Going to the Sun





I was happy to be seeing Montana for the first time. I truly understand why it is called Big Sky country. It all just seems so BIG. Not only the sky, but the mountains, the ranches, the space.... Again, I thought of the song "Fifty Miles of Elbow Room" by Iris Dement. I get it- the attraction for people who just want to be left alone, who don't care if they see no one else for days and days, for people who need space and time between friends and family -HA!

 Steve had parked along the Gallatin River and the day after I arrived we took a long ride down a gravel road to the Hyalite Creek Trails to see a waterfall and more mountains.





That was July 28th. The next day we got a call from Joel.

I thought that I was done leaving Steve until mid- August when I was to fly to Haiti with Jane to orient her to our Haitian staff and programs. But life is uncertain and fragile. 

We knew my youngest son Joel and and his wife, Allison, were caring for her mother in their home as she was in so much pain she needed help moving. Doctors had scheduled her for a knee replacement and said that would eventually help her back pain also. When the pain became worse she was put in the hospital and it was discovered that her pain was from bones that were broken due to metastatic cancer. 

It's really hard being so far away when your loved ones are going through a hard time. They knew I was willing to come to Missouri to help with child care. Joel called the morning of July 29 and said, "Can you come help? Allison is with her mom as much as possible because she is dying rapidly." I arrived in Kansas City late that night and Ubered to their house because he was alone in the house with the little ones. When I arrived he told me Allison's mom had died an hour before. She was only 60. 
                                    Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie-making time!
It is always a treat to be with grandchildren so I had a good week while Joel and Allison had a hard week with emptying her refrigerator, adding her dog to their household, and arranging for her funeral and burial. And grieving and wondering where and when the doctors missed the cues that the pain she was having was much more serious than a knee replacement would fix. I kept thinking about what it would be like to learn you have only weeks to live, then only days.....Allison lost her mom and that is a really big thing to grieve.



Two days after the funeral, I flew back to Montana - again - into Jackson Hole this time.
This is what greets you as you leave the plane and enter the small Jackson Hole, Montana airport.

Flying into Jackson Hole was a bit scary. Because of a lightning storm we had to circle a bit before landing and we were circling between mountains that were higher than the plane. Our guess is that it takes special training for the pilots that fly into Jackson Hole!



Just south of Yellowstone National Park is the Grand Teton National Park. The Grand Tetons had a lot more snow on them before global warming. But many peaks still had snow in July! On August 6th





August 7th we did a hike around part of Jenny Lake. A boat ride to the other side turns an all day hike into a couple of hours hike.








August 8th



August 9th- We were in the south of Yellowstone Park. Last year we had just been in the north of it. Yellowstone is one of those places that takes weeks to see properly.




We did not see Old Faithful blow this year as the 90+ minutes between eruptions was just starting. I was interested in seeing inside the Old Faithful Inn.

"As a national historic landmark, Old Faithful Inn is the most requested lodging facility in the park. Built in 1903-1904 with local logs and stone, the Inn is considered the largest log structure in the world. The towering lobby features a massive stone fireplace and a hand-crafted clock made of copper, wood and wrought iron serving as focal points." (From the website)


Yellowstone Park is an awe-inspiring place where the crust of earth is really thin we are reminded of the heat and the power that is under the ground where we walk each day.




August 11

I could stand and watch the water for hours.



Garvey and Polette sent some critters to have some adventures with me.

By August 13 we were in Northern Montana to spend some time with Steve's son, James, his wife Rachel and their children. We had BBQ at the local park one evening and then drove up the "Going to the Sun" Road. 
James and Rachel and Jameson

Steve and Atlas planning the next day's drive.
August 14- these are views taken from the "Going to the Sun" Road. Truly, it had views that cannot be done justice by photos.









Children and a river just make a great pair for endless entertainment.


And then it was time to leave for Haiti. Steve took me to the airport at Kallispell.  He spent the time I was gone doing mountain biking with James' family. The week in Haiti is described in my blog "My Life in Haiti".


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