A Real Fishy Story

I went to look at my sister-in-laws blog tonight and accidentally clicked on mine. Interesting how things happen like that. I have wanted to get back into blogging for awhile but every time I thought to do it something would happen and I just didn't get to it. I read through my few entries from last year and it is interesting that not many things have changed. The boys have gotten a year older and are forever fun and full of energy. I am getting ready to get back into the swing of volleyball and have done a little canning but am waiting for peaches to come on.

I did do something very different this summer. I worked at Marion Forks Fish Hatchery as a summer laborer. I had SOOOOOOOO much fun. I am most at peace in the out of doors. I have always felt like I would love to live in a cabin in a remote area of Alaska for a time. Not forever, but just to be out there roughin it for a bit. I read a book about a guy that built his own cabin in the Alaskan wilderness all from handmade tools but that is an entirely different story. So obviously not ready for that adventure in my life, I decided to work in the outdoors at the hatchery. I started by clipping the adipose fin off of fingerling Spring Chinook Salmon. These are hatchery raised fish that need to be identified in this way so when they are caught fisherman will know they are a legal catch and not wild salmon. I worked in a large trailer with some really great people clipping and tagging fish. I also drove between eight and twelve high schoolers up to clip as well. I will say it is always an adventure working with kids. Put them in a trailer with a bunch of fish and it can get really interesting. lol.

After a few weeks of clipping I became a regular hatchery worker. I did some really cool stuff and some really manual labor type stuff that seemed to help me shed a few pounds. My two very favorite job adventures were stocking high land lakes with rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout. We packed the fish to the lake and then acclimated them for release. I enjoy hiking and finding new places so this was definitely a highlight and the scenery of course was beautiful, so peaceful. My second favorite was working with the adult salmon and steelhead. I administered immune booster type shots to the adults at the trap to help them make it through the summer until the hatchery can harvest the eggs from the females. It was amazing getting my hands on these big creatures. Really slimy but amazing. They are so strong and put up such a fight when out of the water.

I mentioned manual labor. There are so many technical things that go on at a hatchery. I used to think "how neat, all these typically tan fellows walking around in their brown suits feeding fish, looks like great fun". What I had never really thought about was how do they keep the place looking so neat and clean and keep those little fish alive. Thus the manual labor. Circular pond and raceway cleaning are not for the flimsy armed. Lets just say a really long handled broom and a lot of sweat give you the end result of a clean living environment for the fish. I actually carried deodorant with me to work every day and used it a couple of times every day. Another thing I realized is feeding the fish, though it may look easy and fun, can actually be eight miles of walking daily with a heavy bucket. Some days the fish just decide they don't want to eat on your schedule so you do a lot more walking to try and persuade them to eat. Despite the hard work I will have to say working at the hatchery was a blast.

I have shared a little about my hatchery duties but the best part of the job was the crew. I got to know some really great fellows that are tan and wear brown hatchery clothes. They are dedicated to their work, fun, fun, fun to be around, great teachers, patient and answered all of my questions.

I could go on for days about my summer experience but am still catching up on some much needed sleep (I forgot to mention I got up at four and started work at six) so you may hear various stories from the hatchery in my upcoming blogs. I am hoping to stay consistent in my posts. I really do enjoy writing and reading other posts, it is just spending time on the computer that I struggle with the most. So my summer resolution is to blog, blog, blog (well maybe a fall resolution after the summer fun).

Hope you have enjoyed my fish stories and hope to hear about some of your summer adventures too.

Time Well Spent and a change of season

The Fellas and I headed to the beach last Sunday. We had so much FUN! We found this perfect little spot in a perfect little town and we loved it. We were on the beach but there was this little river running through the beach area and the boys had a blast playing in the "ocean river". It was shallow and perfect for Sea Treasure Hunting. We jumped waves, built shark traps, sand castles and played football. We ended our beach venture with Mo's fish, chips and chowder. I felt so thankful to be blessed with such a fun day with my family.

