Brown Banter

Wedding Bells

2012-02-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

Erin Moore and Garrett Booth, engaged in October 2011, are excited to announce their wedding to be held April 14, 2012 at 2:00pm at Oklahoma City First Nazarene Church followed by a reception. More information/announcements to follow.

Another Year Gone By

2012-02-05T16:52:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that another year has passed since we moved to Boston. We are coming up on 2 years here. As you may remember, our original plan was to stay for 1 year and then return. Well, we're still here and enjoying the adventure. The grant funded portion of my job ended and I was offered a full time job with protected research time. This is a rarity in the world of PT so we jumped at the chance. I'm still testing the hypothesis "can you teach an old clinical dog new research tricks?" So far, the results are inconclusive:)

At the Office

Larry spent several months this year back in Idaho managing the Kelly Whitewater Park in Cascade and getting the house ready to sell. Surprisingly, the house sold after only a few weeks on the market. So, earthly goods were sold, moved, and stored. The end of an era. We were able to reconnect with many old and dear friends.

Raffle Drawing

Riding the Waves

Here are a view images of life here in Boston. We have had a few visitors and would love to see many more. Check your calendars and come on out. Boston is definitely a great place to eat and see the sites. We would love to show you around.

Museum of Fine Arts

A Trip to Maine with Friends from Boise

Inside Luke Aaron

Race for the Cure with Work Peeps

A Red Sox game with my brother on Mother's Day

My Brother and Mom

Larry, Heidi, and the Doggies at the Training Room

Luke made the move here from New York and he and Heidi have opened a store on Fleet Street in Boston's North End. Heidi's personal training business continues to flourish. We are blessed to have such talented and hard working kids! It has really been fun to be able to share in their lives more. Heidi's boyfriend, Alex, graduated from Harvard this year with a PhD in a biotechnology field. Of course, it is great fun to hang out with Heidi and Alex's dogs. They are hairy but very lovable creatures:)

Cooking Together at the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts

On a Walk

At the Fellsway with Wingnut and Rivet

Luke Aaron Boutique

RECAP

2011-11-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

Miles Traveled: 9735. Gallons of gas used: 314.5. AverageMPG: 30.9

Days on the road: 41. Average miles/day traveled: 335
Nights in campgrounds: 8. Nights with friends/family: 16.Nights in Motel: 16
Highest price paid for gas: 3.84 (Lake Elsinore, CA). Highest gas price seen: 4.29 (No. ofWinnemucca)
Lowest price paid for gas: 3.22 (Yukon, OK). Lowest gasprice seen: 3.09 (Las Cruces, NM)
Last seen Idaho License plate before Nevada was in NorthDakota @ Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Parks Visited: Theodore Roosevelt, Apostle Islands, AdirondackState Park, Gettysburg, Shenandoah, Smokey Mtn., Hot Springs, Mt. Magazine, BigBend, Yosemite
Best freeways: Oklahoma
Most scenic drive: Blue Ridge Parkway
Most unexpected beautiful place: Big Bend National Park
Place I want to return to and explore: Apostle IslandsNational Seashore
Best Fall Colors: Upper Peninsula in Michigan
Best roadside rests: Alabama
Most sobering attraction: Gettysburg
Most unexpectedly interesting museum: National PortraitGallery
Highest Point: Tioga Pass, CA @ 9945 feet. Lowest Point: minus 20 feet below sea levelnear El Centro
Only License plate NOT seen: Hawaii
Best park Lodge: Mt. Magazine, AR

Some Differences between east and west

Rapid Transit in the east: crowded subways. Rapid transit in the west: crowded freeways
Church’s fried chicken in the east. KFC in the west
“Old” in the east is 300 years. “Old” in the west is 100 years
Meandering 50 mile/hour roads in the east. Straight line 75 mile/hour roads in the west

Everywhere people were helpful and friendly and homestill looks mighty fine!

Ah San Diego

2011-11-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

Phoenix to San Diego on I-8 is a snoozer. With the exception of the odious dairy out inthe middle of the desert and a swarm of cops and border patrol people nearYuma, not much was happening on this stretch of the trip. But San Diego brought back fond memories :our kids were born here, living in shorts and t-shirts, delicious air with thehint of orange blossom, desert flowers in spring and a dusting of snow on themountains in winter, and of course, the Pacific Ocean. Our friends, the Hostetlers live in Del Mar,just a mile and a half from Torrey Pines State Park. Walkers and hikers in that reserve enjoy forest,ocean scrub, bluffs and beach all in a 3 – 4 mile circuit and we made good useof this wonderful resource while visiting. We also enjoyed a morning at the wild animal park where the white (or isit the black?) rhinoceros is being kept from extinction. Despite the advantageof many things to do and see in the area, a person’s home needs to be a refugefrom all the hustle and bustle of urban life. Our hosts created such a refugewith the most beautiful and interesting patio garden I’ve ever seen, an islandof calm and beauty between the freeways. We skirted LA east of the mountains and headed north into the very dustySan Joaquin Valley. Our destination isone more look at Yosemite. After a nightin Oakhurst we entered the park at Wawona in the south and headed for thevalley. The last time Ruth and I werethere was when Nate was a baby. It’s as lovely as ever and this time of theyear including some fall colors, and not the least bit crowded. If the visit with the Hostetlers was thepunctuation on the relational part of this trip, the visit to Yosemitepunctuated the scenic part of the trip. Fortunately Tioga Pass was still open so we exited through TuolumneMeadows to Lee Vining, and on up through Nevada to spend our last night on theroad in Winnemucca. We awoke this morningto snow and were in snow for the next two hundred miles. By the time we reached Boise it wasrain. But again, by the time we reachedCascade, you guessed it – snow! Timefind those skis…..

PICTURES: Evie's Patio Garden, 2-5 in the Valley, Tualomie Meadows, Near Tualomie Meadows, Tioga Pass looking into Nevada

Woke up in Deming, NM

2011-10-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Since El Paso, we’ve been in familiar territory. My Dad pastored in these parts – Santa Fe,Deming, El Paso, and Truth or Consequences, so we made a number of visits tothe region in the 70’s and 80’s. Threeof my siblings graduated from Deming High School and Mom retired from teachingin this town as well, so the pictures will mean something to the family. Driving westward from Las Cruces on I-10 wegradually gain altitude and enter a high desert plain accentuated with smallgroupings of mounds that look like the backs of some gigantic half buriedreptile. The interstate is smooth andstraight. The only entertainment isreading the many tourist trap signs: Wild West, Akela Flats, ButterfieldStation, and The Thing. Apparently youcan get everything from moccasins to sport drinks at these place as well as “kidsactivities”. Hoping to also find arestroom we stopped at one of these establishments. It was closed and a fellow traveler, alsolooking for some relief was urinating in the corner. We moved on, pulling into Deming for the evening. We got a tip and a dollar-off coupon from themotel clerk and had dinner at Palma’s Italian Grill – Italian with a Mexican twist. The pasta alfredo with grilled chicken andfresh green chilies was really good, I mean really good. The next morning it took an hour but wefinally found the little chapel where Dad pastured at 8^th and Birch. It’s now an Episcopal church and theparsonage has been replaced with a new home. Since we’re in familiar territory we decided to take time for somethingwe hadn’t seen before and chose the eastern unit of Saguaro National Park near Tucson. Ruth read and I took a much needed hikethrough the cactus. Muscles eased andthe road noise gone we proceeded to Phoenix for a weekend with Ruth’s sistersand family. Ruth’s sister lives in SunCity Grande where the urban coyotes howl at night reminding the residents ofthis very tidy community that it wasn’t long ago this area was rattlesnake andprickly pear country. A cheery smile, a coldCorona, and chips and salsa greeted us and we knew we were in the southwestonce again.

PICTURES: Deming High, The Old DemingNazarene Church, the Florita Mtns, NM Roadside rest?, Wind Power on I-10, Cholla Cactus, Inside a Saguaro, Not your average Saguaro

Big Bend Country

2011-10-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

PICTURES; Marathon, distressed ocatillo, Crane? On the Rio, The Chisos Mtns (2) Along the Rio west of Big Bend

When we left Happy Union and headed south, we stopped inSlayton at “one of Texas’s oldest continuing bakeries.” Maple bars are dang good when they’re madefresh that morning! Somewhere south ofLamesa (which is south of Lubbock) the row crop farms yielded to the increasingsand in the soil. We were at the edge ofthe Chihuahua desert. The scene would bethe same the 300 miles down to the park and on into southern New Mexico:creosote bush, yucca, and prickly pear cactus. About the time the desert started, the oil wells started too. We were in the Permian Basin. The center of this oil rich area isMidland-Odessa, the former town known as the hometown of George and LauraBush. Our destination for the night wasAlpine, TX. I always was curious to knowwhat that place looked like. Well, itthe Chihuahua desert with hills. Thedrive down to the park the next morning was a precursor to one of the moststunning national parks I’ve been privileged to witness. It is in a class by itself, unique. First the harsh wildness of the place getsyour attention. There has been suchlittle rain that the prickly pear is withered and the yucca leaves arebrown. The ocotillo was turning yellowmaking me think I was witnessing a desert autumn but that plant does thatduring drought. It’s not seasonal atall. Second, the shapes of the mountainare unlike anything you’ll see anywhere in the US. They come to needle points, mesas, columns,high bluffs and gentle curving mounds. The Chisos Mountains form the crown jewel of the park and it looked likea huge fortress complete with turrets. There are a lot of places to camp, both developed sites and primitiveones. The park also has a lot of milesof primitive roads for the adventurous. We camped down by the Rio Grande on a lawn of green grass under giantcottonwoods. The temperature gage in thecar hit 100. By Thursday morning a coldfront came in and we traveled all day never exceeding 64 degrees. To the west of Big Bend is a huge statepark. The 50 miles from Study Butte toPresidio is the best roller coaster ride you’ll ever take. Not only are the hills, drops and curves fun,the scenery is awesome as well. Leaving the park on Thursday, our destinationis somewhere in the Deming, NM area so that we can make Phoenix on the weekend.

