Helping Dreams Come True

We recently had a hand in fulfilling some dreams for my Mother and my eldest sister, and boy, was it fun!  It started a long time ago, when my Mom mentioned her dream to sleep on a train that would also go through the mountains.

And so, with our planned move to Montana, it seemed the perfect time for her to climb aboard the Amtrak Empire Builder in Chicago and clickety-clack her way west to Whitefish.  It's a 31-hour journey (sleeping? check!) and the final part of the journey scoots around the southern edge of Glacier National Park (mountains? check!)  My Mom was accompanied by my eldest sister, who had dreamed of visiting the Banff/Lake Louise region of Alberta.  Isn't it wonderful that you can drive 5 hours from Whitefish to get to Banff/Lake Louise?  Check!

In the days leading up to our Canada road trip, I was monitoring fires in British Columbia and Alberta, since one of them had once already closed the highway we would take to Banff.  I can't tell you how happy I was when it began to rain close to site of the fire.  As we drove past the fire, clearly the rain was having a dampening effect.  It had been so long since we felt rain, or breathed in the earthy smell of rain - I rolled down my window!!!  The wonder of spray on the road, and puddles - I felt like a kid again.

Upper Left and Middle: Smoke rising

from fire along Highway 93

Bottom: Skies clear as we near Banff

Alberta and British Columbia provide frequent rest areas with facilities (can I make a crack about how important this is for a man with a small bladder?), and at one such stop we were also rewarded with Numa Falls.

Lower right: grooves from years of swirling water

Immediately before the Banff exit, there is an overlook that is a must.  As you can see in the picture below, you can't take a bad picture with Vermilion Lakes in the foreground and Sanson's Peak looming beyond.  That day, it didn't hurt that the clouds were clinging to the razor edge of the Peak!

As we entered Banff, my excitement kept building, because I had a secret.  My sister has always wanted to visit the Fairmont Banff Springs - we had taken it a step further and booked ourselves for afternoon tea.  I announced this as we pulled up to the "castle", and the delight on her face was ... priceless!

The Fairmont Banff Springs has been serving Afternoon Tea for over 125 years.  Guests from around the world have experienced Afternoon Tea precisely how Anna, Duchess of Bedford intended it to be when she first invited her guests for tea and scones.  Over the years, the pastry chefs have perfected scones, shortbread and other delicacies to delight the senses.

When we could tear our eyes away from the never-ending delicacies, we enjoyed this view of Stoney Squaw Mountain from the dining room.  (Don't you wonder where THAT name came from?)

After tea, we explored the hotel and I have limited myself to just a few pictures here.  Opened in 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, this hotel was the inspiration of Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, 19th century railway pioneer and hotel visionary, who famously quipped "If we can't export the scenery, we'll import the tourists."

So, it seemed appropriate that we should end our day in Banff with a walking tour of the town, including the scenery along the Bow River.

 That night, it was sweet dreams for us all - and this was just the FIRST day of our road trip!

Linking to Mosaic Monday

Normandy Life

Linking to Skywatch Friday

Linking to Our World Tuesday

My Hiking Journal - Entry 5

Thursday, May 18, 2017 - Beartrap Mountain - 5.25 mile loop

We owe this hike to the knowledgeable rangers at the Rexford Ranger Station.  Having learned our lesson on previous hikes, we wanted to make sure to have a back-up plan in case our first choice of hike did not pan out.  And what a wise decision that turned out to be:  below is a picture of the road to the trailhead for Lower Boulder Lake, our original destination. 

The shot may not do it justice - there was at least a foot of snow on the road.  Bummer - we were within 2 miles of the trailhead!

We accepted the gift of re-direction and navigated our way through the backroads to Plan B.

The trail for Beartrap Mountain starts (and ends) with sweeping views of Lake Koocanusa, a reservoir in Montana and British Columbia formed by the damming of the Kootenai River in 1972.  A joint project between the two countries, it was driven to provide flood protection and to generate hydroelectric power.  (The Kootenai River fluctuated wildly in the spring, causing flooding in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia.)  Although many people assume the lake has an Indian name, that is not the case.  It received its name in a contest: Alice Beers from Rexford, Montana, combined the first three letters from Kootenai River, the first three letters of Canada and USA.  Cool, huh?

