12 Blog Favorites from 2010

It’s the end of the blogging year and I want to thank all of you for your support and good will. Your comments have made my family and me smile and think. I feel so lucky that you have taken the time to share with me over this past year. May you all have a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year!


Here are 12 articles from 2010 that David, Mallory, E, and I have decided are best for their given month. We didn’t always agree and let it go to a vote. I hope you will enjoy revisiting them or reading them for the very first time.


1.  January - Mushers Hit the Trail Near Olney, Montana - this is one of my outdoor winter activity articles where we behave like hardy Montanans and go out in the middle of nowhere in single digit temps to watch sled dog races. We got in the paper too!

2.  February - Spam-O-Rama in Bigfork, Montana - So what else do Montanans do in the winter besides play in the snow? They carve Spam! This article takes a light hearted look at the not so heart healthy mystery meat.

3.  March - The Snow Rodeo or The First Day of Spring - People from around the world visit Essex, Montana even though it’s nothing more than a rail yard and some residences. This article is a favorite with great pictures of the lodge and rodeo.

4.  April - Walmart Supercenter in Kalispell - Need a topic to strike emotion in your readers? Walmart…need I say more?

5.  May - Hunter Hot Springs Mystery Photograph - I love romancing about the west and this article about the coming together of outlaws, lawmen, and a president does just that. It remains number one on the Popular Posts list.

6.  June - Memories of Grand Isle, Louisiana - I realize that if I look beyond the little nuisances, there truly is something special.

7.  July - Bear Attack at Soda Butte Campground Kills Michigan Man - Bears are a regular subject on this blog and the brutal attack of campers near Yellowstone made national news.

8.  August - Wisdom Montana-A Cold Place and the Battle of Big Hole - This is such a touching and tragic story, it makes me want to cry.

9.  September - Hurricane Betsy and Me - Before the infamous Katrina, it was Hurricane Betsy. I reminisce about my experience in the “flood“.

10.  October - Tips for Nude Hiking - This article seems to tickle everyone's funny bone.

11.  November - Thanksgiving Barf-O-Rama - If you can get to the end of this anniversary article with all of its descriptive detail, you will certainly have a very vivid picture of our Thanksgiving.

12.  December - The Story of the Little Red Dress - You think it’s tough taking road trips with your kids? You will have to think again when you read the story of the Duffy family.


Have I left out your favorite? 

Happy New Year!

Peace,

The Story of the Little Red Dress

Twas the night before Christmas, 

when all through the house, 

not a creature was stirring,

 not even a mouse. 

Except for the Duffys

Mother, Father, and five,

So harsh was their journey

Nearly frozen they’d arrive.

It was Christmas Eve of 1891 when the Duffy family from Missoula moved north to Kalispell.  Their journey was extraordinary, fraught with motion sickness, freezing waters, and a blizzard.  I’ve heard it said that it takes a certain breed to withstand a harsh Montana winter. The Duffy family certainly exemplify that. History speaks for itself as we learn of the Duffy’s difficult trip as they traveled by train, stagecoach, and steamboat one cold winter’s night over 100 years ago.

"On December 24th, 1891, my father, mother, and five children came by the Northern Pacific train from Missoula, Montana to Ravalli.  From Ravalli we took the stage to Polson. The stagecoach was lined with red damask, and the color of the lining and jolting of the stagecoach made the whole family sick. From Polson we took the steamboat Montana across Flathead lake and up the river to Demersville. The weather was very cold and the lake was freezing over, so it was necessary for the men to break the ice so the boat could get through. We were very late getting to Demersville, where a blizzard was raging, and from there, we took another stage to Kalispell. One of the horses drawing the stagecoach balked, which delayed us even more. We arrived at the Hillside House (an early day Kalispell hotel run by Mrs. Parsons), at nearly midnight where a Christmas Eve party was in progress. Our hands and feet were nearly frozen, so Mrs. Parsons and some of her party guests helped thaw us out with the aid of a tub of water. We stayed at the Hillside House for about a week until our household goods arrived from Missoula". ~Gregory Duffy  (information from Central School Museum)

The "Little Red Dress" 

It was Christmas Eve and quite cold when Margaret Duffy traveled with her family 120 miles from Missoula to Kalispell. Upon reaching their destination, the family discovered a party was going on. Mrs. Duffy took out the “Little Red Dress” and let three year old Margaret wear it to the party. Now on display in Central School Museum, it remains delightfully charming.

