Monday, March 21, 2011

National Agriculture Week

It is National Agriculture Week!  To celebrate, this post is devoted to healthy eating and to the Flathead Valley Farmers that dedicate themselves to providing the meals that end up on our dinner plates and in our kids' bellies.




Ever since becoming pregnant with Eldon, I have started and continued to research and actually care about the food that we are eating. I have learned alot over the last 3 years, and I keep adding limitations to our diets, which in turn has opened up a whole new world of food possibilities.

First it was to replace anything "white" with whole grain.  According to me: success. According to Nate: I have butchered his favorite meal (spaghetti) by using "chalk noodles."  Too bad for Nate, he ended up taking that one for the team.  I still serve the chalk noodles.
My next big revelation was the best food advice I think I have ever gotten...to only shop the perimeter of the grocery store, avoiding the aisles and in doing so avoiding the processed foods.  There are still a few things (the bread, canned olives, tomato sauces, cheerios etc.) that are plucked from the forbidden aisles but I do really well on this one.  This ONE rule covers so many bases.
The newest has been to eat local. local local local. Lucky for me and other Valley residents, eating locally here is wonderfully easy.  Need meat? Go hunting. Want fish? Grab a pole. Berries? Ok, not as easy but totally worth it. Don't want to put in all that work? Flathead has still got you covered.

Our deepfreezer looks like most of our neighbors in that it is usually full of the deer/elk meat from last hunting season.  We are fortunate enough to see our meat through every phase and know that the burger in our chalk-noodle-tainted spaghetti has only touched the hands of us and a few other close family members that graciously help to cut, grind, and package meat.

If you are like us, you rarely buy beef. But when you do, the source matters.  To support a local farmer and know that your meat was taken care of from grazing-open-pastures beginning to much-more-humane-than-a-commerical-slaughterhouse ending, check out these places:

Farm to Market Pork- they are currently having a big sale and have advertised that they accept food stamps....so what are you waiting for? On lazy Saturday mornings when I think about skipping Farmer's Market, Nate begs me to go for the sole purpose of picking up bacon from these guys. Delicious.

Flathead Farms- don't know much about this farm other than they turned up in a google search for "grass fed beef Flathead Valley" It looks like their website hasn't been updated recently but there is still contact info.

There is a rancher in Dayton, MT that gave me his card at the library showing of "Food, Inc."  I wish I could locate the card, and I can not find the name anywhere but know they raise grass-fed hormone/antibiotic free beef.  I will update it as soon as I track them down.


I thought about starting a kickass garden this year but frankly, I just don't have the dedication.  I am afraid of my canner (my Grandma makes it look so easy) and don't want to be shackled to the duty of picking/preserving produce when it's at it's peak.  Not to mention, I am a cold-blooded houseplant murderer and seriously doubt that I would be a skilled gardener. (I am making a vow to overcome my fear of both canning and power tools in the near future...but that's another post.) 

Eldon and Nate picking raspberries at Grandma's house

The next best thing is to purchase a share from one of the Valley's Community Supported Agriculture programs which we plan on doing with a portion of our tax return this year.  For those that don't know, you pay somewhere around $500.00 (they have half shares available too) and get weekly deliveries of fresh, organic, locally grown, in season produce.  They box up a generous variety of whatever is ripe and ready to go that week and it goes directly from the farm to your kitchen. It forces you to incorporate otherwise overlooked vegetables into your diets too, which is an added bonus. If you are interested, this website has TONS of good information about buying local in the valley, as well as a list of farms.




I appreciate CSA for the convenience and the challenge, but the same farmers are usually at the Farmer's Market offering the same great produce. I LOVE Farmers Markets.





I still swing by every Saturday morning in the summer to pick up bacon, eggs, bread, and browse the other goodies. 


