Forest Grove Trailer Park Ontario,N.Y.14519
As I am writing this, we are enjoying some of the most perfect weather that we have had all summer. Day time temperatures are in the eighties with the nights in the sixties. In traveling around the countryside, we notice that the flowers are in full bloom and more beautiful than at any other time. All to soon, and it can happen any time now, here in the North-east, Jack Frost will arrive, and then the winter snows will come.
We have attended several Reunions this summer, the first being our own Pioneer Gas Engine Association show at Fairville, N.Y. We had some tough luck with the main highway being under construction, and some of the exhibitors and visitors becoming lost on the detours. But, now, we can look forward to next year when there will be a nice new road. There were more engines and equipment displayed than ever before, so we consider it a very successful show.
Then, there was the Pagent of Steam at Canandaigua. There was a very hard rain on Friday, so the grounds were wet and muddy on Saturday, but fairly dry on Sunday. They had the usual good crowd that steam always attracts. We talked with Rev. Ritzman for a little but missed seeing the Mrs. but we were happy that they were able to make the trip.
The next show was the Tioga Early Days’ Reunion near Mansfield, in the hills of Northern Pennsylvania. This is about 120 miles from home, so we made it an overnight trip, and were there for two days. We took along our trailer with four engines and really enjoyed ourselves getting to know some of the people better.
TRI-STATERS ARE RELIGIOUS TOO-AII Spark Plugs always ‘tend Sunday morning worship at Tri-State. Here they are shown listening attentively to Chaplain Rev. Lillie Black Mote, who told them they can ‘enjoy their engines without using the Lord’s name in vain’. And they did.
SAWMILLIN’ WENT ON EVERY DAY AT TRI-STATE ’68 —15-30 McCormick-Deering, vintage of 1926, runs sawmill. That’s Von Kesler of Hartford City, Indiana at the tractor throttle.
Over Labor Day weekend, we took in the Steam-Era at Milton, Ontario. We had missed this show for two years, so really enjoyed looking over the place to see what was new. The last big show of the year was the Rally of the Western New York Steam and Gas Association at Alexander, N.Y. They had a very good display of both steam and gas.
So you can see that we have had a very busy summer, with not many week ends to sit around and wonder what to do. There are still a few ‘gas-ups’ around, which we want to attend before winter comes. Miles Lusk of Butler, Pa. wrote me the other day with a suggestion. He says that there are so many Reunions which fall on the same date, that one cannot attend all the ones they want. He says there should be a clearing house, (he suggests Stemgas Publishing Co.), to set the dates, so they would fall at different times. However, there are so many shows that this would be impossible. I bet many of the men would agree with him, though.
At our house, my busy season at work is starting off with a big bang, and it looks as if we will be busier than ever. Paul has added three more engines to his collection of air-cooled jobs, all of which need a thorough restoration job. So he also, has a busy winter ahead.
I have a receipe which was given to me by a very dear neighbor many years ago. It is especially good this time of year when apples are in plentiful supply.
APPLE BREAD
? cup shortening
? cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup chopped unpeeled apple
? teaspoon salt
2cups flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon soda
1? Tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
? cup chopped nutmeats (if desired)
Bake about 40 minutes in 350 degree oven
(1 loaf)
Here are some famous phrases uttered by great men of the past which mean as much today as they did when they were new: ‘Men are usually the authors of their own inventions’; ‘It takes a smart man to be a fool’; ‘The liar should have a good memory’; and ‘Men are no better than their own conversation’.
We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and, God willing, we will be with you next year
