VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
1/6/16

LIBRARY FRIENDS
For all of you who have been missing The Friends of the Library there will be a start-up meeting on Wednesday, the 13th, at 12:00 at the Chouteau County Library. It has been a while since the members no longer gathered together to discuss the virtues of a good book. Friends of the Library was always my favorite organization for information on a good book, visiting with other friends and getting out and about. See you there.

OTHER VIEWS
I have thoroughly enjoyed other articles in the River Press. The FBHS Standout about Eli Toon was the kind of reading I like to see. I knew that it was in the works and really look forward to more of FBHS activities. For instance, who knew about the Christmas concert? Who knew there was a raffle to raise money for the Washington D.C. trip? What happened to the Gold Card? These activities may have been on the Community Calendar but it doesn’t hurt to have it in two places. We parents and grandparents would like to know.

The Ronning Report from the VFW Post 4047 was also very informative and gave inside information on what their organization is up to. The only addition I would like is if whoever writes the article would sign their name. In fact, I would like every article in the River Press to be identified by the writer. (That way the writer can take the blame for mistakes. Just joking!)

I would like to suggest that information like a ceremony of retired Flags, be put in a column.  Since it is only done once or twice a year it would be helpful to know when so the Flags would not be on a dusty shelf or stored with cleaning rags.

Thanks for what the VFW does for the community. I do not mean to be critical, just helpful.

The Extension Corner by Tyler Lane is always of interest even though I am not nor have I ever been associated with farming. I love to listen to friends conversations who are farmers.  Tyler taught me a lot about when to do this or that in my flower garden. I cut out and save those articles in my Gardening File.

The Sheriff’s Report tells you “Everything You Wanted to Know” about who in town got a ticket. (I just hope that my name is never on that list.)
Coach Skip Ross did a terrific job with reporting the Football Games. I enjoyed it because I really do not know much about football rules and my vision is not that good. When I read Skip’s articles I learned a lot

I must have driven son Randy and daughter Jennifer crazy at the Carroll games with “What happened.” I was sitting further from the field. At least in Fort Benton I am closer.

More on this subject next week.

BASKETBALL
At the Football and Basketball games we cheer and clap for the Team and the Cheerleaders.  How about cheering and clapping for the Band? They do a terrific job. We stand for the school song so let’s stand for “Sweet Caroline” and sing along. It is something new for Fort Benton but it has been going on for years at professional and college games. Let’s get on the Band Wagon.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS
One of the most interesting gifts I received for Christmas was a reprint of a cookbook. It was a reprint in 2014 by the Fort Benton United Methodist Women’s organization. The original was sometime in the 1940’s.

It was so interesting to go through the book and see the business ads. I, of course, was not here in the 40”s but I heard so many stories about them from my Sweetheart Wally.

The Missouri River Lumber was on the first page and they are still in business today. That is a span of 75 years or more. The Pioneer Insurance Agency and Neal J. Archer were listed after the MEATS section of the book. I remember that Wally took over the Rural Main Route from Neal Archer. (There are many memories of the Archer family in the archives at the Joel Overholser Research Center. I will delve into that history if any of you would be interested.  Let me know.)

In the BREAD section the sponsors were the Chouteau House, the Chouteau County Bank, and R.V. Bowker. The stories about these businesses are endless and especially about the Chouteau House that is now being brought back to its original state.

The VEGETABLE sponsors were the Capitol Theatre run by Fred Arnst, Central Service Station, Old Fort Inn, and the Gamble Hardware Store. (The Capitol Theatre was located in the McGraw building that is now being renovated.) (I have no idea where the Old Fort Inn was located. Perhaps you know? I could check the files at the Research Center but it would be more interesting to hear it from you.) The Gamble Hardware Store must hold many memories for some of you from the old days.

A more recent story is the time Wally and I went rock hunting on the Yellowstone River. We did not take any equipment along and lo and behold, there was a Gamble Hardware Store in Big Timber. That would have been in the late 1990’s.)

PASTRIES was next and had five sponsors. They were People’s Co-Op Market, Palmer Hardware, Pioneer Mercantile, Safeway Grocery, and Surety Abstract Company. I know nothing about these businesses but I know that you will.