On Monday volleyball started. I am coaching the varsity team here at Santiam High. I felt a little anxious to start coaching again but things have gotten off to a great start. I enjoy working with the girls. It is a privilege to have a tiny chance to encourage them a long the way. I am thankful that my hubby enjoys working with me and is a huge help. We are able to bring the kids with us so we feel we are doing this together. The boys love being at the gym.

I am seeking to find joy in the little things. Not to be consumed by worry or petty issues. Sitting on the beach with Luke, watching him build a shark trap. Listening to what he had to say. Listening to the girls on my team. Hoping to find ways to encourage them. Coaching to me is so much more than the sport itself. I hope to impact the girls in a way that will be lifelong. I hope they will feel cared about by someone who doesn't have to care but chooses to. I had many coaches in my life make great impact. I am thankful to get the chance to give back. I do like to win. I am quite competitive. So hopefully we will get a few W's but if we don't I hope I can say we grew as a team and I made a difference somewhere a long the way.

We have had a great summer but I always get excited for Fall. I don't like the boys going back to school but I am thankful that I have the opportunity to take such an active role in their school and activities. I love Fall. I love the thought of leaves changing colors. I love cold nights when the window is open but you bundle under the covers. I love Friday night football games. I love reading with the boys. I love fires in the wood stove. I love making stew. I really love all of the seasons but will have to say Fall is one of my favorites. So, with that said what season or seasons do you love and why?

P.S. Garbage bags are used to put coats and backpacks in at school to fight the spread of lice. I did enjoy reading some of your guys' ideas.

School Supplies

Has anyone shopped for school supplies recently? I went on the big school supply adventure last week. I have serious issue with the school supplies supplier. Why do stores always run out of Pink Pearl Erasers and Glue Sticks? I went to three stores to find 5 pink pearl erasers. It's not like they wouldn't sell them later if they had overstock. This is also the first year we have needed a calculator. Elijah's teacher wanted a solar calculator. This was no easy task. I was looking for a small, simple calculator. The only ones left in the stores were the kind that you have no idea what most of the buttons mean or do. You could most likely create a rocket with it and my bright young 4th grader would be absolutely lost trying to figure out how to do multiplication. I finally found one, the last, lone green calculator at a Bi-Mart in Albany. I felt like it was Christmas and I was looking for that gift that everyone wants and the stores have sold out of. I was so happy when I found it.

The second issue I have with school supplies is that you need to take out a small loan to purchase everything. Buying for three school kids (now that Luke will be in Pre-School) was quite a chunk of change. Not only do we need pencils, crayons, paper etc. we also supply the school with Kleenex boxes, batteries and garbage bags (protection from lice). Do other schools do the white garbage bag thing? It has been a great protector from lice outbreaks at the elementary school. So, money well spent on the garbage bags.

I think one of the main reasons I have issues with school supplies is that it means it is time for the boys to go back to school. I like them home in the summer and this summer has flown by.

I will have to say the boys were really excited to get all of their supplies and put them in their backpacks. We still need to sharpen and label 300 pencils. Labeling pencils. I will devote an entire chapter in the book I hope to write someday about labeling pencils.

Speaking of books. Anyone have any great summer reads worth noting. I am finishing up three or so books I have been reading this summer. One about folks that moved to France "A Year in Provence" great book, very funny. Another about being an Indian Scout "The Way of the Scout" very interesting, I want to learn how to be not seen and not heard (may come in handy someday) and one that has been very uplifting called "The Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyer. Great read about how much we battle in our thoughts that is so not necessary. Lots of good stuff. Would love to hear if any of you read a good book that you would recommend. Nothing sad. I don't do sad right now. No sad movies, books etc. I am working on Happy Thoughts. My next book "Water for Elephants" about the start of the circus. Sounds like home.

Also would like to note that I am still canning applesauce. Oh my word. It is never ending. Applesauce looks so pretty in the jars. I also canned 10 quarts of pickles. This is a family favorite. The boys are having a hard time grasping the concept of having to wait until November to eat the pickles. Rule of thumb. Enjoy the harvest of summer and save the bounty of can goods for the Fall/Winter months.

