5th - While here in Montana, I am working on a few projects and have made progress today. Woot, woot. However, the best part of being here, besides family, is the never ending eye candy. Here is a little looking out, looking in fun.
Next, we are off to Kalispell with Mom for her Holter Monitor fitting. All goes well and we are in and out within half an hour - if only all doctor visits went this quick. Some shopping and running of errands and then back home we go.
6th - It's Saturday and Mister wants out a bit. Can't say as I blame him - one long week in a minimal office bedroom. It's time to breathe. We've opted to go south for the day -- first up, lake views.
A quick stop at the Yellow Bay State Park - It's fascinating how the sky is so entirely different depending on the direction one looks.
Oh yeah ---- it's a GREAT hair moment. Windy, windy, windy. I didn't even try to fix this picture - hence the angled shoreline.
And, leaves everywhere. Our feet crunch as we walk back to the car.
Back on the road, traveling down the east shore ---- for some of my friends to see how close to the lake we are while driving.
We start to approach the area that was engulfed in a fire last fall right after we visited. You can see the burned area just coming into view.
Down near Polson, the sky is just cool and we try so hard to capture it with a stop for pictures, but it just doesn't look as fun here. The way the clouds are sitting on the mountains is just gorgeous.
Looking back at the lake -
A little down the road --- I try again through the windshield. It is just so beautiful. Cloud magic.
We've landed in St. Ignatius. Once again, I lived here and never visited this old mission. Today is the day. The outside sign reads, "This church, dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, was built in 1891. Fr. Peter DeSmet came to Montana in response to the request of four separate delegations of Indians, and in 1841, he established St. Mary's Mission at Stevensville. In 1854, St. Ignatius Mission was founded to serve the religious and educational needs of the Salish and Kootenai people. Father Hoecker and Jesuit helpers built the original log cabin which still stands on the north side of this church. Within 35 years the mission included a large school, a sawmill, printing press, flour mill, hospital, farm and the present church. The renowned murals in this church were painted by Brother Joseph Carignano, S.J., the mission cook. In 1973, this mission was declared a National Historic Site.
As we enter, we discover that the chapel is undergoing a great deal of restorative work and there is scaffolding everywhere. Striving to keep it out of the pictures is challenging, but not impossible. Come along and see how amazing the place is. Also - although it is designated a National Historic Site, neither State nor Federal funds are available for restoration and preservation of these unique properties so it is self-funded by donations.
This is the celling -
The Flathead Reservation consists of the Salish, Pen d'Oreille, Kalispel, and Kootenai tribes. In 1855 the United States government conducted a treaty council with these tribes giving them the present reservation. Prior to this, their domain consisted of nearly the whole of Western Montana plus parts of Canada. Pend d'Oreille chief, Alexander, and Kootenai chief, Michel, agreed to move. The Kalispels were not represented at the meeting. Chief victor of the Salish refused to leave his homeland in the bitterroot. Finally in 1891, his son, Charlo, after the encroaching white settlers killed of all the game, agreed to move his band to the Jocko Reservation. In noble exile in 1910 Charlo died far from his ancestral burial grounds. The tribes in the early 1830s sent delegations to St. Louis to search for Blackrobes. Their efforts resulted in the settlement of the Jesuits in 1841 among the Flatheads. They taught the Indians a belief in Christianity plus farming and domestic skills. In 1910 by Executive Order, the Flathead Reservation was opened to homesteading after the lands had been allotted to the Indians. The tribes elected in 1935 to govern themselves under the Indian Reorganization Act. This act also provided that the chief of the Salish, Martin Charlo, and of the Kootenai's, Koostatah, would sit on the tribal council and be last in line of chieftains. Throughout all of this, the Indian people have continued their traditional cultural beliefs.
Around to the side of the chapel - there is a small grotto.
And the log cabin that was mentioned above.
The next building housed the Sister of Providence.
The Sisters of Providence were the first Catholic Sisters in the State of Montana. They arrived at St. Ignatius Mission from Montreal, Canada on October 17, 1864, and soon opened a girls' boarding school and hospital. Providence Holy Family School was the first Catholic School in the state and remained in used until it burned down in 1919. The hospital which the Sisters ran was located in the convent-school until 1914, when an actual hospital, staffed with doctor and nurses was established. In Jun, 1977, because of a shortage of personnel, the Sisters gave the hospital to the community of St. Ignatius. This building, moved to its present location in 1976 and was the first home of the Providence Sisters.
This is way cool if you can open it enough -
A sunburst in wood from the Jesuit Scholasticate located at the St. Ignatius Mission. The carving was made by a gentleman (name unknown) who carved decorative ceilings for Pullman rail cars. He also carved the ceiling of the Jesuit Father's private chapel. The Scholasticate was opened in 1888 and later converted to a boy's school in 1900. The school closed in 1937 and was torn down in 1961.
This legend is what we found near a diorama of the property. It's really hard to see the corresponding numbers, but just reading it is interesting.
Since we read about number 8 - still standing - we went to find it. Here is our discovery.
It's posted with no trespassing signs, so we just settle for a couple of pictures.
Time to go --- back north again. It's getting close to 1 and my tummy is beginning to voice a warning. A quick stop in Ronan.
The Co-Op Brewery is the destination here and they have pretty good beer, but no food. More tummy talk going on here. We do have a nice chat though.
Gotta say --- one of the BEST social distancing signs I've seen. Montana - how I do love thee.
Polson is next and a chance to check out a quilt shop. You can see all the pretties in this
All in Stitches LINK.
Next up is a return trip to Glacier Brewing. The other day, when we were at Sip of Montana, I had a beer from here and was pleasantly surprised. The last time we were here was in 2009 and it was not such a pleasant experience. I'm willing to give it another shot.
It is great and I'm also super happy as they have a really good food truck to help my belly out. So, so hungry.
We stay for a bit and visit with the bartender and another customer. All in all --- a great stop.
It's time for the return trip back up the lakeshore. There is just so much eye candy and I LOVE seeing the Tamarack trees dotting the landscape. Yep, they are the ones whose needles turn gold in the fall before releasing from the tree.
Soothing to the soul and the perfect end to a day trip.
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