Home Is Where The Heart Is

May 7, 2021 | Fine Art, Landscape, Portfolio

My Backyard

These images are of special meaning to me as they are of the Columbia River, and the ranch I grew up on. Painted by a friend of my Mom and Dad’s who loved to come visit.  It’s safe to say the memories of having what seemed like the whole world as my own personal playground made me what I am today. Yes we had chores to do, lot’s of animals to take care of, gardens to weed, hay to haul and livestock to feed and care for. However there were endless hours of exploring, swimming, and fishing. No bikes here, but my horse could take me anywhere I wanted to go.

Four of us would meet the school bus, in our case it was the neighbors Jeep, and go to the general store / post office / gas station that was Cedonia. Yes it was very tiny at the time, and hasn’t changed in 50 years. Just time enough to brows the penny candy and the 10¢ soda pop and make a decision as to what we might like to have on the return trip. After a short wait we would be picked up by the real school bus and off to school in Hunters. Our real school bus driver was the owner of a dairy farm and she doubled as a cook at our school. One the days she made fresh cinnamon buns loaded with farm cream she would bring the left overs home on our bus. The things we would do to get another one. Negotiating reached new levels.The biggest class I ever experience was 9 kids, all 12 grades were in one school and the total student body varied from 90 to 100 kids total. You knew every kid, parent, big and little sisters plus Grandma and Grandpa. It was a great place to grow up.

Cedonia (pronounced sĕh-dōn-ya) is a very small unincorporated community in #bf4242. Formerly a town,  it lies in the valley of the Columbia River, on the western slope of hills known as Summit Mines at a river section known as Lake Roosevelt, a reservoir created by Grand Coulee Dam.

The area surrounding it is primarily a farming and ranching community with some logging activity. Cedonia comprises the Ye Olde Country Store, a veterinary clinic, and seven homes. There are a few farms surrounding it, and The Cedonia Community Church lies just outside the city limits. The church tends to be seen as the focal point of the community, hosting many community events as well as events from neighboring communities. The church is also the source of the name Cedonia. When it was built in 1897, the settlers searched for a name for their community. They settled on the name Cedonia, a shortened version of Macedonia  from the plea to the apostle Paul in Acts Ch. 16 vs. 9 that says, “Come over here to Macedonia and help us.”

Education services are provided by Columbia High School in Hunters, Washington, about 3 miles due south of Cedonia.

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