The More Things Change

I had flash backs again today.  I always have them when I go to K-Mart in Great Falls.  Don't worry, they aren't bad flash backs.  I see myself as a little girl, about 4 years old.  There I am with my little red pig tails, asking my mom if I can ride the horsey merry-go-round that sits in front of the K-Mart store on the west side of Great Falls.  Mom always said no. Probably because I was too big for such a kiddie ride, but my horse obsessed little self did not care!

We lived in a little town 25 miles south of Great Falls until I was 12. (Hello to my Cascade peeps!) We usually went to Great Falls on Sundays for church and occasionally got to go to a store for something special.  We sure didn't shop much then, it was a treat! I think I shopped more today than my mom could have in a whole year back then.  My rugrats turn two in a few days.  Double trouble and double the fun.  Getting a few special birthday gifts for each boy added up to traipsing all over town this afternoon. 

It occurred to me today, while I was at K-Mart staring at the little horsey merry-go-round that is STILL in front of that store 30 years later, that Great Falls has barely changed at all since I was a child.  There's a few new places.  Wal-Mart and Sam's Club have moved in of course.  There is also a "new" shopping center on the south side where there used to be a huge horse pasture. Old Navy, Furniture Row, Home Depot and the like. But for the most part Great Falls looks exactly like it always has.  The little shopping mall has barely changed at all.  No major remodel, no huge additions.  The same businesses, many of them locally owned and operated, still grace 10th Ave South. Each trip to town is a day of deja vu for me.

When I was living in Seattle, things would change so rapidly it was sometimes hard to remember what street you were on!  Always a new subdivided neighborhood appearing on a hill or a new mini mart on the corner. A business you liked to frequent would be there one week and gone the next.  Grocery stores were constantly remodeling in order to stay "new and fresh".  It was a frantically growing, buzzing place.

Now I'm home.  Where everything is the same as it always has been.  I can count on the city of Great Falls to economically trudge along.  Like the tortoise.  Quietly and dependably providing the services needed by us out-of-towners, farmers and ranchers.  After living literally all over the United States and experiencing more change than many people do in a lifetime, I'm so glad that the more things change, the more they stay the same....

'Til next time,
B

A Cup of Sugar

At five minutes before six tonight I saw a note that sent a wave of panic through me.  I was looking at Payson's stack of schoolwork from his backpack. There it was.... a little note that said, "Don't forget to bring cupcakes to school tomorrow!"  Somehow I had missed the memo from last week.  I quickly scoured the pantry and realized I did have a cake mix but I only had three cupcake wrappers.  The clock now read 5:57. I dashed down the block to the tiny store we have here, hoping they'd still be open and hoping they'd have cupcake wrappers. Knowing they close at 6:00, my chances were slim on both counts.  I pulled up and saw the clerk driving away to her house, store all closed up.

Next, I stopped by my grandfolks.  Grandpa sometimes bakes a cake.  Ya never know, maybe they'd have cupcake wrappers.  Nope.  No such luck.  Then I thought of my friend Miriam. She is always baking something yummy from something she grew in her garden.  She is the queen of homemade bread and jams. I knew she'd have cupcake wrappers!  I popped in to find her making dinner in her charming, colorful kitchen.  I apologized for disturbing her and laughed and hugged me. 

I told Miriam of my serious, potential mommy fail and she rescued me!  She had just enough cupcake wrappers in her cupboard.  A few years ago it was all too common to borrow, "a cup of sugar" from our neighbors.  When was the last time you borrowed anything from a neighbor?  It seems much more common to run to Wal-Mart.  Here in Geraldine it still happens quite often.  Miriam said when she is out of something she goes to our other friend Kari's house.  We are happy that we finally have a little store that has some basics on hand.  But the hours are short and supplies are limited.  The next store is in Fort Benton, 26 miles away.  It makes a lot more sense to ask a neighbor than to spend and hour driving for a cup of sugar or cupcake wrappers.

So with Miriam's help I was able to produce two dozen, red velvet cupcakes with homemade cream cheese frosting.  Payson requested sprinkles and I actually had those in the pantry! The mommy fail was avoided thanks to my sweet neighbor.  Now I just need to remember to put cupcake wrappers on the list for the next trip to town....

