Daffodils

In my family history research, I learned that my Dad's Dad's Mother was from Wales. Today, March 1st is St. David's Day - a national Welsh festival for centuries.  Daffodils are the national symbol of Wales - although the origin is not quite clear:
From Wales.com:

Daffodils: The Welsh for leek (the original national emblem) is Cenhinen, while the Welsh for daffodil is Cenhinen Pedr. Over the years they became confused until the daffodil was adopted as a second emblem of Wales.

From VisitWales.com

Daffodils: This is one for those who believe that contemporary culture is all style over substance. The origins of the national flower of Wales appears to be as an attractive interloper, introduced during the 19^th century, as a replacement for the humble leek. David Lloyd George, the only Welshman to serve as Prime Minister, was a public advocate of the Narcissus (its Latin name) and its appearance in early spring as a symbol of nature’s optimism neatly coincides with St David’s Day on March 1. A more unusual link is that daffodils are grown commercially in Mid Wales to produce galantamine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Daffodils grow really well in Washington State and I wanted to share some old postcards featuring them.


"Mount Rainier forms a backdrop for daffodil fields of the Puyallup Valley" ~1944


"Picking Daffodils, Puyallup Valley, Washington" "Pierce County, of which Puyallup is a part, produces one third the Nation's crop of Daffodils. There are 500 acres of this fertile valley cultivated to produce 300 varieties and about 100 million Daffodils." C. P. Johnston Co., Seattle, Wash.


"One of the Daffodil Farms in the Puyallup Valley which lies between Seattle and Tacoma provides a striking carpet before mighty Mt. Rainier."


"Mt. Rainier and Daffodil Fields, Washington. Ideal soil and weather conditions make the bulb industry one of major importance in the Puyallup valley and other sections of Western Washington" Ektachrome by Clifford B. Ellis


"Daffodil Field in Washington - This field of King Alfreds, one of the hardiest of daffodil varieties, is part of 575 acres in Pierce County, Washington, devoted to producing bulbs for nation-wide distribution. Flowers from bulbs from this area bloom from one to two weeks earlier than those from other sections of the world. Mt. Rainier can be seen in the distance." Color Transparency by Lee Merrill.


"Mt. Rainier and Daffodils - This awe-inspiring view is available every spring in the Puyallup Valley, Washington."


"Majestic Mt. Rainier overlooks this beautiful field of golden daffodils. this section of Washington is noted for its bulb industry and each spring the Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival attracts thousands of visitors to its week-long celebration." Route of the Vista-Dome North Coast Limited

From TheDaffodilFestival.org

Daffodils came to the Puyallup Valley around 1925 to replace the area’s dying hop industry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommended bulb growing because of the Valley’s excellent soil and ideal climate. About 200 varieties of Daffodils are grown, with the King Alfred being best known and most locally grown.

Daffodil blooms are a cheerful sign that spring is coming!

Happy St. David's Day!

Happiness Is

Need something cheerful on a cold, dreary, gray-rain, February Monday? A favorite video of mine lately is Pharrell Williams "Happy" . . . that'll make you smile!
Do you remember the Charles Schulz book "Happiness is a Warm Puppy"? This also makes me happy. Here are a few pages - Charles Schulz books are available on Amazon.

Vintage Prince George Summer

I wish I'd asked my Grandmother, Lucille Andrew Johnson, more about her childhood in Prince George, British Columbia in the 1920s and 1930s.  In going through old photos my parents have, I recently came across a few of Prince George.  The winter ones are here.  Below are a few summer photos.

 A favorite family story my mom relates was when my grandmother's brother, Orville Andrew was a teenager - he just had to have one of the fashionable one-piece bathing suits that were all the rage in the 20s.  The family couldn't afford it so my great Grandmother, Olga Espelien Andrew unraveled an old orange sweater and knit it in to a very stylish suit and Orville couldn't wait to going swimming with the gang in the Fraser River.  It was too late when he realized that his snazzy new suit stretched all the way to his ankles when he got out dripping wet!  He of course was mortified and my mom imagines the scene with words like, "I'll never forgive you!"  Poor Olga tried so hard!  She did squirrel enough money away and eventually Orville got a store-bought bathing suit.

Vintage Ski Jumping

Are you gearing up to watch some Olympic Ski Jumping? It has been included in the Winter Olympics since 1924. Here's what ski jumping looked like in 1932 in Prince George, British Columbia (786 km / 488 miles north of Vancouver).

Gordon Murray Draper

Gordon was one of my Dad's cousins. Today would have been his 76th Birthday so I just felt like remembering him. He was Class President, voted "Most Likely to Succeed" and graduated one of the Top 10 Class of 1955 at Bremerton High School. He is mentioned (and I think probably  in the photograph) of the Phi Delta Theta news November 1955 (17 years old) as one of the "top men" new pledge of Phikeias of Washington Beta at Whitman College. (PDF page 145 on The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta)

July 7, 1958 the twenty year old was driving home from the east coast with four others.  Four of them had left Whitman in May to attended a Columbia University camp for engineering students in Connecticut. They had hoped to find summer work in Chicago before starting their studies at Columbia in the fall.  When they couldn't find work, they picked up one of the men's soon-to-be fiancee and headed home - Gordon told his mother (my Grandmother's sister) they would drive straight through taking two hour turns driving so they wouldn't get too tired.

Shortly after 1:00 am, a firetruck was returning from a false alarm. There was some evidence that the truck driver had been drinking but the blood alcohol level was not at the legally drunk level. Witnesses said the truck was in the oncoming lane preparing to make a turn when the collision happened. Gordon Murray Draper (20), Dick Amundsen (19), Jan Borseth (20) were dead.  Laurel Boniface (18) - Jan's fiancee and Victor Eugene Langdon (21) were injured (Laurel quite seriously).

A very sad ending to some very promising lives.  I would love to know whatever happened to Miss Boniface and Victor E. Langdon.  I hope they are living long happy lives.

Gordy's brother wrote me about him a while ago - his brother was shy when he was young but really blossomed in high school becoming very active in many circles.  He said people mostly knew him for his science and math skills.  However he recalled how brilliantly Gordy could debate almost anything (particularly with his father), and how deeply he cared for people. His brother felt he might have ended up as a minister or a statesman where  he could help people.   His brother knew he could play the trumpet but one Christmas break when the boys were home from college, they were enjoying a day in Downtown Bremerton with their mother when Gordy dragged them in to a music store, sat down at a Grand piano and played a flawless concerto.  A crowd gathered and applauded when he finished and his brother thought he'd play an encore but Gordy just grinned, stood up and went to the nearby drugstore for a bag of popcorn. 

You were taken much too soon - thinking of you today Cousin Gordy . . .