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!