WWI soldier

My grandfather, Henry D. Call was a soldier in WWI in France. Before leaving for the war, he proposed to my grandmother, Violet Wood, and she promised to wait for him. I have their set of letters that flowed back and forth over the sea. They are a great treasure of 1918 history and romantic longing in beautiful handwritten script..

Henry Call

Isn't this a great picture of my grandfather? My father was his oldest child, and I think they are a lot alike. Henry taught thousands of students here in Utah (Including my husband's secretary who LOVED Mr. Call). He was a principal for Clinton Elementary (K-8) for 43 years..can you imagine that! A more honorable, adorable man there never was. I remember him very well...loved the visits to his farm--a change from our studies at BYU. I remember that he was always teaching...even if it was which apples were the best or how to raise the best tomatoes. When he left his house for the last time, he was even telling the ambulance driver to be careful driving over the railroad crossing bumps. He has been honored with so many awards, I couldn't list them all, but best of all, he was my Grandpa Call.

The Sycamore Ranch

Mom and Dad bought the Sycamore Ranch just south of Los Molinos, Ca., 30 years ago. Two hundred acres of walnuts and prunes and lots of beautiful oak trees, a creek, three houses, a barn, ranch office and workshops, and a dehydrator. .....It has only known two other owners (Cones and Krastas) since the time it was an original Spanish Land Grant (yes, from actual Spaniards--who conquered the Mexicans and enslaved Indians, before we did our duty in 1849).

Pink Peach Blooms

Brad and his family have been in France this year..and they're missing the show!

Restful Scene

The creek is low. I can remember all of my nieces and nephews and my own kids playing in this creek--mud games were the best!

The Birds

Oooohh...has anyone seen Tippy Hedron?

Palm Trees

With 23,000 walnut and prune trees on 200 acres, ya gotta have a few palm trees because, afterall, it's California. (Now are you really homesick, Heidi?) This is the view outside the room where we stay, the north end of the house. We sleep in a GREAT soft bed...we open the door to the outside every night to hear the country sounds.... the train a mile away...and the yipping of the foxes. Raccoons will come right up to the screen and demand cat food (or a cat). Last fall, Manuel and Isabel were taking a walk around the ranch when the came upon a large cougar! It was very frightening for them.

Beaver Damage

DAD

This is how I remember Dad every evening. He'll be 87 on April 28th. He still works out in the orchard for hours each day. He is remodeling a rental at his 'other' orchard, he supervises Manuel..the ranch hand that lives on the property, he prunes the trees, drives the tractor, and grafts the new trees. But every night, after Jeopardy, 'Wheel', and if he's really lucky--Lawrence Welk, he pulls out his scriptures and reads and reads and reads..

LaRue Nixon Call

This is LaRue. She and my father have been married about 10 years now (no children yet) She always treats me so well when I come to visit. She does a great job with the flowers around Dad's house. Every time Gary and I drive out, we get to stay overnight at her ranch in Nevada...80 acres of stark desert beauty, but an oasis of green where her home is. It used to be a Bed and Breakfast Inn. There is a barn with horses, cows, lots of stray cats, a pond, a hot springs nearby, brilliant stars at night and utter quiet. She grew up there as a child. The house is large and filled with great Spanish furniture and special momentos from Spain, where her husband served as Mission President in 1972. (He was 'Pres. Nixon'....during the same time we had a Pres. Nixon....) LaRue is lovely.

Beaverheaven:

The Creek

This creek often floods... it's called Champlin Slough...three times my parents have had to take up the carpet and moved furniture in their house as the muddy water comes right into the house....during flood season, the water will surround the house completely. But it is so much fun to play in, or take the canoe and go all the way around the bend. There are blue, herons, ducks, frogs, snakes and beavers. Dad does NOT like the beavers. They take his trees right down.

Cousins

Christian hadn't seen his cousin, Dustin for a long time. They are both 16, exactly 4 mos. apart, and grew up together. Suzanne drove him up for a visit, and ended up taking my Christian back with them to Yuba City. Isn't Dustin's friend darling? That's Amanda......

Back from the California Ranch

I spent a week at the ranch. I told Gary that it was not fair coming out here in springtime..it is SOOO beautiful. Christian kept telling me, "It's SO GREEN here!" The best thing was to spend time with my dad. He is such good company, so kind and interesting and spiritual and hard working. We had a good time. Here are (a lot) of photos from the visit. These are walnut and prune trees in bloom.

Got a 100% on his Driver's Test "Yeaaaaaah"

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is March 12th, my mother's birthday. She passed away 13 years ago, but instead of being sad, I have decided to be happy happy happy that she lived a wonderful 73 years. This picture says it all. She was beautiful inside and out...everyone was better for knowing her. Besides her family, she had a HUGE inpact on thousands of students...she was an effective and popular English teacher at Red Bluff High School for so many years. I loved going to school knowing that she was there and that every so often, someone would say, "Is Mrs. Call your mother?"...and it was always a positive thing. She's the reason I've taught English for 30 years...Can you see in this photo how Dad is looking at her? What a team. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!...would be 86 today.

Can't wait

On April 20th he will finally be a licensed driver...beware all those out on the road...

Christian in Black Shirt and Tie

I took Christian out of school at 1:00 pm to attend the funeral of my friend, and his good friend's mother, Stacey Campbell. He said he wanted to show repect to Richard, his friend. Wow, she was born in 1954--the same as me....too young to die. She leaves 3 children adopted from the Marshall Islands. Bishop Jeff Call (my cousin) conducted the funeral.

I like this photo of him...not only is he handsome..at this moment he is actually a straight A student and going out for the tennis team. Good kid.

Round-up

Kami is so bright and organized. She set up the corrals, and decided to put all like animals together. I'd like her on my farm someday.

The Girls at Grandma's House

It's almost Easter...and who doesn't love Peeps?

I made two flowery bibs for them, even though they're big girls now.

The Girls at Grandma's House

Melissa made a wonderful shepard's pie....my son Christian and grand-daughter Kami are eating it up.

Grandpa Donaldson 116 years old today March 7

This is a picture on the day I graduated from BYU...Gary graduated the same day....but look...I have all my grandparents there! I love all of them so much.....l-r,

Ray and Olive Donaldson,

ME,

Violet and Henry Call

Grandpa Donaldson was such a sweet man. He was the oldest of the bunch and lived the longest--96 years! He lived in California for many years after Grandma died, and my mother sure took good care of him. Today is March 7th, his 116th birthday. He was born in 1892. Happy Birthday Grandpa....

Why am I the only one with my eyes open? Hey, notice Grandpa Call's pocket? I bet that envelope has a nice big check for me....he he

Bubble Bath

Macy and Kami in a tub as big as a swimming pool

Ogden High School

If you look really close, you can see Christian entering the front door. This is the same high school my mother went to in 1938, the year it was dedicated. It is a beautiful art deco structure and has been used in many teen Hollywood movies...Three O'Clock High and Drive Me Crazy among them.

Kami and Macy just flew in from Tucson last night and was surprised to find SNOW!
Kami was on guard because Grandpa was throwing snowballs from the balcony...
Macy wasn't on guard...she got clobbered.


Kami sits in Grandma's reading chair.. I taught about 20 years worth of 4th graders from this chair. It was in my classroom, but now it's in my office.

She'll be in kindergarten this fall.....