LAGRANDE BARN
One of my favorite childhood memories is playing in the barn. I spent more time in the barn than in my room or in my house. I remember spending hours on end working my horses, cleaning the barn, cleaning tack, washing and clipping my horse in the barn. My family would not always be with me but many times after dinner we would spend a few hours together. One of my favorite memories is my Dad and I (when I was about 4) capturing wild chickens in gunny sack in the barn. We had to do it in the middle of the night -- I got to hold the sack. My Dad told be I was real brave -- that didn't happen very often I have always been a 'chicken little.' The barn was the sanctuary -- my me space -- even when the world went all upside down. Many times I ran to the barn to 'cry it out' over disappointment and loss. So, it was no surprise that when we moved to Lagrande the first summer I spent every moment in the barn. Lots of women my age dream of building their "dream house" but I dream of building my "dream barn." I love the smell of fresh sawdust and the smell of horse sweat -- in all honesty I think that is how I fell in love with Jason -- he always smells like both.
I never learned to cook or clean because I was in the barn. I want to take this moment to tell my Grandpa Henry "Thank you" you for letting us spend each summer at your Wallowa Ranch and you also provided me with my first horse. I use to think it was my mom that was responsible for my horse addiction but -- I think it was you! Thank you so much! Most importantly Grandpa you provided me with a safe place -- when I (Hopefully:) enter the gates to heaven the first thing I will see is the pavement when you first turn off the main road in Wallowa on Whiskey Creek Road on the way to Wallowa Ranch -- thank you for letting our family make so many fabulous memories there -- I LOVE YOU!
