Sunday, November 28, 2021

Emma, Brandon Visit, Etc.












Two years. 

That seems to be a frequent revelations in many visits of late. 

"It's been two years since we last saw each other," I've observed several times in the past few weeks. 

It had been two years since we last saw Emma from Berlin who spent a year living with Willie and Debbie as an exchange student. 

She came back in the fall after that school year and spent some time at our home during that visit. 

When Emma started hearing that borders were opening, she started making plans and traveling. 

She and her senior prom date/friend Brandon came out yesterday and spent a couple of hours. 

After coffee, puppy play and catch-up on both of their lives since we last talked, (Brandon plays football for the University of Montana), we headed outside to see the horses. 

Emma is one of three exchange students who has ridden and gotten to know Lily.  In fact, we were remembering her first-ever day as an exchange student when she, Debbie and I went to the hay field pasture to bring up the horses.  Emma led Lily and later rode her a time or two. 

Brandon has been to the place in the summer time, working as a member of our 2019 hay crew.  

After visiting with horses, the couple took a spin around the woods on the 4-wheeler.  Then, more puppy play.  

It was great to see them, and we're looking forward to more visits around Christmas time.  The schedule all depends on how long Montana's Grizzlies stay alive in their play-offs.  

Next week in Missoula, they'll take on Eastern Washington, which won its game yesterday. 

The rest of our day was spent hanging loose, watching TV and relaxing.  Maybe a little dozing off too as it rained and rained and rained outside. 

Happily, this morning the rain has stopped and the air is balmy.  No complaints.  

I'm joining my friend and neighbor Anne down the road in the countdown to the date when we start getting more daylight. 

We've seen a lot of gloom lately. 

Twenty-three days. 

Also, you can count on seeing a squirrel or two in the posts.  Mom and her three kids came to the feeder yesterday.  

So cute and such a bright spot on gloomy days. 




In other news, I ran across this link posted on Kristy Osmunson's Facebook page.  

The Sandpoint singer and her partner in the duet American Young  have compiled a new album.  

The article in the link even offers a couple of videos from the album. 

Good luck, Kristy.  Some nice sounds. 

https://www.lyricmagazine.co.uk/the-new-album-ayii-from-american-young-uplifting-dreamy-powerful/


I enjoyed reading Ben Olson's chronology of Sandpoint and how its various historical stages have changed and/or defined the community.  

He notes that we are currently undergoing a transitional phase, due in part to the Pandemic and the influx of transplants. 

As a golden oldie, I would add Farragut Naval Base and Coldwater Creek Catalog Co. as influencers of our Sandpoint personality. 


 https://sandpointreader.com/the-changing-faces-of-sandpoint/


After reading the piece and thinking of my own experiences through a lifetime in Sandpoint, I couldn't help but think of a beautiful ballad I heard in Ireland twice in one day on our recent trip.  

First, we listened to its entirety while strolling through a gift shop in Donegal.

Later in the day, a live band was playing Irish classics at a 50th birthday party where we were staying.

The singer honored my request, and, as he sang it again, many of the partygoers happily joined in. 

The song is about Derry, Northern Ireland, not far from where we were staying. Derry's history includes its share of nostalgia and turbulence. 

Like Ben's story above, every town endures, embraces or even laments its outside influences as history unfolds.  

Regardless of the nature of new developments, those who grow up in any community and spend their lives there, always cling to the wonderful memories of youth. 

Hope you enjoy it, and if you're a Sandpoint native, enjoy your own nostalgic trip back to the good ol' days of the "town you love so well."    

Happy Sunday. 












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