TOUR OF THE GLASS HOUSE IN FAIRPORT

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Charlotte Colburn
has new photos of her glass house.

This little secluded house is really unique.
I just hope it is grounded well so a giant windstorm doesn't sling it around.

Click on each photo to see the details.





3Four shovels make the stand for a beautiful plant
and an old turtle shell.

Notice the door knob. Old faucet knobs. 4

3The candles hanging in the center of the windows are jars, hose clamps and wire.....a tea lite candle in the jar....so easy to make and so inexpensive.

3Charlotte has an open invitation to anyone wanting to play Scrabble.

The cabinet on the wall is an old wood case in which Charlotte just mounted to the wall and put chains on the lid to make a shelf. 4

3And look at this . . . .
The old rake makes a great wine goblet holder.













3Charlotte wrote . . .
"The green items on the top are old wine bottles...of course they are empty...duh!! The deal in the middle of them are glasses and jars I glued together. Notice the old curtain rods with the arrows.....I recycle as much as I can....I'm a true junker!!"

3Everything on this shelf is from an auction, garage sale, or the Other Mall (thrift shop)...except the radio and the plastic utensils.

An old screen window divides the bed from the rest of the room...

some old jewelry hanging on it. 6

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

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As most of you know, after Millard and I were married we taught one more year at Paradise and Luray. (Millard at Luray and I was at Paradise.) After leaving Paradise, we taught 2 years in Kit Carson, then moved to Tribune, Ks.

We have had a few communications from our friends and students from Tribune, but within the last few months we have had a great time with one of our students - a very sweet little boy that took piano lessons from me. (I know his Mother made him take a bath and clean his finger nails before he came to every lesson, as he always smelled SO soap clean.) Remember me telling you about the 45 Santa's that Millard carved for a Telephone Company (actually a Technology Company - ETC - Elkhart Technology Company) at Christmas? Well, one of the recipients of one of those Santa's was Larry Howell and employee of ETC's business (Epic Touch) that is also in Liberal and in Guymon, OK. Anyway, Larry wrote our good friend's, Dian and Bob Boaldin, owner's of ETC and thanked them for the wonderful Christmas party and Santa carving by Millard Harrell. (She forwarded the e-mail to us to read.) He went on to say that he was a student of the Harrell's when he was a young boy in Tribune. He is now the President of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce. Because of our renewed friendship with Larry we have read a Tribute that he wrote to his Dad after going to Washington just a few weeks ago. This was published in the newspaper at Tribune. Larry had the priviledge of being with Senator Pat Roberts in Washington and his Tribute to his Dad in Tribune seems so fitting to put on our very own Paradise Blog.

Larry's Father's Day Tribute

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"My trip, Washington DC became “personal”…

Each spring, a group of people representing the Liberal Chamber of Commerce, City of Liberal, Seward County and area Electric, Gas and Telephone Service companies make a trek to Washington D.C. to meet with our senators and congressmen. The Liberal delegation joins with delegations from area communities including Garden City, Dodge City, Hays, and Great Bend.

For the few days we are there, we meet with the aides and staffers of Senators Roberts and Brownback and Congressman Moran plus we have a one on one session with our Senators and Congressman. These meetings are very important to be able to visit about issues that are specific to our communities and businesses. Plus, it’s a chance to get to know the congressional staff, so if an issue arises, we know who to call! This year was my second time to go, representing the Chamber and representing my company, EPIC TOUCH, which is a provider of land line telephone service, cable television, internet, and wireless phone stores.

The visit with Senator Roberts became very personal for me. We meet with the Senator in his conference room. The memorabilia in the room was overwhelming. I complimented the Senator on it all and he said “when we are done, be sure to step into the inner sanctum” referring to his private office. After our visit, I asked the Senator if I could take him up on the offer of seeing his private office (yes, I am nosey) and he showed me through the double doors. There in his spacious office, on the far wall, was framed copies of special legislation that Senator Roberts had authored, Congress passed and was signed by the President of the United States including the pen used to sign the bill. After admiring his memorabilia, Senator Roberts invited me to sit down on his couch and he explained a device he uses as a joke when the Senator “feels he is being fed a bunch of nonsense”. We had a great laugh! As we were walking out of his office, the Senator stopped me to show me one of his most prized possessions on his desk, a bumper sticker. The sticker simply was an old quote: to err is human, to forgive divine, neither of which is a Marine’s way. We laughed, and I said, “Senator, I understand, my dad is a Marine!” The Senator patted me on the shoulder and said, “yes, once a Marine, always a Marine”.