In West Texas

2011-10-25T19:13:00.000-07:00

When you travel west on I-40 from OKC to Amarillo, TX,you gain about 2400 feet in elevation. Oklahoma is pretty green but as you slip over into the Texas Panhandlethe colors are muted. What trees arearound are short. Thirty miles east ofAmarillo the trees are gone and you enter a khaki-colored two dimensional world that gives a whole newmeaning to the concept of flat. Withweek after week of 100+ degree heat, the land looks distressed. Wheat is mature at less than a foothigh. Many cotton fields only partiallygerminated and stand vacant and there is a brown haze of blowing dust. They had up to an inch of rain a couple weeksago bringing the total since Jan. 1 to just over 3 inches. It’s about noon and we noticed Palo DuroCanyon State Park close by so decided to find some shade and catch asnack. Canyon?? An amazing thing unfolds a half mile from thepark entrance. Suddenly you findyourself perched on the edge of a 600 foot drop off. You’re looking at the Texas Grand Canyon thatextends southeast for some 120 miles. Awonderful, unexpected, and welcome visual break. But our destination for thisday is a dot on the map called Happy Union about 17 miles south of Plainview onstate route 400 and a visit with my sister-in-law’s Mom. Happy Union is now astate historical marker and an abandoned building that used to be a cottongin. In its heyday during the twenties,Happy Union also boasted a school, store, grain elevator, and filling station. Cominginto Plainview one is confronted with the obvious question, “Is this location aview of the plains or is the view of the plains, plain (unadorned.”) You guessed it. The answer is “yes”. We met Colline in Plainview at Leal’s for ayummy Mexican dinner and then headed down to her country place. At first glance it seemed lonely downthere. The nearest neighbor is a halfmile away but he honks as he drives by to let her know he’s watching out forher. The wind begins to die down as thesun drops below the horizon. A vacanthouse down the road is silhouetted against the evening sky and I have to saythat a kind of peacefulness seemed to settle down. While Happy Union is no longer a town assuch, it is a community – a repository of memories and continuing relationshipsthat make a place home. I think the gritin the air had forged grit in the character of these good people. On to Big Bend National Park.

OK-C

2011-10-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

Pictures: Ginger, Zoo, Pops, Sunday Dinner, Jean and her pig Harold, Oklahoma Centenial sculptures of the great land rushes.

I think Oklahoma and Arkansas share a commonimagination. Listen to some of the townnames in this neck of the woods: Blue Jacket, Clebit, Heavener, Smackover, ToadSuck, Ozone, Yellville, Joy and next to it, Romance. Like an ocean wave sliding to an end on thebeach, the eastern deciduous forests and southern pine forests of the southcome to an end as we move westward toward OKC. We’re in the plains again. Or arewe? Is this the Midwest or theSouth? Is this a farming or ranchingarea? Some people sound like west coastpeople. Some sound like they are fromthe south. They get 20 below 0 weatherand 110 degree weather. Oklahoma seemslike some sort of geographic, economic and social transition zone. OKC has one of the lowest unemployment ratesin the country but in small towns in the hinterlands it’s pretty clear that therecession has hit. Gas is cheap(3.19/gal) but the Family Dollar and Dollar General Stores parking lots arefull. My metaphor for the ambiguityexperienced here is the picture of Ginger the dog. Notice she doesn’t know whether to have herears up or down so one is up and one is down! Had a nice visit with Sister Carol and daughters Erin, Lisa and Jean. Spent Sat. afternoon at the zoo and then toPOPS a gas station and hamburger joint that stocks over 600 flavors of pop –things like Pumpkin Spice and butter beer pop. Great burgers too. Before OK wasa state this area was known as the “Indian Territories”. In 1830 Congress passes the IndianResettlement Act which was to exchange Indian lands in the east for the “unused”lands in the west, Oklahoma. Stopping atthe Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee we heard the stories of the “Trailof Tears” endured by the Seminole, Choctaw, Creek, Cherokee and Chickasaw, allof whom were resettled in Oklahoma. Webid farewell to our family here and move on to Texas.

The South - Some Impressions

2011-10-22T07:21:00.000-07:00

Operationally defined for this trip, “the south” includessouthern VA, Eastern TN, Northern GA, Northern and Central AL, LA and AK. Why is this the south, you ask? Well in all these places you hear the term,“ya’all”. Texas I consider a differentcountry. And I’m not sure how toclassify Oklahoma. Admittedly, this is a5-day whirlwind cruise through this area on both country roads and freeways butits hard not to make some observations. Here’s mine.1.)The motorcycle of choice in the south is Harley-Davidson,2.) Southern legislators are more adept at getting pork-barrel projects than NWlegislators if the number of recently paved, currently being paved roads androad construction projects is any indication, 3.)Apparently, individualproperty rights are a big deal along with lax zoning laws. Anything you can think of is built anywhereyou can think of. 4.) There is a kind ofsolve your own problems mentality here, e.g. this sign soon after enteringGeorgia, “Thieves will be shot on sight”, 5.) They are also clear about whatbooze is for, e.g. another sign seen soon after crossing into Arkansas,“Buzz-Rite Liquor Store”, 6.) There is an alternative way to spell Utah. It’s Eutaw and the town is in Alabama. Eutaw is also the place where I got a lessonin the social system down here. Uponentering town you see small low houses. But on any hint of a rise the houses immediately quadruple in size,complete with huge columns, verandas and expansive lawns. There just seemed to be an aura of dominancebetween the people of means and those with less. The church buildings followed the samepattern. 7.) Speaking of churches, the Baptists procreate like rabbits followedby the United Methodists. Baptists areeverywhere! I’m signing off as “Mr.Wayne.” It’s a southern thing.

In the south - the trip

2011-10-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

Pictures: Cades Cove, Primitive road (2), Crossing the Mississippi at Vicksburg, Miss Beth, Black Bayoo (2), Hot Springs, AK (2), Mt. Magazine, AK

The arc we took through the south started with GreatSmokey National Park. Due to traffic, ittook two efforts to gain entrance. Thesecond day we made it and entered the south west part of the park, driving up abeautiful canyon (bumper to bumper) to Cades Cove. The cove is a high mountain valley oncesettled but now a historic feature of the park. Entered a loop drive (bumper to bumper) and finally opted out of thetraffic and headed down a dirt road that appeared to get us out of thepark. It did, on a one way primitivedirt track that would make the west central mountains of Idaho proud. It took an hour to go 8 miles and we ended upon US 129 – a motorcyclist’s paradise. This road was race track smooth with high 20 mile an hour hairpin turns. In the 20 mile section we traveled there(through beautiful woods) we saw no less than 75 motorcycles coming towardus. And on 4 of the more dramaticcurves, photographers were taking pictures that the cyclists could orderonline. I didn’t check to see if ourSubaru was included. Had some good BBQat Bradleys in Sweetwater, TN. We had tomake time to get to our niece Beth’s place in Monroe, LA so we resorted to thefreeways and just pushed on for a couple days skirting Birmingham, AL. Thinking back to the early 60’s and the “line”that was drawn in that city by civil rights activists, it somehow seemed wrongnot to stop and acknowledge what happened there. But Birmingham simply was bounded by amanicured freeway and beautiful trees and we swiftly slid by. Spent two days with niece Beth in Monroe (that’sMun-row). Was introduced to friedcatfish and gumbo and my first ever bayou (see pictures) – all greatexperiences. Ya know, I always wonderedwhy Beth would head off to such a far and different kind of place, she beingfrom the North West and all. But it wasgratifying to get acquainted with the community of faith she is a part of andteaches for. She’s loved and well caredfor. It speaks well for the value ofChristian community. And one morething. Did you know that the US Gov’tthrough the National Park Service has been in the spa business since 1832? That’s right! Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs AK has been leasing the site toprivate spa businesses for decades. Wetoured a 1920’s something spa house. Amazing! The hydrotherapyequipment looked like something out of “One Flew Out of the Cuckoo’s Nest” ifyou remember the scene of “washing down” the Indian fellow. On to Oklahoma.

Heading South

2011-10-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

We headed for Shenandoah National Park after DC on abeautiful clear day. The plan was totake Skyline Drive (in the park) and the Blue Ridge Parkway down to SmokeyMountains National Park on the No. Carolina/Tennessee border. The weekend traffic on those roads and thedistance precluded doing all 470 miles so we would get off and take the freewayfor awhile and then get back on. Whilethat was disappointing we did get to see enough to be blown away with the beauty,the views and once again the fall colors. A lot of apple orchards in VA so we’ve been enjoying fresh picked apples– juicy, cold and crisp. Otter CreekCampground gave us a good night’ s rest as well as an informative interpretiveprogram with the park ranger on nocturnal animals in the park. He kind of looked like Ichabod Crane – gaunt,bent, with Abraham Lincoln eye brows. Sowe are in the land of gaps (passes) and hollows (ravines). Moving into southern Virginia and Tennessee,it just seems poorer here. We didwitness some of the recent tornado damage from the freeway. What a mess! Moteling it tonight. Ruth iscatching up on the BCS standings.

Pictures: Entering Shenandoah Nat'l Park. Scenes and colors along the parkway

DC Addendum

2011-10-16T17:14:00.001-07:00

Earlier on this trip I went off on what I called the“culture of extravagance or abundance” in the US. I think I attributed it to living in a land with a lot of resources. I noticed that same theme in some of theexhibits in the American Museum of Art and the Museum of American History and thequotes from de Tocqueville and Muir. Thehistory museum exhibit that examined the roots and implications of the AmericanDream – sometimes realized, sometimes not, tied that part of our nationalcharacter to the abundant resources so apparent in our earlier history. Generations of immigrants came to thiscountry searching for the dream. Onewonders about the “dream” considering the current state of the economy, theshift to a service rather than manufacturing economy, and living in a time drivenmore by scarcity than abundance. The darker side of our culture of extravagancewas underscored in the “America at War” exhibit. The exhibit walks you through the war ofindependence, the wars of expansion (1812, Indian removal, Mexico), Civil War,Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. I found it chilling to realize that downsideto abundance is the need to protect it. And protecting our interests inevitably results in war. Our nationalcharacter – born in abundance, bathed and protected in blood. I’ll be more cheerful future posts.

DC

2011-10-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

I’ve seen this sky before. The clouds form an impenetrable grey sludgethat keeps the daylight hours in a kind of perpetual dusk. It was in Gettysburg and its here too. Looks like the color of politicalgridlock. I think DC needs more sunnydays! We arrived in Rockville some 15 milesoutside of DC around noon on Wednesday, found our hotel and decided to take areconnaissance trip into the mall area to see if we could figure out thesubways and navigate the area. Success! A 10 minute ride in thehotel shuttle to Metro and then 35 minutes to central DC is all it takes. We’ll focus on the Museums over the next 60hours.

THE CAPITOL BUILDING: Look closely, the two houses have a stained appearance in contrast with the centralpart of the building. Hmmm…..

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY – the Race Exhibit: “Race, as aconcept is a recent idea, only a few hundred years old. It is based on the exercise of power anddifferential economics. It does not makeuseful differentiations between people.”

NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS: “By 2015 it will take anearth 1.6 times as big as ours to sustain humanity at our present level ofconsumption.”

NATIVE AMERICAN MUSEUM: “Being an Indian is not aboutbeing part something; it is about being a part of Something.” (Hopi) “The Earth and myself are of the same mind.”(Chief Joseph)

AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM: I learned that bike mechanics canchange the world – Wilber and Orville Wright. I think I would make a good bike mechanic….

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM: (2 and 3 dimensional art): “Our earthis made of layers of destruction and reconstruction made by man andnature. We are generation and generationof layers. We landed on this earth withthe lights of comets across the universe. We are small light made from mysterious energy. I cannot forget that everyday.” Grazia Toderi(Commenting on her video art exhibit)

FREER ART MUSEUM: In the beginning, man went forth each day- some to battle, some to thechase; others, again to dig and to delve in the field…until there was found amongthem one, differing from the rest, whose pursuits attracted him not, and so, hestayed by the tent with the women and traced strange devices with a burnt stickupon a gourd. This man…this dreamerapart, was the first artist.” James McNeill Whistler (he liked languid andpensive women models)

AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM: “…so many lucky men restless inthe midst of abundance.” de Tocqueville 1835

AMERICAN ART MUSEUM: The whole continent was a garden,and from the beginning it seemed to be favored above all the other wild parksand gardens of the Globe.” John Muir1901

Pictures: The "stained house and senate, Library of Congress, National Gardens, American Indian Museum, Lunar Landing Module, and yes, George Washington looking like a Greek God. The statue didn't go over well in the 1860's and ended up in the museum

620,000

2011-10-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

Leaving Crosswicks, NJ we headed west on the PennsylvaniaTurnpike to south central PA and the town of Gettysburg. It sits in a shallow valley surrounded by lowridges and mounds covered with stately oak, maple and elm trees. Ten different roads intersected there. It was the availability of that high groundand the ability to bring in supplies on the roads that prompted General GeorgeMeade’s decision to engage the 75,000 strong confederate army in that place onJuly 1, 1863. Three days later the UnionArmy prevailed and 7000 men lay dead in the woods and fields around thetown. During the 4 years of the war some620,000 men died – the price of keeping the country together and assuring thatslavery did not expand to the new western states. I cannot get my head around that number. There’s something about visiting abattlefield. Whether the Nez Percesurrender site in MT or Pickett’s charge at Gettysburg, the realities of warcome a bit closer and overshadow the banal rhetoric of glory and triumph. The oldest Lutheran Seminary in the US islocated here. During the Gettysburgbattle both sides used the cupola on the tall building as an observationtower. Afterword the facilities was usedas a field hospital. Caledonia StatePark afforded us a night’s respite. Ourcampsite was nestled on a hillside in Pennsylvania’s South Mountains just westof town. It rained for the first time onthis trip – the bad news. We stayed dry– the good news. On to Washington DC.

Pictures: Gettysburg-the town, Where the campaign started, Sober Reminder, Part of the National Cemetery, Location of Gettysburg address by Lincoln, Woods near the Visitor Center

Memory Lane

2011-10-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

Pictures: Downtown Crosswicks, We lived upstairs on the right ($50/mo), Quaker Meeting House, PO, Where I got my oil changed

Leaving Boston, Ruth and I succumbed to the turnpikes andfreeways and rolled through Connecticut, New York and into New Jersey. The colors seemed to be following us as weglided over the hills. As a matter offact one would conclude that there were no towns or cities of any consequenceas all that can be seen from the road is trees. If it seemed forested from the highway, imagine what those easternforests must have seemed like to the pilgrims. No open spaces, no roads through the forest and woods so dense it wouldbe nearly impossible to get your bearings. The only alternative was to clear the land to get some breathing andgrowing space. Arcing around New YorkCity we entered northern New Jersey and had a scenic if not long drive to thetown of Crosswicks, just east of Trenton. We spent my last year in the Army and our first year of marriagethere. Getting closer, I was expectingto get a déjà vu moment but nothing really seemed familiar until we actuallydrove into the village. Passing the PostOffice we drove around the corner to see the little house we lived in stillthere next to the auto repair shop that was still in business. And the town landmark, a Quaker meeting housewith a Revolutionary War canon ball still imbedded in the side was intact andstill in use since 1723. I believethat’s called continuity.

Boston = mile 3722

2011-10-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

“As a Matter of Fact, I am a Rocket Scientist” - on theT-shirt of the young man at church this morning. Among its many other attributes, Boston is aneducation-dense city where the colleges and Universities are touristattractions and crank out a large percentage of the worlds academicians. I also realized as I was visiting FaneuilHall (where the seeds of the American Revolution were sown), Old North Churchand Prospect Hill (where the American Flag was first flown) that Ruth and Iwere on an American Pilgrimage of sorts, particularly when adding a visit toGettysburg followed by Washington DC (later this week). Somehow as I’ve gotten older I’ve become moreappreciative of and interested in those others who have been instrumental in theformation of our country.

I think Boston would be a good place for right brainedpeople to live. It certainly wasn’t laidout by a traffic engineer. Streetsrunning in parallel or at 90 degree angles are unknown here. Add to that poor signage and obliterated lanelines and you could confuse the intuition of a Picasso. The result is what we commonly call “charm”. It’s a wonderful place to visit though. It’s also a great place to eat. No shortage of options here! And for those who may wonder from time totime about the “younger generation”, I’d like to hold up a couple of young entrepreneurs. Nephew Luke and niece Heidi, both Bostonresidents have opened businesses, both following their creative strengths andboth applying a lot of focused energy. Makes an old uncle proud. Andbrother Larry and sister in law Lorna are not only great hosts but aninstructive lesson on value of embracing change. They left their home of 30 years in Idaho,liberated themselves from the accumulation of those years and relocatedhere. It’s a new chapter. They’re looking ahead. I’d recommend visiting them.

Pictures: Holocost Memorial (6000000 numbers etched on glass. On for each Jew exterminated in Germany, North Church, Saturday on the Water front, View from Prospect Hill

Across the Adairondaks

2011-10-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Getting somewhat ”barn sour”, on Friday we decided to“bust for Boston” (and Larry and Lorna’s place) from our overnight in Canton,NY on the west side of the Adirondacks. Forpeople who like to drive, the Adirondacks are a joy – smooth curving roads,nice vistas, quaint villages and serene lakes. And yes, I have to admit that there are what I’d call mountains! The fall colors weren’t as pronounce here asthey were in Michigan but all in all a beautiful drive none the less. In Long Lake, NY (both a town and a lake) we noticed private planes on pontoons beachedin front of a lakeside Inn and read about what looked like a wonderful canoetrail through the area. And of all thingswe ran into a very small roadside plaque in the middle of the drive thatcommemorated the location where Theodore Roosevelt got the word that he hadbecome president after the death of President McKinley. He was actually on a dogsled at the time. Another surprise occurred in Pottersville justbefore getting on I-87. Seeing a signfor a model railroad museum, we went in. It contained the collection of a Clarke Dunham who had been a theaterset designer. I don’t know if kids stillplay with model railroads but a room full of trains with scenery, switches andcoal cars that could actually dump coal was among my most intense childhoodfantasies. So I entered with great anticipation and was not disappointed. Over 70 trains were huming along and runningthrough beautiful sets. Then it was downto Albany and onto I-90 east and the Massachusetts Turnpike through theBerkshires to a screeching halt in massive weekend traffic. The next 109 miles took nearly 4 hours ascars were either stopped or racing along at 80mph. A warm welcome from Larry and Lorna and agreat bed and we were finally in Boston for the weekend.

Pictures: Tupper Lake, Adairondak Inn and the means to get there, Train Museum, and real mountains in Up state New York

On to Ontario, Canada

2011-10-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Before leaving the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan)highway 123 invites us to Tahquamenon Falls State Park and a last look at LakeSuperior before crossing the big bridge at Sault St. Marie. Stopping to read the interpretive signs onthe way to the falls I was informed that over a billion board feet of logs werefloated down the Tahquamenon River around the turn of the century. Of course when the logs went over the fallsthere was a huge loss of timber due to damage. It was just considered a cost of business and after all, the logs wereunlimited. I found that same perceptionexpressed at Theodore Roosevelt Nat’l Park regarding the boundless rawmaterials to be found in the wilderness. Buffalo hunters, who virtually decimated buffalo for the hides tosupport the saddle, tack and harness industry of the late 1800s, also figuredthe supply would never run out. Now theoil frenzy in North Dakota is fueled by such notions that there’s even more inoil fields to the south so extract away and don’t worry that the frackingmethod used to extract the oil contaminates the ground and water within 1000feet of the well (according to the ranger at the park and this website: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Fracking)

One of the ironies of having a resource rich country isthat it has instilled in us a culture of extravagance and now that we need cutback to reduce our imprint it’s either too hard or unthinkable. Old Edward Abbey was right when he said weneeded to re discover economies of scale. Enough

Interesting thing we noticed on Canada Highway 17. The road goes through 400 miles of forestedcovered rock. Every road cut exposed 5to 50 feet of solid rock. On many ofthese cuts, we notices piles of rock. Wewould call them cairns or ducks. But theCanadian Inuit would call them inukshuks. The Inuit placed them for several reasons. They would stack the rocks along ridgelinesto herd the caribou to a place they could be killed. Or they sometimes they were just playfulartistic espressions and then they might mark a route. Whatever the purpose of these moderninukhsuks, they were enjoyable to see.

Pictures: Tahquamenon Falls, MI, Roadside inukshuk, Ruth in the woods, more woods

Minnesota Hwy 23

2011-10-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hwy 23 runs SW to NE in Minnesota and conveniently goesright by Ruthton and takes us to Duluth which is where we want to go. Another gorgeous morning as we bid farewellto sister Ronda. NE of McCloud we take anortherly diversion to see another of those places that I’ve wondered about –Mille Lacs. The locals pronounce it asone word with the accent on the ‘e’ in Mille. This large glacier made lake is like a large belly button right in thecenter of the state. It divides thefertile south from the woodsy north. It’s about in this area that the deciduous trees start competing withfarmland and the fall colors begin in earnest. Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are a sea of color. The roads are corridors through that color. Even though the colors are redundant mileafter mile we don’t get tired of looking at them. It’s kind of like looking at the waves on theocean or a fire – redundant, yes but continually enjoyable.

We camped at Moose Lake St. Park south of Duluth and enjoyeda hot shower for the price of the site. Coming into Duluth we actually got in some hills. These hills skirt the southern part of LakeSuperior and are most apparent in places like Ironwood and Marquette, MI. Entering Wisconsin at Superior we’re informedthat St. Theresa is the saint of the day. She was a theologian of thecontemplative life and writer of the Catholic Counter Reformation. We took a very enjoyable side drive to theApostle Island National Lakeshore. Thisis a place you could spend several weeks, exploring all the islands. The coastline is beautiful and the littletown of Bayview is exquisite. Greatweather continues to we camp again at Van Riper State Park a half hour fromMarquette with a real breakfast and an oil change when we get to town in theWednesday morning.

Pictures: Mille Lacs, Color, discarded boats on the shore of Lake Superior and more color

Regarding Henry

2011-10-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Just south of Ruthton, MN the plains lift a bit in what’sknown at Buffalo Ridge. That ridgeextends SE to NW for about 40 or 50 miles. Currently the entire ridge is covered with electrical generatingwindmills, silently watching over the ways of farmers. It was on this ridge a couple miles from townthat Henry (my sister’s husband) was raised during the depression. I have to think that farming in those presubsidized and labor intensive days wasjust plain hard. Wind, hail or drought affectedthe outcome of crops. Drifting snow andsub zero temperatures were a threat to life itself in the winter. Air conditioning was a function of windcoming through cracks in the house. Thetimes, the situation and location all seem to be a formula for a humorless lifethat capitulates to the fates. Remarkably, Henry came out of those experiences with a strong faith inGod and an equally strong sense of humor. Both of these characteristics underscored his 50 years of blessedministry. Now at 82, he spends thebetter part of each day in a nursing home recliner, his voice for the most partsilenced by a succession of strokes. Spending time with him this weekend, Psalm 34:19 came to mind: “Many arethe afflictions of the righteous…..” That phrase seemed to sum up his current condition and I was hardpressed to see any relevance to the second thought in that verse – “… but theLord delivers him out of them all.” Thatis until I watched my sister, who makes the daily 90 mile trip to Brookings andback, spend the daylight hours with him, conversing, encouraging andanticipating his needs. She is the handsand feet of Jesus. She is, at least inpart, his deliverance. Pray for themboth in this time of transition and change.

On to Ruthton

2011-10-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

Yep, were in corn and soybean country. The north/south and east/west grid of roads is pretty apparent. Neat and tidy farms everywhere. Harvest is underway and the grain elevators are busy. Driving south from Aberdeen SD on Hwy 281 I was reminded of a cartoon by Gary Larson that hung in the administrative office where I worked at WSU Vancouver (Larson was a WSU Grad). It depicted a large herd of cows, one of which was waving a WSU flag and saying, "I've got to be me". Trying to stand out in a crowd seems to be pervasive human and organizational trait. For example, passing through Redfield, we were informed that it was the pheasant capital of the United States. Further down the road Tulare claimed to have a prehistoric rock (Assuming that every rock I ever saw was prehistoric I didn't take the time to take a picture). Huron claimed to have the largest pheasant in the world and then DeSmet wooed the traveler in to view the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Well, more power to them.

