We packed it all in. Hard to believe that my day yesterday involved a major lawn leaf clean-up, the usual chores, a trip to Newport to see the 88-foot Engelmann spruce from Washington's Colville National Forest bound for the U.S. Capitol, a trip back to Sandpoint to attend the Winter Sandpoint Magazine publication party, a walk across town to mingle among the guests at Blanchard artist Perry Moede's one-man art show and a stroll down the block to Mick Duff's for dinner with family members.
It was one of those days when I find myself mentally retracing my steps to remember all the fun people I met and the great sights and sounds associated with each event.
The town of Newport, et. al. gathered and visited for hours while waiting for the big tree to arrive in downtown. My friend Bill Gee, pictured with his wife and my daughter-in-law Debbie, spent the day watching all the events associated with the Kalispel Tribe blessing of the tree, cutting it down, loading it and slowly transporting it around some dicy curves from its forest home to the first leg of its 22-day journey to the U.S. Capitol where it will stand decorated for the holidays.
While in Newport, I met several of Debbie's friends through her Girl Scout association AND we met Othello. Othello is a reporter for KREM-2 News, and he seemed quite pleased to spend some time with us. Debbie's friend Mindy from Post Falls, who listens closely to accents and dialects, asked Othello where he had grown up. Liberia, he told us. He's also told us he's a graduate of BYU. Very nice young man!
Another nice young man in the Newport gathering told me he was 4 years old. I've known of this little gentleman since his birth because of a long association with his family. I have a feeling those big brown eyes are gonna melt a few hearts along the way.
Meanwhile, back in Sandpoint, I met the photographer who took pictures for my North Dakota feature for Sandpoint Magazine. The publication hit the streets this week, by the way. It was kinda fun to turn the tables and snap a fun photo of Doug Marshall, who was bartender in residence at the Keokee gathering.
The atmosphere was no less festive at POAC next to the Panida where Debbie was working her first artist's reception for Perry Moade who specializes in colorful and dynamic geometric acrylics. He was pretty thrilled, especially because his sisters came from Seattle and Florida to attend the event.
I met some new friends at the reception and enjoyed visiting with some longtime friends too. After a great evening and afternoon of visiting and taking in sights, family members caught up on the week's events over yet another great dinner at Mick Duff's.
Kinda nice to slow down on this rainy morning and absorb all the goings on of a beautiful afternoon and evening.
Happy Saturday to all.
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