July 3, 2013 – My parents, Lee F Caldwell and Dorothy P Caldwell were laid to rest today in the pasture of Llenroc Farm. Their ashes were combined and they are together again.
We all helped dig the hole in the stony soil, and then Bob led the service where we all had a chance to relate our feelings about Gramma Dorothy.
An extra-long extension cord allowed us to bring Mom’s favorite organ down into the pasture for a little music.
Dorothy Pearl Caldwell – A Treasure in Heaven
God has called her home, yet she leaves behind such great memories!
Here are some of my favorite pictures, a loving tribute to my mother, who most everyone knows as Gramma Dorothy.
Please post your comments, thoughts or any anecdotes that you have about her.
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Saga of a Hamburger
Evelyn and Steve (and sometimes Dorothy) worked summers in the snack bar at the Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach. Steve brought Francie’s Super 8 camera one day and this is the pretty sad result.
Onze
ONZE?
Onze is a family favorite card game. Similar to Gin Rummy, Onze is played with a sequence of 7 hands that are played with different mixes of sets and runs. The first round (hand) is played with 6 cards and each subsequent hand has one additional card.
Onze is the french word for Eleven. Evidently, most variations of Onze are played with an 11 card hand.
For maximum enjoyment, Onze should be played with at least 2 decks (2 jokers for each deck!), with 6 players you need 3 decks and with 8 players, you need 4 decks. Any more than 8 players and you’re asking for trouble.
Someone must be the scorekeeper. We used to use any old sheet of paper and then throw it away when we were done, but one of the smarter Caldwell’s designed a Score Sheet and created a booklet of them. This “Onze Book” now contains a fair amount of family history as the scorekeeper adds notes, comments and other bits of info that come up during the game.
Onze on the Family Housboat Trip
Here’s a clip of an early Caldwell Onze game. It took place during the infamous Caldwell Family Houseboat Trip in August of 1991.
Onze Tips
The most successful Onze players have a plan, they don’t just grab a seat and start playing. It takes preparation and strategy to be a master. The following tips can help you succeed. Add your own tips in the comment section at the bottom.
Winning Onze Strategies:
1. Location, Location, Location.
Don’t be the last one to the table! Be careful about where you sit. The most important person is the one to your right. Choose him or her carefully. Likewise, the person to your left can be someone you “owe,” a favor or payback . This adds a level of spice to the game.
2. Low Card Strategy.
If, after the 6th hand, you have a lead greater than 150 points, you may choose to take this can’t-miss method of winning. After all, as long as you don’t cheat, a win is a win.
To cement your win, simply make it your goal for the 7th hand to collect the lowest point total. Forget about sets and runs, just start picking up cards lower than a face card and discarding all high cards. Do Not take any Offdraws as this will increase to likelihood of you picking up a joker or other high value card. Two thirds of the way through this hand, someone should pick up on the fact that you are using this strategy and you will be subject to much derision and accusations that you are cheating. Stay strong, winning is what is important here. If you are lucky, you can get out of this hand with fewer than 140 points, which means – You Win!!
So far, only Wally and Steve have been known (or admitted) to use this tactic.
3. Move quickly.
When you see an offdraw you like, take it quickly and then defend yourself when someone complains, saying that they were too slow. Unfortunately, the rules are against you on this, but if your are persistent and fake a few tears, it might just work.
Onze Stories
The comment section below is a great place to post your favorite Onze memories and stories. I’ll start with reprinting a story that Bob insists on making sure that everyone hears and no one forgets:
“Any llenrocweb visitor should be able to read about the time I was dealt a nearly complete final hand – – in other words, when I looked at the cards I was dealt in the last hand, I had two complete runs and one run that was missing only one card. The one card I needed was the card that had been turned up to start the play. Although I was not the person immediately to the left of the dealer, and therefore not automatically elegible to pick up that needed card, I picked it up anyways, disregarding the cries of “Foul” coming from a player or two who would have been elegible to pick up the card ahead of me. I put the card in my hand, laid down my three complete runs, discarded one and splashed out. My fellow players were so amazed by my card playing prowess, that they correctly awarded me the hand, and of course the game.”
– Bob
Cheaper LED lighting
A lighting revolution is on the way that could end at the flick of a switch the battle between supporters of conventional bulbs and the eco-friendly variety.
