Faces from a Full Friday

As usual, I can't see all the photos I've posted.  All but the bottom photo were scenes at yesterday's Byway dedication.  

I think most folks who attended were happy that the Byway is finally completed, but there may have been a few silent groans when the announcement came that its opening will be "soon."  

Well, we've seen "soon" before, as in weather reports promising the sun.

We're also resilient; in fact, I'm betting if they ever had a contest for America's Most Resilient Community, Sandpoint and the surrounding area would win it hands down.

So, we know the Byway will open during this calendar year, and we'll be happy.

I noticed that the majority of the crowd yesterday had gray hair---'cept for me, of course.  I'd just come from the hairdresser with my new zap.

Anyway, my conclusion was that young people didn't feel the need to show up in mass; after all, they haven't been waiting since 1953.

Some did, though, and the young man with the Joel's burrito offered me a bite.  That would be Kaleb Keaton, star of my story in Lessons with Love, entitled "She Taught the Pope?"

It was great to see Kaleb and his parents, Kim and Julie.

Twas also good to see next year's editor of the Cedar Post, Tyson Bird, with his mom Mary and little brother Conner.  As I said, some young folks had more on their minds than a Byway, but Tyson was definitely there to observe history. 

That photo of three official looking types includes Susan "Sweet Pea" Kiebert (head cheerleader for the Byway), the lead designer who came up with the blue light and police chief Mark Lockwood.

Two former mayors flank the lady with the pooch.  That would be Sally Cupan, Rose Chaney and her hubby Ron.  Both Ron and Sally served as Sandpoint's mayor.  Several other mayors were in the crowd too.

The bottom photo shows a group of dear friends, most of whom were teaching colleagues.  I could actually write a book about my experiences with these folks.  Some came from out of town for a day or two, so we got together at The Hydra last night for dinner.  

I did go to the first hour of "The Music Man" and thoroughly enjoyed the acting, singing and dancing. 

We've had another little family catastrophe, which happened yesterday, and it was weighing heavily on my mind as were my eyelids.  You see I'm usually in bed by 9 p.m.

Anyway, my sister broke her ankle after falling from her horse.  To say it's suddenly turned into a sad summer for Laurie,  who waits all year to compete with her horses, would be a big understatement.

So, we'll all do our best to bring her some cheer and to help them out during this new time of challenge.

Never a dull moment. 

Happy Saturday. 

Rejoicing and Being Glad

Lots of reasons to rejoice on this June 29.  Hard to believe those little pups just came a week ago.  They've provided lots of joy in their short time as North Idaho residents, and they've gotten over most of the health setbacks from their plane trip.

Yesterday Mother met the girls for the first time.  They were happy to meet her and just as happy to romp and play in the grass.  That's Jessie with Mother and Meggie looking back at the camera.

During Mother's visit to the Colburn Ranch yesterday, she also saw a couple of horses.  Later, while going down Center Valley Road, we stopped so she could watch a doe and fawn in one of Wood's fields.  

Meanwhile, just across the road, a mama turkey and her iddy biddy chicks were heading from the ditch into the woods. 

Today is a pretty good day for rejoicing:  in no particular order of importance---hair zap with Sally, Byway Dedication ceremony and an evening with teaching friends from the 1970-'80s.  We're going to dinner and then attending The Music Man.  

These are may nose taping friends.  I'm thinking about carrying along a roll of scotch tape just in case anyone wants to tape up for old time's sake.  We were all a pretty crazy bunch back in those days.  

Hopefully, we still are.

The Fourth of July is coming up next week.  I don't think folks are rejoicing about its falling dead center in the week, but there will still be plenty of hooping, hollering, lighting up and eating. 

And, speaking of eating, I'm sure potato salads will be part of the menu at most Fourth of July cookouts.  Some folks may even make their own potato salad rather than buying it at the store.

With that in mind, Diane, a loyal "Slight Detour" reader, sent me a very appropriate video for the cooks who boil up all those taters for the big salad.

And, I, of course, liked the video cuz it was a "Mary Ann" who starred in it, a rather famous lady, thanks to Gilligan.

So, today, I'll leave a link for anyone who wants to save a little time in the kitchen during barbecue prep.  Pretty slick trick, indeed.

 Happy Friday. Hope you have some rejoicing time.

