Blessings

Barb and I often note it and we continue to thank God for the abundant blessings which we are given.  Saturday, the 17th, was another example of the many gifts that come our way.  I turned 65 on Friday and I asked the kids to forgo a birthday gift this year.  Instead, I asked them to come out on Saturday and help Barb and me clean up what is left of last month's storm damage.  There were several large trees, stripped of their branches and destined to die, that needed to come down.  Some were within falling range of the house and/or the RV.   One tree was 25"  in diameter and over a hundred feet tall.

We started the weekend with, for the first time, keeping all three gkids overnight.  Fun, although we didn't get our normal full sleep (goes with the territory).  Then at noon,  Kari and Eric, Nathan and Cailyn, and Justin and Cassie (a teaching partner of Kari's) with their two kids came to take on the project.  Then Vicki (Barb's sister) and Ed arrived, driving up from Gresham.

Even though it spit rain, hail, and snow, they all worked like beavers, clearing the brush, falling the trees, cutting them up, and transporting them to the wood pile.   We ended the evening with grilled T-bones and, my favorite, angel pie.

Fun.  Rewarding.  Productive.  Love.     Blessings abundant.

Clearing away brush to get to trees  Kari, Eric, Nathan, Me, Justin

Falling the largest tree.

The wood pile.  Cailyn said it reminded her of a Civil War encampment.

Even Jensen helped.  Note the working gloves that Barb gave him.

Vicki, Ed, Eric, Me, Kari, Nathan

Kari, Jensen, Nathan, Justin, Cailyn, Jane, Grace, Cassie

Angel Pie, my mom's recipe