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It was an unusual sight. If you glanced at it driving by, you'd do a second take, have a second look. There were a bunch of high school kids, standing in a neat row with fly lines unfurling in pretty loops behind them, (normal enough for a Montana high school) but these kids looked weird – and weirdly out of place. It was Homecoming Week at Hamilton High. And the dress theme for the day was Hippies and Hicks. You'd see everything from dirty jeans, muck boots and dilapidated straw hats on one t...
MISSOULA, MT - Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to optimize your Medicare coverage. Whether you’re considering a Medicare Advantage plan or adjusting your Prescription Drug Plan, MAS is here to help you make the most of Medicare. Open Enrollment consultations are tailored to your situation, helping you review your options and secure the most suitable and cost-effective plan for the coming year. Open Enrollment falls between Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. It allows for adjustments to Medicare Advantage plans and Prescription Drug Plans (Part D). W...
I remember standing thigh-deep in the Missouri River one afternoon, changing spools on my reel. That's a tricky maneuver. More on how to do that later. The breeze (you'd call it wind in other places) had just died down and every blue-winged olive mayfly in that stretch of river decided it was time to hatch. The trout in the channel between weed beds I had been fishing with a streamer decided to eat them. I'd seen big trout get silly like that before. When there are hoards of blue-winged olives...
'I call the big orange fall caddis the iceberg hatch." "Why is that?" my friend asked. "Because ninety percent of the action is underwater. If you're fishing on top you miss most of it." His face lit up in a knowing smile. I was talking with Gary LaFontaine, who probably knew more about caddisflies, the flies to imitate them, and when and how to fish them, than anybody. His landmark book, Caddisflies, was published in 1981 and remains a bestseller among flyfishing books. An original copy in...
One of the most common reasons people go to the dentist is to “see if they have cavities,” but do most people really know what a cavity is or how they can be prevented? The short answer is, maybe, but most people probably don’t know much more than the fact that a cavity is a hole in the tooth that will need an anesthetic injection and drilling to fix. While this is often true, do you know why you get cavities? Do you know that they can be reversed in early stages? Did you know that they are 100% preventable? Check it out! Simply defined, a cav...
This article is the second in a series of articles intended to inform the residents of the Clearwater Valley about the Bear Smart working group and invite anyone interested to join in the community wide efforts to reduce bear-human conflicts in the area. The first article summarized the mission of the group and shared the work and activities to date. This article will focus on the concept of a Bear Smart community and the history of the Bear Smart movement. Based on historical data and the events of last summer it is evident that there are...
When he was a young boy, my son Matthew spent Saturdays at the fly shop with daddy. He had just turned four when he approached my fly tying bench and asked, "Daddy, what kind of a bug is that you're making?" He called all flies that we tied bugs, and enjoyed tying his own - with a little assistance when needed from daddy. We'd fish our bugs on these latesummer and fall evenings. We'd find places where he could fish with little or no wading on the inside corner of a gentle riffle, where he could...
We know we possess a body. That’s obvious. All we need to do is look in a mirror or at a part of our body, like an arm, to realize this. We also know we have a mind, which, again, is obvious since we have thoughts, make decisions, are willful, and so forth. One of the great mysteries throughout all of time, however, is how mind and body interact? One theory is a unity of mind and body. If there is a unity, then there really isn’t a separate mind and body. We know the two must connect simply bec...
Fly fishers are a curious lot: They'll leave home and drive halfway across the state or into another, burning up two tanks of gas at today's prices to haul hundreds if not thousands of dollars' worth of gear with them to use for a few hours when they arrive. They do this because they heard rumors of a flurry of harmless bugs flying over the water somewhere else. Here in Montana that's considered normal behavior. This time of year we see lots of little bugs, some medium-sized ones, and a few big...
My guide client and I were crouched tight under my portable table – we dared not reach out for any of the food we'd left on top of it. The sound of a thousand drums assaulted our ears as hailstones the weight of big round ice cubes totally destroyed our lunch. The hailstorm slowed to silence within less than a minute after what must have been a ten minute or longer onslaught. We crept out through the hail balls piled at our feet to find my client's fly rod leaned against the leeward side of a t...
Let’s start with hoppers. By now every trout in every river should be geared into taking big grasshoppers, as they have been around all summer and bungled their way into rivers. That’s been partially true this year – until our recent heavy storms knocked them off, drowned them on land, and kept them out of the water. The fish have remained keyed on them – somewhat. What they’re seeing now will more likely be a new wave of grasshoppers – young insects ranging from #14 and #12 imitations on up. If the trout you’re prospecting for don’t take th...
I was broke. Again. During my last year of medical school interest rates were 13%, so yet another loan was out of the question. I took a job at Herfy’s Hamburgers (home of the Hefty Burger) in Seattle. I wore a paper cow on my head. That wasn’t quite enough, at $2.75 an hour, so I participated in medical experiments, getting paid to have bone marrow biopsies (not worth it), upper endoscopies with no anesthesia (worse), and a weekend taking cold medicine. One experiment sounded intriguing—all I had to do was wear some monitors and suck on a lol...
