We visited the Clark Fork Drift Yard yesterday afternoon, along with dozens of other people, many with dogs, soaking up the April sunshine and seeking their individual forms of adventure.
We've been there several times but have never walked the trail through grass, sand and driftwood on the east side of the huge area on the north shore of Lake Pend Oreille east of Hope.
And, so much of our walk took us into new territory, for us anyway. The experience also provided me a feeling of escaping to another land far far from the worries and frustrations of the world.
Twas a great outing as we saw ducks and geese and dogs and peeps and bikes and boats and kayaks and even some rustic shoreline structures, crafted from driftwood.
We also saw hints of other past visitors wearing big boots or nothing at all on their feet.
Remnants of a few small bonfires suggested that this provides an ideal place to get away from it all and to take in the beauty of that massive lake surrounded by those impressive mountains.
Nice part about the drift yard?
We saw no garbage, unlike we're often seeing adding up along numerous roadsides around our beautiful North Idaho.
Twould be nice if folks would follow the lead of drift yard visitors and pick up after themselves.
We've got enough with this pandemic to diminish our moods. Seems like a clean countryside from stem to stern would do just the opposite.
Just sayin'
After Bill and I left the drift yard, he asked if I'd like to get a pizza at Ice House. No need to ask me cuz the answer is always the same: YES!
The car line-up in front of the establishment on old HWY 200 with the best view ever of Lake Pend Oreille was impressive.
People are allowed inside the pizzeria only to order. Otherwise, they sit outside in their cars or on the deck.
When Bill came back with a brew for me as I sat in the pickup, he said one of the customers on the deck had said, "Hi, Mr. Love."
Turns out we knew some of them, including Ally who had said hello. We loved seeing the Dingle Peninsula sweatshirt proudly worn by Erin, an avid geocacher who had visited Ireland a few years ago.
And, I enjoyed meeting Carol, a retired art teacher from Pennsylvania. Turns out she know our daughter-in-law Debbie from Debbie's days as ED for Pend Oreille Arts Council.
It felt good to interact safely in the outdoors with familiar faces and new friends.
And, as usual, that pizza tasted good once we arrived home.
I loved yesterday afternoon's outing because of its escape and feeling a tinge or two of genuine happiness.
We're so lucky to live in God's Country during these times, and when days like yesterday come along, pretty much everyone living here feels the same.
Happy Monday.
Enjoy the photos, please check out the insightful link below.
This morning I read the story in the link below.
It seemed timely for a number of reasons.
One was that while we were headed to the Clark Fork drift yard, I received some photos from Emma.
Emma came to Sandpoint last year as an exchange student from Berlin, Germany.
Willie and Debbie, our son and daughter-in-law, served as her host parents.
Twas quite a year for all of us and for Emma, to say the least. Her stay with our family was especially meaningful to Emma, an accomplished young horse woman.
She rode horses at the Colburn farm and took a ride or two on Lily during her stay.
In Germany, as in other countries of the world, there's been a disciplined lockdown. Emma told me once she had cleaned her room so many times there wasn't much left to clean.
Now, however, as restrictions in her country are being lifted gradually, Emma has been able to go the stable and resume her passion for horses, especially jumping.
And, seeing that big smile, which looked so genuine, on Emma's face did my heart so much good.
Seeing and feeling genuine happiness these days seems like such a premium.
As the article in the link states, the new normal may mean a heightened importance of "living in the moment."
Emma's experience seems to suggest that she is doing just that, which is a good thing.
I also included a photo of Emma from almost a year to the day when she stayed with us for four days while Willie and Debbie were in Los Angeles for a journalism conference.
Twas a moment of pizza and dessert from Ice House Pizzeria.
And, by golly, Emma, yesterday we went to that same spot with a carefree but much more careful approach.
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