I'll say it again! The trip my family took up through Hillsboro, Texas, and then on up to Independence, Kansas, was one of the best trips I've ever been on! It had a huge impact on me and I came back different.....somehow......but different! When my dad, Burhl McClung, was a four-year-old boy, he moved from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Hillsboro, Texas, and lived on a farm. He met Clyde Nowlin at the age of four and is still friends with Clyde. My dad is now 86, so they've been friends for a very long time! Being fearful that I wouldn't be able to find the old McClung Family farm, my dad arranged for Clyde to meet us in Hillsboro to take us out there. We met Clyde at the Citizen's National Bank in Hillsboro, Texas, and he took us out to the farm. Clyde is a very sweet and gentle man. I was quite nervous at first to have him in our car with all of us - including the dog - but he quickly calmed my fears and I fell in love with his gentle nature. I can see why he and my dad are such good friends - they are alike in so many ways. Clyde was very kind to us that day, taking us all around the area and telling us stories that he remembered of my dad. That day will always be a very special memory for me. Someone needs to shoot me for not taking Clyde's picture. I was so excited by everything he showed us, it didn't occur to me that I should take his picture - and I didn't. I'm still kicking myself over that!
Here is a big old Hackberry tree in the front yard of the old McClung Farm. My dad remembers this tree being in front of the house when he was a little boy living on this property - and it was a big tree way back then! The acreage of the farm was incredibly beautiful. It was a big open field with big trees in the background and it had what they call a "draw" on the property, which is where the land drops and there's a nice creek running through it where the animals loved to go to get water. Clyde remembered how he and my dad camped down there one night and a "norther" came along and they liked to freeze to death. Sounds awful, but he had a big smile on his face as he was telling us the story. I think they had fun anyway! They also fished a lot along this draw.
Here's the barn that my dad grew up playing in. He has told me stories about this barn. He told me that as kids, he and his brothers and sisters used to take turns climbing up on top of it and then jumping off and trying to fly. They were convinced that they should be able to fly. No one ever did - and I'm sure it was a quick drop to the ground! I can't believe the old barn is still there. I wanted to go inside it, but there are new owners living on the property now and we were technically trespassing, so I just stood from a distance and took pictures.
Here's the entrance to the old McClung Family Farm with a big huge field in front of the house. The house that's there now is not the house that my dad lived in - and it's owned by someone else. The old house that I can remember was torn down. I went out there only once years ago when I was a little girl. I got the most peaceful, wonderful feeling just standing there looking at it and imagining my dad as a little boy playing in the fields and riding his horse through the fields. I've heard so many times how he used to ride his horse to school - which would be WAY COOL now if we could do that!
Across the street from the old McClung Family Farm is my Great Uncle Roy's property. We drove around back there and it is incredibly gorgeous. There's a sawmill down there, too, which my Great Uncle Roy owned and operated. The creek winds around that property, too. When my great grandfather died, he gave all of the property to his sons, one of which is my grandfather, Lee McClung. All the sons divided up the property. My grandfather told his brothers to pick whatever property they wanted and he would take whatever was left over - and what was left over is the old McClung Family Farm that my dad grew up on. I've been told that my grandfather was very good-natured, and my mother tells me that's where my dad got his good naturedness from. All of their properties were adjacent to each other, so they were near each other, but they still had lots of land in-between them.
Inside all of those trees in the background is the crumbling debris of an old church - the church where my grandparents, Lee and Virginia McClung, got married on December 23rd, 1915. It stood for years and years and then began to crumble, and finally a hail storm knocked it completely down, but the rubble is still there. I wanted to get some pieces of that wood (I'm incredibly sentimental and if a piece of wood is all you can get, that's all you can get, right?), but there was a barking dog nearby that acted like he was going to rip us to shreds, and I was afraid to step foot out there because of that. I thought it was so special to be able to see the site where my grandparents had gotten married. No doubt a small church way out in the middle of the country.
Here is the property where my dad went to school - the Arnotville School. It has a historical marker on it now. It was a one-room schoolhouse that had students of all ages attending in the same room. Clyde told me that he can remember playing marbles with my dad at the front entrance to the school. I would give anything to see that. Now it's just a big open field, but man, if that property could talk, can you just imagine the stories it could tell? I'd like to know where the horses were kept when the students rode their horses to school! I saw other farm properties, too, that belonged to my grandfather's brothers; and Clyde's property was nearby, too, sort of! He told me that on Sunday afternoons, all of the boys in the area would make their way to Clyde's family farm and they would play baseball, or whatever sport was in season at the time, out in the fields. An interesting story Clyde told me was that when he was a youngster and was delivering groceries, he saw a Whippet for sale for $35. He went home and asked his parents for $35 to buy the car - and, well, they didn't have it. He approached my dad and another friend, Ray Sawyer, and the three of them donated a third to the car and those boys shared that Whippet for a long time. They took turns driving it and maintaining it - and I have seen pictures of my dad sitting in that Whippet. They were all very proud of that car. When we took Clyde back to the bank so he could make his way home, it was really hard for me to watch him walk away. He is a precious man and it meant so much to me that he spent the afternoon showing us around. I realized, as he walked away, that he knew more about my dad than I do and he has known my dad much longer than I have. It broke my heart to watch him leave. Thank you, Clyde, for giving me the most special gift I've ever received from anyone - your time, your familiarity with the old McClung Family Farm, your memories, and your stories about my dad. It was all priceless to me and one of the most special days of my life.
We always play games on the trip to Kanab and since the prizes are all Stampin' Up! merchandise, we really get excited. Here I am with my Texas buddy, Sharon Armstrong. We both had a Bingo and won some ribbon. I'll take that beautiful ribbon, thank you very much!
When we arrived at the manufacturing plant, many of the Stampin' Up! employees had gathered outside awaiting our arrival. As we got off the bus, they began to cheer and clap as they held welcome signs, giving us the warmest welcome you could ever imagine. It actually brought tears to my eyes. What was really cool, though, is that after we all made it inside and the Stampin' Up! employees began to file in, we clapped and cheered for them. It was quite a touching moment, each showing appreciation for the other. I will never forget that!
Here are two of my special buddies, Ruth Bingle and Dawn Olchefske. We couldn't resist posing together in front of this sign.
Once inside, we were allowed to meet with the head employees of the plant to ask whatever questions we had about production, distribution, and the inner workings of the plant. It is interesting to hear the statistics and to meet the employees. They are always so warm and friendly and are happy to spend time with us. We were then allowed to walk about the plant at our leisure to observe whatever we wanted. It was super-fun!
As I've told you before, Shelli has an apartment above the plant so that when she is there on business, there is a place where she can comfortably stay with her family. It is gorgeous. Here is Shelli relaxing in her family room - and none of us can resist an opportunity to have our picture taken with her. After all, she's a rock star and we adore her!
This is a picture of the entrance to the plant. What always impresses me is how incredibly clean everything is. Not a thing is out of place and it is run like a top. Nestled in the mountains with natural beauty all around you, who wouldn't love working here? I wish I could!
After the plant visit, we went to a city park in Kanak, which was purchased and furnished by Shelli and her husband, Sterling. Not many people in Kanab realize it was purchased by the Gardner family, but we know, and we think it's pretty darn special! It is kept so clean and it's a beautiful park. Our lunches were served in a really cute black bag that is insulated on the inside, and when you pull the insides out, there's a drawstring at the top that converts it into a little tote. Really cute.
Even though it was a pretty hot day, sitting underneath the pavilion was quite pleasant. There was a nice breeze and we weren't uncomfortable at all. We enjoyed a very nice lunch and it's always fun to spend time at the park.
Any excess rubber from the manufacturing plant is cut up into small pieces and is used at the park playground as cushioning for the kids. If you look at it closely, you can see remnants of stamp sets. We always have fun trying to find pieces from some of our favorite sets!
This is the view from the playground. Pretty awesome, don't you think? And this encircles the entire park!
Once we made it back to the hotel, you could help yourself to whatever candy you want. Just fill your bag and enjoy. This is just one of the candy stations available - there are several - and each one has different candy to choose from. I'm in hog heaven because I'm the BIGGEST kid when it comes to candy!
Inside the Gathering Place are these adorable Real Red pillows, embellished with our buttons and our itsy-bitsy taffeta ribbons. WHAT A CUTE IDEA! They look adorable sitting on the black couches!
Several buddies and I ordered pizza tonight and hung around the hotel and TALKED! After the long day we've had, it felt good to relax at the hotel and chill out. I learned some great business things while visiting with them and I love having the opportunity to hear what other demonstrators do with their businesses - ALWAYS a fabulous exchange of information - and this is REALLY my favorite part! Of course I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed till I almost felt sick. These gals are incredibly funny and entertaining, too! When I returned to my room this evening, this little gift was on my bed - the cutest little ribbon cupcake. When you open it up, there's a beautiful Simply Adorned necklace in there - FOR ME! I just love pillow gifts!
Tomorrow we are off to the St. George Regional Seminar - and then tomorrow night, our pajama party swap! The fun never ends! I've gotta go to bed now, I'm pooped!
