Pictures

I think these are some beautiful pictures of the countryside around Looney Lane.






I think this one looks like a sunrise.

Life on Looney Lane

Heading for the crik...


















Playing in the sand...

















Swimming? I'm here to relax...















Just my feet, please...


















Should I go for it???














Just a little bit more...












Race for the towels...












Homeward trek...











...in the pickup...







Behind the house where my family lives right now is a river right on the property. My family loves to go down there in the evenings or on the weekends. It is so quiet and still and beautiful...our own little retreat. We ride the pickup truck back 3/4 of a mile and then we have to walk for another quarter mile or so. Everything is gorgeous! We walk on a path of trampled down grass. The trees surrounding us are all different shades of green. Dark, shiny, vibrant... Their trunks are thick, deep brown, standing tall. Blackberry bushes march along on either side. We finally reach the river. We duck low hanging branches until we come out into a beautiful pebbled beach. It is about 50 ft. around with multi-colored rocks of different sizes. On the right it is sandy, bordered with leafy bushes. We set up the chairs and get out the beach toys. At first we stayed on the beach, content to wade and splash each other. Then slowly we got in deeper and deeper. I should mention that my dad triple dog dared us to swim in the water and Cade immediately responded, "Oh,oh, yeah! I am definitely going to do it, you don't even need to dare me. I am sooo going in!" Before we got in my dad made Cade take his shirt off so that he would have something dry to come back to. Now the big guy wasn't so sure..."Oh, guys it looks really cold now. I mean before I thought I could keep my shirt on so I was going to do it but, ahhh dad, do I have to take it off?" Eventually we all (except my mom. It has to be 90 for her to swim) got in...minus Cade. Apparently he was all talk. He would stand about up to his waist and say, "No, guys I really don't want to do it." A little later, "Oookay I guess I'll do it. Is it really cold?" "Ohhh, but do I have to do it?" Finally we convinced him that it would be better to get it over with because otherwise we would tease him about it. After we were all on shore, wrapped in towels my dad said, "Listen." Everything was absolutely silent except for the gentle rush of water and the chirping of birds. God's creation is so evident, especially out here!
Oh and by the way, if you're wondering when we found time to go swimming since it hasn't been above 75, I'll just tell you that it was barely 60 degrees when we went. Everybody claims the water was -30 but hey, if that's what you gotta do to swim in Oregon, that's what you gotta do.

Life on Looney Lane...

For weeks now, my dad has been pestering the owner of this house, Don Jenks to let us mow the lawn with his rider lawn mower. Each time Mr. Jenks says he is only getting him started and that he can do it later. This week it has been borderline begging and finally he agreed. He promised my dad he could try it out on Saturday in the late afternoon...
So, today our family is in the middle of an educational conversation about my mom and dad's dating life when we hear the soft hum of a lawn mower fill the yard. My dad panics, wolfs down his pasta salad and becomes determined to not let him get away with it this time. "I've gotta go get him!" he says, "he's doing our lawn again!" "No, no wait!" Claire says, "I've got a great idea. Why don't we all go outside and wait for him and when he comes around we can just hold up our hands with this 'what are you doing?' look."
"Go, dad, go!" "Well, you know, maybe you should just let him do it if he likes doing it so much." my mom suggests. "Yeah, maybe you're right." he sighs and slumps into his chair. Then he jumps up again. "But I really want to ride that mower!"
"Yeah, so do I." "No, Cade, you will be pushing our old manual lawn mower, while I ride the other mower. It'll be good for you." My dad makes a quick decision. "I've gotta go stop him." He jumps up and jogs outside. "Don, Don wait!"

My whole family runs outside. Yeah, the city folks are all outside to watch their first experience with a riding lawn mower. (Yes, we did bring the camera.) Mr. Jenks is saying, "Here, I'm going to give you a little demonstration on this little patch of grass. Back and forth. Back and forth.
"Yeah, yeah okay I got it."
My dad mounts the lawn mower and drives off as Mr. Jenks watches, his arms crossed, his dark sunglasses hiding his expression like a father watching his sixteen year old take his first drive. Occasionally he calls my dad over for lawn mower tips. All of us kids take a turn on it. When it's Emily's turn she gives us all a parade float worthy wave. Ashley pushes my dad's hand off the steering wheel and he lets her crazily drive on the grass.

So that's our excitement for the day. Riding lawn mowers. It doesn't get much better than that.