Kʻden. Leaving ʻono grindz and Walla Walla behind, we headed out into the lovely Palouse country for the second time in six months. We really had to push it in order to see everything we could before dark fell.

The fields were green, and the sky was absolutely beautiful, and the land stretched out before us. This is near Lewis Peak Road on Highway 12.

Itʻs really hard to describe how beautiful this land is; last time we came through the fields had just been burned, but now they were a lush green.

When we went around the east side of a hill, it was already pretty shady; the sun was beginning to get lower in the sky.

This was kinda weird. It looked like a bambucha junk pile. Lumber, an old pickup… all kine stuffs.

But there was also a big red barn alongside the road. And you know how we love old barns!

This one maybe had a chicken coop or something next to it. Or???

We were now in the town of Waitsburg. As we drove down the main street through town, we saw some neat old houses. I wondered if anybody ever sat in rocking chairs on the front porch and watched the traffic and people go by. I bet they did ʻway back when.

Another old house we saw. I bet when these two houses were new they were absolutely beautiful. Even now they had a lot of charm despite their age.

We saw this old flatbed truck with a bunch of old stoves and stuffs on it. Someday I would love to have a wood-burning stove. I used one up at a friendʻs cabin when we lived in Idaho and just loved it!

This old barn had definitely seen better days. Sometimes I feel just like that old barn. But not this day! This day I was on an advencha!

And guess wat? Moa pīpī foa AFK after we left town!! Much betta photo dis time.

Suddenly I saw a glimpse of something moving out of the corner of my eye and told Nolemana to grab the camera and just shoot, wikiwiki. He did, and actually caught this photo of a coyote running off for the hills. Good job, Nolemana! Can you see it?

This old farmhouse looked so deserted. I know I sound lolo, but I always feel bad for these abandoned homes that once sheltered families with their four walls. And yes, I always wonder who lived there, and were they just thrilled with their new home when it was new?

And once a long time ago, this barn probably sheltered animals and kept hay dry. Sad to look at now.

Now we come to a split in the highway. North to Spokane, or east to Pomeroy and our destination beyond. We head east.

It would’ve been fun to buy some eggs from ‘way out here, but we had no way to refrigerate them and it wasn’t cool enough to just leave them at room temperature.

We came to another sad, old, house. Trespassing undoubtedly wasn’t allowed here, but it would have been kinda fun to peek in the windows. This place must have been really beautiful at one time. Now it sits unloved and deserted. If I were a house I would be wondering where all my people had gone and why they didn’t want me anymore.

We actually stopped alongside the road to take the two photos here. Blackberries have taken over the garage, and I expect that within a few years, the garage won’t even be visible.

Lonely, broken, windows look out on all who pass by. I don’t know why I have such a fascination with old houses like this, but I do. I imagine walls ringing with laughter, and maybe even fighting, and little keiki running around. I think of meals that were served here, people who slept here, guests who were welcomed on the front porch. But no more. No more.

Once there were fires in the fireplace, keeping the owners warm. Now it’s cold, probably filled with ashes, and the chimney never needs cleaning.

The nearby barn was in bad shape, too.

Further down the road, there was another old barn.

But then, suddenly, after so much decay, there was something that was in good shape!

About Milepost 392 on Highway 12, we saw the Oliphant (no, Musubi, not elephant!) School. It looked brand new, though rather stark because there were no trees around it. You can see that the fields are plowed right up to its doorstop.

The school is located between Dodge and Pomeroy. It served as a school from 1920-1944 and later as a Grange Hall. It was also used as a grange hall as you can see from the sign.

This link provides a wonderful old photo of the original schoolhouse here in Garfield County.

Here’s a link to another wonderful old photo of the same building.

And if you’re interested, here’s a link to a photo of where the original schoolhouse was located.

Leaving the school/grange site, we are enveloped once again by the green, green, hills of the Palouse.

We stopped and took this photo just for Izzie. What a kewtie patootie this little filly. Izzie and I adore horses, and it was wonderful to see new life after the sadness of the old houses.

About 6:30, we came to the town of Pomeroy.

This magnificent old building is the Garfield County Courthouse. We pulled over to the side of the road to take photos of it. Lots of photos.

Try look da old clock and the blind justice statue on top.

I think of how many hours this clock has kept track of… how many times the hands have gone ’round and ’round, marking time throughout the years! The building was built in 1901!

It really is a beautiful old building, and I am so glad that it hasn’t fallen to decay like we’ve been seeing along the road.

We take one last look at the Courthouse, and then head on down the road.

Now this barn is in good shape, and it’s a good photo to end this part of our journey with.

So this is as far as we’ve come this time. From Walla Walla to Pomeroy, up there in the corner on the right.