PICK IT AND EAT IT

Mom, Jill and I spent a few hours of this lovely day picking (and eating) marion blackberries, or marionberries, at Smith Berry Barn in Scholls, Oregon. It's a pleasant little burg of farms about twenty minutes south of Hillsboro. We not only enjoyed perfect weather and slight sunburns, but we ended up picking and keeping 50 pounds of berries. Only the Good Lord knows how much we actually picked if you add eating... Today was the best picking of marionberries we ever experienced.

Marionberries, for those who have never heard of them, are a larger-than-typical blackberry that has a tangier flavor.


Image from the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission - I'm sure they won't mind the free publicity... just follow the links in this post to their website

Marionberries are unequaled by other berries, except perhaps by Willamette raspberries, for cooking in my book. Everyone has their favorites, of course.

Mom's next step is to make jelly, jam, syrup, pie filling, and everything else imagineable, all good. For the rest of the week, Mom and Jill will be tackling raspberries, tayberries, loganberries, and blueberries. She's taking pictures as she goes along, so we'll put some up when the photo cache gets created.

BILL AND JILL SWITCH DIRT

While Mom sat bored in the house yesterday playing puzzles on her computer, we took advantage of the U-Haul rental pickup we were finally able to reserve and shoveled/loaded and hauled several tons of fill dirt with gravel, cedar bark mulch, and compost. We took four truckloads of dirt and gravel to the Hillsboro landfill in four hours and then picked up the other loads at the local landscape supply store.

Although Jill was famished after it was all done, she fell asleep on the couch before dinner was ready. Me, well, as long as I sit up or stand up straight, the pain isn't excruciating. But progress is progress.

Attention Married Fellows: Put your foot down when your wife wants a 70' french drain

INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVITIES

A great evening of festivities was had by all here in Hillsboro. Jill grilled chicken with herbs tucked under the skin.. mint, sage, lemon verbena and a few others.. very yummy. We packed it all up in a picnic basket, along with our lawn chairs and Sangria and headed to the Brookwood Elementary school field around the corner. From there we were able to see the big City fireworks show, as well as some surprisingly impressive neighborhood and church shows. At least the Sangria made them look impressive.

DAVE REID GETS ROLLBAR FOR HIS BLAZER

Dad reported by cell phone that Steve was driving his Blazer as they headed back to Wyoming from Groundhog. By logical extension, Dad must have had the vehicle reinforced in some manner. He also reported that Gramma went to Groundhog for the day and night and then headed back with Gus George and Casey to Farmington the next day.

A good time was apparently had by all. Dad did report, however, that he only caught one fish. Apparently, having a crowd of witnesses makes a significant difference on his haul.

AN OLD BAYLOR FRIEND IN THE PACIFIC NW

Inga Chow, now Inga Chow-Monreal since happy marriage to Richard Monreal, drove from Alaska down the AlCan through Seattle/Bellevue, and then on to Boise. As she was unable to pass through Portland, she gave me a call to say hello. It was very good to hear from her. She had emailed along the way to ask advice about destinations in Alaska during her stay. She clearly had a good time and strongly urged me to open a Johnson Gardner office in Vancouver BC. How can I disagree with that kind of logic?

Inga and Richard live in Waco, Texas. She teaches at one of the local high schools and coaches girls' sports while he works for some department of the State of Texas, as I recall. Either way, it was good to hear the voice of a dear old friend.