Summer fun

So, what do you do for fun in Northern Idaho?

The Northern Idaho County Fair

Rodeo! Yee-haw! It was so much fun watching the cowboys being thrown off the wild broncos. And to watch the cowgirls doing tricks on their majestic horses. And to see the 6-year-olds zooming around on their little dirt bikes during the motorcross. Oh, and the yummy FOOD! I had a "lambwich" for the first time. The elephant ears were pretty good too...

Succulent peaches, delicious huckleberries

We went peach picking at one of the orchards in Washington. We learned the difference between early ripening and late ripening peaches, and found out which peaches could have their pits easily removed. My favorites were the "Flamin' Reds." Ah, the sweet smell of peaches.

Huckleberry picking was another highlight of the summer! Wild huckleberries are purple and look/taste like blueberries, except they are smaller and a little more tart. I love 'em (especially with vanilla ice cream). They ripen around July/August here in the Pacific Northwest, but only in higher altitudes. People here go huckleberry picking every summer around this time. We went up with a few friends to Mount Schweitzer, a famous ski resort about an hour's drive away. And we stumbled upon a whole slope bursting with beautiful berries. After picking for two hours, Derek and I managed to glean a gallon of berries, which we promptly stored away in the freezer for a year's worth of yummy treats. (A gallon of huckleberries usually go for $30 at the farmers market!)

Note: All these photos, and more, can be seen on Derek's Flickr site. E-mail me if you need an invitation to join.