Winter Perk in My Hometown

It's been nearly 75 years. 

I'm still in awe. 

I don't know that I've been looking at views such as those that appear in today's post for 75 years. 

 I do know, however, that I can almost remember a time when my awareness began of what a beautiful spot on Earth the area where I was born happened to be.

I was maybe 5 years old when we took car ride along the north end of the lake to what we then called "Clark's Fork." 

The images of the lake from that day in my youth were planted in my mind, to stay forever, it seems.

A friend and I were talking the other day about appreciation of the place where we grow up.

She told me that it wasn't until she reached adulthood that she realized how lucky she had been to have spent an adventurous childhood in a place along the lake that rivals or may even surpass Sandpoint's beauty. 

I told her that I always loved Sandpoint and was never shy about announcing to friends that I intended to spend my life here, once I finished college. 

Well, my friend and I have done just that, and I'm sure it would be a great one-upsman contest to see which one of us raves the most about how wonderful life has been in our piece of Heaven.

Let me qualify that.  

It's not wonderful all the time, and we natives can cite many reasons to gripe.  Take the past six weeks, for example. 

But when ya get to the point where you want to crawl out of your skin (a frequent winter malady), and it's a sorta nice day, you must do something to change the narrative. 

I did that something yesterday, knowing that little Bridie was on the mend and that she could stay in her crate for an hour while Mom grabbed some alone time. 

So, off I went with the camera with a specific destination in mind. I like to go to the Windbag Marina park in the winter. 

First, it's usually very quiet. 

 Secondly, I love seeing the rich winter colors of the mountains, the sky, the clouds, the water, the ice, the water fowl, just enough peeps--what an amazingly beautiful blend!

Throw in some art work and some interesting monuments AND yesterday, SOME GREEN GRASS.

  The need to escape from the bondage of winter is instantly forgotten and left behind, at least temporarily. 

When all this winter splendor is in your hometown, and you've seen it hundreds of times before in your long life, you feel such a sense of exhilaration, pride and good fortune.

The escape from cabin fever lasts only a short time on the clock, but thanks to the mental images in your mind and the images you can share, the reward for this chosen outing is just what the doctor ordered. 

We live in an amazingly beautiful place.  

We pay dearly in work, time, frustration and patience to stick it out.  

Nonetheless, with experiences like yesterday's and all those other times over all those years that I've stood  gasping at the views with my jaw almost in the snow---it's worth it.  

And, yes, in spite of its challenge, I feel extremely lucky to have spent a lifetime in this beautiful place.

Happy Wednesday.  

Enjoy the photos.