Fall Colors in Montana

Just checking on how I have been remiss in posting lately. I so enjoyed the Fall colors in Fort Benton, MT this year and want to put them out for anyone interested to see. Hope you like them!

I Blinked . . . Where Did October Go?

Can't believe I haven't blogged since late September and now we are into November. This year is just flying by so fast.

We did a major move from the big town of Great Falls out into the country just past Fort Benton, MT late in September and then I set out to find a job, put my new home together, and catch a plane for a week in Nashville, TN. No wonder I have been having back spasms on a regular basis here lately -- thanks to my kids for rubbing them out and then stretching is helping also.

I had a quiet no thrills visit to Nashville which is just as I wanted. Got to spend some sweet time with friends and see the changing of the leaves. I love FALL!!!

One thing I did miss was snapping a photo of the leaves on the trees by the Missouri River here in Fort Benton. I literally did blink and they had all blown away. I will just have to be on top of them next year and do lots of picture taking then.





I couldn't help but take tons of photos of my friend, Kathleen's place in Nashville. Her back yard would be a photographer's dream for taking photos of kids and couples. Her style in decorating her house truly fits her personality as well -- Primitive Americana.


This type of decorating is defined as: Americana country decor consists of shades of reds, whites and blues. These country decor accents can have stars and strips, or simple symbols and words like “Love, Faith, Hope…” to name a few. Americana quilts make excellent wall hangings, throws, table cloths, chair covers, the sky is the limit of what you can do with a beautiful Americana quilt.


(These are called Jewel Tea Autumn Leave Pattern . . . My Aunt Ruby in California used to be crazy in collecting dishes like these as they reminded her of her childhood years when a vendor would come by horse drawn wagon once a month out in the country and sell her mother a piece. My friend Kathleen collects them as well because she loves the pattern.)

It was a pleasure going for a visit to the South. My heart has two homes -- the South and Montana.

Fall Colors Are Flying By

I started taking pictures of the gigantic tree in our front yard. It acts as an umbrella to us during the summer months keeping the hot sun off our house and picture window. The tree is also a haven for us to sit under in a two seater swing or at the picnic table (not once did I use our colorful umbrella this year).



I have fallen in love with the branches and how intricate and woven they appear to be. So standing underneath with my digital camera, I started snapping photos. My husband thought I was a little on the crazy side of life at the time, but let me have my whim.



Then I started taking photos when the leaves changed and also noticed that this year in Great Falls, Montana we seem to have been blessed with a real season of Fall. Last year, it just blew through the neighbor hood and weather beat upon the leaves making them crash to the ground and become a swamp we could not even wade through.



I felt I had an angel appear from out of no where with a contraption I had never seen before and he vacuumed my leaves and I helped him empty into big yard sacks -- only asking for a donation -- "Any small amount will do," he said.

This year, the leaves have fallen a few at a time and been more manageable in raking and removing. I look at the tree and see it bare but am not depressed for winter will come and hopefully go quick enough that I can begin to enjoy the green and shade once again. Don't get me wrong, I do love all the seasons but will admit to being more partial to some than others.



Hope you are enjoying your colors, cooler temperatures, and the changing of the seasons.

Fall Fashion Show -- Me a Prize Winner?

A neighbor invited me to attend a Fall Fashion Show at Inge's Fashions last night. I haven't really explored clothes shopping since moving to Great Falls in April 2009.

This is an excerpt from the Great Falls Tribune about the owner, economy, and her store:

The proprietor, Inge Buchholz, said she has noticed more customers head straight for the clearance rack when they enter her store than browse the other areas.

"Since this thing set in, the recession, I do notice people are more price conscious," Buchholz said. "So I'm putting more things on sale and bringing in some products that are still a good quality, but are less expensive."

The bread and butter of Inge's Fashions continues to be the store's mainstays unique women's clothing items, including the only selection of the sizes 4X to 7X in town, and strong customer service, Buchholz said.

"I have a lot of repeat customers," she added.

It was a fun outing with ladies of all sizes and ages (one was 86) modeling very pretty fashionable clothing. I had already decided I would have to go back and do some exploring (and purchasing) when the crowds of women were gone. There was a very good turn out.

Door prizes were being called for floral arrangements and gift certificates. I had my name in the hat, but never even usually get my name called for anything. Well, last night was a first as I won the top prize -- a pair of "Not Your Daughter's Jeans". I don't know much about them and will be going back to Inge's on Saturday to find and fit into my new pair that retail for $100.

All I could hear the ladies at the fashion show talk about was how much Oprah recommended them.

Here are some other important selling points I have found online today:

"Created for real women with real curves"

"A unique criss-cross panel that flattens your tummy, lifts your rear, and makes you look and feel a size smaller" -- SOUNDS LIKE A MIRACLE TO ME!.

I will have to let you know how I feel when I get these babies on.

Except for the Mouse -- Christmas Creation

Here is the finished embroidery wallhanging I started a month ago. I just needed to get in front of the sewing machine and get the machine quilting and border completed.

I am getting more and more in the holiday spirit as the Halloween decorations are in full swing on the front picture window.



Also, I just spent 2 1/2 hours outside in the front yard working on the "swamp" of cottonwood tree leaves. A very nice elderly gentleman pulled up to work on a lawn across the street and came over and helped me. He has a wonderful machine called a Billy Goat that sucked up the leaves in a bag. He then dumped them onto my driveway for me to get into big heavy bags while he played with his machine on the lawn. It took 10 bags in all to complete the job.

This man was so sweet and would only take a cash donation from me. I hate that when people just say for a donation as I always want to give more. In the end I could only scrap up $8 in cash from around the house, but he was happy with that and worked very hard with me.

I think he was really "an angel" who came to help me with a very big task. Hope you have an angel to help you out today or when you need it most.

Illusion Art

Do you see two pictures in one with this photograph?

Besides the flowers and butterfly, there is a woman's face. The two upper leaves make up her eye and eyebrow. The butterfly is her nose with the flower her lips. Quite clever this artist was in protraying beauty both ways.

As they say "Art is in the Eye of the Beholder". I hope you are having a wonderful day where you are at.

The wind is blowing fierce outside my picture window. The branches of the juge cottonwood tree in the middle of the front yard are flopping around as if in some intense dance. My two seater swing may be overturned for a second time within these past couple days. Our temperature has dropped quite a bit and is between 56 and 68 degrees -- feels like Fall is in the air around here. As I type this thunder is rumbling, so the computer will be shut off post haste. I love rain, it makes me want to crawl under covers and snuggle in.



Fred has been in Kansas City since this past Monday and will be returning home close to midnight this coming Friday, the 21st. Yesterday, he called after an adventure to the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in a city about 50 miles away called Independence. Being the history buff, he said he really enjoyed some of the exhibits a lot. At least this training he is getting is totally new and exciting to him. He has also warned me that he is destined for more training as he received an email from his supervisor who has been in meetings in Dallas all this past week. He said the email was short and not specific, but read something like. . . "be prepared for lots more trainings to attend in the very near future. . . will explain more soon." I am glad he is in a job where he is learning and doing new things. He is happier and greatly enjoying himself.