Weekend Snapshots: Ice on the Lake

Our week-end was extended through today. We took a drive north along the shore Lake Roosevelt and found a place in a shallow cove that ice was still intact. Where the cove opens up the ice was breaking off and floating in the lake. The dogs had fun running on the icy shoreline.

With the sun shining brightly the pieces of ice were floating by. Shelby pointed at a strange thing in the water. It was just a piece of wood.

As JEJ and I walked along the shoreline ice was breaking up in large pieces.

The lowering sun caught the contrast between the darkened water and the bright, white ice. It was a beautiful site. To find other weekend snapshots go here.

Sibling Assignment #55: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors

I gave the sibling assignment this week." Robert Frost said, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'Think back to all the neighbors we had growing up in Kellogg. Choose a memorable event that involved neighbors and share your memories." You will find Raymond Pert’s poignant story of friends and neighbors in our hometown here and Silver Valley Girl’s here.

When we lived at 14 E. Portland in Kellogg we had neighbors on either side of us. There was an alley that made a half circle behind us where more houses were located. In my case “good alleys made good neighbors”. Across the alley from Lenhart’s (see last week’s sibling assignment) lived a woman named Mary Pavelich. She was a good neighbor. Above is a picture of me standing in her front yard after Christmas.

Bunker Hill Mining Company was on strike the year I was in kindergarten. When I returned home in the afternoon Dad was there to care for me. The strike ended in the middle of that school year. Mary Pavelich volunteered to take over my care in the afternoons when Dad went back to work.

Most memories about the interior of Mary’s house are a bit fuzzy, but I do remember her husband being in a room bedridden because of a stroke. I was frightened about going in that room. I remember catching a glimpse of white: a while hospital bed, white sheets, and his white face. Mary would go in and close the door and care for him. I think I always thought I had to be quiet. Mary smoked Old Gold cigarettes. She was glamorous as she inhaled those long cigarettes from the gold pack while sitting on the rock wall by the alley or on the front porch. Her bright lipstick left marks on the end of the cigarette in the ashtray. She also drove a big sedan that must have seemed like a Rolls Royce in my five-year-old mind. She also had a camera that took color pictures like the one above. I thought she lived the good life!

I also believed Mary was rich because I got to eat sliced Kraft American cheese at her house. It must have been more expensive because we never had it at home. This was before the days of each piece being wrapped individually. When she made me a cheese sandwich using a perfectly uniform size slice of cheese and soft white bread plus a cold glass of milk I thought it was the best lunch in the world.

Mary must have had one of the first color TVs in town. At least I hadn’t ever seen one before staying at her house. I remember sitting on the floor in front of the modern invention on the half hour as a show was starting on NBC. I was able to see the peacock in full color. Even though the peacock changed through the years of improved technology it was that original peacock and the three bongs for NBC that stays in my mind. We used to watch “Queen for a Day” in the afternoon. The amazing thing about our neighbor Mary Pavelich’s is that it looks exactly the same today. I did a tour last spring of my old neighborhood and snapped these pictures. I remember when workers built this rock wall along the side of her house. Just looking at a picture can remind you of small moments, especially if the neighborhood has remained so much the same. This rock wall represented the good fence that made good neighbors. Mary would sit on the wall and visit with neighbors while smoking, other neighbors would join her, she would watch her son and his friends play outside. I loved to walk along the flat top and try to balance myself. I also lost a tooth (after it came out of my mouth) along that wall that brought on a search party of family and neighbors.

Growing up I was fortunate to have good neighbors that watched out for our family. Everyone knew each other and the neighborhood was safe. Later when we moved to Mom’s present house Woody, the guy next store let us come in and wait for Mom when we were locked out of the house one day. Lois, a nurse that lived on the other side came over and helped my sister when she stopped breathing as a newborn. All the neighbors surrounding my childhood home still watch out for each other. It is that way in my neighborhood here at Martin Creek also. We have a Neighborhood Watch program which makes me feel safe when I am home alone. When we leave it is good knowing you are surrounded by friends and neighbors that keep an eye on your place.I loved visiting next door at Hedvie’s to make no-bake cookies, Mary’s to watch color T.V. and have cheese sandwiches, and now talking over the fence to neighbors whether here at my home or back in Kellogg at Mom’s house. Whether a rock wall, picket fence, or a chain link gate good fences make good neighbors.

