Marsh Creek and Marsh Valley

 Evenings in the summer can be quite beautiful in the Mountain West of the United States. It is not uncommon to have evening rain showers and with it beautiful sunsets.

These photos are taken in Marsh Valley in Idaho. The first is of Marsh Creek with the valley in the background. The second is of a different angle of the valley with the traces of a double rainbow over sagebrush. It is times like these that a person wonders why anyone stays inside when there are things worth seeing and experiencing out in the world.

Showers at Sunset - Marsh Creek, Idaho

Rainbows Over the Flats - Marsh Valley, Idaho

Lightning Storm

here are a few photos from a summer lightning storm in Idaho. The storm was spectacular! I was slightly in a valley so you can see what looks like a big black band at the bottom of all the photos. The black are is actually a type of mesa flatland above the valley.

Lighting storms are wondrous and marvelous to behold. They are full of energy. They can also cause destruction when the lightning hits. Besides the direct destruction they can also cause wildfires. I like to think of them as those lights that entice bugs to fly to them but also kill the bugs when they touch it.

Lighting Strike at night in Idaho

Lighting Strike at night in Idaho

Lighting Strike at night in Idaho

Lighting Strike and Water Droplet Blur at night in Idaho

Idaho After Rain

We were up in Idaho for a few days and it rained a bit. The rain was welcome because the day before the sky was full of smoke from recent fires. Rain cleared the skies and helped fight the fires, a much needed relief.

Near Virginia, Idaho after rain - 24 photo panorama

Rooster on patrol after rain

Horseshoe Canyon, Idaho - Near the Town of Sam

8 photo Panorama. Mt Manning and Horseshoe Creek area seen from Horseshoe Canyon

Not many people know about the town of Sam, Idaho. It was a coal mining town back in the day up Horseshoe Canyon. The canyon is west of Driggs, Idaho. 

When you drive up the canyon you should be able to tell that the road has a smooth constant incline for the most part. This is because the road used to be the railroad track. The train would go up the canyon to load up on coal. Where the line ended there was once a bridge across part of the canyon, so the train could turn around to go back down the canyon.

Around the town of Sam there were many mines. I know this because my wife's grandfather grew up in the canyon and he showed me where many of the mines used to be. He also told me about the railroad track turned into road and many other little treasures. It was in this area that he raised a porcupine as a pet from when it was a baby. It is also the area where his brother sat on a different porcupine one night in the outhouse. There are many stories I have heard and countless others that happened. It is amazing how some of the places in the area got their names.

Horseshoe Canyon is a lovely beautiful place. You get a great view of the Tetons and enjoy the beauty of the area. I highly suggest seeing the area but just know the road is narrow.

24 photo Panorama. Mt Manning and Horseshoe Creek area seen from Horseshoe Canyon

looking west from Horseshoe Canyon at sunset.

 photo Panorama. Mt Manning and Horseshoe Creek area seen from Horseshoe Canyon at sunset.

The Teton Mountains seen from Horseshoe Canyon at dusk

The Teton Mountains seen from Horseshoe Canyon at dusk.

 photo Panorama. Mt Manning and Horseshoe Creek area seen from Horseshoe Canyon at dusk.

Colorful campfire flames.

Quaky (Quaking) Aspen at night.

Hummingbird carving in dead tree.

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - Beach, Park, Food

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is one of those places I have fallen in love with because of its beauty. Trees abound and there is plenty of water. We passed through mostly but we found a few treasures to see and experience.

A Little Girl's Red Radio Flyer - Coeur d'Alene City Park, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Coeur d'Alene is on the edge of Lake Coeur d'Alene. The city goes right to the waters edge. The lake is great for boating and is actually a great way to get around in the area. Lake Coeur d'Alene extends close to 20 miles to the south. The lake is beautiful and just calling for recreational enthusiasts. Coeur d'Alene also resides near Coeur d'Alene National Forest. The trees grow closely side by side. Once you visit you will want to live there. Granted I did visit in the summer.

