Autumn

“My sorrow, when she's here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be; she loves the bare, the withered tree; she walks the sodden pasture lane.” - Robert Frost

Autumn has arrived in Boise. Cooler temperatures, brilliant colors, golden light and pumpkin everything. I’m loving the cooler temps! Although I am seeing reports of snow in Montana. Yikes. I’m due to head up there in the next 4-6 weeks. I took a walk this week along the canal near my house. The canal was empty of water in preparation for colder weather and less need of irrigation for lawns and gardens. Although I love this season, there is something of melancholy sometimes in the grey days, falling leaves and empty canals.

Then there are golden days of frosty mornings and warm sunlit afternoons. This week I drove to mid/northern Idaho to a small town. Orofino lies on the banks of the Clearwater River on the Nez Perce Reservation.

The drive up to Orofino (about 4 1/2 hrs from Boise), took me back through the winding mountain roads through the Salmon River mountains opening into the Camas Prairie and then into the Clearwater Mountains.

I got stuck for 30 minutes in a construction zone in the mountains. I watched 3 men rappelling on the mountainside and moving rocks and debris down to the road below. It was fascinating and amazing. I tried to upload a video but failed.

The road from Kamiah to Orofino glides alongside the Clearwater River. It’s a peaceful, winding road and a truly enjoyable drive.

In Orofino, I stayed at the Best Western Lodge on the River. Nicest Best Western I ever stayed at - with beautiful views.

I haven’t seen any funny signs lately on my travels. But I did find this description about Orofino on Wikipedia that struck me as funny.

“Orofino is home to state institutions: Idaho State Hospital North and the Idaho Correctional Institution–Orofino. These two facilities are located adjacent to Orofino High School, which includes the junior high or middle school grades, and whose mascot is the Maniac.”

It was nice to have some rain finally. I hope it helps the fires. And the clouds were gorgeous on the drive home.

Next up is a trip back to Spokane, Washington and Moses Lake. And eastern Idaho the following week. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the Autumn weather.

As always, thanks for reading.

Gypsy Jules