Chapter 4 bow burst

The company of children will heal the soul. Dostoevsky Oregon's Wallowa Lake State Park and the surrounding area have long been known as America's Little Switzerland.Rising to nearly 10,000 feet, the wild, rugged mountains contain countless valleys filled with streams, hiking trails, and high-altitude grasslands dotted with wildflowers.Wallowa Lake is the entrance to Eagle Crest Wilderness Reserve and Hell Valley National Scenic Area. Hell Valley is the deepest canyon in North America. It was formed by the Snake River for hundreds of years. In some places, it is two miles deep and ten miles wide. .

Seventy-five percent of the scenic area is unpaved, and there are more than 900 miles of hiking trails.It was once the domain of the powerful Nez Perce tribe, whose remnants can be seen throughout this wilderness, as well as the remnants of white people who migrated west.The neighboring town of Joseph, named after a powerful tribal chief whose Indian name means Thunder of the Thunder.The area is rich in flora and wildlife including elk, bear, deer and snow sheep.The area closer to the Snake River is more careful because of the rattlesnakes, especially if you decide to go off the trail. Wallowa Lake itself is five miles long and a mile wide, and some say it is made of nine million Formed by a glacier years ago, it is now 4,400 feet above sea level, about a mile from the town of Joseph.Although the water of the lake is icy cold for most of the year, the water temperature in late summer is comfortable enough for a leisurely swim, at least near the shore.The nearly 10,000-foot-high Sakajawea Peak overlooks the blue jewel-like lake from a height covered with snow all year round and lush forests.

For the next three days, McCann and the kids had a relaxed and fun time.Missy seemed satisfied with Daddy's answers and never brought up the subject of the princess again, not even once on a day hike when they reached some steep cliffs.They paddled for hours along the lake, fought their way through miniature golf to win prizes, and even rode horses on mountain trails.After visiting the Wilder Historic Ranch about halfway between Joseph Township and Enterprise City in the morning, they spent the whole afternoon browsing the small shops in Joseph Township. Back at the lake, Josh and Kate go racing at the kart track, with Josh leaving as the winner, but Kate then regains her bragging rights when she catches a good-sized trout from the lake that afternoon.Missy caught a fish with a hook and a worm too, but Josh and McCann couldn't catch a fish with all their fancy baits.

Two other families seemed to magically fit into Philip's world over the weekend.That's how it always happens: the friendship sparks first among the children, before it extends to the adults.Josh was particularly keen to get to know the Doucet family, and their eldest daughter, Amber, happened to be a sweet little lady about his age.Kate especially loved tormenting her brother with the whole thing, while he would stomp and growl angrily in the tent trailer, answering her taunts.Anbo has a younger sister named Amy, who is only one year younger than Kate, and the two spend a lot of time together.The Doucetts visited from their home in Colorado. Mr. Emil is a law enforcement officer for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and his wife, Vicky, manages household chores at home, including taking care of their unexpectedly born son, Jay, who is almost one year old. .

Doucet introduced to McCann and the children an earlier Canadian couple, Jesse and Sarah.Maddison.The two men had an unassuming, easy-going demeanor, and McCann took an immediate liking to them.Both work as freelance consultants, Jesse in human resources and Sarah in change management.Miss is immediately attracted to Sarah, and the two often help Vicky take care of Jay at the Doucet family's camp together. Tuesday came happily, and the group was very excited. They planned to take the Wallowa Lake Cable Car to the top of Howard Mountain, which is 8,150 feet above sea level.When it was built in 1970, the cable car track had the steepest vertical ascent in North America, with nearly four miles of cable.It takes about 15 minutes to take a cable car to the summit, and it swings at heights ranging from three feet to one hundred and twenty feet above the ground.

