Thanksgiving

For me, Thanksgiving isn't a huge holiday but it is one I appreciate and enjoy. I love the tradition of it all (and of course the food). Sleeping just a little late, the Macy's Day Parade, the smell of turkey, picking at the cornbread stuffing before dinner is served, over-indulging just a little, football, football, football, the dog show, and then the best part....seconds.

As you can imagine, this Thanksgiving was different for many reasons. I was 2,000 miles away from my family. There was snow on the ground. And most importantly, my dad wasn't with us. I've only celebrated one or two Thanksgivings with my dad but I know he definitely went large....he went large with every celebration.

This year it was just me, my stepmom, her sister, and my cousin. While we were all somewhat anxious as to whether the turkey would be a success, our feast came out beautifully. I could definitely feel God's presence and the presence of my dad as we worked our way through putting together a wonderful meal.

In spite of everything, we have sooo much to be thankful for, which should be remembered every day, not just once a year.

My pumpkin pies (yummm):

Beautiful (and BIG) turkey:

What do you get from a big turkey but a big turkey leg:

Finally, a gentle Thanksgiving Day reminder not to leave your dog in the bed of your truck on a cold Montana day:

(Don't worry, he's apparently been that way for 20 years)

Halloween

Some folks here host an annual pumpkin carving party. They did a beyond fabulous job of decorating, providing pumpkins, all the carving tools you could possibly need and super tasty food. I forgot my camera but did get a photo of the final products Halloween night.

It's critical to have a good choice of candy for the kids., the good stuff too - no cheap candy here...of course I had leftovers (um, oops?).

Unfortunately, the deer decided to come munching on my pumpkin before the evening started. Shoo! (S)He acts like (s)he wasn't doing anything, but I know the truth.

All lit up and ready to go.

All in all, a somewhat disappointing show of trick or treaters. Although there were several cute ones and one group that I thought was 'a little old' quickly reminded me that "You're never too old to trick-or-treat. You grow old because you stop trick-or-treating." Hmm, I'm not sure about that but I gave them candy instead.

Fall, beautiful fall!

Having grown up in the south, I'm accustomed to approximately 2.5 seasons. A whole summer, half winter, half fall, and half spring. Here in Red Lodge we had a beautiful Spring (although it came a little later than I'm used to) and a fabulous Summer (which to me felt like Spring!) Fall however is by far the best. The amazing colors, the cool breeze, the crispness of the air; it can't be beat! Even as winter is creeping around the corner, remnants of fall still surround us. I honestly don't think I'll ever be able to live somewhere that doesn't have a full fall. After all, once you fall you can't go back. (haha)

I still can't get over all the wildlife that makes it's home in Red Lodge! Random deer and turkey crossings, thankfully the bears haven't crossed over the main street to visit my garbage cans.
















We had our first snowfall last week - although we didn't see any in town our ski slope and mountain peaks did. Seeing this sends two thoughts through my head. 1) It's beautiful! 2) YIKES!! It's coming!

The Day My Montana Year Changed Forever

August 17, 2010 will forever be a date that I remember. The day I received the phone call that changed my life forever. The day my dad went to Heaven.

Although I may think that God works in crazy ways at times, I’m so thankful He does. I remember days over the past five months crying out to God wondering why I was here…missing my friends, my family back home, the life I had created for myself. Now, I can picture God sitting up there, crying with me and knowing that there was a greater purpose for my time here. I’m so thankful for His Holy Spirit that helped me be obedient to His call. Although five months simply was not long enough to me; I know it was part of God’s perfect plan. I will forever miss my father but I will not question God’s plan, I will not doubt it. Instead, I will continue to walk the life He has prepared for me; be it full of twists and turns, valleys and mountains, I know my Heavenly Father, and my earthly father, are with me always, guiding me and loving me.

The following are the words I read at my dad’s funeral. I think they provide a good insight into the man my father was, at least the man he was to me.

"My dad and I had a unique relationship. Growing up I’d hear how much I was like my mother. As I got older and began working my ‘big girl’ job, the similarities between my father and I became more evident. My career in planning opened up a door for us to grow our relationship as we shared discussions and interest in building and development.
Every time I came to visit Montana we’d talk about me moving out here but it was never the perfect time.

Things finally came to a head for me in Valdosta and I was ready for a significant change…at the time I just wanted to flee. I called my dad and on the brink of tears told him I needed a change and asked him if I could move out. Immediately, without hesitation, he said yes. By the end of the call I had a place to live and a new job.

Over the weeks I made plans to move out here. Less than one month from my scheduled moving day I realized that I really wanted my dad to drive out here with me. I knew enough to know that traveling to Montana through Missouri and Colorado in early March could be tricky. My dad was a master of driving in sticky situations (anyone who’s visited the Dunham’s house would know that). I knew right away that asking my dad to leave Red Lodge and work for a week might be a tricky sell. So, as my father’s daughter my ‘Proposal’ had to be perfect.

Fortunately for me, Dad read my proposal while enjoying some time at Jake’s Bar and Grill in Billings. After several emails back and forth and his verification that I had satellite radio, heated seats and air conditioner he agreed and offered a rather sweet proposal himself.

