The Foundation of Woody Guthrie - Windshield Oklahoma

   

I've driven by this location many times knowing it was the old homeplace of Woody Guthrie and his family.  I never notice the foundation until the recent clean up.  This is the view from 1st street, the front of the house. 
It amazed me when I saw this beautiful foundation.  It had generations of rumble, waste and neglect on top of it yet underneath was this beautiful native Oklahoma stone.

 

We all have a little clean up to do.  Underneath all the rumble is a beautiful foundation. Sometimes we just have to dig. Sometimes we have to dig hard.

One time I was working on something for my daughter.  She was getting frustrated with my ability. I told her I was doing the best I could, which she responded, "you can always do better".  I love it that my kids are smarter than me, well sometimes.

If you don't keep any of your New Year's resolutions that is okay.  Just keep working at it.  Always remember that underneath all that rumble and down to the native stone is a child who will do incredible things and influence generations.  It is your job, our job to keep building the foundation, keep it moving forward.

Love,

Territory Mom

 

P.S. The rebuilding of Woody Guthrie's childhood will be featured on Discover Oklahoma January 18, 2014. 

P.S. again:  Please forgive me if it sounds like I am rambling. I'm a mom, enough said.

 

Happy birthday, Ma! It was another Oklahoma tornado week.

My grandparents, Harold and Marie (Barham) Baker aka "Brother and Sister Baker" aka "Bake and Ma", cir 1964

 

Well, it is your first birthday in Heaven and I know you are relieved you don't have to go through the process of acting excited when you opened your presents.  You were a great actress.

Those new arrivals from Oklahoma on Sunday and Monday were due to those wild Oklahoma tornadoes that swept our state yet again.

I know you and Bake were excited to get some new church members.  I can hear you guys laughing and clapping upon their arrival.  Those sweet little children will be so thrilled to be in your children's church.  I can see the joy on their faces when they learn new songs and listen to your very animated Bible stories. 

What a fun VBS you guys are going to have this summer.

 

Love you, Ma.

Territory Mom

 

OKStrong

Newsok.com

 

Here We Are Again - OKC Bombing Remembered

I've been struggling with my words lately.  As you can see I haven't blogged in quite some time.  It has been one of those seasons, but I can't let today go by without a few words.

I turned 48 this week. A week of destruction, tragedy and memories.

It is hard to believe I was only 30 years old when it happened.  Each year I remember something new about that day and the weeks that followed. This year I remembered the interview of Rebecca Anderson's sister. I can't remember the exact words but her sister said that Rebecca really helped her to get her life on track, just helped her get it together.  Rebecca was the selfless nurse who had her husband drop her off at the site immediately following the incident so she could help.  She was fatally injured from falling debris. She gave her life to help others. Amazing woman.

 

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 

 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.   Revelations 21:1-5 (KJV)

 

I'm sorry I have no more words for today.

Love,

Territory Mom

 

For more information:

Oklahoma City National Memorial

Previous Posts:

Today Is Oklahoma's 911

We Will Never Forget

I Wonder

Holy Ground 

Windshield Oklahoma - Chasing Eagles

There is nothing more fun than an early morning chase.

Run, kids, run. 

 Where is he?

 

There you are

being chased.

Good morning, eagle.

 

Love,

Territory Mom

Saying Goodbye to Oklahoman John Ingle - General Hospital Style

John Houston Ingle

1928 - 2012

Photo source:  New York Times

 

Oklahoman, John H. Ingle died on September 16, 2012.  He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 7, 1928 to John Cisney Ingle and Myrtle Hoyle Ingle.  You know him as Edward Quartermaine the family patriarch in the long running soap, General Hospital.  I should have written about Mr. Ingle sooner but I was waiting for the soap to pay tribute and now it will.  Today's and Wednesday's episodes will pay tribute to the charachter, Edward Quartermaine.  Another reason I haven't blogged about this is that I have also been a little distraught over Steve Burton leaving the show.  I'll keep my misery to myself for now.

