The weekly schedule, when it comes to my parents, is ordained. There in their spacious home on the shore of Montana's Flathead Lake they have their routine for the week and for the seasons. All needful tasks have been ordained for their appointed time. When it comes to Sunday, here in Texas we are to expect an afternoon phone call from my parents in Montana who still operate under the notion that "long distance" phone calls are charged by the minute to the party making the call and are cheaper on the weekends than during business hours. My parents are in their mid-80's and are in good health, but having logged that many good years, the passage of time does have certain ramifications for their functioning and well-being.
As Sue and I listen and converse nearly each week we notice some of the changes on the other end of the conversation and we are informed of other changes they notice among themselves. Earlier this spring, after one of the phone conversation ended, Sue turned to me and said, "We really need to get up there to see your parents this summer - and if at all possible the kids need to be there too." It seemed good so to do, and so it was ordained that we two would drive from Texas and Inga and Grant would fly into Missoula, and as a bonus, Inga's boyfriend Sean would fit in a few days from his schedule to be with us Suneson as well.
As the weekly conversations continued from spring into mid-summer, the circumstances and my parent's approach to their living situation evolved, and seemed to evolve rapidly. What was at first offered up as a possible exploratory trip to relocated in the next few years close to my youngest sister in the Olympia, Washington area; moved through quick proclamations and plans that had my parents selling their waterfront property and moving out of their home by October. The planned important vacation and time with my parents scheduled some months back had now turned into a project helping them to market the house, distribute many of the possessions and prepare to move ASAP. The vacation planned earlier in April was now looking like a final gathering at the lake house for The Last Big Montana Hurrah!
Grant opted to fly from his residence in New York to Portland, Oregon to spend a few days with his sister there and sample some of the hipster culture in her town. Then brother and sister and Sean would all fly to Montana together. I'd pick them up and drive one+ hour back to Polson for a grand time with the grandparents.
Upon arrival, visitors were rewarded with Grandpa's fresh cinnamon rolls, a traditional greeting in these parts. Of course there were several pies to be consumed as well.
After waffles (and cinnamon rolls) to start the day it was soon time to mosey down the wooden steps to the lake's shore. And for additional fun, Cousin Andrew's paddle-boards left in the garage last year, were retrieved by Sean for plentiful paddling pleasure in paradise. A good time was had by all.
After a short 2-night and 1-day at the Grandparent's house, Grant had a flight to catch back to NY that Saturday morning. Grant had to sneak past the grizzly bear standing in as a security guard at the Missoula Airport, and then he was on his way with an up-graded seat in first class and free meal on his first travel leg to Chicago O'Hare.
Able to spend a few more days with the grandparents, Inga and Sean opted for a 2-hour horseback ride through the forest at the base of the majestic Mission Range at Chef Ranch south of Polson. Meanwhile, I helped dad with moving logistics and going over details and added my advice to his still-forming plans to relocate.
My recreation choices were of simple fare; I just wished to take a 14 mile drive on some good ol' Montana dirt roads and stop at Buffalo Bridge that crosses over the Flathead River, some miles downstream from Polson. It was nice little jaunt filling my eyes and memories with vibrant Montana landscape colors. Just the simple pleasures. Oh, and then some rhubarb-raspberry pie once I return.
Inga and Sean lingered with us for a few days more, and then they had to return to Portland - once they maneuvered around the security bear at the airport. It was now lunch time, so we drove down the street to a Salvadoran Tamale stand for almuerzo before returning to the Flathead Lake.
We decided to take a small day-trip to Big Fork, the little town at the other end of the lake (about a 35 mile drive) where there are shops, restaurants and art galleries to explore. We ended up having an extended conversation with a jewelry shopkeeper about Montana sapphires - and her stake in a sapphire mine and the effort she and her husband expend to mine a supply of rich-blue Yogo sapphires (the only American gem to be included in the British Crown Jewels) for their jewelry business. The Yogo sapphires were out of range for our day-trip expenditures, but Sue's eye was captured by a pendant encrusted with a variety of colorful semiprecious stones. She walked to lunch down Electric Avenue sporting her new accessory. It was another good day.
The morning of our departure for Montana, we received word of some progress on our property in Washington, so instead of spending the entire time in Montana, we scheduled a drive and a day to spend walking our property in WA. Sue would then take the 'red-eye' flight from Seattle back to DFW, while I'd return the next morning to Polson and then drive back to Garland over the next two days.
