Health Update

I went in for my 3 month check with the oncologist a couple of weeks ago. He told me everything looked good, and that after my next 3 month app't, I could start coming every 6 months. He also tested my estrogen level, and found that I am now post-menopausal. That means I can change to a different cancer treatment medication (Arimidex), instead of the Tamoxifen that I'm taking now. Arimidex is better at reducing my risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body and also the risk of a new cancer developing in the other breast. The list of side effects is pretty long, but I hope that I don't have any problems. I will wait to switch medications until my next appointment.

Snow Angels

I went winter hiking with my Monday group a few days ago. We got to hike on private property through a beautiful forest up to a snowy meadow. The snow was so perfect and soft that I decided to do something I almost never do... make a snow angel. Several of my friends followed suit, and we ended up with four perfect angels. Who says middle-aged women can't have fun?

Meeting a Taylor

John and I just returned from a two week trip to Seattle. He had back surgery there, and is recovering nicely. On our way home, we made a stop in Spokane to pick up a saddle for a friend. We met our contact in the parking lot of Molly's Restaurant (a Spokane favorite). His name was Dick Taylor. After loading the saddle and other accoutrements, including a branding iron, we chatted awhile. Both of us had noticed Dick was wearing a Taylor Guitar jacket. I asked him if he was connected with the company. He replied, "My son IS Taylor Guitars". Well, we were floored! You just never know who you're going to meet.

Yellowstone Weekend

John and I decided to make a quick weekend camping trip to Yellowstone last week. We loaded up our little camper and headed to Mammoth CG, hoping there would be a campsite available. Well, we found all the campgrounds in the park full, so we backtracked to Gardiner, where we ended up at a Good Sams RV park. Not exactly what we had in mind, but it was better than nothing. We spent two full days in the park, fishing, hiking and wildlife watching. I caught a nice cutthroat trout at Slough Creek on a dry fly. We also hiked the Hellroaring Creek trail, which featured a big suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River. Along the trail, we also came upon a bull bison, who decided to lay down near where we needed to go. After watching him a while, we decided he wasn't a threat and continued around him.

Looking Back to Summer

As fall has arrived, and there is snow again in the mountains, I find myself looking back over this past summer. It was all too brief, but glorious. The wildflowers were the best ever, and lasted well into late August/early September. My new-found interest in six-legged creatures also created another great and challenging photography subject, butterflies.


Fall, of course, is also beautiful with the leaves turning into a blaze of red, orange & yellow. It has always been my favorite season. Since Montana doesn't have the colorful maples and oaks, we have to rely on the quaking aspen for our fall color. The bottom photo was taken just south of Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.

I Fish

Yes, you read it here. I am now a fly-fisher! I had asked John to teach me last year, so this year while we were camping in Yellowstone, he gave me a few pointers and turned me loose. On my 2nd day fishing on the Firehole River, I caught a nice little rainbow trout. And I was hooked! I fished mornings and evenings and caught a total of 6 fish. Not bad for a complete beginner. Of course I had to make all the rookie mistakes. I hooked myself in the leg, the hat (several times) and the shirt, as I learned to control my cast and remember where the fly was at all times. I also had an embarrassing encounter with two park rangers while I was practicing my casting (without a hook). Apparently I was practicing in a "closed to fishing" area. They asked me for my fishing permit, and whether I had a copy of the fishing regulations. They told me to avoid confusing other rangers by limiting my practice to the parking lot. Of all the years John has fished in Yellowstone, he's never been checked by park rangers. The very first time I pick up a rod, I get the third degree!

Master Naturalist

You might be asking yourself, "what is a master naturalist"? Don't get it confused with a "naturist", which would mean that I had joined a nudist colony. That may come later. The Master Naturalist program is offered state by state around the nation, and teaches you the skills you need to identify the flora and fauna around you. I, along with two friends, spent a week in Missoula taking an intensive 40 hour class (which we all passed!), and we are now Certified Montana Master Naturalists. As part of our annual certification requirement, we have to volunteer 40 hours of our time on various projects having to do with nature. We also have to attend 8 hours of either classes, lectures or workshops to help hone our skills.

This program has opened up a whole new world for me. I've learned to journal, which includes sketching what I see, and making notes; I can identify trees, shrubs and wildflowers, and also insects. Bird identification was a large part of the class, and sketching birds really made me notice details that I had taken for granted after birding for so many years.

So, I'm hoping to offer nature walks for groups around Bozeman, and share my new found knowledge and excitement with other people. Other than that, I will be boring my husband and friends to tears!

London Calling

Back in May, John and I, and friends Ed & Diane ventured across the pond for a two week trip to Wales and England. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I won't bore you with all the details, but we toured all around Wales, from North to South. What a beautiful country! We spent a few days in Bath, with excursions to Stonehenge and Avebury, followed by a week of sightseeing in London. The highlight (one of many) was seeing Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in concert at the Royal Albert Hall. In fact, the concert is what started the whole idea of the trip.

Happy April!

Old Man Winter hasn't quite released his grip on Montana. We woke to 8 inches of new snow yesterday morning! It did melt pretty fast, but things are still white. The early spring migrants (Robins) weren't too happy. They were crowded in the street, which was the only place without snow. On the upside, as the snow melts, it's revealing green grass underneath. What a welcome change!

Springtime!

I know it's been a long time since I've posted, but that's good, because it means I've been busy.

The weather has been a bit blustery, but warm enough to go out and do some maintenance on my bluebird trail. A lot of the boxes were in bad shape, and some had been vandalized (either by humans or cows). Thanks to the woodworkers group at the Bozeman Senior Center, I got some nice new nest boxes to put up. Today, we replaced a box that had been used for target practice.

We also got to see a newly born calf with it's mother right on the side of the road next to one of our boxes. You just never know what you might see on the bluebird trail.

On the health front, I had my 6 month check-up last month and all is normal. I also am getting a little help from pharmaceuticals with my depression, which has made a huge improvement in my outlook. I'm really feeling like my old self (with a few improvements).

Developments

I think I've mentioned that I've been suffering a bit (okay, a lot) of depression over the fall/winter. So to find out if what I'm experiencing is being caused by the Tamoxifen, I got the green light from my doctor to go off of the drug for up to a month and see if I notice any difference. It will help me deal with the problem if I know the cause. I've also heard that the side-effects can lessen over time. Now it's wait and see.

Celebrate!

John and I celebrated his 50th birthday yesterday with a great day of skiing at Big Sky. It was a beautiful day, absolutely clear and sunny. Our 2nd run of the day was from the top of Lone Mountain down Liberty Bowl. From our perch at 11,000+ feet, we could see dozens of mountain ranges in all directions. As we were making turns down the hill, the thought struck me, I've been skiing this mountain for almost 40 years. I was just a kid back in 1973! Where have all those years gone? Still, I get such a thrill schussing down each run, like it's the first time. Then it feels like almost no time has passed at all. Until, of course, I try to get out of the car after driving back home. Ouch!

Next week, we drive down to my other old stomping grounds of Jackson Hole to ski with brother Dave. I suppose I'll have the same thought there as at Big Sky, and I've been skiing at JH for even longer!

Arctic Visitor

I saw a bird today that I've never seen before, a Gyrfalcon. This bird lives year round in the Arctic tundra, and occasionally travels south to Montana in the winter. I was fortunate to get a couple of photos. When I first saw the bird, it took off from it's perch, swooped around and strafed a Red-tailed Hawk that was perched on another telephone pole. Now that's a bird with attitude!