Louise Gunderson Shimon

Author Archive

1954: Marion Gunderson’s Watercolors and Rolfe, Iowa, School Yearbook

May 13, 2012

In the gallery of thumbnail images in this post are images of 12 watercolors painted in 1954 by Mother (Marion Gunderson). In Mother’s 1954 journal, there are 23 dates for which she has entries indicating she painted on those dates.

Also in the gallery below are images of the 1954 yearbook of the Rolfe, Iowa, school district. Links to other Rolfe yearbooks are in the “Categories” column at this blog’s homepage. More yearbooks will be added periodically.

If you have photos and/or video that relate to Rolfe’s history (in general, or Main Street, agriculture, rural life, the schools, including D.M.T., etc.), and you’d like me to share them at this blog, feel free to contact me. My email address is mariongundersonart@gmail.com. Even snapshots like this photo below!

SUMMER 1954 — SLUMBER PARTY TIME! L to R: Judy Wagner (Larson), Pam Jordan (Wolfe), Rachel Heald (Perry) and Clara Gunderson (Hoover). This photo was taken about a year before I (Louise) was born, and about two years before my family moved into a new house at almost the same exact location. The car is a 1953 Oldsmobile. These girls are included in the sixth-grade class photos on pages 18 and 19 of the 1954 Rolfe yearbook (below). (Click on image to enlarge.)

Making the Thumbnail Images Larger

1) To see the thumbnail images in slideshow view, click on one of the images. Then navigate forward or backward through the images.

2) To magnify the images even more, once in slideshow view, click on the “Permalink” button.

3) After clicking on the “Permalink” button, if you want to enlarge further, hover your mouse cursor over the image. As you move the cursor over the image, if you see a moving “+” sign, it means you can enlarge the image even further by clicking on it. (A “-” sign means you can’t enlarge it further.)

: Zinnias*

: Churchyard*

: Angel in Wine and Blue*

: The Monk*

: Fighting Roosters

: Red Hotel (perhaps Humboldt, Iowa)

: Twisted Tree*

: Six Macho Men

: Farmstead Outbuildings

: Hollyhocks*

: Pheasant and Butterflies (and Mother’s paints)

: Tulips (originally painted for Dr. E.O. Loxterkamp of Rolfe)

* * * * * * * *

*An asterisk after any watercolor title indicates that prints are available of that particular watercolor. The profits from the prints go to the Rolfe Public Library where Mother worked for 35 years.

To learn more about availability of prints, you may contact me (Louise Shimon) at mariongundersonart@gmail.com. You may also look and order online at www.mariongundersonart.ecrater.com. However, the library and you would benefit more dollar-wise if you ordered directly through me or purchased via the Rolfe Public Library or Wild Faces Gallery in Rolfe. The largest selection/inventory is available through me.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in 1950s, Iowa, Marion Gunderson, Rolfe | 1 Comment »

The first person to walk on the moon…

May 12, 2012

I know I haven’t posted for quite some time. I was in Texas for a while to hang out with Abby and Jackson, including celebrating Jackson’s sixth birthday. While there, Jackson told his mom, Aunt Katie and Uncle Joe, and Bill and me the name of the first person to walk on the moon: Marvel Brainstorm.

Close!

* * * * * * * *

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

2012 Corn Planting in Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa

April 29, 2012

The explanations and photos in this post about tillage and corn planting aren’t all that advanced, but they got me thinking and learning.

On April 25, 26 and 27, 2012, I was in northwest Iowa to experience tillage and corn planting in Sections 13 and 24 of Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa. My dad was born in Section 24; I was raised in Section 13.

I had a blast spending part of the time with Roger Allen as he tilled, and part of the time with Dan Allen as he planted. They add color commentary to remedial (due to my having so much to learn) explanations about farming. My resident consultant does the same.

The photos aren’t crystal clear. But…most of them were taken through a tractor cab window and during a bumpy (but still, pretty smooth for a tractor) ride.

To see the photos in slideshow view, click on the first thumbnail image. The captions are somewhat sequential. Depending upon the size of your device/monitor, in slideshow view the captions might get truncated. If so, return to the thumbnail view to read the captions in their entirety.