The highlight of the week was the play "The Wizard Of Oz" in which Elijah played the part of Mayor Munchkin and Levi was an Evil Magic Flower. They were Fantastic. I had to bribe Levi with 5 bucks to actually play the part of the flower. He did a great job. Elijah had a few lines with his part and was the perfect fit for Mayor Munchkin. We went to both performances and had a great time. Luke enjoyed watching his brothers and vowed never to take part in a play. I'm hoping he is up for bribes when he is older. I remember before having kids vowing we would never bribe the boys. We now look at it as a reward system. Actually, we don't pull out the bribe too often. I guess I felt Levi being an evil magic flower was bribe worthy. We gave Elijah five bucks for doing such a great job and really working hard the entire week.

Well I think I am done with this random post. Hope you all enjoy the remainder of summer. And let me know your thoughts on school supplies. And whatever else you want to talk about.

Canning and the revolving door

I love to can. I just finished marionberry jam (Steve's favorite) and pickled beets(new for me this year). I am currently working on applesauce. In my opinion Gravenstein apples make the best sauce. My friend gave me two buckets of wormy Gravenstein apples and I spent most of my day yesterday peeling them. I completed a five gallon bucket and got three quart jars of applesauce. I contemplated whether or not it was worth the work but after tasting the sauce I quickly concluded that it was. Warm homemade applesauce. Yummy.

So about my revolving door. I live in a great neighborhood. There are about 70 young kids (mostly boys) that live in a close distance to our home. My house tends to be home base. It is amazing how many kids end up here on any given day. Yesterday I left the house to pick blueberries (yum) and upon my return found a handful of kids playing war in my back yard. Now the funny thing is is that there are kids that come over and are not even playing with my boys. They are in the house playing legos or shooting baskets on our indoor hoop. My friend Meghan came by yesterday and my house was in its usual disaster mode. I was canning and kids were everywhere. I was making excuses to why things were so messy etc. and she commented on all of the kids. I said yeah it gets wild around here sometimes but I love it that my boys like to be at home and that I don't mind the chaos most of the time. She then made a comment that really hit home. She said it is neat that the neighborhood kids feel so comfortable here and obviously have fun.

My mom died when I was seven. I try hard to remember what our home was like when she was alive. She loved to can. Some of my clearest memories of my mom include blackberry jam and green beans. She loved kids. I do remember having my brothers' friends run in and out of our home playing Cowboys and Indians and all sorts of other boy games. Our friends felt comfortable with my mom. She made our home inviting. When people came to visit one of the first things my mom would ask them is "Are you hungry? Can I get you something to eat or drink?" No one felt like a stranger in our home.

So as I ponder the chaos at my house I am thankful. I am thankful that the neighborhood kids find comfort and fun here and that my own boys enjoy being home. I know my mom would have loved to have stayed here on earth with us three kids and all of our mess and chaos. So when things seem out of order and my house runs amok with kids I feel blessed (most of the time). As for my canning. I have lots left to do. My next venture will be beans, then pickles, pickled vegetables, peaches, maybe pears, and hopefully Salsa YUM YUM!

I would love to hear about canning. What do you can or if canning sounds as fun as having the hives. Or any home stories you have especially during these crazy summer months. I hope some of you blog readers decide to start blogging or at least make comments. It is so much fun to hear your stories!

Weddings

This last Saturday our family attended the wedding of Steve and I's ring bearer. Wedding are always emotional for me but this one especially brought an onslought of emotion. I am very close to this family and seeing how quickly Chad has grown up made me realize again how quickly time goes by.

I cherish my boys. I have loved every phase, truly have loved them, dirty diapers and 2 a.m. feedings all of it. The wedding was a reminder to me of how quickly my boys are growing. I will have to admit it is a tough issue for me. I want to hold onto them. I want them to stay little. I want them to always want to watch Little Bear. I have to lay this down every day at the Lord's feet because I struggle with trust. Trusting that He loves these little guys so much more than I can imagine and that He loves me enough to walk me through my faith issues.

