July 2012

The second week of July we went to Enterprise, Wallowa Co in northeast Oregon for this year 'Reunion of Cousins'.  Had somewhere around 50 people.  There were 6 of the 7 remaining first cousins attending.  We started with 15.  Had a great visit with everyone & ate way too much.  Visited the museum & looked around in the shops in Joseph and walked around the farmers market in Enterprise.  Rain & thunderstorms can't tame us down!  We just moved our picnic into the hotel conference room!  Worked great.

Claude & Connie finally moved into their new house.  It is beautiful.  They have done a majority of the work themselves.  Still a lot to be done, but they will keep working at it.

                            See the tree on the upper left side that looks like a BB Cue Fork?
That tree is close to 100' tall.  The main trunk goes up about 50' and then branches into 3 more trunks that are each about 50' high.  Loggers call these types 'widow makers'.  You never know which way they will twist and fall when they are cut down.  Claude was nervous about which house (his or one of his neighbors)  this tree would hit if it came down when one of the winter high wind storms came along.  So!  Here is where the professionals come in.  First they cut all the branches off from the bottom up, then cut the tree into about 10' lengths.  I wouldn't want to be in that bucket!!

And this is what is left.

 

  

Connie & Claude hosted a reunion of Connie's brothers & sisters and their families about mid July.  While not all of the eight siblings were able to come, there was a nice turnout of about 20 people.  Everyone enjoyed visiting around the campfire and we all ate too much.  Again!  But they all agreed to come back next year.

 This spring before we left Mexico, Mike sold the 

 yellow Toyota pickup.  It has served us well and taken a lot of abuse.  The first few years it was in baja every mexican that saw it wanted to buy it!  I imagine it still has a few miles left for the new owner.  










Last week he finally found a replacement for the Toyota and we drove to Woodburn to take a look.  It was just what he was looking for.  It will end it's days as a 'Baja rig'!  Mike will use it to launch his boats off the beach in front of camp and to haul firewood and do other assorted chores.

Mike and friends have been busily at work catching salmon, a tuna or 2, and crabbing.  Ahh the bounty of the sea!!

Til next time, travel safe.

June Happenings

I cannot believe it has been 2 months since coming north.  The time just seems to fly!

I have accomplished a few things.  Have made a great start on the 2013 quilt for HPYC.  I have all the T-shirts, Birds, & Fish appliqued onto the front panels.  Cut the material for the backing and found I am ONE panel short!!  I thought I had more than enough.  I can piece the last panel if I cannot match my material but I really don't want to do that and is a last resort.

Had a nice visit with my daughter and her family in the Everett area, went camping with my youngest son, and camping with my sister Bobbi.

Waiting for trailer lights to be fixed.

We are patiently? waiting to leave!

Picture this!  4 women, 7 children between 5 & 12, a 6 month old baby, AND pouring down rain!!  We at least had the children fed before the rain started.  The kids were really good and the baby is a little sweetheart!  The most fun thing for the kids the first night was to stand at the corner of the motor home awning with the rainwater funneling down onto them. Makes as much sense as some things adults find exciting!  (Some of them had to wait til the next day for their parents to bring dry clothes!!)   They all had a great time and what did it really matter?  They're young & tough!

Five of the 7 kids and the baby all slept in the motor home.  Just before going to sleep I came in from my car (where Opal & me were to sleep) looking for a snack.  Of course Bobbi had them all settled down in bed.  "Who wants frosted graham crackers?"  "We all do!"  "May we have 2?"  "Of Course!"  (What are great grand aunts good for but to stir up young children?!)  Upon my leaving to go to bed, my sister remarked "You ARE a trouble maker!"

Mike has been very busy fishing.  He spent a little over 2 weeks in the Oregon Mts trout fishing with friends who also came to fish & visit, fishing the Columbia for sturgeon, and the Pacific for salmon.  And in his spare time he's been cleaning up the campground here, chipping limbs, and cutting downed trees for the firepit.  He has everything looking pretty nice and ready for the reunions.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.  Travel safe.