The Little Red Dress on display at Central School Museum

This story has enchanted me ever since I read about it 3 years ago. It is a wonderful holiday story as it inspires and serves as a reminder of the strength and endurance of the human spirit.

Season’s Greetings Everyone!

Marlene

Old Christmas Cookie Traditions and "Cookies & Cream"

The history of baking cookies around Christmas originated around 1,000 years ago in Medieval Europe. In those times sugar was a precious commodity, and people used honey or molasses instead. When Christmastime rolled around, people based their cookies around other ingredients like spices to make rich and delicious cookies. To this day, spicy cookies are symbolic of Christmas.


Gingerbread was the first cookie to be generally recognized as a Christmas cookie. In Sweden, the preferred cookie was Papparkakor, a spicy ginger and pepper treat. In Norway the Christmas cookie was Krumkake, thin lemon and cardamon wafers.

Today there are many different cookies synonymous with Christmas. There are Christmas tree shaped Sugar Cookies, Gingerbread Men, Anise Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cakes, and Triple Chocolate Pecan Drop Cookies to name just a few of the many cookies that people enjoy during the holiday season.

__________________________________________________

Holiday time is cookie baking time, but so many folks are rushing around and don't have time to bake.  These delicious no - bake cookies are super simple to make and were a big hit at the family 4-H pot luck dinner. Requests for this "Cookies and Cream" recipe have been coming in ever since we've made them so I thought I'd share the recipe with you. They are quick and easy to make for cookie exchanges or a last minute sweet treat for the office party.  Don't be put off by their appearance; once cut they make a much better presentation. They taste divine and are so simple to make, you'll want to have the kids and grandkids join in the fun.

What you will need:

• 1 bag of Oreo cookies
• 8 cubes of white chocolate bark
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1.  Crush the Oreos in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, whip out a rubber mallet. Put the Oreos in a plastic bag and start pounding away. This can be a great way to relieve some holiday stress.



Oreos



2.  Heat the sweetened condensed milk and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat. Stir occasionally.

Sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate bark




3.  When chocolate is melted, stir the crushed Oreos into the mixture. Blend well. Turn the mixture onto a flat surface covered with waxed paper.  Let set and when firm, cut into squares.



Cookies and Cream


I hope you all enjoy this wonderful season.  I would love to have you share your cookie recipes with me.  Please email me with your favorites and I'll share a few here on the blog.

You may also like:

• Triple Chocolate Pecan Drop Cookies

Happy Baking,

Marlene

Old Montana Prison Featured on "Ghost Lab"

Last July while passing through Deer Lodge on our way home from Yellowstone and the Tetons, we had a choice;  visit The Old Montana Prison or tour the Grant-Kohrs Ranch.

We opted for cowboys and cattlemen,

The Grant-Kohrs Ranch House in Deer Lodge, Montana

 instead of touring the haunted prison. 

The Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. I cropped this one a bit.  It had too much of the street. 

Now, I wish we would have gone to both.  I‘m wondering if the crew of “Ghost Lab” was filming paranormal activity at the prison while we were at a motel across the street. 

E at the motel playground.

Deer Lodge is a very small town out in the middle of nowhere, and there isn't much choice in lodging. This place was nothing fancy, but it was clean and the proprietor was nice.  Sometimes we hit the jackpot and sometimes we hit the Jade. 

Tonight, “Ghost Lab”, a Discovery Science Channel show is featuring the Old Montana Prison in one of its episodes. The episode is titled “No Escape” and will air on the Science Channel at 8 p.m., 11 p. m. and again on Friday at 3 in the morning (these times are Eastern, so be sure to adjust for your time zone. Here in Kalispell, we are in Mountain Time which is 2 hours later than Eastern).  If you miss the show tonight and aren’t at Midnight Mass on December 24, you can catch "No Escape" on the Discovery Channel at midnight. It might be cool to see some other haunting on Christmas Eve besides those of Marley.  

