Cataldo Mission

Happy Birthday to me!!

Today was quite a full day filled with friends, family and fun. 

I started off at 6 a.m. this morning walking with Nikki, and we stopped at Jolt n Bolt and Nikki treated me to a coffee.  Since I am not having sugar, I don't get my usual German Chocolate Cake for my birthday dessert.  Instead I ordered a sugar free German Chocolate Cake Latte.  It was pretty good!  (Since it was 6 in the morning, we decided to go with a shot from behind.  Not quite ready for a coffee selfie that early in the morning!!)

Then my friend Carolyn arrived at 8 a.m. for Tea, Oven Pancake and fresh peaches.  Yum!  We had a wonderful visit, and she brought me a bouquet of birthday flowers.  I also gave her a tour of the backyard gardens.  It was a really nice visit.

Then I went to pick up April #1 for our birthday "Artist Date". If you don't remember, here is a definition of an artist date:

Artist Dates are assigned play.
The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore
something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly
“artistic” — think mischief more than mastery. Artist Dates fire up the
imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the
play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well
of images and inspiration. When choosing an Artist Date, it is good to ask
yourself, “what sounds fun?” — and then allow yourself to try it.

Yes, it says artist dates should be a solo expedition, but we have decided to join one another every so often and combine our artist dates.  Today, our date involved walking along part of the "Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes" between the Cataldo Trailhead and Latour Creek Wayside, and then visiting the Cataldo Mission.

 Here is where we started.

 April is off on our 4 1/2 mile walk!

 If you look really close you can see two moose in this picture.

 Some of the beautiful scenery.

 Ended at the Latour Creek Wayside before we turned back.

 Here is the Birthday Girl!!

 The Cataldo Mission, the oldest standing building in Idaho.

 

Selfie in the Cataldo Mission, getting Photo Bombed by Jesus!!

The Parish House

 

Again, it is back to experiencing the beauty in your own backyard...the beauty that is so close to where you live.  That was abundant today on our adventure.

Then I headed to Wallace to drive our car in the Idaho Statehood parade for the Sixth Street Melodrama.  But before the parade, my friend Angie stopped by the theater with some of her family, and sang me the Marilyn Monroe version of "Happy Birthday".  I was quite impressed.

Jan and I in the parade.

Then it was back home, and Molly bought me some delicious dinner from Wah Hing, and I spent some time on Facebook reading all my birthday wishes, and thanking everyone for what they said.

It was a wonderful, wonderful day.

And the festivities continue on tomorrow!!