Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Boise, Idaho - Love that beautiful air - 9/7 - 9/27/2016

Of all the places I've been I don't think there are any better people than in Boise, Idaho.  Right after getting off the plane we both felt the Western sweetness of the people in their smiles and greetings.  I do love Boise.

A highlight for me was breathing non-humid air.  After 3 months of walking every day in that heat and humidity I needed a breathing break.  The humidity day after day just feels like you have on SCUBA and you have to fight for air the minute you leave air conditioning.  After awhile it just wears a person down.  So I can literally say, "Boise was a breath of fresh air."

We had a totally crazy time here.  Started off with our the pizza party to try to see people, but many couldn't come so our time has been spent visiting and eating.  We did have about 40 people there though.












 When we come back next year I am going to have a different plan for eating because I have gained weight, been out of control, and had too much fun.  Gone out to lunches, to dinners, 3 BBQs, a wedding, met for pie and ice cream, and I've even cook a few meals.  Visiting and food goes together too well.

It has been so rich seeing our dear friends and I wouldn't have traded this trip for anything.  Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say and I think it is true.  I've seen old friends, reestablished some friendships, and made a few new friends too.  To say we're blessed is an understatement.

Faithfully did my daily walking, some where Robert lives, and lots on the Greenbelt, Bogus Basin.  Nice to be out and enjoy the season changing into Fall.  Happened onto a sunflower garden in Robert's neighborhood that I spent a lot of time in taking pictures and enjoying.





Kathy drove us up to Bogus Basin for a nice walk.
Such views from on top.  This is Boise's ski resort.

Idaho sunrises and sunsets






Table Rock - overlooks Boise and provides
a beautiful view of the valley and some great sunsets.

Here's an informal Idaho wedding, gotta have your cowboy boots. Wishing Jennifer & James many years of happiness.


Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs

Saturday evening was an additional walk for the day along the Greenbelt with my friend Cathy, then Thai food and hot tub.  We had a good evening together, relaxed and fun.  Robert and John went to Meridian Speedway and enjoyed their "guy time" watching the cars go round and round in circles.  I will never understand the allure of car racing.

Sunday was peach pie and ice cream with our friends, Chuck and Regina.  Chuck and I share a love for the sweet/tart peach pie they make a Fred Meyers and always have to have a piece together. I love their front yard which is xeriscape and they have organic tomatoes, zucchini and grapes growing there.  They shared some sweet grapes with me and they were so sweet.


Then off to a Mexican dinner and fun evening at Jim's house with friends.  Fun sitting on the patio under the hanging lights.


Let's see, pie and Mexican dinner.......hum, wonder where that 10 lbs. came from.

Monday, a lovely day for my morning walk with a nip in the air and I could feel Fall coming on.  We're in the midst of tree changes.



Then the three of us drove up to Idaho City, had lunch and did a little gold panning.  A nice family day, perfect weather and it felt so good to be up in the mountains and out on the Island Gold Claim again.







We've spent so much time on this beautiful gold claim

Tuesday we drove to Jackpot, Nevada for two nights. The second night our friends from Utah came down and then they head for a concert in Las Vegas. Enjoyed the pool, hot tub and a few drinks. We always buy liquor when we go down here as the price is better.  

Most of this is to take home.

 Ruby and Barb.  He's been John's friend since
high school.  They are both truck drivers and he just retired.

I had to take some of my friends on the "Petunia Trail" I discovered.  Just a magical place and we needed pictures.



Linda

Gena

Mary and I walked around to the front of the house
since we were curious to see how it looked.


Mary

Cathy

More Greenbelt photos.  I used and appreciated the Greenbelt more than when I lived here.  It is a Boise treasure.

Next to the Greenbelt.  My favorite hamburgers in the 
world, closed their doors after 40 years.  So many
great places are gone with all the chain restaurants.


Boise River - Greenbelt, Eagle area


Great walking Meet Up group I joined and made 
a new friend, Stacy (on the right).


 Greenbelt downtown.  Lovely homes along the
Boise River and they are faithful BSU fans.

Made this walk several times.

Fly fisherman right downtown Boise.  Living here nature is
just around the corner.  No long drives to get outside to hike, fish
kayak, float the river, walk in nature.

Fall starts along the River.

The Morrison Knudsen Nature Center.  This is an interesting place we always took our visitors.