My last article discussed some dietary and nutritional pointers to help ensure a developing baby’s teeth have all the needed nutrients so they can develop correctly. I felt it was only appropriate to address some pointers for a mother while she is pregnant! As a standard in the dental world, we always suggest visiting your dentist and hygienist before becoming pregnant to rid the mouth of tartar build up, receive home care recommendations, and to address and hopefully treat any cavities or infections. At the very least, visit a dentist as s...
SEELEY LAKE, MT - Get the basics on how Medicare works, sign up, and review your options for coverage when you schedule a one-on-one appointment here in Seeley Lake with Kristin Mason, Rural Resource Specialist with Missoula Aging Services. “Medicare offers different options for health care coverage and these Resource appointments can help you learn about your options, find out when you can join a plan (or get supplemental coverage), and compare plans to determine which plan meets your needs,” she shared. “It’s important to consider all you...
Readers might have trouble hearing that a number of scientists consider the universe to have a purposeful way. The universe, or the cosmos, refers to all of nature, both that which is visible and not. So, let’s explore this idea of a purposeful universe. It’s not only scientists but many people from other areas of life that hold this view as well. It’s an attractive idea since so many people want something other than themselves involved in their lives and in nature too. We often hear religious people describe the purpose brought to them from...
“How much are the burgers?” the rather churlish man demanded. “There’s no charge” replied Bruce Rippy, pastor of the Condon Community Church (CCC), who was serving as head waiter and order taker at the food booth during the Condon Fourth of July celebration. “Well I suppose you watch how much I put in the donations bucket so the church can make a big haul.” “No,” Bruce Rippy replied. “All the money this year goes to the senior meals program, and if need be, you can take some money out of the bucket.” The incredulous man stuffed a wadded bill...
An interesting and insightful “Looking Back” forest tour on the Seeley Lake and Swan Lake National Forest Ranger Districts was recently held in July. The event was very informative and reflective of the complexity and difficulty in satisfying the many desired conditions and services required in Seeley and Swan Valley forest landscapes. Topics of discussion varied widely but extensively addressed issues on forest health, forest biodiversity, wildfire, habitat for grizzly bears, Canada lynx, bull...
rvices (MAS) Resource Center in Seeley Lake serves older adults in the community in various ways. This includes in-home needs assessments, consultations for families and neighbors caring for older adults, information about Meals on Wheels and community lunches, Medicare and Medicaid resources, volunteer opportunities and more. But did you know your local Resource Center can also help find ways to make your money go further in 2023? Located in the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Building (3150 MT-83 N, Seeley Lake, MT 59868), MAS Rural...
The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and it looks like Seeley Lake will have its first really good weather of the summer. What better way to “Celebrate our Lakes and Mountains” on Independence Day! Your Fourth of July Committee has been working hard to put all the pieces together to make this a great day for everyone. Get a good night’s sleep on Monday so you can start with a pancake breakfast at the Fire Department Tuesday morning. There are many activities, including the parade down the middle of town, planned for the day. Be sure...
During the early Greek period the word psyche was introduced. Psyche meant soul. Soul was considered something beyond human experience, belonging to the realm of the goddesses and gods; therefore, soul transcended human nature. Over the centuries, as psychology developed, the word psyche took on a more expansive meaning. It didn’t just mean soul but now included all of psychology. So, soul became associated with psychology and not the realm of goddesses and gods, yet the transcendent association remained. This meant that human psychology includ...
This time of year may not seem busy to most, but for many Fish, Wildlife, & Parks staff, January and February are the calm months before the storm. That storm, of course, being the new license year that begins on March 1st and brings with it permit application deadlines for antlered bucks and bull elk. But that's just the beginning. Once a hunter has applied for their permits, either in person or online, the long wait and hopeful planning begins. While some hunters will not travel far, instead...
At the start of each new year, many resolve to do better for their health and wellness, look for fresh ways to find happiness, and seek new opportunities to give back to their communities. As people evaluate new beginnings in Missoula County, the Volunteer Services team at Missoula Aging Services (MAS) would like to invite Seeley Lake community members to include volunteering in their New Year’s resolutions. Many programs and services provided by MAS are possible thanks to wonderful volunteers dedicated to giving back to older adults in M...
I know that all owls are cool and most people like them, even if they can't identify them. There are many books just on owls of North America, and there is even a Facebook group called Owls of Montana with 3,674 members. If you like owls it's worth looking at that page as the pictures are fabulous. Most of the pictures are of Great Horned owls, but all of Montana's 15 owls have been photographed if you scroll down far enough. It is a private group, but anyone can join if they have an interest in...
Small animal spays and neuters are the most frequently performed surgeries in most standard veterinary practices. While these procedures have been done routinely for several years there are some theories that have been challenged in the veterinary world. There are also some pet parents who question whether they should have their pet altered. There was a general rule to spay (remove the ovaries and uterus in a female) or neuter (a general term to alter either a female or male but is mostly used...
Navigating Medicare and Medicaid can be confusing, but at Missoula Aging Services, experienced Resource Center staff are available to help people compare plans and save money on prescriptions. Following Medicare Open Enrollment each fall, the Medicare Advantage Plan Open Enrollment period begins for Medicare beneficiaries who are on a Medicare Advantage Plan. Medicare Advantage Plans are a type of Medicare health plan offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide Part A and Part B benefits. In Missoula County, Medicare...