We're enjoying some quality time with my older sister here in Ruthton, MN. We're also taking daily trips to Brookings, SD some 40 miles away to spend time with her husband who is in a nursing facility there. Made an apple pie tonight. Seems appropriate here in the midwest. We'll be off on Monday morning, heading toward Duluth. (Pictures: Pheasant capital, Wilder House, McCrory Gardens in Brookings established by SDSU and Ronda and Wayne)

NW North Dakota

2011-09-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

We got showered entering North Dakota near Fairview on the state line. That is to say a huge truck full of gravel passed us going 70 or so and showered us with rock. It felt like being on the wrong end of a gatling gun. Result? 2 cracks and 4 chips in the windshield. This area of the state is in a frenzy - black gold. Every kind of semi is running full tilt on narrow two lane roads hauling pipe, tanks, construction equipment and gravel. The predominant vehicle is a new white and mudcaked GMC or Dodge Ram - oil workers. Graineries are being replaced with oil tanks. Agricultural fields sport new oil pumps and the ground is being torn up not by tractor and plow but excavators, feverishly laying pipe. Stopped in Watford City for some groceries and the shelves were pretty picked over. Camps of trailers and RVs all over the place. Rents and crime doubled and trippled. The bank building in Watford is big and brand new. We're on to Theodore Roosevelt National Park some 15 miles south - a labyrinth of coolies, draws, and canyons with spectacular colors this time of year. Great campground. Not many people. Good hiking. Even some buffalo. One in particular that stood in the trail Ruth and I were on. His tail was up which according to the ranger means he was about to charge or discharge. We retreated! Two nights in this wonderland. We traded road noise for wind in the poplars and the distant thump thump thump of wells being drilled on the plateau above us at nite. Got a cue from a fellow camper (who happened to be from McCall) about Ft Mandan so Ruth and I headed there yesterday (Thursday). Enjoyed the Lewis and Clark Interpretive center near the fort then it was on to find a motel and much needed shower. Found these luxuries in Aberdeen South Dakota where the sign reads, "1200 United Methodists Welcome you". Overwhelming! Oh, en route we passed through Strassberg, ND, pop. 431, where the sign read "The Little German Town". Underwhelming. BUT birthplace of Lawrence Welk. That raises the issue of sense of place again. How did being raised on these forever, open and expansive plains affect Welk's music??? I think his rather tight, crisp and defined style was in reaction to his life in the wide open spaces where the only music is the wind in the grass and through the barbed wire. On to Ruthton, Mn and the weekend with my favorite oldest sister and her husband Henry. Later

Hwy 2

2011-09-30T07:57:00.000-07:00

I've always been curious about Havre, MT. Maybe its the name - like negotiating with a rancher about a horse, "Yes, I think I'll havre." Is Havre a person, a thing??? Maybe it's because its so far away from everthing. Anyway, having passed through, I'm glad to be passing through and pray that I don't have to live there. Like so many plains towns, it sit in a slight depression in the earth. Low buildings, short scrubby trees and no real center, just a long lighted runway with buildings along the Milk River where either Lewis or Clark described it as the "color of tea with an admixture of milk."

Couple of interesting stops though. Just east and south of Havre is the site of the last NezPerce battle and final surrender. After being pursued by General Howard for some 1200 miles (Over Lolo Pass, south down the bitterroon valley, into southern Idaho, up past Henry's lake, into Yellowstone, up through central Mountana, across the Missouri R and through the Bear Paw Mountains just two days from Canada) they stopped to rest knowing they were several days ahead of Howard. Unfortunately they didn't know there was a fresh new army unit coming from the east and they got caught in a hard to defend location with now way of escape. Losses were heavy on both sides. A seige was in place and Chief Joseph made the decision to surrender.

The location sits in a flat and willowed stream bottom at the north end of the low Bear Paw Range. Most researchers say they stopped because they were tired and thought they were safe. But I think that somewhere deep in their collective conscience they wanted that familiarity that the mountains would give them (having lived their lives near the Wallowas and Bitteroot Mt.) before facing the uncertainty of the Canadian Plains. A pause before the final break with the past. It's a strange place to visit: lonely, haunting and very real as to what happened there. The teepees of Chief Looking Glass and Joseph have been located along with the actual surrender site. That war ended a lot of things for the NezPerce. Moved to Oklahoma and Kansas for 8 years before they could finally get back to the Northwest, their bands lost all their horses and over half the people. Despite 25 years of broken treaties and promises, all they wanted to do was to get out of the way to embrace being responsible for their own destiny. Sounds very American to me...

Then there was Ft. Peck Dam, the worlds largest earthen dam at 3.4 miles long. For a good read, pick up Ivan Doig's book, "Bucking the Sun" and enjoy a good mystery and a lot of information about the life and times when the dam was built.

Weird thing shortly after the dam on Hwy 2. The road side was littered with what we thought was TP. Then we noticed this white stuff on the road surface. It seemed to be stuck there. Finally came to a construction stop and the flagger said it was indeed TP. They were crack sealing the road and would put TP over the tar used to fill the crack. "To keep the tar from flying up and damaging cars and avoid litigation." Hmmm, TP and tar installed by, (are you ready?) Highway Technologies, Inc. Pretty hi tech, huh?

(Pictures - Ft Peck Dam, Bear Paw Mtns, NezPerce Camp Ground looking east, Surrender location looking north toward camp and Plaque)

2011-09-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Rivers dominate the first few days of this trip. Leaving Cascade and Long Valley we pick up the Salmon River. Then it's over the Camas Prairie and down to the Clearwater and up the Lochsa to Lolo Pass. Fall has begun on the Lochsa. It's subtle but the patchwork of color and texture has begun - hints of yellow on the cottonwoods, the rust of ferns, an occasional flash of red on the hillside and the light green in the tamarack that comes just before it turns yellow, contrasted with the dark green of the spruce and cedar that line the river. The river bottom is lined with ripe blackberry and elderberry, the raw material of jams, pies and wine. No wonder the NezPerce were so tied to this area.

Over Lolo Pass into the north end of the Bitterroot Valley, through Missoula we pick up the Blackfoot River to our first nite destination of Salmon Lake State Park. Continuing the next day on Hwy 200, the Blackfoot R. is alive with color along it's banks. What a great road! Hardly anyone on it, wonderful scenery and the Subaru finds it cruising speed of 70mph. The breakout of the Rockies is abrupt as we head out onto a "Palouse" type of rolling grassland announced by the sign that said "you've entered beef country. Toward Great falls the land flattens out. We've hit the plains. It will be 5 or six weeks before, in snobbish western fashion, we can say we're seeing mountains again. Humps, mounds and rises will have to do. Then there is the Missouri R. breaks. What exactly are the breaks?? It appears to be a crack on plain containing the Missouri River. Ft. Benton, MT is our first into to this might river and a cool little town at that. Then it's along the Milk River at Havre and the Missouri again at Ft Peck Dam and the Little Mo at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in No. Dakota.

Like so much flotsom, people seem to coalesce, coagulate and gather up into tiny communities on this oceanic plain. Otherwise, I'd say the population density outside these small towns in easter MT and No Dakota is about the same as Northern Canada (which was about 2 people per square mile when I was up there 29 years ago. Honestly, ranches are MILES apart out here! (pictures, in order, The Salmon R. Lochsa, Elderberry, between Great Falls and Havre, The Might Missouri at Ft. Benton, MT

2011-09-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

10:00am, Sept. 25 and we're off! The "stuff" of our travel is easily absorbed by our Subaru. Cascade and Long Valley should be looking a bit different when we return in 5 or 6 weeks. Right now the only hint of autumn is a slight frostbite on our squash plants and a general brown tinge to the grazing lands around here. So why are we doing this? Of the some 25 definitions for the word "trip" in our dictionary, none of them really provide a rationale for why Ruth and I want to make this journey. Other trips have been about adventure, escape, business, etc. but this one is about gaining a sense of place. We're visiting some friends and family that we've never visited on their home turf. We're seeing where things happen, e.g. where the NezPerce finally surrendered, where Theodore Roosevelt developed a conservation ethic, the hubub of where national policy is made in Washington DC. My guess, seeing the physical context of these places will add much to the facts we've accumulated about people and events that happened. We'll see about that...

Back to Boise

2010-08-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Dump
Nate and Alex before the dump
Alex gearing up for tubing at Kelly's Whitewater Park

Dori and the boys recently returned to Boise from their summer with Andrew in Massachusetts. Andrew will join them soon...although I'm sure not soon enough! Dori's grandma and uncle arrived for a visit from Hungary soon after. Dori's uncle is a very adventurous soul and enjoyed biking through Yellowstone and other numerous hikes and biking adventures during his visit to the states. The boys were eager to see Papa. Soon Papa and Mate were off on their traditional visit to the Blue Cow frozen yogurt store in Papa's truck.

Alex, Heidi, and Lorna went back to Idaho for a recent visit. We enjoyed visiting with family and Dori and the boys. We took a hike to a beautiful mountain lake and Alex and Nate tubed the rapids at Kelly Whitewater Park in Cascade. We attended the dedication ceremony at the park for the unveiling of the bronze statue of Kelly Brennan, who the park is named in memory of. Later that evening we enjoyed the Blues Travelers benefit concert in Donnelly.

Larry is now on his way back to join Lorna in Boston to continue their adventure back east.

Playing with Mate'

2010-02-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

Nana and Mate' hiding in the vertical tunnel!

The Latest From the Texas Clan

2009-12-05T14:29:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We are currently back in the Austin area after spending a month with Henry and Ronda in Minnesota. Bill resigned his position at our church since we were not sure of Henry's condition and how long we might need to be in MN. While Henry was in the hospital, a nice snowstorm came for a couple of days and when he saw the ground covered in white, he was ready to head for the Mexican border. Somehow, the snow seemed to have a strengthening affect on Henry, so here we are in Texas!

