The Old Man and the Sea

It is time to celebrate. We have found someone to buy the boat. Not this guy, he is just trying to steal the steering wheel before the two guys who are going to try to restore it come to pick it up.

I am on my way to Virginia, and when I return there will be no boat in the backyard. The ONLY possible bummer about that is the beach party on the 19th will have no boat, but I can't imagine anyone crying too hard about that.

So, garden get ready. We are gonna be growing things in that ole back 15 or 16.

Meanwhile, I am on my way to Virginia. Hee Hee Hee.

The Man Bug

Or should I call this "Boys and their Toys."

Unfortunately, a still photo doesn't do this justice, but the battery is dead in my video camera. My neighbor, Jill, and I were laughing at my husband as he bounced around in his little bobcat. He looks like a bug, complete with the red headset. He and Richard, Jill's husband, are putting new gravel on their driveway. When they were done, it looked nice. But Jill and I enjoyed watching the comedy show...

The annual bloomer

The waterlillies in our front yard throw out a bloom about once a year, maybe twice if we are lucky. I always have to run out and take a photo because it is so exciting. The bud slowly rises out of the water, it takes about 3 days from the first time I spot it, and then suddenly one morning is a gorgeous, open bloom. At night, it closes up, to reopen in the morning again. That lasts for about 4 days, and then it dies. Short life.

Tomorrow I am off to Virginia with my daughter, Maegan. We are looking forward to spending some time with my family, and then we are bringing my nephew, Charlie, back with us for a week. I can't wait!

Fireworks in Bayview

The beautiful little town of Bayview on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille puts on a fun party called, aptly enough, Bayview Daze on the weekend right around the 4th of July. Saturday night includes a boat parade in the Bay, and an amazing fireworks display set against the most gorgeous backdrop.

Bayview has the naval research station nestled amongst the taverns and float houses. They test little subs in the very deep waters of the lake. When I first moved here, I had heard that it was one of the deepest lakes in the United States, and that there are areas that they still don't know quite how deep they are. I haven't done a lot of research on this, so I don't know how accurate that is.

But this town sure knows how to party this particular weekend. We were lucky enough to be invited to a party of some folks that live up the hill a bit with a knockout view.

I think we were all in heaven. Me, especially, since I was able to test out my newly acquired, not totally refined, skills in nighttime photography.

There are a lot of float houses in this little bay. I am guessing it must be a fairly safe haven since this lake can get quite rough when the weather is stormy. My husband, Kevin's, family has generations of stories surrounding this area. Some of the towns on Lake Pend Oreille have pretty wild histories.

I heard someone say  how this little town of Bayview has really changed in just the last 10 years. It used to be quite wild, but now with the influx of so many people, especially folks with money, it has tamed down quite a bit.

You can tell just how popular this place is by how many people are trying to get out of town after the show. It took us an hour to get home, double the time. But it was worth it. What a great day!

Celebrating the 4th Idaho-style

Every year, Coeur d'Alene has a parade down the main street of town, and ba-jillions of people come out to see it. This year, I volunteered to help carry the banner for the NIC Alumni Association, a job I was dreading a bit (mostly because I thought it would be a miserably hot day for a long walk) that actually turned into a very fun time. It only took about 30-40 minutes to walk down the 18 blocks of the parade. My wrist got tired from all the waving... you can't just walk down the street with all those people, especially kids, waving flags at you and not reciprocate somehow.

So I waved back, cautiously at first... but soon I was madly waving, and after awhile I am fairly sure that all those folks came out just to see me. And, as almost anyone who knows me will be happy to relay, it doesn't take much and anything can and will become all about me.

I saw a lot of people I know, but was happiest at the end of the trail to see my husband waiting for me with the camera. I can now see how ridiculous I looked... sigh...

My favorite entry in the parade, however, was the Art on the Edge float, a papier maché beehive with little bees buzzing around it. The kids in camp this week built this beehive over a small jeep-type SUV. They made their own wings, and decorated the camp volunteers as flowers, and marched down the street, proudly displaying their hard work. They really made a good showing, and I vote for them to win FIRST PRIZE!

Pure Joy

I figured something out yesterday. Not a huge epiphany, but a revelation non-the-less. There are people out there who do not have joy in their life. 

Wouldn't that be miserable? I know there are times to be serious, and times to be sad, and being happy is something most people are striving for. But taking the time to experience real joy... the love of life... just enjoying smiling... for no other reason than to beam wildly, that is what I am talking about.

I know, Bec, you are probably yawning through this one. You'll just have to suffer through because you love me.

Kids seem to experience joy in spades. Maybe that's why no one wants to grow up... maybe that is the secret to Peter Pan. No wonder I don't want to ever grow up.

Meanwhile, I got some shots of Holden yesterday enJOYing the Cob House that Art on the Edge built last summer during summer camp. This year the kids in the camp are working hard building a water feature at the Harding Family Center. I'll post photos of that at the end of the week, as well as photos of them all in the parade in their beehive.

I hope you all have a JOYful day!

Northwest Heat Wave

(to the tune of Dear Abby by John Prine)

Dear Abby, Dear Abby

The weather here is so hit and miss

After a long winter of record snow

To have a summer like this

We now swelter in record heat

But don't want to complain

I do think it is safe to say

I wish it would rain

Signed All Dried Up

All Dried Up, All Dried Up

You have no complaints

It is what it is

And it ain't what it ain't

So listen up missy

And listen up good

Stop wishin' for bad luck

And knockin' on wood

Signed Dear Abby