According to Julia Brewer, the prison director, she has been doing some research on her own about the prison for the last 10 years.  She notes everything from whispers and footsteps, to flying objects and feelings of dread.   The crew of “Ghost Lab” hasn’t revealed what spooky phenomenon will air on the show, but Barry Klinge, one of the show’s hosts said in an online chat that the haunted prison is a favorite.  

It’s beautiful around Deer Lodge,

View from Grant-Kohrs Ranch

and you won’t go wrong by visiting either the Old Montana Prison or the Grant-Kohrs Ranch.  And even if you don’t need to go potty while you're traveling, stop at the rest stop on I-90 south of Deer Lodge.  It’s the snazziest one I’ve ever seen. I wish I would have had my camera in there and taken some pictures.  But I would have looked really weird. 

For more on the prison, click here.  For “Ghost Lab” listings, click here.  For more pictures on Yellowstone, Tetons, and the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, visit our Facebook Fan Page. 

You may also like:

• Bear Jam: You're Walking Way Too Close to a Bear
• Whatever the Season, Pack a Jacket

Till next time,

Marlene

Snowflakes

It’s that time of year when I think a lot about snowflakes. Watching those pure white flakes drift out of the sky is one of life’s simple pleasures.  They cheer up an otherwise gray day and make a lovely natural flocking on trees.

Pretty flocked trees in a shopping center parking lot. 

Mr. Wilson A. Bently liked snowflakes too.  He said,

Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated.  When a snowflake melted, that design was  forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind. 

Known as “The Snowflake Man“, Mr. Bently adapted a microscope to a bellows camera. It was 1885 and with a lot of hard work he was the first person to photograph a snowflake.  We’ve all heard that “no two snowflakes are alike” and we can attribute that to William “Snowflake” Bently. He photographed over 5000 snowflakes in his lifetime. Wow! What a task. How did he manage to keep them from melting? If ever I am in Jericho, Vermont, I may just visit his museum to see how he did that and see some of his photographs.

While I’m talking about snowflakes, I am wondering if you know that the largest snowflake ever recorded fell in Keogh, Montana?  It is said that Matt Coleman found it on his ranch in January 28, 1887.  The snowflake was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.  Mr. Coleman described it as “larger than milk pans“.  Thinking about the size of it, it’s hard to imagine it was a snowflake.  Too bad “The Snowflake Man” wasn’t there to capture it.

I didn’t see a lot of snow when I was a kid, so perhaps that’s why I like it so much.  I know it can be bothersome at times and I've written about that.  But there's nothing like seeing the "moon on the breast of the new fallen snow" and how it gives a lustre of midday to objects below.

Sure we had snow, but rarely.  For the most part, this is how we played with snowballs.  I'm on the left of the snowman. To the right in the picture.  What's up with those pants?

With that said, I'd like to share my aunt's recipe for snow cream.  I was around 14 years old when my family and I visited North Carolina for the Christmas holidays. I had a blast sledding, caroling, and cutting down a Christmas tree in the woods. That's when I was introduced to the sweet goodness of this frozen confection called snow cream.

 It's a simple recipe. All you need is:

• A big bowl of fresh snow
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Pour the sweetened condensed milk into snow and mix well. 

Enjoy!

Confessions

I think that I am having a butt workout and I have been doing better with this hiking business.

Mallory is a real dummy. Eileen is too stupid to believe she is soo stupid (not to mention, a whiny). Kyle is extra sweet, Janice….AND SWEETIE Jared is precious.

I’m telling these Mallory and Eileen kids they are going to swimming lessons and they are real excited. But I am actually revolted by the idea. Even though no one with open cuts or diarrhea are allowed, I am definitely not going to let them go to swimming lessons. Public pools make me puke.

I wish I could wear woman shoes, but that would be a bad influence on my kids.

