View From The Bridge 6/5/19

View from the Bridge
By Muncie
6/5/19

FULL STRAWBERRY MOON
This moon was universal to the Algonquin tribe. However, in Europe they called it the Rose Moon. Also, because the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes every year during the month of June . . . so the Full Moon that occurs during that month was christened for the strawberry.

The full moon this month is on Monday the 17th.

FUN RUN
You can sign up for the Summer Celebration Fun Run now. Go to www.fortbenton.com/sumcel. I have been told that it is very simple to do. However . . . there are many seniors that do not have a computer. Please try to have someone help you. It saves a lot of time on the day of the Fun Run because they have to put it into a computer at that time.

There are also forms all over town for you to sign up but there again it has to be typed up into the computer when you get to the sign up location.

I hope that you are spreading the word about Summer Celebration to all of your family, friends, and neighbors. I know that the t-shirts are awesome this year.

I saw some video this past week of the trick riders that will be at the rodeo. I know that the fireworks will be the best ever. Everything has been planned for your entertainment from Friday evening to Sunday at closing time.

Another attraction is the talent show on Sunday afternoon. It was a huge success last year and will be even better this year. I promise so see you there.

CONGRATULATIONS

I would like to send my very best wishes to the 22 graduates from Fort Benton High School and those from Geraldine and Highwood. I have not forgotten the 1 graduation from Loma. I hope that all of you are going to college and then the whole world opens up for you. One of you may be President of the United States, or go to the moon, or find a cure for cancer. Make the most of what you learn to make the world a better place to live in.

SPORTS
What a year Fort Benton has had for setting records and taking 1st place in many events. I didn’t have the advantage of sports when back when. The boys had football and basketball but the girls had none. How I would have loved basketball and track and field events. I think that your strength and stamina will carry you into a life a lot longer than we seniors have today. So, keep up your active lives and enjoy every minute of every day.

TC POWERHOUSE LIVE
As it has always been, the performances last Friday night were special. There is so much talent that it is breathtaking to watch. I cannot imagine how many hours it took to put on a show like that. It was all perfection in every movement. To those who manage the dance studio . . . you are the best. You must have the patience of the dancing Angels. Thank You.

SHRINERS
I could not stay long because of the 85 temperature but I did have a great time for the time I was there. I had lunch and the hot dogs were well roasted and hot. The whole set-up was so organized and I hope it went very well for the Shiners. I know that the work you do is one that the country cannot get along without it. Volunteering is difficult to find but is much appreciated. See you next year.

COMMUNITY GARDEN
One more gardener signed up this past week and that leaves two high planters and two low ones. It isn’t too late to get plants planted for early picking. Starting from seed takes longer but I think more fun. To see a plant grow from a seed is so rewarding but no matter how you do it....just do it.

FORT BENTON VAN/BUS RIDES
The community bus/van trips around Fort Benton will continue through June. Participation has been slow and so the decision has to be made to discontinue during the summer months. Perhaps it is the warm weather and people can get around more. Perhaps the trips to Great Falls could be once or twice a month.

The two drivers for the trips to Great Falls and the one driver for the Fort Benton trips are volunteers.  The Tuesday trips consist of seven hours travel time and the Friday trips are four hours. This does not include getting to the bus/van and checking, like gas, to see if all is in order.

We have a lot to be thankful for these volunteers. They are driver Angels. Let them know how much you appreciate them.

REMINDERS
Get together items you would like to donate to the Lions Garage Sale in September.

Three weeks from Friday will be Summer Celebration. A good time will be had by all.

Buy an American Flag to hang by the 4th of July. JUST DO IT.

Put on your smiley faces for the Visitors that come to visit Fort Benton. Many of them are from out of state and foreign countries. If they look as though they are looking for something do not be bashful. Ask if you can help them in any way. Your attention to them means a lot.

Pick up a copy of the Fort Benton Visitors Guide. Read it through. You can always learn something new about your town. If you did not get a copy in the mail you can find them in most businesses.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN AND WOMEN, AND EMT’S

View From The Bridge 5/29/19

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
5/29/19

NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT
It is now late Saturday evening and I have just watched the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS. It was the 30th year and was 1 ½ hours long. I think I have watched it all of those 30 years. It really makes Memorial Day a special time.

I hope that you were able to watch it and feel the pain as each war was honored. There were millions of our young men and women who gave their lives for our country.

Did you thank a Veteran today? In fact, you can do that every day of the year. Actually, if you did that a hundred times a day it would never be enough. They are the reason you are comfy, dozy, warm, and able to sit and watch your TV every might. God Bless America.

