Letter from Home

I was going through a little folder of old recipes that belonged to my mother in law yesterday and I came across a letter to her from her mother. It was written in November of 1955 from their home in Ferron, Utah. Alice (my mother in law) was living on an Air Force base in Germany with my FIL and the three boys. Ernie was just a baby.....a fat baby as his grandmother points out in the letter.

Reading the letter painted such a vivid picture of their life for me. Ferron was a town of about 400 people at that time (I think it's up to 1,500 or something now). It's a tiny town in Central Utah, surrounded by moutains......starkly beautiful land. Ernie's grandfather built houses and farmed. They sold fruit from their fruit trees....Ernie remembers coming back from visits to Utah with a big sack of dried apricots in the back seat of the car....and nibbling on them as they drove. When Ernie was about mmmm 8 or 9 I'm guessing, he and his brothers lived in Ferron with their mother for about a year while his father was stationed in Saudi Arabia. His grandfather fixed up a little house that was on their land for them....even put in an indoor toilet so his grandsons wouldn't have to go outside to the outhouse. On Sunday's after church they'd have dinner at Aunt Addie's, who was Ernie's Great Aunt.....and was she the one that drove a golf cart for transportation and Ernie and his brothers tipped it over? I forget.....

Going through the recipe box I found a couple of recipe cards of Alice's marked Aunt Addie's (Ice Box Cookies and Sponge Cake) and a few marked Mom's (Yeast Doughnuts and Rhubarb Upside Down Cake) and even Alice's own recipe for Quick Root Beer.

I miss Alice terribly. I loved her. She was probably one of the strongest women I've ever known.

Alice's Quick Root Beer

1 t dry yeast
2 T Root Beer extract
2 C sugar
1 gallon water-warm

Dissolve yeast in a little water. Mix all ingredients. Let stand bout 1 hour. Seal in jug and lay on aide and leave 12-24 hours. Chill. 

Aunt Addie's Ice Box Cookies

1 C white sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 C shortening
1/4 t salt
1 t soda
1 t baking powder
5 1/2 C flour
3 eggs (beaten)
3 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 C nuts

Make into roll and chill, slice and bake in oven. 475°

Ferron Utah

Nov 8 ‘55

Dear Alice & Family,

I rec’d your letter Saturday that’s just awful that you allhave to have so many colds, you will all (be) happy to leave that part of theworld and hope to settle in a better location.

We are all feeling fine but there is a lot of colds everywhere.

JoAnn came home over the weekend, she came down with AuntNina. I was sure surpised to think she would come without Gail, but it wouldn’t(hurt) him to (be) left alone for a night.

She sure has a sweet baby and as good as gold. I imaginethat her and Ernest are a good pair being fat and big.

Sorry for that mustard plaster. You just take 2 or 3 TBs ofmustard and mix enough lard (not salted) or oil so you can spread it on acloth. Put about a TBs of Turpentine in it, mix it good. I usually would take alittle sack and spread it in, fasten the end so it won’t fall out or else takea piece of cloth long enough so half of if covers the plaster and sew it so itcan’t fall out. Put it on as warm as you can stand it. It wouldn’t hurt togrease them good with VapoRub and put the plaster one.

Hot pack (clothes wrung out of as hot of water as you canstand) are very good to relieve the coughing but then you have to not let themget out in the cold or a draft. I know its an awful worry to have colds all thetime.

Right now I don’t even have a cold, “Thanks to the goodLord.”

Well they didn’t have much luck with hunting this year, Genegot one, I am glad I get plenty tired of the meat.

Aunt Nina says Gene is working hard in School.

Today is Margie Rassmussen’s Birthday I’ll have to try andgo up there this after noon.

Grandma is home now so that means I’ll have to go over thereas much as I can to  help her.

We are having quite nice weather, awful dry and windy.

This week end is pheasant Season opens.

Clyde is working hard and Dad is busy keeping the fire goingin front room and playing Solitaire.

I sure need me a job that will bring me in a little money.

Well, Alice and all I think of you every day.

Love to you all,
Mother