NEWCOMER: Beholding Cd'A

Saturday, March 31, it was a 100 percent clear robin’s egg blue sky with temperatures hovering 39-42 degrees. A good day to explore.

I recently downsized from Bethesda, Md., where I had lived 10 miles from the White House for the past 36 years. Each and every store offered treasures I’ve never seen before…artisans who create from twigs, centerpieces made with nature’s display of rocks, bird eggs, branches, creatures from the forests and always a moose! The use of water fountains and serving pieces that stand out as unique all carried heavy price tags.

I had lunch at a tiny corner restaurant where each plate looked like a work of art. The names and store fronts beckon browsing: Mrs. Honey Peeps Sweet Shop, Crow’s Nest Antiques, Figpickels Toy Emporium, Into the Woods, Knit Knit, Lucky Monkey Trading, Mixitup, Mountain Madness, Possibilities, and Shenanigans Sweets & Treats.

Walk-in cozy establishments with enticing names: Tiffany Blue, Marmalades, Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese, Moontime, Satay Bistro, Midtown Bluebird and Café Carambola. Warm soups everywhere. Always hot steaming cups of coffee offered while you browse. There are little huts on every corner in the town of 45,000 people that serve Starbucks-like coffee at half the price of Starbucks.

I am so grateful I have been given this opportunity to relocate and have so much more to explore in what is called “God’s Country” in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

PATRICIA TIEDE

Coeur d’Alene