The Limberlost, an extensive wetland comprising 25,000 acres on Jay and Adams counties shortly before the turn of the century, was Gene Straton Porter's inspiration and working grounds.  Watching the slow destruction of this lush botanical environment and wildlife, she set out with her camera and pen, to capture the splendor and grandeur of the Limberlost.  Also through this she became a sucessful author, and in this way has kept alive the Limberlost through books like "Freckles" and "Girl of the Limberlost"

Over 100 years after the drainage of the area was begun, efforts are underway by Friends of the Limberlost, to restore a small portion of this valuable area.

I visited the Gene Straton Porter home in 1996,  It was a very special treat to me. I also seen the beautiful butterfly collection still hanging on the wall of the old house. The beautiful decor of the inside of the house, the observitory. I got to walk around the lawn.  The manager of the house offered to take me back in the Limberlost if I would come in the spring,  (I never got back) I could easily get lost in "dream world" as I think about it.

I guess the reason for my day dreaming....We watched "Girl of the Limberlost" tonight and it took me back.....  When I was a little girl a friend of my mom's gave her 2 apple boxes full of books.  In it were "Gene Straton Porter books,  Elsie Dinsmore books,  Pollyanna, and good books of all kinds.  I loved to read and would read everything I could get my hands on.   I would run to the barn with a book, I would take a book out to my playhouse to read,  I read in the outhouse,  I read over 30 books a month if my Mom didn't catch me, (I had to get glasses in the third grade and she thought it was because I was reading too much.) and also she thought I should get my work done first.  But who could work when there was Plantations with balls to attend and carriages to pick you up at the door so you could go to tea.  Who could work when there were Nancy Drew mysteries to solve.  And there was the swamp with with all it's secrets and the secret cabin. and one could run free through the forest and field.  (There's my split personality showing up again, a swamp doesn't have much in common with an afternoon tea, does it?) lol

"I meant to do my work today.... but a brown bird sang in the apple tree...... and all of nature was calling me!"

 I'm older now, I should put away childish things, but alas, I'm hopeless.

But, since my eyes are real bad, I do spend most of my reading time with the Book that matters, "The Bible."

I borrowed this from.... I don't remember where.

Woe, is me..................

You all remember the celery that Pop bought on sale in Dec?   Well you know how good celery is with peanut butter?  We have consumed nearly 32 ounces of peanut butter since The 1st of January and wouldn't you know we bought 2 jars od peanut butter to put on the celery.  and wouldn't you know it was good ole Peter Pan Peanut Butter, product code 2111 blah, blah, blah.  Maybe that explains why we've been so sick all month.

Pop went to the health department to get the testing nessesities, so we'll see.   

I WANT TO WELCOME ANOTHER GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER:

          Rachael Lynette

                                       FEBRUARY 19, 2007

                                             9 lbs.       4 oz.

               Born at 11:45 PM    (HAD SHE WAITED 15 MINUTES SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN BORN ON FEBRUARY 20, 2007, WHICH IS MY BIRTHDAY.) 

WE ARE TRUELY THANKFUL TO GOD FOR HER SAFE ARRIVAL.

We're off to Oregon again, this time to Multnomah Falls of course, and to a birthday party for a couple of my grandchildren.  Talk to you later and God Bless !!!  

Pop gave me a card this year which reads like this....

Once upon a time ago

My heart was knit to thine.

Tho many years have passed since then,

I'm glad you're still my valentine !

You're my life, my love my all ! ..........signed Stan

I pointed out an add on aol, to Pop, on Tuesday eve.  He took the hint and went back in the bedroom and proudly brought me a card that he had pulled out of his dresser drawer.  It had my name on the envelope, and he underlined the above words and signed it.

He smiled with love as he gave it to me saying, "I don't know where it came from, but I must have bought it sometime and forgot about it, I found it in my drawer a couple months ago, and thought I would give it to you for Valentines day."

He did that with a birthday card one time and it was 3 years till he rembered to give it to me.

Let me tell a "True story"      Two years ago, our church had a "Couple's Night." We attended.  As part of the activities for the evening we were each given a heart shaped piece of paper, in an envelope.   We were told to write something on it and give it to our spouse.  He wrote one and gave it to me, and I did the same for him. I thought it was a cute idea, since it had been awhile since we had exchanged love notes.  We didn't bother to sign the notes, since we knew where they came from.  I kept his note to me and he apparently kept his note from me.  because, it was MY note to HIM that I recieved on Tuesday night from my Valentine. 

AND NOW ABIDETH FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS CHARITY.       1 Corinthians 13:13

It is 1am February 15, 2007.  I guess I completely missed the day, I'm up to my ears in income tax, but hope to post again tomorrow (today)

Believe it or not Pop gave me a card.  Stay tuned, I'm still shaking my head.

