Mosaic Monday #145: July Jumble

I am so blessed with adventures in our beloved Montana that I doubt I will ever lack for blog content!  I have already penned 5 posts about our July activities, and yet I have more to share from last month.  It's a bit of a potpourri, a hodgepodge, a mish-mash.  Welcome to the July jumble!

My nephew took the picture at left - isn't he a terrific photographer?  He was so kind during his visit - always asking if we would like a photo!  And sometimes, he snapped one from behind us.  Awww ....

Kootenai Falls and Ross Creek Cedars are go-to sights when we have visitors.  On the day we explored the area, it was red hot, and ideal for dipping toes (or more) into the glacial waters of the Kootenai River.

Montana hosts are required to ensure tourists enjoy their share of huckleberry products while in the state.  Head Chef made his special huckleberry cheesecake, and we also took my nephew to the Huckleberry Patch in Hungry Horse, famous for its huck pie and huck ice cream - double the fun!

Before we began our back-country camping trip with my nephew (see previous posts here, here and here), we navigated the white-knuckle twists of the mountainous Going to the Sun Road.  I have lost count of the number of times we have gazed upon the majesty of Glacier National Park from this road, but I can assure you I never tire of it.

The summit of the Road is Logan Pass, equally renowned for access to the Highline Trail and the Hidden Lake Trail, AND the difficulty of obtaining a spot in the parking lot!  I won't bore you with the details of finding not just one but TWO spots; let's focus on the photos and videos of the 3 mile round trip "hike" to the Hidden Lake Overlook.

You might (reasonably) surmise from the photo above that no-one else was around; in reality, this is one of the most popular hikes in the park since the views are expansive, the distance to the Overlook is relatively short and the trail is (mostly) flat.  So, it takes some ingenuity and patience to obtain shots without any people!

In the summer, it is quite common to see mountain goats along this trail, and this day did not disappoint; we must have seen at least a dozen goats, including kids born in the spring.  Sometimes it even seems that they are posing for you! 

Check out the videos!

At the Overlook, a circular boardwalk provides plenty of space for hikers to linger for a snack with a view.

On the way back, I snapped this picture of a meadow strewn with glacier lilies.  As one of the first flowers to emerge in the spring, this is evidence that it wasn't too long ago that snow still covered this area.  (And this picture was taken on July 8!)

We headed down from the summit of Logan Pass, toward St. Mary's.  Along the way, we stopped for a short stroll to Sun Point.  I am eternally grateful to my nephew for suggesting a photo op featuring a hug, and then taking this picture (the background really makes the shot, don't you think?)  We might be getting this one framed!

Our next milestone was Many Glacier, to drop off my vehicle at the end of the trail (where we would emerge 4 days later).  In the past, we have been fortunate to see bears along the road, but at a safe distance.  Once again, we were not disappointed; a mama black bear and her baby were grazing in the meadow.  They are hard to see in the video below, but be patient and they will appear!

On July 31, Spousal Unit and I went out for dinner to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (it actually falls on August 3, but he would be headed to Alaska that day for salmon fishing).  A fitting end to the month, and hopefully the beginning of another adventurous 30 years!

   

Mosaic Monday

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. Tuesday (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. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Mosaic Monday #112: More Family Festivities

By the time you read this, #1 Daughter and The Boyfriend will already have been at their home for a week.  But it's never too late to recap the final days of their visit with us.

On the Monday before Christmas, we surprised them and #1 Son with a dogsled ride.  (Actually, I think #1 Daughter and #1 Son had guessed the plan, but it didn't lessen our joy one iota.  Spousal Unit and I experienced this adventure last year, and I knew they all would love it.)  The day was made all the more special because it was snowing as we pulled up to Dog Sled Adventures, and that white stuff kept falling throughout the ride.

The mushers radio ahead when they are a few minutes from the dog yard, so I was able to get outside and capture a video of the sled pulling in.

While I was waiting, I was totally amused and laughing out loud at a dog named Oreo - it was catching snowflakes as they fell!

No winter vacation in Montana would be complete without a trip to the Whitefish Mountain Resort.  #1 Daughter is normally a skier, but as moral support for The Boyfriend, she gave snowboarding a try.  Spousal Unit and #1 Son, both boarders, were their instructors for the day.  To protect the innocent, I will share no videos here - but this picture at the end of day shows them still in one piece and with smiles on their faces!!!

