Summer Romance

"It's just a summer romance.  It will never last."

That's what my mother said to me 44 years ago just about this time of the year.  I do believe it may have been July 20 when I first met Bill back in 1973 while writing feature stories about the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Farragut.

Well, we've been married for 43 years and counting. 

So, that summer romance has endured, with the usual bumps that go along with any long-lasting marriage. 

When I think of our marriage, I often think of the lake.  After all, its stunning beauty served as a backdrop to our early relationship.

And, in the years since then, I'd say it has remained a pretty consistent influence for this Love couple who so enjoy the outdoors. 

When I think of my mother's words about our summer romance which turned into a long-lasting marriage, I think her assessment could apply to Lake Pend Oreille at times.

Often the summer romance is what attracts most visitors to want to find their way back to Sandpoint.  Often, if they do, they'll eventually find that a few irritants go along with their falling for Lake Pend Oreille during those months when it's putting out its ultimate eye candy. 

After all, many of the places where I took photos during my evening drive last night could test the tolerance and appreciation of just about anyone----especially in the early spring when much of the Lower Pack River flats can be the ugliest of ugly mud bogs. 

I often wonder why the beautiful white swans choose to come here and hang around every spring.  Seems like they could find much more welcoming and esthetic settings for their getaway from wherever they've come.

When summer does come, however, and the lake and mud flats fill up with the most essential ingredient for total beauty in all those beholding eyes to drive by, stop and go OMG, it's romance at its best. 

And, for those of us who endure the dark times when gloomy, blah and wet weather sets in, and when the Army Corps of Engineers lowers the lake for another seemingly endless season of vast ugliness, we locals still stick with our romance.

Cuz we know good times will come again!   

And, when they do, we'll lay off the griping, groaning and the moaning, and we'll be singing songs of passionate praise for this wonderful natural feature which grabs hold of our hearts and never lets go.

It's once again summer romance time on Pend Oreille. Yay oh Yay!

Happy Wednesday.   

The Williams family from Sagle enjoying their summer evening.