The theme for this week’s Sunday Stills challenge is “In Your Town.” The last time I used this theme was December 2018—time to revisit, don’t you think?
What is special about your hometown or the town in which you currently reside? Do you have a favorite town?
“Something about the month of December invokes images of quaint towns decorated for the holidays, like you might see in Norman Rockwell paintings.” ~Terri Webster Schrandt, 2018
My sister-in-law loves to decorate. At the end of November, she already had her Christmas town up.
When I posted this theme in 2018, little did I know then I would move to Northeastern Washington State. Most of you know I live happily in Nine Mile Falls, a small, rural town north of Spokane in Stevens County. We’re about a 2-hour drive from the Canadian border, and one hour drive to Idaho.
“This country is made up of small towns and big dreams.”- Brian Mulroney
Nine Mile Falls Local Attractions
About 20 miles north of Spokane, WA, Nine Mile Falls greets you as you enter the town of “9 Mile” as we call it.
Well enough known, in fact, when we drive 30 minutes to North Spokane from home to visit retail shops, I ask the clerk if I can “use the restroom–I live in 9 Mile.” They nod knowingly and point the way!
As we began our move here in late 2020 from Northern California, I spent a lot of time online looking at the local attractions. Once we moved into our home in March 2021, we couldn’t wait to visit! Nearby Riverside State Park boasts the 40-mile Centennial Trail that begins in 9 Mile, and local attractions can be found along this extensive multi-use trail.
When friends and family visit us for the first time, we take them to the nearby Bowl and Pitcher on the Spokane River, from where the 9 Mile falls are dammed, creating Lake Spokane.
When picking up folks from the airport, a favorite stop for a meal close to home is the 291 Brewhouse. Their street tacos are amazing. We stopped here two days before Thanksgiving for a meal with my stepdaughter and her husband and watched the snowfall.
A Town For all Seasons
“Living in a rural setting exposes you to so many marvelous things – the natural world and the particular texture of small-town life, and the exhilarating experience of open space.” – Susan Orlean
There is much to do and see in my small town of about 4500 people any time of year. Some of my favorite seasonal activities:
Venturing Out
In August, I became a part-time reporter for the local monthly newspaper, and enjoy interviewing new local business owners and writing timely feature articles. My first assignment out the gate, two days after being hired, was to interview Sandpoint, Idaho artist Shaun Deller who volunteered to repaint the faded and historically inaccurate murals on the Spokane House Interpretive Center. The Friends of Spokane House and Riverside State Park organizations helped fund the paint and other materials.
“I did stories about unexpected encounters, back roads, small towns and ordinary folk, sometimes doing something a little extraordinary.” – Charles Kuralt
Speaking of Idaho, the border city of Coeur D’Alene is an hour’s drive from our home. Not only can we see eagles in 9 Mile, but Lake Coeur D’Alene is home to the winter fishing grounds for American Bald Eagles.
Beyond the Idaho border, another hour’s drive is the quaint, historic town of Wallace.
A Quaint Small Town Vibe
If you are reading this on December 4th, it’s my birthday! My sis-in-law decorated her dinner table last week with plates from the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” and insisted I sit at this place setting:
Thank you, Denyse Whelan, for being the first on Facebook to wish me a happy birthday!
This evening is the 9 Mile Christmas tree lighting event. So very “Hallmark movie channel”–I love it! New pics coming.
And one more fun photo for Bushboy’s Last on the Card challenge…12 inches of snow!
Inspiring Photo Challenges
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
- Bushboy’s Last on the Card
- Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Caramel Color
- Hammad’s Weekend Sky
- Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
- Lens-Artists: Diagonals
- Marsha’s WQW: Writer’s Choice
How To Participate in the Sunday Stills Photo Challenge
Sunday Stills weekly photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared photos of their favorite towns. I add these all week as new links are posted.
- YOUR BLOG’S NAME HERE!
- Always Write
- Calling All Rush-Babes
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Equipoise Life
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s Views and News Image shared in comments
- Lady Lee Manila
- Light Words
- Loving Life
- Now At Home
- Quaint Revival
- Southwest Rambler
- Stevie Turner
- This is Another Story
- Travel with Me
- Woolly Muses
Last week, many bloggers including me, joined Lens-Artists’ challenge “Home Sweet Home” hosted by Tina. This week you can tell us more about your favorite town!
Please join me next Sunday for the last monthly color challenge of 2022 — COBALT (blue).
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