Some Great Reads

As the snow falls outside my window and the clouds lower their grey blanket upon my world, a hot drink, a sparkling fire, a soft throw and a great book take on an almost ethereal appeal. Furthermore, with the approaching holiday season, one begins to think about gifts. So. . .if you're looking for a great gift for your book-loving family and friends (especially if they have a love for the old west) or if you're just looking for a really good read, I encourage you to consider this series.

In the past I have focused on books which feature Yellowstone or SW Montana. However, the wildness depicted in these books is not unfamiliar to one living in the Greater Yellowstone Eco-System. Furthermore, Richmond Hobson Jr.'s books mesh the 'wildness' of Yellowstone country with the challenge of the Montana range cattleman.

I found these amazing stories in a small bookstore in Ennis, MT. Since switching to a Kindle, I rarely hold a 'real' book. However, a friend's rave reviews prodded me to make this exception. I am so glad I did!

Richmond Hobson Jr. was someone I would have liked to meet. He was just enough crazy to be a great cowboy, just daring enough to be a great visionary, and just foolish enough to put the two together. In addition he possessed the rare talent of a born story teller. Thus one can easily understand why his books garnered such interest when they were first published years ago.

His first book, "Grass Beyond The Mountains" is perhaps his best. It relates the fantastic and barely believable story of the 'development' of the largest inland cattle empire in North America. As you might imagine, the challenges of establishing a toe-hold (foothold would be far too optimistic) in such are far-flung and wild country were frequently death-defying! Hobson does a wonderful job of bringing this wild world to life in your cozy reading nook.

While the title of the second book, "Nothing Too Good For A Cowboy", earned the prestige of movie title, it was my 'least' favorite of the three. However, this series was so good, least favorite was still well worth the read.

"The Rancher Takes A Wife" takes off where the second leaves off. It returns to the high story-telling quality of the first book. My favorite part in this book is the chapter written by Hobson's new city born-and-bred wife. Here she records her first impressions as she is introduced into a world far from her own.

While I would recommend them to anyone with an interest in a rancher's life, in wild country, or in an exciting read, to enjoy these books to the fullest, it helps to have at least a rudimentary understanding of cattle, horses, grizzly bears, moose and wolves (or at least the horses and cows). These unlikely partners often play opposing roles in the story.

It is perhaps more amazing to realize Hobson, himself, was the Stanford-educated son of a New York congressman. His partnership with Panhandle Phillips, a life-long cowboy, adds the literary frosting to an already solid story cake.

Together these unlikely partners throw their heart and soul into developing a huge cattle ranch in the wild and untamed vast miles between Vancouver and the Yukon. In spite of the unreasonable odds, their story holds more success than failure.

I found Hobson and Phillips' heart in the face of unbelievable odds extremely encouraging. No, the story is not silver-lined. Neither is real life. But reading of others who have struggled and prevailed always encourages me to press on through the hard times. A great read and an encouraging one! What more can one ask of a book?

Lady of the Lake

Centennial Valley Autumn Splendor

In the Northern Rockies typically one or two seasons dominate. Their presence is so overpowering, those which bracket them are merely commas in the year's journal. Rarely do the 'pleasant' seasons truly compete with the more challenging ones. This year the commas became exclamation points! Thus we enjoyed a long, hot (for us) summer and a brilliant, long-enduring autumn.

My hiking excursions were sorely limited this fall. However, one evening we broke away to enjoy the glorious landscape wrapped in its warm cloak and kissed by the rosy evening sunlight.

Last post I majored on the 'story' and minored on the 'photos'. This time I'll step back and, outside of a few minor explanations, let those thousand words speak for themselves!

Majestic mountains in a golden setting - what could be more breathtaking! Certainly the purple - green mountains look their best when couched in a pile of gold.

The waning sunlight accentuates the beauty any time of year. Yet in the season when golds dominate, they catch the sunlight and reflect it back like a million rose-kissed mirrors.

Angel tree with halo of gold you write your Creator's glory. With each tickling wind your flickering leaves dance and bob like shy maidens flashing smiles then dancing away.

Fall means cowboy season. In come the cowboys to take their charges back down to the home range.

Of course domestic stock aren't the only critters wandering around. As fall breezes cool our backyard, the wildlife return for our viewing pleasure

And, of course, I have totally enjoyed the Elk Lake swan family. By late fall they were spending a good portion of their time at the lake's south end - in clear view for photography.

A glorious autumn season has come to an end. Winter is knocking at the door. Yet, for those long weeks, we were blessed to enjoy the most colorful and lovely fall for the past nine years. I hope you enjoy these several thousand words!

Lady of the Lake

"Real Life" = Projects

Life at Elk Lake definitely includes the best nature has to offer. the best sunrises and sunsets. The best wildlife sightings. The best fishing. The best seasons of silence. The best snow. . .okay, so I'm a little prejudiced! I suppose it is to be expected when you love the place you live. Nonetheless, even living in a place as special as Montana's Centennial Valley there are times when 'real life' must equal 'work'.

Each year a few projects on our 'To-Do' list make it to the top. Each year we attempt to cross them off as completed. This year has been no different. Yet the busy summer season rarely allows time for more than the day-to-day chores. Thus each spring and fall we set aside time to tackle at least a few lengthier projects.

So, this time of year we put up our "By Reservation Only" signs and, between serving and caring for reserved guests, we begin to tackle those 'must-do-this-year' projects. For the fall of 2012, this meant a new barn roof, a new fence around the garbage burner, and a fresh coat of paint on our directional signs.

Thankfully the weather held - in fact it has tended to 'hold' all too well. Take that to mean - it has been hot. With the sun reflecting in your face, hot means shorts in October at 6700 FEET. I must admit I do believe that was a first.