Besides getting all packed up, my main responsibility was to map out our trip based on the location of Zagat rated restaurants.

Trip day arrives and after a marathon of packing my overstuffed U-Haul, we hit the road. Our second night we stopped at Justice Café in Smithville, Missouri – recommended by Mo and Cheryl Fowell. My dad was in heaven, loving every minute of our fabulous meal and great atmosphere. Sadly he wouldn’t make it to our hotel before he was hit by a horrible stomach virus, courtesy of his sweet 6 year old grandson. When it came to pain and illness, my dad was an ox and he could push through mostly anything…but this bug had him zapped.

Our third night was to be the Sushi Den in Denver Colorado – one of my dad’s favorites. He was so excited about taking me there but as you can imagine stomach bug and sushi don’t go well together. We went anyway. My dad sat at the table and watched as I enjoyed the best sushi I’ve ever had. Because of his love for me and his desire that I enjoy what he enjoyed he suffered through it.

I know that it was God’s divine providence that I moved to Red Lodge when I did. Although 5 months was far shorter than I hoped for, I’m so thankful for the time I had. I’ll carry the lessons my dad taught me throughout my lifetime and because of him I will be a better person, a stronger person.

A few months ago, my dad sent me a forward about a US Navy Jet Pilot Vietnam who was forced to eject himself from his plane and depend on his parachute for a safe landing. The pilot was captured for 6 years. After his release the pilot and his wife were in a restaurant when I man came up who clearly knew the pilot and the details of the ordeal. Turns out, this was the man who packed the pilot’s parachute. The pilot thanked the man realizing the importance of who this man was and what he did.

All of us have people who pack our parachute. Someone who provides what we need to make it through the day. We all have lots of types of parachutes as well, mental, physical, emotional. When I look at all the people here, I am so thankful my dad was blessed with great men and women to pack his parachute. Although I’ve only been here for 5 months, I know how loved my dad was by so many and I’m so grateful."

Beartooth Ralley

Every year, two weeks after July 4th, is the Annual Beartooth Rally, Red Lodge's smaller version of Daytona Bike Week. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Harleys and non-Harleys fill the streets for the long weekends. The Harley Rodeo as it's often referred to is an impressive mix of bikes and bikers of all types. More seas of black and orange and more leather walks the sidewalks of Red Lodge than most should ever see in their lifetime.

Please note: the last picture of the bar was taken at 8:30 AM....whoa.

Where I work

I realized I’ve never posted a picture of where I work. My dad’s office is located right on the main street (Broadway) next door to the coffee shop and across the street from the candy store (can you say heaven).





I also work at Bridgecreek Backcountry Restaurant and Wine Bar (a place serving yummy, healthy food – again heaven), which is coveniently located one block down from the office.

I'm sure no one is suprised: between my two jobs, I work quite a bit. But it’s good – I meet lots of interesting people at the restaurant and maintain my intellectual abilities (somewhat at least) at the office.

4th of July (and the 2nd and 3rd)

Independence Day or the 4th of July is a big holiday here in Red Lodge…so big it's celebrated on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th with a parade and a rodeo each day. It’s kind of like the movie Groundhog Day, for three days we try and finally get it right on the 4th.

Here are some highlights from the parade:















And from the Rodeo. If you look carefully toward the bottom middle of the photo you'll see the cowboy getting bucked off. If you were at the rodeo you would have heard the 'Oh Sh*t' Section (yes, there's an actual section with shirts and everything) say their token phrase...you guessed it: "Oh Sh*t!"

One event in the rodeo is Wild Horsing Racing. Someone, I'm not sure who, rallies up several wild horses. Seemling sane, although probably (and in some cases hopefully) inebriated men sign up in teams to see who can saddle the horse, get on the horse, and stay on the horse. It's not a surprise to see blood in this event....and it's not the horses. It's crazyness!











And of course, the 4th isn't the 4th without a beautiful dessert.

Gardening...

One of my desires while in Montana was to try a little Gardening, you know, the whole ‘becoming one with the earth’ thing. My opportunity arose when the local flower farm offered up a portion of land for those interested in a community gardening concept. Gardeners (or people like me striving to become a gardener) could plant a plot for free (the gardener provided the plants) and use the Flower Farm’s water in return for donating a portion of what you grew to the local food pantry, the Beartooth Cupard. I jumped at that opportunity….went to my first meeting (arrived late) and proceeded to realize that I had a lot to learn! My previous attempts at gardening included: basil, in a pot, in the house and a tomato plant already blessed with tomatoes upon purchase.



These pictures show you what my garden (and the plots around me) looked like at the very beginning....I'll spare you the pain of seeing mine at the end.

I learned a lot during my gardening efforts. Absolutely biggest lesson I learned: Gardening takes time and commitment…..neither of which are my strong suites. My strong suite is work, I do that well. I sadly have to admit that even here in beautiful Montana, my two jobs dominate my time.

