Sheep and Roosters

When Denece was about 3 her mother never needed to worry about her leaving the yard.  This was because there was a sheep and rooster that would chase her if she left the yard.

Trading for Denece

When Denece was 4 or 5 she was very pretty.  The Indian Chief from the Blackfoot reservation took a liking to her.  He came a few times to try to trade for her. He tried to trade blankets for her, then a horse, then his own son.  Grandma Baty got so worried when she saw him coming that she would hide Denece under a big wash tub until he left.

(1937 Doyle and Denece Argyle)

 

A Lasso in Church

When Doyle was 4 or 5 he lassoed a deacon while he was passing the sacrament in church.

He would also lasso Denece as a kid while she ran around the house.  He did it so much she got a rope burn around her neck and their mother Dora made him quit.

(1937 Doyle and Denece Argyle)

Petrified Watermelons

Edwin remembers driving through Glenns Ferry on a family trip and seeing a roadside sign pointing out large rocks that were petrified watermelons.  His son Bill told him the rocks were left behind by the glaciers.

(1937 Edwin, Evelyn, Elaine, and William Keith Perkins)

 

From www.hugefloods.com

Melon Gravels.....As the water ripped through narrow reaches of the Snake's (River) canyon, it dislodged large basalt boulders and tumbled them downstream. Within a few miles these boulders had been rounded with diameters ranging from three feet to ten feet. These remnants were given the name melon gravels after geologists observed a billboard that advertised one patch of boulders as "petrified watermelons."

 

 

 

 

Bees and Hollyhocks

As a kid, Edwin would trap bees in the Hollyhock flowers and feel them buzz.  Eventually he’d get stung and he would run for the ditch and slap mud on his bee sting.

 

(1937 Edwin Perkins)

 

 

Hollyhocks

 

Childhood Chores

Evelyn and Edwin would use the push mowers to mow the lawn.  It was a chore for the kids and there was a lot of it to do.

 

(1937 Edwin, Evelyn, Elaine, and William Keith Perkins)

Christmas Year Round

Santa would visit the Argyle Family year round.  He would peak in their windows.  One Sunday, Dora was combing Denece’s hair before Sacrament Meeting.  She had curly hair that would tangle easily and Denece hated to have it brushed.  He rapped on the window and shook his finger at her.  She stopped her fussing right then.  One Christmas Eve, Santa came by the house and they were still eating dinner.  He had his bag with him with presents that Denece could see, especially a doll with her name on it.  He said he’d come back when they were asleep.  You never saw kids eat their dinner so fast and get in bed.  On Christmas morning the doll Denece saw in Santa’s bag was waiting for her under the tree.  When other children at school would say Santa was not real she would argue with them that she knew he was real.  It was not until she was grown that she figured out who “Santa” was.  He was a neighbor and a distant relative that never had children of his own, Mr. Potter. 

 

 

(1937 Doyle and Denece Argyle)