Sweet Journey Home

One week home…

September 3, 2014 / 2 Comments

It’s hard to believe that I flew home from Montana just one week ago today. Flying into the Des Moines airport last Wednesday, I was struck with the beauty of the patchwork of rolling hills, the enormous farms visible from our descending height and especially with how superbly green everything was. Granted, there are no snow-capped mountains here in Iowa but the Iowa Heartland is beautiful all the same.

It has been a very busy week – filled with a few technicolor Midwest storms, torrential rain and today there was sunshine with cloudless, clear blue skies and a high of 85 degrees.

On Sunday afternoon, we celebrated my granddaughter’s 15th birthday. Her paternal grandparents were there, I was there, her parents and siblings…and about about ten of her friends who wanted to turn the special event into a surprise party!

My assignment was to get my granddaughter out of the house while the friends arrived and the house was decorated. I decided to treat her to several books at one of her favorite stores: Barnes & Noble. Unknown to her, we were on a time schedule and I had to have her back home in time for the surprise. My daughter warned me to let my granddaughter enter first. I did but I still managed to get my share of “silly string” too!

My daughter made a huge pan of her delicious Penne Rustica. I made a gigantic tossed salad and three loaves of french bread. My granddaughter had requested my daughter’s homemade delicious chocolate cake with vanilla icing. Scrumptious!

All in all, it has been a busy week with a lot crammed into it. I love traveling but, for now, I’m glad to be home…

Above: with her younger sister in 2014.

Below: one of my favorite pics of her as a toddler.

Dianne
Sunshine in Bozeman…

August 25, 2014 / 3 Comments

After several days of rain and cloudy skies, the sun is out and the weather is beautiful! I love looking out the windows in their home here and seeing mountains so close!

Yesterday, we had a wonderful morning worship service at their church which I really liked! There was a small orchestra with two violins, a couple of guitars, drums (that were NOT too loud!) and a couple of instruments that I do not recall. We sang several different songs which I enjoyed. The songs included two of my favorites: The Lion of Judah by Robin Mark and the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy. Needless to say, after growing up in a Baptist church in the South, I knew every single word of the hymn – all verses. Hymns bring such joy and peace and I wish we would sing them in our church. One thing I also noticed was that the music was not too loud and I could hear myself sing and everyone around me singing I loved that.

After church, we headed to Livingston, Montana, and had lunch in a very “Western” restaurant. The food was delicious and the scenery perfect. I remarked to my son that it was the perfect setting for a movie and he responded that there have already been several set in this part of the country.

After lunch, we traveled up the mountain range climbing closer and closer to the snow peaked mountains tops. We parked at the trailhead and I have no doubt that they will be back to climb the trail!

Last night, we celebrated my firstborn’s birthday with homemade broccoli cheese soup and a delicious chocolate cake with mocha filling and chocolate frosting. All homemade, of course, and fabulous. He liked all of this presents – mostly mountain biking clothes and trout fishing gear.

Today, we headed to downtown Bozeman in the warm sunshine. Not too crowded at all which, apparently, is a bit of a change. First, we went shopping in several of the neat shops on Main Street. I found a Montana long-sleeved t-shirt, a Montana ball cap and a few other goodies. Also purchased some Huckleberry Chai Tea which we will enjoy this afternoon. Then we ate lunch at the Nova Cafe where the food was delicious. While we were walking down Main Street, there was a young couple with a nine-week-old French Bulldog on a leash. I fell in love! He was so adorable!

For supper tonight, Jeanine is making her wonderful homemade chili and I will make the cornbread! This trip has been so much fun and I can’t believe tomorrow will be my last full day here. Don’t worry, Yellowstone, I will be back to visit you!

Dianne
Downtown Bozeman…

August 23, 2014 / No Comments

Yesterday was the perfect afternoon to stroll around downtown Bozeman, Montana. Sunny skies after a rainy morning made for a great afternoon. The Montana State University Band (part of it), the MSU football players and the MSU cheerleaders were meandering in and out of stores along Main Street…playing along the way. Of course, it was music I had to dance to. We went into one special store with the most awesome hand-spun and dyed yarn! The price of a plane ticket for all the ones I would have liked to have – so maybe in the future. Kate and I stopped at the bench for a minute and Jeanine snapped our photo with her phone.

