Busco's Joy.....The Many Stops to Wolf Creek

Day 2

September 13, 2012

Our second day in Montana found Anne and I waking up at 5:30 am.  A little early to say the least, but our bodies were still on East Coast time.  We didn't need to be at the Blacktail until 4:00 that afternoon, so we had plenty of time to see a few sites before we arrived.  Anne had a few places in mind that she wanted to show me and then we had a few new places neither one of us had seen.  It was going to be a great day, with perfect weather and our trusty rental car to get us where we needed to be.

First we started with breakfast in the amazingly beautiful dining room at The Sanders.  I am in awe of the craftsmanship that went into building homes in the 1800's.  The woodwork was amazing and the incredibly large china corner cabinet in the dining room was astounding.  I often just stand and try to imagine what it would have been like to have been a kid growing up in a house of such beauty and cozy grandeur.  Bobbi and cooked us a wonderful omelet and served it with fresh fruit and delicious homemade bread.  She sat with us while we ate and we talked about the lack of water in Montana and how farming and ranching differ in the east and the west.  We were joined by another guest of the Inn, a senator from Cascade Montana who was in town for business.  He was a delight to talk with and he shared stories of being a rancher in Montana.  We could have spent the whole day sitting right there talking with our wonderful host and the other guests, but alas, we had an agenda and really needed to get the show on the road.

 The corner china cabinet.

It was huge!!!

 

 The lower half of the cabinet.

 

The upper portion of the cabinet.

 

 Our beautiful home for a night.

 

 Had the Montana Mountains not been calling my name,I could have sat on this porch all day.

 

Adorable little piggy planter with beautiful geraniums on the porch.

 

 

The night before, we had asked our friend Kim a good place to get a really great Cappuccino in the morning.  She suggested a place called the The General Mercantile within walking distance of our B&B.  There was also a gorgeous cathedral a few blocks from us that Anne wanted to visit and go spend a little time in prayer for her Grandpa Joe.  So, we set off for our morning walk. 

 

The house next door to The Sanders caught my eye the day we arrived.  I immediately was drawn to the fact that their entire little front yard had been turned into a flower, veggie and herb garden.  What mostly caught my eye was the fact that there were mammoth Sunflowers growing in the yard, just like I had at my home.  I immediately thought of mom, and realized then and there that she was coming along on this journey with Anne and I.  I said good morning to her as we walked past the sunflowers and continued down to the Cathedral.

 

 

I am not Catholic, but I have to admit I have a love for Catholic Cathedrals.  They are just so beautiful and you cannot help but feel an incredible amount of safety and love when you step inside of one.  Anne and I walked up the the cathedral in hopes that it would be open and we would be able to go inside, light a candle for our loved ones and say a little prayer.  Words cannot describe how beautiful the inside and outside were, so here are some pictures to help explain.

 







And as if the beauty weren't enough in the Cathedral,

when you come out to leave, this is what you see.

Natural beauty that no person had anything to do with.

 

The next stop was the General Mercantile to get warmed up and grab a cappuccino.  We just walked down that hill you see in the picture above and soon we were there.  Along the way we past a wonderful little art museum called the Holter Art Museum.  I saw some little birdies in the window that I just knew I had to have that were made by a local potter.  The museum was closed so we made a mental note to come back on our way out of Helena later in the day.  The General Mercantile is a store that looks like it has stepped right out of one of Robby's beloved westerns, except that is has an amazing espresso machine, a  koi pond inside and WiFi.  We ordered our cappuccinos and walked around while we waited for them to be made.  This little gem has EVERYTHING.  Postcards, journals, candy cigarettes, delicious, decadent chocolate bars, local made pottery and art, coffees and teas to take home and lots of cute little nooks and crannies to sit at if you don't want to belly up to the espresso bar.  We chose to sit next to the Koi Pond.  I was not able to take too many pictures inside because of how dark it was and my flash not working, but you will just have to check it out sometime when you are in Helena for yourself.

 

 Stain Glass window just inside of the front door. 

So beautiful.

 

 

 

THE FEATHERED PIPE

 Another one of the magical places in Montana Anne has had the privilege to spend time at is the  Feathered Pipe.  The Feathered Pipe is a yoga retreat where workshops are held on a beautiful property where one completely reconnects with nature and their spirit.  I cannot begin to express how thrilled I was when Anne told me that we would be able to stop by and she would be able to show me the grounds.  There would not be a group there at the time we would be stopping by, so we had free run of the place and were able to walk about at our leisure and I was able to just take it all in.  It is another dream of mine to one day get back there for a workshop and be able to experience the Feathered Pipe for the true magical even it is.  There are tents to sleep in if you wish, or you may prefer and even more unique "home" in one of their Yurts.  For those who aren't quite so adventurous, there are rooms inside of the lodge.  The room they hold their yoga classes in has a huge buck hanging on the fireplace.  He is a very special Buck that I do not even feel worthy of telling his story.  If ever you are lucky enough to go to the Feathered Pipe, you will learn the legend of the mighty Buck. 
 







Welcome to the Feathered Pipe

 

The dining hall, yoga room and indoor sleeping quarters.

 



One of the many Yurts available to stay in.

 

The inside of the Yurt.

Looks comfy doesn't it?

 

The Mighty Buck who is truly a legend at the Pipe.

 

As we were walking the property I noticed how instantly I could feel my soul finding a peace it had not known in long time.  Something about this place just helps to bring an inner peace and quietness.  There is a lake on the property with a pier that goes out to it.  The water was way to cold to swim in, but I did just lay down on the pier and look out across the water and thank the powers that be for letting me be a small part of this amazing place. 

 

 



 

 After a few moments to reflect on my life at the lake, Anne took me on a walk up to an area known as the Stupa.  A stupa is a monumental mound of earth that is used as a sacred spot to honor Buddha.  There were prayer flags that people had made and hung which appear to have been there for some time and little offerings that were left behind.  I am not Buddhist, but that did not matter.  Whenever I am in any spiritual place which stands for nothing more than love for one another and the earth, I cannot help but feel moved.  To me, these places have been built not for evil or pain, but as a place to find healing, possibly reclaim some inner peace that has been missing and offer a prayer or wish for others we know who are hurting or struggling with something.  It's not a matter of believing in a certain God or Gods, but in wanting only to make the world we live in a better place for all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, this was not the last stop of our day before we arrived at Blacktail, but it seems like a great place to end for tonight.  These pictures make me so happy and I think I want them to be what I fall asleep thinking about.  Tomorrow I will write about the last few stops of our day before arriving at our final destination.  Hope you have enjoyed reading more about my journey.  I am loving going back and reliving everyday, which is really why I am blogging about it.  Not so much so that someone else can read about it, but so that I can have something to always come back to and remember the magic that happened in Montana with my dear friend Anne and my mom's spirit right beside me.

Sweet dreams.

XXOO

Deb