Red Flares

Red Flare at Elmira

Red Lights of an Accident

On HWY 95 by Elmira Schoolhouse

Traffic Down to One Lane

My Car Gathering More Snow in the Driveway

Barn Kitty Braves the Snow

And again it snows. A hay-truck hauling round bales slowly passes by my house, and I wonder if he's having trouble or if it's really that icy on the road.

Then flashing lights to the south appear. An ambulance from Sandpoint lumbers carefully toward Elmira. If there is an accident, the first-responders are responding with caution. The roads must be that icy.

I finish the dishes and notice that cars are stopping. My next chore is feeding the barn cat so I bundle up in my wool coat, scarf and rabbit fur bomber hat. I step into Todd's boots and trudge through the snow piling up once again.

Instead of the garage, I head to HWY 95. Elmira is lit up with a string of red road flares. The accident, hidden by lights, occurred in front of the Elmira School property. Many lights flash and I can see the reflective gear of responders.

Now there are two ambulances, two fire trucks and a slew of deputies. It's hard to judge the severity of an accident by the number of responders on the scene. Locals say that because the first-responders are volunteers who get paid for showing up, everyone shows up.

I watch a volunteer set up flares that glow red in the snow. Better that the community all shows up than not at all. If I needed rescuing, I'd prefer to be rescued here by Bonner and Boundary County residents. I remain hopeful that since no one is posting about the accident on the social media grapevine, that it is not serious.

My own car is getting dusted in, and Todd's shovel waits in a pile of snow for him to plow our drive once again. Each year we say we need a snow blower. Maybe one year we will get one. For now I hope that the cars on the road are safe, and I'm grateful Todd no longer has a long commute, especially in winter weather.

As I walk toward the garage, Bootsy greets me in the snow trail. Once in the garage I feed her, pour fresh water to replace her iced-over dish and I hold her to sing "kitty songs." Last month she let me pick her up and now she expects it.

Home, community and kindness. Even in the glare of accident flares we can practice what peace is made of.