Beauty around Bonners Ferry

 

Okay, I did not find these frightful fingers while walking in a park near Bonners Ferry yesterday.

I found them on Facebook just before leaving for what would be an afternoon walk in the park.

My former student Ruth Whittemoore Garfield baked them, and she was quite pleased with this year's batch.

Seems her son celebrates his birthday on Halloween, so these kinds of treats are common on the birthday menu. 

Talk about realistic! Wonder how they taste.  I have sucked my thumb but never eaten a finger before!

Thanks, Ruth.  Your culinary artistry is amazing and scary.    

I'll admit that this week before the election has been feeding my journalistic junkie habits more than usual. 

I'm not even going to try to hold back on following the nuances of the final days of the campaign, even if my reactions to some outrageous stuff sometimes disturb little Foster. 

Foster will be really glad when the election is over, and for his sake and mine, I hope that happens Tuesday night.

In the midst of all the speeches, polling and "COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, even I know a break is essential, so yesterday we left COVID, voting fraud and polling behind in favor of a drive to Bonners Ferry.

We had no agenda, except to take a drive along the east side of the valley.  

Before that, however, I looked down at the nice park along the Kootenai River north of Bonners Ferry and suggested we head down that way for a walk.

The experience turned out rich in beauty and history, along with a new association with the owner of two impressive, friendly and handsome black German shepherds. 

Turned out Teri knew people I knew, and it was evident those dogs love her and she loves them.

We strolled around the park and under the bridge which is near the GN tracks.  A train passed through during our visit.  Some arborists working on trees prevented our walking down closer to the river, but that was okay.

We walked around the little historic region on the west side of the bridge and even took a stroll down old HWY 2/95. Not much left of it, but still a reminder of the good ol' days when travelers came from Canada or the east and entered Bonners Ferry from north of the Kootenai River.   

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves during that park interlude.  Bill even did a little reminiscing about the late summer hike he, Willie, Debbie and Annie took while on a geocaching adventure to the three peaks east of Bonners Ferry.

They're covered with snow now. 

   From the park, we moved on to the valley, which to me is kinda like Lake Pend Oreille.  Its magnificence always astounds, regardless of season.

The road eventually took us back to HWY 95, and south toward Bonners Ferry, but what would a trip be like without a "slight detour." 

We turned off and discovered that the road to Smith Lake has gone through some significant and ongoing improvements.  In addition, the area and its views have been opened up, thanks to some major logging projects.

Bill said it has been about ten years since he last visited Smith Lake.  That means at least as long for me too. A brisk, cold wind kept our visit short.

Sure enough, when we came home, different perspectives, information and attitudes about "Covid, Covid, Covid" were occupying air waves.  

And, that kept up clear through the World Series when one of the key players for the winning Dodgers had tested positive and was removed from the line-up before the game ended. 

I'm sure "Covid, Covid, Covid" will continue to get a repeat or two today, and because we took a break yesterday, we may have picked up a little new immunity to its domination of life in general. 

Snow is leaving and leaves are calling.  

Happy Wednesday. Enjoy the photos.