26 May, 2020 - Historical Milton-Freewater & Putting Dirt Down
Dear, Mom -
Hello and a fine day to you, Mom! I am sending you a lot of love today. So much that it is pouring out over that which is suppose to contain it, but I've plenty more where that comes from.
I found a picture of Grandma when she was young that I adore. I would like to blow it up into a bigger print and hang it on my wall. It is very arty; a happy accident.
She looks so young here. I believe this must be when she was a teenager in North Dakota? She is leaning up against a tree that has been overexposed, but you can see her plain as day. I've always loved this picture. I miss Grandma. We'll see her again some day, though. No worries there.
Today, I worked with Bob. We were talking about where I grew up. I thought I had grown up here in Portland, but I told him I grew up in the only hyphenated town in America; Milton-Freewater. I learned a couple of very interesting things today. In 1889, a man with the last name of Mahana (like the twins, Leah and Lora and their Mom Judy and Dad Larry) was the founder of the 'Freewater' part of town. He first wanted to call Freewater "New Walla Walla". The townspeople made fun of him so he decided to call it "Wallaette" instead. Still not being able to get on the other side of being chastised, he settled on Freewater due to the fact he tried to entice people to move there by granting them free water rights. There used to be six saloons in Freewater. "The Boozerino" is the best name of one of them. Funny enough, the name dispute between Milton and Freewater went on for decades and it wasn't until 1950 that the two towns consolidated into the town we know and love of Milton-Freewater.
Here is a picture I took down on the railroad tracks from our house. You can see all the way down to the feed lot and out to Spofford. I really love this picture because it brings back so many memories of growing up in M-F and all the fun I had with Billy. It's so nice to see the foothills of the Blue Mountains in the distance, too.
Today, when I got home from Bob's, Paula had went and bought a yard and a half of dirt and had it waiting in the back of her truck. I knew I had an afternoon to evening's worth of work cut out for me, so I got to it. Let me tell you something: dirt is a heavy thing, shovel full after shovel full. I am definitely feeling it in muscles I forgot I had. Plus, I have been working on the yard steady now for a
couple of weeks. Below you can see my flower bed with new dirt and the spaces I need to fill with the wildflowers I have started from seeds.
I also have the beds in front to plant some new bushes, which I am opting to put more blueberries in.
I am concerned that my garden out back my not be giving my tomato starts enough sun. I cannot say they have grown much since I got them planted and fertilized. I am hoping I just need to be patient and it will happen eventually. If they don't grow, Paula has an abundance of tomatoes that I think she would like me to plant. She's going to have a lot of extra fruit. I guess it is a good thing she owns a sandwich shop where they can use the extra.
Tomorrow, if Sandahl is around after lunch, I would love to talk to you and see you on the video. I feel like it's been a long time. I have to go for another back adjustment from Dr. Scott tomorrow at 11:45, so after you eat lunch would be a great chat time. I'd like to hear how you are feeling and if the skin on your knees is healing. Aisha is such a great nurse, I'm sure you are healing up fast and fine.
I hope that I can bake some bread tomorrow. Wish me luck. I hope it will rise okay. I have a brand new packet of yeast, so this time it should rise really well and give me a nice loaf.
I will bid you good night, mom. I love you to pieces. I'm sending big hugs and kisses. Always. xoxox
Your Daughter, --Sally💕
Hello and a fine day to you, Mom! I am sending you a lot of love today. So much that it is pouring out over that which is suppose to contain it, but I've plenty more where that comes from.
I found a picture of Grandma when she was young that I adore. I would like to blow it up into a bigger print and hang it on my wall. It is very arty; a happy accident.
She looks so young here. I believe this must be when she was a teenager in North Dakota? She is leaning up against a tree that has been overexposed, but you can see her plain as day. I've always loved this picture. I miss Grandma. We'll see her again some day, though. No worries there.Today, I worked with Bob. We were talking about where I grew up. I thought I had grown up here in Portland, but I told him I grew up in the only hyphenated town in America; Milton-Freewater. I learned a couple of very interesting things today. In 1889, a man with the last name of Mahana (like the twins, Leah and Lora and their Mom Judy and Dad Larry) was the founder of the 'Freewater' part of town. He first wanted to call Freewater "New Walla Walla". The townspeople made fun of him so he decided to call it "Wallaette" instead. Still not being able to get on the other side of being chastised, he settled on Freewater due to the fact he tried to entice people to move there by granting them free water rights. There used to be six saloons in Freewater. "The Boozerino" is the best name of one of them. Funny enough, the name dispute between Milton and Freewater went on for decades and it wasn't until 1950 that the two towns consolidated into the town we know and love of Milton-Freewater.
Here is a picture I took down on the railroad tracks from our house. You can see all the way down to the feed lot and out to Spofford. I really love this picture because it brings back so many memories of growing up in M-F and all the fun I had with Billy. It's so nice to see the foothills of the Blue Mountains in the distance, too.
Today, when I got home from Bob's, Paula had went and bought a yard and a half of dirt and had it waiting in the back of her truck. I knew I had an afternoon to evening's worth of work cut out for me, so I got to it. Let me tell you something: dirt is a heavy thing, shovel full after shovel full. I am definitely feeling it in muscles I forgot I had. Plus, I have been working on the yard steady now for a
couple of weeks. Below you can see my flower bed with new dirt and the spaces I need to fill with the wildflowers I have started from seeds.
I also have the beds in front to plant some new bushes, which I am opting to put more blueberries in.
I am concerned that my garden out back my not be giving my tomato starts enough sun. I cannot say they have grown much since I got them planted and fertilized. I am hoping I just need to be patient and it will happen eventually. If they don't grow, Paula has an abundance of tomatoes that I think she would like me to plant. She's going to have a lot of extra fruit. I guess it is a good thing she owns a sandwich shop where they can use the extra.
Tomorrow, if Sandahl is around after lunch, I would love to talk to you and see you on the video. I feel like it's been a long time. I have to go for another back adjustment from Dr. Scott tomorrow at 11:45, so after you eat lunch would be a great chat time. I'd like to hear how you are feeling and if the skin on your knees is healing. Aisha is such a great nurse, I'm sure you are healing up fast and fine.
I hope that I can bake some bread tomorrow. Wish me luck. I hope it will rise okay. I have a brand new packet of yeast, so this time it should rise really well and give me a nice loaf.
I will bid you good night, mom. I love you to pieces. I'm sending big hugs and kisses. Always. xoxox
Your Daughter, --Sally💕
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