Nyssa.

My dad grew up in Eastern Oregon, and by Eastern Oregon, I mean like half of a mile west of Idaho. Seriously, here is a map. The closest thing they have to themselves is Boise. How rough, right? Trying to get auto repair in Boise is easy. Getting your car to Boise for auto repair, not as easy.

Do you see that? The river is the border. Also, Nyssa is home to 3,000 people. Probably 100 of those are my family.

It is actually a very beautiful place where mint leaves and thunder eggs abound. Growing up, I loved visiting there, mostly because I adored my family that lived there, and also because it was fun! And we got to eat mint plants. (Side story, the other day I had some mint lemonade, and I was flooded with images, smells and memories of Nyssa)

It was home to the Amalgamated Sugar Company, where they employed my grandpa until his accidental death there in the 1970s. They employed a little less than 1,000 people until 2005 when they shut down the factory.

Nyssa only has one gas station, but they do have an A&W!

My dad lived here his whole entire life, and my high school had more people in it than his whole town. Mind boggling.