Posts from the ‘Montana’ category

First day of Summer 2011: a Bear’s eye view

It doesn’t always happen in Montana, but this year, the first day of Summer feels like Summer! It is 75F at my house, sunny, blue sky and a light breeze.

Bear and I took a walk along the edge of the loop…the short loop walk. The lupins are blooming, the mountains have snow…happy Bear dog!

First Day of Summer 2011: a Bear’s eye view

The Road Home: Green edition.


The Road Home.

It is several days until the official start of Summer, but here in Montana it looks like Spring – the green hay, grasses, trees are still the bright green of Spring versus the mature green of early Summer.

Time.

I am very aware of time. I am aware of how I spend it and of the limited commodity that it is. For almost 26 years I have worked as an independent consultant, paid by the hour. No one sets how many hours I work but me. I have been fortunate to mostly have had the luxury of working as much as I’d care to.

Through the Winter and into Spring as Karl’s condition waxed and waned I had to let go my fierce hold on time and just be there with him at his pace. There was a day when I consciously said to myself, “just let go of the need to control the schedule and just be…the only time that matters is time with he and Bob”.

A funny thing happened when I gave up that tight hold. Everything that needed to be done still got done. I kept my work committments AND made enough money. I ate and obtained supplies.

But, I was sometimes spending what seemed like hours, in the woods with Karl, on slower walks…on more walks. Most days were “normal” until early April but there were times that were not. It is hard to remember exactly now and I don’t want to try. What I do remember is the joy of just being with him and watching him smell the scent on the breeze, roll in the snow, play with a stick, look at me and smile.

I saved those moments. Some are on this blog, some are in my mind and memory. It was an idyllic time of intense awareness.

And now. Everything is different. Bear is here. He is a joy with a happy and generous spirit despite everything being very different for him, too. Bob, Bear and I – we are all adjusting to a new routine, a new schedule, a new way of doing everything. It is both good and challenging, but ultimately, it is “us” – the fambly* Summers – bright with the new growth of a new season: maturing as we grow together.

The Road Home: Green edition.

*fambly…from the Pogo comic strip.

High water: Flathead River

A snowpack that is 150% more than “normal” and a wet spring have filled Montana’s rivers, streams and lakes to the brim and in some places to overflowing.

And instead of their normal blue-green color and clarity that allows seeing down into the water four to six feet…the water in rivers and streams and even the lake shore is a muddy brown from the fast flow that is eroding shorelines as it careens down from the mountain tops.

Fortunately, this Spring has also been cool so the snowpack has been melting at a slow enough pace that flooding has been minimal most places. And I’ll take the cool! I LOVE the cool. It can continue until Fall for me :)!

And hopefully, with all of the moisture falling from the sky and the remaining snowpack to melt, there will be enough moisture in the wilderness areas to make our fire season another mild one.

As I was looking at the muddy water, I noticed something swimming…not an otter…

…a beaver…a LARGE beaver! I’ve seen evidence of their presence but this is the first time I’ve actually seen one. He looked to be about 5 feet from nose to tail. And not skinny. And not disturbed by Bear or me.

Yellow Bay

After 2 days of pouring rain and temperatures 10 degrees below the normal for this time of year, we had a “Summer” weekend of mid-70’s and sunshine. Saturday, I caught up on yard work but Sunday I headed south along Flathead Lake about 26 miles to Yellow Bay State Park. The park has a few camp sites and a small trail system compared to Wayfarer’s, but the beach area is wonderful and there were very few people around.

Bear got a drink and cooled his feet in the lake while I took photos and just enjoyed the air and sky and views.

That squarish patch is one of the cherry orchards that line the hills along the lake. Cherry orchard with a view!

Snowmelt from the mountains turned a creek that is often a trickle into a waterfall and rapids…

And there is a lot more snow to melt. Rivers and streams are near flood stage and with more heavy rain, followed by warm temperatures, the valley is not out of the woods for spring flooding.

But Sunday, the air and light were as clear as I’ve ever experienced. Layers of foothills and mountains were visible in a way I don’t remember seeing before. It was a perfect day for a drive to Yellow Bay.

Sunday drive

I’m not big on just driving around and looking at the scenery. Funny, as the scenery around here is pretty spectacular as far as I’m concerned. But for whatever reason, to just take a drive loses its appeal in about 15 minutes and I just want to go home.

But today, I took Bear and headed out for a Sunday drive. Bear gets very excited over ANY animal…cows, horses, other dogs, deer, squirrels – you name it, if it has 4 legs, he wants it. Even in the car when it is cows or horses in a pasture some distance away. I don’t know if he didn’t get out much or it is just everything new and changed or what, but my hope is that if I don’t react and he gets used to seeing this stuff, he’ll NOT react. And I hope this happens while I still have some hearing left…a beardog barking up a storm in a Jeep Wrangler…loud!

So, off we went.

Oh, I did take another tool to try…the electronic collar. I have one that has a paging feature. “Page” is vibration only. I can turn off the “shock” part. I had no intention of using any shock, but thought I’d see if a bit of vibration was distracting enough that he’d quiet and hear me. He did. So sometimes I used the page, sometimes just a firm “Leave it” and by the end of the drive, it was voice only and sometimes even that was not needed. I don’t think one drive is going to do it, but every bit of training and success builds – his confidence in himself and in me as the leader. We had a good time. I talked about the cows and horses and the pretty day. And for the first time, Bear kissed me in the car – in the past, whatever has been out the window has been too exciting. Today, there was a bit of “Isn’t this fun?” between us.

And it WAS a beautiful day for a drive. It has finally turned serious green and it is that vibrant Spring green that speaks of new growth.

A bit hazy again as a new front swirls up from the southeast, but some sun and some blue sky and the mountains have new snow from this latest cold storm.

We arrived home to see Bob on the front porch.

“Did you happen to lose that dog while you were gone?”

“Yea, I thought not.”

***Actually, we had a small breakthrough this morning. Bob’s and Bear’s “visits” have been mostly calm lately. This morning, Bob was on the bathroom counter…higher than Bear…so I took Bear in and it stayed calm and they seemed interested. Bear sniffed Bob’s tail, Bob turned but seemed curious…I gave Bear enough room to touch noses – they did! Bear then backed up, so I turned him and left on a high note. It is only 2 weeks since Bear has been part of the family. I think we are all doing very well :)!