: Late at night (and into early morning) the field cultivator tilled this Section 13 ground in preparation for corn planting the following day. The camera is looking west from the lawn at Gunderland.

: The tilling leveled the ground (including breaking up clods of dirt), killed weeds, and mixed crop residue (i.e., soybean stubble from the previous year) into the dirt. Also, herbicides and fertilizer (that had been applied within a day or so prior to tillage) were incorporated into the soil.

: Late at night the moisture made it so dirt started to pack on the field cultivator transport wheels (at center of this photo), making the wheels unevenly shaped. The residue in this photo is stubble from last year’s soybean crop.

: Looking south in the same Section 13 field as the previous photos, the tractor/field cultivator are soon to appear on the horizon. Visible at left are corrugated edges of two grain bins. In the distance, near Palmer, Iowa, the red lights are located at the tops of windmills — 11 miles away.

: If you look closely, you’ll see three ridges — due to tiling — running perpendicular to soybean stubble from last year’s crop. This tiling took place in the fall of 2011.

: The day after the ground was tilled, corn was planted in the same field. The planter is shown here in raised position. The wheels that are teeth-like are called row cleaners*. They move some residue (e.g., stubble from the previous year) and clods (that the field cultivator didn’t already reduce in size) out of the way. The row units (each including a seed tube) are immediately behind the row cleaners.

: Also, because of the tillage the night before, the row unit (which includes the seed tube and is immediately behind the teeth-like row cleaners) then has a smooth area allowing for consistent depth placement of seeds. (This consistent depth is critical for optimum root and seed development.) Because the row cleaners make a clean area for planting, they help leave the soil dark (i.e. without residue).

: Had the residue from last year remained, it would shade the soil making it less warm. Less residue = soil warming more quickly = better germination.

: A view of Gunderland (just outside of Rolfe, Iowa, and where I was raised) from inside the tractor cab during corn planting.

: These gauges monitor the vacuum to indicate that it is working correctly. The vacuum secures seed to a plate inside the seed metering mechanism which is inside the row unit. In the plate are equidistantly spaced holes in which seeds ride. When the planting unit stops the vacuum at the precise point where a seed is on the plate, the seed at that location falls off the plate and slides down a tube into the soil.

: In the mirror: the planter. The farmstead: Gunderland.

: The planter needed to be raised in order to go over, and not damage, this tile surface intake.

: If you look carefully, you can see the yellow tile surface intake under the raised planter. Whenever there is an intake like this in the field, the tractor reduces speed and the planter is raised to go over the intake.

* * * * * * * *

Information about row cleaners is here and here.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Should prints be made of “Doll” watercolor?

April 15, 2012

This Doll watercolor by Mother (Marion Gunderson) is on short-term loan to me. Before I return it to its owners* in two weeks, I need to determine if prints will be made.

Taking Pre-Orders

Since I don’t have a good read on how well prints will sell, and to help defray printing expenses, I’m taking pre-orders. In a pre-order situation, payments go directly to printing expenses. If no pre-orders, no prints will be made.

IF prints are made, for any purchases of Doll prints beyond the pre-orders, payments will go directly to the Rolfe Public Library [Trust] where Mother worked for 35 years. So far $4,100 has been given to the library as a result of the prints.

A larger image is at the bottom of this post.

.

Deadline for pre-orders:

Sunday, April 22

Pricing and Approximate Sizes:**

Medium: 10″ W x 13.5″ H = $25

Grand: 16.5″ W x 22″ H = $50

Largest: ~18″ W x ~24″ H = $70

Contact Information for Pre-ordering and/or for Asking Questions:

Louise Gunderson Shimon
515-465-2746
mariongundersonart@gmail.com

Clicking on the Doll image will enlarge it slightly.

*The owners are Bill and Jackie Hutchinson. Bill was the Rolfe school superintendent while I was in high school. My mom and dad had very high regard for Bill and Jackie.

**Shipping is additional. I oftentimes deliver.

Additional images/prints of watercolors by Mother may be seen at www.mariongundersonart.ecrater.com.

