Susan Gallyon Dechant, president of the Northeast Washington Genealogical Society, does have a beautiful smile but she was not smiling when she gave a thoughtful presentation to her group on Wednesday, November 12.

Susan knew that her father, Charles Gallyon, had served in WWII in the Army’s10th Mountain Division but not much more. Upon her brother’s death, Susan inherited their father’s trunk containing treasures. These included artifacts, photos, notebooks and some 400 letters he’d written to Susan’s mother during his service years.

The 10th Mountain trained in the high mountains of Colorado for nearly two years before being sent to Italy in 1944. Their mission was to wipe the German presence from northern Italy. It was winter; the terrain mountainous…just what they’d trained for. And they succeeded. AND Susan’s father lived to return home.
Susan tearfully recalled reading the letter dated May 1, 1945, telling his wife what he had been doing in the war ……. that very day Susan was being born in far away California. 
In September, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the 10th Mountain’s success in Italy, Susan, her two sisters, and Lora Rose (another member of the NeWGS group whose father was also attached to the 10th Mountain) went on the anniversary tour. They tearfully walked the very places where their fathers walked. To their amazement, they were feted every day of the trip by the Italian people still in thankfulness for their liberation some 80 years previously. 

Why share Susan’s story? To remind you that every family has family stories! Every grandfather did something to be remembered for. And it’s up to us, you and me, to ferret out those stories and tell them.

Don’t recall how I discovered mudlarking, but once I watched a few of Nicola White’s mudlarking adventures walking the foreshore of the River Thames in London, I was hooked. London has been there for 400 years and as it sites where the tide sloshes the shores twice daily, Nicola (and many others) find all sorts of treasures, from old to new from valuable to silly.

Google defines mudlarking as “the activity of scavenging the muddy foreshore of a river, most famously the River Thames, for historical objects that have been lost or discarded over centuries.”

Hers is not the only YouTube website for this type of adventure. Briefly there was Below the Plains, where the fellow would (with permission) dig into old outhouse pits and find hundreds of old bottles and other artifacts. 

And there are other good places to watch while eating lunch. SiFinds is one; Adventure Archaeology is another (they walk the banks of rivers in the US south); Bottle Fever is one. And if your interest is piqued, I’m sure you’ll find others. 

Remember: these mudlarkers of any ilk are finding the artifacts from our ancestors’ lives. 

Found this old-time recipe in a 2005 issue of Nostalgia magazine. I’m sure you’ll want to try such a different dish in this new year. 

BROILED FROG LEGS…. To prepare select fine, fresh bullfrogs, reserve only the legs; skin them carefully, leaving the legs in pairs; cut off the claws and place in fresh cold water until ready to use. 

TO BROIL…. select good-sized legs, marinate them as for frying, using either vinegar or lemon juice; drain and place them on boiler and broil 4 minutes on each side; dress on hot plate with butter-sause and serve while hot. 

Since I know this will be your next question, here goes:  Can you buy frog legs at Walmart?

Yes, Walmart sells frozen frog legs, including a product from its Great Value brand and other brands like Sea Best. They are available for purchase online and for in-store pickup or delivery, though availability may vary by location. 

• Brands: Great Value and Sea Best are two brands of frozen frog legs sold at Walmart. 
• Product type: The products are typically sold frozen and are prepared for cooking. 
• Availability: You can check online for specific availability, delivery, and pickup options at your local store. 
• Details: Great Value Frozen Frog Legs are described as tender and slightly sweet and contain about 
• 14g of protein per serving. 

Would certainly love to hear from anybody who tries this recipe.

There are so many itty-bitty places in our state that I’d never heard of or could pinpoint where they were on a map. How about you?Venersborg, Clark County. This community was established in 1909 by the Swedish Land Co. on land owned by a farmer named Vener. 

Venice, Kitsap County. Known as Venice Landing, site of the longest wharf on Puget Sound (780′) circa 1908, this Bainbridge Island community is the namesake of California’s once artificially canaled copy of the Italian city.

Veradale, Spokane County. Namesake of Vera McDonald whose father helped plat the district in 1911. First named Vera but changed to Veradale in 1923.

Victor, Mason County. Source of the name was selected in 1892 when ships delivered mail to the “pigeon hole” post office house in the community’s general store is unknown. This tiny community is near Belfair. 

Viti Rocks, Whatcom County. Named by Wilkes for Viti Levu, one of the Fiji Islands that was the home of a cannibal the expedition took prisoner and brought to the Pacific Northwest. 

Vega, Pierce County. Community on Anderson Island derived its name from Vegatorp, Sweden, home town of the first postmaster.