MEMORIAL DAY
This day is so meaningful here in Fort Benton. I am sure it is because it is a small rural community. I never had any connection when I lived in another state because it was a huge metropolitan area and I did not know any Veterans.

The ceremony at the Old Fort Benton Bridge is so beautiful with the throwing of the wreath into the Missouri. It is a time to remember all Veterans, and those who gave up their lives for our country.

It is also an awesome sight to follow the crowd to the Riverside Cemetery. To see all the American flags on all the Veterans graves. It makes me feel so grateful that we had these brave men and women who loved their country as much as I do.

I am so proud to be an American and show it by flying an American Flag every day that there is not inclement weather. Please wear red on Fridays and the shirt that says Support Our Troops. I started with a green light on my porch but had to give it up because it did not give enough light.

I am merely giving a reminder to show love of your country in small ways. It takes such a little effort and in today’s world we need all the support we can get or give. JUST DO IT.

MEMORIAL DAY TEARS
It is now Monday afternoon and I have returned from the Memorial ceremonies at the Old Fort Benton Bridge and the Riverside Cemetery. I noted that there was a good turn-out, with many children, considering the chilly weather.

What I enjoyed the most was the singing of GOD BLESS AMERICA. Everyone joined in with their hands on their hearts. I had the strong feeling that our Veterans loved ones were there with us.

FLAG COUNTING RIDE
I asked Randy to take me for a ride to count the American Flags that were hanging on porches. We did not cover the entire town as Mary Zanto and I had always done but we did cover perhaps half the streets. Randy counted 63 Flags up with one yard that had 9 small ones along his entrance sidewalk. That averages out to be on the generous side about 20% of the homes.

I know that I am hung up on this subject but please make an effort to purchase a flag and get it installed before the 4th of July. Even better would be if they were up by Summer Celebration. JUST DO IT please.

VIETNAM STORY
I have a personal story about Vietnam that I would like to share with you. I tried to find out more information to verify my story on the internet but could not find any.

There was a contest for painters to send in pictures of the Vietnam wall. My Uncle Charlie’s next door neighbor was an artist and sent in her picture. It won first place and $50,000.00. I found the picture on the internet but nothing more. I cannot remember her name but I do remember meeting her in Livonia, MI. She invited me into her home to show me other work she had painted.

The strange part of this story is that she was not encouraged to spend time on the talent she loved so much. Much support came after she won that national contest.

So, you artists out there, live your dream. You live in a world of scenes, colors, and how you see the world. I saw a program on PBS not long ago that told how the Art World is disappearing. This includes music, literature, and painting. The arts in Montana are experiencing cuts in appropriations every year. I learned this from attending the Performing Arts Consortiums each year.
       
So, artists of all kinds hang in there and continue to bring your beautiful talents into the world.

COMMUNITY GARDEN
I checked with Rita this morning and she said that last weeks mention in the View with her phone number brought in 2 more gardeners. That leaves 2 more high planting boxes and 3 more low ones that are not filled.

Good show you hard working gardeners. I love seeing you across the street every day working on your gardens.

I got my tomatoes planted this past week. Connie found some rolling things to put my pots on. I attached a bungee cord to pull them in and out of the garage in the morning and at night. It saves wear and tear on the back. Now I just have to wait a couple of months before I can sit on my front porch steps and eat Sweet One Hundreds right off the vine. Yummy!

BIRDS
I am enjoying watching the many birds that have at last discovered my one feeder. It is located in front of my living room window. I have four feeders off the deck in the back but I no longer fill them. It is because the larger birds seemed to have taken them over and chase the small birds away. I suppose they have to eat too but I do not enjoy watching them as much as the wrens and sparrows.

I have no idea where their nests are as they always seem to fly away to the east and there is only one tree nearby. To the west there are many trees so because I do not see well, I cannot follow them to their nests. Well whatever. It doesn’t really matter as long as they hang out nearby so I can enjoy them.

DEAR WHO
Since you had not shown up and it is Memorial Day, I took it upon myself to decorate the hollow tree. Nancy was working in the Community Garden and I asked her if she would help me decorate. I really wasn’t much help but I did provide the decorations. At a silent auction I got a Red, White, and Blue basket filled with patriotic decorations.

I hope that you don’t mind. You must be away and I wish there were a way we could communicate. I would actually leave the hollow tree as it is until Labor Day. By time you should be ready to do fall decorations. Please contact in some matter so I will still not know who you are.

Nancy is storing you summer decorations. Let her know when you want them back.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN AND WOMEN, FIREFIGHTERS, AND EMT’S.