The Senator then asked about my dad, a World War II veteran from the Oklahoma Panhandle who after the war and college, became a farmer in Greeley County, Kansas with his wife, Carol Jean and, raised four children. Senator Roberts told me about his dad, also a WWII Marine. In our conversation, we realized both our fathers had served on Iwo Jima. I told how my dad was there when the Marines raised the flag, and my dad never wanted to talk about his experiences in the war. The Senator confirmed that his father didn’t talk about his experiences, until he brought his dad to Washington as a guest of Senator Bob Dole, for the dedication of the WWII memorial. Senator Roberts explained that after the dedication, his dad started telling stories and sharing experiences. I then explained that for my father, it took a project by the local historical society, who was putting together a book on veterans and asked my dad for his story.

As my mother wrote down his stories, dad told about graphic events and what being a Marine meant to him. Since my mother’s passing, I am so grateful for the opportunity to know about my father as a marine, who chose, like many fellow soldiers, to keep the details to himself.The Senator turned and went to his desk and asked my father’s name and how to contact him. I told him my dad is Roy Everett Howell, but don’t call him Roy, he was raised as Everett and when he became a Marine, he had begrudgingly went by the Marine name of…Roy! The Senator smiled and said, I understand, I was called Charles!

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Then I realized the Senator was picking up the phone, and dialing my dad. He simply said, “Larry, I want to talk to your dad”. I cannot explain the pride that swelled up inside me, and my tears flowed as the scene unfolded, Fortunately, I had the where-for-all to pull out my cell phone and snap a picture of the Senator calling my father back in Kansas!
Sometimes fate plays a most interesting hand, as disappointment came when my dad’s answering machine answered the Senator’s call. Fate intervened, and without missing a beat, the Senator spoke loud and clear to the recorder: “Roy Howell, this is Senator Pat Roberts in Washington DC. Sir, our country is in a mess, and we need Marines like you to straighten things out! You served your country proudly, and we need you, I have your induction papers Mr. Howell, and your country is calling you back to active service!” Then with a laugh, the Senator explained “Everett, your son Larry is here, in my office, and I just wanted to call and thank you for your service to our country!” “God bless you Everett and I hope things are well back in the great state of Kansas!” As the Senator hung up, he told me, “Larry, I want to talk to your dad; I’m going to call him back later when he is home!”
I realized, some politicians, like Senator Roberts, understand Kansas values, Marine values, yet can joke and laugh just like us! I’m not sure how many times I thanked the Senator for his call to my dad, but I know this, it was a defining moment for me regarding the pride I felt as a son of his father! My dad, a Kansas farmer, in his eighth decade of life, receiving a call from a United States Senator thanking him for his service as a Marine!
After leaving the offices of Senator Roberts, I stood outside his door and called my father’s cell phone. He was out of town for the afternoon, and was quite shocked when I told him he had a very special phone message on his answering machine. He told me, “It’s a good thing I wasn’t home, because I would have thought it was some prank and who knows what I might have said!”
Later that night at a reception for the congressional staff, one of Senator Roberts aides came up to me and, as Paul Harvey would say, “told me the rest of the story”. Later that afternoon, during a work session, the aides noticed the Senator had left the room for a while and when he re-entered, was mumbling something. The aide asked what he was saying, and the Senator said he was talking about my dad. He told the aide that he called my father and summed the call up quite simply, “Everett Howell, one hell of an American, one hell of a Marine!”
As I reflect upon the events, I realized that Senator Roberts never once asked my dad’s political party affiliation. All the Senator needed to know was that my father is a Marine, served in the Pacific in WWII and after visiting with him on the phone, summed it up correctly. My dad is one hell of an American, but I want to add just one more phrase to the Senator’s, my dad is also, a tremendous loving father! Thank you Senator Roberts, thank you Roy Everett Howell.

Larry Howell
Liberal Chamber of Commerce President

Happy Father's Day to all of our Wonderful Fathers!

12 MILE BIKE TRIP IN THE FLINT HILLS

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Millard and Kelby (our son)

rode their bikes on a Flint Hills Nature Trail

from

Allen to Admire

Kansas

(north of Emporia)

Leaving Allen

Arriving in Admire Last Chance Cafe and Post Office
The Cafe was closed, but Millard and Kelby had plenty of water and a Protein Bar.