My friend Mary took me to Cleo's Ferry Museum and Nature Trail in Melba, Idaho for a great afternoon together.  A very different and interesting place that was peaceful and very serene.*


Along the trail are about 100 different birdhouses.








This little guy just posed for me.

A real mish mosh of all kind of interesting thing.

Thanks Mary for the great day and our lunch at Big
Jud's was delicious, not The Pantry but good.


Great walks out by Reserve Street Armory, around the Old State Penitentiary and Table Rock at sunset.

Table Rock from Old Pen parking lot

Boise, Old Penitentiary, open in 1872 and 
closed in December 1973.

Guard Tower

Women's Prison next door.

Up at the top - Table Rock
Art work on a building up there.

View of Boise from Table Rock
  



Great evening walk at Kathryn Albertson Park and then dinner at Wok Inn Noodle. 

Many geese munching in the grass.

He seemed sort of pooped out.

Still waters run deep.


I've never seen a white rabbit like this out in nature.  I think
 he must have been a domestic escapee.  We got pretty close to him and he didn't seem to panic.  Other rabbits in the park were
 not white like he was and he was alone.


This rabbit was with a group, all brown.  
The white rabbit was all alone.

Nice park for wedding and graduation photos.  
Hardly ever come to this park without photographers 
around.  I made Cathy pose.

Usually see deer in this park, but none this day, only rabbits.
A very peaceful and beautiful park.

Mary's birthday and we celebrated Betsy's too.  Betsy
brought a cake and we had a nice celebration.

The bliss I felt visiting our past home was deep. Number one was being blessed with so many loving friends......being able to get together for a short visit, meal, walk. I was restored with love and the beauty (including the air) in Idaho. Thank you to all who made time to be with us.

It was great to see Robert and spend time with him.  We had to have our annual mini golf challenge that I was determined to win......  We had lots of fun anyway.


There was some type of yellow tree nut
that John started to hit thinking it was his ball.



I just don't know what happened.

And, of course, with my love of state capitols I had to revisit Idaho's. I've been here many times but hadn't take lots of photos. It is beautiful, not as fancy as some we've seen, but it suits Idaho. The one thing that does seem missing is art work. I think they could have a bit more from Idaho artists.  

Entirely completed in 1920, the "Capitol of Light" has had several face lifts, both exterior and that latest interior that was competed in 2006.  Originally built for $2.1 million, and at today's prices, replacement would cost $100 million, with many materials irreplaceable.


Government in action.  Protest of Standing Rock water 
pipe on the day I visited.  Always something at the capitol.


Gleaming marble.





Such beautifully decorated floors.






Look at the telephones

Stairway to the Dome.  Not part of the tour.


George Washington Equestrian statute, 
1869 by George Ostner, carved wood.

"Winged Victory" given to Idaho by France after WWII, came on the "Merci Train".  An interesting story I never knew about.**






Idaho's Capitol Building is the only one in the United States heated by geothermal water. The hot water is tapped and pumped from a source 3,000 feet underground.




Lovely city with so much to offer. What changes I have seen over the 30 plus year I've known Boise. The complexion has changed greatly from a smaller, more rural town into a vibrant, younger, foodie seeking, and alive city. This ain't no sleepy burg anymore. It is all good.

We enjoyed the heck out of being back to Idaho, Washington and Nevada. A born and raised Westerner and will always be, there are many differences in case you don't know that. We plan on making it back next year for another great visit.


If you haven't visited Idaho put it on your list.


*http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cleo-s-ferry-museum-and-nature-trail

*https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g35529-d8341556-Reviews-Cleo_s_Ferry_Museum_and_Nature_Trail-Melba_Idaho.html

**  Following World War II, American citizens donated more than $40 million worth of food, clothing, medicine, and other supplies to France.  To reciprocate, French citizens packed 49 boxcars—one for each state and the District of Columbia—full of artwork, cookware, and other unique treasures for America.  Idaho’s boxcar arrived on February 22, 1949, and among the items it contained was a plaster replica of the Greek statute “Winged Victory of Samothrace.” The original rests in the Louvre, but workers carefully unpacked this copy and placed it in the capitol, where it has remained, except for a brief period during the capitol restoration when experts from the Idaho State Historical Society moved and restored it.  Learn more about Idaho’s “Merci Train” boxcar in an exhibit at the Old Idaho Penitentiary.