Breakfast Round the Campfire

Now that you’ve blown the dust off your trusty camping tent, head out for this 4th of July for a weekend of outdoors life. Dont leave home … without a plan however. These websites can help you make your outdoor trip and activities much more fun by giving you the information you need to make knowledgeable decisions.

www.mapquest.com - If you’re heading to a new locale to hike, backpack or camp, Mapquest will give you directions from your door to your destination. Just click the “Directions” icon, enter your starting point and destination and soon there will be a detailed map on your monitor complete with written directions, the number of distance miles (total and segment) and how much time it should take you to make the drive. Advanced options allow you to choose shortest time, shortest distance, avoid toll roads, avoid highways and show seasonally closed roads, or to convert your map to a satellite view with road graphics overlaid.

www.weather.com - Knowing how to get where you’re going is only part of the plan. You’ll also want to know what the weather will be like when you arrive and while you stay at your destination. This website is the online version of The Weather Channel, which is a standard on almost every cable TV lineup around the world. This site will answer just about any weather forecast question for almost any destination that you can imagine. You can find out the current conditions and forecasts for the coming weekend, 10 days ahead or a month ahead, so planning ahead for the weather systems on your next hiking, backpacking or camping trip is easy.

www.reserveamerica.com - It’s hard to beat the convenience of this site when it comes to reserving your chosen campsite. If you’re not familiar with campsites and/or parks in the area you plan on visiting, you can perform a search based on different criteria, according to the specific amenities or features you are interested in enjoying. If you know the park you’re planning to stay at, it’s easy to book a site or sites for the number of nights and people you need. There is a wealth of helpful information available including directions, maps of parks, regional maps showing other parks, whether pets are allowed, and if sites are primitive or not, as well as many other useful functions. Yes, there is a service charge when booking sites, but the convenience ReserveAmerica offers is worth it.

Have a “Camping Basics” list….you know, the stuff you always take camping.

Pack all of the non-perishables into one of those plastic containers and if you are an avid camper, just keep it stocked.

Create a “Food Staples” list. These are the items to pack the day before into a container with a tight fitting lid. These are the items that you don’t want to share with the bugs.

As you are tending your outdoor kitchen, don’t hesitate to pass on your camping wisdom to whomever is within earshot.

To cook a meal for 8-10 hungry campers, clean it all up, repack it away and store it in the tightly closed box, cooler or back in the vehicle. This requires methodical planning, patience, time management, resourcefulness, and a good sense of humor. (The humor comes in handy when you have to haul all of that stuff back out again for the next meal). What school can teach all of these valuable lessons and result in a plate of delicious grub?

What you pack should be basic, but not sparse. You can offer an amazing menu from just a few basic food stuffs. Avoid packing mayonnaise or lunch meats, as they are quick at spoiling.

And you can even bring the kitchen sink with you. Get two of Granite Gear’s Kitchen Sink and you can haul them from the creek to your campsite by balancing them on a stick over your shoulders. Better yet, get your kids to do it. Or you could just get one Kitchen Sink and end up spilling water inside both your shoes while trying to scramble back to camp with an awkward bucket.

Monday - Everything Breakfast

Also makes a great sandwich.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs
• 1 pound sausage
• 3 ounces shredded cheese
• 15 tatertots

PREPARATION:

Brown sausage, add tatertots, and cook until potatoes fall apart. Then add eggs and cheese. Scramble them to your preference and serve.

Servings: 4-6
Preparation time: 10-20 minutes

Tuesday
This tried & true Dutch Oven Blackberry Cobbler recipe will make you the hero around the campfire. Enjoy this delight of a camping dessert!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Cinnamon, to taste
• 2 x 29 ounce cans blackberry filling

What’s Next:

Line a 12-quart Dutch oven with heavy duty aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place on bed of coals to preheat for 10-15 minutes. Mix all ingredients except for blackberries. Remove Dutch oven off of coals and pour in fruit, drain if needed.

Pour batter over top of fruit. Add cinnamon on top, if desired. Put lid on Dutch oven and place back on coals. When using charcoal, place about 8 pieces on bottom and 13-15 on top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from coals and crack lid to allow it to cool. Now go be the camping hero!

