Cliff Lake Camping

My first Moose sighting happened here! Holly and Rosemary and I drove our rigs to Cliff Lake, near the Madison Valley, and enjoyed a perfect 3 days of camping. We were able to camp right on the lake with our boats set up at the edge of camp. We were pleasantly surprised that our new friend, Pam, showed up too with her partner, Paul. We had just met Pam at Sue's potluck and we all had thought to ourselves that we would like to get to know each other better, so it was great having Pam as our neighbor.

The weather was perfect with warm mornings and early afternoons to enjoy great kayaking on the beautiful, still lake. We saw many golden and bald eagles, several osprey, and even a group of about 10 otters swimming, playing, and fishing in the lake. Our first day there, we took an evening paddle and saw a moose cow and her calf feeding at the water's edge - alas no camera with me. The next morning I woke up and saw them again, but by the time I jumped in my boat and paddled over to them, they had grazed up into the forest and I didn't get a good picture.

There really is a moose and her calf in this picture!

The late afternoons usually clouded over, but we were able to enjoy dinner and a campfire before the light show started. Fabulous thunder and lightning storms and some rain. I loved being tucked into my cozy upper bunk watching the night sky light up and listening to the dramatic rolling thunder.

One day we rode our bikes on the trail next to the lake and had to seek shelter for awhile when it started raining. I was a bit nervous in the forest because we had heard that a grizzly had been hanging around the lake. I'd like to see one from a distance, but I don't want to surprise mama bear in the forest.

Sweet Pea Festival

Cassandra and Val and I went to Bozeman to attend this annual festival in a lovely park. Our friends, Judy Fjell and Jim Robertson, were doing a gig there so we enjoyed their show, then spent hours looking at the excellent crafts and artwork. There was so much to admire and inspect, that I really didn't get to peruse the wares as thoroughly as I would have liked to. Lots of good entertainment too. If I'm here next year, I will probably spend 2 days at the festival so I can take my time and relax more.

River Float

Yesterday Velma, a river guide, took Sue's guests on a float down the Yellowstone River. Sue invited Rosemary and Holly and myself to join them in our own boats. We enjoyed floating the lazy current for about a 15 mile distance under the sunny sky. We spotted 7 or 8 big raptor nests in trees along the shoreline and sighted 3 or 4 each of bald eagles, osprey and golden eagles. And...those wonderful white pelicans treated us to the sight of their grand flight just above the water's surface.

At the end of the relaxing day, Holly and Rosemary and I bought a six-pack of beer and a delicious 'Flying Goat' pizza (feta, artichoke hearts, chicken, sundried tomatos) and went to Sacajawea Park down by the river to feast on our dinner.

The Mountain Cradle Project

Sue is a wonderful, courageous woman who has put her life on the line so that women can continue to have reproductive choice. She has been a doctor in abortion clinics in Wisconsin and Montana and, due to threats and incidents of violence from anti-choice groups (ironic isn't it), she had to wear a bullet-proof vest while at work.

Sue is currently semi-retired and living in Montana where she offers week-long retreats to women care-givers and activists who are burnt out from their many hours of dedicated service and in need of respite for themselves. Pearl is her business partner in this wonderful gift that they offer, and cooks the delicious vegetarian meals for the half dozen women who come to relax and be nurtured. http://www.mountaincradleproject.org

One group of guests consisted of women who worked in shelters for victims of domestic violence. The current group of women are political activists who have dedicated their lives to working for peace and justice, usually working many hours beyond a 'normal' work schedule.

Rosemary from Boston works for 'Military Families Speak Out' http://www.mfso.org , an organization of people who are opposed to war in Iraq and who have relatives or loved ones in the military. Over the past few decades, Bonnie from Minnesota has been involved in hundreds of peaceful demonstrations for various social and political causes and has been arrested over 90 times for exercising her right to freedom of speech. She has been sent to jail several times totaling over four years being incarcerated.

I asked her what it was like being in a women's prison. She said that women are inherently caregivers and nurturers and that there is a community spirit of the imprisoned women working together to support each other and make the best of their situation. She said that generally if there is violence between imprisoned women, it is consensual; that is, they have agreed to fight, rather than a situation of women victimizing each other. Women in prison discourage violence amongst themselves.

I was able to meet these women because Sue hosted a potluck for her guests and about 2 dozen other women in the area who are activists. Holly and Rosemary invited me to join them so I met them in Livingston and we drove out to Wilsall together. This was about a 150 mile roundtrip for me - not an unusual distance to travel to an event in Montana. I enjoyed many interesting conversations with other women and at one point we all sat in a circle and shared a bit about ourselves and how we became involved in activism.

This is a huge tee-pee on Sue's land. There is a firepit inside and cots to sit on so women can gather around a fire in the evening, even when it is raining or snowing outside. Women visitors have decorated the tee-pee by painting 'self-portraits'.