Your Community Builder
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Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, it’s amazing what one can find out about plants, all sorts of plants named from A to Z, found in books, computers or even from friends! How about Alpine Currants, [Yum!], beautiful Baby’s Breath, lovely Canna Lilies, beautiful yellow/gold Daffodils, our neighbors Hardy Pink Hibiscus, and remembering Mom’s lovely pink and red Impatient! Thinking back to long ago, how about Aunties Jacaranda Tree! WOW! Rhubarb is special to many folks too, especially the Pie that our Mom used to make...
I arrived back in town on a hot July afternoon some days ago, A passed brother-in-law to remember - and a town with new construction - with obvious determination - grit and goals, And Mother Nature seems to be giving another of her serious tests, With scant rain and hoppers - conditions aren’t now the best. Adversity has been faced before by farmers and ranchers - and those who depend upon them - of all the difficult rows - before - had to be hoed, And though each family in the county face problems which may differ - t...
Just when my muscles have grown used to working, it is almost time to go back and sit at a desk as the school year approaches. The entire month of June, my body thinks it enlisted in the Army and no one told it. By July, the severe muscle cramps have subsided, and by August, I can walk up a hill without needing oxygen. Then, it is back to the office every day to let my muscles deteriorate for another nine months. My friend, Judy Sondeno, who lives near Sidney, Montana taught with me for many years. As colleagues, we dieted...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, some recipes are worth sharing! Here’s one for any time – even if this one doesn’t have salt! Author unknown, it’s called: HAPPY HOMEMAKER CAKE: “Mix two heaping measures of love with common purpose, sweetened with two full hearts. Sprinkle in a few little ones according to taste. For a rich color break in the yolks of two purses. Do not make it too rich as by doing so, it crumbles and separates easily and this is not what we want. Stir yolks in the batter thoroughly until it is...
Often it is true that the dead become greater in death than they were in life. Such was not the case when our adopted dog, Marvin, died, and he became an international rock star on Facebook when within hours he received tributes from ranch vacation guests as far away as Germany, Norway, and Sweden. We adopted Marvin rather unwillingly when my Uncle Shorty Roberts died. Two years earlier, Shorty had asked me to take his constant companion, his Jack Russell terrier, Jackson, to be euthanized. It was time, so I had reluctantly...
My Grandparents, Fred and Lena Coons, homesteaded near Belltower in 1911. Grandpa came out and homesteaded and after some time Grandpa and my Mother joined them. My Mother was born in Malvern, Iowa on January 10, 1910. She was just a little one when she came out to Montana. They built a house, I don't know what year, which I loved and spent a lot of time in. They called this the home place. I was born in this place in 1938, with my Grandma attending Mother. At the time that I was around there, they had two other places with...
It is a tough year in Montana with drought, grasshoppers, and now wildfires. As I write this, our Musselshell Ranch is under evacuation order from the Peterson Fire. We are praying that our place will be spared while knowing that our neighbors to the north are losing almost all of their pasture as the fire explodes, and we can only pray for their livestock, their structures, and the fire fighters. All we can really do is wait to see which way the wind blows the fire. My heart breaks for the affected landowners, because I...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, life isn’t all sunshine and laughter – our seas are not always calm but You know all about it, Lord, for You created us. We’re clay vessels. We tend to wear out and get ill, both mentally and physically. Sometimes medicines help and sometimes, it seems to us, that the side effects are worse than whatever it is we have. At a recent art show there were hundreds of lovely pictures and drawings of plants, animals, scenery, sky; you name it and it was there. Some paintings looked like ph...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, several friends went walking one morning, through the nearby park, along some hills, loving and appreciating the view, enjoying their time together. Gal #1: “I’m out of water, I’ll soon need a drink. Are we about to the end of this trail?” The second gal mentioned that she was having a hard time breathing. Gal #3 mentioned a notice about the air quality being fairly good but the Grass Pollen was high; they WERE on a lot of grass, so, of course, breathing probably was a bit hard. The...
As I sit here, memories come to mind. As a child, I have come to Ekalaka to visit many times. Each visit builds on a journey of the past to the present, for which I am grateful to know my father's path. As an adult, my Kalstrom cousins, the Waterlands, and many others have welcomed my family and I. We reminisce of days gone by. A small place we have come to stay, in this quaint town of Ekalaka. A building our family calls the "Little House" on Kalstrom Way. Many town's people...
I absolutely love kitchen tips, and I try to pass them along without too much commentary, but sometimes I just can't resist sharing comments about the actual practicality of those tips. For example, Martha Stewart claims that if you have a headache, you should rub a cut lime on your forehead. That might work, but it is a bit messy when there is a large body of research that suggests that if you add salt and tequila to the cut lime and ingest it, all of your aches and even your worries will go away! My friend Julie Kinsey...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, You have given to us some days that are special and worth a celebration and there’s one very special one this Sunday, that would be THE 4th of JULY! May we pause to consider what it means to be an American. America was not founded on the idea of being “free-lunch” – we are given the opportunity to work and to feel good about ourselves and we are to help others. Your Word says we are to pray for our leaders, too. A friend shared the little piece below which says it so very well. The au...
To many of us, Independence Day is celebrated with rodeo. I hope that as you are celebrating this year with big beef burgers and a rodeo and hopefully no fireworks due to the extreme fire danger in this drought, you take some time to reflect on this amazing country that we are lucky to live in. I am pretty sure that I have gone to a rodeo on the fourth of July almost every year of my life. One of the best explanations of what rodeo is about was written by an amazing young rodeo cowboy that I have the privilege of knowing, Cha...
