Tuesday Blend

 

It's another cold morning today, but that won't last long.  

I heard that we could expect temperatures close to 100 by Thursday.  

So, we've had our break from the heat. 

I must say the adjustment from hot to cold is challenging.  

I'm sure it will be the same as we go a different direction.  

Today is classmate luncheon day.  We'll be going to the Floater Restaurant at Hope where one of the classmates and her husband will take us for a ride in their pontoon boat.  

Not a bad experience to anticipate, I'd say. By the time we're finished with lunch, the heat should be back on.  If only the smoke would leave, we could have a perfect outing. 

Speaking of fun stuff, Bill and Willie went to Canada yesterday for an overnight fishing experience. 

I think they're probably on their way by now with their fishing guide for a river fly fishing experience outside of Cranbrook. 

You can see photos below that Willie sent me last night as they fished around spots in British Columbia. 

Bill says the photos come from the Bull River in British Columbia. He adds that it's "like the Bull River we are familiar with in Montana. This one also flows into the Kootenai River, but in Canada east of Cranbrook. 

"It's a beautiful river that Willie wants to visit as a family trip in the fall, not for fishing but for the fall colors, due to the amount of aspen and the spectacular Canadian Rockies." 

Sounds like a good plan to me!

Anyway, they'll be in Heaven with their fly rods for the rest of the day and back home this evening.

Meanwhile, Debbie posted some news and some food bank needs, relating to the Spokane fires.  Read below.  

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Bonner County Community Food Bank

by Debbie Love

Today was a reminder of why community matters.

We had the privilege of helping families who evacuated from the Spokane fires. Thankfully, they have family roots in Sandpoint and were welcomed onto relatives' properties, but they arrived with very few belongings and needed immediate assistance.

Among many hugs from our staff and support. 

We really want to give thanks to the generosity of the Ethan Murray Fund, we were able to provide brand-new backpacks filled with essential hygiene supplies.

 Those backpacks made an immediate difference during a very difficult time.

We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Donna from the Methodist Church, who responded at a moment's notice with sleeping bags and tarps for those who had spent the previous night sleeping outside without enough blankets.

Because we shared many of our emergency supplies today, we could use your help replenishing them.

We are especially in need of:

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Hygiene items (soap, shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.)

New socks

Can Openers

Non perishable snacks (granola bars, trail mix, crackers, etc.)

Thank you to everyone who continues to help us respond when our neighbors need us most. 

Your generosity makes it possible to offer hope, and practical support during times of crisis.

For questions, please call our office, 8:30-3:00 at (208) 263-3663 or info@bonnercommunityfoodbank.org

We will not be able to respond via Facebook.

Thank you!

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Whatever you can do to help out locally or in the Spokane area will be great. 

It's a long road ahead for a lot of people who have been displaced and who essentially will be starting their lives over due to the destruction. 

Every little kind or generous gesture will count in this situation. 

Bill has been telling me about the dewberries IN OUR FOREST!

In fact, he's even eaten a few. 

We've been here 20 years, and, at last the foliage in the woods has grown enough for a few berries to ripen. 

As one whose summers were highlighted by taking a jar and picking dewberries along the ditches and in our forest on North Boyer, I was thrilled yesterday to see the berries. 

Not a lot.  Not very big but berries!  

It's a start. 

From what I hear from William Jr. and William III, scenery is pretty and fishing is good.  

Today they'll have a guide so it ought to get even better. 

This trip fulfills a birthday present plan for Dad Love from his son. 

                                                                                                                --Edited for privacy.

These little daisies always let us know that summer is subsiding, and we're headed toward fall. 

That's all. 

Happy Tuesday. 

Warm up, and then stay cool.

Monday Miscellany

 

The berries are forming on the bushes around the yard, and when the deer finish up on garden goodies, the berries will provide them some fall and winter food. 

Speaking of fall, when the weather people said a "cold front," they weren't kidding. 

I bundled up to go outside on both trips this morning.  It was the first "cold" we've experienced in at least a couple of weeks.  

Interestingly enough, I can't remember a summer where I've worn a coat so often in the mornings. 

We've been fortunate with the heat in that, for the most part, it has cooled off at night. 

From what I see on my phone, we'll be back to warmer weather, starting tomorrow.  

So, it's nice to have this break from the heat. 

They came in an old hearse, which they parked out of sight just off from Selle Road. 

Otherwise, I would have taken a photo. 

They're from Newport, and, like me, they turned around soon after seeing the Selle roadside bake sale, organized by Avery and her mom and dad. 

Dad wasn't there at the time because he was in the house baking more goodies for Avery's table. 

Avery ran the sale, while Mom ran inside to replenish the inventory. 

There were scones, fruit-filled coffee cake and big pies and little pies.  

The hearse couple knew right away what they wanted and soon walked away with a bagful of fresh baked goods. 

I picked out two mini pecan pies after telling them my hubby was from pecan country in Louisiana and that he loves pecan pie like I do.  

Sadly my gut doesn't like it as much as I, but I figured I may get away with feeding off the huckleberry coffee cake with a light sugar coating on top. 

Avery, who's going into the eighth grade,  is quite the entrepreneur and so fortunate to have a mom and dad who support her roadside enterprises. 

I've seen her at the spot in front of her home off and on for past couple of years.  She's always pleasant poised and sure to go far in life.   

And, with a dad who's worked as a chef, she's getting some good instruction on how to bake goodies that make the taster want to go back for more. 

Keep up the good work, Avery. Always nice to see you.  

Avery and her mom Angie

Lots of apples on the old-style tree this year.  Hope they grow bigger. 

Whatever the case, we'll have lots of apple jelly. 

Lefty has collected his annual flock of birds, and more often than not, besides escorting him as he eats, a few will jump aboard and go for a ride. 

This is the Lovestead plum.  

That's it.  

No plum jelly this year unless I want to settle for maybe one tablespoon. 

We have five plum trees and ONE plum. 

The blossoms came before the bees, so we had pretty trees but no results, 'cept this one plum. 

Maybe next year the timing will be right. 

For now, we'll just call this the One Plum Lovestead. 

Smoky scenes dominate the landscape and remind us of the catastrophic fires in the Spokane area over the weekend. 

The following link gives you a few ideas of how you can help the thousands in need around the Spokane area after being evacuated from their homes with many losing everything in the weekend fires. 

Having lost our home in a fire more than 40 years ago, I know firsthand how the good will of others is helpful and vital in putting lives back together. 

Losing everything is overwhelming, exhausting and depressing, but the care, support and generosity of others goes farther than one can imagine to lift spirits and inspire us to keep moving forward on a tough road ahead. 

https://www.khq.com/fires/how-to-help-those-affected-by-the-spokane-area-fires/article_330d25f9-930b-4e5a-ad4f-e33d01861768.html

The flowers are doing their best to hang in there and look presentable during these days of hot, dry weather, and, as always, that effort is appreciated.  

The eye candy does wonderful for our souls. 

Happy Monday.