Labor Day

We celebrated Labor Day with a trip up Mt. Bachelor, something all the skiers in the family have done in winter but I'd never been. The top is as bare as the moon and very interesting.

Methow 2007

Another great visit to Methow. It was August, hot and summery. We swam in the river nearly every day, even me who hates cold water. The river is so clear, so beautiful.


Brian, Josh and Grandpa Keith started work to restore Stubby, something that's got the kids very excited. It will probably take several visits to finish but it keeps them out of trouble. Later in the month Travis and Brian went back to help building the new garage/storage building.

Summer fun

I attended a family reunion at Aunt Esther's this year, the first in something like 20 years. The six Head sisters and their decesdents all used to go to the Sherwood farm every summer. Esther died several years ago but her son owns the place and had a gathering this year to honor an art show for Esther. Sarah came and my nephew Reese and his family but Kristin and Travis were in Hawaii with their dad. It was fun, although I recognized very few extended family members. Mostly it was fun seeing all the places I used to play and hang out.

Yes, this is me playing golf. You are not crazy, although I might have been. Strange game.

The Great Salt Lake

Brian's job took him to Salt Lake City this summer and I went along for the ride. While there we went to the Olympic training ground in Park City, high in the mountains above Salt Lake. We watched ski jumpers of all ages practicing on ramps and a swimming pool. Then Brian got to ride in a bobsled (a wheeled practice type, not on ice), the same kind the Olympic athletes use. It went something like 90 miles an hour and he loved every minute. Below he's helping get another team started.
We spent one afternoon in Salt Lake itself. It is an interesting experience to say the least. The beaches were nearly deserted. The water was bath-water warm, brimming with brine shrimp so thick you felt like a dumpling in a seafood stew. Brine flies swarmed above the surface of the water and you could float on the top of the water with zero effort.


Salt Lake had many fascinating buildings and Brian and I only got to see a fraction of them.

Fires followed us for the whole trip. This huge one was near the Idaho-Utah border and it stopped interstate traffic for nearly two hours. It was burning right up to an overpass we were parked near and gawkers taking photos were as interesting as the fire itself.

This fire surrounded the town of Shoshone the night before we arrived. Brian's grandma was born there so it was our halfway overnight point. In the background you can see the city, an oasis of green surrounded by ash.

Barber, outside of Boise in Idaho. Brian's grandma lived here in her childhood and we tried to find the homestead, to no avail.

Summer wrap-up Part III

Two important projects completed this summer. Above is a dresser from the Methow farm. It was ugly as sin, battered and covered in layers of old paint. It wasn't wanted there so we took it in the off chance there was a swan underneath. I spent a good deal of spring working on what must have been 20 layers of paint. Travis and I sanded like crazy and all the old paint still wasn't off. We passed it off to Patience Man and Brian managed to get the last of the paint. I completed the stain and finish and it turned out beautiful. Brian uses it now in his room and it reminds him of Grandma and Grandpa every day.

Below our tree fort turned into a clubhouse this summer. With teens and preteens its usefulness as a fort was slim. So Travis built a bench seat and table in it, added shelves and a sofa (don't even ask how they got it up there) and lights. He slept up there for two weeks straight, he loved it so much. Jess and Josh have camped up there as well and like to hang out during the day, reading and visiting with friends

Summer wrap-up Part II

Two unrelated events that were fun, or at least amusing. We did very little letterboxing this summer; it just seemed too busy. We'd go somewhere and bring our stuff but other priorities keep us from hunting. Up top the kids are looking for a box in Tumalo State Park, also the site they went to Camp Fire camp later in the summer. Josh got to stay overnight twice and learn all sorts of outdoor skills and Jess once. The other days were just day events -- they seemed to enjoy it. They also attended a day camp for basketball in August. Both want to play on school teams.


Below is just a silly photo of TJ, all done in after a road trip Mom wanted to take in the Cascades.

Summer?!!? a wrap-up

Our first summer fun was the Trillium's maiden voyage. For the ignorant, the Trillium was the itty-bitty travel trailer Gram and Grampa Hole used for their bi-annual jaunts. We bought it from the estate, mostly because Brian was sentimental about it but also because we thought it would be a nice addition to family camp outs. This spring we went camping and drove through a rainstorm to get there. The water got under our tarps covering all of our stuff in the utility trailer, meaning we arrived with wet clothes and wet sleeping bags.

What a drag.

So we decided to take the trailer close to home, in case we found any problems. We ended up at Jack Creek in the Metolious River basin, after checking out several other options. It turned out to be a happy accident. The campground itself was nothing exciting but it was right on the creek, which was exquisitely beautiful. The water was fast and clear and full of fallen logs that sprouted more wildflowers than I had seen in many years.

We went without kids, without dogs. It was great, very peaceful. I read an entire novel in two days and Brian and I had lots of time to talk. It was a mellow beginning to what would become a hectic season.