This time of the year, I think of my mother. She was my rock, my wall, my security all my life. She had red hair and a fiery temper, but was very wise. A school teacher most of her life, she always knew the right things to say, to help with life’s problems! She was the best cook in the world, and we showed it!! She was always teaching, no matter the day or the hour! We learned our evening prayers at her knees, and lullaby’s as she sat by our beds at night. She had a poem for every occasion, and a song to lift your spirits anytime! I thought the world would end for me when she passed away! However, I see her in my dreams a lot, so I know she is still concerned for me!! Happy Mother’s Day MOM!! I love you!!
Alice A.

Wonderful May Day today. Sun shining and grass getting so beautiful and green after the three days of rain. If anyone noticed, its been a month since I was able to write. I have been “On the Road Again”. Drove a couple thousand miles to a grandson’s wedding. Came back and we were booked solid for gigs every day of the month of April!! I did manage to squeeze in a couple days at the Family History Center. Several folks came in and needed help getting started on their work. May is already getting filled up with bookings for our music. The last place we were to, the folks wouldn’t hardly let us go. They surrounded us, and shook hands, and begged us to come again!! That is what keeps us going. They enjoy it so much. I got a note from a distant cousin trying to piece together the family tree!! I wrote him back but haven’t heard anymore. I hope every one has a lovely MAY DAY!!
Yours truly, Alice A.

Our Spring is just as beautiful as the winter! Its warm, and the grass is turning green, and tulips are coming up! I am still playing music, singing and doing genealogy. We have been booked for several more Nursing Homes in April. We have also been asked to play for birthday parties, Pioneer day Celebrations, and Class reunions! This keeps us happy and busy, and have no time to get bored!!! I had a lady come to the family history center on Friday with a “lost” relative to find! We worked all day, and managed to find several other folks she was looking for, and narrowed down the field for areas to search, but the one particular one was still hiding somewhere!!! She plans to come back again, and we will find other places to look. I am also working on another project for a family friend, searching for his great-grandparents! I have found much of the information, but some of the people are still elusive!! I always enjoy doing this kind of research..
I encourage folks to come and start looking!! We can usually find much of what you are looking for.
Yours Truly, Alice A.

What a beautiful winter and spring we have been blessed with! But we may be spoiled..April is still to come!! We have had so many playing engagements that we feel like “professionals” almost!! It is our great joy and pleasure though, to bring music into the lives of folks who are “housebound”!! We have begun going to our local nursing home two days a week instead of just one. They really look forward to our coming!!
Yesterday was our local Sons of Norway meeting. We had a delicious supper, and program of great advantages of belonging to the Lodge. After the program, us musicians played for their listening and dancing pleasure.
I still go to the Family History Center Wednesday and Friday. If anyone needs help finding their family, I am there. Send me a note, or call.
Yours truly, Alice A.

It seems we are in great demand for our musical abilities! Last week we had a playing engagement every day but one!! We have been contacted by several other groups, so our calendar is filling up for April already! BUT such great joy it brings to us, and to the folks who hear us. Thankfully, our weather has been lovely!! If there was a winter, we didn’t notice, and Spring has come and it seems like summer already! A client of my genealogy work has contacted me, and I am working on another project for them. I also was able to connect some families together who didn’t know the other existed!! That is always a joy to me. New Great-Granddaughter born last week!! The count is getting up there!!! Happy Spring…and Easter!
Yours Truly, Alice A.

I have been away from my computer, and any computers for over a week now!! Sorry about that! I had an important engagement…one of my Granddaughters was about to be married, so my son arranged for me to fly with him and his family to Seattle for the event. Lots of fun traveling and getting from one loading gate to another!!! At one point we were about to be loaded on the wrong plane…but as we stepped aboard, one of the airline ticket ladies came running down the ramp saying, this is the wrong one! Then we had to get on a cart and barrell it across these massive airports to a gate clear on the other side!!! As we came to the gate, they said “you’re late”!! They actually held the plane for us!! The planes were packed full too!! Good flights, but they can keep Seattle!! It was rainy and cloudy the whole time!!! I was so glad to get home where I could see the sun!!!! My granddaughter was beautiful of course, and everything went well!!! I should be back in the “swing of things” shortly!! It is lovely weather here now!! Best in the country!!
Yours truly, Alice A.

This past week has been like a Merry-go-round, with all the events taking place. There was the Lodge meeting, the Music at the Home, the activity at the church, a grandson getting married, several funerals of tragic accident victims, plus all the truck drivers coming and going, so my head is spinning! I did manage to work on some genealogy with a new customer at the Family History Center. That is always good!
Talked to several more folks who are interested in doing research. Thankfully, our weather has been very nice. We did get a little snow, but it melted within a few days. We are VERY BLESSED this winter!!
Hope to travel to attend a granddaughter’s wedding this coming weekend. Hope you are all well!!
Yours truly, Alice A.

We received a bit of snow last night. Temperatures are still moderate..in the 30′s, so it mostly melted. Caused some slippery roads though. Small group at the Local Nursing Home this evening. Several of our crew are on vacation, or busy with their farming chores. It is calving time now, so the guys are up night and day watching their cows. But those of us who came still did the singing and playing! It was a little more subdued with less numbers in the group, but we did fine. Tomorrow I have a busy day planned at the Family History Center. Always glad to get working on my projects.
If any one who reads these blogs would like help in some area of research, write a comment, and I will see what I can do.
Yours truly, Alice A.

We have been so blessed so far this year with such nice weather that we are getting spoiled. Weather report says we may get some snow in the next few days.We are very thankful for this beautiful winter! I have had a few people come in to the Family History Center to do research. This is really a joy to me, as I like the challenge of finding someone “who can’t be found”, as the usual customer says when they come to me!! I am working on a project for another friend also, and that has presented several challenges. I made a small “break-through” on Friday, but as is most always the case, it comes just at closing time, so I have to wait till next time to follow through!!
We still have our Thursday Night Gigs at the Local Nursing home. That, too, brings much joy to me, the singing and playing and the smiles on the faces of the folks who come to listen…and dance!!
Music heals the spirit!!!
Yours truly, Alice A.

Our Local Nursing home Musicians were invited to Play for a Valentine Party last evening! We traveled together the 30 miles, and got instruments unloaded and tuned up. A wonderful variety of hors deurves was ready for folks as they arrived. We provided music as they gathered in, and ate the snacks before the big supper was served. After about an hour, they had some preliminary talks, then WE the Musicians were invited to eat first, which we did, and then provided more music and singing as the rest of the group ate and visited. After the meal, many of the party were up and dancing, and always they gave a big round of applause as we performed a number!! We played and sang for about two hours, then the audience came up and talked to us, told us how wonderful we sounded, and all in all made us feel very good!!! And our intent was to make them feel good, so I guess we were both winners!!!
Another beautiful Day in Dakota Territory!!! We are on the downhill of winter, so spring is not far behind.
Have a wonderful Day.
Yours truly Alice A.