Scenes like this are the main and probably only reason that we valley dwellers will welcome snow in March.
Yesterday afternoon's contrast of almost-green fields with that brilliant white backdrop was jaw-dropping to say the least.
Twas a different kind of gorgeous this morning with the mountains outlined by a hot-pink ribbon of early sunlight running along their tops. Evenly spaced rays of thin gray clouds in the sky above this mountain scene added an extra touch of beauty.
And, so the Ides of March have come, and thankfully, so far in this historically ominous day, we are not feeling the need to Beware.
I told Bill, while reading the morning paper, that we could watch television pretty much all day long with the last of the regional NCAA basketball tournament championships running from 10 until "Selection Sunday" at 3 p.m.
And, then come the Academy Awards.
What a perfect day for good TV if we want to be couch potatoes all day.
No plans for that at this house, but we're happy to know that when we come inside, there will be an enticing TV menu ready to roll.
Little Foster is experiencing his second bout with canine vestibular disease aka "old-dog vertigo," and, happily, he is getting better each day.
His first bout in late November took about six weeks for his head to quit tilting off to one side. Still, he soldiered on, and so did we, seeing that his life was the best it could be in spite of the circumstances.
We're doing the same now, and, except for not being too cooperative about taking nausea pills, Foster has been doing his best at getting back to normal.
We're grateful that we have the time to give this wonderful little dog all the time he needs to get better.
We're also grateful to Dr. Kelly at Center Valley Vets who's always there to guide us through his care.
Yesterday after putzing at a variety of indoor and outdoor projects, we decided to go to Sweet Lou's to grab a bite of dinner.
As we left the restaurant, we happened on to the gentlemen above. Over the years, Trevor, on the left, has helped with construction of a few projects around the Lovestead, including the dog run.
Meanwhile, Zach, on the right, graduated from Sandpoint High with our daughter Annie. He works as a therapist in Coeur d'Alene.
It was great to catch up what's happening in the lives of these two lovable guys.
Bill's bonfire from yesterday.
The huge pile of debris south of the house is gradually getting smaller as he picks out items and starts small bonfires.
The finches are entering their colorful season.
Two days until St. Patrick's celebration, and the Irish endorphins are overflowing.
Hope you enjoy today's moving and inspiring selection.
Happy Sunday.
Annie and her friends spent some time in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, yesterday, where she captured a shot of this beautiful blue flower.
More snowflakes were falling this morning when I took the dogs outside.
Happily, they are no longer falling.
Yesterday's snow created some pretty scenes around the place.
With a promise of 60 degrees in a few days, we'll deal with it.
Speaking of dealing with the elements, my sisters finally had their power restored at 8:30 p.m. last night.
So, they toughed it out for almost two days.
They said the biggest problem was light, especially in their stable where they had to wear head lamps to feed horses and clean stalls.
So, maybe now, one week before spring officially begins and after a comparatively mild few months, we can say that we've had winter.
Bring on the spring!
I've heard that weather changes are often credited with the onset of aches and pains. I've also heard the same about vertigo, at least for older dogs.
I don't know if it's true, but I'll blame the weather change for triggering a second bout of canine vestibular disease for our Foster.
Like the first round, this came on almost instantaneously. Fine one minute, floundering the next.
So, the little guy has been getting lots of tender loving care since yesterday morning.
It's tough on him, but he's a trooper. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he works his way through this episode.
On a light note, Bill and I had a great time at the Gehring household last night. The occasion revolved around the visit from Portland of a fellow educator, her son and her grandson.
We've all known each other for decades. Several years ago, she moved to Portland, so it was a special visit.
With other teachers, current and retired, we enjoyed some good story telling and more than enough laughs.
Some of these included passing around affirmation cards to boost our outlooks or NOT.
It's safe to say that a good time was had by all, and Bill and I thoroughly enjoyed being among the guests.
A neat perspective on the high school art students who created colorful bowls for last week's Empty Bowl luncheon which benefitted the Bonner Community Food Bank.
I really liked the letter below because it speaks to people like me who are not so much political but more concerned with the general aspects of living and functioning in what we call a democracy.
Like the television sitcom, with the exception of a few issues from time to time, we sit and think "In the Middle. "
I sincerely believe that it's time for all of us to work our way a little bit more toward the middle, even if it's just an inch or two.
If that could happen, I think we'd start finding some common ground and moving forward on what's good for the masses as opposed to satisfying simply extreme segments of our population.
Thank you, Barb, for submitting this letter to the Bonner Daily Bee.
It's time to look past political labels, scorecards
March 12, 2026 1:00 AM
When I moved to Sandpoint almost 25 years ago, my aunt
visited and asked my friend, “So, what do you do?” She meant her job,
but that’s not what people here care about.
In Sandpoint, the question
is more like, “Do you hike, ski, have kids, horses, fish, hunt?” It’s
about finding connection through how we live, not what we do for work —
and that’s what made this place feel like home.
