I made my way over and up to McCall this weekend.
I had a handful of reasons for going:
1. I had a delivery to make to Heidi.
2. I wanted to meet the McCall jumper base dispatch women (Oy vey, such amazing gals! More on them later!).
3. I wanted to check out this little mountain town because I’m trying to decide where I’d like to live next summer and this is a town RW can transfer into if he (we) decides he’d (we’d) like to transfer.
4. I really felt like swimming in a proper lake.
I departed for McCall on Saturday around noon. I had a South Dakotan house guest who left for the prairies on Saturday so when I finally hit the road I had a lot of summer in my hair and eventually a bunch of dust since the combines were ripping it up in the Snake River Valley between here and Boise.
Things started cooling off as soon as I started up into the mountains along the Payette River. The heat was filtered out first by clusters of ponderosa pines and then fir trees and the spray of whitewater on the rushing bends of that sweet mountain stream. I rolled into McCall exhausted and just in time for a glass of cold wine and some sushi at the local brew pub with a handful of lovely people.
The fire community in McCall is a tight one and it has me tied up in envious knots. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a tough little woman who gets to see her smokejumper man so often. It made me want to cry to watch them all dancing, holding hands, tasting each others beer, talking face to face, finding out who was working when; for this reason, my trip was horribly bittersweet. It was so wonderful to be with fire families and so sad to be without RW.
I want to live in the town where RW is based, so badly.
So badly do I want this that it really does honestly hurt.
A bit.
I didn’t realize it until a half hour ago when I ran out to the local grocery store for avocados but I’m a bit sad, I’m really quite a bit sad tonight.
I knew what I was getting myself into when I married that mountain man of mine. The fact is, life would be half the adventure it is if it was only half as torturous as it is! HA!
Anyway, Sunday was a full day. Heidi and I blitzed out to a meadow where the McCall boys were doing a practice jump and I nabbed a few shots for you just to solidify the fact, in your minds, that smokejumping really is the dead sexiest job a fellow (or a lady) could ever have (besides being a fire dispatcher or a lion tamer…). The sun was strong on my face while I watched the boys, one by one, appear magically into thin air, spit out by their orange and white plane, and then drift down like Kevlar suited dandelion seeds into the meadow below:
*round of applause*
Heidi and I spent the rest of the day driving about in the Landcruiser, hiking (she’s preggers, but she’s tough as nails and fit as a fiddle — former smokejumper you know), eating ice cream, swimming in the lake, talking and laughing.
The dogs frolicked about like wild things in the mountain streams and in the lake.
The sun felt so good.
The company was fantastic.
I don’t want to jinx my friendship with this girl but boy oh boy, it
would take a lot of something strange for me to grow weary of her presence.
This morning, after a tasty breakfast with Heidi, I popped over to the jumper base to say toodaloo to the dispatch gals and here’s where I’m going to talk about them for a second:
THOSE GIRLS!
Yeesh. I took a glimpse at some of their desks and it was so brilliant to see pieces of me pinned to their workstations. Photos of mine. Jewelry write ups! Bits of my heart and soul already mingling with theirs. I think this is one of the brightest reasons why I feel like I fit in so well in McCall. These beautiful, funny, talented, strong, independent girls are part of my life already and I can’t help but feel drawn, even more strongly, to the area because of them! Oh you dispatch ladies, you fire talkers, you tough cookies, you feisty huckleberries, you’re quite the bunch and you won my heart over. I’ll see you again, and soon, I’m sure of it.
Before leaving McCall today, I drove around the lake, swam at three different locations, squinted in the sun, splashed about with my dog and dreamed about living in McCall next summer. Then I drove down out of the mountains and swam in four different sections of the Payette River before descending into the heat of Boise and beyond.
Oh McCall.
McCall, I have a crush on you,
McCall, I have a crush on you,
for serious,
and someday I’m going to make you mine, all mine.
In case you were wondering, I officially love this state more than I did the day before. It’s so diverse. It’s so sweepingly grand.
In case you were wondering, I officially love this state more than I did the day before. It’s so diverse. It’s so sweepingly grand.
I hope your weekend was stuffed full of adventures!
…and watermelon.
…and watermelon.
xx
The Noisy Plume
PS If you want to enlarge any of the photos in this post, just click on them!