 

Now to Mr. Ingle.  His bio states that he was born in Tulsa.  According to Ancestry.com he was living in Wewoka with his family at age 2.  According to the 1930 census his father, John was a salesman for an oil company.  Remember your Oklahoma history the Seminole area and the entire Seminole County was in a major oil boom at this time.  John was the baby of the family with three older sisters, Mary Agnes, 15, Pansy Edith, 14 and Hattie Marie, 12.

Seminole

 

When John was 11 years old the family was living in Poteau in 1940.   I believe the family was there to be close to his grandmother, Mary Hopkins Hoyle who died in 1941.  While living in Poteau his father was a time keeper for the WPA.  From oil company to the WPA definitely a sign of the times.

When he was a teenager the family moved to Tujunga, California.  John attended Occidental College majoring in theater.  This is where he met his beloved wife, Grace-Lynne Martin. 

 

John and Grace-Lynne Ingle

 

His lovely wife predeceased him in February, 2012.

 

Occidental College yearbook photo from Ancestry.com

 

The above photo is blurry because you can not copy photos from ancestry.com so I took a picture of it.  You do what cha gotta do.  Anyway, Mr. Ingle was a English and drama teacher at Hollywood High before becoming an actor.  His students included, Richard Dreyfuss, Nicholas Cage, Barbara Hershey, David Schwimmer and many others.  Upon his retirement from teaching he became an actor and we are so thankful.  He played an onry character on General Hospital but in a comical and endearing way.  This creative Okie will be missed.

 

Goodbye Mr. Ingle.

Love,

Territory Mom

 

The Dust Bowl - A Film By Ken Burns

Hello fellow Okies!

Please don't forget to watch The Dust Bowl A Film By Ken Burns which begins tonight on PBS.  I know we have heard the stories from our parents, grandparents and others who lived through it, but watch anyway.  Ken Burns should do us justice.

 

Cousin Haskell Vest

 

I don't know about you but it is part of our history that I still love to hear and read about.  There is always a new story to hear.  You can check out the above link for interactive dust bowl, including photos, bios and more videos.

Have a great Sunday.
Love,
Territory Mom

P.S.  I don't mind being called an "Okie".  It is what I am.

Happy Birthday to My Mom

Here she is with Miracol on her face during a slumber party.  Merle Norman was new back then.  That is a roll away bed to the right.  To me they were so comfortable.

 

Here she is with a friend looking pretty as always.

 

On a picnic with her aunt and mom.  I think they stopped to eat on their way to a revival.

 

Here she is with her grandma, Mama Baker, her aunts and cousins.  Someone got in trouble for scribbling on this photo.  Did your grandma have a cloth picture of the Last Supper on her wall?

 

Here she is with her mom on Easter Sunday.  So pretty.

 

My mom shares her birthday with her great grandma, Mary Florence Webb Friels and her brother's first grandchild.  My uncle shares his birthday with my mother's first grandchild.  I know, so cool!  This is also the anniversary of her great grandparents, Charlie Dunn and Maggie Brashear Dunn. 

 

Family. 

 

Happy Birthday Mom!

Have a great day.

Love,

Me

 

For fun Check out my beautiful sister

Sister Baker Went To Heaven

Mamie Marie Barham Baker

May 21, 1921 - August 14, 2012

She entered Heaven's gates at 1:30 am this morning. 

 She was born Mamie Marie Barham in Comanche, OK.  She went by Marie or Sister Baker but to 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren she was "Ma".

  She was 4th daughter of John Jackson Barham and Nancy Pearl Emily Dunn Barham.  She had four sisters and two brothers.  On a Sunday morning in October of 1938 she married her beloved husband, Harold Jeff Baker.  They got married right after Sunday School class then went to the regular Sunday morning service.  They had three children, two daughters and a son.

