Incredible Indelible 2010

This year has been wondrous, busy, fulfillling, tear-jerking and oh-so-fast, oh and did I say wonderful? Isn't it surprising that it's already Christmas time again? I remember last March anticipating spring so I could plant flowers. It took forever to get here. And when it came, I didn't think I'd have enough time to enjoy summer, what with work getting in the way and all the stuff to be done around the property. Kevin and I have been here three years now (and then some), we have accomplished quite a bit; there was no garage when we bought our little place and now we have one. Half of the circular driveway was graveled, we planted quaking aspen trees in the front lining one side of the drive and painted the house two summers ago. Kevin built an apsen mound in the back yard, then we put in a small and beautifully refreshing lawn out there, and last year the coup de gras; a combination swing set/climbing wall/slide for our 4 and 3 year old grandsons, Evan and Eric.
When the boys saw the set for the first time, Evan in all his innocent wonder, exclaimed, "Beema, A PARK!" Kevin aptly named it Fort EvEr and planted a gigantic, waving black pirate flag to top it off. We also have a huge dirt mound that the little guys just can't stay away from. And that's great cuz that's what our house is for. I'm not sure who has more fun; the boys or us. It seems there is something new for them to experience every time they visit.

But because this seemed like such a science fiction year, I wanted it to be packed with activity, adventures and stories to tell.

We spent a lot more time out in the kayaks this season and managed to get a few family members involved in our fun. Early summer brought together my brother and sister-in-law Pat and Cathie and my daughter Sara and the boys at the same time. We missed having Sara's husband, Bret and wish he could have come but work kept him from our reunion. He'll be rewarded for this efforts in the future.

The weather was warm and hot, we put up the kiddie pool for the tykes while we grown ups sat on the lawn chairs sniffing barbecue and sipping some beer or wine. Ahhh, this is the American dream, isn't it? One of the days we all went out to Elk Lake and this time I managed to get Sara, Evan and Eric in the kayaks, the boys loved it! The next one in was Pat and he did fantastic; didn't tip the kayak or get wet, good job Big Brother! Then Cathie said she wasn't going to be outdone by the toddlers so on went the life jacket and into the bright red kayak she went. A fantastic culmination for the whole family, we missed Kevin on that outing, too, since he had to work also.

All the family left and it seemed awfully quiet and still after that. Kevin and I filled that time with more outdoor day trips and travels.

When September arrived, I took that month out with a bang by taking Sara, Evan and Eric on a road trip to Butte, Montana where my son Michael is currently living--that's a 13 hour drive one way; the boys were wonderful little travelers! Those in-vehicle tv's are great. Along the way, we were invited to stay a night at a long time girlfriends' house so she could meet her "adopted nephews". My daughter, my son and I have not been together at the same time in 13 years and Michael had never met Eric so this is where the tears came in. Our stay at the Best Western was perfect since school in that area was already in session and we practically had the whole place to ourselves. Sara put the boys in that gigantic swimming pool, they looked so small! By the second day and wearing arm floaties, those rascals were like fish. The three of us would take turns playing with them and visiting the hot tub. We visited some sights wthere in Butte; the mining area--derricks all over the place in that town--the pizza place with it's own merry go round, a gigantic park with swings and slides for the kids. And then Mike took us to the cemetery to see Evel Knievels' gravesite. I had forgotten he was resting there. What a wonderful closing event to the year of Two Thousand and Ten. I packed a lot into a short amount of time and I am so glad I did!

This Christmas Kevin and I will head over the mountain to Portland to share it with mom Dorothy and dad Bill and Bret and Sara's family. Maybe next year Michael will be over this way and our family will be complete.

Thank you Father in heaven for all of Your blessings this year. I have had so many. Even the trials are good lessons and make me appreciate the good times.

May God bless you and keep you safe and strong in the coming year.

Teddy Bear Lost; Teddy Bear Coming Home!

We all remember that special and very loved companion we had when we were little. Mine was my blanket, Sara had "Pinky"-- a little pink and white teddy bear she received as a gift in second grade.

Mike's favorite was a blue and white quilted blanket that an old friend of mine had made. And we all remember when the moment came that we put them away as keepsakes, at least the ones that survived our loving.

Some of these best friends have led rather interesting lives while others have lived out their retirement on a dusty shelf or a cobwebbed corner of our memories. Pinky went through all the trips to the hospital with Sara when she was diagnosed with cancer and even had her own id bracelet. And Pinky even made it to Navy boot camp.

This story is about Pinky's son, Teddy. And Teddy belongs to Evan, Sara's little boy.

Now Teddy was a gift to Evan from Saras' father when Evan was only nine days old. They have been together every day ever since, lifelong buddies and confidants. Well, let me amend that every day part and tell the beginning tales of Teddys' Adventures.

The first one began at the Portland Zoo when Bret, Sara, Evan and Eric had a family day there.

They strolled past the elephants, they cruised past the polar bears, Conrad and Tasul. There was a wonderful interaction between the boys and the orangutan when all three were face to face, eyeball to eyeball at the window. It was shortly after that when Teddys' disappearance was noticed. "Where's Teddy?' one parent asked. "I don't know, I thought YOU were watching Teddy"...and the search began. I don't know how the rest of the visit went with Evan and Eric and all the animals, I wasn't there, I just heard the story afterwards.

Mommy was heartsick for Evan, his little heart was so sad and the tears flowed and ran. How do you explain to a 3 year old what "gone" and "lost" mean?

Mommy called the Portland Zoo and reported a lost Teddy bear with this description:

Bobbly head, brown 'fur' well-worn and loved, black eyes and answers to "Teddy". Little boy is heartbroken without his buddy.

It wasn't long before a return call from the zoo announced that Teddy had been found! He would be on his way home via U.S. Mail very soon.

Three weeks ago, Teddy went MIA again. This time, Evan had gone to spend the weekend with PeaPaw (Brets' dad) for a little one-on-one time. Everywhere that Evan goes, Teddy goes, too.

Time comes and Evan has returned home, only there is no Teddy. Evan is beside himself and once again the tears flow and come and Evan's little heart is sad, he was convinced that "the Indians took him and burned him" (this from the OLD Peter Pan movie!). No no, mommy said to him, he's trying to come home, Evan. There was concern for Teddy that his "little feet will be dirty and sore from walking home, Mommy, he doesn't have shoes!" Oh my heartstrings are just breaking here.

I am happy to announce that Teddy's adventures have been halted once more and again, he is coming home via U.S. Mail. It seems that PeaPaw finally found Teddy and he's sending him home, although at this moment, Evan seems to think the Tooth Fairy had him and is now mailing him home.

I can't tell you the feelings I've had for the last three weeks for Evan, for Teddy and for Mommy.

This Teddy meant as much to Sara as he did to Evan; he was her fathers' first gift and her heart hurt for her little boy as well. My heart hurt for all of them. Grandma's don't die, they just get sappier.

So today when I got the call that Teddy was coming home, I cried tears of joy for that reunion!

I was able to speak with Evan on the phone today and tell him how happy I was for him and that I bet his little heart was happy now. "My heart is very happy, Beema!!" Maybe there will be a little welcome home party for Teddy the Adventurer!

Squeezing In The Outdoors

Indian summer and I'm lovin' it. Two weeks ago it was gray and rainy. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy all kinds of weather for different reasons. After a long and very fruitful summer of events, I was getting a little bit pooped. Gray skies and rain made the desire for hot tea, pj days and a bright orange comfy blanket deepen, along with a great tv day.

But last week dawned with spectacular sunshiny days and the ache to get away from work to enjoy the outdoors at least once more before the white stuff starts to fall.

Kevin and I were originally headed for a small lake named Little Cultus Lake, which we did stop at. But the kayak call was minimal. Pretty, out there, no big boats and lovely. Then we thought we'd check out some other lakes, Irish Lake and Taylor Lake that were supposed to be just a few more miles ahead. On a straight away, a few miles flies by in minutes, on a 4x4 Jeep road, it takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r!! Head-banging, kidney-jolting and neck-wrenching is more like it. For thirty minutes. And was it worth it? Ohhhh yessss! There were no kayaks on this day but the call within me was bursting, I so wanted to get on top of that water and scout the edges for whatever; foliage, critters, birds, a fantastic photo, maybe even a fish skirting underneath me. As it was, we simply enjoyed the peace and quiet. If it weren't for forest service burning, it would have been absolutely perfect. But hey, we all have to get along. There were campgrounds way up there and since it is after Labor Day, kids are back in school, we only came across a few cars. Hunters were setting up camp for the opening day of deer season. We stopped and chatted with a few who were just out walking, rifles slung over their shoulders. You see, we do have mountain lion (open season all year) and black bears in the area. It's just smart unless you want to do a Timothy Treadwell. And even then, he ended up calling for help.

We finally found a great spot to have a tail gate lunch of egg salad sandwiches, our munching being the loudest things we could hear. Every now and then a Douglas squirrel would scold an intruder, a dipping merganzer would call out a hello to a companion or a helicopter-sized blue dragon fly would flit by our noses. Even though there was a prescribed burn going on, it wasn't enough to hide the scent of the forest or fog the beauty of our surroundings. It was refreshing.

And yes, we will stuff the kayaks in the back of the truck and christen those lakes next year.

2010 Family Reunion

The "Girls' Road Trip of 2010" came to a climactic finish. I think we did rather well considering we were in a small vehicle with a 2 year old and a 4 year old coming and going for almost 15 hours both ways. And the fact that mother and daughter were together for six days, everyone survived and we still love each other and we're still on speaking terms; that is a successful adventure!
I had been thinking about this trip for a couple of months so no matter what occurred, I was going, it was important to me to keep family ties together. Just a short while ago Sara had asked if she could come along if the timing were right for all of us. "Of course I would love to have you and the boys come!" Thus the planning began for the reunion of Mom, Mike and Sara--the three of us not having been together at the same time for almost 13 years. Having Evan and Eric with us was simply the icing on the cake.

On the 31st of August, I drove over to Corvallis, Oregon and left my car with Bret so he'd have a vehicle if he needed one. Oh and Bret--thanks for loaning me your little family for the week! I know you missed them and it was terribly quiet around the homestead!

Then on the 1st of September, we headed out of Corvallis at 4:13 a.m towards Butte, Montana. When Sara crept into the boys' room to get them up for the trip, Evan popped up wide awake with, "Are we going to see Uncle Mike???" The truck had been loaded the night before so all we had to do was get dressed, brush our hair, toss the boys in their car seats (still in pajamas), say our goodbyes to Bret and hit the road. Shortly after hitting the highway we just HAD to get some coffee, makes the trip a little more tolerable. I think I've now tasted a fair share of interesting flavors other than my favorite hazelnut latte; toasted marshmallow and then a coconut something or other. Sara was the pilot and grandma was the dropped teddy bear picker upper, blanket fixer and drink cup filler/retriever. Sara's little truck had one of those new modern tvs that pops down from the ceiling (like airplanes) and that was surely a saving grace for the little guys. Sara did play a few "I see something blue" games with Evan. All in all, the boys traveled very well.

We got into Corvallis, Montana that evening around 7:00 p.m. and stayed with my old co-worker and girlfriend, Judy. I've known her since Sara was ten years old...hmmm, that's 18 years now. Thanks, Judy, for letting us spend a night at your place and you finally were able to meet the real kids, they are now more than a picture on your refrigerator! Just before that, we stopped at a restaurant for dinner and were able to have two friends of ours stop in to see us as well. Talk about squeezing in the opportunities!

Thursday morning (9-2-10) we were in Butte by 10:00 a.m. to pick up Michael. Sara had not seen him in 4 years and how they hugged! It warmed this moms' heart to watch that. "Uncle Mike! Uncle Mike!" was hollered in unison when Michael leaned in and finally met his nephews!

