July 14th: I scrolled through Blog & FB Memory posts 💻 & answered PM's; while watching a little gray & black chickadee hop across Betsy's bright red hood, while I enjoyed my coffee, this morning.
We really do have a blessed Life 👩❤️💋👨 - and that life is getting better with each passing Day 😘
I also & watched the sky, fervently hoped and prayed the dust cloud that had blowing across the peninsula all week long - would lift and disappear, so we could escape these 4 walls.
When Holland woke up and drained his coffee mug, we did escape for a couple hours. Holland had a few items he wanted to pick up at the Builder's Supply Store in Long Beach, and I wanted to grab a few frozen bags of assorted veggies on the way back home.
Climbing into Betsy, I noticed a couple vehicle freshener packets that Holland had apparently gotten from his trip to Astoria the other morning; when he took Betsy over the bridge for an oil change. When Holland joined me in Betsy's cab, I said, "I don't know if my lungs will allow these - these things can get pretty potent … those horrible tree and poodle things can be smelled a mile away from the cars that use them." Holland said, "These aren't that strong. The scent is called 'Ice', and it's a milder scent."
The air in Betsy is needing a refreshing boost.
I looked at the [ify] packet, and mentally weighed the possibilities.
I looked back at my husband; he also has lung complications - if he thinks it is a safe thing … maybe it is.
I decided to risk opening the packet: if it was too strong, it could be trashed - no harm, no foul.
It did smell good, the scent wasn't aggressive, and my lungs didn't go apoplectic on me. It was hung 🤞
Then we were off to take care of business; and even found time for a relaxing drive, comfy companiable convo, and a few [Past tidbits] interludes 😁
First, a stop at the Pioneer Market to grab a couple of burrito's: I also silenced my phone. I'm tired of the nonsensical "breaking news" - and I am seriously fed up with the jeffery epstein thirst traps that lead away from truly important things happening in the now 😒🙄🤦🏻♀️
Then, the trip to the Lumber Yard:
While Holland was locating & grabbing what he was needing; I grabbed a leather pouch. I'm going to find a way to attach it to my backpack; to use with my camera when hiking. It will keep the camera from swinging back and forth - and the camera strap from tugging at my tender neck skin, while walking.
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Needs taken care of, we drove into Ilwaco; Holland likes to sit and watch water - whenever and wherever 😉 - and I appreciate the peaceful vibes that comes over his whole person when we are indulging his preferred pastime 💕
Driving towards the Marina, I saw people dinking around with piles of sand, so I asked Holland to pull over, so I could get a picture of the truck feature. He did - and I asked the people what they were doing, and why they were doing it: they said there is a sand sculpting event coming up, and they were working on that. It sounds interesting, and I want to go see it:
He watched the water, talked about boats & fishing - and I watched various birds (wrens, geese, seagulls …) & listened: my husband has a gentle voice, and I learn a lot about him when he is talking - what inspires him, how much he misses his youngest brother who died (they worked together, they fished together; they were very close), his hopes & dreams … he is calm & peaceful, when he's near water. In these peaceful moments, he relaxes and feeds me Past tidbits.
When we were leaving Ilwaco, I caught sight of the siding of a house that was interesting - so, I asked Holland if he'd get closer, so I could snag a picture of it: I have seen this detail many times, on many houses; but I've never seen the fancy detail cover the entire side of a house.
I was curious:
Upon closer inspection, as we drove around the house, I saw that only that side wall had been covered in such a manner - the rest of the house was the original shiplap siding.
The next house that caught my attention, was kinda along the same detail theme - but, this house had Historical Past tidbits attached to it's simplicity …
{{In 1914, Roy Herrold bought into the Tokeland Oyster Company and served as its manager for many years. He had previously owned and operated fish-traps in Baker Bay.
The traps were “sanding-in” caused by the advent of the jetties and this necessitated a change in occupation in order to support his family Elfreda (wife), Bernard, Betsy, Harlan, Charlotte, Catherine, and David.
Charlotte Elfreda Harrold: (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63458522/charlotte-e-davis)
Catherine Harrold: (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52142515/catherine-troeh & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Troeh)
Jane Harrold: (http://www.inthetote.com/jane-herrold.html)
Chief Comcomly-WA: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comcomly)
When school was out in the spring, we as a family prepared to leave Ilwaco and go to the oyster station for the summer. We would go to the depot and board the train for Nahcotta… The ride to Nahcotta seemed to take a long time. Finally, we arrived at the railroad dock and there was the “Tokeland” waiting to take us to the oyster station. We all crowded into the cabin. It seemed that it was always rough when we crossed the channel near the dock. The boat would roll but it wasn’t very long before she got into calmer waters.
Our principal entertainment while at the oyster station was playing the Victrola and making wooden projects in the box-house out of materials used to build boxes to ship oysters. When the weather was good we would go ashore to Fresh Water Creek and pick blackberries. Our lunches were something which I always like to remember; fresh homemade bread and Goulter’s canned beef. Van Camp’s beans were also part of the picnic. The Herrold family lived on one end of the living quarters which consisted of one bedroom downstairs and three large bedrooms upstairs.
Downstairs, a huge desk stood in the corner of the room which needed a stool to reach the working area. The dining table was located nearby which was the main center for solitaire. A large kitchen was joined by a woodshed which housed the wooden tank with the drinking water supply. The Japanese workmen lived in the adjoining section of the house….
The oysters which came to these stations were culled and graded by Japanese workers and placed in bins which were covered with water. These were what was classified as “selects, 400, 600 and 800”. They were shipped to San Francisco where Charlie Shippey, the broker, arranged for their sale.
Excepted from “Oyster Stations” by David Herrold, They Remembered Book 3, ©Ilwaco Heritage Foundation, 1992}}
Then a memory pricked Holland's gray matter, and he started looking for the house he had worked on, in Ilwaco, somewhere in the timeframe of 2007-2008.
More Past tidbits:
Back in Ocean Park, I did a quick lap into Oakie's Grocery Store to grab my frozen veggies for my ramen noodles; and we both laughed when I showed him what else I snagged:
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And Holland made a watermelon-cuke salad for a fast & tasty Supper.
Today - from start, to finish - was a good Day 💓
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