CAKES probably took up the most pages and the most sponsors. J.W. Jenkinson Plumbing and Heating is the one I know a bit about. The Jenkinson family owned the house that I live in now for about 40 or 50 years. The little yellow house next door was Mr. Jenkinson’s workshop. It was later converted into a home.

The first year that I lived here a young girl came to the front door. She said that she had lived in the house and could she come in. She went upstairs and was there for a long while.  She said that she sat on the closed in front porch and just recalled her living in the house. She never returned so I never saw her again. I do not remember her name.)
The other sponsors were Café Modern, LaBarre Garage, Zoller Chevrolet, Ragland Grocery (I know that Madeline will enjoy this memory,) and Clark Hilton Hardware.

DESSERTS sweet sponsors were Jackson’s Price Rite, Emma’s Beauty Shop, Loundaglin’s Radio Shop, Moses Drug Store, W. G. Woodward Clothing Company, and Lippert’s Meat Market.

COOKIES were the compliments of the County Officers. Sheriff Oscar Marty, Clerk of Courts Oscar Roudebush, County Attorney J. W. Lynch, and County Treasurer Howard Morrow. (I wonder if that was Kenny Morrow’s father.)

SALADS, JELLIES and PRESERVES, PICKLES and RELISHES, CANDIES, and HELPFUL HINTS followed with great recipes but no sponsors.

It was a trip back in time to read through this recipe book. There are also names that I recognize but you will have to get the book in order to see for yourselves. As far as the recipes, I want to try every one of them except I do not cook any longer. However, I do bake a little and I want to do all the cakes, cookies, and desserts.

My favorite laugh in the book was the phrase, “Take it off the fire!” Another was when you were directed to beat eggs (by hand) until very yellow. (How many times did you seniors do that? I could never get mine as yellow as I thought the recipe called for. I also had stronger arms in the old days.)

OBSERVATIONS
The reason that politicians try so hard to get re-elected is that they would “hate” to have to make a living under the laws they have just passed.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES, WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS, AND PUT A GREEN BULB IN YOUR FRONT PORCH FIXTURE

View from the Bridge
By Muncie
12/9/15

CHOUTEAU COUNTY COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
Everyone was buzzing about the great time they had last Saturday while doing the rounds about town. My daughter, Jennifer, came up from Great Falls at 11:00am and we hit the road to the Ag Center Bridgeport Station.

It was awesome to see the thousands of items to choose from. If you could not find the perfect gift somewhere in those incredible displays, then you did not look hard enough.

We finally reached the lunch table and took our food to the table closest to the entertainment. We finished when Jamie had sung beautiful Christmas Carols and the Barbershop Quartet had finished their magical singing.

We then headed for Front St. and stopped at as many shops that we could manage. The first stop was at the Country Shoppe where we enjoyed delightful snacks. I was also given two small white ceramic Angels for the two members of my family that had passed away this year. They are so precious and I have placed them on a shelf in front of my kitchen window.  I think about Lisa and my brother-in-law Marty every day and these Angels are such a comforting reminder.

Next stop at the Benton Pharmacy where there were Kiddos making Christmas decorations. I wanted to join them but I didn’t have my Santa hat on so I couldn’t tell them that I was Mrs. Claus which would be a good reason to sit down with them. Oh well!

Next door was Lehman’s True Value and when we made purchases we were entitled to a free hat. There was a huge hat display to choose from and I found the cutest pink cat hat for my daughter to give to her granddaughter.

On down the street to the Toggery that is Jennifer’s favorite place. I visited with my longtime friend Sandy.

We then drove down to the end of the street and visited the Taste of Chocolate, the Wake Cup, and the newly named Rivers Edge Floral. I met the new owners who told me how much they love Fort Benton. That was not news to me because everyone who comes to Fort Benton loves it. They do not say that it is a nice place to visit but they would not like to live here. All the visitors I talk to at the Information Center, always say that they would love to move here.

Next year I am going to start out earlier.

It was getting dark already and Jennifer left for home and I prepared to attend the tree lighting. I arrived a bit early and found a great parking place. I walked to The Freeze and saw friends immediately although it was quite dark. I want to send Cheryl, Connie, and Ruth huge kudos for putting together the whole Tree Lighting event. It was exactly how I wished it would be…like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Cheryl provided the candles that Laurie passed out and lit.

