Farnsworths: Oh Montana, I love you

Tom and I just got back from the

Brainfood Retreat in beautiful Montana.
I have been hoping to see this part of the country, ever since I saw the movie
A River Runs Through It back in the 90s.

Maury and Wendy Tanner were very generous to host this fund-raiser at their place on Flathead Lake.

A donation to a great cause was exchanged for 3 fun-filled days in one of the most beautiful places.

The Tanner's property was idyllic.

Flowers were growing everywhere.
This is a big deal to Arizonans.

Another thing that amazed....clear pristine lake water.

I am used to Saguaro Lake and the constant dread that a dead cow
(they graze along the shores)

may be floating beneath my feet in the murky water.
I really think about that kind of stuff too much.

Hidden off to the side of the property-

a little house in the middle of the woods.

This was the cutest play house I have ever seen.

It had electricity,

a little refrigerator, running water. A little room to sleep in.
It felt like I had walked into a storybook scene.

To be honest, I wanted to play in it.

A little 4 foot front door

I really want one of these.

Back to the adult world--

Look at this green lawn.

There were 600 cherry trees on the grounds.

Also blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, grapes

and a large vegetable garden.

I felt healthier just walking through it.

We saw so many deer, the thrill was gone by the second day.

They are beautiful creatures but I didn't want to hit one by the road.

Our welcome baskets

Our borrowed ride.

Tom has been on a kick lately. He really wants a reburbished VW bus.

I am not really on the same page about this but I don't want to squash his mid-life dreams either.

I was glad he could get a little fix. I hope it holds him over for a while.
Maybe one day he will get his bus and I will get my little play house in the middle of the woods.

The second day we loaded up

our 12 -gauge shotguns and had a little competition at

Big Sky Sporting Clay.

This is what happens when you don't hold your shotgun the right way.

Pretty huh.

We made pizzas later that night.

Loads of activities all day long

Ladder Ball tournaments

This thing is called a jetovator.

It connects to the jet unit on your jet ski, using a hose.

You can rise 30 feet above the water if you know what you are doing.

Our host, Maury, made it look like a breeze.

For a minute I entertained the idea of trying it and then I watched it beat up some of the guys.

Tom got the hang of it...go T!

Back to eating..

Check out the neighbor's

slide

He opened up his home for us to come and use.
This place was unbelievable.

Maury's fishing buddy, Jim Bob, dropped in on the lawn and took us for a ride.
This was my first time in a helicopter and I loved that I could take pictures
from a bird's eye view and that I didn't throw up.
I don't fly in an airplane without taking something for motion sickness.
FYI, don't use the word "buzz" in a helicopter. Jim Bob corrected us quickly.
Apparently it is a bad word in helicopter lingo.
Hope that helps someone.