Doggone Fun

Social life has changed.  It's gone to the dogs.

Yesterday I received two calls, regarding a social opportunity for Foster, and, of course, his mommy.

The first invitation came in the morning for a 3:30 p.m. puppy party at Laclede.  

No need to call back.  Come if you can, Kathy said in her message.  My friend Kathy and my friend Diane have become good friends, thanks to their Aussie pups, who happen to be sisters. 

These gals and doggies have gotten together several times since everyone first met for a puppy party a month or so ago.

DeMaris, who also owns a sister, has joined the group, as has Resa, a Border Collie mom, who lives here in the neighborhood.

As the day played out, it became evident that I wasn't going to make it to Kathy's gathering.  Besides, I had received a second call from my sister Barbara.

"Can Meggie come over?" she asked.  Barbara and Laurie were told by Meggie and Jessie's breeder that they need to make an effort to keep these sister pups separate as much as possible.

They need to bond with their owners, not with their sisters, she advised.

So, yesterday afternoon turned out to be Meggie's first solo adventure with her owner away from home.  Laurie stayed home and played with Jessie.

Meggie, Foster and Jonas had a great time getting acquainted.  

Older dogs of the Lovestead BC Nation went to the dog run after it became initially apparent that older dogs, used to one-on-one attention, needed to stay out of the action.

We heard a little crying from the dog run, but in the front yard, all parties seemed to be quite happy with the get-together. 

I have been amazed of late to learn how many of my friends have recently become new puppy mamas.  There's a whole class of canine kids out there with adoring parents.

Information this morning, from the Laclede gathering,  tells me that plans are in the works for a bunch of these pups to go to obedience school.  

I just hope the parents don't turn out to be "helicopter parents" like many of us new puppy owners used to see during our teaching career.  

Our dogs must learn Love and Logic.  You can eat that furniture if you choose, but after you've eaten it, you may get a spanking.

You make up your mind, dear Banjo.  

You can run away when I call "Come"  if you wish.  If you do choose to run away, you will not get a biscuit.  You may get a lecture.  Now, make your choice, Foster. 

Yes, after these little ones have learned their Love and Logic and learned to socialize nicely with their friends, I can see great times ahead for pups and parents.  

Life does take on changes.  Priorities do change.  

Right now, it seems that we new pup owners are in for many hours of doggone fun----with our doggies and with each other. 

 

Finally, a Full Plate

Okay, so ya put together a barbecue meal that could feed an Army.  

The spread includes chicken breasts, Wood's German sausages, hamburgers, left-over Schwan's steaks, ribs, potato salad, macaroni salad, tossed green salad, corn on the cob,  14 different kinds of chips, deviled eggs, watermelon slices----the works. 

Friends and family show up with drinks and even more stuff to add to the offerings.

You, the hostess with the mostess of slothness,  don't want to have to wash 14 plates from the cupboard, so you put out a pile of paper plates. 

There is a problem, though.

How much of that stuff on your smorgasboard spread can one hungry guest load on a paper plate without having the plate collapse underneath all that food?

I've tried that before, and it doesn't work well.   

This year I decided to solve the problem and get me a collection of those wicker basket-style plate holders for my Fourth of July barbecue guests.

Hoping to be prepared, I started looking in April.  They told me at Wal Mart that they weren't in yet but should be in a couple of weeks.

So, I waited and went back to Wal Mart.  Nobody really seemed to know what I was talking about.  A staff member led me to the picnic merchandise where we both looked up and down the aisle of picnic goodies.

No plate holders.

Okay, I thought.  I'll make it in to town one of these days and surely find some at Merwins.

Well, it was a rainy day here yesterday (not news, I know), and I was figuring out, by the hour, how to keep myself from going stir crazy.  

I vacuumed---thoroughly---the first hour.   Then I folded clothes.

During the second hour, I sat at the computer during one of the day's deluges.  An average of 10 minutes after each click, a site would download for me to read.  

The rain had severely slowed our satellite reception and at times brought it to a complete halt.

What else is one to do if the Internet is running slow on a dismal wet day.  I had already done my vacuuming and folded clothes. 

Okay.  I turned on the TV and watched "The View" long enough to see that Rielle Hunter babe field questions from her snarling hosts about her affair and her love child with John Edwards, which has now ended but they do still love each other. 

