We were welcomed at the Diamond T Ranch in Clark Fork, Idaho first by owner Brenda Wagoner and then, just as we were unloading our stuff, by a coyote giving voice just inside the woods next to us and being joined by whole chorus in the valley.
Yes, he was in those woods just beyond the clearing. After a week of carrying our own water, etc., it's a nice change to have running water, a kitchen sink and bathroom in the cabin. Very few guests are inhabiting the other cabins this week so the ranch is very quiet.
We spent a lazy day reading, swimming and windsurfing at nearby Trestle Creek Recreation Area on the shore of Lake Pend Orielle, the largest lake in Idaho.
We found numerous osprey nests in the area. They make use of elevated bridge girders and power line towers. Almost all of the nests we observed still had young in them.
A major rail line runs right past the ranch and somewhere between 15 and 20 freight trains go by daily (at least that's what our hosts assured us). We were a bit concerned initially if these would be an intrusion to our quietness, but we hardly noticed them. They only whistled going west and then it was just a dull roar as the 100 or so cars passed the ranch.
On Thursday morning Gene got up before dawn and drove up the mountain to our south then hiked the ridge for some quiet time with the Lord and waited for the sunrise. Upon returning to the cabin, there was a deer standing by the pond.
That evening we took our one meal out this week at the Squeeze Inn - a quaint little cottage in Clark Fork run by an Italian lady who really knows how to do food right. We were graciously served out on the deck as the various courses were presented a very relaxed manner.
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