Summer Vacation. A time to make memories, create family rituals and adventure. Because we live someplace that is a vacation destination for many, it’s hard to leave during these blissful months however, we work around school schedules so summer vacation it is. This year our adventures took us on a couple road trips around our neighboring states. Driving down the interstate and venturing on two­lane highways, watching the landscape change, cheering as we crossed state lines welcoming us and seeing that in just a days drive we can be someplace so different than our home.
 

Experiencing a new place, noticing the similarities and differences in that city. Taking in moments of gratitude for getting the opportunity to have these experiences, but more often than not saying thanks for the reminder of the beautiful place we get to go back to.
 

The first part of summer vacation began with a drive through mountain passes of Montana and Idaho, into the flat, dry parts of Washington and then onto a lush mountain pass before opening up to the skyline of Seattle. I love getting to visit new places and try to experience it more as a local than a tourist. Don’t get me wrong, we all get stuck doing a few tourist things (like an over­priced elevator ride to the top of the Space Needle), but for the most part we try to dig deeper into the heart of where we are. I love the energy that comes from visiting a big city, the people, the diversity, the abundance of things to do. The Pacific Northwest is a great place to visit from Montana because although the cities are bigger, they are still so friendly. Seattle was no exception as we met nice people, but in the hipster “I’m a cool kid still” sort of way. We may have our mountains here, but this city gets its beauty from the water on its edge. All day long ferries go across, sailboats gently floating along, the sun glistens on it and you get that fresh smell in the air that can only be found near water. Now, I understand visiting this fine city during the end of June is much different than the gloom you’d find most of the time...I know it’s not always sunshine and roses. However, what all this moisture gives is a lushness that’s hard to find elsewhere. Lots of rainy winters equals very lovely summers. I love a city, but I’m still a Montana girl at heart and after a few days it was time for a change of a pace. A ferry ride, and short drive later we found ourselves on the tip of the Olympic Peninsula in the quaint seaside town of Port Townsend. What a charming, Victorian seaport and artsy­hippie community. Set against the backdrop of the wild beauty of the cool ocean, rocky bluffs, sandy beaches and a quaint downtown. The small mountainsides more like a rainforest than the forests we are used to hiking in. This was a time to slow down from the chaos of the city, take in the natural beauty, hang out with the neighborhood deer that roam the quiet streets and relax. The vibe was similar to Bozeman...small and touristy with plenty of unique local joints to visit. The town full of welcoming people, yet leery of out­of­towners. Like Bozeman in the we’re happy you are enjoying our little town, but please don’t consider moving here.


A few weeks after the family trip, we found ourselves again crossing the MT/ID state line, this time heading towards Boise and this time without children. This part of Idaho, so different than the month before as we passed through the mountainous Coeur d'Alene area, now driving through barren land, dry and smoky from the fires. Taking the more scenic route and ending up driving through the Craters of the Moon State Park with open rift cracks and lava fields. It was so cool to stumble upon this part of the country. To see the landscape turn black and rocky with mountainous volcanos popping up in the horizon and the earth basically split open in parts. On to Boise, a place unlike much the rest of Idaho. A big city compared to the small communities we had driven through. A vibrant downtown that was fun with its restaurants, street music, nightlife and young community. By far the friendliest city of all the places we had been to while on our vacations. Each place we went we were welcomed with a genuine, kind smile, helpful advice and true care if we were having a good time. We didn’t encounter one rude person and everyone there seemed truly happy. Most of them were locals who obviously took such pride in their city. 


With any vacation, the end always comes faster than you want. When I wake up on the last day, a heaviness fills my heart. Wanting to continue all that comes with being away. However, as the miles pass I remember what we are going back to. The landscape begins to change, mountains come into view and by the time I see the Welcome to Montana sign things begin to feel better. Once we pull off the exit into Bozeman a contentedness replaces the earlier heaviness. Home. We get to call this amazing place home. A place that brings so much goodness. A place that in the beginning we are excited to leave and get away from, but then thrilled to get to come back to. The saying goes “Don’t be sad that it’s over, be happy that it happened”. While I agree with this I’d have to add “Be happy that you get to come home to Montana”.

 Angela Jamison is a native Montanan and she grew up in beautiful Bozeman. I'm the mother of two girls and write a blog about our life here and taking in the simple pleasures of family and food.

http://www.rdeliciouslife.blogspot.com/

Photo by: Mapped Creative

Hot Summer Nights? Don’t let electronics make it harder to sleep.

Summertime. The season of staying up later either in the hope of a cooler bedroom or for night to really settle in. On those evenings, it’s tempting to while away the time on your iPhone, iPad or computer. I used to write at night until I acknowledged that I couldn’t sleep afterwards. Turns out that’s not unusual. Those devices emit blue light that that suppresses levels of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. In fact, according to the Apple Certified Support Specialist at F-11 Photo, research suggests that the use of light-emitting electronic devices before bedtime prolongs the time it takes to fall asleep, delays the circadian clock, reduces the amount of REM sleep, and reduces alertness the next morning. 

Solutions? Read an old-fashioned paperback novel or a hold-it-in-your hands copy of Distinctly Montana magazine. Prefer to read articles like this on the online blog? Happily, there are fixes for your electronics too. The folks at F-11 Photo suggest a donationware utility called f.lux. Compatible with both the Mac and Windows, at sunset, f.lux starts warming up the color temperature of the display, with the goal of making it look like a page of a book (or magazine) under your normal room lights. 

You can access the free download through the f.lux website. The website includes a lot of other interesting information on improving sleep so explore. 

On newer iPhones and iPads, iOS 9.3 offers a feature called “Night Shift.”  Look under Settings > Display & Brightness for the option to warm the temperature of the screen automatically on a schedule, enable the temperature warming manually until the next day, and control just how warm you like it. In terms of scheduling, the default approach is from sunset to sunrise, but you can also set custom times, which might be useful on long, not summer nights. 

For myself, I try to turn off my electronics by 9 PM. But I’ve noticed that time frame slipping lately as I sit in my kitchen, waiting for temps to drop in my upstairs bedroom. I like knowing that I wasn’t making up the connection between keyboarding and having trouble sleeping. It’s also good to know that If technology creates challenges in falling and staying asleep, it also offers solutions.

Jenna Caplette migrated from California to Montana in the early 1970s, first living on the Crow Indian reservation, then moving to Bozeman where she owned a downtown retail anchor for eighteen years. These days she owns Bozeman BodyTalk & Energetic Healthcare, hosts a monthly movie night, teaches and writes about many topics.

The quest to find our one true “person” is the most common search that man-kind is driven by, but hunters have an entire different meaning of, “THE ONE”. Yes, they think love and all that ooey-gooey stuff is great. I mean when they find their human “ONE”, they have a captive audience for all of their epic hunting stories, someone obligated to lie about the size of that mediocre fish they landed, and someone to snuggle up with in their buffalo robes…Sounds pretty great, right?
 

But what I am talking about is the beast that is unaware that a drooling outdoorsman is driving, scouting, hiking, over-thinking, spying, spotting and basically hyperventilating at the mere sight of it’s presence. The outdoorsman is the ultimate stalker. Makes me kind of wonder what the outdoorsman did to me, that I didn’t know about, when he decided I was his human “ONE”… It really is a bit unsettling.
 

It is the time of year when the outdoorsmen are getting amped up for September and their excitement literally can be cut with a knife. I can sense the tension, the anxiety, the excitement, and the determination brewing when I am in their presence and they are talking about their search for “THE ONE” that they will make theirs this fall. These poor bucks and bulls have no idea that they are being stalked. They are on a green grass vacation without a worry in the world. Little do they know, there has been an imaginary target imprinted on their booty.
 

Every time the outdoorsman looks at them, all he sees is a target. I must admit, it is disturbing when he is constantly mumbling about the number antler points, big spreads, shiny coats, and big beauties. I mean, why isn’t he mumbling about my shiny hair and long legs? It is somewhat weird that when the outdoorsman looks at his new found obsession he closes his eyes and smiles...I think that when he looks at the trophy he is envisioning a successful hunt and rubbing himself all over the antlers of his love once he has conquered him. Creepy…
 

Have you ever been around a male dog when there is a female dog in heat? The male stops eating, can’t stop panting, will not stop dry humping the air, can’t sleep, and their eyes are glazed over in their quest to get lucky. This is pretty much a perfect description of the way hunters act when they are looking for “THE ONE”. Thankfully once he is lucky enough to find “THE ONE” that he deems worthy of his attentions, he become semi-normal again. And by semi-normal, I mean that he is only getting up at 5 a.m. every other morning to go and spy on his new love, he begins eating again and stops panting most of the time. Disturbingly enough, he still begins dry humping the air when he is peeping on his love through his spotting scope…His eyes stay glazed over well into hunting season until they transform into red and bloodshot with exhaustion from the endless hiking and early mornings.
 

I am not really sure if the outdoorsman is crazier in the pre-season or in the actual season. Every year, the depth of the obsession surprises me. He hides it well for a couple months, once the velvety antlers appear, the hunting monster crawls out and is in full force. This monster has found his target; he cannot and will not be stopped or distracted. He is on a mission. God help us all.
 

Kristen Berube lives a crazy, laugh-filled life with her outdoorsman husband Remi and their three camo-clad children in Missoula, Montana. A graduate of Montana State University and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, she loves being a mom and enjoys hiking, fishing, and camping. “Confessions of a Camo Queen: Living with an Outdoorsman” is her first book.
 

It is available for purchase at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1560376287/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk