Ode to Aunt Marion

Aunt Marion would have been 86 today. Marion Gertrude Sprick Broberg was born Aug. 22, 1922 in Lake City, Minn. She's the mother of cousins Dan and Sam, of course, and grandma to Marty, Nick, Tyler, Alex and Zachary. Her birthday gives us a chance to reprise some of our fav snapshots of her. For more really cool photos of her, simply type "Marion" into the search box at the top of the blog and presto, you'll get an all-Marion blog.

With older sister Anna in the 1920s.

With her family at the farm near West Albany, Minn. Top row: Adelaide, Marion, LeRoy, Alverna, Vi, Anna, Ed and Annette. Bottom row: Florence, Elmer and Kate.

Atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

Mugging it up with siblings Adelaide, Annette and Ed before Anna's wedding.

With Wally, Sammy, Danny, and impeccably hatted nephew ChrisMiller!ChrisMiller! during a visit to the Millers at Fort Detrick, Md., in the 1960s.

Harry and Flo go fishing

After a productive morning of fishing in Elmer's boat this week, Flo and Harry relaxed on Roschen Beach near Elmer and Mavis' house to do yet more fishing. Harry didn't even have to work hard to catch the one below. Said Elmer: "Harry is 88, but he outfished us all."

Before plastic buttons, there were pearl ones...

... clam pearls, that is. On an old building in downtown Lake City, Minn., you can see faded lettering for a long-ago button factory that made pretty buttons out of clam shells from Lake Pepin. Uncle Ed Sprick found a lot of old shells that buttons had been punched out of, as well as arrowheads, in his treks on the lake and in the woods. The ones below, which he found, are at the Wabasha County Historical Society in Reads Landing, Minn. (His arrowheads are there, too.)

The giver, the gift, the gifted

Young cousin Zachary Broberg is a gifted piano player. Here he played a duet with his Aunt Lavone Broberg. Lavone is moving to a smaller place and gave Sam's family her beautiful baby grand, to their delight and gratitude. Wish we had audio on this one!

More from Pam's seemingly endless vacation

Alas, the scrapblog editor's summer vacations are now ended, and she must plunge back into work, which, because it involves the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, will pretty much obliterate Labor Day weekend as the next opportunity to goof off, sit in a lawn chair and bother you-all. Some snapshots from her glorious Wabasha/Goodhue counties vacation's last few days: Almost every night, she drove or walked into Frontenac State Park, either with friends, cousins or happily solo, to watch the sunset and gawk at the legions of deer, including many spotted fawns. Here was one sunset. No Wabasha County vacation is complete without a trek to exciting Dumfries, Minn. What, cousins? You've never been to Dumfries? You've never even heard of Dumfries? Ach du lieber Augustine! (Cousin Joe K. gets a pass on this one; we know he knows where it is, because he keeps his little plane in a hangar there.) The scrapblog's crack mobile historical research team (25-mph driver P. Miller, directions chief and shotgun-seat commentator E.W. Sprick and back-seat historian and exclaimer A.S. Sprick Smith) is shocked, shocked. Granted, Dumfries isn't much to gawk at, seemingly home to none of the Scotch Presbyterians who settled it long ago (what the legions of Lutherans did with that minority population remains a mystery), but it's still awfully pretty. This time of year, the ditches and meadows thereabouts are full of robust late-summer flowers waving in the warm wind -- coneflowers, Queen Ann's lace, chickory, fleabane, asters, milkweed, globe thistle, phlox. The crickets chirp, the prairie flowers and grasses wave, the oak and poplar leaves quiver, the sumac is starting to turn red ... . ah, we love August. Our mobile historical research team couldn't find a nasty old murder to solve in Dumfries, like we did in Theilman a few weeks ago. But we did note this non-Holstein skull on an outbuilding and rather doubted that the animal that once called it home passed away from natural causes. The scrapblog editor thought it was beautiful, rather like a work of art by Georgia O'Keeffe. Executive research associate E.W. Sprick said only, "Hmm," upon hearing that. Or maybe it was "Huh." Or, "Huh?" Though it was 85 degrees, Aunt Anna had to put a sweater on after eating a large treat from Dairy Queen. The diminutive one, who is moving slowly but still knows the score, sends you-all her love. Cousins Pam and Dan went hiking in Frontenac State Park, a simple trek for Dan, who is used to climbing mountains and cliffs in his spare time, but perfect for Pam, who likes to stop often to gawk at bluebirds, crows, butterflies, coneflowers, apple trees, black raspberries and poison ivy. Dan and Pam also saw many deer who stared at them as if transfixed, perhaps because of their large, stylish straw hats. Hopefully they didn't pick up any deer ticks. (Dan's son Marty is being treated for Lyme disease this week, but we don't think he got it in Frontenac.)

