Presidential Flare

Recently I read a local newspaper article about some new statues here in Great Falls, MT. They have been placed in front of the local Scheel's store at the Holiday Village Mall. The mall is not usually a place I visit and have been maybe 3 times with my family and a little bit more with the girls from the group home I work for. It is a place I like to rush into and get out of as quickly as possible. To me shopping at a thrift store is not wasting money as much as walking the mall and making purchases on things I hadn't planned. With a thrift store, you can find "deals" and it is never the same each visit.



Still with hearing of new statues, I made a special trip with the family -- in the rain no less and snapped a few photos. My husband had to have his picture with them as well. I love all the detail included on these. Wonder if they will keep polished or if the weather will be the one to maintain them only.



Interesting history of the Scheel's Store is found below:

Three acres of potatoes were the seed for the first Scheels store in 1902. Frederick A. Scheel, a German immigrant, used the $300 he earned from that first harvest of potatoes as the down payment on the first Scheels, a small hardware and general merchandise store in Sabin, Minnesota.

Over the years, Scheels opened in surrounding communities, including Fargo, North Dakota, where the Corporate Office and the second Largest All Sport Store in the World are now located. Reno-Sparks Scheels became the World's Largest All Sports Store in September 2008.

Firmly planted in the hardware business, Scheels started adding a small selection of sporting goods to their stores in 1954. Customer interest grew, and more and more sports lines were added with athletic shoes and clothing being introduced in the Scheels' product mix in 1972.



Scheels' first All Sports Superstore opened in Grand Forks, ND in 1989. Today, Scheels is a 23-store operation with stores in 8 states including North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Nevada. Providing Scheels' customers with first-class customer service and the world's largest selection of sports, sportswear and footwear are the priorities throughout the organization

The Montana Memorial

The piece below is actual wording found on this sign in front of the Lewis and Clark Memorial.



The Lewis and Clark Memorial was Fort Benton's contribution to the Nation's Bicentennial in 1976 and is the State of Montana's official memorial to the Expedition. The total cost was $175,000.

The statue is heroic-sized (1/6 larger than actual). It was cast by the lost-wax process at the Modern Art Foundry in New York City. The bronze weighs 2 1/2 tons, is 21 feet high and was brought from New York upright on a semi-trailor! During the trip, problems were encountered with interstate underpasses. It caused many a head to turn, but the Captains were not recognized until the statue was west of the Mississippi.



The 85-ton granite base was a gift from Tanner brothers Quarry near Square Butte, Montana. The rock was transported in mid-winter over frozen roads, to save the roadway, on a thirty-wheeled trailer.

Artist Bob Scriver spent an entire year in research before beginning the three-year effort. Equipment, clothing, body features and faces are as historically accurate as could be determined. The Harpers Ferry rifles are accurate even to the name on the hammer plate. The actual telescope carried by Lewis was the pattern for the one he holds in the statue; the compass in Clark's hand was modeled from the one he really did use.



Indian lore is Mr. Scriver's forte, and the statue shows his vast understanding of the Plains Indian culture. Sacagawea's dress is that of a Shoshoni who were her people. She is carrying a skinning knife and an awl, a strike-o-light hangs from her belt. Sacagawea is also wearing many rings and bracelets. Clark mentioned her fondness for jewelry which he often gave her on the trip.



On her back she carries Jean Baptiste in a blanket folded to free both her hands. The pack board is missing since it was washed overboard a few days earlier. Secured to the baby's blanket is a serpent's pouch containing his umbilical cord; such a pouch was worn by all male children of the pains people. Pouches for females were shaped like a turtle.


Art critics have placed the artistry of the Memorial among the top ten major statuaries of Western art. Bob Scriver is among the West's greatest sculptors, he stated that this Memorial is the most outstanding work of his career.

Explorers at the Portage

Last Sunday in the midst of snow/sleet/rain the family went out for a drive with me behind the wheel. After running a few errands, I didn't let anyone know of my plans to stop by Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat for my birthday. From there we headed to a statue that I had not photographed here in Great Falls, MT. This is located at the Welcome Center off 10th Avenue South. Also, found there is the large flag that can be seen from the interstate. A local radio ad says it costs over $10k yearly to maintain the flag and donations are being asked for currently.






I will have to make another trip to the Welcome Center when there is more time and better weather so I can walk a steep paved trail up to a gazebo that is part of the scenery. There is also an indian statue to photograph that I missed.




Another statue has been spotted at the new Federal Court House by the Missouri River here in Great Falls and I will have to pick a Saturday and explore it more.

On of my favorite photos was taken at Giant Springs with my 11 year old walking across the bridge with his father. He is now over a head taller than anyone in the house!!

Happy May Day

Happy May Day - maypole
Big Big Paint Book
Whitman Publishing, 1936

Isn't this a cute coloring picture! Had to send it out to celebrate today.

It is my birthday and the family and I have been outside between rain/snow/slush showers visiting parks and statues snapping pictures.

