On to the next project.

This is a 1903 Singer sewing machine.

Per the Singer web site the machine # K756.634 was manufactured in Elizabeth N.J. in 1903. It has now been in the family for 4 generations. It still works better than most of the new type machines. In the 1950- 1960's it was starting to lose its veneer so it was varnished with a walnut tinted product ( The dark color in the above pictures.) My great grandmother Miller may have used it first then Grandma Parks then Irma Parks Baxter. I used it to make sheep blankets for 4H lambs and repair horse blankets. Heavy cotton duck was not a problem for it to sew. Now it is going to Tiffany Baxter Carney after it gets restored.

Rebuilding of Tiffany and Jeffery's antique bed

Top left and center pictures are of the bed after finish coat applied.

Top right is the detail of the Birdseye maple veneer that was applied with top rail and trim replaced (original was missing ) and stained. Bottom right is a view of the side rail supports being reinforced and extended 3/4 inch to each of the lower support rails. (the light colored wood supporting the cross supports) Note the head board marks were only worn spots and the veneer was in good shape and only had to be re-stained and more finish coat applied.

Kammi and Cora spend time riding

Time for riding the high line canal. First is s trip past the "Bee Tree" Poo bear would like this one as there is a constant flow of honey bees in and out of the hollow trunk of and old cotton wood tree. It is the most active hive we have seen in a long time and that is a good thing. the we ride down in the canal and under a old concrete bridge to see the collection of swallow nests. Most of them are now empty as the babies have hatched and are out hunting insects. The bridge now leads to "nowhere". It has been unused for over 25 years except for the birds. As the girls take turns Cora was at the play ground. Then she stops for lunch having a vinegar and salt chip to which Misae wants to try it but sniffs and sniffs then tries a bite only to drop it to the ground but still acts like she wants a bit of grandpa's lunch. Center are the two girls by Misae with grandpa on board. The on the right are pictures of both girls after they return for seeing the sights and a long ride down the trail.

Grandma's roses

These are some of Robyn's roses (with one non-rose, can you find it and name it?)
As you can see she has quite a variety.

Tiffany & Jeffrey Bed Project

Rebuilding of antique bed Tiffany bought in IN. This Birdseye maple bed had some issues and had to be rebuilt. The pins holding the sideboard brackets in place were missing or so loose they would fall out. They were replaced by custom made spring steel compression pins (all 8 of them).

It was discovered that the legs had been all shortened and that the foot board had been modified as well. The foot board required new veneer (as the old was missing) new moulding and a new top cap (the 2 lower right pictures). Lots of glueing, sanding and re-staining . Now about to start the finish coating.

Korean Reunion

This is Cosette and her case worker who came to visit from Korea

Family picture taken by the water fountain at the

conference/wedding center. This was Cosette's second trip to the renunion

to see people that were part of adoption process.

Another family pix taken in the elaborate gardens (an neat place) And the food was good.

The kids really like the lemon bars and brownies.

Early Summer trip to Estes Park to the YMCA camp (pix from upper left clock wise)

The Sandstone cabin was the highest and the last cabin on the road. (2) Grandma V, Cora and Robyn during the lunch break at Estes Park (the town), (3) Caedmon and Kammi at the skating rink, (4) Caedmon and John in the pool (the only picture take in the pool area because grandma got in trouble for having the camera in that area).
(5) John, Dallas, Cora and Kara at the rocky
point about 75 yards up the hill from the cabin. (6) Vivian and Dallas sitting on the large porch. (7) John and Gary getting the food organized. (8) Gary and Cozette getting ready to read a Peretti book. (9) Taxi the big hunter. (10) Gary, Cozy, C.J. in front of the big fire place. (11 center) Kara, Kammi, Cora doing the funky chick at the roller rink.

Played several games of mini golf, Kara and the kids did a orienting class and did a nature walk where Cora told the instructor (after he explained that black bears can climb trees) If he was being chased by a bear would he climb a tree or run in a church. And of course he said run in a church.... her reply was "with a bear (bare) behind. He did get the joke. We had lots to eat. Pulled pork, twice fired chicken, biscuits and gravy, coconut scones, salads, lasagna, gingerbread cookies, Saltwater taffy made in Estes Park. Even had KFC and tacos for the final lunch before heading home.