I thought the gals were pretty justified in their questions.  

First, Barbara Walters let her colleagues chew off a few pieces of red Rielle meat and then self-proclaimed interview queen came in for the "kill."  

Barbara let Rielle babe know that she was very upset about Rielle's book about the "truth as Rielle knows it" where Barbara was characterized as yelling and screaming because she didn't get the interview with Rielle at the time she wanted it.

Somehow Oprah's name and spirituality-based interviewing came up in the exchange, and Barbara said she fully respects Oprah.  

She was just mad that Rielle said she had screamed at her cuz Barbara admitted she has made people mad in interviews but NEVER screamed at them.

Well, the rain was still falling when I re-entered reality  from that fascinating bubble of she-wolfs "nicely" conversing about the questionable behavior of their guest. 

Let's see, I thought.  I can eat my cheese.  That will take five minutes, and maybe my Internet is up and running at regular speed again.

No luck.  The rain had intensified; the Internet was floundering at best.

Okay, I'll drive to town and find those plate holders.  Then, I'll go visit my mother, but only after I find the plate holders.

This time my search started at Big R, thanks to my assumption that if they have a camping section, surely they'll have plate holders.

No luck.

This is definitely a downtown project, I thought while driving south on HWY 95 and watching my faulty left wiper blade feebling washing away the rivers of water.

Once inside Merwins, I quietly vowed to find the plate holders on my own.  Soon giving up, though,  I talked to Grant who regrettably told me he did not have them in stock.  

I admitted going to Wal Mart, to which he responded, "I've never been in that store."  

To which I responded, "I figured you hadn't." 

He suggested the kitchen store on First Avenue.  So, off I went, driving around the block three times and finally parking three blocks away on Cedar.  

To heck with this rain, I thought, while walking down the sidewalk with water droplets rolling down my face.  

Inside the kitchen store, I met with failure.  The guy tried to direct me to something else that carried plates, but I said, "No, I'm talking about individual paper plate holders."  

Guess I should have known that an upscale store probably doesn't cater to the common folk who eat off paper plates.

I thanked him and walked across the street to the Cedar Street Bridge.  It's terrible but I don't even know the name of that store just inside the bridge on the left, but I must say the clerk was very nice to me----still,  no plate holders.

"Don't you need something to hold your napkins and keep them from blowing away in the wind?" she asked.

"No," I said.  "My napkins (usually paper towels) are distributed inside with the food from the kitchen island."  

Well, at least she tried AND she did commiserate with me about one time she was looking for a simple, manual lemon squeezer.  She looked all over town and finally paid $20 for one at the store across the street.

She also suggested that grocery stores might have those paper plate holders.

So, I went to Super 1 and found nothing.

I stopped by The Bridge for a non-visit with my mother who was napping.  

So far, my trip to town on a rainy, ugly day had netted nothing except some good wasted time searching for those elusive plate holders.

Resigned that the whole trip had been almost in vain, I headed home.  Suddenly, while driving north on Boyer,  a lightbulb flashed in my brain.

THE DOLLAR STORE!

Surely, if no other place in Sandpoint had those holders, the Dollar Store would.  

And, they did.  

Not the wicker kind but the plastic kind---even better.  I bought 24 and spent just over $5. 

Last night we ate our hamburgers on paper plates with holders, and we did just fine.

I'm now ready for my Fourth of July picnic, and a rainy, ugly day did not go down as a total loss. 

And, to save all the other poor souls out there, the frustration of searching for plate holders or maybe even manual lemon squeezers, TRY THE DOLLAR STORE FIRST.

Beautiful Birthday Walk

A lovely afternoon walk with the dogs in the breath-taking Kootenai Valley, topped off with dinner with family at Second Avenue Pizza, finalized with cheesecake and fun with my sisters' new pups:  a birthday doesn't get any better than that.

At 65 years, plus one day, I appreciate, more than ever,  my friends, my family, my pets and all the beauty this world has to offer. 

Twas a very nice day.

Flowers and Life

Okay, it's the Facebook era, and half the world knows when a birthday comes along.

So, I won't pretend that it's NOT my birthday today. 

This is a rather significant birthday----by U.S. Government standards, anyway.

It's the Big M (Medicare eligibility) edition.  

I've been teasing friends and family about their Big M birthday for a few years now.

And, now I ARE one of them.

I guess since it's the Big M birthday, that also means I'm officially OLD.  So, if any of my former students now wish to refer to me as Old Lady Love, it's okay.

The other thing I thought about in regard to this particular birthday is that those of us born in 1947 have a significant connection with our Big M birthday.

We graduated in '65; now we are 65.  

I was thinking about my kids and when they graduated.

I wonder when their birthday and graduation stars line up if they'll be bragging that they "graduated in '95 and '96 and they are now 95 and 96."

Hmm!  Maybe brain boosters will help them remember that connection when the time comes.  For sure I'm not gonna be around to remind them.

On this official first day on the road toward my 66th year of life, I did most of the same stuff as always. 

Only I did smear a little of the Icy Hot gel on my arthritic knee before going out to let the horses out.

It's important when you're officially 65 to feel perfect.

So, the Icy Hot did the trick on knee pain while the dogs and I enjoyed a walk through most of the woods.

I also walked a little further than usual on the road segment (past Taylor's mailbox), just to prove to myself that I'm not as old as the birth certificate suggests.

The other highlight of my morning got me to thinking about when I celebrated my first birthday 64 years ago.  I was wondering if I was still pooping my pants.

Yes, that's a disgusting thing to think about, but I've heard that people can get back to doing that eventually.

Well, no problems on that account for me this morning, but poop is still on my mind.

You see my husband put out the usual "at home" card on the kitchen island last night before going to bed.  

The card was sitting on a package of six colorful sets of garden gloves.

I opened the card, and there was a picture of a compost machine.  Bill sez it's coming Wednesday and that it makes 48 gallons of compost in three weeks.

Of course, all I can think of is poop. 

 Bill sez I can just shovel the stuff from the manure pile into that machine to my heart's content.

So, there are some things you never quite escape, and, in this case, I'm gonna love turning poop into garden dirt.

Finally, I must borrow from a note sent to me on Facebook---just to let you know that what you see of me at 65 is pretty much what you would have seen any time in the past six decades:  rough, tough and ready to take on any challenge. 

Thank you, Debbie Jacobson,  for the memory:

Happy Birthday, Marianne "Brown" Love :) :) One of my fondest memories was a lunch time baseball game at the old junior high school. Dress attire for us girls those days was always skirt or dress. We were never allowed to wear jeans or slacks. Well, that didn't stop you, Marianne Brown, from sliding home in your straight skirt....... yup - you were SAFE!! The run counted!! Have a joyful birthday :)

Alive at 65 and still lovin' the flowers and life!

Christmas in Sandpoint

I know.  I know.  It's politically incorrect to term this week of the BIG GIFT as a Christmas happening.  

But I'm willing to bet that most of us OLD timers think of the grand opening of the Byway as an event coming pretty close to the magnitude of Christmas.

The coming of the Byway has been long prophesied.  Nonbelievers can now step aside and make way for the masses whose prayers have finally been answered.  

There is a God,  and God will surely smile on our community this week as more than half a century of hope and prayers has turned into action.  

I also believe that Kevin Costner's movie prophecy will surely come true.

If you build it, they will come.  They will come and they will go with ease.  And, the multitudes will still stop and shop in downtown Sandpoint.

Cattle will head on their way to greener pastures---with no giant cattle guard called America's Best Small Town stopping their progress anymore. 

While "turists," as Bill likes to call them,  stop and shop in Sandpoint, the locals will have a straight shot to Costco in Coeur d'Alene without passing STOP several times through town.

It will be Heaven for all concerned. 

The wise men AND women will come and speak about this multi-million-dollar achievement.

The masses will sing "Hallelujah." 

I can't wait.  

I do have a hair appointment at noon Friday, and the timing couldn't be more appropriate.  I can leave the salon, all gussied up with a new ZAP, and join in on the festivities a mere block away.  

Sounds like it's the same place where many believers met for the original Baptism of the Byway four years ago.  I got my picture taken with the governor that day.  

I'm betting the crowd might even be larger than it was in 2008.  

During my lifetime here in Sandpoint, I've attended several grand openings and picked up a few tasty refreshments in the process.  

A lot of those were, of course,  grocery stores.  I'm sure that every time Margaret and John Bradetich or Les Rogers opened a new store, I was there. 

The new high school---now 20 years old---may not have attracted my interest for its grand opening.  