Hard to think that the first weekend is right around the corner!
Kalispell: (Saturdays) April 16- October 15     9am-12:30pm                For more info call 752-3350
Columbia Falls: (Thursdays) June 9- September 29     5pm-7pm            For more info, call 892-0318
Whitefish: (Tuesdays) May 24- September 27   5pm-7:30pm                  For more infor, call 871-9744
West Glacier: couldn't find updated information. In the past, it has been Fridays 5pm-7pm


Locally produced food can also be found in some of our grocery stores.  I know that Kalispell Kreamery milk is used at most local latte stands, and I buy it by the gallon at Glacier Discount.  Wheat Montana bread is everywhere, including Costco.  I usually shop at Mountain Valley Foods for local/specialty products and Whithey's Health Foods carries local items including honey, eggs, bison, and even emu.

We live in one of the most self sufficient States in the United States.  Everything we need is at our fingertips, including food that was grown and produced down the road.  Residents of larger cities would urge us all to take advantage of everything our land has to give us.  I am making it a goal to do so.  Let's keep our money in the valley and support our local farmers. Ready, Set, Go!  

Saturday, March 19, 2011

A Total Mom Post

More and more often, I find myself rearranging words and phrases in an effort to arrive at an explanation that is appropriately worded for Eldon's brilliant and busy 2 year old mind.

We are right in that stage where communication is less frustrating for him but more frustrating for me.  He can express his wants/needs easily now but I struggle to communicate MY wants/needs to him effectively.  I only have a basic idea of what he grasps, and don't want to overestimate or underestimate him.

This is one (of the many) reasons I have developed such a heartfelt appreciation and love for children's books.  I have always loved the way they portray such complex ideas with such simplicity.  In fact, when I was searching for the last "reading" for our wedding ceremony, I stumbled across the book "Me With You" by Kristy Dempsey  It just felt perfect.  So simply stated but really enveloping of all of the things we wanted to say, even if not directly. And THAT seems to be the recipe for a classic.  A book that can do all of the above and still speak to young hearts is a treasure.

When Eldon was a very new newborn, a super sweet old man in Helena ran a used bookstore out of an old house.  The floorboards creaked, the shelves overflowed with books and the place smelled like pipe tobacco.  Because of his "secret mission" to get kids involved with reading, he would credit me $5.00 for my used novels.  I would stack 20 or so childrens books in my arms, and he would wink as he marked my credit down one dollar. This is how Eldon's "library" began and continued growing.  I know we were lucky, but if you are looking for a jumpstart, Salvation Army in Kalispell has bins of books in the .10-.25 cents range.  (Don't be picky, Eldons favorites are books I never would have bought if I wasn't just grabbing random handfuls of books.)

So I have spent the last few days reading and compiling our "treasure chest" of books.  Yours may be different, but these are our tried and tested true favorites. I made two different lists, one of all time classics and one of books for the Montana kid. They are in no particular order. Enjoy!

Must-read books for the Montana kid:

1."Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen
This reminds me of grouse hunting with my brothers and Grandpa. Looks like I am not the only one who loves it, though.
2."M is for Montana" by Gayle C. Shirley
An ABC book that teaches Montana landscape and history.
3."Who Pooped in the Park-Glacier National Park ?" by Gary D. Robson
This series features the different National Parks, their animals and the tracks/scat they make.  The Glacier Park version is most useful for our Flathead Valley future explorers.
4."Whose Tracks Are These?" by James Nail
Love the illustration in this book, and a great learning tool.
5. "The Other Way to Listen" by Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall
A story about connecting with nature.  Also the author of a book we love called "Everybody Needs a Rock."
6. "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush" by Tomie DePaola
The story of the legend surrounding my all time favorite flower.
7. "My First Deer Hunt" by Curtis and Michael Waguespack
Can't wait for Eldon to read this and get excited about his first hunting trip with Nate!
8. "Naya Nuki-shoshoni girl who ran" by Kenneth Thomasma
This was the first chapter book I ever read.  I got lost into it and then read all of his other books.
9. "First Snow in the Woods" by Carl R. Sams and Jean Stoick
Sorry to you OCD folks, I am leaving this list at 9.