Wednesday - CampFire Eggs
No camping trip is complete without at least one breakfast of campfire eggs,.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• small can chopped mushrooms
• shredded cheddar cheese

PREPARATION:

Cut bacon into thirds and put into large cast-iron skillet on camp fire (or stove), stirring to separate pieces. Cook until about 1/2 done, then add chopped veggies, and stir until bacon is crisp and veggies are tender. Meanwhile beat eggs in large bowl, adding a little milk if available, and stir into bacon mixture in skillet. Cook stirring constantly until eggs are set. Remove from fire and sprinkle with cheese.Servings: 4-5

Thursday Stuffed French Toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package maple flavored sausage
• 1 package cream cheese
• 8 slices bread
• 2 eggs
• butter
• maple syrup

PREPARATION:

Brown sausage in pan. Drain grease and add cream cheese, more or less depending on how much you like cream cheese. You can do this step at home, if you like, and bring premixed. Use the sausage mixture to make a sandwich with two pieces of bread.
Dip the entire sandwich into a well beaten egg mixture. Toss this onto a buttered skillet, and fry up just like French toast until light brown and sausage is warm. Serve with maple syrup.Servings: 4

Friday Easy Breakfast Scramble
* 1 Lb. Bacon - fry crisp & crumble
* 1 - 32 Oz. Pkg. Frozen Country Hashbrown Potatoes
* 1/4 Cup Chopped Onions
* 1 Dozen Eggs
* 1/4 Cup Milk
* Salt & Pepper

Directions:
In a large iron skillet, melt the bacon grease and add the onions until they are transparent. Add the potatoes and cook until brown. Add crumbled bacon. While potatoes are cooking, whisk eggs and milk together until slightly foamy. Pour over potatoes and cook. Turn every few minutes until eggs are done. This can be cooked on a camp stove or an open fire. Great served with fried biscuits.

Comments:
Before leaving home, I fry the bacon and crumble it. I place the cooled bacon grease in a small container with a tight lid, and chop the onions and place them in a small baggie. This cuts preparation and cooking time at the camp site to 20 minutes.

For some variation, try sliced mushrooms, red, green or yellow peppers or salsa. Feel free to create your own variations, too!  Best of all enjoy the journey and each other  Git ‘r done safely

Frugal and Environment Friendly Fun

Summertime, the great out doors… what more could you ask for… Your intrepid innkeeper has some ideas . Tis the season after all.. the travel season that is.

Take advantage of parks and available green spaces. The reason for living a green life is to help preserve the environment, so what better way to enjoy the benefits of that action than going out and enjoying nature. Even in urban areas there are parks, community gardens, open spaces and nearby hills open for exploration.

GORP helps US and Canadian residents locate local trails and hiking areas. Local town and city resources will also give ideas on parks within a city and the kind of recreation that can be found there. An especially good place to start a search is in the information section of the phone book.

For the gadget-minded, geocaching is a great idea. Geocaches are boxes or containers places all across the world that have a log and items, and the idea is to share something with others, and join in the fun of finding the cache and becoming part of its history. Think of this as a modern day treasure hunt, usually facilitated through the use of a GPS device. And you can “cache” here in Montana

A less gadget-oriented fancy smancy alternative to geocaching is letterboxing. Again, this works on the same principle, but minus the fancy positioning equipment. Many members of the geocache community use their powers for environmental responsibility, incorporating park recycling and cleanup in the caching activity. Wow .. this is for kids and the kid in us!

And for the kid in us all… now you can have your cake or uh… bar and eat it too. From Allrecipes
Preparation time: 25 minutes Baking time: 20 to 25 minutes Makes 24 bars

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup natural-style smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds (2 ounces/60 grams)
1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33-centimeter) baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the peanut butter, sugar, and honey in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until blended. Blend egg and egg whites with a fork in a small bowl. Add to the peanut butter mixture, along with oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add reserved flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula. Mix in oats, dried cranberries (or raisins), walnuts (or almonds), and chocolate chips. Scrape batter into the prepared baking dish. Use a piece of plastic wrap to spread batter into an even layer.

3. Bake the bars until lightly browned and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into 24 bars. One serving is one 2 x 2-inch (5 x 5-centimeter) bar.

Happy trails (but remember … pack it in, pack it out)

Wow this is a kids dream come true… happy trails

The InnSide Scoop

As summer approaches, the chances of having far-flung friends and family calling to let you know that they will be in your area sometime in the next few months is high. For most people, this means there will be an expectation that you will at least offer your home, a piece of the fllor or closet as a place for your friend or family member to rest his/her/their head(s). If only the responsibility as a host(ess) ended there! Fear not, your intepid innkeeper has a medium size innside scoop to make the visit pleasant for all involved:

Take time off for your guest

Good excuse to take some R&R anyway. Let ‘em know when those time(s) are so there’s no room for misunderstanding. It is easy for a houseguest, especially one that has not visited in some time, to assume that the host(ess) will not only be sitting at home preparing for the visit, but will also have absolutely no plans other than spending time with her when they arrive! Good host(ess) that you are, however, this will not have to be a serious concern of your houseguest. Instead, arrange to be home, certainly when the guest is due to arrive, and also at least some of the time that your guest will be staying with you. You may want to take the first day or two off, or save the one on one time for the end of your houseguest’s stay. Either way you do it, your guest will appreciate it.

