Anonimity

Every once in a while, someone decides to disagree with my opinions. that is OK, I enjoy a fruitful discussion where both points of view are shared. Where I differ, is when someone starts out with stuff like, "you've been at the sauce again, or some other denigrating remark that doesn't reflect on the subject matter, but chooses to get personal right off the bat. I've been somewhat ambivalent about these issue, not wanting to choke off legitimate discourse.

When such posts are made, I will usually delete them. Not because they disagree with me, but HOW the disagree with me. One can, of course disagree without becoming disagreeable. Interestingly enough,the disagreeable or even insulting comments come from you guessed it, "anonymous." I don't have any problem with a person that perhaps works in a sensitive occupation that might be adversely affected by negative publicity.

What seems to escape these hit and run posters, is that they can say anything they want without ever admitting who or what they are. These methods of communication are cowardly. I sign my name to everything I write. I never ever have dodged behind a bush so that nobody would know who I was. Most of the time, my posts are non-controversial, but even so, the occasional person that perhaps has personal issues with me and wants to taunt will slip up from beneath a rock, only to slither back after taking his/her shots.

As a result of these rare occasions I will not accept any more anonymous comments. If there is a good reason for not wanting your name used, just e-mail me first, explaining why and I will under those circumstances accept a post as long as it doesn't use my blog to make personal attacks on me or anyone else. Those that follow Huckleberries on line may notice that while many deride the persons that are currently unpopular, due to controversial opinions, etc. None of my comments seek out those people to make fun of just because everyone else does.

There are several options in the comment section. Open ID gives you the opportunity to list a name, or an URL. If you are also a Google blogger, you just have to leave it alone, as it will automatically show you with your blog name. From here on, I will not post anything in the comment section that isn't signed.

Lake Pend Oreille

Recently, a hydrologist from Washington state was featured in a Spokesman-Review story about water. It seems this guy suddenly became aware of the vast amount of water entrapped in Lake Pend Oreille. At it's deepest, between Cape Horn and Lakeview, the lake is officially 1150 feet deep. In the north end of course, it is much shallower. The principle source of water for the lake is the Clark Fork River, which flows down from central Montana at the continental divide. The Clark Fork enters Lake Pend Oreille near the north end. The Pack river also joins nearby. These river deltas keep the depths very shallow all across the north end of this fifty plus mile long lake.

The aforementioned Washington hydrologist wants to pipe water from Lake Pend Oreille into the Rathrum aquifer, so as to help low summer flows. Alas, you'd think they were Californians, lusting after the Columbia River. What makes this so bazaar is that the beginning of the aquifer is in the south end of Lake Pend Oreille already. Without Lake pend Oreille feeding Hayden Lake and Lake Coeur d'alene, there would be no Spokane river, just a creek, nor an aquifer to fight over.

To illustrate why this is such a lame idea, the picture shown above is the lake at the current winter level, eleven feet below summer pool. You see, other government entities are already stealing our water. Albeni Dam, situated at Priest River and the Pend Oreille River control the level of the lake. This control is shared between the US corps of Engineers, Avista and Bonneville Power.

This reminds me of the joke they used to tell at Silverwood. Train robber: "We're going to rob the train." conductor: "You can't rob this train." "Why not, sez the robber." conductor: Because they were already robbed at the gate!" This, while funny, illustrates that when someone has already robbed the bank, it is generally useless to come in right afterward and rob it again. This would apply to Lake Pend Oreille, as it's waters have already been stolen, thank you very much!

Feeding Wildlife

A lot has been said about feeding wild animals. Most of it bad. Last Winter, Bayview hosted for a time, three moose. A lone Bull, which we dubbed "Baywinkle," and a cow/calf duo. The cow and calf were soon killed by well meaning neighbors apparently trying to make pets out of them. These well meaning folks piled corn out on the sides of the street where the moose could find it. Find it they did, and promptly died.

Without going deeply into animal biology, some are grazers, others browsers. All, while eating sparsely seem to survive most winters quite well. When humans intervene with a sudden, richer diet, one that the animal was never intended to eat, several bad things can and do happen. First, in the case of the cow and calf moose, the corn was deadly poison. Just as cows and horses can bloat, so can wild animals. A sudden change in diet can and does kill. The actual favorite food of moose, according to Idaho fish & Game professionals, is cedar.

Secondly, feeding wildlife can lead to them losing their fear of people. A third and just as deadly, not only for the wild animals but also humans, is when you congregate a large number of animals together, they will dash across the roads, and be hit by vehicle traffic. This is usually fatal to the animal and ain't so good for the car either.

Currently, we have received reports of a deer feeding operation on Cape Horn Road near Lime Kiln. This would explain the 25 to 30 deer herded up on the hillsides above lower Cape Horn. From the edge of Dick Hansen's development, all the way up to the community center, large numbers of deer are present, close to the road and human contact. Yesterday I watched out my window, also situated on Lime Kiln Road, while a doe walked calmly up the hill after getting a drink at the spring below. It wasn't nervous, not in a hurry, just ambling along at near noon.

Lack of knowledge is the usual culprit. Most people who create these hazards have the best intentions. Please, for the sake of the deer and moose and your neighbors safety, stop feeding them.

Idaho Hunting and Fishing Rules

Perhaps it is time to roll back the clock and re-examine what hunting regulations we have and why. Back in our country's developmental stage, hunting was the way you fed your family. It wasn't sport, it was just like raising a garden, canning the results for off season. Hunting was the principle method of supplying protein to pioneer families.

In later years, over hunting caused an imbalance in the survival of these hunted animals.Another cause of regulation was the sports hunter. The ones that went out, found the biggest rack and killed just for the head and antlers. In many cases these trophy hunters left the carcass to rot, as all they wanted was the mount.

It is time, and especially in these current hard times, to remember from whence hunting came. Feeding one's family. Instead, Idaho fish & game has become an income base, rather than a conservation team. Out of state hunters flock to states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming for the great hunting. Very few of these hunters every consume their kill. It's all about trophies and the victory over an animal that can't shoot back.

Hunting and fishing for sustenance is only allowed for Indian tribes with treaty rights. This should be returned to the rest of our population as well. After all, while Indian hunting rights are based on historical hunting grounds, so should non-Iddian residents have that historical right.

The problem? Non-resident fees support a great deal of the F&G budget. These people are no longer interested in whether a family needs a kill to feed themselves. It is all about money. This is a moral outrage. Idaho lawmakers should be only concerned with Idahoans and their welfare, not acting like money changers in the temple. As the economy grows worse, families will resort to killing deer, elk and moose, not as poachers, but as potentially starving residents. Stop selling our wild game to outsiders. We have our own to feed.

Global Warming. Our Fault? or Mother Nature

In or around 1968, long after the industrial revolution, climatologists were predicting a possible return to the ice age. Well, that didn't happen, at least not then. Now we have seen a small (roughly 2.0 ) rise in global temperatures over the last few years. As I see it, the argument used to be scientific, but is now that the liberal mantra is global warming is destroying the earth, take us back to whence we came. Introduce wolves, protect Cougars, (not the WSU kind) stop cutting our most renewable resource, our national forest trees.In short, these lefty goons want to take our world away from us in an orgy of dehumanizing of the earth. My question is aren't they part of the species too? And hey, who elected them to any office. Sierra Club? Private organization. Nowhere in our constitution does it say a private group can by miss-use of our court system, take over our country, or for that matter, the world. They need to be treated as any other threat to our system of democratic government. Actually, a republic, but I don't wish to digress to that degree.

On the other hand, some, if not many industrialists, that is if we have any left after shipping the rust belt off-shore, believe that this is merely a cyclical phenomenon that has occurred throughout the ages, with numerous ice ages, and even more warming trends. Since this is going to take many years, perhaps even hundreds, to play out, Nobody is going to win the argument in our lifetimes.

This is no longer a scientific survey, but a political football. One side says yes, we have global warming, but it is a natural cycle. The other, pretty much says,"the sky is falling." I suggest that first, shipping our heavy industry off-shore didn't change the hazards to climate. It just shifted the sources further away from us, but the shifting high altitude winds are still delivering crap to us from China and other locations. Last night, the temperatures in Bayview, modified by the warmer water of Lake Pend Oreille registered a minus 3 degrees, Fahrenheit. Today, March 11, the high was 28 degrees. Realizing that weather is not climate, we must also recognize that a whole bunch of weather over a long period of time, represents climate.

Until we get scientists that haven't been brainwashed in our uber-liberal Universities and think tanks, crap will still have a political brand as it floats downhill toward us.It is time to listen to the other side of the argument, rather than just the "Chicken Little's," of our world.