What I didn’t expect was the way Santa arrived. Words to Christmas Carols were passed around and when we sang “Here Comes Santa Claus” down Front St he came. It was very exciting and a dream come true for me. I thought that he was arriving in an automobile.  He was in a sleigh shaped wagon with horses pulling it.

Merry Christmas and may all the love at this time of year be to all you volunteers who made that day possible. No one, unless they have done it, knows how much work and how many hours go into planning that day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

WINDOW DISPLAY
The Benton Pharmacy Christmas Decorations won 1st prize from the Chamber of Commerce with two other businesses. The Chamber had a difficult time choosing and decided to give 1st prize to all three.

You actually have to walk by and stop to enjoy the Pharmacy’s windows. In the right hand side is Mary Zanto’s Santa Claus collection. A few years ago I began, in the View, the story of people’s collections. I remember contacting two people and asked that others call me about their collections. The only one I knew about was Mary Zanto’s but we thought we would wait until closer to the holidays.

I had seen Mary’s collection in her home.  I remember a figure something like 65 Santa’s displayed all over her house. We asked Chris Halko if Mary could put her display in the window of the Pharmacy. Chris said yes but it was too much at the time for her to take them to the Pharmacy.

This year Kirby Hoon transported the collection from Mary’s house to the store. The “Window Dressers” at the store arranged the collection in the window. It is so precious and I know that you will enjoy it with your Kiddos or just by yourself. Look for the whole story in a couple of weeks.

LIBRARY FRIENDS
There will be a start-up meeting on Tuesday the 13th, 12:00 noon at the Chouteau County Library. It has been a while since the members no longer gathered together to discuss the virtues of a good book. Friends was always my favorite organization for sharing conversation about a good book

POTATO BAGS
Every Craft Fair that I go to I ask vendors who sew if they have Potato Bags for sale. What is a Potato Bag you ask?  It kind of looks like a pot holder but it is shaped more like a bag. You wash your potato, dry it slightly, put it into the bag, into the micro, and bake your potato for the allotted time. (I bake medium sized potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes. Large sweet potatoes or yams take about 8 minutes.) It is so convenient and the potatoes are so moist. An advantage for me is that they are easier to handle.  No more foil problems.

The point of this story is that I asked on Saturday of a vendor if she had any potato bags. She said that I was the third person to ask her. She said she would look for a pattern and when I told her that I have a bag, we decided that I would send it to her and she would make some.

SO ATTENTION to those of you who may have asked for a bag, call me at 622-3217 and I will get one for you. I would like to tell her how many to make. (Would this increase the sale of potatoes at the Price Rite?  Just joking!)

CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Here again was a wish come true the auditorium was filled to capacity. Peter is the ultimate musician even though Molly was not able to make the traveling team. (Hello Molly, hope you are feeling better, and we all are happy about the news of another baby. Keep in touch.)  

It was also sooooo adorable when those little Dancers from TC Power brightened up the stage. I especially looked forward to seeing the little Angel who the last two years does not dance but watches all the other little Angels. I thought perhaps this year she might not be bashful but there is always next year.

The treats provided by Shannon and Rob of the Price Rite Grocery store were yummy. There was, I noticed, one little girl who put a cookie in her pocket.  She then took a cupcake and decided not to put it in her pocket. It was so funny.

So, it is over for another year and I know that it will be even bigger and better next year. Actually, I do not know how that could be possible?

OBSERVATIONS
All eyes were on the radiant bride as her father escorted her down the aisle. They approached the altar and the waiting groom. The bride kissed her father and placed something in his hand.  The guests in the front pews responded with ripples of laughter. Even the priest smiled broadly. As the father gave her away in marriage, she gave him back his credit card.

GREEN BULBS
This Support the Troops project is really spreading all over the country now. I spoke with Ed Lehman on Saturday and he said that he has a supply of green lights and has sold some. Be sure to support this project by installing a green bulb on your front porch. I had several people tell me that they had noticed my green lights burning.

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES, WEAR RED ON FRIDAY, and THE GREEN BULB PROJECT.