I met Bart first thing this morning here at the house. He’s going to paint the exterior when the weather permits. Today he power washed it in preparation. Bart was recommended by a friend. It’s really nice to not have to resort to the yellow pages.

So, I drove to the office later than usual and saw the cross-walk lady where I turn onto Springbrook Road. It had been a long time since we traded friendly waves. Her cheerful face must be a regular encouragement to children crossing the street on their way to school.

At noon I had lunch with my cousin from eastern Oregon. Chuck, his parents, and his little sister moved to Ontario, Oregon, 47 years ago. Chuck was still in high school, but he thought he wanted to farm. Time has confirmed he was right. They had a place less than a mile from our family farm. For 47 years he’s been growing crops, improving the soil, irrigating, feeding cows, milking cows, maintaining equipment, and all the other things you do on a farm. He’s quit milking cows and has started to slow down, but he’s still a farmer.

Our mother’s are sisters. My mother’s battle with breast cancer ended just a couple of weeks after her sister and family moved into our farm community. His mother passed away less than a year ago. When you’re cousins, a farmer in eastern Oregon and a publisher in western Oregon can have a lot in common.