We’re already halfway through “the holidays,” I can’t believe it. It’s amazing how much days, weeks, months and years accelerate as we get older. I can remember, as a child, what seemed like long, sweet summer days where I had time to lie in the grassy field near our home and chew on the tender heart of a stem of grass while looking at the blue sky and clouds, listening to the buzz of bees and watching grasshoppers leap off my pants-leg into the tall grass surrounding us. My friends and I formed a club called the “Long-Leg-Hopper Club”… or something like that. We didn’t do anything with the club that I can remember, except join those daddy long-legs and grasshoppers as we played hide-and-seek and “horses” in the tall grass. Those summer days seemed to move lazily through those years of my youth.
In my teen years, those summer days were spent with my sister and friends, riding our horses on our bean and berry farm in Lebanon, or on the island in the center of the Santiam River which flowed past our property. Of course, that was after we had done our chores and helped in the fields during harvest time.
When we were free for the whole day, we waded the horses across the shallow water to “our” island and spent hours on its trails, exploring areas we had seen dozens of times, checking for anything new and interesting like birds’ nests and pretty stones, then we raced full speed along the dirt trails on Rocket and Rocky as we clung to their bare backs… we never used saddles… and the wind whipping and tossling our hair. Those sweet days seemed to stretch on forever.
Now, as soon as the smoke clears from the fireworks of 4th of July celebrations, it seems that school is starting, followed closely by Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. In these fast-paced lives that we lead today, I sure miss those lazy, hazy days of summer.
Enough reminiscing.
Plan on attending the next installment in this season’s Rural Art Center Movie Night on Saturday, Dec. 8. The December featured movie is “The Book Thief” (PG-13; 2013).
“In 1938, young orphan Liesel (Sophie Nélisse) arrives at the home of her new foster parents, Hans (Geoffrey Rush) and Rosa (Emily Watson). When Hans, a kindly house painter, learns that Liesel cannot read, he teaches the child the wonders of the written language. Liesel grows to love books, even rescuing one from a Nazi bonfire. Though Liesel’s new family barely scrape by, their situation becomes even more precarious when they secretly shelter a Jewish boy whose father once saved Hans’ life.”
To commemorate the movie, it’s been declared “Book-swap Night.” Bring a book or two to swap with your neighbors. Soup and salad dinner is at 6 p.m. and the movie begins at 7:30 p.m. following “antics and door prizes.” Suggested donation, $7 adults; $5 for children.
Sunday, Dec. 9 is the Lorane Grange’s Open House/Christmas Dinner potluck at 1 p.m. Grangers will furnish the meat, dressing, potatoes, gravy and beverages. Everyone else is asked to bring a side dish and/or dessert. Also, plan to bring a white elephant gift for the gift exchange. It’s a fun time for the whole family.
The ETA Theta Rho Girls Club #94 is recruiting new members. It is a community-based organization for school-age girls that meets at the Lorane Rebekah Lodge Hall on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. If you’re interested in joining, contact Tara Wigle at 541-935-5245 or Mary Houle at 541-942-9341. The club motto is ”Happiness through Service.”
Be sure to check out my personal website! http://allthingslorane.com