Our all time favorites:

1. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Eric Carle
Eldon loves this book because it is easy to memorize and he can recite it/read it alone.
2."Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson
One of those books that feels never-ending at bed time but a wonderful way to get kids to understand how powerful and important a good imagination is.
3. "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak
Max is Eldon. Eldon is Max. I am sure there are parents out there who relate to this book the same way.
4. "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper
Duh. No explanation needed.
5. "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst
More my favorite than Eldon's, but it comes in handy when he is whining up a storm over something silly.  Quoting this book gets him to smirk, even when he doesn't want to. I often yell out "I am moving to AUSTRALIA!" when I get frustrated. Eldon thinks it is hysterical and it brings some comedy to my otherwise crazy day.
6. "Squids Will Be Squids" by Jon Scieszka
Directed more to an older age group, but I just LOVE these silly fables and they hold Eldon's attention while offering some adult entertainment.
7. "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle
After checking this book out from the library 10 million times, I finally bought it. Eldon requests it by name and any child's version of the word "caterpillar" is likely to be adorable.
8. "Is There Really a Human Race?" by Jamie Lee Curtis
One of those books that will prove more beneficial as Eldon grows
9. "Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?" by Dr. Seuss
This would be at the top of the list if these were in any order.  I love all Dr. Seuss books but this one is my definite favorite.  Reading it to Eldon makes his imaginiation soar while altering the mood of my day dramatically.  We listen to this on tape in the car alot.
10. "Wherever You Are, My Love Will Find You" by Nancy Tillman
So sweet. So delicate. So true. As a Mother who has dealt with the loss of a baby, this book hit me especially hard.


Honorable Mentions: These are books that are my personal favorites that don't always hold Eldon's attention or are tucked away until he is old enough to understand how special they are:

1. "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss
I give this book as a gift all. the. time. So inspiring and without limitations.  A Dr. Seussy crazy way of teaching children (and adults alike) that they can go wherever they want to in life, complete with mention of challenges and roadblocks.
2. "The Story of Ferdinand" by Muro Leaf
I don't want my son to be a bully, but I don't want him to be a punk either. I want him to be a Ferdinand.
3. "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein
This book leaves alot open for interpretation. I see it (and will someday explain it to Eldon this way) as a lesson that even when people are more than happy to keep giving, it doesn't mean you should continue taking.  Give and take, without ANY exception to the rule.
4. "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters" by John Steptoe
This book was one I read in grade school that I will always remember.  A lesson in being kind, even when you think nobody is watching. 



Still don't have your fix? Find your local library's story time schedule here.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Paint the Town Green




  Oh, feck yes.  Time to raise your Guinness and toast to...Guinness?  Up until now, I was under the impression that St. Patrick's Day was slapped onto the calendar for the sole purpose of drinking like an Irishman.  Sure, when I became a Mom I began to see how shamrock shaped sugar cookies and leprechaun tales could be reason enough to celebrate but wuddyaknow? There IS more to St. Patty's Day than corned beef & cabbage and yes...even green beer.

   In the spirit of the holiday, I have taken it upon myself to learn a little bit about what all the fuss is over.  So what about the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland? This "Saint Patrick" guy? Here's the condensed version of what I learned:


St. patrick was a Catholic missionary in Ireland during the 5th century.  At age 14, he was captured by
Irish raiders in Britain and taken to Ireland as a slave.  6 years later, he escaped and returned
to his family in Britain, where he entered the church.  He later returned to Ireland as an ordained Bishop. 
He has been credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.
Want FACTS? That's really all there is.  Legends vary but there isn't much for actual documentation beyond that.

