Billings Diary, Day 62

Hi All,

  I'm supposed to write my obituary for a memoir writing class, but I want to post more wildflower pictures. 

The ol' bear and I visited the Little Big Horn Battlefield. 

Although I've had many chances to do this before on trips from Montana to Minnesota or North Dakota, I've never stopped.  We agreed that it was much more engaging than we thought it would be.  The history is fascinating for one.  First we attended a recitation of the battle which confused me as three different armies converged on the largest group of Indians ever gathered (the historians believe) and then Custer broke off from one army and ended up dividing his group into three and blah blah blah until I didn't know who was where and what was up.  To make things worse, the "professor" (apparently he is a professor in his winter job) confused shouting with emotion and kept making me flinch when he would yell out a paragraph or two.

We then went on the two walks that meander to places where things happened in the battle, and stopped at every roadside point with a tablet until now I actually do have an idea of what happened.  

This marker had braided grass left in front of it.

 Of course, there are still things being argued about, which makes it even more interesting.

There were plenty of meadowlarks along the way.  A meadowlark song makes anything the best, and along with that, the wildflowers were stunning.  So stunning that I went right into the museum store and bought a book in which I could find only two of the specimens we saw.  I think the book is more for the Dakotas and if so, you can have it when you come here. 

So - on to the wildflowers (and the grasses - they were also fascinating):  I am sure most of these are fairly common, and I am going to get a book out of the library (and buy one too) but I haven't yet so I don't know what they are.  Sorry they are so big, but I wanted to keep the detail so I didn't resize or crop too much.

I know what these last two are: the top one is Yucca (I've posted some pictures of it before I knew it grew this impressive spike which I'm dying  to see when it's in full bloom) and next is prickly pear with some buds on it - also can't wait to see in bloom.

Yucca - with flower stalk.  Also know as soapweed because the roots were used for soap according to this book.

Prickly Pear with buds on it.

 Did I say I've never lived anywhere before where cacti grew?  I am fascinated by it.

I've posted this by uploading the pictures, and while waiting, ironing clothes for work.  I have a penchant for linen, which is eternally wrinkly, but also have a penchant for ironing, thank goodness.  This all goes quite well with my penchant for drying clothes on the line.  If I didn't hang clothes out to dry, I would have missed the pair of goldfinches playing tag amongst the trees this afternoon.  They were making clicking-type noises that I have heard before.  Now I know that those are goldfinch noises and will look for them next time I hear it.

Adios, all.

A windy day in the garden

The servant has been very lazy and not posted for ages so I had to steal her new laptop and put up a post. Yesterday she was out gazing at the birds for a long time, so I had her take a video.

The wind was gusting to 40 - 45 mph and kept buffeting her around so she stood against the door and tucked the camera up to her chest. With her heft you would think she could have stood still. She managed for much longer than I figured she would and you can see, and hear how windy it was.

At least you will be able to if I can get this video up on the website. How hard can it be? There is the little movie icon just like on her camera. She wants this to remember all her birds when she is in Minneapolis without them. What a sap.

You will probably be bored before it finishes but I expect FattyKitty will like it.

Speaking of whom, I hear the fattykitty is having a little trouble getting onto his computer. Evidently school makes librarians much more possessive of their laptops. You will have to just stop taking so many naps dear FK. Then you might find some 'desk time'.

Love,

Abbiethekitty, PQJ, PYI

The house on Kalispell Av

Howdy Nancy,
The "clothesline" picture of the swallows in your last post is striking. As I said, I'm really enjoying the birds around our new place. I've posted some photos on webshots, I hope to take more pictures. Friends who come by remark that our little rental has a good feeling to it, and two have said that it seems more "Mary" than our last house. I find this interesting. Am I run down and shabby? Since I really have a good feeling being in this house, I don't mind. It's always amusing though, to ponder the impression others have of you.

I just have to post this picture of the angel leaf begonia blooming. It's remarkable (to me). I have friends with these plants and I've never seen one blooming before. I have no idea what prompted this one to bloom. I also have a Hoya plant start in a milk bottle of water that bloomed as the move commenced. I wunna why?

And now for something completely different: we woke up at 4 a.m. so that ol' bear could catch a flight to Ketchikan, Alaska where he starts a new job for the Alaska Ferry system. We don't know all the details of the job yet, but it's where he wants to work, and it's who he's been aiming to work for, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that it turns out to be what he hopes it to be.

And that's the news from Kalispell Av this morning. I think I'll go take a nap before work....zzzzzzzz