4th of July on the Mountain

 About 7:30 pm Jay and I, and our neighbors, Pat and Cheryl and Davy and Theresa, rode ATVs up old logging roads through the forest (now fire access roads) on state land in our valley that switchbacked higher and higher up a mountain that forms the ridge line on the Idaho - Washington state border. At the rocky high point that looked down on Liberty Lake, Washington, Davy built a fire with wood he'd hauled up and we entertained one another, roasted wieners and drank beer, waiting for 10 pm when the fireworks would blaze up below us from a barge on the lake.

Me, Cheryl, Theresa & Davy roasting wieners

 I brought potato salad, Cheryl brought the workings for S'mores (toasted marshmallows, graham crackers, and Hershey bars), which were my first taste of the exotic concoction, and will be my last. Marshmallows are fine by themselves. Pat and Davy brought wieners and buns.

Jay at peace with his world

 It was a balmy summer evening, with only an occasional owl hooting to add to the atmosphere. There were no mosquitoes because we were up so high.  The lake was closer than appears in the photos. The fireworks were lovely.

I first knew Pat when he was about six years old and would come to stay with his Grandma Ferry in the valley. He has lived here for many years on the land first homesteaded by his grandparents.  Cheryl lost her husband nearly two years ago, and she and Pat met last year through an online dating service. She's selling her house in Spokane now, so she can permanently reside with Pat in Shenanigan Valley.

Cheryl and Pat

Theresa and Davy

Davy was just a kid when he and his parents moved from New Jersey to a farm next to my parents' land.  He's the one who found this lovely spot.  He and Theresa also met through on-line dating early in the spring.  When she came to reside in the valley with Davy, Theresa brought her mastiff, Molly, a great companion for Davy's Australian shepherd, Duke.




These are the neighbors we have come to rely on as friends, and we hope it's mutual.




Looking west over the Spokane Valley and the city of Spokane beyond, I believe we all felt good about our place here in the valley and in our America.  A full moon rose behind us across the valley over Big Rock.  

After the fireworks that brought out child-like exclamations from us all, the fire was carefully extinguished (it is our own valley we must protect), we packed up our trash, and headed back down the mountain, going north and then south, switchback after switchback, meeting pockets of cold air, then warm air, the headlights  throwing good light ahead and to the sides among the tall timber.  I hope we'll do this again next year.

Sunset over Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake