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