It's Jocelyn's birthday

And I couldn't post a less-relevent picture of her, really. She wasn't, like, way into cats, and the picture was obviously taken nowhere near her birthday, because even in Arco, Idaho there isn't usually a foot of snow on September 24. Plus, I'm mad at Cats In General today, after finding about a dozen rude brown lumps in our yard yesterday. However, there's something about this picture that keeps pulling me back to look. Maybe is the surprise at seeing Jocelyn with a cat, or her cute little nose. Corregated tin? Snow? But probably just that Jocelyn is in it.

Nevertheless, today is her birthday. I sometimes ponder on how she'd be as a 32-year-old. What would she like now? What wouldn't she like? Where would she live? Would she have moved to Ireland? Become a crazy cat lady? It's impossible to say, since she is forever half that age and obsessed with glitter.

Happy Birthday full of glitter and cats, Joss!  

More August birthdays / a book

The first thing we did on Norah Jocelyn Peterson's first birthday is go to the Rexburg, Idaho cemetery with my dad, whom she calls Papa. (Or at least presumably she will, once she speaks.)

Happy birthday, baby! 

Calvin, Papa, Norah

Calv, me, Norah

We went to see the headstones of Hogan (or was it Hakan?? the headstone said Hogan) and Cecilia Anderson because I never have and they were right there under my nose the whole time my parents lived in Rexburg. They are moving this month, so I wanted to go while I could. It was rainy and cool, which is of course the best kind of cemetery weather there is.

My dad added to my story about those pioneer ancestors (from here) with a little bit more detail. Hogan/Hakan went to Manti after he arrived in Utah with his cousin when they were lads. They had both been sent from Sweden by their families who couldn't afford to come or take care of them. It is also interesting that Cecelia's friend, who Hakan married first but she died, was named Hannah, and then the couple named their first child Hannah.

And so, here is an old book that belonged to Hannah that is so lovely that I almost can't stand it. It's slightly less than 100 years old, but that pattern on the front is so pretty and to tell you the truth trendy right now that I just like to stare at it.

Hannah Anderson Johnsen was the grandma who raised my Grandma Ada Stricklan in Shelley, Idaho after her mom died. (There is also a picture of Hannah in that post about Hakan and Cecelia as pioneers.) My dad has kept Hannah's journal and ledger book, which has an entry as early as 1918. The journal part begins in 1921. She recounts her engagement and marriage, sporadically writes about her children and grandchildren's lives and prices of crops over the years, since they were farmers. The last entry is in 1940 and is hardly legible. I have read bits of it, but it's hard to read because it's written in Hannah's beautiful handwriting and the pages have faded and some are water damaged and also I get distracted really easily by the amazing pattern on the front cover and the terrifying recipe for soap in the back. I will share a lot of these things as I go, you can be sure.

August 1st Birthday Twin

My dad's older sister Sharon is old enough to be his mother. She is short, like me. She also happens to share my birthday.

Back said: Sharon Evon, age nine, these roses and I were in the 24th of July parade. And the desert shall bloom like a rose. Jameston Ward

I remember driving to Sharon and Ken's house with my dad for a Christmastime gathering when I was small. They were in their Fruit Heights house, and I thought it was absolutely lovely (I still do). They had a very pretty Christmas tree and lots of twinkle lights, as well as breakable ornaments and decorations, which I looked at and did not touch. Not only that, but the arrival to her house was a little bit magical and twinkly, because you could see all the heralding lights of the houses of her hillside neighborhood from the freeway.

Sharon with her nephew Michael, who is a year older than my dad.

Sharon gave me a peridot ring set on a gold band a few years ago, because we are birthday twins. She also gave me a beautiful buffet that she bought antique in Denver many years ago and carefully restored. She even used gold leaf in the grooves. I, on the other hand, didn't even send her a birthday card; I never do, I always forget at the right time. I think of it in March, at the beginning of July, and on our birthday, but by then it's a little late, isn't it?

Nevertheless, I wish her the very happiest day this year, like I do every year.