Home again

Some cow friends in downtown Golden City, Missouri

Just as in the feeling of peeling off layers at the beginning of my trip. I come home naked- half forgetting who I am. Where does the lady that lives here put things?  I've forgotten my grievances with this neighbor or that co-worker. What's better; they have forgotten their grievances with me. 

It is an altered state I am in.The dizziness from a long drive, and the forgetting. Forgetting how I fit in or how I don't.

Cement Cadillac by Claes Van Oldenburg at University of Chicago

I had an amazing time in the Heartland and the rustbelt. It's not what you think. I loved everyone I met in Missouri, Kansas, Detroit, my artist friends in Chicago, Wolf Point. I loved playing the jukeboxes and eating burgers and playing pool with the kids in Oakley, Kansas at the beginning of a tornadic storm system. It was amazing to watch it form out in the green fields and follow it across the state. And scary as hell to be caught up in it. 

Dust from a truck while observing the beginning of tornado weather in the fields of Kansas

Fresh Mexican food truck elguapogrill.com in Detroit at Eastern Market

I loved visiting with my friends and relatives in Detroit especially Oma, my first boss

Irene, AKA Oma has been working at Miller Brothers an iconic creamery/grocery store since 1955

Attending a Conceptual Performance; The Chicago Correspondance School Dinner with my artist friends at the famous Berghoff's, the oldest restaurant in Chicago.

My favorite lunch spot in Jasper, Missouri. I had a butterscotch malt and a barbecue rib sandwich

 Abandoned pharmacy in Wolf Point, Montana


I had Mother's Day Lunch at my favorite restaurant, Corky's Diner in Golden City, Missouri with this gentleman stranger who had just lost his wife last year. We were both grateful for the company.

And of course traveling with Chance. He was the best. Here he is putting on the dog in Chicago. 

Was the first shower ever to be installed in my 110 year old house while I was gone- actually put in? You'll have to wait for my next post!

Garage saling in the boonies of Montana and a great antiques lead

Sadly departing the wild beauty of Glacier National Park but determined to drop in on some garage sales since it was Saturday morning. I chanced in on a doozy.

                The Bitteroot Mountains is the backdrop for a country girl chic pop-up antique shop

                             Clever idea for  cheap unused antique enamel bedpans at the sale

 There were several women selling only vintage, set up like an antiques fair. I got some really cute items and I got a great lead, "The Farm Chicks", they all said in unison.

                      Fun simple and effective display greets everyone just inside the front door

The Farm Chicks is an amazing 'farm to antiques hunter' antique show held every year at the Spokane Washington fairgrounds. They take over three large connected agricultural buildings. It is well organized, and the displays were worth the $8 admission..

                                    Amazing what people can do in a couple days for a show

                                    Why schlep? This dealer just brought her cute trailer inside

     I went away with that Coke sign from the 1930's. If I'd had a trailer I'd taken the wonderful Arts          and Crafts era cabinet below

Running from Grizzly bears makes a killer workout...

I should have known when I heard it was called Avalanche trail; it didn't sound too inviting. In fact, it was a scary, dark wood with a raging creek . There was evidence of an avalanche as hundreds of trees were down. It was well kept up though and there were lots of folks hiking it. I was blissfully painting at this incredible lake, of course, named Avalanche Lake when the ranger said I had to go because there was a grizzly bear there. I got out of there as fast as I could! I felt like Little Red Riding Hood with my dog about to be devoured.

Grizzly bear making a kill just across this tiny tiny lake while this photo was being taken

This is my unfinished painting of the falls at Avalanche Lake because I had to flee for my life, but maybe it's better this way.

Getting frightened by bears was worth this view of McDonald Lake
I did learn that these bears don't fish so staying in the Lake was the safest place for Chance. 

Just as in Missouri, when folks blithely talk of tornadoes, people at Glacier National Park imbue an indifference to grizzly bears. No one said anything about grizzly bears when I paid my $10 to get in.

There were bear signs on the trail and the trail's name was called Avalanche Trail. So I guess I was warned, or at least I knew enough to be nervous to hike the trail. The black bear running around  in the parking lot near the trail didn't help, nor did the grizzly taking down a fawn and the moose that was in the vicinity.

There was also a black bear hanging around the wonderful 1914 era Lake McDonald Lodge  where I was staying. So a very expensive can of bear mace was with me at all times because Chance, being a dog, is a big target.

I did learn that these bears don't fish so staying in the Lake was the safest place for Chance. That was the only place he wanted to be so it all worked out. Worth running from bears to stay in the Lodge