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It was a hot, high noon in July as I topped Pyramid Pass headed down canyon on an eight-day backcountry trip to the heart of the Bob Marshall. I'd seen the burn scar late last fall after the fires subsided. I knew the devastation that lay ahead, but as I rode through it with fresh eyes of summer, I felt my heart strings twinge and the insurmountable lump in my throat form. I worked to fight back tears as my eyes took in the charred landscape sending more heart pangs deep in my chest and feeling...
It was another one of those timber tramps over Idaho way for Columbia Helicopters. Just this side of the grade that goes up to Grangeville, there's a Forest Service road to the left. Up, up through a lot of switchbacks to a big burn they were trying to salvage. Anyway, the cutters were staying in Grangeville, a two and a half hour drive one way. Gett'n up at 3 a.m. cause you had to be on the job at 6 to get flown in. Not me sez I, I'll camp out. The only problem was rattlesnakes abounded....
Since there are so many different people in the world, is it a surprise to realize variety is the norm? Unfortunately, the differences can create tensions, problems and provoke harm. This is evident from news reports to personal emotional flare-ups. There are many ways to understand differences but I want to focus on some of the psychological features described in many past articles. These features include: the ego (personal identity), consciousness (awareness), personal unconscious (hidden...
Hi all, I am so thankful for this beautiful July and August weather! We have certainly had our fair share of weather challenges to deal with this past year-fires, floods, wind storms and record snowfall. For all of us it is vital that we do what we can to prepare for unexpected emergencies of any type: a missing child, a house fire, you need to know about an evacuation, you experience a medical emergency, you are in a motor accident... anytime you need immediate help. Smart911 is a free service...
Q: Clover has invaded my bed of mint and is choking out the mint. Is there any way to eliminate the clover and save the mint? A: You could dig out the clover, but that strikes me as solving the problem in the hardest way possible. If it were my mint, I would simply start a new bed in a clover-free spot. If you transplant a few young stems of mint, a plentiful supply will have grown by next summer. Because mint has a shallow root system, the digging will not be hard work. If the soil is damp, it...
Ferns evolved 360 million years ago when the supercontinent Pangaea still existed. They are one of earth's most ancient plants and predated dinosaurs, mammals and flowering plants by over 120 million years. Once plant-eating dinosaurs evolved, ferns were their main meal. Luckily for the dinosaurs, ancient ferns were bigger than bite-sized; many species grew over 100 feet tall! Ferns are vascular, which means they have internal vessels through which they pump water and nutrients. Vascular plants...
Back when I was a lad and Shep was a pup, one of my greatest desires was a week camp'n out in the wilderness. And so one summer it came to pass that myself, brother Tom, cousin Snuffy and last but not least was cousin Johnny, a dyed-in-the-wool city slicker, planned our outing. Soon, however, Mom got involved. She sez, "You boys, all under 14 and no adults - You might get lost." I could see it coming. Mom being a lover of the things of old Mother Nature, as she called it, was not about to lose...
Diabetes is a metabolic disease leading to high levels of sugar in the body. It is one of the most commonly encountered chronic diseases identified by health care providers including dentists. What many people might not realize is that uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause problems for oral health and poor oral health can make it harder for a diabetic person to control their blood sugar levels. There are many complications from diabetes for the mouth including: xerostomia or dry mouth,...
Q: Even though I knew better, I planted my potatoes only two inches deep. Should I pile dirt around them to protect them? A: To protect the developing potatoes from growing at the surface and being exposed to light, yes. As you know, if daylight reaches the surface of potatoes, they will turn green and taste bitter. Even more important, piling dirt around the stems will increase the size of your harvest. Since no potato can grow deeper than the seed potato which was planted, your plants can...
It might seem peculiar to think that some people fear leaving their homes. It's not the home that is in question but the fear of going into the world outside of the home. Sometimes it is described as a fear of being in open spaces or even social surroundings. Most of the time, however, fear of leaving one's home dominates. Associated with the fear is anxiety. This pair, anxiety and fear, are not unusual partners. We've seen this close association before with fear being the emotion and anxiety be...
Happy Fourth of July to everyone! Summer is finally here and we can get outside and enjoy! It's also a great time to save money on Medicare by applying for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP)! If you have or qualify for Medicare you can apply to save money any time during the year. The MSP has three levels of savings: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Beneficiary (SLMB) and Qualifying Individual (QI). If you qualify for the QMB Program, your Part A and Part B premiums,...
THE QUESTIONS The questions about the market are usually the same – What effect has the Rice Ridge Fire had on real estate in the valley? Has everyone listed their homes for sale after last winter? At the end of July last summer, the Rice Ridge Fire began. Shortly after that, smoke and evacuations ramped up to a stymied real estate market in the valley. Five weeks of tourists and property buyers that traditionally buy in the peak real estate season were lost. The traditional “prime selling season” was lost and not extended. Despite the loss in...
