Recently we passed the six month mark of living in our new home. We've accomplished all the required chores of a re-location: new drivers licenses and car registrations, new bank, voter registration etc. Changing address isn't as easy as it used to be and I'm not certain if that is because state laws have become more complicated or, more likely, we're just getting too old for this crap. Nonetheless, it is done.
Having spent the last thirty plus years in California, it has been a pleasant surprise to realize the savings we now enjoy on everything from gasoline to groceries, insurance, taxes, utilities, and more now that we call Idaho home. The air doesn't smell like benzine either and the water is tasty and plentiful. The move was a good one.
In 1973, after spending just one more miserable winter in the Midwest, I promised myself to never "do" winter again. That summer we headed for Florida and have lived either there or in Nevada, California or the Puget Sound area ever since. As a consequence neither of us knew quite what to expect as winter approached the Inland Northwest last year. Fortunately we had a mild one and were not inconvenienced or at all uncomfortable. A big fireplace and radiant heat helped us make the adjustment quite nicely. Skiers hated it but we were grateful for the "welcome newcomers" kid glove treatment.
Now officially it's spring and the two of us have been startled to discover how much we have missed this season of re-birth and awakening. Seeing the new leaves, flowers, warmer temperatures and green grass has taken us back to childhood and the excitement of coming warm weather and good old summertime fun. I almost feel like it's time to start goofing off in school because summer vacation is coming. (Who am I kidding? I goofed off all year long in school.)
As we walk in the mornings and evenings I find I'm taking a ton of pictures because the world looks so clean and new. In California spring meant maybe a shower or two (not this year) to wash some of the dirt from the palm fronds and give them a dull green instead of their usual gray/green color.
Here are some shots taken as we walk the shores of Lake Coeur d' Alene in the panhandle of Idaho.
"My sun sets to rise again." --Robert Browning
 |
| Canadian geese stop long enough to have babies and poop on our boat before heading north. |
No comments:
Post a Comment