Still Standing!

"We didn't start the FIRE"....one of our family's favorite songs....(FYI) However tragically, needlessly, carelessly SOMEONE did, and as a result hundreds of thousands of acres of the Sitgreaves National Forest have burned down this summer. It was absolutely overwhelming to listen to the reports and watch the charts of the progression of the fire and to think of it encroaching upon the little mountain town of Greer, and "THE CABIN".

The CABIN is like a life long friend....A friend that you know is ALWAYS there. Waiting there for you. For whenever you are ready to turn to it and find, peace, fun, relaxation. It is a very sentimental spot for the entire extended Rogers/Kesterson family. Talk about memories! In the early years of our marriage this is THE PLACE where we vacationed. period.

"Grandpa Kesterson" built this cabin because of bears and a best friend! His best friend sold him a little corner of his lot in the "Northwoods" of Greer so they no longer would have to take their wives camping near Big Lake and deal with BEARS. Evidently Grandma said "build me a cabin or I'm not coming up here any more"! In my opinion....only those who actually stayed at the cabin with Grandma and Grandpa Kesterson can truly claim charter heritage, however let it be known that EVERYONE in the extended family says "Our Cabin" when talking about Greer.

Anyway...this little old cabin is growing old and a little "worse for the wear". We have talked about redoing and rebuilding, we never do....HOWEVER the thought of it burning to the ground was just awful. Our nephew Jeff and his little family were actually at the cabin for a little get-away when the forest service knocked on the cabin door and said it was time to evacuate. As they drove away the next morning and they saw the enormous clouds of smoke rolling in, they honestly didn't know if they would be the last ones to ever lock the door behind them and say goodbye to the cabin.

It was interesting to watch the kids. Jonathan was our informant and correspondent as he followed the news of the fire's progression. I guess he knew one of the most beautiful and precious spots in the state of Arizona, and a big part of his childhood was in great danger and he didn't like it.

So - all's well with the cabin. As soon as they opened the roads we went up to "check it out" and to work on it......(which leads to the next post). By the way....how fitting that Jonathan and his boys joined us as we pulled in on that crunching gravel drive by the cabin and said HELLO FRIEND!!