Morels in Oregon

What a great time to reunite family!  Mushrooms came early this year and since we hunt at about 4500 ft. elevation,  we get all kinds of weather but poison oak does not grow at this elevation!!!  And we always hope we find morels when everyone gets here.  And, . . .this year was better than usual!  Roly & Candy came from Texas,  Dan, Sheila and Jaime came from Portland,  Jana from Eugene, and Lori Adam and I led the crew into the beautiful Oregon forest!  Mist and slight drizzle added to the adventure.  After about 4 hours and a tailgate lunch,  we accumulated 10 pounds of wonderful morels!  We had enough to pile them high on grilled hamburgers!  This is the best burger topper that I have ever tasted! This is soo tasty you don't need catsup or mustard!  We missed Paul and the grand kids who had other commitments.  Having all four of our kids and their spouses was  the best treat of all for Esther and I.  We thank God every day for our family!
(click on photo to enlarge)

Easter in Eugene

We spent a few days in Eugene with Jana's & Paul's family over Easter.  Saturday we enjoyed Derrick's first ball game.  It was a full day and a rain cloud slowly slipped by to the north giving us a great day for a ball game.  The remainder of the day was preparation for a full house for Easter Sunday.  Paul's family joined in providing a wonderful celebration with lots of traditional goodies!  The cloud from Saturday stuck around a dumped a bunch of snowy icy slush creating snow ball problems for too many minutes!  Fortunately,  none of the little kids or the big kids got hurt except for cooold hands!  This did not cool down the warm hearts that enjoyed the fun and  fellowship.  Thanks Jana and Paul for sharing your energy with us!

Easter in Texas

The first Easter for Evan and Annie!  What a way to surround the family with creation!  The variety of life,  unusual animals we don't see everyday add to everyone's excitement and anxiety!  Soft, cuddly bunny rabbits are at times scary!  Even though our little children won't remember this particular Sunday,  these experiences become a part of what we become  as adults. Look at yourself. . .and maybe you can detect the threads of childhood that have been woven together into what we have become as adults.  I hope you like what you see!  I for one, am thankful for the many great Easter experiences my parents,  Joy & Edgar, gave me.  Of course,  I don't remember them all but I can still feel them gratefully!  Never stop giving these great experiences!   (Click on photo to enlarge)

Major League Win!

Baseball spring training is happening
in Phoenix, Arizona.  Amanda & Adam
are getting into the game and if you
look at the photo closely,  the billboard
has Amanda winning the speed pitch
tryouts for the Atheletics.  She may get
drafted on the spot and be the first
female to play in the Major Leagues!

Congratulations, Amanda for being
the speedist pitcher in the stands!
Let us know when you get a contract!

Click on photo to enlarge.

Umpqua Mud

When it rains in Ashland this time of year, it usually snows on Mt. Ashland.  Our last trip to the coast was during our rainy season.  Our cottage back yard water level was so wet you couldn't walk thru it.  But the sun came out long enough to mow the front yard.

As we toured past the Umpqua Light House,  our favorite drive in Winchester Bay,  the ocean view was remarkable!  The triangle upper center, is an oyster bed.  The right leg of the triangle is the left bank of the Umpqua River which has it's beginning near Crater Lake.  The heavy rains always wash lots of mud down the river, into the ocean.  It was very noticeable to see the muddy river water embraced by the ocean.  The huge flow of mud pushed it's way far out into the Pacific Ocean leaving this large mushroom of mud surrounded by the deep turquoise ocean water.  Eventually,  the ocean will absorb this muck and dump the silt and sand back on our Oregon beaches.  And the cycle of nature continues.  You know,  everything is attached to everything!  (Click on photo to enlarge)

Ashland Animal Farm

As we gathered at Lori's place for Christmas, we had not expected at gathering of animals! A puppy, 3 cats and 5 ducklings with their protective mother!  At this mix, 2 grown Collie Dogs, grandma cat and our human family and you have lots to touch and talk about. Shawna shows us how!  It took us back to the Tuckey farm in Michigan!  Jana's family brought their new miniature Terrier;  Amanda brought 3 baby cats adopted out in Ashland,  and the ducks,  Oregon Ducks, freely received on Craig's List and now living with Amanda in California. To have a pup named after Mariota and Oregon Ducks living with us prior to the big game helped make Christmas an unusual experience this year.

Everything is quiet now and we're still recovering from being outplayed in the national championship.  But the great memories of this Christmas still shine brightly, especially in our living room!

Advent Faire Ashland

Every year, the first Sunday in December,  our Presbyterian Church meets in our Fellowship Hall for a Christmas craft making event called Advent Faire.  Esther, Lori and I have been helping kids and adults make sand candles for over 20 years now and several years ago, Jana has joined us using her art talents helping folks make centerpieces and door swags real evergreens.  Derrick and Brady joined us this year and toured various tables making Christmas crafts including Gingerbread houses.  You might guess Derrick started eating his on the spot!  Lori and I had our hands full pouring and finishing nearly 30 sand candles designed by kids and adults from round to square and all slightly different and with colors they picked.  We now pour uncolored wax for all the candles.  While the wax is still hot and absorbing into the sand,  I have melted the wax color blocks and molded onto a popsicle stick.  We then use a propane torch and drip the color wanted into the hot wax.  Using this method,  every person gets the color they want rather than have 8 different pots each a different color of hot wax,  we only need 1 or 2 pots of melted wax uncolored!  We work very hard for about 5 hours and are very tired when the day is done!  The amazing compliments from kids and adults make our part very rewarding!