Posts from the ‘Montana’ category

In the house

Saturday, approximately 7:00 p.m. – Sara left with the last of her things for her new home – and my house was once again mine. It was a bit…well, it was interesting. I was in the motorhome and Sara in the house for nearly 3 weeks in October before I flew to Florida. Then, when I returned – I was in the motorhome and Sara in the house for nearly 2 weeks. I used the washer/dryer which are just inside the front door, and I poked around the living room closet where I had papers, but otherwise, it was Sara’s house…so funny-odd to “move back in”. But that feeling was short-lived. By the time I put everything “to rights”, it once again became “my” house.

By 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, I had my bed made, the coffee ready to go in the morning and enough toiletries to feel comfortable with the going to bed and getting up routine.

I’m home!

Home

Bob jumped on the bed – looked at me askance!!! – sniffed as if to say: “This is different”, and then proceeded to curl up on my robe..

Home

Karl joined Bob soon after. Karl rarely gets on the bed but has ALWAYS done so the first night home. Before Sara moved, we were in the house on occasion but never for long. This night, he seemed to understand immediately that we were to stay…whether he picks up on my mood/spirit or ??? – he knew. He took a treat to the rug in the sunroom – usual spot. When I moved to the bedroom, up on the bed he went – and he stayed and went to sleep while I watched a bit of TV. Then, habit, or he gets too warm…into the closet.

Home

That blur…that is Karl going into the closet… I crate trained Karl when he was a puppy and he has always liked a “den”. In this house, as in Florida, the closet is his den.

As per usual, Karl and Bob settled immediately into the home routine. I had a hard time falling asleep, but did eventually and woke to the sound of rain – heard through the open window.

We are in the house!

…this last photo has nothing to do with being in the house. This was actually the night before we moved home – in the motorhome. The title is: “Is the ice cream soft yet???”

Home

The woodsy part of the walk

The spectacular mountain views posted a few days ago are from the eastern edge of my property as well as a loop Karl and I walk at the start of our twice or sometimes 3 times daily walk from home. That mountain view loop is on an adjacent “sub-division” – 5 and 10 acre parcels that have been sold but nothing built – and I hope they stay that way for awhile!

We complete that loop and then come back across the southeastern edge of my property and begin another loop that circumnavigates the edge of the 40 acre parcel of state land that is adjacent to my southern border. The state parcel is landlocked which means that access is across all the properties adjacent – all 6 of us. I have seen one “neighbor” on this land once. It is a beautiful piece of land – mostly flat but two of its borders have magnificent valley and mountain views. Karl and I usually walk the logging tracks that run inside the border by a bit. We have peek-a-boo views of the mountains beyond but it is mostly a woodsy area.

When I first moved here and walked out on that parcel, I scared myself silly – got disoriented as to which direction was “home”. For a while I activated the navigation system on my cell phone so I could see my position in relation to my house. Gradually, though, I came to know the various “stands of trees” – they are all familiar to me now and I know where I am. There is a group of 5 ponderosa pine – 4 form a diamond and the 5th is the center cross point. I wish I could capture that in a photo but there is no way save from above. There are several pretty copses of small trees and evergreens. Other places there are just trees that I recognize. There are several downed trees from windstorms that occured since I’ve lived here. There is the place that last year I found wild orchids – I’m keeping watch as now I know how to use the camera functions to get those miniscule blossoms in focus.

For now, though….this Glacier Lily….and a bit of the walk and places that Karl and I know:

Above, one of the logging paths that make it easy for me.

The end of the loop – the return to home.

Hello the horses

I had a quick visit with the horses in the photos below. They live near where a friend is living temporarily and belong to the owner of the cabin she and her family are renting. The horses are obviously used to people and probably used to the people having horse treats as they came over to see Karl and me immediately – snuffled my neck and shirt trying to find something horses like. Karl loves horses – at my previous house there was a horse pasture and round corral. My neighbor rotated her 3 horses through my pasture so I had the fun of watching and petting them without the expense of food and vet – plus I didn’t have to have the pasture mowed! Kelli wanted the horses to be okay with dogs so we worked together – me training Karl to not approach from their rear and Kelli working with the horses to be calm with Karl. Karl would take a toy out to them mornings – repeatedly baffled that they would not play. All 3 of the horses were “lay-down” nappers – Karl liked to join in that activity also. I have photos from then that I will find and post when I get a chance.

But today’s photos – the horses at my friend’s…

Horses

Horses

Horses

Horses

Horses

Horses

This is their view….poor horsies…

My mountain views

The road home – the view Karl and I saw as we made the last turn for home – our road.

Where I sit…

The view is better from the rv spot than the house…and a lilac bush in bud right outside the window. The slight bit of blue that shows in this photo is the Swan Range through my woods.

This bush will not be in bloom before I move back in the house, but watching it daily is a joy.

Above: The second night home. Below: An afternoon (Wednesday) in the sunshine.

My mountain views.

Across the Mississippi

First, Welcome to new visitors from Big Sky Blogs who clicked to From the Front Porch for the first time. And thanks to Big Sky Blogs for including From the Front Porch and extending the nice welcome! My About page is current and explains my current run for home.

Captain Karl and I crossed the Mississippi and are glad to be on the west side of it! No disrespect intended to the eastern U.S. – but my heart is in the west and the closer I get to Montana, the better I breathe… And just so I don’t leave out alienating even more of you – I’m also glad to be north – I was like a fish out of water in the south. The entire U.S. is beautiful and I can enjoy visiting any part of it, but for “home” well, more on “home” in another post.

Today’s travel started at just after 7 a.m. The idea was to get to Iowa City ASAP before too much of the forecast high wind kicked up and decide about going further.

Karl

Karl was ready on time…

We had a short bit further on the two lane, then hopped on the Interstate at Peoria and crossed the Mississippi about 10:30.

Mississippi River

I stopped at the welcome center on the Iowa side and after a walk with Karl, decided that I would stop at the Coralville (just west of Iowa City) park I knew from my last trip.

Karl

The wind was holding the flags straight out – gorgeous for flag flying, not so good for motorhome driving…especially as my route was to be due west and the wind coming from due south – directly broadside. The 65 miles from the welcome center to the Coralville exit was plenty of wind fighting fun for one day. I pulled in to Colony Country Campground just after noon.

Colony Country Campground, so named as it is near the Amana Colonies for the family who owns it – by name of Colony, is a small rural park – 2 miles from the interstate so no traffic noise. But at the exit is a large mall, several shopping centers and a Wal-mart Super Center – all I need! There are nice grounds to walk Karl and the rural roads are quiet and beautiful as well. Oh, CCC has excellent Wi-Fi AND my aircard works so the work scenario is good for the work week. I’ll stay here until Friday – leaving at noon for a short driving day on Friday, driving Saturday and Sunday to get to Spearfish, SD – next week’s work venue.

Site

RV site du jour…isn’t that house in the background beautiful?

Barn

Today’s barn photo…

Now – time for work.

Montana Panoramas

Working with some photos made me remember these Montana Panorama shots – taken in 2003.  I use the winter shot as the header for my business web site (www.beardogco.com ).  The property is a house and a bit over 6 acres that I owned previous to my current place.  I took the photos from a spot up and away from the corner of the property.  The winter photo was my first try at panorama and it was about 4 degrees in January.  My little camera (’02 Canon Digital Elph) got cold and got the slows – which softened the focus just enough to make it look a bit like a painting.  I liked shot so much that I decided to get 4 seasons and I was/am/someday??? going to have prints made that can be hung one above the other.  BUT, I missed taking Spring and then moved.