Still Winter...for now

Well, it is snowing in Montana today. It is just a little snow (the ground is barely white); we are still under a severe winter weather advisory until midnight tonight with maybe 4 inches more. It's going to have to start soon if we are really going to get that much! It is supposed to get up to the 60s later this week so even if it does snow, it won't last. I hope that it melts fast, I want to go out and play outside.

On a brighter note; I get to go plant shopping tomorrow!!! It will be fun to go to the greenhouses again and pick out plants for my program tomorrow night. I wish that spring would decide to stay around for a while so that I could start plants outside...I'm getting antsy for something green to mess with! I plan to make my seed order for my garden this week so that I can plant seeds and start my garden. I plan on trying some different things this year; new tomatoe varieties and some new peppers. I am going to try to grow lettuce and potatoes this year as well. Let's hope that they do something!

Spring is trying REALLY HARD

Spring is trying REALLY hard to happen in Montana...but Old Man Winter just won't let go just yet! The weather has been unsettled and the forecast changes hourly it seems. I know that spring will happen; I just wish that it would hurry!

I was asked a couple of weeks ago to do a program for one of the women's groups here in town on gardening and flowers so yesterday I went out and started looking for plant materials to work with. It was exciting to go to the local nurseries and start looking a plants!!! I am going to work a program up on container gardening and proper plant selection for the group and I hope to put together two containers and give them out as door prizes! I originally thought of just doing my containers for my house, but it is still too cold to place containers outside...but within the next month, I will have started landscaping for the summer! I can't wait!

On a different note...tax day is quickly approaching and I hope that everyone has their taxes done. I would hate for anyone to miss out on the "Economic Stimulus Package" that the President signed in February (I wish that they would give me back ALL of my tax money). I finished my taxes last month, but I just filed yesterday so I will be getting my $600.00 check in May I hope (Northwest Airlines would like me to get my check as well)!

This past weekend, Danielle and I went to Billings and walked on the greenway that runs from the Billings Heights to 27th Street on the Southside and along the Yellowstone River. It was a nice escape for a little while. We then went to "Radio Hill" and watched the sunset over Hardin. Pictures can be found here.

New Pics

I added some pictures to the Battlefield and home galleries.

This weekend

A couple of things from this past weekend. I went back down to the battlefield yesterday and took some more pictures; it was a nicer day then when Mom and Dad went! On the way down to Crow, I saw a wolf on the side of the interstate! It was the first time that I had been that close to a wild wolf (I have seen them in captivity, and at Yellowstone Park, just never that close); it was really neat! There is a large "dog town" next to the battlefield and there were several prairie dogs out scurrying about...they're kind of cute for vermin. Too bad that they are so destructive.

I also worked on the house Saturday morning. I am just about ready to prime and paint the downstairs bedroom!!! It just needs one last sanding and it'll be ready for primer. I got the kitchen island put together and cleaned up yesterday; it looks really nice in the dining room and the extra storage is AWESOME!!! Hopefully, I can get the rest of the house finished this summer.

Spring Fever part deux

I did it! I bought a small motorcycle! It is an ancient little thing (1975 model Honda), but it is in fact a motorcycle. It was cheap and it will provide a good platform to learn how to ride before I spend more dollars on a larger bike. I figure that I can ride this thing for a year or so and trade it in on something else and not lose any money on the trade. I went for a quick ride yesterday with a friend of mine to "Radio Hill" which is just east of town. It was really fun...although quiet chilly! I hope to go out again next week when it warms back up and go for another ride...and Mom, I did buy a helmet as well and I wear it every time. The bike is quiet small (175 cc...a large lawn tractor is faster).

The "Bug" has hit

I have it...there is no denying it now. That thing that infects most everyone every year has hit full force in the McClellan home...spring fever! The past week has been wonderful in Montana. Yesterday, the temperature got to 66 degrees in town! Today, it is sunny, warm, and beautiful; I have noticed a few sprigs of grass starting to turn green and buds on the lilac bushes are starting to swell! The local ranchers are starting to plant spring grains and calving season in in full swing. I love spring! I went out yesterday for a ride on a friends motorcycle (which in no way quells spring fever) and had a blast! I have the 'bug' for a bike as well; and have for a LOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG time, my whorish ex-wife just thought that they were too dangerous and didn't want me to get one. Well, I got two words for her now...too bad!!! I also went out this week and did a ranch visit and got to see some of this year's calf crop! Sometimes I am amazed that I get paid to be an Extension Agent...it is such an awesome job! Well, I think that I will try and get some more work done so that this afternoon I may be able to go out and visit some more farms...and enjoy the early spring weather!

Parental Visit and Since

Well, I finally got around to taking some pictures of the house. I have not taken any of the new stuff that Mom and Dad helped out with; just some of the painting that I have done. These pictures can be found here. While the 'rents were out here, we went down to the Little Big Horn Battlefield and I took a few pictures; they are here. I've lived out here for over a year now and that was the first trip that I have taken to the battlefield. I will go back when I can have some more time and when it is warmer (it was quiet chilly when Mom and Dad were out)! As I was at the battlefield, I couldn't help but think what an arrogant man that Custer must have been. He had a HUGE strategic advantage over the indians; higher ground, hidden by bluffs, artillery; and he squandered all of these advantages and played into the strength of the Sioux...and lost badly. You can see how the battle must have taken place and a lot of the mistakes that were made. It really was interesting.

I went to the Home Improvement and Craft Show in Billings over the weekend...it was HUGE! I talked to several folks about my basement floor and got several ideas and estimates. I talked to a Pella salesman on replacing my french doors and of course, I talked to the home theatre folks. I looked at computers (I really want a Mac) and hottubs (I think that I need one). It was fun and you can't beat a free show! One thing that I did see, and didn't know existed, was a dog grooming facility in Billings that dyes dogs! They had a PINK dog there...and they were PROUD OF IT!!! I have never seen anything like it! Weird! Well, I guess that will have to do for now.

New stuff

Well, the parental visit was good! We got as much as we wanted done on the house...I will post some pictures later. We toured the Little Big Horn Battlefield, saw Billings, and the folks even helped out with one of my programs. All in all a pretty successful week! Now comes the part where I get to finish the house and paint and furnish as I can pay for it...fun, fun. We had good weather for the most part, a small snow squall on Sunday sort of freaked out the folks though! I got rid of one of the visiting pooches (I still have the VERY large male pointer though). Now life will settle back into its routine and normalcy, which is fine for now.

I have to book another flight to TX for May. I am going to another conference down there...that will make two trips in two months to TX. I usually think that Texas is a real good place to keep all those Texans, but maybe my opinion of the state will change while I am down there. At least I am going to get to see the Alamo while I am down there!