The Long and Winding Road

2052 miles and endless hours of driving.



Ladies and Gents, this is one big country. And there is lots of corn in the middle of this country. genetically modified corn. ethanol corn. high fructose corn syrup corn. acres and acres and acres. But I digress.

the point of this blog was to fess up to the foibles of a city girl living a rural life. Sad to say, my shortcomings are not limited to the housing market.

Getting ready for the drive back to Atlanta, I installed the rooftop carrier on the new used Subaru. Having lost the keys to the carrier (another story -- how can I possibly lose a key chain with everything on it?) I use my handy dandy canvas ratchet strap thingamajigs that I bought from a hardware store because they looked cool and my sons had them.

the departure day arrives and I hit the highway.... there is a funny noise. Now, this is a new car to me so I really don't know what to expect. I don't really notice anything while I am on the dirt road... start to hear something as I near Columbus, MT... get on I90 and really start pondering the issue. Noise is coming from outside the car. Tires? Alignment? Clearly, there is something wrong and I am getting ready to drive 2000 miles. In Billings, I pull into the dealership where I bought the car. The service guy on duty is, shall we say, unmoved. If I can leave it for a few hours, perhaps he can take a gander. I go into the showroom and find the salesman who agrees to ride around with me for a diagnostic exercise. We get back on the highway and, yes, he hears the noise. After a few miles, he opens the sunroof and diagnoses the issue as VIBRATION FROM THE CANVAS STRAPS HOLDING THE ROOF TOP CARRIER.

hmm. I told him that I hoped he was now a shoe-in for dumbest customer story of the week.

The Best Birthday Party EVER

Tonight is my last night in Nye. insert visual image of weeping woman.

Deb suggested a send-off burger at Carter's. NO PROBLEMO.

I arrive at Carter's , the local saloon, to find that it is a surprise party for me! Pappy got all dressed up. Gretchen came. Maxey, Lynn and Tom too. Bill was working but in on the gig -- Suzi and Trudy as well. We all sat at the bar and I had a splendid time. even though my birthday is a week away. Beer and the best burger in the world...what else could I want???

Pappy gave me one of the precious "What would Pappy do?" bumper stickers for my new car. Gretchen made a watercolor with an Emerson quote. Tom gave me note cards from his art -- Deb made cupcakes (with funfetti icing whateverthehellthatis) and gave me an audio book on Buddhism and Maxey passed along a symbolic pan flute.

Trudy brought out the cupcakes -- everyone in the bar sang and Tom passed cupcakes all around. Cupcakes and beer? Yummy!!!

....seriously, this was the best birthday party ever with my Montana peeps.

my heart is full. tear ducts too.

My Achy Breaky Heart

Ginger's Coffee Corral special of the day! Yum....

188,592. I salute you, old friend

1. Ode to a car

My beloved 4-Runner is being retired to Montana. 188,592 miles. In 40 years of driving, this is the first emotional bond I have had with a vehicle. This car and I have been through a lot -- many trips to NC, 5 round trips to MT, a zillion trips up and down my "road" in Nye. Through it all, this car has been trusty and loyal....not a looker, mind you, but a pal. I feel like a cad.... tossing aside the faithful companion for automotive arm candy (a "harvest gold" 2009 Subaru)..... I suppose I will recover and enjoy my new wheels but I am feeling a bit like an adulterer. Rest assured, dear 4-Runner, you will always be my Montana car.

2. Book ends

I arrived in Nye with snow on the mountains and now, there is a new dusting of snow after the summer melt. The evenings are crisp and mornings chilly. If I did not know better, I would be calling a cardiologist. My heart aches right now... I love my mountain house. I love my mountains. I love my wacky little town (it is like reality tv without the commercials). Snow on the mountains is serving as my visual bookends.

3. Warning: if you encounter me over the next few weeks, expect a sullen and grumpy soul. And it had better not be hot in Atlanta.

and the local color for the day: Fried Spam Sandwiches!!!!! Take that you celebrity chefs of the "deconstructed waldorf salad" menus!!

A Perfect Day!

1. I woke to the smell of rain.... damp, piney rain. I was completely socked in with fog. Over the course of 3 cups of coffee, I watched the shrouds slowly lift from the mountains and readjust themselves as the weather moved.

2. the temperature is in the low 50's so I am wearing my favorite clothes (jeans, Fishtail Mt sweatshirt, boots) and have a roaring fire.

