and loved to travel.  Sadly,
Rob passed away in December 2013, much too young.  This blog is dedicated to him.

"...A Farm Lad From Missouri Found A Castle In The Sky..."

As a kid, whenever anybody in my family talked about “the Bishop” they were referring to my great-uncle, Christopher E. Byrne, the Catholic Bishop of Galveston, Texas.  My dad was named for his uncle, as is my older brother and his son, my nephew. 

 

Born in Byrnesville, Missouri on April 21, 1867, the fifth of eight children born to Patrick and Rose Byrne, both Irish immigrants, Christopher Byrne was ordained into the priesthood on September 23, 1901.   After six years at St. Bridget’s parish in St. Louis, Father Byrne suffered heart failure.  His doctors told him he had what they referred to as a "singing" heart and that he had only a short time to live.  He took a leave of absence and, accompanied by his mother, travelled to Texas, convinced he was going to die there.  Gradually, his health improved and he returned to Missouri, where he served in parishes around the state for another ten years. 

Bishop Christopher E. Byrne (1867 - 1950)

In July, 1918, Father Byrne was appointed by Pope Benedict XV to be the fourth bishop of Galveston.  When he went there, he was the only bishop in Texas who had no “official residence” – he lived in two rooms in the rectory of St. Mary’s Cathedral – but in 1923, all of the parishes of the diocese contributed to the purchase of the Greshem house at 1402 Broadway, to be used as the bishop’s residence and administrative offices.  The house, begun in 1886 and completed in 1892, was purchased from the widow of Colonel Walter Gresham, a prominent lawyer, businessman and Texas Congressman, for $40,500.  Bishop Byrne lived there from 1923 until his sudden death from a massive heart attack on April 1, 1950, just 3 weeks short of his 83^rd birthday.  Two of his siblings, unmarried sisters Ella and Mary, also lived in the home and served as official “hostesses” when the Bishop entertained or held functions at the house.  Mary preceded her brother in death; Ella, upon the Bishop’s passing, returned to Missouri and lived out the final few years of her life at my grandmother’s house. 
 

The Bishop's Palace, Galveston, Texas (photo courtesy of Galveston Historical Assn.)

Photography is not allowed inside the house.  All interior pictures are from post cards.
This was Mrs. Gresham's bedroom with bathroom behind it.  The house was built
with running water and flush toilets, a rarity in the 1890s

The music room.  The surround and the mantle of the fireplace are sterling silver.
The piano belonged to Bishop Byrne.  The portraits are of Col. and Mrs. Gresham



Parlor off the entrance hall.  Bishop Byrne used this room as his office.
In the rear, you can see the dining room, with chairs around the table.

Second floor hallway at the top of the staircase

The massive stone-and-steel structure, designed by acclaimed Texas architect Nicholas Clayton, soars three stories over a raised basement and is estimated to have cost $250,000 to build.  It is so well built that it withstood the “Great Storm of 1900” virtually unscathed, while the hurricane devastated much of Galveston Island.  “Gresham’s Palace” as the home was called when it was completed, was constructed from carved limestone (accented with red sandstone, red granite, and gray granite) and steel frame, making the exterior walls, including interior wood paneling, twenty-three inches thick.  The facade features elaborate carvings of people, plants, animals, and mythical creatures.  It has steep roofs and tall turret-like chimneys.  Stained glass windows, magnificent fireplaces (one lined in pure silver), wood floors, exquisite paneling of rosewood, satinwood and white mahogany, and a majestic octagonal forty-foot-tall wooden staircase distinguish the interior of the 7,500 square foot, 52 room home. Rare woods constitute much of the elaborate carved features throughout the house.  The mansion is currently valued in excess of $5.5 million.  The Bishop’s Palace is sparsely furnished today, and the pieces that are there are items that can be traced directly to either the Greshem family or to Bishop Byrne. 
 

