Rain, The Birds Came Back And We Lose An Old Friend

Michael and I were scurrying around, moving the motorhome, unhooking the trailer, re-hooking it to the truck and pulling the trailer up into the pasture on top of our hill—trying to beat this coming storm.  It has now been raining for over a hour—welcome, blessed rain!!! 

Today I attended the funeral for a East Boulder matriarch—Maxine, she was 86 years old and had been in the nursing home for several years.  She and her husband Barney moved to the East Boulder in the late 50’s, early 60’s and ranched for years on a place up Elk Creek about 2 miles from us.  There were six couples living on the East Boulder during those years who never had children—Maxine and Barney were one of those couples.  They had nieces and nephews plus lots of neighbors and good friends. 

Barney was a frugal man—Maxine could only go to town once a month or so—I can’t imagine living all the way up here and not being able to go to town when I wanted to!!  Maxine was also frugal—she never bought milk, always making their milk from powdered milk.  She told me she would remove her soaking wet, heavy clothes from the rinse water in the washing machine and reuse that water to wash the next load!!! 

Maxine drove the school bus when Michael was attending high school and she also delivered the mail in McLeod.  Michael said the school bus was an old Ford station wagon which was also used as a driver’s education car!!

When Michael and I first married I was asked by a company for whom I had previously worked to do an interim director of nursing job at the hospital in Hardin, MT.  Maxine had a brother living in Hardin, MT at the time and she would ride over with me on Monday morning and we would both stay until Thursday evening before coming home.  I learned so much about the people living in our valley on those drives and I sure heard a lot about my husband’s early years too!!! 

Maxine and Barney sold the ranch in 1997 moving to Big Timber—Barney died a few years ago.  Rest in peace Maxine—you will be missed.

And last but not least—the lazuli buntings came back today—my beautiful little blue birds.  For many years I could set the clock by their arrival—May 13—but now the birds usually arrive sometime around the middle of May.