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Almost Paradise In North Idaho
by Ted Ludlum
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 these towns. But... summers are short and can get hot for a while. Smoke can fill the air from area wildfires. Winters are long, cloudy, snowy. Those days are short with the sun rising late and setting early. Liberal ideas are creeping in. The Good Old Boy Network is strong. Even here there is conflict. But Jesus reigns! Living in North Idaho is ALMOST paradise.
Episodes
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Episode 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 pleasant, sober, and dependable—a man who tended his orchard and beehives when he wasn’t working in distant logging camps. Then Paul disappeared....
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Episode 195: 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 to someone else in the household. Once recovered, he resumed resealing the driveway, only to have a North Idaho rainstorm wash away part…
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Episode 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 the next morning, however, I was battling a sore throat, sneezing, coughing and the annual question: Is it a cold, allergies or both? Then a...
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Episode 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 newness soon gives way to missing pencils, tardy students, hallway scuffles, discipline referrals—and the mysteries of school lunch. Drawing on...
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Episode 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 influence. Sometimes they nudge us. Sometimes they whisper to us. But they are always there to protect us...usually from ourselves. Join us…
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Episode 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 receiving favorable responses to splitting last week’s Notebook into two shorter episodes, I decided to try it again. This special conversation...
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Episode 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 a mile from the fairgrounds, where children recently chased pigs and chickens during the fair’s traditional Family Night events. Could the...
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Episode 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 remember pitcher Tommy John—not only for the revolutionary surgery that bears his name, but for the courage and hard work required to rebuild…
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Episode 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 North America’s greatest mapmakers and explorers, Thompson traveled tens of thousands of miles, surveyed an enormous portion of the…
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Episode 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 vegetables that grow from baby size to baseball bats overnight. This lighthearted Morning Brew explores the annual zucchini invasion,...
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Episode 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 from devastating Spokane-area fires and enormous Oregon blazes; winds from the north bring smoke from the Upper Smith Fire and Canada. When…
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Episode 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 learned a great deal herself. In this conversation, Chloe shares the joys, challenges, surprises, and memories of living and serving there....
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Episode 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 paddock, Ted forgets to disengage the spreader before loading it again. By the time his helper spots the problem, an entire load has been...
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Episode 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 pointed Morning Brew about speeding, responsibility, and respect for wildlife. Ted considers unavoidable (and avoidable) accidents…
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Episode 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 heartfelt conversation, I sit down with Lacey, Director and Advocate of Boundary County Victim Services, to discuss the many ways her…
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Episode 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 he has none of these obligations. Ted explains why this is the case. And a donut that mysteriously disappeared! And one of the guys…
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Episode 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 the Exploding Ink Pen." Armed with only a damaged four-color Bic pen and a silent point toward the laundry room, he slowly pieced…
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Episode 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 preparing to make Cambodia his home through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). We talk about faith, sacrifice, raising support, learning a new culture,...
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Episode 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 journey—from tropical theme music, Hawaiian shirts, bargain microphones, and occasional xylophone and kazoo performances to wolves, North Idaho...
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Episode 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: If you had only ten minutes to evacuate, what would you take? As we talked with friends and neighbors who faced that very decision, we...
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Episode 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 thanks to the caring volunteers who refuse to give up on them, many will soon find the loving forever homes they deserve. In this episode...
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Episode 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 drove a wildfire toward our home and community. We packed evacuation bags, moved livestock, watched helicopters battle the flames, and...
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Episode 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 often a fair amount of faith, hoping that what they create will make a difference. In today's episode we visit with Tony Marsella—not because…
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Episode 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 study, I found myself wrestling with a little guilt, a lot of humor, and an unexpected challenge. Should I dust off my old Trek, rely on…
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Episode 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 discovers just how much we take the little things for granted. Along the way, he recalls a hilarious childhood encounter with a determined...
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Episode 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 onto my reporter's notebook. We begin with why I've chosen to stay with audio podcasting instead of jumping headfirst into video, and why...
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Episode 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 barbecue, fireworks, and good friends. Along the way, one determined young boy turns a broken candy bag into an unforgettable lesson in...
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Episode 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 no United States—only an ancient trail winding through towering cedar forests, the rushing Kootenai River, abundant wildlife, and the...
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Episode 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 special conversation with local amateur history enthusiast Bobby Rains, we explore the idea of divine providence during the pivotal year…
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Episode 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 unexpectedly performed emergency surgery on Solomon the donkey—right in front of the barn—with Joy serving as his surgical assistant. After...
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Episode 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 River with friends, including Terry's first river kayaking adventure. Along the way there were quiet conversations, shallow gravel bars,...
