Happy birthday to Maggie. Kirk and Tara and the kids came over Sunday to celebrate Maggie's second birthday. We put a couple of candles on a cupcake for her to blow out but she just stared at them. She didn't get the concept of blowing them out.

We had a great time with the family at our reunion.

Everybody enjoyed the smores. Nora was only 7 months old but she thinks she is much older. She doesn't want to sit. She only wants to stand and if she doesn't get her way she lets you know about it.

The kids had a lot of fun having water balloons fired at them. However, I think Kevin had more fun firing them off. He shot off about 250 water balloons.Colter had a tough time sitting in his chair. We just had our family reunion. It was fun to get everyone together. Out of these three it looks like Zane is the only one having fun. However, Ashlee and Annie get along really well.

Ron bought a new toy and the grandkids love it (as does Ron).

Ashlee spent her birthday with us on the 4th of July. Her parents sent her this wonderful basket of candy...She was in Heaven over it. She and Tanner stayed with us for a few days after their parents went back to D.C. to pack up and make the move to SLC. Then they went to Logan and stayed for a week so that Tanner could go to EFY with Samantha and Lindsey. Ashlee loved being with Nicole for a week. Ashlee was also busy making patriotic tu-tu's for her and Maggie to wear on the 4th of July. They were a hit at the Tolman reunion.

Addendum to the Baldy Snag Story

Risa sent me some photos and I thought some would like to see them as they bring back some memories from the old Crow Creek place.
Risa's daughter Becky and her 2 sons, Quinton and Braxton with a prize they found on their trek to mount the memorial.
I couldn't resist including this one. The older cousins will remember this sign that graced many a spot in Star Valley. The dual meaning couldn't be more appropriate considering the many tales we can tell!
A better shot of the memorial. I had to do with my cell phone as I hadn't planned on needing to document such a sight at the top of the mountain!
Risa with grandsons, Josh and Braxton. They did this on their own with no benefit of horse or 4 wheeler. Pretty good accomplishment!

Conclusion of the Baldy Snag Chapter Described Below

This post is best understood by reading the entire Baldy Snag post that is shown just below this post. Read it first and then come back to this post to get the full effect!

We had a great J.O. and Emily V. Tolman reunion on July 4,2009 in Fairview, WY. The events below came to light and we had a good laugh punctuated by the reading of this note that Risa found when she arrived at the cabin on Crow Creek late Friday night. The poet was Kelly and it summed the latest events as follows:

Hells Bells is right dear friends,
The Baldy Snag has come again.

We took the path our kin have trod,
And placed your sacred lightning rod.

It now stands tall for crows to rest,
And sports adornment on its crest.

Amused we were... and laughter roared,
When on the ridge we found your board!

So now the story that we speak,
Is who tagged who upon the peak?


It was fun to visit and gather with this as one of the themes to bind us together. Risa said that she was going up again and planned on leaving a notebook in a weather resistant pouch of some sort for all to record their visits and thoughts as they visited this memory of the Tolman clan in the future. Don't be afraid to take a few tools such as a saw, wire, and pliars with you in case the memorial needs redressing!

Thanks to Kelly for his sharing of the Veigel family history and his visit to Germany connnecting with our roots.

The Baldy Snag Saga

This particularpost details a saga that has evolved over 45 years. The memory may be weak but the tale will be told such as it is. Approximately 45 years ago my cousins, Scott and Lowell, led me down the primrose path as usual and we went on a hike to the east of the Crow Creek ranch owned by my Dad and my Uncle Farrel Tolman. It was one of the few days we had off without hay to put up so we had to do something to keep occupied. As we walked we reached the top of the mountain immediately to the east of the ranch house. We were up close and personal with an icon that had greeted us for as long as we could remember when traveling up the long dusty road to the ranch - an old wizened snag of a pine tree perched almost directly on top of the balding mountain peak looking over the ranch house. One thing led to another and we decided to see if we could push that ugly old snag over. After all it was doing no good that we could see. It was obvious from the scarcity of other vegetation around there that it never should have tried growing there anyway. We did our deed and returned to the ranch house later. I am sure that we were told by our parents that we really needn't have done that and I am also fairly certain that Uncle Farrel would have uttered words to the effect that this wasn't the smartest thing we had ever done punctuated by one of his "hells bells" sayings.

We thought that was the last we would hear about it. Never so fortunate! About 20 or so years later we were provided copies of an article of approximately 1/2 newspaper page written for the Salt Lake Tribune (no less) by our cousin Risa Tolman Ashment. It was very well written but evoked feelings of guilt that needed to be assuaged. As part of the 2009 reunion we planned on doing something to restore the sanctity of that spot for Risa. She even named two of us in the article but we think Scott bought her off and he wasn't mentioned.
The original plan was go go up on Saturday July 4, 2009 as a family but thinking about a full day of reunion and other activities on the 4th I conned by brothers Kelly and Craig to go up on the Tuesday before to take care of business. This is no small hike to the top of that mountain! We had a nice horse ride and enjoyed every minute until I topped the peak from the east and looked down to behold that someone had beat us to it and left the offering below! I knew at that moment that to a certain extent I had been had somehow!

Slowly approaching the cross from the rear I peeked around to see what was on the front. If the picture does not allow you to read it clearly the text says:

Betrayal of the baldy snag, remembered by that surly nag; 40years to be avenged, and this is how you make amends?

HELLS BELLS! TAG YOU'RE IT!

After a long conversation about the audacity of some relatives I gave due penitence and set out to complete the task at had with two able brothers.

Flying high for all to see the baldy mountain is now dressed in a new snag although it will never be the equal of the original. All who visit this SOR (Shrine of Risa's) are invited to add to the memorial. It brings back good memories whatever the form it takes.

We noticed after we had completed our good works that evolution had attached itself to the surprise we encountered!

Alaska Trip

Jud, my mom Laura, my sisters Valerie and Diane all flew to Alaska for a visit to my sister Teri's place. They were great hosts and we had lots of fun fishing, sightseeing, and even garnet prospecting and finding. We did a lot of fishing but not a lot of catching. Nevertheless, it was fun because I could spend some time with Jud. One unusual thing we caught was a 3-legged starfish. Maybe I should have kept it. We found out later it may be a bit rare!

Jud quickly learned the ropes of Kim's boat and piloted us around fishing. Here we are at Banana Point and he really had his hands full trying to negotiate around thousands of crab pots and their buoys. We caught one small halibut here.

This was taken at Banana Point around 4:00 a.m.. It didn't take long for us to get used to the 3 hour night and we saw some beautiful sights while in Alaska.

The haul from one day of crabbing. Teri cooked them up and for the only time I can remember I had all the crab I could eat. We actually left crab on the table!

We took a long trip with Kim out to Portage Bay and

beyond. It was beautiful scenery. We saw whales galore, sea lions, and much more while motoring to and from the location. Kim was a great guide and gave generously of his time, knowledge, and equipment. A great host!

Kyler had a fun time at the reunion driving his "gator" and helping to find the "treasure". Grandma always seems to find things that the kids like to have in their treasure bags.

This year we had a pinata for the kids to swing away at while blindfolded. They all had a good time trying to smack the clown.

Kevin had the great idea of getting a balloon launcher and he took charge of filling the balloons and then launching them. It was a nice hot day so they all enjoyed getting cooled off.