Materials scientists have discovered a cheaper way to produce LED bulbs, which are three times as efficient as fluorescent lamps.
Although the ultimate dominance of LED lights has long been predicted, the expense of the super-efficient technology has made the timescale uncertain. The researchers now say LED bulbs based on their new process could be commercially available within five years.
Llenroc Chronicles – 1998
1998 UPDATE FROM THE ROC
The Llenroc Newsletter – Latest news from the Caldwell ancestral estate in the beautiful Sequim-Dungeness Valley, Washington
The Poet’s Corner
What could better capture the state of mind of a retired guy in Sequim than: “The Old Settler” by Francis Henry, quoted in:
The Living, by Annie Dillard, Harper Collins, New York, 1992 (sung to the tune of “Rosin the Beau”)
No longer the slave of ambition
I laugh at the world and its shams,
As I think of my happy condition
Surrounded by acres of clams.
Recreation
Strangely enough, just living at Llenroc is recreation and relaxation enough for some of us. However, for those of you who are locationally challenged, we have tried some new trails. One in particular that deserves mention is a 7-mile hike that connects Deer Park with Obstruction Point. Both are places you can drive to easily from Llenroc. Two groups can park at opposite ends, meet in the middle for lunch on a ridge top, exchange keys, and continue their hikes to a car at the end. We owe this trip to Rita and Jill Spoelstra, our ostrich neighbors.
Bob fished a lot of salt water this year with relatively little success. We went out time after time for halibut and salmon with either no results, or potentials that were squelched when a seal stole the catch. In October, he fished the Deschutes in Oregon with Wally and old friends from Arkansas, Ralph Mashburn and Dick Babeu. They caught a lot of good trout plus Bob got a very nice 9 lb. steelhead.
Squid were limited, crabs were generally short (in size and number), but clamming was excellent.
Livestock News
Nelly had a go at herding this fall — we took her out with some dog trainers and some sheep, and after Nell chased the sheep near to exhaustion, the trainers said, “Well, at least she’s interested in sheep.” I don’t know if I’m willing to commit the time and money to see if there is anything to that potential, but in the interim, I’m going to work her on what they call Agility Trialing. Nelly loves to jump through hoops, over hurdles, up ramps, etc, and I think she’ll do well at it.
The trout grew beautifully this year. By summer’s end, many were over 18 inches long. We caught and ate a few, but left most of them to grow even bigger next year. Big mistake! One morning in mid-December, there were 3 dead ones floating. The next day there were 12 more, belly up! Over the next 2 weeks, we lost 30 more for a total of 45 dead and buried. These fish were unmarked beauties, 16 to 18-1/2 inches long! I ‘m not sure what the problem is, but it’s heartbreaking. I hope that there are still some fish hiding, but I’m scared that they’re all gone.
The best theory is that with the fall and colder temperatures, an excess of dying waterweed settled to the 8-foot depths of the pond where it started decomposing. This used up all the oxygen down there. As the fall continued, the fish began to go into a semi-hibernating state and similarly settled into the deeper water. This phenomenon didn’t occur the year before because it was a new pond, and didn’t have any waterweeds. To resolve this, come Spring, we’re going to stock some grass carp, a water weed-eating fish that can’t reproduce. They will, hopefully, solve the weed problem, and thereby the oxygen deficiency (if in fact that was the problem). In addition, we’re going to aerate by pumping from the deep and spraying over the surface. With some choreographed colored lights and a little music, we may have a new tourist attraction!
Rocwork
We’ve been promising some stone walls since the summer of 1995 and we finally got some. My mason extraordinaire, Pete (Chris Caldwell) Roberts, showed up the first of August, and we spent nearly a week and did up the 13 feet of wall on both sides of the front gate (78 sq. ft.). I absorbed all the technique I could, and built the second 16-foot section by myself. It isn’t quite as good as the work of the master, but it ain’t bad either. Rocwork is slow and tedious as well as rewarding, so I don’t promise completion of the remaining 60 percent before the Fall of 2000. (The “Fall of 2000” sounds ominous — does this make it the “Millennial Wall”?) We’re going to build some windows, seats and a fountain into some of the remaining sections. They’re going to be magnifico! Thanks, Pete!
Other Construction News
No, the front door has not yet been painted, the built-ins are not done, and there is still some baseboard trim to go up behind the refrigerator. For everything there is a season: a time to plant, a time to till, and a time to harvest. We just haven’t come to “front-door-painting” season yet!
Crop News
We installed raised beds in the entire veggie garden and had a great garden year. Crops of mention include: russet potatoes, blue lake beans, tomatoes (as we write this on January 13, we are eating the last of them), salsify (vegetable oyster), beets, carrots, chard, leeks, lettuce, cilantro, green onions, and Walla Walla sweets. Dishonorable mention goes to: corn and peas (Spring was too cold and wet). I guess that’s gardening for you. One of the most vexing problems was being absent during September when much of our harvest came due. As we were leaving for the airport, I handed Mom the total of our first crop of pears — 6 extra large, blemish free, perfectly colored pears.
Travel
The Sequim contingent had a big travel year starting with Mom’s trip to Paris with Francie and Linsay in February. They brought back great photos and stories to share. In September, Elaine and Bob took a 21-day trip to Switzerland and Italy with a watercolor group from Portland. Half our time was spent in and around Thun, Switzerland, a small city with a medieval castle, steam ships on the lake, and a station that boasts 70 passenger trains daily to all parts of the country. Eurail passes made it a wonderful opportunity to really get to know the country and its charms. Most of the rest of the trip was spent in Lucca, an ancient Tuscan walled city in Italy. We couldn’t have had a better time. Stop by to see the photos and hear heartwarming anecdotes about our search for brodo del funghi.
Personal News
We lead fairly busy schedules here — well, at least as busy as can be expected of two old retired persons. In addition to teaching creative writing to home schoolers, Elaine was elected to the Board of the Olympic Theater Arts Association. Not to be outdone, Bob got himself elected to the Board of the Dungeness Irrigation Company. As you can see, it “ain’t” very difficult to get elected here. However, we aren’t too busy to spend time with you. We issued a general call for visitors in last year’s newsletter, and didn’t get many responses. Next we are going to try a drawing – – First prize will be:
An all-expense paid week for two in the fabulous Pasture View Suite at glamorous Llenroc Farm in Sequim, Washington! Pastoral walks, Frisbee with the dog, gourmet foods, clam digging! Participate in the daily events of a working home! Remember, if you don’t come see us, you may win this drawing. Give us a call, send an E-mail, and check your tide tables, even the Farmer’s Almanac! Just come! We miss you.
Love from Bob, Elaine, and Nelly
Llenroc Chronicles – 1997
LATEST UPDATE FROM THE ROC
The 1997 (late) Llenroc Newsletter
Personal Update
Christmas holidays and the end of another year have come and gone, leaving us both bewildered and thankful at the same time. Bewildered, because time has gone so quickly and we’ve never gotten done what we planned to – – sometimes we can’t even remember what it was we planned. We are thankful because of all the surprising blessings bestowed upon this unworthy pair.
Looking for something interesting to occupy her time, Elaine has had a banner year as a new Excel (telephone service) rep. She then branched out from stage manager to take a major acting role in a community theater play to be presented in February. Next stop, Hollywood!
Bob kept busy on agricultural pursuits, but has also found time to catch a few very small salmon and start painting and assembling the Model A. Seriously, The 28′ roadster pickup may even be on the road by summer.
Crop News
The vegetable garden was a rousing success this year. We had great crops of green beans, snap peas, carrots, beets, potatoes, acorn squash, raspberries, swiss chard, lettuce, sweet corn, bok choy, and onions. No pumpkins, though! The new fencing kept the chickens and Nelly out, but couldn’t keep the moles away. Even so, we produced a lot of veggies, and we still have a bunch of winter leeks, potatoes, chard, and kale yet to harvest. This week, we took several dozen leeks to one of the local B&B’s for their use. Could this be a commercial opportunity raising it’s provocative little head? In the coming season we’re going to put wood borders on the raised beds to make it a little easier to farm. The new greenhouse rates its own bold heading, but won’t get one. We grew fantastical tomatoes and had moderate success with Thai basil, but think we’ll forgo planting indoor cantaloupes and eggplant this next year. Besides concentrating heat, the greenhouse allowed full control of water, and therefore, we had no problems with late blight or blossom-end rot.
