Huckleberries: Just a-swingin’ and rememberin’ Maj StormoGipson

Justin StormoGipson chose a fitting way to honor his beloved, late wife, Maj, a Coeur d’Alene pediatrician who drowned in a 2013 rafting accident. He donated a swinging bench overlooking viewtiful McEuen Park and Tubbs Hill on the Coeur d’Alene waterfront. Huckleberries spotted the plaque dedicated to the popular doctor during a walk. It says in part: “Loving wife, mother and friend, dedicated pediatrician, adventurous, grateful and generous of spirit.” All true. But Huckleberries would add a few lines from the 2013 feature obituary written by colleague Becky Kramer after Maj died too soon at age 57: “StormoGipson and her husband, Justin StormoGipson, an ophthalmologist, were a force in social justice issues. They volunteered at medical clinics in Nicaragua, Mexico and Guatemala, helped found a nonprofit called International Eye Institute and were active in local issues.” Huckleberries still hasn’t done justice to this kind, big-hearted daughter of Baptist missionaries. But you now have someone to consider next time you swing on the bench dedicated to Maj’s memory.

Room for one more?

Five thumbs up? And five exclamation points? Who is Huckleberries to judge, when the one awarding the props to The View Café on old Highway 95 overlooking Cocolalla Lake was a judge? For decades. Don Swanstrom, of Kootenai (near Sandpoint), the former administrative judge for Idaho’s 1st District Court, was wowed recently by the Woods Meat Burger at The View on Feb. 1. Really wowed. Quoth Don on Facebook: “WOW!!!!!” Menu description: “A hand formed Woods Meats beef patty charbroiled and served on a grilled sesame bun and topped with mayo lettuce tomato and onion (with or without American or Swiss cheese) – $12.” Don opted for the house-made coleslaw over potatoes as the side. Later, Don said: “I had the burger two hours ago, and I’m still savoring the juicy texture and flavor that I experienced.” Hashtag: #bestburgerheshadindecades.

Huckleberries

KXLY’s Melissa Luck provided the coffee-spitter tweet of the day Saturday by posting a “live look” photo of outdoors Spokane as she headed to the gym – one that appeared to show Luke Skywalker riding past on a tauntaun (think ice world of Hoth, “The Empire Strikes Back”) … The snow is producing smiles not frowns at Silver Mountain, where someone tweeted Saturday: “14 inches overnight & it’s still dumping. Wonderful POW everywhere. Come play.” Your POWty face is someone else’s POWder … Well, all wasn’t quite perfect at Silver Mountain. The Kellogg resort canceled its annual Frost Fight Dual Slalom (fat bikes) Sunday due to “winds affecting the upload chair and rapidly building snowfall.” Worse yet, the mountain was having trouble getting its message out. Facebook kept deleting its posts telling of the cancellation. Now there’s something you can’t blame on Old Man Winter.

Parting shot

Cis Gors of Kootenai Facebooks: “Exercise classes, $25 a month. Physical therapy, $350-plus a month. Shoveling snow, priceless. Good clean air to breathe. Feeling good after (although I’ll be tired tonight). And great to see the job you did. It is all about attitude.” Bingo!