Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Memories of Grace

My former mother-in-law, Grace Eales VanPetten.
Born Nov. 21, 1921. Died May 28, 2008. Mother of 3 boys, grandmother of 3 boys and 3 girls.
I am glad to have known her. We had some rough times, but I will always admire her for her courage and spirit. She was an RN in the US Navy, wife to a Navy doctor. She raised her boys in a few exotic places, including her beloved Japan.
We did fun things together over the years, including a piano concert at the Breakers in Newport, RI, days on the beach at Locke Lake. No one ever made me quite as car-sick as Grace; she drove like a maniac (meaning FAST). No one made leftovers taste as good as she did. I'll always cherish the memory of Ben's graduation from high school in 2001....Grace and Karl both came and stayed with me so they could be there for Ben. I'm so glad we could make amends and become friends in her final years.

I will miss her!



Grace with Ben, early summer, 1983.



KL and Nana having a game as Ben, Dad & Mom look on.



Thanksgiving, 1983



Grace & Van with the Belden gang, 1989

Memorial Day weekend with the pigs

We spent Memorial Day weekend up in McArthur with Dolores Roark at her Pig Farm. It was time for shots before the little gilts (that's what she calls them) can be sold. Here are some pictures of her sows and some of the babies getting ready for market.















The little boogers are hard to keep ahold of, and man! do they squeal!!!

Memorial Day--en route to McArthur

Poison Lake---aren't these formations weird?






Beautiful reflections on a cloudy day.



A large variety of wildflowers in bloom












Manzanita looks so pretty, even when it's dead









Red dirt!

How to plant a rock

The first step of course is to dig a hole
Next, find a boom truck and a good rock



Make adjustments as you go along
Stop and pose for the camera occasionally

Unhook cable from rock



Final Step---relax!