Ramblin'. . .

              My last week in July started with a preaching 'gig' at Richey and Circle, Montana, two yoked parishes north and a little west of Glendive.  My morning began with a 50 mile drive to Richey.  I really think I drove through some of the most beautiful hay flats and wheat fields I have ever seen.  The 11 inches of rain last spring and the fact that just by chance we did not have any major storms  (yet) has contributed to the bounty.  A few farmers in the area have started a little harvesting, but most are waiting just a few more days.  One farm wife said they were emptying out all the grain bins and getting them ready for what they know will be a bountiful harvest.  My prayer is always that the price of wheat will be commensurate with what they need to make a profit.

The photos I took out my car window just do not do the wheat fields justice.  Especially through the Bloomfield area which is between Glendive and Richey the fields stretched on for miles.  All the way to the horizon.  Bloomfield is an area that was settled by Mennonites in the early days.  There is still a strong community in that area where the folks hold to strong traditions.  Wonderful to see.
         Tomorrow (August 3) I will drive to Rapid City, South Dakota, to pick up Evan, my great-nephew, and his friend Attitcus from Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Atticus and Evan are third cousins and 13 years old.  Atticus and his folks moved from California to Cheyenne where my nephew and family live.  The boys got acquainted, are the same age, and hit it off well.  Atticus is my cousin Myron's grandson.  A bit convoluted, but you get the idea!
            Our direction is dinosaurs and so we will be doing some museums at Ekalaka, Glendive and Fort Peck.  I saw an awesome specimen at Fort Peck last fall.  This one is huge and was found in the Fort Peck area.  
             My little refrigerator may not meet the needs of two thirteen year old boys so we may eat out a lot or shop daily for needs.  Some swimming, hiking in Makoshika and other outside excursions -- provided it is not too hot.  Especially for this old gal who will be mistaken for their grandmother several times I am sure.

        The history of the area includes Lewis and Clark and the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers, Fort Union one of the early fur trading posts in the west and Fort Buford where Sitting Bull was held prisoner and killed.  Fort Peck was the great dam built in the 1930s as a WPA project to both provide power and flood control and jobs for some of the thousands in this area who were without work.  FDR visited the dam during his tenure.  It isn't as flamboyant as Hoover Dam but as necessary and interesting.  The water area is a huge draw for fishermen of all seasons and also recreation.
               I will try to include some photos as we go along.  It should be an adventure in more ways than I care to acknowledge.