Jesse and Sarah didn't bring lunch and insisted that everyone go to the summit restaurant to have a charcoal barbecue.The original plan was to eat lunch upon reaching the summit and then spend the rest of the day hiking to five viewpoints and lookouts.They prepared cameras, sunglasses, water bottles, and sunscreen lotion, and set off before ten o'clock.They ate a real burger, fries, and milkshake meal at the charcoal grill as planned.The altitude must have helped whet the appetite. Even Mith devoured the entire burger and most of the toppings. After lunch, they hiked to each of the nearby lookouts, the longest stretch being from River Valley Stand to the Snake River area and the Seven Devils lookout (about three-quarters of a mile away).From the Wallowa Valley stands, they could see as far as Joseph, Enterprise, Rosetin, and even Wallowa.From the purple royal grandstand and the summit grandstand, they enjoyed the clear view of Washington and Idaho, some even thought they could see the Idaho corridor. Narrow Territory.) outside of Montana.

Towards evening, everyone is both tired and happy.Sitting on Jesse's shoulders in front of the last few stands, Miss was already falling asleep in her father's arms by the time they drove bumping and roaring down from the summit.The four children, together with Sarah, put their faces on the car window and exclaimed at the wonders they saw along the road.The Doucetts held hands and talked quietly, while Xiaojie slept in his father's arms. McCann thought: This is a rare moment, unexpected and amazing.It would be perfect if Cortana was there too.He adjusted his position to make Missy sleep more comfortably, and now that she was fast asleep, he pushed her hair back from her face and studied her carefully.The grime and sweat of the day only added wonderfully to her innocence and beauty.Why should they grow up?He thought, and kissed her on the forehead.

That night, the three families combined their food and had their last supper together.The main course was a burrito salad with lots of fresh cut veggies and dips.Sarah was able to whip up a quick chocolate dessert with layers of whipped cream, mousse, brownies and other goodies that made everyone feel luxurious and satisfied. After the dinner leftovers were stored in the refrigerator and the cups and plates were washed and put away, the adults sipped coffee around the blazing campfire. Amir talked about his adventures in cracking down on the group of smuggling endangered animals and explained how they caught illegal animals. Fishers and other poachers.His stories are brilliantly told, and his profession lends a wealth of lore to some of the gags.The whole process was beautiful, and McCann found himself ignorant of many things in the world again.

As the night wore on, Emil and Vicky took the sleepy baby to bed first.Jessie and Sarah volunteered to stay a little longer to accompany the Doucet daughters back to their camp, and the three Philips and the two Doucet girls immediately ran to the safety of the tent trailer Share stories and secrets. As often happens, when the campfire burns long enough, the conversation shifts from humor to more personal topics.Sarah seemed interested in getting to know the rest of the McCann family, especially Cortana. So what's she like, McKenzie? McCann likes to brag about Cortana when she gets the chance.Oh, besides being beautiful, I don't just mean looks, she is really beautiful, inside and out.He looked up shyly to see them both smiling at him.He really missed her and was thankful that the night had concealed his embarrassment.Her full name is Nanette, but almost everyone calls her Cortina.She has a good reputation in the medical world, at least in the Northwest.She is a nurse, serving tumor patients, er, terminal cancer patients.It's not an easy job, but she really loves it.Anyway, she's written some papers and spoken at some medical conferences.

Really?Sarah asked immediately.What is the subject of her speech? She helps people think about their relationship with God in the face of death.McCann replied. I'd like to hear more about this.Jessie encouraged him to continue, stirring the firewood with his stick to reignite the flames. McCann hesitated.Although he was unusually comfortable with these two, he didn't really know them, and the conversation had gotten a little too deep for him to feel comfortable with.He quickly searched for short answers to satisfy Jesse's interest. Xiaona knows a lot more than me in this regard.I think she thinks about God differently than most people.She even called God Daddy because they were so close, does that make sense?