I’ve been a
Republican since the 1990s, and for a long time here, that was beside
the point. We were a conservative community in the best sense: fiscally
responsible, committed to strong families, and grounded in the idea that
neighbors look out for each other.
We invested carefully in good
schools, decent roads, and public institutions because we understood
they were tools that helped us build the kind of life we want.
Over
the past decade, many people have moved to Idaho to escape what they
see as failed liberal policies elsewhere. I understand that impulse.
But
in the rush to be the “opposite” of where they came from, some now look
at longtime Idaho Republicans as “RINOs” or even closet liberals,
simply because we still believe in funding schools, protecting public
land, supporting emergency services, keeping hospitals open, or
maintaining basic services.
Wanting functional public institutions is
not liberalism; it’s basic conservative stewardship.
Since the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s “index” became a kind of shadow
party platform, too many legislators seem more focused on protecting
their score than protecting their constituents.
If a Republican supports
a school levy, a fire levy, or a practical compromise, they’re branded
suspect. That’s how we end up with politicians who chase perfect scores
and viral headlines instead of doing the unglamorous work of governing.
When
voters get pulled into this purity test mindset and constant
culture‑war outrage, we start voting against our own best interests.
We’re told to obsess over “RINOs,” books, bathrooms, and slogans about
“freedom,” while we ignore whether our kids’ classrooms are overcrowded,
if there are adequate police and fire personnel, whether the local ER
can stay open, or whether our roads and property values are being
protected.
None of those real life fights look flashy on a postcard.
We’re
already seeing the cost. Idaho has the fewest doctors per capita, 47th
for overall public school quality, and dead last for 3-5-year-olds'
early learning skills.
Young people leave because wages, housing, and
services can’t keep up with growth. If we keep treating any Republican
who believes in basic investment as a traitor, we will hollow out the
communities we moved here to enjoy.
That is not the Idaho
conservatism I found in 2002, and it’s not the Idaho that drew so many
of us here. We can be conservative without being self‑destructive.
We
can demand accountability without sabotaging our schools and hospitals.
I
hope newer and older Idahoans alike will take a step back, look past
the scorecards and labels, and start voting for the people who actually
protect the communities we all chose to call home.
BARBARA SCHRIBER
Sandpoint
With St. Patrick's Day soon approaching, I thought readers would enjoy a couple this nugget from a story listing the best Irish pubs in each state.
Enjoy
Idaho: The Harp
If an Irish pub that's serving dishes made from family recipes and soda bread that's scratch-made fresh every day sounds like the place to be, you'll love The Harp in Meridian.
It's also taking pride in the number of beers on tap at any given time, and that soda bread gets rave reviews, as you might expect. The Guinness lamb stew does, too, just save room for Bailey's mousse for dessert.
Why does it seem like it's been Friday the 13th in America for some time?
Instead of the "deer are watching you," Miss Bridie is watching the deer from the comfort of her warm home.
We haven't heard if power has been restored at my sisters' farm. That includes two houses of family members---Barbara and Laure; Willie and Debbie.
Yesterday when our power went out in the middle of the night, Bill followed his usual routine for power outages. He lit some candles and then climbed in his pickup and went on a fact-finding mission around the neighborhood.
Bill always likes to initially see that the next-door neighbors' power is out too; then we know it's not just us.
He drives up and down the neighboring roads and then comes home so he can report to me when I get up.
A day after the power went out, we're hoping the Colburn crew has their back after an entire day without electricity.
Bill was concerned about the cell phones at Colburn. To which I said, they can always charge them in their cars.
To which he said that he, on his fact-finding mission (at 3:30 or so in the morning) had observed two cars in driveways with their motors running and lights on. We both agreed that someone was on their cell phone.
Which brings to mind, the following, which was inspired by something I read in the New York Times.
Netaholism
Are you a netaholic?
Should there be a group for people like you that
meets at churches or maybe even libraries called NA for Netaholics
Anonymous?
With their addiction, though, would they
be able to remain anonymous?
If you are reading this, maybe
you could use some help or follow some of the strategies people are using to escape their cell phones.
How many of us fall into this group?
People
are repairing to the woods, building full-scale replicas of Thoreau's
cabin at Walden Pond — no plumbing, no electricity, definitely no
Wi-Fi.
One
modern transcendentalist’s dwelling has just a kerosene lamp, a desk and
research materials to keep him from using Google.
“It
naturally makes me not want to check email impulsively,” he told The Times.
Sometimes
it feels as if our phones are our captors, and we’re in perpetual search for a
device or a detox that will release us.
We’re
constantly negotiating: I’ll keep my devices out of the bedroom. I’ll wait 15
minutes after waking before checking social media.
Bill, the Eagle Scout, was once again ready for a power outage in the middle of the night.
Happily, the power came back on at 5 a.m., so we didn't suffer much.