'Til next time,

B

Rattlesnakes and Scars

A while back I wrote about an experience I had while I was out riding.  Rhett and I came up on a culvert that we had ridden across many times as a way to avoid a really boggy area. Rhett does not like mud! Never has, never will.  He will cowboy up and go through it when I really need him to, but only then!  Anyhow, we rode up on that little culvert and the thing came alive!  The ground vibrated and in .05 seconds I knew the sound of rattlesnakes. Lots of rattlesnakes.  Rhett knew it too and screeched to a halt. In another .05 seconds we were backing up just as fast as we could.  Twenty five feet later we stopped and both of us caught our breath.  Our hearts were pounding and we could not wait to get out of there!

I rode past that little culvert again this afternoon.  Each and every time we go by I hear those snakes in my mind.  I know they most likely have moved on to a deeper den for winter.  But neither Rhett or I want to take the chance.  I know some of my dear readers are laughing at me right now and that's just fine with me.  I'm not the only one with a snake issue.  My dear cousin Joellyn scared one up with her lawn mower last summer.  Now she doesn't go anywhere near that part of her back yard. Just in case.... Rattlesnakes have such an ability to freak us out!

It occurred to me today that my snake issues are like some of my other "scars".  Maybe something doesn't actually cause us physical damage, but it still leaves a scar. Something can frighten us so badly that we're never quite the same.  It makes it so we just can't quite ride across that culvert anymore.  It can be something that others deem silly or small.  Something that nobody else even notices.  Yet it stays with us and leaves a scar.

It's now a goal of mine to somehow get over the fear of that culvert.  Maybe I'll walk over it after throwing a bunch of rocks at it.  Just to be sure.  But I'm gonna do it! Of course, if I even think I hear a snake, or see a snake, forget it!  I'm outta there!  I'm not dumb enough to get myself snake bit for the cause of conquering a fear....

'Til next time,
B

The Cheeky Dog

 

This morning I took the puppies for a nice long walk around town.  It was quite cold and the snow was lightly falling but these pups are tough! They were enjoying our walk so much and I was too.  They now have the leash business figured out so it's very enjoyable for me as well.  I always walk Judge on the left and Jury on my right.  She's a bit more active/naughty and so by default she gets my stronger right arm to contend with.  She's also more alert than Judge.  He is happy to trudge along at my heels and doesn't question me.  Jury is sometimes sure I am leading her to danger.  Buses and cars are monsters, even if parked.  Fire hydrants are puppy eating demons!  But she is calming down and is beginning to trust me more.

Jury and her wooden snake.  She's practicing up for the real thing!

 

When we were nearly home we ran across a very cheeky Border Collie.  He was delighted to see someone else out so early and began running laps around us. Judge didn't like it at all but was dutifully following me even though he was worried.  Jury was flat out ticked off.  She was trying to behave but did not like that ornery dog!  When he made the mistake of dashing in towards us Jury spun and lunged at him and gave him her most ferocious, "I'm gonna tear you up!" barks.  She was so serious and scary that the Border Collie ran away! She was not gonna have anyone even think about invading our space.  As soon as he ran back into his yard, she calmed down and went along nicely. 

 

I was so surprised and I dare say, impressed by her behavior.  A little, not quite 10 week old pup and she was laying down the law with that naughty dog.  I can only imagine what is to come with her.  Which is the reason we are doing daily obedience lessons!  They are both so terribly smart that we know they will be very loyal guards.  But it is so very apparent that now is the time to install the "abort mission" command.  

"You talkin' to me?"

 

 

Each day with them has been quite interesting.  I hope you enjoyed our update.

 

'Til next time,

B 

 

 

 



Around Montana

Yesterday I drove 3 hours south to a tiny town called Wilsall, Montana.  I have a horse named Fancy that is getting fancier by the day thanks to my horse trainer there.  It's a bit of a drive to go see her, but a beautiful one. Then I get to ride and learn a lot!  It's so worth the trip!

I took a little time during my drive to stop and shoot a few photos.  Just whenever something caught my eye.  So here is a little tour around Montana....



Near Monarch, Montana

The whole drive down to Wilsall I think I saw no more than ten other vehicles on the road.  It is one of the most amazing, unspoiled drives in the state. 

But I did see cows.... lots and lots of cows. :)

 

The Crazy Mountains near Wilsall.

