View From The Bridge 10/24/18

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
By Muncie
10/24/18

HAPPY HALLOWEEN “WHO”
For new Readers of the River Press who moved to the area in the last year or so, I will tell the story of “WHO”. A year ago this month of October a pumpkin appeared in the hollow tree across the street from my apartment. A while later a Snowman appeared and then at Christmas a Santa.

This was at this point that I got involved. “WHO” must have been gone during February, because nothing more was added to the hollow tree. I put in a Valentine heart In March I found a Leprechaun and he guarded the tree that month. In April I found the cutest little bunny that had “Peter Rabbit” on his jacket. By the time I got over to the tree, I found that “WHO” had already been there with a tall wooden rabbit and a tall metal carrot. Oh well! Peter didn’t mind sharing.

Spring came with flower arrangements and later in the summer a harvest theme appeared.

I have begged and pleaded for “WHO” to identify herself but she does not trust me. I stole her idea and she has a right to be upset with me. I would just like to work together and I would be pinkie finger sworn to keep it a secret.

That brings you up to date and now we are into October. I love the “Ghost” that “WHO” put onto the hallow tree. It looks so cute. Today I had a friend put on the Front Street side a Vampire. We also added a decorative pumpkin. It was not a real one like you put there just a year ago. What fun it has been.

The wind did a job on your Ghost and so it is now stapled to the tree so it can be seen better. The scary night is just a week away. I hope that the weather holds so it is just as nice as it has been the past week. No matter the conditions make it the fun night it is supposed to be. Boo to you too.

VISITORS
On my way home from dinner at the Golden Age on Sunday, I met two lovely young women. They were walking the Trail and reading the historic signs.

We chatted about Fort Benton and they thought it was a fabulous little town. One of the women was from PA and the other from CO. They work for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and were assigned to MT. They had never met before and were working together out of Havre. They are working on washed out bridges and roads.

I envy these young women as I never could have done what they are doing, travel and all, when I was there age. It never ceases to amaze me the opportunities young people have today.

I asked them to return someday to vacation when the museums and The Old Fort Benton are open. This is the kind of event that makes lifelong friendships.

UPCOMING EVENT
The Shonkin Lasagna Dinner and Auction will be next Sunday, October 28th at 5:00 p.m.

If you enjoy a fun time and a lot of laughs be sure to drive out to Shonkin next Sunday. The dinner is excellent and the auction is the most fun I have ever had. Everything is donated and to hear the Lady Auctioneer is the funniest ever. Our Shonkin neighbors support many of Fort Benton and Chouteau County events and so let us support them.

You can wear a costume or come as you are. There are prizes for men, women, and children. A good time will be had by all. See you there. I have attended many times and it is one of my favorite events.

LIONS CLUB
I know that many of the organizations have events but if you do not tell me about it, I cannot know to write about them.

The Lions Club is having their yearly raffle for “CASH.” The tickets are $20.00 and the first prize is $1,000.00. There are other cash prizes also. Winning ticket will be drawn at the Christmas Concert.

There will be more info next week on how to get a ticket. This has been a very popular raffle because of the cash prize just before Christmas.

COMMUNITY VAN
The official name for the Community Van is now settled. I have been calling it a bus but I like van better. The latest update is that 6 people used the van last Tuesday and 5 are signed up for tomorrow, October 23rd. Another driver has volunteered and will be driving every other week.

Appointments now can be made for more hours when the new driver is driving. I will pass on his hours as soon as I am told what they are. They will be in the View next week. I will also have a schedule for those of you who are already riding or are first timers.

I have suggested that we have one day for residents who do not drive to be able to go to the post office, library, business, clinic appointments, and shopping. If you would also like this please call Kellie at 622-3022 to let her know. Don’t put it off. Just do it now.

HUMANA
I have tried to solve the disappearance of the agent of my Medicare Insurance. To no avail. He has disappeared completely. The sad part about this is that he used to bring a birthday cake to the Golden Age Senior Center for the end of the month celebrations of birthdays. Too bad, so sad.

I called the company and they set me up with an agent named Jill. She will be at the Senior Center next Tuesday, the 30th at 11:00 a.m. You are welcome to visit with her if you have any questions. (We talked about a birthday cake but nothing was set in stone.)

