Day 44

I woke at 6:30am.  Mom suggested we go do chores with them to facilitate their time and ours.  I was concerned about the wisdom of strangers tracking through their barn, because of disease risk and disquieting the birds.  They agreed, yes come at 7:30 after they were through in the barn.  I fed the dogs and made oatmeal in the microwave … not used to microwave cooking.

John texted he was ready for us just before 8am.  He showed us the egg washing and grading machine and the packing process.  We talked for a while about that and our farm and situation.  John asked lots of questions about that.  He offered to quite chores and visit so we could get on the road.  I suggested they finish up while we packed the car, then we could talk.

We left just before noon after discussing education, every area in MT, land prices, business ventures, tourist spots, their farming story, etc.  They are very interesting people to talk to!  We had a 5 hour drive ending at Lodgepole Campground in the Beaverhead National Forest near Wise River and Wisdom, MT.  

I was taking pictures instead of driving.  :)

Wood is an amazing thing!  Lovely in life and death.

Sorry for the repetitive photo compositions, but I just love these colors!

We had mexican for dinner and a blazing bonfire with wood left by previous campers.  About 9, Mom started a conversation about how we make decisions, especially the time sensitive ones, in response to some frustration from us.  Jeremiah eventually tried to end the conversation so we could go to bed in a manner that Mom didn’t appreciate.  She and I discussed that for a long while.  There were a few conversations over the next few days along these lines of which I will not recount  Suffice it to say I was fairly straightforward in some of my opinions and was convicted on some difficult things as well.