The Crazy mountains used to be called The Crazy Woman mountains when I was a kid. Legend has it that they were named after a white woman whose family was massacred by Indians and went mad.  She refused to leave their graves. The mountain man Liver Eating Johnson found her nearly starved.   He then looked after her, bringing her food whenever he passed through.  Robert Redford made a movie called "Jeremiah Johnson" that was loosely based on this legend.

On the way home I was witness to one of the most remarkable sunsets I have ever seen.  I pulled off the highway to capture it.  Believe it or not, I didn't have to tweak the exposure or color at all.  Here it is in it's glory.....

I hope you enjoyed the tour....


'Til Next Time,
B

A New Skill

More often than not in the months of September through April the roads look like this....

Or worse.

 

It doesn't always make it easy to run to Fort Benton or Great Falls to get supplies or run errands.  Sure, we can usually get through if it's important, but it doesn't mean it's fun.  The other day we had a foot of snow fall and since then we've had some serious wind every day.  The snow is now melting off but there are huge drifts all over.

 

I decided today that I didn't want to drive through the drifts and winds, but the boys all really needed a haircut.  Now this is no big thing for lots of super moms out there.  But it was a big deal for me!  For the first time ever, I cut all three boys hair.  Long ago when I was a very broke single mom I would occasionally take my horse clippers to poor Payson.  A buzz cut worked and was free, but not that cute.

Today I got out my mom's clipper kit and followed the example of the last gal that cut their hair. ( I was watching!)  And did the best I could on two very squirmy toddlers and Payson.  Thank goodness Payson is a pro!  I think the results turned out pretty good!  Nobody will have to wear a hat every day for a month or anything like that....

Notice my big boy is trying very hard to look tough here. ;)



I'm feeling quite proud of myself for this.  A new skill that means one less thing I hafta make the trek to town for!  A little more self sufficient every day, just like a good prairie mom....

 

The rugrats aren't impressed.... They just think their mom is hilariously funny!

 

 

'Til next time,

 

B

Gandolf

Today at 2:00 pm.  The town of Geraldine is just beyond the sign.

On January 12th, 1888 on front rolled through Montana and brought one of the deadliest blizzards in our history.  They called it The School Children's blizzard because so many children died on their way home from school.  The storm hit quickly and many were unprepared.  The day prior had been unseasonably warm and they weren't dressed for it.  Teachers didn't know how bad the storm was before they sent them out. 

Wednesday was spring like.  Warm, sunny, no wind.  I thought how strange it was for January.  That night we learned of the pending storm.  Now we know far ahead that we need to prepare.  We know how bad it will be and how long it will last.  We can plan ahead and have the pantry stocked. I often think of the people that settled this place.  I'm always amazed that anybody even survived here before the days of decent insulation and central heating.  They had to keep themselves alive and their animals too.  Ice was chopped with an axe to water the stock.  Hay was so much harder to put up and store, but somehow they managed.  Kids walked miles across the prairie in all kinds of weather to get to school and sometimes it cost them their lives.  We have so very much to be grateful for.  Yes, in some ways our world is worse off than in 1888.  But in many ways it's better.

Pony looked so miserable that I put him in the barn for the night.



Payson walking home from school.  The whole
20 yard trek.

Now we have the National Weather Service that tracks and now also names our winter storms.  This one is named Gandolf.  Gandolf has made his way East to North Dakota tonight.  A bit of snow is still falling but it's lightened.  Tomorrow will be warmer and sunny once again.  The snow drifts will be the highlight of my big boy's weekend.  The rugrats and puppies will enjoy it as well.  I will make hot cocoa and smile at their rosy cheeks and be thankful for the storm....


'Til next time,
B

The Whole Galaxy

Some of you know this.... I used to live in Seattle.  And Houston.  And the Dallas- Fort Worth area.  And some other pretty dang big towns.  I can say with first hand knowledge how beautiful city lights can be.  The lights of Seattle reflecting on the water of Puget Sound are a favorite memory of mine. But the one thing that used to bother the begeezers out of me is that you could barely see the stars in those places of my past.  Seattle not only has the light pollution but almost constant cloud cover.  It was very sad to know the stars were there an not be able to see them.  Like ever....

These last few nights I have now had a reason to be out traipsing around my yard after dark.  The Judge and Jury need to have one last pee-pee before bedtime!  I'm thankful the weather has been unusually cooperative for such things.  I have actually really been enjoying our little night patrols.  My big boy has been joining me.  He's been in his jammies and slips on my giant thermal Muck boots and coat and we go.... 

