Downriver Dispatches

We have nine days till Christmas. We can either use it for more shopping or we can recognize that the days we have left give us time to pause in gratitude for all this Holy Day means. Advent is a time to open our hearts to the mystery of God the Creator, God in Flesh and God the Comforter. May you all be blessed by the coming days with the message of light in the darkness. And may the coming of the shortest day of the year (winter equinox) remind us that light has indeed come with the increased light of each day, a true message of hope for 2022.

I am sorry the end of last week's column wasn't complete, so let's catch up with the calendar here: December 18: Naselle Lutheran bakers are offering Pulla (Cardamon bread) for sale. Call to see if loaves are still available to pick up at the church on December 18 between 10 a.m. and noon. Cost is $10 per loaf. Call (360) 484-3841 or (360) 465-2275. Proceeds will benefit the local community.

December 19: Christmas Bazaar at Naselle Community Center from 1-4 p.m. followed by Tree Lighting from 5:30-6:00. For a vendor booth, indoor or outdoor, the cost is $20. Contact Haleigh See to reserve space at (360) 852-3730. From 6-10 p.m., drive the Tour of Lights in Naselle and broader areas to see Christmas lights.

December 21: Naselle/GRV School Board meeting 6:30 p.m.

December 24: The Grays River United Methodist Church will hold a Christmas Eve service at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome. Pastor Keith Hackett will be presiding. The church is located at 3624 SR-4, Grays River.

January 8, 20: 4-H 2022 Kickoff at Johnson Park in Rosburg across from the Grays River store. It's for ages 5 and up. Activities include crafts, baking and robotics projects. No charge for the day and need not be in 4-H to participate. RSVP requested to: lfrink@wsu.edu.

January 12: Grays River Enhancement/Diking District meeting at Johnson Park at 5:15 p.m.

Photo of the Week: Glenn Miller's own design of a guitar with images of trees and a reflection of sun on water was made in colors of green, yellow and orange. A visit with Glenn and Shirley Miller last Saturday was inspiring. His metal work is delicate and precise and his love of the metal art can be seen both on and in his house in Naselle. He is self taught and prolific when he has the time. Glenn works in Longview during the week, then works on his metal art projects on the weekends. Shirley is very proud of his art as it's displayed all over their house. Glenn clearly enjoys the art side of his work. He uses his own designs much of the time. He has begun using paint developed for restored classic car bodies. As used on some of his pieces, the colors are remarkable. He has a list of ordered projects to do in the coming months. He just finished a Hogwart's Castle piece. It's one that was specially ordered. He does beautiful trees and makes signs with address numbers, or family names for homes and garages. His stressed American flag is a wonderful tribute to our veterans. His prices are reasonable considering the hours it takes for him to produce his pieces. There are few artists who do this type of work in our area. His trees are magnificent to me, but I still love the stressed American flag. It looks like a flag that's flown on a fishing boat for the whole season, torn and tired. It also brings my heart directly to Iwo Jima and boys from my high school who died in Vietnam. And it makes my heart sad. New flags are fine, but that flag on Bob Miller's barn tells the reality of what the flag has witnessed in every war. Seeing it brings memories of the Vietnam soldiers that are sometimes overwhelming. Each of our wars has had a cultural impact. And Glenn's flag tells of so many stories from so many wars. I hope someday he can simply create his unique art every day, not just on weekends. If you'd like to see some of his work, he'll be at the Bazaar at the Naselle Community Center from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, December 19.

WDFW Deep River/Oneida Road Boat Launch Closure. The Oneida Road Boat Launch will be closed from 12-8-21 through 12-31-21. Multiple agencies are partnering in response to a derelict barge on Deep River that has spilled oil into the river and still contains an estimated 1,600 gallons of oil. The initial spill is being contained and/or removed. The structure of the barge will be stabilized and then the barge will be moved about ¼ mile downstream to the WDFW Boat Launch on Oneida Road where the vessel will be removed from the water. To keep the public and responders safe and to facilitate the removal of the barge, WDFW's Deep River Boat Launch on Oneida Rd will be closed to the public during removal operations from December 8 to December 31. Questions or concerns regarding this incident can be sent to David Prater, Liaison Officer with the Department of Ecology: David.prater@ecy.wa.gov.

Senior Lunches: Today's CAP box lunch will be Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Berry Jello Salad, Peach Crisp. Pick it up at Rosburg Hall at noon. Call Denise at (360) 762-3111 to reserve your box lunch. The box lunch menu for December 23 is: Creamy Tomato Basil Meatballs, Sweet Potato Blend, Fruit Salad, Cookies, and for December 30: Ham and Cheese over Baked Potato, Spring Blend, Tropical Fruit Salad.

Word for the Week: Sacred