Nathaniel Raymond Carney

I don't want my diper changed

I like my new bunny with my name and birthday on it.

Required picture with the parental units, look at mom's long hair

(we don't talk about dad's hair)

First photo was at 12 noon (see last blog)

next photo (1) above was at 4 p.m.

the last photo was at 7 a.m. Friday

12 noon on Thursday

Annual Tea Party and trip to Green Belt

The Annual Tea Party then a trip to the Green Belt

John and Kara were taking Kammi and Cora to see the matinee performance of the Phantom of the Opera. The girls both went to school in the morning and the came to our house and got all dressed up to go. Caedmon and Cosette were going to spend the afternoon with grandpa and grandma so to have something special for them as well grandma set the stage for the annual Tea Party. Robyn has been doing this every since Kammi was about 2 years old so we have pictures taken every year. Most years she packs the kids and all the props to the local photo shop and they spend hours getting just the right pictures. This year was going to be a little different because we wanted to lower the stress on the kids and also try out a new camera. The Canon power shot was set up and we started taking pictures then came the hats and coats and a walk through the green belt. First was the hike from the back of the house (top center) holding hands and then a stop at the old fire pit. They started gathering sticks for the next stop by a big pine tree where Caedmon was rubbing sticks to start a fire (which didn't happen but he tried) . Then Cosette and grandma has a game of hide and seek and Caedmon climbed trees. Then it was off to the swing where CJ kept loosing his hat but it was time to head for the bridge across the creek where they look like jail birds looking through the fence on the bridge. (lower far right) Yes this is just a sample because we took over 140 pixs and grandma had a slide show for John, Kara, Kammi & Cora done before they got back from the opera. For lunch they had baked mac and cheese with bacon bits on top and after the opera we had ham, peas and sweet potatoes and finished with chocolate chip granola cookies with lots of nuts and good stuff in them.

P.S. grandma served Dr Pepper in the teapot and boy were the little ones wired for the rest of the day.

Valentine Dinner

The old gang was together for

a Valentine dinner.

Ray & Sherry, Kieth & Barb, Jerry & Nancy, Larry & Sandy and of course Gary & Robyn.

Lots of food and even more talking and a review of wedding pictures. Except Jerry deleted the e-mail and did not bring their pictures (so we hear)

Enjoy your day.

Family History

The past several months have been busy ones researching the family history.
When meeting with Dorothy May Card and Dick Beem, who are descendents of the Stepp family, a photo copy of a page from a Colorado history book given to me that someone had copies many years ago. The subject was William L. Stepp. The page numbers skipped one page so wondered what was on that missing page the search was on.

After several attempts to find the book and not having any luck and I deciding to let it cool for a while. So off on another direction …..based on a reference from page 796 about the Leyden Coal Company [located 2.5 miles west of Indiana St. in Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado]. (about 15 miles north west of Littleton, CO.) a search was started to try to find the connection.

Quite by accident in seeking information about the Coal mine a quote popped up about “one hundred sixty acres of land on which the coal mine was located” that looked like something I had read in the photo copy on William L. Stepp. Thus in re-reading it several more times it was discovered that it was the same. A Google Book Search was done and the book was found that had pages 796, 797 and 798 . They came from a History of Colorado published in 1918 by Wilbur Fiske Stone. The missing page of 797 was a picture of William L and Missouri A.E. Stepp.

Here is that picture.

This is the only picture we have ever seen of my great great grand parents.
Here is the family line.

William L. Stepp and Missouri were married 18 April 1858 they had 14 children.
Number nine was Olive Stepp born 27 November 1869 and Married Benjamin T. Parks 12 Dec 1886. They had 4 children Harvy, Thomas Benjamin Parks , Lora and Susie.
Thomas B. Parks married Beatrice Miller they had 2 children Thomas I Parks and Irma Margaret Parks who married Raymond Howard Baxter in 1939 and they had two sons
Raymond Eugene Baxter and Gary Dean Baxter

So now you know how we tie back to the Stepp family.

That is why I have not been posting to the blog.