All on a Lovely Spring Day

It's downright hard to decide this morning which part of yesterday was the best. 

It was all good.  It was productive. It was stunning at times. It was supremely satisfying.  It was beautiful. It was amazing. It was nostalgic and historical and educational.


The last Sunday in April was packed full from start to finish with an early morning dragging of the barnyard in preparation for Terra to come and work with Lefty. 

This is Terra's second year as a 4-H horse member.  Her club had a riding meeting over at Brian Woods' arena, but we chose to have a mini meeting here since yesterday would have been Terra's first ride on Lefty----anyone's for that matter. 

His feet were trimmed for the first time Saturday, and other than eating and hanging out in the barnyard, Lefty hasn't done much since last fall. 

We felt it was prudent and safe for Terra and Lefty to work in familiar surroundings on this first ride.  

All worked out well, and both Terra's mom and I were pleased with the independence and initiative she now takes with her horse buddy.   

No more having to walk through the multitude of baby steps involved with learning how to work around horses.  Instead, this year will be filled with reminders and tips on improving upon what she learned last year. 

As far as big steps are concerned, Terra will graduate to loping Lefty, and we're hoping she can ride him on the 4-H trail ride this year. 

My eventual goal is to have her show up, catch her horse, groom him, tack him up and set out in to the woods on mini trail rides of her own.  Terra is a quick study, and I'm sure she'll reach that goal sooner rather than later. 

After the mini 4-H riding meeting ended, I turned CB out into the barnyard, and he was definitely feeling his oats, putting on a show, which we both enjoyed watching. 

Terra left yesterday with one of the hats I purchased Saturday at Bizarre Bazaar.  It's Derby week.  I've picked out my favorite, and we decided the pink hat looked pretty good on her head. 

I don't know if she'll don her hat and watch the Derby on Saturday, but I have a feeling she'll find a use for that lovely hat.

In other news, throughout the day yesterday volunteers around Idaho were still collecting signatures on petitions for the the Initiative to expand Medicaid in Idaho. 

Today ends the petition drive, and I've read from rather credible sources that the 1,000 or so volunteers around the state have collected well beyond what is needed for the measure to appear on the Idaho general election ballot this November. 

Below, you'll see sisters Sally and Judy Moon, some of the first volunteers to sign the Medicaid Mobile when it left Sandpoint last July to showcase the issue around the state. 

Local volunteers will be getting together and celebrating this afternoon and evening in Sandpoint----where it all began. 

HATS OFF TO LUKE MAYVILLE, GARRETT AND EMILY STRIZICH and all the dedicated volunteers who pulled off what I see as an "IDAHO MIRACLE," and one of the most amazing grass roots movements most of us have ever seen in this state.

Good times ahead with this kind of vision and enthusiasm, and best yet: 

The Medicaid Initiative WILL appear on the ballot this November.  

On to Noxon, Montana, where Bill and I took a Sunday afternoon drive, where we met Bob and Otto, standing outside Otto's amazing antique complex. 

The two old friends were standing along the roadside in front of Otto's place, talking about an antique gun from World War I vintage.

Of course, I thought of our dad Harold, who spent hours sitting at the kitchen table, holding and talking about one of his rifle or pistol collection. 

We swapped a few Forest Service-related stories with Bob and Otto.  Both have amassed a large number of years in the forests around Montana, Northern Idaho and Washington. 

After shaking hands and saying good bye, we headed on to the "teepee," which Bill wanted to show me. It's part of an impressive interpretive display, coordinated and financed by Avista Utilities.  

The display sits on ground in Pilgrim Creek Park along the Clark Fork River.  Bill and I enjoyed reading the displays and just moseying around the park. 

Later, we moved a mile or so down the road where Bill found a geocache.  After stopping at the convenience store near the Bull River highway and picking up a tasty ice cream bar, we drove home, quite satisfied with our Sunday. 

Twas a very good day, indeed. May today be a good day for all.