ILLIANA NEWS

NOVEMBER 2007 ISSUE 11

There are no scheduled meetings for the Illiana Antique Power Assoc.

in November or December. The next meeting will be January 21, 2008.

A reminder will be sent to you in the January newsletter.

“SOME ENCHANTED EVENING....”

We want to thank Tom and Carolyn Swanson for hosting the October meeting at their lovely home outside of Attica. Their house is “snuggled” amongst some beautiful trees. We were treated to some gorgeous fall weather and enjoyed some small talk before feasting on our usual delicious carry-in dinner. Tom and Carolyn created an adorable patio- garden area next to their garage; an ideal place to set and enjoy their country living. After a short meeting the members present were treated to view an amazing fantasy land that Tom has built and Carolyn has decorated. It was like stepping into the “munchkin village” in the Wizard of Oz!! Beautiful icicle lights dangled from the ceiling....every where you looked there were lovely villages; completely full of miniature people and decorations. There were log cabins, a western setting, implement dealers, a post office, Tom’s family home (where he grew up), a dress shop, a drive-in movie (showing a real film), a pottery shop (with a small pot turning on a potter’s wheel), fountains with running water, a nativity scene....just so many it’s hard to list everything! But, the master piece display was a real replica of the Mudlava Health Resort that made Attica famous years ago. Tom created it from post card pictures (also on display) that he has collected through the years. But, the tour didn’t stop there...Tom has a show case filled with his memorabilia of Minneapolis tractor items. Was that Ed Grubb’s finger prints left on the glass? He also has a tribute collection of Roy Rogers items, old farm threshing pictures, an early (really early) map of Indiana hanging along the walls. It was hard to leave, there was so much to look at! It’s also hard to believe this was created only in just three years! Again, a BIG THANK YOU to Tom and Carolyn for sharing their hobbies and talents with us.

ROCKY FORGE BLACKSMITH NEWS:

Last Saturday the blacksmiths met at Ted’s shop near West Point and what a great day we had. The weather was picture perfect, cloudy and no wind, perfect for forging outside. We had 17 smiths working on various projects in the shop and outside. There were 6 forges going with smiths banging away at scrap metal, some of which was from the state line farm. We had three guests from near Indianapolis, all members of the Rural Smiths of Mid-America. They forged all day on many different projects and did not quit until 4:30. It was a fun day. We also had Ellsworth Christmas, a friend that many of you know from the pioneer village of the State Fair. He stopped by for a while, went home and came back later with a project for us to work on for the pioneer village. For our January or February meeting we are making arrangements to visit Fred Ropkeys museum of military tanks and other military items. It is located near Rob Durrett’s farm and we will have lunch at his place. This museum has been featured on many television programs and should be an interesting day. Anyone in the Illiana Steam and Power group interested should let Ted know before the end of the year. Also, we are making arrangements to offer a class in cooperage. It will be two sessions, the first will be to make the tools needed: a drawknife, scorp, croze, measure and metal rings. The second session will be to make a butter churn or pigett. The class will be in Ted’s shop and will be taught by Peter Copper, one of our members. Peter also taught this same class at Tillers International in Michigan. Anyone interested should contact Ted. Ted’s cell phone is 765-491-2194. One of our members, Jim Kieth, is on assignment in Bulgaria and Romania to teach blacksmithing, farrier work and to spread Christian gospel. We will not have a December meeting. Many of us will travel to a Indiana Blacksmith Association meeting in Batesville on December 8^th. Lorelei Sims, a famous, female blacksmith from Charleston, Illinois will be the demonstrator. The site, home of Chaz Kizer, is also something to see. It is an underground house with a lot of metal sculptures on display and has been shown on several television programs.

Submitted by: Ted Stout

The Holiday Season is fast approaching. We’d like to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in 2008! We look forward to composing the monthly newsletter....anyone who would like to contribute an article, have an item for sale, volunteer some local “news”, etc. please forward to Anne Bodine. Phone: 765-294-2768 or E-mail: abodine1@wildblue.net. The info needs to get to me by the first week of the month. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! - The Bodines

LAST REMINDER:

Yearly dues are due now. Send payment to Doris Manlief at: 3618 Donna Dr., Lafayette, In. 47905.

This will be your last newsletter if your dues are not paid for the year.

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT BODINE’S

DECEMBER 8, 2007

DINNER AT 6:30 P.M. - BRING A DISH TO PASS.....DRINKS WILL BE PROVIDED

COME EARLY AFTERNOON AS THE TRAIN BOARD WILL BE SET UP. HO, S-GAUGE, O-GAUGE AND STANDARD GAUGE WILL BE AVAILABLE. SO, BRING YOUR TRAINS!