Bozeman is a neat town with an especially quaint, “Western” downtown. I definitely want to return before I leave. Would love a Montana baseball cap, t-shirt and sweatshirt! Such a neat place to live…

Dianne
Montana Morning Muffins…

August 22, 2014 / 2 Comments

Low clouds are hanging over the mountains this morning…but they’re still visible and beautiful. I would never tire of this scenery! Temp in the 50’s this morning with a slight drizzle. My granddaughter Sarah and I are going to be out to walk Annie in a bit – rain or not. Yesterday morning, Sarah and I made Montana Morning Muffins (we gave them a new name) and they were delicious for breakfast this morning with my son’s freshly brewed coffee. He is off until Tuesday and that’s great. His birthday is Sunday and the girls and I will be baking his birthday cake. We will probably head to Yellowstone tomorrow and I can’t wait to see it. I love this rugged, BIG SKY COUNTRY!

Here’s the recipe, as promised, for Montana Morning Muffins (adapted from the recipe for Orange-Yougurt Muffins in the Williams-Sonoma book, Muffins & Quick Breads):

Montana Morning Muffins

3 large oranges

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

5 tablespoons butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 & 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter standard muffin tins.

Finely grate the zest from the oranges – just the orange part. Ours made about 3 tablespoons of zest.

Combine the zest, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Add the butter and stir until melted, about 1 minute more. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Set aside. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, milk and reserved orange mixture until smooth. Add the combined dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon into prepared tins, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 15-20 minutes. Cool in the tins about 3 minutes, then remove. Enjoy! (I think the pics are clearer if you click to enlarge).

As we were downloading the pics of the “food photo op” I saw my granddaughter’s amazing photos below all taken with a simple small point and shoot. I think she’s asking for a more powerful camera for Christmas and I can’t wait to see what she does with that if she can do this with the small camera she has! Obviously, it’s all about having an eye for composition. Enjoy! Don’t forget to click to enlarge for a clearer image.

Below, a yellow-bellied marmot!

By the way, I am doing these posts this week on the MAC computer with my granddaughter’s help. I am so not used to a MAC! ;-

Dianne
Hello, Montana!

August 21, 2014 / 1 Comment

I left Des Moines yesterday morning in a FIERCE Midwest storm – the likes of which I haven’t seen for a while. I couldn’t find my umbrella, so by the time I had the luggage loaded into the back of my friend Susan’s car (who had kindly offered to drive me to the airport), I looked like I had just stepped out of the shower. Not to worry though, I dried. Once the plane got up above the clouds and past a few major bumps, it was sunny and smoother flying. Once we arrived closer to Bozeman, I looked out the window to see a mountaintop so close, I could almost touch it! The scenery here is magnificent. Definitely different from Oregon but amazing. I can see why they call this “Big Sky Country”! The sky stretched as far as the eye could see over the mountains. I was so happy to see my oldest and his precious family! The girls have grown so much and are, of course, beautiful! They love it here and it suits their outdoor, hiking, camping, mountain biking lifestyle beautifully. Later in the week, we will head to Yellowstone and I will take some pics there. In the meantime, enjoy a few of their Montana living pics below!

Dianne
Texting and driving…

August 19, 2014 / 1 Comment

I was out this morning running a few last minute errands in preparation for my flight to Montana in the morning. I am so excited to see my oldest and his precious family…especially three beautiful granddaughters! They are all growing up so fast and I love every minute I have to spend with them. Their entire family loves the outdoors and loves Montana – especially hiking, mountain biking and camping. I was reminded to bring “good shoes” which I will be wearing but I’m not taking my dirty hiking boots! Surely, they know this Grandmom couldn’t keep up with them on the trails. Right?!

My tall stack of library books was going to come due while I’m away with no more renewals allowed. So I stopped by the library and dropped them in the book drop. Then off to Walmart where I stocked up on a few surprises for the girls and a few toiletries. Not sure what my allergies will do in Montana, so I picked up some Sudafed just in case.

It was a good thing I was alert – and definitely oriented – since a young woman dressed in a high-powered business suit and heels came plowing quickly around the corner – literally missing me by an inch. Not exactly sure what happens when you are hit head-on with a full cart of groceries traveling at an indoor-high-speed, but I don’t think it would be a pretty picture.

She apologized profusely, and said “this is what happens every time I TEXT and DRIVE!” There in her hand was the evidence. An iPhone mid-message. She really was texting and attempting to fly down the aisle with a heavy cart without a clue about her surroundings.

I wondered if she really did text messages while beyond the wheel of an automobile!? I wondered if she had read the statistics and had seen the photos of the tragic consequences of texting while driving? Maybe this near accident – albeit a shopping cart – was a wake-up call for her to put the phone down and pay attention to the road/grocery store aisle?!

Since her fast-moving-cart was aimed for me personally, I was just glad she didn’t hit me! I wouldn’t want to miss my trip in the morning for any reason!

Dianne