It's 2019....2019!!! That means I've been living in my beautiful adopted state (Montana) for 8 1/2 years. I've learned to like, well okay, more like accept the winters we have. I've learned to love waking up to gorgeous sunrises - I always have the camera handy. I love sitting on my deck as the sun sets in the evening (weather permitting of course!) sipping coffee or an 'adult beverage' with my hubby. I love watching my dog snuffling around the garden or the trees smelling last nights visitors - usually deer, racoon, skunks or something similar and my cat tearing around the yard chasing butterflies and flying bugs. I love watching the night sky. It is so dark here and there are so many stars.... I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City and yes, I liked looking at stars and clouds and storms....but the sky there was not dark. But back then I didn't know that. I only discovered how a truly dark sky allows you to see every star, every planet, the moon, the constellations the first time I visited Montana. My in-laws worked in a remote area beyond Yellowstone Park all summer. It was there that I first saw the glorious skies of Montana. If you haven't spent a summer evening looking up at the night sky, I recommend it. If you're lucky enough to be in a truly dark sky, you might even see the Milky Way. It IS amazing!

My wish for you this 2019 is to take time to appreciate the beauty in your life. A colorful sunrise. An energetic pet exploring his world. Sharing a few quiet minutes with a loved one. These small wonders will bring you a few minutes of peace, quiet and calm.

After a long, long, long winter, spring has finally arrived in south central Montana. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and all is right with the world. Billings received a record of more than 110 inches of snow this past winter. Most of my friends and I are relishing the sunshine and new plants and flowers after being hole-up inside for months and months. Okay, so I'm not the biggest winter or snow fan, but I can usually deal with what we're dealt. This year just seemed so much more challenging. Was it because we didn't see much sun? Or, was it because I really dislike slogging through deep snow? Can't put my finger on the reason, but I'll just say I'm glad that's all behind me.

My reward (at least that's what I'm telling myself) for enduring the long, harsh winter, is that my Magnolia bush is blooming like crazy. It's a little odd looking - it has no leaves; not 1 single leaf - but it must have 2 dozen beautiful pinkish-purple blooms. Now, just having a thriving magnolia bush is quite an accomplishment for this part of the country. But to have one in blooming splendor is almost a miracle. I suppose that even though the weather was extremely snowy, we didn't have day after day of sub-zero temperatures like in recent winters past. Luckily, I planted it in a very sheltered spot, so it doesn't have to withstand the howling North winds that come along with Montana winters. Its' beautiful blossoms are fragrant as a bottle of high-dollar perfume. My other flower bed plants are also well on their way to becoming the beautiful show of color I've come to expect. So maybe, just maybe, all of the snow that laid on top the ground for months had a purpose after all. A purpose other than to make me nearly crazy with cabin fever, that is.

Maybe I'll have to re-think my dislike of winter and loathing of dozens of inches of snow. If that's what caused my Magnolia to be stunning and my flower bed plants to hop out of the ground almost overnight, then I guess I have to give winter its due.

Thankfully Montana is a state that enjoys all 4 seasons, even if, as we say, spring may be only a few days long. The rivers are running high already from record snow melt. Baby calves are frolicking in fields all over the area. Farmers are busy tilling and planting. The rest of us are enjoying our outdoor spaces. Soon some will lament the 'hot' weather (which is hardly hot compared to the southwest). While I enjoy the warmer weather, I'll try to remember not to whine that it's 'too hot' for I know it will be only a matter of a few very short months before we'll be overcome by the inevitable Montana winter again.

For now, I'm going to enjoy my Maggie (Magnolia) blooming with a cup of coffee on my front porch. Blessings to you all.
And, don't forget to stop and take in all the wonders of spring around you.

For the past few months, I've had the priviledge of joining the Montana Territory Peacemakers for a day of cowboy shooting.
What a terrific group of guys and gals! Dressed in 1880's garb and gear and packin' pistols, shotguns and rifles from the same era, they shoot stages, or a grouping of targets, which are timed and hits and misses are counted. Although the emphasis is
on being safe (because they are using live ammo) and having fun, participants also want to have good times and 'clean' shoots-meaning that they hit every target.

If this sounds like something you'd like to check out, go to the Montana Terriroty Peacemakers website for the date of their next shoot.