Canadian Vacation

Harry and I left for Waterton, Alberta, Canada, yesterday morning. It's only about a 3 hour drive, and we made the border crossing at Chief Mountain, below on the right.

Waterton in located in Waterton Park, the Canadian extension of Glacier NP, which is an International Peace Park (crosses borders). It is a tiny town nestled between towering granite mountains, visible in all directions. Below is the side street beside Zum's, where we had breakfast this morning.

Waterton has a trail that circles the entire town, which we walked before breakfast this morning.

It even has its own waterfall...

leading to a short creek which empties into Cameron Bay, in Upper Waterton Lake.

Our room in the Bear Mountain Motel was comfortable, but with no air conditioning, we sat outside under the mountains for maximum view and lots of fresh air.

Even the deer love Waterton. They were everywhere! Notice these are triplets.

Above it all, the Prince of Wales hotel looks down over the town.

Harry says...

Every once in a while, Harry comes across a quote and says, "You have GOT to put that in the blog." That's where "If you're lucky enough to live here, you're lucky enough" came from. Tonight it is...

"In life, oftentimes you just need pie."

figure that one out yourself

Tea with Norma Sangray in East Glacier

This is Norma Sangray, an amazing gardener who lives in East Glacier, Montana.

Yesterday she had her annual tea party in her lovely alpine garden, and invited everyone she knows and even some of us she never met before!

Many people in Choteau (and around Montana) are friends with her, and this is helping me to grasp the fact that geographical distance means little here in our sparsely populated state. I assumed that as she lives an hour and a half away from Choteau, that she must have once lived here, which is apparently not the case. As one of my friends pointed out, East Glacier is not very far; why, lots of people drive the three hours to Canada and back just for lunch!

In any case, Norma has many friends. We dressed up in our fancy hats and spent hours sitting among her flowers, sipping rhubarb punch and eating delicious tea cookies. Notice her stained glass necklace. Her garden will be featured in the September issue of Montana magazine.

Even the jammers stop their red buses to let the tourists see her garden...

Montana Wilderness Association Hike to Clary Coulee

Yesterday I participated in the MWA hike up Clary Coulee, led by our friend, Al Wiseman, below.

From the top the view is spectacular. You can easily see into Canada.

Boone & Crockett and Hiking into the Bob

Yesterday Ellen and I visited the Boone & Crockett ranch, where the director, Lisa gave us a tour. I had planned to participate in a 2 week educational experience with them two years ago, but it was cancelled that summer. Hopefully I will be able to take a one week class with them next year. Boone & Crockett is located on the front, 10 miles west of Depuyer. Directly behind the education building below is a pass that leads into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, a protected area accessible only by foot or on horseback.
Ellen and I couldn't believe that they told us it would take 45 minutes to drive 3 miles to the trailhead. The roads within the ranch were in great condition.

However, it soon became apparent (and Lisa had warned us) that we weren't on the ranch anymore. We headed through barbed-wire gates , deep and muddy ruts, and narrow paths as we crept toward the trailhead. Their 45 minutes estimation WAS wrong. It took us an hour...

Eventually we reached the end of the 2-track (not a road at all) and found the trailhead exactly as Lisa had described. The hike to the Bob Marshall entrance sign wasn't difficult, certainly the easiest hike into the Bob.

We continued on and ate lunch beside Depuyer Creek, surrounded by Dwarf Fireweed, below.

The entire drive and hike was through a sea of wildflowers. As we walked out I took a picture of the unknown, and unique flower, below.

Our only concern was the weather, and as we returned to the Boone & Crockett, this was our view of the pass where we had been hiking. We missed the rain by minutes!

Let Them Eat Kale

We've had a quiet week, thus, no blog entries. I've been busy tending flowers and vegetables, and we got our first meal of peas on Monday night. There is nothing like fresh peas right off the vine. We won't get but another meal or two; I wish I had more. Last night we had Laurie and the next neighbors down, Mary and Gerald, over for dinner. More kale, chard, and lettuce eaten!

