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Open the November 2004 Ellsworth Echo .pdf file. The newsletter
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- July 2005
- Whatta ride! Mom and I have always travelled well together, and this
month we really put those miles on my little truck. In three days we drove from Lovelock, NV to
Pendleton, OR, to Salem, OR, to Klamath Falls, OR, to Susanville, CA - then back home. I made it
just in time for work (doggone it) on Monday morning.
We drove up to Potholes and O'Sullivan's to scope them out for ourselves.
We left Lovelock on a Friday morning - at about 6:30 a.m. We drove to Cedarville, CA and north
through Lakeview, OR, on to Pendleton where we spent our first night on the road.
The next morning we drove northwest, towards Othello. Othello is about
15 miles, or so, from Potholes Reservoir - if you stay on the highway...like a normal person.
Not me. I turned off the highway and went through the main part of Othello. (Which means
that, in my usual style, I took the loonngg way - even though at the time I didn't realize that's what
I was doing!) It was a pretty drive, though, from Othello to Potholes Reservoir. While the weather
that day was fairly hot, O'Sullivan's was shady and cool. Uncle Ken was right - it will be a great
place for our reunion.
We drove around the southern end of the reservoir, then popped back out on
the highway - Highway 17 (where we probably should've stayed to begin with).
After scoping out the campground pretty closely - and boy, it was
packed! - we had lunch near the Washington/Oregon border. We drove south to the Columbia
River Gorge and followed it almost into Portland. It was desertscape most of the
way and it was still hot outside! Thank the Lord for air conditioning!
In some places along the Gorge we got glimpses of snowy Mount
Hood. The Gorge was not as I had imagined it at all, but it was still a beautiful drive. We pulled
off at the Horsethief Campground and took photos of the petroglyphs the state has preserved
there. (I admired their other rocks, too.)
The Columbia River is pretty awesome. There are powerlines and
dams all along it's length. It came into it's own as we neared Portland, though. We had come
around a curve on the highway, right onto a mountain resort town...all of a sudden the river was
COVERED with windsurfers, sail boats and those guys who use kite rigs and surfboards to play
on the water. It looked like a carnival. The rocky mountains, pine trees and clear, cool, water
were so refreshing after the heat during that high-desert drive. The scenery and colors in the Gorge
were just amazing!
While I wasn't thrilled with the drive to Potholes from Lovelock (it looks
an awful lot like the scenery along the road to Reno from our place!), the trip was definitely worth
it. Mom and I are looking forward to spending time at the Reservoir for the reunion. We hope you'll
be able to join us there!
I didn't get any photos inside the campground, but here are some
pictures from the trip.
- April 2005
- I had hoped that we'd be able to do the Echo every few months
...but I have had no further input about whazzup with our family from anyone except my brother and
his wife, my Mom, Aunt Lenna, Uncle Ken and Uncle Joe. I feel that Uncle Joe's Scuttlebutt
covers our more recent family news pretty well. So, it doesn't appear that we really need another
newsletter at this point.
Mom and I are planning a trip to Potholes Reservoir/O'Sullivan's.
We'd like to see the countryside and get a feel for driving time. It will probably be the end of June to
July before we are able to do so. Guess we'll both be ready for a road-trip by then.
If you find time and have the inclination...please write. I would love to
upload your news, family stories, comments or suggestions to the site. I would love to use some
of your anecdotes in the family cookbook as well. And, if you don't help pick out a name for the
thing...that means that I get to do it! [Grin]
- January 2005
- I have heard from a few family members so far - Jessica Ellsworth,
Pam Lee, Cindy Ellsworth, Thomas Weir, David Ellsworth, Heidi Turcotte, Steve Hochmann and
Lisa Hochmann-Dryer. Several of them mentioned attending the reunion but only 2 have actually
reserved a space (in addition to Aunt Lenna, the Uncles and my bunch).
I am hopeful that I will hear from more members of our family before
the registration deadline. I think that this is likely to be one of the last times that we will all be able
to get-together. I have been considering ways to record some of the stories I have heard while growing
up from the Uncles and mom. I have a head like a sieve and cannot seem to recall the details from
many of the stories about our family that they have told me. I thought maybe I would use a tape
recorder at the reunion to try and catch the details of some of my favorite stories.
I have received a few recipes, but no more title suggestions or recommendations
about what we should call the thing. This will be the fourth cookbook I've published - but as this
one is a family cookbook, I think I am going to enjoy it quite a bit more. I know. I probably
need a life. [Grin]
- November 2004
- November brought the launch of the Ellsworth Echo
family newsletter. I used the newsletter to help inform those family members (who don't often
access the internet) about the upcoming 2006 family reunion and to send out the reunion
reservation/registration forms.
I included two historic family photos that Uncle Joe sent me. Cousin
Thomas (Weir, Miller) pointed out the fact that no names were given for the family members
shown in the top photo on the front page of the newsletter - so...pictured are:
(Left to right) Ken and Jan Ellsworth, (front) Bobby, Beverly and Letitia, (back) Joe Don, Grandma
Martha and Grandpa Mike Ellsworth - circa 1944-1945.
We've used the newsletter to launch the "Name that
Family Cookbook" contest. A family cookbook will be published and presented to those
attending the reunion. The committee needs recipes and a name for the cookbook, though...so...
email (littlecreek@zplace2b.com), snail-mail (P.O. Box 332, Lovelock, NV 89419) or fax (775.273.9120)
your recipes, cookbook name suggestions and votes for winning names to me, Wendy. The person
who submits the winning name for the cookbook will receive their prize at the reunion on Sunday,
June 18, 2006. The November Echo has the complete contest details.
Cookbook names submitted so far are Sueeet, Let's Eat,
Chow Call, My Family Cookbook, Family Pleasures, Ellsworth Clan's Best
and U R FED. Let us know what you think.
- July 2004
- Cheryl and I volunteered to organize the upcoming 2006
Ellsworth Gang Reunion. Plots are thickening and plans are being hatched even as you read this.
We will be sending out invitations to the reunion - via snail mail - the first of September.
We hope to publish a little newsletter, the first of which will be sent to
you by mail, then posted here as a .pdf file. We would love to have bits and pieces of news
from you to add to any that may come out in the near future.
Cheryl and I have spent several weeks researching possible reunion
sites. Although there are many out there it was difficult to find one that would satisfy all the
requirements - - Affordability
- Ability to accomodate 100 people
- Distance
- Handicap Access
- Moderate Climate
Because Uncle Ken and Uncle Joe will have to travel the farthest to the
reunion (Uncle Ken from Mexico and Uncle Joe from Montana) it was decided that they should
have the final word about its location.
Mom (Beverly) and I arranged a rendezvous with the Uncles on the
14th at Uncle Joe's place in Somers, MT. We hope to finalize the dates and agree upon a location.
We checked out several sites in Idaho on the trip to Somers and brought the "say-sos"
from several different campgrounds and RV parks for the Uncles to look over.
Uncle Ken and Aunt Jan came prepared as well. They brought photos
and detailed information of a place that they stay in every year on their trip north.
Mom, Uncle Ken and Uncle Joe decided that the optimum time to have
the reunion would be June 15 - 20, 2006 - after school was out and before it got too hot. They also
decided that Uncle Ken's recommendation about the location was the
best choice as it is a place that could easily accomodate the whole Ellsworth Gang. Besides full
shade and lawn areas, it will also provide the Gang with a swimming pool, easy access to the lake,
showers, restrooms, playground for the kiddies, along with a conference room for the family dinner
and worship service led by Ken that is planned for Sunday afternoon.
- June 2004
- Grandma used to round the old Gang up regularly [who could tell
her "No"?]. The 2004 reunion was June 12 & 13 up at South Shore, Lake Tahoe.
The last time the Ellsworth Gang had gotten together before that was back in '82, over at Lake
Almanor, CA.
This year members of the original Ellsworth Gang, along with several
new desperadoes, got together to discuss past exploits and future deeds. We counted 23 head.
There woulda been 24 but we had to shoot Shorty for swimmin' in the lake after he ate.
Many of the Gang couldn't make it - we know that goldurned Sheriff
got one of 'em - our poor ol' pard, Slick Jeff Butler. It's o.k. though - he'll be out in plenty of time
for the next one. It's purty hard to say about the rest of 'em, though. News travels slow in this
part of the country - we haven't heard what happened to 'em.
The rest of those desperadoes we missed this year were: From the Ken Ellsworth
bunch - Zane Ellsworth and family, Kevin Ellsworth and family, Ken [Martine] Ellsworth, Steve
McCoy, Jr. and Matt McCoy. From the J.D. Ellsworth bunch - Steve Hochmann and family,
Mike Ellsworth and family, Lisa Hochmann-Dryer and family, Marty Ellsworth and family. From
the Paul Lachner bunch - Paul Lachner, Robert "Mike" Ellsworth and family, Melody
[Motsinger] and family, Julie Ellsworth and family, Kenny Lachner and family, Harry Lachner and
family. From the Beverly Stowe bunch - Junior Butler, Jeff Butler [Slick] and family,
Candee [Bell], Corey [Bell] and family, Summer [Bell]. From the Letitia Ellsworth bunch
- Letitia Ellsworth, Rami [Weir], Erica [Costello] and family, Joe [Weir] and family, Jason [Weir],
Thomas [Weir], Ron [Miller] and Evelyn [Miller].
Sure hope we don't have to hog-tie and drag 'em in for the 2006
get-together!
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