Family work parties

         A glorious clean Teton Valley morning. Sitting on the back porch gliding in the old swing surrounded by the necessities of country living: wood stacked ready for the fire, wash tub slowly rusting on a nail, moose antlers bleaching in the sun. The Tetons commanding my view with the Grand perky in all it’s suggestive glory. Lingering snow glistening along the surrounding ridge. Anne’s 6 acres newly mowed with young green shoots pushing up between the straw stubble. Three ancient sheep wagons patiently awaiting the adventuresome traveler for a romantic albeit claustrophobic stay. Birds secretly roosting in the rafters warbling their morning greeting to all. 

This is day 2 of my visit with dear sister, Anne. The goal, to help her decorate: mostly sort and hang decades worth of photos, posters, amateur paintings, and other memorabilia. 

Recently forced to move out of the cabin on the east side of the Tetons (other side of the “hill”) into her 2 cabins near Tetonia, ID it’s kind of like trying to pour a gallon of water into a quart jar. There’s family pictures going back generations, landscapes of world travels, records of antics with friends thruout the years, paintings done by 6 year olds and semi-acclaimed artists, and of course the various posters commentating concerts past. The deciding what to keep and what to toss is interrupted by fond reminiscing and telling of antidotes. So far, there’s more keep than toss. I’m even looking at the ceiling considering available flat surfaces. Patience is the required quality to have now. But we’ll get er done. Bourbon helps!

The past 2 weeks have been spent in Anchorage with Sarah to celebrate her Dad’s 90th; with an alternative agenda to assess and offer insight how to assure her folks ongoing care needs and safety. Determined to remain in their home of 50 years, the march of age is not going to cooperate as they negotiate stairs and continue the required domestica necessary to be comfortable. Other than the occasion conversation about “what you gonna do now”, my job was to cook (Cajun mostly), entertain Sarah’s brother, Kelly, smoking cigars and drinking Scotch and, by my own restrictions, stay out of the way. Sarah is still up there enjoying family time and by the sound of it, making some headway regarding life changes that hopefully will assure more safety (i.e. Dad no longer driving!!). I wish her luck and hope she can remain in the presence (read: sane!) during what can only be a challenging time. 

Sitting by the fire enjoying post prandial bourbon. Anne browsing thru the DVDs we got from the library choosing our evening entertainment. The aspens across the road alight with gold as the sun slowly drops in the west. Alpenglow on the peaks to the east. The wind active as tin roofs rattle and windows shake. Dinner of honey garlic salmon with quinoa and asparagus. Enough butter makes all palatable. And I cooked!

We got a lot accomplished today. After much thought and deliberation the big pictures have found vertical real estate. Many following themes: Teton Valley, family old and new, celestial bodies, adventures, and still life. Next, scatter the smaller photos to fill all the available space. Won’t be enough wall visible to verify this is a log cabin!