Monday, March 18, 2024

Milliron Monday: Letters Home Oct 10 1960

     

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:  June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010
Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1938 - May 9, 2021
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Milliron Farm and Clinic, Dr. Pete and Jody Smith. 

"Pete is studying and working hard as per usual plus spending all his "free" time including Saturday morning in the vet clinic, barns, laboratories, etc. "
― Jody Smith

Jody's letter home to Mansfield, Ohio. 

Route 1
Fort Collins, Colorado
Monday, October 10, 1960

Dear Mom, Dad, and Jessie,
    Sorry I've been so negligent in my writing.
    We're all just fine, hope you're the same. Jess, I hope your cold is better. Jessica is her sweet little self as per usual, she's really a good little baby now - rarely a peep out of her except for her laughs and coos. Pete is studying and working hard as per usual plus spending all his "free" time including Saturday morning in the vet clinic, barns, laboratories, etc. Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and occasionally after school on weekdays he has to work for Birky's, so, needless to say, it's rather difficult for him to find enough time to get all his studies done - but so far so good.
    Daddy - we're still waiting anxiously to hear from you - what days will you be here? Where can we meet you? etc. We've already gotten permission from Mr. Curry for you to hunt deer on his ranch so don't forget to bring your gun or, if need be, perhaps Pete can borrow a gun for you somewhere. I think deer season in this area is from Oct. 22 to Nov. 6, but I can check for sure. Les and Pete both say they'll guarantee you a deer so the prospects sound pretty good.
    Thank you very much, Mom, for the nightgowns and robes. They surely feel wonderful, soft and warm when I get up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. every morning. No matter what time I feed Jessica she's hungry by 6 a.m. She'll sleep straight through from 9 in the evening to 6 in the morning, or if I get her up at 10 or 11 or so in the night and feed her, she still wakes up at 6 a.m. Actually this is quite convenient since I have to have Pete's breakfast ready by 7:15 a.m.
    Pete's Dad was here this weekend, Saturday evening and part of Sunday. Simmy and one of her friends, Sally Giggy, also stopped in so we had a houseful yesterday.
    Thanks also, Mom, for the envelope of clippings, magazines, etc., which arrived awhile ago, also am enjoying the sink spray very much.
    Thank you again for the money in the account - our little house is quite well set up now. We bought Field's stove, our refrigerator is the one from the apartment and then we bought an older model for the apartment. We bought a washer from Don Wall (guy you went to see, Mom). Less and Hope lent us a nice knotty-pine end table, bookcase, and two matching chairs which really look nice in the living room. Sally Giggy commented on how nice the kitchen curtains matched the room and said she thought you had "excellent taste", Mom. So that's quite a compliment coming from a home economist!
    Can't remember if I told you that I canned about 7 quarts of bread and butter pickles. They turned out real well - luckily. Mrs. Birky was canning them and ran out of time so she gave me a whole bunch of cucumbers and most of the spices I needed, it certainly was nice of her.
    We've been dragging out of bed in the wee hours of the morning chasing loose horses rather frequently. Three of the times these darn little kids have left the pasture gates wide open. Needles to say, after the last 5:30 a.m. jaunt, we told the youngsters to either shut the gates or stay home!
    The last two Sundays we've started leaving Jessica in the church nursery while we attend services. Both times she's just laid in the crib and watched all the confusion around her.
    Guess I'd best quit for now, will make a valiant attempt to write a little oftener.
    Hope we'll be seeing you soon, Dad.
Love to you all, 
Jody
     
Previous Letters Home: 

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Sherry's Quarter Notes - Celebrating an Icon of Irish Music History: Tenor Michael Kelly

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! No other day of the year presents a more significant platform through which to honor Irish culture than the annual holiday. Worldwide celebrations abound for revelers with and without Irish ancestry. For on this day, everyone is considered to be a part of the Emerald Isle and welcomed to partake in the festivities.

Besides the coveted pints of Guinness, music is also a central part of the observance. A soundtrack featuring traditional Irish music with tin whistles, fiddles and flutes can be heard everywhere in conjunction with contemporary sounds. Even the most ardent non-dancers are motivated to twirl about and cut a rug!

