Like many of you, we've enjoyed the beautiful autumn foliage of the past few weeks, at least before the wind storms and rain caused a lot of the leaves to fall. Last Thursday, Bert and I spotted a majestic black walnut tree just off Spokane Street, south of the river, that I just had to photograph. We pulled into the driveway of what was the longtime home of the McCormick/Hughes family.

A gentleman came out on the porch in greeting as I inquired about taking a few pictures. Shon Meagley is the resident caretaker of the property, a logger and landscaper by trade. We talked about that fine old tree, with the ivy-covered trunk and the golden leaves in all their splendor. He estimated its age as just shy of a century.

At one point he gestured down to the riverbank and said he was nearing completion on a piece of chain saw art and offered to show it to us. What was once a poplar tree with a 4 foot wide trunk is now an 8 foot tall carving of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the animals. As we stood by the statue a large flock of Canada geese flew by over the river and Shon reminisced about the late Mary McCormick Hughes, whose grounds he cared for before her passing. "She was as close to a saint as I've ever known," he recalled.

It was an unexpected treat to make the acquaintance of Shon, a brief detour in the day that brought another glimpse of the interesting people who call this place home.

Exciting times for North Idaho prep athletics last weekend with both the boys and girls 5A state soccer championship tournaments taking place in Coeur d'Alene. On Saturday morning the Post Falls boys team beat Boise to earn the first boys state championship for Post Falls High School in the sport. In the afternoon's girls title game Post Falls and Lake City both fought hard for the title, going into double overtime and penalty kicks before the Timberwolves won the championship for LCHS.

On Sunday afternoon, the Post Falls Trojans boys soccer team was feted with a celebration caravan, complete with a police and fire truck escort, through town up to the high school. For 10-year soccer coach Gabe Lawson the championship was a long-held "goal" come true. (The pun was unavoidable :) )

Tonight bring the family to NIC's Christiansen Gymnasium for a real treat, Special Needs Recreation's Basketball Extravaganza. The free event starts at 5:30 p.m. and features great local athletes, some of them Special Olympics medallists. My good friend, Anthony "A-Train" King, will be taking to the court, so come cheer them on!

On Saturday, the Relatives as Parents group, in conjunction with the Kootenai Alliance for Children and Families, will hold the second annual Festival of Teas with a Mad Hatter theme from 1 to 3 p.m. at St. Pius X Church on Haycraft in Cd'A. A real tea party with sandwiches, cakes and cookies and a style show. All proceeds from the $7.50 admission and the raffle will benefit summer camp scholarships and necessities for children who are being raised by other relatives. Info: Glenda Weaver, 769-7096.

Also on Saturday is a barbecue cook-off to benefit the NIC softball team from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Big Bear Deli in Post Falls. Just $5 and you can sample all of the entries! And the final downtown Coeur d'Alene Farmers Market of the season all day on Saturday. Free hay rides and the best of the harvest at Fifth and Sherman.

And you absolutely do not want to miss the Harlem Ambassadors vs the Coeur d'Alene Sunrise Rotary Rangers on Sunday. Christiansen Gym on the NIC campus is where the action will take place at 5:30 p.m. We know the Harlem Ambassadors have the hoop skills but you'll be dazzled by the roster of local celeb players who organizer Mike Ward has rounded up. I'm betting on the home team! Info: Mike, 641-8355.

Happy Birthday today to Rocky Banks, Jeff Turk, Melissa Hjeltness, Adam Slobodow and David Ingalls. Tomorrow's birthday girls are Kristy Reed Johnson and Susan Waltz. On Friday celebrants include Gail McGaughey, Scott Peterson, Wanda Brust, Linda Jones and Brock Prince. And another trip around the sun will be marked Saturday by Barb Smalley, Cade Coffey, David Cole, Deirdre Eldredge, Deeann Zahn, Bill Gibson (50!) and his grandson Aidyn Dugger. Oct. 28 is the birthday of Terri Gervais, Jenni Gibson, Jill Swoboda, Jonathan Mueller, Tracie Olin Smith, Kathleen Clancy, Heather Montee, Dale Fitch, Jamie Oliver and Ashley Gerzina. Monday birthdays belong to Amanda Krier, Mary Ransdell, Dave Clark and Shawn Duncan. On Oct. 30 wish a happy birthday to Rainey Coffin, Lori Jurado, Vivian Stadley, Brad Oliver and Derek McGee.

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2012 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri is on the air Mondays and Wednesdays on 1080 ESPN AM (KVNI). Find her on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com.