The Kalispell von Trapps on the "Oprah Winfrey Show"

The hills are alive with the sound of music

With songs they have sung for a thousand years

The hills fill my heart with the sound of music

My heart wants to sing every song it hears.

One of my laptops is getting older and slowing down. I thought by purging some old emails I could speed her up. To me, deleting old emails is akin to throwing away a letter someone wrote. I wouldn’t dream of pitching someone‘s letter in the trash, that‘s why I save them in a box, with a special box labeled “Grandkids”. I delete as I go, so I figure I must be saving the old emails for something. I began to look at my sent log and to wonder what I had said to my kids after moving here 5 years ago.


“I have 360° views,” I said in one of the emails. “Your dad says he feels like he has died and gone to heaven,” I said in another. I was simply ecstatic to be here in Kalispell, the “prairie above the lake”. I hadn’t ever before spoken so highly of a place where I lived. I imagine the big kids thought I had gone bonkers.

Perhaps you think so too, considering I started this post with the lyrics to "The Sound of Music" and haven't said a peep about it. Well, I'll tell you why I started this post this way.  When we first moved here in 2005, I took this picture of David and the girls in Glacier National Park. The view was stunning!  We call it "the hills are alive" picture.

 

Along the Sun Rd. near St. Mary in Glacier National Park.


Little did I know at the time that the great-grandchildren of Captain Georg von Trapp live here in the Flathead Valley. Sofia, Melanie, Amanda, and Justin von Trapp grew up in the family’s Austrian style home somewhere between here, in Kalispell, and Somers. 


  I’ve read that the children began singing for local audiences as preschoolers. After a cross-country tour in 2002 that captivated audiences everywhere, a decision was made to home school and take them on the road. They have been very successful and have performed around the world, from the Sydney Opera House in Australia to Africa and Japan. So huge is their success that Oprah Winfrey has invited them to perform on her show reuniting the cast of “The Sound of Music”. It will be the first time in 45 years that the entire cast including Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer will all come together. I’m looking forward to it.

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely

I know I will hear what I've heard before

My heart will be blessed with the sound of music

And I'll sing once more. 

A Conrad Mansion Halloween

Let me take you back in time to an autumn evening in 1910 shortly before Halloween. Lettie Conrad and her daughter Alicia have returned from a dinner party. They are still in their evening gowns as they sit in the mansion’s library discussing plans for their upcoming Halloween party. Little do they realize what fate has in store for them. They would be hosting a Halloween party that Kalispell would not soon forget.


Lettie goes upstairs at about 10:30 p.m. Eighteen year old Alicia stays downstairs and is extinguishing the lights when she hears a banging at the door and a man’s voice yelling that the house is on fire. Alicia opens the door and the man points to the north end of the house which is in flames. Alicia calls to her mother to notify the fire department. She then says that she will get a hose from the second floor, go out onto the roof, and try to fight the fire.


Unbeknownst to her mother Lettie, Alicia has been exploring the roof for years. She manages to get the hose onto the roof and begins to fight the fire. Alone and having no help with the unwieldy hose, she becomes soaked to the skin in her delicate evening dress. People say that she looks like a naked fairy atop the roof that night. For what seems like an eternity, Alicia fights the fire. Finally the bells of the Kalispell fire department are heard.


The damage to the house is extensive and Alicia is despondent.  She is aware of her mother‘s concerns over current business matters. Lettie consoles her daughter with these words.

“Alicia we have lost nothing that cannot be repaired or replaced. Life brings adversity and we must be prepared for it. Anyone can crumple and despair when trouble strikes, and that is what certain people expect and hope that we will do. Alicia, you and I have always loved Halloween more than any other season, partly, I suspect, because there is a good bit of the devil in both of us. Each year as Halloween approaches, I long to be able to get on a broom and give vent to all the mischievousness that collects during the year. This year we’ll do it. We’ll give the greatest Halloween party that ever was. Fate has prepared the house. We will take advantage of our fate and what a party it will be. For some it will give entertainment, and for others it will be a demonstration that we know how to deal with adversity."

Party plans fill their minds as Lettie and Alicia walk to Kate’s home a short distance away. They will live there until their home is restored.  As Lettie tries to sleep she has an idea for the Halloween party. The Inferno of Alighieri Dante’s Divine Comedy is the perfect theme for the party. There will be the “Hell” of the fire, the “Purgatory” of the struggle to rebuild, and the “Paradise” at the end of the journey. Lettie hires carpenters, electricians, and other workers to help prepare the house for the party. However, no repairs are done to the roof. The rooms remain open to the sky and are still littered with fallen plaster. Elaborate decorations take shape and the basement becomes Hell, the second floor Purgatory, and the third floor Paradise.


