COLUMBINES

"Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Columbine..." So now we are in Montana and our flower garden here is being usurped by gargantuan Columbines, which unbeknown to us, spread like widlfire. I know, by now you are tired of looking at our flower posts, but this is better than the fat lady or skinny man at the circus; these are monstrous plants erupting in beauty and color. Could it be the Miracle Grow, or perhaps the adequate moisture we received this Spring? Maybe it's the fresh mountain air and the direct sunlight at five thousand feet. Whatever it is, we better trim these back in the Fall, or our lillies will be intimidated and not grow next year. In the meantime, we'll sing that lovely tune, adapted to the name of this flower, while we enjoy the sight in awe. JIR

FERTILE FLOWER GARDEN

We've never had a flower garden like this before. Fertile colorful flowers. The bees are enjoying and appreciating our efforts, which have been minimal since we established the garden last summer. Nature brings us peace and solace within. JIR

2 LIVES

Two lives, one in Wyoming and one in Montana. In my younger years, I would have never predicted I would have freely chosen to do it. Two homes, two gardens, two places. Life has unique twists and curves it has thrown at us. We have had to learn how to bend around those curves.

Where is home, I ask myself sometimes? Home in Wyoming is the city street, the noisy traffic of the small residential street running through our backyard. It's the second mortage and the house we paid too much money for, but were glad to find. Work is here, the frustratingly bureaucratic job with its intermittently sparkling highlights, like that terminally ill veteran I eased into the everafter today. The satisfying hug from his daughter, who said "you are such a good doctor and I'm so glad he had you"

Home here is temporary, but for how long. Here is where our daughter came after college, to recover, to grown up. Here is were she found herself, perhaps, and the man who will make her happy everafter. We have dinner with them often. Was is meant to be?

Groomed, neatly cut lawn in Wyoming; wild grass and weeds in Montana. Colorful cultivated flowers in Wyoming, wild flowers and planted roses "up there". Gorgeous views and sunrises up there, necessary time down here. We're good here, happy there. JIR

BIG HORN TRAIL RUN

We were amazed she could raise

her arms after 50 kilometers

Last Saturday we proudly volunteered at the Big Horn Trail Run. Christina decided to challenge herself this year with the 50 kilometer race (32 miles) after doing the 30K last year. It was a great time, at times gut-wrenching watching the painful look and bodies of the participants who finished the 50 and 100 MILE options of the race. The winner of the 100 miler ran for 18 + hours straight, a little schizophrenic if you ask me. We are so proud of our Chicky. JIR

Penrose Trail Hike

Christina and Lisa were going 'running' up the Penrose Trail out of Story, so Dad and I thought we'd go along. Only we just walked. Here are a few pictures of our Fathers Day hike. The last one is a phone call Jorge received, a cousin wishing him a Happy Fathers Day. "Can you hear me now?"

more of our garden

I wanted to add to our 'garden' pictures, as an Oriental Poppy opened, and our lovely Peonies have also begun to open. The ground cover in the rocks, is an area of our home that when we moved here was over grown with weeds, and the half dying plants. I spent a lot of time pulling up the rocks, weeding and nursing the ground cover back to life. This is the result of that work, and it is becoming one of our favorite spots.

FLOWER GARDEN

A busy bumble bee feeds on our Columbines as we admire the products of our hard labor last year. The monstrous Lupine in the foreground competes with the Peonies shooting up behind it. Our work has paid off big with a beautiful gift by Mother Nature.