March Magic

Lake McDonald

Glacier National Park

Wow, 90 days of 2018 are history!  As I reflect on the month, I am pleased.  I have made progress on my most meaningful goals.  Celebrated special events.  Welcomed a friend from Ohio.  And rejoiced with the magic of the moment.  Lots happening in the month, so let's get to it!

ONE: Culinary delights, take two

As you know from my January re-cap, my 2018 goals include cooking once per week.  Lent presented a unique opportunity to explore vegetarian options, and we discovered several 'keepers' this month. (Links for all recipes are at the end of this post.)

Vegetable Soup

Avocado is a tasty glue for this delectable dish.  Add a dollop of salsa and sour cream and you won't even miss the meat!

Your recommended daily allowance for vegies will be met with this nutrient-packed soup.  Paired with a cheesy bread roll warmed in the oven, you have the perfect antidote for a snowy winter day.

This is such a keeper, we have already made it a second time!  We speculate this could also be served cold in the summer time as a variant on macaroni salad.  Rock on summer!

Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl

If you like peanuts, this is a recipe for you.  The sauce is light and flavorful, an ideal complement for the tofu and broccoli.

TWO: Charming embroidery, continued

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to calculate twelve (months in the year) divided by seven (days of the week).  In other words, how much time should I allot to complete my seven-piece tea towel project?  I decided I should target one per month, giving me wiggle room for unexpected delays, not to mention time in the second half of the year for Christmas-related ventures I have waiting in the wings.  The good news?  Third month of the year.  Third day of the week - complete!

 THREE: Captivating events

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you have probably cottoned to our love of attending events, the quirkier, the better. March is no different - take a look!

Upper right - see the snow pile behind the photo booth? 

Only in Whitefish is Prom held in March.  And only in Whitefish is there a Grand March OUTSIDE.  Couples promenade down the sidewalk in front of their parents and the community - brrrr!!!  Our next-door neighbor's son is a senior - this was a must-see (on March 10, no less!)

St. Patrick's Day is cause for celebration in many locales, and our town is no exception.  At our favorite local pub, we encountered friends from church, whose daughter JUST HAPPENS to teach Irish dance.  She performed a couple of dances while the Irish band played.  Then, a four-person bagpipe corps entered the bar.  Spousal Unit JUST HAPPENED to run into a piper in the men's room, and he requested Amazing Grace ...

R2D2!

As the ski season draws to a close, Whitefish Mountain Resort pulls out all the stops for tourists (but probably even more so for locals, who are already mourning the end of winter, and the resort employees, who are rejoicing the end of winter).  This past Saturday witnessed the Dummy Derby - crash test dummies on skis meet demolition derby!  Of course, it helps that the event is preceded by the Mountain Brewfest, a fundraiser for the SNOW bus (but really just an excuse for a lot of people to drink beer).

Sunny skies draw a crowd for Brewfest

Check out the Minions as they make their run for the prize money - all of the dummies in the mosaics below ultimately joined them in the snow pit under the jump!

The fine art of dummy design: a sturdy base.  Low to the ground.  Weighted forward.

Upper Left: Liftys Rule

Lower Left: Huckleberry Shake

Upper Right: Cannon with white streamers

Lower Right: Darned if I know

Aerodynamic.  Artistic merit - wackier means points!  Test your dummy.  Have fun!















FOUR: Companionable visitor

We've told everyone they're welcome to visit so we're delighted when we get a taker!  (and more of you should do it!)  See, this is the lemon cheesecake with huckleberries that awaits you ...

We had 5 glorious days with Tim, who drove all the way from Chagrin Falls, Ohio for a western road trip including Montana, Utah and Colorado.

We were so proud to show off Glacier National Park while snowshoeing on a bluebird day.

Tim at foot of Lake McDonald with mountains of Glacier National Park in background

In the winter, Glacier National Park is practically deserted (as compared to over 3 million visitors seen in the summer months).  It's a boon for those who don't mind a few extra layers of clothing and 'tools' such as snowshoes!

Due to snowfall, the main road through the park is not plowed after the 10-mile mark, Lake McDonald Lodge.  (This is normal, folks!)











This day, we covered 5.3 miles.  One of the many highlights of the journey was Sacred Dancing Cascades, the location of our lunch break.

If you doubt the snowfall, consider these pictures:

Left - yes, those are traffic cones - big ones!

Upper right: buses WILL park here (in the summer)

Lower right: No fire exit today!

Plow crews have begun the daunting task of clearing the Going to the Sun Road, which typically opens at the end of June (and closes at the end of September).

Just to give you a sense of the level of effort: the "Big Drift", located east of Logan Pass, can reach depths of up to 90 feet.  Every year, the plow crew working on the west side of the road and the one working on the east side meet at the Big Drift and together tackle the challenge.











FIVE: Cherished moments

So maybe you think all of the above is 'magic in the moment'.  And it probably is.  But one of my exhilarating moments this month came from a couple of grainy trail camera photos - because they show something other than deer!

Hare

Coyote

Linking to

All Seasons


I Like Thursdays

Mosaic Monday


Nature Notes


Saturday's Critters

Willy Nilly Friday

Recipes:
Avocado Quesadillas
Vegetable Soup
One Pot Spinach Feta Macaroni and Cheese
Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl