So Long 2010...................

We are headed down to Yellowstone National Park this afternoon for a scenic drive; the cold has thwarted our plans to ski so we will be searching out photo opportunities followed by a romantic dinner for two at the Mammoth Hotel. Enjoy your New Year celebration............see you next year!!
xoxo

12/28/2009

While driving to work 1 year ago today I answered a call from my mom. It seemed early to be hearing from her, or anyone for that matter. She was calling to tell me that my cousin Eli had been in a car accident and had been flown or was on his way to Billings... The next 10 days were filled with tears, fear and a lot of hope and praying in our family. Eli has made a miraculous recovery over the past year and in his fight to live the life that he has always known has been a incredible reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the body's ability for healing. So today I want to say Thank You Eli for your sweet soul.
xoxoxo

THANKS SANTA!!!

ps

we got more than 17inches of snow at the ranch in less than a week and i don't think the temp has risen above ZERO. i of course forgot my camera to show you but watch the weather channel...Bozeman, MT was on there this morning for record freezing weather...... -20!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving....so what am I grateful for?
-The BIG beautiful blue sky that I live under.....even in freezing weather the sky was beautiful coming into town this morning.
-Wood burning stoves.....yes, we do have electric heat but there is nothing like the warmth of a wood burning stove.
-Being well equipt....I love being able to feel ready for whatever mother nature has in mind for us here and the adventures that we are faced with; while sometimes frustrating are often really fun.
-My neighborhood and my community........yesterday there were 2 people stuck on our road and there were 3 vehicles (including us) immediately to get them out. Although our closest 'neighbor' is at least 1/4 of a mile away and we can go weeks; even months without any more communication than a wave everyone is there to help each other out. Livingston is the same way, it is small and people really care about each other. Not necessarily because we all know each other well but because we are all a part of a community that is important to all of us.
-My new AWD.........enough said.
-My job.....it is consistent, reliable and it allows me to make connections with people who I would otherwise never know.
-The ranch......living on 1,000 acres is Paradise Valley really is PARADISE!
-Snow removal equipment.......plowing for hours can be fun if you let it.
-Horsecicles, pupcicles and kittycicles........they are going stir crazy right now!
-The snow.....I am really looking forward to the snow this year. Skiing, both xcountry and yes, maybe even downhill. I am planning to take some lessons as long as I don't wuzzzzz out; I am the loser who grew up in MT and never learned how to downhill ski. I am hoping that this is the year that all changes.
-Drift fence and the boy who puts it up for us ;)......who knew that such ugly fence could be such a lifesaver.
-YNP.......I am going to spend more time exploring it...this is a promise to myself.

Did you notice that there has been no mention of G, my family or my friends. Well I feel like it goes without saying that the people in my life bring me the most gratitude. But today, the day before Thanksgiving I am going to focus on the not so obvious things. Besides, I will spend all of tomorrow with those special people, doing what we do best......you will see.....I'm not gonna lie-It is great to be an Isaly! xxoo

Good Morning Winter.....

I have been waiting for you!

fall friends

Our new buddy bucky has been hanging pretty close in the back yard. He comes in at dusk to say hello. He and Fisher challenge each other and to our surprise he doesn't seem to mind the dog. He just comes back closer and closer. It is funny when you think about how much time is spent and how many miles are hiked to attempt to get anywhere close to this distance to deer and elk and in the back yard we can almost reach out and touch this guy. I love that he is just as territorial and protective of the yard as Fisher is :)

Roots Rock!!

Root vegetables are now my new best friend. They are hearty, resilient and most of them take no work at all and can be stored and used all year long. Granted the carrots take some work but they are soooo beautiful. I can't wait to eat our onions and I really can't wait for our garlic and shallots next year. I think I might try potatoes as well.....one more thing I can just dig up, wash off and store.

domestication

I have been a canning FOOL this fall. Cooking and cleaning are not things that I would consider domestic.....just regular, everyday stuff. But canning, preserving your freshly grown veggies. That, in my mind is domestic. I love having a garden. Although the constant battle with the weeds usually ends in me ignoring the garden for the later half of the summer paying only enough attention to keep it watered and take what I want from it. But I am always frustrated by how much ends up going to waste...back into the ground. Because a household of 2 can only eat so many peas, beans, squash, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, carrots............you get what I mean. I am making it my goal to conquer the preservation of more and more of the veggies each year until someday maybe there won't be as much waste. Either that or I will dedicate the entire thing to garlic, shallots and onion since they don't take much work at the end of the year. But if you have seen out garden you know that I would then produce more of those items than we could eat in a year. Some of the earlier veggies were picked and prepared but never made it to preservation this year. So sorry little beans and peas....I had good intentions.

