This and That
Newsletter
A Weekly Publication
Vol 16 Issue 805 Circulation 5,000 June 28, 2012
PO Box 2
Ardmore, Oklahoma 73402
email address: butchbridges@oklahomahistory.net
580-657-8616
Last Friday Jill and I took off for eastern Oklahoma again and those beautiful pine trees. On the way we stopped for breakfast on the north edge of Atoka, Oklahoma at a restaurant we hadn't eaten at in 2 years by the name of Bledsoe's Diner. We were glad we stopped. Bledsoe's is a Ma and Pa type place serving home cooked food. And we couldn't want for better wait staff, coming by several times to see if we needed more coffee or anything. It was 9am and the parking lot was so full we had to park across the street, so that tells you something right there. They provide real cream for coffee, not that powered junk, I hate that imitation cream. Did I say the coffee was great? I'm not really a coffee drinker (love hot tea), but their coffee was great.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/BledsoesDinerOutside062212.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/BledsoesDinerInside062212.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/BledsoesDinerEggs062212.jpg
While in Poteau, Oklahoma we saw two Chinese restaurants, one a buffet and the other by menu only. We chose the one where you order off a menu and we were not disappointed. Great tasting Chinese food and very reasonable priced too. Its called Hong's Garden on the main highway going through Poteau.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/HongsGardenPoteauOK062212.jpg
Friday night we spent the night in the truck tent at Cedar Lake south of Hodgen, Oklahoma in southeast Oklahoma. If you Copy and Paste the following GPS into Google Maps or Google Earth, it will take you right to our campsite on the east side of the lake. N34.78032,W094.69476
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CedarLakeCampground062212b.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CedarLakeCampground062212.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CedarLakeRamp062212.jpg
The next morning we loaded up and headed for Talihina, Oklahoma for breakfast. We stopped in a place by the name of Pam's Diner in downtown Talihina, the food was excellent, and the wait staff was great too. We've only been there twice, but both times it was packed with hungry people. Here's a pic I took of Pam's in 2010.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BigCedarOK/PamsDinerTalihinaOK111310a.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BigCedarOK/PamsOutside111310.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/BigCedarOK/PamsDinerSign.jpg
Right across the street from Pam's Diner was Cranford's Boot Repair. There are not many boot repair shops left in Oklahoma, and maybe that's why Cranford's was so busy last Saturday morning. When you enter Cranford's its like stepping back in time.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CranfordsBootRepair.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CranfordsBootShopInside062312.jpg
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/CranfordsBootRepairEquipment.jpg
Google is finding over 9,000 websites a day and adding them to their database that may have ill intentions for your computer, such as viruses, spyware, malware, trojans, phishing and who knows what else. And the only way you can take advantage of this help to keep you safe is using Google Chrome. I am partial to Microsoft Internet Explorer, but I will start using the free program Google Chrome more just to be safe while surfing the Net. Chrome warns 300 million users a day that the website they are trying to reach is potentially malicious.
http://arstechnica.com/security/2012/06/google-detects-9500-new-malicious-websites-daily/
Download Google Chrome and give it a try.
Speaking of viruses and trojans and the like, through the years I've tried nearly everything that came along to get rid of the stuff. I found a utility a month ago that works, and works great. But I still promote as the first try the free version of SUPERAntiSpyware Portable Scanner because it works 99% of the time. But if you get a rootkit or trojan that you can't get rid of no matter what you try, I found this one works, its aggressive, but it works. Its NORTON ERASER and its free to download.
http://security.symantec.com/nbrt/npe.aspx
I found a quick way to search gas prices in an certain town.
Just takes a second to type in the location and see the prices (if any) posted
the past 48 hrs.
http://www.kmov.com/traffic/gas-buddy
From This and That
newsletter archives of June 27, 1998:
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Last April 4th we had the Chili Cookoff here in Ardmore. This is a pic of the Kid's Day held at Central Park that day. The guy in the blue hat and outfit is my friend Al Hamilton. He DJ'd the event for the kids (DJ for KVSO Radio).
