Inspiration on a Wet Sunday

 

It was "pick your poison" on this rainy morning when Bridie and I went for our walk. 

D'ya wanta slide around? 

D'ya wanta swim?  

D'ya wanta sink through the snow into water three inches deep?

Twas all there for the taking. 

Heck, we could even go get a boat and do some paddling in the pasture north of the lane. 

It's obvious that little Foster picked somewhere other than his usual outdoor bathroom to go No. 2.  

We all know this has to happen as we work our way toward spring, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. 

At least it's warm out there in the wet. 

I urge you to continue your apostolate with joy and to be a sign of a love that embraces everyone, as the Gospel of the Day suggests. 

May we transform evil into goodness and build a fraternal world. Do not be afraid to take risks for love!

                  ---Pope Francis

I read the message above posted by Pope Francis this morning, so I thought it would be especially meaningful today as we all hope and pray for his recovery. 

It's also meaningful because our world could very much afford to be "slammed" with goodness and fraternity.  

May goodness be overpowering.  

💚💙💜💛

A few days ago, I read the post below on one of my Facebook friend's pages.  

I don't personally know the author, but he knows my brother Mike.  They graduated together from Sandpoint High School in 1962, which makes them both 80 somethings. 

His words and personal story struck a chord for me personally.  

Moreover, I believe that his proactive stance of facing life's obstacles and putting them aside while trying to live the fullest life possible is powerful. 

Doesn't matter if you're 80 or a teenager, the wisdom is there.

So, I asked him if I could share what he had to say. 

Thank you, Dick Ragland, for your thoughts and your update and your inspiration.  

May they be helpful to anyone in need.   

My Journey: From Darkness to Purpose

 

By Dick Ragland

In February 2018, my life changed when I had a stroke that affected my right, dominant side. A year later, I started insulin for type 2 diabetes.

By June 2020, I weighed around 200 pounds, my blood sugar was dangerously high (200-400), and I was taking 70 units of insulin daily. 

I was also on antidepressants and hydrocodone for pain, spending my days in a dark bedroom or gaming room, hating my life and blaming others for my situation.

Then, one morning in June 2020, I woke up and said, Enough. I need to change my life. 

And from that day, I started taking steps to turn things around. It wasn’t easy, but with determination—and God’s help—I began to reclaim my health and my happiness.

Fast forward to January 2022, I had another realization: I needed to leave my living situation and the United States to find a new path.

So, I did. 

I moved to Boquete, Panama, where I lived for 2.5 years. While there, I walked almost 4,000 kilometers, pushing through injuries, illness, and even COVID. But no matter what obstacles came my way, I persevered. 

From Panama, I moved to Medellín, Colombia, and now I’m in Baños, Ecuador. My journey is still unfolding, and my ultimate destination is Mauritius. Through it all, I believe God has had a mission for me, and I’m on that mission every day. 

I’m sharing my story because I know I’m not alone. So many people feel stuck, hopeless, or trapped by their circumstances. 

I want you to know that change is possible—no matter how dark life may seem. It starts with one decision, one step, one day at a time.

Update:

My journey is still ongoing, and like anyone, I continue to face challenges. I have neuropathy in my right foot that sometimes affects my sleep, and while I’m still on insulin, I’ve reduced my dosage to just 12 units.

I also have a fully torn rotator cuff that causes pain most of the day, but I manage without medication. Recently, I’ve been dealing with blood pressure issues, but I refuse to let any of these setbacks stop me.

The road isn’t always easy, but I’ve learned that perseverance, faith, and determination can carry you through even the toughest times. 

My next stop is Lima, Peru—and beyond. I’m excited to see where this journey continues to lead me, and I’m grateful for every step of the way.

💚💜💛💙💖

 Finally:  Dean Fredlund

Paula Fredlund shared with me in a note yesterday that when her husband is reminded of "Down Brown," he grins. 

I did not have Mr. Fredlund as a biology teacher at Sandpoint High School because a group of my classmates took biology with Mr. Roger Chichester during ninth grade at Sandpoint Junior High. 

In spite of that, I got to know Mr. Dean Fredlund fairly well by hanging around in his classroom after school. 

We thought of him as the coolest teacher in the school, so we enjoyed spending time with him whenever possible. 

There was plenty of banter going on, and, for some reason which is in my distant memory right now, he liked to issue the friendly command of "Down Brown."

I think I probably earned the right because (this may surprise people) I talked and laughed a lot. 

Anyway, Mr. Fredlund is now receiving long-term care in his present community of Salmon Arm, British Columbia.  

His wife Paula, who was also a teacher, keeps me up-to-date on how he's doing. 

Yesterday, she sent me the photo below (taken last year), and I posted on our class Facebook page and sent it to my friend Chris, one of his students. 

