Farewell Jo-Jo, and then...

Okay everyone...you need to scroll to the bottom, and start with Jo leaving and read your way up...still getting the hang of this process of blogging! Enjoy the read! I will try when I do our last week to do it in order...Love from Loon, Terri


After picking berries we stopped at this charming High Country Orchard store for some refreshments. This is a combination of Bates Nut Farm and Mel's Nursery. The people are friendly and Jordan Spears did an excellent job making our smoothies, shakes and cones!
Below is the incredible mess left when one ten year old boy had a hard time eating his ice cream without making a mess! Luckily there was a garden hose nearby and his sweet momma hosed the mess off! This whole area of Green Bluff has changed from 20 years ago. It reminds me of Ohio and the charm of the country. There is a map for fruit stands, kind of like the winery map in Temecula! I told Colleen that Heidi would be perfect here with a big red barn and running her business. I hope she and the girls get to visit the lake and Green Bluff the next time they home in Spokane for a visit!


The above sign is posted on the door at this wonderful Italian business "The Barn" on the Trezzi Farm. It is a remarkable business they have there. The inside is painted a beautiful Tuscan gold with a large pine table, the back kitchen is painted an orange/red again a Tuscan color, with stainless steel appliances. The place is so fresh and clean I am sure you could eat from the floor. The Italian man is not only incredibly nice looking, but incredibly kind. He and his wife cook (what I am told) delicious Italian food. They must cook once a week or so and then package and freeze the items they offer. I know they also do catering. Colleen and I both got the lasagna and I also purchased meatballs and Minestrone soup. Please visit their website www.trezzibarn.com



The final results of our berry picking day...we all gathered back our cabin to taste Colleen's first pie...isn't it beautiful? The blackberry pie tasted as wonderful as it looks!




Berry Picking for all! Colleen, Keegan, Courtney, Kelli, Keaton, Cole Patrick, Kellen and Aunt Terri all went to Green Bluff for berry picking. Of coure typical of boys they ate more than they contributed to the box of picked berries. We were glad Keegan was along since he was tall! You will see below that the blackberry box is quite full and Colleen and Kellen did a superb job picking the raspberries and Tay berries. It was dusty but beautiful and fun. I think all the kids came away with a new appreciation for how berries get to the supermarket and "why" they are so expensive. Our friend the chicken with the "do" is below..we all fell in love with the little guy.

NOT A FISH TALE! Here is the champion fisher for the week..Cole Patrick Altig, age 10. Cole has been at the lake this week with his sister Courtney. Cole is the early bird of the group, that is literal. He is a devoted fisherman and as you can tell is quite the angler. These bass were caught off the point here at Granite Point. Our wonderful neighbor Chuck helped Cole clean and fillet his fish, not once but twice. Chuck is hard of hearing and Kellen was trying to say something to him and then since Chuck didn't respond Kellen looked up at me and innocently said "gosh, I think he must really be busy doing something"! Keegan helped Cole cook his bass last night for all of us to taste it..it was delicious. Of coure Keegan thought the whole box of Krusteaz was need for the two bass, can you believe he wanted me to buy two boxes?

Here is Cole Patrick and Keaton, Keaton decided the turkey sausage needed to be reheated in the microwave...Colleen realized after two minutes and steam rising from the plate, that Keaton had pushed 2 minutes instead of 30 seconds. So, like all boys, they challenged each other to hold their finger on a piece of sausage for one minute..well, needless to say, the boys made it for 3 to 4 seconds. So next solution, by all means, get out the fan and turn it on high and try to speed up the cooling process. Who ever said boys weren't creative? There is never a dull moment here at Loon.

Here is Tiffany, a great momma with her little 6 week old baby boy Myles and two year old Waylon. We had a nice visit, although Tiffany thinks I will be a very nervous grandma...ha, ha. It was the stairs and Waylon walking backwards looking at us while trying to walk down them! After she left I realized it will be another year before I get to see them again. I wished I couldl have seen her mom Terri. Baby Myles left his pacifier here, I hope Tiff made it home without too much crying. Love you Tiff, thanks for taking the time to come and stay for the day! More memories next year, ok?

My highschool best friend Terri's daughter Tiffany and her two precious boys came for a visit last Friday. Waylon (to the right) is the most coordinated two year old ever! His daddy plays football for the Canadian football league, and already Waylon has kicking the "futboll" down very well. He is a little dolly.

I finally did the BIG walk with Colleen to the top of the hill across from Loon Lake. It is a steep but beautiful climb, once at the top you can view the entire lake and also the town of Deer Park! I hope to do it again with Dan and a nice bottle of wine...of coure Colleen warned me you don't do this walk alone but in couples as there are mountain lions in the area...oh great!

Well, it was sad to say good-bye to Joann. I do believe we created some new memories! I have since learned her suntanned arm has peeled!

The "greats" were missing her and my family all considers Jo-Jo (as she is fondly called) as part of our Altig/Devlin family here at Loon.