Blue Moon Cabin

Can you see it?

Driving back from Bozeman this evening I saw the first black bear of 2010 on Mountain Brook Rd. Actually, I think this is the first bear I have seen on Mountain Brook in several years. Can you see the bear? He or she ran away so quickly, this was the best shot I could get!

Then just 100 yards up the road, this unusual and surreal rainbow was hanging over Livingston in the distance.

And last, but not least…check out this great new CD by 5 Second Rule. Here’s a bit of info:

“Toe-tapping fiddle tunes, poignant original songs and mixing pop tunes with traditional Celtic styles are the trademarks of this new acoustic band based in Dallas.”

We’re proud and excited to release our first CD, “Buttered Side Down.” Recording it was a real challenge with our busy schedules but the hard work was worth it! The title is a reference to Jennings’ Corollary to the Law of Selective Gravity (related to Murphy’s Law, of course), which states, “The chance of the bread falling with the buttered side down is proportional to the cost of the carpet.” But unlike poor Murphy, we have been lucky and blessed to find each other and make music we love. We hope you enjoy our songs, tunes, and “Irish sandwiches.” Bon apetit!

Many thanks to Mike Tidwell for sharing his wonderful music with us here in Montana…

OK, I will admit it…it was snowing again today. But the good part of that is that the melt hasn’t happened, the caddis flies are still hatching (and mating – whatever!) and the fish are jumping everywhere.

Here are a couple more photos taken by my talented daughter on Mother’s Day.

Every time I take the time to be in Montana’s natural environment, I am grateful that I found my way here. I think you will feel that way, too, when your path leads you to Montana. It is worth these fickle, snowy days of spring, just to behold the view! At the risk of sounding corny…I couldn’t be more lucky.

Fishing on the Yellowstone - Mother's Day

Finally a trout, thanks to the skillfull help from guide extraordinaire, Eric Paramore!

Yesterday was the quintessential Montana spring day. (Finally!) For those interested in fly fishing, the caddis flies were so numerous that I think most of the trout had full bellies. My daughter and fly fishing guide extraordinaire, Eric Paramore, (http://hopperfishing.com) took me down a nice stretch of the Yellowstone River. Here are a few photos.

The Fourth of July in Livingston is something not to be missed in one’s lifetime. This great small town is Americana all the way. The 4th parade, which actually usually happens a few days before the 4th, kicks off the festivities with a real, old fashioned horse-trotting, hand-made float, bag piping march down Second and Main Streets. There are probably more horses than people in this parade…just FYI.

Main Street in Livingston, Montana

So, if you have always wanted to experience an old fashioned town in one of America’s most beautiful settings, call now to book your stay at Blue Moon Cabin. 877-404-6477.

Maybe the reason I am thinking about the Fourth of July just after Cinco de Mayo, is that this morning, I awoke to about 2 feet of wet, heavy snow. This makes the 7th month in a row that Montana has had snow! Just in case you don’t believe me, here is a photo taken at about 7 PM this evening.

America’s Best Idea – the national parks – gets even better this year with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees.

Mark your calendar for fee-free days this year:

• April 17-25, 2010
  (National Park Week)
• September 25, 2010
  (Public Lands Day)
• November 11, 2010
  (Veterans Day)

Although the snow is not sticking down in Livingston town, it sure is up here at the cabin. I am grateful for this change, as this winter has seemed lacking in precipitation. So five inches of wet snow and still coming down…March 30, 2010. Here’s a photo from my window taken by my cell phone.

MARCH 30, 2010

This is the time of year when hard core cyclists in the greater Yellowstone area get jazzed. The Park has opened its roads to bicycles, but not to other vehicles, and believe me, there is nothing like bicycling in Yellowstone without motorized traffic.

It is actually not just for hard core cyclists, but the conditions can range from snow, rain and wind to sunny and nice and change every half hour on your ride, so it does take preparation and knowledge that what started out as a beautiful, sunny ride can quickly turn into a miserable, freezing experience if you don’t come prepared.

Riding a bike in Yellowstone sans automobiles is an amazing experience. For more information, visit this blog.

It seems for many that it has been a long winter here in Montana. I was hoping for more snow this winter personally, but now am ready to move on to those gorgeous wildflowers that start poking their heads up in April. The first ones I usually see are the Glacier lilies – a favorite food for grizzlies up in northern Montana and Glacier National Park.

Here are a couple of photos taken last spring on a hike up behind the cabin.

I thought I would post some photos my photographer daughter took (chiekohorn.com) sometime in January. Right now the snow has been melting and the mud has been appearing, along with little signs of life in the form of green shoots sprouting from the ground.