View From The Bridge 5/22/19

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
5/22/19

LIONS CLUB REQUEST
Every other year the Lions Club has a garage sale. It will be sometime in September and the Club requests that you start saving your “great stuff” now.  If you have “stuff” and you may be gone when the collection begins, please give me a call, (I’m in the book.) I will make arrangements to have it picked up.

I am a Lioness and this fund raiser is the most fun of those we do along with Fair Parking. I love to check out what people know are treasurers. Although I am trying to downsize, I always manage to find something I cannot live without. So, check out your basements, garages, sheds, and barns to see what you can live without. Get it out of you way now if it is large and put it into a special corner if it is small.

All the proceeds from this sale and from the parking collections go for scholarships. That includes high schools in Geraldine, Highwood, and Fort Benton. The amounts on those scholarships were raised because of the success of the garage sale and fair parking. See you there.

FIREWORKS
It is that time of year when the Lions Club is also thinking about raising money for the Summer Celebration Fire Works Display. It is just about six weeks away. You will be receiving soon a request for a donation for the fireworks. You have always been so generous and the Lions thank you for that.  This year the theme for the Summer Celebration is “All one under the light of the stars and stripes”. When you see the t-shirts you will agree they are the best ever and awesome. They will be keepers for many years.

It is soon time for me to start wearing a year by year Summer Celebration shirt every day. I have shirts from 1994 as I gave up 1993 for the quilts we raffled a few years ago. By my calculations I have 25 shirts and will begin wearing them on the 2nd of June.

When you see me out and about let us talk about the celebration of the year I have the shirt on. Is there anyone else out there who has all the shirts? Let’s meet sometime for lunch. Call me. My number is in the book.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS
I am so sorry that I missed the torch run that came through Fort Benton. Mondays are usually busy for me as I work on the View from the Bridge and have it to the River Press by 3::00 p.m.

If I had known (or if I did, I forgot) I would love to have been at my favorite Old Fort Benton Bridge. I have a special interest in the Special Olympics as my daughter, Jennifer, coaches the women’s swim team for quite a few years. I mention this because I want to thank the many volunteers that take part in the program.

To watch those special people, trying so hard at their sport is an inspiration. They are such positive people and they do their best. Do I? Do you?

GREEN, GREEN
Isn’t it wonderful to see green everywhere and leaves on the trees. The only sad thing is that we won’t have any lilacs this year. That one night that it went below 30 degrees did them in. I will miss them and the smell of their blossoms that reached all over town.

I just think about the year that my son-in-law, Mark Pyrec, took me for an airplane ride on Mother’s Day. All you could see from up there was white and all shades of purple lilacs covering Fort Benton. It was a Mother’s Day gift I will never forget. Thanks Mark for a beautiful memory.

MANY THANKS
For many years Bob Hankins has volunteered to put up the flags at the Lewis and Clark Memorial bronze. The flags have to be replaced often because they are not taken down each day. They have a spotlight on them and can be flying all the time.

I never knew until this past week that Bob replaced the flags. He is one of many unknown volunteers around town who volunteer their time and are not known. You are volunteer Angels and you are the ones who keep Fort Benton looking like the beautiful place that it is.

COMMUNITY GARDEN
The Community Garden has always been a popular spot in town. This year because of the cooler weather there are several beds that need a garden. If you are interested please call Rita Braun and she will be happy to give you a prime spot. (Actually they are all prime spots.) The cost is $10.00 and you get $5.00 back in the fall if you clean up your garden. What a deal. You also have the advantage of water and a fenced in area to protect from rabbits and deer.

I have to drag my pots of tomatoes into the garage at night and out to the driveway in the morning. I only have tomatoes but the deer like to nibble on those. My neighbor, Norma, has an array of flowers and they are also very attractive to the deer.

The question is, “Why don’t we use the community garden?” I cannot answer that question but perhaps after this year I may consider that option since it is across the street from me.

I watch those gardens all summer long and they are something to behold. It is also interesting to watch those devoted gardeners going about their work. I know they love every minute because there is something about playing in the dirt, or should we call it soil?

Come on over and I’ll give you lemonade, iced tea, or just water for a little break as we watch your garden grow.

SO LONG ARLENE
On Friday May 30th there will be a celebration of Arlene’s life. She was a longtime resident of Fort Benton and a wonderful friend to everyone. She did a lot of sewing for me and I so enjoyed my visits with her. She had wonderful stories and how I wish I had written all of them down.

I called Arlene at Christmas to see how she was doing. She said that she was coming back to Fort Benton in April. Little did she know how that would play out.

So long dear friend and you are very much missed. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN AND WOMEN, AND EMT’S.