Evidence of music in Ireland dates back to the Iron Age around 500 BC. Traditional Irish music is rich and diverse. There’s more to the genre than the stereotypical jig. There’s also more to Irish artists than the music of their homeland. So, I’ll embrace the opportunity to introduce you to an extraordinary Irish artist whose name escapes most curricula, programs and publications.

Tenor Michael Kelly was born in Dublin on Christmas Day 1762 and rose to prominence as a teenager in his native city, which was at that time a renowned musical capital. News of his ability reached visiting Italian artists who recommended further opportunities for his study and performance in Italy, where he became the first Irishman to appear on stage. His popularity in Italy led to his employment in Vienna, where he eventually met Mozart.

Michael Kelly

In his 1826 memoir, Reminiscences, Kelly gifted posterity with some of the most descriptive first-hand accounts of the composer. He described Mozart as “a remarkably small man, very thin and pale, with a profusion of fine fair hair, of which he was rather vain. He gave me a cordial welcome to his home and I spent a great deal of time there. He always received me with kindness and hospitality. He was fond of billiards and many a game have I played with him, but I always came off second best.”

Kelly received one of the greatest honors of his career when he was cast in the premiere of Mozart’s opera, Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) where he performed not one, but two tenor roles: Don Curzio (judge) and Don Basilio (music teacher). While working on the opera, Mozart introduced him to a duet he was composing entitled “Crudel! Perchè finora” and they sang it together with Mozart at the keyboard.

It’s amusing given that this particular duet represents a scene where Count Almaviva is trying to seduce his wife’s maid Susanna! I wonder who sang which part? If I had to guess, I’d say Mozart sang the role of Susanna. Constanze Mozart wrote of her husband’s voice that it was “a tenor, rather soft in oratory and delicate in singing…” With both Kelly and Mozart being tenors and men of the theater, I can only imagine the beauty of their harmonic and emotive exchange!

Kelly described it in his memoir: “A more delicious morceau never was penned by man; and it has often been a source of pleasure to me, to have been the first who heard it, and to have sung it with its greatly-gifted composer.” 


Kelly was a celebrity in his own right and became particularly famous as a singer and theater manager in Great Britain and Ireland, but what I glean from passages in his memoir is that no other accomplishment seems to have compared to his encounter with Mozart.    

"I remember that at the first rehearsal of the full band Mozart was on the stage, with his crimson pelisse and his gold-banded cocked hat, giving the time of the music to the orchestra. I shall never forget the little animated countenance when lighted up with the glowing rays of genius. It is as impossible to describe it as it would be to paint sunbeams."

Explore Reminiscences via the University of Pittsburgh’s Digital Collections at: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735056285756





Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Feeding the Birds: A Short Story by Gary Flory

 

In the Spring of '63, I was sitting on the porch in the swing drinking a freshly brewed cup of coffee. My neighbor, John, was across the road working up a patch to plant his garden. We had been neighbors for over twenty years and I always admired the man. My job didn’t require me to be at work until 9 am, so spending a half hour in the swing in the morning allowed me to organize my thoughts. Many times I would see John and his dog heading to the barn to feed his few head of cattle. The chickens usually followed close behind waiting their turn.

John had lost his wife a few years back. He said her heart was just worn out. His dog Jake, kinda took her place in keeping him going. As he was hoeing up the weeds, I noticed he stopped, and just leaned on his hoe, like he was thinking about something. I decided I better go over and check to see if he was ok. I put some ice in a glass and filled it with water and went across the road. By then, he was sitting on the ground, next to his garden.
“Hi John, thought you could use a cold drink.”
“I believe I’ll take you up on that. Thanks.”
“Are you feeling ok?”
He looked down but didn’t say anything right away. Then he looked up and said, “I’m tired.”
“Well just sit here awhile and rest.”
Then he looked down again and said, “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m tired of living.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I said, “What are you, 82-83?”
He said, “I’ll be 84 next month. Most of my friends are already gone.”
I sent up a quick prayer to God, asking, how do I respond to that? I watched as Jake came over and laid on John’s lap. “Jake would be very sad to lose his best friend.”
John nodded, “I guess he would.”
“If God asked you to feed the birds, would you do it?”
John looked at me with a puzzled look. “I guess I would,” he replied. “Why did you ask me that?”
“John, I’ve watched you over the years do everything that needed to be done to keep your farm going. Plowing, planting, and bringing in the crops. Many times I saw you give a bag of vegetables to different families after church. When you would butcher, you would make sure the widow down the road would get some hamburger. You see John, you have been feeding the birds for years.”
John was still looking down, but I could see a smile on his face. Then I reached over and took the hoe out of his hand. “I got a few minutes, I’ll give you a hand. Those weeds aren’t going to pull themselves.”
John patted Jake on the head and said, “Come on Jake, we got some birds to feed.”

