Montana Cattle Drive

Early yesterday morning I was pointing my car south of Great Falls on US Hwy 89. My destination was White Sulphur Springs, MT about 100 miles south. The drive is beautiful any time of year. US Hwy 89 from the junction of US 87 and US 89 (Armington rest area) to the junction of US Hwy 12 and 89 is designated the Kings Hill Scenic Byway. Around nearly every corner there is a photo op, … Read more

X-C Ski Day at Silver Crest

Last Saturday was Silver Crest Trails Association‘s annual SnowFest at the Kings Hill Winter Recreation Area south of Neihart, Montana. And, what a fun day it was! I was basically trying to squeeze in several activities Saturday – early morning bird count, an hour’s drive to the Kings Hill Winter Recreation Area, then a Broadway show that night. It wasn’t until I was home and looking at my photos of the X-C ski day that I … Read more

Virgelle, Montana’s Country Christmas

What a fun day today! I drove from Great Falls to Virgelle, MT which is about 8 miles off US Hwy 87 between Loma and Big Sandy. It’s amazing that there were three cars ahead of me also taking the Virgelle turn. I followed them the entire 8 miles and we were all heading to the fun event called A Real Country Christmas at a Real Country Store. Country store it is – the Virgelle … Read more

Putting On The Glitz

I drove downtown in Great Falls the other day to see if I could catch the crew hanging greens, lights and lightpole decorations. It was mid afternoon and there were a fair amount of cars, probably doing last minute errands before Thanksgiving. I finally spotted the crew but had to circle the block before I found a parking space. The weather was absolutely beautiful for November – very little wind and mild temps which, in … Read more

New Snow – Time to Play Outside

It seems a bit early for snow, at least this much, but I have decided there really is no normal weather anymore. I’ve heard that this past week Great Falls, Montana received 14 inches of the white fluffy stuff and I’ve also heard 14.9 inches. Well, bottom line, there is plenty of snow for getting outside and trying out some new snowshoes. Saturday’s temps were a bit chilly but all day Sunday was sunny with beautiful blue skies. … Read more

Wintry Day – Time for Inside Touring

Lots of snow came falling on Central Montana today, actually some yesterday and last night too. I decided it was a good day for inside touring and Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is on my route to and from the post office. Today there were lots of “young” artists in a class that looked like pre-school children. I’m not sure what they were working on but it was good to hear young voices in this art … Read more

Snowy Day on the Rocky Mountain Front

Last week as several of us were exploring Choteau, we decided to head west of town on the Teton Road (newly paved, very smooth!). After almost 20 miles we crossed the Teton River and then started driving towards Teton canyon. Our first stop was at a BLM trailhead kiosk and rest area for hikers heading to Ear Mountain, one of the very visible mountains on the Front. It was starting to snow – after a morning of pure sunshine. A … Read more

New Event at the Christmas Stroll

Friday’s Christmas Stroll in downtown Great Falls had all of the perfect elements – mild temperatures but you still needed winter clothing, lots of people, festive and decorated storefronts and most stores were open. There were street vendors selling a nice variety of food, restaurants and lounges were open and there was live music on the 400 block of Central Avenue. The Polar Plunge brought out the area’s tough and fun-loving, all for a good cause.  Stroll … Read more

One More Chinook Photo

Here’s another fun photo I want to share from Chinook’s Parade of Lights last Friday. This old time sheepwagon on a flatbed trailer was outlined with lights – pretty amazing! And, a great tribute to Chinook’s agricultural and ranching heritage. Chinook’s Parade of Lights takes place every year the Friday after Thanksgiving. It’s a wonderful time to experience the charm of our rural communities.

Chinook’s Christmas Parade of Lights

The day after Thanksgiving sees a lot of communities kick off their Christmas festivities. Chinook, located on US Hwy 2 in north central Montana, began the celebration last Friday with their annual Parade of Lights. It’s more than a parade though. Vendors were set up in several locations along Main Street (technically Indiana Street in Chinook). The parade started at 6pm when it was dark enough to see the lights glowing. Weather prompted many revelers to search … Read more