Just adding a little bit of extra time to our trip took me back to my childhood home. I was born in Salem, Oregon but my family moved to St. Helen's Oregon when I was 3 (same year Mt. St. Helens erupted). I have fond memories of life in St. Helens and I even remember the address even though we moved when I was 8. As we drove up Ross Road, I remember taking so many walks on this road and picking horsetail and Queen Anne's lace. I still love seeing horsetail and Queen Anne's lace even now. I didn't see it for 17 years until I moved back to the northwest.
I loved this house but it is hilarious seeing it again from an adult perspective. Tony, Alan and I visited in 2005 also. In my memory, our house was way further back from the road but I'm on the road and taking this picture so it's all perspective. It's not far at all. Since we moved, the house went from a pretty, natural wood look, to this peach (not a fan). They've added a cute swing and some bushes and fruit trees. We had a large lawn and then behind the house was just field with a path that we made tromping back and forth to our neighbor's house behind us. We had 2 acres and I love it. There were trees on the north side of the field where my brother's built a clubhouse. If I was every going to my friend's house alone, I would run all the way across the field for fear that the giants who lived in the trees would get me. I loved it when the rye grass was high because I would go out o a little hill and lay down in the grass and look up at the clouds. It was my thinking spot. And when we'd have someone but the field grass and make hay bales, we would play hide and go seek in the field with our friends at dusk and have great hiding places.
The side/south of the house here had a huge garden, rows of corn, tomatoes, squash, etc. My parents have always been great gardeners.
I drove behind the property even though it was a private drive because I wanted to see how things had changed. Here is the back view of our house. The fence wasn't there before and the barn was built after we moved.
This is the neighbor's house where I used to play all of the time. They even used to have a clubhouse in their backyard.
Over here our neighbors had put in a baseball diamond which is gone now.
I drove by the front of our property again and took a picture of the north side. Lots of fruit trees and a driveway back to the barn.
I know from visiting in 2005 that my elementary school had burned down so it was completely rebuilt. I didn't drive through town much but I did pass the high school where Darin and Alan went and I did see Sunshine Pizza is still there. They sponsored my softball team when I was in 2nd grade. I should have driven by the chapel and seen if it was the same one where I was baptized. More great memories. :)
