Spring Flowers

I know it's still February and that Mother Nature still has a winter storm or two up her sleeve, but today was my first real case of Spring Fever. Skies were mostly sunny in North Idaho and even though temperatures didn't quite reach 50 degrees I was reminded of things to come. No green thumb but I do manage to coax a tulip or two from the earth. After a spring rain last year I captured one of my front yard favorites.

Wine, Stein and Dine

For over a decade on the first Saturday of March the annual Wine, Stein and Dine event at the Greyhound Park has brought together some of the finest area restaurants, breweries and wineries for a good cause... the Post Falls Education Foundation. North Idaho has an abundance of charity events and an abundance of generous people who support good causes while having a good time.

Technicolor Wildlife

"No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." Oscar Wilde

Former New Yorker and renowned artist Maria Ryan has called Coeur d'Alene home for several years. She's known for her vibrant wildlife creations, including one of the No Moose Left Behind lifesize statues of 2004. I had the pleasure of going on location to her Rockford Bay studio and was awed. Maria has also designed for Arizona's Trail of the Painted Ponies. In keeping with the moose and wildlife theme here of late, I thought this photo of some of Maria's work fitting.

Elk on parade

Our Sunday afternoon drive took us towards Rathdrum on Burlington Road where a herd of nearly 40 elk winters each year. They're an elusive band as they travel across the prairie to favored feeding grounds but luck was with us. We spotted the herd among the tree stand alongside the road where I took several photos of elk in the trees. In a minute or two the herd began crossing Burlington Road near the Greensferry junction, right in front of our car.
In this past week I've taken the photos posted here of elk, moose, deer, wild turkeys, robins and red-tail hawks. The majority were taken from my car or close by my car on paved roads in the city. North Idaho's scenic beauty is without compare but I love living where I can enjoy so much incredible wildlife in my own "backyard."

Birds of a Feather

Any winter day on the Spokane River at North Idaho College's beach is a great day to see colorful flocks of mallards or to enjoy the simplicity of a ring-billed gull in flight along the log booms.

Boating Season

In a normal year, the surface elevation of Coeur d'Alene Lake would reach 2126 feet by the first of June, which is when the boat launch on the Spokane River at the Post Falls dam generally opens. There's been nothing normal about the record North Idaho snowfall this year so boaters may have to wait a little later to launch boats in Post Falls this summer.

Moose on Main Street

In some remote North Idaho towns, a moose sighting might be more common than this one in the urban area of Post Falls. Speculation is that the deep snows in surrounding mountains have forced these giant creatures down lower to feed. For nearly two weeks this bull* moose has roamed the neighborhoods, unconcerned by people and traffic. The link below includes details about the photographs shown here.
*Moose shed their antlers in late fall and early December and in the spring they begin growing again, reaching full size in three to four months. http://cdapress.com/articles/2008/02/20/columns/columns03.txt

Don't Fence Me In

Peek-a-Boo

This deer hides in plain sight behind tall grass in a Fernan Lake neighborhood.

Robins on the River

I never see robins in the winter, at least not in my North Idaho yard and neighborhood. We participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count and our travels took us "on location" to Q'emlin Park on the Spokane River. There were the expected mallards and Canada geese but much to my surprise there were robins everywhere. At least three dozen we counted, including the one pictured here enjoying berries for breakfast. Can spring be far behind?

Backyard Bird Count

From February 15 through 18 bird watchers all over the country will be counting their feathered friends in backyards, parks and town squares. Now here's an event that's right up my alley. I have a bird's eye view of sparrows, chickadees, quail and even my resident Northern Flicker without having to leave my yard. I've become patient enough to get some great photos of everything from bald eagles to osprey and red tail hawks in my travels around North Idaho. Hopefully they'll be feeling photogenic during the official Great Backyard Bird Count, since there's a place to submit photos on the Birdsource website. Join me this weekend in counting the birds in your neighborhood! *pictured are a male and a female house sparrow in my backyard Friday morning. The male has the dark mask.
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc

10,000 Served

In mid-May 2007 I included the hit counter on this site. Just moments ago I noticed that it passed the 10,000 mark. How incredibly amazing it is to be able to share the North Idaho I love with people from all around the country.
These little picture postcards of what it's like to live here or visit here are as much fun to post as they've been for people to see. This is the 188th post so there are over 200 photographs here. If you're new to OnLocation North Idaho I encourage you to look through the archives for seasonal events and attractions.
Thanks to FYInorthidaho.com, the Coeur d'Alene Press and Huckleberries Online for providing links to this blog.

