In this episode of Almost Paradise in North Idaho, I sit down with my friend Jim Bottoms — a man many around here affectionately call our own Cowboy Poet.

Jim is a gifted songwriter, poet, and author who has quietly spent years putting faith, life, and hard-earned wisdom into words. He stopped by the studio with his guitar, shared some songs, recited some of his poetry, and talked about his latest book. But more than that, he shared the story behind the stories.

Jim reflects on the winding path that led him to Bonners Ferry, including a clear sense of God’s urging that this was the place he was meant to be. Along the way, he spent years involved in theatre, did some teaching, rode horses, raised a family, and learned to listen for God’s gentle direction through every season.

Today, with most of his children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren living nearby, Jim considers North Idaho “almost paradise.” He also helps host Vintage Worship Night every third Saturday — a growing gathering centered on old gospel hymns and classic worship songs that point straight to the heart of the faith.

This is a thoughtful, relaxed conversation about creativity, obedience, legacy, and using whatever gifts God has placed in your hands.

If you enjoy meaningful lyrics, quiet faith, and stories that remind us God is still at work in ordinary lives, you’ll feel right at home with this episode.

U.S. Highway 95 is more than a roadway—it’s a shared journey. From Sandpoint to the Canadian border, it carries the daily stories of families, workers, and neighbors simply trying to get where they’re going and return home safely.

In this episode of Almost Paradise in North Idaho, we share conversations with Idaho Transportation Department officials, Idaho State Patrol leaders and troopers, and the Boundary County Sheriff, recorded at the recent Highway 95 Corridor Safety Workshop in Bonners Ferry. They discuss challenges, plans, and the realities of keeping a vital rural highway safe.

Running through every conversation is a quiet wisdom: “The prudent see danger and take refuge.” Slowing down, staying alert, and driving defensively are small choices that can protect precious lives.

This episode invites us to see driving not just as a task, but as stewardship—of our own lives and of one another. When we watch the road and watch out for each other, we honor the value of every mile and every soul traveling it.

In this episode of Almost Paradise in North Idaho, we pull up a chair with lifelong Boundary County resident and real estate agent/broker Darlene Schneider for a down-to-earth conversation about home, community, and the changing face of North Idaho.

Darlene grew up here, drove logging trucks as a teenager, raised a family in these valleys, and later found her way into real estate after her kids were grown. Along the way, she’s gained something you can’t learn from a manual — a deep understanding of this place and its people.

This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a neighborly talk about what folks should really know if they’re thinking about moving here, what longtime residents are seeing as the area grows, and how to approach change without losing what matters most.

Darlene shares why getting involved in churches, clubs, local groups, and community events is one of the best ways to learn the North Idaho way. She also speaks honestly about challenges like homesickness, family left behind, and discovering that winter up here has a personality of its own.

If you care about finding a home, not just a house — and keeping the soul of North Idaho intact — this conversation is for you.