End of Year Post in Pictures

Our Trip to MN in September. Left a few Obama signs around the State. This is Joey Novacek, in Greenbush, MN.

Bean, Maddie's little puppy, asleep at the wood stove.















Tom and Jan, Jason, Jennie, Tasita and Martin, on our visit during the MN trip.















We had an excellent Blueberry crop in the summer.
















Mara was with us in June, while she did practical clinic experiences in our area.















The improved lean-to to shelter the firewood on the back porch. It was later distroyed and torn down in December following 50 mile per hour winds.















Maddie and Jennie Kawachi at Christmastime. Jennie is our long time family sort-of-adopted daughter (Miesha's age).















On the visit to MN, in my Mom's backyard.















Also on the MN Trip, Pat's sisters, Vickie and Kathy, and their husbands, Jim Simon and Ronnie Pinski.















Our gay brother boxers. Bacio and Samson. This picture inspired me to think about the concept that the opposite of war is community [not peace, as most people believe]. Peace is a byproduct of community.




















Dom and Kelsie on our Eagle Creek, OR hike, November, 2008, at Punchbowl falls.















A picture, upstream at Punchbowl Falls.

Miesha and I shoveling snow, after our 1 foot plus snowfall for Christmas.

A little video of our unbelievable white Christmas in Camas!

Wood PVC pipe "Greenhouse"

Well Pat and I are just days away from a September vacation. We are driving to attend her nephew Nathan' wedding in Minnesota. We are taking the bug, so the drive should be more than comfortable and as inexpensive as possible at 40 mpg. A goal I had before we left was to get wood for the winter, and I was able to score some nice maple for $230 a cord. And to store it, made a PVC pipe/clear plastic kind of green house on the back deck. It turned out fairly well, I think. We will see how it holds up to our enthusiastic winter winds!

Letter to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Camas Post Record, July 22, 2008

Obama favored

We are very fortunate to have such an intelligent progressive candidate in Barack Obama for president in 2008. I encourage everyone to listen to his speech of July 15th on patriotism and foreign policy. This speech clearly outlines the truth that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, that Bush, with McCain's support messed it up badly, have allowed the Taliban and bin Laden to resurge in Afganistan, and have sacrificed all of our futures by missed opportunity back home.

Our troops have performed brilliantly, accomplishing every mission they were given. But, what was the mission? Bush, with McCain's support went for the oil in Iraq while we were shocked by 9/11. They have done this without regard to the majority of U.S. citizen's will.

At the same time they promote banking deregulation, which has led to the mortgage crisis and what will likely be the biggest corporate banking bailout in history. Deregulate the profits and nationalize the losses is their mantra. The economy is tanking as a result and we are all too afraid because of our debt burdens to demonstrate.

So, I'm fed up. Period. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to take it anymore. If you have an R, or GOP, or conservative behind you name on the ballot, I'm going to make you pay. If you are a Democrat and you don't support ending the war, you are not getting my vote. I'm going to take the little power I still have and vote everyone of you Republicans out of office on every level. Dog catcher, local, state and federal. I blame you all, although there is plenty of blame to go around to all parties. My plan is to make you pay so war mongering and "free-market" capitalism is set back for at least a generation. Join me. Stand up for truth and hope.

Jim Ebacher
Camas

And, I've come up with a logo for this movement:

Summer Days - Miscellany

Just a bunch of pictures of the latest from Camas. Oh, and Miehsa's President's List award for straight A's in Spring Semester at Western Washington University. Congratulations Miesha! It's going on the refrigerator. Pat and I just celebrated our 31st year married. So, how does that go, 50 years is diamonds, 25 years is gold? 31 years was barbequed sirloin steak. Did I get it right? I never know about these sort of things.

And, no picture, unfortunately, of our dear Aunts Beatrice and Teresa of the Sisters of Saint Chretienne, and their 75th and 60th anniversaries of joining that order.

But, here's the quote from the local Marlborough, Mass. newpaper, the "Wicked Local Marlborough", of all names! And, a recent picture of Sister Teresa (middle).

"The Sisters of St. Chretienne recently held a Jubilee Celebration recognizing the loving service of their Sisters. Congratulations go to the following Jubilarians:
60 Years - Sr. Marie Therese Ebacher
65 Years - Sr. Violet Arsenault and Sr. Irene Ledoux
75 Years – Sr. Arline Blais, Sr. Beatrice Ebacher and Sr. Mina Goulet."

Samson sitting in a chair on the back deck. All he needs is some playing cards. The second one is a deer I photographed over near Sharp, while out on my walk yesterday. Summer days.

Dom's Eagle Scout Project that he did 10 years ago, a city garden. Looking really good Dom.

