We're family!

Many of the Oregon branch of the Zipprich family got together yesterday, July 14th, at the Large's house in Canby.

Back row: Polly Springstead soon to be Zipprich, Ron Zipprich, Linda Z., Luke Deese, Robert Zipprich, Barbara Z, Kara and Tim Barron, Lisa Meyer, Dick and Lynn Large, John Zipprich
Stephen Zipprich, Dave Zipprich, Judah Deese, Bethany and Ash Deese, Alex Louis Meyer, Bill Zipprich, Tracy, Jennifer, Joyce Zipprich, Mark Meyer.
We missed you: Michael Large, Amber and Dennis Zipprich, Jeff, Zach, Josh and Seth Meyer

 Rob, Dave reading the instruction book and Luke - the brain bust that got the group pictures.

Ron, Joyce, Tim and Kara

Rob, Dick and Bill

Bethany and Stephen

Tim (hard to recognize him with this facial expression), Kara and John

Judah and Alex had fun, fun, fun (see the soccer ball?) and then Gram set up the sprinkler!

Wrapped up and eating blueberries while their clothes were in the dryer. Judah's four and Alex will be next month.

Asha's walking/running/climbing and Mark is standing alone and ready to sprint!

Lisa and one of 4 tired kids! It was really good to get together.

Here's the crew three years ago: Lisa, Zach, Josh, Michael, Lynn, Jeff, Dick, Kara, John, Tim, Dennis, Judah, Bethany, Barbara, Ron, Jennifer, Linda, Front row: Seth, Alex, Joyce, Tracy, Dave, Bill, Rob, Amber

When in Rome . . .

It simply didn’t work out for us to do like the Romans were doing last week when we were in Rome. We just weren’t dressed for success in their field of enterprise. They were baling alfalfa and we were “at large” having left our haying gloves at home!

 Rome, OR is southeast of Burns, northwest of Jordan Valley, extremely remote and beautiful. Pioneers used to navigate by these rocky cliffs called the Pillars of Rome.

 

We were “glamping”  - a new term I just learned that combines glamour and camping into a word more indicative of a RV lifestyle where one can turn on the air conditioner if it gets a little too warm or the furnace if it’s cold, make popcorn in the microwave or plug in the toaster and coffeepot – glamping at Crystal Crane Hot Springs south of Burns OR last week. It was pretty windy but I managed to get a pretty good burn while soaking in the hot springs. It did keep me warm at night which was good because the nights were pretty cool. Take a look at the website: http://www.cranehotsprings.com/ It was quite a drive, but well worth the trip.

We toured Malheur Wildlife Refuge. All the wildlife had dropped in and flown on except three red winged blackbirds (or as Dad used to say – black-bodied red birds) who kept alternating fence posts so we’d have something to see when we drove by. The last time we were there the kids were 2 and 4. We were in my folks' motorhome and I spent the auto tour cooking dinner and glancing our this little window all of which went a long way towards souring me on the dubious pleasures of a motorhome which carries all the conveniences with you and you never have to stop, not even to use the bathroom unless you’re the driver.

We also went to Pete French’s round barn http://www.roundbarn.net/roundbarn.html and the visitor’s center. When I mentioned that it was interesting that Cycle Oregon donated to the preservation of this site, I learned why. It turns out that they were touring Oregon and had arrived at Diamond and the Malheur area on September 11, 2001. This was before cell phones were so prevalent so the farmers in the area parked their trucks with satellite phones in them along the roadway so the bicyclists could communicate with loved ones about the disaster. The compassion of the people in the area really spoke to the bicyclists and they returned the gesture by preserving this historic site.

Instead of cranes in the town of Crane, we saw vultures and kept moving! Yikes!

Back home again and looking forward to the Molalla Buckeroo Parade. I'll try to keep my blog more up to date - it's just this darn weather!