A Day of Firsts: Part II

There are those moments in your life you will never forget--

intense, momentous, significant moments...

and who would have known that not too many minutes after this photo was taken,

one of those moments would occur...

(and this is the PERFECT photo for what was to come).

 

 

And-- did I say I wouldn't have my camera with me during

 that "intense, momentous, significant" moment in time?

Nope! And you'll understand why in just a bit.

 

But on with those 'other' firsts--first...

 

 

The aforementioned moment occurred here...

at beautiful Fort Yamhill--located above both the Grande Ronde and Yamhill River Valleys.

This is a wonderful, very historic spot that I've been visiting for awhile now and it is part of the Oregon State Park system.

 

The fort was originally built in 1856 and...

it was built, I found out,

to not only protect the settlers

but also to protect the Native Americans that were on the reservation

(there were concerns that the Native Americans might be attacked by those concerned with the problems in southern Oregon at that time).

 This photo brings back some 'historical' memories...

LOL

I would almost 'swear' that in this photo,

my granddaughter looks just like her dad eons ago...

well except for the whole pink sunglasses and sandals,

floral sundress, long hair and female DNA thing:)

 

I think it was during his Teenage Mutant Ninja phase...

 

 

This house was another first---

for it is,

despite what the Wikipedia article says,

one of the original officer's homes.

Yep!

It was set to be destroyed (I believe by burning--shudder),

when someone realized that this was not just some old farmhouse.

That very brilliant and very wise person

recognized that under the 'improvements'

was the original home of one of the officers stationed at the fort.

 

So the home was saved, put back into its beautiful, incredible, original condition

(yippee for historic preservation and those who worked on this house to restore it)

AND

it's set to be moved back up on the hill where it once stood!

 

BTW, I saw this house before its restoration and I can attest to what a wonderful job they have done.

I can also attest that this (well not this specific house but one like it)

would make a dream house-cottage for me...

of course I would need indoor plumbing,

which this one never had:)

That is because I am NOT a pioneer woman

(even though I am a descendant of quite a few of them).

 

Isn't this house a pretty little thing?

I LOVE the whitewash

(done with a lime solution and not paint);

I love the design!

It would be perfect for a loving couple and their three dogs.

 

Oh it was also here that my granddaughter and I first learned of something--

but we'll keep that quiet for awhile because it might become a future post:)

 

 

First sightings of these pretty wildflowers by a creek in the forest.

 

And that brings us to our last first--

for today that is.

It was here,

on this very spot,

not too long after this photo was taken...

and we had walked down to the creek,

that my granddaughter and Papi became a temporary living totem pole:)

 

But you'll have to take my word for it because I can't show you that photo--

I will show you another goofy granddaughter face though.

 

 

And that "intense, momentous, significant" moment that occurred at Fort Yamhill?

Well, as I said, there are NO photos

(thankfully)

but it involved a first for my granddaughter...

using a vault toilet

(with a bit lot of support--literally--from grandma)

And it was good that I didn't have my camera at that very moment

for more reasons than one--

because it would most likely be at the bottom of said compartment right now:)

 

Blessings,

Aimee

 

Photos:

Fort Yamhill and Oregon coast range, July 2013.

© 2013 A. Blessings

All rights reserved.

Please do not copy.

Thanks:)

 

Notes:

Fort Yamhill--Oregon State Parks site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Yamhill

(some errors on this site but has information on the notable people who served at the fort during its history--including Phil Sheridan)

and to see photos of the condition of the Officer's Home before its restoration,

please see this great blog I found today

http://pnwphotoblog.com/2010/03/11/fort-yamhill-polk-county-oregon/

(I LOVE blogs about history)!

If you follow Rick's links in this post you will also find photos of the original blockhouse that served the fort till it closed--this was moved to Dayton and is now in a park there...

(And yes, I have photos of these items --

I am a history nut after all--

but I like his photos better)

:)