#his options before the black were hella limited tbh

[mooifyourecows]

Hello moo! How are you doing? How are the kitties and the puppies? Do you have any tips or general advice for living in Idaho? I might be moving there by the end of the year. I’ve also never seen snow in real life… is it soft?

Hey there babe, the kitties and dog are doing well. Ruto is getting a haircut on Monday and she is NOT gonna like it but I'm stoked to not find big clumps of black hair all over the house

Hmm I'm not sure if I have any advice for living in Idaho. It's pretty basic! But I'll try to scrounge up some info lmao

Southern Idaho is a desert. Very dry air. There are a lot of coyotes so if you let your pets outside then watch out for that! There are also a lot of magpies and I miss them so throw them some food for me if you see some because I'm like the only person I know that doesn't hate them lmaooo. In the valleys like where I used to live it gets hella windy on just a day to day basis, sometimes escalating to the point that microbursts can knock down trees. There isn't a lot of rain but there is a lot of snow, which IS soft but also cold so buy some gloves and snow boots and even some snow pants if you spend a lot of time outside during the winter.

There's hardly any public transportation outside of Boise (but even Boise isn't teeming with options tbh) so get used to driving pretty much everywhere, even on icy/snow drifted roads. If you have to drive when its icy/snowy, go slow and don't get too far to either side or else the snowy bank might suck you right off the road. Snow plows work hard but wind works harder so if you live outside of town, find which roads get used the most because they'll most likely be plowed sooner and least likely to be impassable with drifts. Pay attention to weather reports so that you can run to town and stock up on food and other stuff before a blizzard blows through and makes it impossible (or just too unpleasant) to get anywhere. Remember to leave your faucets on a trickle at night when the temperature is below 20F so that your pipes don't burst.

Speaking of driving in Idaho, cops are really active on the roads for some reason, (probably bored because the crime rate in Idaho is fairly low) and so really watch your speed and driving habits to avoid being pulled over for some stupid ass reason. If you follow protocol and act really nice and friendly, they usually won't give you a ticket though. (at least not when they pull you over for a bullshit reason. If they pull you over for going thirty over the speed limit then yeah you'll get a ticket ofc. but every time I've been pulled over, which has been like... 4-ish times?, I was let off with just a warning because I was polite and respectful)(ACAB tho)

Fires from California usually blow smoke all over the state so check air quality warnings during fire season and limit how often you go outside on the especially smoky days. Because Southern Idaho is a desert, you'll need to be careful about any fires you light. During fire season you'll have to call your local fire department and check to make sure it's safe for you to burn anything if you were thinking about having a bonfire or burning some weeds or something

Speaking of weed, it's illegal to smoke marijuana there so be discreet if you partake

Also speaking of weeds, foxtails will get all up in pets' business like their eyes and feet so if you've got a pooch or cat who is allowed outside that starts excessively licking their feet, they might have foxtails that have made their way under their skin and you'll need the vet to remove them for you. With my dog, I would just check his feet periodically to make sure there weren't any visibly sticking to him. There were times when I'd have a whole pile of the fuckers after just one round of searching him 🤦‍♂️ (this isn't a problem specific to Idaho but it's definitely a problem that isn't as common in greener places like where I live now)

Coeur d'Alene in Northern Idaho used to have a pretty nasty white supremacist population. I don't think they're as active as they used to be but with the past couple years, they might've gotten a little bolder so if you find yourself in that area, definitely be wary if you're POC (or even white, honestly, everyone should be wary of racists)

In my experience, Idahoans are nice and laid back. They're conservative and will def look at you weird if you're not what they're used to but they're usually not actively vicious. (Granted, I'm saying this as a white person who isn't 'out' publicly so there are absolutely sides of these people that I haven't experienced that a POC or openly queer person might)

All in all, it's a nice state. On the surface it might seem republican and boring but there's beautiful nature to experience and it's generally quiet and peaceful. If you hear gunshots, it's most likely just a hunter or recreational marksman. I lived on a farm for most of my life so gunshots were a really normal thing to experience and not a cause for alarm

If you move near Twin Falls, go eat at La Fiesta and the Burnt Lemon Grill and Gerties Brick Oven Cookery because I miss them. (technically there's a la fiesta in my new town but the one in Twin is SPECIAL okay. You can't miss it, it's the bright orange building on Blue Lakes) If you move near Boise then go eat at China Grand Buffet because I MISS IT TOO. (though maybe wait until the pandemic has slowed down because it is a buffet after all)

Go camping! And hiking! And kayaking! The Snake River is huge and fun and if you're near Twin Falls then you should absolutely 100% go rent some kayaks and kayak under the Perrine Bridge. If you're lucky, you'll see some base jumpers 🥰 You're going to be close to Yellowstone too so if you've never been, go give it a visit! There's so much to see and experience 👀 (i say this assuming you live far away from Idaho atm lmao)

Uhmmm i guess I don't really have anything else to say? My experiences are obviously unique to myself so I can't give you a guide on how to live in Idaho but I hope you got something useful ✌

Stay safe Babe. If you wind up moving to Idaho, I hope you meet some great people and have a good time! 🥰🌈💋