Provide an area for houseguests to claim as their own (for the duration of their stay) their own “home away from home” as it were.
Whether it’s a fold up cot in the livingroom, or the computer room turned into a guest room, your guests will appreciate having a space in your home where they can call home-temporarily. Ideally this would be a separate room but even if it’s a foldout sofabed, arrange things so that your guests can use this area as if it were their bedroom for their stay, and keep their luggage and other belongings with them in this space. It may not be the most comfortable arrangement , but your guests will sure appreciate their own “space”.

Nothing like ye ol “care package.“.. You may not be in the innkeeping biz , but towels, toiletries, and the usual sundries are a nice touch. If you happen to know said houseguest well, you’ll know for example, if they’re allergic to scented products, have any dietary restrictions, or love reading hunting magazines. If you are able to, you can provide all these things that would make the stay that much more pleasant for your guest-be it an extra blanket for someone who is always cold or some bottles of water in the room of a guest who is always thirsty at night. A lot of things that make people comfortable are very inexpensive and if you can provide some of these, your houseguest will remember your hospitality long after they’ve returned to their own home. Definitely a good thing for our business, actually

Be a concierge

You know those handy information centers that are usually located around local area chambers, train stations and airports, providing car rental options, maps and answering other questions? We have a lew of those brochures here for your handy dandy use. If you can’t drive your friends or family to every sight they want to see, or take part in every activity they want to do, provide them some options for transportation: you can loan them a spare car (if you have one), or give them info on local outfitters if they’re bird watchers or want to take a “guided tour” of the National Parks. If they are hikers or cyclists, an appropriate map, with an indication of areas where good bike/walking paths are, might be handy. If you know know the directions to the various places your guest will want to see, use a highlighter to mark the directions clearly for your guest. Sometimes, it’s the simple things.

Don’t foget the (not so) little things
Depending on how comfortable you are, you may want to provide your guests with a key to your house so they can come and go as they wish. You might also want to offer them the use of your laundry facilities and encourage them to ask you for any items they may have forgotten or might need. Some houseguests will also want to know what sorts of “house rules” you’d like them to abide by, including how late they can be noisy till, whether or not they can use your phone without asking (and how you want to handle long-distance phone calls) and which bathroom you prefer they use, for example. These may be small things but to a guest staying in a home they are not accustomed to, spelling out some of these things might be helpful. Encourage your guests to ask you questions if they are not sure.

“HOSPITALITY, n. The virtue which induces us to feed and lodge certain persons who are not in need of food and lodging.”
Ambrose Bierce

Bein’a Chicken - Don’t Cry Fowl

Ah.. the joys of 4-H’ing.. Now I know i’ve gone country. And while I’m not a zoologist, but I am thinker.

Raising Chickens for the first time can be intimidating. When I first called the feed shop, I was trying to sound like a pro. I asked, “Do you sell pullets?” “Yes”, the man replied. “Are they all females?” It’s been an uphill battle ever since.

Pullet parenthood is an much of an adventure as child rearing, only with more feces per pound of body weight. However, I’ve been reading quite a bit on poultry matters. So here ’s a little scoop on how this chicken rearin’ goes.

Go to your local feed store and purchase $10.00 worth of chicks and $50 worth of food and supplies. Don’t forget the water dispensers. Buying the metal ones, never plastic is always advised. I have yet to see a metal one.

Next, place the chicks somewhere sheltered, like a bedroom closet. Toss in some highly flammable straw or wood shavings and promptly dangle a glowing heat lamp just above them. Note to self: Update homeowner’s policy.

For the next several weeks feed them 3 lbs of food per day and remove 4 lbs of sh*t per day from the closet. Despite all logic the birds get bigger. As the adult feathers grow in be sure to clip one of their wings. That is one per bird, not just one wing total. Clipping can be accomplished by tossing your scissors and your body into the heaping mound of chicks, poop and straw. Grab a wiggling screeching bird from the bile pile. Restrain it with one hand. Stretch the wing out with your second hand. Clip off 50% of the wings outer ten feathers with your third hand.

As the birds grow adjust the heat light temperature down by one degree per day. No, this is not actually possible. That’s not my point. You start at 100 degrees for hatchlings then continue down by one degree per day until your bedroom is a minimum of 3 degrees cooler than the spring blizzard outside your window.

Before the move, experience the Joy of Wing Clipping one more time. Feather clipping never works the first time. Still, after all the hassle you probably don’t want them to fly the coop in under sixty seconds. Of course, if you’re like me, by this time you may be inclined to pack them each a lunch and leave a stack of Greyhound tickets by the open coop gate.

The scoop on coop construction: Hen houses and chicken coops are an art form unto themselves. There are lots of web sites showing off architectural designs from Chicken Chateaus to Bird Bordellos. The meticulous craftsmanship makes my own home look like – well – like a chicken coop.

Always fashionable, I went with designer shabby for our coop. As for the coop itself, there is a gift for tight chicken wire, which eludes me. Inferior design aside, I ultimately learned a thing or two. The nesting boxes are supposed to be up off the ground. That is correct. For those of you keeping score you just spent two weeks cutting back the birds flight feathers only to hang their houses in the sky.

Higher than the nest boxes, you are to build a roost. This is where the birds crap at night so they do not crap on your breakfast eggs. Of course the roost is usually OVER the nesting boxes, so whatever you do, don’t use those perforated plastic milk crates. For young birds maintain a heat light in the hen house.

And finally there is the feed regime. I consulted several experts and read up on feeding as well. Make sure to give your chickens, starter formula, mash, growth formula, start & grow, brood formula, grit, no grit, scraps, no scraps, no antibiotics, medicated starter, non-medicated starter and never ever switch in-between.

Alas, if you want healthy, happy chickens that lay good quality, tasty eggs then make the effort to feed your chickens a balanced diet that’s intended for chickens.

Unless you really do know what you’re doing, the best option is to buy ready made feed from a local farm merchant.

Be forewarned; finding a label that identifies contents as organic and free range can be futile. Trust me. I’ve tried. But I won’t give up. Some farmers aren’t giving up either. Here’s a great article from one about the old-fashioned practice of letting chickens roam free on the farm. And another about why a free-range label might not mean so much. As with so many other issues, we’re left to wonder what’s best and what we’re really buying. Seems the only way to be sure is to buy from a local farm where you can see for yourself what goes on.

Ready made feed will give your birds a balanced diet that keeps them in good condition without risk of malnutrition or diseases and disorders caused by a lack of essential nutrients and vitamins.

Think about it. If a commercial, free-range, organic egg producer who relies on each and every one of thousands of birds producing an egg a day does not bother to feed his hens any old rubbish, why should you?

I may not be Queen of the Coop yet, but at least I’m not running around like one with my head cut off

Montana on my Mind

A childhood dream came true when we moved to Montana May, 2004. Another dream was reached when me and husband, Dan, opened Fish Creek House, a bed and breakfast just outside of Whitehall, just 20 minutes from the historic mining town of Butte and close to Bozeman.

“When I was young I always told my parents I wanted to live in Montana,” Living in New York and later California , I wasnt quite sure how that would happen.

Dan, a partner in a computer business and gunsmith, and I, a bi-athlete, came to Bohart Ranch near Bozeman to compete in the running and shooting competition and fell in love with the area. The search was on for property in Montana. For Dan, he was returning to his roots. He lived in Malta until he was five.

We found a beautiful log home located on forty acres with gorgeous views of the mountains and a stone’s throw from Fish Creek. Located just 15 miles from Whitehall, nestled in the Tobacco Root Mountains. .The Inn offers rustic charm with all the modern conveniences. It’s also a perfect stopover between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

While I was initially reluctant to “virtually” build this home from afar, my gut instinct on John Benedict and his crew were spot on… Trustworthy, dependable and way fun to be around.

So here we were in California doing a virtual and long distance “remodel”… So we devised the monthly California-Montana drive tour… First we broke it down into two days, and finally got the world and Olympic record for doing it in 14 hours. The stretch of I-15 thru Idaho predictably became the worst weather wise, with big rigs jackknifing in the windy snow . On our third jaunt, highway patrol stopped us to clear one off the road adding about 4 hours to overall time… Made up for world record the time before!

We’d meet John Benedict our builder at each of these “pow wows” and he’d give us the guided progress tour. Fortunately our realtor was always available as well even going so far as to try to find the “missing septic” tank in 5 inches worth of snow… a real trooper. Although his search was unsuccessful,since we eventually had to add another septic to meet State Requirements for the B&B, the spirit was great

During one of our trips, they took a hike down to the creek and when I looked up at the log home nestled in the hills, the name Fish Creek House came to me A “v-8 ” moment as itwere.

A new barn , arena and round pen have been built for our horses and guests are welcome to bring their own horses and board them.

Other activities include hiking, antiquing, exploring nearby ghost towns and hosted shooting clinics at their range. Virtually outside our door is the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, great for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing Whether on horseback, or in hiking boots, you will enjoy some of the most beautiful, untouched country in America. A perfect stopover between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

“We want to accommodate people who are nature loving. We’ll make you feel like part of the family while you’re here,” Dan hosts monthly shooting clinics An Olympic rifle coach had a shooting range was built on the property. Where else can you take in a museum and a rodeo… all in one day?

Another specialty of Fish Creek House is the food. We offer a gourmet breakfast for their guests and with their own personal greenhouse, the vegetables will be organically grown on site.

We offers two guests suites, each with a private bath, a large living room with a stone fireplace, a library and a sitting room, complete with a microwave and a fridge. Fish Creek House is also a place where the active businessperson can stay in touch. (if you must !) We offer wireless internet in each of the rooms. We have furnished our home using custom made Montana pieces in their guest rooms.