Lettie invites all of Kalispell to the party to show her appreciation for their help during these trying times. The Halloween party begins at midnight.  All that is required to attend is a mask, which once inside can be removed.  An orchestra plays the night away and refreshments are served until dawn. It’s a gala like no other and a Kalispell memory that will live on forever.



Conrad Mansion in Kalispell. Look closely.  What do you see in the window?  Photo 10/26/10


One evening near dusk, while David and I were walking around the neighborhood, we saw what appeared to be smoke coming from the north end of Conrad Mansion. Upon reporting it, I was told that no one was in the house, no fireplaces were burning, and that everything was in order. Spooky?

It is also said of Conrad Mansion that ghosts of party goers can be seen in the upstairs windows at night.
Wouldn't it be spooktacular to see that?


Thank you  James Emmett Murphy as the source for this Halloween story on Conrad Mansion.


Boo,

Pumpkin Trivia and Then Some!

It’s so dang pretty outside today, I can hardly keep from staring out the windows. The weather has been fantastic, better than last fall.  It’s almost like a second spring…the autumn leaves I mean, the splash of colors is simply awesome.  Each morning, I've been stepping out onto my porch to embrace the day and take a deep breath of crisp autumn air. It’s been setting the tone for some very fine days.  Besides thinking about the lovely weather, hot chocolate, cozy sweaters, and hearty soups, I’ve been thinking a lot about pumpkins. They are everywhere…lying around in gardens, greeting us from porch steps, sitting atop hay bales, and of course begging for attention right next to the squash in the supermarket.

There are big pumpkins,



According to the Guinness World Records, the largest pumpkin is 1,810.5 lbs.



 little pumpkins,

Giving thanks that a friend of E gave us these cuties straight from the garden.

squatty pale pumpkins,

Kind of strange.  The whole photo looks washed out. This is straight out of the camera.

oval pumpkins,



This may be my favorite...next to the hay bales.


piles of pumpkins,

Just a sampling of the 1.5 billion produced each year in the U.S.

and scary pumpkins.




Boo!



Here's a little pumpkin trivia to help you impress your friends.

• Pumpkins are fruits. I asked this question to M and E, "Are pumpkins vegetables or fruits?" Thank goodness they answered correctly. Fruits have seeds and so do pumpkins. They are a type of squash and are a member of the gourd family.

• Pumpkins are low in calories and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, iron, and protein. But, you probably knew how healthful they are, considering they don’t come prepackaged in a box.

• U.S. farmers produce over 1 and a half billion pumpkins each year. Now, that’s a lot of pumpkins Paw, Paw. Sure hope they don’t go to waste.

• Pumpkin flowers are edible and so are the seeds. Mallory roasted some pumpkin seeds and described them as “the popcorn of autumn”.  I like that.

• Morton, Illinois is the self-proclaimed pumpkin capital. It is also the home of the Libby canned pumpkin factory.

• Unsightly freckles you want to remove? Pound some pumpkin seeds into a pulp, spread all over your face, let dry. I don't know about this, but I can tell you that strawberries help whiten your teeth.

Ever wonder what to do with pumpkins besides the obvious? The possibilities are endless. You can make pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin chili, pumpkin butter, pumpkin stew, pumpkin coffee, and even pumpkin ice cream. For heavens sake, if you don’t like pumpkin pie, all you have to do is Google “100 ways to fix pumpkin” for something different.


We love pumpkin pie! It's a Thanksgiving family tradition in our home. It’s been a mighty long time since I’ve made a truly homemade one. E wants to bake one from a real pumpkin this year, not from a can, so perhaps we’ll give it a go. This pumpkin pie with caramelized pecan topping sounds simply divine, so click here if you want the recipe.
 
Till next time y'all,
 

You Gotta Love Fall and 15 Bean Soup!



Canada Geese at Woodland Park.



We were having a hot bowl of 15 bean soup when Mallory piped up and suggested we take 5 minutes to write down everything we LOVE about the season.  We did and here is what she came up with. 


What I Love About Fall

by Mallory

A.   The color of the world...everything is in hues of yellow, brown, and orange.

B.   The smell of the air...like soap, violets, clean laundry, and smoke. 

C.   The crunch of leaves beneath my feet.



D.   The chill in the air.

E.   The warm and cozy clothing, which include furry boots and soft jackets.

F.    The food that sticks to your ribs...like soup, pumpkin, squash, oatmeal, and fresh harvested veggies.

G.   Thanksgiving

H.   Halloween decorations.

I.    At the end of fall is my birthday.

J.    The arrival of ice skating.

K.   The first snow where everyone smiles and runs outside.   

 

My daughter Janice has 9 children and 1 husband.  She makes this hearty bean soup for her family of 11. It's easy and yummy!  What a great way to warm up a chilly autumn day.

• (1) 1 lb bag 15 bean cajun soup mix
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 or 2 stalks of celery
• juice of 1 lemon
• smoked sausage, ham hocks, or ham for seasoning

1. Rinse and sort beans. Put aside.
2. Saute onion, celery, and garlic in dutch oven until tender.
3. Add beans to pot and cover with water.  I start with about 8 cups and then add more during cooking time as needed.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer approximately 2 to 3 hours or until all beans are tender.
5. Add lemon juice and seasoning packet last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time.  Seasoning packet is included with the bean mix.  If you do not have the seasoning packet, a premixed cajun seasoning such as "Louisiana Cajun Seasoning" will work or you may simply season to taste with parsley, salt, pepper and other herbs of your choice. 

Note:  The recipe on the bag calls for a 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes.  I made it without the tomatoes and it was delicious.

Happy Fall,



A Town Like Maycomb

October is rolling right along and the leaves are dropping like crazy. It’s a good thing because last year they didn’t get a chance to have a proper fall. An early freeze came along and stopped them in their tracks. They were quite confused and clung to the branches all winter long blocking our view of the streetlight at the corner. This is a problem for us because it’s how we tell how much snow is falling on a cold winter’s night. By looking at the rate of falling snow under the light, one can generally predict if it’s going to be 1 to 2 or 3 to 4 inches by morning.




Leaves are falling down, down, down.




I’ve told you that I like raking leaves. I also like to listen to the sound of frozen leaves dropping to the ground, which I had the pleasure of hearing this morning. But I think my favorite sound of autumn leaves is the rustling they make under my feet. It’s right up there with snow crunching under my boots, but since it’s fall I’m going to stick with that for now. I often feel like Scout at this time of year. Just the other night when David and I were taking a walk he said it sounded like “To Kill A Mockingbird”. I probably murmured something like “uh, huh” and then my mind wondered to that scene where Scout walks home through the woods in her ham costume.

"This night my mind was filled with Halloween -- there was to be a pageant representing our county's agricultural products; I was to be a ham. Jem said he would escort me to the school auditorium. Thus began our longest journey together."

Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to live in a town like Maycomb and hear the sound of dry autumn leaves rustling under my feet. Now I do.


If you've not seen this award winning movie, you many want to buy it here from Amazon.

You may also like:

• The Spook House

Till next time,

Welcome to My Neighborhood

I told E it was cold this morning and she should wear pants when we go for our walk. However, she did not. She left wearing shorts and we had barely reached the sidewalk when she said, “Wait a minute, I’ve got to go bundle up.”

I waited out front and started raking leaves while she went inside to put on something warmer. I know it’s kinda crazy but I enjoy raking leaves this time of year. Moreover, from what I can tell, many other folks do too…I’m talking mainly about kids I guess. But then again, they are generally not raking but building leaf igloos or jumping off swings into piles of fallen leaves. Anyhow, I do get the feeling that just about everyone around here is enjoying the season.

E came back outside wearing a heavy coat, but still in shorts. We started our walk and she asked me to walk faster so she could warm up her legs. I did but then I had to stop when I came across this building. It looks like a barn, but more than likely it’s a carriage house, because that’s what we have in our neighborhood…lots of run down carriage houses from when people went to and fro with horse and buggy. Whatever it is, I like it just the same.



Rustic building in my Kalispell neighborhood.

 Then I saw these cheery sunflowers. It doesn't matter that they will soon reach the end of their lives, they still lift their sunny faces to the sky.

I love the contrast of the sunshine yellow and blue sky!

We kept walking.  This pretty pumpkin caught my eye.  It looked so artsy sitting there on the concrete bench, I just had to take a snapshot. I took so long framing this shot, I kept waiting for someone to shout out and ask me what the heck I was doing.

I think it's more designer looking that they didn't pick a round pumpkin for this. 

It was such a beautiful morning that we decided to walk around Dry Bridge. We wanted to get some cattails for fall decorating but had a little trouble breaking off the stalks. Perhaps I’ll go back another day and cut a few with a knife.

The cattails are on the other side of the pond.

After that, E and I headed back home. These crab apples caught my attention, so we had to stop again. From what I have heard they are so tart and sour, they are like biting into a lemon. Well, I like lemons. Honestly, I felt like knocking on the resident’s door and asking if they were going to let them all go to waste. I understand that they make a pretty fair jelly and considering my fireweed honey taste a little wild, but yummy, I am willing to give the wild apples a chance.

