Emigration to America

Bixby Lineage

Crum Lineage

Kirkeberg Lineage

Kjos Lineage

Grønvold Lineage

A Patchwork of Memories

The Wold Gallery

I know it is the truth that photographs mostly record the happy times. One rarely takes photos of the unhappy times. And if they are personally unhappy times, one tends to destroy pictures of them at some point. So photographs cannot stand on their own and give the whole picture. I know that. I grant that. But what pictures and tales Dad and Mom's pictures do preserve!

It was a blessing to be able to have so many images from which to choose, though it was nearly impossible to decide what to choose, what to eliminate. What told the tale best, what told the tale as it should be told. Not just for us who remember a great deal of the times captured in the images. But for our own families who were not yet present. Words and images to give them of Gammy and Grampa - and of their mom and aunts in childhood.

My sisters and I hungrily look repeatedly at these images: into the memorable days of who Morris and Susan were before they were together... then after they married and were starting their early married life... during the years of sad separation because of World War II. Then the reunion and growth of a family - three very separate little personalities that Morris and Susan brought into this world. Three girls who fought like all siblings do, but who were and are best friends through thick and thin. Unfailingly. Given the numbers of dysfunctional families out there, we are blessed again and again with what Morris and Susan faithfully gave each other and us, their daughters.

Mom and Dad are gone now. But they left us (and our families)  with such a rich legacy with which to continue. A legacy of photographs and letters and scrapbooks and stories. A legacy of a love of words and family and the great outdoors and life. And a faith in life and in what is good and what should be good and what can be good and what we can do to make things better. I know we've said it before, but it cannot be said too often, as far as I am concerned:

"Thank you, Mom and Dad. We love you. We carry on."

"With Fond Admiration"	Morris, new coach and teacher		Susan, mother and many other things - just one of them was a Girl Scout Leader
Morris, proud coach of division champs		'Twas the Night Before Christmas                    (One of many!)
Fathers and babies	Morris, always the coach and teacher. We loved to be taught how to tumble and balance on his feet and hands		Determined Daughter: "I CAN stand on my hands all by myself! Tomboys don't care about silly dresses"
Morris' favorite photographic subject was family
Remember those days when we didn't worry about the sun?		"Missey Mo's house"
The beginnings of a long career in music
The beginning of a long career in empathy		How many times do you suppose she pulled back our shoulders and told us to "Stand up straight" I can still feel her hands pulling back like that on my shoulders. And I thank her for it today.
Then came the flood and some things were lost ... but not what was important		A move to a new job and a new town - and then there were three
Grampa Ole's Greenhouses		Ole and Sissel's grandchildren
There's nothing like a story read by a big sister.                             Dad taught us all to ride a bike                       ... and to fish
Smile at the camera - you little lovers of adventure.			Back then it was apparently OK to put children on horses even if the stirrups were a good 18 inches away from their feet....
Oh, little friends of Rosebud summers			The beginnings of two lifelong obsessions with lamps - of this we are sure.
So many summers camping and hiking and swimming at mountain lakes - one lake in particular had a favorite cabin owned by favorite neighbors.
"No Horsing Around in the House - or the cabin!!"		Rosebud, so many things to so many people. Just a blessing to be able to come and share. Our childhood memories are full of it.
Mother and Daughter - a definite furthering of the Bixby genes		"I'll see you after my first day of school. You'll be fine. I'll come home and teach you everything I learned."	"Hm. Wonder what I could eat up there?"
A Mother's Comforting Lap and Soothing Hands		Morris, the Proud Builder of a new family home under the Rims
"Morris, don't take it! ..... NOBODY look at him!"  (OK. Not looking. )		Easter in our new home
Two Sisters - our new home		The first Christmas in our new home - 1954
Oh, sisters of flexible knees and cowboy dreams		Oh sisters of endless summers and golden sun (Dresses by Susan)
How many warm summer evenings did we play at Wonderland?		Mom and Dad let us each decide which instrument we wanted to learn - and we did and it was a home full of music - varying degrees of good - and lots of harmony
Mom sewed all - well nearly all - our clothes. The energy and talent that woman had!
Creations by tireless seamstress Susan Helen Crum Wold
More special occasion clothes - all sewn by Susan
The camping and hiking continued long into high school with fathers and daughters and neighbors - here on the wind-swept pinnacles near Cooke City
Gathered from separate corners of the West - parents and siblings happily together again		Gathered from separate corners of the world in honor of Morris. When first told, years before, "Morris, all these women are here because of you," he chuckled and smiled proudly and added, "Susan's to be blamed, too."