A break from our labors....on Labor Day!

John and I had the opportunity to spend the long Labor Day weekend at my parent's cabin in northern Washington State, very close to the Canadian border and about half way between Bellingham and Mount Baker. It had been about 4 years since we had been able to stay at the cabin, due to the river flooding and doing some damage to the cabin. My parents had emptied out all the furnishings during the flood, and it has just this summer had the damages repaired and the furnishings moved back in. It was so wonderful to be able to enjoy this peaceful retreat again!


On our trip up last Saturday (about a three hour drive from our home in Lacey), we did a little remembrance sight seeing in Bellingham, the town I grew up in.

We drove by my old high school (dare I say it? Class of '72!!!)

and the house I grew up in. ( I wish I could go inside again!)

It is always amazing to me to see how the trees my father planted and tended have become huge. Monstrous really. To think these tall trees used to be our Christmas trees when I was a child!!! The tree that bears five kinds of apples (due to my father's patient grafting) is still producing fruit. Wow. I wonder if my kids will ever drive by our house 35 years from now and remember the trees we planted?


Oh, and Dad...the ponderosa pine that you and I planted at the cabin when I was in junior high survived the flood just fine...the bottom branches are bare, but the top is healthy and full. And very, very tall!!! I'm very, very glad it is still there. Hopefully it will still be there in another 40 years! Kind of a cool family heirloom, don't ya think?