Of course it makes sense.Sarah answered loudly, and Jesse nodded in agreement.Is that the custom at home, calling God Daddy? No, McCann said, laughing.The kids sometimes yell, but I'm not used to it.I think that seems a little too personal.Anyway, Cortana has a great dad, so I guess it's easier for her. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, McCann's heart skipped a beat, hoping no one noticed, but Jesse kept his eyes on him.Isn't your father that great?he asked softly. Yeah, McCann paused.I guess you could say he's not that great.I was young when he died, a natural death.McCann smiled, but his voice sounded hollow.He looked at the two of them.He drank to death. We are sorry.Sarah spoke for both, and McCann could sense she meant it. Well, he said, forced a laugh again.Sometimes life is not easy, but I have many things to be grateful for. There was an unnatural silence as McCann wondered how the two could penetrate his defenses so easily.Seconds later, he was saved by a flurry of confusion from the kids, who rushed out of the trailer and ran among the adults.Kate is upset because she and Amy caught Josh and Anbo holding hands in the dark, and now they want the whole world to know.Josh was already fascinated by this time, so he willingly endured all kinds of teasing, and accepted her hype description with equanimity.He couldn't wipe the smirk off his face even though he tried hard. The Maddisons hugged McCann and his children goodnight, and Sarah squeezed McCann's hand extra tenderly before leaving.Then they, hand in hand with Anbo and Amy, headed for the Doucet family's camp in the darkness.McCann watched them until they could no longer hear their whispers or see the flickering beam of the flashlight.He couldn't help smiling, turned around and urged the children to walk towards the sleeping bags. The prayer was said, followed by kisses goodnight and giggles as Kate whispered to her brother, who occasionally burst out with a low but audible rant: There you go. Kate, yell at me seriously, you're such a brat!Finally, it slowly returned to silence. McCann packed as much as he could by the light of the camp lantern, but quickly decided the rest would wait until dawn, since they didn't plan to leave until after noon anyway.He made his last cup of coffee for the evening and sat in front of the campfire to sip it.The fire had faded to a heap of glowing coals glowing red.It is easy to get lost in this glowing, fluctuating embers.He was alone, but not alone.That's Bruce.Cobain's song "Rumors of Glory" (Annotation: Bruce Cockhurn (1945︱), Canadian folk, rock, jazz music singer-songwriter and guitarist, "Rumors of Glory" (Rumors of Glory) was released in 1980 A song from the album "Humans.")?He wasn't sure, but he'd look it up when he got home if he remembered. Surrounded by the charm and warmth of the firelight, he sat praying, mostly prayers of thanksgiving.He got too much.It might be more correct to say that he was blessed.He was content, at ease, full of peace.Unbeknownst to McCann at the time, within twenty-four hours his prayers were about to change, dramatically. The next morning, although sunny and warm, didn't start out so well.McCann woke up early to surprise the kids with a delicious breakfast, but burned two fingers trying to get muffins stuck to the pan.The pain caused him to overturn the stove and pan, and the bowl of pancake batter he was holding fell to the sand.The children, awakened by the banging and accompanying soft curses, poked their heads out of the tent trailer to see what the commotion was all about.They giggled as soon as they figured out what was going on, but they heard McCann say: Hey, what's so funny!He retracted his head into the safety of the trailer, but still hid in the screen window and looked out, giggling. So instead of the big meal McCann had ordered, breakfast was cold cereal with creamer because the last of the milk had been poured into the pancake batter.McCann then spent the next hour setting up the camp, with two fingers still stuck in the ice water, and having to replace the ice water now and then with shards of ice that Josh knocked off with the back of a spoon.Word must have spread, because Sarah showed up with first aid for the burn, and within minutes the sting was lessened by slathering his finger with a thick white liquid. Moyo At this time, Josh and Kate had completed their assigned tasks and came to ask if they could go out to play the Doucet family's canoe for the last time, and promised to wear life jackets.After an initial strong refusal and necessary entreaties from the children (especially Kate), McCann finally relented and reminded them again of the canoe