I just have to say that I love that you swing in your bling 🙂
I read your blog and it makes my heart sing a little bit more each day.
The amount of light you shine dazzles.
This particular post made me cry just a little bit – you amaze me.
Thanks for crying with me.
…just so sad here tonight:)
Jaime: Of COURSE I swim in a little bling:)
Well dearest JSL: YOU need to be there(I am loving that Payette River)because it sounds flippin sweet and warm and whole and all those grounded strong women(the right kind of people)would benefit greatly from your tender and fabulous hummingbird self. and. and. AND! To see your beloved more often is really the Rx I am writing up for you(and of course you won't be able to crack the code of my signature because you know, DOCTORS!! or maybe just massage therapists….)sending you love and support on the wings of my Northern Flicker who lives in the mulberry tree in the back yard. He will enjoy the cool scented breeze as he flaps his way to Poke(please give him some watermelon or even a gluten free cookie as I am sure he will be quite famished). Lovens and more, Taddy
and oh those shots!!! Their outstanding bravery knocks my proverbial socks off(barefoot)….
smokejumpers=superheroes
OH, yes, yes, yes! McCall is the place of my childhood summers. It's impossible not to love. We just moved back to Idaho and I no longer have to spend every summer weekend grumpy and pining for McCall & the family cabin (yes, it really did put me in a funk when we lived out of state). Best of all, McCall will now be the place of my children's summer memories! Hope you & RW make some memories there as well, it looks like an amazing community to be welcomed into!
Now where is the "Like" button on here!? ;o)
So …
would you move to McCall permanently or just for Smokejumper season?
From your description of the Girls, you fit right into their family!
Idaho was made for you.
I'm celebrating and aching for you at the same time, kinda like when your stomach jumps for joy and right as you jump with it, a side stitch strikes.
I think that baptism of sorts was good for your little fishy heart. And I think it's criminal that I can't remember the last time I swam in a proper lake. Bah. THAT will need remedying.
Go Jillian, GO!!! It is a big slice of heaven there in McCall and as you noted – you would fit right in and be soooo happy. So much beautiful land to roam and swim in. Water skiing abounds and there is such a cute little bead shop in town. GO as soon as you can and in the meantime, enjoy all of the memories and pictures – which are so exciting to look at. Hugs, Sal
I too am celebrating and aching for you…soon, soon, soon, I am sure all will be as you choose! Lovely shots of the skies! : )
I don't really know what the plan is for actually relocating…all I know is that RW and I both agree that which ever base he is jumping from next season, that's where I'll be living. We aren't open to the option of doing a fourth summer apart. We're working on upgrading our rig to a larger truck with a camper on top, we're shopping around a bit for property in the Coeur d'Alene area of Idaho and we're keeping an eye out for rentable cabins in Winthrop….
We'll just have to see what happens!
In the meanwhile, inform everyone you know that a darling 102 year old farm house named Plume Gables with beautiful gardens and creaky floors is going to be rented out for 6 months next year! It comes with free eggs, grapes, plums and raspberries as well as whatever you'd like to plant in the garden!
Anyone interested can email me! Seriously!
…and….um……how did I miss the bead shop?
Michele: Funny….sometimes I really do feel this entire state was created just for me. I love it here. I didn't expect to, when we moved up from Arizona three summers ago, but I adore this state, deeply. I almost can't imagine leaving!!!
all i can really say is, hot damn! adventures had and to be had! yeehaw!
you, your life, and the people who encompass you = pure inspiration
xox
Oh gosh, what a lovely post to return to after my two day mini cottage vacation. Lots of love, madame.
I do believe I have a crush on McCall now! Well, you need to be wherever your RW is. I seriously don't know how you handle it each year. So…go for it! Meantime, I'm going to daydream about renting Plume Gables for a summer and having some Plume-a-liciousness rub off on me.
every things just wonderful of all with your man ….. i can't felt how about a girl married with a mountain man but i thinks not bad .
time away from each other is never easy. patrick and i live 300 miles apart. i'd like to say "it gets easier," but when you love someone, it's hard to be far away. we refuse to spend another summer apart! glad you and RW are doing the same 🙂
i hope the rhythm of summer sets in. McCall looks like a lovely potential place to call home!
thinking of you,
xx Lynsey