* * * * * * * *

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Marion Gunderson | Leave a Comment »

St. Kitts — Part IX: Miscellaneous

April 13, 2012

These photos finish up my reporting on Bill’s and my February trip to the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. If we had the opportunity to return, would we? Yes! The friendly residents of St. Kitts and the island provided entertainment, a variety of activities, beautiful sites, serenity, great food (including seafood) and a sense of safety.

To see the photos in slideshow view, click on one of the thumbnail photos.

: This is the Plantation Great House at the Shadwell Estate. According to Edwin Burt, our guide with Greg’s Safaris, this is where the plantation owner used to live. When we were there, the house seemed in shambles.

: This is St. Kitts’ St. Mary’s Anglican Church. The restrooms are in a separate location (at left in this photo).

: The interior of St. Kitts’ St. Mary’s Anglican Church

: A view from the inside of St. Mary’s Anglican Church. Notice the thickness of the wall.

: This is the bell at St. Mary’s Anglican Church. Our guide told us not to ring it. He said the sound of the bell could signal to St. Kitts residents that someone had died.

: The exterior of the sugar mill ruin shown in other photos in this post

: Near the end of our Greg’s Safari tour, we stopped at a sugar mill ruin. This photo is of the inside of that sugar mill. Notice the plants growing near the top.

: Our Greg’s Safari guide, Edwin Burt, educated us about St. Kitts’ sugarcane history. Here he is inside a sugar mill ruin. He said he cut this sugarcane about two weeks prior to our visit. Sugarcane is no longer a major crop on St. Kitts; it grows wildly on the island.

: While on a tour of the rain forest and other island areas with Edwin Burt of Greg’s Safaris, we stopped for a picnic. Mr. Burt served a fine rum punch along with fresh island fruit and baked goods.

: Tour guide Edwin Burt supplied the rum punch for our picnic.

: Lime kiln on the way to Caribelle Batik

: An abandoned lime kiln

: We saw these throughout the island

: An anole, I believe

: An anole, I believe

: Black Rocks (hardened lava formations) on St. Kitts’ northeastern coast

: This vendor was selling cut up coconuts at Black Rocks (hardened lava formations) on St. Kitts’ northeastern coast.

: Just goats!

: Although the St. Kitts Scenic Railway tourist train still runs along the east and north coasts, the track pictured here is no longer used.

: A sign on the northeast coast of the island

: This was a common scene.

: Carib beer is brewed on the island of St. Kitts. Its taste was similar to many of the more tame (i.e., less hoppy, etc.) beers brewed in the United States. The beer selection wherever we went seemed to be quite slim.

: The exterior paint of many homes was quite colorful. Junk cars were quite plentiful.

: Cemetery and Middle Island Anglican Church

* * * * * * * *

For “St. Kitts — Part I” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part II: Vervet Monkeys” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part III: Lobster” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part IV: Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part V: Mr X’s Shiggidy Shack” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part VI: Brimstone Hill Fortress” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part VII: The Beach(es)” click here.
For “St. Kitts — Part VIII: Plant Life” click here.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in St. Kitts, Travel | 5 Comments »

Choosing a Camera Lens: How to Read an MTF Chart

April 12, 2012

Trying to figure out which camera lens to purchase (or, if really expensive, put on a hope-for-someday wish list) poses confusion for me.

I know MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) charts are important to consider, but I wasn’t completely understanding what all the lines in them meant. This YouTube video (below) helped me out today. I’m still a little confused, but not as much as before I watched the video.

At Canon’s site there is an MTF chart for each Canon lens listed, or at least for most of them. (Canon’s listing of lenses is here.) To navigate to the chart for the lens of interest: 1) get to the Canon page for the particular lens you want to investigate, 2) click on the “Overview” link and 3) scroll down a little ways. There you’ll see the MTF chart for that particular lens.

I assume Nikon and other major lens companies also have charts on their web sites.

* * * * * * * *

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Photography | 3 Comments »

“… and you shake it all about!”

April 7, 2012

* * * * * * * *

To enlarge this spring robin image, click on it once or twice. It’s not completely in focus, but … I like it!