Ah nothing like the life in Big Sky Country Montana, The bed and breakfast, our horses and the folks… just another day in paradise

Sustaining Yourself

Despite all the campaigns to promote fruit and vegetable intake - only a third of Americans eat two or more pieces of fruit per day. 25% don’t eat any vegetables at all (ref).

Why not? Recent research from Mintel shows 5 reasons for not eating healthy:

1. Availability
2. Cost
3. Confusion
4. Time constraints
5. Taste concerns

there are a myriad reasons why we don’t eat healthy foods. One of these is the issue of convenience. Driving a long way to a farmer’s market to get fresh organic produce is not workable for some. We even have one here during summer months in Whitehall. Will probably hit it after the my horse show on Saturday with Alle in tow to come home for a few months.

However, if sustainable eating does interest you, here are some resources that may help.

1. USDA Farmers Market Directory
2. Local Harvest - Find local farms and farmers markets.
3. Eat Wild - Pasture-based farming
4. Eat Well Guide - Find restaurants, farms, and stores.
5. Heritage Foods - Find restaurants and stores supplying heritage foods.
6. Food Routes - Help source locally grown foods.
7. Co-op Directory - Find food co-ops.
8. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - Local food directory.
9. CSA Farm Search - Find farmers involved in Community Supported Agriculture.
10. Finding harvest calendars for each state (for eating local produce in season). This site also has an excellent guide to finding hormone-free dairy products

And now you can sustain yourself with today’s Fish Creek FindThe WoodGas Camp Stove A revolution in outdoor cooking, this tough stove starts quickly and easily; weighs only 2 pounds; uses 90% less fuel than ordinary stoves; and burns almost any plant-based fuel. You can even burn wet plant material.

Using a small (battery- or solar-powered) fan to draw fresh air into the unit’s dual stage combustion chamber, the WoodGas stove effectively burns fuel twice — allowing for a cleaner, hotter, more efficient stove.

Developed by a scientist with more than 30 years experience in biomass energy, the compact Stove is perfect for backpacking, hiking, camping, tailgating, hurricane preparedness, or making s’mores in the backyard. Get cookin’

The Rundown on Roundup

What will this day be like? I wonder.
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free My heart should be wildly rejoicing Oh, what’s the matter with me? I’ve always longed for adventure To do the things I’ve never dared Here I’m facing adventure
Then why am I so scared
Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries If I don’t I just know I’ll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking I am seeking the courage I lack
Maria - The Sound of Music

When I am completely and utterly outside of my element, I find that aspects of my life – my habits and thought patterns, even my conscious and unconscious beliefs - become clear to me in ways that they otherwise would not.-on fear and confidence issues.
But why then, do so many people give-up or deny their dreams? That is an easy one to answer…..They give up because they are afraid, afraid of failure. Fear is what stops us; the ultimate whoa. Fear is the darkness that casts a shadow over our light. And, fear is what we need to overcome if we want to reach for our dream

Roundup Rendevous Friday dawned snowy, rainy and cold. I went out to feed and was definitely close to bailing on our upcoming journey for my first endurance ride in Roundup. I thought I had prayed it out and went back up to the house at which point Dan looked up without missing a beat and pronounced we were going and that I’d totally regret not going and I had the sounds of chickening out. Spoken like the most excellent crew person he is. And while the motto of endurance riding is “To Finish is to Win”, I thought about revising it to “To Go is to Win Out of my head went thoughts of not going and a trailer loading we went. That in itself is a logistical exercise packing hay, feed and the equine essentials for the vet checks.

The trip to took an hour longer than planned since we had some good ol’ weather along the way. It ‘d clear up for 2 minutes followed by snow, hail, pelting rain and any combination therein. The ride managers Susie and Alan Churchill were incredible. They totally got my pre-ride nerves since it was my first ride and they and their volunteers did a yeoman job of calming me down. The volunteers who ranged from long time endurance riders to folks who’d never done rides, from the number takers to the guys who weighed tack at the end of the ride… completely selfless. Trust me, running a bed and breakfast, and a horse-friendly one at that.. it’s all about the guests needs. And having volunteered at marathons and crewed at the infamous Badwater 135, volunteering is often plum more tiring than being an actual participant. These guys were gracious and managed to maintain a sense of humor throughout (Walmart are you listening?)

My first fear of not passing the vet-check in were quickly allayed as vet Bill gave GaZi A scores on everything. One hurdle down

It helps to know your destination when facing fears… Where do you want to go? Small, successful baby steps will help you reach your goal. For most , their destination is confidence. That may be confidence in the saddle, confidence on the ground, Many riders have lost their confidence through an accident, a fall, or another traumatic event. Mine was to complete with a healthy horse passing the final vet checks Regardless, they love horses and want to effectively communicate and enjoy the magnificent creatures they both love and fear. It is very frustrating to be terrified of the very thing you love intensely. It’s a doubled edge- sword.

