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Show THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 12 February PLACE cont. from page 11 pen. Afier the chores were done, I hurried to the Aunt Maggie was helping my sisters prepare supper. Mother was in bed and Grandmother Ritter was sitting beside the bed. Mother called to me and said. “After you have had your supper, I want you to go with Aunt Maggie and stay at grandmother’s house.” “But mother,” I said, “I want to stay with you.” She put her arms around me and said, “Will you please do this for me and I’ll have a surprise for you in the morning.” I couldn’t resist her, so I tearfully told her that I would. She assured me that she would be alright and that I was not to orty. At the Ritter house, Aunt Maggie read stories to us and it would have been a wonderful evening for me had I not been worried about mother. We went to bed early and I had a difficult time going to sleep. I thought seriously of slipping out of the house and going home but I knew mother would be cross with me. Next morning I was anxious to get home but my aunts insisted that we have breakfast before we eft. I took some comfort from the fact that my older sisters were not worried about mother. When the word came for us to go home, I ran all the way and was relieved to see mother well and happy. She asked me, “Have you been a good boy?” I told her that I had. “Here is your surprise,” she said. She turned back the blanket and there on her arm was a beautiful little baby girl. I was so happy I didn’t even think to ask her where it came from. Our home was located on an erosion remnant that had its beginning in Lake Bonneville days. When the prehistoric lake occupied the Valley, sediments were carried by the streams and deposited on the lake bottom. After many years, the sediments were hundreds of feet thick, and the lake bottom was comparatively level. When the water of the lake broke through the mountain at Red Rock Pass in Cache Valley, north of Preston, Idaho, the lake dropped several hundred feet in a short period of time. The water drained completely out of the Valley and left the sediments to the mercy of the river. Over the years, the rivers cut their way down through the sediments and left many different landforms, river valleys, promontories, bays. and peninsulas as shown in the map of Pineview Reservoir. Our home site, like the little cemetery in the sheep pasture, was made of clay deposits and was not subject to rapid erosion like the surrounding area so our home was well above the water table. South of our house, the hill rose sharply and was fifteen or twenty feet above the level of the house. From the top, the hill sloped southward to the railroad tracks and the sloughs. Because it faced the south and had good drainage, it made an excellent feed lot and corral for the flock of about two hundred head of sheep, my father kept at all times. The outbuildings were a strange collection, all of which were necessary for the operation of a large ranch. The machine shop was the envy of most Ogden Valley farmers. In this building could be found all of the tools needed to keep the horses well shod, including a forge. Included in this equipment were drill presses, power saws, plumbing and carpentry tools, and grinders to sharpen binder and mower knives. Most of the tools needed to perform any repair job could be found in our machine shop. At the age of ten years, my brother Jim undertook the task of building a house. The house was built from scrap lumber and packing boxes. My brother was very talented in carpentry work, mechanical work and, later on, in electronics. North of Jim’s house stood the bunkhouse. This building provided sleeping quarters for the hired men who worked for my father. The house contained a stove and two double beds. It was warm and cozy even in wintertime. Mother and my sisters cooked three meals each day for nine family members, several hired men, and assorted travelers and friends my father brought home to the table. A large barn stood on the last section of the lot. In this building, we stabled several teams of horses that were used for hay nd grain deliveries in Ogden. We could also store seventy five or a hundred tons of hay in the barn. The horses were stabled in the basement and the feed was stored upstairs. This barn was also the big top where the kids of the neighborhood produced the circus on rainy holidays like Easter. In the spring, the hay level in the barn was low and we could feature such acts as walking the high wire. In place of the wire, we walked the beams high above the ground. For the high trapeze, we used ropes and pulleys that were standard equipment in any hay barn. If we fell, so what! We fell on several feet of sweet smelling meadow hay with no ill effects. The circus featured clowns and wild animal acts using dogs and cats. All of this, along with the pink lemonade provided by mother, made it a day to remember. It was understood that if the weather was good on Easter, we hiked to the mountains to picnic and gather wild flowers. If it rained, we produced the circus. I cared not whether it was “Rain or Shine,” either way was memorable. South of the horse barn, divided by a drive way wide enough to allow a lode of hay to pass, was the cow barn. Here, we stabled several milk cows. We did not sell the milk but used it in the manufacture of butter and cheese. The skim milk was used to feed the pigs that would be slaughtered in the fall. The sheep shed was located west of the cow barn on the hill. The sheep were driven into the shed each evening to protect them from coyotes and stray dogs. To see that the sheep were fed and locked securely in the barn was one of my early responsibilities. It was fun to climb up on the haystack or lie on the sweet smelling hay in the warm March sunshine. I liked the excitement of shearing time. My job was to stomp the wool in the big wool Pp MOFFETT ble was. She put her arm around me and said, “Will you do