To Rev. George MacDonald
My dear Sir,
Whilst traveling in the high desert of Oregon
Akin to yet unlike your Scottish highlands,
I serendipitously came upon a magnificent sight
Joyfully assembled, I am certain, just for you.Our journey being long and arduous,
We covenanted to halt upon our return
So as to capture this sign from heaven
In all its aromatic and motley creativity.
…Keeping the home fires burning. That’s my hat, not yours! October 1972
By summer 1972 D knew things might not work out for him at the Bible College. I wasn’t sure they would work for me, either. Read the rest of this entry »
When are you most alive? That’s the puzzle George MacDonald is chewing on in today’s sonnet. His answer is unexpected. Read the rest of this entry »
Badlands? Star Trek? Sheep Rock’s Blue Basin is other-worldly. Here we are in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by desolate landscape. Read the rest of this entry »
Mitchell, Oregon (pop. 130) looks like a town that forgot about time. Read the rest of this entry »
The High Dessert in Oregon, on the way to Mitchell, Oregon – October 2015
Have you ever seen the high desert in central Oregon? The one many early settlers had to travel across to reach the West Coast? Without maps and only occasional guides?
No? Neither had I until last week. Read the rest of this entry »
Every time I visit my adult children these days I have aging on mind. My recent hike in a forest brought it all back.
Signs of death are everywhere. Like a slow dancing rain, Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday D and I went for a forest walk with family members. The weather was perfect: cool, not cold; drizzly, not raining; overcast, not stormy–with sun breaking through during the last bit of our hike. Lots of downhill and uphill climbing on a marked trail.
It’s mushroom season! Read the rest of this entry »
inauspicious death
haunts her widow soul
her mother heart
children don’t die
before their mothers Read the rest of this entry »
Our two chipmunks at a rest stop somewhere in Texas, waiting to be fed! 1972
As noted in my last Faculty Wife post, our Bible College days were numbered. In 1972 we took a road trip across the States. Among our planned destinations was a seminary in California. D was considering his options, in case we decided to leave the Bible College.
But how would we travel safely with our young children? In the early 1970s most car seats for children were worthless in an accident (according to Consumer Reports and photos).
Of two acceptable options, one was the Sears Safety Harness. It was a bargain at less than $15 per harness. Among other things, it allowed children to move around and lie down to sleep during long trips. You can see the harness here, on our daughter (scroll to last photo).
It took a while to install the two anchor straps around the back seat. But when we attached the harnesses to the anchor strap, the harnesses moved easily up and down the strap. We put our baby crib mattress across the back seat of the car, put the harnesses on our children and hooked the harnesses to each anchor strap.
Voila! Not only could they move around and lie down to sleep, they could see out the windows–just like the grownups! They could NOT stand up and they would NOT be thrown forward or sideways far enough to hit their heads.
Take a look:
Do these photos make my heart melt? Absolutely! I loved having our children free to play games, sleep, look at books, watch the scenery or whatever else their hearts desired.
This road trip and others like it are among my favorite memories. Even though we had occasional melt-downs, these were great adventures.
Here we are in Bryce Canyon. I think this was our daughter’s first introduction to Bartlett pears that I hadn’t already cut up and put in a small bowl. She’s likely thinking something like this: ‘Do I have to get my hands and face messy?’
Our son’s eyes (see below) crack me up! Learning by example? This may be one of the most enjoyable lessons he ever had, or that I ever offered. As always, he’s ready to chow down, mess and all! Fashion note: I’m wearing one of D’s shirts under my tank top. It’s a bit cool outside. Also, just above, don’t miss the hip blue jean decoration I sewed onto my jeans and D’s (see last photo).
Finally, my beautiful hairy beast husband (It’s summer and we’re not at the Bible College!) with our sweet children at Bryce Canyon’s Inspiration Point. A fine setting for the three people who inspire me more than any others in the whole wide world.
That’s all for now, folks!
To be continued….
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 15 October 2015
Photo credit: Elouise (Inspiration Point photo); DAFraser (all others)
Telling the Truth 