Category Archives: Colville

Monday Recap

The last week of October was a very busy one for us. Soon the golden beauty of October will fade.

While JJ was here in the afternoon, last Monday the 27th of October, he was able to make friends with this neighborhood cat that we are calling Stubs. Gramps actually named him because of his lack of tail. He’s friendly but we found out that he also likes to nip.

Stubs came for another visit during the week to say hello. Then another neighborhood cat came on the scene.

Friday we had the well drilling company in town come and replace a brass fitting. We noticed water on the ground in the well pump house and they determined that the fitting was cracked and needed to be replaced. It’s all fixed and we are happy to have that taken care of before winter.

Friday night was Halloween and time for our Colville family to come and Trick or Treat. They are our only trick or treaters. They came after their stop at our church Trunk or Treat Harvest Festival.

The hunting family with all their gear. Addy and JJ are enjoying one of the treats that Gramps and Baba found for them, creepy gummy eyes!

I trust your last week of October was a good one. Onward we go into November and adjusting to the time change, again!

Everyday Images #74

October/November Prompts – Everyday Images #74
I’m sharing the next installment of Kym’s Everyday Images Prompts and will link up with her blog this coming Thursday. The prompts this time around were, spooky, black and white, trees, blaze, selfie and ornate.
Thank you, Kym.
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spooky
black and white
My Pop
Greg’s Dad
trees
The tree above is from our Grands’ Granny’s home.
blaze
selfie (quarterly)
ornate
Edinburgh, St. Giles Cathedral.
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Happy November everyone! Is it just me or did October fly by? Today we are heading to Spokane airport to pick up my best friend from the Russian Baptist Church days in L.A. and her hubby. They are flying in today and will be with us until Tuesday. They are city mice and will see what country living is like here with us.
The last time they were in Washington state was at Josh and Laura’s wedding in 2001!
Ken, Heidi and Christina (my sister-in-law) from 2001 on our friends’ deck for an after wedding barbecue. Our friends were gracious to host our guests (family and friends) from out of town after the wedding.
Fresh photos from the country instead of the Western side of Washington coming soon.

The Rest of Weekend Last

Before the Corn Maze we enjoyed watching Addy play basketball. She had a great cheering squad with grandparents, great grandparent, parents, auntie, uncle and brother.

Auntie Lolo got some great action shots!

Addy scored twice!

After Basketball we headed across the street to our church gym to support the homeschool craft fair. We then had lunch before we headed to the Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze.

Sunday we were all seated in a row at church and after church we headed to our place for brunch before Uncle and Auntie headed home.

Gramps cooked up Swedish Pancakes that we all devoured.

A pause in our game of Skyjo to see if Josh could help JJ by pulling out his loose tooth. We all decided although loose, it was not ready to let go.

Addy serenaded us with Amazing Grace on the piano. She’s practicing for a presentation about piano at homeschool co-op this week.

Early in the afternoon the cars left our driveway for home and we put our feet up. We were so thankful to God for the time we could spend with one another.

Adieu to October Hodgepodge

Time for Joyce’s questions for the last October Hodgepodge of the this year.

1. Are you a risk taker? To what degree? 

I will take risks in the kitchen by trying new recipes or throwing things together in desperation for a meal.

2. What’s your favorite candy? Would you say you have a sweet tooth? 

I have sweet and sour favorites. See’s Almond Royal is a favorite. I gravitate to dark chocolates from Sees. I enjoy Mike and Ike’s Original Fruits. I do have a sweet tooth. My favorite kind of sweet is in pastry form and not overly sweet.

3. Somewhere you’ve been recently that had you feeling ‘like a kid in a candy store’? 

The new brand from Homegoods/TJMaxx/Marshall’s has been fun to explore. Sierra is the name of the store and it is a more outdoorsy themed store.

4. What do you think is the most effective way to make a positive change in the world? 

On my knees in prayer and keeping close in obedience to the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ my LORD.

5. Do you like surprises? 

Yes, but not in me being the center of attention as in surprise parties. I love a surprise visit from loved ones! I love a surprise sighting in the stores in town when I happen to run into our grands with their mom.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

Speaking of sweet surprises, It was a surprise when Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo  pivoted their plans for the weekend and drove to our side of the mountains after they heard our weekend company had their flights canceled. We were able to continue our Family Fall tradition of mastering the corn maze!

Corn Maze 2025

When we sent out a text to let our family know we were disappointed that our guests from Southern California wouldn’t be visiting for the weekend because their flight was canceled last minute by an Alaska Airlines IT debacle, Josh and Laura made an impromptu decision to jump in their car for a visit to our side of the mountains. There were some issues on I-90 after a bridge was damaged by an oversized semitruck earlier in the week so they chose roads less traveled to get to us.

On the roads they traveled they were rewarded with some beautiful views including this amazing moose! This was their first time seeing a moose up close.

They arrived later than usual on Friday evening. Soon after they arrived from their 6 hour journey the doorbell rang and our Colville kids dropped in to greet them, too. Our Colville crew was so excited to see Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo.