So my time with the boys is precious. My house is messy at times, my couch isn't a place to sit on it is a where I put clean laundry that needs to be folded but, I am okay with this. My prayer these days is that God will keep me here with my boys for as long as they need me. I hope they need me well into their 70s.

Weddings. I love weddings. I would love to be a wedding coordinator someday. I would love to tell the bride and groom to cherish every moment they have together. To thank God for every blessing and to know that life is precious and that time goes by much too quickly. Someone once told me that she wished she would have left the dust on her baseboards and would have let her boys get dirty. I am thankful I had that bit of advice before I had my three dirt clouds. My baseboards are full of dust. Showers are manditory at the end of the day because my boys are black from the dirt they accumulate throughout their ventures. Someday my house will be organized, all of my laundry will be put away and I won't have any stuffed animals in my bed and I will long for the days of little boys running through the house with guns and light sabers.

Trust. I am thankful we have a God we can trust with the most precious life has to offer, our kids.

Technical Difficulties

It is an amazing feat that I went online, created my own blog (without the help of my computer whiz hubby) and found the time and truly enjoyed blogging. I have zero patience with parking and computer difficulties. We have a "virus" safeguard on our computer. Little did we know that the safeguard informed us of problems but failed to protect us from certain issues that create computer messes. Thus I have been out of the blogging world for a little while due to the computer being in the shop. Hopefully we are now truly safeguarded and I will be up and running. I am working on patience with my computer and parking with my hubby (not parking but parking). So hopefully you will check in and tell me some of your lack of patience issues so we can work on or at least commiserate with one another on our shortcomings. Have fun today! Finch

Fishing

I come from a long line of fishermen. I like to think some of my Greek Fishermen relatives were amongst those who walked with Jesus as he traveled Greece. My grandfather came over to America from Greece when he was sixteen. He came with his uncle and was separated from him in the San Francisco fires. He didn't speak English and was alone. I can't imagine one of my sons alone in a foreign country at sixteen. I never met my grandfather but have been told many stories about how much he loved to fish; about how he would sit on his haunches on the bank of a river for hours and fish.

My father loved to fish. Most of my childhood memories of my Dad involve the smell of sawdust or fishguts. He worked in a plywood mill and when he wasn't doing that he was fishing. I learned at a young age how to rig my own fishing pole and bait my own hook. I have caught many fish out of the Santiam river near Sweet Home were I grew up.

I married a city boy. He now loves to fish. The fellas love to fish. Luke bares the middle name "Rivers" a tribute to my fishing ancestory. I am proud to say that all three of the boys, Elijah, Levi and Luke, have all caught their own fish. We often fish above Detroit lake on the river. We have a friend in the fish hatchery business, he has shown us some dandy spots. The boys love to put squirming worms on their hooks, wade into the frigid waters and cast their poles. It is so much fun to see their excitement when they catch a rainbow beauty. I have little time to fish when we go. I spend most of my time helping retrieve their lines when they get snagged which is about every three minutes. I am now the master of re-rigging as I tend to do about every four minutes. We go through a lot of hooks.

We were driving home late one evening from one of our many fishing adventures and the passage in Mark came to mind. "As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him." Mark 1:16-18 NIV. I was reminded that God has equipped us to not only be fishers of fish but more importantly to be fishers of men, women and children. I was struck with thought that I (we) are so excited to go out on our fishing excursions but don't always approach sharing the love of Jesus with as much excitement. I get caught up in snags of life and re-rigging, often feeling so overwhelmed with my own life situations that I lose sight of the fact that I have God as my Savior and no matter how rough things may seem I have eternal hope but there are so many that are lost and feel nothing but hopelessness. I prayed as we drove and have continued to ask God to make me a fisherwoman of people. That I would lay down my net as quickly as the men in the Bible did (in the message it says that "they didn't ask questions") and tell others about our Awesome Savior. I also prayed and continue to pray that God would take my three little fishermen and open their hearts to His great love and that they too would continue to fish the rivers but more importantly fish for souls.

Are you fishing? I hope so. Feel free to share a fish story or two.