'Last Man Standing' CNN.com - Picher, OK

Orval "Hoppy" Ray

I turned on my computer this morning and on the main Google page was the headline from CNN "Wake in a toxic town", I knew immediately it was about Picher, Oklahoma.

This is a great story about Hoppy Ray, one of the last remaining residents of Picher. His son moved him out of Picher while he was having breakfast at his favorite restaurant.

Also, Mickey Mantle grew up in nearby Commerce, OK. According to an HBO documentary, Mickey Mantle's dad worked in the lead and zinc mines. After work he would make Mickey practice so he wouldn't grow up to work in the mines and he didn't. Baseball fans are eternally grateful.

Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts is from Picher, OK. Have a great day. Love, Territory Mom Article about Hoppy: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/06/30/oklahoma.toxic.town/index.html?eref=rss_topstories More info about Tar Creek: http://ok.water.usgs.gov/tarcreek/ Great photos of Picher, OK from John Schehrer: http://schehrer2.homestead.com/ Other great photos from Daniel W. Coburn: http://danielcoburn.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/picher-oklahoma-tar-creek-superfund-site/

Our Newest Addition

That's her, the little black dot, running behind her mama. She was just 2 days old and her mama was keeping her hid.

This is a couple weeks later. Her mama brought her down for a visit. My little girl calls her "Grassy" because the mama hides her in the grass. Mama letting me know not to get too close.

It's hard to get a good shot when there is a coon hound trying to get your attention.

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Territory Mom

I Didn't Win the Made In Oklahoma Round Up Recipe Contest, Again

This was my third year to enter in the MIO Round Up Recipe Contest. This year I thought I might get a finalist award but no luck. One thing to remember about recipe contests is that someone else is going to make the dish using your instructions so they have to be precise.

So before submitting a recipe be sure and make it from your instructions not from your head. Also, have a friend make it before submitting it.

The recipe I submitted tasted great but I put the wrong size pan to use on my instructions so I'm sure the judges thought I was crazy. I'll share it with you later.

Have great day,

Territory Mom

P.S. Here are all the deserving winners: http://miocoalition.com/roundup09/winners_announced.asp

Do You Know The Kinders?

Are they Kinders?A few years ago I sat down with my grandma and we went through her picture box. We tried to identify the people in the photos. When we came across these two photos all she said was, "oh those are Kinders."

The Kinders (Ken-ders) are large family from Atkins, Arkansas. My grandma's people all came from this area. Some of her family names are, Barham, Willis, Brashear and Dunn. My great great grandma, Susan Margaret "Maggie" Brashear Dunn is buried in the Kinder Cemetery on Pope Mountain near Atkins. Maggie's mother-in-law Emily married a Kinder and is also buried in the same cemetery.

Is this Andrew Kinder?

Now, my grandma did think that the man pictured above was Andrew Kinder. He was the son of Emily Singleton Dunn Kinder and Adam Green Kinder. (I descend from Emily and her first husband James Dunn) For more info check out "Looking for Emily" http://oklahome.blogspot.com/2008/08/looking-for-emily.html

Andrew Kinder was married to my great great aunt, Lillie Barham. If you remember, Lillie's father was Tom Barham who was the photographer in Atkins, Arkansas. Which is why my grandma has a pretty good collection of photos.

Andrew Kinder is also the uncle of Ellis Kinder (the son of Andrew's younger brother, Ulysses). So Ellis Kinder's grandma is my great great grandma.

Ellis Kinder was a MLB pitcher for St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox. His nickname was "Old Folks" because he was a 31 year old rookie. He had a very distinguished and interesting career. Check out the websites below for more information about him or just Google him.

Ellis Kinder - Photo from ebay

I'm going to send the pictures to my new Kinder relative, Robert. I hope he recognizes the faces. I'll let you know.

Love,

Territory Mom

P.S. If you believe everything written in blogs and not is what is in the newspaper check this one out: http://mcns.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_archive.html

Other sources:

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/wiki/index.php/Ellis_Kinder

http://www.jmcl.tn.org/ellis_kinder.htm

http://www.thebaseballpage.com/players/kindeel01.php

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=kindeel01 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_Kinder

Aunt Belle Died

There is no good way to tell someone a family member has died.

My husband works away from home. He only comes home once a week, sometimes for only one night. It is good that he has work in Oklahoma except for the fact that it is on the other side of the state.

Last night he called and said he was going to take a shower and go to be early, so when his dad called about 8:00pm and told me that his sister, Belle had died I decided to wait until morning to tell my husband. I knew he was tired and I didn't want to wake him up. Big mistake. Based on his reaction I should have told him last night. She had been in a nursing home for years but it was still difficult.

He loved his Aunt Belle. His dad was a truck driver and was also away from home a lot, so his Aunt Belle would help with him and his three brothers. Aunt Belle was the only girl with six boys so taking care of four rowdy boys was nothing to her.

Aunt Belle was a fixture in the local town. Kind of a historic marker by herself. She ran the laundromat for years. There are several old washing machines and parts scattered around our land to prove it. She left her mark.

Aunt Belle was the family historian. She searched for her grandma's family for years. When I found them (McChristian's) I couldn't tell her but I told her daughter. Now Aunt Belle can get the whole story from her grandma, Rosa Bell. I hope they are having a great visit.

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom

Voices of My Family

Can you still remember the voices of your relatives that have gone on to heaven? I can remember voices of my family very clearly. I can hear my great grandma calling my grandpa's name. I can hear my grandpa's prayers.

Each voice of my siblings is distinct:

The free spirit - Every time I hear her voice my mind begins to imagine the places she has seen, the stories she has told of her adventures. We are with her on her journeys.

The teacher - She is following God's will. She is a lioness when it comes to her children and her students. I wish I had had a teacher like her when I was child.

The humorist - He always find the humor in every situation. He keeps it real.

The father figure - He is the voice of reason. He calms you and tells you, "this is what you need to do."

I hope you stay calm today and listen to the greatest voice of all, God's.

Love,

Territory Mom

Lake Okmulgee Dam Spillway Cascade

This is the spillway at the Okmulgee Lake Dam. Its located on Hwy 56 near Okmulgee and Dripping Springs Park. When it rains a lot here in Oklahoma my kids like to go see the spillway. I took these photos on Mother's Day. Can you here the raging water? If you were here you could feel a light mist on your face.

The dam and spillway were built by the WPA in 1940. It's on the National Register Properties in Oklahoma and is a National Historical Landmark.

When my husband was a kid he would go swimming here. During the summer after a much needed rain we have driven past it and seen lots of people swimming here. Believe me they are having fun.

For more information check out these sites:

http://www.touroklahoma.com/detail.asp?id=1+5U+5666

http://www.ocgi.okstate.edu/shpo/shpopic.asp?id=98001591

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom