Uncle Don and Family

I remember riding the DUNES with Uncle Don and family in tow! Robert and I loved to burry all of our family! Danette and I would pose for a picture! We loved to be around our cousins!! Aunt Gloria was so much fun!! I believe that is the only time I remember good runs of water going through there, but I've been told it still does that. Every time I've gone it has been very dry, and HOT!

Uncle Don would put Grandma Gatha, Aunt Gloria, Marcy, Danette, Corey, Mom, Dad, Robert and I in a truck, or blazer as the case may be, and run up a hill at what we thought was lighting speed. Really, he was probably crawling, but the bumps made it feel like we were going faster!! We did have a good time! I loved riding in the back of an old pickup with all my cousins under blankets to stay warm!

All the times camping, riding sleds being pulled by The Toy, playing in the garage, sleeping in tents, sleeping in a burning house, climbing trees, climbing in to hay bails... all those things were so much fun! While a lot of those things we were doing, I wasn't really paying attention to Uncle Don, but I know he was there and for that I am greatful because we had the chance to be together as a family! I especially love that his family looked out for us and wanted to be around us! I appreciated Danette's faith and her ability to share that with me when I was around her. I loved that Uncle Don told us how he felt and showed us his way!

I have loved spending time with Uncle Don and his family! Since he and Aunt Gloria have moved to Utah, it hasn't been as easy for me to see them. I miss their presence in the Valley, a hop skip and a jump away. I always have felt welcome and warm in their home and miss the one-on-one times that we've shared.

turkey!

Anyone for an over cooked Thanksgiving Turkey! It is more like 'turkey jerky'! I remember one November Day before Thanksgiving I was cooking the turkey. Kent and his family were spending the night at our house. My oven was doing funny things...not cooking right. I tried something new and decided to cook my turkey at a low temperature in a brown paper bag. I told Phyllis to check the oven if she happen to get up in the middle of the night. Well she did and the meat was done so she turned off the oven. I got up the wee hours and noticed the oven was off so I turned it back on! Needless to say a few hours later when I checked the turkey it was pretty brown and pretty done!!! It was rather funny when we discussed the going ons, HOWEVER... the turkey got ate and was delicious.

Memories

Andrea asked me about sharing some memories. I am trying to think about some memories...

I remember the girls having water fights with the neighbors. I remember the water fights between Barry Bingham and myself.... all in Manassa.

I remember the gardens Grandma and Grandpa grew. It was fun to benefit from the harvest and to help sometimes with the work in. Grandma still grows a lovely productive garden in St. George. I tried to do some planting in Alamosa, but wasn't as successful. I'm still trying to do gardens. I remember making pickled beets, canning almost 100 quarts of green beans. One year Gatha/Grandma and I did some peppers stuffed with cabbage and pickled them. Grandpa Arlo really liked them. I thought they were good too. I've not done that recipe since. It has been fun to be able to can from the harvest. I do not do much canning lately. It was more useful when I had a larger family at home.

feeling the economy

on Tuesday with no warning I felt the blunt of the 'lay-off' once again. Looking into changes. It is a hard time at my house.

Oh the nose, ....

In answer to a couple of questions by the brothers .... The ole nose has been broken seven times, the first time by Joe Thomas hitting me while playing baseball when the bat came in contact with the nose while playing in grade school. He hit the ball and threw the bat back hitting my nose. Robert Holland broke the ole snout three times with the ole fist. Ronnie Luster broke it once in another fight. Then once it was broken when I went tobogganing. (You wouldn't think that the snow was that hard!) Actually the bone on the nose was broken three times and the others was the cartilage.

just a thought...

so I had this thought, no it didn't hurt!, I know that often you would like 'big brother' Don to make a comment, SOOOOOooo If you have a question I will ask him on which you would like to know and pin him down, nail him to the floor, and send the response.... any takers?

Constancy of Home

Manassa is a small community just one mile square. Growing up in Manassa was wonderful because our ward was something I could count on. The church was a place I went to worship together with my family, but it was also someplace that we went to enjoy our extended family and our neighbors. Fast Sunday, we would gather fast offerings. We attended Primary, Sunday School, Mutual, and Scouts together.

The old two story chapel is the backdrop for our family picture that appears on the Dunn BLOG. I remember how the basement would fill with water in the summer when the irrigation water was brought into town and the surface water level would rise. That chapel wasn't big enough to hold all of the church activities so we also had a Relief Society building, an opera building, a scout building and a Bishop's building. Eventually, we got a new building and we worked together as a ward and community to raise the funds and to build the building.

It wasn't the buildings that held the ward together, it was the people. The Bishop that I associate with my childhood is Donald J. Jarvies. His counselors that I remember were Boyd Brady and Tommy Rogers. They were all kind men. Don Knight was our scout master. I don't believe we appreciated him as we should have. He put a lot of effort into teaching us and preparing us for manhood. Cletus Gilleland was the bishop when I was getting ready to go on a mission. Denny Harmsen was my seminary teacher. Marilyn Harmsen and Lena Sowards were my piano teachers.

Neighbors in Manassa had a part in supporting each other in raising children. I remember milking cows for Dorothy and Shelton Sowards. We were grateful for that opportunity. The neighbors helped us put siding and roofing on our home in Manassa before Mom and Dad returned from their mission. When Dad passed away, Dion Jarvies called me and gave me the news and consoled me. I knew without a doubt that she cared for our family.

More than anything, I am grateful for the extended family in Manassa. The aunts, Elma, Doris, Hazel, Ethtel, Ruth, and Frances were all available to help us. Uncles Elmer and Edgar Dunn were my home teaching companions. They both set wonderful examples for me. I grew up with cousins that I loved and respected. Jack, Laraine, Pat and Mary Lyne were good friends.

The roots that I put down in Manassa are strong roots. I am grateful for my home town, my home ward and for the foundation built there for me.

Lucky Cow

Jeanette wished to impress me somehow
She worked up some very tasty chow
But there's something that she never knew
That meal was impossible to chew
I know it had a long life that lucky old cow

Family

My family is my greatest treasure on earth,
I knew this even before my birth,
Its here that I learn about unity and love,
Being part of a family give me purpose from above.
I will strive to live as planned.
For that's how I live God's command.
He said familes are to be together forever,
I would never want to be without mine, no never!

Danette

A quick poem I wrote for Katee's talk in primary.

Mother

For prayers I must thank my mother

I owe to her more than another

Through wrecks and drunks and deviation

From the true path of exaltation

She sought my salvation some how or other

My Father

Let me tell you of my dear father

He cared greatly for my dear mother

Dad had a truly generous heart

He gave widows the most caring part

Truly he was keeper of his brother

The Mailbox

What is there to look for when we're old,
When days are long and nights are so cold?
Perhaps a letter from child or friend
Would help lonliness and hurt to end.
But the then to ask would be too bold.

Can I make each day a bit better
By taking the time to write a letter?
Perhaps my parent is lonely too
Write the note! It's the best thing to do.
Just be the giver if you can't be the getter.

The Accountant

It is time to figure our taxes

We are busy with notes and faxes

It is better to give than receive

But is that what we truly believe

As government taxes and spends and gives us the axes

A New Title

Julie went off to college you see,

She was going to get a degree.

Clint Long gave her a different name.

After that their lives were not the same.

The name for that change is lovely Leslie

Teen

I dispensed regular gasoline

and changed the wipers of neoprene

Hair, hands, and pants that smelled like grease,

a high school boy on work time release

Could that be why I was dumped by Mary Irene

Which Day is This

Brad celebrates today, Friday
Another birthday came his way
Thirteen is a magical number
Recently he was a new comer
Give Bradly kisses and hugs all day.

Degree

A boy named Arlo went to art school
He worked real hard at being a fool
Art was his desired BA degree
He took long enough to grow a tree
Now he is earning dollars for the whirlpool

Major

Business school requires calculus
A very tough subject for all of us
But his grades in that made a bad stench
So he changed his major to french
Well, maybe another language may be a big plus.

Cory's Bike

Cory had a little bicycle
Two wheeled human power vehicle
He went up one wheel, came down crashed
Cory's bicycle and face got smashed
Maybe he should stick to a tricycle.


Cory had a big motorcycle
Two wheels short for a true vehicle
He went way too fast and then he crashed
So Cory's body and his bike got smashed
His reward was much more than a tummy tickle.

Smoker

The old man, a cigarette smoker,
Occasionally he played poker.
A bottle of booze hidden in back,
A girly joke book on the book rack.
Mom better not catch that old joker.

Sand Dunes

Ed and Larry planned a sand dunes day
They bought them a case of beer some way.
Ed checked his mail as Gatha walked by
In the back seat the beer she did spy.
Ed should have kept driving that day.

Ed and Larry tried blame to escape
Gatha held on to them like a great ape
Kent's green hornet was taken away
There was no option for them to play
Gatha's grasp they could not escape

The Arrow

Onto the roof a boy shot an arrow
Blabbing came home about that poor fellow
Before he could descend from that lofty place
He had to contend with his mom in his face
Don't shoot your arrow on the roof, you know!

HELP!

A big wood-ant my privates did bite.
I tried to remove it with my might!
All I could muster was a good cry.
I could not remove it but did try.
I am glad Gatha came and set it right.

Slowpoke

A fair young boy and nice girl met.
One sunny day Jeanette got all wet.
She said, "This boy just moves to fast!"
That tale is now something of the past.
December temple wedding was set.

The ol' man

Arlo Vance hunted deer and rabbit

For him it was a severe habit.

He shot them dead and chopped their head

The skin was stripped down to the meat red

And Gatha had to cook it

Rojo

A tough little scrapper, bright red hair
He and Robert were quite the pair.
Robert was big and Rojo was small
That didn't matter to Rojo at all.
After three broken noses, they cleared the air.

Beaus

Gatha was young as was Arlo,
But her heart she did follow.
She was wed at seventeen.
They had times very lean.
Look now at the generations grow!

The Model-A

Arlo had a very old Model A,
Sometimes he would pull a hood sleigh.
That old Frankenstein was modified.
And two boys that antique car tried.
To those boys dismay he gave it away!

Restraint

One day Kent ran too far away
He thought that with friends he could play.
Gatha harshly made him to return
Constrained by cloths-line and a rope burn.
Kent since then asks mom if he may.

Fight

Two cousins who fought were Larry 'n Ed.

Mothers tired of fighting it's said.

They were made to fight long in the dirt

In hopes they'd tire fore someone got hurt.

Fighting they say stopped that day when one thought the other was dead.