Karbon Kounty Moos

It’s just cold. There is nothing romantic about not being able to wash your face because the pipes have frozen. Which means that my cattle don’t have access to water. That is far more important than washing my own face. There’s nothing romantic about a distress call to a friend at 7 A.M. There is nothing romantic about layers of clothes when you’re still cold. There is nothing romantic about not being able to tell if your nose is running. There is nothing romantic about driving twelve miles to buy insulation. There is nothing romantic about plugging in pickups and tractors. There is nothing romantic about diesel gelling. There is no romance in telephone calls about barley, strays, fuel tanks, vaccines and sugar beets.

It may not be romantic. It is my home and my life. I love it.

I was in Billings yesterday when I realized that I was nearing this building. I parked right in front. Now, that is something that someone familiar with driving in NYC can appreciate. With the history lesson from the post on the postcard, I thought that a recent photograph was in order. I wasn’t able to shoot from the same vantage point as the 1907 photographer, but except for the stairs - the building looks the same. I still haven’t found the time to actually go in the building.
There are more photos on my flickr stream.

Parmly Library history.

[IF]

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

–Rudyard Kipling

This card was mailed to Mr. F.D. Miller, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Whoever expected to be in Jamestown, N.D. that night also wrote on the back of the card:

Worked on a ranch here 8 days.

The card was published by Chapple Drug Co., Billings, Mont. It was postmarked Billings, 05 Aug 1907

photo taken August 2005.

I thought it was time to clean up the place a bit. I know, I should be cleaning the house, but. . . give me some time and they’ll get to the blogroll.

David made the move to my new domain relatively painless. There have been a few places that I’ve visited and would like to share.

Here’s Joe in Bozeman, who claims to be a freelance slacker:
The Dude Abides

Martha comments here - and has some beautiful examples of her work at:
Martha’s Art

Okay, this is written by a familiar keyboarder:
No Mandatory Animal ID

Another Montana Valley Girl:
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Mom

Troutburst blogging at:
Ravings of an Insane Fisherman

Shelly’s place:
Noise With Dirt On It

Two goodies:

Fish Creek House and Making Montana Memories

This was sent to me by a lady who went to the same high school as I did - they are so cute and so pricey:
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

A friend told me about this place so I had to check it out:
Winchester Mystery House

and now we can.

I came upon a blogger from the Maritimes - in that way we travel the Internet. A click here. An e-mail there. A hyper-link here. Another blog link. I’ve been enjoying Lisa’s blog - and wishing for more time to sit at the keyboard. Lemons & Lollipops

While visiting there, I found this gem that she had linked from YouTube. Please click, watch and listen.
A Pittance of Time

Canadian Sunset on Flickr by the Lone Primate