Thursday Trivia

~~Stacy Reif's Country Schoolhouse:  Selle Valley Bright Beginnings~~

Bill and I went for a lovely bike ride last night.

And, as most faithful readers know, one of my favorite rides is Woodside Road off from Selle Road.

Whenever I take the route through the middle of the Wood family's V Bar X farmland, the fleet of Wood's Crushing and Hauling trucks has gone to bed for the night.

The road is so quiet and so peaceful. 

In fact, I can count on about two fingers the vehicles I've met along my many visits.

The sun was about to set when we reached the road last night, and the light on Stacy's little schoolhouse provided a nostalgic, peaceful image.

There's a lot going on around the school these days as a new home is going up in the spot north of the school where Stacy and her family have lived for a number of years.

As we pedaled down the road, the sweet sound of meadowlarks somewhere in the fields reminded me of yet another reason I love and cling to my rural roots.

We saw four or five deer bounding across the field into the woods.

After the first cattle guard, we came upon a big herd of those beautiful V Bar X Red Angus cows and calves. They weren't too concerned with our presence---just stood and stared at us.

I've always been partial to Herefords, but I'd never turn down the chance to have some red Angus in my fields (with decent fences, of course).

Those cows and their adorable calves are especially picturesque against the deep green of spring grasslands.

Speaking of which, Sandpoint Magazine comes out tomorrow.

I'm excited because I wrote portions of the lead story but more excited because I can't wait to see the photos chosen for the spread and taken by Marie Domique "Do" Verdier. She does exquisite work.

Those grasslands, a little west of where we rode last night, provided the setting. It was a beautiful evening like those we've experienced this week, and the sights of those horses and their riders, standing and running in the April grass were nothing short of drop-dead gorgeous.

So, for photos alone, the magazine ought to be something special.

Plus, tomorrow we know who's coming to The Festival at Sandpoint. That announcement is always coordinated with Lost in the '50s and the release of the Sandpoint Magazine summer edition.

And, The Dive is opening today in the old Pastime Restaurant. Debbie and I walked past it yesterday as construction crews were busy at work, people were discussing "important stuff" inside and music was blaring. I think the music was definitely orchestrated to draw folks to the scene.

K102 Country Station has been playing "The Dive" commercials for the past several days. A family restaurant with nothing over $9, and a hint that the offerings will be good ol' redneck food. Lots of family-oriented fun, they say.

The owner has basically gutted the Pastime, and the decor has a rustic look. I was reminded a bit of Stubs Barbecue Joint in Austin, but it's still got a long ways to go to match that place and its history.

There's a balcony above the sidewalk, and my dear lifelong friend and classmate Mike Parkins wonders when the first fight will start and someone will go flying over the railing. That's to be determined, and let's hope it will be a long time.

We visited with Mike, whom I rank right up there with myself and Helen Newton as longtime locals in the know. I have to admit that this country life of the past four years has caused me to slip a few notches in my local data-base knowledge, but Mike is as informative as ever.

He owns Four Seasons Realty just down the street from The Dive, and he says it would be nice if the real estate market would pick up a bit.

We walked out of Mike's office, and Debbie, who'd met him for the first time, said, "He's funny." I told her she was in for a treat cuz she has four other Parkins family members to meet, and there's a guaranteed laugh or two.

Yup, Lost in the '50s weekend, good weather, nice magazine hits the streets----life is good here in Sandpoint, Idaho.