Spring Cleaning Project - 1968 Yamaha YJ60 - Missoula, Montana

This week's vintage chrome photos are courtesy of the combined enthusiasms of The Best Husband Ever, Big Brother #3, and Neighbor Dan. 

Spring cleaning has propelled Neighbor Dan into a fervent offloading of excess possessions, including a 1968 Yamaha Y2J that had belonged to his dad but sat unused long enough to sink into the dirt a fair bit. It needed a new home and a little TLC - and it is one of the grooviest little motorcycles ever to roll off a production line. 

Although admiring, The Best Husband Ever begs off - he has already employed tools and elbow grease and chrome polish and old toothbrushes and endless hours in refurbishing a 1970s vintagey motorcycle - also redeemed from unification with a patch of dirt in Neighbor Dan's side yard.

Enter Big Brother #3, lured by talk of motorcycles and the afternoon sunshine glinting off a (potentially) shiny object. He is charmed by the wee, stylish motorcycle, and succumbs to a strain of spring fever different from that affecting Neighbor  Dan. If BB3 buys motorcycle needing TLC from ND, will TBHE work his obsessive cleaning magic? A deal is struck and grown men grin the optimistic, goofy grins only a motorcycle project can elicit. (Or maybe in your neighborgood it's snowmobiles, model trains, elusive golf scores, motorboats, ham radio, fishing gear, or ______?) 

The camaraderie was a beautiful sight to see - maybe a similar scenario prompted King David to point out, '"Behold , how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell in unity...". Once the bike was finally cleaned up and running well enough, the lads certainly had a good and pleasant time buzzing up and down the (paved) back alley, while Neighbor Dan smiled from the garage door of his simplified life. And I was delighted at new, shiny photo prospects. 
Can anyone say 'win-win situation'?

Gypsy Wagon, Stevensville, Montana

Neighborhoods can be the most interesting and colourful places.

Over the last month or so, I watched the progress of this gypsy wagon from the very bottom up.
My delightful neighbor built it from an idea in her head, with occasional help from friends wielding tools and paintbrushes.
This Montana vardo made its public debut at this weekend's Renaissance Faire in Stevensville, Montana.

Weathered Wagon, Missoula, Montana

I got to tromp around the ranch of my husband’s long-time friends until rain suggested I shelter my camera. Old things that were essentially useful, like this weathered wagon, always draw my eye - not only for the visual contrast of materials, but also because I wondering at the inherent history. My mum had great stories from growing up in a farming community. If between several neighbors you had all the equipment needed to take in the harvest efficiently, you met at each farm in turn, got the job done together, then moved on to another farm the next day. It’s good to remember how we need each other, and good to notice the people God puts in our lives.