So why the green, the shamrock and the food/drink overindulgence?
In Ireland, the 3 leaf clover was used by ministers to teach the concept of the holy trinity. Enter Shamrock.
St. Patrick's Day is a religious holiday that happens to fall during lent and consequently, the only day during
the 40 day lent period where the people of Ireland are allowed to eat meat and drink.
Enter corned beef & cabbage and your Irish beverage of choice.
As for the green? We sorta just made it up.  Only the U.S. does it and green is actually considered
an unlucky color in Ireland.

   Normally I would ignore everything I just learned.  I would dress in green, send Eldon to his Grandparent's house, and challenge Nate to a kegstand.  But Nate's at work and my I.D. (which was not turned in after falling out of my pocket on the dance floor last weekend) is probably being used to get some underager into some trouble this weekend. 
Preparing an entire corned beef for just Eldon and I seems silly.  Partying is out, so looks like I'll be celebrating the "Mom" way, which is fine by me.  No hangover. No trouble.

Dear Youngin with my drivers license,

Better you than me. Good Luck.

Sincerely,
The real Jenelle

p.s. I am most likely related to the bouncer.

So here's our G-rated gameplan...
...OK, PG 'cause I'm throwin' some irish cream in my coffee.  Eldon is going to start his day off with lucky charms, which is a huge treat for him.  We are making the shamrock sugar cookies and going on a hunt for all things green. (Learning colors-Score!) If you have older kids, I suggest rearranging all of the furniture, coloring the milk green and telling them that leprechauns came! Don't forget to leave some "gold" behind.
I bought the book "Did I ever tell you how lucky you are?" by Dr. Seuss and plan on reading it to Eldon regardless of the fact that he won't understand the message that I wish I could drill into his head every day. He's luckier than most.
Kalispell parade is at 4pm, and we will be there.  Afterwards, we may also be stopping at one of these places that are serving corned beef & cabbage dinner specials:

Kalispell Eagles-5pm
The Backroom-Columbia Falls
Tamarack Brewing Co.-Lakeside
The Cottage Inn-Kila
Garden Bar & Grille-Bigfork


Once Eldon turns in for the night, I plan on fantasizing over The Boondock Saints. (One of my most favorite movies. ever.)
The "scenery" isn't bad either. :P

Sound boring to you? Yeah, I figured it would.  Check out the local fesitivites at these places. (Hint: Bars with anything Irish in the name usually feel the pressure to throw one hell of a St. Patty's Day party.)

Great Northern Bar- Whitefish
Casey's Irish Pub- Whitefish
The Boiler Room- Kalispell
Paddy's Touchdown Lounge- Kalispell
Fatt Boys- Kalispell
Craggy Range- Whitefish
Tamarack Brewing Co- Lakeside
Blue Moon- Columbia Falls

So dust off that old kilt! For the love of God, wear something underneath it! And please, don't play your bagpipes after my kid is in bed! Also, if you choose to "go green" and down some beers, call a cab. Here are some numbers for your convenience:

Kalispell Taxi & Glacier Taxi- 752-7433
Jim's Taxi- 890-8920
The Ride Guy- 250-7573



Top o' the mornin' to ya, Flathead! Happy St. Patrick's Day!



Saturday, March 12, 2011

Just Along for the Ride...

   Thanks to a 7am wake up call today (ahem....Eldon) we found ourselves dressed, fed, and ready for the day by 9:00. Did I mention this is in the MORNING? This is not usual for us, especially on days when we have absolutely ZERO plans.  Opening the blinds revealed a cloudless sky that couldn't be wasted on a day at home.  So we packed some snacks, a diaper bag and my camera, and headed for.....nowhere. We just drove. And it was perfect.



   We headed up around Foys Lake and decided that since mentioning Lone Pine State Park's craft corner in my last blog post, we should check it out. (I have some edits after learning more about the craft corner, most important being that it is for ages 8-11. Whoops. The woman running it was so accomodating and offered to let us hang out as long as I stayed with Eldon. We did. They made "talking sticks" and learned about the different kinds of trees that their sticks came from. Very cool. They also have some great classes for kids Eldon's age coming up this summer.) 



