The day was foggy and we weren't sure if it was going to be clear enough to see the eagles. But there they were, in their splendor. 

Wolf Lodge Bay, seven miles east of Coeur d'Alene in Idaho is a well known migrating spot for bald eagles. The eagles start arriving in mid-November and start leaving in mid-January.

It's amazing to hear their calls; they sound like chirping whistles. It's definitely not something you hear everyday.

We stopped at three different overlooks and the last was at Beauty Bay. It was the most active and absolute best spot.    

There I was, next to three photographers with giant prime zoom lenses and thought... this is pretty darn cool.  I must admit I was drooling over their awesome lenses; I made a mental note for my camera gear wish list.

Then after I cleared the drool off, I looked behind me and saw a glimpse of the hubster, standing there, enjoying the spectacular scenery.

It was a moment when all I could do was let out a happy sigh.

♥, Sylvia

I filled my lungs with fresh air. Clean-wilderness-delicious air. 

We spent an evening at a friend's cabin. It's just a skip-hop-and-a-jump from the Canada border.  The cabin is rustic, sits on 20 private acres bordering national forest land and is right next to a river. It is so beautiful, it's easy to forget it's grizzly and black bear country. Of course, seeing tracks on the ground is a quick reality check. 

It was a mini retreat. No cars, no sirens, no television blaring, no doorbells, no cellphones. Okay, the husbser posted two pictures on his facebook page but nothing more. It was absolute peacefulness. 

My favorite moments:

• flocks of Canadian geese flying over us and landing on the river
• sitting on the porch until dark
• the glow of the lantern
• the brilliant stars against the night sky
• a glorious sunset
• fire crackling in the wood burning stove
• waking up before daybreak to watch the sunrise
• the fog lifting as the sun grew brigther
• critters waking up and welcoming the new day

When we pay attention to the most humble moments, we feel their profound hidden beauty. 

Moment by moment, hour by hour.

♥, Sylvia

This was a perfect place for a photo walk.  The Classic European Renaissance style Duncan Garden was built and designed in 1912.  It spans three acres of pure beauty!  I took a stroll through the park, snapping photos and enjoying seeing tourists appreciating one of our city's historic jewels.  

I happened to walk and stand behind a sweet elderly couple sitting on a bench.  I snapped a photo of them looking down into the garden.  I was taking pictures near them and couldn't help but hear their conversation.  Here they were, spending a day in the outdoors, with a spectacular view of this glorious garden and their conversation was all about their finances (or lack thereof).  It sounded like they had run out of options and it made me incredibly sad for them.  

I could hear the worry and agony in their voices. Worry.  It followed them to this beautiful place.  It sat there, next to them on that bench, like a creepy shadow.  It was clearly stealing their joy.

I wanted to walk over and give them a hug.  Tell them everything would be okay. 

They met up with two people (probably their children) and I wondered if they had any idea of their predicament.  Would they even share with them their troubling situation and ask for help or would they wear a happy mask and pretend? 

I am not sharing their photo out of respect for their privacy and because I felt I had witnessed an extremely private and serious conversation.

Friends, my plan was to write about the stunning garden, but evidently, I left from there with the sweet couple on my mind.  I sent a good thought their way when I left, a little prayer of sorts.

I love how we all walk right into unexpected lessons when we have our eyes (and ears) wide open to receive them. 

♥, Sylvia

We discovered this darling lookout on a rocky summit southeast of Mt. Spokane on Quartz Mountain.  It's perched at an elevation of 5,129 feet.  It has stunning 360 degree views of the Spokane Valley, the north Idaho panhandle, southern British Columbia, Montana and the Selkirk Mountains. And it's available to rent, so needless to say, renting it for a night or two has been added to our bucket list. 

One of my favorite rewards from hiking is appreciating the wildflowers and small details. I love that the wildflowers grow anywhere they please.  Capturing them is a must, don't you think?

My husband knows "the look" in my eyes when I spot something to photograph.  Yes there's the huge pine trees and the spectacular views but capturing the beauty in the small details makes me happy!  

I called and checked on the availability of the lookout.  I've already fantasized about enjoying a little get-away, watching the sunset, and counting falling stars. 

♥, Sylvia

We spent the 4th of July weekend in Montana.  The five hour drive was well worth it.   

The campground was surrounded by snow-capped mountains even at this time of year.  We slept in a teepee and can check that off our bucket list.  The teepee was a great little home, but I tell you, sleeping on cots and sleeping bags is not for sissies.

Our friends Pat and Christy and their kids were wonderful tour guides and hosts.  We visited the Berkeley Pit (a former open copper mine) where our friend Pat's father worked when he was young.   

Butte has a great mining history and it is known as "the richest hill on earth."  Gold and silver were mined but it was one of the world's most important sources for copper at one time. You can still see remnants of the old mining days, back when the wild-wild west was in full swing. 

We also drove through a neighborhood with beautiful mansions, old victorian homes and former brothels. My imagination raced as I wondered how it must have been in the 19th century. 

The fireworks display was spectacular!  We parked at a high elevation and had a view of the city lights.  It was fun hearing the applause thoughout the entire city after the grand finale.  Yes, the entire town applauds. People there really-really love their fireworks! 

We capped off our visit to good ol' Butte, Montana in a perfect way; with a parade the morning of our Independence Day holiday. 

Then, we packed up camp and headed home, back to our regular life and our comfy bed!

♥, Sylvia

All the kids would pack up in the car, go to the airport and watch planes land and take off. That's what the hubby grew up doing when he was growing up. It was a family tradition and his siblings still have a love for it to this day.  

The hubster loves everything about aviation.  He'll print out the flight schedules and take it with him to the airport.  He knows the names of all the planes and all the intricate details.  It's quite impressive.

He recently discovered a new location; he said, "the perfect spot where you can see two runways up close."  He said, "my sister Cindie would love this if she was here." He drew a map for me.  His eyes sparkled.

I went with him this past weekend and yes, it's great.  We were so close we could smell the airplane fuel and hear the tires screeching as the planes landed on the runway.  I admit, I don't get near as enthused about watching planes; I suppose just like he does't get near as excited as I when I snap thirteen pictures of a flower to get the "perfect" picture. :)  I go not to watch the planes, but to watch his excitement.  Seeing his passion for this makes me smile. 

Kirby loves the bye-bye to the airport; he knows the drill.  I snapped this photo when we were out there and didn't notice how he was peeking through my husband's feet until I looked at the picture on the computer.  It is soooo funny!  That's where he is 99.9% of the time, circling around our feet right by our side... even at the airport. 

♥, Sylvia

The weather has been as close to spring-like as it will be this early in the season.  If the sun is out, we take every opportunity to be outdoors.  

This day we decided to dust off our hiking boots and head out for a long hike.  We decided to hike the Bowl and Pitcher in Riverside State Park.  It is one of the most popular scenic attractions in the area. We packed a lunch and off we went.  It ended up to be a wonderful four hour hike; it was awesome!

The swinging bridge was built in the 1930's and beautiful pine and fir trees are part of the spectafular backdrop. Walking on it is like a mini-adventure... it bounces a bit as you walk on it.  It's a mini-thrill!  The area was active with out-of-towners, families picnicking and kayakers enjoying the rushing waters of the river.  

I must say, I've missed hiking so much!  It's such a fun activity for us from spring through fall.  We had lunch at front row seating right on the river bank... it was great.  A nature walk at its best!  We ventured off into low traffic trails; exploring new areas and new trails is so much fun!  

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.

Happy trails to you!

♥, Sylvia