We went to Giant Springs Park to look for the owls and owlets that have been reported there, but couldn't find them again this year. They may have already flown the coop headed onward as they don't stay around long. It was fun to walk around all except for tons of gnats (bugs) that swarmed around us at one point. I think I may have swallowed one because I had a coughing fit right after we fast pace left the area. I have even had a problem finding a great horned owl to picture here in this blog. Lord willing there will be next year to fulfill the quest of sighting and photographing one from me.




I ended my day by going out to eat at Chili's in Great Falls, Montana with my husband. One other experience with Chili's in Chattanooga, Tennessee a few years back found both of us talking all this time about going to the restaurant chain again. Wish I could say our memories were held to the test again this evening, but not the case. As a matter of fact, upon departure my words were that it has been taken off my list to do again. Tasteless is a word that comes to mind in my review of the experience of the food tonight.

On a good ending note of my day -- I won at Rummy against my son and husband.

Helena Montana Excursion

Wall Mural in Helena at the Last Chance Pedestrian Mall

The family and I travelled to Helena, Montana yesterday for a doctor's appointment for my husband. The office he went to ended up being in the Last Chance Gulch Walking Mall. I had been there years ago with my husband but had forgotten about it as when we went most stores were closing for the day.



This time we found the place almost deserted and then a lot of empty really neat old buildings. It was fun to sight see and we did find interesting things to occupy our time while waiting.

Here is the online information found for our adventure:
LAST CHANCE GULCH PEDESTRIAN MALL

http://www.downtownhelena.com
Email: hlnabid@mt.net

Downtown Helena and Last Chance Gulch are alive with activity year round. This area of Helena features a pedestrian walking mall which gives residents and visitors alike a unique way to experience the history and the shopping in the area. The Gulch features a wide variety of merchants. There are custom art galleries, one-of-a-kind apparel stores, unique gifts shops, sporting good stores and entertainment venues. All business in this area are locally owned and strive to provide excellent customer service. Downtown Helena is a place to gather. In the winter, art walks and holiday strolls are featured events. In the summer, the Alive@Five free weekly concert series on Wednesday nights is a wonderful place to bring the family and have a great time. Music festivals and craft fairs are held various weekends throughout the summer. Catch it all Downtown Helena! For more information see our website at www.downtownhelena.com

Fancy Kabob Skewers found in the window at the Oriental Rug Shop


Here is a statue display of gold miners to represent the last change gulch history in Helena.

My next few blogs will be about some of the stores we ventured in.

I told the family as we were leaving that more trips to explore Helena would be made with weather and road travel permitting in the winter, but a definite in the summer as it is only about an hour to get there from Great Falls, MT.

Buffalo Nickel Statue Great Falls MT

A clever interpretation of art or a play on of words as I have heard the phrase stated many times over the years is what I can write about this buffalo statue found in Great Falls, MT.

And no more appropriate is it to find the location right in front of a bank on 10th Avenue South, one of the most traveled roads in Montana.

My husband and son, Wynston, say this is their favorite of all the buffalo we have found around this town so far.



I am not positive, but this may be the last one to photograph, but then again more may roam into town any day now.

Hope you enjoy these pictures. Wynston was the photographer in this blog. Pretty good for a 13 year old!

Morning Star Buffalo Great Falls MT

The family was all out together the other day after picking my husband up from the airport when one of my kids pointed out. "Hey mom, there is another one of your buffalos!" I had the digital camera on hand and into the bank parking lot we stopped. Not too much traffic was going on around the building so I took my time and some detail shots of this beautiful work of art.



I also loved the detail of the "quilt" over the back of the buffalo. Truly each artist that produced these had their own creative thought in how to paint and dress this symbol.



Hope I am not driving you nuts with the town of Great Falls, Montana and the buffalo, but I like the idea someone came up with placing them around here.



Another blog is coming right after this of another buffalo. My husband and son, Wynston, say the next one is their favorite.

Great Falls MT Airport Buffalo

Our family has been visiting the local airport a lot recently dropping off and picking up my husband from travels with work. This buffalo is very new and has been installed in the past couple months.

The colors are very pretty even through a tinted van window with snow on it.



My daughter also captured a shot of one of the planes displayed at the Montana Air Guard entry right next to the airport.



Getting onto the interstate to head back into town, we noticed the Belt Mountains covered with snow and one of the children snapped a picture.



We then headed down 10th Avenue South (the main business street in town) and stopped at a realty building to capture a picture of another buffalo. I love the artwork on this one with the trees.



We plan on getting out some more in the next week and finding some more of these buffalo statues around our town. Each one is so unique in the artist's interpretation.

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 Buffalo Hunt

My son, Wynston, and I have decided we are going to venture around our town and take pictures of all the buffalo statues we find. On our excursion last night to the last Alive @ 5 music on Central Avenue, we stopped and took the following pictures of a couple within a few blocks of each other. I love the one with the horses painted on it.

I think we have about 4 more to go to picture, but Wynston is figuring higher. We will have to see.

Also, I got a smile put on my face the other day at the local grocery store (Van's IGA), when a lady with her son were on the same aisle my Wynston and I were. She told her son, "Come on Winston, let's go". I had to ask her his name and then look at my son. I told her our boys had the same name. She said, "It is not common and most people like it when they meet my son." I told her the same was true for us. (Hard to believe my WYNSTON is turning 13 soon. Where did the time go?)