First, let's talk geography. Most of my Saturday involved people who live(d) in the Northside School area. Until, May 19, 1980 (the day after Mt. St. Helens), the Woolseys owned an impressive cattle ranch just across from the Northside School.
It's now an impressive alpaca ranch.
Meanwhile, for several years, the Mundells have lived on a beautiful farm around the corner from Northside School just up Selle Road a ways.
It's the old Shadel place.
That said, Bill and I spent some time with a group of longtime friends at Pack River Cemetery yesterday in support of the Woolsey family who had come to Sandpoint to celebrate the life of the family patriarch Bill Woolsey who passed away in May.
It was rainy, so the service was short but not without words of fishing, which Bill Woolsey loved to do more than anything.
Those words were music to my husband Bill's ears as we stood under his umbrella because he and Willie would soon be headed off to the Kootenai River for some rainy-day fishing----no doubt with the added blessing from above of Bill Woolsey.
More tales of Bill Woolsey, were reserved for the luncheon afterward at Oden Hall at Sunnyside.
And, stories were told, including a confession from John Cochran that he and his buddy Bill, as children, used to spear suckers in Sand Creek with pitchforks.
Longtime local farmers, ranchers and friends attended Bill's memorial programs, and warm camaraderie filled the hall as some folks who hadn't seen each other for decades enjoyed reminiscing and a wonderful lunch.
In the meantime, rainy day activities were going strong back there at the Mundell place where Melissa had planned her wedding in the family barn.
I left the Woolsey celebration in time to meet up with my sisters and Maryann at my house and turn around to go back down Selle Road for the wedding in that old and lovely red barn.
It was wet, but that hardly dampened the spirits of joy, love and true amazement with the decorations and logistics for seating, eating and enjoying the spirit of the day.
Melissa and her family and her new family pulled off a phenomenal event, complete with white carriage pulled by a beautiful Clydesdale for dropping off the bride. Lots of attendants were also on hand outside with umbrellas.
Twas a short and sweet wedding and a lively and memorable celebration afterward.
And, so the day of rain out here in our beautiful countryside was filled with a confluence of life events; each case, a few tears but an abundance of meaningful love, friendship and laughter.
Best wishes to the Woolsey family as they remember their beloved husband, dad, etc. And, the same to the newly marrieds who started their journey of togetherness in remarkable fashion yesterday.
Happy Sunday.
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