The pre-ride meeting was presided over by the jovial Alan Churchill who’d spent the better part of the day in the freezing rain/snow marking trail and making sure it was as negotiable as possible with all the mud and muck. One of my fears is getting lost. The course markings here were so great you almost had to work at getting lost. Very informative with liberal doses of humor thrown in to lighten things up. And while I and one other rider were the sole newbies in the bunch, the endurance “family” just embraced us and answered those “questions that have probably been asked a million times” like it was the first time they’d heard it.

Whatever the journey, are your fellow travelers - Who will journey with you? The best laid plans… if you plan to ride with someone, you gotta see if you’re horses are simpatico. Some people prefer to travel alone, others do not. Some journeys are safer with traveling companions, and with others, it does not matter as much. A good horse to ride, a good trainer, and good horse friends are huge. Fellow travelers make the Journey to Confidence safer and a lot more fun!And while alot of this ride I did ride alone.. I found that awesome as well. A huge victory for me not as I do ride alone alot, but here I was on Gazi doing a great steady trot on trails I’ve never been on and not feeling real tentative about it.

But the true spirit of the sport came when about 2 miles from the end of the first loop, GaZi and I were trotting along and a combination of a rock I think he slipped on and other horses caused let us say a “temporary separation”. I immediately called Dan on my cell who talked me back down to the trail hoping Gazi’d make his way back to camp. I was hoping Gazi’d not gone galloping off somewhere into the Bull Mountains Praying as I jogged back, 3 riders that we’d passed earlier saw me and in typical endurance rider fashion, their agenda was done.. it was about my horse and my safety. About 100 yards up the trail they spotted him grazing in the pasture a little bit wondering why he was alone but they easily corraled him, I remounted and we all pressed on easily into camp. He pulsed down just fine and Alan who’d already gone on his four wheeler to find him was alerted that we were safe and sound. Passing vet check, and now in hold time, Susie asked if I was going on. I said “hell yeah” and she cheered.

Talk about karma, I found out later at the awards banquet that the girl who’d helped me, suffered an “unforced dismount” about 15 minutes later, and several riders happened on her and helped her out in much the same way. In this world of “lead, follow or get outta my way”, the comraderie and spirit is incredible.

Gazi ate and drank well during the hold and we headed out alone on the second loop. By this time, the weather had turned sunny and warm.. a stark contrast from the Montana winter of the day before . A true amen ! During the first section here the “little man ” as I call him and I were just enjoying the journey together and it was a good time to just “be”, be with the trail, my horse in our continuing partnership. I did catch up with other newbie who hailed from South Dakota, though she’s had way more seat time than I . We enjoyed the rest of the loop together making sure the “kids” took ample water along the way. I trotted in ahead though I stopped him well before the finish line to walk him in to pulse down.

Dan was standing there and I could see him saying from the distance “Are you happy”? And all i could do was give him two thumbs up. Even happier that the entire ride I was never alone… G-d was right there holding the reins . We did the final vet check and come to find out were were in the top ten. Awesome since we got to check and re-check GaZi’s recovery rates and that’s where my prayers were truly answered. He finished tired but healthy.

We got to visit for quite awhile with the vet after the ride who while busy vetting in the other 30 milers and 55 milers was a wealth of info on conditioning and overall equine advice. GaZi was pronounced fit, sound and ready to go. Proving that a successful partnership be it equine or personal must be 100%/100%.

The town of Roundup is a friendly welcoming town and the landowners were so gracious in allowing us to make use of their land for the tour. What I got out of this journey despite all my initial trepidations is first, trust G-d, second, Start the Journey! As I always say when I mount… “here we go, best ride ever”. There is a world of equestrian adventure out there, awaiting those who are brave enough to find it. You can overcome it (heck I took a huge baby step– hmmm is that an oxymoron?), if you are willing to put the time, energy, hard work, and often, money, into making your dreams come true. Riding your horse on a beautiful mountain trail and enjoying every step of the way is a satisfaction like no other. And in reaching the finish line of this endurance journey, I know I have come home. If your happy trails bring you to Montana, I’d run dont walk (or would that be gallop not walk) to this ride.

Do I hear an amen? Trot on friends, trot on.

Horses are Proof that G-d loves us and Wants us to Be Happy.
– Old Prairie Song

Lessons from “the Frontier House”

The PBS aired Frontier House had a huge influence on our final choice to move to Montana While we were gung ho on it, watching this was the “icing on the cake” for us. I jotted down several of my favorite quotes from the show so I could post them here. If you’ve never watched it, I highly encourage you to do so. To recap, the three-part series takes three families and exposes them to what it was like to live on a homestead in 1883 Montana. They spare no one from the vagaries of 19th century living for six months. A homesteading dream? Or lots of quibbling?