It was a wild and windy night in the region, and it looks like we may have had a couple of smaller trees go down in the woods. The yard doesn't look too bad.
Our weather has offered a smorgasboard this week. I wasn't too thrilled with the wet, white slop late yesterday afternoon.
I was happy to see this morning that most of the snow has blown away or melted. The wind is still whooping it up as I type.
We're due for more unsettled conditions, but I'm loving that 61-degree prediction for later next week.
Some new horses are living at the neighbors' farm next door. I've been getting acquainted with them on my walks with the dogs through our woods.
Speaking of horses, CB received a three-way vaccination Tuesday in preparation for his month's stay at a training stable near Stateline.
Better to be safe than sorry when putting them in a setting with other horses from other germ centers.
It's always fun to see Dr. Celeste Grace (left) and her vet tech Suzy (right), and it's good to know that CB should be protected from nasty diseases.
My brother Mike saw this article of reflection yesterday and shared it with some of us.
I had thought our Cindy Wooden, the Vatican Bureau chief for Catholic News Service, had completely retired, but she had one more story to share as she wrapped up life in Rome.
She'll be home soon for a while as she ponders the rest of her life.
Neat to see in this piece what stood out in Cindy's long career reporting on the Popes and other Catholic Church matters.
I told these three lovelies that I just love seeing them on my visits to Roxane's.
That will end soon when two come home and one goes to another stable for further training.
BULLDOGS, COWBOYS AND VANDALS, Oh My!!🏀🏀🏀
Some of our family members are pretty ecstatic about the upcoming March Madness because we have teams to watch.
First, we ALL love Gonzaga, which will have both its men's and women's teams playing in the NCAA Tournament.
Secondly, four of the six siblings, Marianne, Barbara, Laurie and Jim, along with in-laws, outlaws and nieces, and even a great niece are graduates of the University of Idaho.
We were all thrilled yesterday when both the Vandals men and women's teams punched their tickets to the Dance in Boise at what was cleverly termed as "Starch Madness."
Shortly after the Vandals women won the Big Sky Championship, Bill and his sister Margaret's alma mater McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, won their opportunity to participate in March Madness.
So, besides watching our brackets, we'll have five favorites to follow in the tournament.
🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
from Mike Bales on X
Can anyone identify with this guy's plan?
I’m going to create a website called “Older Fans”
where I just tell you
which part of my body hurts today and what tiny task caused it!
Seems like a good idea.
💚💙💜💛
Thursday Throwbacks: An assortment of memories from the photo library. Enjoy.
First, from Bonner County History Notebook, 75 years ago.
H.M.S. PINAFORE POSTPONED BY STORM
Due to the blizzard
wrapping Bonner county in a March snow blanket, the high school’s
operetta “H.M.S. Pinafore” is postponed to a tentative date of March 15,
said Mrs. Marian Ruyle, director.
“It has been impossible to schedule
practices,” she said. “Many of the cast of 30 are from rural districts
and have not been able to get in.”
Assistant director of the light opera
is Adair Hilligoss, band leader. Miss Polly Spangle, student, is the
accompanist for the production. The dramatics class, under direction of
Mrs. Freda Thomas, will be in charge of make-up.
Miss Mary Oliver’s
sewing class will make most of the costumes, with costumes for the lead
characters rented from Spokane.
Cast in the production as the hapless
Sir Joseph Porter, admiral of her majesty’s navy, is Gary Pietsch. The
captain will be played by Marvin Dazey while Phyllis Boling will play
the captain’s daughter, Josephine.
Sir Porter’s Cousin Hebe will be
played by Evelyn Boling, and Bob Pratt will portray Dick Dead Eye.
Little Buttercup will be played by Margaret Morris.
Ralph Chicks and
Jimmie Van Sant will take the parts of the boatswain and the boatswain’s
mate, while Ralph Rackstraw will be portrayed by Dee Fowls.
Two famous photos of our parents.
Life changed dramatically for those of us in Batch One (Mike, Kevin and Marianne) when our mother married Harold Tibbs on March 12, 1954.
They shared a common love for horses; both were members of the Sandpoint Saddle Club.
Mother was well-known around the county for her many years of dedication to the 4-H horse program and horse activities in general.
Harold lived just down North Boyer from us at the home of Fats and Ardis Racicot.
He also owned a stallion which would become world famous after Harold and Toby 1 (ApHC No. 203) cleaned up on awards at the first-ever National Appaloosa Show in 1948.
Toby stayed behind and eventually was turned over to Ardis because we didn't have very good fences on our 40-acre farm.
But we had a farm, and Harold had a tractor, so it was good partnership. In the deal, he also got three kids. Later, three more came along (Barbara, Laurie and Jim), who we refer to as Batch Two.
Quite a story of romance and family, to say the least.
On this day, exactly 72 years after that marriage, we remember them fondly and wish they were here.
