Peter, Marcy, Jed, and Jay

This postcard is written in completely unfamiliar-to-me handwriting, but written as if from me. I’m assuming that I dictated it and Laurel wrote it (so I’m labeling this as the first letter “from” me to George and Helen). But I still have no idea who Laurel was. After this trip, there’s one more postcard that mentions them, and then they’re never mentioned again. [Edited a few weeks after posting to add: Not quite true; they’re mentioned in passing at least once more later.]

Postcard printed text says: “Sylvan Lake, Black Hills. Highest Lake in South Dakota. 5000 feet above sea level. Helicopter Photo by John Sunby, Keystone, S.D.” “Pub. by Dan Grigg Enterprises, Mitchell, South Dakota” “Dexter Press, Inc. West Nyack, New York”

So the contents (below) are about Yellowstone (in Wyoming), but the photo on the card is from South Dakota, and the card was mailed from Minnesota; we were apparently making pretty quick eastward progress.

Someone (presumably Laurel) also drew these little flowers in a few parts of the card, perhaps sunflowers, with Jay’s name and mine and a peace symbol.

Minnesota

Aug. 3

Dear Granma, Granpa, and Uncle John,

I really miss you! We saw a bear at Yellowstone Pk. (“If you ever go to Yellowstone Pk. and you see a bear and you should close your car windows. bears are dangerous & they can swat you with their paws”) (direct quote of what Jed said)

I’m having a good time.

LOVE, JED (and Marcy & Peter & Joaquin) (and Laurel)

If you had asked me before I read this postcard if I’d ever been to Yellowstone, I would have said no (and probably would have said the same if you’d asked if I had ever been to Wyoming), but apparently I have.