12-31-2024 Delightful December

After all the decorating this year, I decided that I didn't need to put up the big Christmas tree

December was different this year.  Often the month is filled with sunny winter days, and it is dry enough that putting up decorations isn't difficult.  Usually, my grandson Matthew only needs to contend with foggy mornings that create ice on the roof.  This year he worked on a wet roof, with no ice, but the rain never gave either of us much of a break.

Outdoor Lights Sparkling in the December Rain

Like others I have spoken with, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed especially short this year.  It was brief, with Thanksgiving arriving at the very end of the month, and only one day less than a full four weeks between the holidays. I have no idea why that seemed to make such a difference, but it did. The next few years will continue with this theme of almost exactly 4 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, with 2027 being the first year that will actually have 4 weeks and 2 days increasing that time each year until 2030.  I will be 85 that year.  I wonder if I will even care if my decorating time is decreased.

We started the day after Thanksgiving this year, with the roof lights going up.  However, instead of completing the job in a long day as we have done in the past, Matthew and I worked a couple of hours every day for 6 days, in between rain events.  Finally, on December 4th Matthew finished the roof.  

 A Photo from a Year When the Sun Came Out in Early December

On December 5th I put up the little outdoor twinkling trees, and by the 6th I was completely worn out with outdoor decor.  Sitting here at my desk this week, enjoying the quiet time between Christmas and New Year's Day, I am so grateful for help with the lights.  Matthew climbs the roof, Mo corrals many of the cords and timers, and installs the large lighted star on her shop, and I figure out the arrangement of everything.  I slip down to Home Depot every few days and each year I add something to the mix.  I think I have to stop now.  There is nothing else we have room to store.  The only thing I plan to change next year is that I will start putting up lights BEFORE Thanksgiving.  I am a traditionalist, so I won't turn them on until after Thanksgiving, but I will absolutely begin earlier with the installation.  Maybe in October?

The Theme for the Party was Hippie Days

Gerald and Maryruth Celebrating Hippie Days

On December 8th, we made a fast overnight trip to California to attend the big family celebration for Maryruth and Gerald's birthday.  Their 35th anniversary was in late November and their 80th birthdays are just 4 days apart.  It was a great reason for her family to put on a big to-do at a lovely hotel in Elk Grove, a city where they lived for many years. I may not have these numbers exactly right but Maryruth has around 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and a couple of great-great-grandchildren.  She also has 3 siblings, and with all that family and their spouses, it was a very large crowd.  The food was good and the decorations and the entertainment were wonderful. Mo and I were honored to be one of the few non-family people invited, but as Maryruth said, with 61 years of friendship, I qualify as family.

A Rare Sunny Afternoon in December 2024

We returned to a busy week filled with more preparations for Christmas, a fun girlfriend trip to Medford with Kristin, and a rare few hours of sunshine to make an attempt to rake wet leaves from the yard and make several compost dump runs.

Deb and Sue at Red Lily

Mo at Red Lily Tasting Room

The following mid-month weekend, Mo, Deborah and I drove south to our favorite winery in the Applegate Valley to pick up our first wine club offering.  Red Lily has our favorite wine, and purchasing just 6 bottles every three months for the three of us at a 30 percent discount is well worth joining the wine club. It is also fun that with our membership we get free tasting flights and the charcuterie board and carrot coconut soup at the winery are superb.

From left:  Robyn Jennifer Sue Connie Kristin

The very next day was our bi-monthly book club meeting, held at the Steam Distillery, a great venue in Grants Pass that everyone loves.  We had a great time, and since Jennifer offered to drive I could enjoy their spectacular cocktails with no worries.  None of us liked the book this time around and the discussion was entertaining.

Mattie Loved the Mid-December Sunshine as Much as We Did

The following week we had another brilliant afternoon of precious sunshine with a few hours once again spent outdoors.  That week we invited our next-door neighbors for "drinks and snacks" as our friends in Arizona always refer to some fairly fancy fixin's. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and the neighborhood stories that they shared with us.

A Magical Solstice Moment

Solstice arrived at 1:21 AM on the early morning of the 21st and I set my alarm so that I wouldn't miss the moment.  I have a tradition of bell ringing, and this was no exception.  I clanged on Mo's antique iron dinner bell for a time and magically, when I stopped, a secret breeze blew through the yard, ringing all the wind chimes.  It only lasted a minute and then all was again quiet.  The moment felt beautiful to me, and maybe some of my spiritual friends long gone were reminding me there is magic in the world.

On the 21st the book club (Kindread Spirits) met once again at Kristin's house for our annual Christmas gathering.  Kristin outdid herself with the book club-themed tablescape and we all enjoyed shared food and conversation.  

Kristin did a lovely job of preparing her home for our Kindread Spirits party

In addition to the social gatherings, on the 22nd Mo, Deborah and I departed for our traditional camping trip to Harris Beach to enjoy the gorgeous Coastal Holiday light show held at the city park in Brookings.  We preceded our attendance at the light show with a yummy fish and chips dinner for Mo and me and some fresh crab that is now in season for Deborah.

Fish and Chips at Catalyst Seafood, a group photo at the Capella Chapel in the park, and Deb with a view from the gazebo at the highest point in the light show park.

The weather was frightful with pouring rain for most of our visit.  For whatever reason, just pure luck I am sure, the rain stopped long enough for the three of us to enjoy walking the park through four million lights without an umbrella. The show was as beautiful as always only this time we got to share it with Deborah which was a real treat for all three of us.

The rain started just as we left the show and we settled into the MoHo for the night accompanied by the sound of heavy rain and loud surf coming from the ocean below the cliffs where Harris Beach State Park Campground is located.

The next day we enjoyed the overcast morning with a bit of a break in the rain.  We drove down to the beach parking lot to watch the waves and perhaps to walk on the beach.  Mo and Deb walked toward the sand with Mattie before a coastal patrol watch officer called to them saying that the waves were extremely dangerous and that they shouldn't go below the walkway barrier.  Within minutes, the biggest and most powerful wave I have ever seen at Harris Beach in all our years of visiting came roaring in, extending all the way to the walkway inundating the entire beach.  It was very dramatic.

We stayed for a time to watch the waves from both vantage points at the parking lot.  The ranger told us we were actually at low tide and this wasn't a "king tide".  Instead, the freight train of Atmospheric Rivers originating in the Bering Sea and pounding the Pacific Coast as far south as Santa Cruz was building power beneath the surface of the water rolling in from the ocean floor. It was a spectacular phenomenon to experience.

Look Close in the Bottom Photo to See Mo and Deb out on Chetco Point

We drove to town, about a mile from the park, and parked at the Chetco Point parking lot where the trail leads to a beautiful vantage point. I waited on a bench, since my legs weren't cooperating much on this day, and watched Deb and Mo and Mattie until I saw them in the distance on Chetco Point.  When I zoomed in the photo I laughed to see that Deborah had her phone pointed in my direction and later we laughed that we had taken zoomed-in photos of each other across the distance.  It was a delightful day.

That afternoon the prediction was for no rain until after 2 PM.  Mo readied a campfire for us to enjoy and within minutes after 2 PM, the rain started.  It wasn't the first time that Mo and I have enjoyed a campfire from beneath an umbrella, and the experience brought up a happy memory of our cross-country trip through rainy Montana in 2010.

A Campfire in the Rain Can Be Fun

Our journey home from the coast on Christmas Eve was uneventful, despite the intense rain that kept us company through most of the 2.5-hour drive.  Home in time for our traditional clam chowder supper shared with Deb who decided to spend Christmas Eve with us so that she could help make the breakfast casserole that we planned to share with our little family and friend gathering for Christmas brunch.

Deb and I took turns taking the brunch photo so we each could be in the picture

Christmas Day was simple and lovely, with Deborah and Matthew, with his sweetie Katty joining us once again.  Maryruth and Gerald came for brunch as well and the day was lovely with shared stories and laughter.  Deb bought a wonderful birdhouse for Mo and me with a live camera that was great fun after we finally figured out the software.

Melody and Robert had a very good reason for not joining us on this Christmas Day:  they were already in Paris for a three-week vacation in what Melody insists is the most beautiful city in the world.  The two of them have filled this vacation with so many amazing sights and experiences.  They spent two years planning and saving for this trip and have seen the Louvre, Musee d Orsay, Notre Dame, St Chapelle, concerts, French cooking classes, a day trip to Mont St Michel, and so much more.  

Robert and Melody learning to make French Pastries in Paris

Melody decided that she needed a little bit more adventure and fell on the famous Paris cobblestones and broke bones in her finger, but the surgery recommended was later determined to be unnecessary.  Her New Year's Eve wasn't marred by surgery and instead, they spent it on the streets of Paris trying to see the Arc De Triomphe for the light show with literally a million other people.  I am looking forward to hearing all her stories when they return next week.

I am now in that crazy space that I have seen mentioned here and there, between Christmas Day and New Year's, when I am not sure what day it is and what I am supposed to be doing.  Except, I was pretty sure that I needed to process photos and write a blog for December.  Today I am still in that limbo world, but tomorrow I will begin a new year, one possibly full of unknowns, but then aren't they all?

