Writing Ella's stories with my mother 's cousin, Mary Kathleen Preston has been one of the joys of my adult life. Kathleen 's stories that her mother Eleanor (Ella) and grandfather Alex, told her about pioneering in Oregon are exceptional reminders of all the joys and hardships that could easily happen to easy settlers in the Oregon territory .

Her stories that her mother Eleanor (Ella) told are special family stories. My grandfather was baby Eddie, the little brother.

Just as Mary Kathleen was able to spend time with her grandfather Alex for a month each summer. I was also blessed to spend a month each summer with my grandparents Ed and Pauline.

Four generations of the Bews family loved the farm in Dover, worked and played there each day. These stories are special stories that many families have, but have never written down for the next generation.

You will love these simple stories of faith in the early 1900's. Great grandfather Alex read a chapter of the old testament and the new testament each evening.

His faith brought him through many adventures including wild fires on Mount Hood that families had to fight in order to save their homes and farms. In great grandfather 's story of the wildfire You will find that the fires came to the fence line, but not into the pasture.

His reminders of God's care influences me today. .