tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post115273230551900418..comments2024-03-09T13:49:36.566-06:00Comments on Prairie Bluestem: Memories of Arabia, NebraskaGenevieve Netzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-7446619993967556192022-07-10T19:06:03.343-05:002022-07-10T19:06:03.343-05:00I believe I went to military school with John I believe I went to military school with John Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152938263548354402006-07-14T23:37:00.000-05:002006-07-14T23:37:00.000-05:00That was a long drive from back east where you liv...That was a <I>long</I> drive from back east where you lived all the way out to McCook, and there wasn't any interstate back then either.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152927103229348232006-07-14T20:31:00.000-05:002006-07-14T20:31:00.000-05:00You brought back so many of my memories of car tri...You brought back so many of my memories of car trips to my grandparents in McCook and Pierce, Nebraska. Thanks.Collagemamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03818246340865714754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152909376777053942006-07-14T15:36:00.000-05:002006-07-14T15:36:00.000-05:00Yes, I can see it would pretty strange for a city ...Yes, I can see it would pretty strange for a city boy. But for small town folks and country folks back then, Saturday afternoon and evening was a time to come to town, shop, and socialize. I remember going to town on Saturday afternoon (late 50's-early 60's), and you couldn't even find a parking place downtown. Later on, I was one of the teenagers driving around and I remember it as a lot of fun.<BR/><BR/>There are some parallels in other cultures, I think. For example, in Bolivia on Sunday, people would congregate in the central plaza and other parks. Some would "promenade" and some would sit on park benches to watch and chat. It was a big opportunity to socialize.<BR/><BR/>The Pine Ridge Reservation is just over the state line a few miles away, and Gordon history couldn't be told without including the Sioux. My mother had old photos of 4th of July parades in Gordon where the Indian chiefs were wearing their long feathered headdresses. I think I may have posted before that my grandfather hired workers from the reservation to help with the potato harvest back when it was mostly done by hand. <BR/><BR/>Gordon always had a strange relationship with the Indians, I think. Some tried to help them through various charities. Others took advantage of them in various ways -- really robbed them, in some instances and this always bothered my mother a lot. <BR/><BR/>Under it all, there was a lingering fear that the Indians might uprise. "Indian trouble" was still within the memory of the older citizens. Grandma Barb (my step-grandma, no blood relation) told that her father helped bury the dead at Wounded Knee.<BR/><BR/>Valentine had the Rosebud Reservation just a few miles away, and I remember seeing many Indian people whenever I went there too. Probably many of the same things could be said about Valentine that I have said about Gordon.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152899535881103472006-07-14T12:52:00.000-05:002006-07-14T12:52:00.000-05:00Genevieve, Yes, I often went up close to the grai...Genevieve, Yes, I often went up close to the grain elevators along the tracks in Gordon. The were huge! My granddad lived on Oak Street, which was just a block off Main and a block north of the railroad tracks.<BR/><BR/>You're sparking some more distant memories in my old brain. Here's another:<BR/><BR/>On Saturday nights in Gordon (pop. 2,000), Granddad Bill and Edna would get dressed up to go downtown. They would pile into Edna's 1950 Dodge, diagonal park along Main Street and watch the Sioux Indians walk up and down the street, peering into the shop windows while the teenagers would cruise up and down Main Street. It was a strange little ritual for a city boy like me to observe. Then we would all go home, Edna would fix us some dessert and Bill and I would watch professional wrestling on TV, which he called "wraslin'."Runawayimaginationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11392405682285496123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152760722455954032006-07-12T22:18:00.000-05:002006-07-12T22:18:00.000-05:00Isaac has a blog but he's only written in it once....Isaac has a blog but he's only written in it once. He said, "I'm not like you, Mom, updating it all the time." I guess he's said what he has to say for now.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152757992052179132006-07-12T21:33:00.000-05:002006-07-12T21:33:00.000-05:00Hey Gene:I like to grab that handle of that "Way B...Hey Gene:<BR/>I like to grab that handle of that "Way Back When" machine, myself, from time to time. That was a steep hill... to and from school, the wind, sleet, snow and all was, so DEEP!<BR/>Isaac might be right from week to week or even month to month but from year to year, like I measure? This is a short, short good story!<BR/>I'm thinking now, he could have some of your tallents to writing? Why not give him a try. Do like they do at priviate schools... 250-500 words/week, about your choice of subject of good interest and hand written is, more easy? :)<BR/>I know__ bad idea.<BR/><BR/>On another note: blogspot's photo server puts most requests on immediate hold and sometimes a second request, will pass up the first request, that is still on hold? Try two check-out lines at the same time, next time your at the grocery... oohh no!<BR/>Cornfield junction photo__super!<BR/>later, kennethF ~(:-_))-kfhAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02979289747406899096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152738614548016192006-07-12T16:10:00.000-05:002006-07-12T16:10:00.000-05:00Thanks James & Runaway. I am cherishing these day...Thanks James & Runaway. I am cherishing these days of being able to write until I'm done with something because I am going to return to the work world soon, probably in September. Then I will either have to blog faster or shorter if I'm going to blog at all.<BR/><BR/>Today, with weather-related connectivity problems and Blogger running slow for me, it's a wonder I ever got this posted!<BR/><BR/>I remember those big elevators at Gordon, Runaway. Did you ever go up close to them? They were incredibly large.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152736701902641612006-07-12T15:38:00.000-05:002006-07-12T15:38:00.000-05:00I remember riding along Highway 20, waiting for th...I remember riding along Highway 20, waiting for the tops of the Gordon grain elevators to make their appearance from over the horizon. From a distance they looked like a pack of cigarettes slowly rising from the prairie.Runawayimaginationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11392405682285496123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152736461855602252006-07-12T15:34:00.000-05:002006-07-12T15:34:00.000-05:00You really should write a book, Genevieve! I love...You really should write a book, Genevieve! I love your writing style.<BR/><BR/>Your recollections of Highway 20 brought back memories of the summers I spent in Gordon with my granddad Bill and his wife Edna during 1959-60. I still get nostaligic feelings about that place, since I have roots there too.Runawayimaginationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11392405682285496123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1152735719838657562006-07-12T15:21:00.000-05:002006-07-12T15:21:00.000-05:00Nicely evoked Gen. JNicely evoked Gen. Jheelershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317907844814212036noreply@blogger.com