Just another day in Paradise!

My belongings are stored in a huge cargo container in front of Robert’s trailer, next to the road. His workshop is also in a huge cargo container (10x40). Today he set up a couple of heaters, one propane, one kerosene, for me to use so I can hang out in my container if I want to. I have my big desk at the front and a rocking chair. It is so neat to sit and rock with the doors open and look out into the woods with the trees all weighed down with snow (the stuff is actually pretty heavy!) and just be off by myself for awhile.

The sky is a special shade of deep blue. There are still several varieties of birds living here, including the elusive solitary turkey. The birds feet leave long, flowing trails in the snow, some with their tails dragging, joining the foot tracks like a dot-to-dot picture. I think they are surviving on berries from the juniper trees. I have been putting bacon grease and peanut butter in the bark of one tree. Now I have chickadees greeting me when I walk down to our property. A bird flying high overhead had a pretty loud flap, or maybe it just seems so in the silence.

Last night, Robert and I rode the ATV with the snow plow on the front over to Jim’s house to dig him out. Only the main roads (all gravel) get plowed, so the side roads have to be cleared by those using them. Spring Valley Road, where we are building, is one of those side roads, and it is posted Closed and Hazardous from September 1 to July 1. Anyway, Jim’s on one of the side roads, 3/4 mile from the main road. On the way over (through miles and miles of mountains, woods, and valleys, with no homes or people) sunset was beginning. We were looking down on the clouds–we were way above them–and they looked like burning embers. Some glowed a red-orange among black clouds scattered like coals, and they appeared as islands on the ocean. The distant mountains formed a shoreline, and the deep blue sky was the water. The ground all around us still has three feet of snow, so the sky was the only point of color, and it was so incredible! We arrived at Jim’s house, high above most of the mountains, with views of valleys below and more mountains in the distance. The clouds and sun continued to enthrall me as the colors shifted to clouds to the south, brilliant red and black streaks across the sky. Montana clouds give a sky show by themselves, but with sunset added, it’s spectacular! (Jim’s outhouse has a big picture window in it! Oh, well, he has no neighbors.)As evening fell, I could see lights from the town of Three Forks, about 13 miles away as the crow flies. I walked around and watched the sky while Robert cleared Jim’s driveway, about a city block long.

As the last light of the day faded, I could see a brilliant planet, pure white, sparkling in the dark heavens. I don’t remember ever seeing a planet so clear and close before. It threw out light so bright, I thought of the star that led the shepherds to the stable, and the words of Linus in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" came to mind (Luke 2)-

8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Later, Steve told me the bright planet is Venus, and the small, faintly orange planet is Mars.

When Jim’s driveway was cleared, I got on the back of the ATV and we plowed the road. The road to Jim’s gate is about 3/4 mile from the main road, and slopes from the top of the mountain to the foothills. As we made our way up and down and up and down, and up and down, clearing the road with snow flying back and barely stinging us on the face, I enjoyed the feel of the cold, dry air. The air is so clean and sweet. Alone in the wilderness, riding home in the dark, the sky speckled with stars, the snow glittering in our lights–it doesn’t get any better than this!

Just another day in Paradise!

kathleen:-)