Uncategorized – Page 17 – Safety in the Fall

Medicine Wheels and High Country Roads

If you drive high enough in Wyoming you wind through the Big Horn Mountains until you reach a point where the rock looks like Hopiland and then, there you are.

Hike for a bit up this nice little road and you come out at the place where earth meets heaven and prayers take flight.

Even on a peaceful morn you can hear the light beating of drums on the wind and the song of creation rises above the clouds and you envision circle dances all around as the spirits of long ago twirl their blankets along.

One day, it is known, someone will sing the perfect song and with a rainstorm to cleanse the bare earth, she too will sing the song of everlasting peace.

My first experience feeling energy

My mother was very sick for the last many years of her life. After trying many Doctors my sister Annette suggested more alternative medicine. Most of us were not for this idea as none had been able to help and even mom was getting tired trying new things. I was called to go down to Orem to see what this new quack was about.

From the moment he entered the home I started in with the questions. Mom was in her bed and he was standing across the room from me. I am sure he had been in this uncomfortable position before so he knew a bit about how to handle it.

He stopped what he was trying to do and dealt with me instead.

He said, “Hold up your hand.” He then proceeded to put up his hand as if he had a baseball in it and threw the air at me as if it were real. My middle three fingers bent backward as if a fireball had just passed by.

I stood there shocked and amazed, here was something I needed to understand. Here was an answer to my prayers for my son.

This was a door opening.

Sonny Boy

Many moons ago, a little girl wanted a pony, as many little girls are wont to do.

After wandering around Amish auctions and traveling about, her mothers friend brought them an untamed pony.

We named him Sonny Boy.

He taught us many lessons in the short time we had him.

We learned a little about horse feed.

We learned he loved Edelweiss, so we sang it. A lot.

We learned about leads and bridles and saddles and riding bareback.

We found you really ought to have your own land for him to graze upon.

We learned about hay and manure and good boots.

We watched him get fixed and saw his pain.

There were many other lessons we never would have learned about people had we not had him.

If we ever get a pony again, for his sake and for ours we will make sure there is good training of both the pony and those who care for the pony.

Good training is what the saga of Sonny Boy taught us the most.

Good training is everything.

Family recipe mystery

My Great Great Grandfather James Lincoln Price worked in the confectionary business and up until a few weeks ago family lore said he sold his recipe for cough drops to the Smith Brothers.

James was born in 1862 in Muncie, Indiana.

According to research my cousin Thomas Duvernay did the Smith Brothers did buy their recipe from another company, but in 1852.

It seems worthwhile to try to pin down his life so we might find the pieces that do connect in this family history tidbit.

His obituary states, ” Taking up the confectionary business while in his youth, he became an expert, continuing in that trade until his death. He moved from Muncie to Lansing, and soon became prominent in city affairs. He was a member of the govenors guard from 1888 to 1894. From 1892 to 1895 he was general manager of the Lansing Confectionery company. In 1895 he moved to Denver, Col., and remained in that city for 13 years, moving back to Lansing in 1908. He has since lived in that city.”

Our family has a booklet that James used which says:

“Property of The Hewitt Candy Co, Nov 12, 1896, J. L. Price, foreman” – it has several recipes in faded pencil.

The Hewitt’s bought the Breon Confectionery Co. in Denver, which was founded in 1880.

James’ Lansing Confectionery company address was 409 North Washington Ave., Lansing, Michigan.

James Lincoln Price died July 4, 1915 in Lansing, Michigan.

Now, it is very possible that someone in the family said that James cough drops tasted similar to the Smith Brothers.

Another possibility may be that he came upon the recipe from his wife Minnie Pearl Main’s family.

Minnie’s uncles, Burton and Fred Main owned the Main Brothers News Depot in Hastings, Michigan, which also had a confectionery as shown here:

The recipe booklet that James had did use a lot of liquor in the confections and it probably had it’s place in the cough drops he sold in Lansing.

I shall return and update this post as new material develops.