Slight Detour: Metal flowers, Egyptian Soccer, West Point . . . .

Thank you, Doug and thank you, Cari.💓💓

Our neighbors and friends and my former students, Doug and Cari Stockdale teamed up and created a beautiful new addition to the Lovestead lawn and garden-bed art.

Doug brought the metal art bouquet over yesterday and installed it in a flower bed directly across from our deck.

I had seen and bid on another of their works at the recent Oden Grange fundraiser. Knowing my bid fell short of purchasing, I asked Cari and Doug if they had any more at home.

"We'll make you one," they told me. So, I took over some used horse shoes of Lily's, and Cari told me she would figure out a way to include a heart in the sculpture.

Cari does the designing, while Doug, a 50-year member of the Iron Workers' Union, does the assembling.

Doug told me four of Lily's shoes make up part of the sculpture while other come from their mules and some ponies (leaves).

And, by golly, TWO hearts. I have to admit it took a while for my eye to adjust and zero in on the hearts because Doug was telling me about the origin of the shoes.

Once I saw those hearts, I was thrilled.

In addition to the sculpture, Doug, Bill and I swapped a lot of stories about old-time Sandpointers like the Gooby's, TT McGhee, Delbert Wood, the Spar's, etc.

SHS teachers like Ragner and Patti Benson, Ray Gapp and "Miss Brown, not Marianne" had some air time too.

This gift was a wonderful gesture of two longtime and beloved friends.

And, I'm sure, with its meaning and solid workmanship, the sculpture will grace our yard for a long long time.

💓💓💓💓💓

Coach and Coach!

That would be Will Love, Sandpoint High School men's basketball coach and Hossam Hassan, Egypt's World Cup soccer coach.

Coach Love has several members of his squad at Gonzaga University's annual basketball camp at the same time Egypt's team is using the Gonzaga facilities to practice and stay tuned up for their World Cup matches.

Egypt will meet Australia this Friday in World Cup action.

Odds are that the Sandpoint boys and their coach will turn their attention from basketball toward soccer and watch the match and their new friends on TV.

Sandpoint High School Bulldog basketball player Colton Dickinson had the thrill of meeting Egypt's greatest soccer player Mohamed Salah at Gonzaga University this week.

Colton and other teammates are attending a basketball camp at Gonzaga.

GO, Egypt! Go, ZAGS! Go, SHS Bulldogs!

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀

In other news, the United States Military Academy at West Point, where my brother Mike graduated in 1966, has been drawing my attention this week.

First, I've enjoyed the photos posted by Todd Brannigan, a Sandpoint High graduate, son of retired educator Harvey Brannigan and brother of Pour Authority co-owner Erin Brannigan.

Todd lives in Utah where his son Alex, an all-around athlete and scholar, recently graduated from high school in Park City and earned a nomination and appointment to West Point.

He began his career as a cadet in Company G as part of the Class of 2030 this week. Todd accompanied him to the academy where they said their temporary good bye's as father and son.

Meanwhile, a couple of Sandpoint High students recently spent a week at West Point in a leadership program. Both appear to be interested in seeking their own nominations to the academy.

Read more in the link below.

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2026/jun/30/sandpoint-high-school-students-selected-for-west-point-summer-leaders-experience/

I have learned that creeping and crawling plants grow faster and bigger each year.

My neighbor and friend Gail Redinger gave me a start for this Virginia creeper a few years ago.

No worries about inadvertently killing a Virginia creeper.

Each year, this one becomes denser and extends for as far as I'll allow it. Right now, a portion of the creeper is finding its way across the walls in the barn. It also goes around the bend and extends itself along the side of the barn.

I have to get the nippers out a couple of times each summer to save myself from a nightmare of removing each year's growth in the fall.

I'm noticing the same about my 2-year-old clemantis in the garden. It has taken off big time this year.

I was on a daisy binge with my camera last night.

We have far more than what we need in our pastures, but they are so pretty.

Also (below) there's a mound around the west corner of the barn where I have planted flowers, lettuce, beans, radishes and pototatoes AND have spread wildflower seed.

If I can keep ahead of the weeds, it's becoming increasingly pretty with all those different species growing side by side.

The mound should make for a great summer of checking to see what's new and colorful.