View From The Bridge 5/6/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
5/6/15

MOTHER’S DAY
Next Sunday will be the 2nd Sunday of the month which makes it Mother’s Day. This is just a reminder if you have a Mom far or near, call her or send her a card. In fact, do it more often than Mother’s Day.

Keep in closer touch because couldn’t, shouldn’t, and wouldn’t are all shoulda words. It may be too late. I have no regrets about having been in contact with my Mom but I do have them about my Grandmother who lived longer than my Mom. How I wish I had given her the help that I am receiving from my extended family.  I am so fortunate because all I have to say is, “I need,” and it is done. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you.

JIMMY BUFFETT DAY
On Friday, May 15th you are invited to celebrate Jimmy Buffett Day at the Benton Pharmacy.  A Nacho Bar will be starting at 11:00 a.m. and there will be other shacks, and door prizes.

It is Chris Halko’s way of easing the pain of April 15th IRS day. This will be the 12th annual and Chris puts on a great party. (He gave me a scoop on the story too.)  See you there!

GRAND UNION WEDDING
Have any of you readers attended a wedding at the Grand Union Hotel? My Morger family had such an experience last Saturday, May 2, 2015. Victoria Miller, the daughter of Lisa Morger Miller and John Miller, was wed to Justin Townsend at 5:00 p.m.

I had very often imagined a wedding at the Hotel and visualizing the bride appearing at the top of the stairs and then gliding down the stairway. The guests are seated in the lobby and all eyes are on that stairway. That is exactly how it happened except that Justin met Victoria, with her father John on one side and her mother Lisa on the other giving her away. They exchanged the so called, “Who gives this daughter in marriage,” kind of thing and Lisa and John descended while Justin continues down the stairs with Victoria.

It was something like out of a movie and I just wanted time to be frozen to enjoy those moments a while longer.

Victoria lives in San Francisco, CA and when she made her wedding plans last fall; they were all about being married in Fort Benton. Her mother, Lisa, was a Fort Benton girl who attended the University of Montana and became a teacher. She met John at the U. of M. and he is also a teacher. They were married at the Catholic Church here in Fort Benton and went off into the wide world to teach in eastern Montana, Alaska and then back to Montana.

This background meant greatly to Victoria and her dream was to be married in her Mom’s hometown. I will always picture Victoria coming down those stairs every time I glance at the Grand Union. It was a fairy tale wedding.

Justin’s family is mostly from Ca. For his large family, most were able to attend and it was their first visit to Montana. My son Randy gave them a tour of the two Museums and the Old Fort. They were very impressed, (and who would not be?) and commented what great facilities a small town like ours has to offer.

So Folks, please take advantage of our historic buildings and take your guests to visit. Most importantly, support your museum. It is after all, the Agricultural Museum. Chouteau County is the 3rd largest wheat growing county in the United States and the 1st in Montana. Our very hard working farmers deserve may kudos.

VISITORS INFO CENTER
The Center will open on Monday, May 18th, with 2 shifts of 3 hours each. The hours will be from 1000 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. 7 days a week. There was a meeting of former volunteers a week ago to introduce us to the new co-coordinator, Stacy Bronec. She is young, enthusiastic, and has the energy to recruit more young people to greet our visitors. I do not want to say that we are all senior citizens but actually most of us are. Our numbers are growing smaller. We all love being at the Center because of the interesting people we meet and the stories we hear. If you love history, especially Fort Benton history, then you will love the Center.

I have several quotes that I found on the internet. “If you do not know where you came from, then you will not know where you are going.” “A People without a History, is like the Buffalo Grass in the Wind.”

If you use the excuse that you are too busy, think about this. “Speak Less of Your Plans. You Will Get More of Them Done.” You must all know how I feel about volunteering…you should give back to your community. If you do not get involved, you will never know the enjoyment of accomplishment.

MULLEN ROAD CONFERENCE
Here is another historical experience you would not want to miss.  The last conference was 5 years ago and it was a high point of the season. During the conference, we were taken on a field trip along a part of the Mullen Road. We visited Fort Shaw and that was when my interest in the World Championship Fort Shaw Girls Basketball Team was originated. I have recently reported on that story. Love those Girls!

Back to the conference……It will be held starting May 22nd to the 24th. If you sign up for the conference (Conference Schedule and Registration Form available by following this link) you will have full schedules each day with lunch, dinner. Oh!  Wait a minute. There will be more important goings-on than food. Many well-known speakers will be there and the new book, “The Mullen Road: Carving a Passage through the Frontier Northwest.” See you there.

PIE DAY
There will be a Bake Sale and Pie Day on Friday the 8th at 1:00 p.m. It will be the last Pie Day for the season and may begin again in September. Please support this Golden Age Senior Center event. I just hate seeing old traditions fade away. See you there!

PIATIGORSKY
It is Sunday evening and I just returned home from the Piatigorsky Concert at the Grand Union.  For a reason, I would like to know, it was the best attendance ever. Many of the audience were unknown to me and I wondered if they came from out reaching areas because they heard about the concert.

The concert itself was awesome. How the violinist, Paul Rosenthol, memorized those classical pieces blows my mind. I could not see if the pianist, Doris Stevenson, had music in front of her but never the less, she was fabulous. It was a beautiful Montana day and the Missouri was flowing quietly. What a perfect afternoon it was.

That evening about 9:30 p.m., I went to my kitchen window that faces east. The almost full moon was just above the Grand Union. I wish I had a picture of it. It was end of a perfect day.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.