Outsourcing Out Of Hand?

Today, I'm writing mostly about odds and ends. Actually as per usual I write more about odds. Sorting through things in a box that I hadn't opened yet, including some bills,(good thing I bank on line)I discovered a phone book, titled "The Local Pages, of Idaho,LLC." Well, over the course of a year, I get Spokane/Coeur d'Alene white and yellow pages, Coeur d'Alene, the black book by Hagadone Directories, and now this.

I peeled the plastic wrap off gently. Actually, there is no gentle way to peel plastic off from anything. It requires anything from a knife or scissors, to heavy equipment to get at these gems. Having gone to the trouble of extricating this book, I opened it. This is where I believe outsourcing has gone too far. Some dingy alleyway mud hut in Calcutta, India, scored big time on this one.

Just inside is a coverage map. An excellent idea. In looking at the map, however, I noticed just north of Athol, an arrow pointing north with the cutline, "to Carymore. Which most of you know is "Careywood." Page five revealed what appeared to be a county map which actually included Kootenai, Bonner and Spokane counties. The only problem is that they apparently, in the quest for ever cheaper labor, didn't hire a copywriter. I perused the "counties" map carefully. Yes, not an aberration, but more. North of Careywood, (this time spelled correctly) was Coclalis, actual spelling, Cocolalla. That takes care of my neck of the woods, but Post Falls and Dalton Gardens probably would prefer their spellings, to Dalton Garden, or Post Hills.

I guess leaving the L out of Marshall, Wa is OK since it's small and doesn't need two L's anyway. Oh, and I forgot that Russian settlement north of Spokane, Chattarov, instead of Chatteroy. One can only wonder who will answer the phone if you actually use this book as a serious reference?

Mother Nature's Playpen

Just as we were getting rid of the mountains of snow that has plagued us since mid-December, grass starting to grow, trees budding, wham! An arctic outbreak is sweeping into the area which will give us somewhere between 4 and 6 inches of snow by Tuesday A.M. Then a blast of unseasonable air will come storming into the area plunging temperatures down to below zero.This global warming is getting serious. With any more warming such as we have had the last two years, we can look forward to spring weather sometime in July.

Hey, this is one-third of the way through March! give me a break. There was one period at the end of December that I couldn't access my car for a week. then when I got it out of the parking space, it snowed in just behind me. My car lived at the Captain's Wheel for two weeks.

Soon after this belated blast of winter, we should finally see a warming trend and early spring. After all, didn't I see four robins in the yard yesterday?

I must have jinxed us where I visited the garden store the other day. Oh well, time to check my mail and a peek at the river Journal site to see if it's out yet. It is.Incidentally, for you folks that are out of the circulation area, which is from Clark Fork through Sandpoint and ending at Athol, Idaho. You can, however, access the stories by going to: http://www.riverjournal.com/

I'll be writing just one column per month under the new combined Sunday format, plus the River Journal. some additional features may be allowed if the content is interesting enough. If any of you local folks have any story ideas, do not hesitate to give me a heads up. I don't always hear about them.

There They Go Again

In the March 5 edition of the spokesman-Review, an article by Becky Kramer suggests that the State of Washington has the hots for Lake Pend Oreille water. Well, folks, get in line. Pipe dreams (pun intended) like this have over a period of many years have gone from Southern California wanting to transplant the Columbia River to Los Angeles, and now this. first, noted hydrologist, John Covert appears to need better sense. He's either uninformed or just another dreamer without a plan.

The State of Idaho doesn't really control the waters of Lake Pend Oreille. A combination of Avista and Bonneville power, with the U.S. Corps of Engineers thrown in control the water levels, both winter and summer. In some years, the differential between the seasons have been up to eleven feet, as in the fall, the lake is drawn down to very low levels, so that the Bonneville power system will have more water down stream in the Columbia river system of dams. It is important to remember that Lake Pend Oreille is a natural lake, albeit held at a higher level than nature intended,not a man-made reservoir, and as such is treated differently than the artificial ones.

Residents and communities surrounding the lake have fought with limited success to keep the lake levels within reasonable bounds. In the past, the draw-downs were willy-nilly, generally caused by electrical needs on the west coast. This caused massive fish kills, among the shore spawning kokanee, which spawn in late November. The Lake Pend Oreille club, as sports fishing group located in Sandpoint, sued several years ago, causing Bonneville Power and Avista to time the draw downs before the fish spawn. The settlement was greeted with mixed results, but at least a solution was reached, even though the flushing of the lake dramatically between Labor Day week-end, generally the start of the draw down, and before the mid-November spawning cycle begins. Mixed results have been experienced, since the millions of kokanee that once populated the lake and caused a commercial fishing season in the past, and created a sports fishery with hundreds flocking to the shore.

To suggest that another government entity will take more water, is ludicrous.Other than the fact that seems to have escaped the hydrologist, which is the eastern lobe of the aquifer begins in Buttonhook Bay, a part of the southern end of the lake. In other words, folks, they already have a pipeline out of our lake into the aquifer. Whats that old saying? "You can dress 'em up, but you can't take them anywhere."

Boating Safety Isn't Just A Slogan

Almost every year, up here on Lake Pend Oreille, we lose one and sometimes more boaters to drowning or other boating misadventures. These lives were lost, not because of a vengeful mother nature, but because the operators of these boats either didn't have the advantage of a boating safety class, or disregarded the rules. Disregarding rules of safety, with the idea that these rules do not apply to you, or the conditions, or whatever else the reckless can think up.

Currently, we have the disaster of several professional and college level football players drove an open 21 foot boat out 30 ,miles into the gulf stream to go fishing. Much of those waters are shallow, which can give a false sense of security. It can also be the harbinger of high waves and rough chop. There is no cure for stupid, and these guys proved it. I wouldn't travel out of scenic bay in anything that small. These boats are built for speed, not stability.

Secondly, they, when finding the waves too rough, anchored. That killed them right there. Unless you have an extraordinary length of anchor line, a short anchor will pull the bow down, causing the boat to swamp as this one did. The decisions that these guys made were all designed to end their lives early.

For those that profess to know a bit about boating safety, or those that were smart enough to take classes on boating safety, will pick up immediately on the fact that rather than anchoring in shallow water with inadequate length of anchor line, was a death sentence. What you do in that situation, that is if you were stupid enough to go out in the ocean 30 miles in a 21 footer, is rig a sea anchor. A bucket or a couple of coats. ...Anything that weighs a lot dragged behind a boat will always keep the bow into the wind, thence keeping you in the boat, and the water out. That these kids didn't know any better, cost them their existence.

We here in Bayview, have decided, with the support and leadership of Timberlake Fire District Chief, Jack Krill, to take a proactive stance with this issue. One, we are planning on trying to establish a coast guard auxiliary here in Bayview. We lost one out of three of the winter fishermen a while back, when with a better education system could have perhaps saved all of them. Premature deaths of otherwise healthy people should and is preventable. We are going to try!

Perhaps one solution would be to outlaw cardtrol fuel pumps that are unattended. With an attendant making sure the blowers are on before engine start, the gathering of fumes after fueling that cost so many boaters their boats and sometimes their lives could be prevented. Fueling requires the boater to open the engine hatches and run the bilge blowers for at least 5 minuets after fueling. Without that you are leaving the dock on top of a bomb.

Those of you that reside in the Bayview area, have a boat and would like to help create a safer environment on the water, can e-mail or call me. If enough are interested, we'll contact the Coast Guard for organizational material.

Blogfest 2009

L-R: Meghann Cuniff, the only employed SR writer, other than DFO present, MamaJD, Boo, OtisG, Taryn Hecker and Trish, the condom concessionaire. The reason most quoted about the need for the condoms, was that since the start of Huckleberries, people have been screwing with each other without adequate protection.


DFO announces that before the party degenerates any further, Trish, on the right has an ample supply of condoms.


John & Deena Austin. Deena lights up Johns's life, as he writes great cutlines. (2009 winner, cutline champ)Also, center/background is Helen Back.


Here is DFO trying to explain to our designated curmudgeon,Gary Ingram, why he didn't vote straight Republican in the last election.


Cindy Hval & JeanneSpokane. Note the mischeivious look on cindy's face.



Dave Oliveria, the blogmeister, being presented the "cooler" award. A cooler with the more prominent names of those ditched along the way.

The big mystery at this gig, is after meeting Truly, it was hard to equate this pretty, petite, Pixie of a woman, birthing such as Sam the Reporter. I took two pictures of her. One was blurred and the other just didn't work, so I left them out, but trust me, this is one hot woman.

