Can't think of a title

Oddly, I took no pictures today, so here' s another from yesterday's river walk.

Finsihed "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas" last night, one of my favorite books to read up here. It's supposedly a very accurate translation from Verne's original in French, and it's wildly different from anything I remember as a kid. Dunno what I'll grab off the shelf for my next read.

When Monique got home from her class this afternoon (see below for her cool fish!), she said it had rained most of the afternoon in town. We'd gotten nothing but some cool clouds, but soon the lightning and thunder began. It's now 10PM and the rain is pounding. Take that, forest fires!

random note to Trader Joe's: c'mon, open a store in Kalispell, wouldya? Sure, I mostly want you for your Aussie licorice, and chocolate-covered orange sticks... and those cheese doodle thingies, and your mac-n-cheese, and your pure juices... but I might grow into appreciating you for your produce, and meats, and... you know... real food. so how 'bout it? Pleeease?

Tonight on my walk I ran into the boys, Mutt and Jeff, the young deer who hang around the property. I tossed a couple apples their way -- I know I should discourage their trusting of and getting anywhere near people -- and I swear Mutt was ready to follow me. Kids these days, I tell ya.

Also came across two piles of bear poo I hadn't seen before (or maybe they hadn't been there before). As long as it's at a safe distance, I'd love to see another bear up here. I repeat for the benefit of any bears cruising the blogs, "as long as it's at a safe distance."

Fire-drenching, dust-reducing, tree-watering rain, thanks for showing up.

September 15th--Bear Creek Road

This morning Bob and I decided to go for a short hike up Bear Creek. We've been up this road many times before, but never have we actually run across a bear....until today! We were still in the car so there was no danger, and the "little" black bear was much more interested in running across the road and getting away from us as fast as possible. Still it was a great way to start the morning!

The hike was lovely too, with lots of photos to take and shopping through the new trees on the trail, wishing each and every one could somehow appear down in our field by the cabin. Our own trees are doing great however, and we even have three new additions to cheer on: two Serviceberries and one Crab Apple. Along with the 100+ willow branches that Bob as 'planted' down at the river side it's been a record year for planting trees!

Time has really done some funny things since we've been here. We arrived only a couple of weeks ago, Uhaul and car packed to the gills, and yet it feels as if we've been here most the year. I'm reminded every now and then by boxes that need tending to, or areas that are desperate to be organized, but I can't say it any better than, from the moment we walked in the door from our drive across the passes on the 30th....it's felt like home.

River swims, driving through the valley (where I grew up) to go help out at the quilt store, walks down the dirt road as the sun goes down, no television, deer, birds, (and bear) as entertainment, uninterrupted starlight, a moon so bright that it casts a shadow, and that wonderful feeling of going to sleep after a day of being active in the outdoors.

life is good.

-monique