July in Idaho

Hubby and I are winding down another stay at our Idaho home.  It was unusually hot for July, high 90's and a few triple digit days.  Leaving humid Texas is always a delight...however, even though it is  a dry heat here in the high desert, when it is over 100 it is still really hot.  It's still been in the 60's in the early a.m. so we get out early, have our breakfast on the deck, then get to work.  Hubby has done a lot in the garden, thinned out a lot of overgrowth of flowers that tend to take over, redone the path that goes around the back of the garden under the pine trees. He's done a lot of basic home improvement projects, like he does every time we are here.  I have done some work in the yard, and in the house. A little bit anyhow.  Mostly I have done artwork, hung out with friends, cousins, Sister and Mom.  I've read 2 Louise Penny novels while here as well. Oh and every evening and most mornings we are visited by the quails. They are so sweet, but they move so fast it is hard to catch a photo of them. I love watching them scurry across the yard. 

 The main reason I love being in Boise, is the view of my backyard from the family room, kitchen and sun room. It's like staring at an aquarium to me, in the calm feeling it gives me. 

There are a lot of Hostas.  I want to plant more of these giant ones in the shade beneath the pine trees.  This one seems quite happy here. 

Tiger Lilies I had forgotten were there.  Discovered after Hubby cleaned and thinned out a lot of overgrowth.

We've had the joy of being here almost the entire month of July this time.  We had a family reunion of sorts a few Sundays ago.  With so many cousins living here within a 100 mile radius, the family has these get togethers often.  We miss most of them, but thankfully were here for this one.  One of our cousins was out from Nebraska for a week, so of course it was a reason for another big dinner at Aunties place. We hadn't seen this cousin since we were youngsters many years ago, so it was great getting caught up.   It was 100 that day and we had an outdoor picnic.  It was incredibly hot, but there was shade and fans running. We all had a good time.  My Aunt is 86 and her husband is 85...they have the most amazing garden, with flowers and veggies and fruits.  We've had the most delicious raspberries, that taste just like the ones I remember from childhood.

One day husband, sister and I took a day trip to Shoshone Falls, a two hour drive from Boise.  It was a nice drive, and the falls were beautiful, even though they were running quite low as it is late in the season.  The best time to go this year has been in April.  We still enjoyed it and got a few good photos. We also got to see some base jumpers at the Perrine Bridge that spans the Snake River. 

We're heading back to Austin, where I hear they have had 25 days in a row of temperatures over 100. When it is like that I become a cave dweller of sorts.  Out in the a.m. to do what errands have to be done, then home for the day, thankful for A/C. It takes me about a week to recover from the differences in humidity between Boise and Austin. If you've read this far, thanks for visiting me in My Own Private Idaho.