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Rolfe’s Doc Ranney Pitches for Armstrong — in 1932

April 5, 2012

Pictured* are Dr. R.B. Ranney and his assistant, Erma (Hopkins) Lund. Dr. Ranney retired from his Rolfe, Iowa, dental practice in 1978. In 1986 he passed away at the age of 72. (Click on photo to enlarge; twice for further enlargement.)

Today, Major League Baseball’s 2012 opening day, I’m posting about Dr. Ranney (back row, far left in photo below). He was a high school pitcher playing for the 1932 Armstrong, Iowa, high school baseball championship team. He later became the dentist in my hometown of Rolfe, Iowa. Pictured above is Dr. Ranney with Erma (Hopkins) Lund. Off-and-on from approximately 1967 to 1978, Erma was Dr. Ranney’s assistant.

The caption to this 1932 photo** reads, "Here is the crack Armstrong High school baseball team which climaxed a great season by winning the state prep championship. The members are, back row, left to right: Ranney, E. Lorig, B. Lorig, Erickson, Gagestad, Olson, Coach Estel Thompson. Bottom row, left to right: Horswell, Fitzgibbons, Gaarde, Wilson, Ankrum, Nicoson." (The player with the last name of Nicoson was Mac Nicoson. He was the catcher on the team. He was also a brother to long-time Rolfe resident Sam Nicoson who married Geraldine, "Gerry." Mrs. Nicoson was my first grade teacher.) (Click on photo to enlarge.)

In 1976 my dad, Deane Gunderson, wrote in his weekly “Bubbles in the Wine” column about Dr. Ranney.

“Ranney Pitches”

Bubbles in the Wine (column) in the Rolfe Arrow

by Deane Gunderson

First published 36 years ago…May 13, 1976

Dr. T.D. Jones, 1934.*** (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Dr. R.B. Ranney is one of Rolfe’s best liked citizens and a very highly regarded professional. Russ graduated from dental school and came to Rolfe in 1940. I had looked in the old files of the Arrow for some account of his coming, but didn’t find any. Doc said he rather “snuck” in. That must have been the case. It’s understandable, in a way, because when he first came he worked on a commission basis for Dr. T.D. Jones who was in failing health. Three years later when Ranney bought Jones out, the local residents probably weren’t aware of much of a change. Who cared as long as the dental work was that good?

Doc and Maureen, who are two of our most solid citizens, reared a family of two boys while in Rolfe. They don’t brag much.

But did you know that Doc was the winning pitcher in the 1932 Iowa High School Baseball tournament, pitching hometown Armstrong to the state title with the school’s 23rd consecutive win? That little guy? (120 lbs. then) And who was the victim? North High of Des Moines, the 1931 state champs!

The intensity of the feeling in Armstrong must have begun to build up about May 12, 1932, when the Armstrong Journal headlined, “Baseball Team Will Enter State Tourney,” and continuing, “The Armstrong High School baseball team left this afternoon for the state tournament in Des Moines, having wiped the slate clean at the Spencer tournament last Saturday and Monday.

“They met the Spencer team in the first round and eliminated them 9 to 0. Monday morning they defeated Sanborn 8 to 1, and in the afternoon, played in the finals against Arnold’s Park, winning 6 to 1.

“Ranney pitched the first and last games.”

A week later the town must have been bustling with pride and excitement. Again from the Journal:

“Armstrong High School baseball team came home Saturday night with the State Championship, after having won three straight games in the tournament at Des Moines in Western League Baseball park. A crowd was waiting [for] them near the midnight hour at the Junction and formed a parade, marching up through Main Street led by the high school band. A tired and happy bunch of boys and Coach Thompson piled out of cars to play the game over among the fans who for two days had paced up and down main street anxiously waiting for a telephone call from Des Moines announcing the result of each game.

“Armstrong played their first game Friday afternoon against Moulton and defeated them 6 to 1. Ranney let the Moulton team down with three hits, while Armstrong batters hit 10 safe singles.

“Saturday morning Hamburg was the next to fall, 8 to 2. Horswell allowed five scattered hits, and Armstrong hit safely eight times.

