Almost Paradise In North Idaho

What happens when a town's faithful noon whistle suddenly falls silent? Ted shares the surprising story of Bonners Ferry's missing lunchtime tradition and discovers just how much we take the little things for granted. Along the way, he recalls a hilarious childhood encounter with a determined little old lady, a bicycle, and a very well-aimed garden hose. With humor, nostalgia, and a gentle reminde...

This week's Ted's Notebook is exactly what the title suggests—a collection of stories, observations, history, humor, and reflections that all found their way onto my reporter's notebook. We begin with why I've chosen to stay with audio podcasting instead of jumping headfirst into video, and why sometimes the imagination paints a better picture than a camera ever could. From there we visit Oregon's...

This Fourth of July Morning Brew takes us through a picture-perfect Independence Day in Bonners Ferry, from candy-filled parades and hometown music to barbecue, fireworks, and good friends. Along the way, one determined young boy turns a broken candy bag into an unforgettable lesson in perseverance, improvisation, and refusing to give up. Ted also confesses his own fierce competition for miniature...

Travel back exactly 250 years as we leave the pavement of Highway 95 behind and step into the Kootenai Valley of 1776. There is no Bonners Ferry, no Idaho, and no United States—only an ancient trail winding through towering cedar forests, the rushing Kootenai River, abundant wildlife, and the homeland of the Kootenai people. While America's Founding Fathers gather in Philadelphia to approve the De...

Was America's victory in the Revolutionary War simply the result of remarkable leadership, courage, and good fortune—or was something greater at work? In this special conversation with local amateur history enthusiast Bobby Rains, we explore the idea of divine providence during the pivotal year of 1776. There are so many examples of hard to explain American escapes and British blunders to ignore....

What began as a peaceful kayak trip with friends turned into an unforgettable day back at the ranch. While Ted floated down the Pack River, the veterinarian unexpectedly performed emergency surgery on Solomon the donkey—right in front of the barn—with Joy serving as his surgical assistant. After discovering five missed calls and multiple messages, Ted raced home to find Solomon recovering from the...

Sometimes the best days are the ones that accomplish almost nothing... except what matters most. Ted reflects on a nearly perfect summer float down the Pack River with friends, including Terry's first river kayaking adventure. Along the way there were quiet conversations, shallow gravel bars, submerged logs, two patient vultures, and plenty of laughter. The journey ended with lunch at the Pack Riv...

North Idaho truly is almost paradise. Towering forests, beautiful mountains, and open spaces make this one of the most desirable places to live in the country. But every summer brings a reminder that paradise comes with risks. In this Morning Brew, Ted reflects on wildfire season, the history of major fires in North Idaho, current fire concerns across the Northwest, and what local residents can do...

For this Deep Dive, Ted explores a question that reaches far beyond politics: Are we really who and what we claim to be? Using examples from modern elections, party switching, voting records, and the debate over open versus closed primaries, he examines the growing concern that some candidates campaign as one thing and govern as another. But this episode isn't about Republicans versus Democrats. I...

Life in North Idaho may be close to paradise, but paradise apparently comes with gophers. In this humorous and reflective Morning Brew, Ted shares the ongoing battle taking place beneath his pasture as pocket gophers leave dirt mounds, damage hay fields, and challenge both machinery and patience. From traps and poison to daily “gopher patrols,” Ted explores the frustrations, humor, and strange les...

Back in December, a powerful North Idaho windstorm toppled part of a tree on our property and knocked out power across the county. Six months later, with plenty of interruptions from snow, life, and comfortable chairs near warm fires, my friend Terry and I finally finished the cleanup. What followed included buried “spear logs,” chains, pickup trucks, branches dragging behind us down the road, ano...

A gambling controversy involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has exploded into a national debate about the future of college athletics. But this story is about far more than one player. From NIL money and transfer portals to legalized sports gambling, lawsuits, and athlete mental health, college sports is rapidly changing into something many longtime fans barely recognize anymore. In thi...