This hike featured gentle terrain with a variety of settings from young forest to open meadows.  

"The Northwest portion of the trail meanders through an old wild-land fire, which now serves as habitat for moose, elk, coyotes, deer and black bears." trail description

No animals this day, but lots of fresh elk scat!

Glacier Lilies and Lanceleaf Spring Beauty

We were delighted to find another bird nest (see Entry 2 with our first nest) which is most certainly that of a Dark-Eyed Junco.  I can't get over the unique coloring on these eggs!

At this time of year, many of the plants were just starting to get a foothold.  This Cous biscuitroot is a good example.


We had challenges of our own with footholds - the shaded parts of the trail were still covered with snow - here is #1 Son picking his way down a slope.   It's just another reality of spring-time hiking in  Montana.  I suppose we'll 'suffer' through it!!! 

Linking to Nature Notes

The Grasshopper and the Ant

I am in a harvest frame of mind.  The tasty bounty of the farmer.  The vibrant colors of autumn.  Nature making its final investment before the snow flies, from the pika gathering grass to the plants soaking up the final long rays of sunshine.  I can still remember a collection of Aesop's Fables that we had as children; they were beautifully illustrated.  Do you know the fable of the grasshopper and the ant?  The grasshopper whiles away her summer having fun, while the ant works diligently all season to prepare for winter.  When winter comes, the ant turns away the grasshopper, who comes looking for food.  When I was young, I definitely sided with the ant - woe to those who do not prepare.  With the benefit of age (!), I hope that we all can offer compassion and charity to grasshopper and ant.

Here are my pictures and thoughts for Willy Nilly Friday and Skywatch Friday:

ONE: Don't you just love a farmers' market?  Our town hosts one every Tuesday evening, and it draws people from miles around.  Produce, fruit, eggs, meat, bread, pastries, jewelry, gift items, food trucks, live music -- something for everyone.  Here is our haul from this week - I swear that cherry tomato container was full when we bought it but somehow they disappeared before we got home!  Tucked behind the beets is a honey orange melon from Dixon Melons - they were handing out free slices and man, I was sold on the spot - I have never tasted such a sweet and luscious melon.

TWO: Speaking of mouth-watering, I made my first cheesecake in a VERY long time, using a recipe I saw on Pinterest with the not-to-be-ignored name of "The Best Lemon Cheesecake. Ever."  My Mom and my eldest sister were visiting, and we needed a dessert worthy of the occasion - by all accounts it met the mail.

THREE: Allegedly, the grasshopper spent her summer playing her violin, and I can relate since summer is ideal for music, especially in outdoor venues.  We have made the most of the offerings in our area, including Music and Market on Wednesday nights.

Random items found at

Music and Market

FOUR: As any farmer knows, a harvest depends on investment: putting nutrients back into the soil to ensure a healthy crop in years to come.  The Whitefish Trail Hootenanny is the annual fundraiser to support current and future Whitefish Trails.  This year, it featured three bands, a HUGE raffle, photo booth and kids activities such as a climbing wall.  As avid hikers and music fans, this was an event made in heaven for me and Spousal Unit.

We have had so much smoke and haze lately, that any 'normal' sky is a cause for celebration.  I was so delighted to take these pics during the Hootenanny.

FIVE: So, we are back to the grasshopper.  I won't say more about charity or compassion - just let the simplicity and beauty of this picture speak for itself.

Linking to Willy Nilly Friday and Skywatch Friday

Guardrails Not Required - Oughtershaw, UK (Showing Off "a Small Island" - Part 2)

Imagine a stretch of tarmac wide enough for one-and-a-half cars.  Now visualize that one side of the tarmac drops away sharply to the dale (read: valley) below.  Then add in the realization that there is no guardrail.  This, my friends, is the road over the Yorkshire Dales to the village of Oughtershaw.  It is also white-knuckle riding for those with a fear of heights (me), and the reason I don’t possess pictures of said road. I can offer plentiful shots of the village, so that will have to do!

This is the second part in my series highlighting the visit of my sister and brother-in-law to the UK.  Upon our arrival at Elm Cottage, we treated them to another fine British tradition – the summer barbecue, in which the food is cooked outside but can’t possibly be consumed outside because it’s 1) raining, 2) windy, 3) freezing, or 4) all of the above. 

