Fall Time 2011

Labor Day Weekend Ron's sister, Cyndi and her family came to visit. We invited them to join us in celebrating our daughter's birthday - and we were visiting the Evergreen Air Museum, Space Museum, and taking in a 3D movie at the Evergreen IMAX Theater.

My daughter and her husband are members at the museum so they were very helpful as we explored the exhibits all day long.

At first we took in the Air Museum featuring the Spruce Goose and lots of WWII Aircraft and early 1900's exhibits of aircraft, automobiles, and weapons used in war time.  Next we went to the Space Museum where we had lunch and continued our tour.

There is an exhibit which contains the actual lunch facility that has been moved from it's original site with the same computers, desks, artifacts including the steel doors.  Pushing a button to launch the countdown of 5 minutes begins with checks, count downs, 20% of the volume of the launching Titan Missle that made the walls shake.  It was really exciting.  The IMAX movie we watched was made by astronauts as the Hubble Space Telescope was built, lunched, fixed, and finally the views of the universe that it reveals.  It was an amazing experience.

After a great day that wore us all out - Ron's beautiful niece spent time with him sewing.  She is the Apple of Ron's eye!  She is a very talented seamstress - and she enjoyed making herself a school bag on his big machine.  She also upholstered a stool top - first experience at upholstery.  They both had fun.  Before they left we took them to the Salem River Front Park - where the "kids" had to ride the carousel!

We had a wonderful time and made them promise to come and see us again.  So they were invited to the 2011 Cider Press held by Ruth our Son-in-law's Mom, on her wonderful farm.  Ruth is so comitted to using the bounty from her farm that she invites friends to come to the farm in the fall and pick apples which are they washed, ground up, squashed and turned into fresh apple cider for everyone to share.  We also picked pears and other vegtables from her garden.  The guests shared a delicious pot luck the the fun of being on the farm for a few hours.  The cider press is an antique - made from barrells of wood slats and an electric motor that runs wooden cylinders to break up the apples.  Then it takes strong men to turn the press and extract the juice.  It is delicious. 

Ron's sister learned to add apples slowly so as not to jam the press.  I didn't do so well and soon got fired by the management!

My daughter and my grand dogs were there to help - and enjoy the fall bounty!

The food was great - Ruth's peers of retired school teachers were delightful to talk to.  It was fun!

Ron loves picking apples.  He worked hard and we brought home enough apples for lots of eating and pies.

The Vikings pictured above are Cyndi's husband Luis and Ron.  Luis earned his hat and shirt and badge of honor by surviving the "Warrior Dash" of 2011 in Portland Oregon.  Participants complete a grueling race through obstical course in the woods, though water and mud, under barbed wire - check it out - on the internet link below.  Ron claims his hat for being an old swede!  Cyndi thought she was marrying far away from the family heritage since Luis is from Panama - but go figure! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLnrnA4XMdc&feature=related

It is wonderful to have family come and visit us in Salem.  Next is my 70th Birthday celebration.  We will leave this week to spend a few days at our favorite beach resort and many of our family members will be joining us over the days.  I am so excited.  Maybe we will catch some crab!! 

Love to all. 
Thanks for looking in.