Some Wednesday Thoughts

I think today may signal the start of the many days we all really love living here in the neighborhood.  It's the beauty and the people who inhabit that beauty. 

I enjoyed a taste of neighborhood camaraderie this week as folks would stop by and take a few minutes of post-winter catch-up.  

Heck, Mary from across the road and I have enjoyed two good visits during my time spent out in the east yard.  

Mary walks past each day with her German Shepherd buddy from her house over on Selle to the old Lockwood place, one of their satellite farms.

I suspect she's checking on cows and making sure they have plenty of water and feed.

Mary's just downright amazing.  Works really hard on their farm, sees life through a positive lens, volunteers just about everywhere, it seems. 

I see her at elections.  Bill sees her cooking hamburgers, along with other Taylor family members, at the State Forestry contest each year, and yesterday she told me about the books.

She goes to the middle school every Tuesday to repair books in the library.  Some are ready for the biblio grave, but Mary does everything possible to resurrect them for a few more check-outs by the students.

Mary's also the county's famous chicken butcherer.  I don't know how many she does a year, but I do know most folks who raise chickens for harvest know about Mary.

I'm also told that another neighbor, also a hard-working, enterprising farm lady, takes every gizzard Mary has to hand over.   I guess some customers might not care so much if they get a gizzard.

Anyway, visiting with Mary is always a positive experience.  

I also visited with Colleen, who's enjoying her first spring in many years, doing exactly what she wants to do after a career of teaching.

She taught fifth grade and she's been my sister's best teaching buddy for years.  

Colleen was out jogging yesterday, but when I said "hi" that seemed like a good enough excuse to take a break.

We talked about the new neighbors coming to the place north of us, right next to where Colleen and her hubby have their Hereford cattle. 

Of course, out in farm country, everyone wants to know about new neighbors.  We know they're from Texas, have Bonners Ferry connections and live up Rapid Lightning Creek Road while waiting to move in to their new dwelling here in Selle.

This week Colleen, Mary and I have all discussed the thoughts of getting older in the next few years and wondering how well we'll be keeping up with our busy farm lives.  

As for me, right now, it's okay, but I do know that things are likely to get more weary with the years, so, as Colleen and I both agreed in our visit yesterday, it's important to look at options-----options that allow freedom, a break from so much work but still the opportunity to enjoy what makes living on a farm so satisfying. 

Time does march on, and people need to accept it, I guess.  

For now, the time marching on is okay as April sunshine and finally some warmer weather (there's a consensus around that the past two days have given us a bitter, biting cold much more intense than anything during the winter)  will brighten up the green grass and provide a welcoming environment for all the pretty flowers and the veggies. 

No better time than this. 

On a sad note, I want to express my thoughts about Dr. McCormick.  Dr. McCormick passed away yesterday.  

I saw him almost every day at the facility where my mother resides, and I treasure the moments when I'd walk up to him, look him directly in the face, say "Hi, Don," and his eyes would brighten up in recognition.  Occasionally, he'd even respond.

Don lived the last few years of his young life (just 69) with Parkinson's and its complications.  

A sad chapter to a phenomenal life as a brilliant veterinarian, father of two wonderful children, Shari and Chad, and wife to sweet and adorable Edie.

Our family had the privilege of knowing the McCormick family almost from the beginning of their life here in Sandpoint which began in 1969.  

Don took care of our cows, horses, dogs and cats----always so professionally and with such knowledge.  

The McCormick children were in our 4-H Club with their beautiful sheep.  Don taught vet science to several club members, some of which went on to become outstanding veterinarians themselves. 

I had the privilege and honor of teaching both Shari and Chad at Sandpoint High School, and working closely with Shari as a 4-H photography member and when she served as SHS student body president.  

Bill and I both enjoyed Chad when he volunteered at the Festival when we worked with the ushers.   

And, Edie----always a treasured and dear friend, and a community leader with her many years of service and dedication to the North Idaho College Satellite campus. 

So much good can be said about the McCormick family and their impact on this community.  

So, this morning it's sad for me to think that I won't be able to watch Don's eyes brighten up one more time, in spite of his health challenges. 

Just as I could go on forever about this man and his family, I'm guessing everyone who has known Don and his family could do the same. 

Don's suffering has ended. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Much love to the McCormick family.