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.