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/kidsday1998.jpg
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Here is look at Main Street near Washington and Main and the chili cookoff crowd
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/ChiliCookoff1998.jpg
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Here is a close-up of two chili cookoff contestants. I tried probably two dozen samples, and these guys had to have the worst stuff I ever ate..... not sure it was even chili. lol
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/ChiliGuys1998.jpg
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Something interesting happened at the courthouse during the early morning hours of St Patrick's Day (March 17th). You see, this banner mysteriously showed up on the front lawn. It said "Erin Go Brath". Everyone wondered just what that meant? People wondered who put this banner up. Some thought maybe it was a Leprechaun who put the banner up. Whatever the case may be, it certainly turned heads. Here's a pic I snapped of this mystery.......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/ErinGoBrath1998.jpg
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Back to my trip down I-35 toward Marietta, Thackerville, Oklahoma and Gainesville, Texas. I guess my friend Leroy "Mac" McDaniel really got me into this "travelling" thing. He called me one Saturday in March and asked if I wanted to go riding with him and take some pics. I said sure! So we just headed out.... not knowing where we were going. Here's a photo of probably the skinniest water tower in Oklahoma, if not the world. We found it in the small community of Burneyville, Oklahoma. Burneyville is just a few miles west of Marietta on Highway 32, then south a ways.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/BurneyvilleOKtower1998.jpg
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The Marietta cookie factory. It's been baking those "broken cookies" since around 1955.
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos/MariettaCookieFactory1998.jpg
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Q. Who was the first Democratic to be elected
governor of Oklahoma?
A. Charles
Haskell
Q. Where was the first rural school building erected in
Oklahoma?
A. (answer in next week's T&T)
Gas prices today in the Ardmore area......
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/gasprices.html
Some mail from this week's MAILBAG.....
"Dear Friends, If you live in Southern Kansas or Northern Oklahoma, you might want to consider attending one of my upcoming shows. On Saturday, June 30, 2012, I will be in concert with my guitar at Wyldewood Cellars, located just south of Wichita on I35 at the Mulvane Exit (Exit #33). The event starts at 6pm with the food service. I will be entertaining from approximately 7pm to 9pm. If you have requests or favorite songs, I'll try to accommodate you. For reservations, please call 316-554-9463. Tickets are $20 each, which includes a tasty soup and salad meal." -Les Gilliam "The Oklahoma Balladeer"
HOW TO PICK THE SWEETEST WATERMELON: See these little black bits on the scar of the watermelon? Believe it or not.. that's sugar. These sugar bits are juice that has made its way out of the watermelon. It tells you the watermelon is sweet and juicy. These sugar bits can also be found on the ends of the watermelon. The more sugar bits the better!
http://www.frenchknots.net/2011/06/how-to-pick-perfect-watermelon-mid-week.html
"If you haven't seen this, I thought you'd be interested in it: It is a story about the big fish kill along Highway 81 south of Terrell, Oklahoma." -Paula
http://texomashomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=185562
"If the Bridges' missed this when on your recent NE Oklahoma trip, you really goofed up! Founded by HARvey Jones and his wife BERnice Jones. Harvey Jones founded of Jones Truck Lines-1918, home office Springdale, AR Read all about it at above link." -H E Huber, Plano TX
http://www.har-bervillage.com/
My dog Ben loves to go with me anywhere I go. He doesn't like to be left at home. (I rescued him from the Ardmore Animal Shelter) last year. Reminds me of a couple of dogs I had when I was living in Lone Grove, "Sarge" and "Snooks". Must have been around 1980 or '81.
Sarge was a German Shepard, I found in a culvert out on Highway 70 about Texaco Rd. He was a young pup and when I would stop every morning, he would run and hide in the culvert between the highway. I started taking a can of dog food every day and he would not come to me. So I finally made me a rope lariat. When he ran into the culvert. I sat the dog food in front of it and dropped the loop over the entrance. When he came out I had him and the fight was on. He tried every way he could to get loose. I tied him in the back of my pickup and took him home, tied him up, left him food and water. That evening I turned him loose and you couldn't run him off with a shotgun. He had found himself a home. I had two young boys at the time and they were all close friends immediately. My boys named him Sarge.
And now for Snooks. She was a part Beagle/Basset. She had been with us from Ponca City, to Miller, Mo. to Ponca City, to Lake Charles, La., McFarland, Wis. and finally back to Okla. in Lone Grove. She and Sarge were the best of friends. When I would get in my pickup to go somewhere, they would beg to go with me. So I started letting them ride with me in the cab. My mistake. I tell the story that they finally started arguing about who got to sit by the window and hang their head out. So I finally gave up and made them ride in the bed. One on each side leaning out of the bed and catching the fresh air." -Ken @ Wilson
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/BenUpdike.jpg
"I left my large camera at Central Park in Ardmore today (06/26/12)! please call if you were there between 2:00 and 5:00 and have any info! 580.222.5221. It's a Canon Rebel. thank you!" -Amy Wisian
"Butch, my 7 year old son and I enjoyed reading your blog today about your pallet shed, shelves, etc. He?s been wanting to make a fort in our backyard in the worst way and has been very resourceful with a handful of leftover bricks, but he?s been looking for something with a roof, walls, etc. Today, we saw two pallets on our neighbor?s curb and decided we could definitely do something with them! We came across your site while doing our research and just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed it. You have a kindred spirit, or two, in Chicagoland!! We need to find a few more pallets I think before we can really put something together (he said he needs enough room for himself and a few friends), but we?ll send pictures once we get it going." -Sharon
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/palletshed.html
"Butch, A couple of weeks ago someone mentioned the little community of Corn, Oklahoma. There is a cute little story about "Corn" which I don't know if many have heard so here goes." -Edgar Wallace
"Once upon a time there was a young man named COB who lived at CORN. After a while he LEAVES home and meets this little gal named FIELDS who lives in HOMINY. Since they both have ROOTS in Oklahoma they get married and have a little NUBBIN. They dress him up in SILKS and TASSLES and lay him in his CRIB and people STALK by and say awe SHUCKS " -
"Hello Butch, Last year I was able to buy Bengal Fire Ant Killer here in San Angelo, Texas, unfortunately no one carries it any more. I'm going to be in Ardmore, Oklahoma the weekend of July 7, 2012 and was wondering if you could e-mail me and let me know where you buy the Bengal brand in Ardmore. I would like to pick up a couple of containers. It really does a great job controlling the little pests. Many Thanks." -Joe
A. Ardmore Lumber at South Washington and 3rd Street.
"Dear Friends, I have sad news. My long time fiddle player, J.C. Broughton, passed away Tuesday, June 26, 2012 after a lengthy illness. His funeral will be at 10am, Friday, June 29, 2012, at the Garden Heights Free Will Baptist Church in Prattville, Oklahoma. Burial will be at the Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery in Sand Springs. If you wish to send a note to his widow, the address is Emma Gene Broughton, 8304 S. 157 W. Ave, Sapulpa, OK 74066. J.C. was my fiddle player for many years and thrilled audiences (and me) each time he picked up the fiddle. He was an award winning fiddler, including National Champion several times. I told him many times that he was the best I had ever heard and I still believe it. Whether we were doing Western Swing, Country, Cowboy, Pop, Bluegrass or Gospel, he could do it all. He was a great friend and we miss him so much." -Les Gilliam "The Oklahoma Balladeer"
http://www.sapulpaheraldonline.com/articles/2012/06/28/obituaries/doc4fec7b58254f4148038660.txt
Everything is Beautiful - Ray Stevens 1970
Jesus loves the little children
All the little children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in his sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMW6Le56XI
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
PO Box 2
Lone Grove, Oklahoma 73443
Save on long distance calls, just a couple cents a
minute!
http://www.CheapLongDistance.org
Ardmore High School Criterions Online
http://www.ardmorecriterion.com/
Oklahoma Bells:
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/bellpage.html
American Flyers Memorial Fund - Administration Webpage
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/crash66.html
Official
American Flyers Memorial Website
http://www.brightok.net/~wwwafm
Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Base Website
http://www.brightok.net/~gsimmons
Mirror Site of the Ardmore Army Air Field/Ardmore Air Force Website
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/airbase/
Carter county schools, past and present
http://community.webshots.com/user/oklahomahistory
Carter County Government Website
http://www.brightok.net/cartercounty/
Ardmore School Criterions
http://www.ArdmoreCriterion.com
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