Yesterday’s adventure was a trip to Flathead Lake Brewery, in Woods Bay - 5 miles south of Bigfork. We tasted all 5 of the Brewery’s offerings and came away with a “growler” in their special bottle - filled with their award winning Stout.

The brewery is small and primarily supplies several local restaurants. You can buy the “growlers” to take away or sit at the cozy bar and taste or buy by the pint.

The first thing we noticed on arrival was a “Go Gators” sign in the window…a little “odd” for Montana…turns out the owner is from Florida. Bill immediately established raport - well, he would have anyway, but Florida plates on the truck, he stepped in to the brewery and yelled an “How are y’all?” and we were “in like Flint”!

Woods Bay is as it says - a bay - on Flathead Lake. The Brewery sits across the road from the lake.

View from the brewery parking lot…to the right is “The Sitting Duck” restaurant.

The Raven…just to the left of the lake view…

…is a bar/pub on the lake. It is also the venue for the “Polar Bear Plunge” - January 1 of every year a number of hearty souls jump in the lake, get their photos in the paper and as far as I know, all have always survived…

The Prize:

Five days ago a cool, rainy day turned into a heavy snow day and it looked and felt like December. Yesterday started sunny and cool (42) and ended up in the mid-70’s - a gorgeous late spring day with the promise of summer. This morning is starting the same way and temps are supposed to reach the upper 70’s…Montana Spring!

Last evening’s walk was warm and quiet. The woods plants have dried, popped back up from their snow crush and have that smell of new grass - particularly after a day being warmed by the sun. Crickets and ??? made up the evening sound - those noises that sound like summer. It was warm enough that Karl got warm so it was a leisurely (though VIGILANT) walk.

The only wildlife we saw was these turkeys…

Blue sky all around and a lot less snow on the mountains after a warm, sunny day.

Plan B, Implementation Part 1:

We took off for Kalispell and Home Depot with a list that filled an entire page of a legal pad…a marathon gathering of supplies for running the electic service to the garage. A cart, trolley and a lot less cash later we had everything in the truck and adjourned to Costco for the next shopping phase. I left Bill in the truck - parked at the back of the lot where there was a breeze and a view of the mountains. We had picked up lunch so sat and ate before I shopped. When I returned he said that he could stay there all day…breeze, sun, view - very pleasant!

Only three more stops then we headed for home and not a moment too soon - I run out of steam and patience and generally long for the quiet of my house about an hour into it. Bill remarked that he didn’t think his truck had been in and out of so many parking spots - ever! This kind of errand run is not his cup of tea either.

Karl and Bob were happy to see us, treats were distributed, truck unloaded and then we played motorhome… We had shuffled the beasties in the morning but did not find the spot for the satellite tv so went to play some more.

Everything has a nice spot and as soon as we (mostly Bill!) gets the electric service to the garage the Winnebago will have 30 amp and the bus 50 and both should be happy. The truck will fit in the garage with the Jeep after I do some shuffling of things. The 4 wheeler will live under the awning of the bus. The only “problem” remaining is the satellite tv…

That little black dome on the top - it needs to see through that gap in the trees. We have moved the bus forward and backward, changed the angle - generally put it every which way around the spot we think it is supposed to be. Ironically Bill and I remember 2 very different spots…we may have to have the guy come back out, and shoot the location from the roof of the bus. The bus dish is completely automatic - when you turn it on it moves until it finds the satellite. We sit in the bus and listen to its soft whirr, getting all excited when it stops…thinking that it finally found the satellite…nothing.

Plan B needs a bit more work.

We were saved from swearing at the dish, kicking bus tires and generally having 2 year old type fits by the arrival of neighbor, Mike. He heard the rumbling of the diesel off and on and came over to meet Bill and see what was up. We declared it cocktail hour and sat in the bus, windows open to the breeze and had a nice visit.

Plan B to be continued another day.

Ginger Ale…I am happy to report that every last can of Vernor’s made the trip up, over and around all the mountains and mountain passes between Ohio and Montana - intact! (see comments on Goodbye Canada Dry Post). I am grateful! I had a recent comment from my brother, via Kristie, that he thought it was “scandalous” that I drank Diet Vernor’s and that he would have thrown the Canada Dry out. He-he! - well, he does a much better job maintaining his weight and I think has way more willpower regarding daily quantity consumed. Re the throwing away - WOW - see, I am definitely NOT frugal and he definitely IS…or was ??? …so that is saying quite a lot!

Speaking of weight - regarding Bob’s weight - Sara maintained the diet plan and Bob is down to 18.5 pounds. While we are still shooting for 16, .5 pound loss over the winter when he’s out less - not too bad!

Karl and his treats - this is not really a follow up thing. It is normal Karl - he “collects” a morning ration of treats from me and then buries some. Usually, he puts them here and there and later in the day I will see him go and get one. Yesterday morning, though, - maybe because I was out with him AND with the camera…

Put that thing where no one else can find it…

Hmmm - not sure that is right - dig it back up.

I think I’ll just keep an eye on it.

And today - a few of the neighbors came to say “Hey” and have some breakfast while they were at it.

There are 4 in the photo above ..hard to pick out…

They do blend in with the woods.

I was up at just before 4 a.m. this morning, sitting quietly with Karl at my feet, when the motorhome rocked slightly…a couple of times. I lived in California for 13 years and experienced a number of earthquakes - they don’t all “feel” the same. Some were sharp jolts accompanied by a loud crack of noise. Some were a rolling sensation, not unlike being on a boat in a long swell. Some were actualy shaking that went on for some time.

So, this morning, the rocking - and no wind, it was very still - “Earthquake!”, I thought…”But I’m in Iowa???” It was an earthquake - 5.2 according to the last thing I read - centered in Illinois 3 miles underground and approximately 350 miles from where I sit parked. It never fails to astound me to think how much force, energy and movement it takes for so much of the earth and the stuff sitting on the earth to move - even slightly…a scary, awesome, incredible force of nature.

A bit anti-climatic but Karl and I took a walk shortly after, even though it was very early. Thunderstorms rolled through early last evening and Karl decided the evening walk was unnecessary. It was quiet and NOT raining at 5 a.m. The weather map and forecast looked like it wasn’t going to stay that way for long, so I coaxed Karl out with me for a walk. All was accomplished in short order and we returned just in time.

No sunrise photos today! A good day to sit and work. We roll tomorrow for Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The wind stopped and the clouds came back this morning. I am not complaining as the returning clouds made for a most glorious sunrise that Karl and I watched as we finished our morning walk.

In between fighting my fledgling knowledge of C# (C-Sharp - programming language) I tried out a new electric kettle…

I went hunting for a small crock pot yesterday and came home with this. It reportedly slow cooks, steams, deep frys and ??? - I guess anything else you need a medium large pot to do. So far it has dealt with one of those pasta-chicken-veg meals in a bag and today it was home to the makings for Italian Beef Sandwiches. About 3:30 after no lunch and living in close quarters with the smell of roast beef, italian sausage, green peppers and au jus on the simmer, I succumbed…

I think I’ll make it through the rest of the work day…

…but it did break my heart to make this without Bill - one step forward, two backward or something like that…