A Year in the Blog Life: 427 Posts Later

A year ago today I pulled up a chair and began "Gathering Around the Table". In my first post I introduced my love for the Inland Empire. I had joined my brother and sister with a weekly sibling assignment about three months prior. Since they had begun blogs and posted their writing each week that was my inspiration to join in. I have found this experience to be rewarding and look forward to posting and reading others' blogs each day. I reflected back on a Year in the Blog Life with the following video. I hope you continue to pull up a chair and join me around the table for year two.

Photo Hunt: Free

The photo hunt this week is free. As I began creating gardens around my property I learned early on that I would have to rely on free donations from other gardens. Just gathering these pictures together made me wish for the growing season again!The rhubarb came free from an old homestead.

This peony took a long time to get to this stage with the big blossoms. I divided a peony from my mother's garden to get this free beauty.
A dear friend of ours that died a few years ago gave us a start for this trumpet vine when she moved from the neighborhood. Not only was this free, but a lovely memory of this friend.

These roses came with the house. They have been moved three times to find a place to get them to thrive. I think we found it in this location. The spider plants were free, created from "babies" of a bigger plant. We took the free birdbath, painted it and made it into a planter.
Our same dear friend that gave us the trumpet vines donated the free pond. When my sister's former house was to be torn down JEJ got bricks for free from the chimney. They worked well to create the fountain and this path leading to the house. McDuff looks like the palace guard here. ( He came free also!) We are always on the lookout for free and recycled items for our gardens. It adds history and interest to the place and saves us some money! For other photo hunts using free go here.

Happy Valentine's Day

One of the best parts about being a teacher is celebrating Valentine's Day at school. Today I was showered with balloons, candy, cupcakes, pencils, pens, chocolates, and suckers shaped like a bouquet. Middle school students have not outgrown this holiday and I love the cute valentines some slip to one another on the sly. I also work in a 2nd grade classroom each day so I got to make my own Valentine envelope to hang up just like I used to do in elementary school. The class invited me in later to share valentines. What a precious time.

Of course, coming home to flowers and more valentines made my day complete. It is amazing how everyone smiles a little bigger, says a few more kind words, and appreciates others on this special holiday. That is why it has always been my favorite holiday. Happy Valentine's Day. Help spread the love.

Shelby's Meme of Five

Crafty Green Poet tagged me, Shelby the Australian Cattle Dog to answer some questions about myself. My owner, Inland Empire Girl, is typing for me so blame her for any mistakes.

Here are the questions:

A) What are your five favorite songs?

Walzing Matilda... it's an Australian thing!

Theme from Man from Snowy River... ditto about the Australian thing.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Walking On Sunshine... the hotter the better!

Annie's Song... in honor of my mate Annie

B) What are your five favorite toys?

1. My red ball

2. Inland Empire Girl's snowman pillows..... ooops!

3. An empty plastic jug that bounces on ice.

4. Any toy that belongs to a cat

5. A boomerang if I had one mate!

C) What are five things you love to eat?

1. people food in any shape or form

2. canned cat food

3. dog bones

4. anything off the barbie...

5. and lollies... it's another Australian thing

D) What are five of your favorite activities?

1. Herding the cats... it is a tough job, but I am born to herd

2. Riding in the car... around the driveway, down the road, or all the way to town

3. Digging for treasures in the dirt (when it thaws)

4. Waking up Inland Empire Girl in the morning my jumping on the bed

5. Trying to clean up the rabbit droppings in the rabbit hutch... I am helping!

E. What are five of your bad habits?

1. Begging... I know, but it is so hard not to.

2. Getting excited and jumping on people I love... sorry Silver Valley Girl... I can't resist

3. Barking at deer on the hillside... I know, I know... they aren't hurting me... but why are they there?

4. Grabbing things I am not supposed to then trying to play chase with grown-ups... not good... they give me the frowny face.

5. Doing my " this is my property... stop now" bark when the utility, UPS, or FedEx bloke comes to the gate. I'm sorry..they could be a robber hiding behind that uniform.

Now I am supposed to tag others. I don't know which of my pet friends' owners have blogs, so feel free to do this meme if you want to. I hope I get another chance to dictate answers on Inland Empire Girl's blog. This was fun. G'day!