It was neat to see some of the initial responses from those who knew him and remember him fondly. 

Thought I'd post them this morning as another upbeat reminder of how influential positive people can be simply by passing through someone else's life. 

----from Dr. Christine Moon, retired psychology instructor at Pacific Lutheran University:  There he is. He must have been pretty young when he taught at SHS. 

Probably my best teacher ever. I would have been a biologist if not for a crappy college course.

from James Baldwin, retired lawyer: Mr Fredlund: you were my most memorable biology teacher. 

However, your most profound impression was in the area of musical appreciation. You exposed our church group to "Handel’s Messiah." And for that I am ever Grateful.

from Don Shaffer:  Love and prayers to you Mr. Fredlund. I’m sorry that I never had you as a biology teacher. I wished I had but you inspired me in ways that you may never know. 

I went on to be a biology teacher for 46 years in San Diego. 

Thank you. You take care and God bless you, Don Shaffer Class of 1962.

from Francie Spencer Hanson: He made biology fun with his great sense of humor.

from Dianne Rucker Dymack:  Thoughts and prayers for Mr. Fredlund

Saturday Slight

 

Washed clean.  

This cone was covered with snow a couple of days ago. 

Where's the ball, Bridie? 

Your Border Collie eye seems to be looking the wrong way. 

We've got wetness.

No atmospheric river this morning but definitely pitter patter on the roof and water over snow outside.

I also slid a few times.  

Yesterday while working with my horses over at Roxane's, I decided to remove my Yak Trax.  Putting them back on this morning was difficult enough that I gave up and just left my boots bare. 

So, the overnight rain on snow and ice has created some slippery spots out there, and I've found a few of them.  

I've been dreading this weather change because it means we're back to towel time with the doggies. 

I have a feeling towel time will be a regular item on the daily schedule for quite some time as we make our way toward spring. 

All that said, when Bridie and I took our walk through the hay field and the woods this morning, I was pleasantly surprised how easy going it was.  

