You’ve seen them by the side of the road, crude signs front and center: HUCKS. Pickers are usually waiting for your business on the way out of town by the Chamber of Commerce. They can also be found out by the Bonner Mall and McDonald’s these days. This year, pickers are getting $40 per gallon for clean huckleberries. Of course, they’re worth it.
When people say huckleberries are wild blueberries, they’re telling half the story. They’re leaving out the beauty and the magic. Huckleberries have a sweet/tart quality with a savory end note that’s hard to describe. In short, they taste wild. Maybe the wine gurus could do better describing the taste, but for me it is simple. They have a certain je ne sais quois that I will either pay $40 a gallon for or walk around a hillside all day in the heat with mosquitoes dive-bombing my head to get. Also, huckleberries vary in size/color/finish more than blueberries, which are pretty predictable. There are the shinies, the blackies and the hugies you squeal over when you find them. Each one is delicious and representative of the variation of Nature itself. Read the rest of Picking Huckleberries in the Mountains — Sandpoint, Idaho »
With a curious toddler in the house who could resist the county fair? Not us! We ventured out this past Saturday morning, which happened to be the last day of the fair, to see some animals and homegrown foods. We weren’t disappointed. Though it was the last day, and some animals had already been picked up, there was still plenty to see.
We arrived mid-morning at the Bonner County Fairgrounds and found close parking in the grassy lot. As we headed towards the wildlife building, we stopped to watch a haybale demonstration and look at some tractors up close. Then we headed into the wildlife building to look at the stuffed animals (not a toddler’s version of “stuffed animal”). We looked at bears, caribou, weasels, otters, owls…but then the insistent urges from our daughter of “see real animals!” pushed us towards the rabbit and poultry barn. Read the rest of The Bonner County Fair: A True Country Fair — Sandpoint, Idaho »
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Great news, everyone! Here is something you can do every Saturday from spring to fall. It’s cheap and if you ask me, it will never, ever get old. That’s right – go garage saling in Sandpoint! The only catch is you will probably want to get up as early as possible to get the choicest goods.
To find out where the big ones are (the church rummage sales, the benefit sales, the multi-family extravaganzas), check the Nickel’s Worth. A new one comes out every Thursday, perfect to plan for Friday and Saturdays. Yes, now people regularly have sales on Fridays. So if you’re lucky enough to be off on Fridays, you are set. For the rest of us, Friday lunch hours are good for surreptitious saling. One of the most dependable venues to pick the Nickels’ Worth up at is Yoke’s, at the Bonner Mall. You’re there anyway, it’s great.
Alternatively, visit what I call the Little Known Bulletin Board, or the LKBB. It is located on Main Street in Sandpoint but is definitely off the beaten path, despite its address. Sandpoint United Methodist is very nearby. The street slopes weirdly. You’ll know it when you see it right there, out in the open. Read the rest of Garage-Saling, Sandpoint Style »
Each August the Bonner County Fair starts out with the annual rodeo. The rodeo is always the Friday and Saturday before the fair starts. I rounded up a few of my friends and went on Saturday night. We showed up about 30 minutes early and found that the grandstands were not full, as they had been in past years. I remembered that Wynonna Judd was preforming at the Sandpoint Festival so I figured some of the crowd was there. My friends and I picked out our seats and waited eagerly for the rodeo to begin. While we waited the cowboys and cowgirls were warming up their horses, walking them around the arena which gave us something to watch while we waited. The arena was filled with colorful rodeo outfits of fringe, glittery shirts and cowboy hats. Read the rest of Bonner County Rodeo - Sandpoint »
So you’ve grown a monster zucchini and you just can’t wait to show it off? Or maybe you’ve spent that last two years hand-stitching a beautiful quilt. Perhaps you’re sure your sow is the shapeliest porcine example in town. You’re certain your rabbit is the most adorable in Idaho? The Bonner County Fair is where you can see how your projects measure up to those of fellow citizens.
Here is how it works. The Fair rolls around about the third week of August each year. Look for what’s called the Fair Book earlier, say in July. You can pick it up free all over town. I usually get mine at the Co-op in Sandpoint, 125 Tibbets Lane. It has a color cover and newsprint pages.
Even if you never enter anything into the fair, read this booklet. It is different from so much of what you’ve read recently; trust me, no matter what you’ve been reading. This is an educational document. For example, did you know they’ll judge your jam on whether it has a percentage of 25% texture? Did you know you need to keep the leaves ON your kohlrabi for exhibit? Read the rest of Bonner County Fair – You Too Can Attain Glory Through Vegetables »
The Festival at Sandpoint is an annual event of summer music fun. Each year the line up is released in mid to late May and the mad dash for tickets begins. The festival is for eight days in August with a different act each night. There is usually a country night, rock night, a family night, which is a great way to get the kids to the festival and each year ends with the Spokane symphony. The festival gets some pretty amazing acts. In past years I have seen Peter Frampton, literally live, Jonny Lang, Los Lonely Boys, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and this year my boyfriend and I went with a group of friends to see Ziggy Marley. The lineups may change each year but the music is always great! Read the rest of The Festival at Sandpoint »
My husband called me from work the other morning. What are we doing tonight? he asked. Nothing, why? I replied. Well, I think there’s something Miranda might want to see. Oh? What’s that? I asked, intrigued. Elephants was his reply.
Here we are out on the western edges of the Rockies, which happens to not be prime elephant habitat. So how exactly would we go about showing our 2 year old daughter pachyderms? Turns out the circus had come to town! Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
There was very little advertising, or at least we didn’t notice any, so we heard about it mostly through word of mouth. Plus, on his bike ride into work that morning, my husband had seen the big tent being raised. But after a little time spent making some phone calls we learned the following: (1) the circus was in town for one day only, (2) there were two shows being offered (4:30 pm or 7:30 pm) and (3) tickets were available at Bonner Mall stores, such as Yokes, Sears, and Wonderland Studios. Read the rest of The Circus Comes to Town — Ponderay, Idaho »
People were talking about the storm, using phrases like “gully washer” and “frog choker.” A few individuals were propping up canopies and wiping rainwater from valuable artwork as a tentative crowd started milling through the fair. Several vendors, having attended to their own booths, were helping others tidy up.
Such is the life of an artist. Read the rest of Arts and Crafts Fair at City Beach– Sandpoint, Idaho »
So. You don’t particularly relish the idea of wandering from booth to booth, peering at lampwork beads, hand-carved stone, high-quality photography, watercolors, textiles, wood and ceramic art, or forged ironwork. And you’re not a fan of strolling in the park while your mate browses for finely-crafted items that can be found in this one place only once each year. You’d rather spend a perfect summer day at home…mowing the lawn, perhaps.
Well, then. Consider joining the folks who have paused in their shopping to enjoy a sitar concert, or some contemporary jazz, or maybe a bit of bluegrass. Watch a group of children as they learn to juggle; exhort a pair of epee-wielding fencers; marvel at the balance and grace of a stilt dancer. Have some caramel corn, grab a sandwich, wolf down a chunk of salmon. Meditate over a snow cone. Read the rest of Art on the Green– August 1-3, 2008, Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho »
