Enjoying Berries and June

I love the beauty of Oregon, especially when I drive through the agricultural area on the way to the job site in Yamhill. Vinyards, fruit orchards, groves of nuts, fields of fruit and fodder. There are hundreds of acres of Grapes, Filberts (hazelnuts), berries and more berries, apples, etc., making up a patchwork quilt of green hues. The landscape is truly picturesque. 

It seems as we drive through the countryside we see U-Pick signs everywhere. At the end of May we stopped and picked some delicious strawberries.

We ended up with about 12 pounds of delicious strawberries to share with our friends.

YUM!!!!

Saturday June 23rd

Darryl and I left Hillsboro about 7:30 a.m. to go to Carlton, OR for the Carlton Fun Days. We had a Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Station then strolled through the Car Show. 

I love looking at old cars. I really know nothing about them mechanically, but they bring back so many good memories. About 58 yrs worth. 

I see old trucks like this and I immediately think of my Grandpa Eppert in his old truck (I can't remember if it was black, green or blue) on the farm in Clay County Indiana when I was very small.

Okay, I can't see a VW bus and not think of Marsha Norwood in Weatherford, Texas. With her six children going all different directions we always saw her in her Orange and Brown VW Bus. Her kids, especially her oldest daughters, weren't too fond of it. 

But now they are so awesome.

Personally, I am most fond of the cars from the 50's like this 1956 Chevy. 

Although I don't remember the upholstery in our cars being this cool!

The cars of the 1960s bring on memories of school and friends and the first cars I drove as a teenager.

I can't imagine the money invested in the automotive works of art. I saw a price tag on one for $46,000. Makes me glad Darryl is into Clocks.

 I remember as a very small girl riding in these huge sedans, no seat belts, just sitting wherever you wanted, like on the "Floor Hump" or arguing with my siblings over who got to lay in the back window. (Yes, we did!)

This Ford Crown Victoria was impressive.

When I saw the 1966 Cadillac I did smile and think of my Grandmother Ruth and her several Cadillacs.

Darryl is partial to the autos of the 30's and 40's.

Like this coup.

   After strolling the car show we walked downtown and found a seat for the Parade.

I saw 5 things at this parade I had never seen before in a parade.

1. A Vaulting Club.

 Vaulting is Gymnastics or Acrobatics on horseback. Something I wish I could have done as a youngster. 

Giving away donuts. Yummy!

A dancing Sasquatch.

A Veterinary Hospital Entry.

5.  - A history lesson in Logging.  The way it was.....

.... and the way things are today! I think you could build a couple of houses with the lumber from those logs!

On the way home we stopped at the blueberry farm and picked a few berries.

We came home with 8.8 pounds of Blueberries and immediately made a blueberry cobbler. 

We packaged the rest, put some in the freezer and take some to our friends and neighbors.

What a time we have!

Walking Among the Quiet Giants

Ever since I was a young girl there have been a few things that I have always wanted to do or see. Nowadays they call this your "The Bucket List", but these have never been "I must see this before I die" desires,  but rather something I have always thought would be a joy to do. 

The first item on my list came to me about 1962. Every Sunday we would watch "The Wonderful World Disney" TV show at Grandma and Grandpa Eppert's house. Sometimes they would even show little snippets of Disneyland. Ever since then I had always dreamed of seeing "The Magic Kingdom", and finally, in 2011 my dream came true when I visited Disneyworld for the first time. 

(Click here to see that post.)

The second item on my list came a few years after the first. My Parents built a Redwood log house in 1966. I was fascinated with the aroma and beautiful color of the redwood and had heard of the Redwood Forests. I pulled out our trusty World Book Encyclopedias and read everything I could about these giant trees. I have always wanted to see them, and this Memorial Day Darryl and I did just that.

Sunday after church we made a bed in the backseat area of the truck, packed some toiletries and food and headed southwest toward the beautiful Oregon coast.  

We stopped several times to enjoy the view and the fresh sea air, and even take a few pictures.

 As we watched the sun set behind "The sisters" we started looking for a campground where we could spend the night.

Even though it's best to make reservations for a camping spot this time of year, we lucked out and got the very last site available at Harris Beach State Park just south of Brookings, Oregon. 

It was a quiet and peaceful night, and I would like to say that I slept well, but a late night phone call from our daughter-in-law Alisa, telling us that Cody had to be admitted to the hospital with a severe infection in his knee and they were talking about doing emergency surgery made for a restless night for me.

MEMORIAL DAY - MAY 28, 2018

We drove to Crescent City, California and entered the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

We only drove a mile or so up Howland Hills Rd. when we saw these beauties.

Breathtaking, awe inspiring, remarkable are a few words that came to mind. I am so glad we went in the morning and could see the rays of the morning sun coming through the trees.

I can't help but wonder at the size of the saw used to cut a tree trunk that big! 

We hiked through the Stout Memorial Grove, an easy hike with so much to see and the sound of the river in the background.

 There were quite a few people hiking in the grove, but there was still a quiet reverence that pervaded the forest.

These are quiet giants that seem to say... "Come close and see the handiwork of God."

As I looked around me at the grand majesty that was this one grove, a scripture from the Pearl of Great Price came to mind...

Moses 4: 8 And it came to pass that Moses looked, and beheld the world upon which he was created; and Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and all the children of men which are, and which were created; of the same he greatly marveled and wondered.

      

   There was more beauty and peace here than I ever realized. It is truly a Marvel of God and Nature.

A quiet walk in the realm of the Giants does wonders to heal the soul.

I do hope to see the other Redwood Forests someday, but until then, I have fulfilled a life long dream and it has instilled an even deeper love and understanding of how much our Father in Heaven does love us. He created all of this for us to bless us. 

What a joy!