What a festive scene it was yesterday in the yard of Barney and Carol Ballard as folks came to pick up their flower baskets.
In the foreground, Ponderay Rotary Club member Barb Carver looks over the list of those who purchased baskets for the annual fundraiser.
Profits from the sale of these baskets goes toward scholarships for local graduating seniors.
It's always fun to pick up the basket and do a little visiting.
This year's pickup was set in a neighborhood alive with springtime blossoms and flowers, which made it even more fun.
I took a drive down Euclid, a couple of streets over from the pickup sight, and loved the yard and street side abundance of spring colors.
It was also fun to see the home where I first lived with its springtime features.
Lots of nostalgia which seems to be a main ingredient of spring in North Idaho.
My two beautiful hanging baskets came home and now complete the deck flower display.
First-ever home at 214 Euclid, Sandpoint, Idaho.
I really love this picture taken yesterday of my older brother Mike, who traveled to New York for a classmate's memorial service.
This photo shows Mike, USMA Academy at West Point 1966 graduate standing with Pete Connolly, USMA Academy cadet, due to graduate in 2026---a mere 60 years after Mike moved on from West Point.
Pete comes from Tacoma not far from the area where Mike and Mary live in DuPont, Wash., so their meet-up was planned.
A fun irony, though, happened during Mike's time there on Tuesday as he set off on a memory-lane walk around the academy grounds.
He encountered some cadets, one of whom yelled out "Sir."
As Mike noted on Facebook: 4,400 cadets at West Point and the young man with whom he planned to meet the next day happened to be in that group of future soldiers on their way to class.
It was a big thing in our family so long ago when our older brother received a nomination from U.S. Representative Gracie Pfost and an appointment to West Point upon his Sandpoint High School graduation in 1962.
That event set the tone for all of us to strive for the best possible situations in our respective lives.
We all (six of us) eventually followed different pathways, but we still remain proud of each other.
In Mike's case, his journey took him to Vietnam twice, where the second time he survived, as a Cobra helicopter pilot, being shot down by a SAM missile.
He later worked in the paper industry, enabling his wife Mary and daughters Maureen and Laura the opportunity to live in different parts of the world.
Back in June 1962, I can still remember fairly clearly the summer night Mike left Sandpoint, knowing he would not return or see his family for nearly a year. That's how it was at West Point in those days.
We crossed the Long Bridge on our way to Spokane, and Mike's friend Al Boling drove behind us to the south end and waved good bye.
Later in the night at the railway station in Spokane, Mike boarded the eastbound train bound for New York, and I remember sitting in the back seat crying most of the way home.
It was an emotional, monumental and life-changing event for our family unit at the time.
To see this photo of my brother 64 years later with a young cadet from two or three generations behind him reflects an amazing, full circle journey for my brother, our family and even this nation.
Life is certainly different now.
My brother and I have butted heads a few times over the years, but regardless of the situation, I've always been proud of him and especially so these days as he imparts his brand of wisdom and sticks to the principles that have guided him throughout life.
Speaking of world travel, I saw this item in today's Daily Bee.
Hats off to the Idaho politicians for coordinating this wonderful opportunity for people who want to travel abroad or even across the border to Canada.
Most of us need a specific motivation to get a passport, and often we plan to obtain one "when we get around to it." In many cases, sadly, the "round to it" never happens.
Here's a case of on-site availability and an event designed specifically for getting your passport.
Mark May 29 on your calendar, and, a few weeks after that, you should be free, at the very least, to go on a day's drive to Canada.
I don't know if I've ever seen a beaver in its natural setting, but I did last night.
Back in the days of the old fairgrounds, I think the Fish and Game exhibit may have featured a beaver or two.
And, of course, we've all seen the work of beavers.
It was neat to watch this guy swim and dive under the water while crossing a pond alongside Highway 95 North.
And, while I watched the beaver, a red-winged blackbird flitted from perch to perch, chattering all the time.
It was a beautiful sight.
We are going to experience one of those nearly perfect days of spring today---sunshine and warmth in the 70s.
While I do transplanting and other projects around home, including moving horses back and forth, Bill is spending the day at Farragut.
It's Forestry Contest time again, so students of all ages from a number of area schools will spend the day, practicing their forestry knowledge and learning more about the forest industry from professionals.
Bill helped start this contest more than 40 years ago, and I know it's always a special day for him.
In both cases, we'll be thoroughly enjoying ourselves in lovely spring weather.
Happy Thursday.
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