VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
12/17/14

NAUGHTY LIST
I’m in big trouble with Santa and he put me at the top of his “Naughty List.” I received a phone call from the North Pole advertising department saying that I had not mentioned Santa taking time out of his busy schedule to make a visit to the Fort Benton Christmas Concert. I was told that I mentioned everyone else but not a word about Santa and his specially written poem for Fort Benton.

Actually, I had made arrangements for the River Press to print his poem on another page because it was too long for the View. It was supposed to be a surprise. As it turned out, there wasn’t space for it last week but check out the River Press this week and see if you can find it.  So Santa, take note, when you read your Press this week you will find what I had planned as a little surprise for your Christmas present. I would also like to tell you that many concert goers come to the concert just to see you and listen to your poem. You certainly did not disappoint us. Your hardy laughter and ho, ho, ho’s, (as Clint Eastwood would say,) “Made My (Our) Day.” Merry Christmas to you, and to all of my readers. You are all special.

Am I back on your “Nice” list?

HOLIDAY AT THE LIBRARY
Every year the Chouteau County Library has an ornament day. You can make a Christmas ornament, a wonderful keepsake, to put on your tree. They supply all the makings and give helpful directions. This year’s ornament was a paper clip Angel. You had your choice of various color ribbons that were the hangers.  The ribbon went through a hole in the Angel’s wooden head. The Angel also had her head attached to the paper clip with a crown all held together with the ribbon.

It was such fun and I have to confess that the Liberians actually made my Angel. I could not manage getting the ribbon through the wooden head and crown. Then it had to be tied and I am about as clumsy as one can get. I have my Angel hanging in my kitchen window so wave to her when you go by on Main St. It is the same window that I can look out to see the Christmas lights on Front St. There is just something special about Angels at Christmas time. Perhaps it is because we are all trying to be as good as an Angel.

I just spoke with the Library and they said that they will leave all the fixings out on the table until Friday. It isn’t too late to make this year’s ornament and make sure you do not miss out next year.

NATIVITY COLLECTIONS
While you are at the library to make your ornament, take out books, or return books, you can check out the collections of Nativity sets brought in for the display. There are 57 different and unusual sets on display and they are beautiful. Your children will love them. (I do not think that those on the Naughty list are like Angels.)

COMMUNICATION
I do not know of any other way to get this suggestion to organizations short of going to all the meetings I could attend. I think that you know that would be an impossible activity especially in this unpredictable weather.

Something I would like to see accomplished is a report from all the organizations, the Hospital, the Library, the VFW, the American Legion, Woman’s Club, the Lions, River and Plains, and anyone else who has meetings and does volunteer work.  I would like to see monthly reports in the River Press on what your projects are, what is going on with your group, and any other interesting and informative information.

It is not that you will be blowing your own horn. It would be letting the River Press readers be informed as to what is going on in the community. I know this would be another job, probably the secretary’s, but I really enjoy those that keep us informed. I know that Bethany keeps us up to date with City Council and Commissioner meetings, and other events out and about. The Extension Service from Tyler Lane, school news from Fort Benton, Geraldine, and Highwood, Nancy Lachapell from the Garden Club, the Senior Citizen news, the Weather Reports and more are what I find interesting and informative. (I hope I didn’t leave anyone out.)

Remember that readers ask me what is going on as if I know. Trust me, I do not. The fact is that I am usually the last one to know. It is a small town but sometimes I find out something I have done before I do it.

If you agree with this idea, please let your organizations know.

MONTANA
I learned this past week that these 50 Things came from the book, “50 Things You Didn’t Know About Montana.” I’ll have to check my library because I am quite sure that I have that book. If memory serves me correctly, I put these facts into the View once before a long time ago. I originally found the book on every table in a restaurant somewhere in Montana. When I recently began these facts, I did not know where they came from.  I took them from an e-mail that someone sent to me.

19. The bed of bison bones at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park in Montana is 13 feet deep.

20. Fort Peck Dam is the largest earth filled dam in the world and the photo of it was the first to grace the cover of Life magazine in November 23, 1936.

21. It is illegal to operate a vehicle with ice picks attached to the wheels within the city limits of Whitehall, Montana.

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
I did get to the Riverside Cemetery on Saturday morning for the Wreaths Across America ceremony but I did not last long. It was very chilly for me and it began to sprinkle. By the time I reach the truck, I had to turn on the windshield wipers.

I did want to tell you about the ceremony because I have always purchased wreaths but had never attended the ceremony. It was a tear jerker as the VFW Color Guard presented the Flag. The National Anthem was played and some of us sang. The Boy Scout Troop put wreaths for each United States Service on memorial stones as the name was called out.

Diane Jones read the history of the Wreaths program. She then called upon Mrs. McDonald’s 6th grade students to read Veteran’s stories that were gathered at a program at the high school last week. After several readings, I had to wimp out because it was too cold for me. I wish that those letters could be printed, (perhaps one a week,) in the River Press.  Please check it out Bethany. I would love to read them and check out if they are in the Veterans Photo program.

On the TV news that evening, they showed Wreaths Across America in Great Falls and Washington, D.C. Last year Great Falls had a total of 12 wreaths and this year it increased to 50. Your small town of Fort Benton sold or placed in memory over 200 wreaths. What a remarkable feat.

I also saw that the Governor made an appearance at the Veterans Hospital in Columbia Falls, Montana. I would like to see him come to Fort Benton because of this strong Veterans program. The committee sold more wreaths per capita than any other in Montana.

I am going to check out this week how many men and women Chouteau County are in the service of our country at the present time.  I was on top of that when the Veterans Photo project began, but have no idea of its status today. I’ll try to let you know next week.

