by laura beth

My word, the fruits and veggies we've encountered this Summer and Autumn have been amazing. First of all, my mom plants a mean garden. This year she had strawberries, rhubarb, broccoli, peas, lettuce, green beans, swiss chard, zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, onions, cabbage, pumpkins, and peppers in addition to basil, parsley, cilantro,dill, chives, rosemary, thyme, and mint. We canned green beans, tomatoes, and pickles from the garden. Mom made strawberry freezer jam and hot pepper jelly. We picked plums from a tree across the street and Dad dried them. Mom and Dad picked peaches and pears at a nearby orchard, which we canned. Grandma Rosella let us pick her apples and blackberries. We dried apples, made applesauce, pies, and cobblers. Grandma Willey gave as pears and some friends gave us apricots and grapes which we dried, canned, and made grape juice out of. Right now Mom is making sauerkraut. Kenny helped and really enjoyed learning how to can. I wish I would have taken photos of the fruits and vegetables as they were harvested, and different preserving processes, but I got a few photos of the finished products. It is so rewarding to look at a pantry full of delicious food that you grew, harvested, and canned. And a lot of it was practically free.

by laura beth

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. 6 years and still best friends. We didn't really do anything eventful, just spent the day in our PJs and watched The Story of Us (something we do once a year). I've been painting little river rocks lately and an inexpensive addition to my jewelry table at markets. Kenny made me 2 of them for our anniversary. They feature his signature doodles: a turtle with teeth and a bird. Thanks Kenny. I love you more each day.

by laura beth

Almost 6 months we've been here. And soon we are leaving again. A few more of the things we have enjoyed while in John Day:

• family time camping, having big meals together, and just being, well, a family.
• friend time eating together and having drinks.
  
• the newest Willey family additions, the chicken ladies: Pepper, Beatrice, Foghorn, and Leghorn.
  
• harvesting, canning, drying, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
• movies at the Grantville Theater.
• the distinct Eastern Oregon weather this Spring, Summer, and Autumn.
• hanging out in the yard, surrounded by beautiful flowers, trees, and a wonderful vegetable garden.
• having time to work on the website, the blog, and my jewelry.
• Olivia, our 2 year old niece. We don't necessarily play favorites, but Olivia was possibly our biggest source of entertainment. So smart, so precocious.
  
• drives.
• watermelon Arctic Rushes from Dairy Queen.
• the UMC Ye Olde Thrift Shop.
• mom's coffee.
  
• I'm sure I'll add more...
  

by laura beth

Two years ago in October, for Hannah's 10th birthday, she got a dwarf hamster. Earlier that year she had taken a cross-country trip with Mom and Dad. While visiting friends in Kentucky, she saw a dwarf hamster for the first time and wanted nothing more than to have one of her very own. So for her birthday she picked one out, and thus Skittles became a part of the family. The pet store employee told us that their lifespan is usually about 2 years. Today, roughly 2 years and 2 months after Skittles was born, she was found lifeless in her sweet little hamster pad. This wasn't unexpected, for over the last few months she had been less active, unable to climb, and her fur had turned from tan to completely gray and white. Skittles had a small plastic ball that she could run around the house in. The ball was so small and transparent, it could easily get underfoot and you always had to be on the lookout for it. Mom would often burst out,"Don't kick the squirrel!" Skittles was placed in a tiny box with a flower and was given a simple burial under the apple tree in Mom and Dad's backyard next to other family pets that had gone to glory, Parsley Jane, Pretty Freddy and a couple fish.

by kenny

I decided to watch the Gambler series because I remember as kid that my dad was an extra in the film. And I love Kenny Rogers. The films are hard to get through, but 5 hours later we did it. And at the very end of the third Gambler installment laid our reward. My dad, ass up, grabbing all the money he can get his hands on!