safety and behavior rules.He wasn't too worried because their camp was so close to the lake and the kids promised to stay as close to the shore as possible.McCann can still watch over them while he continues to pack and pack the camp. Missy was busy at the table with the coloring book she bought at Multnomah Falls.She is just so cute!McCann was thinking as he glanced in Mith's direction while tidying up the mess he had made earlier.She was wearing the only clean clothes left, a small red sleeveless dress embroidered with wildflowers, which they had bought the first day they entered Josephtown. About fifteen minutes later, McCann raised his head when he heard a familiar voice calling Daddy from the lake.It was Kate, and she and her brother were paddling the water like the pros.Both were obedient, wearing life jackets, and he waved to them. It is amazing how a seemingly insignificant action or event can change a person's life.Kate raised her oars and waved in response, but suddenly lost her balance and the kayak capsized.There was a frozen look of terror on her face, and the canoe turned over in almost silent slow motion.Josh leaned forward hastily, trying to keep his balance, but it was too late, and he disappeared into the splashing water.McCann was already running towards the water's edge, not intending to jump in, but to be close to them when they surfaced.Kate floated up first, crying and squirting water out of her mouth, but Josh was nowhere to be seen.Then in a split second there was a churning of the water and two legs popping out, and McCann knew right away that something was wrong. To his amazement, instinctive reactions from his training as a teenage lifeguard immediately came to mind.In seconds, he had taken off his shoes and shirt, jumped into the water, and swam fifty feet to the spot where the canoe capsized, not even feeling the sudden cold, ignoring for a moment the sobbing and terrified daughter.She is safe.His primary focus is on Josh. He took a deep breath and dived deeper.The water, despite this churning, was still quite clear, with a visibility of about three feet.He soon finds Josh and discovers why he's in trouble.His life jacket had a strap that was tangled up with the canoe strap.Macken tried hard, but couldn't untie it, so he tried to gesture to Josh to push himself inside the canoe, where there was still some trapped air to breathe.But the poor boy was in a panic and just tugged at the straps that kept him stranded over the edge of the canoe and under the surface. McCann surfaced, yelled at Kate to swim to the shore, took another deep breath, and dived under the surface again.By the third dive, McCann knew the situation was imminent, and he knew he could only keep trying to get Josh to take off his lifejacket or turn the kayak over.Since Josh is panicking and keeping no one close, McCann has to choose the second option.He'd never know if it was God and the angels or God and the adrenaline, but it took two tries and he managed to turn the canoe over and free Josh from the restraints. The life jacket finally functioned, and now Josh's face was floating on the water.Mikan emerged from behind him, but he was limp and unconscious, blood oozing from the deep gash on his head where Mikan hit him while flipping the kayak.McCann immediately began doing his best mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for his son, and others who heard the commotion rushed to the scene and pulled him, the canoe, and Josh, who was attached to the canoe and wearing a life jacket, toward the shallows. McCann was oblivious to the instructions and questions shouted by the crowd around him, just focused on his task, the sense of panic swelled in his chest.Just as his feet hit solid ground, Josh coughed and spat out water and breakfast.The crowd cheered thunderously, but McCann was indifferent.He breathed a sigh of relief, coupled with the surge of adrenaline when he escaped from death, he broke down and began to cry loudly, Kate suddenly wrapped his hands around his neck and sobbed, and everyone hugged together laughing and crying . At last they all reached the shore.Among those brought to the scene by the panic and noise were Jesse and Emil.In the confusion of cheers and relief, McCann heard Amir's voice repeating the rosary, whispering again and again: I'm sorry I'm sorry.It was his canoe, and it could have been his child.McCann found him, put his arms around the young man, and firmly emphasized in his ear: Stop talking!It's not your fault, everyone's fine.Amir began to sob, momentarily released from the dam of guilt and fear. They avoided a potential crisis.At least that's what McCann thought at the time.