Neighborhood News

As I pointed out in my last post, with the shrinking of the Spokesman-Review, I'll have less in the paper. This is primarily because the editors believe that I write about such an insignificant corner of our area, as to not measure up to readers, say from Rathdrum or Post Falls. This is an assumption that is somewhat faulty, since I have received positive feedback from many areas around North Idaho and even Spokane Valley.

Nevertheless, this is the belief that from which lies the control of stories. Editors, are a strange breed. First and foremost, I couldn't write if we didn't have them. My English skills are severely lacking. I can tell a story, and many have pointed out that they like my writing style. Still,they receive very little feedback. Generally, the only response from the community is when a writer screws up, or they think he/she does. People don't get emotional over a good story. At least not enough to call or e-mail an editor to compliment them on it.

Existing in this ivory tower isn't fair to the editor nor the writer. It just is. The bottom line is that until and unless a massive gripe campaign reaches them over this issue, it won't be one. I will write my one column per month that I have been reduced to and the occasional feature story that has been pre-approved.

At the same time, as a freelance writer, I can and will look for other opportunities to exercise my avocation. Just about one and one-half years ago, I was writing weekly columns for both Bayview and Athol with some spirit Lake Thrown in. That added up to at least 8 columns per month which adequately supplemented my retirement income. That has shrunk from 8 to 10 down to one or two per month. You may conclude from this that stories about Bayview, Athol Spirit Lake and Farragut State Park are disappearing.

I will attempt to keep you informed, as time permits of items of interest on this blog. Have a good one, folks.

Spokesman-Review Merges Sections

Beginning March 15, the Prairie Voice will merge with the Handle Extra. The Prairie voice, seen the last two years as a handout as well as part of the paper on Thursdays, and the Handle Extra, covering both Kootenai and Bonnner County, formerly seen Saturdays, will switch to the Sunday edition. With the combination, there will no longer be free distribution. You'll have to buy a Sunday paper. The positive side, is that a much larger audience will see what is published, than in the prairie Voice.

For those of you that are disappointed about the lack of local news for Bayview, Athol and spirit Lake, It's goint to get worse. Starting with the first combined issue, I will only have one column per month, plus whatever features that pop up in between. Thereafter, only the second Sunday of each month will carry my regular column.

The staff of the spokesman-review are trying very hard to find a self sustaining level that is both profitable for the paper, and still stand out as a quality news source. The emphasis will still be on people and places that are in the local scene. I urge anyone that has a story that needs to be told, to e-mail me with the particulars.

I've been told that while some of the larger market correspondents will write twice per month, lack of readers in the hinterlands of North Kootenai County, keep me limited. As I have told others, our editors really don't get much feed-back and when they do it's usually negative. Most people wishing to say nice things are just too busy to respond. The hint here, is that if enough people give feedback about lack of coverage, something might change. They need to know what is working and what isn't.

The combining of the two editions hopefully will bring the previous quality back to the North Idaho news.

From George Carlin

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say,"I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Valentine Stories That Didn't Make The Cut

Since we are approaching Valentine's Day, I thought it appropriate, and my editor agreed, that I solicit love stories for my print column in the Spokesman-Review. I have done so. The replies have been overwhelming, so I decided in case my editor doesn't like me featuring my own family, I would share these bit by bit in this forum. The first is one that Brother Stan wrote. I doubt that he has ever put in writing his feelings about his marriage and life in general. For that reason, and that of a mean editor might slash too much out, I am presenting, my brother, Stan Huseland and his love story:


"Herb, the Bayview blog-meister, has challenged his readership to join in a Valentine season of love stories. And he has made a pointed suggestion to this particular reader to get with it.

You see Herb is my brother. More than that, he was my best man when I wed Marilyn, a winsome Indiana girl, nearly 50 years ago (Sep. 5, 1959 for those who like detail). I quickly saw Herb's scheme. With a half century of married partnership, I had the opportunity--nay, a duty!--to share my love story.

Introspection is not my strong suit. Herb and I have curmudgeon blood coursing through our veins. We know all the ills of the outside world, and damn-sure answers to it all. Thinking about how Marilyn and I managed nearly 50 years together required a no-bull analysis that is both challenging, humbling, and a bit discomforting.

The secret, of course, is Marilyn. She has an even temper, an unselfish and gracious concern for others, a contagious smile, and oceans of patience. As I search for what glues a marriage for the long haul, I know these are the essentials. Yet I am in short supply in all these departments. I love Marilyn deeply, and I am thankful again and again for capturing this Hoosier lass. Yet I know that I rely too much on her virtues to trump my failings.

Stress is challenging for any marriage. As a young couple we had our share. She was a devout Catholic; I was a passive Protestant. We quickly had four children who tested our parenting skills and our family budget. At times, we both were earners, as finances seemed to trump togetherness. Yet through it all we persevered. I often raged at the problems; Marilyn found ways to calm the waters.

Then there came a time when all the issues seemed to subside. Our children grew up, and we experienced the sweet contentment of becoming re-acquainted with them on an adult-to-adult basis, no longer responsible for directing their lives, but sharing it as equals, always with love.

Job success leveled off, and ambition turned to thoughts of retirement. It happened 14 years ago. I decided we should travel this last chapter of our lives with a single faith. I joined Marilyn as a Catholic.

We bought a small trailer (some call them pop-ups) to explore the world (or at least the lower 48. Our adventure over these 14 years has been to see our wonderful country--Maine to Florida to California to Washington (including Bayview). Now we vegetate as Florida snowbirds, as our Indiana home awaits us in the spring.

Through it all, my Valentine partner has kept me anchored, tolerating my foibles, and finding a loving role in all that we do. It's been a terrific 50 years, and through it all, Marilyn has been the rock.

Thanks, Herb, for nudging me to this Valentine moment. You're still my best man."


And one from my son, Brian:


Brian Huseland Is Heard From

I met my wife the first time at night, around a college campfire. I was a freshman, enjoying my new found independence in distant Iowa, hundreds of miles from anything familiar. Little did I know that the landscape of my life was also about to shift, all because of that lady with waist-length hair who sat across the fire from me. We became good friends and were involved in some of the same campus clubs. We started reading books to each other, and romance blossomed somewhere between chapter 14 and 23 of James & the Giant Peach. Two years later we were married, basing our relationship on the love of Christ in the Bible. Seems like a book had done it again. Since that wedding day 16 years ago, our lives have twined together into a story of its own, packed with adventures on the Great Plains, the Southwest, a few years in Europe, and now the Inland Northwest. What remains is a happy, committed relationship. My wife is one of the best things to happen to me. Our path? Forgiveness and sacrifice. We have stayed together because we give up our own rights to nourish the joined life we live.

Chatterbox Tells All

We first met in college. We had the same major, not a real popular one, so most of our major classes were together. I had noticed him, he had noticed me, but we had only spoken in passing. Our professor assigned the class certain tasks and he paired us together. We hit it off and began dating once the assignment was finished. I fell in love pretty quickly, but he pooh - poohed it, fearing commitment. He graduated a semester before I did and we lost track of each other. 22 years later, I logged onto our alumni association's locator web site, typed in his name (along with some other friends I lost track of) and fired off some notecards asking how the last 22 years had been treating everyone. He was the only one who responded. He was living and working in Coeur d'Alene, I was living and working in a very small town in Iowa. We corresponded for about 3 months online and thru phone calls. He flew back to see family still living in Iowa and we arranged to meet for lunch. We continued our long distance relationship....I flew to CdA a couple of times, he would drive or fly back to Iowa for holidays. He proposed on New Years Eve 2002, we were married in Minnesota in August 2003 and my son & I moved to Idaho.

We both came with baggage....I had a son, he had history. We knew we couldn't "change" one another. Before we were engaged, we talked about important stuff...finances, raising a child, the differences in our religions. Other than knowing we were 2 separate people joining together very complicated lives, communication has been at the heart of our relationship. We have had serious discussions about health issues, elderly parental concerns, what retirement will be like, raising a teenager, and through it all we have managed to maintain our love, respect and friendship for each other as well as a healthy sense of humor. We both have our "off" days, and may need some alone time for a few hours. But we know that we are here for each other.

Chatterbox

Tamara Lee Poelstra's Story

I met my husband of 22 years in high school and if Tony had not asked me out I may have never noticed the quiet sweet boy in my biology class. We became friends though I resisted saying yes to his date proposals until one day he let me catch him.

I was the girl who claimed she would never marry until Tony dared me to marry him. It has not always been easy and we have had our challenges. When a couple marries at the age of 19 the expectation is that, it will not last. We contribute our success to the fact that we have never been crazy at the same time and though we may not always like each other in a given situation, we have always loved each other.

