From the time I was 5 until I was 12 I lived in Battle Ground, Washington. Those were great years of my childhood. Probably the best I can remember. One of my memories was in May of 1980 when Mt. St. Helen’s blew. We watched it errupt from our front yard. It was amazing. I remember that we had ash as deep as snow and we had to wear masks to school for a month. I also remember that when we got snow the next winter it was gray instead of white. My dad owned a coin shop at the time and had a special Mt. St. Helen’s silver dollar made. I don’t know what happened to them all but I wish now that I had one. Memories……
I too remember the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. We lived in LaCenter, 20 miles away. I tell my students about having to wear masks and all of the ash.
All of the activity up there over the past year or so doesn’t scare me though. I know that if I survived the mountain blowing its dome off, that I can survive another eruption.
I remember when Mt.St. Helens erupted too although we lived thousands of miles away, my Dad was born and raised in Vancouver, WA so my grandparents were there (incidentally my Mom and Dad lived in Battleground when they were first married–small world!). I remember Grandpa and Grandma sent us a little bottle of ashes–I thought it was really neat. I wonder what ever happened to that…
I remember that day – May 18, 1980. I could see it from the end of my street but you could see it much better. We only got a light dusting of ashes in Bellevue. My son has gone through his stage of volcano fascination so he knows all about Mt. St. Helens. He’s relieved Grandma and Grnadpa don’t live there (by the volcano) anymore