EERIE SKY, SMOKEY SUN -- PARADISE LOST

Orangery sunlight filtering throughout our home and neighborhood the last few days. Most local schools were canceled and for sure outside activities discouraged due to the raging wildfires in Northern California.

Officially now, the "Camp Fire" is the worst in California's recorded history. We here in Healdsburg are having to breathe the smoke-filled air and deal with the light ash falling throughout the town.

There is a strangeness to the aura of the light caused by the smoke. The air also is strong with the aroma of the burning matter. Our eyes are itchy and our throats are scratchy. We have kept our windows closed for the last three days but the outside air has a way of seeping through and into our home.

Healdsburg is approximately 160 miles from the town of Paradise, Butte County, California and yet the smoke from that fire is as strong -- if not stronger -- than the fires locally last year.

There is no escaping the smell and the sight and sadly there was no escaping the flames for many folks in Paradise.

Paradise, California is being reported as having been destroyed.
The town had just under 30,000 folks in it and all were evacuated or told to evacuate. Sadly because of the few numbers of escape roads some folks died in their autos trying to get out of the way of the fires.

Wildfires have been a constant battle for the whole time that I have lived in California -- about 45 years -- but only in the last few years have they threatened close to where I lived. Last year was very close and we live with that memory every time we hear a siren during a red-flag warning period.

As a matter of fact, Gail and I started married life being evacuated during our honeymoon in 1992 in Arnold, California from our rented cabin. We spent one night in a Red Cross shelter in the local high school gymnasium.

Since we were "just visiting" the area it was easier for us to pack up everything we brought with us and put it into the car and spend the night (on cots) in the shelter -- the Red Cross was really great and provided all the basics that we needed.

The next day, we drove to the Las Vegas area and stayed the rest of our honeymoon in a hotel there. We really were appreciative though of the services of the Red Cross -- they provided so much to all the folks that were in need and even provided services for the many animals brought in as well.

Our weather -- if it were not for the smokey air -- would be quite pleasant, somewhere in the mid to high 70s. But because the sun is not getting through to us, it is much cooler than the mid-70s.

However, it is shocking to see that where some of my family lives, there is snowfall this week.

Probably a little like the snow that fell in the picture to the left that shows the "Hiles Railroad" in Hiles, Wisconsin in 1923.

Having lived in the Chicago area growing up -- I remember those cold cold days, but it does seem a bit early for that weather -- it could almost have been -- "I dreamt of a white Halloween" . . .

I guess the moral of the story is that every part of the country "has its issues" and we are going through some of them right now -- we just keep our fingers crossed during this red-flag warning weekend (again).

A peek at some Hiles' from our tree -- a ways back . . .

The picture to the right (provided thanks to Teresa Hiles) is of Thomas Hiles and his great-grandson, Donny.

The occasion was on Thomas' 90th birthday and a get-together was held in his honor at the home of his granddaughter, Ethel, who is married to Robert Miles.
(Hiles 2 Miles...)

Thomas is the brother of my Great Grandfather, John Hiles (who was married to Emily Adeline Gillett).

Thomas was a farmer near Sparta, Monroe, Wisconsin and lived to be 92 years of age. His brother David, also a farmer in the same area lived to be 97 years of age.

Both were similar in appearance -- tall and thin -- I wish that I would have met them growing up.

To the left is a group photo of the folks attending the Thomas Hiles 90th birthday celebration. (thanks again to Teresa)

While probably all in the photo are Hiles related, I am not sure of most of the identities.

Since this photo was taken in 1944, I would have been a toddler but then -- I was not in attendance.

Growing up, I can not recall ever hearing any reference to Thomas or his brother (s) at all -- what a shame.

Lastly, is a picture of Donny & Lois Hiles who are great grandkids of Thomas Hiles. (credit to Teresa)

They are 3rd cousins of mine and well could be still living today. I don't know but should know and will research that.

Their parents are Raymond & Lola (Burlingame) Hiles and their grandparents were Frank & Minnie (Thurston) Hiles -- none of whom I had any knowledge of before working on family history.

Donald is about the age of my brother, and Lois is about the age of my sister. I'll report back on my findings . . .

And finally,

In the scheme of things today, it, of course, is not THAT important -- but it is interesting that the New York Times carried an article about "the hammer" from Healdsburg.

It still remains a mystery and maybe, just maybe it will be uncovered . . .


That is a bit of our week, see you all "in a few"! 👫