We have celebrated 23 Valentine's days and each year, we take the time to be grateful. So my sweet Tony, I say thank you for your perseverance, courage, and loving me. I loved the boy I married and to my surprise, I love the man you have become even more. I am grateful for you. Happy Valentine's Day!

Tamara Lee Poelstra

Marianne Love's Love Story

Back in 1973, Farragut State Park hosted the National Boy Scout Jamboree. By then, I had given up the Forest Service in favor of my first love: journalism, and this is when I met my second and true, lifelong love, a guy named Love. How could you lose?

Gary Pietsch, then publisher of the Sandpoint News Bulletin weekly, asked me to take several trips down to this area prior to the 1973 Boy Scout Jamboree. My assignment was to take pictures, conduct interviews, and write feature stories about the event. I had the freedom to choose whatever topics I wished.

So, I just followed my nose from place to place around Farragut and found my stories. One in particular focused on the Trading Post Warehouse, where an advance team of college-age, handsome former scouts had arrived early to set up their shop for the Jamboree.

While conducting the interview, I was drawn off topic---a common problem of mine. When the dozen or so buff hunks from schools like the University of Texas, Alabama and Georgia learned that I was a school teacher at Sandpoint High School AND the drill team adviser, they started asking questions----one of which was, “Are the girls in Sandpoint better looking than the girls in Coeur d’Alene?” “Of course,” I responded.

Before I knew it, my mouth had once more gotten me into trouble. By the time I left, I had promised to arrange dates for the guys with my drill team girls, many of whom also played on my softball team that summer. Later, after realizing this was probably not a really good idea and stewing about how to get out of this dilemma, I received a call from one of the guys.

He informed me he was the quiet one in the back with the Tulane T-shirt and that he was in charge of the trading post staff. He wanted to assure me that the young men would be perfect gentlemen. He also wanted to know if I would be accompanying the girls to the proposed rendezvous that Saturday night at the Sandpoint City Beach. When I said, I wasn’t sure, he said he wished I would.

So, I did. The Louisiana man was true to his word, and later, he returned to Idaho as a forester. We were married in Sandpoint almost 35 years ago. Bill Love is still a forester for the Idaho Department of Lands, and we’re looking forward to celebrating that special anniversary in June.

We have two children---Willie, the assistant sports editor for the Idaho Press Tribune and Annie, who works for Ground speak , Inc. in Seattle---the creators of the sport of geocaching. Our lovely daughter-in-law, Debbie, works as a staff member for the Silver Sage Council of the Girl Scouts of America in Boise.

Jen Rude's Love Story

Jen Rude

My husband and I met when I was in 5th grade and he was in 6th. We went to a small private school together and were in the same class for three years. During those years, we flirted as well as pre-teens can and even "went together" for a while. We would never talk to each other, but instead wrote notes and a friend would pass them back and forth for us. We would also play four-square together. Still with no talking. I can't remember if he let me win or not. Then when he was in 9th grade, he moved on to high school. We ended up going to different high schools, but still attended church together and were involved in the same youth group. In 1989 when I was almost 17, our youth group had a movie night. That night, we spent most of the evening together and even talked to each other a little. The next day, he called me! We were soon dating and quickly became a couple. We had dated for just over 3 years when he proposed on a warm May evening on the southwest corner of the boardwalk in downtown Coeur d' Alene. I said, "Yes," of course. A short 7 weeks later we were married. During our first few years of marriage, we both worked and went to college. It was a busy time, but we were young and in love and enjoyed our newlywed days. After 7 years of marriage, we had our first son. Then 19 months later, our second son was born. That changed our relationship dramatically as having kids usually does. We grew even closer as we both fell in love with these children we had created together. Then it was a whirlwind of diapers and first steps and first words and first days of school. And just when our sons could feed and dress and bathe themselves, God put the desire for another baby in my heart. I was nervous to talk to my husband about it because we had decided together that two children was enough. When I finally told him how I was feeling, he said, "If you think that's what we're supposed to do, let's do it." It was that day that I truly realized what a blessing it is to have a husband who shares my belief in following God's will. Unfortunately having a baby wasn't that easy because of a traumatic car accident a few months later that left me physically and mentally unable to even imagine being pregnant or having a newborn. Through the next year and a half, he held my hand and stood by me and was patient beyond words with my craziness that followed. Now, though, I am happy to say that we have a beautiful 8 month old little girl who has strengthened our love even more. In July we will celebrate our 17th wedding anniversary. Our lives have changed in ways that we didn't expect and couldn't imagine. But one thing has remained the same through all the ups and downs over the last 16 1/2 years . And that is that he loves me more than I can believe and more than I deserve. And I love him for that.

Katrina's Love Story

Due to space limitations, not all of the entries made the paper. Here's one of them.

He wasn’t wearing armor or waving a banner, and his lemon yellow Oldsmobile Omega was about as far from a noble steed as you could get, so when my white knight showed up one unassuming August day in the hallowed halls of Harding University, I very nearly missed him.

Like so many single girls, I’d spent years dreaming up my own vision of Prince Charming—some impossible combination of Antonio Banderas and Atticus Finch, gorgeous and intelligent and whimsical and high-minded and mysterious and transparent and powerful and gentle and confident and humble and…and, and, and. In short, he was the perfect man.

Thankfully, he was entirely fictional. Had I ever actually met him, I’m quite certain he would have driven me crazy.

Instead, I found Paul. Or he found me. It was sort of a mutual finding, taking shape over long afternoon walks and dollar menu dates. And in the years since, my picture of Prince Charming has been gloriously remade in the image of the wonderful, stumbling, passionate, funny, amazing man that I married. He snores. He tells the same jokes over and over. He forgets to write things down in the checkbook. He gets cranky when he hasn’t eaten in a while. And when I am lying buried under a heap of worries and frustrations, he is the one who puts a strong shoulder under the pile and helps me carry it along. From his willingness to take on the tasks that I hate (like dealing with the phone company) to the spontaneous backrubs he gives when he can tell I’ve had a crazy day, everything Paul does sends the message: “We’re in this together, babe.”

Together, we specialize in laughter and finishing each other’s sentences. We play Scrabble ferociously. We fight and make up in almost the same breath, because pouting wastes precious time. We go out a lot, but we’re secret homebodies, thankful when weather or cancellation or even sickness throws our plans to the wind and gifts us with a sweet night curled up on the couch in front of a movie.

“I married my best friend.” It’s inscribed on countless greeting cards and wedding invitations. It’s also written on the map of my life, the turning in the road that completely and forever changed my story. In this land, hand in hand with a real, live Prince, a two-bedroom apartment is a palace, a mud-splattered Ford Escort is a royal coach, and a Wendy’s Junior Bacon Cheeseburger is a feast.

I defy even Antonio Banderas to create that kind of magic.

--Katrina Swaim

A Love Story, by Meg Andrews

Unfortunately, the Spokesman-Review left out about half of the stories that were tendered, and all of them that had taken the trouble to send pictures. I am not happy. Having said that, I will publish those that were left out, starting with this stirring tale of love: Herb

Our story is one that by all probabilities should not have survived. We met in December 1977, the year of our senior year of High School. He needed a date for a company Christmas party. He had heard about me from a friend of mine. We met briefly during lunch sitting in the “Pits” at CHS. We “happened” to both be at a game on the next Friday night. A bunch of us all went to Pappy’s Pizza after the game; the group included him and me “coincidentally”.

He was going out to get his family’s Christmas tree the next day, and wanted to know if I’d like to go along. He asked me to be his date for his company party. We were both just 17, and had only known each other for a short time, but we felt a connection, and ultimately we fell in love very quickly. By February, he asked me to marry him. I accepted. Strangely, the only people who did not seem to think this was the craziest thing they had ever heard were our parents. My friends were skeptical. I have heard my siblings, all much older than me, had placed bets as to how long our marriage would (or wouldn’t) last. Though my parents were not opposed, I sensed they did not want to spend too much money, in case it didn’t last. Being Depression era, they wouldn’t want to waste money, so I borrowed a wedding dress from a family friend. Honestly, if you were to tell me this story, I would probably think it was a bad idea, myself.

Fortunately, it was not a bad idea. It was a beautiful beginning to a long and wonderful friendship and love affair. October 7, 2008, we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. We started out as two kids, with barely two nickels to rub together, as the saying goes, who worked hard, raised two beautiful daughters, owned, and toiled, and grew a successful business together for 13 years. We now find ourselves in Moscow, Idaho while he goes back to college to finish a degree in Computer Engineering that he began back in the early 80’s at NIC.

