Bixby and Tulsa, OK 4-4 thru 6-09

Ted's cousins had dinner for us at the home of Betty Margaret and Red Stevenson in Bixby, OK, where Ted spent most of his childhood. Ted is showing a slide show of family photos to Dorothy Compton, Betty Margaret Compton Stevenson, and Hazel Compton.

Colleen Kafer is sitting by her cousins, brothers Tooter and D. Franklin Compton. Colleen worked for Sun Oil. Tooter and D. Franklin both worked in the aerospace industry. Listening to their stories is fun.

Steak'n Shake is our favorite fast food hamburger joint. We both grew up near them. Half of the taste is due to memories of childhood, I'm sure. Ted's dad worked for them for a short time. Obviously, the duck at the top of the steps is a Steak 'n Shake fan too.

Our friends, Walt and Cleone Gund have a beautiful "farm" outside of Bixby. They have provided us with an RV site with full hookups twice now. Along with dinner, shopping, pecans, an exercise room, beautiful views, gorgeous home, tolerance of our wierd comings and goings, and great company they added to the package this time by giving us passes to Gilcrease Art Museum in Tulsa. What a wonderful place. This is an oil of Mt. Hood by Alfred Jacob Miller in the 1800s. We think it must have been painted from Washington because of the perspective of the mountain and the river in the foreground. Any other opinions?

This is The Stampede by Frederic Remington. The white line on the right is lightening. I love this painting.

The paintings of Charles Russell really show a sense of humor. Between the art museum in Oklahoma City and here, we have seen a lot of his work and Remington's.

The "winds were whistling across the plains" in a BIG way this day, so a walking tour of the gardens was far from inviting. Here is a glimpse out a wall of windows in the museum.

The pictures above and below are views from the entrance to Gilcrease Museum. D. Franklin and Dorothy had us over to see the family history that their son, Steve, did. Steve and Ted look like twins. It was great to see it and family photos. I got to see photos of their darling house in Hawaii. Ted has been there, but not me, sort of a sore subject.

Walt and Ted went to undergraduate school together in Forestry at Oklahoma State University.

Walt now volunteers his time to run an arboreteum in Bixby. He experiments with growing trees from all over the world. He and Ted can spend hours talking the science of trees. This is the largest walnut tree in Oklahoma. Reminded us of the Sitka Spruce that had to be demolished near the Oregon Coast recently. It was the oldest in the world and finally succumbed after two devastating storms.

Cleone took me shopping at Chicos, for a delicious lunch, and then for a pedicure/manicure. Who can beat that for a day of retirement!