Happy Thanksgiving weekend from Hills & Valleys! In honor of this most American of holidays, and with an eye to a great Christmas season ahead, my gift to you is a smattering of light verse — a bit of rhyme for the holiday time.
I hope you enjoy a little sing-song celebration of a few things to be grateful for in our little corner of the world.
Lights are a’twinkling,
Downtowns are festooned,
And for Christmas songs
Our radios are tuned,
But let’s still be thankful
For a cornucopia of bounty
And the good life in
Ol’ Lewis County.
For fine folks like the
Austins (Mike and Sue),
Supporting Chehalis
For me and you.
And for leaders with
Vision for part of Pine Street;
Creating a plaza was
Quite a neat feat.
Of sandwiches divine
And desserts impeccable,
Next door to the plaza
Dawn’s diner is Delectable.
Then walk off your meal
A few blocks to the east.
The Seminary Hill trails
For your feet are a feast.
Or take a horse, bike or walk
On the Willapa Trail.
Say hi to the eagles
Who watch without fail.
Our freeway’s fantastic!
I-5 works for me.
But I do wish the two lanes
Were widened to three.
It’s been a year or so
And the higher overpass
At 13th street has
Not yet been smashed.
The Stout Coffee House
Is a warm place in fall;
Delicious coffee and
Goat pics on the wall.
Speaking of which
The Mountain Goat Coffee Co.
In the middle of Packwood
Makes a darn good cuppa Joe.
And the Goat Rocks trails
Offer views without parallel.
But on summer hikes
Mosquitoes eat very well.
In the west of the county
Come April, it’s fun
To float the Chehalis
On the Pe Ell River Run.
If you need this or that
You’ll find it, and more,
In timeless style at
The Doty General Store.
For a taste of Olde England
I’ll set my sights
On Shona’s in Chehalis
And Centralia’s British Bites.
Its deals are fantastic
But I can’t find the words
To say “Chehalis Outfitters”
Instead of Sunbirds.
From the hospital to Hillcrest
There’s a clever maneuber;
Avoid I-5 for a trip up
Old Scheuber.
Take a hop, skip or drive
Up steep Frogner Road,
But if your car breaks down
It might need toad.
If I want a small part
Or a tool, I know where
To find it; the Ace place
Is Sweeney’s Hardware.
In Winlock their big egg
Is really no joke.
They said keep the shell
But please skip the yolk.
Toledo’s folks topped
Their town with a cherry;
Volunteer & donors
Formed their own library.
With friends on each corner,
Kind words all around
I’m grateful for great folks
In all our home towns.
And a thriving newspaper —
Each edition is full
Of news to inform us.
Thanks, Chronicle!
Let’s keep meeting here
On most Saturdays
To talk about good times
Or mending our ways.
So I thank you all,
My friends and pal-ees
Each week for reading
Hills & Valleys.
•••
Do you think Brian’s column was poor or fine?
At brianmittge@hotmail.com, drop him a line.
