Covering Graffiti

The Great Falls Tribune wrote a piece recently on some very eye pleasing artwork now seen on Central Avenue.



I couldn't help but pull out my digital camera and take a walk with my youngest son to capture some of the colorful views. It was very interesting to get up close and see how pictures and poetry had been included in 10 different artists work.



Avery (11 years old) was a good sport and poised in a way to look like the fish was about to eat him. He is funny as he would do this for me very willingly, but when going to the local ball game, he will not stand by the mascot for a picture. I have even told him that I will stand on one side and he on the other, but no sale.



My favorite artwork was being worked on while we were snapping pictures. I love the swirly characters this lady has created.

One can only hope the artwork will not be tampered with by some unsightly graffiti that was on the temporary walls of this burned construction area.

What Is With This Weather?

For several weekends now I have been trying to travel by roadways here in Montana from one city -- Great Falls -- to another -- Kalispell.



The first reason for not accomplishing my goal was SNOW! Go figure. It is after all in the middle of winter and I do find myself watching more and more of the weather channel for parts of this continent where I have friends and relatives nesting. Again, what is with this weather?!



Now my area is in the upper 40's, but the second reason for not accomplishing my goal or travel destination is WIND! After going over half the distance (almost 2 hours of driving one way), in winds up to 50 mph, my van reached a town called Browning, MT. The winds picked up to 70+ mph and the driver's door was literally moving in and out (like it was breathing) because the wind was so bad.



Then I get to my turn off for the last leg of the journey to find a Montana Department of Roads utility truck barricading the road -- Highway 2. We were defeated and by then the children in the middle and back seats were calling for lunch. So a turn around was made and travel back 100 miles down the road found us at Shelby, Montana in a Chinese restaurant as an alternate adventure.



The food was good and everyone satisfied to make the additional 85 miles home to Great Falls, Montana.



Phone calls have been made and relatives have been located in Kalispell since I have arrived home. They know we made an effort and I hope they know we are thinking about them. Another endeavor will be made in the future for this goal of visiting in Kalispell, but now I know to not even start if SNOW and now high WINDS are mentioned in the weather forecast.



Hope you like the pictures in this posting. They are from our local paper submissions from readers with the topic of Montana in Winter. I picked these, because I thought they were the best!

Native American Buffalo Art

Wynston snapped some photos at the local newspaper building on Saturday of our latest buffalo find around Great Falls, Montana. This one has a Native American feel. I love the faces on it and the artist is very talented. Hope you enjoy the photos taken of this buffalo.

Great Falls Tribune Photo Contest

I just had to share some pictures from our local newspaper photography contest.


Honorable mention landscape: Karen Fahey of Renton, Wash., for a shot of Flathead.


Third place landscape: Shot of the 10th Street Bridge in Great Falls by Tamarjo Schliep of Fort Benton.


Second place landscape: Randy Cowger of Columbia Falls. Picture is of St. Mary.


David Lewis of Havre captured first place overall in this year's Tribune photo contest with this shot of a train passing the grain elevators in Zurich, MT.