Some have asked, “What is your secret?” There is no secret, really. Communication, and especially learning how to communicate with each other in a way that is well received by both parties seems to be a key part to the success of our relationship. It has been hard work at times, but it is well worth the effort. Love, respect and friendship, along with communication I believe are key to our relationship. Tenacity doesn’t hurt either, being willing to hang in there and work through things. Being willing to go the distance for the person and a relationship that you believe in more than anyone or anything else in the world. Oh, and forgiveness never hurts a relationship either

Valentine's Day Approaches

In this post, I am shamelessly pimping my full page layout in the Prairie Voice. Featuring love stories from throughout the region, we are helping people celebrate the successful relationships, rather than dwell on the dysfunctional, which is featured most of the time in the news.

We have several letters that have been submitted, some with pictures. We don't at this time know whether all of them will make it, but if any don't, I'll publish them here.

Bayview is dead quiet today, with most of the businesses closed. The Wheel is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, Terry's Cafe is only open Tuesday and Ralph's coffee House needs customers to help him stay open. The Buttonhook restaurant is back on the market again, as the sale being negotiated apparently failed to reach closing. Our sources point to the liquor license as the sticking point.

In the last few years, since liquor was introduced to the patio, both have used the one resort liquor license. In attempting to sell the Buttonhook, two issues are at hand.

First, if the Buttonhook is sold separately, detached from the resort, can they keep the license? Secondly, it may turn out that since Waterford Park has allegedly deeded most of it's shoreline to the condo homeowners association, do they even qualify for the license anymore. It will be an interesting few months as we all watch.

Disaster, Part Two

A few months back I wrote a long post about what I felt was going to happen in the economy. At this time, having been vindicated by current events, I'd like to zoom to the next year. 2010, for my predictions and why.

Currently, the new administration of President Obama, along with congress, is trying to juice the economy by pouring money into banks, hoping the banks would then loan the money out in lavish orgies, thereby bringing the economy back. There are some obvious reasons that isn't going to help. When a house of cards, or dominos starts going down, often there is little anyone can do to stop it. These banks, finally weaned off of whatever drugs they were on have shut the purse strings for very good reasons. Instead of just checking your FICA score, they are looking at job survivability. If there is a good chance you are going to face a layoff in the next year or two, they don't want a repeat of what they have just experienced. This is a classic case of cart before horse.

The Federal Government, along with most states, are running in circles, "shouting the sky is falling," but they aren't doing anything that will help. First, when faced with a crisis such as we now do, one has to go back to what caused the crash to begin with. Some will argue that it was the price of oil, the housing bubble bursting and so forth. Actually, it was none of the above.

The root cause goes back to free trade, which by now, even the most sceptable cannot claim, is free. By trying to level the world markets, the fact that other involved countries with low standards of living and cheap labor is not comparable is the point. The minute a company goes offshore for prices in the 50% range lower than could be produced, we started to fall apart.

"We'll be a service economy and our citizens will be able to buy lots of stuff they couldn't afford. We don't need manufacturing." Those economists that couldn't figure out that how a consumer can afford to buy these cheap items without incomes, didn't occur to them. "Retrain them," they said. OK, so now we have thousands of highly trained steel workers and many others, trying to find jobs flipping burgers.

That, folks was the beginning of the end, then NAFTA jumped in to cement our economic failure. We could readily absorb the Canadian difference, since our two economies are about the same. They make more money, but give most of it back in taxes. Mexico, however is a totally different story. An economy that has been in shambles for as long as I have lived and longer, cannot and will not ever be equal to where we once were.

When the market weakened, the fed lowered interest rates. liberal members of congress and the senate, cried aloud, we want a mortgage industry that can make it possible for everyone that wants to own their own home can do so. People, the only way that can happen is by lowering lending standards. Congress pushed and the greed of the mortgage industry did the rest. Bubbles that burst like the one we just encountered, happen from overheated markets building beyond demand. Interest rates were held down too low, too long, which ate up all of the demand, right when builders and developers were going balls to the wall producing housing there wasn't a need for, and were too expensive for the average middle class family to afford.

Gas prices are down, but nobody can afford to go anywhere.No job. Houses are coming down, too. Still no job. Helping small and medium size businesses seem to be the slang they are throwing around in Washington, D.C. Those are the types of poop used in an election campaign, not in solving problems. Our goverment is mostly made op of people that have never worked out in the economy, at least not recently. Don't be surprised if a government Mom holding an apple pie shows up at your door.

The only solution to this problem that won't serve to just flush more billions down the toilet, is to go back to the root cause.We need more, to redesign our basics to balance labor costs with wold prices. This is going to hurt. At the same time, we need to crank up those New England mills and stop buying cheaper than market labor to rule. I'm not talking about shutting down with total protectionism, just where the most egregious imbalances exist.

How, can we ship Iron ore from the Mesabi range across the Pacific to Japan, China and Malaysia, then after smelting the steel, fabricating it into beams ship it back to us, CHEAPER than we can do it ourselves. That used to be called dumping, or selling under market. Now it's just world trade. We need selective tariffs where such imbalances exist. Crank up U.S. Steel. If necessary, the fed if it really wants to do something right, can retrofit these factories with systems that cut the pollution of old. What we did by getting too green to fast, is shopped our economy to others so they could then pollute the area, long distance.

This country is represented, sometimes terribly, by elected officials, not self ordained sentinels of nature. The Sierra Club has done nothing worthwhile to help the economy, just to curb it, or even cause some industries to shut down.

Go back 30 years when we were the most productive nation on earth. Our government has sold us out. It's time to take it back for us, not the Asians that own most of our assets now. My next pouring forth of unsolicited opinions on the economy will deal with energy production.








































5

Qualifications

Someone brought up the other day, a problem I had hoped to avoid. He/She said," How can you cover the love beat when you've been divorced for 20 years. This insensitive person went on to point out that not only have I been single for a bunch of years, but that no social activity including women has been observed.

Well yes, this is all true. But if I may say something in my defense? OK they said. First, most of the real good ones are gone. Not only gone, but like many or most of them, they know they have a good thing. That leaves me with one: losers. Two, winners that don't want a second go-around, and three they don't live in Bayview. Oh, and three, I can't do it anymore. I can't be wrong when I'm right and all of those other stupid compromises we men have to make to keep peace. I continue to believe that I am equal to women, no matter what they think, and until I find one that admits that, forget it.

All in all, I consider myself a great romantic and shall surge forward with this project with all of the delicacy of the proverbial bull in the china shop manner. But back to my original premise. I know a good love story, because I have lived many of them. All had their good points and their bad, but for the most part, none of us had maturity. Well, having burned all of those bridges, I still love parts of all of them. Er, parts of their wonderful personalities.

I ended the discussion, however, by standing tall, and explaining, "journalists do not have to know anything about the subject they write about, and have proved that many times in the past." I rest my case.

Addendum: I just realized that I missed my anniversary.which was January 27, 2005. In that period of time I show a total of visits at 45,006 and page views of 75108. I am pleased that many of you enjoy reading my stuff.

Love Abounds, This Valentine's Season

I put out the call for love stories that are printable in my last post. I have received some dandies. One or two of them will find themselves as feature stories. All are appreciated. We will print many, if not all of them, space being a problem, always. Those that don't make the paper will appear in this blog, after Valentine's Day.

I want to thank those that have responded. Many, if not most, opened up their hearts and told some real good stories. We'll most likely print the first next Thursday and the rest February 12.

Bayview was pretty much shut down today with dense fog. That has cleared away, and we're supposed to get a little snow. Personally, I'd rather see a few inches of snow, (notice I said a FEW)than freezing fog and icy roads.

My brother, Stan and his wife, Marilyn are sitting in Tampa Bay, Florida, with strawberry juice dripping off their chins, somewhat embarrassed to not be sharing what we have to offer, weather wise. That probably applies to our friends in the Yuma area, who are professional loafers. (Mondays excepted, Jim)For the rest of you, Jim Campbell, former owner of the Captain's Wheel Restaurant here in Bayview, couldn't stay out of the kitchen.

He's flipping anywhere from 300 to 450 burgers during Monday burger night which draws retirees from far and wide to the VFW in Wellton, Arizona. Right down the road are Liz & Larry Justus, owners of Lakeland RV Park in Bayview. Others within shouting distance are: Dick & Annie Gaspar, and a bunch of others, like Dave & Annie Morrow, who split there time between Mexico and Yuma. You folks be careful traveling north this spring. Many disgruntled northern residents may be out throwing rocks at northbound vehicles.

