CLEARWATER TRIBUNE HOME

JUNE 10, 2010

Rain holds off for Fraser yard sale

By Norma Brand

   The month of May was very wet in Fraser and the surrounding area, and June has started out with rain almost every day. Mother Nature gave everyone a break on Saturday, June 5; this was the day for the yard sales on the hill. She gave her blessings so everyone could travel and take advantage of the variety of items for sale.

   The Fraser Ladies Get Together Club held their “Indoor Yard Sale” at the Fraser Community Center. Thanks to Ruth Bird – the antiques and collectibles were priced correctly. This event was held to help raise funds for the indoor bathroom at the center. A section of one table was set up with toys and items that might be of interest to the children. One little boy was having a good time with a Play Skol desk and before the family left, a deal was made so he could continue to enjoy it.

   Donna Brown baked cookies which went on sale for 10 cents each, both grown ups and children enjoyed them. A baby, named Willie, was seen observing everything from a special carrier attached to his mother. It was a good day to visit with people and to find that special item that you didn’t know you needed. Garden plants and white lilac bushes found new homes, and from the appliance table TV sets, coffee makers, miter saws, waffle makers were purchased.

   Contractor, Carl Stemrich, his crew and his sub contractors have already been at work on the remodel job. The check out table was stationed in front of the door to the new bathroom, and everyone who attended the event Saturday could see the progress. Now when the weather turns cold and the winter winds blow you won’t have to shovel a path through the snow to the out door toilets.

   The Club sends it’s thanks to everyone who donated items and to those who came to shop. They appreciate your generosity; you made this day a big success.

   Over the Memorial Day weekend, Donna and Danny Brown invited their family and friends to a BBQ at their home on Saturday, May 29. Donna’s brother Carl and his wife RoseAnna, her sister-in-law Jan Thornton, her mother Irene Haight from Fraser and friend Jim McManus, Donna’s sister, Jean Bennett and Darrell Hesler from Lenore and Donna’s twin sister, Mona Wolfe and her husband Al came from Libby, MT.

   Also joining the group were Donna and Danny’s family, Brad, Cory and Michele and their four daughters Izzy, Caitlin, Abby and Samantha, Derek and Caresse and their children Emma, Parker, and Nathan, and Danette and Josh McIntosh and their daughters Grace and Lydia.

   Marie Green and her daughter Wilma and son-in-law Dick Shedd drove to the Fraser Cemetery on Memorial Day, they had time to visit with the Brands while they were there.

   Dale and Oreta Stuart had helped working their cattle on Memorial Day. Their daughter Lisa Curnutt and her husband Don, granddaughter Tara Wilson and Donny Kingen, and their grandson Dustin Denison helped process the cattle so they could be turned out to pasture for summer.

   Clarabell Brown enjoyed a visite from her son Neil and his wife Sherry and daughters Jessica and Ashley over the weekend. Jessica and her friend Eric arrived on Saturday and the rest of the family arrived on Sunday, they returned to Pendleton, OR on Monday.

   Shirley and Keith Lutes and Bertys Smolinski drove to Lewiston on Saturday to join their family for a reunion at a park in the Orchards.

   On Sunday, Sharon and Mike McHone had dinner at Ernie’s Steak House in Grangeville to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

   The 2nd largest Welsh Pony Show in the United States in called “The Western National”. Mike and Sharon applied to host it for the first time this year and were accepted. This is one of three shows that are a “Status Symbol” for Welsh Ponies; they are the American National, the Western National and the Eastern National.

   In the past they have invited judges from Wales to preside over the shows, but this year they brought in two women from back east to do the judging; they were Suzan Stevens and Connie Moore. Sharon said they were awesome, there weren’t any conflicts and everything went smoothly.

   Special friends, Gail Thomson, owner of Gayfields Farms, and her husband Arthur traveled from Arkansas to view the show. They didn’t have time to travel to Fraser this year because of Arthur’s work schedule. When the volcano erupted in Iceland, he was in Wales and couldn’t get a flight back to Arkansas for a week, so his extra time was used up.

   The Welsh Pony Show “The Western National” was held in Walla Walla, WA from May 28-30. There were 87 ponies registered for the show, and Sharon was happy to report that technically it went off with out a hitch. The weather was cool and for the most part overcast, which was good for the ponies.

   The Midnight Sun Farm entered four ponies from their herd; they were Gayfields Miss Gail and her two month old baby Midnight Matinee, a two year old stud colt, Midnight Storm and a mare, Gayfields Drama Queen.

   Two month old Matti won the Western National Yearling and Under Title, Tammy Bird handled her. Her mother, Miss Gail, won Reserve Champion Mare. Sharon has the cutest story to tell abut Miss Gail and Matti, so ask her the next time you see here.

   This was the first show for the stud colt, Midnight Storm, and it was his first time off the farm, so everything was new to him. He came home with the title of Reserve Sport Pony, and Drama Queen brought home 2nd and 3rd place ribbons.

   The McHones daughter-in-law Kelli and their granddaughter Kayla traveled to the show from Boise to help them this year.

   Joyce Bird and her daughter, Tammy and granddaughter, Rachel Bonner, participated in the show. You will have to talk to Joyce about how her ponies did.

   Sharon has a “small world” story to tell also. A friend in Walla Walla told her about a woman who was looking for a pony for a 4-H project, the last name was Irvine. To make a long story short, when Sharon and Mike lived in Cordova, AK; they were friends with Kathy and Chuck Irvine and their family. This family eventually moved to the state of Washington and they lost touch with each other. It turned out that the woman, who was looking for the 4-H ponies, is the wife of Bob Irvin, the son of Chuck and Kathy. Sharon will be happy to tell more of the details of this story.

   Happy Birthday goes out to Bev Bailey on June 14 and Barry Bailey on June 15. Happy Anniversary goes out to Cory and Michele Brown on June 15.