Sunday night we had the privilage of picking the boys at the airport.  They came home from their trip to Mexico.  (I had mentioned their trip in my last post)

I'm borrowing the following from my daughters site:

Their stories are incredible!!! Thank you all for your prayers! The hike was far strenuous then they had even imagined and they had fewer pack animals. So they were  a very sore weary bunch! And yes, there really were cannibals! A man was waiting at the village for them to take him out to the hospital after he was attacked by cannibals! Seems absolutely incredible just a days drive from US soil!

They both say it was probably far better for Mom that I didn't know what all they were getting into! The oldest said he's ready to go again in a few months! I don't know,....this time Mom does know.... 

It was good to know though that they were able to help. They did see actual starvation and poverty in a way they have never before experienced. My folks are coming for supper tonight. they picked the boys up at the airport last night, but they wanted to hear more of their adventures.

I just want to add.....On their way in (because of lack of pack animals) the boys and those in the group had to increase their already loaded packs. The younger one added a chain saw to his 38# pack and the older one (he is 6'4" and a big boy, and it's a good thing) added a 2000 watt generator to his 40 some #'s making so he carried around 87# on his back for 2 1/2 hours to the bottom of the canyon.  after making it that far, he couldn't go any further.  They had desended from 7800 feet to 2400 feet in 2 1/2 hours.  He left the generator at the bottom of the canyon because they still had the other side of the canyon to climb,  which was back up to 7200 feet. Some of the boys got sick because ot the alltitude change.   The man that went after the generator and carried it to the top, only had one arm.  Also the man that carried it to the top was the same man they took out to the hospital when they left.  The Indians are amazingly strong, they don't know how to take it easy when they are hurting.  If you look them up on google you will find that they are also long distant runners.  they have won some 100 mile races, which some of the other runners want to disqualify the indians because they have not had the proper diet or proper training to run that far, which leaves me to wonder what kind of training would they need.

The touist information that you find is not complete. The info claims the reason the Indians have pushed back so far it the hills is because they are shy and don't like all the tourism.  But some at the mission are inclined to think differently.  Up until sometime in the 80's the government for some reason or other had a bounty on any of the Indians that were done away with.

I can't hardly stand to think of it, that next door to our land of freedom, there were those poor souls, hunted, dying because they couldn't keep warm and starving.

The boys were told not to go anywhere alone because of the cannibals, they were told of one young man that ate his mother.   I still seems impossible.  Join with me and pray that those dear souls are reached wth the Gosple and that they can know that Jesus loves them. 

MATTHEW 28:19 - GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST:

I think it is time for a new entry. but what shoud I write about?   Friday we drove down to Shoshone Falls again.  It's a 3 hour drive to the falls but it seems like when Pop gets restless he wants to drive, so drive we did.  The falls was beautiful, but nearly all the ice was gone.

One day last week we went to Boise to get reprints and stopped in to see the new Cabela's in Boise.  I know it's basicly for the fellows, but I could spend all day in there.  Maybe someone could tell what's wrong with me, but I could decorate my whole house with pine cone border paper and all outdoorsie an nature or I could decorate my house all Victorian, maybe I've got a split personality, it is split between pine needles and lace.  I think I know what would reamidy it would be to buy a house in the valley, one in the moutains, and one ot the coast.  That way I could have my Victorian style, my mountain style and my seashore decor. OK enough for nonesense.  I've had a lot of fun reading other blogs this week and I have spent so much time trying to learn to use the computer that I haven't had time to update my own blog.

I could go ahead and keep posting slide shows till I really learn how, but not everyone can see the slide show.  I'm trying to learn how to post some picture Pop took at Three Island Crossing, I know I posted a picture once but I can't remember how.  I dread getting senile I won't be able to remember anything.

Oh, one thing of interest.  Two of my GRANDson's come in on the plane , and we get to pick them up tonight.  They have spent the last week in Mexico, among the Tarahumara Indians.  The Indians live in Copper Canyon which is much bigger and deeper than the Grand Canyon.  The tourests have learned about them and because they are shy, some of them have moved futher back in the canyon to get away, and therefore they are starving and litterally freezing out.  My Grandson's went in with a group of 17 or 18 others.  They are trying to start a mission down there. They took along lumber to build a school house for the one group of Indians.  Since it is a seven mile hike with a 5000 foot altitude gain they were prepared for it to take awhile.  They had little burro's to carry most of the stuff, but the group carried their share.  There is a family moving down in the spring to live among them.  The group also carried in enough garden seed to feel 2000 people.  Imagine how blessed I am.  Instead of being on the streets they are doing something worthwhile for my Lord.

Well I shall go back to try top learn more about this contraption.

Since I haven't figured out yet how to add some explaination to my slide shows, I guess I'll make another entry  to explain a little what they are.  There are 3 close up ice pictures.  They were taken along the road going down to Shoeshone Falls near Twin Falls, ID.  There is one of Shoeshone Falls (The one with the ice across the picture)  One of Jump Creek Falls, also in ID.  Jump Creek Falls is located back a dirt road hidden in a canyon off of Hwy 95.  And of course the famous Multnomah Falls

God Hath Made Everything Beautiful,.....