Habjan Happenings: At Home with the Habjans! PART1

This last week we spent some time with Matt's family in Lebanon, Oregon. I thought life was good...but what I've learned over this last week is that it's even better when you're riding a tractor! I may have been raised in the city, love foreign cultures, and live to travel but I was born to be a country girl!

Feeding apples to Lauson the goat.

While riding out in the pasture I have come to the realization that there is something right about how the grass smells and the fields glisten.There is something special about how you will be riding along alone and the sun rays will warm you while the cool breeze makes it feel so comfortably natural. In the distance you can hear the sounds of the birds or sheep and it's like they are telling you from a distance this is where you are supposed to be. For me, being out in the Habjan pasture riding around on my father-in-law's tractor just took all of life's worries away. But I will get more into my new found love for tractors in Part 2 about our weekend at the Antique Powerland Steam Up.

The week was also full of hiking, rafting, cookouts, bocce ball, good food and a couple heated rounds of pinochle (100 Jacks all the way). Matt's folks really packed in the fun for us and made sure we made the most of our time with them.

Kayaking down the South Santiam River.
Lebanon, Oregon

Matt and his parents, Diane and Bill, floating along enjoying the sun.

After a day of rafting we met up with some good family fiends of the Habjans, Bob and Joan Wimmer, for barbecue and bocce ball in the park.

Of course we played men against women. In the end it was a draw as both teams won a game but I think the women out won the men as our victory margin far exceeded theirs.

It was a perfect way to wrap up a day spent on the river!

Diane making her throw count.

The winning bocce team! The women beat the men 21 to 5!

We also picked fresh blackberries from the back pasture which made for excellent

blackberry waffles the next morning. I also made friends with Loogie the Llama, the newest addition to the Habjan pasture. I was the first person to be able to hand-feed him. Needless to say, he has quite the unlikable personality and reputation. I mean he doesn't get the name Loogie for the fun of it or so I hear! He didn't seem so bad to me.

Later that week we had a pasture party and cooked hot dogs and s'mores over the fire. In the past, pasture parties were limited to colder and wetter times of the year. To be honest, when they asked me what I wanted to do and I suggested a pasture party, I didn't even think about the fact that sitting around a fire when it's 90+ degrees outside might not be the best idea but they went out of their way to make it happen for me. They made sure to have plenty of water around and prepped the ground so the grass was short and nice and soggy. They assure me that with this request I have started a new tradition of summer pasture parties.