Nothing Unusual

This week strolled along with nothing really unusual happening. We had our normal gray weather for this time of the year, still working on packing stuff up for the upcoming move and I am still trying to get through this LAST MONTH of school!!! OMG I can't wait to be done with this Paralegal Degree!

I took a couple of drives this week. Both places I tried to get to are still closed because of our winter weather. They were nevertheless beautiful drives.

Skalkaho Falls is a gorgeous place. The next time I go we will get some great pics, but for now I could only get pictures of the creek alongside the road.

Onward I go, to another location more north of the valley. On the way I stopped at a local duck pond were you can buy pellets out of a bubblegum looking machine and feed them to the ducks.

There are so many different ducks in this little pond, they love their food, AND they are very LOUD!

This location goes out to my friend Becca in California. She was married here some 26 or so years ago. We go camping here every year; the best part about it is it is only 10 minutes from the house (20 from where I will be moving to).

This is coming back out of the camping area (because it was closed). This little bridge is where Becca has some of her wedding pictures taken,,,of course it was June then and everything was green and beautiful:::especially here.

This is the view off of the little bridge. I will go back later this summer and get more pictures of the summer greenery.
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Until next time:::TRUST AND BELIEVE!

Easter

Happy Easter Everyone!

Here is a special shout-out to my middle son JCB who is serving our country in the NAVY and couldn't be home for Easter....WE LOVE YOU AND COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF YOU!!!! 

I had a great morning at church followed by baking, cooking and then out to my mom's for Easter dinner.

The Easter bunny came early to our house this year,,,Literally!

This is Louie the Lop eared bunny.  Isn't he cute!

I am babysitting him for my friend DD.  He is a birthday gift for her daughter.
 Here is my oldest son JLB holing little louie, while jealous Lola looks on..........

DD had left the bunny in my kitchen while I was gone.  When I came home our HUGE black cat (also named Louie) was perched on top of the carry-cage and there were wood chips from the cage all over my floor.  Obviously Louie the cat was closely examining Louie the Bunny.  My youngest JRB said " Louie (the cat) just wants to make friends!!!!!" (somehow I seriously doubt that!)

Lola loved to steal his carrots!

I also went on another little drive up the Mountain. Usually the pictures I take are from the valley floor looking west towards the Bitterroot Mountains but this time I was IN the mountains. It only takes about ten minutes to get on the mountain road from my house.

We saw this amazing bird house! I've never seen anything quite like it,,,,BRILLIANT!

A little further down the road I ran into some wild turkeys.  Their chests were puffed out and they were strutting around enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

 A family of deer were also out scouting the mountain side for a snacky-snack.  I was able to get surprisingly close to them.

 I stopped so I could get a postcard picture of the valley floor.  I am looking East across the valley to the Sapphire Mountains here.

Pretty creek

 Onward to cooking and baking for Easter dinner.  In my house I am the baker.  I don't like to do everyday cooking, maybe it has something to do with cooking for 3 hungry boys for many, many, many years,,,,now that they are grown, I just don't like to do it anymore.  But I LOVE to bake! I love to make frilly pretty amazing deserts!

Northern Banana Pudding........................

Lemon Berry Mousse 

D

Deviled Eggs!!!!! Ha Ha! don't you just love this!!!

Dinner at Mom's was fun. Lots of good good food with friends and family all around*******************************************************

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This is me and my youngest boy JRB.

H

Here is my Mom with my God Daughter Ava.

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Me and Ava,,,,she is showing off the recent teeth she lost!!

We had a Blessed day indeed!

U

Until next time, Trust and Believe!

Nature Walk

Today started off with more packing,,,I am only doing a little at at time because I have a few weeks to get it done, although that still doesn't make it any better. 

The cold, hard fact is I hate moving. The packing and sorting makes me feel like I have too much stuff! I want to walk away from it all but as soon as I do I'll end up back at Wal-mart re-buying it!!

YARN..************************************************

.....................................Have I mentioned how much I love YARN!!!
 I love wool yarn, soft, silky wool yarn! Last June I got to go to Pennsylvania to Amish Country and purchased a whole duffel bag of home-grown, home-spun, hand-dyed wool Yarn! I know it will sound silly to those who could care less about such things, but to me, it was better than Christmas.

This is a blanket I am making for our bed. I am using three strands of yarn at once so it will be full of soft, fluffy goodness!!

 
After packing up my beloved yarn and sewing supplies, Alley and I decided to go on a Nature Walk. 

This type of walk is intended to help me get some exercise by diverting my attention with the beauty of the things around me.

Nature Walks are free, easy and very enjoyable.
 The weather was the typical Montana everyday collage of several different types of weather at once.
We went to the wildlife refuge which is about 3 minutes from the house......
Lola enjoys her walks everyday,,, can you see her smile?

 Forgive me but I get a little picture happy here....
                                      

I love how the sky meets the clouds, meets the mountains, meets the trees, meets the ground, meets the sand, and at last, meets the water,,,,pure BEAUTY!

While looking over the edge of the river bank Alley found a nest with and egg in it.  It seems to have fallen out of a tree and landed on another tree in the river>> How sad...
                                      

ME:   Damn, I forgot the Bear spray!"

      Alley:  "There are bears here????,,,if there are bears here I am takin' my damn self back to the car!!!

               
Me: APRIL FOOLS!!!!


I love playing around with people who
are new to the area!! Alley hasn't lived here very long so I suspect there will be several more games I can play with his mind!!



Walking along we found a tree that had fallen into the crook of another tree, its probably been there for years and years.

On the way back we ran into some Canadian Geese swimming peacefully in the cold water of a slough.

And a Magpie squawked at us as we left the nature path.

Driving through the rest of the refuge brings us to the big white barn that has been there for as long as I can remember. I love this barn.  It is so typical of the many barns built here in Montana.

The final event of the day was or THURSDAY DINNER at my dad and N's house......

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My dad is one of the toughest men I know!  He is amazing and like myself, he is a CANCER SURVIVOR!!

h

He loves to be in his shop or out running his ranch...always busy!
There is always good eats at dad and N's......
Homegrown beef fresh off the grill!

O

On the way home we saw the buffalo...........

Today's walk was simple and best of all free!  We live on a budget like I'm sure most of you do.  I try to be creative with ways to entertain us and feel like I do a pretty good job most of the time.

As long as I can breath and have a pulse, then I know I'm alive and that goes a long way in making me a happy person!
Until next time,,,,,,Trust and Believe.