Well, he had met Evan when Evan was a tiny baby but he had never seen Eric. Oh how these few moments had made the long way so very worthwhile. I had booked a room for all of us at the Best Western downtown and we headed off for three days of family fun!

Our adventure included a picnic at a fantastic park where the little guys (and the big kids, too) could ride swings, go down slides and roll down a big hill. When we returned to the hotel, we made good use of the indoor swimming pool; the boys loved the water but hung around the steps the first day. By the second day they were wearing their arm floaties and paddling off alone (adults within reach, of course). We all loved it, I hadn't been swimming in years and boy was I out of shape! Sara, Mike and I were having a ball with the kids. Our stay primarily consisted of finding the right places for all of us and we succeeded so that all of us were happy. We were able to take in the view of the Berkeley Mining Pit and read about it's history (in 1917 there was a horrible accident and fire that killed 168 miners, 11 people survived and Kevins' grandfather was one of those!) We also were able to view Evil Knievels' grave site. WHat a visit, incredibly happy just to be together.

How I would do this again. Warm fuzzy feelings. I am so greatful and thankful to God for letting all this come together without any flaws.

And oh how hard it was to leave.

Shoeless and Clueless on The Highway

I have just returned from my last road trip for the 2010 year and I have this recurring question about; Highway Shoes. Hundreds of them. Where do they come from? What was the circumstance that left them sole side up in the middle of the fast lane? And have you ever noticed it's always just ONE? Was it left on the top of the car? Were the kids playing in the backseat and one threw a shoe out the window? There was one that was purposely stuck on some outcropping on a cement center divider wall, toes up. There is no way it could have landed like that. Somebody being funny or bored or a sibling payback when the family stopped at the side of the road for a potty break?
And then it was this trip that I thought about starting a Lost and Found Shoes of Route Whatever. You know, picking them up and posting them on a website, maybe along with all those lost hubcaps you see peeking through the roadside weeds. Yeah well I have better things to do than that, really. I'd never get to where I am going if I did that. It just makes me think about them because I have never lost a shoe on a trip. These aren't little tykes' shoes, they are adult sized shoes. And I bring this up because I thought I was the only one whoever thought about them. Until Sara mentioned it on this trip. So...if there is anyone out there who has ever lost just one shoe, call me. I might have seen it on that scenic route to Butte, a hundred miles from anywhere.

Everybody Loves A Chick

What is cuter than a little bouncing chick? A fluffy, grey and white bouncing chick! Yesterday was another great kayak day and so we loaded the boats up for another adventure, this time over on Wickiup Reservoir just a few miles south of home.

Sunny skies with a few cottony clouds, a gentle breeze, snacks made earlier and our sunscreen and cameras made our trek an easy and sweet one.

We drove to an area of the reservoir that was a connecting river channel between Wickiup and another lake, a great place to begin since it was easy access with the trailer. The area held a small meadow that the Deschutes River meandered through, tall green grasses swayed in the breeze as the red winged black birds hung on for support. Kevin and I had made an attempt at paddling UP the stream and decided rather quickly to abort that idea; the current was a bit stronger than we anticipated. We let the current turn us around and then we were off. There is not a lot of vegetation alongside this portion of channel; it consisted mostly of very sandy soil or round river pebbles, the water was fairly shallow and one could see the bottom 90% of the trip. The pine trees and old aspens hung back along the ridge

line mostly, making it seem almost barren. Still, there were lots of places to pull up on a shoreline and take a brief respite. After first launch, our speed was pretty brisk for 6 or 7 hundred yards, then turned into very calm waters and easy cruising. Lots of land-side fishermen and women casting in to try their luck. We saw quite a few trout underneath us, I could have sworn they looked up and laughed at the beach casters.

The weatherman said it would be close to the 90's and I don't think he was too far off. I was glad I had brought frozen drinks from the night before. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches probably don't sound all that great but after a few hours of heat, exercise and fresh air, they tasted pretty darn good! We had pulled up on a beach where a few aspens and poplars were grouped together to make a great shaded area. And thanks to a beaver from a few years previous, we had a nice fallen tree bench to sit on.