Several weeks ago there was a request in the Great Falls Tribune for kale recipes. I saw it but decided against sending any of my million. Then, the request was repeated again last week, as no one had responded (most people look at my kale and say, "What is that?"). I felt sorry for them and sent an email with an explanation of how my students researched great kale recipes, and included quite a few. This week they printed them all! Although you have to read through the two pages of this article to see it all, here's the link:

Let Them Eat Kale

Great Falls Garden Walk

Yesterday I went to the Great Falls Garden Walk with my neighbor and hiking partner, Laurie (left), and my good friend, Sharon. We saw four very different gardens and enjoyed every one of them (despite a few mosquitoes). Below are some of my favorite pictures.

Great Falls Garden Walk Pictures

Beth's Excellent Adventure

Today, while Harry road his Harley to Glacier, Laurie and I hiked the Headquarters Pass trail on a wildflower hunt. This flower to the left is "Showy Death Camas." Yes, it can kill you!

We also made some mountain goat friends...

Harry's Excellent Adventure

Harry rode his Harley all the way across Going to the Sun Road in Glacier and back home today while I hiked with Laurie.

310 miles round trip!

Italian Swiss Chard Pasta

Tonight we invented a new dish, named after its intent. Harry put it together and baked it while I went to yoga for the second day in a row! We have the most wonderful yoga teacher (Becca) and studio above Curly Willow Basins, Kim's flower shop. I did yoga and Harry cooked supper. How great is that?

Here's our recipe, mainly so Harry can remember how to do it again.

Italian Swiss Chard Pasta

Approximately 2 c. pasta (we used mini shells)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion
½ green pepper
Approximately 4 c. Swiss chard, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small container low fat cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 c. grated cheese, separated
Approximately 2 c. spaghetti sauce

1. Cook pasta as directed and drain. Place in bottom of a rectangular casserole dish.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and pepper in the olive oil. Add the chard and sauté until wilted.
3. Combine the cottage cheese, egg, and ½ c. of the grated cheese. Spoon over top of the pasta.
4. Layer the sauted greens over the cottage cheese mixture.
5. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over the greens and top with remaining ½ c. of grated cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve with homemade bread from the new thriftstore breadmaker and a lettuce salad from the garden!

(Yes, that is rhubarb pie in the background!)

Choteau Bear News

Word has it that there have been grizzlies in town. One of our friends saw two near the airport when he was running yesterday morning, and they were seen again down by the rodeo grounds where they went on to the river. Wow! Wish I had a picture to share.

The National Folk Festival, Butte MT, 7-10-10

On Sunday we drove to Butte for the last year of the 3-year run of the National Folk Festival at that location. What an experience! Butte will continue with a regional folk festival next year, and I certainly hope to attend for many years to come. The venues are free, and the music was top-quality. Nashville will be the new location for the next 3 years. (lucky Whit and Jess)

Saying Goodby

I almost forgot to include our last picture of Caitie, Hugh, and Meg. We hopped out of the car on the way to the airport to snap this picture, because we had forgotten to do so... It hardly seems like they left almost a week ago.

If you're lucky enough to live here, you're lucky enough!

Several days ago, this pickup truck loaded with a llama pulled into Jill's shop across the road. The llama waited patiently while the owner shopped...


Where else can you grow peas in July?


I personally love our beautiful blizzard of cottonwood. More pictures to come ...

And tonight we attended the Teton Canyon Picnic at Sherm and Ginny Abbott's picnic grounds. After a great night as their perpetual guests (they are trying to rescue us from city life) with good people and great food, we were treated to the most phenomenal, iridescent rainbow that we've ever seen. It traveled in front of us all the way back to town.

My Favorites from Caitie's Pictures

Missouri Iris at Blackleaf Canyon

Butterfly at Blackleaf Canyon

Best Bullriding Photo

Striped Coralroot at Our Lake

Virginia Falls at Glacier National Park


Wilcox's Beardtongue and unknown white flower at Glacier

A wolverine sliding down the hill at Logan Pass!

Glacier National Park, Browning Wild Horse Roundup

Hope this slide show works for you. It seems like sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

Choteau's Legendary 4th of July Celebration

Few words are needed...

Anticipating the Parade








The Parade

The Rodeo

The Concert in the Park; Wylie and the Wild West

A taste of his talents...