Each time I'm outside after dark in Geraldine my eyes are always cast upward.  I probably look like such a goon, staring up all the time.  But the stars are so bright it feels like you could reach up and grab one!  All the little teeny ones are there!  The Milky Way is there! Orion and the Dippers and lots of other constellations that I have no clue the names of, are there!  It actually does make a person feel closer to God to all his wonder like that.

Tonight there is actually a slight cloud cover.  Kinda uncommon out here, but sure enough there's clouds.  A few of the big, bright stars are shining through but that's all we could see.  Payson looked up and said, " Mom, where are all the stars? "  I explained the clouds covering them and that they will be back.  "Ok", he said. " 'Cuz last night we could see the whole galaxy."  Yup.... we sure could.

It's pretty hard to get a decent photo of stars.   At least hard for me.  So here's one of the sunset out west of town.

'Til next time,
B

Fourteen Kids and a Pot of Rainbow Stew

Well, actually it was chicken fettuccine alfredo.... I'll explain.

The other day I wrote about getting my new puppies from Amy, who I've known since childhood.
Now, as Paul Harvey used to say, here's the rest of the story. 

Amy is Tasha's little sister.  Tasha and I were practically inseparable after school and on weekends in the dirty, little ranch town of Cascade, Montana. Our parents all worked really hard and we were all pretty dang good kids.  We had a lot of time on our own.  Tasha said my house was always more fun to play at, but her house was the one with all the great snacks!  We spent the dog days of summer running back and forth and having sleepovers.  Her parents took us night fishing on the Missouri River.  It's almost seems like a magical childhood as I look back.  It's ironic that dogs brought us back together because we each had a dog back then that we adored and they went everywhere we went. Good old Blondie, Pepper and Spike....

Fast forward about 20 years, give or take....



Prairie Momma Amy

Now we've all got long stories leading up to our current lives.  There are now husbands and kids.  Lots and lots of kids!  Tasha has been blessed with four boys and one princess.  Amy has five boys and one princess.  I have three boys.  Add 'em up!  When we got together the other day we had fourteen kids between us! All but two were rowdy boys! They oldest child in our group is eleven, the youngest is six months.  Tasha's house is a nice, spacious farm house but we sure filled it to the brim!  Tasha's boy Wesley was having a birthday so it made for one heckuva party!  There was a level of chaos I am in no way accustomed to.  Toy guns, swords, trucks, legos and a pretend restaurant all going on.  The big boys went hunting and sledding in the yard for most of the afternoon, but the little ones were right there underfoot.  Ya'll shoulda seen it!

But there was some pretty amazing things going on if you looked through the chaos.  With help from my mom, who was there to help referee, I saw that we have fourteen very happy children.  You would have thought there would be fussing, whining, bickering and the like between all those kids.  But amazingly there wasn't!  Other than an occasional "accident" or boo-boo nobody really complained.  Even Amy's infant barely cried.  That is either some kind of miracle or maybe there is something else at work.

Our kids are all being raised on pretty dang old fashioned values like faith, family and working together.  Amy and Tasha are both brave enough to home school their broods.  (I'm not tough enough I'm afraid.)  Our lives all involve teaching our kids to love the Lord and the bigger meaning of life.  We are all three, Prairie Momma's.

Prairie Momma Tasha

Confession:  When it's comes to being a "Prairie Momma", I feel those girls have got me beat.  I know I live way out here, an hour from the big town.  We don't have a stop light or a car wash or Wal-Mart.  There are six kids in my 1st Graders class.  Things are simple here, for sure.  But this "ain't nothin' ". 

Tasha has to drive 40 miles to a grocery store. Any kind of grocery store. After you turn off the main highway you don't see a thing but an occasional farmstead. Miles upon miles of wide open expanse. Her farm is a prairie classic. Wonderful, mature windbreaks define the yard. Perfect antique red barns and buildings sit below the house. An old farmhouse with tricky wiring. Really tricky wiring. But tons of charm and warmth.  They've got horses, dogs and goldfish for now, but give her time.  I think she's planning her garden for next spring....