We'll just call him M.C. I don't remember where I met him but his story was quite fascinating. He sez he was living in a eucalyptus tree down California way. Working just enough jobs to keep him in weed and some chow now and then. Let'n the world go by. Anyway, one day as he was smok'n his dope, he heard a chain saw nearby. So climbing down from his castle he found a man cutt'n a dead tree. Upon asking how much he got to cut that tree, the man said 350 dollars. Well, thought M.C., I could do thi...
There are many types of abuse, covering many of psychological issues. For example, the types include: physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, bullying, passive-aggressive, employer, social media and neglect. Aside from describing each one of these abuses, it is possible to describe some commonalities. First, it is necessary to mention that there are basically two categories of people involved: the abuser or perpetrator and the abused or victim. Clearly, the abuser inflicts abuse on the abused....
Rosy Pussytoes (Antennaria rosea) are one of my favorite wildflowers. You might ask why, since they're pretty small in every aspect. I love them because they are tough little buggers and can grow in extreme habitats. I can't tell you how many times I have been hiking in rocky, mountainous terrain and been delighted by their sweet, pink nodding flowers. They also grow throughout our valley in the forest and grasslands. Rosy pussytoes are in the Composite Family (Asteraceae). Flowers in this...
My dad doesn't smoke but this last year he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I suspect this was caused from radiation he received as a teenager in the 1950's. It's certainly not just a smoker's disease, but by-in-large, those who smoke are the ones who typically get lung cancer (among other things like bladder cancer or COPD). Ok, don't give up on this article just yet, if you think this is just another forum to scare you into stop smoking, read on because this is a forum to introduce you to an...
"We take pictures as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone." ~ Unknown People ask me how I got into photography. I've always loved the same things as the next person... the pretty, scenic overlooks, rugged mountains, showy morning and evening skies... but when I moved to Havre a few years back, I couldn't see the forest for the trees. I couldn't see definition or change in landscapes or find beauty in the old, brown wheat rows. I had to look for it and you know how it goes when you look too...
Q: My vegetable garden has been invaded by purslane. What should I do? Hoe it? Leave it to cover the paths? How can I keep it out of the plants? A: Purslane--that flat succulent weed which grows to enormous circles, and has small yellow flowers in midsummer--is an annual, like most other garden weeds. Like all annuals, purslane can appear next year only if its seeds are in the ground, ready to sprout. Eliminate its seeds and it will be gone. However, purslane seeds are not the easiest to...
With Memorial Day just passed, I am acutely reminded of all the benefits we enjoy in our country due to the service and sacrifices of United States veterans. The purpose of today's Note from Linda is to explain the Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Services Program (VD-HCBS). VD-HCBS is an outstanding benefit available to veterans who are currently enrolled in the VA health care system. Many services are available from the VA health care system, provided through VD-HCBS at no cost to the...
I started the winter helping plow and shovel – like everyone else. Mostly I hung around then maybe catch another wolf. What's that about the best-laid plans of mice and me? So anyway, I didn't plan on jealous people to sabotage my traps. My only alternative was to call in the game warden who proved to be of little help. I was disappointed to say the least. Not wanting to take matters in my own hands, thus lose my Christian witness, I decided to head for the land of coyotes and cactus – rat...
Kinnickinnick, or bearberry, which grows throughout the forests of the West, often goes unnoticed because it is not a showy plant. But it is one of my favorites because each spring, when the arrival of warm weather seems utterly improbable, kinnickinnick's bright red berries and tiny evergreen leaves are the first to emerge from under the snow. Its resilience always reassures me the earth will come back to life. Originally, kinnickinnick was a trading term eastern tribes gave to all plants that...
People often consider imagination to simply be thoughts related to past and present daily experiences. If this were the case, imagination wouldn't be different from memories or reciting a poem. Imagination would be stale and lacking in...well, imagination! Imagination is so much more than our thoughts or memories. The two easiest ways to understand imagination are to observe a young child and review your nighttime dreams. Young children are always imagining playful surroundings, talking to...
SEELEY LAKE – A mother looking fondly at her toddler playing in the sandbox might remark, "He's been fussy all morning, but now look at him – he's happy as a clam." Reportedly, Robert E. Lee particularly enjoyed using the phrase, "happy as a clam at high tide." But is a clam really happy? Since no scientific study has measured the degree of a clam's happiness or sadness, the phrase apparently is the product of anthropomorphic projection. The full phrase, as used by Lee, hints at the sup...
Yesterday, as I was sitting in the alleyway of the barn watching Twist munch on his oats, listening to music, drinking a beer and taking in the first signs of spring, I thought about my Grandpa. It always hits me being in the barn, and especially this time of year, just how much I miss him after all these years. I don't know if it's the old, dust covered harness that hangs in the rafters, the pile of tack that needs to be oiled and cleaned, the smell of horses, leather, wet earth and oats, or...
Q: With our winter that won't stop, what would you suggest about planting dates for the vegetable garden? Our average date for last frost is June 10. A: If there is one constant about Montana weather, it is its inconstancy. I would ignore the weather of last winter and proceed onward, assuming that this summer's gardening weather and last winter's snows have no connection. If it were my garden, I would plant vegetables on the usual schedule--provided that the ground has thawed by then, of...
