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Friday, April 22, 2011

The Ozark Club History






On a recent trip to The History Museum in Great Falls, MT, I marvelled at the information that was displayed over a jazz club/strip club that was a part of this towns history. All of the information was from old newspaper articles and advertisements. I like how they showed an illustrated sense of fun and happiness in those that entertained years ago.

One might remember the man pictured in this first advertisement here. That is Redd Foxx from Sanford & Son t.v. comedy in the 1970's.










Unfortunately, disaster happened to the business and also to the family that owned and operated it for quite a few years. Fire took the building. Sudden heart attacks, automobile accidents and even a questionable death are chronicled in print of the Lamar family that had the establishment. Then there is also the printed statement displayed about prostitution and gambling being run as side businesses. I guess every town has to have its scandal with a bit of flare to add to the excitement of the whole story.



One thing that is a tribute to them and also offers a fund raiser for The History Museum itself is a Jazz Night held at the facility each year. My husband is not into that style of music much, but we just might have to venture there one occasion and check out how Great Falls, Montana is for jazz.

Busy Needle Fingers



Cleaning out some of my pictures on the computer and realized I haven't posted some embroidery items from a couple weeks ago.



Hoping to throw these pieces into pillows, tote bags, or scrappy items and try to get into a local sale in the summer or around the end of the year.



Been thinking and wanting to raise my nerve to take some items into a few shops around town to see if I could sell them that way.




Most of the time I just prefer the no contact list things on the computer auctions to sell, but who knows I might could do something in this town!!

Happy Earth Green Day



Happy Earth Green Day!!!!

We here in Montana happen to experiencing quite a bit of the WHITE DAY this April 22, 2011.



From our local paper (The Great Falls Tribune) -- A spring storm dumped 7.4 inches of wet snow on Great Falls by 5 a.m., bringing 0.94 inches of precipitation over night that started as rain. Another couple inches of snow had fallen by 9 a.m., said lead observer Jerome Saucier of the National Weather Service. Higher elevations, under the warning, are expected to receive five to 10 inches of snow, while elevations of 3,500 feet or less are in the advisory area should see less. Great Falls is at 3,334 feet and lies in the northwest portion of the warning area so has already seen higher snow accumulations.

Thankfully by 5 p.m. the roads are melted off and things are just plain sloppy.


Wonder if we will be green for the Easter Egg hunt tomorrow at Gibson Park. Even though my kids are past the age of getting a basket full of goodies, I think a chocolate bunny just might tickle their fancy and put a smiles on their faces.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Local Museum Free Admission Day








The entire family got out this past weekend and visited three of 8 locations that were open for free admission day. This I found out is a local promotion to residents of Great Falls, Montana to help promote our sights and attractions. When we have friends and families from out of town come, then being more aware of what our town has to offer is helpful.

One of the places my husband and I had wanted to visit was the Charlie Russell Museum. He is one of the claim to fame people of our town. The inside of the museum is beautiful and filled with his western and indian art. There are wonderful artifacts from his life in a glass case to view and read about. My husband and oldest son love the gun and rifle display room. The statutes pictured are on the outside of the museum.

We also went to the Paris Gibson Museum of Modern Art. I think my daughter and I will be visiting more this year to see some upcoming exhibits. We are fortunate also in that this museum has a sponsor this year and all admissions are free. Savannah Rose (my daughter) fell in love with a featured artist and I have included some of her artwork and information here.


Rachel Kaiser: Giving Way
Dufresne & Cobb Foundations Gallery
March 3-April 16, 2011

Giving Way will include new work created by Rachel Kaiser during her tenure as the Great Falls Public Schools Artist-in Residence, a joint program between the schools and The Square. The exhibition title is taken from the artist’s work that conveys a positive message about the value of generosity and it’s literal, emotional and spiritual impact.

Rachel’s diverse background and interest in the spiritual nature of art is evident in her work, which includes paintings, woodcarvings, drawings and shrines as well as murals and custom-made ceramic tile. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art at Viterbo University in LaCross, Wisconsin, and studied at the Vermont Studio Center. She is a co-founder of On The River, a multi-media art gallery and Juxtapoz magazine credits her and her partner, Jonathan Heraux, for initiating the underground art movement in downtown Honolulu. She has received several national and local commissions including a 4-foot tall hand carved wood relief, The Spirit of Healing, in the surgery wing of St. Francis Hospital in Honolulu and a 17-foot-tall mural spanning seven walls and totaling 1800 square feet at The Peak Health and Wellness Center in Great Falls, which depicts children playing in a natural mountain landscape.


Our final destination was The History Museum. Two our of kids were tired and stayed in the van, but my husband, oldest son, and I had fun exploring/talking about different items displayed there. My husband said this was the highlight of the day for him and he thoroughly enjoy everything about the place. One item of interest was a podium that was made for sole purpose of John F Kennedy to use on a trip he made to Great Falls, Montana back in the 1960's. I fell in love with all the information displayed about a jazz club that was big in the town in the 1950's. It is going to be another blog here real soon.




I posted an update on Facebook about our trip and a cousin in the Kalispell area said she wished she had known about the free admission day and her family would have probably come to visit for the day. Now that I know this is an annual event in early April, I will have to listen for the next one in 2012 and let her know so she can make plans to come.

We still have a few places we have not explored here in town, but I know we will get around to it hopefully some time soon!

Montana Signs of Spring



A gaggle of goslings on a park pond, a dancing sharptail grouse and a whistling prairie dog were the first-, second-, and third-place winners of this year's wildlife category in the Great Falls Tribune annual photography contest.





I must say my seeing a prairie dog run across a busy street the other morning on my way home from work confirmed in my mind Spring has finally arrived. But, we are still seeing snow flying around here quite a bit as well. Another morning this week, my first feelings of seeing a white blanket on our lawns that are starting to turn green was very DOWN; however, my spirits rose when a few hours later everything was melted and back to my kind of liking.



Another sign of Spring here is the knock on the door from the sweet Girl Scout with our cookies. My husband thought I was silly taking a picture of the box, but this made me happy as well.

I am also wanting to try some of those Topsy Turvy growing bags with tomatoes or strawberries. I haven't tried my hand (or green thumb) with growing anything since my move to Montana a couple years ago. So I think with this feeling of Spring here, maybe now is a good time to go for it.

Happy Spring to you!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Miss Marie Spencer | 1905


Miss Marie Spencer | 1905, originally uploaded by RetroGrafix.

I love this photo of the past and wonder what life was like then.

How did women wear such hats out and about town? I can't imagine getting into a car with this on.

Don't get me wrong everything about her is lovely and stylish with an air of romantic to it. That is why I love this so, but today practical comes to mind as I feel cozy putting on my favorite sweatshirt and leggings.

I see this as artwork and love putting paintings of this style on my walls.

Still I do wonder what life was like back then.

Boden
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