Good Bye Alice

Before he died in August 2006 my father told my mother and me that when the time came he wanted to be cremated and to have his ashes scattered on the trails in Forest Park.  After retirement Mom and Dad spent many happy years hiking those trails. Their goal for many years was to hike 5 miles a day.  Forest Park has miles of trails and they visited many of them.  As my dad's health failed and hiking was no longer an option, my mom, dad and I would often park near the trail head on Cornell Road and enjoy a maple bar and a cup of coffee. Leaving his ashes near  this favorite spot, across the canyon from our old house seemed like a perfect ending for my dad. It took two years but Mom, David, my cousin Maren, Geri Zinkan the caregiver, and I went up to the park July 2008 and did exactly as my father wanted.  We enjoyed maple bars and coffee. We also enjoyed stories of Walt, Do Good, Grandpa, Daddy.

Over the following years, my mom told me that she also wanted her ashes to be scattered near daddy's.  I assured her that I would do that for her.  However, when she passed away March 3, 2011, David and Syvart  were unable to stay in Portland long enough for us to go to Forest Park together, and I didn't want to do it without them.

 Six years after mom died,  David and Syvart are in Portland at the same time.  It's time for all of us to have a proper goodbye to mom, Grandma, Alice. We got up early in the morning to arrive at Forest Park trail head on Cornell Road before too many day hikers arrived.  We might have found the tree that has Do Good's ashes, and if we didn't we were close.  We took turns scattering the ashes and said goodbye.  We then adjourned at a picnic table and sipped coffee and maple bars. Telling stories of Alice was bitter sweet.  We all miss her kindness, patience, intelligence, sense of humor and the love she gave us.

We miss you Alice, but you are always with us.

July 10, 2017- Taylor, Jamar, Syvart and David. Saying goodbye to Alice.

 We miss you too Walt.

July 24, 2008- David, Geri Zinkan, Maren, Alice and Jamar saying goodbye to Walt.

Sunday in the Country

Margit invited all of us to her home on Bald Peak Mountain for lunch, a swim, and a hike. 

Thank you Margit for such a special day.

Swimming is a serious job for boys and dads.

Some of us played croquet.

Taking a solitary walk.

Wow!  A car!

Lunch on the front patio was perfect.

Bubbles in the Backyard

It's very, very hard to blow bubbles this big.

Uncle Syvart and Auntie Iris know how to blow bubbles.

Solomon, the Urban Grazer

The neighbors down the street have an apple tree in their parking strip.  Apples are all over the sidewalk.  One day Solomon and his mom walked to the tree and found a few that weren't too bruised or buggy.  They brought them home and had a fabulous snack.  Yum.  Apples right off the tree.

We're a Reading Family

Green Eggs and Ham is still a children's favorite.

Books, books every where - for boys and for grownups.

Baby Group Reunion in Olympia Washington

The family was a little subset of all the old friends meeting in Nancy Ford's garden. What a fun day.  Thank you, Nancy.

Chia and Solomon, David, Jamar, Bette Luke and Larry Luke.

Strawberry Season in Grandma's Garden

(2y0m6d)

奶奶有個漂亮的花園，森森每天在這裡玩水騎車和享用晚餐。花園不只有各色盛開的花，薄荷香菜等香料植物，還有當季水果。森森一手採草莓，另一手就急著把草莓塞進嘴裡。夏天的庭園樂趣就在於和鳥，松鼠，和螞蟻爭食果食。(by Chia Lin)

(2 Y0m6d)

Grandma has a beautiful garden, forest to play water ride and enjoy dinner every day. The Garden is not only a flower in bloom, mint parsley, etc and a season of fruit. Forest Strawberries, and the other one was rushing to put strawberries in his mouth. The Summer garden is fun with birds, squirrels, and ants. (Translation by Google)