A Little Longer in Idaho

by Lori Gebbie

Yesterday, we took a drive into Boise to see a few of the sites there. That’s when I saw the sign. Cracker Barrel, Exit 50B. My heart skipped a beat! Ohh I love Cracker Barrel! It was one of my favorite restaurants when I lived in South Carolina, and traveled in the area. It was always a special treat to go to see some of the kitsch items they carry in their little store. And the food is hearty and the portions are plenty. Good old Country Style eatin’. And to top it off, authentic Sweet Tea!!

We found out there was a Birds of Prey Museum and Aviary close by, as well as the Lucky Peak Dam. There was only half an hour left in the business day for the Aviary, so we noted the location and headed toward the dam.

It was a real pretty drive, and we just took our time and enjoyed it. Since Robert has to do the driving when we’re hitched to the trailer, I get to drive when we aren’t. I noticed he spent most of the drive rubbing his leg, but he’d brought his cane, and he wanted to try to stretch it out a bit. We got to the dam, parked the van, and off he went. I went toward the waterline, and sat at a nice table under a tree to do some writing and relaxing. When he came back, he was limping quite a bit, so I had him do some stretching on the shore. A little while later, we headed up toward the other beach area and took some more pictures of the water feature there, but he was getting tired, and we’d been away from the animals for about five hours now, and while I knew they COULD be good, I wasn’t sure they WOULD be good while we were gone.

By the time we got home, I had to help Robert out of the van. He went straight into the trailer, and straight to bed. He couldn’t feel his hip or any of his right leg. And we were supposed to leave in the morning. Of course, he said he just needed to rest, so as soon as he was able, I sent him for a hot shower, and we settled in for the nite to watch a slideshow of the shots we’d taken. We knew we had an early morning, packing the trailer up for travel, so we got to bed a little early.

In the morning, Robert said we had to get moving, so with a lot of creaking and groaning, we started moving around. I noticed he was really favoring his leg, and when I asked him, his head fell and he said he still couldn’t feel it. He looked worried. So, I did what any wife would do. I went to the office and extended our time here. This is just a typical situation we deal with. Sometimes Robert’s disability puts him down for a few days. Before, he would try to push on and keep going, but I had to remind him that we are on our own schedule now, and if we go slow, well, we’ll get there eventually. Once we can both drive, we’ll be moving a lot more, but, for now, this will do.

So, here we are, still in Idaho, trying to heal our bodies enough to make another run. We’re considering this our “vacation at the beach” which we’d planned to take before running to Vegas, but didn’t get a chance to do. We are paid up until Sunday morning, so today we are doing nothing, just spending “us” time, hanging out at the lake, just relaxing and enjoying the time and space and peace we have.

Tentative Agenda: If Robert is walking, then tomorrow we head out to the Birds of Prey Museum and Aviary. And, maybe back to Cracker Barrel, too! After all, it IS on the way! If not, more fishing and hanging out by the camp.

PET REPORT: Since the kids stayed home yesterday while we went wandering, Robert brought Prinnie outside and we set her on the top rung of our step ladder. We also brought Tye and his cage out, and set him on the table. We had some people come by and chat with us and the birds. After about an hour, we put them back away, and got the kitties into their harnesses, and put them in their cargo crate and took them to the lakeside with us. They enjoyed watching the ducks and squirrels running around, but as it started getting hotter, I took them back to the trailer, turned on the air conditioner, and everyone settled back down again. Prinnie is making a lot of friends here, she sees people walk by the trailer and calls out to them.

“Hello!! Hello there! Come here, come here, come here, Hi Hi Hi!!!” and when they see it’s a bird and come to the window, she says “Hello there, how are you?” and of course, when they laugh, she then asks for a cracker.

We are becoming known as “The Couple with the Parrots and Cats”. I hope that’s a good thing!

A Meeting of Talents Midst Everyday Life

James Burns is one of the photographic talents that makes up Robert Gebbie Photography. Jim has been a driving force, a cheerleader, a positive attitude and influence in our small company. Here, he shares the story of how he came to work with us.


Artistic things have been an interest of mine ever since I can remember. Even as a small child, I would draw cartoon characters to see how close I could make them look like the original. I remember one time I drew one of those “Tippy the Turtle” draw-me cartoons you see in the back of comic books and things. I must have been about 12, I think. I sent it off, happy I had done a great job. I received a rejection letter, telling me I should not trace the image. I was shocked! I would never trace an image! I drew it by hand! Well, I neglected to read the instructions completely, I was to make it bigger than the one provided. So off I went to redraw this turtle, determined to do a good job. The next letter I received was a congratulations letter, telling me I had won the prize. But I could not accept it, as it was for an art school in a different state. Class was paid for, but travel and housing was not. But that was not important, I had drawn the turtle, and it was good!

As I grew to an adult, my artistic talents showed themselves in the form of metal sculptures, oil paintings, and recreating WW1 and WW2 artifacts. But there was still more, still a vision, still something else I wanted to share. I was working a regular job and one day I was introduced to a new co-worker, Robert. It was an ordinary experience, showing him the workflow and casual chat, getting to know each other. Along the way a friendship emerged from this working relationship. Our conversations got deeper, experiences shared.

After a few years, I developed an interest in photography. Although he had put his camera down for whatever reasons life had given him, I knew Robert’s 25 years of being a photographer would be a good resource for asking questions. I started with some inexpensive digital cameras and started to play around with taking pictures. Through the progression of picture taking, and asking Robert questions about camera settings, I evolved from an amateur picture taker into a photographer.


Now I am able to take stunning images that make the viewer say “Wow”. My “Flowers at Night” series is a good example. I look at flowers in a whole new light, so to speak. Using lighting, I’m able to create a drama, an intensity in the image. The flowers take on an emotion all their own.

There is also the instant gratification we have with current technology. I can literally take a picture now, and within a few minutes have it uploaded and for sale on the internet. This is the power of the new wave of instant media gratification. This also keeps me motivated to share more and more of the beauty I find around me.

So with my attention to detail, artistic eye, and just the enthusiasm of good photography combined with Robert’s similar abilities and determinations, we have teamed up to show others like us what your dreams and inspirations can accomplish if you set your mind to it.

I enjoy working with, and creating works of art with Robert and his wife, Lori. Together I think we may actually have a good chance at making it in this overexposed media based world.