Tuesday This and That

 

This morning, I found the following paragraphs describing modern warfare and how the basics have changed due to the capability of drones fascinating. 

From today's New York Times Newsletter 

The rise of drone warfare has changed how armies fight. Soldiers used to march to the front. Now they have to crawl there at night, under thermal blankets that block the heat signature that would give them away. 

Armored vehicles could scout the roads before a ground assault on a village or town. A few soldiers on A.T.V.s play that role now, riskily. 

And trench warfare? 

That’s over. It’s easy to target a trench. So soldiers hide out in abandoned buildings or dig underground bunkers.

And they stay a long time. 

Regular rotation of troops in and out of battle is too dangerous under a drone-filled sky. Henadii and Mykhailo, the two Ukrainian soldiers The Times interviewed, were in the kill zone for more than six months. 

(Like all Ukrainian soldiers The Times spoke to, they asked to be identified only by their first names or call signs, for security reasons.) Their experience was hellish. 

Vehicles can’t bring supplies, so drones dropped them food and water, at least when the drones made it to them. Sometimes they didn’t. Each man lost 40 pounds.

It's been more than four decades of friendship for this trio.  It started out with Kari and Jeralyn being kids of people I knew in the community. 

Later, when they became my students at Sandpoint High School, a bond was formed, and that bond has remained for all these years. 

A love of horses and the outdoors unites us. 

Participation in school publications has united us, as have crazy trips to California and down trails in the back country of North Idaho. 

Both Kari and Jeralyn went off to college at Montana State University and Gonzaga University, respectively.  

After working careers in the big cities, they returned to their beloved Sandpoint and, with high standards, have continued to contribute to the community in too many ways to mention. 

Through it all, our friendship has thrived and we do our best to get together for lunches or dinners to catch up on life. Through it all, we have always enjoyed the laughter.

That's what we did last night for more than two hours at Mick Duffs Restaurant. 

It's been an amazing and heart-warming perspective for me as their teacher and as one who has watched them grow from children into adulthood, raise their families, work their careers and now look toward retirement.

It's also been a great run belonging to this trio of friends, and I know we all look forward to many good times ahead. 

Thanks, ladies, for a fun evening.  

And, Jeralyn, I promise not to tell anyone why you spent much of a summer painting the inside of Mick Duffs when it was the local library!  

I promise!😇 

In other, news, with the midterm elections just 12 days away, I thought the following letter from former Idaho Republican legislators offered some important perspective to share----especially when we consider whom these people are expected to represent. 

I always thought they should represent their constituents, not a restrictive ideological organization. and through all the craziness of the past few years, I still think they should represent their constituents. 

So, I'm happy to see this letter in today's Daily Bee from legislators I respect and who did their best while serving to represent and respect all their constituents, not just a faction. 

These former legislators offer some vitally important points for voters to consider before casting their ballots. 

46 years of Idaho service with an important message:

October 20, 2026 1:00 AM

Idaho’s constitution created a citizen legislature: three months in Boise, the rest of the year at home among the people represented. 

Idaho has always been conservative. We work hard, help our neighbors and live and let live. Over the past decade though, the Idaho Legislature has drifted from the core state functions. Education, public safety and transportation are overshadowed by a focus on cultural issues pushed by outside groups. Even the one required action of the Legislature, passing a balanced state budget, has become a challenge.

Idaho now races to be first in the nation on creating law around abstract social issues, while our population booms, our roads have become dangerous, and state funding for our schools has declined.

The Bonner County Republican Central Committee was once a guiding light for the people we elected. Today the party apparatus demands loyalty over debate and treats disagreement as betrayal. Many longtime Republicans have simply walked away. All three Republican legislative candidates on this year’s ballot carry the committee’s endorsement, including its former chairman, who endorsed himself.

Ask yourself who these candidates are really working for. They answer to the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s legislative scorecard, not the needs of Bonner and Boundary Counties. They signed a loyalty pledge to the Citizens Alliance of Idaho, a political action committee run by people from outside Idaho. 