Her husband preceeded her in death on April 20, 1998.  Her daughter Haroline Baker preceded her in death on October 2, 1940.  She was also preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Oleta, Johnnie, Ruth, Faye and her brother, Z.T. Barham.  She is survived by her brother, Donald Barham of Oregon.  She is survived by her daughter and son, 7 grandchildren, 12 grandchildren, many cousins, nephews, nieces and in-laws. 

Most importantly she is survived by the many children that she led to Christ through her ministry.  She was a pastor's wife.  A job she cherished.  She helped her husband through evangelism.  They held many revivals together.  She was a Sunday school teacher, children's church leader, a Missionette leader, a Women's Ministries leader, a song leader and church camp leader.  The most fun a child could have was attending Vacation Bible School with my grandparents.  They loved children and they loved it when a child accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

"This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine"

Brother and Sister Baker

Valentine's Banquet

First Assembly of God Church, Prague, OK

Yes, she will be missed but she was so ready to go home.  I wrote this post about her a couple of years ago.

She only knew two homes, Oklahoma and now Heaven.  Some might think they are the same, oh but they are not.

Goodbye Ma.  I'll talk to you soon.

Happy Grandma's Day.

Love,

Territory Mom

Sacred White Buffalo, Lightning Medicine Cloud Found Dead

Photo from:  Indian Country Today

This breaks my heart.  I first told about Lightning Medicine Cloud last year when he was born.  My article is here.

This sacred white buffalo calf was found dead at his home, the Lakota Ranch, Greenville, TX on April 30th.  His mother, Buffalo Woman, died the day after apparently she had been poisoned.  Sadly his father, Gentle Ben, had died a few weeks before but from a lightning strike during a storm. 

This is a tragic loss to everyone.  Such a beautiful creature being destroyed for his fur.

It was reported just this past March that a hunting ranch in Hunt, Texas was offering white buffalo hunts for a large fee.  After outrage from the Native American tribes the owner of the ranch said he would cease the white buffalo hunts.

From news reports the Texas Rangers are assisting with the investigation.

For more information check out this article from Indian Country and a video report with the ranch owner here from Yahoo News.

The 18th Annual Greenvillie Scholarship Native American PowWow is scheduled for this weekend at the ranch.  The ranch owner, Arby Little Soilder will still hold the powwow and it was already planned to be in honor of Lightning Medicine Cloud's 1st birthday.  For more information please check out the ranch's website, LightningMedicineCloud.

I Dreamed of a White Buffalo

Love,

Territory Mom

Today is Oklahoma's 9/11 - We Will Never Forget

It has been 17 years since Oklahoma shook and her world and her people changed forever.  We had our own 9/11 and it is 4/19.

The survivor tree from 9/11 was planted next to the OKC survivor tree at OCU yesterday.  I think that is fitting.  Go here for the video clip.

We all know how each of us are feeling today.  It still makes us cry and especially to hear the names of the victims being read.  I was trying to remember the song that all the radio stations played all the time after the bombing.  It's funny how each year something pops in our mind about that time.  I remember when I was shampooing a lady's hair a few weeks after the bombing.  She told me she was getting a new Lincoln.  She was so excited to tell me that a lady from OKC was buying her old one.  The lady buying the car worked downtown and her car had been damaged during the bombing.  (Can you see that image of the damaged cars?) She was going to buy another car just like her old one.  It brought a little normalcy back to her life.

I do look forward to hearing stories on the news about the victims and the survivors.  It is nice to know how everyone is doing and the legacies of the victims.

I'll leave you today.  Below is a link to last year's post that also includes links to previous posts about this tragic day.

I Wonder - 4/19

While we will forever remember this day and our fellow Oklahomans let us never forget this man.

Love you, Oklahoma,

Territory Mom

Chuck Norris on Oklahoma 1940 Census - All 1940 Census Images on Ancestry.com Online Today

Oklahoma 1940 census record, Ryan, Jefferson County, OK

From Ancestry.com:

We’re thrilled to announce that we just posted our first 1940 U.S. Census indexes online—two complete states, Nevada and Delaware.

