Sup…?

Montana…

Bob’s garden…

I want to put a tiny, old camper right in the middle and live forever. (Well maybe not forever, I don’t think I’ll want to live in a camper when I’m 90.) (Or January thru April.)

I’m thankful for every minute I get to spend with these two… One more week and they’ll be at my house!

This girl and I met on a Sunday morning in church. We were 13.

In four months we will be in Washington celebrating our 40th year around the sun. (We are seven days apart.) We’ve been talking birthday trip for as long as we’ve been friends…

Oh how I love these girls… I’m lucky to have so many best friends.

My newest niece, Pika.

The first born Girard child. I wish I got to see him more…. For now, lunch, and an hour of photography talk. (Sorry, J and Dad.)

We spent two days at my eldest sister’s house. Her new house… in the middle of nowhere. It was glorious.

Creepy baby.

I do love my brothers-in-law. They have both been in my life since I was in grade school. We have all mellowed nicely… I enjoy our visits.

One day was spent baking pies.

I love pie.

Rummy is the official card game of our family.

I look forward to a good thunder/lightning storm. I’m usually rewarded at some point while I’m out there.

This was the closest we got…

It was hot and dry and smoky the whole trip.

So. Many. Dogs.

Up north to my other sister’s house….

I love this family with every fiber of my being.

I haven’t been to Scobey in years (my birthplace – fourth grade ). So many of my strongest memories take place in this town. And my grandparent’s house. My dad was the youngest of five who grew up in the house my middle sister now lives with her family. I spent so much of my childhood at that house.

Located on 20 acres just west of Scobey, Montana, is the Daniels County Museum and Pioneer Town. Thirty-five historic buildings have been restored to depict a town in the early 1900’s. The museum has a collection of antique cars, tractors and machinery.

The annual Pioneer Days celebration is always held the last weekend in June. During Pioneer Days, you can start your day with a Threshman’s breakfast of pancakes and sausage in the old cook cars that served workers during the harvest. Spend the rest of your day touring the many restored buildings including a blacksmith shop, general store, churches, one-room country school, to name just a few. The afternoon features a parade with antique cars, trucks and tractors.

The Rex Theatre is home to the Dirty Shame Show where the Dirty Shame Belles perform their high-energy dance routines to musical numbers performed by the Dirty Shame Dixieland Band, in between the dancing and music is a variety show, featuring comedy skits and sing-alongs.

(If you are curious about Pioneer town, this is a great post…)

My sister was thoughtful enough to schedule a tour while we were in town. I’d never taken the official tour.

Once a year this was my weekend… often dressed like this.

My grandma had an impressive rock collection, which is now at the museum.

The library donated some old books to be on display in the schoolhouse. I found a book both my sister and I had checked out. It must have been the school library because the name on the middle line is in my mom’s handwriting, and she was the librarian.

I used to hang out here with my grandpa…

Ahhh, my grandpa…

Myself, my dad, and him are all the babies of the family. (We all have crooked tops of our pinkies. I think about them every time I get a shooting pain through my hand while wringing out a washcloth.)

He was a blacksmith, I believe only as a hobby. I used to love watching him bend metal, and the smell of that shop…

Right now is a much better time to be doing hair…

My sister found the car she learned to drive in. It was my auntie Mary’s…

This may be the creepiest and coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

My longest running friend drove six and a half hours to come see me in Scobey. She is one of the best people I know. I don’t get to see her near enough.

And she made me this… My life is kept warm with quilts made by her.

One less thing he hasn’t done…

My sister was hand feeding two orphan barn kittens. Entertaining to say the least.

My other Brother-in-law.

He is singing, I can tell by his posture.

It doesn’t usually look like a used car dealership there…

This dining room has hosted countless family meals, and birthdays, and card games…

My three sisters: Mary Kay (with me on her lap) Jeanne (beautiful poncho) Anne (leaning in the table). And two cousins: Char (yellow tank) Kathy (standing in the white shirt).

Clockwise: My brother Joey, Mary Kay, Char, Jeanne.

My grandparents on their 50th wedding anniversary.

See you in May!

We drove home through Helena and Missoula.

I love the ocean, but I love the mountains. I don’t want to live away from them ever again.

Helena was a very cool town. I have only been there once, and that was at least 15 years ago. It was nice to catch up.

The third Wilcott sister…

Because I can’t wait to get back to Montana, I forget there are people who can’t wait to get out of Montana…

This is Justin, one of those very people. I believe he is literally moving to L.A. as I type this. He was a bartender in Missoula. He was tired of living in smoke and cold. I don’t blame him…

It can also be magical.