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Priest Lake is a place to call home

| October 7, 2020 1:00 AM

When you search for Facebook.com/Priest Lake among its offerings is Priest Lake Group. The site states in capital letters, “this is not a complaint box.” Followed by a notice that it is “a place for current photography and up-to-date info and posts about Priest Lake to share with all.”

Most of the posts are photos with a brief explanation attached. A recent photo shows the day's last light resting on still water, mountains and trees in silhouette — and says, “Beautiful peaceful evening.” A similar photo has the caption, “Have I said, 'I love it here?'”

The site administrator, Pecky Cox, posted a note about a local barista making a job switch and encouraging, “Let's swing by and say thanks for being such a great barista and fun person. I'll miss you waving.”

Over the weekend a shot of two men in beach chairs watching kayakers on the water declared, “Sunday at Priest Lake can't be beat.” Also on the weekend were photos of glistening silvery pink fish with a note, “The kokanee are biting.”

A post I submitted last week shows three submerged children with just their heads popping up from the water. I wrote, “October 1 … yes, we did … grandma, too!” That was one zesty swim.

Another post is a series of shots taken by a man who logged 66 miles and 21 hours of paddling on his 11-foot paddle board in his continuous solo trip around the shoreline of Priest and Upper Priest. Stocked, of course, with a “bucket of PB&Js.”

A photo of sizzling mushrooms in a skillet captioned, “First chanterelles this fall” leaves one wanting an invite to dinner. Earlier this summer we saw video of a black bear loping alongside the pavement north of Nordman. And late last month there was video dubbed “mountain music.” A young woman stands atop a ridge along the Mount Roothaan Trail, light snow on the ground, blue sky overhead — playing her trumpet before an audience of rock peaks, clear notes floating in the crisp air.

These are more recent examples of what can be mined on the Priest Lake Group site. Without fail the photos and posts are a real uplift. Why? Because we in this group are united in our love for a place. A place of magnificence — of mountains and trails and beaches and water and wildlife and sweet smelling trees and purple berries — where our spirits brush the hem of heaven.

If we were to meet one another we would undoubtedly discover we do not think the same on a lot of things — might even find ourselves in high blood pressure disagreements.

But all of that has no chance here. There is nothing to tarnish. We each hold this one good thing — we recognize Priest Lake is something special. In this we are together.

If you're feeling adrift amid today's turbulent headlines Priest Lake Group is somewhere to which to come home.