The thing that’s amazing is how… really a twenty-first century woman isn’t preoccupied with her covering up her body, but she is very preoccupied with putting on the makeup and putting on a mask to hide behind…
Gordon Clune

Four foot by about twelve or fifteen foot. It wouldn’t even fit the books in our house.
Mark Glenn, speaking of their Prairie Schooner wagon

Neighboring is a lost art in our society. We’re such a mobile culture, it’s rare to really get to know your neighbors or invest any great deal of energy into the art of neighboring.
Nate Brooks

I feel like I’m growing up a lot here because like before like if I was in Temecula or California or wherever I used to live like I wouldn’t do anything. I would just sit on my butt and watch TV and I was just a lazy person. But like now that I’m actually doing work I feel like a better person. Like you know I’m actually doing something to help other people.
Tracy Clune

The following quotes are reflections made by the people about two months after they return to normal life.

In modern life there’s almost too much to choose from so I’m not really sure what to do… We could do anything. We could get a Masters in anything and recreate ourselves and become anything, make any amount of money, have any amount of kids. It’s overwhelming. You know, I’m not sure exactly which one to pick.
Kristen Brooks

You’re a man or a woman working hard in the twenty-first century and your kids don’t know what it is that you do. It’s seamless. They’re isolated from it. And that’s sad… I realized that more so than ever since I’ve been back. But in five months in 1883 I got more satisfaction, more accomplishment, more appreciation than I did my entire career beforehand.
Gordon Clune

I think the year 2001 is kind of boring. Every day I always say I’m bored and my parents get mad at me for it. But there’s nothing to do. There’s just nothing to do here. You get kind of tired of going to the mall every day. And you get kind of tired of doing nothing all day.
Tracy Clune

The twenty-first century you’re bored because there’s so many things. It’s like you have so much stuff that you’re just bored of all of it. In 1883 you have such little stuff that it was like special to you when your mom would buy you stuff and things just for you.
Logan Patton

It’s an unnatural life that the twenty-first century offers us. I think there’s just too much. There’s too much stimulus. The pace and the noise and the…florescent lighting… It’s a bit overwhelming… Your principles, your ideals, your morals… they’re all for sale. I think there’s a lot of problems that we’re just not admitting.
Mark Glenn

People of all ages have an ongoing romantic fascination with country living. Maybe you’re one of those people who sits in traffic and daydreams of someday trading gridlock for greener pastures. Or perhaps your feet are firmly planted in the city (and you wouldn’t know a heifer from a haybale–or care to meet either one), but you enjoy reading about other peoples’ crazy adventures from the safety of the nearest Starbuck’s (make mine a double latte, please). Moving to Montana is definitely an ongoing adventure; Dorothy had it right.. .”Toto , we’re not in Kansas anymore”.

Trot on friends, trot on.

A Housewife on Steroids

Or a day in the life of an innkeeper.

Forget what you saw on Newhart, that ’80s sitcom about an innkeeper who seems to spend most of the day lounging. Dan and I have found our complementary strengths, so we wear all the hats”. Still you’res on the go 12 hours a day and is lucky to get six hours of sleep a night.

I’ve found the key to productivity for me… is the more i do , the more I do… Have a plan and then it’s go with the flow chart time

First Up: Perfunctory run with Manker.. .we both need to get out… get the horses in for their morning breakfast.. .thisis a bed and breakfast after all.

Second up: fixing the washer.

Dan and I (OK, Dan alone, with me watching) take the machine apart and discover the culprit: a ripped hose. We’ll need a replacement, and soon Dan races north to the closest store that has one — 20 miles away.

I’m left behind to arrange fresh flowers for the dining room. Already, I’m falling behind on the day’s chores. By now, I should have prepared registration cards for check-ins. And at some point I must get into the kitchen for the weekly menu “fire up the ovens” routine. Still waiting for Dan to come back, I instinctively go re-clean the toilets… cathartic.

As an aside, we remodeled the inn, can you say “gutted it and started again” and just before we moved in we had a well known local cleaner come in and give it a top to bottom cleaning. Nothing worse than moving all your belongings into a new home only to have to get into everything and clean it. Best to clean an empty nest. To this day, I owe her a debt of gratitude. Periodically we have some of her staff in here prior to or apres guests for a clean up. “It’s not too bad,” she says when asked what it’s like to work at a bed-and-breakfast. “I guess this is what it’s like to be a housewife.”

A housewife on steroids, maybe. I go over the “game plan” for when each breakfast item needs to go in the oven (critical, , when serving up to 14 people a day). And there’s another chart showing the dietary constraints of each guest. Tomorrow, one guest is a vegetarian. Another doesn’t eat eggs.

