A Day with Mom, Reminiscing - Mon., June 22, 2015

After Mom heard about our river house (where we had lived for 12 years) being abandoned, she wanted to go see it. We made a day trip out of going to see the river house Bob and I  previously owned, along with a trip out to the five-acre farm in Newberg where we had lived while I was in high school.

Once again the back door was unlocked. I don't know why whoever is inspecting or showing the house doesn't lock that door. I looked up the house on the internet and found out it is for sale. It has been empty for at least a year and two months. (There are that many months on the inspection sheet in the house.)

From the river house Bob and I used to own, Mom and I drove back roads to Newberg. Champoeg State Park looked as popular as ever; all the RV sites were full. We passed an organic cattle farm where they put peppermint leaves in the cows' feed. That way their poop doesn't smell so bad. It smells like mint.

Once we drove through Newberg, we went six miles to the house we lived in when I was a teen-ager. I lived there from the time I was 14 until I was 18 and went to southern California to college. The 100-year-old farmhouse is on five acres. When we lived there we had a big garden, raised chickens, turkey, and sheep, and enjoyed the rural lifestyle.

This side of the house overlooks the Chehalem Valley

Chehalem Valley

This side faces the road and overlooks Adelsheim Vineyard

Adelsheim Vineyard

Being an old house, it had issues. Mom told me the last time she and my sister went out, a man was working on the house - he took them on a tour to see the inside. He was there again today working on the house. He again took us on a tour. Lots of great memories from living there. A large family room with fireplace and a second bathroom have been added as well as a new garage. He said the house has been sold to a family and he has to finish up his work because they're moving in in July.

After our trip down Memory Lane, we crossed the street to Adelsheim Vineyards. For $15, we could taste five wines: one chardonnay and four pinot noirs. I chose not to taste as I'm not a big fan of pinot noirs. Mom partook and really liked one of the pinots. She let me taste her chardonnay which was quite good!

Entry into the tasting room

Mom at the Adelsheim Vineyard tasting room.

On our way back to her house, we stopped at Shari's for lunch. Both of us had Atlantic cod fish & chips which were excellent. I spent the afternoon doing laundry and packing for my flight home on Tuesday, June 23, worked on my pictures, and wrote a blog.