On our way home from visiting Ed and Mary, we stopped at this canyon.

Since we stopped there last, a new bridge is in place. They left the old bridge intact which allowed me to take the above photo.

The last time we stopped here, we were with Rob and Cindie when their dog, Cali shocked and terrified us all by jumping up on the canyon guard rail (she skidded to a stop and we enjoyed her canine company for many more years). This sign wasn’t posted back then – apparently some weren’t so lucky.

But back to the visit: they’re family, they’re friends, and they invited us to come for a visit. Who could resist?

<!–more–>

Here’s pretty Mary. She cooked up all kinds of deliciousness for us: homemade cookies, beef and mushroom kabobs, a fancy quinoa salad, scrambled eggs and banana bread. The girl can cook! And Ed picked out the reddest, juiciest, sweetest, watermelon I have ever eaten.

We relaxed and chatted on their big porch in the warm summer air.

I took this photo on the way to Pendleton where we planned to have dinner at a pub. When we arrived, just the sign “closing at 2pm today” hung on the door. But a quick trip to Papa Murphy’s and, voilà!; evening restored.

Did I mention that their yard looks like a golf course? Look at this! Thank God they have a riding mower.

Happy times in Hermiston…