Wind Songs: Idaho Falls Greenway

On a very beautiful fall day while LCs' brother was visiting with us, we all spent a few hours together wandering the Idaho Falls Greenway.

Idaho Falls in the biggest city in the south east, with a population around 52,000.

We don't don't go to Idaho Falls very often, but after living for so long in a tiny town of 29 people, it always feel like a shock to go to the "big city".

The sheer volume of traffic feels overwhelming, and it always feels as though every thing and every one is moving too fast.

The sheer number of stores, bars, restaurants and gas stations feels a little overwhelming (even to a woman who lived in the capital cities of both Queensland, Australia and Ontario, Canada).

And there is just so much..............noise, businesses, traffic, signs, so much so much.

Thankfully the greenway is not too far into the city and we quickly parked the Tahoe and climbed out, on a very beautiful, warm, and sunny early fall day.

It was a perfect day to wander.................

The dynamic duo.

By the time we walked the greenway Gary had been with us for a few days.

Both brothers were well rested, and both were greatly enjoying their visit with each other.................

Of all the busy, noisy craziness that is Idaho Falls, this place - THIS place - is the most wonderful.

The Idaho Falls Greenway is an extraordinarily beautiful green space that winds its way through the city, and that allows residents and visitors to experience nature right inside the city limits.

It contains all kinds of wonderful.

The Snake River that cuts right through the city, and the man-made falls that roar and drop, creating interesting and unique levels of fast flowing water.

Statues. Bridges. Walking paths and boardwalks. Grass and trees and endless flowers. Unique benches. Squirrels and ducks. People walking with others, walking with their dogs, roller blading and bike riding, and fishing and duck feeding.

When my sister Lisa and her husband visited from Australia in May the weather was still alternating between warm and sunny, and cold and damp.

Spring comes late to this part of the world.

There was little growth at that time. No flowers. Mostly leafless tress.

But on this day with Gary, it was gorgeous.

The dryness and stillness and endless cloudless skies and endless hot days of summer were gone.

We were moving into fall and then quickly into winter, and THIS weather I love...............

We had parked the Tahoe in a hotel parking lot on the right side of the four lane city street.

After snapping a few pictures we crossed over the bridge.

The plan was to quickly explore the small Asian-inspired park on this side of the street, and then cross over the street and wander the greenway proper.

I doubted that we would walk very far in truth, but it didn't matter.

It was a beautiful day and we were in a beautiful place, and it was all good...................

The first of many unique benches that we would find in our travels.

This one was a serene and simple design, made of large concrete slabs.

Simple, clean lines, beautiful.................

Walking a bridge across the Snake, for the second time in our visit...................

As we reached the major street I realized that Gary had stopped to listen to this street singer, and I waited with him as LC pushed the Walk/Don't Walk button.

As I turned to pay attention to the young man (who was singing for the tossed coins that passers-by threw into his guitar case) I realized that he sounded horrible.

Gary seemed engrossed in the performance though and instead of listening to the singer I turned my attention to Gary.

Gary had grown up in the same musical family that LC had grown up in.

Had sang on the same TV shows and radio shows, sang in the same churches, and under the same revival tents that LC had sang on and in and under.

The whole family had traveled continuously and sang as a family in all of these venues as the three siblings were growing up.

When they were grown the brothers walked different paths.

LC's path was the military, and then trouble shooting in chemical factories, and then eventually law enforcement.

Garys' path had taken him into professional singing.

Many many years later Gary stood watching this young man for a few minutes before reaching into his wallet and throwing a few dollar bills into the guitar case.

With that we met LC at the intersection, still waiting for the light to turn so we could all cross the busy four lane street.

Around me was a festival feel - food vendors, drink vendors, this singer, a young woman standing holding a sign announcing that she would do anything for $20.

Really?

REALLY??

We had stopped at Walmart before heading to the greenway, and there had been two young homeless people standing at the Stop sign at the edge of the Walmart parking lot.

I had seen a similar sight at the entrance to a grocery store in Blackfoot just a few days before.

Homeless people. People begging for money. People promising to do anything for a specific amount of money........................

Our first view of the falls, taken while crossing one more bridge and heading for the greenway..................

I had stopped in the center of the bridge to snap a couple of pictures, and when I looked up I realized that LC and Kory had continued walking.

Both LC and I had wondered how Kory would fare with so many people, so much noise, so much traffic, so much so much.

At first she constantly looked around her, unsure where to focus with so much activity happening at once.

But thankfully she quickly settled in, and quickly adjusted to the so much so much.

She was doing great...............

Looking back at Gary who had also stopped on the bridge to snap pictures.................

I looked at the leaves of a tree close to the end of the bridge and inwardly smiled.

Fall.

Summer was gone.

Finally.

It was fall and it was beautiful.................

It had been such a grey day the last time I came here with my sister Lisa and my brother-in-law Mick.

This day was gorgeous.

The sky was beautiful. The water was beautiful. The trees were changing color and the flowers were still blooming, and as soon as we hit the greenway I started snapping pictures like a woman possessed..................