Waking the Dead: Happy Trails

Sunset Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary - Apple Valley, CA

Don't you love when things come full circle?  When we were very young, my grandparents took us to the Roy Rogers Museum.  There we saw all kinds of amazing things, including a fully-taxidermied Trigger.  My grandparents were great for taking us to some off-beat places and that day is one of my fondest memories with them.  The memory can't be entirely relived because the museum as it was, was moved to Branson, MO, and that outlet of western wonder has subsequently shuttered its doors as well.  Now the closest we can get to that sunny afternoon with my grandparents is the final resting places of those great stars of the West, so we headed on over to Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Apple Valley to visit the graves of Leonard Franklin Slye and Frances Octavia Smith, otherwise known as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

"The Cowboy's Prayer" - Roy Rogers

In the dappled sunlight of what I like to think (although I have no substantiation by a certified horticulturist) is a cottonwood tree, is the final resting place of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West.

Who knew Dale's birthday was Halloween? Spooky!

Obviously, as regulars on TBN, the Rogers were devout Christians.
I did a search for the meaning of the 33 inside the triangle and came up with some lame answers like
"Perhaps it was his brand," and "I think it has something to do with the age of Trigger when he died."
A more likely explanation was that Roy Rogers was a Mason and there are 33 degrees of Masonry.  Masonhood? Masonship? Masonism?  In looking up the significance of the 33 and the triangle, I was directed to all kinds of occult, conspiracy theory, and secret society websites...a little too creepy for my taste, so I'll just go with a simple,
"Yep, he was a Mason alright." 

And don't even get me started on their western wear...
If they weren't already dead, I might kill 'em for it.
(I'm a pretty terrible kind of a person, aren't I?)

Amber, Bobby, and Mary paying their respects under a beautiful desert sky.

The graves of the Rogers can be found quite easily; they are immediately to the left of the main entrance, under a shady tree and next to the fish pond.  As long as we were in the area, we decided to see if there were any other noteworthy headstones or wacky tacky epitaphs.

I was a little perplexed at the Sironi's marker.
Were they buying engraving on the installment plan?
Why do we know so little about them?
Their individual headstones revealed a little more about their personalities.

Trigger

Visiting Roy and Dale's graves was a bit like visiting the markers of my own grandparents', which I try to do at least once a year.  The very last song played at my grandma's funeral service, as performed by the women of her choral group and played on the organ, was "Happy Trails."  See what I mean about everything coming full circle?  So to you, I also say, "Happy trails, until we meet again."

"Happy Trails" - Roy Rogers & Dale Evans

Sunset Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary

24000 Waalew Rd

Apple Valley, CA

(760)247-0155

www.sunsethills.cc

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Back In the Saddle: A Cowboy Birthday

Last weekend we were invited to a very special western-themed birthday party for our friend, Amber.  It was held in the beautiful backyard of the home she shares with her husband, Bob.

All the guests were given a "western welcome" with their
very own, personalized, mason jar drinking glass.

 

Mr. Tiny & Mary with the birthday girl, Amber (I stole this photo from her).
 One can almost see the ghost of bunny ears behind Amber's head that she so
artfully retouched out of the photo.

Bob & Amber's backyard is great!  It is perennially decked out with a western/desert motif so the setting was ideally apropos.  I should have taken more pictures of the perfect surroundings that included wagon wheels, succulents, the barn and the corn!  Here are some photos of the cool desert details that were waiting around every corner.

 

 

The garden path (by day & by night) was lit with kerosene railroad lanterns. 

I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating, I LOVE WESTERN WEAR!!!  My collection, if it can be called that, is measly, consisting mostly of ties.  There is something about the incredible detailing, the folksy charm, and the spirit of the West that makes western wear a favorite for me.  Not to mention the brilliant people like Nudie, Manuel, Jaime, Gene, Dale & Roy, and The Sons of the Pioneers that made western wear COOL!  Unfortunately, I can never really pull off the entire look head-to-toe because my arches are high and my calves too thick to wear boots!  Nevertheless, here are some fancy western duds.

Queens of the Rodeo, Amber & Mary. 

Mary wore a vintage western shirt with new two-piece western

ensemble that I finished for her right before we left for the party. 

I think it needs some applique before it is truly "finished."

Ben & Mary showing off their matching shirts

How!
Pale Face heap happy to see Lone Wolf, Emily,
(the only Native American represented) at the party.

My favorite family photo of the night.
 Lovey, Charles & Dollie
 Are you my mommy?

All the food an fixin's were delicious.  People roasted hot dogs over the open fire and I made my award-winning roasted potato salad.  My mom and dad told me that bestowing an award to oneself in no way negates the validity of the award.

Amber made all kinds of tasty, themed offerings.
You'll have to ask her why they are labeled "Smore Pogs,"
but I was particularly taken with these S'More Pops.
It would've been easy to fill up on homemade rice krispie
treats too, but...

We had to save room for the beautiful horseshoe cake that Dollie made!

Amber's feeling lucky with her lucky horseshoe cake.

No matter how much cake one consumes, there is always room for presents.

Charles & Amber and an inch worm

After the sun set slowly in the western skies, a chill set in, so we gathered around the campfire to sing some cowboy songs.

Singing cowboy songs with Steve, Mary, Ben, Amber, and Dave was my favorite
part of the evening.  Among all of the wonderful bands in which he plays, Dave is
a feature in The Lucky Stars, the kings of western swing in Southern California.

You know it's a good party when....
Happy Birthday, Amber!!!

Here are a couple tunes to give you the feeling of our wild west shindig!

 

"Way Out There" - Sons of the Pioneers

"Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" - Sons of the Pioneers

Cheers & Happy Trails!

Mr. Tiny

It's My Party!!!

It is my party and I will cry if I want to.  I just don't want to right now.  Today is my birthday and while I have no intention of crying, it could happen.  Getting old stinks - especially when you are really not all that old but you can feel barometric changes in your joints, you're ready for bed at 7:30, you need a new prescription for eyeglasses more and more frequently, and your next appointment is with a surgeon to determine the "best time" to suction your broken-down gall bladder out of your body.  I'm hoping it will turn out as people say; I hope I'll become more confident, self-assured, and prepared to deal with life's many challenges.  We'll see how that goes... Anyhow, is it bad form to celebrate your own birthday before anyone else does?  Probably.  But this is wacky tacky and I can do what I want.  Here are some funny old birthday songs and cartoons to help you celebrate this momentous occasion with me.  Happy Birthday to me! 

"Birthday Polka"

Tex Williams

"Baby's Birthday Party"

Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

"What Can You Give a Nudist for His Birthday?"

Gracie Fields

"Happy Birthday Polka"

Sons of the Pioneers

"Las Mananitas"

"Betty Boop's Birthday Party"

"Mickey's Birthday Party"

"Pluto's Party"

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny