Montana Trip: Day 3

For the next three days we would drive up to Many Glacier to go hiking or to shower. Surprisingly the showers were nice and only cost $2.50 for 8 minutes of water, so not luxury showering there.  On the way there animals would always be right next to the road and wouldn't be bothered by the cars. Here are some horses that I could have touched from the car window.

Out in the mountains, trees covered every inch of them in the foothills and valleys. As we continued driving, we saw the devastation that forest fires left behind from years ago.

Many Glacier was always packed everyday with lots of people hiking, touring, and camping. Our first hike we chose was  to see Iceberg Lake. It was a five mile hike that climbed 1200 feet and along the way a waterfall called Ptarmigan Falls was on the trail. 

Out in Glacier they have these things called weeping walls and I am drinking from it! 

Just kidding thats gross. 

Here is Chris at a mini waterfall and a cute chipmunk on the trail. 

Finally at about 3 miles we came across Ptarmigan Falls! 

Most of the trails were very well kept until you got to the top and had to truck through snow. It was weird having show and it being 75 degrees out. Our destination of Iceberg lake lies in the crater of those mountains. The snow  and sun wasn't working in our favor of taking pictures this day. 

On the way there I had to befriend some trees! I am literally a tree hugger. Some nice people took a photo of us and we took one of them! 

Next we finally arrive!  A break and some food. It was freezing up there. The water is literally that turquoise color. It is gorgeous in person. The water is that color due to rock flour, sun's angle, and water depth. 

I took this picture and then went to the gift store to buy a postcard and wah-lah my picture was right there on it! Creepy! 

After we descended from the mountains we decided to go check out the hotel that sits on the lake. Inside Chris found a bighorn sheep that he wanted to feed.  

After ordering an appetizer and a few beers we decided to head back to Cut Bank for the night. As we were driving out, there was a parade of people pulled over to look at some animal. To our surprise it was a Bull Moose! I snapped this goody of him. In Glacier, you don't look for animals, you look for people looking for animals.

Montana Trip: Day 2

We survived the storm from the night before and were on the road again. This time it was going to take like 7 hours to get to our destination. The first road we were driving on was in the middle of nowhere and the road went on forever. This picture can't do the mileage justice. Then we saw this sweet bridge alongside the road. Our camera captured the bridge pretty good considering we were going 85 mph! 

The next giant animal that we came across was this cutie patootie penguin!

Finally pulling into our campsite after driving through a bazillion miles of cluttered indian reservation. We camped here in Glacier for 3 nights at a campsite called Cut Bank. We were in the valley of mountains! We had to drive back down into the campsite about 3 miles or so. This is a map of where we stayed in Glacier!

When arriving you have to chose your spot and then fill out a card, post it to your site pole, and then put your money in the envelope and into the hatch it goes. It was 10$ a night to stay there - Of course there is no running water.

It got down to 38 degrees at night, so lots of clothes and cuddling to survive. We washed our dishes in this glacier cold and clear stream in the mornings.

Montana Trip: Day 1

Chris and I ventured out West for a 8 days last week. We left on the fourth and headed up North to Minnesota, then to North Dakota, and finally made it to the Eastern edge of Montana to a town called Glendive. We were in the car for 14 hours people! On the way out there, we decided to take pictures with giant animals! The first stop was the famous Preston trout in Minnesota along highway 52!  

North Dakota is loaded with them, I suppose there is nothing else to do there but build the worlds largest animal statues. This is The buffalo at some frontier town. They also had albino buffalo and sweet leather hats that Chris and I neglected to get.

 

About an hour or so later we came across Salem Sue- the world's largest Holstein cow. Pretty impressive if I do say so myself.  The entrance sign encouraged people to donate money so that Sue could have a facelift every couple of years. The first picture is taken from the car!

After driving what seemed like an eternity through North Dakota going 85mph, the scenery finally got pretty for the last 30 miles! These exposed hills were colored kinda neat. The aren't even that good looking, so let that speak for the rest of North Dakota. 