See You Next Year

A Christmas Card 2024

I did not make or mail Christmas cards for the first time in at least 20 years.  It simply got away from me this year.  Mo and I wrote a Christmas letter together and she mailed many cards and was kind enough to sign my name to some of them. I worried about this, wondered what to do, and finally decided that a Christmas blog post would have to do this year.  I couldn't quite let go entirely and learned my lesson.  No matter how outdated the cards may be, I will start making them in July, and send them at the end of November.  So, here for your reading pleasure is our Christmas letter for 2024.

In January we traveled to Catalina RV Resort, where we spent much time in the hot spring pool and spa.  It is a winter tradition that we have enjoyed for many years and this time we stayed two full weeks.

Sue and Mo in the hot tub at Catalina Spa

Our friends Jimmy and Nickie, who live in Nevada City, California also spent a week there as well, and the four of us had a great time walking the streets, and eating good food, and soaking up the warm winter sunshine in nearby Palm Springs.

Nickie and Jimmy enjoying sunny downtown Palm Springs

We then traveled south to a favorite boondocking spot in the desert west of Yuma, Arizona for an incredibly quiet and beautiful night all alone in the middle of nowhere.  

Camped in the middle of nowhere on Ogilby Road

Continuing south and west toward Tucson, we camped once again at the Davis-Monthan AFB Military Campground. During our stay in Tucson, we visited friends Wes and Gayle at their lovely home.  They took us to visit the beautiful and historic San Xavier Mission just north of their home which in all our years visiting Tucson we had somehow neglected to visit.

Gayle, Mo, and We, in their kitchen in Arizona

We turned the MoHo toward home in mid-February, visiting with friend Gaelyn on the way to the wild and beautiful Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. 

Enjoying a campfire in Kofa NWR with Gaelyn

Our route north was the one we often travel, with a night in Tehachapi and another night in Lodi.  Lodi is home to one of our favorite wineries, specializing in old vine zinfandel, and we arrived in time for a short and fruitful visit to the family-owned Klinker Brick Winery.

Mo on her birthday under the Rogue River Bridge

Sharon (Mo), loves to plan a special trip for her birthday in March each year.  This year the trip was local, and we visited several ghost towns and historic sites in our part of Southern Oregon. The day was sunny and gorgeous, and we enjoyed seeing sites we have often bypassed.  Sue’s favorite was the historic bridge we often use to cross the Rogue River, this time viewed from below and reading about how it was built. We ended the day with a visit to our favorite local winery, Schmidt Family Winery, where Sue’s daughter Deborah met us to treat Mo to wine, snacks, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Sue and Deb on a gorgeous day at Harris Beach in March

In late March, Deborah also joined us for a coast trip to Brookings in the MoHo.  It was spring break, and we were there on Easter morning when a group of people woke us at sunrise with music and singing by the beach wall in front of our RV.

April was a quiet month of home maintenance, cleaning up the property, and preparing for the growing season to come with lots of trimming, raking, and readying the sprinkler system. By May, we were ready for another trip in the MoHo, We met Sue’s long-time friends from her years living in Northern Idaho, Phil and Joanne, and Harvey and Colleen for a couple of days at Honeyman State Park on the Oregon Coast.  In addition to shared campfire suppers and walks, Sue and Mo launched the kayaks for some wonderful paddling on nearby lakes where we had never been before.

A sunny day kayaking a lake at Honeyman State Park

The end of May in Grants Pass includes the famous Memorial Day Boatnik celebration with a parade and a big carnival in the park.  We opted to skip all the festivities except for the magnificent flyover of the F-15s coming from Klamath Falls for a noisy, fast moment low over the Rogue River.  The two of us parked where we could have a perfect view from one of the three bridges that cross the Rogue in our town.

Wynn, Dan, Mo, Don, and Chere at Don and Wynn's place in Washington state

June included a trip to Northeastern Washington for a visit to Sharon’s (Mo’s) brother Don and his wife Wynn’s property close to the Spokane River. Mo’s brother Dan and his wife Chere joined the family for the campout.  We visited, shared meals, and spent time on the Spokane River and on another beautiful inlet of Lake Roosevelt for kayaking.  Don took all of us out for a fast spin in his motorboat on the lake.

