Salmon Creek Meanders

Our time here in Vancouver on Salmon Creek Avenue has knit together many memories from Terry's life.  In fact,  little Salmon Creek at the edge of the property where Terry's mother lives now has meandered through Terry's life.  He was born here.  His parents returned to live in the area 10 years ago.  His Aunt Betty, who was a nurse in the hospital where he was born, has always lived here.  She has generously shared her home; good eats (Cassoulet and homemade Almond Roca),  garden (for the horseradish harvest) and neighborhood with us on every visit.   Our Vancouver memories include many good times with her.

When Terry was preschool age his grandparents bought a 60 acre farm along Salmon Creek in a little community a few miles northeast.  They grew blueberries and harvested the creekside blackberries for sale.  Terry has often shared his memories of tractor rides and roving the blueberry patches on the farm.

We knew the farm was located in the town of Brush Prairie, but we didn't know where until yesterday. Terry's, Aunt Jean, lived on the farm through her junior high and high school years and gave us a tour with stories about growing up there.  The farmhouse was torn down to make way for a 5 acre mini-farm neighborhood, but at least we had easy access to the property.

This is the old driveway looking back from near the house site.  Jean remembers helping to plant the tallest trees on the right near Ward Rd.  Amazing!

The old farmhouse sat at the top of this incline going down toward the creek where Terry remembers riding on the tractor behind his grandpa.  The saucer magnolia to the left was in the backyard.

Jean mowed this steep hillside braking the tractor carefully as it moved down the hill!  Not a favorite memory she said, for such a pretty spot.

The old fence is still visible in the south field beyond the drained farm pond.  The parcel that includes this view is for sale.  So when we win the lottery..............!



The last 3 and 1/2 weeks here in the Salmon Creek neighborhood  have helped us learn that the cloudy, misty days have the gift of a thousand shades of green and pink for this spot in Vancouver.   Here's a neighborhood photo of the amazing rhododendrons up the street.  Look at those bloom stalks and count the colors of green!!!