Road trip to Portland

My sister, Marilyn, and I finally followed our dream to take a road trip to Portland!  Why?  Because we once lived there, because we are able, because we are retired, and because we wanted to visit great people along the way.  

We first connected with Sally Amato for lunch in Kennewick.  Sally and I worked on Cursillo weekends and she's a fellow prayer-shawl knitter.  She and her husband, Sam, recently moved to the Tri Cities to be near their son and his busy family.  We talked about many things, our beloved St. Stan's Parish, Father Sean, our dear friends, our grandchildren, and the aging process.  

 Our cousin, Jim Reed, and wife, Carol, welcomed us to Hood River with a great visit to the Marchesi Vineyard and Winery.  Jim and Carol retired to this lovely area two years ago and already have great friends and business contacts.  

We got up early on Tuesday and headed for the Mark Hatfield Trailhead to do some hiking and sightseeing along the Columbia River.  

 Where motorists on old U.S. Highway 30 once crept around curves high along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge, hikers, bicyclists and users of other muscle-driven forms of transportation leisurely enjoy the view from the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. The trail, three disconnected paved ribbons along abandoned stretches of the historic highway, give you more than 12 miles of sightseeing thrills. The 4.5 mile Twin Tunnels segment between Mosier and Hood River passes through two climate zones. Starting at the east Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead near Mosier, the 1.5 mile trail leads through semi-arid terrain dotted with ponderosa pine for about a mile until you reach the Twin Tunnels. Spectacular geologic formations tell the story of the gorge's creation.  After passing through the tunnels, you'll emerge into a forest of fir trees and other common western Oregon plants. Viewpoints along the 3 mile segment from the tunnels to the west Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead overlook the Columbia River. 

 Jim and I tease each other about the piano duet we played while at St. Joseph's Catholic School, and the dance contest we won at St. Gertrude's Academy.  Walking and sharing stories was a great way to re-connect with Jim and Carol.

Wednesday morning we met the Reed's daughter, Stephanie, and her sweet children at a local bakery!

Harrison, Lucia, and Georgia

Carol and I both took a picture of Emerson's wonderful quote as we joined their neighbors for Happy Hour at Stonehenge Garden Wine Country Bistro.  Their neighbors come from a variety of professional backgrounds and Marilyn and I enjoyed being with them all.  They all read books and have lots to say about the current state of affairs in our country.  

We enjoyed a nice breakfast and the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel before leaving town.  Jim and Carol were also headed to Portland to visit their son, Scott and wife, Maren, who delivered baby Henry Reed on June17.  

 Our next visit was with Marilyn's former roommate, Kaja.  She and Kaja.  They started rooming together in Spokane and moved to Portland in 1973.  Marilyn moved back to Spokane, but Kaja continued to work as an Administrative Assistant in a law firm.  She lives in a lovely condo near Portland State University.














I ventured out and found the Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park.  I noticed workers erecting stages for the famous Blue Festival that happens in this park on 4th of July weekend.  I found a couple of bike shops and intended to rent one and ride the entire trail section, but (sigh) it rained all day on Thursday.

 I spent Thursday afternoon with these good friends from Roy's teaching days in Lake Oswego.  Larry, Mryna, and I had a great lunch in "downtown" Lake Oswego at Nicoletta' Table and Marketplace.  They they drove all around the lake and Upper Drive, all the while expressing regret that so many small homes sold and big mansions stand in their place all over the city.

Larry Bowman and John Scotty taught school at LOHS and they all coached together.  We reminisced about post-game parties and St. Patrick's Day celebrations at the Scotty house.  John's first wife, Kathy, died of breast cancer in 1997.  She taught both the Bowman and Wessels children how to behave and choose between yellow and stretchy grilled cheese sandwiches.  John told me they still have the Kathy's Kiddie Kollege sign.  John and Chris remodeled the kitchen and a bathroom, but the sunken living room looks and feels the same to me.  

I enjoyed meeting Chris, who was a great friend of both John and Kathy.  She's told us funny stories about finding John upside down in the ivy earlier this year.  He's doing remarkably well following a stroke several years ago.  I loved his enthusiasm for sharing memories and that laugh hasn't changed after all these years!  

 Never lose an opportunity for seeing anything that is beautiful; For beauty is God's handwriting----a wayside sacrament.  

New Year's Day 2016

From my morning scripture reading:

The Lord bless you and keep you!  The Lord let His face shine upon you and be gracious to you!

The grace of the Lord shone brightly on our valley this morning.....beautiful sunshine despite the 20 degree temperatures.  My friend, Jody Howell, took this picture from her front yard this morning and posted it to her Facebook page. 

Hells Gate State Park Celebrates the New Year with First Day Hikes 

Friday, January 1, 2016 - 10:00am - 3:00pm

Residents of the Lewis Clark Valley are invited to join Hells Gate State Park for the fourth annual First Day Hikes event. This year’s hike will take place from 10 a.m-3 p.m. at Hells Gate State Park on New Year’s Day, beginning and ending at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center. Hells Gate State Park lies on river bottom left over from the Great Ice Age Floods about 15,000 years ago. At the south end of the park are basaltic columns from the Pomona flows 14 million years ago.

