Two Rivers Interlude

I just told Bill that my adventure yesterday afternoon to a place just 35 miles away made me feel like I'd entered another state and time:  Montana in June. 

Certainly a few places here in Northern Idaho have yellow daisies and Oregon grape in full bloom.  

And, granted, a lot of flowering trees are showing their colors, depending on where they are.
Nonetheless, the advanced spring beauty and pleasant weather at this spot provided a wonderful contrast to the soggy scenes that dominated life here at the Lovestead. 

Bill came home from work at lunch time.  When I asked what he planned to do with his afternoon, he said he would just work around home.

Sensing a chance to escape for a few hours completely on my own with no dogs and no other of the usual worries of my typical day, I took immediate advantage.

Within 15 minutes I was out the door with my camera and sunglasses (just in case on the latter cuz we had rain showers all morning). 

My drive took me north, first to the Bread Basket Cafe north of Three Mile, north of Bonners Ferry.  

Purchasing some coffee, a loaf of pumpkin bread and one of their marionberry pastries, I directed the car toward the Moyie River.

Not far beyond the bridge over the Moyie, there's a sign directing travelers to Twin Rivers Campground.

It's nestled a long way down from the highway at the end of a winding road running along bare hillsides, except for clumps of yellow flowers and hundreds of yet-to-bloom wild lupine.

I feel a bit stupid to admit that I'd never seen Twin Rivers Campground until about four years ago.  Another situation where something right in front of one's nose remains oblivious for almost a lifetime.

My discovery of Twin Rivers was much like coming upon a hidden treasure.  It's a spot with camping, picnicking, recreational facilities, flanked on each side by the Kootenai and Moyie Rivers.

A walk to the point of the peninsula provides a view reminiscent of scenes in the movie  A River Runs Through It. 

The view conjures up thoughts of peace, serenity, drama, and, of course a fisherman or two standing on the shoreline presenting their flies to the waters. 

At this time, both waters are high, in one case flooding a trail along the shoreline.

Also, at this time, the geese are in Heaven while one's walking shoes are not.  I managed to make it back to the car without any stinking green decorations on my souls.

My success took some careful maneuvering, though through deep green grass where goose poop competes with thousands of dandelions in full bloom.

Besides the geese, I received more than enough shrieky warnings from a healthy population of kildeer.  As careful as I was selecting my steps, I feel confident that no nests filled with eggs were destroyed.

A solitary merganser was enjoying a spit bath along the beach area.  
Oblivious of my presence, he kept on licking his feathers as I approached quietly approached and snapped pictures.  

Oh, for a good telephoto at such times!

Satisfied with his bath and unimpressed with me, he flew off.

It was a great getaway, with the sun shining for most of the trip, until I returned to the world of rain, rain, rain. 

As I pulled off HWY 95 to Center Valley Road, another big shower from heavy dark clouds was watering the fields.  

As if we needed more moisture!

Twin Rivers is a treasure, especially for the sole human walking the grounds at a very pretty time of year.