westward ho

The greenbelt runs along the Boise river for more than ten miles. It starts in the east at Lucky Peak dam and runs through downtown Boise and then on through Garden City. A paved biking/walking path lines one side or the other and, for much of the Boise Downtown section, both sides. I've been up and down both sides of the river downtown and some of the way to Lucky Peak. Okay, I've driven alongside the part that runs from downtown to Lucky Peak. Someday I'll ride my bike to Lucky Peak but not this year - I honestly can't see myself riding out there the next few weeks and with Fall arriving the weather will only hold for a few more weeks.
Tonight I tossed the dogs in the car and drove down to the greenbelt and walked west - toward Garden City. I haven't been down that end either. It's less developed or more properly, less redeveloped. There are empty, vacant lots and rundown light industrial facilities in parts but much of it is simply "open space" right up against the river. I saw a few people fly fishing. A family was enjoying skipping stones. We were passed by quite a few bikers. It seemed everyone wanted to get another trip on the greenbelt before it gets too cold.
Even now there are signs of Autumn all along the river. The locust trees are turning yellow already but they are the first to go each year. The wild grapes are turning bright blue on brilliant red stalks. Here and there oaks are turning red along with various creeping vines. The ducks and Canada Geese are flocking in preparation for their migrations. They fly low over the river and honk their lonesome calls to one another. I have a friend who doesn't like to see the leaves turn color because it means that winter is coming soon. It makes me a little sad to know they don't enjoy the moments, however brief, that make up Fall.

Hyde Park Street Fair

Hippies in Idaho? Believe it or not every fall a rag tag collection of flower children gather in Boise's North End neighborhood and put on a street fair. There are the obligatory booths selling crystals, tie-dye, peasant garments, spiritualism of every kind, and even free informational booths too. Planned Parenthood is there, along with the Regional Transit Department, Central Valley Health Organization and a few more. There's a children's play area complete with the ever more fantastical inflatable jump houses. They can't even be called jump houses anymore. There's a three story slide and a run down a lane with a bungee cord tied around you one which hardly fit the "jump house" category.
There are two stages for performing arts, and I use the term very loosely. Each year the local belly dancing class puts on a number. We're not talking fashion model waifs here - these women have hips to shake and quite of bit of belly with which to dance. I'm always impressed by how much they enjoy themselves up there on stage. They obviously are a great group of friends who know how to bring some happiness into their lives. Three cheers for the belly dancers - I'm learning how to add that kind of happiness to my own life. The other stage is for musicians and they come in all varieties: folk singers, punk rockers (at least I think that's what they were trying for), rockabilly, rappers and whatnot.
If you get bored of the shopping or the performances you can always sit on the grass and watch the people go by. For some reason the Hyde Park Street Fair brings out the hidden flower child in all Boiseans - especially if you are in high school and too young to have been there yourself.

my brand new cafe hat

Well, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Yes, I see you got your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat
Well, you must tell me, baby
How your head feels under somethin' like that
Under your brand new leopard-skin pill-box hat.
Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat - Bob Dylan

When you're bald, whether by preference or not, you have to wear a hat in the sun. The risk of skin cancer is too great these days to let vanity prevail and besides, there's nothing worse than running an electric razor over a sunburned head. Unless of course it's a disposable razor over sunburned legs. I'll have to ask my female friends about that one. At any rate, I have to wear a hat. Contrary to popular belief my head is rather small. In fact, the "one size fits all" baseball hats do not fit my head. I look rather foolish in them as they flop over my ears unless I cinch them tight in the back so they get all bunched up. At Art in the Park last week I spotted a new hat. It's called a "cafe hat". It reminds me of the old Chairman Mao Red Army campaign hats. This one has an artsy design with a bird in a circle of dots. Petty urban chic I think. Oh, and it was sold by the Boise Art Museum (BAM) so I'm supporting a good cause. My friend Tony from New York says it's ultra urban hip because BAM stands for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Everyone in the know about New York City's art scene would give an arm and a leg for one of these babies.

western skies

Nothing compares to the beauty of a western sunset. The whole sky is painted red, yellow and orange. I love the Boise sunsets at this time of year especially as we often get a light covering of wispy clouds, perfect for catching the colors. You can't see the sunset from our house. The towering trees obscure three quarters of the sky - not that I'm complaining, I love the trees of our neighborhood. But if you want to see the sunset you have to walk the few blocks and climb the hill in Camelsback park.

art in the park

Each fall Boise hosts "Art in the Park". It kicks off a month or two of community arts and faires. The Hyde Park Street Fair will be next weekend. It's Boise's version of Bohemia, hippy, summer of love remembrance. Think flower children come grandparents selling crystals, Alpaca wool garments, massage, and homoeopathic cure alls. But that's next week's blog.
Art in the Park. Each fall Julia Davis Park is overrun with masses of tents crammed with ketch, crafts, jewelery, cottage industry clothing, and rarely but still represented: fine art. Bands play in the center of the park at the band shell, surrounded by drive up "lunch wagons" selling everything from gyros to corn dogs.
Hundreds of people mill around dragging or being dragged by at least that many dogs (how many Great Danes can there be in Boise? I'm sure I saw all of them enjoying the arts)!
We met our friends in front of the Boise Art Museum and wandered through the fair with four children in tow. We weren't exactly aimless as our friends had a couple of items to pick up that their children had outgrown the previous year. The children had ideas of their own, the littlest one had her heart set on shaved ice. "Ice Daddy, ice," was her response to each question addressed to her. Mostly we enjoyed the sun, the ketch, and the easy slow paced conversation with good friends as we wandered beneath the towering trees.
We strolled though the rose garden at the end of our day while the children played hide and seek. What is it about a garden that children love to run along the paths among the formal plantings? The sky was blue and the sun hot and we all left exhausted. We were grateful we hadn't ridden our bikes like so many environmentally conscious Boiseans as we would never have made it home, our own power long gone.

DONE!

Two photo sets: one of my son's room, done a couple years ago now; and the newly finished daughter's room.