"How are you?" asked the lady walking solo on the hillside above us.
I just waved my arms and said, "What's not to be good on a day like this!"
She agreed and kept on walking.
Seeing the sun dipping close to the mountains bordering the expansive Kootenai Valley, Bill and I had turned around and were heading back to the pickup.
In February in North Idaho on the most brilliant of sunny days, when that sun disappears, we feel colder air quickly.
So, we had basked in the afternoon sunshine for about 45 minutes.
By the time we arrived back at the parking lot for the National Wildlie Refuge near Bonners Ferry, it would be almost past feeding time for the horses, and we still had about 40 miles to drive home.
On our way back down the trail, we could see a figure walking with a dog plodding alongside.
As we got closer, we recognized that, sure enough, the walker was Ed Robinson, Bill's former boss with the Idaho Department of Lands.
We'd already seen Ed and had visited with him and his sidekick Zoe soon after beginning our walk.
Ed, an artist, who specializes in outdoor scenes, had read the weather forecast, packed up his paints, brush, easel, doggie bed and Zoe, arriving at the bird refuge earlier in the day only to find the place fogged in.
Patience had paid off, however.
The fog lifted and the most stunning afternoon unfolded in those wide-open spaces along the Kootenai River where a variety of birds were making their presence known, through sound and sight.
So, by the time we first saw Ed, he had blocked in the major elements of his outdoor scene on canvass.
We visited for a few minutes, wished him well and went on our way. Having finished his session of art, Ed took his materials back to his car and set off to meet up with us.
We had the most enjoyable walk back to our vehicles with Ed, a New Jersey native who had come West many years ago, telling about experiences he'd had during visits to New York and the legendary art museums of the Big Apple.
Great and inspiring places to visit, but for Ed, the open spaces of the West hooked and held on.
At one point in the conversation, I noted what a neat contrast this was, talking about the culture of East Coast while basking in the great outdoors of the West.
Not much more to say about yesterday afternoon cuz I think the photos tell it all.
Twas a truly invigorating and awe-inspiring few hours in the midst of endless beauty.
Have I ever said that we ARE SO LUCKY when days like this allow us to enjoy the sheer magnitude of Mother Nature's art palette.
And, some folks, like Ed, even take time to paint it.
Happy Saturday.
1 comment:
thanks for sharing this beautiful day.
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