We are renting a wonderful home in the hill country from some great friends. Henry and Ronda will stay with us until Henry is strong enough to live in their trailer comfortably. I continue to homeschool and I just started working for a foster care and adoption agency part-time. Bill is currently doing art projects for people. He has done a few time-lapsed sketches that he posted on YouTube. On Thanksgiving day, we were shocked when his "Father and Son" sketch was featured on the front page. He received over 4,000 emails that day and the video has been viewed by over 251,000 people! A local, downtown art gallery will be doing a showing of Bill's art next month. We are so excited.

Britain and Sara continue their studies at home (despite Mom's lack of organization due to the seemingly constant relocating). Britain created a page on MySpace, giving himself a new name under which he writes songs. You can see his site at http://www.myspace.com/austinmccoymusic

My favorite song that he has written is "My World Without You."

Sara is passionate about fashion design, so she is always drawing, planning, and dragging us to the mall to look at the latest design. I love hearing her comment on the "cut" and the fabrics.

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Poppa playing horse

2009-12-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Dancing with Kids

2009-12-05T13:36:00.000-08:00

The Hungarian Peeps have arrived!!

2009-11-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

Timo enjoying the park

2009-11-29T12:02:00.000-08:00

Papa reading to Mate'

2009-11-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

Mate' helping Nana make the waffles

2009-11-29T11:57:00.001-08:00

Andrew, Dori, Mate', and Timo having popcorn night

Visit with Ronda and Henry

2009-09-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ruth and Wayne just got back from spending 4 days with R & H. While Henry's condition is far from optimal they both were in good spirits. We went to Lake Benton for coffee and out to visit the farm where Henry was born (old house beind the tree) and also where they held the very first "barn revival". Unfortunately, Henry torqued his back while we were there and is currently staying in bed most of the time. He's pretty uncomfortable so keep both he and Ronda in your prayers.

Heidi's New Personal Training Studio!

2009-09-27T19:13:00.001-07:00

Big on fitness, low on cost - Somerville, Massachusetts 02144 - Somerville Journal

Posted using ShareThis
Click the link above to read the article.

Mom and Tim visit Boise

2009-09-25T19:21:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Mom and Tim recently came to Boise for a visit. We had a great time taking in a Shakespeare play, having some great meals, and enjoying the beauty of Cascade and McCall. Thanks for a great visit!

Karen and Ardis visit Boise

2009-09-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

2009-07-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with Rick, Fay, and Connor on their recent visit to Idaho. The weather was great and we really enjoyed each other's company. The only thing that marred the visit was Bob the peacock....seen at the end of the video!

The Oklahomans come to Boise

2009-07-18T11:24:00.001-07:00

A good time was had by all when Carol, Jean, Lisa, and Erin visited Boise a few weeks ago. Marge really enjoyed their company and they provided expert assistance in helping Marge go through some things from her recent move. Thanks for the memories girls!

Marge's New Diggs!

2009-06-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Marge's new apartment at Heatherwood Retirement Home. It has been quite a change for her, but she is settling in. It's a rough life with great food, lots of activities, new friends, and maid service! Drop her a line. She'd love to hear from you. Heatherwood Retirement Community, 5277 Kootenai St. Apart 5, Boise, ID 83705

Vanderbush Update

2009-06-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

What a busy year! Ronda celebrated her 70th birthday in April and we enjoyed a nice lunch with her at Mimi's Cafe.

Henry is nearing his 80th birthday in July! He has made progress since the strokes he suffered, but is still working on regaining strength, his speech, and occasional memory loss. He is usually in a really good mood and can laugh at just about anything. Henry was ready to get back to Minnesota right away. Bill has been very busy with work at the church and ministry school, so Ronda bravely drove herself and Henry all the way from Texas! She is an amazing woman.

As for me and Bill, we are working on having a home built. It will take about 4 months, so we are temporarily renting a home from my parents. Most of our stuff is in storage, so we're feeling a bit unsettled at the moment. I am still homeschooling the kids and we have recently spent quite a bit of time at the State Capitol, studying the process of lawmaking. The kids learned how to lobby. That was quite entertaining. Sara loved it....Britain preferred that she do all the talking.

The Training Room Boston

2009-06-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

Heidi and her business partner, Maren, have worked tirelessly to make their dream of opening up their own personal training studio a reality. Larry recently went to Boston to assit them with many of the remodeling projects in their studio. With lots of help from their friends and loved ones, they completed many projects and are on target for opening in July. Congratulations Heidi and Maren and we wish you best of luck with your studio! Check out The Training Room on facebook and at their web sit: www.thetrainingroomboston.com.

Yale Graduation Day!!!

2009-05-28T09:13:00.001-07:00

The weather was perfect for Yale graduation day. Heidi, Alex, Larry, and I were so proud of Luke for receiving his Masters of Fine Arts in Theater Design, culminating three years of hard work. In addition, Luke received an award from the Drama college for excellence in costume design. He is moving to New York City to pursue a career in theater design on or off Broadway! Best of luck Luke and congratulations on a job well done! We love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEIDI!!!!

2009-05-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

Baby Timo has arrived!!

2009-01-14T19:27:00.001-08:00

Andrew and Dori, our adopted Hungarian kids welcomed their new son, Timo last Sunday. All went well and Mate' LOVES his new baby brother!
Andrew wrote: "Everybody is doing great, it was a long Sunday night that finished on Monday morning at 5:54. He is stikingly handsome and very manly just like his father :), I mean older brother máté. Mommy will be at the hospital till thursday, but she and Timó are doing great. I am at home with Máté taking the week off of work to play mommy and finish work projects around the house before I head back to the states in a week. His weight in pounds was 7.9lbs, and he was 25 inches long!"

Beautiful Cascade Lake

2009-01-14T17:44:00.000-08:00

I recently enjoyed a few days of rest and relaxation at the Brown House in Cascade, ID. I picked the perfect time as the weather in McCall and Cascade was sunny and crisp in contrast to the inversion and smog that was rolling in to the Boise valley. I enjoyed reading the word, prayer, meditation, walking,hot tubbing under the stars, and skiing at Brundage. I think one of my favorite parts of skiing is the ride up to the top of the mountain on the lift. The colors, sights, and sounds are truly breathtaking. I recently read that the essence of skiing is a simple conversation between your body and gravity. That about sums it up. Hope you all can come up for a visit before too long! Lorna

Robots by Fay, Connor, and Rick Rhodes

2009-01-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Cousins

2009-01-10T09:06:00.001-08:00

Playing games and surfing

2009-01-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

Ardyce, Chet, Wayne, and Lyndsey on the slopes

2009-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Holidays 2008

2009-01-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

Karen and the kids made the harrowing treck to Idaho after Christmas. Seattle was so paralyzed with snow that Chris had to cancel when all efforts to find parking at SeaTac airport were exhausted. We missed him, but everyone enjoyed the food, fun, snow, and fellowship up in Cascade with Wayne and Ruth. Here are some of the photos from the festivities. Enjoy!

Rough Crossing

2008-12-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

For a review of the play, go to: http://www.courant.com/entertainment/stage/reviews/hc-roughrev.art0dec06,0,4312024.story

East Coast Adventure

2008-12-08T18:33:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

East Coast Adventure

2008-12-08T18:15:00.001-08:00

We recently returned from a fun-filled, action packed trip to New Haven and New York City. We saw Rough Crossing, a play at the Yale Repertory Theater. Luke designed the costumes and they were amazing! We enjoyed some great food and the company of family and good friends, including Jim and Nancy Shalek, Alex's parents. We enjoyed some great art and exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Enjoy the photos.

My littlest BSU buddy....Trevor!

2008-11-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

October 10th Snowstorm in Boise!

2008-10-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

A Stroll Along the Charles River

2008-10-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Heidi and Friends with Wingnut and Rivet

The Painting is Finished!

2008-09-21T20:03:00.001-07:00

Pie and Painting at the Braun House in Cascade!

2008-09-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Luke Comes to Boise

2008-08-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

Judy, Luke, and Lorna catching up at a local coffee shop in Boise. Our friend Judy is looking tanned and relaxed after a restful trip to Hawaii. Luke and Lorna are looking a bit anemic!

Britain's Miracle

2008-08-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

There is quite a bit to tell about what Britain has experienced, so instead of trying to republish it here, please go to my blog:
http://www.yellowlady.blogspot.com

More Boston trip photos

2008-08-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

Heidi, Alex, Wingnut, and Rivet on the ferry

Playing Guitar Hero
Master Craftsmen!
It's a dog's life!!

The Browns Go to Boston and New York

2008-08-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed a trip to Boston and New York in July. We were able to spend time with Heidi, Alex, and the dogs as well as Luke. Larry and Alex displayed their talents as master craftsmen by building teak furniture for the bathroom remodel. Alex's parents, Jim and Nancy Shalek hosted us for a wonderful weekend on the beach. Larry got a personal training session and I took a Yoga class at Boston Sports Club where Heidi works. It was a great time of food, fun, and fellowship! And did I mention....lots of doggie walks! Can't wait to go back. Thanks for all the memories!

Lorna and Colline

2008-07-04T08:19:00.001-07:00

Getting ready to return to Texas after a great visit to Idaho!

