Is This Where the Chickens Come In?, Missoula, Montana

When Sean Kochel looks at an old barn, he probably sees his next custom guitar. Click here to Sean & his guitars in action. Or, if you're in Missoula, Montana, on a weekend before the end of October, stop at his booth at the Missoula Saturday Market.

Luthier Love, Missoula, Montana

Montana has many fine luthiers, building all manner of custom stringed instruments. In quest of having an electric pickup installed in a custom acoustic guitar, my husband & I were invited into the inner sanctum of a renowned Missoula luthier. As you can see, the in-process guitars are incredibly beautiful. I was captivated by the form and line, by the grain of the different woods used.

Flat Busted, Missoula,Montana

Old, broken wagons and farm equipment bring to mind homesteaders of the American west. They left behind most everything and travelled into a veritable wilderness, riding on the hope of attaining a place to call their own. Many didn't last through their first winter, but those who stayed drafted a legacy of a strong work ethic and a love of the land. To enjoy a story that pulls you into that historical American era, pick up anything by Ivan Doig.

Barnyard Blue Sky, Missoula, Montana

The farm that hosted my childhood didn't include a huge haybarn like this one, but did include a smaller log barn with a hayloft, most notable in my memory for being the default location for our mouser cat to stash a new litter of kittens. I've long been enamoured of barns restored to living quarters - click here to peruse a beautifully done example.

Rancher's Boneyard, Missoula, Montana

Old pick-up trucks never die..... any ideas to finish the sentence?

Wheel of Time, Missoula, Montana

This weathered wagon wheel probably pulled its fair share in many a season of haying on the ranch. Click here for the story on some other historical wheels that recently surfaced in the Blackfoot River near Missoula, Montana.

Framed, Missoula, Montana

Walking around a ranch always makes me feel like a kid again, meandering about, never knowing what treasure you might find. Sometimes it was a batch of new kittens, or fresh peas for snacking in the garden, or just the joy of wind blowing your hair and clouds overhead. The open space is full of possibility, if you just take the time to roam a bit.

Hazy Valley, Missoula, MT

The Missoula Valley of western Montana hung under a haze of smoke yesterday, continuing pretty much the same today. But it could have been worse & actually smelled of smoke. Here's hoping for rain.
(Chicken coop courtesy of the rockin'est ranch in Missoula.)