Employment at Block’s Clothing in Robbinsdale in 1968 imprinted upon my teenage fashion mind that it was certainly okay to mix and match bright colored stripes, plaids and patterns that were on the way to be the fashion statement of the ‘70’s. These days I am more concerned to have just the right work clothes for repurposing this old house and I was missing an important item. A Carhartt jacket!

Thanks to pre-Christmas Eve B & B guests and good friends from Missoula, I now have the full apparel for house building work. What a nice gift.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, what a gift and privilege to live in the mountains of Montana and to be able to travel just a short distance and step out (or ski as the case may be) in our oldest National Park.

Cynthia and I had enjoyed a beautiful weekend in Yellowstone in August but the park is equally appealing in the Winter.

Weather has been unusually warm and the snow cover a bit thin but there was still good skiing to be had at Mammoth Hot Springs on the upper terrace trail.

Cynthia and me enjoying the sun on a day just a bit longer than the day before. Yes, we made it past the solstice and we are on our way to longer days of sunshine!

Julia is obviously pleased to be set free on skis and equally pleased to pose by one of the mammoth hot springs at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Photos by Cynthia (used by permission… sometimes)