A legislator’s loyalty belongs to the people who elected them, not to a scorecard or a pledge. These candidates appear to be counting on the “R” after their names to carry them to victory, and they don’t seem to believe they need to earn your vote.

We are lifelong Republicans who together served 46 years in the Idaho Legislature. Idaho’s success is based on our traditional Republican values. Candidates wearing the Republican brand, but behaving as activist extremists, will undo the work of generations and leave Idaho falling behind.

Each election cycle, Sandpoint’s news outlets host a candidate forum that packs the high school auditorium. It is voters’ best chance to hear the candidates in person. 

This year, all three Republican candidates have declined to attend the upcoming forum. If candidates won’t face voters while they are asking for their votes, how will you reach them once they are in office?

This Nov. 3 is your chance to vote for representation in the Idaho Legislature. We urge you to look at the individuals on the ballot, those who will serve your interests, not their own ideology. 

Listen to the candidates to hear if they understand the nuts and bolts of what our communities need, if they will talk with you and listen to you. We encourage you to learn about these candidates and vote for the candidates working for Idaho and working for you.

This election is critical. Let’s turn the ship before it is too late. Please vote on Nov. 3.

SEN. JIM WOODWARD

Sagle, District 1

REP. MARK SAUTER

Sandpoint, District 1

SHAWN KEOUGH

Sandpoint

Former senator, District 1 

GEORGE ESKRIDGE

Dover

Former representative, Seat B, District 1

Yesterday when Jeralyn, Kari and I got together for dinner, Jeralyn brought along a partial package of my mother's cards with her pencil and pen-and-ink sketches. 

Believe it or not, I did not have some of the cards in the package which Jeralyn purchased from Mother decades ago.  So, it was a nice surprise and most appreciated. 

Having a deep, nostalgic nature, I thought it would be fun to post of few of her artistic endeavors this morning. 

Enjoy, and Happy Tuesday. 

Days Like These

 

Yes, we'll always take days like this.

What an amazing fall we are having!

It was a split-second decision yesterday after Bill arrived home from church. 

Would I like to go somewhere---either Boulder Meadows or Boundary Creek? 

My instincts and past experiences told me that the trip to Boundary Creek, where our family does Easter picnics, would be the more scenic trip. 

Good choice because my eyes were overwhelmed with beauty from the time we left the driveway until we arrived home just before dark. 

It was definitely one of those "days like these." 

And, happily, this morning, I have managed to post all my images with no outside interference. 

So, enjoy.  

Just one commercial break.  

Today is our daughter Annie's birthday, so there's a greeting for her. 

Otherwise, it's the majestic beauty of the Kootenai Valley north of Bonners Ferry.  

And, of course, a bit of Canada's stunning scenery sneaks into the photos. 

Enjoy. 

Happy Monday

Scroll along with the music. 

Yesterday was a glorious day, and we're hoping that today our daughter has a glorious and memorable birthday celebration. 

Happy Birthday, Annie. 

We love you and are wishing you the best. 

My Cup Overfloweth

 

It was a jam-packed busy and beautiful autumn day yesterday. 

I'm thinking most people were out soaking up the magnificent weather anyway they could. 

My day basically started in the living room watching TV.  

I recorded the Today Show trip to Ireland on Friday, fully intending to go about my day and come back later to watch it. 

Well, in my mind, the live version was so well done that I found myself glued to the TV, except for commercials. 

About halfway through, I quit fighting the urge to get outside and accomplish something. 

 

It was that good, and I watched its entirety on Friday. 

Then, I knew Bill would want to watch it. 

He's not too keen on using the remote for stuff we've recorded, so he watched it the first time, and I, the second----without commercials. 

Finally it was time to get moving and get something done, so I raked pine needles and took the piles to wrap around my blueberries for the winter.  Pine needles have nutrients that are good for blueberries, I was told several years ago.

So, needle raking and arranging has become an annual task. 

I was just about finished when my Fitbit said it was time to heat to town for the No Kings rally. 