So my first time gardening efforts were probably what they’d call an Epic Fail. Will I try again next year? We’ll see….as for now I’ll just enjoy the fresh produce from the Farmers Market and be thankful for all those committed green thumb folks.

It's MASH Bash Time

Every year the local hospital has a fundraising Gala…this year a successful event was even more critical since they’re in the process of building a new hospital (it’s beautiful!). The theme of this year’s event was: MASH Bash…you guessed it from the old TV show. Glam or camo was the dress attire, I felt like I was back in South GA. :) The decorating committee did an amazing job transforming an airport hanger into the MASH field. The event even had its own Klinger competition, which was somewhat scary considering how serious a few of the competitors took it. Below is the winning Klinger.




Although I was never a big MASH fan, my outfit for the Bash got great props!!

When Pigs Fly....

Tucked in a little town right outside of Red Lodge (yes, even smaller than Red Lodge) there’s a little something happening every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night during the summer. A visitor’s trip is not complete if they don’t attend the Pig Races at the Bearcreek Saloon and Steakhouse, where pigs really fly. Yes, that’s right – pigs….cute ones too! Oddly enough, not a bit of pork is served on the menu. As the story goes, Bearcreek used to be a mining town but after a devastating mining accident the restaurant was forced to create a new marketing attraction. Well, we’ve heard of dog racing and horse racing so why not pigs!












They have their own special arena with stands and sponsors. The little kids help keep the pigs in order. Each pig knows they're running for the prize....food!












Helping to draw the numbers before the race to determine who gets a pig....

Interestingly, all the funds raised from the races go towards scholarships. Thousands of dollars have been raised by folks watching the little porkers make their rounds. Betters can win $25 on races #1-10 or $100 on the final race #11…that’s right folks, 11 races. In Montana you either go big or you go home.

Billings Day Trip!

I had a fabulous trip to Billings today...full of errands, which were all completed resulting in a great sense of accomplishment. Plus, I squeezed in some time for self-indulgence.

My first stop was at the Quick Stop drive-in for a kids burger, fries, pop (as they call it here), and a twisty cone....needless to say, I was STUFFED. It's a fun place where you can sit in your car or picnic tables while you enjoy this culinary delight.















Some fun art work at the Drive-In.

Once in Billings, I had my route mapped out - literally, I still get turned around there....that's one of the worst things about a move, learning the new roads! Thank goodness for Google Maps.

So, first major stop was Alpha Graphics to pick up the fabulous brochures I designed for my Dad's custom home building business DW Custom Builders.....it took a while to get them perfect, but they are as close to perfect as they're going to get - I may be biased but I think they're beautiful!

Then, I hit up: Office Depot (to get fun holders for the fabulous brochures and signs I made, just in time for the Home, Health, and Garden Show - more about that to come ); Old Navy (fabulous clearance rack...among other things I got two great cable knit sweaters for $1.47 each! I felt like I was stealing! I also got a black skirt for my new serving adventures at Bridge Creek Restaurant (more about that later too). I then got my oil changed and my car washed all for only $35 at the Subaru dealer (it used to cost me $70 in Valdosta!) I think this is the first thing that cost less here than in Valdosta. While they were finishing my bargain priced oil change, Shelby and I went to.....Starbucks! I think this might have been my first in a long time - oddly enough, it was like no time has passed at all. Yes, I know I'm sad.

Then, to top it all off - I went to Target....ahh, Target. No worries though, I behaved and only got items on my list. I topped the day off with dinner at The Rex....great outdoor atmosphere - my food (seared tuna) was just okay, but it was an enjoyable evening none the less.

So, all in all, a very productive and enjoyable day!

Tulips!

We had dinner at our friends Greg and Anita's house tonight....on the way out I was the proud recipient of the beautiful dinner table tulips! They look fabulous on my entry table.














They came straight from their yard!

Great America Highway Opening

Today I went to the opening celebration for the Beartooth Highway. This scenic road starts in Red Lodge and traverses for 60 plus miles in and out of Wyoming and finally into Yellowstone Park. Throughout the winter months, the highway (also called the Beartooth Pass and Beartooth All American Road) is closed due to snow. Each spring there is a festive celebration to recognize it's opening.






About 100 people came out to celebrate with cake, fun music, and even a little dancing. They even brought out the ladder truck to get a picture of yours truley (and 99 other people) for the paper.


This man was the 'parking attendant' (I think).















After the 'celebration' Shelby and I took a drive up to the first major lookout of the pass - it was BEAUTIFUL!














Shelby had a fabulous time and definitely enjoyed the sites (especially the chipmunks).

As we were pulling out of the parking lot we saw this very odd site.....not sure what to tell you....only to be used in case of an emergency....when you gotta go you gotta go...have seat will travel... Okay, I'm done.


On the way home I snapped some shots of Rock Creek. It runs parallel with the highway and then into town....it's extra beautiful right now because of the rapids from the melting snow, and it's amazing how loud it is!

P.S. Next year is the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Beartooth Highway. While at the opening celebration, I was recruited to serve on the committee! Ha, I can't help myself but get involved! FUN!