Tasha's yard

Amy has it even better! She gets to drive and hour and a half to the grocery store. Her closest neighbors are about a mile away. She has a wonderful little farm with a menagerie of animals. Goats, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, pigs, donkeys, dogs and probably more. She's raising what her family eats and drinks and even makes goat milk soap. (Amy, if you are reading this, you are my hero.) 

Amy's Farm

Amy's princess. Could not resist stealing this pic!

So now you see.... I'm a Prairie Momma, no doubt. But these girls have got me beat! I aspire to learn from them as good friends do....


'Til, Next Time,
B

The Judge and Jury

Yesterday morning, my mom and I loaded up the boys and the Boston Terrier and went on an adventure.  Up to the "High Line" and across the state of Montana to a tiny place called Nashau.  Yes, I mean tiny.  Like, the same size as Geraldine.  Actually, we headed out to a farm 20 miles North of that itty bitty town.  I think that area is one of the most desolate, empty places in the Continental U.S.  But is beautiful, with is miles and miles of sky and grain fields.







We were meeting up with two other "Prairie Girls".  My childhood friends Tasha and Amy.  The sisters and I used to all live in another tiny town, Cascade, Montana. They both now live on farms with their families.  Amy now raises Livestock Guardian Dogs. She has a couple of amazing dogs that defend her farm and her family from all  kinds of predators, four legged and two legged. I had been considering adding a "big dog" to our family and happened to ask Amy about hers.  The raving review she gave had me convinced I need to look into finding one!  Well, guess what?  She had a litter all ready to go!  The rest, I'm afraid is history....

Meet the "Judge"

 

And the "Jury"

 

They are 8 week old, Turkish Kangal/ Maremma cross lovies. Bred to defend and protect, smart as whips, loyal to the end.  They will mature somewhere around 100 lbs.  I originally thought we'd get just one.  But look at those faces!  I decided another set of "twins" was in order.  I've been studying up.  Training these guys will be a bit different.  One must be very "alpha" and be aware of the acute sensitivity of these breeds. These photos we snapped during their first little leash training session and they did great! 





 

 



I will keep ya'll posted as we all learn more about "LGD's" and the pickle I just got us into!



 

'Til next time,

B

 

 



Curtain Climbers

Some people have "curtian climbers."  Not me.  I have "fence climbers." 

 



Some people's kids throw sand at the sand box in the park. Mine throw rocks and horse poop. Sorry, I don't have a picture of that.  I was too busy pointing out the difference between rocks and horse poop, and why one should not necessarily pick up and throw horse poop.

Some kids get to have all kinds of "play dates" and scheduled activities.  My poor kids have to play with big hairy friends that don't say much.

 

 

Once in a while they get to go to a mall and ride on those quarter operated kiddie rides.  But Usually a "ride" looks like this.... 

 With or without a big hairy friend to add to the fun.

 

 

There have been people who have questioned my decision to raise my kids here.  I was told they would grow up "sheltered" and "clueless to the ways of the world."  I feel it's too bad they don't see what I see.  The rich experiences and unique challenges of life out here on the prairie.  I hope to raise these kids to know what hard work looks like.  And what a day of rest looks like.  And to be able to see the bigger picture.  I thinks it's a real shame that more kids don't get to play with horse poop.

 

What do you think?

 

(I don't think I've ever said "poop" this many times in an essay!)

 

'Til next time,

B

SKUNK!

Reposted from my other blog:

A couple of weeks ago I started to notice some odd things over at the chicken house. We lock our girls up in their little house each night. But something was getting into the coop yard and leaving some poo behind that I thought came from a raccoon. But coons usually make a huge mess out of everything and there was only a few rocks moved around. My mom informed me it had to be a skunk, not a coon.

Putting the trap together with grandma.

So mom went out and bought us a live trap to trap the skunk and solve our problem. The first night we set the trap inside the coop yard, baited with cat food. Bingo! Then next morning we had us a little skunk in the trap. Hubby got the job of shooting the critter with the .22 rifle. It is legal to shoot "nuisance animals" in the town limits with a .22. After he shot it the smell was impressive! Even though it hadn't actually sprayed, it leaked out all over. The whole yard and a two block radius absolutely reeked! We waited a bit and then Hubby and my mom had to empty the trap into a plastic garbage bag and mom hauled it to the dump, outside of town. They came home with the scent and even though they took their clothes off out in the garage and took showers, it infected our whole house! I had every candle and Scentsy thing burning all day.