Watch the Spokesman-Review Prairie voice for your love story, coming soon.

Lovers? Are there any Lovers Left?

I have received the grand total of one love story for my Spokesman-Review Valentines column. This is the one chance this year to score points with your special person. I cannot believe that out of all of my readers. there are no romanticists left. I'm appalled. It appears that I feel more romance for my ex-wives, than you married couples that don't.

With all that is happening in the economy, world affairs, and such, why wouldn't affairs closer to home be more important. A few short words, telling our readers why your relationship is superior to those other, just get by folks, will hopefully inspire those less fortunate's to try harder. I know, because I have read constantly, the words of happily married couples here on line and through Huckleberrries.

Here's the deal. My column in the Spokesman-Review that will publish sometime before my death, but hopefully before February 14, will through you, show that romance is not dead and that male/female relationships are still successful. without your stories, most failures will assume that everyone else screwed up too. Let's help these wounded relationships by showing them the true path to happiness.

Leave a 100 to 200 word essay on this blog, or e-mail it to me direct at Bayviewherb@gmail.com. If your story is chosen, you will win ... nothing, except the knowledge that your true love knows that you love him/her as well. All totaled, that ain't bad.

I Want Love Stories

We are approaching that time of year where Valentines Day is near. Many times, all that means is, ohmygod, don't forget the candy. For the more advanced male, it's flowers. Aside from that, it seems that most of what we hear about couples, married or not, is gloom, doom and how the hell do we survive this Guy/Gal.I'm not quite modernized yet for me to think same sex, but why not, Lets hear from those couples too.

What we don't hear is from those people that are so comfortable in their relationships it doesn't occur to them that they are unusual, and maybe they aren't. As we fight to get out of the gloom and doom of winter, and approach spring, I want to hear stories from people that are still in love, lo those many years. Or even from those that haven't been together that long.

I want to publish in the Spokesman-Review, stories about yourselves and the love that still endures, and why it does. I want a road map to successful relationships that I can publish in the good paper. This is an attempt to bypass all of the b/s at greeting card stores and get down to the nitty gritty. Just remember that the terminology must fit a family newspaper. My editors are innocents and we can't risk shocking them.

Please click on the comments, leave your name by selecting that option and we'll show those non-believers that love is still the way to go. You may also send me your comments at: bayviewherb@gmail.com. If you insist on staying private, I will respect that too. I especially want to encourage those that are area bloggers, as I have become familiar with them and their attitudes. Dave Oliveria,or for that matter, Mrs. O, Jen, Family Phil, Pecky, Brand X, Mari, Cis, Inland Empire girl, MamaJD, Marmite (sometimes toasty), Katrina, (my favorite hugger)Trish, Sam, Truly, Marianne, sparky, Jbelle, and yes, even the Bard.

There are so many more of you out there that should share your romantic success with us that I don't know of, but please feel free to express yourselves also. Oh, and this column cannot be complete without input from Cindy Hval, the woman every man loves.

Lot's Happnin' In The Bay

Topping the news in Bayview today, is the ruling from Idaho Department of Lands, denying the privatization of Boileau's Marina. The ruling itself is long and complicated, but as I understand it, most of the problems stem from the Littoral rights being transferred to another corporation, lack of parking for the announced number of customers, and the inconsistency of information found in the various documents submitted by Waterford Park, LLC. There also seems to be a cross pollination of Boileau's and Harborview. With Boileau's appearing to be sold piecemeal, The association with Harborview is somewhat clouded. Any corrections as to the accuracy of my conclusions are welcome in the comments section.

In other news, it appears that the sewer project in Farragut State Park is going on hold due to budget cutbacks across the board by the state. Not all of the project, however is affected. much of the system is already on the ground, as phase one as will be completed as scheduled. Phase one includes the Sewer lagoon itself, the new dump station adjacent to Gilmore campground, Gilmore campground, Waldron campground, The brig and Beaver Bay. All of these projects are under way and will be completed as scheduled.

Phase two would include the East Dump Station and Boat Launch area.
The brief announcement in this morning's paper was a little misleading.

Are We A Little Shy?

A recent comment which probably was deliberately obtuse, suggested that while he/she gloried in attacking me in the comments section, (not published) it wasn't his/her fault, since her/his system wouldn't let them publish their names.

Again, I salute the new board, which has come on board with a mission to united the community. If anyone wishes to consider this as a criticism, go for it.

So that everyone understands, there are three ways one can comment. By open, (name to be inserted)by url, those with blogs and anonymous, as shown below:
A recent comment which probably was deliberately obtuse, suggested that while he/she gloried in attacking me in the comments section, (not published) it wasn't his/her fault, since her/his system wouldn't let them publish their names.

This person was taking exception to my remarks in "New broom Sweeps clean." In that post, I railed against those that hate their neighbor, or acts churlish about marina owners that contribute to the community then are not even thanked. I was raised in a way and in an era, that even if you don't agree with someone, you still recognize a friendly gesture. Somehow, this was translated into "everything was the outgoing Chamber board's fault. I did not say those things. These were jumps that probably revealed guilty feelings. The noise that resonates throughout this community has wider ownership than that. I have exposed some horrible mistakes made by some, but only after they refused to remedy the problems themselves. No, last year's board had it's problems, especially with getting along with people. Still, they did some good as well.

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It must be pointed out that this person's excuse for not identifying themselves was due to the inability of his company computer to do so is trash and doesn't deserve any more than trashy response. Once into the comment section of a blog, only the blog's rules apply. No operating system can interfere with this once in.

This was of course a knuckle dragging excuse not to reveal themselves. I have said this before, and I will repeat it once more. This is my forum.

Since it is mine, I get to make the rules. First and foremost, is the no attack rule. You do not use my blog to flog me. You want to do that? start your own.

I do, however, allow people to disagree with me. To do so, however, you must sign your own name to the comment, just as I do when I write the blog. I have never hid any opinion behind an anonymous name, and never will. If you hate enough to chastise me and my principles, please have the basic courage to name yourself. Most cowards cannot force themselves to this point, but I thought it bore mentioning.

In the old code of the west, at least until the internet was born, it was customary for people wish serious disagreements to step out into the street, sometimes with fatal results. Well, times have changed, and much for the better, still, to hide behind a fake name, or none at all is blatant cowardice of a moral kind.

Weather Guessers

I guess I just picked a weatherman without a sense of humor. Recently, I e-mailed a local weather guesser about a pet peeve of mine, and I'm reasonably sure of many others of you. My problem was the code words that are used to forecast nasty weather such as snow and other forms of pestilence.

Here's the deal. Accu-weather (this is not limited to them, I only used them as an example) posted the following snow forecasts for the coming two weeks or so.

January 23&29th, occasional snow. 1/27, snow of varying rates: (I ain't lyin') January 26th and 28th? periods of snow. January 27, 30th & 31st snow and for the grand prize,"snow much of the time (2/1)

Now I, much like other reasonable people, do understand that weather forecasting is not an exact science. ... Still, I would like to have answers to the burning (perhaps not the right word) question, which is: Am I to worry when snow is predicted? periods of snow? occasional snow, snow much of the time, or snow of varying rates. Please, can someone with foreign language skills help me out here?

I'm pretty much at home with snow flurries, that being light snow not amounting to much, or snow showers, that like rain showers, are intermittent, But HEY! Whats up with the gobbledygook? Can't they at least list in what order snow of varying rates ranks with occasional snow? Or for that matter, none of the above give us the slightest inkling, other than perhaps journalistic regard to repetition, to what order of importance, or order of seriousness they are. A few years ago, the forecast of: Occasional snow meant it was going to snow all day and it was serious. Now, due to the new code words, nobody has a clue. Why have weather forecasts if nobody understands what you are forecasting?

At this point, some of you are saying, "there goes Herb, in the juice again," but these terms are real. Unless they have changed since this morning, go to: www.accuweather.com and see for yourself. An English translation should be the minimum requirement.

A New World, Jumping Through The Looking Glass

Tuesday will usher in a new era. New in many ways. Like the proverbial 800 pound Gorilla in the room, certainly race is an issue. But it isn't, except for historical purposes, the key issue. Our world is Topsy-turvy right now. We teeter on the edge of a second Great Depression. One which if it happens will cause our country more trouble than ever happened in the early 30's.

In today's European press, there is a sudden silence, after punishing Bush with every emotion they have. It has suddenly occurred to them that when Obama ascends to the presidency, he will be faced with problems that they do not have answers to either.

The expectations that we have put on this man, a politician that for the most part hasn't been tested, nor does he even have a background that would have tutored him in international relations, are huge. This isn't about criticizing Barack Obama. We elected him, we have him, now we need to support him.

