Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A WEEK WITH DANA AND GEOFFREY

This has been a week of blessings for us. The main attraction has been Dana (now Moats, soon Wyatt), a treasure Geoffrey has brought home to his parents for Spring Break. Plans are furiously underway for their wedding to be shared in Juneau on June 9th.

There will be much more to share on this subject in the future, but to chronicle a portion of this week we will start with the picture above; Geoffrey and Dana in front of the lower section of Multnomah Falls. Rainy and misty weather did not dampen our spirits or theirs as we drove a portion of the original gorge highway, lunched in the lodge, or hiked up to the intermediate bridge. We looped out as far as The Bridge of the Gods before returning home via Hwy 14.

I know Geoffrey is twitterpated, and that's expected. But Betty and I are falling in love too - with Dana, as are Patty, the twins, and above all, Tabitha. We are all enjoying getting to know her and we are beginning to see what a fine couple they are going to be. We already can see Dana is going to fit right in with the "inner whackiness" of the Wyatt side of clans, and she is going to hold her own nicely.

Dana is the answer to over thiry years of specific prayers; how could she not be awesome?

Sunday, March 25, 2007

A 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

On Saturday, March 24th, a host of friends, family, and admirers celebrated the 50th year of marriage with this special couple.


They are not only wonderful friends, they are exemplary christians and precious examples to many others. I was delighted to share in the huge reception by offering both prayer and song to them as part of the midweek LIFE group this couple regularly attends. Most of that group sang "Blest Be the Tie That Binds", a revered hymn that was also sung in their wedding ceremony long ago.

If you know these folk, it's not too late to send your congratulations too.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

A GREAT ALASKA READ.


Last Saturday morning we experienced another of those wonderful and unpredicitable happenings which have come about because of Betty's book "Jessie". It involves another writer who portrays the lives of remarkable Alaskans.

Pictured above are Stanton Patty and his wife of 61 years, Mabs. Mr. Patty was born and raised in Alaska in Fairbanks and on some of the fascinating gold-dredge claims to the east, along creeks which flowed into the Yukon River. Later, after five years writing the news in Longview, Washington, he continued his career writing for the Seattle Times newspaper. During this tenure he often traveled the world gathering amazing experiences, memories, and a few mementos, but his greatest opportunity was to write about Alaska. It became "his beat" for the Times. As a journalist, he chased every story, traveled to every remote part of the state and territory, and successfully captured Alaska's history for decades.

Stanton Patty did it all for fifty years, meeting and writing about Alaska's fascinating people: fishermen, flyers, politicians, and a host of other remarkable characters through a period which took Alaska from post-Russian obscurity to the challenges of statehood and the rapid development which followed. Officially "retired" in 1988, he continues to write and travel for the newspaper, and in 2004 wrote a book about many of the unique individuals and experiences that were a part of his Alaska years. Unfortuately, the book is quite rare, only a few copies actually getting into public hands, because of an unscrupulous publisher, a lawsuit, and the remaining printed copies being warehoused instead of distributed for sale.

If you can find a copy of "Fearless Men and Fabulous Women" through one of the many on-line used book outlets or businesses, and if you love (as I do) good Alaska Literature, make every effort to secure this book for your personal library. It is a wonderful read indeed. Not only are the topics and peoples special, but Mr. Patty is a delightful storyteller with a deep reservoir of the unusual, the astounding, and the whimsical. One does not have to "make-up" stories about Alaska; the truth is sufficiently amazing, the folk are heartwarming, and the land itself is a grand epic. (The cover of this dandy book is pictured below.)

That brief hour with Stanton and Mabs was a treat. The moment when the two authors - Betty and Mr. Patty - signed one another's books was touching and memorable. There was clearly great respect which passed between them. For our part, we are honored to have met them and look forward to a future visit with more stories comparing our years in "The Last Frontier". You will have to find the book. Good Luck!

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Wednesday, March 14, 2007

AMAZING GRACE, THE MOVIE

AMAZING GRACE


Most of you folk know I am not a fan of “commercial movies”. They are seldom worthwhile because of unappealing content, lack of significance, or other factors that deserve cautionary ratings.

I have, however, found over the years a few movies that are interesting, meaningful, instructive, intriguing, or otherwise worth the viewing experience. I am not in the habit of listing these so I can’t recall the titles easily, but I just saw an excellent motion picture worth recommending to adults (10+) and good enough indeed to remember.

“Amazing Grace” is an English film portraying the struggle of William Wilberforce and his friend William Pitt, who became Prime Minister, to pass legislation in England’s Parliament to abolish slavery and British participation in the worldwide slave trade. John Newton, the former slave trader who later in life repented of trafficking in African slaves, was the composer of the hymn “Amazing Grace”, possibly the most famous and best recognized song in all history. He is portrayed in the movie in his last years when he assists the abolition effort by writing his personal memoirs.

Without doubt, you will be touched by the presentation of this heroic endeavor which has received little attention before. I was deeply moved at the account of men in pursuit of such a righteous goal and the enormous national opposition they had to overcome.

It took his entire career of forty-six years, but just 200 years ago on March 25th, 1807, the slavery trade was abolished, and in 1833 slavery itself ended in England, thanks to William Wilberforce and a host of others.

It was worth the struggle indeed! Enjoy the movie.

Monday, March 05, 2007

IN CASE ANYONE WONDERED

Since the first warmish, dry week of the year has finally arrived, I have finally started pruning the orchard trees.

Already the sap is up, the buds are swelling, and it's time to be getting the final dormant spray applied. I have not used pesticides or such for fifteen years or more, but the lime-sulfur and horticultural oil spray combination when applied mid-winter and again just before the blossom buds open is truly essential to having any fruit develop in this wet, "west-of-the-Cascade-Mountains" region.

I usually gripe my way through this task, but being outdoors, in the shirt-sleeve warmth for the first time since October is really refreshing and restorative to my SAD condition this sodden winter. I'm determined to just enjoy this first annual chore of each new calendar year. If nothing else, I enjoy the degree of quiet afforded away from telephone and television, although I do listen to a lot of NPR from the local FM outlet.

After the orchard trees, come the yard trees and landscaping shrubs, spring clean-up, lawn care, setting up the "arbor" for orchid cactus and such, and eventually, I have to hand paint the house this year. The camping trailer needs de-winterizing, beds and driveways will need raking, debris will have to be hauled, and repairs - including some restorative caulking - already demands my attention. The firewood piles need to be restacked and recovered, the large stones have to be realigned and repositioned along the driveway, and next will be the garage calling for its spring reorganization and sorting. There are never fewer, easier chores, you know.

At least I have a neat, western-style birdhouse already installed and dressing up the back yard. Thanks, Geoffrey. It's Neat!!



And doesn't it look grand?