Weekend Wrap

 

We've started the down count for 2026.

Yesterday was shorter than Saturday and today will be even shorter.  

Happily, I don' think we're going to notice too much extra darkness for a while.  

I read that yesterday was not the longest day.  Officially, here in North Idaho,  we hit the summer solstice on Saturday in the evening on Saturday.

All that aside, yesterday was a damn fine day, and we made the most of it, including a late afternoon Father's Day outing. 

Ed Robinson and his group were playing Irish music at the Pour Authority. 

Since we've both known Ed and Karen on several levels over the years (including Border Collie passions), we do our best to attend their once-monthly jam sessions at the downtown watering place. 

It's always fun to escape into our Irish dreams, thanks to the group's amazing and fun musical talents. 

Plus, Bill and I seem to fit into their general demographic fairly well: retired but still active at our individual efforts at some shaking and doing in the community. 

With these music sessions happening once a month on Sundays from 3-6 p.m. at the Authority, it's neat to know that all cash that goes into the donation jar is passed on to the Bonner Community Food Bank. 

So, it's a great opportunity to listen to some Irish music and to also help out those in need. 

   

Bill and Ed worked together for the Idaho Department of Lands.  Ed was Bill's boss.  

Besides his musical talents, Ed is also an accomplished artist who can be found in faraway places with his brushes and easel and, of course, his Border Collie Lady Bug. 

Ed's wife Karen has also worked with Bill, through the Idaho Department of Lands, on the annual State Forestry Contest.  

Karen also paints and completes in herding activities with Lady Bug. 

I love the art on the windows of this store front on Cedar. 

Downtown is pretty festive-looking these days---- of course, it's "turist" season. 

Bill and I continued to play "turist" last night.  

After listening to music at Pour Authority, we walked about a block or so to Mick Duff's Restaurant where the excuse for eating out was Father's Day. 

Overall, it was a really fun weekend.  

With another busy week ahead, it was nice to have some low-key and memorable enjoyment. 

Honey bees have come full force on the poppies in the north lawn. 

There seems to be some competition for a spot at the table too. 

Twas looking fairly ominous looking up at Schweitzer this morning, but happily, the dark cloud mass has moved on. 

Now, it's blue sky and white clouds. 

This is Bridie's usual spot when I take the horses to pasture. 

Some mornings I forget to attach the rope to her collar, a measure intended for her to not try to herd the horses.

No problem.  

She just remains there anyway and watches intently as each horse leaves the barnyard and walks by on its way to pasture. 

My garden roses are blooming, and the lettuce is coming on strong. 

I noticed blossoms on several cucumbers this morning.  The cuke plants are pretty pathetic looking since they moved outside, but they're hanging in there and doing their work.   

Two Scoops, One Roof Goat

 

It was a Father's Day celebration a day early. 

Since Bill attends church on Sundays and the drive to and from would take some time, Willie and Debbie asked if we'd like to join them and the grandpuppies on a Saturday road trip to Canada. 

That sounded great to us, and the dogs were thrilled too. 

In fact, blind and slightly deaf Foster was so excited he kept pacing back and forth between the house and the car, finally maintaining his spot right next to the car door where he would be picked up and placed on the seat. 

The anticipation for all of us was matched by memorable highlights all along the way. 

There was the stop-off at Sturgeon Station north of Bonners Ferry where gas is at least 50 cents cheaper per gallon than at the pumps in Sandpoint.

There was the Border Patrol check where both sets of Love's were asked to park around back after already answering several questions at the Canadian entry window. 

Once there, Bill and I simply had to answer a few more questions while Willie and Debbie took their dogs out of the car so the agents could search it. 

Finding nothing of concern, they sent us on our way. 

The walk around Elizabeth Lake wetlands park south of Cranbrook offered a welcome break for the sleeping dogs to get out and to go sniffing. 

Bill tried to sniff out a geocache there but came up short. 

Then, we moved on to St. Mary Angler Fly Shop where Willie arranged for a dad-son guided fishing excursion for later this summer. 

It was warm in Cranbrook so we opted to order out and eat our lunch in the shade of a city park. 

The Firehall Kitchen and Tap, situated right across from a beautiful park, provided the perfect place to pick up some food, all prepared fresh and by hand. 

At the park, we met Sprocket, a huge, 1-year-old mostly Bernese Mountain dog.  He was a friendly pup but Bridie snarled a couple of times to deter him from being too friendly. 

We enjoyed some quality time relaxing, visiting and nibbling away in the shade.  

We had planned to travel and explore some more, but with time zipping by much too fast, so we headed back south with Two Scoop Steve in Yahk as our next destination.

 https://twoscoopsteve.com/

I've heard about and have seen this place, but we've always passed by in the fall or winter when it's closed. 

After our late-afternoon visit yesterday, I'd say it could easily be considered a destination place. 

After all, just before arriving at Two Scoop Steve's on the side road, you think your eyes are deceiving you when you spot a goat surrounded by a bed of grass, lying down on an overhanging roof. 

Your eyes are telling the truth, and, upon further observation, you see that someone even built some goat stairs leading directly to the roof and the aerial goat pasture. 

Unfortunately, when I went back to take a picture, the goat had descended the steps and was grazing on the ground. 

We loved every minute spent at Two Scoop Steve's.  The ice cream scoops (I used my pills and was able to enjoy one scoop of maple nut Gluten Free) and the cones are huge.  One scoop is more than enough, by the way. 

 

We sat in a beautifully landscaped shaded area on cushy chairs to enjoy our cones. 

A look at the link above will reveal that, besides ice cream, there are some delectable dishes and treats offered at the restaurant in the back. 

After Two Scoops, it was off to the border where we stopped and in no more than 30 seconds were back inside the United States. 

As I type, it's now the real Father's Day, and Annie's gift of peanut patties has arrived for her dad. 

We'll just enjoy the day and the memories of a wonderful early celebration in beautiful Canada.

Thanks to the kids, and hats off to Bill for being a much admired and good dad. 

Happy Father's Day to all who have served as meaningful male mentors to their kids and to others. 

Enjoy the photos.  

Saturday Slight

 

Below:  a few photos from Annie of yesterday's World Cup crowd in Seattle. 

At $1,900 a ticket, she did not make it into the stadium but she took in all the hoopla on the streets surrounding the stadium, including NFL player Jamis Winston stirring up some spirit. 

Congratulations, USA!  Keep up the wins! 

And, keep the huge crowds singing "Country Roads" after each of those victories. 

 

In other news from yesterday: A lot is being reported about the reflecting pool at the National Mall.  

This observation comes from a former student who knows the reflecting pool in the nation's capital rather well. He also knows the definition of "logomachy." 

His words follow: 

I am one of about 5 people in this world who has stared at this pool all day for the past 30 years. 

I literally told EVERY person above me I saw that this was going to happen. 

Don’t worry, Trump “Knows a pool guy.” 

 Honestly, I feel quite vindicated.

As for algae forming in pools/other open water containers, if someone could tell me how to keep the algae and bugs out of my horse-watering tank, I'd appreciate it.

 

I don't know what Lily and CB saw, but they remained in this position transfixed for a couple of minutes yesterday. 

Happy birthday to Allison.  

She often serves us our Friday-night dinner at Sweet Lou's. 

We really enjoy her, along with all the other friendly people on the restaurant staff. 

Allison's friend bought her the sash for her "milestone" birthday, and so she wore it last evening.

Today, we Old Love's will be joining the Young Love's and the grandpuppies on an outing. 

We'll be "turists" driving around looking at things and walking our dogs for a few hours. 

Should be fun on this lovely June day. 

Happy Saturday.