Oysterville Church, January 2019

Tonight when I went to close up the church, I took a minute to check the guest register.  It was such an uninviting day that I wondered…  But, yes!  We’d had at least two visitors today and two yesterday — perhaps more, for everyone doesn’t sign in.  And,  much to my surprise,  one of the guests was a “Joe Espy.”  From Idaho.

We don’t have a “Joe” in our immediate family.  Not among the first or second cousins either — at least not that I’m aware of.  I wished I’d been in town but it was one of those errand-running days, so even if Joe came and knocked on our door, there was no possibility of connecting,

On the other hand, Cousin David is at the Red House I think.  If I see him tomorrow, I’ll ask him what he knows. Meanwhile, there’s always good ol’ Google,  So, I asked how many people are there in the U,S. with the surname Espy. There were about a gazillion answers  (or, in some cases “almost” answers) to that question and, as you might imagine, a good number of them came from ancestry.com.

But as I scrolled down the screen, the seventh or eighth entry looked very familiar indeed.  And, wouldn’t you know, it was from that sydneyofoysterville.com site!  (Here’s the link if you want to check it out: https://sydneyofoysterville.com/2015/espys-the-name-e-s-p-y/)  It even included the Espy Coat of Arms.  I remember writing that blog some time ago but it never occurred to me that someday it would be used to answer my own question — though, truth to tell, it was a little off the point.  But isn’t a lot of information on Google a little off the mark?

R.H. Espy House – Oysterville, WA

So.. now I’m meeting myself coming and going.  Not a surprise to those of you who have known me for a while.  And after all, whether ye be a-comin or a-goin’ in Oysterville, it’s pretty hard to get very lost!

L to R — Michael Lemeshko, Phil Allen, Doug Knutzen, Sydney Stevens — all speakers at the April History Forum

If you weren’t at the Oysterville Schoolhouse Wednesday morning, or even if you were, be sure to check out the youtube presentation of the Pacific County History Forum 4-3-2024.  Such great stories!  Among those who attended were a couple of Willapa Bay Artists in Residence, one of whom wrote afterwards:   Thank you so much for the heads up on the History Forum today. I found it so interesting and informative. What a unique gathering of minds and memories. 

And,  if you are in Oysterville within the next few days, look over the fence into our yard (or walk down the lane for a bit) and check out our old pear tree that is in full bloom and is really quite spectacular.  Kathleen Davies was going to come by yesterday or today to take its picture for her Heritage Fruit Tree Project.  I’m not sure how old the tree is, but my mother said it has “always” been there which I take to mean that it was planted by the Crellins shortly after they built the house in 1869.  I believe that it was one of a number of fruit trees that were planted in that southeastern part of the yard — “the orchard” my grandmother called that area, though I don’t remember any other fruit trees there during my lifetime.

Our Pear Tree – April 5, 2024

In any event, Kathleen has been taking pictures of the tree at each stage of its development.  It does still give us fruit –pears (bosc I think) as hard as rocks.  The birds don’t even try them — they seem to know that they are beak-benders.  My grandmother, then my mother, then Nyel, all used my grandmother’s recipe for pickled pears which, in my opinion, helps them not one little bit.  The deer seem to like them, though, (the raw ones, not the pickled ones) and I long ago told them to come and eat their fill.

And, still along the lines of heritage and history, the Pacific County Historical Society’s annual meeting will be held in Raymond on April 14th with Roy Nott as guest speaker.   Roy told about his 40 years with Weyerhauser — many of those years in our Naselle area — at our February Forum on Logging.  That’s where Steve Rogers, PCHS President, met him and prevailed upon him to share some of his stories and information in an upcoming Sou’wester as well as at the Raymond gathering.   Yay Steve!  Yay Roy!  Yay History Forum!

Oysterville Sky, Thursday Evening, April 4th — Photo by Cyndy Hayward

Truth to tell… I completely missed this fabulous sunset sky last night.  My neighbor, Cyndy, often walks her dog along the bayside path in front of our house and last evening, this was her spectacular reward!  And mine, too — vicariously.  I was actually in the kitchen and the windows look out at the church in the same direction but, apparently, the perspective was all wrong.  My view showed a small patch of dark blue sky with white clouds but mostly the darkening woods behind the church.  Obviously, it pays to go out, back off, and look up!

Getting the picture in my mail this morning was a good reminder about sorting out what’s important and what’s not — all of which, ultimately depends upon your perspective.  It’s that glass half-empty-half-full thing.  And, of course, it’s necessary to put yourself in a position to have a bit of perspective in the first place.  I think that’s what some of us elders forget to do sometimes.

Understandable, yes.  Our sight dims.  Our hearing fades.  Our mobility becomes more difficult.  And somehow our perspective becomes oh so much more all-about-us.  (And do I hear Nyel’s voice saying softly, “Speak for yourself, Sydney.”)  Never did he actually say that, but always his vision was outward, not inward.  Without his daily example, I am even more appreciative of the gentle reminders from my friends and loved ones.  Thank you, Cyndy (and Mimi), for a renewed perspective!