   We walked the trail to the scenic lookout and I was absolutely blown away.  The grace, magic, and overall grandness of our Valley is astounding.  And to think, it took us less than 10 minutes to get from home to a point where the view stretches from Big Mountain almost to Flathead Lake. Breathtaking. Awesome. We live here?!?!



   We played around through Kalispell and then somehow ended up exploring backroads in the Canyon.  That led us to Glacier National Park, where we figured "eh, why not?" and drove up to Lake McDonald. (I am not even sure you could get much further if you tried.) Nate stepped out onto the ice quite a ways, but it was pretty sketchy.  We waited on the "shore" and I flipped through mental pictures of him just dropping out from in front of the landscape. Splashing into the water that is frigid and cold in the SUMMER, let alone in March. Luckily, those visions remained nothing more than visions.  The mounds of ice and snow on the already beautiful lake made for an almost haunting experience.  Or maybe it was just the combination of that and seeing the usually booming Apgar Village deserted like a ghost town.  Either way, the scenery was ridiculously cool...as it always is, and my Husband (although not entirely brilliant) is still alive.





   I love when unplanned adventures turn into great days. Sometimes it's hard to step away from the calendar and just look around.  A day where the only goal is to go around and see cool stuff, is a good day in my book.  So screw the jacked up gas prices. I filled my tank up anyway. And I think it's safe to say, I got my money's worth. 

Friday, March 11, 2011

Cabin Fever? Take Art in Daily Doses

Mother Nature has been a tease.  Flashing us with sneak peaks of sun as if more than a short glimpse will send us all into shock.  (In all fairness, it probably would.)  Our household has been hit with Spring Fever, and I know we are in good company.


With temperatures in the 40-50 range (I heard a radio news broadcaster refer to it as a heat wave....without giggling) melting snow and ice have brought an element of danger to outdoor winter activities like snowmobiling and ice fishing.  There are still some safe places to ride, but before heading out, check out the current avalanche warnings here.
 I have also seen some dedicated fisherman brave the weak ice but you won't find me out there this time of year!  Of course, there's also still Big Mountain (yes, I still call it that) until April 10th.  According to their Snow Report, there's still lots of fun to be had for skiers and snowboarders.

But with opportunities for snowsports dwindling and Summer still further away than I care to admit, I have found that art has been the "chicken soup" type cure on the days when we just want to be indoors.  I have also learned that spending the day inside does not have to mean spending the day at home.
Aside from the crafts that Eldon and I occupy ourselves with at home, there are many other outlets in The Valley that not only serve to strengthen that creative bone, but also the part of every human being that craves social interaction.  Just attending a few events lately has left me feeling refreshed, renewed, and inspired.  I am nowhere close to being an "artist" (If you are, you should join this FB Group for artists in The Canyon area) but I get a certain high when I satisfy that urge to just create.

Have an "urge" of your own? Satisfy it here:

Stumptown Art Studio - These guys are a non-profit who offer a wonderful variety of classes ranging from "Mommy and Me" to felting. They also have a great selection of paint-your-own-ceramics pieces, glass fusion, and mosaics.
They are a bit spendy (I just painted a jumbo coffee mug for $18.00) but in my opinion, totally worth it when you keep in mind that they are a non-profit and also that you are not cleaning up any messes afterwards.
FVCC non-credit courses- Check out the upcoming art classes at Flathead Valley Community College. (I was surprised by the low class costs.)
My favorite Scrapbook Store- (Also known as Priceless Scrapbooks) has workshops for beginners and some other cool events.  This is the huge store on HWY 40 between Columbia Falls and Whitefish. 