Great Grandson Theron, Grandson Steven, and Great Gransfdon Matthew

Sue’s grandson lived nearby and met us for a visit with his two sons Steven and Matthew, at a great little hamburger joint just minutes away from Don’s property. When we left Don’s property, we traveled just a few miles south to spend a couple of days at Sue’s daughter Deanna’s home where we had a great BBQed steak dinner cooked by Deanna’s husband Keith.  Sue’s great-grandson Orion was visiting from his home in Wenatchee.  Deanna and Keith have a fishing boat and they took us out on the southern portion of Lake Roosevelt to see the top of the Grand Coulee Dam.

Great Grandson Orion on the left, Deanna, and Keith on the right on Roosevelt Lake

July in Grants Pass is often hot, but this year was even more so.  We planned a family picnic for the Fourth of July with Sue’s daughter Melody and her husband Robert, Sue’s daughter Deborah and grandson Matthew, and the two of us.  Our outdoor pans were nixed that day when the temperature reached 116 F, and we enjoyed our picnic and Sue’s famous potato salad indoors at the dining table. The long shared weekend was spent visiting indoors, doing a puzzle together, and watching Melody and Robert knit and crochet with incredible speed and skill.

Sue, Robert and Melody at the indoor picnic for July 4th

In late July we once again traveled to the Oregon Coast for a MoHo trip shared with Mo’s family, including Dan and Chere, Don and Wynn, and Mo’s brother Roger’s widow Nancy, and her relatives at Nehalem State Park. We spent time at the campfire eating and visiting, mornings kayaking on Nehalem Bay, and driving around the area looking for other possible kayak launch locations.

Don, Nancy, Mo, and Mattie sharing campfire time at Nehalem Bay

August was typical for summer in Grants Pass with record heat accompanying most of our excursions.  Our friends Wes and Gayle from Arizona stopped in for a short visit and Sue drove north mid-month to spend time with her daughter Melody for her birthday.  We spent a magnificent afternoon at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland seeing the play Macbeth.  

Ready to launch on Recreation Creek

On another day we traveled over the mountains to our old home base in Rocky Point for a day kayaking on Recreation Creek.

Birthday Dinner with Mo and Sue at River's Edge in Grants Pass

In September, for Sue’s birthday, we had a wonderful dinner with Deborah at River’s Edge, decidedly one of the best restaurants in the area, with a table overlooking the Rogue River.  The next day we traveled to Northern California for a 4 day MoHo trip to Eagle Lake, an area we had never visited before.  We were treated to days of kayaking, and more white pelicans than we have ever seen in one place.

Mo kayaking with the pelicans on Eagle Lake in Northern California

Daughter Deborah bought a home this year and Daughter Deanna and husband Keith traveled from Northeastern Washington in early October to see her home and spend a short weekend visiting and sharing meals with us.

Sue's friend Laura with her sister-in-law at Harris Beach

In late October we traveled once again to Harris Beach on the Oregon Coast for a camping trip.  Sue’s friend Laura from Northern Idaho traveled the Oregon Coast with her sister-in-law, and we met for a couple of nights at the beach, and they followed us home to spend a night here at Sunset House.

Thanksgiving Table

What we lovingly called the Kid's Table with Deb at the counter and Matthew and Katty at the table

Our Thanksgiving celebration this year was here at home.  We hosted Deborah and Matthew and his sweetie Katty, Melody and Robert from Brownsville, and our friends Maryruth and Gerald who live here in Grants Pass. With only 9 people it was a simple and beautiful dinner that was completely stress-free thanks to everyone’s help in preparing the meal,

Christmas will be quiet for us this year.  With Melody and Robert in Paris over the holiday, the celebration will be a small one.  The size of the celebration has nothing to do with how much effort Sue puts into decorating the house and yard.  We will also celebrate with a visit to the beautiful light show in Brookings with a short camping trip to Harris Beach with Deborah, returning home on Christmas Eve. 

It has been a good year, with both of us in good health overall, Sue’s disease holding steady with very slow progression, and our happy, and healthy dog Mattie, in her tenth year.

Thanks for sticking with us for one more year of blogging, and to those of you who noticed I didn't send cards, I do hope this makes up for that a tiny bit.

 

11-30-2024 Nifty November

 This monthly thing is getting to be a pleasant habit. I no longer feel guilty for not writing about every single thing that we did on a day-to-day basis. The only problem is that I am feeling a need to come up with monthly adjectives for the title. Nifty seemed quite nice after almost choosing numinous, but I discovered that in addition to "a spiritual quality", numinous could indicate religious significance. Not so much. I must say, however, that the brilliant colors of November were definitely spiritual.

