Gore Family News: Louisiana and All the Family

This is a full one!

Lots of family and happenings for which we can say, "Thank you, Lord!"

We had a doe and fawn come out of the corn near our mailbox last week.

The racoon under our house finally led her babies away because I started watching the cat food to make sure she didn't eat any. I don't mind feeding mousers, but I do not want to feed all the wildlife! Although Phoebe found it cute.

Okay, these are fascinating. They're called brace roots, and they grow on corn stalks. Supposedly if you grow corn in a greenhouse, brace roots won't come because there would be no stress (no wind and all the nutrients needed). But in the open, they are needed for stability and they act like underground roots and gather nutrients and water from the soil. As the stalk grows taller, a second set will grow and sometimes a third or fourth (depending on the hybrid and conditions). Fun stuff.

I found an idea for two of the bulletin bourds in my classroom: Bible pictures hung from a beaded photo string; it's simple and you can change out the pictures. And Daelynn (who is shadowing me and learning to teach Sunday School this month) had a great idea for the third one. So once that is complete, I'll post a picture of the third one.

Lauren is a newish member of our church, and she and I team-taught the preschoolers for VBS. It was a great team-up! Harrison also helped us out.

It was a wild time, but so much fun! We did have some crazy health hiccups this year: Our force-of-nature decorator had a stress heart attack, came back from that, and tore her Achilles tendon! Our preacher had emergencey surgery for appendicitis that week. And then a sickness (summer cold?) went through.

A quick sewing project. I made a dish carrier for fellowship dinners and such.

Harrison cut down the dowels and the bottom board for me.

And I am trying my hand at Lanaya Elizabeth's Trail Tank top. I'll let you know if I get through it! She is beyond me in ability, but it looks like a such a fun knit ...... You can find her pattern here: Trail Tank Knitted Pattern.

A family at church gave us loads of produce from their garden (invited ~ I asked for it!), and it's been fun to figure out what to do with it. I made squash casserole for Sunday lunch which Mimi and I especially enjoyed. Cucumber salad for several meals for us and others. Three little jars of pico de gallo which was extra spicy (I was going to save some for Phoebe, but I'm afraid it will be gone before she gets here this weekend). I chopped and froze the okra and carrots. And I am going to make some cucumber kimchi and do some kind of dish with the rest of the yellow squash when my parents are here this weekend.

Mimi's birthday cake for her 84th birthday!

Actually, now that I think about it, I think it was a peach cobbler from the Calhoun peaches they were selling in town.

Phillip's siblings, Galen and John, traveled over. We missed Galen last year when she visited because we were both gone to different destinations. But this year we got to see her!

I'm sorry, guys, but father and son napping together is too funny not to capture.

Valencia's for Sunday lunch!

My sister Tonya and Joshua went to help Aunt Mary and Grandma at their new property. I'm helping Aunt Mary with the family reunion next year, so I will see that property next August, Lord willing.

Harrison at another preaching camp a few weeks ago.

He really enjoyed the intensity of the study time at this one ~ Rock Garden Christian Camp.

I asked Phoebe to send me some pictures because I realized I had nothing of her this time around! So she took some accidental selfies a while back, and that's what she sent.

But these are her sketches of late, and you should feel very privileged that she allowed these on the blog.

Jon and Devlin had to put up a sign for a new campus of their resident church.

Devlin has been a great coworker and friend of Jon.

Lanaya Elizabeth made strawberry pretzel dessert for Jon's birthday.

And Jon's host made brisket, which I hear is very, very good.

And the hosts' grandkids were there and love Jon's attention.

He and several friends did a camping/fishing trip in Hell's Canyon.

And his small group family made a goodbye cake for him for his last small group. Apparently their tradition is to make a face cake for those who move away. 😂

Harrison and I made our way down to Jennings, Louisiana last week. McDonalds is our usual breakfast stop.

He drove a couple hours through Arkansas (he made it through the craziness of Little Rock), while I rested.

And we found this on our car the next morning! On the road to my parents, you could see these huge frogs jumping across the road in the headlights. Apparently this one got caught.

We were there to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. It doesn't seem real that they've been married that long!

Harrison sitting in the rocker my dad made.

We wanted Cajun food, and we got it. Gumbo, fried alligator, Atchafalaya catfish, shrimp, maybe crawfish (I can't remember).....

Had to get a picture with the alligator.

Tonya and Joshua have not held baby alligators, so they got their chance. They were on a 17 day trip visiting friends on the way and touring New Orleans. Our brothers were not able to make it, but at least the sisters could be together for a few days.

Our day at the beach was threatened by storms, but we never got more than some slight sprinkles.

We played lots of games: Phase 10, Yahtzee, Dutch Blitz, and something similar to Chinese checkers.

Mrs. Kristine and Mr. Johnny came over to visit. Tonya thinks she probably last saw them when she was 15.

We were all good friends as kids.

Teressa and Nettie, the daughters of John and Kristine.

Reading the comics.

Eating lunch in the rocking chairs.

By the way, it was so much fun to talk to Joshua, Tonya's youngest. He's in college in WA for music, and he was such a grown-up. We had good conversation.

Uncle Gerald came over and we also saw him at church. I think he and my mom look a lot alike. And his hair is still so black!

Alligator sauce piquant in the crockpot. My dad helped me make it. And it may be the first time I've been requested to make a Cajun dish!

Boudin'.

Fresh fried catfish that dad caught.

I didn't eat this till I got home, but it was a little sweet potatoe pie. I also had a raspberry one while still over there. It's from Ruddock's Bakery which holds many childhood memories for us. Their cookies were pretty inexpensive, and they always gave you a baker's dozen. But their donuts were really good too. They were just out of donuts by the time we got there. I do prefer the fruit filled pies to the sweet potatoe one.

And while Tonya and Joshua traveled home, they happened to be going through Boise exactly on the day Jonathan's residency graduation was happening! So they attended in our place.