My list of birthdays for November is short but important. Husband Vern and Anne Wangeman. There may be some in Florence's branch of the family, but my reporter for that family is presently in Fiji.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO VERN AND ANNE

November was the birth month for my brother, Jack, and my brother-in-law, Joseph R. Burke, both no longer with us.

Graduation picture in 1925

     Jack was born in Merrill, Wisconsin, November 5, 1907 and was just a year old when the families (Pfisters and Gierhofers) came west. The Pfisters then were Joseph (Dad), Mary (Mom), and baby Jack. The Gierhofers, Mom's family, were Frank and Frances and their children; John, Ida, Rose, Anne, and Edward. Eddie was only two years older than his nephew, Jack. He used to tease Jack... telling him he was the boss... after all, he was the uncle!

    If you are interested in knowing more about these people who are our ancesters, check on the new postings to "Relatively Speaking".

    Please click on the new link in the left column to sign my new Guest Book - I'd love it if you'd leave a note!

    It's nearing the end of November and the days are getting short. Our favorite weather man, Steve Poole, says we will probably have snow in the next few days. For folks who live in other parts of the country, that isn't the big news it is here in the (usually) temperate Northwest.
     Some years ago, I got up at midnight one night and looked out our dining room window into a curtain of falling, swirling snow and sat right down and wrote the poem below. It has been published several times in local newspapers and once in the national magazine "Country Woman".

    MIDNIGHT SNOWFALL

As I stand beside my window in the silence of the night
I can see the swirling snowflakes turn my world to gleaming white.
I can watch the Master Artist work His magic all around
Putting snow-peaks on the fence posts, a white carpet on the ground.

Now the bird-house grows much taller as it adds its hat of snow
And the street light makes a glisten on the changing world below.
Barren branches look upholstered with white velvet everywhere
As the cotton flakes keep falling to disguise what's really there.

All the bushes become sno-cones and the trees wear whipped cream caps,
And the outdoor chairs look cozy with white cushions in their laps.
My neighbors' roofs are snowbanks standing tall against the sky,
While the chimneys are fat snowmen watching how the snowflakes fly.

It may be just a fancy but there's magic in the sight
Of a million swirling snowflakes in the quiet of the night.

-Dorothea Nordstrand-

    Mid-month, we had a phone call from Russ. He has a job in a ski chalet in Aspen, CO, which is about 30 miles from Carbondale, where he and Jana live. Some of it is night duty, so he will be able to make his long boards in his off time. Jana has added a part time teaching skiing job at Snowmass. Russ was excited that a local sport shop will be vending his boards, so it will give his "Tribal Hill" brand a broader showcase.

    Vern's birthday was spread around a little, this year. Dave was going to be out of town on the 15th, so he treated us to breakfast at the Blue Star before he went. Paul and Liz came by early, and left before the party started, so they missed out on the cake and "make your own" sundaes, but John, Nan, Hildy, Dan, Jeremy, Vern and I did very well for ourselves. We skimped on the number of candles on the cake, which should have been 87, but he didn't seem to mind. We had fun.

    We celebrated Thanksgiving with Hildy and Dan and their two sons, Jeremy and Jack. Dan did the turkey in his barbecue after they "brined" it overnight in a solution of citrus fruit, salt, sugar and some spices. It was wonderful.... tender and juicy. Hildy's dressing had the added punch of craisins (cranberry raisins). Jack stood stalks of asparagus upright in a Melita coffee maker and steamed them.... Ummmmmmm..... and Jeremy made enough mashed potatoes and gravy to feed us all with lots left over! We were so stuffed, we never got down to the pies (pumpkin and apple) so had to bring ours home..... along with enough left overs from dinner to do us for another day. Just the way it should be.
     Heather called home on the videophone, so she and her family don't seem so far away, though they couldn't be much farther without leaving the country. Heather, Thomas, and baby Skyler (our first and only, so far, great-grandchild) live in Maryland.
     John and Nan spent Thanksgiving with her Mom, Carolyn Sheldon, in Yelm. Dave and Anne celebrated with Jeff Ross and his family in Kamloops, B. C. Dave and Jeff have been friends since Dave was 15 and he and Jeff were both members of the Stevens Pass ski patrol.
     Paul, Liz and their crew had the day with her Mom, Betty Abbott, and Liz' brother Rob's family in Issaquah.
     I'm sure it was a good day for everyone. We all have lots for which to be thankful, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day!

Thought for theday.... A smile is the carnation in the buttonhole of life.

Dixie/Dorothea, Senior Editor

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