This is only the start. You’ll also find every 1940 U.S Census image, all 3.8 million of them, online tomorrow morning (April 6, 2012). Check Facebook and Twitter @Ancestrydotcom for an announcement to know exactly when. And as we continue to update our collection, you’ll find more tools to help you make discoveries, including an enumeration-district finder and a FREE downloadable guide for locating your family in the 1940 U.S. Census images.

 There’s plenty more to come in the coming weeks and months as we continue to add indexes for more states. So stay tuned and spread the word: Ancestry.com is the home of the 1940 U.S. Census!
Search Delaware and Nevada in the 1940 Census now.

Search 1940 Census
 

While all of the 3.8 million census images are available on online it is a little difficult to find people.  This is why the indexing is so important.  I will let you know when each state index is complete.  That way you can search by name.  Right now you can view the images by state, county, city or town.  I'm been searching for my family.  I found my great great aunt, Mamie Dunn Barnett in Comanche, OK, my great great uncle John Friels in Loco, OK, my husband's great great uncle, Everett Guinn in Morse, OK.  Most importantly I found Chuck Norris on the Oklahoma census.  That is the image above.  He is listed in the 2nd family from the top.  He was born Carlos Ray Norris in Ryan, Oklahoma on March 10, 1940.  If you notice in the left margin the date "April 17" which I'm guessing was the date the census was taken.  He was born just in time to get his name out there to the world.

from official website of Chuck Norris

My husband and his brothers all have the same photo.  It couldn't have been the same pony, right?

Good luck with your searches.  If you need any help, just hollar.

Love,

Territory Mom 

My Grandpa's Birthday

From l to r:  C.H. Dunn, John Jackson Barham, Herman Paddock and Harold J. Baker

Source:  My California cousin

Today my grandpa (the preacher) Harold Jeff Baker would have been 94.  He was born on this day in 1918 in Loco, Oklahoma.  He called it "Loooooco".  His mother was a Friels and there were a lot of Friels in Loco.  Anyway, he died on April 20, 1998, which means my grandma has been in a very bad mood for 14 years now.

I was going to show you how he appeared on the 1940 census but Oklahoma is not available yet. 

This is how he appeared on the 1930 census:

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Name:	Harold Baker
Gender:	Male
Birth Year:	abt 1919
Birthplace:	Oklahoma
Race:	White
Home in 1930:	Loco, Stephens, Oklahoma
Marital Status:	Single
Relation to Head of House:	Son
Father's Name:	Jeff Baker
Father's Birthplace:	Texas
Mother's Name:	Ida Baker
Mother's Birthplace:	Oklahoma

Household Members:	Name Age Jeff Baker 36 Ida Baker 36 Harold Baker 11 Harshel Baker 10 Retha Baker 4 [4 10/12] Dimples Baker 2 [2 4/12] Florence Friel 66

A few more children showed up after 1930.  Until all of the 1940 census records are uploaded you can check out this map on Ancestry.com with photos from the era.

Also here is a link to my other posts about Baker/Friels birthdays and family.  It is only interesting if you are related to me or just like old photos.

Have a great day and happy birthday, Bake.

Love,

Territory Mom

My Front Yard

This is what we saw Tuesday evening.  God always let you know that He's got your back.

Skywatch Friday

Have a great weekend.

Love,

Territory Mom

Skywatch Friday - Climbing Mountains

This is a big mountain to Redbird.  It is actually the pond dam.  She climbs up it pretending to be a Kentucky Mountain Horse.  I love that this is the only place she has lived and she can use her imagination all day.  I'm not sure why she is giving me that look though.

For more beautiful "sky" photos check out Skywatch Fridays.

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom

The House That Built Whitney - New Hope Baptist Church and The Drinkard Singers

New Hope Baptist Church, Newark, NJ from Chron.com

On the site of New Hope Baptist Church, Newark is this scripture:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,

 thoughts of peace, and not of evil,
to give you an expected end

Jeremiah 29:11

As you know Whitney Houston began her musical career at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark and this Saturday her family and friends will say goodbye to her in the same church.