Front steps and front door of The Bishop's Palace

Detail around the open front porch

Carved figures that were part of the architect's design

The house from street level

This building is on Sealy Street, immediately behind the Palace and is accessible from the back of
the property.  It served as the Chancery Office for the Galveston diocese.  Today it is a private home

 

 

 



Another view of the large, open wrap-around front porch



After the Church purchased the mansion, a second-floor bedroom was converted into a chapel where the Bishop could offer daily mass.  The Bishop’s Episcopal coat-of-arms was added to the exterior of the house; its motto is Nec Tiemo Nec Sperno (I neither fear nor despise).

The chapel on the second floor of the Bishop's Palace

Following Bishop Byrne’s death, his successor moved the administrative offices of the Galveston-Houston diocese to Houston.  (The diocese didn’t become an archdiocese until 2004.)  The former bishop’s residence fell into disrepair.  In 1963, the diocese opened the house to tours, with proceeds being used to fund the Newman Center, operating in the basement and serving Catholic students from the nearby University of Texas Medical Center.  Today, the Newman Center no longer occupies the basement, and the revenue from tourism is used to maintain the home.  Even so, the cost of keeping the mansion in repair is massive.  When we visited in October 2013, we learned that the roof needs to be replaced, and estimates for the re-roofing project are $2.5 to $3 million.
 

Architectural detail and view of a section of the roof.  Due to age, the roof now needs to be replaced.

The roofline from a distance

More architectural details

 

In 1970 the “Bishop’s Palace” as it had by then come to be known, was added to the National Register of Historic Buildings.  The American Institute of Architects has listed the home as one of the 100 most significant buildings in the United States, and the Library of Congress has classified it as one of the fourteen most representative Victorian structures in the nation.
 

Bishop Byrne's grave (large flat stone) in Calvary Cemetery in Galveston.  The
upright crosses mark the graves of priests of the diocese and surround the Bishop.



Close-up of the Bishop's grave.  The inscription, in Latin, includes
the Bishop's name and four dates: his birth, his ordination as a priest,
his consecration as the Bishop of Galveston, and his death.

 

I didn’t know Bishop Christopher Byrne; I was nine months old when he died, but my mother told me that I was the last baby that the Bishop ever baptized, while he was in Missouri visiting family in the summer of 1949.  “The Bishop” never returned to Missouri after the summer of 1949.  He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, just a few miles from the home where he lived for so many years.  But he never forgot his Midwest roots and was once quoted as saying “I still can’t see how a farm lad from Missouri found a castle in the sky in far-away Texas.”

 

Admission charged.  For more information, visit   http://www.galveston.com/bishopspalace/

 

The Bishop’s Palace – an architectural masterpiece, a storied piece of history, and a very personal connection – all the elements that make for great Road Stories.

 

 

 

Meteor Crater

There is something freeing about seeing a sign on the side of the road and being able to turn off the highway to go explore.

 

In the fall of 2012 we made a trip with about two dozen other FROG (Forest River Owners’ Group) RVs and visited Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Albuquerque for the final few days of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta.  We camped for several nights at each of these locations, with additional nights spent in campgrounds as we travelled between the three main venues.

 

On the leg of the journey that took us along Interstate 40 from the Grand Canyon to Albuquerque, we stopped at all the tourist spots:  the Painted Desert; the Petrified Forest; Winslow, Arizona (remember the Eagles song, “Take It Easy”?); the Walmart store in Flagstaff.  (Okay, folks, let’s face it.  Though we prefer to do business with local merchants to get the feel of the area and support hometown businesses, for some reason, there is always a stop at a Walmart.)

 

The Painted Desert in Arizona

The Painted Desert

 

The Petrified Forest, Arizona.  This was once a tree; now it is solid rock

Cross section of a tree, now turned to stone

The landscape is strewn with pieces of petrified trees

 

"Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona" from the Eagles song "Take It Easy"
The "flat-bed Ford" referred to in the song is reflected in the window.
(photo from a postcard)

 

WAIT! ... STOP!    Mike has requested on more than one occasion that I refrain from yelping when I see something interesting so he doesn’t think we are about to hit something -- or get hit.  But about 40 miles east of Flagstaff, there it is!  Meteor Crater  è 6 miles declares the sign!  We take the next exit and stop at a gas station to fill up the truck and use the restroom.  Just behind the gas station is Meteor Crater RV Park.  Inside, they sell t-shirts with the Crater RV Park logo.  The trifecta of road trips:  gas, restroom and t-shirts!  Then off we go to explore the meteor crater, a waaay deep hole in the ground.

