Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind ... Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne.
And here's a hand, my trusty friend and gie's a hand o' thine
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet for auld lang syne

This 24 foot wide wreath on the Coeur d'Alene Resort pays tribute to the year about to close. We celebrate the year to come here in our beautiful North Idaho. Thanks to all of you who've visited here in 2007 ... I promise to take you "on location" throughout 2008.

Hi Honey, I'm Home

One of the few reasons for me to ever leave my North Idaho home...family...is the reason for the gap in posts here in the past week. A wonderful Christmas with the youngest daughter in Utah took us through Montana, south eastern Idaho and northern Utah. Some beautiful scenery to be seen but I do love North Idaho best.

Susie's First Christmas

Our friends received an early gift of a darling Boston terrier puppy. Susie made quick work of the Christmas decorations and wrapping paper.

Tannenbaum

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us.
They're green when summer days are bright;
They're green when winter snow is white.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree,
Your branches green delight us!

I'm continually awed by the quiet beauty in our snow-covered North Idaho forests. Along the winding road at Kidd Island Bay on the way to Harborview Estates Mother Nature displayed the perfect way to decorate a tree.

Great Moves

The sledding hill at Cherry Hill Park in Coeur d'Alene is filled with all manner of sleds and tubes. It pays to pay attention as this acrobatic dad did when a collision seemed inevitable.

Sticks and Stones

In a humble cottage at the base of a beautiful hill lives a modern day Johnny Appleseed. Or maybe he's a combination of Johnny and Gepeto, who brought Pinnocio to life.
The Stick Man's passions are the walking sticks he fashions by the thousands, working in a covered carport year 'round. He sands the rough outer wood until it gleams with the beauty he knew was there all along. Garnets and opals are embedded in just the right places. Children come to visit as do the grownups to this magical place where sticks are always gifted, never sold. In the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, to be acquainted with the Stick Man is a gift all on its own. Another reason to love where I live.

Snow Birds

We like to refer to those North Idaho residents who choose to bask in southern sun during the winter months as snow birds. In the case of this snow-covered robin's nest at Kidd Island Bay, the term snow bird is most appropriate.

Crystal Ball

There's beauty in even the simple things when Jack Frost blows through North Idaho. A hanging garden ball on the patio takes on all of the icy hues of the season on a chilly morning.

Towering "tree"

About a quarter of the estimated 130,000 cellular towers across the U.S. are camouflaged, some as trees, others as flagpoles and still others as church steeples. Hiding the towers is a challenging but essential part of many wireless companies' strategies. How do you hide something that stands 100 feet tall?
On a mountain top at the east end of Lake Coeur d'Alene and visible from I-90, one "tree" seems to stand out from the crowd. Upon closer inspection, it's actually a cell tower with scrawny branches that Charlie Brown would be sure to love.

Ice, Ice Baby

North Idaho lakes are beginning to freeze over, especially further north in the Panhandle. Smaller lakes, like Upper Twin pictured here on December 8, have about an inch of ice depth. Until there's been sustained freezing temperatures, both day and night, be cautious when out on the ice this early in the season.

Turkey Town

Residents of Fernan Village at the east end of Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene have been waging a battle against an ever-expanding deer population but wild turkeys just might be the creatures who take over the town. This week in a three-block radius and within about 15 minutes of being on location with my camera I saw several deer and at least 50 turkeys in yards and on the streets. The turkey pictured here in close-up took great exception to my camera poking out of the driver's side window and rushed up to give me the evil eye. He even pecked my tires a time or two for good measure. They're not shy birds by any means.

Eagle on the trail

Another view of one of North Idaho's beautiful winter visitors as it perched regally only about 15 feet above the Centennial Trail on a foggy morning this week.

Pretty enough to eat

There's no better way to banish the winter time blahs than with a gorgeous and delishious fresh salad. Nothing says "summer" like a salad and this one from Cafe`Carambola on Northwest Blvd. in Coeur d'Alene was perfect.

A splash of color

It's been so gray and dreary the past few days I couldn't resist the bright colors of only a month ago. The flowerbeds at the entrance to the Kootenai County Fairgrounds were in full bloom far into the fall as this photograph from late October shows.

Soar with the eagles

A bald eagle comes up empty after diving for salmon at Higgins Point on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Dozens of eagles have returned to the east end of the lake this month to feed on the dead and dying salmon which have spawned in recent weeks. According to local rangers the number of salmon is down so the eagles are expected to depart for southern climes closer to the first of the year. Don't miss this incredible sight.