New Hope began as a mission in the home of Addie and Maggie Vine and elected its first pastor, Rev. Jesse Williams in 1903.  

Sometime between 1920 and 1930, John Drinkard, Jr. and his wife Susan moved their family from Georgia to New Jersey.  John was Native American and Susan was part Dutch and part African American.  The name "Drinkard" means the running of water.  One of their children was Nitcholas A. Drinkard, "Nitch" and he married Delia McCaskill and together they had eight children.  Nitch wanted his children to be gospel singers and in the late 1930's four of the children began singing at New Hope as the Drinkard Four.  The group consisted of Emily Drinkard (later known as Cissy Houston), brothers, Nick and Larry and sister, Anne.   Older sister Lee, managed the group.  Lee, later became the mother of singers, Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick.  As the group expanded to include sister, Marie and Judy Clay (Lee's adopted daughter) they became known as the Drinkard Singers.

They became the first gospel group to sing with Mahelia Jackson when they performed together at the National Baptist Convention in the early 1950's. In 1957 they became the first gospel group to sign with RCA.  Over the next few years the group made changes and became known as the Sweet Inspirations.  They sang with the Warwick sisters, Elvis and Aretha Franklin and it all started at New Hope. There should be a movie about them.

You can listen to the group on youtube.com or go here.  I promise you will be lifted up.

Now when I was searching videos about New Hope I found one that included our own Oklahoma child, Gwen Guthrie.  I first wrote about Ms. Guthrie, here.  She was born in Okemah and shares a birthday with Woody Guthrie, July 14th.  I have to send you to youtube again at this link so you can listen to Ms. Guthrie singing "How Great Thou Art" at New Hope.  She is the one at the podium with the choir being led by Whitney's aunt, Anne Drinkard Moss (red robe).  This video is before 1999 because Ms. Guthrie died in 1999 at the tender age of 48.

Wouldn't you just love to go to New Hope and listen to all the beautiful music? 

During news reports I've seen New Hope's pastor and I thought to myself, "what a compassionate man" and so I had to learn more about him.

The current pastor, Rev. Joe A. Carter is only the sixth pastor in the church's history.  In 1980, Pastor Carter told his father, Rev. Henry B. Carter, Sr. that he had the desire to preach the gospel and so on March 16, 1980 at the tender age of nine, Joe A. Carter gave his first sermon in Oklahoma City, OK.  It was from Gensis 1:1; entitled "The Magic of God".

You can find out more about Pastor Carter from New Hope's website.

As Christians we know Whitney is in a better place and you know she'll get to sing all the solos in her new Angel Choir.

Goodbye, Whitney,

 . . . you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 28:20

Love,

Territory Mom

The Drinkard Singers 

Allmusic.com-Drinkard Singers

Anne Drinkard Moss

Who Do You Think You Are? Season 3

From:  duckman.pettho.com

Next Friday, Feb. 3rd will be the premiere of season 3 of Who Do You Think You Are? on NBC.  This season we will take a journey with twelve new celebrities, Blair Underwood, Martin Sheen, Marisa Tomei, Rita Wilson, Paula Deen, Helen Hunt, Jerome Bettis, Rashida Jones(she is Quincy's daughter), Edie Falco,

 Jason Sudeikis (so funny), Rob Lowe and Oklahoma's own, Reba McEntire.  According to twitter @reba, our girl's episode will air March 2nd.

I love to hear their stories and see their reaction when they hear about a new discovery in their family.  We all have a very interesting family history and a story to tell.  I have been researching my family for over 10 years now and I'm just glad I'm not famous.  I'll tell my own secrets.

I hope you enjoy the show.  Watch every episode because sometimes the least famous celebrity will have the most interesting story.

Also, last year when I posted about the beginning of season 2 we were in the middle of one of own Oklahoma blizzards.  Not so this year.

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom

   

Finding Beauty

Friday afternoon, we took off on a nature walk in search of Beauty.