After lunch break was over we hopped back into the kayaks, spying huge bird tracks in the sand as we trudged back down the beach. These turned out to be either a great blue heron or possibly a sand hill crane, both of which frequent the local lakes and reservoirs. "Big Bird" indeed.

Off down the far side of the smooth channel, we coasted around a point that led to a smaller, winding stream. Nooks and crannies are what make the kayaking fun, being able to go into shallow and tight areas that other watercraft cannot. We could see by looking down at the plants waving fronds that there was a strong current coming from around the bend. Paddling around the bend, the water was no deeper than one foot in some places with sharp drop offs leading to 3 and 4 feet deep. Heading around one more bend we heard the roar of a falls, this turned out to sound much bigger than it was. We couldn't paddle all the way up due to several tree stumps placed across the six foot wide creek. Kevin latched onto one of the roots of the stumps, handed his oar back to me and hauled me up next to him so we could both sit there and enjoy the sounds and the view. It wasn't a big falls, probably 2 or 3 feet high at the most, but we were the only people there, no other ugly human sounds to spoil the ear fragrance. Soon we let go, turned ourselves around and floated back out the way we came, letting the stream push and spit us back out into the lake. It was time to head back and we were in no hurry. No appointments, no weather making us fear rain or lightening. It was on the return trip that we stopped at another sandy point to beach and stretch our legs a bit. That was when I heard the distinctive sing-song of either a plover or a killdeer; both of which inhabit the areas and like to roam the waters' edge. I've seen killdeer and I think this was a plover, it was rather small and I thought it was a chick at first. But this bird began it's diversionary dance, the injured/broken wing gig to take us away from its young. That was when I began to look for the chicks and spied movement off to the left of Mother. Little gray fur balls were blowing amongst the beach grasses. They skittered and chirped to mama, all the while they were running they were staying in contact with Mother, never getting outside of earshot. These little grey and white fir balls were hardly bigger than a golf ball with legs on them! And as they would run, every two or three steps they would aim their tail in the air and bounce. I don't know how they ever get away from a predator--other than flying--if they count on their fleeing gait. Step-step-bounce-bounce a grey fluff goes through the reeds.

For those of you who are curious and smart: where did I get the photo of the plover chick if I didn't have my camera? I would like to thank Chris Thody of the Tern and Plover Conservation

Partnership (Wayne Hathaway photographer) for granting permission to use this image.

Summer Fun and Visits

When summer was first arriving here in Central Oregon (and that's how it is always described by other writers and those of note) I was pretty sure that it was going to pass me by without my having had one adventure or family get-together before fall and winter set in again.
How wonderfully wrong I was! We have had the pleasure of my daughter and grandsons' visits several times and the last one we all shared the visit with my brother and sister-in-law Cathie, who came up from Rio Vista, California. Lots of firsts at this mini family reunion and so much fun. Cathy celebrated her second year cancer free with a jump into a kayak on the water, as well as my brother Pat, the "Oh I'm not getting in one of those things" brother. Not only did they man the boats, but Sara and I did as well with each one of us hosting one of the boys. We didn't venture far from the shore line but just enough to give Evan and Eric the excitement of kayaking--they loved it! The BoyZ were so busy this time that they totally forgot about..THE MOUND. That's good, because when they come next week they'll be able to get down and dirty, jump in the pool and slide down on the park set, too. I am hoping this warm streak stays through for the next visit. Sara is going to go hiking for one of the days so the BoyZ will have Beema and Kpaw all to themselves. Or is it the other way around? Kpaw is excited to have the little guys, too, I can tell when he starts to talk like this;

"Ay, maties, we'll be walkin' the plank with ya thar if ya aren't lissnen to yar elders, arrrrghhh!"
Guess I better make sure all the swords are dull and the yard arm is broken so thar won't be no hangins.

Arrrggghhh!