something for me?” I wiped away the tears and said, “Yes.” She said, “Don’t worry about me, I’m alright. A little pain in the tummy is all. I want you to get your chores done as soon as you can. After supper I'll have another job for you. Put on your coat and boots as I think it is going to rain.” I put on my coat and boots and headed for the barn. The wind was blowing and a storm was rolling in from the southwest as I climbed into the barn. My brother, who was feeding the horses, shouted at me, “Howard, get the cows into the barn before it starts to rain.” Through the cracks in the roof, I saw a great flash of lightening followed immediately by a shattering clap of thunder. I ran out of the barn and headed for the first gate. The railroad ran between our corral and the pasture so I had two gates to open. As I reached the first gate, a great flash of lightening struck a railroad power pole. The clap of thunder almost knocked me down. I was so frightened, I ran back to the barn and climbed into the hay loft. Everywhere, flashes of lightening and thunder shook the barn. My brother shouted again, “Get the cows in the barn before they get wet.” Thoughts of my mother gave me courage. I ignored the lightening and thunder and dashed for the first gate and opened it. I expected to be killed at any moment. I crossed the tracks and opened the second gate. The cows were as anxious to get into the barn as I was to get them there. They dashed past me into the corral where my brother waited with the barn door “= 1, 2006 sacks suspended from the rafters. Once in the sack, I was a prisoner until about fifty fleeces had been stomped into place and the level of the wool rose in the sack to a point where I could escape. Even though the sheep were cut and bleeding, they seemed to enjoy being undressed by the shearers. My father was a hay and grain contractor and supplied many industrial firms in Ogden with feed for their animals. There was a need for a highway weighing station so that my father, as well as other farmers, could weigh their loads on the way to market. My father had the scales installed and it fell to mother to operate them. Poor, overworked mother had to leave her work many times each day to weigh the loads. She would weigh the load, place the weighbill in a tin box with a long handle, and hand it up to the driver. The charge for her service was ten cents which was delivered to mother via the tin box. Another important building was located close to the back door of our home. At one time, this building had been a part of the house and served as a kitchen. This building was pulled away and a new kitchen built in its place. The old building served as a utility room where we stored wood and coal for the winter fires. The attic contained “beautiful junk” that the family could not throw away. This was also home of our two dog friends—Shep and One wintry day, Maude, Annie, and I were working in this building loading buckets of coal and boxes of kindling to keep the stoves in the house roaring. Maude and I, because we were older, pushed as much of the work onto our younger sister as we could. This day she rebelled and refused the program we had laid out for her. We tried to reason with her to no avail. Maude threatened her with “T’ll tell mamma.” Usually this was enough to get Annie back on the track but this time she was determined. Anticipating Maude’s next move, she reached down and got a handful of coal dust and when Maude’s mouth was opened wide in the cry “MAMMA,” Annie popped the coal dust in her mouth. Maude was stunned for a moment and then a spasm of coughing and sneezing seized her. She rolled on the floor trying to clear her mouth and throat of the dust. Annie was enjoying the performance. I was frightened. I did not want to involve mother so I ran and got a cup of water and threatened to throw it in Maude’s face if she did not shape up. MOFFETT PLACE cont.on page 13 Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. Wolf Creek Resort Proudly Send payment with mailing address to: THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS O BOX 13 EDEN UT 84310 Presents The Second Annual Fine Art Music Festival February 17-20, 2006 The following events will take place in the Wolf Creek Resort Clubhouse. Friday, February 17 Artist Reception - 7:00-9:00 pm Don't Miss The 2006 President's Day TET Robin’s Roost 2 building lots een Open House =“ Saturday Feb. 4 Julie Brandt, Robert Call, David Fantle, Lynn Federspiel-Young, Jerry Hancock, Steve Johnson, Garry Mealor, Desmond O'Hagan, Hadley Rampton, Marsha Rasmussen, Steve Songer, and Eric Zschiesche. Saturday, February 18 Art Show = 4:00-9:00 pm Music in the Rusty Cactus 4:00-7:00 pm 7:00-10:00 pm lake views. $370,000 each 1 to 4 p.m. in Tracks Featured artists: Bill Barber, Alison Benjamin, Doug Braithwaite, (1.6 acres and 1.76 acres) in the heart of Eden with beautiful Red Desert Ridin’ the Fault Line WA etiZs Saturday February 20th ¢ Live D.J. - 4:30-9:30 pm ¢ Torch Light Parade Viewing Parade begins at 9:00 pm ON Tron Will begin at conclusion of parade PRICED REDUCED! Liberty Gorgeous 4,900 sq.ft. home. Spectacular views. Wonderful architectural details and finishes. 4 BR, 3 1/2 BA. Partially finished In-law apartment would add anys: kitchen. A “must see!” Radford Hills Magnificent unobstructed views of Pineview & close to all recreation. $389,000 UTES Special Hors D’Oeuvres available Torch Light Parade and Fireworks www.wolfmountaineden.com Deck viewing at 9:00 pm Sunday, February 19 10 Acres Art Show - 4:00-9:00 pm Monday, February 20 Art Show - 4:00-9:00 pm WILKERSON FINE ART www.wilkersonfineart.com 801-745-9557 Wolf Creek Resort Clubhouse 3900 N. Wolf Creek Drive 801-745-3737 www.wolfcreekresort.com Lakefront! Once ina lifetime opportunity for open space on the Lake! Borders Forest Service land. $2,500,000 Contuy, Gage Froerer & Associates Layne.SI Patio Springs with beautiful views, fireplace in living room and master bedroom. $1,350 per month. ABR i |