Visitors From India

2008-06-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

Our friends from India, Guna and Victoria, recently visited Boise. We shared an awesome meal together with our friends Nadine and Judy.

Colline and Tim visit

2008-06-26T19:16:00.001-07:00

We have all enjoyed Colline's visit this week. We spent some relaxing days at Cascade and enjoyed the nice Boise weather. Marge and Mom teamed up and made a killer strawberry rhubard pie. Tim flew over from Seattle to spend a few days while mom is here.

Belated Holiday Photos

2008-06-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

During Jean's recent visit to Idaho, I pulled some additional photos off of her camera that were taken during our holiday celebration up at Cascade. Enjoy! Lorna

2008-06-12T09:11:00.001-07:00

Greetings all,
Jean, Carol's youngest daughter recently came up to Boise and Cascade for a visit. It was fun to have her around. She definitely kept things lively....and makes awesome mini-cheesecakes as well! Here is a photo of Grandma, Lorna, Ruth, and Jean in front of an old country store we happened upon outside of Donnely, ID. I know Jean has some photos to add and stories to tell about her visit...so...stay tuned! Lorna

Britian Solves the Rubics Cube in 45 seconds

2008-06-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Kin from Texas and Canada

2008-06-02T15:32:00.000-07:00

A great time was had by all during the recent visit of "kin" from Texas and Canada. Paul/Connie,Ronda/Henry, Bill/Traci, Britian and Sarah were able to spend a week in Cascade and Boise. Wayne and Ruth showered them with Cascade hospitality. They did lots of things from hiking, canoeing, kayaking, Texas dominoes and Acquire...just to name a few. I'm hoping the Austin folks will add a few of their own photos to the blog. Beth, the important thing to remember is that your dad beat Larry in Acquire!

Rafting the Payette

2008-05-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day we went rafting down a stretch of the Payette River in Idaho. Hiwot is a student at BSU studying electrical engeering. She is living with us for the summer. Bill and Brittan are Larry's nephew and son visiting from Austin, Texas. As soon as we put in, dark clowds rolled over the mountains and it rained on us most of the way down, giving new meaning to the term "wet suits". Although we were soaked at the take out, a good time was had by all. Hiwot was quite adventerous. Although it is difficult to tell from the video clip, she was standing on the front of the raft, holding on to a rope while we were spinning the raft around in the water...thus, riding the bull. It is what you do when you get bored on a quiet stretch of river. With all of the snow runoff, the river is running fairly high so the rapids were class 2 and 3. Plenty of thrill for me! Lorna

Make a Smilebox postcard

2008-05-06T16:16:00.000-07:00

My brother Tim and I ran the Bloomsday Race in Spokane, Washington on Sunday, May 4th. Here are a few sights and sounds for you to enjoy. Lorna

Make a Smilebox postcard

23rd Psalm with (commentary)

2008-04-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

This reading of the 23rd Psalm was part of the liturgy last week. We read it responsively with the pastor reading the psalm and the congregation reading what is in parenthesis.
THE LORD IS MY SHEPARD (Thats Relationship!)
I SHALL NOT WANT (That's Supply!)
HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES (Thats Rest!)
HE LEADETH ME BESIDE STILL WATERS (Thats Refreshment!)
HE RESTORETH MY SOUL (That's Healing!)
HE LEADETH ME IN THE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (That's Guidance!)
FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE (That's Purpose!)
YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH (That's Testing!)
I WILL FEAR NO EVIL (That's Protection!)
FOR THOU ART WITH ME (That's Faithfulness!)
THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME (That's Discipline!)
THOU PREPAREST A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MINE ENEMIES (That's Hope!)
THOU ANOINTEST MY HEAD WITH OIL (That's Consecration!)
MY CUP RUNNETH OVER (That's Abundance!)
SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE
(That's Blessing!)
AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD (That's Security!)
FOREVER (That's Eternity!)

Pretty cool, huh? Oh dear, it's snowing yet again. Surely spring will prevail. (that's moisture!)
Blessings all, Uncle Wayne

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DORI!!!!

2008-04-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Dori, Andrew, and Mate Makes Three

2008-04-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

These are our adopted kids Andrew and Dori McCall with their son Mate. We feel very blessed to add them to our family along with our awesome biological progeny...Heidi and Luke. We were able to visit them in Hungary in January 2007. They live and work in the city of Sarbogard, Hungary where they pastor a small fellowship. Andrew is developing his skills as a master woodworker/skateboarder/vinedresser. Dori keeps the family going and works for the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Vajita, Hungary. I've included a link to their blog. The photos and video are great, but the posts are in Hungarian...so good luck with that one.

Crazy Days at Brundage Mountain McCall, ID

2008-04-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

OK, OK....I know I said that I wouldn't post yet another ski video this season....but I felt it was important to document Wayne's return to the slopes. He was in fine form and a good time was had by all. It was Crazy Days and I posted another short video of a contest they held to see who could ski down a slope and across a small pond without falling in. They had 400 inches of snow at Brundage this year and are extending their season. Today it was very warm and the snow was melting fast. I have to turn in my leased ski equipment on Tuesday...so absolutely no more skiing videos! Lorna

Good Food/Good Book

2008-04-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

From the experiental kitchen of Wayne Brown we have this amazing soup recipe. Literally, I was cleaning out the fridge and came up with this.
1 small onion chopped
2 stocks celery sliced
Several cauliflower flowerets
2 T. olive oil
1 14-16 oz can of tomatoes
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
5 cups chicken broth or bullion
1/4 - 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 t. tarregon
1 t. thyme
2 t. white wine vinegar
1 t. worchestershire sauce
2 smoked sausages cut lenthwise and sliced
4 - 5 T Pinjur (this is the ingredient that makes the soup. We got Pinjur at Trader Joe's. Its a mix of eggplant, red peppers, onion, tomato concentrate, sunflower oil, garlic, salt, parsley and hot peppers. Some sort of greek or macedonian condiment. It give a nice subtle flavor and some body to the soup.

1. Slice onion, cauliflower, celery and sausage and saute in oil till onion turns opaque
2. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Leave a little "crunch" in the cauliflower and celery.
3. Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve with some crusty bread. Pretty dang good!

ON TO THE BOOK
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
This is a memoir of growing up in a remarkable family - remarkable for their brilliance, creativity, itinerancy, dysfunction, neglect and poverty. The amazing thing is that the sins of the father and mother were not passed down to the next generation. In 3 of the 4 children the neglect and poverty resulted in adult lives that were productive. Once again it proves that we don't hold all the cards with respect to how our kids turn out - for good or not so good. Very fast read. You won't want to put it down!

Spring has Sprung.....NOT

2008-04-09T06:12:00.001-07:00

This is the view from our deck that we awoke to this April 9th morning! Ahhhh...sweet moisture....always a welcome site to desert dwellers! Boise Browns

Spring Skiing at Bogus

2008-04-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

Starstruck

2008-04-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

Bill and I are attending the Christ for the Nations alumni conference and we brought our children along. They are having a great time seeing our school and the big highlight for them happened today! They met Kevin Jonas, the father of the very famous Jonas Brothers. Kevin shared a wonderful message at the conference that brought refreshing to lots of ministers.

Henry continues to improve in his speech each day after suffering two strokes. This past Sunday, he was able to read Psalm 23 on his radio program! We are looking for a full recovery. Ronda stays busy taking care of ministry responsibilities and going to Henry's speech therapy appointments. We are all hoping to make a trip to Idaho sometime this year.

Trip to Huaraz

2008-04-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Carhuaz
A cemetary that was constructed in Yungay after an avalanche. Over 16,000 were killed in Yungay alone (in the 70s)
Me, Karla, and Lauren on a boat at Llaganuco Laguna
Me in some catacombs in Chavin.

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught. - Proverbs 3:25-26

Well, I have never blogged before, so we will see how this thing works. Anyhow, I got back this morning from Huaraz with two of my roommates (Lauren and Julie) and a student of ours (Karla). We had a wonderful time enjoying God's creation in the Andes.

When we were driving up to Huaraz, a city in the mountains, on Monday night, our bus was hit head on by a car. Four out of five of the passengers died at the scene of the collision, and the fifth, a baby, died on Wednesday in the hospital. The experience was overwhelming when it happened, all very surreal. No one on the bus was hurt, and I know that God was protecting and watching over us as it could have been much worse.

After waiting for seven hours out in the middle of nowhere for the car to be removed from under the bus, and the bodies to be removed also, we were finally able to board a new bus. The Andes were the perfect place to regain our composure following this event. I saw so much incredible scenery. I felt like Braveheart was going to come running and screaming over the mountains at some time. : )

Each night we girls would share something from our Bibles and pray together. One thing that stuck out at me that I shared with the girls is this from Isaiah 66:1. It says, " Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?" How great and glorious is our God when He makes mountains that are over 22,000 feet elevation His footstool? When creation is so full of His glory that it takes our breath away (literally... whether we want our breath to be taken away or not), the glory of God himself is far beyond my capacity to imagine.

