A New Year

Hopefully, this one is a bit better than the last one.  It won't take much.  In fact, if nothing happens, that would be a huge improvement.

For New Year's Eve, Mark and I went up to McCall for the night.  The drive up was rather uneventful (thankfully) because there has been no new snow or even moisture to cause hazardous conditions.  Here's a few photos I snapped at one of the rest areas.

I don't think I've ever seen a sign like this before!

Inside the rest area, I was fascinated (doesn't take much) by this phone ... you couldn't even call it a pay phone because it wouldn't take money.  You could only make local or toll-free calls.  Thought that was odd.

Further up the road, the ice looked really cool

Took a short detour into New Meadows ...

It is gorgeous here in the spring.  We found Mark's favorite sign.

There's one on each side of the road.  Imagine that.

We stopped again a little later to take some photos of this wetlands area.  As I was standing there snapping a few photos, I kept hearing the ice cracking and kept looking for the critters that I was sure were there.  But there were none.

And you can't really see it in this photo, but I watched as a crack developed, and then a small chunk of ice fell through and splashed into the water.  The cracking was everywhere.  We must have hit it at just the right time of day where a little bit of this was melting.  The sound was really neat.

Once we go into McCall, we checked into the motel (details deliberated omitted), and then went to the Mill for a couple of yummy chocolate whiskey drinks.  Then off to Crusty's for some pizza.  They had some great chairs there, and this one absolutely sent me into a fit of the giggles.  This one, really, should be in my dining room. 

We hung out at the "Forest Service" bar and had a great time.  Even bought a t-shirt.  Was drinking some sort of yummy nutty beer ... a little heavier than I normally drink, but I think I might be on to something. 

Back in town, sort of ... Mark was showing me a little town that's not really on the map anymore (and the town's name I can't even think of now) ... but we passed by a small field of these adorable cows.  Highlands, maybe?

Look at her back leg.  Reminds me of a Muppet!  I love it!

Then yesterday, Mark picked me up so we could go horse trailer shopping and price checking, etc.  He said, "Grab your camera.  There's a fresh deer kill down the road, and a giant bird munching on it."  When we got there, there was a CC Sheriff parked directly in front of the kill, and the bird had moved off the kill and was patiently waiting for people to leave so he could get back to what he was doing. 

Initially, I thought it was a golden eagle, but the head isn't golden enough.  Looks more like a juvenile bald eagle to me.  I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Just down the road from there were two (what I thought were) weird looking herons. 

Was wishing I had a better lens, and a boatload more talent.

Late in the day, we went and picked up my saddle from DC's house and brought it home.  I think I might saddle Kahlua up today and try hopping on her and see how my back feels. 

More later ...

J