VETS PHOTO PROJECT
In the last few weeks I have received about a half dozen photos for the Hallway of Veterans Photos at the Sunrise Bluffs. I am way behind in this project as I lost time at the Research Center this year. I have corrections to make on the gold labels, photos to be scanned and framed, and bios to type up. I will get to this project as soon as possible. Please be patient with me if you have asked me to do something and it is not yet completed.

WEAR RED ON FRIDAY
Last Friday I did not realize it was Friday. I had on a Christmas sweatshirt and it wasn’t even red. On the way to my truck at the Mini Mall I met two friends who were so proud to show me that they were wearing red. It was only the second time in all the years since we started the program in Fort Benton that I forgot. I cannot see the shirts that are printed with Support Our Troops because most everyone has a coat on. I am happy that my friends could not see that I didn’t have red on. Do you remember that about 300 shirts were sold?

Do you thank Veterans and those you see in uniform for their service? They need to know.

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

View From The Bridge 12/3/14

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
12/3/14

COOKIE SALE & PIE DAY
There will be a whole lot of baking going on this month for the women of the Golden Age Senior Center. Please pay attention to the change of Pie Day from the second Friday of the month to the third. The HOLIDAY COOKIE SALE will be on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The PIE DAY will be changed to the THIRD FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19th at the usual 2:00 p.m. Obviously it had to be divided because all the baking could not be done for one day.

I purchased about 2 lbs. of cookies last year and put them in the freezer. I had a “cookie-a-day” for a long while. I am just sorry that it is only once a year but also realize how much work that is. The Senior Center does not have many fund raisers so please support this one.  It will be very satisfactory to your tummy.

I simply do not know how these women can do all this baking. Part of the reason I no longer bake is that I cannot organize my time very well lately. The second reason is why I should when I am supplied with Christmas cookies once a year and awesome pies once a month? I now think that I will buy 4lbs. of cookies this year so they might last until next Christmas.   Enough of that dessert already.

FOOTBALL
You Griz fans must be excited with their win on Saturday. I, on the other hand, will not be going to Dayton Beach, FL as the Saints lost their games. To add to my disappointment was the fact that I could not watch it on the computer nor could I hear it on the radio. Neither the Griz nor the Bobcats games were on TV. What is going on in Montana? Other sates big college games are nationally televised. It’s time to get on the phone to complain but who do you call to complain to?

Oh well, I will be able to spend the entire day this coming Saturday at the Chouteau County Christmas celebrations. I have checked my schedule list twice and again and I even can foresee by the reports that the weather will be decent.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
I have always wanted the Christmas lights along Front St. lit before Thanksgiving. Perhaps I have not paid much attention the last few years but this year as I looked out my kitchen window, I could see the lights were on the Monday before Thanksgiving. It cheered up my whole week. Thanks Skip and crew. I do not know how much Santa pays you but it isn’t enough as far as I am concerned.

WEATHER
I will not even discuss it. The worry was about those traveling over passes and through the canyons to grandmother’s house. It is a great relief to know that they are all back safely to their homes. The reports kept me from going to Helena on Saturday and it was a good decision early last week when we learned from weather reports what Saturday would be like.  I have a cross-stitched framed sampler in my house that reads, “I wonder what it was I worried about a year ago.”

MONTANA
13. The earthquake in 1959 left Hebgen Lake in Gallatin County, Montana to recede 22 ft. leaving a wide gravel beach along its lakefront.

14. In 1903 the library in Bozeman, Montana was intentionally built across the street from the red light district and opium deans.

15. Montana is the only state in the United States that does not have a ban on texting. (I checked this and as of 6/12/14 No. 15 is a fact.  It is time for all of you readers to call your Congressman/women and Senators.)

SUNDAY EVE
I faced the cold on Sunday evening to attend a poetry reading of Margie Bernstein’s “The Poet & the Wolf.”

Ross Rettig, who plays a mean guitar but would not give it to me, provided the audience with music between each poem.

A bonus was the Bernstein’s youngest daughter, who is a professional ballet dancer and did a ballet dance routine to modern music. She came from Chicago to spend the holiday with her parents in rural Fort Benton. Awesome! Again I felt, when I closed my eyes, as though I was in a Broadway theatre.

The finale was homemade apple cake and blueberry bars for dessert baked by Margie. A great time was had by all.

When I left a suburb near Detroit 22 years ago on December 7th, detractors said that I would miss people and culture. How wrong they were. I found Fort Benton, my extended family, and more historic culture than anywhere else in Montana. I have all of you that I am thankful for.

SO LONG VERNA
I returned a few minutes ago from the funeral of one of my most faithful readers. I did not know her well until my stay for therapy after my knee replacement. I learned from her daughter that Verna wanted to know when I was going to write the View again. I visited her and did not have to learn to love her. She was so warm heated and so interested in what I wrote on the board because she was hard of hearing. One had to communicate with her by writing.

Verna was very active at the Golden Age Senior Center and many other organizations. She retired from the Senior Center in 1992 when I moved here. I did not hang out at the Center as I do now. I am happy that I knew her and she wall live on in many people’s hearts. So long for now Verna.

NATIVITY COLLECTIONS
I made a trip to the library today to add my collection of Nativity sets to their display.  Please make a trip to see the display but especially to see mine. (How do you like that for advertising?) It is a very good project since we cannot have our outdoor Nativity set up by the Information Center any longer. I just do not understand why this is happening.  I would think that more people want it than do not want it. Oh well, Marry Christmas and think about the meaning of that day.

VETERANS DAY SONG
I said that I would have printed the words to the song that Butch Hankins sang at the dedication on Veteran’s Day. It was titled, “Soldiers Last Letter.” It is too long to put in the View and after the holidays I will make arrangements for the words in a separate column. In the meanwhile…

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