Excuse me, just had to take that last phone call; a reservation .. folks coming from Boston .. .via Yellowstone and staying for two nights. Pre-requisite and fun schmoozing and yes… booked. They too are looking to transition their jobs and lifestyle to Montana. I’m telling you this really is the last best place

Guests or no guests, kitchen cleaning is non-ending. You also have to be a part time fix-it type since Murphy tends to rear his head at most inopportune time. Here’s thirteen enlightening cleaning tips

Tip 1: DOOR LOCKS If a room clearly can’t be whipped into shape in 30 days, much less 30 minutes, employ the Locked Door Method of cleaning. Tell anyone who tries to go in the room that you accidentally locked the door and can’t find the key. Of course, the locksmith can’t possibly come until tomorrow. CAUTION: It is not advisable to use this tip for the bathroom. Time: 2 seconds

Tip 2: DUCT TAPE No home should be without an ample supply. Not only is it handy for plumbing repairs, but it’s a great way to hem drapes, tablecloths, clothes, just about anything. No muss, no fuss. Time: 2-3 minutes

Tip 3: OVENS If you think ovens are just for baking, think again. Ovens represent at least 9 cubic feet of hidden storage space, which means they’re a great place to shove dirty dishes, dirty clothes, or just about anything you want to get out of sight when company’s coming. Time: 2 minutes

Tip 4: CLOTHES DRYERS Like Secret Tip 3, except bigger. CAUTION: Avoid hiding flammable objects here. Time: 2.5 minutes

Tip 5: WASHING MACHINES & FREEZERS Like Secret Tip 4, except even bigger. Time: 3 minutes

Tip 6: DUST RUFFLES No bed should be without one. Devotees of Martha Stewart believe dust ruffles exist to keep dust out from under a bed or to help coordinate the colorful look of a bedroom. The rest of us know a dust ruffle’s highest and best use is to hide whatever you’ve managed to shove under the bed. (Refer to Secret Tips 3, 4, 5.) Time: 4 minutes

Tip 7: DUSTING The 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House method says: Never dust under what you can dust around. Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 8: DISHES Don’t use them. Use plastic or paper plates and you won’t have to. Time: 1 minute

Tip 9: IRONING If an article of clothing doesn’t require a full press and your hair does, a curling iron is the answer. In between curling your hair, use the hot wand to iron minor wrinkles out of your clothes. Yes, it really does work, or so I’m told, by other disciples of the 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House philosophy. Time: 5 minutes (including curling your hair)

Tip 10: VACUUMING Stick to the middle of the room, which is the only place people look. Don’t bother vacuuming under furniture. It takes way too long and no one looks there anyway. Time: 5 minutes, entire house; 2 minutes, living room only

Tip 11: LIGHTING The key here is low, low, and lower. It’s not only romantic, but bad lighting can hide a multitude of dirt. Time: 10 seconds

Tip 12:: BED MAKING Get an old-fashioned waterbed. No one can tell if those things are made up or not, saving you, oh, hundreds of seconds over the course of a lifetime. Time: 0

Tip 13: SHOWERS, TOILETS, AND SINKS Forget one and two. Concentrate on three. Time: 1 minute

There’s a lot more to running an inn than baking muffins, That’s why it’s great to be a husband/wife team where while Dan does alot of cooking I do the housekeeping, bookkeeping, marketing and ranch stuff. (except for the real heavy duty work that needs to get done around a ranch) . except when I’m cleaning.

Trot on friends, trot on.

Keep on Singing

Lord, I lift Your name on high;
Lord, I love to sing Your praises;
I’m so glad You’re in my life;
I’m so glad You came to save us. You came from Heaven to earth;
To show the way,
From the earth to the cross,
My debt to pay,
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high!

I sang this worship song both recently at church and in the past at our synagogue. Regardless of the rendition, I’m uplifted for days after I hear and sing it. It becomes one of those songs you ” cant get out of your head.” It becomes a “mantra” as it were since I tend to repeat the stanzas without really “thinking” about it. I’ll do that when I’m waiting for my class to go at a show or if I’m tacking GaZi for a ride. and I’m feeling a little nervous. The gift of song is a precious connection for me to G-d.

And while this one doesn’t refer to G-d as “He” , notice I said “He”. If I said praise the lord for “She” is good, well, i think we all know the reaction I would get from our esteemed male population . God, I think, has to be a male .. or maybe not? . Take a look at the Bible. He created men first, Adam… maybe that’s when “L-rd let there be light” came into being… What ever was He thinking? Think of names in the bible, now think of male names. Lets see, David, Peter, John, and it goes on. Now let’s think of Womens names. Mary, Eve….uh, there was probably a Donna or a Susan in there somewhere. But I digress.

The Lord God, or Jesus, or both, created the world with the blink of an eye. It took him six days, and supposedly he rested on the seventh. “On the eight day, God had a cocktail.” But as I said to my father when I was “knee high to a grasshopper” after Hebrew School… it’s all different roads to the same G-d.” I think I’ll go sing a Psalm of David.. hmmm or would that be Donna? Works for me.

Do I hear an amen?