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I had such dreams for this place, til they went up in smoke in the Labor Day, 2020 Whitney Wildfire. But the beauty of my surroundings is still inspiring. There’s a rock outcropping here on my little ranch that I call the South Bluff, which is beautiful at sunset with the sun’s rays warming its dark basalt rock. Then, there’s the big one, the West Bluff, most beautiful at sunrise. It runs along the ranch like a knife has carved out a line, leaving you with no alternative but to obey its boundary. I see them now like I didn’t before the fire.
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I thought I must have misheard Dave Olson, owner of Blue Creek Mercantile. I had asked him what the biggest sellers were at his store near Chewelah. While I had not yet visited Blue Creek Mercantile, I had an image in my mind of a small town mercantile in Eastern Washington. I imagined fabric, animal feed, canning supplies, sugar, flour, and coffee in bulk, and candy. My conception was probably misinformed by all the hours I spent watching Little House on the Prairie as a child. In fact, the Walnut Grove Mercantile from “Little House” was owned by another friendly and kind Mr. Olson. (Remember his awful daughter Nellie Olson who tormented the Ingalls girls?)
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Over the river and through the woods will find you in Republic, Washington! Yes, Republic, a somewhat isolated community nestled in the mountains on the north side of the Columbia River and west of Sherman Pass on SR 20, Republic was known for its gold – and was founded during the days of the gold rush. Along with mining, logging was a big industry here and Vaagen Brothers Sawmill, a major employer.
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I blew in late to my small town Chamber meeting. I knew it might be over by the time I arrived, but I was excited to share something with the group.
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I lost my job on a sunny July day in 2017. I was 48, a single mom, and loaded with medical debt. Days before, a tumultuous breakup had left a crater in my life. That one-two punch plunged me into terror and poverty. Though I had a modest savings account, I feared it wouldn’t last.
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Kelsie’s family emigrated from Finland four generations ago, settled into a home in Agnew, Washington (in the Straits of Juan De Fuca) and that’s where they still are. The stability of a multi-generational home gave her the solid, loving foundation to become a rider from the young age of four.
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Last month, legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim passed away at 91. Known for being the creative genius behind “West Side Story,” “Company,” “Gypsy,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” and “Into the Woods,” Sondheim was credited for reinventing the American musical, and his legacy lives on. With various movie musicals released in 202I, I predict that this genre will dominate this year’s Oscar race.
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Maybe it’s the time of year, or the fact that living in Farmington, New Mexico will never feel like home. I’m feeling particularly nostalgic during this holiday season. I’ve never experienced the great Hallmark holiday and I’ve had plenty of Christmases worthy of the Grinch.
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