Was this The Last Montana Hurrah? I think it just maybe the end of the trail for family days on the lake and visits in a magnificent land that holds the graves and memories that go back to mine and my wife's great grandparents.
It has been grand under the Big Sky of Montana!
As Sue and I listen and converse nearly each week we notice some of the changes on the other end of the conversation and we are informed of other changes they notice among themselves. Earlier this spring, after one of the phone conversation ended, Sue turned to me and said, "We really need to get up there to see your parents this summer - and if at all possible the kids need to be there too." It seemed good so to do, and so it was ordained that we two would drive from Texas and Inga and Grant would fly into Missoula, and as a bonus, Inga's boyfriend Sean would fit in a few days from his schedule to be with us Suneson as well.
As the weekly conversations continued from spring into mid-summer, the circumstances and my parent's approach to their living situation evolved, and seemed to evolve rapidly. What was at first offered up as a possible exploratory trip to relocated in the next few years close to my youngest sister in the Olympia, Washington area; moved through quick proclamations and plans that had my parents selling their waterfront property and moving out of their home by October. The planned important vacation and time with my parents scheduled some months back had now turned into a project helping them to market the house, distribute many of the possessions and prepare to move ASAP. The vacation planned earlier in April was now looking like a final gathering at the lake house for The Last Big Montana Hurrah!
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| Arrived! Summer Eve on flathead lake |
Upon arrival, visitors were rewarded with Grandpa's fresh cinnamon rolls, a traditional greeting in these parts. Of course there were several pies to be consumed as well.After waffles (and cinnamon rolls) to start the day it was soon time to mosey down the wooden steps to the lake's shore. And for additional fun, Cousin Andrew's paddle-boards left in the garage last year, were retrieved by Sean for plentiful paddling pleasure in paradise. A good time was had by all.
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| Sean and Inga Is this relationship headed for the rocks? |
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| Grant tries the 'recumbent paddle' technique |
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| Ahoy Inga and all the ships at sea! |
After a short 2-night and 1-day at the Grandparent's house, Grant had a flight to catch back to NY that Saturday morning. Grant had to sneak past the grizzly bear standing in as a security guard at the Missoula Airport, and then he was on his way with an up-graded seat in first class and free meal on his first travel leg to Chicago O'Hare.
 |
| Grant in for an afternoon of Paddle Boarding |
Able to spend a few more days with the grandparents, Inga and Sean opted for a 2-hour horseback ride through the forest at the base of the majestic Mission Range at Chef Ranch south of Polson. Meanwhile, I helped dad with moving logistics and going over details and added my advice to his still-forming plans to relocate.
 |
| Montana Airport Security |
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| Inga and Sean With Security Bear |
My recreation choices were of simple fare; I just wished to take a 14 mile drive on some good ol' Montana dirt roads and stop at Buffalo Bridge that crosses over the Flathead River, some miles downstream from Polson. It was nice little jaunt filling my eyes and memories with vibrant Montana landscape colors. Just the simple pleasures. Oh, and then some rhubarb-raspberry pie once I return.
 |
| An Afternoon Drive down a Montana Dirt Road to Buffalo Bridge Soulful Travels through a Land of rich color |
We decided to take a small day-trip to Big Fork, the little town at the other end of the lake (about a 35 mile drive) where there are shops, restaurants and art galleries to explore. We ended up having an extended conversation with a jewelry shopkeeper about Montana sapphires - and her stake in a sapphire mine and the effort she and her husband expend to mine a supply of rich-blue Yogo sapphires (the only American gem to be included in the British Crown Jewels) for their jewelry business. The Yogo sapphires were out of range for our day-trip expenditures, but Sue's eye was captured by a pendant encrusted with a variety of colorful semiprecious stones. She walked to lunch down Electric Avenue sporting her new accessory. It was another good day.
Was this The Last Montana Hurrah? I think it just maybe the end of the trail for family days on the lake and visits in a magnificent land that holds the graves and memories that go back to mine and my wife's great grandparents.
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| Smoke on the water Sunrise over the Mission Range and Goodbye to Montana |
It has been grand under the Big Sky of Montana!
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| Free picture slideshow customized with Smilebox |
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| I love this geology! Colored pebbles and lithified Pre-Cambrian Sediments of the Super Belt Group Making spectacular patterns along Flathead lake's Shoreline |
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