Shows / Almost Paradise In North Idaho
Almost Paradise In North Idaho
In the beginning, God created a paradise. And then we messed it up! Today, living in North Idaho is almost paradise. ALMOST. Yes, the weather is often fantastic. There are 4 distinct seasons offering hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, canoeing, rafting, ATV trips, snow skiing, and more. Lakes and streams are everywhere. Mountains dominate the horizons, The forests are endless. Small towns (2 traffic-lights in our county!) dot the area. Independent minded, (mostly) conservative people live in…
Episodes
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 213: Halloween Special - The Ghost Of The Jameson Hotel
An old hotel. A room at the top of the stairs. And a woman named Maggie who may never have checked out. In this Halloween edition of Almost Paradise in North…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 212: Finding Peace & God at Roman Nose
After a challenging month, Ted and Joy set out for a quiet Sunday morning in the Selkirk Mountains. Their destination: the beautiful Roman Nose Lakes near…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 211: Morning Brew - Guns On The Ballot!
Idaho voters have some serious decisions to make—but choosing an official state gun offers an opportunity for a little laughter. In this Morning Brew, Ted…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 210: When The Mountains Roared Part 2
Trapped inside an old mine tunnel near Wallace, Idaho, more than forty firefighters face a terrifying question: Has their refuge become their tomb? Outside…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 209: When The Mountains Roared - Part 1
A campfire warms your hands. But what happens when the whole mountain catches fire? In August 1910, the people of Wallace, Idaho, were about to discover the…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 208: Morning Brew - When Did Having Fun Become So Much Work?
When did having fun become a test we have to pass? In this Morning Brew, Ted reflects on tennis, sky-high expectations, and the frustration of knowing you can…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 207: Molly B'Damn - An Unlikely Angel In A Gold Rush Town
Gold fever brought fortune seekers into North Idaho’s mountains, but one unforgettable woman left a legacy measured in something besides gold. Meet Maggie…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 206: Six Years After Cancer: Our Story, Good News, and Gratitude
Six years after prostate cancer treatment, Ted revisits Episode 16 of Almost Paradise in North Idaho, sharing a deeply personal conversation with Joy…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 205: To Vote or Not to Vote? A Christian Conversation
Should Christians vote—or does faith call them to stay out of politics? Ted welcomes Harold and their Chris Clark to the front porch for an hour-long…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 204: Morning Brew - When did being busy become a badge of honor?
When did being busy become a badge of honor—and sitting down require a defense attorney? In this Morning Brew, Ted takes a humorous look at overflowing…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 203: Whiskey In Our Own Backyard, Part 2
Bootlegging wasn’t just a big-city business. In Part 2, we follow the whiskey trail into North Idaho, where Canadian liquor, border roads, and thirsty…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 202: Whiskey On Wheels, Part 1
An icy mountain road, a powerful Buick, and a one-armed driver named Ray: welcome to the Whiskey On Wheels. In Part 1, Ted follows Edmund Fahey, a roadhouse…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 201: Morning Brew - Texts, Typos, Butt Dialing, and the Lost Art of Letters
One misplaced word can turn a harmless text into a family emergency—or make Terry’s latest message nearly impossible to decode. In this Morning Brew, Ted…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 200: Who Owns The Treasure, Part 2
A wandering donkey helped lead Noah Kellogg to one of North Idaho’s great mineral discoveries. But finding a fortune and owning it turned out to be two…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 199: Who Discovered The Fortune? Part 1
In 1885, North Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene mining country was alive with prospectors chasing rumors of gold, silver and sudden wealth. Among them was veteran…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 198: Morning Brew - Autumn’s Advance Scouts
Summer may still own the calendar, but autumn has sent its advance scouts into North Idaho. The days are shortening, mornings are cooler, football has…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 197: The One-Eyed Lumberjack Who Vanished - The Paul Spear Mystery, Part 2
The mystery of Paul Spear continues—and grows even darker. In Part One, we met the hardworking, one-eyed lumberjack who vanished from his Cocolalla farm…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 196: The One-Eyed Lumberjack Who Vanished - The Paul Spear Mystery, Part 1
Years before World War II, a hardworking, one-eyed lumberjack named Paul Spear lived on a small farm near Cocolalla, Idaho. Neighbors remembered him as…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 195: Morning Brew - The Best Laid Plans