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.


Monday, March 11, 2024

Milliron Monday: Letters Home Sept 27 1960

    

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:  June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010
Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1938 - May 9, 2021
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Milliron Farm and Clinic, Dr. Pete and Jody Smith. 

"These 'rough, tough' westerners have been known to drive down the road and shoot a couple of deer without leaving the pickup..."
― Jody Smith

Jody's letter home to Mansfield, Ohio. 

Route 1
Fort Collins, Colorado
Tuesday, September 27, 1960

Dear Mom, Dad, and Jessie,
    It was nice to talk to you the other evening - glad to hear that Aggie and Gary have a little girl too.
    Jessica visited Dr. Rumley today. She weighs 10 lbs. 14 oz. and is 24 1/2 inches long. Poor little baby - she had her first immunization which, needless to say, she didn't like. She had diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus all combined in one shot. Fortunately, she has since forgiven her Mommy for subjecting her to such cruel tortures and was cooing and laughing (she laughed all of three times now!) this afternoon. 
    It'll certainly be great to see you next month, Dad. We haven't had a chance to check on deer season for sure but I hope it will coincide with your visit. There are literally hundreds of deer on Mr. Curry's ranch (where Les and Hope Rivers work) and since he (Mr. Curry) doesn't allow open hunting (saves it just for himself, his friends and his hired man) there should be some deer left even at the end of hunting season. These "rough, tough" westerners have been known to drive down the road and shoot a couple of deer without leaving the pickup, so don't worry about having to ride horseback or walk all day just to get a deer. 
Love, 
Jody
     
Previous Letters Home: 

Friday, March 8, 2024

An Interview with Ohio Author Pam Croft

 

From Lancaster, Ohio, welcome author Pam Croft. Pam is the author of Give a Little Bit: When Are You Coming Back? a story about Mr. Fred Hillman, the founder of Lancaster Sales. Pam writes, “I worked for Mr. Hillman for 23 years. He was a holocaust survivor and was a very beautiful man, but rough at times. He taught me so much and I helped take care of him as he aged. In the book, I give insight into what happened to Mr. Hillman’s stores after he passed away. I truly want people to know how amazing he was. Writing the book helped me heal after his death.”

Welcome, Pam!

GM: What is the premise for your book?

PC: The premise for my book is trying to let people know that what they believe to be true isn't always true when it comes to a person or business.

GM: What would you like readers to take away from your book?
PC: I would like readers to know that Mr. Fred Hillman was truly an amazing person. I was lucky enough to have him in my life, learn from him and why his stores closed.

GM: Who is your favorite author?
PC: Stephen King. He can make you feel so calm then WHAM!

GM: What is your best advice for new authors?
PC: Let your heart help you with this. If you believe and feel a story, then write it. 

GM: What are you currently writing?
PC: I have written a children's book about life and working on the pictures. 

GM: What are you currently reading?
PC: Deana Martin’s Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes.

GM: List five things your fans may not know about you...
PC:  I'm horrible at math and will panic - thank goodness for fingers; Hate to dress up; Love bakeries and candy stores; Will eat until I'm sick; I am donating to Ohio State university body donation program so future doctors can learn; I never run a dishwasher; Love to do dishes by myself. 

Connect with Pam…


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

The Shining Ball: A Short Story by Gary Flory

 

    All the kids were back in school and vacation time was over for most of the families, leaving the beach empty except for a few retired people. I just put new batteries in my metal detector and figured this would be a good time to hit the beach. The weather was nice, so we decided to take the picnic basket and blanket along to make a day of it. I knew of an isolated section of beach where no one walked and there weren’t many houses close by. That might be the perfect place to find some washed-up treasures. We drove up to an old parking lot. Much of it was covered in sand and wasn’t used much. We grabbed our stuff and started walking along the beach. Cath had a sack and picked up some nice shells along the shore, while I found an occasional coin, but no Spanish gold coins.