Anyway, I am glad you are all alive and well, bless you, and let you live a long life. Sealing my motherhood, friendship and love, kindness, and protection, bless you all in peace.

________________________________________________

It's been 6 years since Mallory wrote the above article.  She was 8 years old and trying out her creative talents in her family newsletter.  It was from a column in the newsletter in which she impersonated me. The newsletter has since disappeared but not Mallory's flair for the provocative.  She turns 14 today and in my books that's when one becomes a REAL teenager.  Pray for me as I become the mother of teenagers, the second time around.

Happy 14th Birthday Mallory

Other articles by Mallory you may enjoy:

• Tent People
• A Revolting Week
• Thanksgiving Barf-O-Rama!

Some things to help you plan your next party.

                

Oh the joys of motherhood,

The Year Lake Pontchartrain Froze

Our 1989 Louisiana snowman

Freezing temperatures gripped Southeast Louisiana this morning. It was about 25 degrees with a wind chill of 18.  No doubt, weather forecasters had called for a “hard freeze” and I’m sure they recommended the three P’s…protect pipes, pets, and plants. Arctic air is due to invade the region over the next few days and the National Weather Service has issued a "Hazardous Weather Outlook".

It’s only been a handful of years since we've lived in the burbs of New Orleans. Nevertheless, it’s hard to imagine having to run the faucet during a freeze to keep the pipes from bursting.  It's a completely different climate here in Montana with a whole other set of weather rules.  As I was pondering those differences, I began reflecting on the winter of 1989. 

On December 23, 1989, the New Orleans Lakefront weather station reported a low of 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  Talk about a hard freeze!  It was the winter that Lake Pontchartrain froze! 

The icy shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain in December of 1989.

We went out to the lake and what a surprise it was to see it had turned to ice. David walked out on to the lake with the big kids.  It was a bit farther than I was comfortable with but he says I didn't have anything to worry about.  He put his foot through the ice though, but insists that the lake was shallow at that point. 



David with the big kids; Kyle (age 12), Jared (age 15) and Janice (age 14) 



It truly was an amazing sight to behold and a rare occurrence for the deep south.  



Here Jared sits on the frozen shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain.


I now have the pleasure of walking on frozen lakes each winter but don't have much opportunity to hear good old summertime thunderstorms. So I say to all those down south who may be grumbling about the current cold snap, enjoy it while it lasts. It will be gone before you know it.

More of my life in Louisiana:

• Hurricane Betsy and Me
• Memories of Grand Isle, Louisiana
  

Thanks for stopping by y'all!

Is the Ice Safe for Ice Skating?

The other day we went snowshoeing along the Flathead River. The skies were gray but it was a winter wonderland nevertheless. 

I love the way this trail looks!

It may look downright cold but it wasn't.  Of course I was wearing long-johns and had heat warmers in my mittens. But, I don't think that was it.

Afterwards we passed by Woodland Pond to see if it had been plowed for ice skating.  Snow covered most of it and the Danger Thin Ice sign was still posted.  David took a walk out on the ice and found it was still slushy...kind of surprising considering the cold temps we've been having.

Here are some tips to tell if ice is safe for skating:

Before venturing onto a frozen pond, check to see if the ice is thick enough to skate on. If possible use an ice auger to drill a hole in the ice. If you do not have an ice auger and the ice is clear, find an angle at which you can see where the depth of the ice ends and water begins.

Here are the meanings of ice thickness:

• 3" or less STAY OFF
• 4"  safe for ice skating, walking, and cross country skiing
• 5" safe for one snowmobile or ATV
• 8"-12" safe for one car or small pickup
• 12"-15" safe for one medium pickup truck or van.

If you can't see the depth of the ice, use the weather and color of the ice as a guide.

• Bluish white - safe to skate on
• Black or clear - very thick and safe
• Pitted and milky - very unstable
  

Let me know if you guys ice skate.  I'm no ballerina on ice but I love getting out on the pond! It makes me feel free!

Thanks for stopping by y'all!

Happy Skating!

Marlene