We see the new Bernice, just born Dec. 29th, #3 in front and Dusty the bull (I'll do an update on Dusty soon).  Anyway behind them in the woods was Beauty I just didn't know it yet.

After a short break to get some water and a couple of oversize hoodies we head out a different direction to find Beauty.

We get to the big pond and there is still ice on it.  So cool for the kids.

Nothing like throwing sticks on an icy pond and watching them skid across it.

Finally on the other side of the big pond is Beauty:

She has a white mask on.  A white face is called a baldface.  Can you see the pretty girl?

Wait, are you a girl or a boy?

Mmmm . . .

You're just a big girl.  We love big girls!

Welcome to the world big girl.  My daughter named her "Beauty" to go with Bernice.

Beauty was born Friday afternoon the 13th.  She was born as big as Bernice who was already 2 weeks old. 

My daughter is so excited that Beauty and Bernice will be great friends.  They are already aunt and niece.

Have a great Spring-like day in the middle of January.  Got to love Oklahoma weather.

Love,

Territory Mom

Friday the 13th On The Farm In Oklahoma

I told you about Big Mama Red being overdue, here.

This photo was taken two days ago and still no baby.  We checked on her yesterday and still no baby which was good since it was freezing. 

Since today is Friday the 13th, oooooohh and it is bitter cold again I expect to see a new baby this morning.  I'll keep you advised.

I'm not into superstitions, however I do live by the Farmers' Almanac and according to it we have two more Friday the 13ths this year.

Hope you enjoy your day.

Love,

Territory Mom 

The New 2012 PBR Season Starts Tonight!!!

No time to talk but check out this article in People Mag about the PBR, go here.  There's a picture of Cord McCoy riding Bushwacker, so cool.

Have a great day.
Love,
Territory Mom

The Baby New Year Is Named Bernice!

Last night one of our heifers, Grassy was looking for a place to lay down.  She was ready to deliver her first calf.  We had been watching her carefully.  Before I realized it she had wondered off into the woods.  I went to look for her and couldn't find her then my husband went to look for her.  He found her in the big woods.  She was laying down, but she was fine.

This morning before my husband left for work he drove up the rode and found her again in the woods.  He called me from the road to let me that he found Grassy.  She was laying down, but no calf.  The other cows and bulls were in the woods with her.  They were surrounding her with love and support.  Grassy's mother, Big Mama Red was the closest to her.  Isn't that sweet.  The first baby makes the entire family a little nervous.

About 10:00 am this morning I see all of the animals down by the house basking in the sun, except for Big Mama Red.  So, I get the kids bundled up to go look for Grassy.  By the time we got out of the house Big Mama Red is also down enjoying the morning sun and we are unbundling because it is 65 DEGREES!

We start walking into the woods all the while Redbird is explaining to us not to make human sounds only nature sounds.  Which means it is okay for the leaves to make crumbling sounds as we walk.  Rooster is whispering so loud that he might as well have using a bull horn.  It seems like forever until we find Grassy.

I can't get too close to her because she is a little unsettled.  I can tell she has had a calf and appears to be fine.  By that I mean she is up walking around and about to charge.  I can't see a calf anywhere.  So we start walking out of the woods.  I'm a little concerned, but know there is one somewhere.  Then I glance over to the left of Grassy.  Do you see her?

Here is a closer look:

Do you see her now?

She is all ears!  I was looking for a black or brown calf and found this beautiful strawberry blonde hiding in the leaves.  I'm guessing she is a girl because she is so little which is great for a first baby.  Immediately, Redbird says she is naming her Bernice.

Here is a little better photo from a different angle:

I wish they were better photos but I had a new mama watching me so I couldn't get too close.  One day I'm going to get a big telephoto lens.  My animals will really be happy with me then.

However I can as close as I want to No. 3:

She is a little vain and loves having her picture taken.

Anyway, welcome to the world Bernice.  Redbird says that is a beautiful day for a beautiful girl to be born so she can see how beautiful it is here.  Love that girl and Redbird.

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom