Back in January, we made plans to cross-country ski into a Forest Service cabin. I spent the next month in a near panic, worried that we wouldn’t have any snow to ski on. I spend a lot of time worrying about the weather when we plan trips. In fairness, the country only a few miles … Read more
I have friends who are legal historians, they claim studying legislation is both exciting and interesting. But then, people will say just about anything to justify their graduate degrees. Whatever it takes to help you sleep at night, I guess. Do I find legislation exciting and interesting? Not always. Important? Yes. This year, the Montana … Read more
Every year the governor gives out the Serve Montana Awards in order to recognize outstanding volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to the state. This year featured—in addition to a community coordinator, a volunteer firefighter, a high school mentor, an American Red Cross volunteer, a Medicare counselor, and the Thompson Falls Student Council—the … Read more
A few weeks ago I stopped by a pond near the Jefferson River and took some pictures of trumpeter swans. It was an incredible experience, watching those massive birds lift from the water, beating the air with magnificent wings. When I got into the office the next Monday, I started researching trumpeter swans. For me, … Read more
You may have noticed Montana’s modernist buildings, especially if you have spent any time around the campuses of the state. Modernist architecture is defined by blocky, flat-roofed buildings with unadorned aluminum beams dividing large pane windows, sometimes in different colors (and following no discernable pattern). Modernism emphasized functionality, and any sort of decoration on building … Read more
Here on the blog, we pride ourselves in being able to unravel questions people might have about Montana. We like to explain the odd quirks and strange tendencies that make our state so great. Except for the weather. On that front (hah, see what I did there? A weather pun) we have nothing to … Read more
On Saturday I was a little worried about going skiing. It had felt like spring down in Missoula, and the reports coming from Chief Joseph weren’t all that encouraging. Warm weather kept thawing the surface every day, and cold weather kept freezing it every night, resulting in super icy conditions that made it nearly impossible … Read more