People were already there with their signs and others were descending upon the Courthouse area from all directions. 

For a while, it looked like it would be an amazing turnout, but soon it was evident that this rally had not been as big as the previous events. 

Still, folks stuck with it waving signs and visiting. 

I spent some good time with numerous friends and got to know a few new people. 

All in all, once again the event was fun and hopefully convinced a few more people to vote on Nov. 3 or earlier.  Early voting starts at the county election office in the Federal Building this coming Monday, Oct. 19. 

After the rally, I spent the rest of the afternoon in the north lawn, finishing the blueberry project, raking up deer poop, mowing the lawn and simply marveling at the gorgeous fall we have had.

Bill barbecued chicken for dinner, and we watched a great football game last night between Notre Dame and BYU.  

BYU won in the end, and I've read that several top teams went down yesterday. 

The day's cup of activities came close to overflowing, and when I had no problem getting to sleep last night. 

*****

Speaking of overflowing, my technology cup of activities is doing just that. 

I am learning that I have been extremely fortunate in posting oodles of photos on my blog.  I'm also learning, by experience, however that things are quickly changing in the tech world. 

Off and on over the past month (not in Ireland), I have attempted to post photos on my blog only to receive a notice saying "failed to insert media." 

It's been a limp along and do whatever you can do to keep going when these times strike. 

Well, no problems after arriving home until yesterday.  The same message kept reappearing, and I did whatever came to mind to get the photos posted. 

This morning I met an out and out roadblock, the second I attempted to post my first photo. 

I tried some different methods, which did not work. 

Eventually, it dawned on me that I had taken pictures yesterday with my camera and my cell phone. 

So, I picked out a camera photo, which posted with no problems. And then, another and another.  

When I attempted a cell-phone photo, the same message about media insertion failure appeared, as it continues to do if I try to post a cell phone photo. 

After lots of trial and error, this morning it appeared to me that the size of my cell phone photos or (DPR) dots per inch/resolution is the culprit. 

So, as an experiment, I took the same photos and downloaded them with fewer DPR's, and have succeeded in posting them. 

This brings to mind the topic of data centers.  

As has been pointed out so many times in news reports, every text message, every photo or graphic---they all add to the need for data storage which explains why data centers are so crucial in this technological age. 

So, I'm guessing the brakes have been put on for people like me who have been posting photos at will with no concerns and that to continue posting, we must reduce the size of whatever we download.

All that said, my computer cup appears to running over data-wise, and I have to remain aware that the situation may continue to change and become more restrictive in the future. 

I mention this simply because blogging over the past few years has meant having to adjust to whatever the invisible blogger gods out there in cyberspace who control our sites from above decide to do.  

I can tell you that they certainly don't send us notifications telling us that these changes are happening. 

We simply have to discover as we go, and if we fail to problem solve with each new change, technological paralysis sets in. 

I may have to make some major changes in what started out as a fairly simple process of blogging, thanks to all the data that bajillions of others across the world and I happen to be using.  

In fact, I've probably taken up too much data in my explanation above, but thought it would be good to let readers know in case I run into a total brick wall.

I figured it out this morning, but Lord knows what's coming next. 

So, as always, thanks for your patience.  

Behind the scenes with blogging is not always a pretty sight. 

Check out the graphic below.  

A fun experience is coming to Sandpoint, and the Bonner Community Food Bank stands to gain some more support. 

My friend and neighbor Tricia Dickens sings in a Bonners Ferry choir directed and coordinated by Vicki Blake Thompson, and she has traveled to various countries as part of the choir, including Cuba and England. 

You can learn more about this amazing musical endeavor by clicking the following link. 

https://bonnersferryherald.com/news/2026/apr/09/choirs-welcome-new-singers-in-may/

And, this week,  the choir will perform in Sandpoint. 

This should be a wonderful musical treat, and all proceeds will go to the food bank. 

Definitely a win-win situation. 

 

Below:  a few photos from yesterday's No Kings Rally:  main message VOTE!