Nevermind, while the cooking was underway, I kept myself warm by walking about the cottage and snapping pix.  

After our meal, we were ready to stretch our legs, and the four of us headed out for a meander while my in-laws (such kind souls) did the washing up (read: washed the dishes).

It was a misty evening, and brought to mind scenes from Wuthering Heights  and The Hound of the Baskervilles.  

Nevertheless, there were no sightings of Heathcliff, or a hound, or a car.  Good thing, too, since the roads did not get any wider in the village!

 

Instead, we got some of the classics: drooping tree branches coated with moss, sheep that are at once skittish and curious, and a plethora of plants making their residence on cottages and the ubiquitous dry stone walls.  And this was just the start of our Yorkshire adventure. (A relieved note of gratitude to Spousal Unit for his driving - not only was he maneuvering through the narrow lanes, he did it in a manual car!)

Linking to Our World Tuesday

125 days - from potential to progress

Today marks four months and 2 days since construction started on our dream home.

April 24, 2017

August 18, 2017

Wow!!!  Somehow, the installation of the windows flipped a switch in me – it now feels and looks like a house. But I am getting ahead of myself.  Since my last update on July 27, the team placed the last of the tongue-and-groove planks for the ceiling/roof, fitted the windows, and began the board-and-batten process on the outside of the house and garage.

 

Windows in dining room/kitchen - upper left

Roof/ceiling complete
Boards on basement for board and batten

Close-up of tongue-and-groove

on sun room ceiling

Master bathroom window (left)

Master closet window (right)

Note trim log added to cover up some of the 

foundation - creating a more finished look

Great room windows

Although we have had very little rain in Montana, it's a relief for the whole house to be under roof. 



   

Also, the team installed the custom stairs that lead you from the first floor to the loft.  I love how the light shines through the second set of steps.  And, we no longer have to climb the ladder to inspect the loft!

We've chosen green/gray shingles for the roof, which will coordinate well with the green trim on the windows.

Trim complete on two of the

four windows

Note progress on board and 

batten on basement

Board and batten complete on garage

Are you ready for winter? It's just around the corner!  Our mason applied the stone to the chimney, and the fireplace insert is also in place.

Fireplace

If you’ve built a house, you know that a construction site is always a bit of a pit.  Given my bent for perfection, I have had to ‘overlook’ this aspect of the process.  Nevertheless, I couldn’t help the sense of relief from some significant clean-up that has been completed in preparation for the next phases of the process.  The site already looks more tidy! 

Before clean-up

After clean-up

This month rang in another major milestone in the life of the house - the first Midwest visitors to see it - my Mother, my eldest sister and Number One Son's girlfriend.  What joy to give them a tour and a first-hand experience of our dream.  It is likely the house will be finished the next time they visit; it will be fun to reminisce about how it looked 'way back when'! And a reminder to all our friends and family - you are always welcome!

Never ones to shirk from ‘dirty work’, Spousal Unit and I put our muscle to work for a couple of (dusty) days.  We trimmed some dead branches from the pines along our driveway, and cleared some fallen trees along the way. 

Man with Hat shows off

his muscle

We’ve begun meeting with our landscape designer, and are excited about the overall concept.  Part of the design will include flower beds bordered with rock, and so we have begun to collect rock from our own property that can be used for the beds. 

In the picture to the left, the cart contains a pile of knapweed plants; they are considered a noxious weed in our region and we are required to eradicate them.   In our couple of days of manual labor, we might have touched a tenth of an acre (out of eight) with respect to pulling up the knapweed – this will be a long process!

Below is a healthy-sized woodpile gleaned from the construction site – partly untreated wood that will make good kindling/firewood – and partly the ends of logs from the body of the house.   We have many ideas for these logs – chairs and tables for the fire pit, plant stands for potted plants, material for foot paths – the options are endless.  Let us know if you have any ideas for these rustic pieces! 

Dust around a construction site is almost inevitable, but it is worsened by the lack of rain in Montana.  As you can see in the picture to the right, the dust gave a (temporary) boost to my tan!

After this physical, hot and dusty effort, we rewarded ourselves with some beverages and healthy (not!) snacks.