Those of you who follow Facebook probably know that I made a trip to Ekalaka last week. Actually it wasn’t so much a trip to Ekalaka as a trip to Camp Needmore for a family reunion. I did get to Ekalaka and will tell you of my impressions. First the trip; I flew from Sacramento to Denver and then rode to Ekalaka with my sister Marti and her husband Roy Cornwell. I asked for wheelchair service for the trip since I have trouble walking. That was a real lifesaver, instead of being worn out, I was quite able to function n...
As I sit here today on Father's Day, I find it hard to believe that my father would have turned 102 this July. He has been gone for 24 years, but he still lives large in my memory. He was one of those people with the classic cowboy look, and that look landed him on the front of the Montana map tipping his hat during the 80's. During that time, he would be approached by tourists to have him sign their maps. The name of the photographer was identified as Harley Hettick, so when...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a friend mentioned that she and several friends had a difficult time trying to go to sleep. Taking pills didn’t help, neither did going to bed early or working late. ‘J.J.’ smiled and said, “You wanna hear how I DO IT?” Of course, they wanted to hear. She mentioned that she’d read somewhere about reciting the alphabet – like WHAT? So, struggling with some depression, she thought she would give that a try. But – what was it she was going to alphabetize; she tried naming some famil...
Fourth of July at Belltower Hall - back - when growing up, I recall that it was fifty dollars worth - and it may have increased after the initial startup, But it was such a great time for a kid - firecrackers and sparklers - and booms and spark showers radiated - in the darkened sky, Those times still set within a friendly way with me - a summer peacefulness - even with the excitement - before our eyes. Jimmy Carroll (1932-2010) - would always set them off - us kids were not allowed close - in case something would erupt, And...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a 3-generation family occupies a row in church. The young family has three little children; Mamma holds the baby, 2-year-old hugs Daddy, the 4-year-old climbs onto the seats, walks over to Grandpa; the audience stands, singing. Gramps knows she’s there, but waits until she pats his arm, turns, smiles and picks her up. She hugs him just as little sister hugs daddy; she puts her head on his shoulder and shuts her eyes. So cute. Dads and Fathers, may you pay attention to what and how our...
Summer is the time when I decide to roll up my sleeves and clean out some junk. However, my parents were children of the Great Depression, so I can still hear their voices ringing in my ears when I think about pitching stuff that could potentially have some use in the future--even though it has received no usage within the last 25 years. Marilee Robinson of Billings, Montana sent me her delightful book “East Meets West,” and one of her essays, which I have abridged this week, is called “Throwin' It Out.” I love her style o...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, a friend mentioned some interesting dates throughout the WHOLE calendar, but she really liked those in June; the one that gave her a chuckle was the 9th, Donald Duck Day, his first appearance was in 1934. She also loves Iced Tea and there was a DAY for that also – the 10th! She thought National Loving Day, the 12th, was really special, too as well as it was also Peanut Butter Cookie Day. Flag Day is the 14th, National Fudge Day is the 16th, her Daddy really likes the 17th as it is...
Happy Spring to all! It has been some beautiful weather, but would be nice to see some more moisture. Just thought it was time to share some notes from the Mayor and a few reminders. It is spring and moving into summer. Please show your pride in the community and keep your lawns mowed and trimmed. Keep sidewalks clean. If you have an elderly neighbor, or a vacant property next to you, think about paying it forward and pitch in. Ekalaka has good people, so I have no doubt you...
"Have you lost your mind?" Millie Woolley asked. "Yes, I thought you were smarter than that!" added Shelly Carroccia, as we stood outside the papered over storefront windows of the boutique my daughter Brooke and I are starting on McLeod Street in Big Timber. Of course, these women whom I greatly respect and admire, know what they are talking about regarding running a business and working really hard past retirement age, so I decided to completely disregard their warnings. Afterall, what could go wrong with our business plan...
Have you considered selling your harvest or homemade jams at a farmers market? Do you know what it takes to become a farmers market group with other farmers like you? Would you like to join a farmers market group? Farmers markets are a great way to connect with people while making some extra income. There are a variety of ways to be a part of a farmers market group or a vendor at a single event. Southeast Montana has an array of farmers markets and stands available throughout the summer. Local producers from Terry, Glendive,...
Hello God, it’s me, Mara: You know, Lord, when one thinks about Dairy Products, we might wonder which are the most important for the well-being of the human body. Just ask anybody, and they’ll perhaps say that Ice Cream is probably the most favorite of all dairy products. Of ice cream, it’s been said that it is: cool, creamy, refreshing, and comforting. Like a gentle prairie breeze, clear skies, warm sunshine, ice cream sweeps over one – it is healthy, refreshing and relaxing. In a spiritual way, Lord, Your Word is like th...
I receive many submissions from readers, and I love to share them. However, in my 26 years of writing this column, I believe this is the funniest piece any reader has ever sent me. Thanks, Tom Ogle of Paris, Illinois for making me laugh out loud recalling your fond adventures on a Montana ranch in this story entitled "Montana Flat Tires and Rattlesnakes." On October 3, 2015 my dream of becoming "Tom Selleck in Montana" quickly became "Tom Ogle, just make it back to Paris, Illinois.” I had negotiated a stay at a real w...