For the Wee Little Montanan

Hockaday Museum of Art- Along with a variety of other classes, Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell offers preschool art time on Tuesdays from 11:30-12:00.  Cost is $3.00 for nonmembers.  We haven't test-driven the preschool class yet but plan on checking it out soon.
Stumptown Art Studio (again)- Classes for kids of all ages.  So far we have only been to Mommy and Me (or Daddy and Me) art class on Thursday mornings at 10:30.  The cost is $10.00 for walk-ins or $25.00 to sign up for three at once.  Eldon has left with homemade thermometers, wooden painted maracas, mardi gras masks covered in dried pasta and feathers and a few other cool things that are proudly displayed on his bulletin board. Love this place!
Lone Pine Visitor Center (sorry-no link) has a nature based "craft corner" for kids at 11:00am on Saturday mornings until March 19th. 

And don't forget about Home Depot, who offers a free workshop for kids of all ages on the first Saturday of every Month. 

Please let me know if you have another artsy outlet to share at liveandloveinmt@gmail.com

Enjoy!


Thursday, March 10, 2011

It's a Start!

Finally done talking about this blog.  Time to get a move on.
Here's what I'm all about, and so consequently, what this blog is all about.

   I am a fan on Facebook of "Montana is For Badasses."  No, not in reference to those who visit during the gorgeous summer months (although I am not discrediting the level of any one's "badassness") but in reference to those of us that put up with the other 8ish months of the year.  Scraping endless ice off of the windows of our ever so neccesary 4-wheel drive vehicles.  Bundling our kids up in 6 layers just to walk to the neighbors house. Wearing snowboots to the office and then changing into our heels when we get there...I could go on. 
But THIS, this is a special breed of badasses. Those of us that live here for a reason...and enjoy it.  For every frost-stung nostril, there's miles of untouched terrain begging to be skied on, skated on, snowmobiled on, or just plain admired.

A love for the outdoors that stretches through all 4 seasons (or in our case, 2 seasons) seems to be the common thread that weaves us Montanans together into a common understanding. And that's why we live here.
So while the focus of this blog is on living (and better yet, experiencing) the hidden gem that is the Flathead Valley, it is also about Life. Real Life. And yes...My life.  Parenthood, Love, Marriage, Family, and everything else that comes up along the way. 

I thought about making my first post a bio, but hope that anyone who chooses to read this will get an accurate picture through my posts.  And really...who am I kidding? My relatives will probably make up the majority of my "readers" and you, Mom (or Grandma, Aunt, -insert other title here-) need no introduction.
So here is a condensed version of what you should know:

1. My child (Eldon, age 2 1/2) is nuts. wild. insane.  His adventures may very well occupy a large portion of this blog.  Don't worry, he is also wildly entertaining.  And adorable. See?



2. My Husband (Nate) is the love my life and also, my complete opposite.  Insteresting, I know.  His participation in this is up in the air.  I have no idea how much of him he is willing for me to share.  We'll find out as we go along.

3. Me.  I am a 20-something who always dreamed of being called "Mom."  Sometimes dreams are better than anticipated.  Motherhood is one of those dreams.  My heart is in my family.  My soul is in Montana.  I am blessed with a rather huge (and equally kickass) family.  Art, Music, Outdoors, Wine, Friends, Family, Coffee, are just a few of the essential ingredients to my life.

4.Us. We hike, fish, hunt, camp (We LIVE for camping.) We 4-wheel. We're goofy.  We don't take things too seriously. We screw up. We Fight. Whatever, It's life. You'll hear about that too.

So here we go! Hoping that soon this will be a one-stop shop for the best hikes, valley events, good deals, kid-friendly activities and all that is The Flathead Valley.  My next post will have something a little more substantial. I promise. 

Until then, get out and play, shop local and enjoy the first of many "Valley Finds." A weekly (or more often depending on what we come across) deal that can be found in the Flathead Valley.  This one is a little late since it is for today only but it's too good not to be shared:

(Photos) Top-The Canyon, taken from the Columbia Falls Bridge
Center-Lake Koocanusa. Taken last Sunday. 3/6/2011
Last-Eldon. Rockin' out to some AC/DC