It's August 2022 and so much has changed since I wrote this blog in 2013 and 2014.  I'm now 82 years old and living in the Wild West State of Montana in the North West part of the United States.  In 2020 my husband passed away just before Covid started.  I moved to Tennessee to live with my daughter.  After a year of working remotely, her company decided she could work that way permanently.  She chose to move to Montana to be close to her sister, so now all three of my children and two of my great grandchildren live within ten miles of me. Where we live is in a small town (population 300).  Dutton is located about 80 miles south of the Canadian Border and about 50 miles east of the Rocky Mountains where you can find hiking trails, ski areas, camping areas, etc..  Although we are surrounded by rolling fields of grain - wheat, barley, hops, etc. - we have beautiful views of the mountains in the distance.  

I enjoyed writing the blog about my country and I hope you can get a glimpse of it through my blog.  No matter where I live I have found there are friendly people and wonderful local "sights" to see.  When we moved here I was afraid that there would be nothing to do or see nearby.  Was I ever mistaken!

These small rural towns make their own activities and the people completely support the local sports teams.  In Power, where my older daughter lives, they have an annual fund raising weekend called "Harvest Fest".  They have lots of activities including street dancing, a Fireman's Breakfast, Pie Social at the Senior Center, a Silent Auction, a Steak and Shrimp Dinner followed by a live auction of many items that have been donated by the townspeople, farmers and sponsoring companies that buy the grains from the local area.  This raises money to support the Fire Department, Senior Center and the High School Sports Program.  

Just a few miles away is a town by the name of Bynum.  They have a wonderful Dinosaur Museum.  It's not large but they have the first "baby" dinosaur skeleton found and a number of dinosaur eggs that have been found in the Two Medicine and surrounding areas.  Next door is a Rock Shop that has many beautiful items to explore from simple polished rocks to kitchen or bathroom sinks made from polished stone.  Naturally they have jewelry pieces and other items from quartz, onyx and other stones.

About half an hour's drive south of us is the city of Great Falls.  It is where we buy groceries and anything else we need.  There are several museums including the Charles M. Russell Museum of Art, Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Malmstrom Museum and Airpark among others.  The Fairgrounds in Great Falls have exhibits and shows, along with rodeos, concerts and exhibits throughout the year.  In the summer is a fun filled State Fair.  Western Art Week , a huge Art Show, is held at the Fairgrounds in March. There is a Symphony Orchestra, Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts, unique restaurants, nearby parks and nature areas. Malmstrom Air Base is on the East side of Great Falls. Shodown Ski area is just  over an hour's drive south of Great Falls. Lots to see and do!

https://www.planetware.com/montana/top-rated-things-to-do-in-great-falls-mt-us-mt-47.htm

Montana doesn't feel like an isolated, lonely place to live - it's alive, vibrant and exciting with much to do and see.  I love the small town life and don't miss living in large cities at all.  Everything I would like is within a short distance of home. I do miss the crazy city traffic - gladly!

     

Montana

The Great Falls at Black Eagle Dam in Montana

Montana is one of the least populated states with some of the most spectacular scenery.  It is truly a hiker and camper’s heaven.  There are wilderness trails, ski slopes, forests and mountains with plenty of rivers and lakes and more sky than you ever imagined.   Montana is called Big Sky Country for good reason.   Most days you feel like you can see forever because the air is so clear and the land is so open. 

This is land where you can imagine large herds of Bison roaming the hills and valleys.  Early settlers called them “buffalo” in error.  There is a Buffalo Jump not far from Great Falls where Native Americans used to drive the animals.   Some of them would fall to their death before the herd changed their forward momentum to avoid the cliff.  This gave the Native Americans an easier way to provide meat for the tribe.  

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Sunset in Montana - Big Sky Country

In this post I will only tell you about some of the places that impressed me when I visited my daughter.  She lives near Great Falls in a small town called Power, population about 300.  This area is east of the mountains so the mountain views are in the distance, making beautiful views at both sunrise and sunset.  Where she lives is lower ground so her view is blocked by trees but the attached photo shows what spectacular sunsets are viewed there

Elk graze in the meadows when snows cover the mountains.

The C. M. Russell Art Museum is in Great Falls and has a gift shop attached, where I was able to purchase several prints.  Charles M. Russell was an artist who depicted the Old American West in his many paintings of Cowboys, Indians and Western scenery.  His paintings are exquisite in their detail, making both animals and people “come alive” on the canvas.  His original paintings sell for many thousands of dollars including one that sold just a few years ago for several million dollars.  

 

Other places we went included the Great Falls and the Lewis and Clark National Trail Interpretive Center with displays and artifacts regarding the Lewis and Clark Expedition..  Due to the high cliffs and falls the expedition spent about a month in this area, forced to portage around the falls with their canoes and supplies.

McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park

We also visited Giant Springs, the largest freshwater spring in the United States.  It is the source of the Roe River, which flows 200 feet or less before it joins the Missouri River.  The Roe River has been recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the shortest river in the world.  There is also a fish hatchery on the park like grounds of this area.

On Amtrak I traveled by Glacier Park early one morning and enjoyed watching the light change on the huge rock formations that could be seen from the train window.  The chalets at the entrance to the park looked so inviting that I wished my schedule would have allowed me to stop for a few days there. 

 

Vintage Card - Belton Chalets near Glacier National Park

 

 

 

 

I strongly recommend you visit the website for Montana just because it has so much to offer.   Their website is a truly user friendly one with many ways to find just what you might like to see or do.  Their website is http://visitmt.com/.   They boast of 16 ski areas, 7 nations (of Native Americans), 6 tourism regions of the state, and 2 national parks.  There are also 54 State Parks, many small towns and a few cities.  Take a video tour even if you can’t see it in person.