Coeur

Coeur d'Alene is the Kootenai County seat and the sixth largest city in Idaho, with over 40,000 residents. The City with a Heart is bound on the south by Lake Coeur d'Alene. With city beaches, parks and docks, the lake is easily accessible for everyone. Lake Coeur d'Alene, called one of the world's most beautiful lakes by Encyclopedia Brittanica, extends 23 miles to the south and has 109 miles of shoreline.
There's a lot to love about North Idaho, especially on Valentines Day!

Fish or Cut Bait

I've lived in North Idaho for the better part of four decades and there are still some things that cause me to do a double take. Like a live bait vending machine tucked in by the bundles of kindling and propane refills at self-serve gas stations. I picture little containers full of bugs and crawling creatures, just waiting for a fisherman to come by and drop a couple bucks worth of quarters in the slot. I've never seen anyone use this bait machine but that could be because I'm definately not an early bird.

Sunset, Sunrise

Now that the winter storm clouds have cleared a bit, we're able to enjoy some breathtaking North Idaho sunrises and sunsets. Sunday night's sunset was a pallett of orange, yellow and red while Monday morning's sunrise featured a pink and lavender sky.

Breakfast for One

My resident woodpecker (Northern Flicker) stopped by this morning for a bite of breakfast on the patio. Wildlife in North Idaho have also been challenged by the winter weather.

Icy Art ...going, going...

Although winter will likely last several more weeks in North Idaho, the icicles which have grown spectacularly the past months are soon to be just a memory.

Artistic Ice

Later this week, temperatures will be well above freezing in North Idaho so icicles will be melting away. I've noticed some world-class icicles on eaves in the area this winter, including on my front porch. I've captured them in the bright sunlight and here in Monday night's sunset glow. The winter version of "stop and smell the roses" might just be to stop and watch the icicles change shape and form.

How Much Snow?

The snow on my mother's roof at Kidd Island Bay was waist deep on Saturday when we went out to shovel it off. More snow on the way!

Sunshine on the Snow

I find there are few things more beautiful than a bright blue sky as a backdrop for a snow covered mountain. This view of Rathdrum Mountain on Sunday was one of those mid-winter gifts from Mother Nature.

Dancing with Julianne

Julianne Hough, two-time champion of the hit show Dancing with the Stars, came dancing home to Idaho this weekend. Julianne performed a dance number and her soon-to-be-released single at North Idaho College's Schuler Performing Arts Center to a packed house. After the show she posed for photos with her grandparents, Colleen and Bob Hough. Her father, Bruce graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1972 and her grandfather, Bob was one of North Idaho's best loved local radio personalities for years. Julianne's sister Sharee Wise, owns a Coeur d'Alene dance studio.

Six More Weeks of Winter

Punxsutawney Phil glimpsed his shadow this morning to much fanfair, proclaiming six more weeks of winter. Here in North Idaho our groundhogs are called marmots and we're quite sure the one pictured and all of his pals are still burrowed in hibernation under at least three feet of snow in their cozy dens down by the river at Falls Park in Post Falls. We don't don top hats or make official proclamations of weather predictions in our corner of the world. We simply step outside and if there's snow on the ground, it's still winter!

Igloo - North Idaho Style

When handed lemons some make lemonaid, and these twenty-somethings followed that philosophy to create a grown-up clubhouse out of the record snowfall of late. Ryan Irving, Keith Cloutre, Tony Shields and John Black spent several hours building a pretty respectable igloo in the front yard of their Mullan Ave. home in Coeur d'Alene. Using a plastic recycling container to mold the ice bricks, the structure is expected to be finished in time for a weekend "housewarming" party. Topping out at about 12' in height, the igloo's architect, Ryan, has gauged occupancy at ten people.