Moving Day

Mark and I flew to Spokane on Thursday to help with Mom's move. My brother, Maury, drove over from Shelton (WA) and our son-in-law, Eric, drove over from Royal City (WA) after work. We packed and sorted Thursday afternoon and evening, then loaded the truck all day Friday. Some of Mom and Dad's wonderful Colville neighbors joined us. Bless them - they stayed and helped all day.

 The manly men: Mike S (neighbor), Maury, Mark, Mike W (neighbor), Eric

(except for Eric, it was a very alliterative crew)

 Mark and Brian (neighbor)

 Mom and Dad had lived the last 16 years in a 60'x14' mobile home on beautiful ranch property. They owned the mobile and rented the site from the rancher. Dad called it their "mountain cabin." Here's Mom in her cabin, mostly packed into the truck. (The rancher bought the mobile from Mom, which made the financial arrangements of the transition much simpler.)

 Mom fed the birds every day for 16 years. They will miss her!

She was regularly visited by quail, pheasants, finches, blackbirds, robins, flickers, and many, many others. She was also visited by wild turkeys, but she didn't like them much.

 Saturday morning before we left for Oregon City, Mom, Mark, Eric and I hiked to the top of the hill behind their home. We had a special destination in mind.

 The iconic barn at the top of the hill behind Mom and Dad's mountain cabin. This was their view every morning.

 The view from the barn. The green roof in the center of the photo is the snow roof that Dad built over the mobile home 10 years ago. Dad took Mom on many adventures over their 61 years together...and he gave her some beautiful views throughout their marriage.

This photo is taken next to the stone foundation of the barn. We brought a small bag with some of Dad's ashes on our hike, and we took turns scattering them near the corner of the barn. We thought Dad would like to have a little bit of himself left on this beautiful ranch. He sure loved his time here. I also read the poem, "High Flight." It seemed very appropriate because Dad had proudly piloted small planes for many years.

 Exploring above the barn. Mom is showing Eric the homesteader cabin on the property.

The barn reflected in the pond, which was the water source for Mom and Dad's cabin.

High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew - And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941