After a week away from the microphone, Ted returns to explain how a stubborn head cold interrupted his podcasting plans—and how his generosity passed that cold…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 194: Morning Brew - Rain, Remedies and a Missing Bridge
Playing tennis in the rain seemed perfectly reasonable at the time—especially since the other three players were women and I was not about to quit first. By…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 193: Fresh Gradebooks and Missing Pencils
A new school year begins with fresh lesson plans, clean bulletin boards, unopened gradebooks, and teachers determined not to smile for two weeks. But the…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 192: An Angel On The Road - Part 2
In part 2 of our conversation about angels Bruce, Harold and I continue to share stories and thoughts about angels. Sometimes they intervene. Sometimes they…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 191: An Angel on the Road — Part 1
Our conversation about angels lasted nearly an hour and twenty minutes—and apparently some listeners have lives outside of listening to my podcast! After…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 190: A Morning Brew - Family Night Fallout: The Rooster Nobody Claimed
A young rooster found wandering in a Bonners Ferry park has unexpectedly joined Ted’s collection of critters—and the timing seems suspicious. The park is only…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 189: Ted's Notebook Part 2 - Going the Distance with Tommy John and the Sailors Who Endured
In Part Two of Ted’s Notebook, we explore two very different stories connected by perseverance, sacrifice, and the determination to keep going. First, we…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 188: Ted's Notebook Part. 1 - David Thompson
Today we bring you part 1 of Ted’s Notebook. In today’s Part 1, Ted puts on his history-teacher hat to explore the remarkable life of David Thompson. One of…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 187: Morning Brew - Zucchini, The Gift That Keeps On Giving!
A productive North Idaho garden has entered its most dangerous season: zucchini season. What begins as an innocent plant soon spreads across the garden, hiding…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 186: Morning Brew Feedback &....Somewhere Behind the Smoke
For the past two weeks, wildfire smoke has hidden the mountains and turned Almost Paradise into a gray, eye-watering haze. Winds from the south carry smoke…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 185: Teaching English, Learning Courage: Chloe’s Dominican Republic Adventure
When Chloe traveled to the Dominican Republic through the International Language Program, she went to teach English to children—but she returned home having…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 184: A Lesson from the Manure Spreader
Fair week provides the perfect setting for a tale involving horses, an ATV, a manure spreader, and one very important lever. While cleaning River’s extended…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 183: Morning Brew - Slow Down...There’s Life Along This Road
A late-night engine roar and a heavy thump become evidence of a deer killed outside Ted’s home—and possibly an orphaned fawn. What follows is a restrained but…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 182: When It's Time to Ask for Help
What do you do when life suddenly turns upside down? Where do you turn when you're overwhelmed, uncertain, or simply don't know what to do next? In this…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 181: A Morning Brew - Friends At The Coffee Shop
Ted shares a meeting with some friends at a local coffee shop. There was lots of friendly banter about chores, projects, and honey-do-lists. Terry bragged how…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 180: Morning Brew - The Curious Case of the Exploding Ink Pen
One unexpected phone call interrupted Ted's morning coffee with the guys and launched him into a household mystery that would soon become known as "The Case of…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 179: When God Says, "Go"... Who Says Yes?
What would it take for you to leave everything familiar and move halfway around the world? In this episode, I sit down with Daniel, a young missionary…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 178: A Morning Brew - Two Years Already?!
Two years ago, I pushed the record button on a podcast I knew almost nothing about. Today, after more than 175 episodes, I look back at the unexpected…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 177: What Would You Take?
Last week's Turner Fire reminded many of us how quickly life can change. While the flames never reached our home, they did leave behind an important question…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 176: Second Chances, First-Class Hearts
Some dogs and cats arrive at Second Chance Animal Shelter because they've been lost. Others have been abandoned, surrendered, or simply run out of options. But…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 175: A Morning Brew - Ready, Set, Go!