The final game was played against North High, Des Moines, last year’s champions. This team was rated strong, especially their crack pitcher, Jim Iles, who had been played up in news reports. He met his downfall in a slugging match with 14 hits for Armstrong and 13 for North High. Ranney pitched this game and was nicked hard, this making his second full game in two days.

“The Score was tied at 9 in the fifth inning after each team had been ahead by as much as three. It was again tied at 11 in the 6th inning. Ranney allowed but three batters to face him in the seventh inning and Armstrong went to bat in the last half of the inning with a tie score. With one out Wilson walked, Ranney singled, Gaarde was purposely walked and the bases were full. B. Lorig crashed a single through the infield and Armstrong won the tournament.”

* * * * * * * *

See last year’s opening day post about the Chicago Cubs here.

*From the collection of Erma (Hopkins) Lund.

**From the collection of Richard (Dick) Ranney.

***From the Webb photo collection at the Rolfe Public Library.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Bubbles In The Wine, Deane Gunderson | 1 Comment »

The Game of Farkel: Strategy, Math and Luck

March 23, 2012

Tonight Jackson introduced me to the game of Farkel. He beat me by thousands of points, including rolling a straight good for 1,500 points. While a game of luck, Farkel also includes strategy, at which Jackson is pretty sharp.

Tonight five-year-old grandson Jackson introduced me to the game of Six-Dice Farkel: The Classic Game of Guts and Luck. Where have I been that I didn’t know about this game?! We had a ball. Jackson practiced strategizing and his math skills while he beat me 10,750 to 6,700. (“Nanna, that means I won by 4,000 points. No, I mean more than 4,000 points.”) I strategized, too, but apparently not as well as Jackson did!

Before starting to play, Jackson and I watched parts of four or five YouTube videos, each explaining the rules of the game. As silly as this YouTube video (below) is, it is the one that best illustrated the rules for us, including in a dialect/accent we understood.

(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

St. Kitts — Part VIII: Plant Life

March 20, 2012

This view is from the Shiggidy Shack restaurant/fun spot on the Caribbean side of St. Kitts. We were intrigued by the cactus growing out of the top of this rocky formation. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Three weeks ago I was more excited than I am now about these St. Kitts plant life photos. Some aren’t in the best of focus, and some of the plants can be found in Iowa (at least at Reiman Gardens on the Iowa State campus!). Post them, I will.

Any identification of the plants is a result of conversations with St. Kitts guides/residents. Hopefully everything is accurate. I’m still waiting to learn from someone on Nevis (near St. Kitts) the identification of the cotton-like tree, and also the plant with prickles (or thorns) that can cut skin.

If you want to enlarge any of the photos below, click on a thumbnail. To enlarge more, click on “Permalink.” Sometimes clicking another time will enlarge even further.

I’ve got one St. Kitts post yet to go. It will include miscellaneous photos. Then onward and forward to other topics.

: Heliconia

: Heliconia

: Papaya Tree

: Bay Laurel

: Breadfruit – Artocarpus altilis

: Breadnut Tree

: Ackee – Poisonous until fruit opens naturally.

: Banana Tree

: Our guide said this is the “male flower of the banana plant.”

: With Pink Flowers: Mexican Creeper Vine or Coral Vine or San Miguelito Vine – Antigonon Leptopus

: In the distance are melons w/ plastic for weed control. Also included are men working and cows.

: Land and water

: Cat’s Tail or Chenille

: Cat’s Tail or Chenille and Angel’s Trumpet or Gabriel’s Trumpet

: Crown of Thorns – Euphorbia milii

: Firecracker Plant – Russelia Equisetiformis

: Hibiscus

: Cashew Nut Tree

: Running fingers “against the grain” will result in cuts from the little prickly one-direction growths on this stem. Going the other direction, the growths lay flat and do not cut the skin. So I’ve been told. I hope to learn the name of this plant.

: Running fingers “against the grain” will result in cuts from the little prickly one-direction growths on this stem. Going the other direction, the growths lay flat and do not cut the skin. So I’ve been told. I hope to learn the name of this plant.

: Running fingers “against the grain” will result in cuts from the little prickly one-direction growths on this stem. Going the other direction, the growths lay flat and do not cut the skin. So I’ve been told. I hope to learn the name of this plant.