In Sibling Life, Be Completely Present: Another Inland Empire Road Trip

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
Tao Te Ching

Fortunately at least twice a year my siblings and I are able to be together in the same place. We blog together every week with our Sibling Assignment and comment and email back and forth, but it is a great adventure when we can all be together for a day.

Friday was a day that we were completely present! We started another Inland Empire tour day with sugar and caffeine at Krispy Kremes as we delved into the problems of the world from a recent death penalty case in Idaho, to serial killers, to flowers that attract bees, to who got sent to the cooler on Huckleberries Online. We managed to go the full gambit and it was only ten o'clock a.m.

We did a leisurely drive to the north end of Spokane County to Green Bluff.
"Green Bluff is located about 15 minutes north of Spokane and is nestled at the foothills of Mt. Spokane. It is divided into two loops of farms, the East and the West. The farms offer a wide variety of fruits and vegetables either picked or U-Pick. There are also unique items such as a winery, antiques, an alpaca ranch, a landscape nursery, U-Pick lavender, Homemade Italian Food and U-Cut Christmas Trees. The Green Bluff Growers' Association was formed in 1902. The group's initial mission was to protect local strawberry growers from outside competition. Now, the association helps local farmers with agricultural tourism. " We had to stop at Harvest House which is located at the heart of the small community of Green Bluff. It was the peach festival and a resident chow was right at home. I was amazed at the beautiful hanging baskets and wished this one was at my house. We also made a stop The Barn on Trezzi Farm and loved the roosters that greeted us. Here is brother Raymond Pert pausing for a snapshot.
Sister Silver Valley Girl got both of us to pose with the rooster.
One disappointment was that Fleur de Provence Lavender Farm was closed until afternoon. We admired the farm from the road and made a plan to return another time. To learn more about Green Bluff go here.

Next we headed to Fairmont Memorial Park to visit our Grandma Woolum's grave. I felt confident I could locate her plot because I remembered the location by a beautiful monument with praying hands that was very close. We went right to the location. She is buried in such a peaceful spot. I always love walking around Fairmont in the area she has been laid to rest.
Silver Valley Girl was the co-pilot on the tour.

We then took a drive to Nine Mile Falls and squeezed in some lunch before we met our mother and Silver Valley Girl's family for Mamma Mia. Silver Valley Girl and I got to see it a few weeks ago, but with more family members watching we had even more fun singing along with Abba songs and marveling at how much fun the cast had making this movie. That made it even more enjoyable for us!
What do you think? Do you see any family resemblance? I think I need to get glasses that match theirs a bit better before our next pose. It was a terrific day being completely present with my siblings as we enjoyed another beautiful corner of the Inland Empire.

Comments

  1. Sounds like a great adventure!

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  2. oh yes the resemblance wow and what a fulfilling day

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  3. What fun! I got to spend a day with my only surviving sibling recently--whoeing him and his friend around the Yakima Valley. We had a great time, too.

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  4. Oh my, it looks like a delightful trip.......

    Please tell me you nicked the cockeral statue and put it in the boot of your car and its winging its way to me here in Southern England? :)

    YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY...... and it oozes out of your smiles..

    x

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  5. okay, looks like the only thing you missed was Frank's Diner? But you probably did that after you nicked the cockerel, right? Did ya buy a huckleberry pie at the Harvest House?

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  6. Go Figure: It was a great adventure! We even let Raymond Pert behind the wheel for the day.
    thanks for dropping by i beati: you should see my Mom and her siblings...more resemblance.
    katney: I would enjoy a day in the Yakima Valley also...just keep me off those scary footbridges.
    Marmite... those were so clever.. they seemed to be made from recycled metal stuff. They may have missed them... and yes... I think we look more alike the older and wiser we get!
    JBelle: No Frank's Diner because RP has to stop at Zip's when he is in the Inland Empire... none down his way. We didn't dare buy a homemade pie from Harvest House since we were meeting Mom at the movies..she would have insisted we ask her to bring one of hers instead!!!

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  7. I am quite jealous of your road trips. This year for me has been one excuse after another for no road trips.

    Hey... that dog kind of looks like a big fuzzy peach.. heh heh.

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  8. That's one great day. I think it's so cool that you guys were able to enjoy this time together.

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  9. pamela: the trips have been great... each one deepens our sibling relationships.
    rondi: we did enjoy our time... it was a perfect day to end our time before we all headed back to school.

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  10. What fun! I'm glad you enjoyed such a wonderful day together. Are all three of you teachers?
    Green Bluff sounds like such an interesting tour. Thanks for sharing a few highlights.
    The mommy cat with her kittens is so sweet :)
    Did the summer really go as fast as it seemed to, or is it just me? Six more months would suit me.
    I could probably handle...um, maybe a month of cold temps and snow :)

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  11. Anonymous3.9.08

    It's always so heartwarming to read about your sibling assignments and adventures.
    And yes, I do think I see a resemblance, especially in your smiles!

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  12. Kerri... I am a teacher and my brother teaches English at Lane Community College ( thus.. the shirt) in Eugene, OR and my sister works with students in her district with the GEAR UP program which is to assist students not likely to go to college get on that path...great program. Yes, the summer went by fast.
    Tinker... thanks so much. The sibling assignments and blogging have taught us much more about ourselves.

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  13. I see there's even an Inland Empire travel map. If it hadn't been for your blog I would never have known about this special name for your region.

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