WOW!

 

The Sandpoint community can be a little extra proud of its youth this morning. 

Baseball:  State Champs

Baseball:  Team of Tournament for Sportsmanship

Track Team:  State Champs

Tennis:  Pepper Rickert, three-time State Champ

Daily Bee sports editor Max Oswald has a pleasant challenge ahead to write about all these achievements. 

Plus, the Sandpoint team members, coaches, parents and fans have lots of reasons to be feeling pretty giddy this morning.  

Congratulations to all on what has to top the charts historically for an all-around weekend of amazing accomplishments for these dedicated youth and their coaches. 

Neat stories. 

In the next hour, we'll be loading up CB and taking him to my sisters' arena so Annie can ride him while taking a lesson from Monty Collison. 

It will be neat for her to get acquainted with him and learn CB's dashboard for future rides. 

So, Happy Sunday. 

Seeing the following "My Turn" in today's Sunday paper touched my heart for a number of reasons.   

For one example, I distinctly remember when Pat and I had a conversation almost word for word from the second paragraph more than 20 years ago.

He had stopped to talk while driving along Great Northern Road road that day. I was out in our front field. 

During our conversation, I was lamenting the rapid industrial growth occurring around our ten-acre farm. 

At least, our house is in the middle of the property, I said to him. 

His response (pretty much the paragraph) made me realize that in my experience, the present frustration had been far outweighed with the charmed life we had been able to lead in our neighborhood during "the good ol' days." 

It wasn't long after that conversation when we sold our place to Quest, the aircraft manufacturing company located behind us, and we moved to "the country" out here in Selle.

Still, I never forgot the wisdom Pat shared with me that day---always remembering to appreciate how good North Idaho had been to us also, regardless of usual annoyances that come along with wherever we happen to live.

Pat said it well in today's column, even if he did use more than his usual two-or three sentence paragraph to make his point.

He definitely left us with a meaningful and personal epitaph.  

Life in North Idaho has been good

| May 17, 2026 1:00 AM

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the past and present fine folks that I have had the privilege to know and were willing to share their space with me.

Whenever I would take time to think about it, I would recognize several facts about my life, that would make me realize just how damn lucky I was. To not only be born in the best country in the world, but also the best part of that country, right here in Sandpoint, Idaho. To live my whole life here, can’t imagine it getting any better than that. To have good honest hard working unselfish parents, siblings that were willing to tolerate me and children that are good citizens.

To live through times when a person's word was better than any contract, when you could be a hitchhiker and pick up one and be safe, doors unlocked, car keys left in all night, never a problem. Drank too much, the police would give me a ride home. 

Neighbors kept their cars for years, you always knew who was coming down the road. Hobos still had honor to them. Growing up across the road from the county poor farm that was loaded with men of various ages that could not work, spending lots of time with them, playing cards, eating two meals a day with them and countless hours just BS-ing, never a hint of impropriety.

To have lived from World War II rationing to all the modern conveniences and comfort of today. To be able to take advantage of our advanced medical community. From draining the water out of the cars and tractors every winter night and yearly mud outs, to pavement and the great mode of transportation we have today.

School was always important to me, lots of fun and no chores during those hours. Basketball officiating for 20 years extended that school association and than to have the privilege to have one of the best people jobs ever, driving school bus for 8 years. 

Having a family partnership in the meat business for 28 years with many customers letting us be of service to them, making some damn good products and having many excellent employees. Being in the realty trade for 18 years and meeting the many people that were good to me.

Life in North Idaho has been good and I can't phantom a better time to be on Earth. Again, thanks to all of you that have shared your space with me. 

Best regards and good health,

PAT GOOBY

Sandpoint

Saturday Slight

 

It's a colorful weekend in Sandpoint.  

The flowers are blooming. They're especially beautiful at the Bonner General Healing Garden, which you'll see in the photos below.  

Brew and wine are flowing. 

And, old cars, given a classy new look, are attracting eyes all over town, even with a little rain. 

It's a relatively cold day, but I doubt that will stop many folks from taking it all in. 

Sounds like Bill and Annie may do some "crick" fishing today.  Tomorrow she'll take a lesson from Monty on CB, and I'm thinking we'll be loading some dirt for Debbie to take home for her garden starts. 

Lots of fun stuff happening on one of the fun weekends of the year. 

Oh, did I mention the Farmers' Market?  

No reason to be bored. 

Happy Saturday. 