After all as a teacher, I was gonna spend enough time there, and somehow its welcome to the community wore out fairly quickly.

That first year, the inmates under the rule of a dictatorial administrator, failed to show much respect for their new home.  

Anyone searching the anals--or iz it annals?---of SHS history will learn that the year 1991-92 was a rocky beginning for Sandpoint's long awaited new school.

The dictatorial guy left before graduation that year, and, as the years went by, some of the original depressing interior design in the building gave way to a more welcoming decor. 

I do know that I was present the day they had the grand opening for the Cedar Street Bridge.  I shall never forget a comment uttered by my friend Bob who owned another store in downtown Sandpoint.

"I wonder how long that kite shop is gonna last," he said as we stood on the bottom floor looking up at one of the second-floor venues.

Well, the kite shop and many more stores have come and gone from the Cedar Street Bridge aka Coldwater Creek aka Cedar Street Bridge.

The Bridge still stands, however, as a modern-day Sandpoint Landmark.

And, after this week's festivities, folks can now stand, leaning on the railings of the Bridge, watching a portion of the world zip "by" on the new "way," as locals and "turists"  enjoy the life of leisure, recreation and Sandpoint flavor on walkways, bike paths and beautiful Sand Creek below. 

Scenes depicting the iconic "It's a wonderful life" will thrive. 

I think we'll all do just fine with this "long-awaited coming" of the Byway.  Our lives in this community will change significantly, but for the better, I believe.

We truly have a Christmas-style event in store for our community this week, and when our big gift is unwrapped, the multitudes will surely rejoice----for a long, long time.

With that, I'll end on a politically correct note:  Happy Byway, to us!

Saturday Slight

My sisters' new babies:  Jessie and Meggie
Red Heelers aka Australian Cattle Dogs

Barbara and Laurie lost a dear canine friend about a month ago. These little gals arrived from Missouri yesterday and have already done a lot to fill up the "hole-in-the-heart" pain from Pita's loss.

My sisters allowed me to go along with them as they drove to Spokane Airport's cargo area to pick up their new friends.

Oh, what a day it was with cuddling, baby talk, tripping over leashes carried by the little girls and just plain admiring their supreme cuteness. 

They're adorable little munchkins, and they've already intimidated our pup Foster,  met Tibbs Arabian's horses and the cats.   So far unscathed on all counts!

I haven't heard how the night went, but I don't think a little sleeplessness from whimpering pups would bother Barbara and Laurie one bit.  

The kids behind the crying will bring them great joy as Meggie and Jessie grow up on a farm filled with love.

~~~~~

It's a lovely mild morning out there.  The papers have not yet arrived, and still I'm running a bit late posting on the blog.

On my morning walk to the north, I admired Meserve's front border of wild roses, which are popping out wine-colored blossoms all over the place. 

I'm betting those roses have been there for a long, long time, judging from the size of the bushes. 

After passing Meserve's, I saw Janice Johnson out watering flowers near her house.  She came down to the road, and we did our usual catch-up on moms, dogs and, of course, our competing lawns.

Janice always has me beat in the last category.  She even joked that maybe I should be back working in my yard rather than out walking.  

I told her I needed to build up some energy to tackle my home projects.  

Today the lawnmower will go into full gear again.  We've had so much wind that the front yard is covered with twigs, leaves and, of course, that never-ending carpet of cotton from the trees.

We're supposed to have a rainy weekend, but so far it's holding off and maybe the yard projects will get completed.

With Willie at basketball camp, Debbie accompanied us to dinner last night at Mick Duffs.  I said a good night is when it's a Friday and you can actually find an empty table at the downtown pub where the owners just won some American Beer awards for their brews.

Last night was a good night cuz we found an empty table without waiting. 

During our time there,  I even visited with a bounty hunter who was out and about with flyers of missing persons. 

I can't even begin to imagine what bounty hunting must entail, but this former student seems to enjoy it. 

I think my friend Helen is coming back today from her two weeks in Alaska.  It will be good to have her handy at her computer so I don't have to wait an hour for her morning blog inspection. 

I think the puppy picture looks okay, though, so on that note, I'll sign off and wish everyone a happy Saturday.

 

Bringin' in the Sheep and the Sticks . . . .

Yesterday was Annual Farm Tour Day.  Several local organizations, including the Farm Bureau and the Soil and Conservation Service,  sponsor the annual tour, which has been show-casing rural and rural-related operations within the county for 46 years.

In fact, I loved the days back in the 1970s when my reporting assignment for the Sandpoint News Bulletin involved riding the bus, enjoying the eats, taking pictures of the events and writing the day's story.

With my other responsibilities here at home, I was able to squeeze in one stop on yesterday's tour.  That was at the Double Shoe Ranch, owned by Randy and Gail Curless, my longtime friends.

Randy, the mayor of Dover and dog trainer extraordinaire, gave the folks a demonstration on how his dogs could gather up the sheep from one part of a vast pasture and herd them to their audience.

For most of my life, I thought that old-time hymn was talking about bringing in sheep.  I was embarrassed one day when I learned it was really the "sheaves."  

Well, yesterday my assumption could finally come true.  Randy's dogs did a fine job of bringing in the sheep.  And, Gail was so good about supplying the tour goers some delicious samples of lamb on a stick.

Speaking of sticks, Gail's dog Panda does work cows, but once in a while a good stick will do. 

It was fun visiting with Randy and Gail and with some of the tour goers, which did include my husband Bill who gave a luncheon presentation about Humbird Lumber Co. and its influence on the area.

Today, as mentioned earlier this week, my sisters and I are headed on a Mission.  I'm sure they would call it Mission Happiness on this day of where Laurie can say "PC-minus hours and counting."

Some precious cargo has left Kansas City and will, within hours, be at the Colburn Ranch. 

More news on that later.   Maybe I'll post a photo this afternoon.  So, stay tuned. 

They're Heelers and Healers:  Jessie and Meggie arrived just fine at Spokane Airport this morning after leaving their original home in Southern Missouri.  These are sisters for sisters, and they will certainly bring joy to Barbara and Laurie.

A Defining Day

On this day,  my brother Mike has had 40 years to reflect on this piece of art, created and copyrighted by Joe Kline.

Mike was the pilot sitting in the cockpit of that Cobra helicopter.  His co-pilot was Marco Cordon.  The two have spent time together this week in meaningful recollections.

A SAM (Surface to Air Missile) launched by the North Vietnamese hit their helicopter on June 21, 1972.  They lived to tell about it---miraculously.

So, today, on this significant anniversary,  I'll launch a salute to Mike and Marco and all who risk and give their lives while serving in the United States military. 

Also, I'll leave you with a link,  detailing the story of this defining day in my brother's life.  

Also, for military buffs, googling "Shootdown of Mike Brown and Marco Cordon" will lead you to several links with perspectives on this particular story of the Vietnam War.

http://www.vhfcn.org/missle.html

Summer Thoughts

Bare feet running through the pasture with juicy green cow dung squishing between the toes.  

Mother starting the day's laundry with the ringer washing machine:  Ma Perkins on the radio and, of course, Arthur Godfrey.

Helping Mother pin clean clothes out onto the two metal lines running west of the house. 

The granary step with a warm sun shining through openings between horses gathered round.

Plucking daisy tops. Pulling off petals.

Riding my bike to Sand Creek to fish off what they now call the Popsicle Stick Bridge.

Brothers already there with their real fishing poles, actually catching fish.

Losing my one and only hook from my stick pole within one minute and begging off Kevin for another.   

