Want to Visit Libby, Montana?

We just returned from there!

When people think of Montana they tend to think of "Big Sky Country" and ranch land....lots of ranch land!  That is true of middle and Eastern Montana but the North West corner is mountains, trees, lakes, rivers, deer, elk, moose, bears, bobcats, mountain goats....well...you get the idea...it is wild and wonderful country!

How about I show you some pictures we took last week?

We took a trip "up the road a piece" to Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge
a magnificent section of the Kootenai River...

  the Swinging Bridge

The bridge doesn't look to scary from this view does it????  Well here is what it really looks like!

See that thin little line hanging across the water?  That is the swinging bridge...and NO...I did not go across it...I am not a fan of heights!  OK, I admit...I am just a big chicken....

We saw this great railroad bridge over another section of the river....I do love the look of bridges....

On the back of the property where we were staying was a little stream...(little stream now, but this winter it froze..when the ice broke loose it blocked the stream at the bridge section...several homes were flooded :(

It looks so innocent now doesn't it?

Because the stream provides access to water and the foliage on the property provides seclusion it is the perfect place for Mama Doe to bed down with her new fawns...

Yep, she has twins...but I could only photograph one of them...the other was way to fast to get a photo of!

Notice they still have their spots...or at least the one you can see does...

The Doe, her fawns and a young 2 point Buck were daily visitors...along with Mama wild turkey and her babies...all in a row...but by the time I had my camera ready they were gone.



Just remember to drive carefully...and watch for this

That is what a deer in the headlights looks like!


Links....http://www.libbychamber.org/
http://www.libbymt.com/index.htm

VE

The View From A MiniVan Window

We took another short trip last weekend, drove from Southern California up Interstate 5 to Medford, Oregon....and on the way saw some very interesting road side art....

The first item is something that we have checked out on each of our trips up Interstate 5....a Cow (Yep, I said a Cow) created from scraps of metal and standing tall and proud on a property in Northern California...

The creator of this great piece used to dress it up for each holiday, I think my favorite was the red, white and blue outfit for the 4th of July...we haven't seen any costumes  the last couple of times so I am not sure it still sports it's  finery on special occasions...but this is very impressive just the way it is now!

A little bit farther up the road is a relatively new creation. On our trips we watched as this one took shape and each time we drive past it seems to have some new bells and whistles...you can't see them in the photo but there is a solar panel by the side and what appears to be lights the length of the DRAGONS body....I would love to see him all lit up at night!

This spectacular Dragon stands in another roadside field...and he too is created from bits and pieces...amazing what someone can create from scraps of metal!

Farther up the road and just a little while before we cross the border into Oregon is a BARN ROOF that we always look for...it lifts our spirits just to see it!

What a lot of love (and talent!) in this painted message that greets all who drive up the road....This has been there since sometime after 911, as you can see...it is kept in beautiful condition....This has a very special place in our hearts!

If you are taking a car trip somewhere, remember your camera...art can show up just about anywhere!
VE

A Winter Trip for Christmas

This year for Christmas we went to our Daughter's home in Washington.....the first time we had ever been away from our own home at Christmas time!

The weather on our journey north from southern California to Washington was beautiful, at least it was once we were about 2 hours down the road...the rainy skies cleared and it was clear weather for most of our trip....so I decided to take photos of the trip home and share them with everyone :)

My first photo is the I5 heading south, just below Seattle, a clear road...beautiful scenery....not bad, right?  Until you pay attention to those low foggy clouds in the distance...a harbinger of things to come!

As you cross the Columbia River and leave Washington you enter Portland, Oregon...I knew you would all love to see a photo of the river, with the city in the background.....well remember those low foggy clouds?  In Portland they became heavy rain and low foggy clouds....so the only photo I could get was of the bridge we were on *the lower level of the bridge that is...

So...here is my Portland photo for all of you to enjoy!

As we drove the 300 or so miles from Portland to Medford, Oregon the weather only changed from rain...to heavy rain...to downpours of rain...and of course the fog remained pretty constant too...a difficult driving day for my husband, we were so happy to check in to a hotel for a night's rest because we knew the mountain pass we needed to drive through to reach California was closed for tonight because of SNOW!

The Siskiyou Pass usually is cleared and open to traffic about 10AM in the morning so we slept in, ate a good breakfast, made sure the car was fueled up and started down the I5....only 27 miles to the Oregon/California border....20 miles...chains required signs...surely not?  14 miles...flashing lights...no chains?  Turn around and put some on...Please!  

This was a rental car, it did not come with chains :(  One hour, $111.00 and a pair of chains on the front tires later...we start out again...slowly, since you can only drive 20 to 30 mph with chains on your tires.

Up and over the Siskiyou Pass...WooHoo and on to California, where the weather cleared and most of the snow disappeared....

At least until we left the I5 and headed East on hwy 58 toward Las Vegas, Nevada....somewhere between Bakersfield and Temecula, Ca. we found snow again...but at least the road was open and chains were not required!

Onward to the Las Vegas area to deliver my Dad home....lovely soft beds, a nights rest and a homemade meal from my sister. The next day we headed back to California and home...another 250 to 300 miles but this time through the California desert, here is the state line...it is lined with casinos...on the Nevada side....

250 miles after we saw this from our car window we saw the lights of home....Ohhhh...lovely! Even if the temperature INSIDE our home was a chilly 51 degrees...time for a fire in the fireplace and a cup of hot chocolate...

Trips are fun but it is wonderful to get back home!

VE