November for us was a beautifully quiet month, dominated by the spectacular colors of the oaks here at home and the many varieties of hardwood trees that are part of our city. Grants Pass is a "River City", but it is also designated as a "Tree City USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation. As one of more than 3,400 cities in the country, these cities must meet certain standards There must be a Tree Board or Department legally responsible for the care of all trees on city-owned property, a Public Tree Care Ordinance, a Community Forestry Program, and an Arbor Day Observance.

I didn't know any of this when I first moved here. I was awed by the trees that are planted here. Our native slopes surrounding the city are a mix of conifers and oaks, with color limited to muted oranges and tans, and maybe a bit of bright yellow for the cottonwoods.

But in town, the brilliant reds, pinks, and hot orange colors are dominated by sweet gums, maples, and red oaks. Every spring I think maybe I love the warmth and colors of the spring the best, but this fall I knew that nope, it is fall that is my favorite season.

Fall lasts a long time here, with the leaves beginning to change in mid-October and reaching their peak color in early November. The last of the leaves hold on until December.

This year it rained so much during leaf season that Mo and I had to wait for somewhat dry days to get all those leaves raked, loaded, and hauled to the local compost facility. It is always a big job, and every year I look up at those 170-year-old oaks on our property and say, Thank You. Thank you for the wonderful shade and protection you give to our home in the hot summers, the brilliance of opening leaves in spring, and most of all the gorgeous warmth of fall.

A few other simple joys filled the early days of November, including a visit from a long-time friend from Northern Idaho. Joan and her husband Gordon finally decided to give up their summer life on Lake Pend Oreille near Sandpoint and move permanently to Moro Bay, California. She wrote to me asking if she could spend a night with us here on her way south. It was a sweet visit, made even more special because Daughter Deborah knew Joan from the years she shared in the women's group that Joan and I were part of for almost 15 years. Sweet times, and sweet memories.

On November 11, Deborah joined us for the traditional Veteran's Day dinner at Applebee's to honor Mo's military service. It is a tradition Mo and I have followed ever since the day more than 12 years ago when we stopped at an Applebee's in Ukiah, California on our way home from a trip south. We had no clue Mo was eligible for a free meal that day, and since then we have managed to find an Applebee's to enjoy almost every year.

Mo and I spent a lovely afternoon at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center thrilling to a wonderful rendition of a violin solo of the Lark Ascending and Brahm's First Symphony. Our conductor often chooses interesting music and at each concert that we attend as part of our subscription, I learn much about music that I didn't know. Even though I played Brahms and Beethoven on the piano, I never knew that Brahms was intimidated by Beethoven and spent 26 years writing music before he attempted this first symphony.

from left: Gerald, Maryruth, Mo, Melody, and Robert

Of course, the big event every November is Thanksgiving. We were excited to once again have the chance to host the holiday here at home. My grandkids living in Albany weren't able to come, but Daughter Melody and Robert drove from Brownsville to spend the day and the night, Daughter Deborah and Grandson Matthew and Matthew's sweetheart joined us, and best friends Maryruth and Gerald rounded out the party.

As always, I had fun creating an interesting Thanksgiving table. I have too many dishes, and too much stuff, and am always attempting to downsize a bit. Instead, I needed some new placemats, a few seasonal plates and amber goblets to add to the atmosphere. Yes, decorating is an addiction that I fully admit.

Maryruth, Mo, and Melody waiting for dinner to be ready

Gerald did the honors carving the turkey

Katty and Matthew got the "kid's table with Deborah at the counter

We had a traditional dinner, with roast turkey, dressing, and gravy. I made the orange-brandied yams I have made for 4 decades but added the tiny marshmallows to the top for old-time sake. Deb made her classic creamed vegetables and Melody contributed her famous apple pie with the most perfect crust ever. Robert contributed his famous deviled eggs for our before-dinner appetizer and his also famous potato casserole. It was a perfect dinner.

Robert repairing the dropped stitched on my sweater

Melody and Robert are still knitting and crocheting with speeds that I can barely believe. I have been working on a sweater and managed to drop a bunch of stitches that I couldn't pick up. I was devastated. Melody said on the phone to me, "Don't worry, Mom, Robert can fix it". And fix it he did. My sweater is once again on track and when December slows down a bit I can get back to knitting again. Robert would have it finished in days, and I think I might take a few months. I have had the yarn since I first started knitting in 2004, so maybe I will finish the sweater in 2025. Is 21 years a bit too long for knitting a sweater?

Mattie loves having company and loves getting Thanksgiving treats. Once everyone left she pouted for part of a day before deciding that Mo and I weren't completely boring and we could go back to our regular routine.