Crab Apples 

When we made the turn towards home, we saw this little fella scamper up a tree with a peanut in his mouth.  I couldn’t resist taking his picture. After all, I’m still practicing my wildlife photography and he was eager to please.

Chitter chatter, what's the matter?

E has cross country track this afternoon and wanted to jog the rest of the way home, so we did.

That’s about the size of it.

If I ever get my hands on some wild crab apples, I intend to try Mary Wynne’s crab apple jelly recipe (from Allrecipes.com).  I’ll let you know if I make it. You let me know if you do. Okay?


Ingredients

8 cups fresh crabapples

water as needed

3 cups white sugar

1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick (optional)


Directions

Remove stems and blossom ends from crabapples, and cut into quarters. Place them in a large stainless steel or other non-reactive pot or saucepan. Add enough water to be able to see, but no so much that the crabapples are floating. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The apples should soften and change color.

Strain the apples and juice through 2 or 3 layers of cheese cloth. You should have at least 4 cups of juice. Discard pulp, and pour the juice back into the pan. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that comes to the top. Next, stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Continue cooking at a low boil until the temperature reaches 220 to 222 degrees F (108 to 110 C). Remove from heat.

Pour the jelly into sterile small decorative jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a hot water bath to seal.

Till next time,

Mississippi Lawyer Refuses to Pledge Allegiance to Flag

A view of the beautiful snow capped peaks of the Swan Range from the ShopKo parking lot.

 
Have you heard that a Mississippi state judge sent an attorney to jail for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance?  According to the Associated Press, Judge Talmadge Littlejohn told everyone in his courtroom to stand up and pledge allegiance to the flag. Attorney Danny Lampley remained silent and was held in contempt of court by Judge Littlejohn.  Lampley was sent to jail for several hours, Wednesday, before being released to attend to another court case.

It is reported that Attorney Lampley, said “I don’t have to say it because I’m an American.”

 - which leads me to Grandpa Davey’s article titled “The Golden Calf” in which he refers to the "golden calf of nationalism." "A real American wouldn't stand for this nonsense," he says.

The Golden Calf

A grateful Egypt allows the family of Joseph to dwell in the land of Goshen. After 400 years we would expect these children of Jacob to be assimilated into Egyptian culture. Instead we find them maintaining their religious and tribal identity. After all this time, these diehards still jump at the opportunity to flee to the land given by God to their ancestor Abraham. God makes their escape good by parting the Red Sea and providing sustenance in the desert.

Now the strangest thing happens. While Moses attends a meeting with God, the Israelites start worshipping a golden calf. After 400 years of maintaining the faith in a foreign land and now witnessing firsthand the power of God, these idiots bow to a golden calf.

In America was created a land of free men governing a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people. As this nation grew, it opened its doors to a flood of immigrants. The real Americans understood the danger of granting citizenship and freedom to this wretched refuse. These foreigners must be subjected to nationalistic indoctrination, and must repeatedly give a statement of faith.

A real American wouldn’t stand for this nonsense. An immigrant, on the other hand, couldn’t be trusted with unsupervised freedom. After a time, we couldn’t differentiate the real from the immigrant Americans. Now no one can be trusted with the power of freedom. As Peter Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Instead of celebrating freedom, our children bow before this golden calf of nationalism. In school, children pledge allegiance to the flag, and (as an afterthought) to the republic for which it stands. Which republic is that? In case their allegiance changes overnight, this affirmation is repeated the very next day.

This chant to Big Brother disgusts me. Wouldn’t it be more American to pledge to uphold the Constitution and defend it from all enemies, foreign and domestic? Probably, but our friends in control wouldn’t like that.

Sixty seven years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that school children could not be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, a decision that is widely interpreted to mean that no one could be required to do so.

Everybody has an opinion on this one, what's yours?

Peace,

Tips for Nude Hiking

Seeing as some of you have encountered nude hikers on the trail, I decided to post some thoughts about Nude Hiking Day. For those of you that don’t know, Nude Hiking Day is June 21 and is celebrated by naked hiking enthusiasts each summer.

I first heard about Nude Hiking Day last year when doing some research on trails, and came across an article about it. I thought it sounded outlandish, yet comical to say the least. Imagine hikers strolling along in the buff wearing only a pair of hiking boots and carrying a backpack…casually greeting other hikers or asking how much farther till the end.

We generally think of being prepared when venturing into the wilderness and that includes proper clothing. But, there is a segment of hikers that enjoy hiking naked. They say there is freedom to feeling the natural breezes on your skin and being able to skinny dip without the worry of removing your clothes. Another benefit they say, is the ability to easily spot ticks because ticks hide in clothing making them more difficult to find. Seems to me, being nude would make it easier for ticks to find you, if you know what I mean.

