Vacation education

Aunts Annette and Anna pointed out historical stuff for the Miller kids during a 1960s vacation.

Spricks go fishing

Kate, Ed and Emma took a boat ride in the 1950s. We assume they were fishing, though we don't see any fish or poles. But we do see Ed. So they must have been fishing.

History field trip

The cousins never needed the History Channel as kids, because their parents dragged them to all kinds of cool historical sites. Here the Miller and Sprick kids visited an old ship at Fort Meade in Baltimore, Md.

"Oh look, Hart! It's an -- er -- cute little brown thing!"

Hart and Annette opened a mysterious brown gift in this undated slide. Anyone know what the occasion was? Or what that thing is?

Emma, Gus and flower girls

Cousins Cindy and Patty-Lou were flower girls for Emma Sprick and Gus Krociel at their 1950s wedding.

Headed home to America

Uncle Bill and cousin Chris sampled military flight fare on their 1960s flight back from West Germany. Chrissie sported a U.S. Army buzz cut and cool shades.

By popular demand .... Anna in the drink

Several cousins, hearing of the existence of this slide, demanded to see it. It shows Anna falling into the Missisippi headwaters in the 1960s. Notice the look of deep concern on her relatives' faces, and how they rush to help her. Ah, family!

Memorial Day at Fort Snelling

On Memorial Day, Fort Snelling National Cemetery is the hoppingest place to be. Pam and Noah went there to put roses on Mom and Dad's graves. Even in late afternoon, there were thousands of people there, visiting their honored dead. Dad always liked to recite this old chestnut (written by John McCrae in May 1915) on Memorial Day: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, Though poppies grow, In Flanders field.

Physics experiment

It looked like Noah and his friend C-Whiz were playing basketball in the living room, but really, they were just conducting an experiment for C-Whiz's science class.

On Memorial Day, a small-world moment

Last spring, on a family cruise, Noah and Zack hooked up with some kids that included Evan Masterson of Woodbury, and have stayed in contact via Facebook. On April 8 of this year, Evan's brother, Conor Masterson, was killed by a bomb in Afghanistan. In a photo on the front page of today's Star Tribune, you can see Conor's gravestone at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Small world. Sad one too, sometimes.

Memorial Day 1985

Uncle Joe wrote this essay on Memorial Day 1985. Uncles Ed and LeRoy had died suddenly a few months before. The goldfinches have turned yellow again, the wrens are back in their houses, deer are using the salt lick and towboats go up and down the river. Walleyes are biting, and there are mushrooms to be picked. Some things never change from year to year. Other things do change. There is an empty seat in the front of the boat. There is no green pickup in the driveway when a helping hand is needed with some carpenter work. Around us there are reminders that bring back memories this Memorial Day: the "Masterpiece," a brick fireplace, a faded denim fishing jacket, an empty shotgun shell that downed that last buck. We try to forget about operations, pain, funerals, and remember the good times we had together and the many things we have to be thankful for: baby A., who comes to visit us; a loving wife who cooked a big dinner every Wednesday night just to hear her guests say, "It tastes so good," a letter from a casket bearer saying, "He was a good influence in my life," sisters who ask for nothing for themselves but always put others first; the lady who came to stay with Mother when we needed her, weddings, graduations, birthdays and family members recovering from surgery, nesting bluebirds and spring flowers. "For everything there is a season," writes the poet. "A time to weep and a time to laugh." As we look back this day, there will be a time for both, but we also look forward to tomorrow and the promise of rainbows.

Ed, looking spiffy

Uncle Ed looked dapper and cool in this 1940 photograph. He hadn't yet gone to war.

Annetta, looking just like herself

Can you find Aunt Annetta in this 1920s confirmation photo from St. John's Lutheran Church in Lake City, Minn.? Hint: She has that Aunt Annette smile thing going. (Click on the photo to make it larger.)

A decimated forest

Joe, Mavis, Dan and Pam surveyed the Old Frontenac forest damage recently. They were glad to see new trees being planted, but still stumped as to why the old ones were cut down. Well, actually they're not stumped, they know why: the almighty dollar.

Look what we found!

We never thought Dad/Uncle Bill was that close to the first President George Bush, but look what we found in the family chest! Not sure why the first George sent this to Dad. Perhaps he was his adviser on the side? That would explain why George the First did a better job militarily than his disastrous son is doing. But hey, don't get us started.

Fashion R us

One of the Miller family maxims is that you can't ever have pajamas that are too loud or weird. Here Zachary, Pam and Noah wore theirs during a Christmas 1992 Old Frontenac visit. The Miller kidlings are solidly grounded in popular culture, as Zachary's Bert shoes and Noah's Zafar action figure demonstrate.

The fabulous Millerettes

It's been at least 10 minutes since we published photos of the scrapblog editor's fabulous nephew and nieces, so here are two more. In the top one, Auntie Chatsies reads to Zachary in June 1990 during a visit to Virginia Beach, Va. In the bottom one, M. and H. cuddled up to their mom, Auntie Mary-Bear, on July 4, 1995, in Old Frontenac.

Scrapblog editor lost in a crowd

Fabulous prizes to anyone who can pick the scrapblog editor out of these old U.S. military school photos from Germany. Mrs. Polk and Miss Nolan were among the best teachers she ever had. U.S. Army schools get a bum rap, but they weren't a bad place to get an early education. For one thing, they were integrated when nothing else was, giving military kids a head-start on actual democracy. By the way, note the astoundingly identical twins in top photo. (Click on a photo to make it larger.)

St. Paul river scene, circa 1940s

St. Paul's Kellogg Boulevard doesn't look much different today from this old postcard scene. The message on the back, from someone named Mabel to "Mrs. Serine Kulseth, Eagle Lake, Robbinsdale, Minnesota" (Hart's mother?) is almost illegible, but we can make out this line: "I am waiting at the corner drugstore whilst husband has X-ray of his stomach at the hospital. Hope you will be able to walk again soon." Sounds like they were all feeling a little poorly.

Piano papa

Dad/Uncle Bill picked out some tunes on Pam's new wee piano in November 1960 in Monterey (Fort Ord), Calif. Uncle Bill only ever played one piano tune, a very lively, difficult, bombastic piece. If anyone ever wants to live through it again, Pam has a recording.

Dan's very fine adventure

Cousin Dan sent this postcard from Amsterdam to Grandma Sprick and Ed sometimes in the 1970s. What an adventure he had! Wish we were there! (Click on the postcard to make it bigger and easier to read.)

Remembering Heidi-Goose

Eleven years ago today, Pam's dear old college pal Heidi Gust died in a lonely Colorado room. Heidi was beautiful, charismatic, loving and creative, but fought manic-depression and addictions, and died of an intentional overdose of old-school antidepressants after feeling like she just couldn't face life's overwhelming problems anymore. She was 40, and it was heartbreaking for all who knew and loved her. Kids, take care of your hearts and minds, and don't do drugs, especially if you have a vulnerable, tender psyche. Over time, it can take the life from you. Life is short, even when it's long, so keep that candle burning. This photo was taken in 1992 in Heidi's beloved Colorado. See the little dove or hawk flying over Heidi's shoulder? We dedicate this one to the children of Peter Gust, Heidi's beloved little brother, and her son, Kai Nilson.

Awards night at Noah's high school

Noah and his friends hit the stage at a Robbinsdale Cooper High School seniors award ceremony tonight. Noah was honored for outstanding achievement in journalism. Top photo: Noah before the ceremony with Tara, David, Kiel and C-Whiz. (Noah and David are co-editors of The Quill.) Middle photo: Journalism honors went to J.T., David, Anna and Noah. Bottom photo: David, Kiel and Noah celebrated.

The boys underfoot are now the boys overhead

For years, the scrapblog editor has walked in the door of her Robbinsdale home and fallen flat on her face, tripping over shoes (the record was 34 shoes in the front entrance), Legos, action figures, baseball gloves, bats, balls and small, squirrely boys who seemingly overnight became 6 feet tall. Over the years, she's opened the fridge to find it empty, the oven to find it full of spilled pizza, had her microwave blown up and opened the pantry door to shriek at the unexpected sight of a teenager who spent TWENTY MINUTES in there looking for Pop-Tarts. She sometimes wakes up on Saturday or Sunday morning and finds a boy on every couch, every recliner, some on the floor. There are boys in the garage, under the table, in the basement, on the roof. Over the years she's found her cats dressed in funny outfits, her pet birds looking like they've been visited by leopards, pop cans on the roof, baseballs in the gutters, M-rated video games (strictly banned at the scrapblog editor's stately manor) under the couch cushions, a baby rabbit under the bed, action figures in the freezer, paper men in the shower. She's been awakened from a sound sleep at 1 a.m. by teenagers demanding to know what her position on Libertarianism is. Sometimes when she's at work meetings this line will inexplicably pop into her head, just because she's heard it so much: "KEEP YOUR EYES ONA ROAD AND YOUR HAYNDS A-PONE THE WHEEEE-UHHHH." She's also heard every song the Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd recorded about 2,000 times (but also, thankfully, a lot of early blues and late alt-rock). It's been great fun. But all of a sudden, the boys are all grown up, all young men. The scrapblog editor's jaw dropped when she saw their prom snapshots and realized that. Here are just some of the boys. Top photo: Johnny, Noah, Nathan, Kiel and C-Whiz, whom the scrapblog editor refers to as "Mr. Burns" Second photo: Johnny, Noah, Kiel, C-Whiz Third photo: Joe, J.T., Noah Fourth photo: Kiel and Noah All the boys are celebrities with us, but three LOOK like celebrities: C-Whiz, who looks just like Josh Hartnett; J.T., who looks just like Tom Petty, and Kiel, whose hair reminds us of Ed Grimley, the SNL character Martin Short played, I must say.

Noah goes to prom

Noah went to the Robbinsdale Cooper High School prom last night with his friend Ali King. Here are some pictures of them and pals on the Stone Arch Bridge over the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis before the big event. The couples were Nathan/Lisa, Steve/Melanie, David/Tara and Noah/Ali.

Black Thursday at the Minneapolis Star Tribune

A few photos from a large protest Star Tribune journalists/union members (my colleagues and friends) held today outside the Strib building in downtown Minneapolis. There were more tears than cheers. Fifty jobs are going away, on the heels of 24 that went away in March, and many of those left have been reassigned. It's all to expand the profit margin. Meantime, the classic American newspaper is dying, and it's heartbreaking for us old journalists.