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Episode 166: Morning Brew - Iron Sharpens Iron...and Sometimes Steals Your Donut
Four friends gather for a coffee meeting in North Idaho. Wayne is installing new flooring, Jim is rebuilding kitchen cabinets, and Ted is sanding garage trim.. Meanwhile, Terry sits happily at the head of the table with a chocolate-covered donut and no honey-do list. What follows is an hour of...
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Episode 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. But every summer brings a reminder that paradise comes with risks. In this Morning Brew, Ted reflects on wildfire season, the history of...
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Episode 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, party switching, voting records, and the debate over open versus closed primaries, he examines the growing concern that some candidates...
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Episode 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 battle taking place beneath his pasture as pocket gophers leave dirt mounds, damage hay fields, and challenge both machinery and patience....
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Episode 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 plenty of interruptions from snow, life, and comfortable chairs near warm fires, my friend Terry and I finally finished the cleanup. What...
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Episode 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 story is about far more than one player. From NIL money and transfer portals to legalized sports gambling, lawsuits, and athlete mental…
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Episode 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 break through a weakened cat door latch, little Hissy disappeared into the North Idaho darkness and returned injured after a nighttime battle...
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Episode 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, 8-track tapes, and small-town summer nights. Ted shares memories of his beloved 1965 Chevy Impala Super Sport during his senior year of…
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Episode 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 out of Florida. Following what he believed was God’s calling, Phillip stepped away from the familiar and into a life of faith-based aviation...
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Episode 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 area. While our little property escaped major damage aside from a trampoline trying to relocate itself, others were not as fortunate. The next...
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Episode 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 search of greener grass. What follows is a humorous roundup involving Joy, a closed driveway gate, and memories of past animal breakouts...
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Episode 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 many decades ago. Some inspired confidence. Some challenged them to work harder. Some brought laughter into the classroom. And a few left...
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Episode 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 beyond the headlines and casualty statistics to remember the lives forever changed by military service and sacrifice. This episode honors…
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Episode 153: Morning Brew - Memorial Day, Elections, and an Elk
This Morning Brew begins with a Memorial Day reflection honoring the sacrifices made by generations of Americans who defended our freedoms and our constitutional republic. From there, Ted reflects on the recent local election season, reminding listeners that while campaigns may divide us...
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Episode 152: Sand Creek Connections - Everybody Needs a Hand Up Sometimes
On this episode of Almost Paradise In North Idaho, Ted sits down with Gabriel Custodio, from Sand Creek Connections in Sandpoint, Idaho, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). But this conversation goes beyond programs, schedules, and services. It becomes an honest...
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Episode 151: Morning Brew - Signs, Signs… and Cardboard Crimes
Today’s Morning Brew takes listeners into the wild and dangerous world of Boundary County landfill law after Ted is stopped while attempting to rescue perfectly good cardboard from the recycling bin for use in the chicken coop. What begins as a routine dump run quickly turns into a full-blown…
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Episode 150: Morning Brew - Stump The Chumps!!
This Morning Brew went completely off the rails—in the best possible way. Ted and returning partner-in-crime Mark Carpenter took on a round of “Stump The Chumps,” answering trivia questions while Joy served as judge, scorekeeper, and chief instigator. What followed was a spectacular combination…
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Episode 149: Mark & Ted Discuss Politics, Puppies, and The Matrix
Ted welcomes old friend and former podcast partner Mark Carpenter back to the microphones for a wide-ranging and occasionally rowdy conversation about the upcoming North Idaho primary elections and the growing debate over what it truly means to be a conservative candidate. Ted and Mark dig into...
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Episode 148: Morning Brew - Guardian Angels and Garage Doors
Sunday afternoon was supposed to be peaceful and relaxing after church. Instead, Ted found himself in an unexpected battle with an aging garage door that finally decided it had enough. What started with a mysterious clank quickly turned into a full-scale mechanical mutiny involving tangled…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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 these towns. But... summers are short and can get hot for a while. Smoke can fill the air from area wildfires. Winters are long, cloudy, snowy. Those days are short with the sun rising late and setting early. Liberal ideas are creeping in. The Good Old Boy Network is strong. Even here there is conflict. But Jesus reigns! Living in North Idaho is ALMOST paradise.
HOSTED BY
Ted Ludlum
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Almost Paradise In North Idaho have?
Almost Paradise In North Idaho currently has 203 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Almost Paradise In North Idaho about?
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...
How often does Almost Paradise In North Idaho release new episodes?
Almost Paradise In North Idaho publishes regularly with 203 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Almost Paradise In North Idaho?
You can listen to Almost Paradise In North Idaho on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Almost Paradise In North Idaho?
Almost Paradise In North Idaho is created and hosted by Ted Ludlum.
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