Last week, the Turner Fire reminded us just how quickly life can change. What began as a calm summer evening turned into days of uncertainty as powerful winds…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 174: Shiloh Echo Retreat...Something Good For The Whole Family
Every community has people who quietly step forward and decide to build something that will benefit others. They invest their time, energy, resources, and…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 173: A Morning Brew - North Hill, E-Bikes, and Guardian Angels
This week's Morning Brew begins with a confession: I own an e-bike...and I love it. But after passing a younger neighbor riding his bicycle to our men's Bible…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 172: Morning Brew - The Day the Noon Whistle Went Silent
What happens when a town's faithful noon whistle suddenly falls silent? Ted shares the surprising story of Bonners Ferry's missing lunchtime tradition and…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 171: Ted's Notebook: Stories That Caught My Eye....And Some Thoughts
This week's Ted's Notebook is exactly what the title suggests—a collection of stories, observations, history, humor, and reflections that all found their way…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 170: Morning Brew - What to Do When Your Candy Bag Breaks
This Fourth of July Morning Brew takes us through a picture-perfect Independence Day in Bonners Ferry, from candy-filled parades and hometown music to…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 169: North Idaho, 1776 - A Walk Down an Ancient Trail
Travel back exactly 250 years as we leave the pavement of Highway 95 behind and step into the Kootenai Valley of 1776. There is no Bonners Ferry, no Idaho, and…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 168: 1776 at 250 - Coincidence...or Providence?
Was America's victory in the Revolutionary War simply the result of remarkable leadership, courage, and good fortune—or was something greater at work? In this…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 167: A Donkey, A Surgery, & Five Missed Calls!
What began as a peaceful kayak trip with friends turned into an unforgettable day back at the ranch. While Ted floated down the Pack River, the veterinarian…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 166: Morning Brew - Drifting Together
Sometimes the best days are the ones that accomplish almost nothing... except what matters most. Ted reflects on a nearly perfect summer float down the Pack…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 165: Morning Brew - Life Can Be Almost Paradise...Until You Smell Smoke!
North Idaho truly is almost paradise. Towering forests, beautiful mountains, and open spaces make this one of the most desirable places to live in the country…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 164: Labels and Fruit: Wh0 And What Are We...Honestly?
For this Deep Dive, Ted explores a question that reaches far beyond politics: Are we really who and what we claim to be? Using examples from modern elections…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 163: Morning Brew - Patrolling For Gophers In North Idaho!
Life in North Idaho may be close to paradise, but paradise apparently comes with gophers. In this humorous and reflective Morning Brew, Ted shares the ongoing…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 162: Morning Brew - Terry, Me, and a Tree (and a hot fudge ice cream sundae!)
Back in December, a powerful North Idaho windstorm toppled part of a tree on our property and knocked out power across the county. Six months later, with…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 161: Can We Still Trust the Game?
A gambling controversy involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has exploded into a national debate about the future of college athletics. But this…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 160: The Morning Brew - Why Cats Need Curfews
What started as a broken cat door and a midnight cat fight became a lesson about limits, protection, and stewardship. After our three barn cats managed to…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 159: Morning Brew - Chrome, 8-Tracks, and Memories...It's Time For The Car Show!
Just in time for this weekend's car show here in Bonners Ferry, this Morning Brew rolls back the clock to simpler days of cruising Main Street, classic cars…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 158: Phillip Weaver - Propellers, Purpose, and Prayer
This week on Almost Paradise in North Idaho, Ted visits with Phillip Weaver, a former North Idaho resident now serving with Missionary Flights International…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 157: Morning Brew - What the Storm Revealed
A powerful thunderstorm rolled across Boundary County Thursday night, bringing vivid lightning, heavy rain, strong winds, and power outages throughout the…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 156: Morning Brew - Greener Grass
In this Morning Brew, Ted shares the latest adventure from the little ranchette after Solomon the donkey stages a brief but determined escape from the barn in…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 155: Three Old Guys and the Teachers Who Shaped Them
In this edition of our periodic Porch Talk Edition, Harold, John, and Ted settle into the front porch chairs to reflect on the teachers who shaped their lives…
Almost Paradise In North IdahoEpisode 154: Morning Brew - The Price They Paid
This Memorial Day edition of the Morning Brew reflects on the true human cost of America’s wars. From the Revolutionary War to Iraq and Afghanistan, we look…