Now we have handed him a recession bordering on depression. Let me just review a view of the problems he and the new congress faces:

First, the economic collapse. The scary thing about this is that no one single cause provoked it. Certainly, high oil prices for two years started it. I said back then that with the world economy counting in dollars, the oil barons were shooting themselves in the foot. I spent 20 years in the mortgage business ending in the mid- nineties. Never would I have guessed at the hallucinating marketplace would self destruct. Sure there were well meaning congressmen that wanted everyone to own their own home. Unfortunately, these head in the clouds people should be put out to pasture. The conservative lending practices that I lived by were totally abandoned and the people that created them should be sent to prison.

First and obvious in foreign affairs is Iraq and Afghanistan. If we can stabilize Iraq just a little more, then the problem shifts to Afghanistan. But Afghanistan isn't the only problem. Just across a mountain range, is Pakistan, which with the border tribes allied with terrorists, is a throwback to Cambodia during the Vietnam dust-up. A sacred hideout that the outlaws of Afghanistan can retreat toward. Obviously, a lesson we didn't learn very well in Nam.

Israel/West Bank/Gaza is probably a problem without a solution. West bank separated by Israel then again in Gaza, without common borders is a dream without a wake up call. There is no way that a country can exist with split borders. Unless Jerusalem is internationalized, no peace will ever happen there. The key word in all of this is "tribe."Most of these areas have been controlled by tribes, both in the Middle east and in Africa. They don't know how, nor do they have the education or desire to change. People like that can't govern Countries. They for the most part are still living in the stone age.

But wait, there is more! North Korea just announced the possession of several nuclear weapons and is waving swords at south Korea. Perhaps they have glad eyes for Hyundai.

Religious warfare has been fought for centuries with no winners and all losers. Even today we haven't learned. It would appear that a world wide Jihad called by radical Muslims is going to play out, not withstanding the situation in Israel.

These and more situations face Obama as he reaches the goal he sought. One wonders why he even wanted to. At this point it is important for me to say where I'm coming from. I am a conservative, albeit not severely right wing. As a matter of fact, I detest extremism from either side. Me? I'm going to support the President of the United States while I can. If he screws up, I'll comment on it. Having said that, I probably couldn't do better, and I won't second guess him as he travels this mine field. We need to lose the cheap shots, such as that aimed at George Bush. All that does is point out the pointy heads of those that sink into that sort of thing. Get back to debating issues, rather than below the belt shots.

God Bless You, Obama and I hope you know what the hell you're doing!

New Broom Sweeps Clean

L-R Donald "Bear" Rose, Cindy Post-Grandy, Bob Prince, Linda Williams, Jeanne Bjergo

A mulligan in golf is a do-over, for those of you that think smacking a helpless small round ball around a cow pasture is recreation. After a two month delay, a brand new slate of officers and board members have been elected to the Bayview chamber of Commerce.Tuesday night was the first meeting chaired by the new slate of officers. President is the long time Mayor and Council member from Hayden Lake, Bob Prince. Prince moved to Bayview a couple of years ago and has been a calming influence between those that like controversy and turmoil. For the last two years, Bayview has been split into several special interest groups that have collectively torn apart the former cooperative fabric that used to be Bayview.

Prince, not tarred with the identity that each of these groups represented, became an almost required choice for president. Asked, earlier about his vision for the community, he replied, "I want to work toward unifying the various factions. It's time to work for the betterment of the village we live in, not personal squabbles."

Others that have been chosen to lead this year, are: Cindy Post Grandy, Vice-President. Cindy has worked tirelessly in and for the community for several years, constantly volunteering for what ever is needed.

Secretary was also a slam dunk. Linda Williams who has toiled as administrator for several years at the Bayview Water & Sewer Department, will enlarge her duties to include the business of the chamber.

Jeanne Bjergo, co-owner with her husband Scott, of the Bayview Mercantile, since the Spring of 2007, was selected to be treasurer. Her qualifications as a lottery winner made her a shoo-in as well.

Board member at large, Donald "Bear" Rose, was the obvious choice for member-at-large, since he is probably the largest member of the chamber. Rose, until they sold the resort, was co-owner with his wife Sandy, of Boileau's Resort and the Buttonhook Restaurant. Now retired, also from survey engineering from Meckel Engineering, lives with his wife in a new home overlooking Scenic Bay, with a God's eye view of the lake.

Skip Wilcox stepped up as the chairman of the nominating committee that chose these fine people to run. The membership wholeheartedly agreed with him. He deserves recognition as the person that may have changed the course of this community.

With this new group, all dedicated toward Bayview, rather than limited interests, it should be a fine crew. We offer our congratulations and hopes for the future. It should be noted, that not all of these people chosen for the above responsibilities have lived here for 20 years, nor are any of them progeny of pioneer families. The old way of greeting newcomers to Bayview, was,"How long have you lived here," the implication being, the longer one had lived here, the more important or valuable or something, those that thought that way, were.

In the last few years, many that formerly recreated here from Spokane and other areas near by, moved to Bayview permanently. Others, lured by friends or relatives,or managed to find us on their own. Gradually, the old "how long have you lived here," has been replaced by individual evaluations as who and what the newcomers are. Some come here with delusions that they will change this backwoods place populated by characters from deliverance, to one of class and importance, not realizing that which they left behind should have stayed there. Those folks usually get spit out like a used up wad of chew.

One last thought. Business in Bayview have come to a screeching halt. While the Mercantile struggles on, helped by the price of going to town for everything, places like the Captain's Wheel, Terry's Cafe and Ralph's Internet Cafe are in trouble. Customer patronage has fallen way off. Partly, this is due to more of our seniors going south for the winter. Partly it is from many that have lost their construction jobs and aren't working. I urge each of you, if you are still in this area, to make a point of patronizing these local businesses, so that when spring comes and the tourists arrive, these places won't sit boarded up. Go out to dinner once a week if you can afford to. Stop by JD's or the Wheel for a toddy when the mood strikes you. Stop by Ralph's for breakfast or those great tacos he makes. Check out the lunches and breakfasts that Terry's has, and don't forget, Terry has just opened up a second terry's on Main Street in Spirit Lake. Get out and support your local businesses. They really need you.

Cranes, Cranes, Cranes, Everywhere

There are many varieties of cranes in this part of the country. We have Sandhill cranes, Whooping Cranes, Blue and Siberian cranes. Recently a new one has been discovered, called the Kramer crane. While the typical long legged crane hangs out near shallow water, using their long legs to get around, the Kramer crane dives hundreds of feet in search of whatever it is hunting.

The Kramer crane started of by being mounted on tracks so that it can climb onto or off of land or barges. Recently, one such bird was perched, actually I guess you could say it was roosting, on a barge hooked to a tugboat. Moored out on Cape Horn, near Bayview, the wind came up and set the whole rig adrift. The crew, showing up first thing in the morning for work, noticed the crane was no longer where they had left it.

Finally, it was spotted onshore at Lakeview, some five miles across Lake Pend Oreille. Nestled nearby was the tug that had become unattached during the stormy crossing. Still something just didn't seem right. Looking up, one crewman was heard to ask, *"Alright, whut did you do with the machine thingee." Denying culpability, they all shook their heads. It seems that during the wild ride across the storm tossed waves, the crane, like all others decided it was hungry and dove off.

Somewhere out there, is a tracked crane rated at forty tons, waving it's one arm to and fro hoping to snag something to eat. Perhaps a navy sonar towed array, maybe your fishing line with, or course your favorite can't miss lure attached. Such is the fate of an over ambitious bird. Another possibility is that overcome with grief after unintentionally being involved with injuring it's friends in the fish world, it committed suicide in remorse.

* (Quotes were made up by me. Sort of filling in the blanks, you see.)

Many Are Wondering ...

Since the Spokesman-Review made the severe cutbacks a while back, those of you that are used to seeing a column about Bayview or Athol or both, every week, are not. This doesn't mean I was replaced by another writer, but that in some cases to stay under budget, they are reprinting those articles from Spokane or other areas adjacent to Idaho. By reprinting them, they only have to buy the story once. I have been approached by numerous people asking why.

Editors are like anyone else, except for one thing. They choose what news to disseminate, but don't get much feedback, if any. I am not soliciting cheerleaders for my column. that would be unprofessional. There is, however,a list of editors and writers in every issue of the Prairie voice, along with ways to contact all of them by either E-Mail or phone. They do respond to reader input, but seldom get any. Usually, the only time they get a call is when someone doesn't like the story they just read.