I did manage to make tons and tons of apple sauce and apple pie filling (the apples were fresh but not from our trees...those are always stolen by the bears before I get to them), blackrazz jam (berried from the truck in the parking lot), canned diced tomatoes (from our garden and my brothers), the onions are downstairs curing and the carrots are ready to be picked anytime and will be blanched and frozen for winter enjoyment (that is the plan anyway). I just planed garlic and shallots tonight for next year. Following my Uncles Jamies gardening advice, he has two greenhouses and a big garden so when he tells me to do something I usually listen. We did lose quite a few tomatoes and all of our tomatillos (first year growing them) to frost because I was trying to eek out every last day I could and then got lazy even though I heard it was supposed to freeze. Next year to goal is to get the peas and beans in the freezer the day I pick them, otherwise they are destined to sit for weeks in the refrigerator until I throw them away and get the tomatoes inside more quickly. I also need to make sure that we eat all of the stuff that I have canned and that it is not out of sight, out of mind on the shelves in the basement.

diced canned tomatoes

Dear AMC,

In general I understand why a series does not run all year round. We need a break, you need a break, in the summer we are too busy to watch most of the time anyway, blah, blah, blah. And in general I am ok when my shows come to an end each season and I am ready for them to start at the beginning of the next. But Mad Men is not your regular run of the mill series. I assume you realize this. It can't be because the show is 1 hour long rather than 30 min and you just don't have enough material.......Greys is an hour and so is Desperate Housewives and they run all winter. I don't want to have to go back to watching DH on Sunday nights when it airs....I am ok with skipping it and watching later in the week. I WANT MY MEN!!!!!!!

It is coming.....I can feel it.

A few signs that any day now we will wake up in the middle of winter...........

The wood is chopped and stacked up high....
The drift fence is up....thanks bro...
And Marks is now ....'Closed for the season..reason..freezin!'

Happy 23rd Birthday to my little sis!!

We celebrated Keeli's birthday in true Isaly style with a mountain man obstacle course. Maybe red neck obstacle course would be a more appropriate name. Either way we gathered with the family and Ty, our brother from another mother at Quinn Creek where we tried our skills/luck at roping, the sling shot, archery, tomahawk throwing and of course some shooting. Turns out I am skilled in none of these arenas.

If baking had been part of the course I would have won for sure with my mini cheesecakes!!

mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

I would like to bake in exchange for $$.... just throwing that out there for anyone who would like to pay me to bake ;)

checking the perimeter

every fall we do our best to make sure that the property boundaries are clearly posted. would you be intimidated??

everything is better when it is toasted on bread!

 

 

blackrazzzzzz

 

 

 

best jam EVER!!!

first snow 2010

 

September 5, 2010 7:15 AM

YNP

 

 

 

Not sure when this was...a month or two ago...fishing in Yellowstone National Park. Soon we will be in the same spots skiing!

pure class

 

Big Timber, MT

Grizzly G

 

The Grizzly is his spirit animal whether he likes it or not!!

I know, I know

Yes, I realize that I am running the risk of my blog turning into a food blog but this is really what I spend my time doing. And I am really going to make more of an effort to document and keep track of the other fun MT adventures that we have!
But just wait until you see the mini cheesecakes that I made for my sistes bday....they are on a different camera that is not at home right now. And I will even post some of the other pic from the fun bday celebration last weekend for all you non-foodies.
And if you want something extra exciting to read about (stuff that I just can't give you) check out my friend Ashley's blog to read all about her exciting news!! I'll give you a hint.....Aunt Jacq X2!

 

The best way to end a 4 day weekend when the weather is beginning to really feel like fall is with a big pot of chilli......mmmmmmmmm.......

Pasta Sunday

 

A day of creating. Spinach pasta turned into both feteccinni and torteloni filled with mushroom ricotta filling.
We stuffed ourselved with the torteloni with pine nuts in brown butter sauce before we spend the evening walking it off hunting.

are you jealous

 

Awake at 5:30 AM on a Sunday morning (LOVING hunting season)...........enjoying a mini cheesecake (fulfilling my daily dairy and sugar needs early)..............reading my pasta making recipe books.
I live an exciting life! ;)

really....really???

There are just some things that I don't think I will ever understand. I try to be non-judgemental. Taking a non-judgemental stance is part of my everyday mindfulness practice. And still, I sometimes find this impossible. I live in Montana. Surrounded by the freshest air, tall trees and..... a cat stroller??? People put cats in strollers and walk them around? This stroller:

pink

made specifically for a cat...or I guess a small dog (which I still don't think I would understand)

in MT......

This is not some crazy city....the streets are clean and pet friendly.

AND...judgement is a slippery slope that I am now going to carefully get off of
Happy Friday!

I am Smitten

My new Favorite, and I mean FAVORITE little corner of the internet to hide. I am not sure how much time I have spent lost in this bliss of reading about, looking through and imagining myself creating these recipes at home.
www.smittenkitchen.com

Desiderata
-- written by Max Ehrmann in the 1920s --
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Little Jackson Force belongs to my dear friends Sarah and Force Tolar. He is their first...well second if you count Harley dog. Congrats friends!
xoxo

sweet baby boy!!

JACKSON FORCE TOLAR made his grand entrance on August 1st!!! This sweet little guy has the cutest hair already!

In NEW YORK....