A Special Birthday for Joan!

Happy 80th Birthday to Aunt Joan this Saturday! I wish we could all be there to celebrate with you and I hope you have a wonderful day. Best wishes, Aunt Joan. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie and Jonathan Gray's blog--actually, it was just totally swiped from there! Jenny's idea!)

My Brothers have great kids

Sorry to have to push George's story down one, but I just had Julie and Jeff visit me in Colorado and thought it was worth a post. Bottom above is all of us at Roxborough Park south of Denver. First posting with Kari the newest Noff addition (4 months). Jeff's friend Katie is on the right.

Top picture was posted to get my son Shane in a picture. It is above my house in the mountains west of Denver. I'll let you figure out who he is.

It was a weekend for the memory books.

Uncle George and His Threshing Ring

I asked Uncle George about his experiences as a bundle wagon operator in a threshing ring. First he teased me because I am a farmer's daughter who didn't know about this. Then he told me about a threshing ring and this is wonderful information, and very interesting to an old farmer's daughter. Thanks Uncle George. Next, more info about the dance band drummer job!

"So where do I begin. A threshing ring was a group of neighborhood farmers who formed an agreement to work as a team harvesting wheat and oats. There were usually 10-12 farmers in a threshing ring. One man in the group usually owned a threshing machine. The team was then made up of two men running the threshing machine, two men with two wagons handling the grain as it came from the machine, four men with wagons hauling in the bundles from the shocks in the field and four men assigned to pitch the bundles to the man on the bundle wagon as he loaded the wagon. the team and equipment would move from farm to farm during the wheat (and oats) harvest season. This might take three to four weeks depending on the weather and how many acres had to be harvested.
My dad had a grain wagon assignment because he had a good wagon with sideboards that didn't leak grain. The two men who ran the threshing machine had to hire men to do one job or another. During my high school years I hired out as a bundle wagon operator. Jerald hired out as a pitcher. There was an art to loading the bundles on the wagon. A row on each edge of the wagon and two rows down the middle in a weave pattern so the load would not slip and spill. You would load as high as five or six feet. I never lost a load.
As a kid it was always fun following the threshing ring from farm to farm. So the ring hired me' as a kid' to be the water boy. All day long I would carry water from one man to another. It was a large jug wrapped with burlap. We didn't have paper cups for each man in those days so they just drank from the opening. I don't think anyone ever got sick drinking one from another. That was my training, learning all about the jobs, until I was old enough to do one. I was really too short to be a good pitcher and loved the art of loading the bundles. We usually did four or five loads a day. By the way, I was paid 50 cents a day to carry the water. Rather cheap labor -- right.
At the end of the harvest season the families of the ring got together for a big ice cream social and feast. Great "farm boy" fun/ Enough, If you have any questions -- ask. Wish I could just talk to you and tell you all about the experiences of my first jobs -- threshing ring water boy and bundle wagon operator. Oh, yes, I got $5.00 a day for running the bundle wagon. All of this was like 70--75 years ago -- more or less. Can you believe that????????????"

Winter in Chicagoland

Happy 2009 to Everyone!

Happy Birthday, Uncle George!

One day early...from all the Noffs-- young and old, short and tall, left and right, a very happy 87th birthday, Uncle George. I'd love to post your picture, if you could email me one. Until then, here is a picture of your beautiful Gulf Shores. Happy Birthday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy 18th Birthday to Stephanie and Belated 18th to Lauren!

Stephanie at about 1 month and 4 pounds.

Stephanie today.
It was a little crazy and scary 18 years ago. First Jenny had Lauren about 6 weeks early and weighing around five pounds. Then a month later Stephanie was born about 8 weeks early and just under 3 pounds. It's hard to believe that's been 18 years ago already. But most of you Noffs already know about how time flies. And for you younger Noff parents...treasure every moment.

Stephanie with Brittany, Brooke and Lauren. This is from the summer of 1991, I think.

Aunt Joan, Get Well Soon!

Hope you're soon recovered from your pneumonia!

Laura, Lyle, Kathy. Jamie, Lori, Julie.

The first two pictures are 1968. Not sure about Lori, Jamie and Julie.

Judy and Dave's Wedding

July 22, 1978 Click on pic to enlarge.

Some older pictures --1967, I think.

Grandma is wearing a wig that Mom had. Looks like Jay doesn't have much room to work with.
And in the bottom row, Lance and Larry at Grandma's house. Click on pics to enlarge.

Happy Belated Birthday, Jack!

And welcome to a new Noff baby...Julie's baby? I'll hope someone adds more information in the comment section.

Successful trip to Beijing

Jodi and Chien were the ultimate hosts to Carol and me while we were in Beijing. Since it was a holiday we got to spend a lot of time with Chien, and it was also fun spending time with their one year old, Kai. The Great Wall, Tienamen Square, Forbidden City, Lama Temple, Temple of Heaven, shopping, and just experiencing the culture were all special and things I will never forget. I have a ton of pictures, but right now these will have to do.

The Noff News is Linking!

"The Bean" in Chicago's Millennium Park
aka "Cloud Gate"

You may notice that we're getting some links going to some more Noff blogs. If you have a blog and want it listed, we'd love to link to you. Or if you know of a Noff with a blog, let them know to send me the info. It's nice to be connected to more and more Noffs out there. Also, this is a team blog and anyone can post. If you're interested, send me your email and I'll send you an invite!

Welcome, Uncle George! Post away.

OH NO!

NOW THAT I HAVE LEARNED HOW TO DO THIS I MAY NEVER SHUT UP.

JANAY -- ADD YOUR LINK TO THE NOFF NEWS -- HOWEVER YOU DO THAT.

CONTRIBUTORS

LIANE -- I KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR FAMILY FROM THE JANAY BLOG -- GRANDCHILDREN, REMODELING AND FUDGE.

JEFF -- JACKSON WILL MEAN MORE TO YOU NOW WITH YOUR NEW HOME. HAPPY MOVING THIS WEEK-END.

GREGG -- NOW AND THEN I LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT YOU. IT TAKES TRIPS TO COLORADO FOR YOU TO SURFACE. DID YOU GET ANY ICE CREAM THIS TRIP?

JACK -- WHAT ARE YOU AND CAROL DOING IN CHINA? THE OLYMPICS ARE OVER.

LAURA -- LOOK, LAURA. SUCCESSS!!!!!!!!!

LORI -- HELLO ELLIE. HOW IS TEACHING GOING THIS YEAR?

JENNY -- HOW ABOUT AN UPDATE ON YOUR THREE DARLING DAUGHTERS?

STEPH -- HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW? WHAT GRADE ARE YOU IN?

DENISE -- THANKS A MILLION. YOU ARE A DOLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!!!! I TRIED TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS. MAYBE I AM NOW A CONTRIBUTOR. ON THE OTHER HAND -- MAYBE I AM NOT. WE WILL SEE.

THANKS DENISE

Fall Family Visit

I had some business in Boulder on 9-26 and Kyle was able to take time off from his studies to join me. We were able to take a quick hike around Chautauqua Park and the Flat Irons with out hurting ourselves Friday afternoon (after all my work was done of course). Friday evening, we met up with Jack, Carol and Carol's brother Ken at the cabin. As you can imagine, the Bucksnort was hopping and we had a delicious meal, the menu has really expanded since I was there last. An old friend and former owner of the BS showed up and it was great hearing all the old stories about the colorful characters of Pine. Saturday, we headed for Kenosha Pass, took a short hike and took this picture at the top of the trail. The Aspen trees were at peak color of close to it. Kyle and I left the group here, took a winding mountain dirt road and eventually ended up in Breckenridge. Some of you (Mom) wouldn't have enjoyed the drive. We spent the night in Dillon, hiked and drove around the area and then headed back to the airport. Jack and Carol are in China so I thought I'd go ahead and post his picture.

The Ripp Grandkids with their Grandmother at Kelleys Island

From the top:
Sam Armstrong age 17, Mike Shanahan age 15, Kyle Ripp age 20. Left to right:
Steve Armstrong age 15, Betsy Ripp age 17, Stephanie Shanahan age 17, Joyce age 65 at the most, Ellie Payne age 8.