May 26, 2010

Travels: 0 miles (1713 total miles)
Accommodations: Continued at the Thompson Family home

We woke up this morning and scurried out of bed to make it to breakfast by 7:30. It was raining and gray. We all sat down with the Thompson family for a hymn (which precede every breakfast and dinner) a big plate of eggs, sausage, potatoes, with cheese all cooked in a huge cast iron skillet. It was delicious!

After breakfast the 12 of us (one stayed behind) loaded into their 15 passenger van and headed to the Olympic National Forest via a tour through Joyce – past the beach, through some old WWII gun things, a stop at the General Store where we got Kenz a beanie made out of llama hair, and then up the mountain to Hurricane Ridge. It was a thick foggy drive up to the parking lot which was covered deep in snow. We took a misty, cool walk down a road surrounded by 2′-8′ tall snow walls and pine trees. The kids had fun throwing snow balls and tramping through the snow.

The way down the mountain was just as foggy. We drove through Port Angeles with their huge ships and back to the farm where we had homemade cottage cheese with peaches, fresh milk (raw of course), and bear salami for lunch. Mason and Marin are so exhausted they took a nap and Kenz played with their youngest son.

Dave: The Thompsons are an amazing group of people. Fred and Sharon cut the lumber for their home with an Alaskan Chainsaw from trees on their property. They split their own shingles from stumps aging hundreds of years. They cook good food on a wood burning stove. They milk their cows and make cheese and butter. They make their own bread. They home school with diligence and purpose. Their children do all the chores, and have the strength to climb a solid fifty feet up a rope as fast as I can climb a ladder. The kids are also business minded and very polite. The Thompsons are inspirations – every one of them. I hope I can enjoy as much success as they have.

Courtney: I too was inspired by the parenting of the Thompsons and the household they ran. Sweet thoughtful kids and parents to say the least. I got some tips on making sourdough bread from Joy, and some tips and information for homeschooling from Sharon. Observation of their home and these people prompted Dave and I to discuss how we can instill/allow for a joyful work ethic in our own children who don’t live on a farm and don’t have such a life-sustaining drive to their chores… food for thought. ..

Kids: Mackenzie, “I want a cow today. And I want to ride the horse again.”

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