Plus, the balmy temps to go along with the light rain made for a nice experience.

~~~~~ 

In other news, Bill just learned that the ZAGS women's game is at 12 noon today instead of the usual 2 p.m. Saturday games. 

Seems the ZAGS are hosting both men's and women's teams today. 

I've opted to stay home and take in some of the television college basketball action.  

Willie ended his 2024-25 coaching season yesterday in Boise.  The team lost to Jerome and later boarded the bus to come home. 

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2025/feb/21/prep-basketball13/

I'm sure all the players and coaches are now tucked away in their beds and getting some extra sleep on this Saturday morning.

As the mother of their coach and as an overall avid basketball fan, I want them to know how proud we all are of them as individuals and of what they accomplished in this rebuilding season.  

It was up and down at times, but what made me the most proud after every game was the praise that Willie always expressed toward them----didn't matter whether it was a win or a loss. 

In addition, these young ladies made us proud through their contributions to the community. 

In these troubling days, it's inspiring to see the humanity along with the wins and losses. 

So, Bulldogs, keep standing tall and proud and remember the wonderful memories and achievements of this season. 

May those good times and life lessons stay with you the rest of your lives. 

And, of course, for those not graduating there's next year!  

GO, BULLDOGS!!

 

ZAGS GAME DAY

It's Senior Night at the Kennel, and, several seniors will be honored. 

Then, the barn burner will begin, as the ZAGS seek some redemption from their earlier season loss to the  Saint Mary's Gaels and, of course, another win.

Game time:  5 p.m. PST

Telecast on ESPN2.

GO, ZAGS!!!

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

 

All in a Day

For anyone who has never visited our area, those mountains in the photo above are called the Green Monarchs.  

They are located on the northeast side of Pend Oreille Lake. 

And, when you drive HWY 200 to Hope, you can enjoy some spectacular and breath-taking views of the Monarchs.  

Imagine the view you would have while in a boat out on the lake.

Yesterday afternoon turned out rather dull in the weather category.  A bit of gloom and a lot of grey set the tone for the rest of the day.

So, for the most part, there weren't many jaw-dropping scenes on my drive EXCEPT for the snow-covered Monarchs. They were even topped off with the cloud cover, but that didn't matter.  They were still stunning. 

I took the dogs on the drive after we had listened to Willie's game (would have been nice if the commentators had devoted more than 5 percent of their commentary to Sandpoint) and Rich Benjamin's interview with Terri Gross (fabulous interview) and after Bill had taken off for Spokane for a Lady ZAGS game, which they won. 

I figured it would be difficult to find very many striking photo scenes, but then I was headed toward Hope, where the photo pickin's are almost always generous. 

A heron standing all alone in the Pack River Flats boosted my excitement about this photo run, as did a single BNSF engine quietly making its way across the train trestle to the Sunnyside Peninsula. 

Once I turned off from HWY 200 to the old road that leads to Hope, the photos came easily. 

It was especially fun taking pictures in a leisurely fashion because only one car and one pedestrian passed me on that road. 

In fact, it seemed that I had all the time in the world, it seemed to stop for virtually every scene. 

I also took a route not taken---at least in my personal experiences in Hope.  Seems like one stretch overlooking the lake was called "Big Hill." 

All this was new to me, which meant some fresh and fun scenes for photographing.   

With all the possibilities along my way, it didn't take long to forget the gray of the day and to drive home feeling glad that I had chosen this route. 

Besides, it's difficult to ever be disappointed with a trip to Hope, Idaho.  

  

Sandpoint's girls varsity will go at it again today. 

They'll take on Jerome (17-9) in the consolation bracket. 

As noted in the story below, the Bulldogs lost yesterday to a strong Middleton team, which still has just one loss this season.  

Hoping the girls rebound and take a win today. 

Tip-off is at 11 a.m. PST and the coverage, I've found, is not great, but you can listen by going to IdahoSports.com and clicking on the steaming option.  

If it's like yesterday, what you'll get is commentary and a graphic showing the score. 

BTW:  I talked to Dylan Benefield at Blue Sky Broadcasting yesterday to see if the game would be broadcast on KSPT.  

Nope, he said. Perennial commentator Bob Witte has retired and we need some new play-by-play folks.  

So, if you have the experience and the talent and would like to do some sports commentating, check with Dylan at Blue Sky. 

And, when you do sports commentating for a State Tournament, it's really nice and probably appropriate if you try to keep your coverage balanced by reporting on both teams, especially those that travel nearly 500 miles to compete. 

We learned a LOT about Middleton yesterday.  

Just sayin'. 

 https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2025/feb/20/prep-basketball12/

All that said, GO, BULLDOGS, and Happy Friday. 

New Snow; Media Stuff; TBT

 

We received another lovely coating of snow overnight, and now it has stopped. 

Mother Nature left us a nice dress-up for this morning. 

Not too much.  Not too little.  Just right for making things pretty and allowing us to still walk around without much effort. 

We have warm temps coming, even up to the 50s in a few days, so this could be the last of our snow storms. 

We won't hold our breath, though, because during recent years, March has left us with some doozies, including a blizzard or two. 

Still, this morning fits nicely with winter as a whole.  It's been a pleasant few months. 

Bill likes to have his tea brew and get cold outside on the hood to the car.  

This morning's new batch caused a small meltdown. 

The woods work goes on as Bill continues to clean up the trees that fell or broke off during last September's bizarre wind storm.  

Bridie, his faithful helper, is always there, especially to get the ball when Bill takes time out to throw it.  

These trees went down in a pocket on our southeast property next to the road.  

There was really no rhyme or reason why certain trees went down while others around them stayed. 

Terri Gross will be interviewing Rich Benjamin today on her NPR series "Fresh Air."  

When I told Bill about the interview, he said that Rich is the only person ever on "Fresh Air" to be a member of our Lovestead Lodgepole Society.  

As mentioned before, Rich spent the better part of a day and evening with us several years ago while he was preparing to write his first book Whitopia.

Author Rich Benjamin and Bill at the Lodgepole tree. 

from Amazon.com: 

Rich Benjamin is a cultural anthropologist and the author of Searching for Whitopia. 

His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post and elsewhere. He is also a sought-after lecturer and a public-facing scholar often interviewed in international media, including on MSNBC, CNN, and BBC.

 

His work has received support from the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, Princeton University, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Institute.

During the time we spent together, we inducted him into our Lodgepole Society, which honored an amazing double-trunked lodgepole in the far pasture.  

Besides writing books, Rich contributes his thoughts and observations fairly often on MSNBC and NPR. 

I have begun reading his book "Talk to Me," which was released last week.  It's a family memoir with events in Haiti where Rich's grandfather served as President for 19 days in 1957. 

In my reading thus far, I have had no problem turning the pages to see what happens next.  It's a smooth read. 

So, if you have time, you can listen to Rich's interview on today's "Fresh Air" program wherever you happen to be.  

I doubt that he'll mention the Lodgepole Society. 

The link below includes information in another interview with Rich. 

https://www.vpm.org/npr-news/npr-news/2025-02-10/rich-benjamins-new-memoir-talk-to-me-details-his-familys-story

Big day for Sandpoint High girls basketball.  

They'll play their first game at the State Tournament, starting at 11 a.m. PST. 

To stream the game, go to https://idahosports.com/

It's going to be an uphill battle for the Bulldogs.  They play top-ranked Middleton, which has lost only one game.  

Wishing them the best as they fulfill this dream of representing their hometown and playing at State. 

GO, BULLDOGS!

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

Thursday Throwbacks . . . .