Skunk #1

We thought we solved our problem and felt pretty proud to have gotten it taken care of on the first attempt. But mom decided to leave the trap set that night, just in case. She didn't bother to put any fresh bait in it, not thinking it would really catch another skunk. Wrong! The next morning we had another skunk. Bait or no bait. So the whole process was repeated. Shoot skunk, stink up the entire North end of town, wait a bit, get rid of dead skunk. Mom decided not to leave the trap set that night!
Then we noticed the rocks moved again.... so mom decided to leave it set....again without bait. What do ya know? Another skunk! This time, not in the coop yard, just out on the lawn. We were told about covering the trap with a blanket and hauling out of town before shooting it. They don't spray if they are in the dark I guess. So Hubby covered it up, set it in the bucket of the backhoe and hauled it out of town to it's demise. It didn't really help though. Hubby still had to strip his clothes off out in the yard and take a shower. They decided to take a break from skunk trapping for a day.....


The Great Skunk Hunter isn't allowed to bring those clothes inside!

Last night, mom left her trap open again. Just sitting on the lawn, nothing in it. "Just because". We teased Hubby this morning that he had to go kill the skunk again. He said, "Nooooo! I just got dressed for the day!" We told him to just go check, they probably wasn't any more skunks to trap.....Wrong again! Skunk number four was waiting for him. He came back and geared up to kill another skunk. Once again this entire end of town stinks to high heaven! The neighbors have all caught on to our skunk trapping adventures and are all very please we are making the effort. The skunk problem has been an issue for quite a while I guess. We have many vacant old houses here in Geraldine. They make prime homes for skunks.

The ladies that work at the bar/cafe tell me that they watch all kinds of wildlife walk right down Main Street late in the evenings. Raccoons, fox, deer and of course skunks! Two weeks ago, the nice lady that lives next door to the little yellow house actually had one come in her house! The blasted thing went in through the doggie door! Her two Boston Terriers had at it and she came home to the stench of skunk and fur all over the place! It got away after making a disgusting mess and spraying everything. Another neighbor lady told my mom how glad she is the we are trapping the skunks. She said she is always trying to keep them out of her yard and has even tried using repellents.

While skunks must have some good qualities, I'm sure. Most folks agree, the fact that they are a main carrier of rabies means it's best to exterminate them from populated areas. I have a cousin who was chased and nearly attacked by a rabid skunk when she was a small child. Her mother's quick thinking saved her, thank goodness. ( If that cousin is reading this, you know who you are! *wink*)

So I guess we will keep leaving that trap open and keep shooting skunks. Hubby will have to keep stripping out in the yard, the town will keep on stinking to high heaven. But I am starting to wonder how many skunks we will get! Any guesses?

 

Update! The fifth skunk was the last skunk standing!  We have not had any other stinky visitors since this post.

New Year's Eve

Happy New Year!!

Every year on New Year's Eve, the town throws a big (by Geraldine standards) charity event.  People jump in and put on a dinner/ dance/ auction/ costume competition that benefits the Geraldine Swimming Pool.  Teachers, farmers, truck drivers, bankers, cowboys and mechanics pulled out all the stops and dressed up like pirates.  Donations were collected of items to auction.  There were guns, recliners, art works, veterinary supplies, toy tractors, Muck boots, a ton of hay and more.

Turkey dinner!

As always I'm proud of this town.  Honored to be part of a community that cares about keeping the kids happy and healthy.  Two weeks of swimming lessons cost twenty bucks.  Life guards are hired and the pool is heated.  From June until the end of August we have an oasis.  It couldn't happen with out the donations, volunteers and participation of the New Year's event.

People danced to DJ "Sarge", who is also on the radio in Great Falls. The hokey-pokey, chicken dance and YMCA all made their appearance. People bought drinks with a donation of whatever size and the cash box was left open and unattended on the bar all evening. 

My donation went to the purchase of a wonderful print by local artist Brian Morger.  Folks say he's gonna be famous one day.  The painting is of the Fort Benton courthouse, depicted when it was first built around a hundred years ago. It looks amazing in my dining room.

 

I know most of this post is "small town news" and maybe not of much interest to most.  But there is so much here that seems lost in so many places in our country.  I write about it out of hope I suppose.  Maybe I'll start a grass roots movement in people my age to rediscover the value of raising our kids in small, tightly nit communities!  I guess we'll see....