Random impressions of a river....

The following is in response to the request by Claudia of dVerse.com to write an impressionistic piece, creating the atmosphere or surroundings of a given time, writing quickly, not worrying about too many details, conveying the mood of the setting....fresh in my mind was last evening's get together of friends on a small deck overlooking a tributary that flows into the larger Columbia River:

Afternoon sun played through the branches

 of tall firs bordering the river.  

For lack of deep water to swing into, the old rubber tire hung by a hefty rope and

 the swimming hole across from us - abandoned 

yet looked so inviting.. 

River narrow at this point, shadows cast the

 darkest dark green on the water.

Shimmery sun spattered leaves spun light around, like small mirrors falling on the river surface. 

Rapids heard down stream, beyond a wide bed of rocks,  more exposed

 these summer days.  

More visible meant easier to find agates

 churned, culled over to a polish

 by the currents, recovered by scavengers;  some gold and clear, others cloudy with green and blue layers; some a pearly white or mottled, oddly shaped - 

thunder eggs

Many such found rocks line the wooden deck 

of the one bedroom cabin, 

 Collections found before in baskets, a home-made coffee table indoors.  The retreat is restful and cozy, with scents of pine and clover; flower boxes decorate steps,

 inner tubes at hand.

Making the short hike up and down easier, 

dirt paths angle back and forth,

 protruding bare roots provide steps on trails through trimmed arcs of branches. 

Through the small gorge, dusk sends a breeze;

  dabs of color dash across the other side

 Creativity and character define the surroundings 

 Reading's the main pastime
Conversations and stories take over,  pouring glasses of red wine

Paintings of Indian maidens adorn the walls.
Schnauzers snore quietly

Peering through darkening trees in a navy night sky
a waxing moon greets us
Unable to stop time from advancing,
at least it moved slowly for awhile
- for some friends 

 -

by klr

Latest mini-reunion Washougal WA...

Last week six former classmates and two of their spouses met at the Fields' cabin on the Washougal River for a mini-reunion.  From time to time other guests have been invited..so usually there are a couple more people. It was a beautiful day of 76 degree weather.  Three of us arrived early bringing salads, meat and cheese for sandwiches, snacks and drinks. Dessert was going to be a blackberry cobbler but this year the berries are slow to ripen.  We had pineapple upside down cake instead.

Kathy Y. and Linda D.                                                                                                                   View from porch
                                    

         Jim & Pam


       

James, Linda, Kathy Y., Me, Laura, Susie

If I were to describe the personalities of each   of these people,  I'm not sure I would do them justice.  All are very special people with many talents and accomplishments and now, much more wisdom.  Most have college degrees; some of us went our own ways, leaving the small town life for the city; others returned to White Salmon after going to college or working and raised their own children there, just as we grew, with similar childhoods, the usual haunts, places to swim and explore, and playing in school sports or participating in the chorus or band or shop,    just as we did, creating their own memories.  And, they cheered for the same teams and wore the same red and white colors of the Bruins.  Here is Laura in the kitchen of the cabin. 

                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Columbia High School                                                                                  Kathy Y. and Susie

                                                         

                  Washougal River                                                                 Photo by Mary Fields

Former teachers were a familiar topic of conversation.  Each visit we learn things about each other we never knew before and our relationships have grown from school friends and neighbors into adult, lifelong friendships.  We are now past middle age and turning 65 this next year. Susie and Laura and Kathy Y. are the world travelers.  Now Kathy G., Kathy Y. had just married off her only daughter who had just received a doctorate in pharmacology.  Linda provides a lot of common sense and a great sense of humor. Jim loves to hunt and fish.  At this writing, I still have not been to Ireland.  I've actually been here before...when we were young,  Laura and the family invited me to to the river where we rode inner tubes down the small rapids and swam.We floated in the water for hours.  


Some of us back to White Salmon regularly.  Not all of us have grandchildren, but we all talk fondly about our parents who are mostly gone now but who all knew each other back then and worked in town for the grocery store, school, bank, post office, law office, and newspaper and cleaners.  One had a furniture business and another worked for the city, all in close proximity of one another.  They played cards together, went camping next to each other and attended school concerts and plays to see us perform.  Living in town for most of those years, I lived on Green St. and Laura live right behind me.  We played, even after dark,  winter, summer, spring, and fall  throughout our lives.  This is Jewett Avenue, the main road going through downtown White Salmon.                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                              
 Fields' cabin                                                                                                                                                                                                      



The cabin is cozy and small, well situated and fully equipped.  Newly constructed, it has a kitchen, living room, shower and upstairs loft/bedroom.  There is a bathroom connected.  It looks across the river to a swimming hole where there is a rope to swing on. Only Laura went for a swim across the river as I preferred wading. 'Laura's sister Mary has stayed here for weeks at a time and their mother, Inez, lived here for many years on over 400 acres.

         

                                                           
                                                                                                                                             Photos by Mary Fields and Kathy R.

One can hear the babbling sound of the river on the rocks and find agates if one spends the time looking.  The breeze was just right as we ate on the porch with the view. A pleasant, leisurely day was spent catching up on each others' lives with lots of laughter and stories, about which no one who wasn't a friend for 60 years would understand.  All of us had been in kindergarten together at the White Salmon Elementary School, grew up through the 12 grades including summertimes at the pool and finally graduated together in 1965.  I get sentimental each time we get together and it's been four times since 2006.  However, three of the gals have been seeing each other there for much longer than that.  It took me 45 years for me to reconnect with these people.  

Middle back row:
Bobby, Carla, Anne H., Susie, Kathy Y. Florence,  Me,
Roy, Linda D., Lee
Front row, right: Diana, Dennis

                                                                              Back row: left, Phil, middle,  Linda Z., far right, Laura...and so many more friends..

I suppose we will all try to keep these annual summer engagements for as many summers as we may have the good health to do so and for as long as the Fields family kindly allows us to visit this tranquil place. We will have lots to talk about and the trees record our conversations.  Well, they say walls have ears!