Huge trucks roaring while slowing down to make that tricky turn under the train trestle.

Smoking roll-yer-owns, made from leaves and dirty ol' bits of paper left on the ground.

Crossing Best's hayfield to go down the hillside to deep grass, more cow dung, scary snakes and a deep swimming hole beneath a broken-down bridge.

Riding to the City Beach---one bike pedal falling off all along the way. Wire just couldn't hold it.

Jeannie Pucci, all dark and tan, running the lifeguard show.

Jumping off the dock at the far end:  cannonballs!

Wading through the kiddie pool to clean off sandy feet. 

Smelling those 5-cent maple bars at Hayworth's Baker and wishing I had a nickel. 

Evenings spent in yet another segment of Sand Creek in Baldwin, Delamarter and DeGroot land. 

Mischief in the darkness,  yet to be fully divulged.  

Yup, those summer days were a whole lot different from how I spend them now.  Still, there's plenty of fun and  more memories to be had.

Bright yellow buttercups in deep green fields. 

Walking in the woods through tall, DRY grass.

Hoping this year's mama doe doesn't chase us off.

Riding a bike with two working pedals down Woodside Road.

Riding Lily or Lefty down South Center Valley, Forest Siding or North Kootenai Road, batting away mosquitoes along the way.

Barbecues,  with Bill doing the honors,  as some of us lounge along the deck.

Watching pups, large and small, play and play and play.

Filling up Big Blue and hoping Big Blue does not collapse.

Hot afternoons taking soaks in Big Blue.

Curious cows. 

Wearing wet clothes from the Big Blue dip to stay cool.

Geocaching all over North Idaho. 

Hiking all over North Idaho.

Gorgeous wildflowers.

Visiting with neighbors, friends and family---some folks fit all categories.

Sitting on the riding mower, blissfully and endlessly grooming the Lovestead lawns.

Picking weeds. 

Dining on stuff,  all grown in the neighborhood.

Hay season, cutting, baling, counting the bales.

Everybody loves a parade.  Not all dogs love fireworks!  Most humans are kids on America's birthday.  

Sharing a booth with unhappy bees for hours, announcing "Walk, trot, canter." 

Summer celebration:  truly the best time of year, regardless of age. 

Welcome Summer, glad to see you here!

Time to go mow!  Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday Twitterdeedrip

It's record-setting time, and we need to come up with a manual.  The manual would explain the importance of these records and what we mortals can do to support the cause.

I don't know if Facebook is the best source ever, but this morning I learned from Facebook that this June 2012 has already reached the milestone as third wettest month on record.

After reading that, I thought about the date:  June 19.  

Gosh, with more than one third of the month left, we could actually finish at No. 1.  

It's important to set these records for one reason:  the disgruntled wretches who sit around griping all the time about the weather would at least have some facts and figures to justify their griping.  

So, let's go for it.  Let's not complain. 

Let's encourage Mother Nature by keeping our miserable mouths shut and finding things to do to keep our frustrated minds occupied.

I took on one new activity yesterday.  It was kinda fun.  It came after several feeble attempts to do outside projects in the rain.

Finally giving up, I watched most of a movie on the Encore channel.  

This is a big accomplishment for me.  My daughter can tell you that I seldom watch a entire movie.  

"Mom, are you awake?"  That's Annie's cheerleading chant virtually every time her mom pretends to be awake during movies.  

I did not fall asleep once during this movie, even without Annie's help.

Sleeping with the Enemy with Julia Roberts kept me pretty riveted AND awake.  

I watched until almost the end, then turned it off, once I knew Julia aka Laura aka Sara was gonna be okay and no longer pestered by that evil husband.

Sitting on the couch in the middle of the day for nearly an hour watching the tube is generally against my self-imposed rules.  

We've waited for months to enjoy the great outdoors and all it has to offer, so to waste that valuable time IN JUNE borders on mortal sindum. 

I didn't feel too guilty, though, especially when I walked outside in the continuing rain. 

During yesterday's ongoing downpour, I talked on the phone twice to people living over on the west side of the mountains. 

My brother reported to me in the morning that he had gone outside without a coat and that going outside without a coat had been a mistake for him.

Later, in the evening my cousin reported that while visiting with me on the phone,  she was sitting outside underneath a large umbrella, watching the rain fall. 

Such good news!  

I almost attacked her over the phone for her audacity of telling me rather indirectly that we could expect more rain today to go along with my brother's cold weather. 

Now, however, after reading the morning Facebook report,  I have a new attitude.  

After all, we're in line for a record.  In my family, we have always preferred finishing No. 1.  

Coming in third just doesn't pack it.  I know that from experience in all those 4-H failures.

So, I have adopted a new attitude this morning.  

Let it rain! Let it rain! Let it rain!

Let's look forward to June 30 for bragging rights about the wettest June on record.  

And, with June finishing off just half of this year, we could even look forward to greater achievements for 2012.

After all, March was the wettest year on record.  Add June.  Then consider six more months of rainy possibilities.

I think that will be really neat if December 31 comes along and we can have a party, celebrating the wettest year on record. 

Lots to look forward with this promising potential. 

And, maybe during that time I can watch a few more movies. 

Rah! Rah! Rah! Rain! Rain! Rain! You're no longer a big fat pain!