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt

 

In 1903, Daniel M. Barringer first hypothesized that the crater was the result of a speeding nickel-iron meteorite that crashed into the Arizona desert some 50,000 years ago.  In 1909, Mr. Barringer addressed the National Academy of Science at Princeton University, trying to convince them that the crater was the result of a meteor strike.  In the century since then, scientists have concluded that the crater was, indeed, caused by a meteor.   The resulting crater is 4,150 feet in diameter, 550 feet deep, and 2.4 miles in circumference.  By way of comparison, the Washington Monument is 555 feet tall; if it were set down into the crater, only the top 5 feet would stick up above the rim.  The force of the explosion from the meteor impacting the earth would have been 150 times the power of the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

 

Meteor Crater, 550 feet deep, 4,150 feet across to the far rim.

The Washington Monument is almost exactly as tall as the crater is deep

 

The sixty-story deep crater is an amazing sight - and an amazing site.  The crater has been used for scientific research.  From 1964 through 1972, the NASA space program used the crater for training Apollo astronauts.  (No, grandpa, they really did go to the moon.  Those pictures were not all taken here; they just trained here.)  As recently as 2010, NASA scientists were back at the crater for additional study.  The crater was also used in the filming of several movies including Damnation Alley (1977) and Starman (1984).

 

On the floor of the crater, barely visible, is a small shed that houses
a pump and other equipment.



NASA came here in the 1960s and 1970s to train astronauts

The crater and the surrounding area is presently operated as a private business, known as the Barringer Crater Company.  It has been family-owned since 1903 and is now operated by the fourth generation of the family.  It is well worth a several-hour stop.  One can walk partially around the crater on asphalt paths that are wheelchair accessible, see a film about the crater and its possible origin, visit the museum and support the gift shop with the purchase of collectible rocks and minerals – or, of course, more t-shirts.

 

The crater was formed 50,000 years ago when a meteor struck the earth

 

An admission fee is charged.  For more information visit www.meteorcrater.com

Meteor Crater, P.O. Box 30940, Flagstaff, AZ 86003

Postcard from 1911, from Yvonne's collection.  This card was printed about the time
that Mr. Barringer was trying to convince scientists that a meteor formed the crater.

 

 

 

We wish you a happy and safe New Year.  We hope that this will be your best year ever, and that whatever your dreams and aspirations, you will get a chance to fulfill them.  We've enjoyed sharing some of our adventures with you, and will continue in 2014 to bring you more Road Stories.

 

 

 

"...Soon It Will Be Christmas Day"

“A pair of Hop-a-long boots and a pistol that shoots is the wish of Bonny and Ben.  Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk is the hope of Janice and Jenn…”            
(It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas written by Meredith Wilson, 1951)

Christmas is the season of gifts.  The ultimate gift, of course, is God’s gift of His Son to the world.  But on a more plebian level it is a time that we humans take pleasure in giving and receiving gifts.  I recall years ago when Mike and I both spent hours on the phone (the internet hadn’t been invented yet) trying to locate Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon for the boys when Star Wars action figures were the “hot toy” one Christmas.  Much later, as an adult, Matt commented that he should have kept the Star Wars figures, as they had become worth more as a collectible than they were new.  (Hmmm... wonder what will become collectible from his kids' generation?)

There was also the monkey with the velvet jacket.  As a kid, I received a stuffed monkey as a gift from my maternal grandparents.  The monkey was wearing satin trousers with red suspenders and a black velvet jacket that my grandmother made for him. Years later, my cousin Karen confided to me that she had really wanted that monkey, not the doll that she got from grandma and grandpa that year.  It took us a couple of years of looking, but in an antique store in Cape Girardeau, high on a top shelf, Mike did, indeed, find another monkey (Ouch!  A toy from my childhood should not be in an antique store…not yet, anyway.) and we gave it to Karen for Christmas several years ago.  The monkeys are not exactly alike – Karen’s has a banana in his hand and doesn’t have a black velvet jacket, but, hey, you didn’t think I was going to give her mine, did you?  You know I would still have mine.  I mean, I love my cousin, but Mr. Monk has been with me for…well, for a very long time.

