Blast from the Past

While I was in Utah I spent a few days in Cedar City visiting my sisters. Things have really changed and grown. I've been writing my personal history and often think "I wish I had a picture to go with that." So while I was there we spent an afternoon and drove around so I could photograph some of the places that were significant to my growing up. Already some of them are gone, so I was happy to get these.

This was the Cedar Second Ward where I was blessed and attended church until I left home to enter the mission field. When I was growing up it had a beautiful stained glass window in it. That window was shattered in the 1950's when a jet from Nellis Air Force Base broke the sound barrier over Cedar City. I think the building still looks great!

This is the home where I grew up. The door wasn't red in those days, and there were no skylights in the roof, but it is still very much the way I remember it. The detached garage had an attic which was converted into our play house. Plenty of fond memories of that.

This is the hospital where I was born. The story is told that my father brought mother and me home from the hospital on Sunday morning. After getting us settled he set off down the street with his milk bucket to milk the cow they kept at a friend's place. It was about time for church to begin, and someone on their way to church mentioned to dad that they were to get a new bishopric that day. Dad said, "Well, tell them if they want a damn good bishop, I'll be it." On the way home, with his bucket full, church was just getting out. Several people stopped to congratulate him. He thought it was because of me. Later that evening he found out that he had been sustained as a counselor to the new bishop. What a surprise!

This is the old Rock Church where I was baptized. My kids think it is so funny because my dad didn't even go with me. My mom and I went together. Everyone who was baptized that day was baptized by Vernee Frame, and all of us were confirmed by Dean Forsyth. No special dress to wear (I think I went over in my little jeans and t-shirt. After all, you take those off and put on a little white jump suit, so what does it matter what you wear?!) No special program. No special dinner or treats afterward. BUT, I am baptized, and that's what's important.

These were my dad's sheds where we kept our pigs, our cow, and the sheep during the winter. I never learned to milk the cow, but I did know how to strain the milk, skim the cream and churn it into butter. When my dad was out of town he would find someone to milk the cow, but I would go to the sheds morning and night to feed and care for the animals.

This is the piece of property that I helped my dad clear for gardening. It is 55 acres and it was completely covered with sage brush. We used a tractor and a chain. My job was to wrap each bush with the chain and fasten it so my dad could pull it out by the roots with the tractor. It was some job! My dad had two sons, but one died as a child. After my brother Don left for college dad used his five girls to work the farm, move his sheep, and help him with his surveying. Four of us have survived. And that's a miracle!