True Adventure - The Vastness of our Country

Make up your mind to find beauty wherever you go, in whatever circumstances you are. 

Sydney, Montana. So far north- I could have handed Santa my list in person. The grocery store- the fresh produce section was the size of my study back home.

Energy independence - a domestic oil rig. 

 This was an impromptu trip of necessity. 5 airports in one day. Slept on a bench like some bum in the Salt Lake City airport. Watched Fox News in the Billings Airport - where I was weighed right along with my luggage.  8 prospective passengers were lined up single file by a lady waving neon orange traffic batons. The line was popped in and belted, one passenger at a time.

Public Art in front of the Farmers and Merchants Bank

I told my husband that the men were in back for ballast. He said they usually put the heaviest person over the wings. I told him not to go there. That was where I sat.

Before the last passenger was allowed on-board, luggage was shifted with bags of sand. It was determined that even with the weight of one more person, we could still lift off.

When things are bleak- the slightest pop of color feels extra joyful

The hood of the little Cessna was lifted. Starting it reminded me of old films of cranking a model t. Putt-putt. It seemed unlikely we would lift off. But we did.

The geese which did not migrate south are smaller 

Were drinks served? Even if we wanted to pass a canteen, all that would have resulted was to have a plane full of passengers who peed in their pants.

Someone had a sense of humor. On the runway where we  landed was a jet painted with the Australian iconic airline's name: Qantas.

I wrote a dear friend of the flight:

"The beauty of this land where the prairie and sky aren't easily separated by eye is  breathtaking. Both shades of blues and whites are discernible only by subtle difference of texture. Occasionally a red fox stops to look at us landing intruders- show off  luxuriant fur."

Deer watching us watch them

It is a stunning landscape. Unfortunately, the climate can eat a man alive. One night the moon was obscured by a panel of icy air.  Time to drive home. To see up close what was dreamed of from too far a distance to make out any detail.

If we had not pushed past Billings the night before, we would not have made it to Bozeman the next day

If I stayed one more night, I might have been tempted to forgo the plucking, lasers, waxing, depilatories- all the things a Hispanic woman  of a certain age do so we aren't mistaken for our husbands. I would have grown a beard to keep my face warm.

Montana traffic- and expanse

Dodging storms propelling blowing snow, we made it home safely to the land temperate enough for caterpillars to crawl where they will morph into butterflies. 

Home. Where barren branches cradle bird nests. Where the thorns of the ballerina rose keep the cats from climbing in to steal the eggs.

Until we meet again- THANK YOU for all YOU do to make the world more beautiful. 

PS- If you look my name up on Facebook- there are a couple more pictures from this trip.