Over two years ago, our now ten-year-old grandson from California,
Kestrel, informed us that a total eclipse was going to pass over Oregon
on August 21, 2017, and no matter what, he was going to be here for it.
And he was. Along with his brother, parents and a host of our
relatives... 27 people altogether. It so happened that our farm was in
the narrow path of totality.
Since a total eclipse is the union of sun and moon, and since Johnny and
I have been married 50 years this year (actual anniversary in
February), I decided we should also celebrate the 50 1/2 year union of
Johnny and Linda. And so we did.
Kestrel and his brother Cedrus and their parents arrived by car on
Thursday, Aug. 17. Grandson Ian from Washington also arrived that day...
by train. All of those people cooked meals and helped get ready for the
party. Plus took hikes to the river and through the arboretum. Johnny
and I each took photos. So many photos that I am dividing them into
three blogs: before the eclipse, during the eclipse, and after.
We spent weeks before anyone arrived emptying the carriage house of its
stock trailer, horse trailer, surrey, horse cart, jump standards and
poles, cavalettis, bicycles, bamboo poles and a host of other stuff.
Then we moved in tables and chairs from Johnny's Methodist Church and
from our house (with help from our grandkids). The empty carriage house
(pole building) made a roomy, shaded area for the meal and for Kestrel
and Cedrus to give a dance performance. The surrey became the stage
where Kestrel, on guitar, and Cedrus, on keyboard, provided music for
our anniversary celebration. We could not have had better weather for
the party and for the eclipse... not a cloud in the sky.
Part One: Getting ready...
...putting up parking signs to direct people to the parking areas
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| Ian, Johnny, Kestrel |
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| Ian standing in the back, Cedrus driving... |
...loading chairs and trays onto the EZ Go from the house to take to the party area...
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| Ian in back, Cedrus driving, Kestrel riding shotgun |
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| Unloading at the carriage-house-turned-party-site |
After parental units Steve and Munazza arrived (Ian's parents were
unable to come), we hiked to the creek to cool off... and some of us to
clamber about on logs...
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| Steve, Ian, Cedrus and Kestrel |
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| Kestrel and Cedrus |
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| Steve, Ian, Cedrus |
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| Ian |
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| Munazza and Johnny |
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| Skipping rocks and drowning stick and leaf boats... |
The kids wanted to walk across on this log on the bank, so Ian obliged by moving it across the stream. Ian is strong.
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| Kestrel and Cedrus crossing on Ian's log |
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| Ian pretending to balance as he wades across instead of walking the log |
Hikes involve blackberry picking, of course. And sometimes, laugh-filled battles over the blackberry pail.
On Saturday, the guests began arriving...
 |
| I had not yet
removed the llamas from the eclipse viewing area. Cassandra, Johnny's
niece, was intrigued by them... until they spit on her. Naughty llamas. I
think they were spitting at each other while vying for the treats she
was feeding them, but their spittle goes everywhere. I moved the llamas
to a distant field for Eclipse Day. |
After farm tours and talk and a lunch of Johnny's chili and more, we all convened at the Wildwood Cafe for supper on Saturday night. On Sunday, some folks went to the coast, others back to the farm, and others rested at the hotel, getting ready for the big day, Monday.
Next up: Part Two... Eclipse Day
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