The next day, we went to Glacier National Park.  #1 Daughter and The Boyfriend had been there during their vacation in August (see this post), but it is a sparkly, white world in the winter!  We hiked from Lake McDonald Lodge to the Sacred Cascades and back again.  Later in the season, snowshoes would normally be required for this three-mile excursion, but in late December you can manage it with hiking boots and trekking poles.

Someone had placed a few small ornaments on one of the pine trees near the trail.  So festive!

As faithful readers will know, it is customary for us to stop for huckleberry pie after a hike in the Park.  This day was no different!  Yum yum!

On Christmas Eve, we returned to Whitefish Mountain Resort.  The Boyfriend continued his snowboarding lesson with Spousal Unit, while the kids (can I still call them kids?) and I went skiing/riding.  It was a rare blue sky day, and the scenery is practically indescribable.  These pictures will help you envision it a little!!!

Whitefish Mountain Resort allows foot passengers to reach the Summit via Chair 1, so at the end of the snowboarding lesson, The Boyfriend met us at the Summit.  Perfect time for a photo op!  (The mountains of Glacier National Park are in the background.)

After we returned home, Head Chef, #1 Daughter and I prepared the dessert for the next day.  You have seen this confection before!!! (White Chocolate Huckleberry Cheesecake)

We watched the movie Klaus (outstanding, if you haven't seen it) and turned in fairly early since it had been a long, active day.  And Santa won't come unless we are asleep!!!!  The next morning, Monty the Moose stood guard among the gifts while we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.  And then the un-wrapping began, one present at a time!

It must have been exhausting for the young lady in the Santa hat, because she was napping in the afternoon!

Before we knew it, the mouth-watering aroma of turkey and all the fixin's was wafting through the house.  We all pitched in with our various talents, and sat down at the table with great anticipation.  No one left disappointed!  It was a delicious topper on an already wonderful day.   How I love Christmas and all its traditions!!!

Mosaic Monday

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. Tuesday (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. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Horses, Homes and Huckleberries

Yesterday morning, frost coated every outdoor surface like a fine layer of diamond dust.  It glinted in the sun, and then slowly melted into wispy mist that floated eerily through the trees.  I could imagine Summer in the vapor, inexorably disappearing as Fall gains the upper hand.  It was a fitting metaphor, as yesterday we said farewell to the last of our latest round of summer visitors.








Hence, I offer you Chapter Two of the "summer visitor series" (link to Chapter One).

On September 7, just as the dinner bell rang, six of my family arrived on our doorstep - my mother, my oldest sister, my oldest brother and his wife, and my youngest brother and his wife.  For all but the latter, this would be the first time they would step foot into our completed dream home.  Talk about excitement and anticipation!

Left: Book about successful baking at high altitude - for Spousal Unit!

Middle: Cross-stitch for my gallery wall

Right: Utah wines - yum!

Note that the Boddington's beer and Kendall Jackson wine are MIA

because they were already imbibed!

Our guests honored us with thoughtful housewarming and 'hostess' gifts.  Thanks, guys!

Captain Doug's boat moored at the beach

The next day, we wasted no time and jumped directly into tour guide mode, with a boat trip on Flathead Lake, destination Wild Horse Island.  At 2,160 acres, Wild Horse Island is the largest island in a freshwater lake west of Minnesota.  The island has been a landmark since the Salish-Kootenai Indians were reported to have used it to pasture horses to keep them from being stolen by other tribes.  The park is noted for its wildlife including bighorn sheep, mule deer, songbirds, waterfowl, bald eagles, and falcons, as well as five wild horses.  Rare and endangered species have also been found on its Palouse Prairie grasslands.  The island's scenic shoreline is a favorite of hikers, boaters, swimmers and sailboat enthusiasts.

Pictographs documenting bison kills by the Salish-Kootenai Indians

You could have this house and its island for $15 million … it's for sale!

(and this is a steal - it was built for $98 million)

Captain Doug motored his boat (a perfect fit for the 8 of us) while sharing interesting history (and probably a few tall tales).  There is no dock on the island, but Captain Doug had perfected off-loading passengers with a portable ladder.  After a brief orientation to the layout of the island, we headed out on the trail while Captain Doug went off on his own.  We had seen very limited wildlife (squirrels don't count) when we encountered Captain Doug.  Part of our group decided to work their way back to the beach, while my oldest brother and I went with Doug in search of the horses.  I am pleased to report that we found the band of 5 mares, and the other group came across the bighorn sheep and some turkeys.  A win-win for all!

Upper right: horses are hidden in this grove of trees …

Sunday brought Mass at our local church followed by breakfast/lunch at Sykes Diner.  Fortunately, our next stop - Conrad Mansion - provided an opportunity to stroll the grounds and stave off food-induced napping!  The Mansion, sited in Kalispell, is a beautifully preserved  example of luxurious living and period architecture in the Northwest.

In 1868, at the age of 18, Charles E. Conrad left his boyhood home in Virginia and traveled to Fort Benton, Montana Territory.  There he built a trading and freighting empire on the Missouri River that lasted more than 20 years.  In his lifetime, Mr. Conrad lived through the Civil War and the settling of the West, and he left an indelible mark on the history of Montana.

The building itself remains unchanged since Spokane architect Kirtland Cutter designed and built the 23-room-home in 1895 for Mr. Conrad, founder of Kalispell.  Ahead of their time, the owner and architect built in electricity, steam heat, running water and a hand-driven elevator.  Although you can't take interior pictures, the 90-minute tour of the house gives you a thorough look at the furnishings, most of which are original to the home.  Ownership and occupation of this stunning Norman style mansion remained in the Conrad family until 1975, when it was given to the City of Kalispell, which ultimately turned over the active management of the site to the non-profit Conrad Mansion Museum organization.

And what could be a better way to wrap the weekend but an inaugural fire in the fire pit, accompanied by s'mores?  (The night sky was pitch black, and my brothers helped us spot satellites tracking across the heavens, low enough to reflect the last of the sun's rays.)

The little village of Bigfork, nestled in an elbow of the Swan River, is a perfect spot for a walk along the Wild Mile.  A picturesque section of the river with rapid upon rapid, it is host to the Bigfork Whitewater Festival each spring.  Monday meant few people on the trail, and we enjoyed a picnic lunch before exploring the quaint shops.  The best part was the huckleberry ice cream, with whole berries exploding in my mouth.  When we arrived home, my Mom harvested the first of our Goodland apples; this tree was planted in her honor earlier this year (see post).  We all tried a piece or two, and the consensus on the flavor is the tartness of a Granny Smith, softened by tones of Golden Delicious.  Fleshy without being mushy.  We also agreed that the rest of the apples would benefit from a little more time on the tree, and a hard frost.  So watch this space for more apples!

And all too soon, departure day arrived for everyone except my oldest brother and his wife.  We shared the breakfast table and then it was hugs all 'round before we headed to the day's hike while the others went on their way.  Glacier Lake had been recommended by a friend, and she was on the money!  Radiant fall colors.  Pools formed by Glacier Creek.  Only 1.6 miles to the lake, with minimal elevation gain.  A lake cradled by mountains, unique on the west side with massive rock slabs slanting down to the water's edge.  What more could you ask?

(And we had to stop at Moose's in Kalispell for pizza and beverages!)

My sister-in-law is a superb quilter, and so our trip to Whitefish the next day had to include a stop in Whitefish Quilts and Gifts.  She was delighted to find some fat quarters with a huckleberry motif.  And the huckleberry theme continued that evening as Spousal Unit and my SIL crafted a White Chocolate Huckleberry Cheesecake.  Supreme willpower was required to wait for a taste until the following morning, but boy, was it worth it and perfectly paired with coffee!!!  By far the best cheesecake ever -- smooth, out-of-this-world flavor!

On our final day together, we shared two of our favorites with our guests - Kootenai Falls/Swinging Bridge and Ross Creek Cedars (see previous post).  In between, searching for a quiet picnic spot, we stumbled across the Dorr Skeels Campground.  












Only a bald eagle, flying along the western shore before perching in a pine, disturbed the absolute peace of the beach we chose for lunch.

And now the house is quiet. The sunrise will be here tomorrow, and so will the aspens, quickly transforming with each day of frost.  But now we are the only witnesses - at least until our next guests arrive - in 12 days!

Linking to:

All Seasons

I Like Thursday

Mosaic Monday

Nature Notes

Our World Tuesday

Saturday's Critters

Sharon's Photo Souvenirs

Skywatch Friday

Wednesday Around the World

Willy Nilly Friday