“During this guided hike, visitors will be able to see these basaltic columns that we refer to as the Devils Slide.” said Chris Thomas, Park Ranger at Hells Gate State Park. “Even if visitors do not want to hike the Devils Slide trail we encourage you to come out and hike as much or as little as you would like” added Thomas.

Park Staff will be on hand to answer questions and pets are always welcome, but please keep them controlled by a leash at all times. After the hike free soup, coffee, and hot cocoa will be served at the Lewis & Clark Discovery Center.

Delighted to see the sunshine I bundled up and headed for Hells Gate State Park.  Nationwide, our state parks plan a First Day Hiking Event to offer an invigorating start to the new year.   The rangers led the hikers out to see the basalt columns.  I quickly recognized Jim Uhlman, one of the organizers of the hikes sponsored by the City of Lewiston Parks and Recreation Department.  We hiked together and I always enjoy his stories - growing up in Wallace, coaching, teaching, banking, and traveling all over the country.  He and his wife, Lorraine, are avid hikers and always quick to welcome newcomers and promote hiking activities.  We laughed about the time our group got lost doing the Big White Pine Hike and when Mary Jo fell into Asotin Creek!

The amazing rock formations as a result of lava flow maybe millions of years ago!

Karen Stubbs and I traveled all the way to Ireland, to the Giant's Causeway, to see basalt columns, and then discovered we had the same formations in Idaho!

I had a brief discussion about hiking and sculpting with a woman I later learned is Bonnie Wilfong's sister-in-law.  She and her husband have homes in Lewiston and Las Vegas, and she's hiked thousands of miles and told Jim about a lake that has the best drinking water in the world.  I think he'd been there, too.  

I came home feeling grateful for the opportunity to be in the sunshine and breathe in fresh air on this first day of 2016!  Better than watching football games or putting away my Christmas decorations.  I have gotten out of the habit of taking pictures and need to make it a priority if I want to continue writing periodically in this blog.  Feeling blessed!

Cecilia's Birthday

My classy, young-at-heart, friend, Cecilia, pulled off an incredible 90th birthday celebration.  One she planned and executed almost by herself.

She made sure the decorations matched her lovely invitation.  I think she searched on the Internet for weeks finding just the right combination of invitations and napkins.  These she booked the event at Clarkston Event Center and they had the perfect tablecloths to match!


Even her great granddaughters, Addie and Sydney, had outfits to match the black & white theme.

Visit with Aunt Doriene and Uncle Joe

Yippee for Retirement!  The Kopczynski Girls will travel.....on a Tuesday!  We celebrated Connie's official retirement at GreenBluff in September and then decided our next adventure would take us to Ellensburg for a visit with our Dad's only surviving sibling.

Aunt Doriene, the twelfth and last child born to August and Lena Kopczynski, giggled with joy when I told her we were coming for a visit.  I called several weeks ahead of time and told her to reserve the date and make sure there was room on her calendar for our visit.  "The only things on my calendar are doctor appointments, nothing very exciting," she said.

We girls observed that Doriene's smile is as big as ever.  She's the best storyteller and remembers so many details.  I listened intently, but at times, wished I'd had a tape recorder to capture the inflection in her voice and the giggles that erupted as she told her stories.  Her 89th birthday looms in just two weeks, but she has the memory and spunk of a 39 year old!  

And Uncle Joe - just two years older, has a great memory as well.  He loves to tease and joked with us, often asking what we girls did to stay so slim! These two lovebirds celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on September 4th!

Karen and I took time to notice the picture gallery in the hallway.  This side holds favorite family pictures of the Kopczynski's and Jacobs.  The other side showcases the seven Jacobs children and their families.  

This family picture was taken in 1967 or 1968.  From lower left:  Brian, Melinda, Barb, Shelly, Don, Geralyn, and Jodee.     

Our all-time favorite Kopczynski portrait.  Doriene's sitting on Grandma's lap.  My Dad, Stan, the 5th child, stands in the back row, 2nd from the right.  

The August and Marie Kopczynski family.  Back row:  Malinda, Edwin Stoltz(a nephew), my Grandma Lena,  and Kate.  Middle:  August and Marie, my grandpa, August Jr.  Front row:  Cecilia and Mary.  I remember the the stories about great aunts - the girls loved their only brother and vowed to stay close!  

Aunt Claire Sager painted this picture of the Kopczynski home as a wedding gift for her folks in 1953, when they celebrated their 50th.  

