Monday, June 29, 2026
Rain. And more rain. There are flood warnings along the creeks from overnight downpours. By late morning, things have settled down. W and I walk, avoiding the puddles as best we can. Peony gardener Donna and her husband Bob have arrived. W and I get helpful insights into Montana culture and chat until the rain drives us back to our cabins.

On the way into town, my longtime friends share a call. 

How good to see their faces! and catch up with them and their families. The scenery is breathtaking.

As soon as our errands are completed, we head back to camp to work on next week's presentations. On our evening walk, I snap one of the ATVs - this one is cute.

Tuesday
It's a late morning since I sleep in. Mid-morning, I crawl out of bed to a wonderful breakfast. Keelee's "hash" mix of steak, potatoes, onions, corn, peppers, and cheese tastes even better the second time around.

We walk around camp before the rain starts. The drizzle chases us back to the cabin after 3500 steps. Oh well. I got to smell the wild roses and they were sweet.

W touches up the trim paint as I talk to our daughter on the phone.

The geraniums are happy on the porch.

I combine smashed pistachios, almonds, toffee cookies, and melted milk chocolate.

Sorting the baskets and drawers, I find a 2005 alumni photobook. As alumni director, I'd host a NU get-together each summer. I'll take the photos to lunch sometime next week so people can see what they looked like "back then."

Another find is a set of postcards by Yoshitomo Nara. This pretty much describes me at 9AM today. There's even a first class stamp (34c). Wow. Old or what?

Keelee has left a box of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough in the freezer. I take out 4 and bake them. We need 8 for when the kids come later this week so I don't bake them all.

I'm also in the mood for egg salad sandwiches. I chop 3 eggs (hard-boiled yesterday) with ranch dressing, sour cream, mustard, green relish, and spices. (Salt, paprika. pepper, onion powder, garlic powder) A quick stir and put on sourdough bread? What a delicious supper with a cookie for dessert.

We toss the peonies that are drooping but there are many left. The buds, smaller in size, have opened and are as fragrant as the first batch.

We head for wifi, where W helps a traveler trying to book flights. He's savvy that way.

Tuesday
The weather turns after a rainy night. The creeks and rivers are frothing with runoff. We do a couple of walks but little "real work." We cherish a quiet day before the family arrives. I think we need more hooks for coats and gear in the back hall. The maps cover every wall, sourced from National Geographic magazines, 20 years ago. 

Something is clipping flowers from our potted plants. Deer, or squirrels, W thinks. I dump most of a pack of pepper on the plants. (I don't have hot chili pepper. They're untouched the next day.)

Wednesday
I spend the morning My art supplies get removed from the upper living room. 

Everything superfluous is removed from drawers.

We go up and down the alternating stairs more than a few times.

The bathrooms are cleaned.

The bunks get pillowcases and matching sheets - a boys room with 4 beds; a girls room with 4.

Clearing out the fridge in prep for family arrival includes removing all leftovers. We won't eat at the cabin much next week since our meals are provided by the camp. But a family of 6 (4 grands) will want fridge space after their stop at Costco. I cover the wooden dining table with a waterproof tablecloth. It looks a bit worn; must be 20 years old!

Our brunch casserole is leftovers: pasta-potato-onion-green-peppers-meats-gravies, with sausages on the side. It is pronounced delicious and filling. I tuck the remains into one small container at the side of the fridge.

Dishes are washed and put away a few times as the morning progresses. I spend almost an hour editing W's talk for Saturday morning. There's time for a short nap before we get emails at the Lodge overhang. 

I stay at the picnic table to write our presentations for next week's minister's hour. W and I will have the privilege of spending an hour with leaders each morning. We're using a "round table" format,  looking forward to good discussions and insights. My office view is excellent!

The kids arrive at 4:30AM after a day of travel. They unpack and get to know the cabin again. They're off on their bicycles to explore the grounds, too.

The colors of the carpet make me happy each time I come in the cabin door.

Melissa's mom has sent flowers as a hello. What a treat!

Friday

It's our only day to check out Bigfork, a nearby tourist town. On the way, we pass typical ranchland.

The first crop of hay has been baled.

In Bigfork, the scent of roses stops us in our tracks. This rose is fragrant. It's one of the things I miss in Indonesia (no smell to roses there.)

The planting is beautiful, colorful all around town.

"Only in Montana." There are racks of kids' slingshots in the souvenir shops.

You can also buy rubber-band guns to shoot elastics at each other.

W needs something from the hardware store. It's so orderly! You can browse the shelves, unlike most hardware shops in Indonesia. There you tell a clerk what you want; they go to the back to find it in a pile of goods.

There are ponds and hills.

Because wood is plentiful, many ranch houses are built of wood.

We're back at camp for the opening meeting.

Saturday

W is the morning presenter. Today is his first session. The topic is the coherence/agreement between scriptural instruction to the early church and its practise. He loves to explore the Bible and he's a good teacher.

It's American Independence Day, a day to dress up, deck golf carts and bicycles in red-white-and-blue, and parade them through the lanes. It's fun to see the costumes, some of them matching in families.

At supper, we sit with friends of the heart who serve in Montana. We pray together and enjoy catching up on how our lives have evolved since we saw each other 13 years ago.

We've missed being with this community. We spent our summer months here for almost 20 years, letting our children roam without the constraints of city life. It's a place to experience God and make friends. It's a joy to be back, even for a short time.

Read more:
* Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious. Amos 5:15

* Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and lawlessness have in common? Or what partnership is there between light and darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

* I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6

Moravian Prayer: Lord, we must work for justice in all lands. The weak need our help. Guide us to focus on the least of these and follow your teachings. Amen.