3. Kaite and Ally came over for hot chocolate and neighborhood "bidness."

4. Laurie, the postmistress, called to say that letter I was looking for had come in.

4. I drove to Columbus (45 minutes away) to visit the county courthouse to .... ta dum... register my car!!!!!! and register the warranty deed for the river lot that our neighborhood owns. The county clerk opens this enormous book and I see that ownership for every bit of land is handwritten. It was like being in Mayberry. The nice clerk wearing a pink jacket and blue hair just chatted away with me..... and I complimented her on the lovely knickknacks on her desk.

5. I was going to stop by Potter's Rock and Coffee shop for a latte... but forgot that he always takes a nap after lunch so the place does not reopen until after two.

6. Evan came over and we made plans for my new clothes line.... yes! I hang the clothes out to dry in the sun.

7. I have enough dry firewood to keep the fire going all night..... what more could I want?

Hey, I saw a bear last night

NOTE TURKEY IN TREE

YOU ACTUALLY COULD SEE CLAW MARKS

NO, CUPBOARD WAS NOT OPEN WHEN I WENT TO BED

Long, long day at the Crow Fair yesterday.... which is another story. It was hot and I was tired but I loved the pow wow.

I went to bed early and then the wind picked up (the Nye breeze as it is called). I actually find the wind a nice companion (when it is not sending chairs flying.....the chairs around the fire pit did get toppled last night). Anyway, the wind was loud enough that I heard it slam the bathroom room downstairs from my sleeping loft. then I heard the wind rattling papers I have on the refrig door. hmm. wait. I took that big piece of brown paper with a note from brother's family down last week. After a bit, I realized that it was a bit too noisy for wind. So, I got up and headed down the stairs. As I turned on the light halfway down the stairs, I saw a BEAR..... I said a BEAR... calmly walking out OF MY HOUSE onto the deck. So, leaving all of my intelligence sleeping soundly with my alleged protector, Wally the wimp dog, I continued down the stairs. Went to the door of the deck and closed the screen. Hmm. On the second thought, I will close the sliding glass door as well. Turning towards the kitchen area....a mere 15 feet away... cantalope rinds on the floor, trash can cover off, chicken pot pie pan licked clean, cupboard opened, jar of peanut butter open on floor with discernable claw marks.

I went back up stairs to bed...... not to sleep. Holy S**T, Batman!!!! There was a bear in my house. So I went back down and turned on the outside lights hoping that the bear had not heard Motel Six commercials with Tom Bodette (I'll leave the light on for you).

It took a while to get back to sleep. u n d e r s t a t e m e n t. By morning's light, I also discovered that the bear took the metal lid off the can with bird seed and dragged the plastic bag off into the woods. There is a trail of thistle down one side of the deck and I spotted a piece of plastic bag in the yard.

Oh, and there was a flock of wild turkeys in the yard this morning and Wally chose to chase THEM. Great..... yeah, turkeys are a big threat..... where were you when the bear was in the house?

For once, I am without words........... I believe I am simply gobsmacked.

Ranch Eggs

Ranch Eggs. A treasure. These eggs are NOTHING like what you buy in the store. They are huge, the yolks are huge, the color is vibrant and the taste..... well....... I just can't tell you how delicious they are. and fresh. I mean fresh.

So, how does it work? Well, you go to the Fishtail General Store and pick out a carton.... the rancher's name and phone number is on the carton. Enjoy your eggs and return the carton to the store and the carton will make its way back to the rancher. Even if you buy nasty ol' grocery store eggs, you need to take the commercial/industrial complex carton to the store so some rancher can use it. off to make bacon.

CSI: Nye

It appears that 2 boys found "human remains" at the nearby Woodbine campground. Upon further examination by law enforcement personnel, it was determined that bone fragments and "dental work" were most likely cremains. Unlike Waffle House that specializes in scattered, smothered AND covered, it appears that the bereaved only scattered. Not cool. and not a crime scene.

So, my children, LISTEN:

You know that I want my ashes (sounds nicer than bone fragments) in the Stillwater River. Do NOT dump them at the campground. I want you to hike up to where the river flattens out and there is that rock island. (see attached photograph) Then WADE into the water and gently let half of me go. If you want, you can fish afterwards but please cast away from my ashes. Then, hike back to Carter's and buy everyone there a round of drinks. Make sure Pappy has an open tab and a ride home.

The other half I want under the trees by the deck, scattered, smothered and covered with the wonderful trophy pudding stone (see attached photograph) that I found today halfway to Sioux Charley and hauled all the way back. Can I tell you how heavy it is??? My arms have turned to rubber and I look like Gumby.

so, here is the picture of the river and the pudding stone. and, just for the heck of it, some beautiful Indian Paintbrush that was growing along the river.

love, Mom