We ate the last of our ripe tomatoes during Christmas week. (However, we do have some pressed-green tomatoes to carry us nostalgically through the long winter.) With no supplemental winter heat, the greenhouse isn’t too useful for tender crops, but we are storing all the neighbor’s geraniums in there now, and it seems to be doing a good job. We’ll be back in business in April when we set out our 1998 tomato crop.
Livestock News
Kids can now fish here free (with appropriate adult supervision)! We planted 100 eight-inch Rainbow trout in the pond in late summer and only lost 15 or so to technical problems (like they suffocated). The class of 85 fed and grew well until the water cooled down, and they are now dormant (I hope, rather than gone – see next sentence). We do have a problem with a Great Blue Heron who has been observed making off with at least one 14-inch trout. Nelly now barks if she sees the bird, who leaves immediately if we walk out the back door and wave. Perhaps he (or she) thinks that we want him (or her) to come up for coffee. Back to the fish – – isn’t it good to have stock that hibernates all winter? Sure saves on food and time.
Nelly is slowly maturing and has become a delightful substitute for a teenager, if there is such a thing. She no longer eats many shoes, socks, or chickens (she got two chickens while learning) but she acts like she would definitely eat the horses if given a chance. I don’t think she’ll make a useful stock dog.
Farm Futures
During the summer, we dug a 220 foot trench and buried a 4-inch regulating line to the pond. It can bring in about 50 gals. per minute from the irrigation canal and, working in reverse, spills any extra water from rain and runoff back into the irrigation lateral canal that crosses the property. (It coincidentally drains a low spot on Camelot road.) I was told by two neighborhood experts that this method of filling the pond and stabilizing the water elevation wouldn’t work, but so far, it’s doing a dandy job! We then installed a 2 hp pump and using 680 ft. of 3 inch aluminum hand line, we got the place looking like the San Joaquin Valley during irrigation season. Too bad we don’t have good tillable soils in the pasture to let us take advantage of this great system, but at least we can produce forage for the (neighbor’s) cows and horses all summer and fall! The added benefit of our irrigation system and the regulating pond is that the pond is available year-round for trout, waterfowl, reflections (visual or mental, at your choice) and even swimming or ice skating during the appropriate season. Linsay, Bob and Nelly took the inaugural first (and only) swim before the fish were added.
Recreation
Somehow, clamdigging and crabbing took a back seat to other activities this past year. There were NO squid this year. No one got eaten by a vicious crab (or even tasted by one). No mountain lions stalked the backyard. We did, however, discover a great day hike up to a little tarn lake in the Olympic Mountains. After a 15 mile drive, you must climb about 2500 ft. in elevation over a 3.7 mile trail. The scenery is magnificent. The lake is filled with little brook trout, and anyone can catch them. There are other similar, though somewhat longer hikes available, and we’ll be happy to explore them with you.
Construction Completions
1997 saw the painting finally finished on the outside of the house. Watering of all the beds including the vegetable garden has been automated, thereby saving lots of time and allowing us to escape Sequim at will. The stone wall around the formal garden is not yet completed (or started, for that matter) nor is the lattice-work screen around the utility porch. We did however, finish the basement bathroom in time for Christmas guests. Alas, staying in the barn is almost a thing of the past, except for overflow crowds or those who want the primitive, roughing-it experience. Do you remember when we could, and did, sleep 14 in the barn?
A Parting Note
The editor just reread copies of the Llenroc Updates since 1993, and feels really embarassed. The earlier ones were quite funny (no applause, thankyou), and then became increasingly less so, year by year. This one may cause terminal boredom! Now I understand why Seinfeld is going off the air.
We started this letter by mentioning our blessings – – in addition to this home, we’ve got our health, fine friends, a wonderful family, and a good church. Our visitors have filled our home with love and enriched our lives immeasurably. We sincerely wish that you plan to come and spend some time with us. In the meantime, may God be with you today and all of your tomorrows.
With Love, Bob and Elaine (and Nelly)
Editor’s note Due to a lack of material and/or interest, the Poets Corner feature has been temporarily cancelled.