Mid-Summer 2012

Life During Mid-Summer 2012

A very special birthday was celebrated with friends and family at Riverside Park in La  Grande.  Grand daughter Hayden turned one year old! 

Our friends Vern and Marilyn were welcome guests in the Parsons Garden Inn. We enjoyed a visit as they were headed for Wallowa Lake and then on to Idaho.

The first weekend in July we celebrated with the McClinton family as they honored Ron and Barb's  50 years of marriage!  A fun luau at a winery was enjoyed by all the guests.

During our Washington visit, we enjoyed time with all three of Ken's sons and their families.  The three days we were there probably had the highest temperatures of the summer...106+!  During a Sunday barbecue air movement was zero so a "mechanical" breeze was welcomed by Ken, grandson Spencer, and son Jon.

As the summer progresses, we still enjoy the company of our resident owl family on the family farm.  Here "Hootey" checks out the blue berry patch.

High school reunions are always a part of summer vacation.  Fortunate for us, daughter Melissa celebrated her 20th here in La Grande.  Her family was here for four days. 

Grandma Joanne enjoyed every minute and especially when  she  got to babysit Ms. Elena who is now 13 months of age.

The later part of July we are fishing at one of our favorite waters in Eastern Oregon, Phillips Reservoir.  The surrounding pine trees are exquisite, sky clear blue, and the air pure!  What more could one want in a summer outing?   We've caught mainly perch but also some small mouth bass and trout.

When traveling, we enjoy scouting out the area.  On a side-trip to Olive Lake we found the old wooden pipeline that provided water for mining operations down the hill. 

The ingenious workmanship of those who lived in former eras never ceases to amaze us.  Note the wood slates and metal rings that held this huge "pipeline" together.

The  reality is this was no short line; it connected the lake and a powerhouse that was located many miles down a steep mountain!  

The Olive Lake excursion then led to one of the "famous" Parsons trips in the woods.  Truth is...we were literally lost for many miles as one road led to another and another but not "out" to where we wanted to go.  The high point was the discovery of someone's gold mine high, high up atop a mountain!  Ken was  especially intrigued with the massive operation!  Joanne was intrigued when finally the Garmin showed a road that led us back to the highway!!!  Indeed mountain trails and Forest Service roads can be tricky.