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The Virgelle valley has always been a beautiful place to visit. If you are like me, the sound of the moving water calms your heart and soul. The trees’ tranquility singing with the breeze and animals and birds sounds all around me makes me smile and say a prayer of thankfulness. The sunrises and sunsets are amazing also. God is the best artist I know. I try to capture his creations with a camera and on canvas. They do not compare. With hunting season, most of my traffic across the river has been hunters. I have taken many boats across the r...
Fall arrived! It was time to prepare all the garden bounty for winter. I have only canned a few quarts here and there for the past ten years. It seemed like the more life got involved, and the more money I made, the less homegrown and the more prepared food I used. Thanks to The Grocery Store for case lot sales. I stocked up! I had all my jars packed in boxes in the shed. 1st spring projects were to clean sheds, build shelves, sort out all the canning paraphernalia and get some order for fall...
I want to give all the readers of my articles a thank you for the encouraging words for me to continue writing for the Mountaineer. I struggle with ideas. I usually get ideas when I visit with patrons using the ferry. This year I had many ferry crossings from people from the larger towns and cities. For most of them, it was their first time crossing the river on the ferry. The norm this year with the riders was, “I didn’t know this was here. We were looking for places to go and things to do in Montana with this pandemic. Man, I am so happy we...
Well, the old proverb, "You never know what the weather is going to be like in Montana!" has been right on this year. It has lived up to the saying by being low negatives one week and 60-70 degrees the next week. This kind of change has substantial effects on the river. When it is in the low 30s, you start to see ice form on the river. It begins to flow down from the smaller tributaries like the Teton and Marias. Then after a week of 20-degree temperatures, the river has so much ice it is in...
The holiday seasons are here and going fast. Virgelle Christmas Sale was a blast. For me, the Virgelle Christmas weekend isn’t about what you buy; it’s about saying high. I get to greet all and hand out a little cheer in the snack nook. Friends old and new to meet. This is a great time to laugh, swap a recipe or two, and tell stories of the past. Everyone is excited because of the warm feeling in the air talking, and laughing with care. Virgelle Mercantile’s Christmas sale is my trigger to start my holiday decorating. Driving into my yard...
Well, Hunting season is over, and the hills and roads have become settled once again. I can walk outside to watch the beautiful rising sun and hear the geese getting ready for their flight up to the fields for the day. I can listen to a car driving on the roads above the valley; I can hear this for miles. You can even tell if it is coming or going, with the end of hunting peace and quiet is reinstated. As I sit out drinking coffee greeting the morning, these sounds always give me comfort and joy...
The past couple of weeks have brought many hunters and fishermen down to the ferry. Some hunters I see every year, and they have nicknamed me the "River Queen." It makes me smile and helps me remember who I am talking to. This year I haven't seen many animals riding in the back of trucks. However, I did see an impressive five-point atypical mule deer. Horns were straight on one side and laying over massive thickness on the other side. It was an impressive rack! I had another encounter with a...
As I was processing the last of the ripe tomatoes that I picked green before the first snowstorm of the season, I got thinking about my mom, how she kept ten people fed, clean, and healthy. Amazing how she canned hundreds of quarts of vegetables and meats for the year. I was having trouble with one sick little boy, and getting anything done. The ferry was my first priority after taking care of my grandson. Then the chickens because I have food and water set-up so they can go for days without...
When you crest the hill into the Virgelle Valley, you will see the first glimpses of fall. The leaves are turning yellow, and the grasses have their fall hues. It is an excellent time to cut the dry grasses and flower buds for fall arrangements. This time of year is always great for a Sunday drive, and the gravel roads are in good condition. If you decide to take a drive down to our quaint little valley, you will find plenty of things to do. You can go to Coal Banks Landing for a picnic lunch and enjoy the sound of the river flowing by as you t...