    After walking a couple of miles, we came upon an old dock. It seemed like a good place to stop and have a picnic. Laying our blanket on the dock, we sat down and started unpacking our lunch. Nothing real fancy, smoked turkey sandwiches, macaroni salad and some barbecue chips, topped off with iced tea. Everything always seems to taste better when you eat it outside, especially when you can hear the ocean lapping the shore. We could see a ship about a mile out. It was a great afternoon to just lay back and feel the ocean breeze against your face - zzzzzzz before we realized it, we were both asleep. For the next hour, the only thing we got was a tan. A seagull flew by making a squawk, waking us up. I told Cath that I wanted to check around the dock before we started back. The tide had gone out, leaving the water less than waist deep.
    I searched along the side first but found nothing. Just when I started around the end of the dock, the detector started to light up. 
    “Maybe it’s the buried treasure you've been looking for,” Cath said. The tide was starting to turn, and the water was getting deeper. That’s when I began thinking about sharks. 
    “If you see anything swimming, let me know. I can feel something with my foot, but it feels like wood. I’m going to try and dig it out.” 
    So, I sat the detector on the dock and bent down into the water to search with my hand. Cath happened to notice a small stick lying there and picked it up. Leaning over the dock, she rubbed it against my legs, which were underwater. I think I jumped straight up out of the water; I just knew it was a shark! She was rolling in laughter. 
    DARN YOU! You scared me to death!”
    She could hardly get her breath...sorry.
    With the water up to my chest, I went down to the bottom and started to loosen the small wooden box, came up for air... almost had it. The second time down I was able to pull it loose and bring it to the surface, laying it on the dock. The sun was starting to go down and I wanted to get out of the water, so I said, "Let’s just take it with us and head back." By the time we reached the car it was almost dark. On the drive home, we speculated about what could be in the box, if anything. While Cath was fixing dinner, I sat at the table wiping ocean residue and seaweed off the box. 
    “Look at this, there was a row of small symbols on the lid.” 
    “What do they mean?” 
    “I don’t know, I’ve never seen anything like it. There’s no keyhole, not sure how it opens. Maybe the symbols are the key.”
    We ate dinner and talked some more about how to get the box open. 
    “Well, let's sleep on it and see if we can figure it out in the morning.” 
    I woke up around 3 am to go to the bathroom and went back to bed. Once you let your brain start thinking, it’s almost impossible to go back to sleep. I got up and went downstairs. The box was still on the kitchen table, so I sat down to take a second look. What if the symbols were certain sounds, but what sounds? I tried humming different sounds but that didn’t work. Maybe the sounds had to be in perfect pitch - like a piano. I picked it up and sat it on the piano bench with me. I tried middle C.... nothing. Perhaps a black key. When I struck it, the first symbol lit up. Okay, now we were getting somewhere.
    “What are you doing?” came a voice directly behind me, scarring the heebie-jeebies out of me. Cath had come downstairs and was standing right behind me. 
    “I couldn’t sleep thinking about the box, so I came down to look at it again. Guess what, I found out what the symbols are for, music. Certain keys will light them up. So far, I found the first one, watch. It only stays lit for a couple of seconds.”
    It was trial and error going through the different keys until I found the right combination where all of them lit at the same time. When that happened the box slowly opened, emitting a bright yellow orb ball. It was so bright it lit the whole room. We both stepped back several steps not knowing what to expect. There was also a low humming tone coming from it. Opening the lid somehow turned on the light. It was so bright it was hard to look at. Were the light rays harmful in any way? They didn’t seem to be, we almost felt a heavy peace come over us. What was it? What was it used for, good or evil? Cath said, “Maybe we should take it to the scientists in Myrtle Beach, they might know.” 
    “Okay.” 
    As I started to close the lid, my hand slipped off, momentarily touching the orb. Instantly a bolt of energy surged through my body, knocking me to the floor. 
    “Are you alright?" 
    “I…I think so.”
    I stood up, but I knew something was different. 
    “Hand me that book on the table.” It was Gone with the Wind. I turned the pages as fast as I could, going through each page until I reached the end. It took less than three minutes, and I knew every word from memory. I could tell you the tenth word on page 81. 
    Cath said, “What just happened?” 
    “Hand me another book, and another one.” As quickly as I could turn the page, I could remember every word. 
    “Can you imagine how this could change things?” 
    “Well, let’s let the experts look at it.” We drove over to the science building where some of the top science professors in the country worked. As they gathered around the box, I used the special tones to open it. I could tell they were amazed on that point alone. As the lid opened, the bright yellow light filled the room, and it began to hum. The scientists stepped back, just like we did. I didn’t tell them what happened when I touched it. You could tell their minds were racing to try to come up with some kind of explanation of what it was. They asked if they could test the material. I showed them a piece of the box that fell out when I opened it for the first time. They took it to their lab and ran many tests. After a couple of hours, they came back into the room. 
    “Where did you find this?” I wasn’t ready to answer that question just yet. 
    “Why, what did you find out?” 
    "We ran a number of tests on the small piece, and it is not like any known element on earth. It is at least twice as hard as a diamond. Our machine couldn’t register any higher. There is nothing like it. We think the military will be very interested in this, so we gave them a call and they are on their way over." The scientists walked back to the lab to do more testing. I whispered to Cath, "Get the car and have my door open. Leave the car running and have it facing the exit. Call me when you’re ready." She nodded and headed out the door. Minutes later my phone rang, and it was her.
    I quickly closed the box and ran for the door. The security guard wasn’t sure what was going on, but he yelled for me to stop. I didn’t miss a beat, out the door I ran with the box and jumped in the car. 
    GO, GO!” and Cath hit the gas. As we were leaving the parking lot, two black unmarked cars were pulling in. “Whatever happens, we can’t let this be found. This could change everything, either for the good or bad. Head for the beach, we’re going to put it back where we found it.”
    As she pulled into the parking lot, I grabbed the flashlight and took off running down the beach to the dock. I quickly hollowed out a place in the sand, placed the box into the hole, and covered it.
    On the way home Cath asked, “Do you think they will be waiting for us at home? They don’t even know who we are, and if they would happen to show up, we would just say, ‘What box?’”
    When we got home, no one was waiting for us. I noticed the books I looked at were still on the table. Funny, I could no longer remember the tenth word on page 81. I couldn’t remember any of the pages, only the story in general. The effects must have worn off, but I know where to find it if I ever feel the need.