Hiking naked isn’t my cup of tea, and I would be completely shocked and appalled if M and E encountered a group of naked guys on the trail (their solo hike is what started this whole conversation in the first place), but in case you’re bold and aren’t afraid of being arrested for indecency, here are some tips for hiking naked.

• Start out very early in the morning and hike on weekdays instead of weekends. You’re less likely to encounter clothed hikers at that time.

• Folks hiking with children are less friendly to naked hikers. Hike on really tough trails in out of the way places to avoid scornful looks from parents.

• If you’re caught by surprise, act natural. Acting strange or diving for cover will scare people and make you come across like a real creep.

• Wear sunscreen or a hat. Hats are acceptable as long as you wear them on your head.

• Use an insect repellent because skeeters and ticks can make your hike less enjoyable.



M and E on the Hidden Lake Trail in Glacier NP.  Didn't see any hikers in the buff, thank goodness.



 A big thank you to Janice, Buffy, and Kellie for the inspiration for this article.  Check out their stuff, it's cool!

I'm kooky about ticks! You may also enjoy reading: Ticks, Elk, Buffalo and More!

Happy Trails,

P.S. If you'd like to buy this DVD from Amazon, I don't mind.
Naked in Paradise - Nude Hiking in the American Wilderness

How Old Should They Be Before They Hike Alone?

Yesterday I told you that M and E had taken their first solo hike.  Today's post will be what happened on the trail from Mallory's point of view.

Dad said that it was more than likely E and I would get lost. He and Mom had hiked the trail the day before. Before our hike, he elaborated on the forks, secret trails, and different misleading signs. He labeled a map for us with warnings and extra trails. It looked like a pirate map. After that, we set out for the trailhead.

It was quite steep starting off and I wondered if I’d totally lost it and couldn’t hike anymore.  Also, I wondered if I’d ever see my parents again. Of course, I’d experienced hiking alone with my sister as in when we run up ahead on trails and leave our parents behind. But never before have my parents been sitting at home while my 12 year old sister and I go hiking.

We met up with some people on horses. The man told us to get to the lower side of the trail and to talk to the horses.  I thought it would look crazy to talk to the horses, so I was relieved when the man asked us where we were going and I didn't have to think of something to say to his mule. I told him we were hiking to the Foy's Overlook. The lady that was with him was nice and suggested we write on the Foy's to Blacktail Project blog.  They are promoting the trail and want trail user feedback. I wondered how to write on someone else's blog. 

We kept hiking and when we got to the "To Heron" sign it was confusing.  There were two trails, one wide and one skinny.  The GPS got confused too and it looked as though it was telling us to turn around.  We continued to climb, though, and saw the .4 mile marker that led to the overlook.  A family was picnicking at the table up there and we continued to the bench to enjoy the view and eat our sandwiches.

On the way down, we didn't use the GPS, but used the printed map as we followed the switchbacks.  We thought we may have taken a wrong turn but finally made it to the kiosk where we read the different posters.We took the Direct route down, until we reached a spot in the trail with 4 forks. We picked the Family Trail and headed down to the parking lot.  The day was pretty uneventful.




Mallory looks over the valley.

 
So what do you guys think?  How old should they be before they hike alone in the wilderness...along sheer cliffs... on rugged terrain... with grizzly bears lurking about?  After hearing stories like the one about a 15 year old girl who had to be taken out of Glacier NP by Alert helicopter because of a broken ankle and the 17 year old boy that got lost in the Jewel Basin on his first solo hike, I think I'll let them get a little more practice before I'm comfortable with that. 


The Mommy,

M and E's First Solo Hike

M and E ready to head up to Foy's Lake overlook

M and E took their first solo hike yesterday.  The distance wasn't very far, about 2 miles (they are accustomed to much longer)  up the mountain to an overlook in the valley. David and I had gone up there the day before and thought it would be a great place for them to practice hiking without us.  Backpacks ready to go, they were given instruction by their Dad, who is always prepared for just about anything.

When we dropped them off at the trailhead, it reminded me of sending my kiddos to their first day of kindergarten, which incidentally I did not experience with these two because I homeschool.  I knew they would be okay, because they've been hiking since they were tots. Besides, they were familiar with the park because we've gone sledding and geocaching in the area. They ate their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the top and then headed back down.  They took about 3 hours to complete the hike and I gave them an A in orienteering.

Mallory took this picture from the overlook looking east towards the Swan Range.

Happy Trails,