Hawaii Five-O

Last night was our annual summer party... official head count: 79!

My favorite part was that Byron showed up and surprised me. He had arranged for Kevin to pick him up at the airport in the morning, and actually helped him at work during the day. He showed up here right at party time, and I couldn't have been more pleased.

Everyone showed up in Hawaiian garb. I made a Hawaiian mix of songs that played all night with several versions of the Hawaii Five-O theme song sprinkled throughout. Kevin grilled about 10 tri-tips and 5 chickens. Funny watching all the men hang around watching Kevin grill trying to get tips on bbqing Kevin-style.

I really thought Kent and Becki would show up... so did Jerry Gee. We were hoping anyway... they didn't. I think they have forgotten about us little Idahoans.

Late in the evening, someone (?) had the bright idea to bring out a bottle of Patron tequila, and pass around shots. Oops. (deep sigh)

Book 'em Danno!

The magic of sheep poop

My friends Mike and Rayelle said last year, "when you need some additives to your garden, call us and we will get you some of our sheep poop."

So I called earlier this spring went to collect the yummy manure. I have NEVER had such a successfully beautiful garden in my whole life! I grew almost all my plants from seeds, had a miraculous frost-free spring where I could actually plant in early May, and then the sheep poop gave all my little seedlings the jump start to production that every gardener dreams of.

The bulk of tomatoes will be ripe in a couple of weeks. Come on over and we can have a tomato feast. I have about 5 million on the vine.

First tomatoes of the season!

I don't think I will get any argument that the best tomatoes you can eat are the ones you pull fresh off the vine. So imagine my delight when yesterday I harvested my first ones (unheard of in Idaho to harvest your first tomatoes before August) and had a big slab on my garden burger. MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm.... I think you get the idea!

The Willamette Valley

Being the total wino that I am, the chance to visit a new wine region is just too much for me to pass up. So while I was visiting my friend in Portland, we decided it was time to venture out and see what all the fuss about the Willamette Valley is all about.

The valley is beautiful. Sweeping fields and farms contained by layers of mountains.

Set up on a bluff overlooking acres of grape vines, the view from Anne Amie winery was amazing. 
What the valley is known for is their Pinot Noir. And each of the wineries we went to proudly had their versions available for tasting.

As a die-hard Chardonnay drinker, it was fun to venture out and enjoy something different. 

Idaho anniversary

I thought it was worthy to note that today (even though I am in Portland) is the 30th anniversary of my arrival in North Idaho. It is hard to believe that I could have done anything that might have lasted or taken this long. 

Before I was twenty, I was looking for a place to be. I think I was looking for a safe place with friendly people who enjoyed smiling and were just happy to be alive... simply. I started out in Colorado because I thought that was where to find people were who were searching for a simpler way of living, back to the land, etc. etc. I did not find it there.

I arrived in Coeur d'Alene a month shy of my 20th birthday with $20 in my pocket. I promptly spent that on a magnum bottle of Blue Nun at the little wine and beer shop where the Coeur d'Alene North condominiums now stand. I only mention that because Blue Nun, or Liebfraumilch, is the last thing I would probably drink now being the Chardonnay snob I have turned out to be. 

I stayed because I discovered that this town holds the kind-hearted, happy folks I had been looking for. I know Coeur d'Alene has gone through its transformations since I moved here, but I still feel that same welcoming presence from the people of this town I call home.

There are a lot of places in the world I would like to visit... some I have, many more I intend to. But out of all the places I have or would visit, I honestly believe the place I call home is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And as I told my husband on Valentine's day this year... not perfect, but perfect for me!

The world lost another one of it's children tonight. Our good friend, Allen, gave up the fight against the cancer that seemed to overtake him way too fast. He was just 50 in April.

I will remember Allen driving his boat down the lake with the wind in his blonde hair. His swagger out to home plate to play catcher for the softball team. His laugh and strong presence when he would come to visit. And the way he genuinely seemed to like young people. The way he was with his son, Matthew. And how he was always happy to see Byron, Conor, and Maegan. 

Shari, our hearts are with you, Matthew, Jesse and Dustin, and all of your family.

Good night Allen. We will miss you.

Conor in New Zealand

I pulled these photos off of Conor's myspace page.

Yesterday he celebrated his 21st birthday, even though it is really today, but it was today yesterday for him! :)

Happy Birthday Conor!

Conor is rooming with 3 other guys in a backpacker's hostel: Steven is Irish, Paul is English, and Peter is a native New Zealander. They took Conor out for his birthday last night.

I was so happy to chat with Conor yesterday online. We couldn't get a video, but since his buddies were still sleeping, it was just as well. I just really needed to connect with him and make sure he was okay. I knew he would make friends fast. This is the view from his porch. Those are the "Remarkables" in the background. Gorgeous country, eh? Even at night.

Conor said the snowboarding is really amazing!

He starts his classes later this month which is giving him time to get his bearings, make friends, look for a job, etc.

I am fixin' to go visit the kids this winter, anyone want to go with me?

Yesterday was a long day

I finally got the calls last night that the kids had made it safely to their destinations. Whew. I was online all day checking the flight status of each flight. Air Pacific doesn't have a site that gives up-to-date information, so it was very confusing as to where Conor actually was in the world. One site even reported that his flight was cancelled! Okay, a little panic there. I finally called the airline, and they confirmed his flights had arrived safely everywhere. 

Conor finally called from Auckland, and then again late last night from Queenstown. He is staying at a backpacker's inn that has free wi-fi, so we should be able to skype each other. His comment about New Zealand was "it is so ridiculously beautiful!"

Maegan called from Sydney, but just to say she was there and had to go run and catch her flight to Cairns. She called from Cairns later to say she was safe. I could tell she was SOOOOO excited. It was hard to get her to talk to me. She obviously made friends on the trip. They will all be at the Great Barrier Reef for three days for orientation. She then heads down to Hobart.

With the price of calls so high, I haven't gotten much else from them. As soon as they can get online and we can Skype, I will find out much more. Meanwhile, I am having a hard time getting to work because I am constantly thinking about them. Sigh...