Saturday was a full day with Addy’s first basketball game this season, a homeschool craft fair, lunch on Bayles Mountain, a rainy trip to the Corn Maze and then back to Bayles Mountain for dinner and Skyjo.

It was so good to continue the tradition of conquering the corn maze together. Josh and Dan stepped in to keep us on track since our usual trusty guide, Katie, was not here this year. We found all 10 stations!

Once again, I have dear Auntie Lolo to thank for all the photos!

We made it! Before they picked out a couple of pumpkins, JJ and Addy fed some horses some grass that was greener on our side of the fence.

Thank you, Josh and Laura, for your trip to Colville. It was a full and fun family time with you here!

Basketball and Sunday photos will show up soon.

Oh, and we are happy to report our friends were able to get their flights changed for this coming weekend and we hope that there are no more issues and that they’ll arrive and depart smoothly!!

Everyday Images #73

October Prompts – Everyday Images #73
I’m linking up with Kim from A Fresh Cup of Coffee for Everyday Images/October Prompts
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More photos, less words.
leaf or leaves
at home (monthly)
harvest
gold as in golden anniversary
doorway (quarterly)
on my plate (quarterly)
Something that is on my plate this time of year is clearing out the flower beds in front and back of our property.
We have company coming today from Southern California and are looking forward to time to catch up with each other. My computer time will be limited.

O-range You Glad It’s October!

If it’s Wednesday it must be time for the Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce.

1. What do you like most about your family? 

The different Gifts that God has given to individual members of our family and how it enhances our times together. We have peacemakers,  servants, caregivers, loyal friends. We also have those who display gentleness, wisdom, discernment, faith, generosity, courage, wit, a sense of humor and above all love. We all have ongoing areas that God is sanctifying in us like humility, patience, and forgiveness, to name a few. None of us are perfect but hopefully we’ll cooperate with the Holy Spirit in growing us up in our faith and obedience to be more like Christ.

2. What’s something nice that’s happened to you recently? 
I received this special gift from Andrew and Katie from Scotland (Edinburgh). It will have a special post on Friday. The Islander Handbag Workshop invites you to design and craft your very own bespoke Islander Harris Tweed® handbag. 
3. Do you like the color orange? Besides a pumpkin and an actual orange, what’s something orange you love?
An orange sunset!
4.  What’s something you have now you couldn’t have imagined having five years ago? How does that make you feel? What’s possible now because of it? 
I’ll answer this on a temporal level. Five years ago our freedom to breathe, move about, worship and make our own health decisions was threatened by those in power or those who were given more power than they should have had. For me this threat to our freedom was oppressive, harmful and sad. I’m thankful for the common sense and freedom I feel now.

5. Let’s wrap this one up with an October this or that…

  • pumpkin bread or apple cider donut
  • cozy sweater or cozy hoodie
  • apple picking or pumpkin picking
  • scary movie or Hallmark movie
  • hay ride or corn maze
  • twinkle lights or candles
  • autumn hike or autumn bonfire

My answers are highlighted in Bold.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

These two found a huge boulder while they were digging to China!

Our Country Bungalow in Early Fall

This past week I walked out to the street to get a photo of the snow on the mountains across the way from our home. When I turned around to walk back I took these shots of our country bungalow in our current season.

We are enjoying a packed weekend in our state along with an overnight trip to our neighbors to the North in Canada. Next weekend we have some visitors flying in from Southern California.

Happy Saturday!

 

A Sunday Drive

After church and lunch on Sunday we headed north on Hwy 395 to State route 20 W and made a left onto Inchelium-Kettle Falls Road south along the Columbia River all the way to the Reservation town of Inchelium and then onto Gifford Ferry Road.

Along state route 20 we saw more of the fire devastation.

There are no towns along the twenty seven miles we drove along this route from Kettle Falls until we got to Inchelium.

Along the way we encountered rain showers.

Entering the small town of Inchilium on the Colville Indian Reservation and further on we hit the end of the road at the Inchilium-Gifford Ferry launch.

The ferry crossing is free and the small ferry holds approximately 8 vehicles.

It was a smooth ride.

Arriving in Gifford we headed north along Hwy 25 through Daisy and Rice and on to Kettle Falls and home. Daisy and Rice are very small communities.

Our neighbor’s tree greeted us in all it’s autumn glory. Soon all those leaves will fall.

We enjoyed our little Sunday drive even in the rain. We like to learn about the areas around us. It was fun to experience that little ferry across the Columbia river.

Charlie Kirk Day

This is the shirt I’m wearing today for the National Day of Remembrance of Charlie Kirk. Today, October 14th, would have been his 32nd birthday.  The front and the back is shown above. It’s a small gesture of respect for his short life.

“His life was shaped by his faith and the idea that in America, debate and discussion are crucial to the betterment of our country. He believed in God, the American dream, the value of family, and the principles of our great nation.”

On Monday morning we woke up with the tops of our higher elevations sprinkled with snow.

I’ll be happy for the real snow to hold off until at least November!

On the other side of town, the first fire of the season was lit and enjoyed!

Have you turned your furnace or fireplace on?