Light Coming Through Trees - Coeur d'Alene City Park, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Down by the water front there is City Park. The park is in between a beach on the lake and Memorial Field, a baseball field with an old-time feel. The park has huge - no... giant - trees. The trees are tall and have thick trunks. It also has one of the best play areas I have ever seen. It has multiple themes in it. One part my wife liked. It had the mask symbols for theatre and drama. It is a place where you could have your own little puppet show! Almost the whole playground is made out of wood. It is beautiful and adults would find themselves wanting to be a child again. I saw some who couldn't help themselves and had to get in touch with the child inside.

We did see a little girl riding her little red Radio Flyer tricycle in her sun dress. She rode her bike while her father walked along side. She parked the bike so she could go play in imagination made of wood. The bike looked so nice where it was that I had to go take photos of it.

14 photo panorama - Lake Coeur d'Alene Beach, Coeur d'Alene City Park and Beach, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

After the park, beach, and water front we decided to get something to eat. We looked around downtown Coeur d'Alene but nothing seemed to be what we wanted. There were many places to eat and there were many people in all of them. After failing to find a place we drove around looking for a different place. We finally found a great place called Pepe Caldo Pizzeria on 1606 North 4th Street in Coeur d'Alene. It is a small business and they make pizza, pasta, salads and more! We ordered two calzones and took a seat and played some games while we waited. The whole place was being run by one woman at the time. When we arrived we were the only people but the place had a more people come in while we were waiting for the calzones. The people all seemed to know each other. It was a nice small town feel. After a bit of a wait, which was more than worth it, we got our delicious golden Calzones. The Calzones were huge! HUGE! They were also delicious. DELICIOUS!

Two huge mouthwatering calzones from Pepe Caldo Pizzeria in Coeur d'Alene

We had to be back on the road and after the long day we left late. We ate the calzones in the car and we took a quick photo before we feasted on the delicious food. Writing about it makes my mouth water. We will need to go back just to eat there.

In short I highly suggest to go visit, play and eat in Coeur d'Alene.

Enjoy the rest of the photos from our short stay in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

19 photo panorama - Coeur d'Alene City Park, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

A curious squirrel in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

My lovely wife displaying a large and tall evergreen tree in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Theatre/Drama masks from the puppet show "stage" at the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Puppet show "stage" at the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Radio Flyer tricycle - taken in the Coeur d'Alene City Park

Hay... A Year Ago Today

Last year at this time I was in Southern Idaho and I dropped by Fuhriman Ranch and took some photos of  hay and horses. I love the old time haystack. You should see how it is all done. The harvesting of the straw hay here was done with teams of horses rather than with a tractor.

I would have put these up a year ago but I was unable to do so. 

Also enjoy the sprinkler garden totem at the end of the post.

Straw Haystack

Straw Haystack

Straw Haystack

2 photo panorama - Straw Haystack

Straw Haystack

Straw Haystack

Straw Haystack and Arena

Straw Hay & Chaff 

Straw Hay

Straw Hay

Sprinkler Garden Totem

The Falls at Idaho Falls - Snake River

A year ago the Mountain West of the United States received a good amount of snow, and much rain and snow in the Spring. Because of all the water there was much run off and muddy high water. This panorama in in Idaho Falls, ID taken of the falls on the Snake River. You can see the muddy colored water and the water flowing over everything.

Idaho Falls on the Snake River. High Water Panorama - May 30, 2011

If I were near Idaho Falls I would take a panorama now to let you see the stark difference between now and last year at this time.

When There Is No Snow For An Idaho Winter

 I took these photos back at the end of December in Idaho. There has been little snowfall this year in the western mountain United States. There has been some snowfall but in these photos almost all that white stuff you see is hoar frost... and it is beautiful. I won't write much here but enjoy the photos. Which ones do you like?

Versatile Tractor

Birdhouse

Russian Olive Tree... They look a little bit like sagebrush. Not my favorite kind of tree.

Frosted Chicken Wire

Wagon Wheel and Fence

The horses were very curious of me and my camera.

Hoar Frost Panorama - Idaho

 

Horses from Fuhriman Ranch. See more of the Fuhriman Ranch and photos from E. Fuhriman Photography on their blog. http://fuhrimanranch.blogspot.com/