The deer I photographed today are mule deer. I am sure inquiring minds wanted to know.
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October 2011
10/02/2011
And this is the view of the river at sunset from my window, Pretty, huh? The picture really doesn't do it justice.
So, while I sat watching the trains go by, I began musing on train graffiti. I am sure that the train companies hate it, but it has always fascinated me. Some of the artists are really good! And you have to wonder at train security that allows artists to happily paint away for hours undestrurbed. How can that happen? It seems like a good topic for a short story or an essay.
Stray Animals, Gay Clergy and A Fly
I spent one night at the Great Wolfe Lodge in the UP. I had a bellman helping me with my luggage and he told me a story that had happened to him earlier in the day. He was asked to assist an older woman with her luggage. As he approached her car, she asked if he would do her a favor. Not thinking, he assured her he would help in any way that he could. She stated that some time during her trip she had taken on a cat, unbeknownst to her. The cat had wedged itself underneath the dashboard and she couldn't get it out. Could he see what he could do? Although sure this was not in the training manual, he agreed to help but asked her ahead of time what she expected him to do with the cat. She didn't have a clue, just wanted it out of her car. She stated that it had been there several days. After several minutes of trying, the cat came out scratching and unscathed. He let the cat go. We periodically hear of animals that make their way across the country. This is evidently one way that it happens.
Today, as I was zipping down Highway 15, I decided to pull off and find a restroom and gas station. First I had to wait for the 15 min. train to chug by before I could cross the tracks into the town. The town of two blocks was totally buttoned down. As I drifted slowly back through, I saw a gaggle of individuals clustered around the door of the senior center. I pulled up and a woman said "Wow! I have never seen a Rolls Royce before in real life!" I asked if there was anywhere in town where I could use a restroom. They kindly opened up the Sr. Center door so I could go in and use the facilities. Turns out, on Sunday they use it as a church. A year ago 100 members of an ELCA congregation (out of 110 members) left that church and formed a MS congregation. The split came over the ordination of gay clergy. They just couldn't accept it. Interestingly, the 10 who stayed are older members...my theory is they built the church and knew that sooner or later the pastor who started the conversation would leave and they could choose someone closer to their own beliefs. And, in fact, that pastor took a call recently to a congregation in Canada.
This story was told to me by this really nice woman who is a nurse and about my age...still working to put their last child, a girl, through nursing school. We talked for almost an hour. She and her husband farm over 2000 acres. They just finished planting the seed for winter wheat. She has a couple of different jobs...works at the University health center and does diabetes screening all over the county for the health department. Thank goodness she and I spoke because told be that my plan to go home by way of Glacier was not going to work because they have closed the highway and the hotels and restaurants have closed down also. She and her husband get there all the time because they own a cabin. Karen and her husband are celebrating their 38th wedding anniversary this week...her mother-in-law wouldn't let the two of them get married those many years ago until the winter crops were planted and so they still use that as their marker for when to celebrate their anniversary. We had a great visit.
In the midst of all that, a pomeranian came bouncing up to us and immediately took a liking to me. She had no tag and Karen didn't know who she belonged to...when I got ready to go she tried to get in the car and refused to get out from in front of the car. When I finally got around her she came chasing down the street after me barking her little head off. I was a block from the freeway when I finally stopped. I was afraid she would follow me and get hit by a car. So, I opened the door and she happily hopped right in and settled down on my big brown pillow in the passenger seat. I so wanted to just take her home with me. The last time I left a loose dog back with its owners was at Becca's house and they let the dog loose again and it was killed by a car. But it felt like stealing...so off I went, back to town, trying to find the dog's owners. I found them but they weren't home. The next door neighbor called everywhere she thought they might be...the bowling alley, the bar...but to no avail. Finally she called her sister-in-law across the street who owns a small dog. She took her own dog's collar off and put it on the pom and hooked her to her front porch until the neighbors could come home. Bless her sweet soul.
So I got back in the car, only to find that a fly had taken up residence. At first I tried to get it to escape out the window. Then I stopped and opened the door. When it came close enough, I would swat at it. Finally, I have come to the conclusion that it means to hitchhike with me back to Oregon...as a travelling companion of sorts. I have resigned myself to my fate here. Maybe God thinks I am getting so lonesome that I need a little travel partner.
Oncew I dropped into Montana the topography changed a bit, there were more rolling hills and the road became marginally better. I drove through Malta looking for a hotel and there were several places to stay but all looked a little questionable, so I drove another hour and a half to Havre (pronounced haver). I tucked into their Best Western. To get wi-fi I had to take the handicapped room, across from the pop and ice machine, on the side of the hotel where the train goes by every half an hour or so. That is why I am up typing on the blog, although I have to admit I don't know what time it is because my compute, IPad and cell phone all show different times and I unplugged what turned out to be the clock alarm to charge the IPad. I suppose I could call the front desk...
