Foto-story Friday #22 -- Desire

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

We were at our favorite store, Ranch and Farm Ace Hardware when I took these photos. Every time we get in the suburban the chorus of : "Are we going to Ranch and Farm?" begins.  I've taken the camera a few times and gotten some fun pictures.  I was behind him when I looked up and saw him staring... {This is actually the second shot I took... but it needs to be first to tell the story best.} 

Can you see the desire in his eyes?
This is the first one I took.... can you see what he wants?
Here is the object of his desires .... a John Deere trike or a pedaling tractor. {on the other side of these were two John Deer pedal tractors.}  He told me several times how nice it would be if he could just have one.
Or any John Deer toys!  
He wants a bigger collection!

My World -- industry

This week I'd like to share one of the major things that keeps this town going.  There really are only about three major industries that fuel this map dot, I will highlight each in a MyWorld post. 

This first week is:
The railroad.  You can see, hear, feel and smell this major part of town.  So many people work for or are associated with the railroad here.
This is the rather spacious depot.  Behind is the roundhouse, shop and various other buildings.  My husband who is ever the bread winner and provider works three jobs --1 full-time, and 2 part time jobs, one of his part time jobs is with a transport company.  They transport the rail crews from area to area.  It might be from one end of the train to the other or it might be from the depot to a waiting train 3 hours away.   
The tracks run parallel to the main street through town, but there are other tracks that are used, but not as often.  I wanted to take this picture when there were a few more colored leaves on the trees, but on Thursday a bunch of trees all over town dropped their leaves all at once.  This bridge is called Black Bridge.

Another angle on the Black Bridge.  It spans the Yellowstone River. 
The sun was shining towards me and so the lighting is not the best, but can you see the three trains?  only one was moving......
Did you pick the train in the middle?
This train didn't get far before they stopped and a guy jumped out to set the hand brakes.  These trains haul freight only we have no passenger trains that even come through except rail crews ... as in rail up keep.
Recently we had a little pile up in the yard.  I'm not sure what happened, but several cars were damaged and they had to call in huge cranes to move the cars off the track.  This shot shows what's left of those cars.  The whole axel was ripped off.  No one was hurt.
thanks for visiting my corner of the world here in Eastern Montana, USA

To visit more corners of the world and get a virtual vacation click here!

52 Weeks of Blessings- week 43 --Prophets

President Thomas S. Monson

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

I feel so blessed to live in this day and age.  To have a living prophet on the earth.  To have General Conference to see and hear him speak the words our Heavenly Father and Jesus would have us hear. I feel so blessed to have a testimony and to be a member of His church.

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

Brightly

Hymns, We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, no. 19

1. We thank thee, O God, for a prophet
To guide us in these latter days.
We thank thee for sending the gospel
To lighten our minds with its rays.
We thank thee for every blessing
Bestowed by thy bounteous hand.
We feel it a pleasure to serve thee
And love to obey thy command.

2. When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us
And threaten our peace to destroy,
There is hope smiling brightly before us,
And we know that deliv’rance is nigh.
We doubt not the Lord nor his goodness.
We’ve proved him in days that are past.
The wicked who fight against Zion
Will surely be smitten at last.

3. We’ll sing of his goodness and mercy.
We’ll praise him by day and by night,
Rejoice in his glorious gospel,
And bask in its life-giving light.
Thus on to eternal perfection
The honest and faithful will go,
While they who reject this glad message
Shall never such happiness know.

Text: William Fowler, 1830–1865

Music: Caroline Sheridan Norton, 1808–ca. 1877

Foto-story Friday #21-- Cowpie trails

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Go see more of the skies around the world here.

Back in 2001 when we moved to the farm, we went from the big city life to the middle of nowhere Eastern MT s-l-o-w paced life.  After the tractor rescue and before the tornado experience and the construction, we walked and explored everywhere!  The farmers have a lot of land and we needed something to do.  

Look closely at the below photo.... in the background you can see the grain elevators of the town of Lindsay.  Actually, the buildings in the back, yeah they are the whole town of Lindsay!  It consists of:  a school grades K-8, post office, a bar/restaurant, a little gas station, 7 houses and the grain elevators!  On one of our many walks, Cody stabbed this cowpie and carried it around like a flag.
 
I believe these pictures were taken in the spring months of 2001.  
The buildings you can just see in this shot are of the farm from across the field.
I have no idea how many miles we walked that summer.... it's no wonder I was way skinnier! :)
These first 5 photos were taken all on the same walk.  {not bad for the digital cameras of 7 years ago?!}
Robby out exploring on one of our first adventures.  I think we rode bike for this one.  The below picture is from the same day.  We climbed all over these bales.  

It wasn't until we moved to this side of the state that I understood why Montana is called Big Sky Country! Look how the sky seems to be endless?

Weekly photo challenge--relationship

"This week's challenge is to photograph a relationship! Find something special between two or more peeps and capture it to the best of your abilities. It should be FUN!! Try to find that exact moment that it registers on their face how much they LOVE or HATE another person...show the times that they play well together or fight amongst each other. :) Any relationship that you want to share is just right!! Anyone out there want to play along? We want to see the relationships around YOU! Show us your best shots!!"

OK, I feel like this was a challenge just for me, I try to avoid the whole take a picture of people.... well, not really I just hate to convince them to "act natural". Nature sits still and waits patiently while I try to figure out just how I want the picture to look, people don't!

This is just who Scott is and just exactly how they all react to him. At the time this was taken, I was trying out my new camera and I just wanted to get a good shot of the kids. I got one where they were all facing the camera, but this one is my favorite.
Today I made these Thing 1 & Things 2 halloween costumes. I thought it might be fun to drag up the pumpkin and try for a few shots of them being natural.... these were the best, they were mostly being silly.
Then we traded the pumpkin for the exercise ball and they did their best to balance!
They might fight and be big pills but these two have a bond ... a twin bond ... that I hope they never loose!

For my how-to on these costumes, click here!

52 Weeks of Blessings- week 42 --nature MYWorld

This week's blessing is of the beauty of nature!  I love the outdoors and want to share some of my favorite places before it gets cold and I'll just be loving the indoors.  
The Mission Mnts.  I love this range located in northwestern Montana.
Flathead lake surrounded by the mountains.  
Glacier National Park
A beautiful lake surrounded by the mountains of Glacier.  These first four pictures were taken while I was still in high school.  Some friends came up from UT and we took a trip to Canada. We had a great time.  

 Just for fun I thought I'd throw this one of my sister, Ryanne, and I on that trip in Glacier.

Having grown up in the beauty of Western MT, I was sure there would be nothing to compare in Eastern MT. I was wrong!  Right up the road from me {maybe a mile} is a beautiful state park, Makoshika. 
A natural bridge.  Because of erosion, this trail has been closed.
Looking out over the beauty of the badlands.  
One of my favorite formations in the park is this one.

Thanks for visiting the beauties of nature here in the vastly beautiful state of Montana!

I've decided to link up to the new MyWorld site

you decide

So tell me, do you see a family resemblance? 

SkyWatch Friday-reflection

For more skies go here!
This is the dang annoying puddle on the corner of our house..... but it does provide and interesting view of the sky.
I'd seen a few reflection shots and I just wanted to give it a try. It is amazing how the view changes when you walk a little this way or that.
A few weeks ago we went for a walk/ride across the Bell Street bridge. I am getting in the habit of packing the camera around. After getting a few pix of the kiddos, I turned the lens on the fall colors emerging .... the Yellowstone provided a nice place to capture them.

When looking over the photo challenges today I say that one I hadn't done was reflection. So I thought I'd submit this entry.

foto-story Friday #20-Fall music concert

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Tuesday was the first middle school {5th - 8th} concert of the year.  Due to the pink eye running rampant through our house my trumpet player was unable to participate.  He and Robby who also was afflicted stayed home.  The rest of us headed out to enjoy an evening on song and musicians.  

The line up was as follows:

6th grade choir {4 songs}

7th & 8th grade band {3 songs}

5th grade choir {4 songs}

6th grade band {3 songs}

7th & 8th grade choir {5 songs}

Can you see Savanna in the brown shirt and black pants?  

Unfortunately, Savanna was standing in a bad spot relative to where we found seats .... as you see, a tall girl was in front of her.

About half-way through the 6th grade band, this sweet little boy's eyes started to get heavy and his head started to droop and next we knew, he was out like a light!  When the song was over and the crowds began clapping, Scott clapped along with them never missing a beat and still ASLEEP!  He slept through Shantel's choir performance.
Shantel was right upfront for the first song as it was an all girl song
Shantel was farther away in the full choir, but still visible.