Sunday, February 24, 2019

Mosaic Monday #16 - A Woman's Way West

Lupines and Blanket Flower
Apikuni Mountain
Glacier National Park, July 2018
How did I get my romantic notions of the West and pioneers?  Maybe it was "Little House on the Prairie".  Could have been the Zane Grey books I read during high school.  Perhaps the heart-stirring words to America, the Beautiful have woven themselves into the very fabric of my being.

Recently, my pioneer fever has been renewed by a piece of non-fiction - A Woman's Way West - written by John Fraley about Doris (Ashley) Huffine and her adventures in and around Glacier National Park from 1925 to 1990.

All of it makes me wish I lived in those times.  To have been here when it all started.  To be part of history.  To be a pioneer.  To be called a "true Montana character".
Spacious skies in the Many Glacier area, Glacier National Park
July 2018

Trail for "pilgrim feet"
Swiftcurrent Lake
July 2018
As Fraley writes in his introduction: "She had defied grizzlies when she cooked for the Going-to-the-Sun road crew, hiked the park's trails in clothes reserved for men, owned wilderness lodges, kept bears, coyotes, beaver and mountain goats as pets, managed a museum, written an outdoor news column, and taught in one-room schools.  She was an uncommon, common woman who reflected the rugged spirit and grit of the men and women who paved Montana's transition to the modern West."

Don't you just want to be that woman?


"Patriot dream …
Undimmed by human tears"





My "pilgrim feet" have already trod in the footsteps left behind by Doris as outlined in the book - in places such as Trick Falls (now known as Running Eagle Falls), Rose Creek, Sun Point, Lake McDermott (now known as Swiftcurrent Lake), Stanton Lake and Cracker Lake.  In some small measure, I feel I am working my way toward the honor that comes with a title such as "Montana character".
Upper right: View across Lake Sherburne toward Wynn Mountain
"Purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain"
Glacier National Park, July 2018
In the first chapter of the book, Fraley details Doris' hike to Triple Divide Pass, and my mouth was open with fascination, not to mention shock at the coincidence - Spousal Unit and I hope to hike that trail as a 2-night back-country camping trip this summer.  It struck a chord deep within me, and the melody continued on as I learned of Red Eagle Lake and other wonders we hope to see for ourselves.  I am ever more profoundly inspired to hike the mountains of Glacier, and see them anew through Doris' eyes.  So I dedicate this post to Doris Huffine, and to John Fraley, for painting vivid pictures of her adventures.  A toast to Montana characters everywhere!

Mountains of Many Glacier area with Swiftcurrent Lake in the foreground
Glacier National Park, July 2018 
This is the final chapter in my summer series (link to other chapters here:  Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4,Chapter 5).

A note to all those who may have visited Diane at Lavender Dreams: her blog was erased by Blogger and she can now be found at https://lavenderdreamsnew.blogspot.com/  Raise your voice about this Blogger practice, and in the meantime, preserve your blog!


Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.
 
Inlinkz Link Party

38 comments:

  1. I totally love those photos and it's hard to imagine anything prettier!

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  2. ...you find yourself in one the country's beauty spots!

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  3. That sounds like a great book. I just ordered it from Amazon. Montana is beautiful. I haven't been there for quite some time though. Thanks for sharing the pictures. - Margy

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  4. Such beautiful countryside, not sure I could have lived back then, I like my comforts too much,but I do admire that pioneering woman.

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  5. This does sound a good book.
    Your photographs here are so beautiful.

    All the best Jan

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  6. You definitely an uncommon, common woman! I would be proud to hold that title! Beautiful mosaics of a beautiful country.

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  7. Or that should read...You are definitely....

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  8. You are a real Montana character in my book! I love how you’ve embraced the State where you now live. Like the authors of the books you mention, you are sharing the beauty with your readers!

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  9. The book sounds very interesting. I have no desire to be such a woman, though, I wouldn't have wanted to give up my family for her adventures. I would definitely go hiking in her footsteps, though! Gorgeous photos.

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  10. Hello, I love your photos and the gorgeous Glacier NP. You are lucky to live so close by. The book sounds interesting, I will check it out. I am not sure if I could be a pioneer woman, I am a wimp. Thanks for hosting. Enjoy your day, wishing you a great new week!

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  11. She was really a fabulous woman, never heard before.... very, very interesting to read about her.

    Happy MosaicMonday and thank you for hosting
    Heidrun xxx

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  12. What majestic views of these stunning landscapes you've captured, Angie! We each make our lives as rich and as interesting we want. From what I have seen of yours from your blog, there's nothing "ordinary", "boring" or humdrum" about yours!

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  13. Lovely lovely. Happy Mosaic Monday to all

    much love...

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  14. I'm too attached to the modern comforts and the technology, Angie, to be a pioneer in those days of yore. However, I do admire those hardy spirits and acknowledge their bravery and steadfastness.

