Easter Sunday Drive

Bill and I took an Easter afternoon drive to enjoy some back-road scenery from Clark Fork to Montana yesterday. It was obvious the long-awaited pleasant and sunny day, promised to us by weather forecasters, had arrived. 

The experience was as nostalgic as memories of spring Sunday drives to Montana from years ago came flooding back, especially whenever we spotted some deer along the roadway.

Along with the pleasant spring sunshine came droves of people without boots and jackets enjoying the outdoors----people walking, people biking, people standing in groups in their driveways, people dining at picnic tables in downtown Clark Fork and people sitting out on their decks in the farm country of Montana.

Obviously, everyone has waited a long, long time for such a day, it seems. We also discovered as we drove further east from Clark Fork on the river road that the spring is far advanced from what we’re experiencing here in Sandpoint.

A few farm fields had actually been tilled, and livestock were out grazing on fairly substantial green grass.

We pulled off the road not far from the Montana border and walked around a plot of ground owned by the Kaniksu Land Trust.  The ground was bare and almost dry as we walked through an open meadow past an abandoned structure and toward some small wetlands.

I learned later that these were not the wetlands Bill had meant when we first stepped out of the truck.  

Those wetlands, on the east side of the 80-acre property, resemble large, expansive ponds or small lakes.  Bill noted on an earlier visit in the fall, there was much less water.

Once we walked to that area, the view of snow-packed Cabinets in the background cut quite a stunning scene. Even in that area, the only wet ground we encountered was the wetlands themselves.  

A variety of ducks were in their glory floating and frolicking across the pond while putting out a lot of chatter.  

Bill said this area is used by Clark Fork High School for their ever-developing and impressive outdoor program.  I’m sure the students don’t mind one bit having to take field trips to this parcel of preserved land because the landscape surrounding the area is also gorgeous.

Our trip also took us through an area with large cattle ranches on either side of the road.  We drove through downtown Heron and passed by what would have been a lovely image of three little girls (one actually wearing an Easter bonnet) and their Aussies were playing in their yard next to the road.  

I don’t think we could have stopped, backed up and ever replicated that first pure image with a camera. Therefore, the scene will remain in my mind as the epitome of a long-awaited spring day when cooped up inhabitants of all ages finally get to take to the outdoor and cut loose with pent-up positive energy.

Today it’s raining again and time to restock cupboards.  We chuckled last night  about having hamburgers for dinner topped with a slice of Easter ham to celebrate the occasion. Nontraditional but okay with us.

All is going well here this morning.  We appreciate the concern over the loss of Lily’s foal on Saturday and will especially appreciate the space to deal with this loss  both privately and quietly.  

Thanks so much. 

Happy Monday.