Say UNCLE!

Just 'Metaline' Around

Memorial Day Trip to Metaline Falls

We had a nice surprise visit from Dad - on his motorcycle- on Friday night.  He had to be home for Sunday, so he left Saturday morning.  We decided to take some time and go somewhere, since we had a three-day weekend.  The older boys decided to stay home.  Tom, Winston, Marcia and I got in the car and took off!  We had been to Metaline Falls a few years ago, and always wanted to go back.  It's a beautiful ride up through the forests and meadows along the Pend Oreille River.

Standing on the banks of the Pend Orielle

(pronounced 'pond-A-ray' if not familiar with the name.)

Winston with his Grandma Moore

Tom near the railroad trestle at Box Canyon Dam

One of the cool things about Metaline Falls is that in the summer and fall they offer a train ride from the town of Ione to Metaline Falls.  The train goes through Box Canyon, crossing the river and going over trestles.  One of these years we are going to ride it.  It was too early in the season this year.  We forgot our camera, so we were depending on Marcia's camera for our pictures.  Hers ran out of batteries, so we only got a few pictures.

Winston, over-looking below the Box Canyon Dam.  The scenery was so pretty.  We decided to spend the night in Ione.  Winston was super-excited because he's only stayed in a couple of motels.  The motel we stayed in looked like it might have been an old road-side saloon at one time.  Our room was quite small, but it had a loft with a twin bed that Winston really enjoyed getting to sleep on.  Metaline Falls has an old historic hotel that I want to stay at someday.  It was built to house the miners at the turn of the century.  It wasn't open for the season yet, so we couldn't stay there.  Maybe next time.

(photo from TripAdvisor site)

Just a stock photo of a little bit of what the town looks like.  I guess the movie "The Postman" with Kevin Costner was filmed here.  There really isn't more than a couple of shops and restaurants - and of course the motel - here.  Last time we stayed here, the motels were all full except the old hospital that they had converted into a motel.  That's where we stayed the night then.  It was a little bit creepy - but it had clean beds.

(photo taken from WashingtonPhotoLibrary)

This is the old hotel that I want to stay in.  I think the rooms are still in the old style, with a communal bathroom. Maybe I will get Tom to take me there for a 'romantic' getaway.  I know - just keep dreamin'!  Metaline Falls is an old mining town.  In the 1910's they built a cement plant there to build the dams that are along the river.  They also used the cement plant for other things over the years.  It closed down in 1990.  The town is 13 miles from the Canada border.

While we were there we went to see Gardner Cave.  It's a pretty cool cave.  They give guided tours through it.  I'm not much of a cave person - too claustrophobic - but this cave wasn't hard to walk through.  There was plenty of 'electrical' light and fresh air coming in from various vents.  There were a lot of stalagmites and stalagtites (I don't know if I spelled those right - I should consult the resident geologist I guess!).  Winston was so funny because we'd be walking along and he'd stop and raise his hand and say "I have a question" and the tour guide would stop everything to answer his questions.  Most of the questions were not relevant to what she had just spoken on.  He was fascinated that there were pack-rat nests down there. 

Walking down the stairs into Gardner Cave

Standing next to a giant stalagmite.  It looked like something from an alien show.  It was all slimey and wet.  You can't tell by my eyes that I'm about to go crazy-mad down there can you?  At one point the tour guide turned out the lights and it was complete and utter darkness.

After touring the cave, we walked down a nature path that goes about a half-mile to the Canadian border.  So we walked to B.C.  It was a nice little trail.  Tom and Marcia found some Morel mushrooms along the way.  Winston kept shaking the little pine trees and making water drops (from the rain) fall on our heads.  He thought it was really funny.

Marcia's camera, running out of batteries, caught our last images at the border.

Fun With Cats!

Tom and the boys were having fun teasing the cats.  They put this stuffed toy bulldog in front of the window, right where the cat feeder was.  Jelly Bean cat was being a fraidy-cat.  He wouldn't go near the food while that dog was there.  The guys were getting a good laugh at it!  They'd move it a bit and the cat would start to run away.

Koko Kitty wasn't too worried about it.

Koko Kitty: "Meh."

Concert Hopping!

We've been enjoying the past two evenings going to concerts.  Last night we went to Keaton's H.S. Jazz Band concert.  That Jazz band is awesome!  Their Band Director does such a great job with those kids.  He really challenges them - giving them college-based music to play in competitions.  And they always place.  They got 2nd place recently at the Mt. Hood competition.  Love, Love, Love the high school Jazz Band!

Tonight we went to Winston's Grade School Choir concert.  It's always so cute seeing the little kids all dressed up in their Sunday best.  And their little voices are so cute too.

Part of the time I think he was faking it.  His mouth was moving, but it wasn't in-sinc with the other kids.  Singing is just not Winston's Forte.  He was so excited to be in the concert though.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture.  No flash - makes fuzzies.  He's so serious!  He told his class today that he was going to wear his new dress to the concert.  Yes, he said 'Dress'.  He meant 'dress clothes'.  So when we delivered him to his classroom, they said they were anxiously awaiting to see his 'new dress'!

He Did It!

Just Another Update...

We had lovely weather here yesterday.  It was so warm, with a bit of wind mixed in, but the wind felt good.  Our yard sale went pretty well.  We got rid of a LOT of stuff.  We only totalled around $55.00 for everything we sold, but it was great just watching people take it away.  I was wheelin' and dealin' like crazy.  Telling people, "Here, you need this to go with that - no charge"!  I think all the customers were happy.  Tom told them all as they were leaving that they were making him happy by just taking all of our 'junk' away.  We had a nice visit with our neighbor, Donna, during the sale - she stayed and kept us company.  She's also Winston's bus driver, so Winston enjoyed having her here also.

Preston starts his summer job tomorrow.  He will be working in the greenhouses at the college.  They said they could give him 40 hours a week and he can work the same hours as Tom.  He can ride with his Dad and save the gas money.  It's a great opportunity for him.  The only unfortunate part of it is that he won't be able to go on vacation with us (boo-hoo) but he will be here to watch the animals while we're gone.  Keaton also has a possible job opportunity when school is out.  Don't know exactly how that will impact his summer vacation yet.

In other news... we have 19 days until Summer Vacation!  Also, Tom has lost almost 20 pounds on his low-carb diet!  I'm so happy for him!  I'm trying, too, but have only been able to lose 6 pounds, then gain 3 back.  Guys lose weight so much easier than women.  It's really not fair.

We saw our chicken hunter again the other day.  It's a large very dark-coated coyote - I almost thought he was a wolf.  He was sitting up on the hill next to the barn watching our place.  He wasn't very afraid of us when we opened a window and started yelling at him.  Finally, after we waived our hands a lot and yelled and hooted at him, he got up and walked away through the woods.  He certainly wasn't in any hurry.  We still have three chickens, and thought about getting some more chicks this spring but decided not to.  Maybe next year.

Well, that's about it for now.

It's Friday!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

It's finally the weekend!

Yippee!  Yahoo!  Wah-Hah!

This is what I wish I could spend my Saturday doing...

Instead, we'll be running a yard sale.  Yep - did some Spring cleaning.  Tom is ready for it.  The boys are really 'excited' about it - well, Winston is actually.  The other two - not so much.  I can imagine Winston will be our little barker.  I can just hear him in my mind yelling "Come here, buy this!  We have this you can buy!"  So you all go enjoy the nice weather (hopefully), and we'll be hoping the weather cooperates with all the stuff we have sitting outside.

On a side note - Love my fat pajama pictures!  Tom loves taking them.  I was thinking that would be a great name for a clothing line... "Fat Pajama!"  Maybe I'm onto something - hmmm.....

Winston's Un-Birthday...

At Winston's school each class celebrates an 'un-birthday' for the kids who have summer birthdays.  Winston's was the end of last month.  We brought in a BIG cookie with lots of frosting on it, and some goody bags for his classmates.  Winston had a blast!

Winston's class, hamming it up for the camera!

Winston and his teacher, Mrs. Morgan, while the class sang

"Happy Birthday - Cha Cha Cha"!

He could hardly contain himself!

Winston with blue-frosting teeth.

After the snacks, the class played a "Guess who's missing"  game.  One of the kids went out into the hall and one kid was picked to hide in the closet.  Then the rest of the kids switched seats.  When the kid from the hall came back in he/she had to guess which one was missing.  Winston said it was his favorite class game.  I thought his favorite was "Heads-Up, 7-UP".  Goes to show what I know.  They all seemed to have a great time and we sent them home with a sugar high!  It was a great way to end the school week.

***Flowers for Mothers Day***

See what's finally blooming in my yard...

A little Grape Hyacinth

Some sunny Daffodils - They always look so cheery

Got some Skunk Lily - kinda smelly but lookin' cool

The Bleeding Hearts are particularly lovely this year

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

'ALMOST'

It 'Almost' feels like spring...

I think that boy is 'Almost' too big

to ride the lawnmower with his dad.

UNCLE PAU-WWWL!!!

We had a nice SURPRISE visit with Uncle Paul and Grandma Moore.  They came up for the weekend to see us!  Winston had to make sure 'Penny' got in the picture!

There was sure a lot of CATAN playing going on around here.  We were lucky enough to have some nice weather so we could do some things outside - finally!

Just us chickens out working in the flower beds -

taking advantage of a sunny day.

The gang on one of their nature walks.