What started as a broken cat door and a midnight cat fight became a lesson about limits, protection, and stewardship. After our three barn cats managed to break through a weakened cat door latch, little Hissy disappeared into the North Idaho darkness and returned injured after a nighttime battle with some unknown critter. A trip to the vet, a missing claw, and a happy-face sticker later, we realiz...

Just in time for this weekend's car show here in Bonners Ferry, this Morning Brew rolls back the clock to simpler days of cruising Main Street, classic cars, 8-track tapes, and small-town summer nights. Ted shares memories of his beloved 1965 Chevy Impala Super Sport during his senior year of high school in Kansas, and reflects on how old cars often carry far more than chrome and horsepower — they...

This week on Almost Paradise in North Idaho, Ted visits with Phillip Weaver, a former North Idaho resident now serving with Missionary Flights International out of Florida. Following what he believed was God’s calling, Phillip stepped away from the familiar and into a life of faith-based aviation ministry serving Haiti and other parts of the Caribbean. Phillip works as both a mechanic and pilot, h...

A powerful thunderstorm rolled across Boundary County Thursday night, bringing vivid lightning, heavy rain, strong winds, and power outages throughout the area. While our little property escaped major damage aside from a trampoline trying to relocate itself, others were not as fortunate. The next morning, after the familiar sound of chainsaws filled the air, a friend called needing help repairing...

In this Morning Brew, Ted shares the latest adventure from the little ranchette after Solomon the donkey stages a brief but determined escape from the barn in search of greener grass. What follows is a humorous roundup involving Joy, a closed driveway gate, and memories of past animal breakouts involving alpacas and horses over the years. Beneath the laughter lies a deeper reflection about boundar...

In this edition of our periodic Porch Talk Edition, Harold, John, and Ted settle into the front porch chairs to reflect on the teachers who shaped their lives many decades ago. Some inspired confidence. Some challenged them to work harder. Some brought laughter into the classroom. And a few left lessons that were not always positive—but were memorable nonetheless. The conversation explores how tea...

This Memorial Day edition of the Morning Brew reflects on the true human cost of America’s wars. From the Revolutionary War to Iraq and Afghanistan, we look beyond the headlines and casualty statistics to remember the lives forever changed by military service and sacrifice. This episode honors not only those who never made it home, but also the wounded veterans and families still carrying the phys...

This Morning Brew begins with a Memorial Day reflection honoring the sacrifices made by generations of Americans who defended our freedoms and our constitutional republic. From there, Ted reflects on the recent local election season, reminding listeners that while campaigns may divide us politically, we remain Americans first with far more in common than we sometimes remember. The Brew then takes...

On this episode of Almost Paradise In North Idaho , Ted sits down with Gabriel Custodio, from Sand Creek Connections in Sandpoint, Idaho, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). But this conversation goes beyond programs, schedules, and services. It becomes an honest discussion about the reality that every person, at some point in life, struggles with something. Togeth...

Today’s Morning Brew takes listeners into the wild and dangerous world of Boundary County landfill law after Ted is stopped while attempting to rescue perfectly good cardboard from the recycling bin for use in the chicken coop. What begins as a routine dump run quickly turns into a full-blown legal drama involving warning signs, changing rules, questionable interpretations of the word “salvaging,”...

This Morning Brew went completely off the rails—in the best possible way. Ted and returning partner-in-crime Mark Carpenter took on a round of “Stump The Chumps,” answering trivia questions while Joy served as judge, scorekeeper, and chief instigator. What followed was a spectacular combination of wrong answers, wild guesses, laughter, protests, accusations of questionable officiating, and very li...

Ted welcomes old friend and former podcast partner Mark Carpenter back to the microphones for a wide-ranging and occasionally rowdy conversation about the upcoming North Idaho primary elections and the growing debate over what it truly means to be a conservative candidate. Ted and Mark dig into voting records, campaign claims, and why some candidates are being accused of sounding more conservative...

Sunday afternoon was supposed to be peaceful and relaxing after church. Instead, Ted found himself in an unexpected battle with an aging garage door that finally decided it had enough. What started with a mysterious clank quickly turned into a full-scale mechanical mutiny involving tangled cables, falling poles, pinched fingers, bad engineering ideas, and one very frustrated homeowner talking to b...