Returning to Allen from Admire

Millard was preoccupied with taking pictures of flowers so, Kelby came back to see what on earth happened to Dad.
As you can tell by the photos, Millard had several rest stops.

Back to Allen where the trip began.

Millard and Kelby are making plans to add another 8, or so, miles next time and ride to Bushong.

The Nature Trail is actually from Allen to Bushong.

Millard is not concerned about the trip from Allen to Bushong, but he is questioning getting back from Bushong to Allen.

WHAT IS TERRY MARTIN (1965) DOING?

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Terry is retired and he is working hard to enjoy it.

Terry and his wife, Kristine, live in Mckinney, Texas. Kristine is a teacher and will continue to teach for a few years and Terry is, according to him, "still working in telco stuff restalling and removing whatever comes up. I have my own company and bidding jobs for Alltel and Verizon wireless. I get work about 1 week per month and that keeps me in spending money." Terry and Kristine have two boys - Kevin and Vincent. Kevin and his wife, Jennifer live in Corpus Christi, Texas and have two daughters, Katelyn and Madison. Vincent, the youngest, lives in Ancorage, Alaska and is married to Rebecca. They have one daughter, Jordan.



3Terry

Kristine 6

Terry is in the process of building a garage for
his "toys". Although he is not the carpenter for this project, he is the electrician.

This garage is being built by their retirement home, which they built,

in Cartwright, OK - close to Texoma Lake.

It is a mile and three quarters from a boat ramp at the north end of the dam.

You can see the frame of the garage to the left of their lovely home.




It is neat to see the progress being made each week.

It is great to have trees next to it.

This is a road trip that Terry took on route 66.

There were places that were only 9 ft. wide and,

which certainly called for slowing down and pulling over for approaching cars.

This photo of the 9 foot highway was near Miami, Oklahoma.

The painted turtle was near Miami also.
Terry said . . "it was the biggest one I had ever seen.
I wish I would have laid a dollar bill beside him, so you could tell. It was about 20 inches and must have been
200 years old."

This is a picture of Terry and his car at Baxter Springs, KS.

The building is an old gas station that had been converted into a

Route 66 Museum.

I woud say that Terry is having a lot of fun being retired.

TERRY'S WORK IS SLOWED DOWN

Terry was planning to run more cement today.

This is his front yard - too much water to work.

Terry said, "This is a photo of Okla Rian."

Those Okies do talk a little strange, don't they?

TERRY MARTIN'S GARAGE PROGRESS

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This summer's rain has slowed Terry's project down.

He tried to have the cement ran several different days.

Finally there was a day without rain.

It seems like there are troubles with any and every project
when you have to depend on people.

From the mouth of Terry last Saturday . . . . . .

"Well the contractor let me down today, so I hand dug an eighty foot sewer line ditch myself. Then he "The lazy ___" contractor put the pipe in and connected it to the septic tank. Then I dug a 60 foot smaller in width ditch for the fresh water line. Not bad for a little boy from Fairport. Hum guess I'll have a Bud Lime.
P.S. I am tired and sore."

Sorry! I had to remove a word. You can guess!

Then, on Mon he was is in Sioux Falls South Dakota working on Verizon wireless equipment.
Maybe he needs that time away from the contractor. Do you think?

ANOTHER QUOTE FROM TERRY - "CONTRACTOR'S"

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Terry says that he
"is still fighting with contractors on the garage job to do what they bid on and get it done. Oh ____ guess I'll just have another beer and mellow out."

I will be anxious to get his final photo on here with his car. Oh! Yes! I had to delete another word.

What on earth is Google doing. It is highlighting certain words so you can click on them.
I do NOT like that!

FAIRPORT - HOME OF THE HARD WORKERS

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I have "kind of" become acquainted with Charlotte Colburn - through comments made on Terry Martin's Comments on Facebook. I am supposing that most of you know her and I am going to find out more about her, but I do know that she is either from Fairport - or - was from Fairport. I do know when her birthday is and that she is married. I'm working on the rest.

The Oswald's had a family reunion in Fairport this summer.
Here are a couple of photos from the reunion.

(Click on each photo to make it larger.)

Pictured on left side of monument from left to right:

Jon Dockendorf Jr., held by mom Betty Dockendorf, Jon Dockendorf photographer way in the back, Harry Colburn Sr, Charlotte Colburn, Leonard Bailey, Jessica Boller, Wayne Stielow, Virginia Oswald Bailey, Dan Kaczar, Larry Keil , Carolyn Oswald Keil, Gloria Stielow, Earlene Oswald and Lyle Oswald on top of monument.

Seated in front of monument, Kath Kaczar, Jane Rogers, Teresa Rogers, Terry Rogers, Monique Quintana, Cory Dreiling, Francis Dreiling. Standing on right side of monument: Lloyd Oswald, Rose Oswald, Carol Boxberger, Cara Van Stefnwyle, Tim Stefnwyle, Gary Oswald, Justin Verhoeff, Madison Verhoeff held by mom Jen Verhoeff.
Not pictured: Don Boxberger, Camille Dreiling, Rita Dreiling, Gary Blundon, Mandi Blundon, Cheyenne Blundon, Clay Blundon, Mable Walker, Carrie Dolven, Jim Dolven, Mike Boller, Curtis Boller, Tyler Boxberger, Mollie Carlson.

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Special Thank You to Teresa Rogers - Daughter of Ina Oswald - for sending me the names of the people in the photo.

Lyle Oswald, Oregon...
on the Carrie Oswald #1.
Lloyd Edward Oswald
front left, red shirt.

And . . . Charlotte posted a photo of a glass house that she had.
These are her words . . . .
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"The wall facing is the east side, to the right is north, west has a huge double pane window in it, north has 3 large and 6 small windows, and the south has 2 large and 4 small windows, the east has 2 windows and an old door in the middle. everything is recycled lumber, door, windows, and tin. I can't wait until it gets done. I have a daybed, old cabinet, table and chairs, rocking chair, and some antiques for in it. Harry has done an awesome job. It pays to recycle. No electricity, just candles or lamps."

Do you suppose a glass house is to a woman like a dog house is to a man?
It certainly sounds like a neat place.

Now . . . . I'm off to find out more about Charlotte.

So far, I have found out that Charlotte went to Natoma High School, she grew up on a farm south of Fairport and her maiden name is Oswald. Probably everyone knew that except me. I had a fear that she had been one of my students and I couldn't recall her name. Whew! That is a relief!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CHARLOTTE COLBURN?

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I said in my above posting about Fairport and Charlotte Colburn ("Fairport - Home of the Hard Workers") that I was going to find out more about Charlotte. You can see on the comment below those photos that her daughter sent a message. I have tried to respond to her comment twice.
What is with this blog? It won't let me comment!
Anyway . . . Charlotte has helped me out. Thanks so much Charlotte!
And Jessica, I'm sorry that I could not respond to your comment.

Charlotte's message . . . .

I graduated in 1976....got married to Curtis Dockendorf in 78...Jessica Dockendorf Boller was born 79....Jon Curtis Dockendorf born 82.....Curtis died July 28, 1996.
I remarried Harry Colburn. Sr, in October of 2001. He is originally from Stockton. He had been divorced 11 years.
Jess is married to Mike Boller, they have little Curtis, born 7-22-2006...
Jon Dockendorf Sr. and his wife Betty have little Jon Jr. born 4-20-2007.
Jessica lives in the old Miller house in Fairport, and Jon lives in Gorham.
I live in the white house on top of the hill in Fairport.
We raise german shepherds in our spare time and we have a 3 acre garden and the Fairport Market party house in Fairport.
We do farmers markets in Hays and Russell.

Now we all know about Charlotte from Fairport. I would be interested to know more about the Fairport Market Party House in Fairport. Next time we go to Paradise, we plan to check out Fairport.

JUNE, 1931

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According to the "Paradise Farmer"

This was the activity in Paradise 78 years ago.

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The Home Economics group of the Paradise Farm Bureau surprised Mrs. Henry Strecker on her birthday. Those present were Mrs. George Morrill, Mrs. Robert Roda, Mrs. F.D. Angel, Mrs. Elizabeth Worley, Mrs. N.W. Wilcox, Mrs. T.A. Helscher, Mrs. J.H. Isenberger, Mrs. G.O. Greene, Mrs. J.T. Harrell, Mrs. M.F. Fritts, Mr and Mrs Jake Reich, Kathryn Harrell, Eileen Brown and Lucille Fitts. Sturgeons soap was made, a recipe for hand lotion was given out and care of the hands was discussed. The ladies brought their dinner and spent a happy and profitable day.

d

We seem to be too busy to do activities like this with our friends and neighbors, aren't we? I'm sure their lives were much "richer" because of their fellowship with one another. Technology isn't everything - although in 2009 it is very important to us - we seem to neglect the fellowship of one another.