East Side, or taking the long way home

I listened to my new Brandi Carlile CD all the way home, 

until the car stereo overheated and started skipping beats that weren't meant to skip.  

I pulled over whenever I wanted.  

I felt the east side wind clear my head of all that unwanted life stuff. 

 I felt free as a bird in this big ol' sky.

It's humbling, this country.

Truly heartbreakingly beautiful.

The festival I just came home from is, without a doubt, my most favorite.  A weekend filled with lovely family not by blood and new friends I am sure to see again the next time around, with such friendly smiles and hospitality.  This is an undoubtedly *authentic* Montana experience.  I try not to use *that* word too much, as I feel like as soon as you label it as such, it looses it's soul and gravity.  But truly, this weekend epitomizes for me the reasons I moved to this state in the first place. 

 It's the feeling of this weekend that fires me up, and cements my home here in the west.

May you feel the dust of your feathers fall clear from this big sky, my people. 

May it lift you up in the sun and wind,

and leave you feeling more like yourself.

I know it did for me.

....

Red Ants Pants Music Festival, Oh Yeah!

Are you kidding me?!?!?!

As if last year couldn't be topped!

So stinking excited to be headed out East for some boot-stompin,

 jewels slingin', hootin' and a'hollerin'

in White Sulphur Springs, MT!

Here's a little of some of my favorites,

(besides the facial hair competition...seriously.)

.........

The Black Lillies...

(also, they'll be in WHITEFISH the week after too....eeeek!)

 A beautiful video of theirs for you....

......

Corb Lund...

IN WHITE SULPHUR here in this video....last year : 0 )

.....

Josh Ritter

One of my most favorite acoustic versions of a beautiful song.

.....

And of course, miss Brandi Carlile.

She's just wonderful.

................................

I can't say enough good things about this awesome event, brought to you by some serious grassroots and some salt of this beautiful earth.  I am truly proud and grateful to run with such wonderful people at this event, as White Sulphur Springs opens it's arms once again for one of the best Music Festivals in Montana. Hope you'll join (or at least get these pants! I wear mine almost every day it's not 90 degrees, and probably will end up carrying another pair home with me) and stop by to say Hi at my booth! 

Get your tickets!

The dust that settles and a surprise!

I've been trying to keep these a secret until it was the perfect time to share...

I drove around all last week with them in the pick-up,

thinking it might be a great time to share them while on the road. 

As they *are* for jottings on the road....

But all good things happen in time.

I came home from a week away,

perusing the southern border of our tremendous state,

basking in prairie sunshine, small towns, and rolling farm-land,

after sending off some dear friends through the great big door of marriage.

One hellova wedding, folks.

Complete with hay bales, rodeo, a few gorgeous montana sunsets , and great friends. 

 I came home

to a garden well past her expiration date....

my fleet of peonies burnt up by our July heat.

The gardens have moved on.

And that's just fine.

The cab of our truck is covered in a glittery dust
that can only be acquired by driving too fast on dirt roads.
The collection of roadside snacks and bad gas station coffee jump out the sides of the truck,
as proof of our adventure,
 onto the gravel driveway outside my home.
I smile.
That was a good trip.

These gorgeous little postcard notes I had printed before we left

were tucked safely away,

hiding from gooey candy and spilled coffee.

Waiting patiently.

I dug them out of the front seat,

these little carded beauties,

to reassure me that, yes, these peonies were as stunning as I remember.

Only a week has gone by,

I already miss them, and the garden is significantly different without them.

But I feel refreshed in all this unpacking,

and all this shaking out of the dusty week behind us.

I maybe even feel a little different myself.

More blooms to come, I think to myself,

and smile again. 

Funny how quick a season can change.

And how fast it can blow by you when you're having fun. 

Funny how wonderful it is to see burnt up flowers

make room for the next round of blooms.

In honor of some bygone beauties...

and the ones to come.....

the settling of dust after a good trip out of town,

and the beauty of receiving a handwritten note.

......

AFTER THE RAIN

A set of seven original photographs,

on postcards.

Blank on the back,

for your scribbling pleasure. 

For writing home.

In the SHOP!