Talk about a pretty piece of natural art in the woods.
This one lives on a tree along a trail off from Lightning Creek Road, six miles up from Clark Fork.
The rest of the road is closed while crews work on the Lightning Creek fire, first spotted July 30, which now has covered at least 2,500 acres. It's 25 percent contained, according to reports.
When we reached the road closed sign yesterday afternoon, we decided to park and take the dogs on a short hike along a small creek in the woods north of the road.
It was a pretty hike with lots of moss and some neat tree canopies any time we looked toward the sky.
I changed into my hiking shoes and carried two cameras, while Bill took his walking stick in one hand and led Foster with the other.
Miss Bridie could run free, but she keeps track of her peeps, so she doesn't stray.
I'm kind of amazed these days with all the weight I've lost from my "beloved" colitis and with the exercise regimen which I've kept up since last summer's physical therapy sessions.
Hiking and even little tricky hills aren't that bad these days. Still, I've learned from a lifetime of klutzdom to take care with each step. So, if I were with a group, I'd hardly be in the fast lane.
Bill was also amazed at little Foster. Since Mom walked in front of him, the little guy stuck his nose to the ground, followed my scent and stayed pretty much in the middle of the trail.
We'll have to remember that little trick for our blind dog on future hikes.
It turned out to be a lovely hike, even with the heat. The forest setting protected us from the hot rays of the sun.
Later, while driving back to Clark Fork, I told Bill I'd like to see where one of my classmates from first grade at Lincoln School lived. He's coming to the reunion but doesn't do much on social media, so I wanted to stop by and update him on the plans.
We found Ray Kemp and his partner Debbie's home after a nice gentleman named Skeeter stopped and told us to follow the moose sculptures. Sure enough, we found Ray and visited with him for about half an hour.
It was a comforting to bring up a traumatic and tragic event from my distant childhood which Ray had also experienced, as did everyone who attended Lincoln School or lived in the surrounding area.
Ray and I were in the first grade on that winter day when, suddenly, we heard a loud crash, felt the school shake and saw windows shattering at our Lincoln Elementary School (now Lake Pend Oreille High School).
A jet with a single pilot had crashed in the pole yard northwest of our school, about two blocks away. It was a terrifying event for the whole community, and it left some vivid memories which would last a lifetime in our young minds.
Besides damage to the school, Ray's family home, which was even closer to the crash site, sustained damage from the impact.
Still, we lived through that event, and we always know that we have a common bond from that experience so long ago.
Twas fun visiting with Ray and Debbie, and we're looking forward to seeing them at the reunion.
We saw some pretty wild ginger yesterday.
It will always be remembered as the plant that alerted us that we had Covid.
We had just returned from a trip to Ireland and Iceland.
Bill went fishing the afternoon we arrived back home.
The next day he asked where our Covid tests were.
When I asked why, he said he had picked a sprig of wild ginger and could not smell its usual strong aroma.
He took at test. I took a test.
We both had Covid.
If it hadn't been for that wild ginger sniff sniff, we probably never would have know because we had minimal symptoms.
Lucky us.
Ray Kemp, Marianne Love, Lincoln School classmates.
Good news in the potato patch. The voles have left them alone so far. They're growing and they look pretty yummy.
Happy Monday. 😎
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