My monkey, styling in the outfit that my grandma made for him

For some households, the aroma of warm freshly baked cookies signals Christmas.  Not so at our house.  Mom doesn’t bake.  (One year she called me and wanted to know if I was “warped” because she never baked cookies.  I assured her that if I was warped – and I’m neither confirming nor denying that I am - it had nothing to do with her not making me cookies.)  What she does, however, is knits, and she knits beautifully.  Indeed, I have a treasure trove of wonderful hand-made ski sweaters.  Each year, I receive a “brown paper package tied up with string” containing a new sweater. Mom’s hand-knit sweaters are beautiful, they are warm, and they are a tangible expression of a mother’s love.  (And, of course, they are some of my favorite things.)  Even as I sit and write this, I’m wearing a sweater knit in a pattern with sheep on the front.  Mom made this sweater from the pattern for a sweater owned by Diana, Princess of Wales, at the time she married Prince Charles.  I’m burrowed under an afghan knit in a gorgeous aqua shade, and I feel like I’m wrapped in love, because I know that each stitch was created with unconditional love, and I’m warmed inside as well as outside. 
 

Mom made all of these sweaters.  This one is made from the pattern of one of the
sweaters owned by Diana, Princess of Wales, when she married Prince Charles

 

Reindeer in a wonderful winter pattern

Irish Fisherman's Sweater.  Imagine the hours of time
and effort that went into creating this piece by hand.  

The earth and the sky, another hand-knit sweater from my mom

 My dad’s traditional gift to me for a number of years has been a piece of handcrafted turquoise jewelry.  Years ago, my folks met a Navajo woman at the train station in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she was selling her jewelry creations on the station platform.  For many years after that meeting, dad designed (OK, designed might be too strong a word – let’s say “envisioned” or “imagined”) a piece of jewelry.  Betty Yellowhorse would craft it out of silver and turquoise and mail it to him.  Over the years, while I was still teaching, I always wore one of those pieces when I would have to attend a conference or meeting that had the potential to be difficult or tense.  I could simply touch my bracelet or necklace and feel a sense of calm from the smooth stone.  For no matter how adversarial that moment might be, that piece of jewelry was more than just silver and turquoise.  It was a touchstone that transported me to a world where I was loved.

 

One-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry that dad had Betty Yellowhorse create for me
over the years.  All are sterling silver and turquoise; many include U.S. coins.
The large necklace above features one coin from each year that I taught school.
 

Over the years, Mike has given me many thoughtful gifts, from a pretty sapphire bracelet to the grandfather clock that stands guard in our living room.  But the most important and lasting gift that he has given me is laughter.  He has a gift for puns, a quirky sense of humor, and the ability to see humor or irony in the most unlikely moments or situations.  He has always teased me about “saving me” from being a “spinster schoolmarm.”  I would never admit it, but perhaps there is a bit of truth to that.  (But don’t tell him.)  Thanks, honey, for the patience [no, I still haven’t found the three pairs of scissors I lost last week], love, and laughter.

December is a gift of love, and I would be remiss not to congratulate my parents on nearly seven decades of love as they celebrate their 65^th wedding anniversary this month.  They were married on December 18, 1948.  Happy anniversary to a couple who are still holding hands after all these years.

Happy anniversary to my parents, Dorothy and Tracy,
still holding hands after 65 years.  We love you!

So, as we travel – and we do love to travel – for me, all roads lead back home at Christmas.  From our home to yours, we wish you a blessed Christmas and the hope that 2014 will be your best year yet.  We’ll be back in the new year with more Road Stories.



Home for the Holidays

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from
Yvonne, Mike, and Sophie, the little white dog