This has got the makings of the best Cyber Party we have ever had. Can't wait. Edie ----- Original Message ----- From: "gary & jill johnston" <onyerpockets@juno.com> To: <ARMSTRONG-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 7:09 PM Subject: [ARMSTRONG-L] Cyber-party! Yeee-HAW! > Well, Cousins, I'm coming out of the lurkers closet where I've spent > quite some time- with few comments- and joining the party! I must say, > when I first heard the idea, my left-brained practical nature suggested > it was a bit crack pot. BUT then my right brain kicked in and I've > decided that the world needs a bit more silliness and the camaraderie > which this obviously engenders. The genuine caring carries a warmth of > spirit which is absent from other lists. > > I gather that this will be a traveling party with many stops (sounds like > we need to take a week for this one) to sample foods, culture, foods, > historic sites, foods, and perhaps, foods. Yup, you're my kind of folks!! > > I live and teach in Vader, a small (pop. fewer than 800) ghost town in SW > Washington state (we're in books about ghost towns of the west). We're > about halfway between Seattle and Portland (a little closer to Portland, > though). To be anywhere, we have to drive about 30 min. north or south on > I-5. > > In the 1920s, Vader was the biggest city between Tacoma, WA and > Portland, OR due to a huge brick factory, logging, and some mining. There > was a hospital, several hotels and restaurants, and all the other > businesses supported by such industry in that time. > > When a fire wiped out the brick factory, there followed a mysterious > spate of house fires and subsequent exodus with insurance money... which, > I'm told, led to insurance companies omitting coverage for arson fires. > Now, there's the historic jail, the post office, K-6 school, the Little > Crane Cafe and store; the Mt. St. Helens Grocery/Gas/Deli; and Brook's > Nook, a restaurant/bar. > > PARTY INFO: > When you come, wear jeans and boots, cuz I'm inviting you out to the barn > to ogle our quarter horses. One will be about 9 mos. old when you're here > and I think you'll enjoy him. DOES THIS LIST SUPPORT ATTACHED PHOTOS??? > > As you come down the driveway, go slowly. There may be deer grazing > around the yard, and I get cranky when people scare them. One doe has > come around for years. You'll recognize her by her front leg which > doesn't extend. She limps along and can still clear a fence with ease. > And don't mind the cat- in the past year, he decided that being a wild > barn cat wasn't for him and he's become tame enough to pick up if you > want to. > > Ignore the condition in the house; we LIVE here. Be comfortable; make > yourself at home! I must admit to being no lover of cooking, but I will > bake cookies, the recipe which I begged from my maternal Grandma > Fahlstrom (whose mother was an Armstrong). They are Divinity Cookies, but > are nothing at all like divinity candy. (I'll give you the recipe before > you leave.) I'll also attempt to fry some chicken Marshallese style: > shoyu (soy sauce) put into the skillet while the chicken is frying. > Mmmmm! I'd offer some Swedish lefse, but mine was a brutal failure. The > beverage will be plenty of sweet, cold well water and raspberry tea, hot > and cold. > > After we eat, there are several choices of activities: 1) We'll be > playing authentic cowboy music by Ian Tyson, Michael Martin Murphy, and > Don Edwards, and I think you'll enjoy dancing the Poop Scoopin' Boogie > (don't worry- I'll teach you!); I'll even provide the carts and manure > forks! > > 2) You can visit Mount St. Helens Nat. Volcanic Monument if the roads are > clear by then. It's beautiful and there are about 5 interpretive centers, > 3 of which are Forest Service operated. You'll have a chance to be within > 3 miles of the crater; it's truly AWEsome. > > 3) You can go to Portland, OR and visit Powell's Bookstore. It's the > largest privately owned bookstore in the U.S. The 3 story main store > takes up an entire city block. In addition, there are a number of > specialty stores (travel, technology) and satellite sites. If you love > books, you love Powell's! It's always worth a pilgrimage. > > 4) If you're unfamiliar with horses, but are willing to learn, I'll give > you some 'lessons' on my gentle mare, Tia. It'll be in the round pen and > I'll be on the controlling end of her lead rope, so you won't have to > worry. And before you know it, you'll be able to pick up her feet, move > her any direction you want from the ground, and guide her from in the > saddle. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll learn- in about an > hour! I taught my very fearful, almost 79 yr. old mom last summer! She > glowed over that for weeks!! > > If you can stay into the night, we'll sit around a camp fire, steam > oysters to dip in melted butter, and share our genealogy stories and > anything else that comes to mind. Who knows where the crackle of a good > fire will take us! And because we're out in the country, we can enjoy a > very black sky filled with stars!- that's if it doesn't rain, of course. > We ARE in Washington! :-) > > I'm already looking forward to your visit! > > Your 'new' cuz, > Jill > OnYerPockets Quarter Horses > > PS- Pat T, I visited the Tyler area in June a few years ago; it was > absolutely beautiful! I had some of the BEST catfish I've ever eaten > there, so how much arm twistin' will it take to get you to serve some > when we visit you? :-) > __________________ > > "Gypsy gold does not chink and glitter. It gleams in the sun and neighs > in the dark." Gypsy saying >