Slight Detour: Wednesday Mutterings

I think the world is eagerly waiting for smoke.

At the time of this writing, none has come wafting from the chimney at the Vatican, but surely within the next hours the first will float toward the sky and let us know if the Cardninals have made a decision on the next Pope.

Interesting how the world is represented by so many religions other than the Catholic Church, but major news of Popes always commands the headlines.

So, our curiosity continues. I just hope whoever is chosen does continue the principles that inspired our admiration for Pope Francis.

I do have a quiet favorite. He's the Cardinal of Chicago. One reason I've kept track of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich is that he was the Bishop of the Spokane Diocese for a while.

In addition, I saw an interview with him after Pope Francis' death. Quietly thoughtful and to the point, what he had to say impressed me. At that moment I thought, "He'd make a great Pope."

His name is not among the frontrunners, but he would be my kind of Pope.

Anyway, fairly soon when there's smoke there's either news or no news.

We all wait and see.

I picked some asparagus yesterday. Twas hardly enough to prepare as a dish so I'll wait for more.

I love to bake my asparagus in olive oil until it's crisp and almost black and later smother it with some margarine and a little salt.

Can't wait for the first sample of the season.

The driver of this school bus waves at me every morning and shares a big smile.

I walk for just a few minutes on our wonderful paved road and then take the paper inside.

The morning travelers during my walking time are pretty much the same, and in almost every case, quite willing to wave.

That makes my day.

Speaking of the paved road, I'll be really happy for my neighbors up the road when they get to enjoy the same luxury with an end to the dust.

It makes a huge difference with lawn mowing and I don't have to dust every single day.

Seems like the statement above is put into action a lot in our community, and that is a good thing.

I had a few minutes to waste before an appointment yesterday so drove down to City Beach.

The parking lot wasn't full, but still, for early May some summer action had begun.

I saw some ladies enjoying a picnic, a few sunbathers and kids having a great time in the water.

Can't imagine that the water's that warm because anyone swimming at City Beach should be able to see all the snow that still blankets Baldy.

We have had unusual summer-like weather but it takes a while for the snow to melt in the mountains.

I thought I'd better capture yet another photo of the Edgewater before it becomes history when the new waterfront development erases a chapter of Sandpoint's past and takes shape for the future.

Oh for the good ol' days in the 1950s when we Brown kids rode our bicycles from our North Boyer farm to the City Beach and stopped of at Haworth's Bakery for a five-cent maple bar on the way home!