While we have addressed most of the resort's buildings, the old log barn across the road had been pushed far down the list. It's old sway back and roughed up sides gave it the look of an old horse confined too long in the corral. However, they made things to last those many years ago - and for all its rough exterior, it has a good 'heart'.

Sporting its new head-gear, we expect it to last for a few more generations - at least!

Garbage is something which plagues us - even in the heart of God's country. I guess it is just impossible to put a group of people (even a small group) into one place without creating something which needs to be thrown away. While we make regular trips to the dump to dispose of much of the accumulated waste, storage is an issue in bear country so quick disposal is our best option. Thus the garbage incenerator.

Useful - yes. Necessary - most definitely. Good looking - NOT! So, this year it received a face-lift, or, more appropriately, a face-veil. Hopefully the new fence will have more eye-appeal than the needed burner it hides.

This fall has been more than a little crazy. While the end of September and the first of October usually bring few people to the Centennial, the pleasant extended fall has kept the traffic flow unseasonably high. Accomplishing our fall chores - even after limiting business to reserved guests - has been quite a challenge. Thus we readily took up Jake and Laurel's offer to paint the signs before they left.

What a difference a few dabs of white paint (okay, I KNOW it was a LOT more work than a few dabs of paint :-) makes! Our signs, which are still quite 'young', had taken on the faded appearance of old women without their makeup! Made up again, they look as fresh and pristine as teenage girls! (Gee I wish it worked that way for me!) Thanks, Jake and Laurel!

While much of our time of late has been spent 'doing the chores', we have still found time to enjoy the valley's bounty. With the increasing wildlife sightings and the lingering fall colors, time out-and-about has been quite productive. Next time, I hope to share some of those captured Montana treasures with you!

Lady of the Lake

Lewis & Clark Caverns (P2)

In these last two posts I have been answering a common question: "Where do you go when you get time off?" While Elk Lake, and the Centennial Valley are always our first choice, sometimes we enjoy exploring other locations in our general area. Thus, one warm August day we headed north a couple hours to visit Lewis and Clark Caverns.

In the last post we made it to the cavern's mouth. Today we venture inside. Note: My apologies in advance for the photo quality. While our guide 'said' he would tell us when we could begin using our camera's flash, he never gave the okay. Thus all these photos depended on a steady hand (which I sometimes lack) and what light the cave provided.

Since this was my first cave adventure, I had no idea what to expect. However, talking to others since my visit, I suspect I started with one of the best - and most interesing! The schematic drawing we purchased from the gift shop should have clued me in to the amazing vastness and variety this cavern offers.

Waiting for the final members of our expedition to reach the cave's mouth, I enjoyed looking at the scenic vistas spread at our feet. However, my attention sooned turned to the cavern itself. Look at these colors! I'm glad I noticed them as the poor light inside did not allow us to really appreciate the colorations on the interior walls.

As I mentioned last time, I was not quite sure I really 'wanted' to venture into the earth's belly. However, these youngsters don't seem the least fearful. That dark hole ahead of them clearly offers adventure! So. . .shamed into subjection I plunged into my first middle-earth experience!

Little did I know today's cavern introduction is much milder than what earlier explorers experienced. Our first stop was at the 'original' entrance - a much smaller opening high on the hillside followed by a steep (rope aided) descent.

From here we slid down further and further into the darkness. Yet, coming around a bend we caught sight of a hole - a big hole! Here, our guide informed us, early cave visitors would descend even further down a rickety wooden spiral staircase. I thought, "I'm not sure I'd want to go down there - even with good access." Little did I know, before our exploration ended, I'd be at the bottom looking up while listening to the story of the guy who fell down that hole!

Anyone who has explored many caves has probably seen a LOT of this kind of thing. However, I found these cave 'growths' fascinating! To imagine water and time and temperature were the primary forces to create such beauty - WOW!

Over and over - everywhere I looked (or at least could 'see') there was eye-candy to behold. Oh, I know, it has a lot of fancy- like 'stalagmite' - and not-so-fancy - like 'popcorn' - names, but this was my FIRST cave experience thus, like a true tourist exploring Tolkein's Middle Earth, the details were not nearly as interesting as the sights!

From pillar to post and back again our path wandered up and down and over and through. At one point we even slid down a short rock slide. The variety of 'cave-scapes', the sheer beauty of our surroundings, and the adventure finally took hold and I began to thoroughly enjoy this experience!

Did you know these stalactites are formed much like a tree - in rings? Of course the 'rings' are less uniform - but the layers are amazing and the years required to create even a 3 inch diameter stalactite are mind boggling.

Sometimes a guide is nothing but a traffic cop - just herding people around and reining in their curiosity. However, I have come to really appreciate a GOOD guide - and we were blessed with a very good one. I would have totally missed this old couple, admiring the view high above us had our guide not pointed them out!

Like a good landscape, these middle-earth rock formations never became dull. The waves and folds, the humps and bumps, the colors and variety kept me turning and staring and snapping pictures (many of which were just too dark) to try and capture the diversity.

One of the final 'rooms' we visited seemed to explode with color. While I believe they used colored lights to enhance the effect, these rocks bloomed in various shades of purple, blue, orange and pink. Little did I expect to find middle-earth's rock flower garden!

But what is a fancy flower garden without a water feature? And, since middle-earth has its own personality this water feature showcased a pink cascade of molten rock sparkling and shining in a frozen flow from the ceiling above!

All too soon, even for this solar-powered wide-open-space gal, the tour ended. We traversed the long tunnel and stumbled out into the now-blinding sunlight above. Would I recommend this day trip from Elk Lake? You bet!

Lady of the Lake