A couple days after our first snow we drove into town and the Highwood Mountains were so beautiful – it was early evening, and they were in cloaked in blue shadows with a “dusting” of snow. (as proved later, it was more than just a dusting) I wanted photos.
The next afternoon we left Belt for the mountains, which are
very close. As soon as we left, we were
in cattle country – rolling hills and wandering creeks. Individual farmsteads were decked with fall
foliage and the bright blue sky was laden with clouds pregnant with snow.
The roads were well graded and wandered up and down and
around. The views were awesome. I took many photos, and Tucker exercised his
voice by barking at cattle, horses and deer, and sometimes nothing at all. As we edged by the Highwoods, we drove
through an area arched with golden trees and then started climbing the grasslands
once again.
We were on top! Not
of a mountain, but of a prairie hill – and the view was breathtaking! Just last week as we were driving around
Flathead and Whitefish lakes, I wondered to myself if there was anywhere left
in this country with a view that was not blocked by McMansions! Well, folks, I’m here to tell you there is.
Standing on top of the world, I had a 360 degree view. To the south, about 50-60 miles across a
broad valley, – the Little Belts and Kings Hill, close behind us the Highwoods, to the northwest – over 100 miles away the
Rockies and to the northeast – stretching as far as the eye could see – the eastern
prairies of Montana. You stand in one
place and turn in circles and see only nature in her finest. The snowstorm had cleared out all the smoke,
and the Big Skies of Montana were overpowering.
I always think, when I see a home built on top of a hill in
Montana, that it must have been built by non Montanans because no native in
their right mind would build there because of the wind. The wind never stops here – east of the
mountains. But, I tell you what – if I
could I would and never, ever complain about the wind!
The farmsteads were mostly along the creeks – we only passed
4 “stand alone” homes during the entire drive – they were built on top - two were across the road from each other, the
other two were over a mile apart – no other structures cluttered the top!
Actually, you’d need the attitude, also - many a pioneer
went mad on the prairie, of loneliness and the incessant wind.
So, now I know where my dream space is and I’ll visit it
from time to time, and hope the landowners hold firm and my next visit doesn’t
have McMansions strewn across the “Top”
Until next time
Bear Hugs
Luv ‘n Boots and Tucker, too
And don’t forget Little Bear
She believed she could do it, and so she did.
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