Worth getting up early for

Aunt Florence's good friend Harry Greason, distinguished World War II vet and all-around good fella, recently went fishing with Uncle Elmer. As you can see, they did well.

Pam's last vacation of the year (she promises)

Your scrapblog editor is on yet another vacation, once again in lovely Lake City and Old Frontenac, Minn., and environs. When she's not sitting in a lawn chair, she has done some fun things, including... ... braking for wildflowers ... ... gawking at the view of the mighty Mississippi from Buena Vista City Park in Alma, Wis. ... ... touristing around with friends, including Holly Collier ... ... purchasing large amounts of wine and cheese to shore up local economies ... ... and last but not least, pestering her relatives. Above and below, visitors Aunt Kate and Uncle John Kirkwood, Joe Kirkwood, Tuck and Sheila Kirkwood and E.W. and Mavis Sprick. Note the shocking absence of large, delicious food on the table; we had just cleared it, honest! (Aunt Mavis' highly coveted oatmeal cookies and assorted Hawaiian wines brought by Tuck and Sheila can still be seen; they were the dinner's highlights.)

Lookin' good at 50

Bobby LaMont, the other nephew of Uncle Joe Sprick and Aunt Mavis LaMont Sprick, turned 50 last week. Some snapshots from the gala event in Buffalo, Minn:

This creaky bunch consists of several people who just turned 50: Chris Miller, Mary Miller, Bobby's wife Cindy, Bobby and Davy Sprick. As one old dog said to another, "Aarp, aarp!"

Three generations -- Zachary Miller, Uncle Joe-Elmer Sprick and Davy Sprick -- shot the breeze. One of these fine fellows is 20, one is 80 and one is 50.

Bobby, who used to play trombone in the band of his neighbor, the famous Bobby Vee, had engaged Vee's son, Robby, to play at his party. He stepped to the stage a couple of times to play with the younger Vee.

Be very, very nice to this cousin

Whoa! No one messes with this cousin! Her main ammo stems from brains and beauty and all the good stuff she's learned at Stanford University in sunny California, but as backup, she's also had some serious firearms training from her police chief pa, cousin Dave. We're thinking that homeland security just got a big boost.

The many faces of Mo

That famous family photographer Mary E. Miller took these lovely senior photos of beautiful Mo, who is about to enter her senior year at Centennial High School: Thoughtful intellectual Mo... Child of nature Mo ... Flower girl Mo ... Basketball star Mo ... Simply beautiful Mo.

Where's Anna?

Can you find Anna in her 1934 confirmation photo? (Click on the image to make it bigger.) Hint: She's the prettiest, wisest-looking one. Anna Sophia Sprick (later Smith) was born Oct. 16, 1920, so she was 13 here. The scrapblog editor visited the diminutive one in Red Wing this past weekend; she says hello to you-all. You can find the answer to Where's Anna? at the very first post we put up about Anna early last year. (This is the scrapblog editor's way of routing you back to old posts so you can once again steep yourselves in family history.)

Florence's 65th high school class reunion

The Lake City Graphic doesn't have an online version, so we still have to scan its articles about our famous relatives. That explains the relative fuzziness and crookedness of this photo of Aunt Florence Sprick Bye among her 1943 Lincoln High School classmates. But if you click on the image, it'll become large and easy to read, and you'll be able to see forever-young Flo at top right. The reunion was held July 18, 2008, in Lake City.

Showing up in Lake City, then showing it off

This past weekend, your scrapblog editor once again motored down to lovely Lake City, Minn., to bother her hometown relatives and give a visiting city pal The Tour, as Alverna used to call it. Some snapshots: Cousin Leah, up from Boca Raton, Fla., paying a summer visit to her mother, Aunt Vi, did the scrapblog editor the honor of dropping by, along with Vi, Aunt Mavis, and her two Uncle Joes, pictured above, one from each side of Leah's family. No, Leah does not have pussy willows growing out of her excellent distinctive hairdo; the scrapblog editor just forgot to frame the photo in a civilized manner. Your scribe also was tempted to sneak out to buy a top half as merry and colorful as Elmer's or Leah's, but there was no time between large hors d'oeuvres and diminutive glasses of merlot. (By the way, if you click on this photo to make it larger, you can clearly see the image of Grandma Sprick smiling approvingly over Leah's paisleyed shoulder.) Also, old friend Angelo Gentile, whom the scrapblog editor met at UMD wayyy back in the last millennium, drove down from Minneapolis in his groovy convertible to check out Lake City and Lake Pepin, and pronounced it all impressive.

Happy 17th Birthday, Mo!

Happy Birthday to green-eyed cousin Moriah Miller, who is 17 today! We love you, Mo!

Guitar heroine

Cousin Izzbee lives life to the max, no doubt about it. Sure wish we had audio on this one. Note how her singing lights up the lava lamp in the background and makes Jesus' eyes widen in wonder:

Kansas preacher headed up Minnesota-way

We're thrilled to report that the Rev. Dr. Cousin Chats is coming to visit Minnesota Aug. 21-24. Mark your calendar for a family gathering at Pam's Robbinsdale or Lake City place on Saturday, Aug. 23.

Sprickomania

Stanford student C., along with her accomplished sisters, brings great joy to her grandpa Elmer and dad Davy. No offense, Joe and Lamar, but we think a lot of C.'s radiant beauty comes from her mom, Sarah, and her grandma, Mavis. C. also coached sister K.'s basketball team, below, to glory recently:

Mountain men, back from a trek

The hills were alive indeed with cousin Dan and son Marty trekking through them. Along with other Boy Scouts and leaders, they spent July 6-18 at the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch near Cimarron, N.M. They hiked more than 70 miles on the ranch and adjacent U.S. Forest Service land, and successfully made it to the top of Mount Baldy (12,441 feet). Dan's report: "Saw some wildlife, beautiful mountain meadows, lots of pines and the remains of a forest fire a few years ago. We drank out of mountain streams, pitched our tents in the middle of a herd of free-range cows and wondered at the beauty of the night sky -- even saw the moons of Jupiter. While on the forest land we bushwhacked, traveling by map and compass. Also got to do a little blacksmithing, horseback riding and a little panning for gold, but didn’t hit it rich (in money)."

Remembering Aunt Alverna

Mom/Grannie/Aunt Alverna would have been 84 today. Here she is as a young gal up at Castle Haven on the North Shore of Lake Superior holding HUGGGGGE, BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL fish. Alverna Edna Sprick Miller was born July 23, 1924, in the L-shaped farmhouse near West Albany, Minn., and died April 24, 2006, near Reads Landing, Minn. She was the wife of William Alton Miller (April 13, 1925-March 1, 1996), the mother of Pamela Miller, Christopher Miller and Cathy Miller Northrup, and the grandmother of Noah Miller Johnson, Zachary William Miller, Moriah Christine Miller, Hannah Marie Miller and Elizabeth Miller. (In case you cousins are wondering why this boilerplate stuff is in here, since you know it all, it's so historians, researchers, genealogists and family groupies can find such information on the Web via Google.)

The Dalai Lama and a cousin

No, the Dalai Lama isn't our cousin -- at least not in recent centuries -- but he's one heck of an interesting contemporary figure, making history by the day. Last week, cousin Tanya Cook traveled to Madison, Wis., to hear him speak. In the tradition of her grandpa, Elmer Sprick, Tanya wrote a lovely essay about it that we're thrilled to present at the scrapblog's virtual reading library and archives site. Thanks, Tanya!

Hair he is

Scruffy but lovable: Two views of the scrapblog editor's favorite son:

Happy 50th Birthday to cousin Davy!

Happy 50th Birthday to cousin Davy Sprick, former Lamar and current police chief at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and potential Barack Obama running mate! Davy back before he could afford shirts, or perhaps he had just spent all his moola on this very interesting permanent. Davy in positively innocent days, being coached by big sister cousin Cindi. David William Sprick was born on July 16, 2008, to Elmer and Mavis (Lamont) Sprick. He's married to Sarah (nee Heisler) and is the proud papa of three lovely and talented daughters.

How Pam Spent Her Summer Vacation, Part 4

In Old Frontenac, Minn., there is a gravel road, and on that road there is a charming house, and by that house there is an old garage, and in that garage there is a world of wonderful things, including comfy old chairs, a library, artwork, zany souvenirs, a sophisticated beermaking operation and on Saturday afternoons, some delightful Frontenac folks often gathered. Your scrapblog editor was not about to have a vacation without stopping by that joint. In the garage, great vats of dark beer bubbled and foamed, sending up the sweet, heady scents of hops and of the clover, heather and other wild plants that spiced them. Just to be polite, the scrapblog editor sampled some beer made here last year, and boy, was it good. These fine and friendly gentleman, Uff-Da shop Arne and another excellent fellow whose name the scrapblog editor promptly misplaced after tippling the large glass of dark beer, were two of the Frontenac brewmeisters. Here were the chief brewmeisters: my good friends and Old Frontenac characters Casey and Mikkel Gardner and Jane and Jamie Lorentzen. Jamie, whose work of art this groovy garage and operation are, is a Kierkegaardian and Melvilleian scholar who tells the funniest jokes since Mark Twain passed on. Jamie, who as you cousins may recall gave the beautiful eulogy at Mom/Aunt Alverna's 2006 funeral, does not make much use of the innernets, so he probably won't see this post, but we toast him virtually nonetheless. (As Homer Simpson said, "I hear they have the Internet on computers now.")