Getting Ready for Winter

That's a big stack of hay. The gray skies in the background don't indicate stormy weather. That's the smoke that has socked in so much of the state for weeks.

Wild West Crime

A perfect crime opportunity. Hills on all sides to launch an attack on coaches below. Always makes me look over my shoulder even today.

Doorway Monsters

Lurking in a Downtown Boise alley.

Fishy Prize

Did your kid win a goldfish or two at the Western Idaho Fair? Now what? I always wonder what happens to those unexpected new pets.

If Only It Were This Easy

Smoke has been the consistent "air quality" for a few weeks now.

Glad Season

Another sign that summer is winding down. The gladiolas are blooming. These were $1 a stem at the Capital City Public Market.

The Most Dangerous Carnival Ride

The sickest I ever felt on a carnival ride happened on this one. We maybe spun the cars a bit too much.

Deep Fried Everything

The Western Idaho Fair is open through Sunday. I hope I get another chance to go. There's so much to see.

Tiny Alley Art

With a sweet thought.

Play Me

So, this showed up in Downtown Boise. A public piano. I stopped to play a few notes.

Tour de Fat = Crazy Cool

The bicycle parade for the annual Tour de Fat celebration - as part of the Fat Tire beer festival. Hundreds of people of all ages joined in the fun.



Next year, we're signing up for the parade!

Cubed

Stepping outside Boise today to share this piece of public art. Or, maybe it's a company logo? I saw it on the way to Sun Valley last week.

S-T-I-N

Landscaping is hiding the rest of his vintage piece: K-E-R. An old fixture for a Stinker Station. Gas station and convenience stores that still exist around the valley.

Rock Garden

Rock stacking is popular along the Boise River. Pull your raft or tube over while floating and give it a try.

Early Morning Drive into the Boise Foothills

If you keep heading north on Eagle Road, the pavement ends and it's hard to believe the city is just a few miles away. These tires keep cars and trucks away from the edge of the cattle guard.

Smokey Bear Says: Extreme Fire Danger

Boise and many other communities have been covered with smoke for several days because of fires burning in the Idaho mountains, as well as smoke coming into the area from Nevada.

Mutant River Rat

This scary fellow lives at the Boise Army Navy store. Nice to see he's conscious about water safety.

Serious Smoke

The smoke that's socked Boise in is coming from...Nevada. Not that Idaho doesn't have its share of fires going on, too!

Annual Hummingbird Banding in Pearl

Twenty birds banded north of Boise, in Pearl, yesterday and one bird caught already had a band. Master bander Fred Bassett will do some research to trace that bird's route. Two years ago, one caught here was banded in Louisiana the year before. Update: the already-banded bird received her jewelry in St. George, Utah, May 28th this year.
All black-chinneds this year. Each bird caught was measured and weighed for a research project Fred is working on.

He bands birds near his home in Alabama in the winter.

Archaeological Dig in Downtown Boise

We stopped in to check out the archaeological dig going on at the Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House on the Basque Block in Downtown Boise. An old well was discovered when the porch was being remodeled, and back in the late 1800s, when a well was no longer needed, it became a garbage pit. The doll arm pictured above was just brought up from around eight feet when we arrived.
The house was built in 1864 and these artifacts are likely from the first family to inhabit the home. They were fairly well-to-do, which explains why some things were thrown away that might have been reused by others. The home later became a Basque boarding house.

Muppet-cycle

This fuzzy bicycle was spotted at the Downtown YMCA.

We'll Sign Anything

Love the vintage pieces in the window. This sign shop is near Hyde Park - Boise's North End.

Is That a Submarine? In Idaho? With a 666 on it?

Stepping beyond the Boise Valley for today's post. We came across this submarine sail while road-tripping last weekend. It's in Arco, in a small park called the Idaho Science Center. We spent an hour there talking with a retired INL scientist about the work he did related to the first nuclear-powered submarine, and how they improved the technology over time. He requested the sail be sent to Idaho when the boat was decommissioned. He said it was called the Devil Boat, and one night not long after it arrived, someone did a paint job to change the 666 to GOD.

Wash Day Improvements

I am so thankful I don't have to use this every day. Hard to imagine today's washing machines being sold as "antiques" in the future, but it will happen?

Big Forest Fire - Smoke Looks Like a Tornado

The Halstead Fire is a big worry. It's at around 23,000 acres and threatening homes and campgrounds.

A Neighborhood Grieving

A roadside memorial for a 10-year-old boy who was killed while riding his bicycle. He was hit when a driver couldn't see him because of overgrown landscaping. So sad.

Say "Hi" to Eric!

He rode his unicycle into Flying Pie because...well, you don't really need a reason at Flying Pie.

Where's Waldo? On the Party Bus?

What an interesting relic. I wonder if someone is restoring it?

Deluxe Outdoor Seating

Unusual choice for outdoor furniture.

The Watermelon Says...

Seen at the Capital City Public Market.

LunchBOX vs. Lunch Box

Same name, definitely not the same thing. On the left, a business in Downtown Boise. On the right, a business that used to be on Chinden Boulevard (disappeared in the 90s?).