This AI stuff is getting too smart. I tried out the Google Lens feature on my “smart” phone asking it to identify this tree by the leaves. Amazing. And I hardly know what a rose looks like. Back in the 1960s a man lived a block north of us named Virgil Gaines. He would take an Elm leaf, put it in his mouth, and whistle like a song bird. He said it could only be done with a leaf from an Elm tree. Amazing to watch and listen to him.
My one recollection of Virgil Gaines goes back to when I was a wee lad camping with other NE neighbor kids at the James “Jamie” and Juanita Young farm 18 miles NE of Ardmore (east of Gene Autry, OK). A group of us kids were spending a Saturday night next to the Young’s farm pond. Everyone but me had an army cot to sleep on, up off the ground. But I only had a blanket to sleep on right on the ground. I remember Virgil Gaines was one of our chaperones and was sleeping next to me. I would wake him up about every two hours asking if it was time to get up. I couldn’t sleep because I just knew a snake would wither up out of that pond and bite me. lol
Here’s a Youtube link on how Virgil Gaines played songs using a leaf CLICK HERE
Just an additional note: Rose Lack Chaney of Lone Grove told me her dad did the same thing with a tree leaf.
Otto Powell of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was a frequent candidate for Carter County Sheriff, with documented campaigns occurring in July 1954 and 1958. Known for conducting “cross-county” campaigns, he was a well-known political figure who famously lost a close election by only 24 votes in 1958
1954: Listed as a candidate in The Daily Ardmoreite along with Floyd Randolph, Newell J. Craighead, Walter Day, and Houston Cox.
1958: Lost the election to candidates Theo Cobb and Robert Pierce, narrowly missing the runoff. Powell ran multiple times throughout the 1950s, often running against opponents like Harold Rudd.
Harold Rudd was sheriff of Carter County from January 1963 to August 1970 when he resigned as sheriff to run a car dealership in Houston, Texas area.
Ardmore Police Department – 1926
Ardmore street scene
From This Weeks Mailbag
Q. Hey Butch, the Mitchell Brothers that owned the barbershop…. not Marshall, what was his brother’s name?
A. Marshall and Larry Mitchell were the original owners who opened Mitchell’s Barber Shop at 540 12th Ave NW in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on March 25, 1969.
BUTCH-A-ROO: Yep, Butch, I think you DO have a meteorite. The first give-a-way is the heavy weight for its size, the other would be if you can stick a magnet to it. You can put a magnet to a meteorite, even if it is just a slight pull. AND, to answer your question if there are any takers out here for your meteorites: YES, I’ll take one ! Where can I meet you to get mine ?
-Steve Miller (like the band)
P.S. it does not stick to a magnet, it it does, its very slight 🙁
Your AI enhancements on old photos really works great. Glad AI is good for something! I’m gonna bet that rock you showed is a meteorite. -Skip Joers
Monroe Cameron sent in the photo below at his place in Big Sky, Montana:
I took this photo Friday morning (April 24th) out our front window. The temperature was 7 degrees. We had a foot of snow during the prior 36 hours. Today is the first day the temperature has been above 20 in the last six days. It’s great that we received this late snow and it is staying cold because we need to retain the snow as late as possible because we didn’t get nearly enough snow this year. We did have a lot more snow than resorts in Colorado. -Monroe
Notice: “Our veterinary clinic will be closing as Dr. Aldridge retires from full-time practice. Dr. Aldridge is discussing potentially working reduced hours with a couple of local practices and we will let you know what is decided. We expect to close toward the end of May but don’t have a date, yet. We will reduce our hours in the weeks before, so be sure to call ahead if you need an appointment.”
https://westwoodvets.com/
HAM Radio Talk By Butch Bridges KC5JVT
Echolink # 101960 – Allstar node # 58735 – HamsOverIP # 10301
I’ve heard several of you mention the last several years you’d like to become a HAM radio operator. Here’s your chance and its all free online over Zoom. Note: Pacific time – Starts 11am Oklahoma time.
Tech Talk
Sometimes it seems we take one step forward and two steps back. I have two computers (Lenovo Mini-PCs) and neither one came with a CDROM. I had to buy a USB plug-in external CDROM so I could access my many CDs that I’ve collected through the years. Plus to burn a CD when I need to. The problem is I have to unplug my external USB backup drive and use that USB port to access the external CDROM because my PC does not have enough USB ports. Anyway, my external USB CDROM works fine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MJW5BXZ?ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details&th=1
It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. – Albert Einstein
See everyone next week!
Butch and Jill Bridges
Ardmore Oklahoma
580-490-6823
https://oklahomahistory.net