Finally Montana! One more giantass animal left. We found this goody on a back road to our campground. Chris wanted to appear like he was being "pooped out" of the Dinosaur. It looks convincing, especially with that smile!

So just to note, this is my first time camping. Lookout! And with no running water. Holy Smokes! But, we did get to buy lots of new stuff such as: tent, cast iron skillet, and my very own sleeping bag. This is our fist camping site. We put the tent up, cooked the meal and by that time we were beat and went to sleep. To top the night off  it stormed and the tent didn't leak! I forgot to mention that the camping site came complete with a river and pit toilets!

The Farm

Oh goodness... I have started a frenzy in the cat! She jumps off our bed the moment my feet hit the hardwood floors in the morning. She makes a mad dash for the door downstairs and waits on the door mat until I am ready to go, just like a typical dog. She loves riding in the car!

Her favorite spot in the car is standing on the center council looking out the front window!

Field work isn't my specialty. It usually ends up with me breaking something and getting yelled at for it. Although, my Dad has gotten much more mellow with age, and I have gotten more bold with my word choices when the situation does arrive.  

He asked me to do some hay teddering yesterday and it went well for the most part. He claimed it was the easiest job on the farm and that I couldn't screw it up. Essentially it is just fluffing the hay up and spreading it around so it will dry faster. Kind of like stirring in a recipe. 

The jist to making hay: 1. Cut 2. Tedder 3. Rake 4. Bale  

Finished product....ultimately my arch nemesis. I hate unloading hay!

 

When I was younger I had a pet cow named Ginger. She was mostly white like this little guy. We only have like 3 white cows on the whole farm at the moment, so I was super excited to see this one born! So cute!

Spring Flowers

After work today on the farm, I decided to take some photos of the beautiful flowers around the flower beds at my parent's house. The peony bush is just starting to bloom.

Of course Juuls had to come with this morning. She was begging by the front door at 5:45 am to go along with me. I couldn't say no to that precious face. 

What a street cat..... When we got home, she slept on the couch for 5 hours straight!

I love Iris's. Mom had a few different colors including purple, peach, and scarlet.

I just got done reading this book. The author is from Dubuque, Iowa. Weird having town names come up in the book that I actually knew! Get it from your local library. Easy read that is highly recommended. My next book choice is Eat, Pray, Love.

I love Dancing with the Stars! Sadly the season is over, but Nicole and Derrick won! 

Yay! I knew it from the beginning. I fell in love with the song that Evan and Anna 

danced to for their Argentine Tango. It is called Bust Your Windows by Jazmine Sullivan, it is currently downloading as I type.

A lot to write about!

I have a lot to talk about! I have not blogged in almost a month. Quick update- I am finished with my first semester of grad school and received 2 A's, it was my 23rd birthday yesterday, we have baby kittens on the farm, and I have the best fiance in the world.

Here it is people~ I have been obsessing over this gnome ever since I heard about it. It is currently in the gardens at Iowa State University. It's pure concrete, was made in Wisconsin, and is like 15ft tall! I requested as a joke to one of my friends to take a picture of it when he went back to Ames. The next day I had this baby waiting for me on my cell.

Next are a few pictures of the Jordan Sparks and The Life of Riley concert that Chris and I went to. It took place at the Diamond Jo casino in Dubuque. It was great! She is an amazing singer as American Idol already proved. Chris got me the tickets for my birthday and put up with it like a champ, nothing that a little booze couldn't help.

Taking a cruise in the Nova for Mothers Day. We took my Mom out for ice cream at Sweet Dreams in Rickardsville, Iowa. Of course Maggie had to come along too! By the way my bling looks perfect in this picture...

At last, my friend Lindsie's birthday. We also spent this night at the Casino and local towny bars. We started with dualing pianos. It is crazy how good these guys are! She got to go on stage as the picture shows. Love the picture of Leibs and I during the performance!

Ay yiy yiy.... This is Chris and his child predator mustache on St. Patties Day in Dyersville. He looks just like the guy in The Lovely Bones movie.