4 - 13 - 12: Car Ride and Arrival

After saying farewell for now to the cats, Isabel, my mom, and I departed Bainbridge Island on the 9:40 a.m. ferry. We (and by we, I mean my mom) drove for approximately eight hours, with several stops, including Roslyn, Washington, a gas station in a quaint town called Spokane, a truly frightening museum which resembled an above-ground bomb shelter, and into which we did not venture, also in Spokane, and a grocery store in Sandpoint, Idaho. The most exciting stop was in Roslyn, Washington, the place where the droll 90s television show Northern Exposure was filmed.

We saw the KBHR radio station, courtesy of Maurice Minifield, The Brick, and the dandy camel mural for Roslyn Café. We arrived in Bonners Ferry, Idaho in the late evening and met Rob and Mimi, their children Emily and Devin, and their part livestock guardian breed, part golden retriever, Kiora. They are an incredibly kind and friendly family, and I am so totally stoked to be welcomed onto their farm for the next four months! After introductions, we unpacked the car into the luxurious palace of a trailer in which I will be staying. I am immensely pleased with the accommodations; I basically have a house / castle to myself (and Isabel, of course!)

Bonners Ferry is gorgeous, and the Kootenai River runs right through it. (Note: Kootenai is pronounced "KOOT-nee.") Another exciting thing which occurred today during our drive to the farm is that I found out the farm is right next to the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. Apparently, this is a hopping hotbed of activity for wildlife in this region. Just on our drive to the farm, we saw approximately twenty or thirty deer, as well as a plethora of birds, including a bald eagle. I plan to explore the Refuge on some hikes with Isabel and with binoculars this spring and summer.