Adios, September

I couldn't resist snapping a photo of that huge moon over Schweitzer yesterday morning. 

Cindy and Lefty got acquainted yesterday, and Cindy has lived to tell about it. Actually, the two did pretty well together. 

Hickey Farms and their pumpkin patch will open for the season this Friday afternoon and every weekend during October or until all the pumpkins are gone. 

Hard to believe this month is ending already, but then again, when I think of how much has happened since its first day, September has definitely been a "Time Flies" month. 

And, of course there are flies all the time, too----a normal September happening.

The flies were driving my horses a little crazy yesterday, even with a healthy dose of Off. My new friend Cindy and I were able to enjoy a fairly nice ride around the place and up and down a very busy dirt road, in spite of the constant irritants.  

As for September, it's definitely been the best-of-times, worst-of-times month.  My class reunion turned into a magnificent memory, and our recent loss of sweet Kea has been much the opposite.

Good ol' life treats us that way.  It seems we're constantly learning to take the occasional knuckle punches along with the happy moments which, in the long run, make virtually every day on this earth a blessing. 

One of the blessings I must mention, before this September shuts its door to welcome the annual Pumpkin Month, comes in the form of my friend Jean aka Mow.  

Her birthday is today, and I send her the best because she is one of the BEST friends I've enjoyed over an adult lifetime.

In fact, she's pretty much a member of the family.  

That relationship all began 50 years ago with my dad's unheard of approval of a 19-year-old stranger from Kansas taking HIS cattle truck, filled with giddy girls, to Priest Lake for an overnight camping trip. 

All went well with the big yellow truck coming home intact.  Plus, Mow still raves about the big juicy steak Mother cooked her that summer when we spent time at our North Boyer home during days off from our jobs at a Campfire Girls camp on Lake Coeur d'Alene.

The friendship has taken circuitous and slightly insane routes over the years, most definitely enhancing it or at least making for good story fodder.  

Mow's a storyteller.  I know and appreciate her kind.

On her last trip up here in June, she exerted her influence around the Lovestead in seeing that I thoroughly enjoyed a very special weekend with family and friends.  I even let her do that, with great appreciation. 

Friends like Mow are the truly precious gems of our lives.  I feel fortunate that we met at Camp Neewahlu so many years ago and that our friendship has not only endured---it just gets better with age.  

Since my friend is dealing with that age thing today, I'll just wish her a Happy Birthday and tease her that she's once again chronologically older than I.  

These days, such teasing opportunities don't come along nearly as often as when we were young punks. 

On another note, I'm gonna learn about plungers today. My hairdresser's husband Joey, Bonner County's favorite plumber,  has invented a better plunger.  

I'll be helping them with some toilet humor in hopes that they can secure funding for the manufacturing stage. Can't figure out why they called on me!

Stay tuned.  If you're in need of a new plunger, hold off.  Joey's brand could be the best fit for you, literally. 

Happy Wednesday.