Kolden, "Birthday Report", November 6-7, 2010, Part Three

 

There was evidence of hard work, everywhere we looked at the old homestead.  Here, a barn wall built entirely of stones, remains.

 

 

 

 

The "house", chicken coop and bunkhouses remain, even if just a shadow of their former selves.

 

The view of Fort Peck lake from atop a big hill. 

 

 

A little weed provides a burst of color.

 

 

Wary geese explode from the water as we approach.

 

 

 

These fisherman give scope to size of the lake. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our campsite.  Notice the boat?  It's the teensy spec to the left of Whitey, in the water.

 

 

To the east, the sky is pinkish, giving color to the rocks.

 

 

The colors in the sky deepen sun sets.  You can see the ripples of a gentle breeze playing along the lake surface.

 

 

Just before dark, pink light paints the sky and is reflected on the lake surface

 

 

Spectacular sunset!

 

Kolden, "Birthday report", part three, November 6-7, 2010

 

Sticks and stoves, reminiscent of days gone by.

 

 

The outhouse still stands.

 

 

An old wagon, once used daily, now sits behind an old homestead shack.

 

 

 

In days gone by, this car was quite an upgrade over horse and buggy travel.

 

This was a multiple wagon outfit!

 

Sandstone coated with lichen.

 

 

 

Soon, we'd need to find a spot by the lake to camp.

Kolden, "Birthday report", part three, November 6-7, 2010

Sticks and stoves, reminiscent of days gone by.

 

 

The outhouse still stands.

 

 

An old wagon, once used daily, now sits behind an old homestead shack.

 

 

 

In days gone by, this car was quite an upgrade over horse and buggy travel.

 

This was a multiple wagon outfit!

 

Sandstone coated with lichen.

 

 

 

Soon, we'd need to find a spot by the lake to camp.

Kolden "Birthday Report", November 6-7, 2010 - Part Two

 

Once across the highway, we passed by an ancient cow camp.

 

 

 

 

The poor, old truck....she aint what she used to be!

 

More hairy vine clings to bullberry brush along the trail.

 

 

THIS is why they call it "Big Sky Country" here. 

 

 

More cryptobiotic type soil in pretty colors!

 

 

This grave is a favorite stop of ours.  This young Dane, Kristian Sorenson, homesteaded when he was only 19 years old!  This is rugged, desolate country here.....I can't imagine having been mature enough to HOMESTEAD in this country at only 19. 

 

Kristian, a cowboy, died leaving a huge herd of horses that the next owner wanted rid of.  A band of cowboys, including my husband, rounded them up and ran the band (Man from Snowy River style) clear to a corral at Flowing wells! 

 

Here, a stud pile.  For those of you unfamilliar with horse shit......a stud pile is a horse's toilet.  They use the pile to mark their territory boundaries. 

 

 

An old homestead, once belonging to Kris Sorenson, still sports a HUGE grain grinder.  Notice the elaborate cast work? 

 

 

A large root cellar still stands.  The amount of work that went into just laying the sandtone wall is amazing!

 

 

 

These old root cellars are now perfect homes for fox, coyote, skunk and snake alike.

 

A prairie rose bush painted with fall colors.

 

 

The prairie is slowly swallowing this old wagon wheel.

 

 

Orange and yellow lichen coat these old boards.

 

 

Kolden, "Birthday Report", November 6-7, 2010, Part one

This report is several weeks old.  I have no time to work on anything lately it seems.  I hope you'll all understand.

 

 

November 6-7, 2010

 

Due to a forecast of lovely weather and Jim's upcoming birthday, we decided to load up and head west.  Along the road, we encountered this large pool of water, still standing from the summer rain and hail storms.  I love the reflection of the hills in the water.

 

 

Flocks of geese basked in the sun in grain fields along the way.

 

 

 

The river and a view of the hills north across a harvested wheat field.

 

The air was still and we stopped on a big hill overlooking the Missouri.  I kept hearing "yipping" sounds and as we listened, we determined that the sounds were coming from across the river!  A group of hunters were beating the brush, much like was done in the days gone by.

 

 

The low lying sun afforded perfect reflections of  leafless trees in steely river water.

 

 

From our vantage point, we admired the sweeping vista.

 

 

Again, I was fascinated by the reflections in the water.

 

 

A closer look.

 

 

Back on the road, we spotted this "mule deer doe" and got this shot, only to find out that it was a young buck when we looked at the pictures!

 

 

 

Layers of sandstone "decorate" the countryside.

 

 

 

Gray  growths cling to the eartth

 

 

Lichen covered stones lie about.

 

 

 

......the horse is black.......the horse is white......

 

 

Spent hairy vine blossoms..

 

Another view.

 

 

 

Hairy vine entwined in a bullberry bush.

 

 

Old bridge pilings reflected in a small pond.

 

 

 

This herd of antelope spotted us and immediately blasted into action.  They had obviously been preyed upon in the past. 

 

 

We were nearing the flowing wells highway and were anxious to see what lay beyond.