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  15. Thank you so much for letting our blog friends know where I am and what's happened. I sure felt sad getting up on a Monday morning and not having a mosaic to join in the party! But I hope my old blog will be restored soon! Some of my best blog buddies are my Mosaic Monday friends! I appreciate your support and encouragement and I love your mosaics today! Sweet hugs, Diane

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  16. I like to read about that woman, but not be in her boots. No way. I'm not strong enough for that. I had a past life blip when I drove into the mountains here once... spooked me for a long time. Facing the trek was terrifying to me. You'd be more of a pioneer spirit than I am.

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  17. Good evening, Angie! Thank you for your nice comment on my blogsite. The translation button is on the main page. You got the main site on the top with link out of the actually post. I hope, I could help...

    ...best wishes

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  18. Hi Angie
    Your amazing Doris Huffine sounds much like Colorado's Isabella Bird who wrote her book called "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" about her exploits and adventures here.
    I am sad to hear about Diane's blog--hope it can be restored soon. I don't think Blogger "erases" blogs on purpose but if mine goes away I'll look at it as "that's life" as everything is temporary, even us.
    PS I'm linking up late today as I had lazer eye treatment this morning. I had a cataract surgery complication arise and thankfully easily taken care of by lazer.

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  19. Gorgeous photography! Yes being an early explorer does sound challenging.

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  20. Angie, the book will certainly enhance your trip this summer. It was meant to be. Thanks for sharing. Have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  21. Fascinating book and gorgeous collage of photos too!

    Be cozy, safe and warm ~

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  22. gorgeous gardens, landscapes and views...the first one is stunning!!

    i think you are a "true Montana character"...little house on the prairie, one of my favorite books!!

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  23. There are still pioneering women in Alaska. Great post. Thanks for hosting.

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  24. She sounds like a fearless woman! Wow! Your photos are just gorgeous.

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  25. The countryside is beautiful, well done Angie.

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  26. I suspect that the woman you cite is as much a product of literary flourish as it is reality. While pioneer women were tough in many ways (they had no choice) the real ones that I have read about suffered from depression to a great extent, cursed their husbands for having taking them to the wilderness and almost without exception longer for their former lives. As for wanting to be a woman like that, I think the flight of fancy soars ever higher.

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  27. Well Angie having followed your adventures for some time now, i do think you have the pioneering and exploratory spirit. Doris would seem to be what we nowadays call a "character" - a "one-off" slightly eccentric lady, not taken to listening much to advice? Keeping bears and coyotes does seem a little unusual but certainly would not happen in 2019.

    I am taken today by your landscape pictures showing the alpine flowers ,the mountains and those huge skies.

    Thank you for a lovely read once again.

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  28. Angie, your photos are breath taking. I absolutely love the first photo with the wild flowers and the majestic mountain standing tall in the background. Your mosaics are gorgeous.
    Enjoy your day.

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  29. Your photos give me a renewed love and respect for my state. Such a lovely place in winter and summer. We just got hit by a blizzard yesterday and I swear we got 8 inches! Schools are out today! Unheard of in Montana...lol Hope you are having a great winter. Kit

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  30. You've got me recalling my backpacking days and wanting to see a couple of my favorite haunts. That's cool you and Spousal Unit still do. I think of you as a modern Montana pioneer, Angie, moving from city to wilderness like you did. Love your murals.

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  31. Definitely Little House on the Prairie.
    Amalia
    xo

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  32. Beautiful photos and I am adding the book to my Goodreads “Want to Read List”
    My Mother, although not a pioneer, was a Forest Ranger’s wife in the backwoods of New Mexico and Arizona and had a lot of grit herself. She grew up on.a farm in southeast Idaho and her father was a powderman in the copper mines of Butte, MT (the older boys managed the farm). She was a tough old lady and.a great Mom.
    I love your post.

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  33. Absolutely fantastic scenery. Just beautiful! I can't say I would like to live in the days of old as I am a modern, though traditional girl at heart. My dear late mom on the other hand would have joined you in those bygone days :-) I do like to read history and historical fiction though and I often think about what the people went through. Have you ever read the book, Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo? I read it many years ago. A fascinating account (based on real life) of a Native American woman who assisted the men on the Lewis & Clark expedition.

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  34. Wow! What a great wander! The sky is such a pretty shade of blue over the wonderful scenery! I used to think I'd like to be a pioneer woman--until I tried to plant an azalea in never-before-disturbed soil. That's when I figured that I would probably starve the first winter :)

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  35. Hi Angie,
    I gave you Sunshine Blogger Award - please look:
    https://floral-passions.blogspot.com/2019/03/and-sunshine-blogger-award-goes-to.html

    I have problems linking to Mosaic Monday, because the Inlinkz-link keeps loading and loading. Shall try with this post next Sunday... Happy weekend.

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  36. Hi, those TV series long ago inspired lots of people. We saw them in Sweden too :) And remember them. :) Nice post :)

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  37. Reading about the history of a place through the life of a pioneer such as Doris certainly makes the surroundings so much more magical and meaningful. Your pictures are amazing!

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