Here we go again with changes. I think the older one gets the harder it is to accept.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS, and EMT’S.
GET OUT AND VOTE.
DO A GOOD DEED EVERY DAY.
BE KIND.

View From The Bridge 5/25/16

View From The Bridge
By Muncie
5/25/16

MEMORIAL DAY
The schedule for this Memorial Day has been changed as compared with previous years. The Color Guard and the Wreath throwing will be at 10:00 am.

I have in my hands the laminated note to be wired to the Wreath. It says, Memorial Day Wreath 30 May 16. If you find this wreath, please know that it was thrown from the Old Bridge in Fort Benton on Memorial Day May 30 2016.

Please contact the River Press in Fort Benton at 406-622-3311 to let them now that you found it.  Thank You.

Every year when the Wreath was thrown into the Missouri, I would wonder where its final destination would be. (This idea was something like “Time in a Bottle” story but not romantic. Perhaps this year my question will be answered. (I would hope it would be in New Orleans.)

The Ceremony at the Riverside Cemetery will be at 11:00 am. The reason for this change is because of the dedication of the new Flag pole. There are guests invited and the VFW had to set a specific time.

After the Ceremony at the Cemetery, you are all invited to the Club House for coffee, donuts, and conversation about why Memorial Day is important to you. I know the stories are out there and I would love to hear them. (The best story gets 2 donuts. How about that!)

IT’S A SMALL WORLD
A comment by Dorothy Meyer tells the whole story.  “Montana is just one big small town.”

BEARS
Just like everything else this spring, the bears are out early. Those of you readers that live along the Teton or Marias rivers should be on the lookout again this season. Have your cameras ready and if you have a sighting, call the River Press after Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

I saw a program on TV about how a bear tore up a campground. Their strength is amazing and what they do to protect their young is quite a story. Unfortunately we human mothers are also protective but we certainly do not have the strength. Nature spares us from having to find food for our youngsters. Count your blessings!

CONCERTS
I didn’t have room last week to comment on the High School Concert. It was the yearly Spring Concert held at the gym. The Art Show was also displayed and I looked at every single picture or other piece of art. There were pencil drawings, paintings, quilts, metal pieces, and the entries in the VFW contest.

On Wednesday, May 18th, at the Elementary School was held the 5th through 8th Grades Concert and Art Show. Honestly, I am envious of some of the entries. They are so talented and ready for the big time. Eric Lenington commented on what happens between 5th Grade beginners and the 8th Grade students. It was very obvious and so enjoyable. Even the 5th graders sounded professional to my untrained ear. Please young people don’t ever give it up.

The gym was full with parents and grandparents. I hope that you were one of the attendees because if you were not, you missed a great evening of entertainment.

QUILT RAFFLE
The raffle tickets arrived last Wednesday and if you think that you can sell 1 book of 10 tickets at $5.00 each please contact me at 622-3217.

The Quilts will be displayed in the window of the Benton Pharmacy in the next few days. The profits from the tickets will go to support Summer Celebration’s 40th Anniversary. I find it hard to believe that it has been 40 years since the bicentennial. How many of you readers remember or participated in the 1st one? How many of you have attended all 40 of the Celebrations? I would love to hear from you.

Check Bethany’s article about the raffle. Also check Facebook and the Fort Benton web site for pictures in the next week or so.

LIONS CLUB
The Lions also have a fund raiser Gun Raffle and the winner will be announced at the Chouteau County Fair as well as the Quilt Raffle winner.

Miriam Smith does a tremendous job with her “Lions Roar,” and she is a great addition to Fort Benton. Be sure to read her article about the comings and goings of the Lions.

ROCK HOUNDS
Are any of the readers Rock Hounds? I do not mean hunting rocks but tumbling them? If you do have tumbling machines and use them, please contact me. I would like to have a discussion with you. Call 622-3217 and if I am out and about, leave a message.

OBSERVATIONS
Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.  Drink plenty of water and eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS and THOSE WHO PROTECT US.

View From The Bridge 12/2/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE

By Muncie

12/2/15

BIG WEEKEND

The WOW FACTOR hits you when you read the schedule for this coming weekend. I hope that you hit all the great events that will be happening so close to home. Make a day of it from early morning to late in the evening. Walk Front Street and stop for treats and hot drinks at the stores. Have lunch with friends at Bridgeport Station while being entertained.  Shop until you drop and follow the national trend of “BUY LOCAL.” Try your best to visit our Sister-Cities. And please, please attend the Christmas Tree lightening. Bring your children and grandchildren. Make it a tradition. There will be treats and lots of excitement when Santa arrives and the lights are turned on.

On Sunday is the best of all…the Christmas Concert. It is really going to be special with all of our local talent. Let’s fill the Elementary School auditorium to capacity and enjoy the treats at intermission. I can hardly wait.

Invite your family and friends that live out of town. I heard on the evening news tonight, (Sunday) that it is supposed to be up in the 50 degrees. Who could ask for anything more?  See you there and let me know by wishing me a Merry Christmas.

THANKSGIVING

One of the happenings during the Thanksgiving week was the return of the birds to my feeders. I began filling them two weeks ago and it takes a while for the word to get around bird world. It only takes a couple of days for them to empty the 5 feeders. When I open my shade in the morning, it is a great feeling to see the yard full of birds. I do have two problems with this “free kitchen,” is that the deer came in and knocked the suet feeder to the ground and it opened up. They ate the entire contents. There were also cat tracks in the snow that led directly to under my deck. I truly feel compassion for that animal. How can it survive in the kind of weather we are having now?

Another exciting event that occurred last week was that a squirrel returned to my yard. It has been a couple of years since I had two fun-to-watch playmate squirrels in my yard. I had even given my squirrel feeder away, to a friend who lives at the north end of town. She had squirrels in her yard but the minute she put out the feeder, they disappeared.

I know that there is a 50% chance that you do not like squirrels, but we had many happy breakfast hours watching them frolic about the yard chasing each other. They also would climb in the lilac trees, outside the back window, jumping from branch to branch.  They were having so much fun. Do you remember when Tim Burmeister took a photo of the two squirrels taking a bath in our bird bath? It was quite a while back. We found one in the leaf compost pile and have no idea what happened to it. The other one was around for a while and then it disappeared.

Back to the present day, I made a phone call and retrieved the feeder along with the peanuts and squirrel feed I had given away. I filled the feeder just as it began to snow and found today (Sunday,) that it was empty. It was a tad difficult to get to the feeders today because I had 6 inches of snow to plow through.  

The bright side of the snow was the way the full moon lid up our deck. It was one of the most beautiful sights ever. I wish I had a picture of it but I have to happy with the memory.

50”s Home Schooled

I have run out of those bits of wisdom. There were some that were not printable. I will move on this week to another category.

OBSERVATIONS

Observed in a grocery store in the 6-Item express lane a customer was quietly fuming as a person slipped into the line ahead of the customer, pushing a cart piled high with groceries.  Image the surprise and delight when the cashier beckoned the person to come forward and looked into the cart and asked sweetly, “So which 6 items would you like to buy? (Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that happened more often? Actually, we do not have to worry about that in Fort Benton. If I have just a few items in my basket, I am always sent to the front of the line. On the other hand, perhaps they think because I am old that I cannot stand in line any length of time.)

GERALDINE

I know more of what is going on in Geraldine because of the “Over the River to Geraldine” column by Robyn Scribner. I met Robyn several months ago. She is the Kindergarten teacher and took over writing the column every week. I have always envied teachers because they knew so many people. Robyn apparently knows everyone in Geraldine. It makes for very interesting reading.  Keep up the great news. (My excuse is that Fort Benton is larger than Geraldine and I couldn’t possibly know everyone. When Randy Morger and I publish our book, “What Changes We Would Make as Co-Presidents,” the first item would be…Everyone would have to wear a name-tag when they are outside the home.”)

LIONS CLUB

The Lions Club also has a new reporter. Miriam Smith gave a great update on Lions Club projects. She just moved here from Bozeman and is already quickly into volunteering. I now know everything I ever wanted to know about The Lions. As stated so many times on all the pages in the River Press…every organization needs volunteers. Please make an effort to help out one of them.  

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

Have you installed your green porch light yet? You really need to do that. It doesn’t take much effort for a show of support. I cannot help but think about our Troops, thousands of miles away; when in a few weeks it will be Christmas. We Americans are so fortunate to have the protection that we have. Even with what we have there are great dangers. What would it be like if we didn’t have those Troops doing what they are doing?   

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS, and PUT A GREEN BULB ON YOUR FRONT PORCH LIGHT.