Reflection: Autumn in Sandpoint, Idaho

Around this time of year, I find myself reflecting back on the three very short months we lived in Sandpoint Idaho. Now, that is a reeeeeeeeealy long story in and of itself, so I will spare you the details. We've been back in California for four years now and Sandpoint seems like a dream sequence. 

Sandpoint is in northern Idaho, waaaaaaaay up at the top of the pan handle on Lake Pend O'Reille, about an hour south of Canada. Yes. That Canada. I had never seen such scenic beauty in my entire life as I did in northern Idaho. I'm not sure I ever will again (okay the Swiss Alps came close). It is only now, four years later, that I have finally been able to start looking at my photographs. As comforting as it was to come back to California and the people we love and left behind, it was excruciating to leave Sandpoint. We just closed our front door, and drove away.

So. Anyway. Autumn is my very, very, very, most favorite season. And let me just say that California STINKS at Autumn. At least where I live. Case in point: we are at the end of October and it's still in the 90's. The poor trees try so hard to do what they were meant to do - to turn into breathtaking, brilliant reds and yellows - to put on a fashion show like only nature can. And it's just sad to watch. I feel like posting apology notes on each and every tree. Oh sure, we'll have our autumn all right. It will last for about 48 hours sometime in November before we get some ridiculous heat spell and find ourselves once again putting up Christmas decorations in the blazing sun. But my jaded views of life in California is yet another fun topic you can look forward to another time. Back to Sandpoint.

 

When the temperature started dropping, and the trees in Sandpoint started turning all kinds of fiery colors, I felt like I was living in a painting. Around every curve and down every road there were more and more paintings to experience. I found myself pulling off the road a LOT. For the first time in my life, it wasn't just a picture I was looking at. I was IN it. Even now I can hear water lazily lapping, coots quacking, leaves rustling. Twilight silent and calm, smoke appearing up above the trees from chimneys here and there, sunsets making the yellows and reds glow orange and pink like magic. Ah, Sandpoint.

 

Then on Halloween day the most amazing thing happened. SNOW! Real snow. The kind that comes from the sky when you least expect it and you think this can't possibly be real because I can't even remember the last time I experienced snow and I don't even know what to do except dance around in it and thank God for it and feel like a kid opening the best Christmas present ever and smile until my cheeks hurt and take pictures so that moment in time is captured forever and ever and ever and ever.