I thank you all for your prayers. In the words of Kip: Peace out.

Becky

New York

2008-04-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

Kris and I made our first trip to New York City a couple weeks ago. We met her brother (Patrick) and stayed with friends in the East Village in Manhattan. We saw everything we could see in a few days, but definitely need to go back for another visit. In the photos are Kris, Patrick, a friend Nicole, and me.

Nate

Last Evening for Night Skiing at Bogus

2008-03-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Last evening we took advantage of the last time this season that Bogus would be open for night skiing. It was warm, sunny, and Bogus had just received several of inches of new snow. What a great way to spend a few hours in the great outdoors. It has been a tremendous snow year.....great news for those of us who live in a desert! Lorna

The Downstairs Apartment

2008-03-27T05:50:00.001-07:00

Greetings Brown Family,

Thought I'd post a few photos of the apartment downstairs. Hope to see you all soon for a visit. Lorna

Resurrection Sunday Dinner in Cascade

2008-03-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

We trust you all had a great day celebrating Jesus' resurrection! Marge dusted off her violin and played at her church. Then the Boise Browns headed to Cascade to enjoy an incredible feast at Wayne and Ruth's cozy home in the mountains. Blessings to all!

Let's Hear Your Movie Suggestions!

2008-03-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all,
Here's three movies I've seen in the last several months I'd recommend. All are based on real situations.
1. A Big Heart: Made in 2007 and starring Angolina Jolie. The movie is based on the tradgedy of correspondant Dan Perlman who was abducted in Packistan just after 9/11 and utimately beheaded. The story is really about his wife who was 5 months pregnent at the time. It feels more like a documentary, uses a lot of foreign actors and actresses, and for me, really captures what it must have been like to deal ones own fear, safety and grief in the midst of a confusing foreign country and the onslaught of a whole variety of American officials trying to help. Angelina is remarkable in the role.
2. Copying Beethoven: Staring Ed Harris of all people as Beethoven. It takes place during his apparent decline as a composure the risks he took in creating the 9th symphony, particualry when his hearing was so affected. Who would have though Harris could pull this off. Incredible
3. The World's Fastest Indian: Starring Anthony Hopkins. It's about an eccentric mid 60's guy who built up a 1922 Indian motorcycle for speed and actually wound up setting the world land speed record for motorcycles under 1000cc that still stands today. Great feel good story with a performance that only Hopkins could do. Enjoy put your own recommendations on Brown Banter. Best, Uncle Wayne

A Couple Easter Thoughts

2008-03-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve been reading a little book during Lent entitled “The New Covenant” by Robert Coleman. I didn’t intentionally use it as a Lenten devotional but it turns out that it has been a great focus considering the wonderful opportunity next weekend we all have to join with a third of the worlds population is proclaiming the risen Lord. The book reviews the Old Testament system of sacrifices and atonement and connects those practices with Christ’s Passion (death and resurrection). I’ve been hit by a couple of things; one personal application and one of the great ironies of the Easter week events.

First the personal application. The OT picture of the sin offering provides a compelling picture of the personal consequence of sin. Picture this. During Passover, you bring your unblemished lamb or goat to the priest as your offering. You (yes, you) have to bind the animal to the altar. Then you place your hands on the now helpless animal’s, symbolic of transferring your sin to it. With one hand on the animal you use your other hand to slit the animal’s throat, it’s blood running down the sides of the altar – its life-blood for yours. The scene is violent and bloody. Such is the nature of OT atonement. That picture provides us with a poignant picture of the consequence of our sin as it relates to the death of Christ. It’s as if we place our sin on Christ while slitting his throat, his blood for ours. Life given for life attained. New Testament atonement too, is violent and bloody. Christ’s atoning work suddenly is not longer an abstraction. Despite the time lapse of 2000 years, I’m right there at the crucifixion throwing the spear.

The irony. Christ was in Jerusalem during Passover. Jerusalem’s population had swelled ten fold with the influx of pilgrims heading to the temple to make their annual sacrifices. I can only imagine that with so many people there, every priest available was helping out with the sacrificial processes to accommodate all the work that had to be done. Thousands of animals were being sacrificed and the blood of each one was caught in a conical saucer(so that it couldn’t be set down) forcing the priests to carry it immediately to the altar that stood just outside the Holy of Holies and fling the blood on the altar and then race back and get the blood from the next sacrifice. All this slitting, blood-scooping, running, and flinging, I suspect, presented quite a frenetic picture, not to mention the animal bleating, the stench of burning flesh and coagulating blood, the singing and chanting. Well, all this was going on while Jesus was hanging on the cross - The perfect, unblemished, bound and bleeding sacrificial “Lamb of God”. So imagine being the unfortunate priest or priests who were flinging the blood on the altar in front of the Holy of Holies at the moment of Christ’s death. Remember what happened? At that moment, the earth shook, the sky got dark and veil that hid the most holy place in the temple (the place that only the high priest could enter once a year with a rope attached to his leg in the event he had to be pulled out due to the overpowering presence of God) was ripped in half from top to bottom. Those poor old priests flinging the blood were suddenly exposed to the presence of God. The fact that the rent veil now offered them free access to God was, I’m sure, lost in the horror of the moment for them. The usual response depicted elsewhere in the Bible when caught in the presence of God was to fall down to the ground and hope you died quickly.
I certainly don’t pretend to understand the divine rationale for the bloody mess of atoning sacrifices in either the Old or New Testaments. However, if that’s the God-ordained system designed to eliminate the barrier between God and man, then a once for all, perfect, and complete sacrifice to mediate our inherent preoccupation with ourselves and get in touch with the “bigger picture” in this life and the next, is definitely simpler and more liberating than the old way. And since we’re responsible for Christ’s death, his sacrifice for us certainly deserves a life of gratitude and a vigorous “Hallelujah” this Easter! Blessings all. WB

Ronda and Family Update

2008-03-16T21:33:00.000-07:00

Carolyn came for a visit!!

A hula performance by our sweet daughter!

(Posted by Traci) I am so excited that Lorna started this blog! Great idea.

Bill and I moved to Maui in January of 2007 to work with a church and begin what's called The School of Supernatural Ministry. Also, Bill worked as an underwater videographer and he befriended a few sharks. We were so happy to have a visit from Connie and Elisabeth (those pictures are on my broken computer....will post later). Now, we are back in Texas, just in time to help Henry and Ronda as they face some challenges with Henry's health. Henry received a pacemaker and is doing much better, physically, but still needs more improvement with his speech and short-term memory. We are thankful that he is now out of the hospital and getting around well.

To see some of Bill's videos, please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/wilvan

Rivet's Older Sister Wingnut

2008-03-16T19:18:00.001-07:00

For those of you who may not know Rivet, he is Heidi and Alex's youngest Husky. He has an older sister named Wingnut. They live in Boston where Heidi works for Boston Sports Club in the fitness industry and Alex attends Harvard.

Rivet Strikes a Pose

2008-03-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

Hi Mom and Family!! I've never blogged... thought I'd use Rivet as an experimental "test run" to see if I can figure it out... Cheers.

Update on Henry

2008-03-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Friends and Family. We sure appreciate all of the prayers for my dad during this time. Tomorrow he'll get a pacemaker put in which the doctors have highly recommended to keep him ticking. After the heart attack he suffered in 1989, there was damage that had progressively weakened his heart over the years and has brought us to this point. He's kind of excited about the new hardware and is looking forward to getting out of the hospital. During a moment of levity today I snapped a couple of pics with the phone and with his permission, I'm passing them along. Not too shabby for almost 79. One of the nurses said he kind of has that Harrison Ford thing going on. He said, "Now who's that?" Mom's doing well in spirit, but she's fighting a bit of bronchitis and a bad cough so the timing is unfortunate. All in all, they're praising the Lord. You know, never in eternity will we have the chance to praise God in the midst of difficulty we don't understand, but it's an honor to offer to him this most precious of gifts, a sacrifice of praise. We'll never stop contending for breakthrough in healing and deliverance and this just solidifies that resolve, to destroy the works of the devil. We thank all of you who continue to stand in faith as well. Please know that we stand together to see the fullness of His Kingdom come. Grace and Peace bill n traci

ACQUIRE!!

2008-03-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

Luke, Beth, Christina, and Nate

2008-03-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

Erin and Jean

2008-03-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

2008-03-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Chris Skating

2008-03-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Marge and Nate

Cascade Holiday '07

2008-03-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Christmas '07 in Cascade

2008-03-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

The family gathering in Cascade after Christmas '07 was the maiden voyage for the Brown cabin. It was the culmination of many months of planning and hard work for Larry, Wayne, and Ruth. True to fashion, they secured the certificate of occupancy the day everyone began arriving! It was a bit sparse on furnishings, but a great time was had by all. We hope it is the first of many such opportunities to get together and reconnect. As an update, the house is looking really cozy and if you come back....you won't have to sit on the floor!

Getting a lift at Tamarack

2008-03-09T08:45:00.000-07:00