Butte, the city built on a hill surrounded by mountains, rivers, and prairies began as a mining town in the late 19th century. At first only gold and silver were mined, then the advent of electricity created a demand for copper. Copper being abundant in the area helped to make Butte one of the […]
rocky mountain kids korner
Cheapskates, Tightwads, and Thrifty
Ann VanDeventer and frugality bloggers like Mama Mallory are getting all the credit these days for being cheapskates. Not that I’ve ever considered myself a tightwad, but I would like a little credit for being thrifty. Before we were green, we called it recycling, and before that we called it not wasting. For years, I’ve […]
Explosion in Bozeman, Montana
According to the A.P., an explosion collapsed 3 buildings on Main St. in Bozeman, Montana this morning at around 8:15 a.m. A restaurant and bar were destroyed and two blocks had to be evacuated. It is unknown what caused the explosion or if there were any injuries. Bozeman is approximately 300 miles from Kalispell and […]
Happy Mardi Gras!
Today is “Carnival” time in the New Orleans area, and lots of folks are packing up their Popeye’s Chicken, Tastee Donuts, soft drinks, and beer. They’re gathering up lawn chairs and ladders and heading out to the parades. Families will get to the parade route early to reserve a spot on the neutral ground where, […]
Moon Over the Swan Range
Stately maple trees line our streets in town, and only a part of the mountain range can be seen through their bare winter branches. By the time I grabbed my camera, yesterday, and went the few blocks east to get an unobstructed view of the alpenglow on the Swan, it was gone. At sunset, […]
Ground Hog Day 2009 – Phil Sees His Shadow
Punxsutawny Phil saw his shadow earlier today and predicted six more weeks of winter, which is no surprise to me. Snow fell here last night and this morning. Spring just doesn’t come to the Rockies until the vernal equinox and the calendar say so on March 20th. Even then, snow and chilly temperatures aren’t out […]
What are Snowghosts?
Have you ever seen snow ghosts and wondered how they were made? Perhaps, perhaps not. I bet you think they are made of snow, but they aren’t! They are made of hoar frost and rime. Hoar frost is better known as freezing fog and rime is the formation of ice crystals. The moisture in the […]
Triceratops Skull Sold For $251,000!
A Triceratops skull found on an eastern Montana ranch sold for almost 251,000 bucks! An anonymous person bought the 7 1/2′ long, and more than 5′ wide skull for $250,950 in an online auction. The skull was found over a decade ago on a ranch in Wilbaux County. It was stored at the ranch until […]
Inversions
Since we live in a valley surrounded by mountains, we frequently have inversions in the winter. When an inversion is going on, we have a thick blanket of fog, freezing fog, or smog covering the valley. When we go up into the mountains, the air is fresh and clean and the sun is out. Inversions are […]
Lost Beneath the Flakes
E and I were snowshoeing through the deep snow near the Flathead River as the sun glistened brightly through the trees. Sparkling white snow set against the clear blue sky made for a beautiful day. We reached a clearing and stopped to look at the dark colored river and snowy mountains. To annoy my […]