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7/1
Very cloudy morning with occasional patches of blue. A bit of rain as we were getting up. The guys went fishing again today, hoping they’ll find bigger fish. I just did a variety of light chores & had a nice chat with Rhonda, one of the camp hosts staying in the spot next to us. She showed me a picture of a huge limb that landed on the windshield wiper of their coach during Hurricane Rita (right after Katrina) while they were staying in Texas. The big windshield wiper protected the window. From inside the coach, you could not see out for all the leaves on the branch. With winds gusting to 125 mph, their coach rocked & rolled, but stayed upright….with them in it. The RV park they were staying at lost power that was not restored for 2 weeks. They were the only ones there with a generator. Every morning for 2 weeks they fixed coffee for everyone & let one man, who was suffering the effects of heat, stay in their coach overnight while the air conditioning kept him cool. The guys came back from their fishing expedition with about the same success as yesterday. While walking to a possible fishing sight, Ted got slapped by a branch that was trying to take his eye out. Several scratches around his eye & a black/blue patch just below the side of his eye were the extent of his injuries. Just a fraction of an inch difference where that branch hit him, his injuries would have possibly taken his sight in that eye! The clouds would give way to the sun a good bit of the day but, as evening fell, many more clouds filled the air & thunder from quite a ways away was heard. We had a bit of rain about dusk but it seems like it is all bluster with no real harm intended.
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7/2
I went shopping. Well, did I have a good time shopping? Oooh, yes. Dragged poor Gary all over downtown Sandpoint, about 16 miles away. The old downtown is full of trendy shops just bursting with things to be admired & perhaps purchased. Huge, hanging baskets with petunias spilling out of them hang from vintage light posts so spiffy with their crisp green paint. We were greeted by shopkeepers thanking us for visiting Sandpoint BEFORE we bought anything. We felt appreciated as we spent our coins. If expensive gasoline were keeping people from traveling, you would not know it here. Town is burgeoning with tourists & their RV’s & boats. It is a beautiful day. The land was washed off by rain last night and today the sun is so bright as it sparkles off the lake. The temp climbed into the mid-80’s as we took a drive to just explore a bit after shopping. We came across an osprey nest on a utility pole at an intersection on a rural road. Best picture we’ve ever taken of a bird, or birds. We returned to the campground to dinner prepared by Ted & Anne. Succulent pork roast was on the menu & it was so very yummy. We ate outside and chased the curious deer away as they were sniffing our dinner & we weren’t in the mood to share.
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The Historic Hope Hotel. The building is immaculate with its fresh white walls & green trim. Looks brand new in an old kind of way.
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The Wily Widgeon Cafe occupies part of the lower floor of the hotel. They not only have a cute sign, they have good breakfast & lunch menu. Hope, being such a small town, doesn’t have much of a commercial district. A market/cafe, a post office & the cinder block building housing the city offices is about it. So this gem of a building is a surprise.
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A view taken near the Hope Hotel of Lake Pend Oreille
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In 1909, Sandpoint citizens had this beautiful city hall built. It now houses their child protective services. City hall has moved on.
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Some of the old buildings downtown still in use by merchants whose shops sport cute awnings & very clever window displays.
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Parking on a street that intersects with their main shopping area. Wouldn’t it be nice to be in such surroundings when we park at a mall? Never happen, would it?
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Another view of Lake Pend Oreille. There are both extravagant and modest houses, and everything in between, built along the Lake’s edge in this large bay. This is just a small portion of their view as the Lake’s edge meanders about.
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WILDLIFE OF THE DAY
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