View From The Bridge

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
10/15/14

FALL
We are well into fall now and Mother Nature did not do her usual as in the past couple of years. Summer went directly into winter and winter into summer last year. The falling leaves were a sight to behold as they fell continuously. The trees on my boulevard were bare last week while others on the block are now ridding themselves of leaves.

Just a reminder that leaves will be picked up the week of the 20th of October. That only gives you a few days to rake them to the curb or edge of your property. It has been said over and over that leaves are not to be put in the street. If you see a friend or neighbor who has not gotten the word, please tell them kindly that activity is not acceptable. Of course, this depends on who your friend or neighbor is. No hard feelings should enter the picture so use your judgment as to what to do.  Community pride ranks high on the list.

It is official now as an ad was in the River Press last week. The big Fall Cleanup will be on the24th, 25th and 26th. If you cannot connect with that weekend, the cleanup will be the following weekend also.

COLUMBUS DAY
Columbus does not get enough credit for what he accomplished. He was a very brave man at a time when people thought you would fall off the edge of the world. I only knew today it was Columbus Day because I stopped at the bank and the post office and they were closed.

Cheers to you Columbus.  I will be thinking of you all day. I know it is on my calendar and I write important dates there too. I forget to look at it and I miss many important activities.  

I checked the internet and found that there are 22 cities named Columbus and 10 Townships. Of course you all know about Columbus, Montana. According to those figures, not every state has a city named Columbus.

I’ll bet that all the people in Canada know that today Monday the 13th is Columbus Day.  Well, perhaps not because it is Canada’s Thanksgiving Day. I can smell that turkey and pumpkin pie from here. I wish I could get up there for dinner tonight without a passport.

Hope you enjoyed “Columbus Day.”

BILLY SWENSGARD
The Committee for the Dedication of the Memorial Tables would like you to know a month ahead of time about the schedule. The dedication will be on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in the MontanaVeteran’s Memorial Park.

Afterward, there will be refreshments, conversation, and stories about Billy at the Golden Age (Senior Center.) At 5:30 p.m. we will proceed to the Sunrise Bluffs for the annual Veteran’s Day dinner.

We will also draw for the raffle that was started months ago to raise the money for the memorial tables. The prizes are an American Flag that flew over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., a beautiful Red, White and Blue Quilt, a Red, White and Blue table runner, and two patriotic wreaths made from barbed wire.

Please put on your calendar for Tuesday November 11th. All Veterans will be honored that day so make an effort to celebrate with us. We, the general public, have total respect and love for those who fought for our country. There are very few ways we can show our support and this day is one of them. As these wars and protective measures go on and on, there will be many more Veterans. GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS. As an after thought, wear your “Support Our Troops,”  t-shirts that day.

Think about Billy Swensgard on Sunday, the 19th, as it is his birth date.  He was only 20 years old when he was killed in Vietnam.

C.C.P.A.
Just another reminder, a week and a half ahead of time, that Saturday the 25th, it will be Rockin’ and Rollin’ at the Ag Center at 7:00 p.m. David Bennett and the Memphis Boys will be entertaining. David is not only noted for his pumpin” piano but he sings as well.  You won’t want to miss this one. It is going to be one of the best yet.

FULL MOON
I did not get to see the moonrise of the Full Harvest Moon. By the time I shut off the lights, there was still heavy cloud cover. I did see it the next night but it was not orange.  Oh well, perhaps next year.

LEAF PICKUP
The week of the 20th, that starts next Monday, will start the leaf pickup. Let’s hope that it doesn’t rain and make it difficult to pick up. Not that I do not like rain but it would make things a little sloppy.

The following weekend will be the big “Clean Up” time. Do not wait until the last minute because you will always forget something and perhaps not get rid of it. Then you wait until the next weekend and then before you know it you have to wait until next spring. In the meanwhile, the STUFF just hangs around, getting in the way, and a general nuisance.  Oh well, when will I get organized? Come join the crowd!

AUTHORS
There was a Book Reading on Monday the 6th, at the Chouteau County Library. Fort Benton welcomed two new authors who moved to town about six months ago. A month or so ago, Margy Berstein had a reading of her book titled “The Poet & The Wolf.” The reading was at the Lark & Laurel and I and several other friends were not able to attend.  (I wish that she could repeat that reading.)

“A Shipment of Arms” by N. B. Miller was read on Monday the 6th. It was very interesting and I could have listened to him for hours. They say that most people enjoy having someone read to them.

The nice surprise about these readings was that both authors donate the proceeds to the Library. Ask at the Library for details.

Enjoy each and every minute while this beautiful weather hangs on.