 


Monday, March 4, 2024

Milliron Monday: Letters Home Sept 19 1960

    

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:  June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010
Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1938 - May 9, 2021
Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Milliron Farm and Clinic, Dr. Pete and Jody Smith. 

"Jessica attended a horse sale Saturday evening and slept through all the auctioneering, yelling, horses kicking, neighing, etc."
― Jody Smith

Jody's letter home to Mansfield, Ohio. 

Route 1
Fort Collins, Colorado
Monday, September 19, 1960

Dear Mom, Dad, and Jessie,
    Thanks so much for sending the pictures. I kept one of each and sent two to the McArthurs' and one to Pete's folks. I surely hope you didn't have them all made up into prints since slides of most of them should be quite sufficient - of course, I very much appreciate the prints of Jessica. 
    Thanks also for the back supporter and spoons, and for the two sleeping garments. They certainly come in handy - one cold evening we had to make a quick trip up to Les and Hope's to return their pickup, so I bundled Jessica in the little sleeping bag and she was warm and snug the whole way.
    Jessica attended a horse sale Saturday evening and slept through all the auctioneering, yelling, horses kicking, neighing, etc. She's now eating squash along with her carrots, cereal, and milk.
    Pete, Jessica and I went for a nice cart ride around the experiment farm yesterday afternoon. She stayed awake a little while but then fell asleep as per usual.
    We got a nice anniversary card from Aggie, Gary, and Gary Franklin. Hope she's had her baby by now and that both are all right.
Love, 
Jody
P.S. Haven't received any stationery, yet.
     
Previous Letters Home: 

~  ~ 

  
Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

Milliron Monday: Letters Home Oct 10 1960

          Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.:   June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010 Virginia Joyann "Jody" Haley Smith: April 2, 1...