Interview with Grandma Siripon Schunk (ยาย)

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, my maternal grandma, Siripon Schunk, visited this summer.  She and I had a delightful time as travelling companions visiting neat places throughout the state.  She lives in Nevada, and I hadn't seen her since she last visited when I was 16.  So, we had a bit of catching up to do.

I call her Yai (ยาย), which is the Thai version of Grandma.  My late grandfather, Raymond Garrison, was a merchant marine and construction worker.  Shortly before she left in late August, I asked Yai if she'd be willing to do a quick interview to share about her very interesting life with my readers.

Hardin County Courthouse

The Hardin County Courthouse in Eldora, Iowa is a particularly special courthouse to me because William Lockard and his wife Elizabeth Steinbarger Lockard, my great great great great grandparents, moved to Hardin County in 1852.  They came from Ohio in a covered wagon, bought land from Greenberry Haggin (the first white man to settle in Hardin County, in 1849), and broke up the virgin soil.  

They lived in a log cabin, where, as Mrs. Lockard reported, they could not stand up straight, and where she did her cooking for eight to ten years in an old-fashioned fireplace.

St. Louis Zoo

St. Louis Trip, Day 2 - Saturday, July 25, 2015

It's high time I finish my series on our St. Louis trip last summer.  Our next stop after visiting Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery was the St. Louis Zoo.   We had heard it was very impressive, and since my sister loves animals, we really wanted to see it.  The only problem?  Everyone else in the city seemed to want to visit the zoo!  There was a long line of cars waiting to find parking.

After spending 20 minutes trying to find parking, we were almost discouraged enough to head back to our dorms, as we had to be at Webster University at 4:30 p.m. for chess game analysis.  But, we finally found a spot and headed into the zoo at 1:40, giving ourselves 2 hours before we had to leave and find our way back.  

Moonlit Eve, Foggy Morn, & Family History

As I've mentioned before, my family and I enjoy excursions around lakes and on trails in the area.  We have three runners in training  (best time so far: one of my sisters ran a 5K in a little over 24 minutes).  Those of us--including myself--who don't run, like to ride along on bicycles.  Below you can find an assortment of photos from various trips.

The trees above are in Deer Park.  For many years the city kept a herd of real reindeer in this park; the past couple years though, Santa has had to look elsewhere to replenish his herd.  

Thanksgiving 2015

My family and I do not celebrate many holidays, but one we do look forward to every year is Thanksgiving.  Grandma brought her specialty, seven-layer salad.  My sister Charity and my mom made turkey, mashed potatoes, and bread rolls.  My youngest sister (who sells pies) made pecan, apple, pumpkin, and raisin pies, and chocolate chip cookies.

I made my super-fast homemade cranberry sauce and carrot salad, opened a can of green beans, a bag of frozen cream corn, and a can of pineapples, and set the table... This time, I adhered to tradition, resisting my e̶v̶i̶l̶  humanitarian urge to set paper plates in an effort to a̶v̶o̶i̶d̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶h̶e̶s̶  conserve water.

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

St. Louis Trip, Day 2 - Saturday, July 25, 2015

The site I most wanted to see in St. Louis was my great great great uncle Philander Lockard's grave.  Philander and his brother John both volunteered for the Union army during the Civil War.  Philander died at age 24 of typhoid in St. Louis on December 8th, 1861.  John, 25 years old, was wounded April 6th, 1862 during the Battle of Shiloh, and died on May 25th in Waterloo, Iowa on his way back home. 

The gravestone where John is buried at one of our local family cemeteries commemorates both him and his brother Philander, and I had always thought they were both buried there.  But upon further research, I found that Philander was actually buried at Jefferson Barracks.

If You Please

From 1908 to 1918, my great great grandmother, Ethel Carson,  had a little book where she kept a record of income, expenses, and various happenings around the farm.  She also wrote or copied one poem, "If You Please," but unfortunately did not indicate who the author was or if she wrote it herself.