Doriene obviously adores her extended family and displays pictures of her brothers and sisters at various family gatherings throughout the years.  I look at these pictures now and my heart fills with gratitude for the gift of large families.  I said to Doriene, "I've often wondered how my Mom felt when she discovered she was pregnant again."  Her reply, "she and all of us considered pregnancy God's gift to us."  It's taken me years to appreciate the joy that accompanies large families.  I got born into one, but in my child-bearing years, I did not want one.  Now I know that God has a sense of humor because I did everything I could to prevent having more children and I would give anything to have more kids and grands doting on me in my old age....

Daughter Barb joined us later in the afternoon.  Her brother, Don, greeted us when we first arrived, so we know that the Jacobs kids come and go and check in on their parents frequently.  It's a big group when they all get together and Doriene said, "we've made rules that there will be no discussions of politics or religion when we are gathered together."  

Barb and her husband, Neil, are retired and spend a lot of time golfing and obviously, supporting Gonzaga University.  

We heard story after story - wish I could remember them all, but here a few tidbits.  "Your Mom had a lot of fun with us when she came to visit in 1944.  One night, after dinner, I suggested to Stan that he walk Bertha home to Aunt Susie's house and that is all it took for them to begin a long-distance courtship."  

"I got kicked out of my bedroom on the second floor when the space turned into an apartment for newly married couples.  I slept on the couch for month until Dad finally made a cellar into a bedroom for me.  Jake and Gertie, Stan and Bertha, and many others lived on the second floor until they bought homes of their own."

"The boys loved music and formed an orchestra and often practiced all day on Sunday.  People came to visit just to hear the music.   All were welcome to eat and Mary complained that she spent most of Sunday peeling potatoes.  It was typical to re-set the table three different times on a Sunday afternoon."

When I asked about Aunt Johanna, Doriene gave me the "look."  Johanna always got her way, she was spoiled.  "When Joe and I planned our wedding, Johanna insisted I ask Jeanne, her daughter, to be a bridesmaid, because she was an only child and would not have the opportunity to be in another wedding.  Johanna bribed me by volunteering to host a breakfast and then she refused to invited Joe's parents.  I was so mad!!"

"I chose Jim Reed to be the ring bearer and you'll notice he is not in the pictures.  He went hunting or fishing with his Dad the day of the rehearsal and Les told him he could not be in the wedding because he wouldn't know what to do.  He just clung to my leg and said, ' I can do it, please let me, I won't flub up.' But Les would not bend and that makes me sad to this day."

"We have a great priest here now who gives five-minute homilies.  He says in five minutes he speaks to the people, if he speaks for 10 minutes, he's talking to the pews, and if he goes on for 15 minutes he's preaching to the devil."

I told Joe how scared I was when Mom suggested that I go help out the Jacobs when Melinda was born in August, 1960.  Mom gave birth to Larry just three days prior, but thought Doriene needed the help.  

  Joe brought the fresh milk to the kitchen and I was supposed to pasteurize it in a machine of some kind, but left it in there too long and it spoiled and I got a royal chewing out!  I also remember Doriene running from the bedroom to the bathroom, trailing blood, perhaps hemorrhaging.  Scared me to death, I was sure she was dying, but I guess I followed her orders and called the hospital!  Geez, I was just 14 at the time.

Doriene talked a lot about all the fun she had with her sisters!  Someone brought these goofy wigs to our family reunion in August, 2008, and Mary and Doriene paraded around the yard, sang songs, and brought the rest of us to laughing fits.  She still knows how to make us laugh!  

We raise a glass to you, Joe and Doriene, with gratitude and much love!  Thank you for sharing such great memories and encouraging us to live life with love and laughter! 

McWessels Pickle Making

Anne and Duane embrace the idea of canning pickles.  First year, too salty, last year perfect.  Anne likes to research the perfect recipes!  We are both stunned by the pickles my cousin, Miriam, makes from cucumbers grown in horse watering troughs in her yard in Seattle.

 Miriam told Anne she canned 120 quarts in 2013; only 20 in 2014, and 44 quarts so far this year.  Even she has resorted to buying cucumbers this year.  

 We used a combination of Aunt Mary's recipe and my sister, Karen's. 

White vinegar and canning salt.  

 Colin and Duane washed all the cucumbers, most from WinCo, some from the Farmer's Market, and a few from Karen's garden.  We estimated that we purchased about 30 pounds of cucumbers.  

My sister, Connie, and Anne's friends, Amie and Micah, came to help. Everyone had a job, peeling garlic, cutting dill heads, stuffing jars, boiling brine, timing the canner.  

Anne's friends, Brit and Erik, lend us their portable propane "stove" and the water boils so quickly.  We set it up in the garage this year and all jars were sealed by 1 PM.  We made seven batches of brine and ended up with 24 quarts and 15 pints.  Stay tuned... the real test happens at the end of October when we do the first taste test!

There will be several jars for all the helpers and gifts that Anne and Duane like to give at Christmas time.  And next year Anne and Duane have their very own canning kettle since I forgot to bring mine up to Moscow.  We had a great time and shared lots of memories of all the canning my Mom did.  Perhaps I can add some pickled beets and Elberta Peaches to their shelves later this week.  A happy way to end August!