In her refurbished two-story farmhouse, Raegan Ricks suspended a gray, weathered wooden ladder from her kitchen ceiling as an inexpensive drying rack for her homegrown herbs. Her up-cycled, do-it-yourself home décor came from garage sales and thrift stores or was found in sheds on the small farm she and her husband recently bought south of Malta in southeastern Idaho.
Dianna Troyer
Dianna Troyer is a freelance writer based in Pocatello, Idaho. She enjoys family and friends, skiing, riding horses, and hiking.
Origami Artist Roy Abo: Generous Master of Time and Patience
Roy Abo, 92, hopes his origami umbrellas are listed in the Guinness World Records one day. He has made thousands of them—4,654 to be exact.
Oaks and Midwestern Hardwoods Enchant Tree Expert Dave Luker
For Dave Luker, every day is a reason to celebrate trees, not just Arbor Day on the last Friday of April.
Share Sightings of Monarch Butterflies and Their Milkweed Host Plants
By DIANNA TROYER Long cherished in Idaho for its magnificence, the monarch butterfly was named the state’s insect after Boise fourth-graders lobbied for the
Go Fly a Kite
To briefly forget about to-do list tasks, personal problems, or political turmoil, Dean Turnblom suggests people go fly a kite. “When you’re holding kite strings, all that matters is keeping it up there.”
Hooked on Spartan Obstacle Course Races
Aching for a new fitness challenge, Thomas Reynolds’ curiosity was piqued when he heard about an obstacle course race called the Spartan Beast.
Ron Lopez Credits His Gene Pool for His Love of Bagpipes
Ron Lopez attributes his love of bagpipe music to genetics. “Playing a Great Highland bagpipe is in my DNA,” he said. “For some reason, I’ve always been attracted to Scottish and Irish music. It just got into my soul.”
Orlyn Gaddis Channeling Creativity Into Making Shoes, Fine Furniture
With curiosity, creativity, and an appreciation for century-old tools, Orlyn Gaddis makes fine furniture and shoes for his hard-to-fit feet. Whatever he envisions in leather or wood, he can make.
Vibrant Long-Ago Era Comes Back to Life at Lost River Museum
As Shirley Jones casually looked at a replica of a mine tunnel built with weather-worn timbers at the Lost River Museum, receptionist Lela Warner warned her. “Fire in the hole,” Warner shouted before pushing a button at the nearby kiosk. The sound of a dynamite blast reverberated throughout the museum.
Lonnie Rudd Ranks Among Nation’s Best Auctioneers
Lonnie Rudd never doubted his life’s calling as an auctioneer. “I knew as young as first grade that was the only job for me,” said Rudd, 59. A resident of Wilder, he is ranked among the nation’s top livestock auctioneers.