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Staff Favorite, Adult Writing Division: Broadford Road by Sharon Parker
I have lived on Broadford Road since 1978 and have fought to
preserve the road on many occasions. The road is a place for making memories and holding them dear. We need this place to see, hear, feel the presence of moose, elk, fox, deer, mountain lions, ducks, geese, cranes.
There was an autumn day:
Riding through a golden tunnel on my favorite bicycle
Listening to the leaves crunch under my tires
Feeling the air as crisp and cold as the first bite of a Jonathan apple
It beckoned this morning from a tree in our orchard
The fragrance of fall as I ride down the Broadford Road
The road is here right now to give peace and joy
This time, this place
A treasure to share
Sharon Parker
Staff Favorite, Student Writing Division: Moonlight Memory by Mary Petzke
Do You Remember Response:
I believe my response reflects the topic because it shows a personal moment of mine that I loved. It was a moment in my life when I realized that I loved where I lived and I that I really felt at home here in the Wood River Valley.
Moonlight Memory
January 18, 2003. It was my seventh birthday. Like any other new seven year old, my day had started with opening birthday presents and continued on with a small birthday party with a couple of my friends from my first grade class. But all day I was waiting. Waiting for what? Didn’t I already have the ideal child’s birthday? Well, my parents had told me that on my birthday night there would be a full moon. They came up with the idea of going night skiing under the light of the moon. Back when I was seven, I loved to cross-country ski. I found it to be a very fun activity that got my energy out but didn’t stress me out. And I loved being in the snow, just like every other kid in this valley. So that night as the sun was setting, I started to get bundled into my snow gear. I wore multiple layers; my parents had warned me that it would be cold. Then, when we were all ready, my family and I piled into the car and headed over to Quigley Canyon. We all put our passes around our necks and stepped onto the hard packed snow. I clicked my boots into my rental skis from Backwood’s and we started off. Because I was seven, my legs were much shorter than the rest of my family’s, so I was a lot slower. I also stayed in the groomed tracks so that I wouldn’t fall down as much, which also slowed me down. But, as it was my birthday, the rest of my family was happy to stay behind with me. After I got into the groove of things and felt confident enough to take my eyes off my skis, I remembered why it was so bright out. I looked up at the brilliant full moon and was amazed. It was beyond beautiful and lit up the sky enough for me to be able to see the faces of my family. As cold as it was outside, I felt warm because I was spending time on my birthday in a place that I loved surrounded by people I loved. And, as I enjoyed the rest of my ski, I did not see a single other person, making the evening even more peaceful. As I took all of this in, I realized that this valley was my home, a place that I wanted to stay for as long as possible. The small population and the fun winter months make me so happy and satisfied. Yet the town is large enough to have fun things to keep me busy and enough people for me to have friends to keep me company.
I can’t imagine living anywhere but the Wood River Valley. This has been my home for almost fourteen-and-a-half years, or since I was about eight months old. I have many memories of Wood River, but the day of my seven birthday sticks out most in my mind about how I first fell in love with this valley.
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