Slight Detour: Harbingers on Ice: TBT

I went for a walk down Selle Road yesterday afternoon, and what did I see?

Robins!

Lots of them!

Twas hard to believe my eyes since the ground has got to be a bit hard for digging up worms.

These robins were sitting in the bushes as I walked past Elton Anderson's place.

He was out with his tractor, clearing some snow.

Elton must've wondered what that crazy woman was doing over on the road.

For several minutes after the first flutter of birds left the bushes, I observed.

Seeing the birds were bigger than the winter birds hanging around our feeder, I was immediately curious about these.

It didn't take long as they landed on the ground in a small lowland.

Still, I wasn't sure if I was really seeing what I was seeing.

Robins? The first week of February?

Unheard of in my experience. Over the place along Great Northern Road, we'd see red-winged black birds in early February but never robins.

I stood long enough and took enough pictures to see that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.

I don't know what that flock is eating or drinking, but they look mighty healthy.

If they're over at Elton's (less than a mile from us), we may even start seeing them.

Must be they heard the ground hog did not see his shadow so it was time to head back to their summer homes.

In the meantime, the air is still cold, there's still ice all over the place and we've got a winter storm predicted for this weekend.

So, Elton, if you're reading, keep an eye on those robins and throw 'em some night crawlers if the weather doesn't warm up soon.

The robins give us hope though cuz I've always read that they are the harbingers of spring.

Hope Elton's flock knows something we don't know.

Meanwhile, in the midst of snow, ice, cold and blue skies, it's Throwback Thursday.

This morning I pulled out a variety of photos taken five years ago in February.

Five years ago my former students, colleagues and longtime family friends Jeralyn and Tom were celebrating their 50th birthdays at a combined party held at DiLuna's Restaurant.

With these two, of course, a fun time was had by all.

And, we all now know that this week they are passing another milestone in life.

Both fine people and respected local educators!

Happy Birthday to Jeralyn and Tom.

Five years ago, the former Selle Grange was still an events center. Later, it turned into a church and now it's a private home.

Who says it never changes out here in the country!

This heart, I believe, still stands nailed to a fence at the old "Hart" place, now owned by Gary Finney.

Someone left the heart there. I wonder who.

Five years ago. Foster joined us in cheering on the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Must've worked because they won over the Broncos.

Final score: 43-8.

It's the Lichter barn with some of the Seven Sisters of the Selkirks in the background.

Has anyone ever said that it's kinda pretty out here in Selle?

Five years ago in February our Debbie, as executive director of Pend Oreille Arts Council, welcomed Chris Snock and Cherita Armstrong from the American Place Theatre in New York.

They provided workshops for students centered around Cherita's Panida Theater performance in the play "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl."

And while they were in Sandpoint, we had the honor and great fun showing Cherita and Chris around the area, including my sisters' horse farm and our double-trunked Lodgepole at the Lovestead.

Both Cherita and Chris are members in good standing of our Lodgepole Society, even if the tree is no longer standing.