Embracing a Rainy Day

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood today.  Birds are chirping.  The sky is mostly blue with a few clouds.  And, the sun has come out to shine. 

Yesterday was NOT a beautiful day in the neighborhood.  I did as much as possible in the morning while showers took turns with downpours.

Finally, just after 12 noon, I looked at the weather forecast on my cell phone.  It said we could expect rain clear through the day until 7 p.m.----anywhere from 40-60-percent chance. 

The phone did hint, however, that the precipitation might let up slightly around 3 p.m. before the grand finale of showers in the valleys, snow in the mountains. 

That's when I plugged in Bonners Ferry on the phone, remembering that often when it's gloomy and wet here around Sandpoint, things are brighter in Bonners.   

Sure enough, the phone said no rain from 1-3 p.m.  

Perfect, I thought. 

I could take a quick drive up that way, enjoy some sun, snap some photos and get back in time for the 3 o'clock drought/dry spell in the Selle Valley. 

Figuring Barbara and Laurie might have reached their limit of staying inside during the afternoons on soggy days, I called and learned that Laurie would be riding horses in the indoor arena but that Barbara would love to go.

So, a few minutes later, we were on the road.  I was careful to issue Barbara a disclaimer that only my cell phone had promised no rain. 

Twas a good stroke of business  on my part cuz the weather wasn't looking much better when we climbed the Peterson Hill.  

Still, we were inside a car, we could sight see, and, at the very least, we could pick up some goodies at the Bread Basket Bakery. 

As we entered Bonners Ferry, the clouds threatened to part but never quite sealed the deal.  Nonetheless, some rays of sun created an interesting image of the valley to our left. 

We stopped at the bakery, bought some treats and then headed toward the bird refuge.  

The wind was whooping boisterously up from the south. I know that cuz when I stepped out of the car to take a picture of an old shed, my hat flew off my head and threatened to bounce over toward the river. 

I caught it in time, though, and did not have to shut my door when I stepped back into the car.  The wind was nice enough to do that. 

We stopped at the boat launch, which always has some good photos and then headed south on the Westside Road where there's equipment and an operator cleaning growth from the right-of-way.  

When we stepped out of the car to take pictures of some swans and ducks, we had to walk quite a ways before finding an unobstructed view.  

So, when we met up with the equipment operator, I showed him my camera and said, "We'd love for you to remove some more saplings so we can have a clearer view." 

He laughed and said he'd do his best. 

The view along that route has been opened up significantly. 

We also stopped at the Lions Club Campground which provided a wealth of ground growth which has emerged from its winter blanket.

The rain created a lovely sense of fresh cleanliness for leaves and lichen and even some deer marbles. 

As we drove back to Sandpoint, the promised lower percentage of raindrops was not too evident, but when I pulled into my sisters' driveway, the sun appeared as if to welcome us home. 

As usual, the golden willow trees and a stormy sky at the old Lockwood place just up South Center Valley Road from the Lovestead provided a perfect punctuation to our rainy-day photographic adventure. 

And, so, by taking the great but somewhat futile rain escape, we have survived this latest onslaught of ugly weather and today, we'll enjoy the reward of a brighter day along with the general exuberance of spring. 

Happy Wednesday. Enjoy the photos. 

A hint of LOVE in the lichen.