Porter Manual Labor

Grandpa Porter's side of the family has land in Sevier County shared with the family in a trust. Part of that trust requires regular maintenance throughout the property, including fence repair to keep the cattle from wandering the hills, as well as hunters from coming onto the private property. Great-Grandpa's brother Garry used to maintain the fence on his own thoughout the season, but now that he has passed away, and the family is learning about what is actually needed and required in the trust, it became a joint effort. Everyone gathered at Garry's family cabin to get assignments, and then went to work. In our family, the women gathered to support the men and make sure everyone had snacks and water. Keeping the kids content got a little tricky in the sun, but once they found out Uncle Ryan and Aunt Tiff gave permission to sit on the 4-wheelers, they were very pleased. Tiff and Brielle were really good sports and played Hot/Cold with Miss V and her toy Wonder Woman several rounds.

Aunt Tiff and Miss V

 Afterward we retuned to Garry's family cabin for some delicious soup and a visit. We decided to head down the mountain, but I forgot at first that we needed Dad, who has one of the few keys to the gate, to let us off the property. He was understanding, and left a little early so we could rest back at their house and then look at the cabin home they're in the process of building by Grandma Manwill's house.

Zak, Cohen, Uncle Ryan, and Ty

Miss V and Aunt Tiff

Grandpa Porter on the 4-wheeler

Brielle

Cohen and Uncle Ryan teaching Ty how it's done while Grandma searches for the "bone" the kids dropped.

Aunt Tiff, Brielle, Grandma, and Miss V talk.

Grandma and Miss V

Grandma and Miss V

Grandma and Miss V

Me (Nicole) when Miss V got ahold of the camera

Cohen, Uncle Ryan, and Ty

Grandpa and Mr C

Zak, Cohen, Miss V, Mr C, and Grandpa

Miss V, Mr C, and Grandpa on the 4-wheeler

Miss V's dirt-covered face, Mr C dirt-covered face, and Grandpa on the 4-wheeler

Grandpa and Grandma Porter's new cabin-style home, reaching completion on the exterior

Mr C

Zak

Niki

Outdoor fireplace in the works (Miss V had the camera)

Mr C

Playing with Grandpa's big 

work light in the master bathroom

Niki joins in the fun (and got a shriek from Mr C)

Main bathroom tiled

Grandpa loves Grandma! (and she loves him, even with his Santa beard)

Uncle Cohen

Grandpa and Zak

Grandma (I think she likes this new house of hers,

and enjoying it with her loves)

The kiddos on "their mountain"

The kiddos conquering on their mountain

Cove Mountain Reunion 2017

Ever since cousin Katie got conversation started and a pirate theme came into play, we've been excited for the annual Var and Forest Porter reunion. We loved the treasure/scavenger hunt that Madi and Kyle prepared. Aunt Niki excitedly rode the 4-wheelers for hours. Zak and I also took the kids for some short rides, and they couldn't get enough. At the end, Great-grandpa Porter went over family trust and Cove Mountain property information, which several family members heard for the first time. The t-shirts Zak designed were a big hit, and with delicious food in abundance, a family full of black sheep, and a piñata, we did our best to "Party Like a Pirate."

Four generations of Porter Men! Zak, Mr C, Great-grandpa Jim, and Grandpa Wayne

Grandma Porter came prepared. The kiddos had lots of fun playing with cousins.

Four generations of Porter Women! Grandma Teri, Miss V, me (Nicole) in the back, and Great-grandma Sue

Quality time with the Porters 

Zak paracorded a bunch of keychains and lanyards for family and geocaching.

Cove Mountain Porter Trip

The summer after Zak and I married, we drove to the "rural" Porter cabin, just the two of us. This time his parents invited us to camp there with them and two of Zak's siblings. They helped vacuum up the dead flies in the cabin once we got the generator going. Mom, Dad, Zak, and I took turns making meals. We tried to follow the shade or the sun, depending on the time of day, so we hauled our camp chairs around the property several times. They are comfy, and I got my s'mores, so it was definitely worth it. The boys went fishing in Deep Lake, while V and I went exploring around the lake.

Fishing for Baby V

Braids make excellent camping hair and crimped fun
afterward.

Grandpa and his airplane, which
unfortunately hit a tree.

Grandpa, Aunt Niki, and Uncle Cohen panned for gold. Grandpa found a fleck.

Grandpa and Aunt Niki played the ukelele for us around the campfire. V loved it.

Miss V "driving" Grandpa's new Beefy truck.

V helping Grandma in the kitchen before cake time.

Aunt Niki's birthday! Oh, the Porters and their torches.

Cove Mountain Cabin

Zak was sent home a few hours early from work last Friday, so I asked if he wanted to take a spontaneous camping trip and show me his grandparents' rustic cabin.  He used to go there every year or so, staying in a tent or a hammock nearby if they had a big reunion.

He showed me some of the forts the male cousins built around the forest.  His brother, Cohen, also started a stone bridge.  They worked quite a bit for recreation it seems.

We had fun on the forest trails with rocks and puddles in Beefy.

I met Grandpa Porter's brother, Gary.

We wondered about the property, which is split between the Chritiansens and Porters.  Dad told us that they homesteaded the 300 acre property three generations ago (or so) to use for timber, herding, and recreation.  So I don't think they ever paid for the land, it just became theirs.  Grandpa, Dad, and Zak's uncles built the cabin around the early 1980s.

Several family members have left marks on nearby trees.

Zak watercoloring at Deep Lake

We got to use our Camp Chef for the first time, and eat s'mores! (Ok, I ate the s'mores).

Because he knew I would appreciate it, Zak took me to the Richfield City Cemetery to visit his Grandma, Aunt, and Cousin.  I found out, while still a young boy, he'd drawn the hands for his Grandma's headstone, and the rose for his Aunt's headstone.

Zak's Grandma Porter

Zak's Aunt Jamie*

Zak's cousin, Jordan*

After we married, I heard Zak and I got married on the anniversary of Jordan's death.  I found out from the headstone we actually weren't.  Their family went through quite a bit in ten years.

*To protect those still living, I blocked out some names and dates.