And, Blueberries! Yeah, last night I picked the first batch. Some were just smaller than a nickel! All that watering from the rainbarrels has paid off. 5 cups of this years crop in the freezer. Yeah. I've put up a leader board for picking, kind of like the "Deadliest Catch" on Discovery Channel. I'm calling the it the "World's Yummiest Catch Leader Board". OK, Mara, Pat and Maddie, hope you can keep up.

Matt Harding Video - Awesome!

OK, here's some homework. Go to YouTube.com and look at the videos posted by mattharding2718 . This goofy guy has done his little jig all over the world. It will make you laugh, guaranteed! Enjoy. 5.5 million views! Awesome. And the music is tremendous.

Samson Gets Ramped

So, Mr. Fatty, othewise known as Samson, was getting obstinate about jumping into the back of the Vue, so I made a ramp (totally out of materials on hand, and only had to buy some hinges). I even incorporated some New Homes signs that somehow I found. Anyway, enjoy the movie, staring me, Mara, and Samson.

Madeleine Graduates!

Today Madeleine received her diploma from the College of St. Benedict. A proud day for the three Bennies!

A Great Lewis River Hike

Lewis River Hike, 2008

We had a great hike and 2 night camp out at Bolt Shelter, on the South Fork of the Lewis River. Unexpectedly, the river was in full bank spring snow melt, and very impressive. Madeleine came along at the last minute, Samson tried out his new backpack, and we met Dominic, Kelsie and Ken, who arrived shortly after midnight on Friday night.

We had a great day hike amongst the ancient cedars. Samson readily slept afterwards, of course, on my sleeping bag. The shelter hasn't deteriorated much more, but remains in poor condition. Ken actually set up his hammock under it's roof.

The pot in the fire is one layer of a yellow cake, which became a great two layer cake with chocolate frosting. It turned out very tasty. Sorry, no pictures of myself or of Kelsie and Ken. Kelsie or Don, did you get some?

Got some salmon on the way home, from the Native Americans at Cascade Locks, and had a great barbeque with Mary [Ebacher] and Norman Espridge, Mary of the Indiana Ebacher clan.

Enjoy the pictures.

Miesha - Stepping Out in Bellingham!

Here's Miesha and her apartment-mate Vanessa, by Miesha's desk in her bedroom.



This the outside of her apartment, 491, apartment 201. Good neighborhood, near bus line and right across the street from Watcom Community College.


Here's their kitchen. Nice.


Here's the view to the outside of the patio. Very secluded off the patio/balcony.


And, about the only bad thing was her mattress didn't quite fit the new bed. Oh bummer.


Great job picking out a wonderful apartment and apartment-mate. "You're gonna make it after all!" Click Here for your new theme song!!!

Mary Tyler Moore - 1973 Theme Song

Smart Car Parking is Fun!

I couldn't resist! Parking the Smart42 in the motorcycle parking at Home Depot! And followed by pictures of the hike Maddie and I took last weekend on the bluff at Cape Horn, on Highway 14, near Stevenson, WA. Nice view of the Columbia River Gorge! It was muddy, but fun.

Join the Campaign

Dear James,

Hillary Clinton was very gracious in offering her support to my campaign over the weekend. I admire her and her supporters for their hard work, courage, and tenacity. And I'm grateful for everything they've done to build our party.

But the battle ahead of us will be unlike anything we've ever faced, and it's going to demand unprecedented focus and resources.

We need to unite as Democrats, not just to defeat John McCain in the general election, but also to support Democratic candidates at every level of office in every part of the country.

Now is the time to come together and build a movement that will ensure a new kind of politics and a new kind of leadership

Join us today to learn more about the campaign and be part of history:

http://my.barackobama.com/joinus

Democrats are more energized than ever before.

I have seen millions of new voters registering in all 50 states so they can be a part of this party at this historic moment.

I have seen people in unprecedented numbers knocking on doors, making phone calls, and talking to friends and neighbors about the kind of change we're fighting for.

This passion isn't for me or any other candidate. This passion is for change.

People of all ages and backgrounds are ready to restore the fundamental values that unite us as Democrats -- that we owe our children and our great country a better future.

The gains we made in 2006 were a huge step forward, and the leadership of Speaker Pelosi should make all Democrats proud.

In 2008, we have the opportunity to build on this progress, and I'm committed to doing everything I can to elect Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.

But I need your help to make this happen.

Join my campaign, and be a part of this movement to change America:

Obama in '08 - Change We Can Believe In

How can we, as a family, support Barack's election to President of the United States. Chime in! No idea is too crazy. It seems to me our work on this will need to either involve money... always useful to a political campaign, or travel and working for another state democratic organization that needs to turn from purple to BLUE. Let's start thinking and discussing this.

Love,

Dad

Neat Mushrooms in Missouri

I was in Springfield, Missouri for a software training, and noticed these cool mushrooms. Cheers!!!