Another one of their exhibits was a "living history farm". Usually when I have visited old, preserved homes you are not allowed to touch anything, but in this home/farm not only were you allowed to touch everything, but you were able to use it! It was literally a "living" farm. They have volunteers that run the farm and have visitors help them with cooking, cleaning, watering plants, and any other tasks as they choose.
9.On a clear day you can see layer upon layer of mountain ranges. Its beautiful!
8. Firefighter helicopters sightings are frequent. I think that some News helicopters double as firefighting helicopters or visa versa. I can't be 100% sure, but I saw a helicopter with a water hose that had a big number 7 with a circle around it like a news helicopter. I have asked around, and nobody knows. None the less, the firefighter culture is big here.
7. There are so many horses grazing along the highway. Most are owned, but some are wild. They have so many different color patterns. It makes my long drives more entertaining and picturesque.
6. This may be more of a "Billings Clinic" thing then "Montana" but, oh well. I have loved the how great the nurses and nurses aides have been at this hospital. I have worked in a lot of places with a lot of different dynamics and this has been the best so far. Actually, Billings Clinic was rated number one on safety in consumer reports! This was a huge honor for them, and I know that it comes from the great team dynamic they culture there.
5. Every week there are multiple festivals and/or rodeos going on, and when people talk about what they are doing over the weekend it ALWAYS includes some kind of outdoor activity. Probably cause they only have a few months to really get it all in.
4. Lewis and Clark explored a large part of this state during their expedition. In fact, when Clark passed through what is now Billings he left his mark. He inscribed his signature and the date on a large rock pillar that he named Pompey's Pillar after Sacagawea's son. (Clark had nicknamed her son "Pomp".) This signature is the only physical evidence left of the cross country expedition. Pretty special if you ask me!! Now they have it encased in a plastic case on the rock. One would think they would clean the case more often so all of us tourists could get better pictures of it, but no. This was the best I could get. :)
3. The Native Americans have very unique last names. The first time I was exposed to them was when I had a patient with a really strange last name. I was surprised at first, but now it is common place. I can't say what my patients last names were due to privacy laws, but I can tell you what some of the common last names are in this area according to the locals. Rideshorse, Fasthorse, Old Coyote, Shoulderblade, DullKnife, etc. They go on and on. There are so many I can't post... darn.
2. Uncontrolled intersections. I am sure they have these everywhere, but I have never run into them before. These are intersections where there is no light, no stop sign, no yield sign, nothing. You just have to hope that someone who doesn't know any better isn't speeding through the intersection thinking that the other people have a stop sign. I didn't realize it at first. I didn't even think about it. If I don't see a sign at an intersection I assume I have the right of way. Thankfully, I was okay for the first two days when I just went right through the intersection. Then, I realized no one had a stop sign and I started to slow down a bit. :) How hard is it to just put a stop sign in? Crazy.
1. Bears really do roam everywhere! Including across I-90; the biggest hwy running through the state.
Well, folks, I finally saw a bear here in Montana. Two, to be exact. Of course, I could not get any pictures because I was slamming on my brakes as they were running in front of my car as it was going 75 mph.
A momma black bear decided to cross the highway and she made it just fine, but her little cub was just a few seconds behind and I swear I thought I was going to hit it. In the course of about 10 seconds all these thoughts were going through my head: SLOW DOWN, check rearview mirror to make sure no one is too close behind me, I don't want to kill a baby bear, where are my flashers, dang! I wish I were on a smaller road so I could stop and take a picture...
(That last one really came afterward) ;)
The baby bear was literally so close to the front of my car that we locked eyes just before I thought I was going to hit it, and then he disappeared as the front of my car blocked my view of him. I could only hope at that point that he was between my two tires so if I did run him over maybe he would just go under the car and be okay. I prepared myself to feel the bump... and nothing happened. I put my foot back on the gas, and tried to speed up quickly so no one would run into me and glanced in my rearview mirror. No bear in sight. I swear the hand of God must have pushed that baby bear out from under my tire just in time. I would not be surprised if his tail got brushed by my hubcap. It was a scary experience. I was shaking pretty good afterward. How ironic is it that this was my first up close encounter with a bear.
Always an adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment