We left Friday afternoon a little later than I'd planned, but I'm so often running later than planned that it becomes sort of a plan in itself. Heading south, we were able to knock one more thing off the Fun Week list, a trip to Brush Lake. True, there were thunderstorms about, but not very close. They say if you can see the lightning you shouldn't be out, but I think there may be an exception when the land is so flat you can see the lightning 50 miles away!
After a refreshing dip in the lake, during which Finley stood on the shore and yodeled unless he was allowed to come in with me, we were back on the road again. We got into Glendive right at sunset, but I still had enough light to find the campground. Until I missed the stupid exit, and there is no more for miles. "Let's go to Wibaux," has become the clarion call of driving distress from drivers (mainly me) that find themselves waving a mournful good-bye to a town they can see disappearing, but can no longer access.
The first night I camped at Mikoshika, if it can be termed camping. We parked the van and slept on beds laid out on the floor. Laura set up the tent, but decided not to sleep in it by herself after all. Funny how that worked! The setting was pretty, and in the morning I got to see the place where we'd hiked back in December. Much nicer in the summer!
The view of our campgrounds, taken from a near-by vista point.
I decided not to camp there additional nights because I found out they charged $23 a night for non-Montana residents instead of $15. Besides, with all the kittens and their messes, I was feeling in need of a little hygiene! A little frousled and just a little bit sniffy, Laura and I went to the church to get our assignments for the mission part of the trip. Laura worked on a bridge-painting team and I helped put up drywall at someone's house.
In the evening, there was a whole/raw foods tasting fair and demo at the local hall. It was my first experience in modern raw food dining. The food was beautifully presented, 
and a good share of it tasted delicious, too! I was excited to see that there were kale chips, which is something that I've wanted to try. They were OK, if a little odd to get used to. A couple of the recipes were absolutely delicious and I would gladly have them often. Most of the rest were not my favorite things in the world, but food I could easily eat.
My plate!
The next day was Sabbath, so I spent it at church, feeding kittens, resting in the afternoon, and hanging out with the kittens in Laura's tent. The cuteness got so thick in there I finally had to come out for air!
In the evening, Laura and I headed back to Makoshika to visit Noni and Jack's campsite. They had a beautiful spot back in a much more secluded area; while driving back there, I got to see a rattlesnake! I was so excited, since seeing rattlesnakes is one of my traditional California summer activities. I was even more excited because it slithered into the bushes just before Noni drove by, so no pictures for her. Awwwwww! Sad face......
The campfire was burning briskly, while Devon tried his best to immolate himself. Thankfully, the only burnt offerings of the night were marshmallows and the occasional hot dog, but you never know when there's a Devon involved.
The next morning, we met at the church early for breakfast and worship before getting assignments. I ended up working on a team that was helping to paint someone's house. I love painting,
so it was lots of fun, particularly when Noni's crew got there. The owners had chosen a pretty shade of lilac for the exterior. A bold choice, but not bad looking. Until the home owner came out and said, "My, that has a purplish tint, doesn't it?" (Honey, that's a lot more than a tint, let me tell you!" Turns out they thought they were picking a light grey. House paint colors can be so tricky!
After lunch, Laura and I headed out, getting home around 5:00. What a fun time we'd had, and what an experience to be a part of such a good event, but how nice it was to see our own house again. The first place I went was to my garden, and it didn't disappoint me. From just a few squash, we've come a long way! These last few days of warm weather have made a big difference. My flowers are getting more and more beautiful, too, though after seeing some of the gorgeous gardens in Glendive, it's hard to remember how grateful I am for what I have!
My garden bounty. Still no tomatoes ripe, but there is the promise of good things to come.
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