April In Montana

April is a crapshoot.

At least when it comes to weather in Montana. Despite warnings from the conservative side of my brain, I decided that come hail or highcountry snow, I would journey northward from Arizona to surprise my closest female relatives (those being my sister and my mother) on their birthdays.

It worked.

I'm steadfast in a few things; sending cards and presents for holidays and birthdays is not one of them. So my arrival in Billings on my sister's birthday not only created good cheer, but landed her part of a day off of work. What a deal. Our visit was upbeat and her dogs and cats danced best they could with both joy and annoyance at seeing me again (two dogs danced with joy, one cat was too heavy to dance, and the other cat's status quo is to be annoyed). I also got the opportunity to visit my niece at the prison for about an hour and a half. In other Billings news, my sister and I popped in on her female friend who has two tiny dogs I could fit in a watch pocket. The friend met us at the door in a robe, not expecting my sister to be bringing along a male of the species. Catching people during showers is apparently a natural skill of mine. One of the dogs is a Yorkie and, having been a puppy mill pup, it spins and spins in fast tight circles the way it used to do in it's tiny cage in it's previous life. It's rather hilarious at first but then I found myself getting dizzy at the spirals. Have you ever had a tiny dog try to latch onto your heel? Some dogs do not realize they are bite sized. My sister and I did our usual thrift/dollar storing adventure and we both landed some books and odds and ends. If you're ever at odds with someone, bring it to an end. Works every time.

Billings hills had snow and I threw a snowball for a friend in Arizona, as requested. She has a cat, but it's apparently Cajun. Swamp cat in the desert. I think the cat, code name Mineaux, swallowed one lens to my infamous $100 sunglasses. Another talent of mine is losing items and using pets as scapegoats.

On to the northwest corner of Montana where I rolled in the day before my mother's birthday. Mom was happy to see me, but got an additional treat when my brother came down from the north end of the valley and we took Mom out to lunch for her birthday. Besides a cat book and some other small presents, I presented Mom with a crocheted bear that my niece made for her in prison. Mom crocheted many bears in her time and gave one to my niece when she was a little girl; so this was a bit of reciprocal crocheting...and without a pattern, no less. Leave it to Montanans to communicate love via soft bears.

I spent a couple days with my brother and he was able to work out a day off from work due to my appearance. We took his convertible Spyder up to Glacier National Park and had a good time as the weather cooperated with a perfect day. I gave my brother his old field jacket from his early 70s stint in the Army...things coming full circle. He gave me a set of self-sharpening kitchen knives and his former wife was getting rid of four very nice pillows so I acquired those, as well. If you spend any time around our family, you will know we are sort of the "one person's trash is another person's treasure" sort of bunch. I'm not sure we ever had a first hand, but we have lots of second hands.

The return trip led me through Utah and Arches National Park. I highly recommend it. As I crossed into Arizona I caught Monument Valley in a stormy sunset. Suffice to say, I should have a couple rolls of phenomenal film photos. On the digital side, I got some pretty decent fisheye shots. You'll see some of my trip photos posted here soon.

The trip also yielded an abalone shell my mother's sister from California gave to me in 1975, so 30 years later it returns to me. I also now have my father's infamous red fanny pack in which he toted his small camera. One thing's for sure; when a guy wear's that thing, you can't miss him!

I'm back in southeast Arizona where it's wildflower season and the highs are in the 70s...one of the great times of year here.