So then, the bottom line is it is useless for you to approach me with things like,"I wish your column was still published all the time." If you feel strongly about it, call or write an e-mail expressing yourself to the editors. They are the ones that make these decisions.

Many of my friends that were staff reporters are now out of work. It isn't a pretty picture, and with advertising revenues certain to go down further, the future isn't bright. Whether neighborhood news survives depends on whether readers support the effort. If they don't, it's gone.

The Last Straw

Many tragic things have happened in the last month. Boats have sank, deaths have occurred, buildings have collapsed and I spent most of the last three weeks confined to my home. No, I wasn't under house arrest, but I might as well have been. either the road wasn't plowed, or when it was, the berm blew up the possibility of crossing it, then the marina plowed and the way was free. Except that when my car was in it's customary spot, the marina plow buried it.

I finally figured out how to beat the system. Hans Neubauer, Manager of Scenic Bay Marina would take pity on me when I removed my car, and re plow to allow my parallel spot to stay open.That was way appreciated, and a hearty thank you, Hans. The only problem with this whole thing, is that like the stars aligning, everything had to happen in sequence.

It doesn't do any good to have a parking place plowed out if the highway department comes after Hans does. My little Japanese excuse for a car doesn't jump two foot packed berms. ergo, stay at home. For the most part, I enjoyed the undemanding chore of looking out to see whether I could reach the paper box or not, because that was the only real important job I had. Feed the cat (cats) my neighbor has about six cats that are not apparently well fed and they camp out on or under my deck waiting for me to feed my one cat. On my way out for the feeding ritual, go get the paper. (spokesman-Review, of course) One day I pushed snow almost up to my waist. That was the day, the only day, that I wondered whether reading the paper from cover to cover was worth the effort. But hey, I went anyway. Having been the owner of "Herb's Paperback exchange in Dalton Gardens for a couple of years, I have lots of reading material.

But I digress. Of all the catastrophes that descended upon us this winter, none was worse than the one that transpired last night. To catch you up, my sister-in-law, Marilyn Huseland, sends me cookies at Christmas time every year. Chocolate chips, Peanut butter and the cream de la cream, date-nut cookies. The peanut butter cookies arrive at about half strength, being brittle, about half of them turn into powder. Still they are enormously tasty. The best? Date nut cookies. Alas, though, I finished the last of them yesterday. I languish in despair. Fortunately, when I get real frustrated, I make my own, since Marilyn coughed up the recipes for me. Still, it isn't the same. somehow going to the post office, carrying out a huge box of goodies is way better than doing it myself. Somehow, I'll survive.

It's Over (For Now)

Gone are the gigantic heaps of snow, the roofs moaning under stress. Gone is the snow piled higher that the tops of my sorrels.Tree limbs have regained their former appearance, stark and bold without the softening, decorative effect of snow. Much of the snow is gone, replaced by water with no place to go. Snow berms have dammed, and perhaps damned the water from seeking it's normal path, puddling gently between you, and where you are trying to reach.

Appearing again, is junk that didn't make it to the dump, vacant boat slips with just the fly bridge showing, as some boats, overloaded with snow and ice, tried their best to imitate the Titanic. Now instead of ice with packed snow covering our streets, we have ice with water covering them. Tree limbs litter the ground, ripped from the parent tree either from the earlier weight of snow, or the violent winds that kicked up when the warm front appeared.

This respite was needed, overdue and critical for us to have the ability to move around, and will last until the week-end, when winter is scheduled to return. Those that have boats stored in covered slips have all been spared, but some, even larger boats weighed down from the snow, siphoned full of water and sank in place. One pontoon boat loaded up with snow, flipped completely over, and is floating upside down.

Appreciation

This is about Bob and Debra Deimler, my back yard neighbors. They moved in here about a year ago and adopted me, as I did them. They live year around in a motor home that looks to be planted firmly in the ground, along with three Dachshunds, all of which also adopted me.Before they arrived, I had been mostly a hermit They wouldn't accept that and still don't. We have dinner together, sometimes at their place, sometimes at mine. We do this at least once a week. This of course, requires me to strive to greater culinary triumphs than when I eat alone. These people are my heroes. Doing things for people just because they want to, not because they think it makes them look good.


I didn’t get you a Christmas card, nor a New Years greeting either. What I did do, was coming home from my road trip, I managed to gripe and grumble about everything you did, even though you overhauled my home while I was gone. That, I guess is why they call us old people Curmudgeons.That you seem to understand that old people don’t like change of any kind, and get frustrated as hell over minor bullshit, you both seem to love me anyhow.

Ever time I turn around, when I am looking for ways out of a problem, you both without hesitation, jump up and solve my problems. Today, I worried about how I was going to dig out to get to my Doctors appointment, twice canceled for weather. Here I am, buried again. Suddenly, comes Bob. Can I do laundry? Absolutely, anytime. Then I mentioned that I was going to have to dig myself out after the coming storm. “Not to worry, Herb, we did it this morning.”

There are so many others that have risen above the required. Hans at Scenic Bay Marina for taking time out from rescuing the Sagging Boat sheds and float homes, to plow us out in our little mobile home court. Phil Stephan, noticing that my car had been parked at the Wheel for days, cranked his Bobcat up and scooped me out. Reid, Mark and so many others, working 12 to 15 hour days to help those that couldn't help themselves.Truly, I love you guys. "When the things get tough, then the tough get going," is an old expression. It couldn't be more appropriate than now.

This old man, has tears in his eyes.

Right vs Left! Where's the humor

For the last two weeks or so, Huckleberries on line has been without it's mentor, Dave Oliveria, while he lounges on vacation. As we approach the last day or so of life without DFO, many opinions have surfaced as to how we, the commentators did. I, too, have some opinions on that. First, most people that comment on line are opinionated. You may not have noticed.

For the most part, nay, always, the discourse has been very courteous. Sure, feathers get a little ruffled, but only a little and things calm right down. While I'm not a liberal, nor am I terribly right wing, I have for a while recognized that sometimes we conservatives lack a well nurtured sense of humor. Without trying to be unctuous, I congratulate all of you for being nice.

For a time, I resided in Orange County California, the heartland of the John Birch Society. I was a Reagan/Goldwater Republican and was many times labeled a "pinko," just because anything not right of Genghis Khan was considered liberal.

Here in north Idaho, I do find the same in some respects. Many republicans here are far to the right of my positions, as most Dems are far to the left, also. The most amusing thing about politics here, is that neither side recognizes where they are at in that equation. It appears that most humor from both sides is about the failings of the other.

Party leaders, which should be sales agents for their positions, are often given the honor, by being the most cranky, fractious of them all. It is no wonder that the various parties struggle for converts. They just don't try to convert anyone. It's all about anger, frustration and the belittling of the opposition. If that is salesmanship then I misspent my entire career.

Self depreciation, the ability to laugh at yourself, is most probably the most valuable principle you can possess. Get over your holier than thou attitude and laugh at your absurdities. It's fun. Let others decide what and who you are, while you bask in the knowledge that you love yourself.

In The Spokesman-Review January 31, 2005

Monday, January 31, 2005
In The Spokesman-Review today
U.S. Fish & Wildlife coordinator, Ed Bangs in an interview. "You can classify Wolves as anything you want but predators"...Duh? How about wildlife disposal units?...

An excited Iraqi after voting yesterday...Hamid Azazi, 57 said, "Even if I was dead, I would still participate!"...Hamid, are you sure you don't live in Seattle?

These were the first posts of my blog in 2005. Since then, I have posted 562 times, not counting today with a visit total so far of 43,414 curious folks.That's a lot of words, but then nobody has ever accused me of being speechless. As I gaze out my window, I am astonished at the beauty of the snowy trees backed by the gray waters of Scenic Bay. I am also damn tired of walking. My one day of freedom was spoiled by the rain turning back to snow. My car is buried again.

Wow! Three years of blogging, blurking and generally making a nuisance out of myself. Out of that, came the opportunity to write for the Spokesman-Review, which has substantially diminished with budget cuts, and the River Journal, out of Clark Fork. I sometimes wonder what is next on this roller coaster ride. speaking of roller coasters, there is a good chance that I will return to Silverwood this spring. When I'd, since employees cannot associate with the press, either have to stop associating with myself, or simply not write about the park at all, which is probably what I'll end up doing.

As far as the weather goes, I think I'll just stay in bed until spring. Well ... I am within walking distance of the Captain's Wheel, so I won't entirely go without sustenance.

PS: Bob & Debra from next door, took pity on me and shoveled out my car. This time I/m leaving it at the wheel until the weather or I, break, which ever happens first.