Enjoy the photos and a look at Sandpoint Magazine below. 

https://sandpointmagazine.com/issue/summer-2026/

Sandpoint Magazine Summer 2026 is out on the streets and on the Internet. It looks like a great issue.  

I've done some thumbing through and have read a few features.  One taught me that Sandpoint will be four bakeries richer by summer time. 

One of my former graphic arts students, Becky Sawyer,  will be opening Sawyers soon where she'll feature her baked goods and even offer some classes on baking. 

With Becky's bakery and the others opening, it's bound to be a sweet summer in Sandpoint. 

Also, I was most excited to see the story about Bill Peterson.  I was going to write it but decided early on that the unpredictability of life around this farm can often take away from the time I need to spend on major feature stories.  

So, I suggested that magazine editor Trish ask Zach Hagadone to do the assignment.  

He's one of the best among the wonderful freelance journalists we have around Sandpoint, and he did a masterful job in introducing readers to an amazing young man with an even more amazing story. 

Bill Peterson, a proud Eagle Scout and a true gentleman,  was one of Bill's scouts in Troop 111. 

To read the Zach's interview with Bill, turn to page 29. 

Friday Mutterings

 

The way I see it, if you want a rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.  

--Dolly Parton

Yup, you're right, Dolly.  

We have put up with rain over the past two days, but we're not complaining, except I didn't see any rainbows.  

Maybe next time. 

We've definitely had a weather change from the pleasant summerlike days of last week. 

Cold toilet seats, sheets draped over outdoor tomatoes overnight and back to the layers of clothes. 

But things are pretty, and some nice days are in the upcoming forecast. 

Today is definitely a nice day because Annie's coming home for the weekend. 

She'll be coming home to one of the biggest weekends of the year downtown with Lost in the '50s. 

  We don't have any plans yet, but I'm sure fun times will happen. 

These two came through the yard while I was mowing yesterday.  

No concerns with the lady on that noisy machine.  

They had places to go, other people to see, maybe even some flowers to eat. 

I had my first-ever cold brew yesterday------of coffee, that is. 

A new coffee shop called Brown Water Coffee Reserve opened in the building above on Church Street May 1.

I met the proprietors late last year while attending a basketball jamboree at Sandpoint High School and was very impressed. 

I've been working on learning all the names for the family of five, but might not yet have them all straight because I don't see them very often. 

I do know, however, that basketball and coffee and entrepreneurship and musical talent are among some common denominators.

And, I also know that they are very nice people. 

If I have the story straight, the parents are working for one of their sons who also runs the coffee shop at Kaniksu Health. 

Yesterday Montoya and Justin (who's in charge of this year's SHS Grad Night) told me that their son had wanted a sit-down place to serve his coffee, so the new location has provided that, complete with counter seats, over-stuffed furniture and outdoor covered seating. 

The coffee business has long been in this family with at least two members having considerable Starbuck's experience.  

Back to the cold brew.  

I have never sipped on a purposely cold cup of coffee before. 

Lukewarm, yes, from my hot coffee lots of times but never decidedly cold. 

Montoya told me that cold coffee does not have nearly the acidity that hot coffee has and that it's probably easier on one's stomach. 

As a colitis patient, I have learned, begrudgingly so, to curb my coffee intake to just one cup per day, and sometimes even that can cause gut problems. 

The colitis gods say to avoid it all together, but who's gonna live for more than three quarters of a life as a coffee drinker and suddenly go cold turkey. 

So, I allow myself some misery each day. 

Having already had my quota of hot coffee for the day, I was reluctant to add to it, but Montoya's revelations about cold coffee tempted me to go ahead and give it a try. 

I ordered a sample.  It was late afternoon, and I drank most of it. 

No stomach OR sleep problems. 

I couldn't imagine wanting to drink cold coffee, but Montoya noted that she had lived in Texas where it's hot, and hot coffee isn't always a favorite. 

Actually, the sample wasn't too bad, and I may have to try another. 

One thing I know is that these are neat and fun folks, and besides a cup of brew, coffee drinkers also like to enjoy visiting with people. 

Great combination at Brown Water Coffee Reserve.

Montoya and Justin were minding the shop for their son yesterday. 

This year's deck flower baskets help support the Gold n' Grouse 4-H Club, and they are beautiful.

 

Bill has been helping with a landscaping project at the Presbyterian Church. 

He's removed old stuff, brought it home and burned it, and he's helped with new shrubs. 

I don't know what's new in this photo, but the church looks beautiful right now.

Happy Friday.